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Issue Number 15 - March 2014
MT Welcome Dear Readers
Welcome to the March issue of the Moulsham Times. We want to hear from you, our readers..... What would you like to see in the Moulsham Times? Would you like more competitions? Would you like more on local businesses and people? More history? Please let us know by writing to us at editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk. We would also like your letters! What is happening in your area? Do you know of any local clubs, groups or societies that have events we can mention. Are you taking part in the London Marathon for a charity this year? We would love to hear the story, why are doing it and who are you doing it for. We hope you are picking up Chelmsford The City Times too, it is available from: The Farm Shop, Tesco, Princes Road, McCartney’s, Moulsham Street, Rayleigh Hifi, Tesco Homeplus. Tesco, Springfield Road, The railway station, the library and The Alehouse. Along with many pubs, cafes and other locations throughout the city. You can also view it online at www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia Finally have you seen our van? It has been sign written, thanks to Alpha Signz and McCartney estate agents for sponsoring it. If you see us out and about do come and say hello.. Happy reading. Paul & Nick.
The Farm Shop
We opened The Farm Shop in Moulsham Street to bring a country store to the old part of Chelmsford, something a little old fashioned with some personality, where customers feel free to take their time and have a chat. A place offering home made bread pudding, cakes and crumbles. We thought that the majority of our customers would be more mature people who remember and preferred a time when these types of shops were the norm, where you can buy as little as you need, one chicken breast or one egg, because food is less expensive when you buy only what you need and there is no waste. Now 2 years on, we are pleasantly surprised that people of all ages have found a use for our shop and it is fair to say that new customers who are looking for small amounts of fresh food are amazed at the quality and value that we offer. We now cook fresh homemade meals such as cottage pies, fisherman’s pies, curries and hot pots and our chicken fillets are becoming the stuff of legend.
The Lemon Tree Cafe Com
Drinks for e in to the lunc earl grey, h green tea or a warm drin peppermint k! & many others Mocha Italia coffee Marimba hot chocolate
FOOD Homemade soups Jacket potatoes with a range of fillings homemade veg quiche homemadeveg lasagne toasted sandwiches ciabattas homemade cakes gluten free cakes
Open 8am-5pm Mon - Sat 34F Moulsham Street
MT Therapy
Everyone at some point has said “I’m feeling depressed today”. The term “depression” is used very widely but it is a complicated condition with a wide range of symptoms and degrees and most people don’t know what depression truly is. We all feel low from time to time but depression in a clinical setting is much more serious and has many emotional, physical and behavioural symptoms that go with it. When someone says to me “I’m feeling depressed” I ask them specifically how they’re feeling – too many times the word Depression is used to describe a feeling that is completely normal for someone to be experiencing in their particular situation, for example “my gran died two weeks ago and I still feel depressed” – two weeks really isn’t that long, depending on how close they were to their gran and in a normal grieving cycle I wouldn’t be surprised they were still upset. People put too much pressure on themselves in everyday life and this is one of the reasons conditions like depression crop up. In this article I’ll describe the different types of depression and explain the true impact the condition can have on someone’s life. Mild depression is often a symptom of loss, grief and change. It has a lot in common with anxiety in that there can be genetic links, early childhood trauma can cause both, and specific personality traits or psychological vulnerability can direct someone towards suffering from a specific disorder. There is also the possibility of a hormone imbalance that can cause both depression and anxiety. Clinical depression is more severe, symptoms may be increased in number or severity. Typical symptoms of depression include the following. Emotional: constant low mood, sadness, a feeling of hopelessness, feeling helpless, low self esteem, tearful, feelings of guilt, worthlessness, lack of concentration, irritable, suicidal thoughts, no enjoyment of life questioning “what’s the point?”, worrying more, thoughts of self harm, feelings of emptiness (some people describe it as feeling hollow, like they have no emotion), loneliness. Behavioural: low tolerance of others, no motivation, family or home life affected, quality of work affected, find it difficult to make decisions, less social activity perhaps avoiding people, procrastinating, just wanting to stay in bed and hide away from the world, not looking after yourself. Self defeating behaviours tend to crop up as a way of coping, for example using alcohol or drugs to escape from the emotional torment. Physical: loss of appetite, disturbed sleep or insomnia, loss of libido, moving slower than usual, speaking slower, lack of energy, headaches, back pain, muscle aches and joint pain, chest pain, digestive problems, IBS, exhaustion and fatigue, dizziness or light headedness. Lots of these symptoms are also experienced with anxiety. Like anxiety and stress, depression and stress are closely linked. One can cause the other, in my experience all cases of depression have demonstrated certain stress levels, usually high levels of stress. Funnily enough as I’m writing this I’m also simultaneously watching a film based on a true story about a woman who was stalked (multi tasking – my favourite past time!). She has
begun to show symptoms of depression – she’s been under a lot of stress, she can’t stop worrying, she’s not eating or sleeping, she doesn’t want to do anything or go anywhere, she’s quit her job and stopped looking after herself, she has a constant low mood, very tearful, she seems to not care about her life anymore as if she’s lost herself and she’s contemplating suicide. She isn’t just scared of her stalker, she isn’t dealing with the amount of stress she’s under – and her best friend just suggested she go see a counsellor because she needs to talk about everything that’s happened so she can deal with it. Now that is a good friend in my opinion! Lots of situations in life cause us to be stressed. If you feel you’re not coping you’re not alone. Many, many people go through depression and those that choose to get help for their depression are the ones that not only learn to cope with how they feel in the moment but also they learn coping mechanisms that will help them throughout life. This means that should they be in a situation that could cause them depression in the future, they have the tools to deal with it head on. Some people are able to recover from depression on their own, my hat goes off to them, but these people are few and far between. There’s nothing wrong with admitting you need help. There’s everything right with helping yourself feel better by getting the help you need. Unfortunately depression still carries a certain amount of stigma. Some people see you as a freak, there’s something wrong with you, why can’t you cope like everyone else, it’s a disease that will catch because you’ll bring everyone else down etc. Ironically there are also people out there who don’t believe depression exists, that it’s a myth, that you should just pull your socks up, stop being so goddamn lazy and get on with it like everyone else. These people are usually repressed – in other words they never deal with anything themselves, they bottle everything up and have virtually no self-awareness. Please don’t take any notice of either point of view. In my personal opinion, those who stigmatise people with depression or any other mental or emotional illness simply do not understand it fully and could even be suffering from mental or emotional problems themselves. It’s called denial, and unfortunately it’s everywhere. If you do think you may be struggling with depression, or just struggling in general, getting help is the strongest thing you can do and don’t let anybody else tell you otherwise. They don’t know what they’re talking about. Please bear in mind that depression, like anxiety and stress, can be cyclical. If you feel very low for certain periods of days, weeks or months and then seem to be OK for a while that doesn’t mean that it won’t still affect your life or that you don’t need help. These periods likely have a trigger, finding and dealing with that trigger is more likely to lead to a happier and more fulfilled life rather than dreading the next onset of symptoms. If anybody would like me to write on anything specifically please drop me an email. Next time I’ll write about Self Defeating Behaviours – we all have lots of them so I’m starting a series of articles that will hopefully help in understanding them!!
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GPO Designs Architectural Services Thinking of adding extra space to your property but not sure where to start? Then give GPO Designs a call and let us work with you to develop your ideas and help you plan your dream home. We specialise in drawing building plans and applying for building regulations consent and planning permission for extensions, new builds, loft and garage conversions, garden rooms, barns and granny annexes and more. To allow you to more easily visualise your designs, we work with a 3D design system and colour visualisations are included as standard. We can also help you take advantage of the new legislation introduced in May 2013 which permits larger extensions or changes of use from office to residential.
GPO Designs is a family run business based in Chelmsford which was founded in 2010 by Mike and Georgina Otter. The business was started when they realised that there was a need for high quality, low cost architectural services. Mike’s background is in engineering design, property development and project management. Georgina is local to the area having lived in South Woodham Ferrers most of her life, and enjoys combining her work as an artist with the creative elements of GPO Designs. We offer a professional design service starting with a consultation at your property where we talk through and help to develop your ideas. Measurements and photographs are taken to allow us to draw up accurate plans. We communicate with you throughout the design process and only once you are completely happy with the design will we then submit the plans to the local authority.
looking to build a new house, add an extension or a garden room, or if you want a loft, garage or barn conversion, call Mike or George for a free no obligation quote on 01245 835855, or visit our website for further details of our full range of services. We are open 7 days a week and we offer daytime and evening appointments to suit you.
Our aim is to provide a high quality service at the best possible price. We offer fixed rates for our services and these can be found on our website: www.gpodesigns.co.uk. So if you are
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From the
House by Simon Burns MP Get Customised
In January I was delighted to meet a constituent of mine, Jennifer Davies. Jennifer is an aspiring entrepreneur based in Viaduct Way in Chelmsford, who just 8 months ago was able to kick start her business project “Get Customised”, with the help from the Start Up Loans project. Jennifer’s business specialises in the customisation of various different objects ranging from mugs, bags to mouse mats and t-shirts and she has a huge amount of different styles to match anyone’s needs. Start Up Loans is a government funded initiative that began in March 2013 and its aim is to provide start up support in the form of repayable loans and tied together with a business mentor who has already had real world experience and success. The project is designed to help solve the problem of supporting people who have feasible business ideas but sadly no way of funding it themselves. So far the Start Up Loan scheme has backed 11,518 businesses and has lent over £57 million to businesses all over the nation. Jennifer has always been involved in the creative world and after going to art school she began work for print companies as a graphic designer. Here she found that there was a big demand for specific customised items and decided that she would in fact start up her own business. Once the ball started rolling Jennifer decided that it would be a good idea to complete business and skilled based courses so she could obviously become more proficient in the area and provide better services for her customers. Since then her business has flourished and she has already a host of well known clients both from the small individual to large corporate clients. I think that it is fantastic that the Start Up Loans project has helped so many people’s ideas come to life and make them a reality. I do wish Jennifer the best of luck in all her future endeavours and I must say that I am particularly pleased with the fantastic personally customised mug and coaster which sits proudly on my desk at The House of Commons that she made for me.
Thursday 6th March Charity Quiz Night in aid of Dreams Come True Children's Charity - 8pm Friday 14th - Monday 17th March Saint Patrick's Party Weekend and the final weekend of 6 Nations Rugby Thursday 17th April Karaoke Night - 8pm We also show all major sporting events on both BT Sport & Sky Sports. 7 Hall Street, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0HG 01245 299 126
www.oconnorschelmsford.com
This month, we’re flinging our doors open wide for a COMMUNITY ARTS FESTIVAL on Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd March 2014 at St John’s Church on Moulsham Street Local schools, nurseries, colleges, care homes etc. as well as individuals have all been invited to contribute. So this event is intended for people of all ages from nursery to retirement! And we’re looking forward to welcoming as many visitors to the church as possible over the course of the weekend. In addition to the arts events, which will include music, song and dance, there will be special times allocated for led prayer and quiet reflection. There will be a display about the life and work of St John’s and many of you may like to know that the registers for births, marriages and deaths will be available to view by appointment. So why not come along and view part of your family history? On Saturday the church will be open from 10am – 4pm with performances and displays taking place throughout. Refreshments will also be available throughout the day. On Sunday there will be a Communion Service at 10.00 am and anyone attending this is also invited to stay for our Annual Meeting and ‘Bring and Share’ lunch, which will follow. The day will end with more performances from 2 – 4pm.
We would love to see you over the course of the weekend, so do please come and join us as we’d love to make some new friends! And before I close, don’t forget both Moulsham churches have regular coffee mornings: Moulsham St John’s have theirs on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10.30am– 12.30pm Moulsham St Luke’s (Gloucester Avenue, Moulsham Lodge) have theirs on Saturdays, 11.00am–12.00 noon and on the first Saturday of every month, Local councillors are also available to discuss any concerns you may have. If we haven’t met, I look forward to meeting you soon. Canon Carol Smith Vicar of the Moulshams www.stlukemoulsham.co.uk www.stjohnsmoulsham.org.uk
Holmes & Co. Tax and accountancy We are a new family practice established to run alongside our charitable work. (See website for more details) Let us help you with Advice on simple and complex tax issues. HMRC investigations. Business reports. Self assessment tax returns. Bookkeeping services. Annual accounts.
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MT Gardening Water, water everywhere!
This is the first time that I’ve managed to get on my trusty allotment due to the horrendous last few months of appalling weather. And there’s soooo much to do. Having spent last season ensuring that well-rotted manure had been strategically dumped across the entire plot and my onion sets safely planted in modular trays, I’m now ready to plant a number of new permanent fruit. I must say that I’m glad that I decided to use modular trays for the sets as they would have surely rotted off by now. Lesson for next year – repeat this task as it has saved me time and also produced a great number of healthy plants having kept them in the cold frame. I’ll also sow seed of the following onions to extend the season; Onion Armstrong F1 and Golden Bear F1. I’ll be using modular trays under glass at 14°C, only lightly covering with compost and I’ll do some later sowings on the plot 1cm deep in rows 30cm apart.
weeds and reduce water loss from the soil surface. Want to learn more about fruit and veg or shrub pruning? Why not book a place on one of our Saturday classes in March – contact the team on 01245 424286. Interested in coming to study at Writtle College? We have another evening event on Wednesday 5th March from 6:00 – 7:30pm. Staff will be on hand to chat through all your queries on a complete range of short (1 day) part-time day release and full-time options for both further and higher education. Why not pre-register for this event online. To book a place please complete the online booking form, once you have registered you will receive online confirmation of your booking. If you have any questions which you would like answered before the event, or For an cannot attend on one of the dates yg w h y not c ardening tip and would like to make Head o ontact Tom s alternative arrangements, Cole fF & Envir aculty for La , Colleg onment, Wr nd please contact Admissions on e, C ittle 3RR b helmsford, 01245 424200. y post CM1 (in SAE) o r by em cluding a ail at cole@w Good luck and happy rittle.a tom. c.uk gardening!
Back to the task in hand - fruit for planting. I’ve scoured many a company supplying fruit and have to say that there are some great suppliers out there. In our area try Ken Muir (http://www.kenmuir.co.uk), Perrywood (http://www. perrywood.co.uk/garden-centre-and-nurseries) and Pomona Fruits (http://www.pomonafruits.co.uk). All are excellent and offer great advice and guidance on fruit selection with each supplier tempting you with new varieties! This year I’ve gone for blackcurrant bush ‘Ben Hope’ as this is resistant to mildew, leaf spot and rust and most importantly it is resistant to big bud gall mite (carrier of reversion). It also has fabulous flavour, which always helps! I’ll be popping five plants in total on the plot. Also on the cards, but not yet purchased, are two ‘Loch Ness’ blackberries– thornless and easy to train. You’ll need a support system to carry blackberries. A simple post and wire system would suffice, or wire and vines eyes on a south facing wall or fence. For those with more compact spaces, try pots. Containers need to be at least 60cm x 60cm and you’ll need to monitor watering. Erratic irrigation can really stress the plant resulting in premature leaf, flower and or fruit drop, wilting, or even splitting of fruit – take care! Key to successful fruit growing is to ensure the site has relatively good drainage, south facing, out of any frost pockets and extreme windy conditions. Feed after planting with a general feed at a rate of 50g/m² and then work into the soil before applying organic matter as a mulch; this will suppress 10
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FROM COUNTY HALL by Cllr. Dick Madden
In last month’s article I stated that Essex County Council was set to increase its share of council tax by 1.49%, which at the time of writing was true. However, I am pleased to state for the forth year in a row we will not be making any increase at all. To cut a long story short we have attained unexpected monies which means our proposed increase will not happen. Hurrah to some good news. What though of the congestion on Parkway you ask? Well the development of the Army and Navy roundabout, the alterations of Parkway and New London Road traffic lights and the improvement of the pavements in Parkway just along from the cricket ground, all happening at once, does make the peak times of travel along Parkway a sight to behold and sometimes causes extreme congestion. Please can I ask you to be patient or if you can, avoid these areas at peak times. Once completed us locals will be grateful, it is just frustrating at this moment in time. Where we continue to suffer wet weather and storms our local flood defences to date have proved successful, unlike other parts of the country. As I indicated previously the wet weather though has had an impact on our highways and more pot holes are developing on or our estates. Please continue to report these direct to ECC Highways using this link: https://secureweb1.essexcc.gov.uk/Highways/Report-ahighway-problem.aspx
I attended recently the newly formed Old Moulsham neighbourhood watch group at Essex County Cricket Ground. It was a really good turn out with plenty of residents, representatives of the police and local authority. I wish the newly formed group every success. To all residents who volunteer to represent their part of our local neighbourhoods on behalf of all residents I thank you. Your community spirit is recognised and acknowledged. They do need more members, if any resident would like to find out more about this excellent group or become a neighbourhood watch volunteer then all details are in Moulsham First’s article on page 28. Also this past week, I have met many other valuable resident volunteers by attending the Moulsham First community group meeting and a meeting of the Moulsham Lodge neighbourhood action panel. At these meetings, besides local issues, the police attend and inform the groups on what is going on in our area. We were introduced to new police officers who will look after our local areas, one of them was PC Craig Barnard. Now that makes me feel old as I served with his father in Essex Police many years ago. Time goes so quickly! I have rightly emphasised in this article the residents who volunteer to support our communities, I end by again stating, THANK YOU, to all of you.
All doors conform fully to EU safety directives
MT
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MT Cookery Hi all, now that the Heineken Cup pool matches have been completed the Aviva Premiership is back with Harlequins in 4th position after scrapping through against our arch-rivals, London Wasps, on Sunday 9th February at the Stoop and with the Six Nations in full swing it is a rugby supporters dream. Beers at the Orange Tree is always a major plus, with the likes of Plain Ales Hairy Hooker and Fuller Front Row to name just a few, great company and it is a perfect afternoon. C’mon England!!!!! Spicy Tomato & Red Pepper Soup, Seared Prawns & Chives. Serves 4 3 red peppers halved 4 plum tomatoes 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 small red onions, peeled and chopped 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped 1 tablespoon of cumin 2 teaspoons of paprika 1 large potato peeled and diced 2 x 400g cans of tomatoes 500ml vegetable stock Salt and black pepper To serve 12 large raw tiger prawns - 1 red chilli deseeded and chopped ½ bunch of chives finely chopped - 150g crème fraiche A drizzle of good olive oil - Fresh pesto (optional) Method Preheat oven to 200/c gas mark 7. Put the peppers and tomatoes in a roasting tray and drizzle over the olive oil. Roast in the oven until slightly charred and softened. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook the onions and garlic in the remaining olive oil until softened. Add the cumin and paprika, and cook until the aromas come out.
By Andy Starling Chilli jam 25ml olive oil 1 Spanish onion, peeled and diced 2 red peppers, deseeded and diced 4 garlic cloves peeled 3 red chillies 200g cherry tomatoes 50g brown sugar 100ml fish sauce Mussels: 1 bottle of lager 2kg fresh mussels, cleaned 200ml coconut cream A bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped 2 limes cut into quarters Oil for cooking For the Chilli Jam Heat the olive oil in a wok or large saucepan and saute the onion and red peppers until they are quite dark in colour. Add the whole garlic and chillies and saute for a further 10mins. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for another 5mins. Add the sugar and fish sauce, lower the temperature and cook for 10mins. Remove from the heat, transfer to a blender and blitz to a smooth puree - refrigerate until needed. For the Mussels Heat a little oil in a wok or a large saucepan until smoking hot. Add the 125g of the chilli jam and cook for a few mins to release all the aromas and flavour.
Add the potato, tinned toms, stock, roasted tomatoes, red peppers and cook on a low heat for about 45mins.
Pour the lager into the wok and bring to the boil. Add the mussels (discarding any that are open) stir and cover with a lid - this will steam the mussels. After a few mins check the mussels - they should all be opened. Add coconut cream, stir and bring to the boil.
Transfer to a blender and whiz (you may have to do in batches) or use a stick blender, and pass through a sieve. This soup should be nice and fragrant with a touch of sweetness.
Sprinkle the coriander over the top and serve in the wok, bowls warmed and crusty bread for mopping up the juice. Very thin French fries will go well with this dish….
Season to taste.
Dessert next…. Coffee Bean Panna Cotta, Espresso Syrup:
You may have to reheat soup.
Now for the Main Course…. Mussels cooked in beer with chilli jam:
Serves 6 2 leaves of gelatin 150ml double cream 150ml milk 50g sugar 25g coffee beans The Syrup 20ml glucose 50g sugar 150ml very strong coffee
Serves 6
This dessert is easy to make and can be made a day before
To Serve In a frying pan sear the prawns in a little oil and chilli and seasoning until they are cooked. Mix chives into the crème fraiche. Pour soup into warm bowls. Gently lay the prawns on top so they don’t sink, and garnish with crème fraiche, a drizzle of olive oil and pesto.
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your dinner party. To Serve Biscotti or shortbread biscuits Good quality dark chocolate, finely grated Strawberries (optional) In a bowl, soak the gelatin with a little cold water. Place the cream, milk, sugar and coffee beans in a saucepan, and on a low heat slowly bring to the boil. Then remove from the heat and allow it to infuse for 30mins. Squeeze the water from the gelatin and add the softened leaves to the cream mixture, stirring thoroughly. Strain through a sieve and pour into small moulds or pots. Set in the fridge for at least 3hrs. To make the syrup, place the glucose, sugar and coffee in a saucepan and reduce over a low heat until thick and syrupy. Set aside until serving. If you refrigerate make sure you remove 2 hours before serving. To Serve Remove the panna cottas from their moulds or pots, arrange on a plate. Sprinkle over the grated chocolate and drizzle the syrup around the panna cottas with Biscotti or shortbread and a strawberry. Stuffed…
Is On-Line Dating A Thing Of The Past? By Bridget Metcalfe It’s March. Spring is on the way and hopefully there’s a wonderfully warm summer ahead which will run on until October. The daffodils are out in gardens and the parks as well as at supermarket checkouts. The other day I cycled past three of the Council’s gardeners in Central Park as they were neatly edging the grass where it meets the path. A few metres apart, they were each quietly working away, not saying much, just getting the job done. It’s all for our benefit. This year, Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Tuesday is 4th March and Mother’s Day is on Sunday 30 March. What will you do for you mum? I’ve noticed what I call a “Sunday morning coffee scene” in Chelmsford. There’s nothing formal about it, it’s just people who go out for a coffee and a croissant and read the Sunday papers. I call it a “scene” because it starts before the shops open so it means people are simply going out for coffee. Your mum might like to go. There also seem to be a lot of people behind their Sunday morning cappuccinos who sit on their own. Forget on-line dating, this is a whole new idea for meeting other single people in real life! You never know, real life might become popular again. Give it a go. The clocks go forward on 30th March this year (“spring forward, fall back”). My Sunday evening show on BBC Essex starts at 6 o’clock and I love going on air that day seeing through the studio window that it’s still light outside. That first longer day, the start of British Summertime, is my favourite day of the year.
Before
After
en our ov n! y t a e r T lea RING c to a SP now to Call us . book 15
More Thoughts on Energy Saving by Robert Jones By the time this goes to press we will be over half-way through the heating season: time to think about what can be done to make ourselves more fuelefficient for next winter. In addition, it is useful to remind ourselves that space heating is not the only element that adds to our fuel bills. We also need to consider hot water and electrical appliances. For example, even twenty or more years ago, “low energy dwellings” were being built in Milton Keynes that used more gas for water heating than they did for space heating.The space heating use itself was so low that the gas supplier was beginning to say that it was not profitable to run a gas supply to such homes! Where electricity is concerned, deep-freezers, televisions and computers contribute a surprising percentage of demand to the fuel bill and that demand can be cut easily with a little bit of common sense and discipline; like switching ‘off’ when not in use.
Energy Saving as a Patriotic Duty! As I write this, we in the city of Chelmsford are enjoying what must be the mildest new year we have had for years. This is good news for those whose homes are hard and/ or expensive to heat and bad news for the profits of the energy suppliers. Overall, it is also good news for the UK in general because most of the profits from our energy markets leave the UK economy. For example, the UK electricity distribution network is largely foreign-owned: one Hong Kong owned company, UK Power Networks Holdings, pulled out £130 million in dividends from the UK in 2011 and £135 million in 2012. SP Transmission, owned by a Spanish company, paid £73 million to its Spanish owner over the same period and Western Power Distribution paid £169 million to its USA parent company. Reducing our fuel bills goes some way to alleviating the economic damage done when our publicly-owned fuel industries were “sold off” - what Harold Macmillan, called, “Selling off the family silver.” So, if you fancy yourself as a patriot, get energy saving and as another politician said, “the job you save might be your own.”
if ever, mention them as the excellent energy improving things they can be. By acting as an air-lock a lobby keeps warmth in and cold out. When the sun is shining, it can even act as a heat source itself, if it has a southerly aspect. It also provides extra inside space; especially for boots and prams and potted plants. (We grow lemons in one of ours !) Many older properties already have overhanging porch areas or a bit of a passage outside the front door that can be enclosed to form an air-lock lobby. Front or back, the lobby provides additional security, both through confronting a would-be intruder with two locks and doors to tackle and through the occupier being able to see callers before opening the second, outside door. The reluctance of ‘official’ energy saving publications to cover lobbies is based on the claim that the ‘pay-back’ of the building work is too long; that is to say, it could be many years before the money saved on the energy bill covers the cost of constructing the lobby. On the contrary, I have always said that, with a lobby, like double- or tripleglazing, the energy saving comes free because the extra comfort, security and convenience alone make the expense worthwhile! This is a cost-effective improvement to consider before next winter.
Savings on Hot Water Use. Getting back to hot water, there are many easy ways to save energy and money. First of all, many hot water installations have the water temperature set far too high. If you cannot hold your hand under the hot tap, the chances are that it is running too hot. If there is a thermostat on the system, try turning it down. Experiment until you get the temperature that suits you. Baths can be the biggest user of hot water but do not fall blindly for the suggestion that showering uses less than bathing: I always remember an energy-saving poster that I saw by an American gas company: “sing shorter songs!”, it said, over a picture of a man in a shower. Also, “share a bath” has been grossly misrepresented. Where small children are concerned, getting the lot into one fill will not only save energy - and water - but can be great fun for all. Sensible adults are quite happy to jump into a partner’s bath water; after all, with most people bathing daily, they are not going to be at all grubby!
Are Lobbies Worth the Expense? In the January notes, I briefly mentioned lobbies as a worthwhile energy saving investment. By ‘lobby’ I mean a closedin porch or space beyond an outside door. Government energy advice booklets and advertisements rarely, The most annoying fuel and water 16
wasters are the people who brush their teeth with the tap running, being too idle to sensibly fill a tumbler and just use that. Similarly, what is wrong with leaving the odd mug or plate unwashed until the next full meal-time wash-up? I have even seen people letting the first run of cold water from the hot tap down the sink before directing the flow into the washing up bowl and then adding cold to get the water down to a bearable temperature! Using a kettle, gas is cheaper than electricity but it is even cheaper to only fill the kettle with as much water as actually needed. Finally, if you have a hot water storage system, is the hot water tank really well insulated? Has anyone pulled the insulation aside in the mistaken view that the airing cupboard needs heating? It doesn’t: the small amount of heat leaking through even the best insulated tank will do the job and anyway, the whole concept of ‘airing’ is outmoded and unnecessary in a comfortably heated home. Insulating Walls. Wall insulation is generally only an issue in houses and apartments built before, say, the seventies. Modern building regulations insist upon properly insulated walls. Cavity walls were not widely introduced here until about the twenties and then mainly for dampness issues. We did not start filling them with insulating material until recent times. That is why there is such a thriving industry in retrofit cavity filling. It is certainly worth doing. However, do get a reputable firm for the job; especially if you have a ‘quality building’ from the twenties: they often had cavity walls, but only up to ground-floor window sill level. Above that it was traditional solid brickwork. A reputable firm will know that and only charge for what can be filled! In the absence of a cavity, consider either internal or external cladding - much more expensive but, in most cases, still worth the money. I suppose that our biggest energy problem is that the older UK buildings stock is an energy efficiency nightmare. I once met an architect academic who always started his energy saving lectures to students with a slide of a bulldozer, just to make the point! But remember what I suggested earlier about it being a patriotic duty to save energy: the money you knock off your energy bills will benefit the UK economy and strike a blow at those ‘big six’ energy suppliers. www.moulshamtimes.com
Rock Around the Classroom. By John Power When you’re young you know the stars. When you’re older you’ve taught them. I went to Moulsham, me, where local bands like Lee Scott and the Roulettes, and Nitebeats cut their teeth, and we got a good technical education including metalwork, woodwork and art in the early 60s, for those not being pushed into the academic life of the grammer school. So developing a practical outlook, art school seemed like the best move after that. I only came back for speech evening to collect prizes, but graduated with a public punch-up with the deputy head, who wouldn’t let me go on stage without a tie. I came to know exactly why John Cooper Clarke wrote ‘15 Years (and some) in an open necked shirt’, and styled my wardrobe accordingly. I did thank him for that after a gig in Colchester. He was pleased with my pioneering attitude. Martin, the saxist from the Nitebeats, went on from there to sesson work and played with the likes of the Eurythmics, Style Council, and Jools Holland, as well as big bands of a previous era style. Art school, after 6 years of single sex education and army style discipline, was a paradise, starting with life drawing in the first week - and all those eccentric characters, from Bohemians to demure fashion dollies comfortable with open necked dress, or none at all. It’s often been remarked that many of the 60s rock stars, like Lennon, Stones; Richards and Wood, the Who’s Pete Townsend and Kinks’ Ray Davies were art school types who’s creativity had been channelled into muliple artistic outlets. So it was at Colchester, where my year included a blues guitarist as good as the emerging Eric Clapton (before a career move into acupuncture) and a blues harmonica player who eventually went on to the Royal College of Art to be taught by the likes of (now Sir) Peter Blake and play in bands with Ian Dury and Lena Lovich. (After a life of teaching Ivan became a TV and film chef specialising in antique recipes.) So it was that musos again became entwined with my education as they enlivened the infamous art school parties. My painter friend Lesley the gypsy became a groupie for the Pretty Things and their local pals, and also went out with Roy Harper for a few months. 18
I made the mistake of taking soul destroying commercial graphics in year 2 at Colchester and soon dropped out to make a living from layout and illustration for a counter-culture magazine and design and printing for a silk screen printers, until it was bankrupted by rivals creating cash flow problems for materials, and as parenthood beckoned I decided college needed finishing if regular pay packets were to be achieved. A few late applications got me into Brentwood Teacher Training College (now subsumed into Anglia Ruskin University). College and students were largely more mediocre, but I was the only man in the art department of my year. Its a hard life...! It is when you’re married! But water finds its own level and a few mates emerged, oddly from the science deptartment but they just happened to be musos again. Later one of them became a stand-in Beach Boy for one of their British tours. Doug, my closest sidekick, when he bothered to turn up (for talks with the principal about absenteeism), and who managed to gain immediate notoriety by falling asleep snoring loudly in an induction lecture in the first week, belonged to a country rock band that later morphed into the amazing Kursaal Flyers and hit the top ten with ‘Little Does She Know’, before Doug went guitar hero style with Eddie and the Hotrods, and again hit the top ten by penning ‘Do Anything You Wanna Do’. At least once a year, maybe more often, the original Dr Feelgood, with Wilko Johnson and Lee Brilleaux, would turn up for Student Union gigs, and a West Indian steel band proved nearly as popular amongst a variety of other acts. At my last (of three) teaching practices I found myself teaching Chelmsford’s leading punks at Rainsford School. It was all the more funny for them that I had to put some world religions study into practice. The only world religion that the elderly RE teacher knew was to be found in the bible, and she sat in the classroom while the punks were subjected to chapter and verse of the parts of the old testament that she had selected. We all had a good laugh about that in the pub in later years. Jim, or James Vane as he became, still fronts a band, down in the West Country now, and Jonna ran a couple of local Punk bands, while Molde, a couple of years down on them still creates growling
metalish sounds with The Skraelings around town and at festivals. Then, thrust into wage earning teaching for the first time I found myself at a Billericay Comprehensive, in an open plan area (an ill thought out architect’s innovation) of an art deptartment in the same space where the previous term a student on teaching practice from the Royal College had been forced to operate. That was Ian Dury, and why he wrote Billericay Dickie. One of the girls in my first tutor group became a girlfriend of a Hawkwind roadie and went on tour with them, while a girl we had shared a house with as students became one of Lemmy’s groupies before he left and formed Motorhead. After four years in Billericay I dropped out again, into part time hours at a couple of local schools, so that I could concentrate on my own painting, but after a couple of years living in a squat on low income it wasn’t so unwelcome when a knock at the door turned out to be a technical studies teacher from Basildon who had been told by an art school mate that I could teach technical graphics and woodwork as well as art. As acting head of departmet he needed to recruit quickly as another fella had walked out of the job. Two years in a Basildon school offers many anecdotes but to stick to the musical note it happened that the lads who made up Depeche Mode were in the sixth form. Dave Gahan was in my ‘A’ level group. That usually consisted of turning up with a hangover, scribbling some sketches for a bit and them having to go home ‘unwell’. Alison Moyet was at the school too. Andy, another teacher from the school, and I could be found drinking on the odd occasion with the lads, in Moulsham Street in the Kings Arms, now Smiths, where Suzi Quatro often played, but the locals wouldn’t have recognised them at that stage of their career. After two years of Basildon and the school needing to make up a teaching timetable for a new head of technology I found my hours slashed again. But I managed to re-locate to two other school art deptartments one in Shenfield and one in Braintree. After two years the Braintree job became full-time and permanent, and led to 15 years of rustic peace after the urban adventures of www.moulshamtimes.com
The Moulsham Times is printed by www.graphic-impressions.co.uk Basildon, until the 6th form was moved to Braintree College, and my teaching hours disappeared from under my feet again. But while there a couple of the 6th formers had teamed up with two of the younger staff to form a band called Gerry and the ‘Atricks, while my 6th formers printed the posters for them. Also in one of my classes was Leroy, who became part of Essex’s next big thing: Prodigy. And a Rasta blues harmonica player, Jerimiah, who had toured with Chuck Berry and in his reggae days, played with Bob Marley, became a firm friend after a parents evening. Over previous years I had used evenings to pick up an MA in Jungian psychology and art therapy at London University, and that provided the clue as to what to do next, while an advert in the paper for an art teacher at Chelmsford Prison indicated the route, which later expanded to a women’s prison in Hockley, that has since morphed into a detention centre for asylum seekers. Obviously there are few opportunities for inmates to form bands but after Johnny
Cash’s work in Fulsom Prison in the States a degree of liberality had crept into the system to allow bands to go in and play for inmates, and Hawkwind and the Sex Pistols had played in Chelmsford. On the sleeve notes to the Pistols ‘Live at Chelmsford Prison’ album it said that some of the inmates were still high on LSD that had found its way in amongst Hawkwind’s equipment. Whether that was true or just the stuff that legends are made of we will never know. Obviously, due to security issues, it is not possible to give much detail to work inside, save to say that a great deal of talent exists behinds bars from those with manual skills rather than academic, but this is rarely given any credit by the authorities, although once per year Whitleys Gallery in London hosts exhibitions of entrants to the Arthur Koestler Awards, which also receive royal patronage. Oh yes, and to some degree already having been public at the women’s prison: when men crossed the central square they were greeted by a display of boobs and pubes up against the bars to shouts of “whadya think of
that then?”. If more workplaces laid on such a welcome to employees just think how it would improve staff morale. Refurbishments, failed contract renewals for the department, and reduced hours led the way out of prison to other adult education venues at Chelmsford College, Workers Education Association, Whoosh and mental health organisations filled out the years to retirement, with therapy work again being foremost. Here also such activity is little valued by administrators too preoccupied with paperwork to remember where the real work needs to be done and so leads to constant chasing of funding sources for courses. It may be due to age but little in the way of musical contacts came out of that era, but given Essex’s record for producing excellent music, especially around the Thames estuary, and Southend in particular rivalling the Mersey scene of the 60s, I’d better keep my eye on the bands in the Star and Garter at weekends.... and maybe you should too.
Rotary Celebrates its Birthday Rotary has just celebrated its 109th birthday and contrary to popular belief in some quarters, those Rotarians joining in the birthday celebrations are not the same ones who helped set up this wonderful global organisation which makes such a difference to so many lives. There are so many ways that this is achieved and I will give you a few brief examples of what has been done recently in and around Chelmsford and slightly further afield in the rest of our district to whet your appetite. I have deliberately concentrated on projects that don’t involve a lot of money because that is another misconception about Rotary – that it is all about money. No, it is all about giving something back to the community and there are numerous ways that clubs do this in addition to fundraising for good causes. A Colchester club organised students at Essex University to donate blood stem cells or bone marrow in collaboration with the Anthony Nolan Trust. A life saving exercise. Another club donated £500 to First Responders in Maldon to purchase a Pulse Oximeter. This machine is critical in emergency medicine and especially useful for patients with respiratory or cardiac problems so will also save lives of many local people. Treats for the elderly are high on the agenda of many Rotary clubs and amongst others was a visit
to the pantomime in Chelmsford and a tea party at Hadleigh Fire Station. This type of event is often the highlight for some older people who live alone so it is imperative that they are not forgotten. Another simple idea was a litter picking session. This was just for one hour but it was amazing how much was collected in that short time including dog poo. Hopefully, some of the local residents got the message and will take pride in their immediate neighbourhood in the future. Meanwhile the Canvey club was buying football kit and training equipment for Canvey Island Youth FC. Support for our youngsters is also vital and keeping them occupied and fit and showing them that we care boosts morale. The importance of this was highlighted by a talk organised by Chelmsford Mildmay on the Essex Young People’s Drug and Alcohol Service. There were heartbreaking tales of abused and neglected teenagers and also others who despite having loving parents still fell foul of drug dealers. The club is giving support to the Children’s Society for the work it does in this field. Of course, Rotary is always at the forefront of disaster relief and recently this has been closer to home with the floods in Somerset and along the Thames. A UK Flood Relief Fund already exists and many clubs including Chelmsford have made a contribution. Rotarians in Somerset have been out on the ground putting up people who
have lost their homes and also doing their shopping. There is great emphasis on obtaining animal feed as the livestock and horses are in danger of starving. You can see how working together in clubs, in districts, nationally and internationally Rotarians find solutions to alleviate problems and to make the world a better place. So no matter if you are young or old, male or female, if you have the drive and commitment to help improve lives then you are ideal Rotary material. If you would like to know more about joining the organisation visit www. chelmsfordrotary1240.org or phone me on 01245 260349 (office). Stan Keller
Youngsters get work experience at local radio station.
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Wine Corner
Hello, here we are again. There is something bright up in the sky, as I write this. I’ve looked on the internet and apparently it’s something called the sun. Thankfully, the rain here has been nowhere near as bad as some areas, it must be dreadful. Look on the bright side though, a few more weeks of wet weather here and we may avoid a hose pipe ban in the summer. Plenty of sun in the wine growing areas of the world, I expect. The weather plays a big part in grape growing. Amongst factors that affect the quality of wine are the vine itself and the soil (but these are more of a constant), and the weather. Of course the wine maker’s skill also plays a major part. Generally the higher the temperature, the higher the alcohol level, cooler climates are normally lower, the Loire for example, produces a lot of light white wines. If you check the abv of wines from countries like Australia, South Africa, Chile and Argentina, the average abv is high, often 13.5% or 14%. Southern France also produces some wines at 15% or more. 17% is the maximum abv for wines. Above that they are called fortified wine, like sherry. The weather is important during the growing period each year, and like most crops, experience is required to know when to harvest. A hot summer is said to result in ‘good’ years for the wine. In some parts of France both 2009 and 2010 were ‘good’. I was speaking to a wine grower a couple of years ago (I say speaking, she had very little English and my French is not much more than vin blanc and vin rouge), she was able to convey that the weather that year was very good for the wine, but not so good for the cereals. It took about half an hour to have that conversation, with her pointing at various posters she had on the walls, with pictures of grapes and corn fields. The wine was good though! In recent years the abv seems to have crept up. The increasing popularity of new world wines has led wine drinkers to expect at least 13%. The French growers seem to be responding with 13% plus becoming more common.
Perhaps I’m getting old. Another thing, disposable razors. They have little guards over the blades, for ‘elf ‘n’ safety I presume. Now, the only time I’ve come even close to cutting my fingers on a razor is when try to take off the guard. Oh dear, I just realised, I AM OLD! Back to the wine. I have said before that Malbec is a favourite of mine. The other day I found a blend of Malbec and Bonarda. This wine is thought to have originated in Italy, and these two grapes go well together. Bonarda was Argentina’s most grown grape but has been surpassed now by the famous Malbec. Bin end chuckles. I went into a green grocers the other day and picked up an iceberg lettuce. “I’m sure these are getting smaller,” I said. The assistant said, “it’s because of global warming.” I was walking in Chelmsford the other day when a policeman gave me a piece of very thin paper and a pencil. He said “I want you to trace someone for me”. Keep calm (and dry) and carry on drinking (in moderation).
Deadlines for next edition Editorial copy 14th March Finished artwork 18th March
On a different topic all together, do you find that packaging of items these days it a bit over the top? I bought a new pair of scissors the other day. Got them home and tried to get them out of the packaging. After a moment or two, I realised what I needed to open the packaging was a pair of scissors! Perhaps I’m getting old. Some other packaging is also confusing. You know those pieces of paper or foil they put into tubs of spreads. What are they for? Should you keep them in the tub as you use it and see them get more and more messy, or discard once opened? If you discard, what’s the point of having them there in the first place? 22
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County Kitchen Welcomes New Chef Adam Tapia Already with one AA Rosette rating for outstanding food, The County Kitchen has always had an excellent reputation for great, seasonal and local dishes, but exciting times are ahead with the addition of Adam Tapia as new head chef. Adam has worked with Anton Edelmann in his 2AA Rosette and Michelin rated restaurant in London and has a passion for cooking and healthy eating. “I pride myself on motivating people to have the confidence to try new things and make simple, nutritious and very tasty food without feeling stressed and getting them to enjoy their cooking and eating” Menus reflect the season and 70% of the ingredients are sourced from local suppliers within a 60 mile radius of the hotel. There are set lunch and dinner menus, a full à la carte menu, all day snacks and light meals, not to mention a superb Sunday lunch menu for all the family. The restaurant is contemporary with the www.moulshamtimes.com
emphasis on friendly professional and passionate staff who go out of their way to make you feel very welcome and will be able to explain the menu to you; they know all about it as they’ve tried all the dishes at one of Adam’s food tasting sessions. Let’s tempt you with rump of lamb, braised neck, boulangere potato, flagelot bean, tomato, caramelised pearl onions and rosemary jus followed by cappuccino terrine, coffee macaroons and mousseline sauce. Step away from the hustle and bustle of local pubs and experience something a little more discerning. With two course meals at £23.95, you really can’t go wrong. Don’t worry if you are vegetarian or have a food intolerance, Adam and his team can provide you with equally exciting and innovative menus, just call in advance to discuss your requirements. Perhaps you would like a night out with friends and family. Why not enjoy the fabulous food at one of our Murder Mystery Dinners for just £39.95 pp or £149.00 per couple with bed and full English breakfast? Enjoy a drink in the
bar before the dinner and the events and clues of the evening which unfold before you. You don’t have to dress up if you don’t want to, just sit back and enjoy the evening. Contact Karen at the hotel for more details and a copy of their menus on 01245 455700. The Orange Tree The Moulsham Times would like to congratulate Silent Mike and his team at the Orange Tree in Lower Anchor Street for being awarded the pub of the year from Chelmsford and Mid Essex CAMRA. Mike always has 8 different very well kept ales and you will always find a friendly welcome whenever you visit. He also has good food and if you like cricket or rugby then this the pub for you.
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MT Charity Canine Partners
Canine Partners is a registered charity that assists people with disabilities to enjoy a greater independence and quality of life through the provision of specially trained dogs, whose well-being is a key consideration. The Charity is working closely with the uniformed services to provide assistance dogs to those injured while on active duty. More than 1.2 million people in the UK use a wheelchair, and a significant number of those would benefit from a canine partner. The dogs are carefully matched to the applicant’s needs and lifestyle, no matter how challenging. They are trained to help with everyday tasks such as opening and shutting doors, unloading the washing machine, picking up dropped items, pressing buttons and switches and getting
These life transforming dogs also provide practical, physiological, psychological and social benefits including increased independence and confidence as well as increased motivation and self-esteem. A canine partner also brings companionship, a sense of security and increases social interaction.
help in an emergency. The Charity aims to train dogs to meet the needs of people with even the most complex disabilities including members of HM Armed Forces, and is working closely with the Forces charity Help for Heroes who have funded several partnerships of injured ex-servicemen and women with canine partners. It takes approximately 18 months to train a canine partner from selection at eight weeks old through puppy training and advanced training until they are partnered with a person with disabilities. Each partnership has regular visits from the charity’s aftercare assistants and support and advice are available 24 hours a day. There are 13 puppy training satellites around Great Britain including Essex where the pups are looked after by volunteers under the watchful eye of a Canine Partners’ trainer, and during which time they learn obedience and some early tasks. They then come into one of the charity’s training centres either at Heyshott, West Sussex or Osgathorpe in Leicestershire for five months to learn the advanced taskwork and to be matched with their future owner. 24
Canine Partners receives no government funding and relies solely on public donations. We have a fundraising office and puppy training satellite in Essex and hold a number of events throughout the year. Our first event for this year is a Race Night taking place on Saturday 29th March at Danbury Sports and Social Club, tickets are £10 which includes supper and a bet on the first race. For tickets or further information please contact Lindsay Hurrell 0845 209 0750 or visit www.caninepartners.org.uk. Registered charity no: 803680 (England and Wales) and SC039050 (Scotland).
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Everything Must Go Sale
Customers looking for great price reductions in musical instruments, accessories and sheet music often take the retail trend en-route via online shopping, however shopping online does have its ups-and-downs and in a lot of cases buying cheap can lack the quality factor depending on what it is. Music specialists James Dace Music, Moulsham Street, have greeted many disappointed customers who have bought online and while this is the case, their in-house specialist repair service has brought the quality and playability back to the customer’s instruments. With our musical instruments, you can try before you buy while receiving experienced and professional service. So why not take advantage of the James Dace Music ‘Everything Must Go Sale’ throughout March? As the Moulsham Street store is making way for new brands and changes to their market, music lovers can grab a brand new acoustic guitar starting from £99, electric guitars from £130 and an assortment of flutes and clarinets starting from £120 to get you started. Their mid-range guitars, woodwind and stringed instruments have also been discounted along with a great assortment of instrument accessories, sheet music and books. When you buy an instrument in the sale you can expect some little extras thrown in along the way which you don’t always get online. For more information contact James Dace Music Moulsham Street Chelmsford Tel: 01245 357107or email sales@ jamesdacemusic.com.
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definitely woke up on
their fins on a
into to
Ami’s Diary
I have started learning the songs, dance routines and script for our Theatretrain production Honk! a musical adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen story The Ugly Duckling. I am Jemima – a chicken who thinks Ugly is hot and I am going to be singing a solo in ‘Blizzard’ which I am very excited about. I have also been asked to be the singing captain which means that I help out with the singing performances at Theatretrain. I am so proud to have been asked. I am waiting to hear whether I have been selected for a Disney project. I am not allowed to say what it is about but the filming could be in London or Brighton. The pay is very good, so I am hoping to be confirmed as a member of the cast! I am also hoping to model in a fashion show in London to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital in the spring as it would be nice to help raise money for such a good Charity. I have been asked to perform in a talent contest and a modelling contest in March, but I don’t think I have time to do them what with school clubs, homework, Theatretrain, Guides and making Ami’s Candles! I had great fun with the Girl Guides when we had a sleepover at Oakland’s Museum. We played hide and seek which was really good as there are lots of hiding places in the museum. I was a bit scared we would be sleeping in the room with the stuffed bear, but we didn’t, so it was okay. I am counting down the days until The Muppets Most Wanted is released in the UK, so it’s not long to wait to see if I make my cinema debut with Kermit the Frog!
Well people we’re nearly there. This time next month will be showtime and the anticipation is crackling in the air. Half term is here and the children are polishing their lines and looking forward to the show. A couple of the children were saying how nervous and excited they are and I gently reminded them that this is the time to take the opportunity and enjoy the hard work they have been putting in, not to worry about making mistakes because “The show must go on”. We are at High Chelmer in Chelmsford this week giving out fliers and we have a stand set up outside the library for the whole of the half term week so, we hope you have had an opportunity to see our display. Ticket sales have been amazing and we hope those of you that have bought tickets will enjoy the show and those who haven’t please get onto the box office and come and support the local children. The next piece I do will be the show piece so please keep reading. By Dee Patel www.moulshamtimes.com
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MT Community Moulsham Lodge Community Trust by Mark Springett This month we have been concentrating on our media profile and marketing strategy. One of the things we have been looking at is a brand for MLCT ie we need a logo that will accompany all our correspondence, on-line presence, business cards etc etc, something immediately recognisable as MLCT. For those of you that don’t know, we have a Facebook page and a web site www.mlct.org.uk as well as a Twitter account - all really valuable tools for engaging with the community we are trying to help and support.
In the near future we will be surveying the local community as part of our Business Plan update. It’s been quite a while since our first survey where we asked for ideas about what people wanted us to provide. We had a great response which helped us gain recognition from the Planning Inspectorate that the community need was still there and gave us a window of opportunity to get things going. So if you have any ideas please drop us a line and we’ll add them to the list. enquiries@mlct.org.uk 07411 808731
As regular readers of Moulsham Times will know, some Old Moulsham residents have been working to increase the number of local Neighbourhood Watches across our area. Some have been working over a number of years and others more recently – but all generally responding to various concerns and experiences over criminal activity (typically, but not exclusively, burglaries). Why do we need Neighbourhood Watch? Well, take a look at the statistics at the end of the article. Over the past nine months or so there have been several meetings of residents, we’ve had a stall at the Moulsham Street Christmas Fair, and have made appearances on BBC Essex. We’ve made appeals in MT. But at present, out of 98 streets, roads, mews, terraces, etc., residents from only 19 of them have expressly said that they are willing to act as a local/ street coordinator for Neighbourhood Watch – this is about 19% coverage. At present – and this is quite encouraging – about 250 residents have signed-up or expressed an interest in Moulsham First activities from across the area, not least over concerns about the imposition of no street-lighting in most of our area by the County Council (remember, Old 28
Moulsham has no official voice such as a parish council, and this imposition was undertaken without adequate consultation). From these 250 good folk, some 28 have indicated they would act as a local street coordinator. So, there are plenty of gaps. Being a coordinator is not onerous. It is basically being a point of contact in a street to receive and then distribute newsletters and other leaflets from time to time. The number of houses a coordinator might have would range from say a dozen through to 50 or so – depending on your street and your energy! Newsletters are published once a quarter. As a coordinator you are invited to MF meetings every two months, to meet with the police and city council representative, and other residents/coordinators to discuss issues and concerns. There are various resources available – such as window stickers, timely advice from the police and other sources, advice on keeping your home secure, and so on; there are home insurance benefits too.
MOU OLD LSH ONL AM HA NEIG Y 19 S % H BOU WAT R C WE H COV HOOD NEE ERA GE – D WE M O CAN R DO E AND B THA N TH ETTER IS!
Some crime statistics for 2014: on average, there are 74 crimes reported across Old Moulsham each month. The number of crimes seems fairly steady, but the number of burglaries reported across Old Moulsham varies from three or four in a month through to peaks of 10, 13, and 16 in a month. We need to
look out for one another. The police do a great job – they need our help as much as we need them. The more we are alert to issues and the more we watch out for one-another, the better chance we can maintain a safe and crime-free locality. The more we work together the less onerous it will be for any individual. Come along to a MF meeting to find out more. Visit our website: www.moulshamfirst. org.uk for more information. Contact: info@moulshamfirst.org.uk.
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Broadstairs Blues Bash festival on Friday 21st February. If you are reading this early in the month we are also playing at the famous Railway Hotel in Southend on Sunday 2 March at 8pm.
It’s March already and still wet so a good reason to go out and watch LIVE MUSIC to cheer you up. There is always lots going on in Chelmsford with live music all over the city and to my knowledge at least three open mics every month at the Black Bull on the second Tuesday of the month, the Woolpack on the last Sunday of the month and every Sunday afternoon at the Star & Garter. There are also lots of other gigs all over Chelmsford. Asylum a place I have started to go for an early evening drink where they play great music with a happy cheerful welcome for everyone. This is a place that is really different and well worth a visit with lots of great varied live music as well. Visit their web site to find out what’s going on at www.asylumchelmsford.co.uk. I have had a busy past month as I said in the last edition we - Jamie Williams and the Roots Collective - firstly played a sell out festival to 5,000 people in Skegness and it was fantastic. We have now been booked for another major festival in Colne, Lancashire in August and have got more bookings across the UK from it. We also did a pre-album launch gig the Ale House which was packed and have been rebooked for this great venue. Again just too late for this edition we are opening the big
Blues in the City put on two great acts last month, firstly with the great Roy Mette who played a blinding solo set and then we had Bad Influence as a duo with Richard and Val Hayes. Again awesome with Val’s amazing voice and rhythm guitar playing and Richard is one of the best lead and slide players around. Next month is another special, we have Rag Mama Rag all the way from France who blew everyone away last year when they played to a packed audience at The Loop. Also playing are the Jives UK, another great duo from the Southend area. Again a not to be missed night on Wednesday 26th March at The Bassment. We had two of the best from the eighties play at Evoke on 6th Feb when Ex Simple Minds and China Crisis played, both acts were fantastic and you forget how many hits they both had. It was a great night for all who were there and we need to keep these bigger bands playing in our city it is only with your support that we can so please spread the word. If you have any kind of event that you put on then let us know and we will list it for free in Chelmsford The City Times which covers mid month to the middle of the following month. Email us with all the details to editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk before the end of each month for inclusion in the next months edition. www.bluesinthecity.co.uk www.facebook.com/bluesinthecitychelmsford
New City Girls WI Meeting February On Monday, 10th February, we held our second meeting; our first at Chelmsford Cathedral. We had a great night! We believe we had 251 people at the meeting. A few people said what an amazing sight the High Street was at about 7.15pm, with such a huge number of ladies descending on the Cathedral! The proceedings were opened at 7.30pm by the mayor and mayoress of Chelmsford; the mayor said a few words before cutting some bunting to declare us officially open. People were then given the chance to buy themselves some refreshments from our pop-up bar or from the café with its free tea, coffee and home-made cakes (well, we are a WI after all). Our president, Thea Gaunt, then ran through some notices before introducing our speaker for the night, Linda Scoles. Linda, an American who has lived in the UK since 1971, gave us a talk entitled “Everthing I Always Wanted to Know About Sex!” fitting into our looselythemed Valentine’s evening. It was a delightful and entertaining talk about
Linda’s very sheltered upbringing in a Washington State. There was a lot of laughter, thanks to this great story-teller. There was something rather surreal about sitting in the glorious cathedral, sipping wine and listening to a talk about sex. Next, a refreshment break and a chance for people to view the competition and sub-group tables as well as to mingle with friends old and new. Each month, people are invited to bring along something cooked, crafted, created or collected; this month’s competition was entitled: “heart.” We had 50 entries ranging from crochet and handmade chocolates, through paper-craft and cakes to stained-glass and cushions! We were blown-away by the standard of the entries and the different interpretations. The competition prize was then awarded and the raffle drawn. The fabulous prizes included haircuts kindly donated by Options, Barnet Fayre and New London Haircutters. Just before closing the meeting, we wished one of our members a very happy 80th birthday.
What a way to round off her special day: 250 women singing Happy Birthday to her in a cathedral! We have a number of sub-groups setup already: weekly walking, our very own choir (you don’t even have to be able to sing!), craft groups, buntingmaking workshop, cinema and theatre group, quiz group, book group and wine glugging. Our sub-groups are run by our members, for our members; they are a fundamental part of our set-up, providing the opportunity for members to get to know each other better and for friendships to develop. Our next meeting is at 7.30pm on Monday, 10th March. It is being held at Chelmsford Social Club, as Chelmsford Cathedral was already booked. We have a stunt-woman coming in to deliver the talk: From Titanic to Harry Potter: The Highs and Lows of a Stuntwoman’s Life. The New City Girls WI is a fun, dynamic, varied and supportive group of women. To find out more, please email: NewCityGirlsWI@live.com, tweet: @NewCityGirlsWI or search for our Facebook page. 29
Weathering Storms The nature of writing articles for print is that invariably you have to live in two time zones – the one you’re in and the one you’re writing about. So although I am currently writing in February, I am looking forward to the month of March. Hopefully here comes the spring with all that March holds in promise.
In some ways, the lack of snow and ice in our region has meant that many spring flowers – snowdrops, daffodils and crocuses (the plural of the word “crocus” causes much debate!!) – have come much earlier than normal, which is lovely to see. However, I am reminded that the original Anglo-Saxon word for the month of March is “Hlyd Monath”, which literally means “Stormy Month”! And haven’t we have had our fair share of storms in recent days? Without meaning any disrespect to those in other areas of the UK who have lost everything, we have had our fair share of fences ripped down, trees uprooted and roofs blown off in the county and in our own neighbourhoods. It is not easy to weather storms, whether they be meteorological, domestic or financial. And with all storms, it is not only the immediate effect of storms
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that has to be considered, but also the medium and long-term effects. As traders, we have to be very aware that difficult times affect us all, whether we are buyers or sellers. Without buyers, no recovery can be possible. But without retailers, life can stagnate very quickly. I was encouraged to note on the BBC national news this morning that the Cumbrian town of Cockermouth, so devastated by the floods in 2009, set up a Community Flood Action Group to respond to the physical and emotional aspects of such destruction. In the years since their livelihoods seemed ruined, they have managed to turn this completely around. Sue Cashmore,. the leader of this community group, stated “I am proud of my community and the fact we dug deep, came together and made a difference”( source: http:// www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englandcumbria-22772151). I believe that this is a key answer to weathering storms – the ability and the heart to rally a community together, and work in partnership to ensure that we both survive and thrive, retailers and customers alike, in the years ahead. There is much debate about the loss of community in the UK, but there has to be a corporate will to see things improve, in order to thrive once more. Moulsham Street and its surrounding area have a huge and rich stream of historical importance, which should be a natural foundation for community. This needs to be celebrated, encouraged and supported to enable all of us to weather the storms that come.
Editorial Paul Mclean 07595 949701 editorial@itsyourmeida.co.uk
www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk | www.moulshamtimes.com
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