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MoulshamTimes Covering: Old Moulsham, Moulsham Lodge, Tile Kiln and surrounding area
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Issue Number 92 - August 2020
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MT Welcome Hi readers, Welcome to the August edition of Moulsham Times. We are now back to our original pre-lockdown 32 pages, so more for you to read! Some events are trickling back too. For September we have Heritage Open Days, which I co-organise - more on that in the next issue. Stay safe! Regards Paul Advertising & Editorial Paul Mclean 01245 262082/07595 949701 paul@moulshamtimes.com
It’s Your Magazines Ltd Disclaimer: It’s Your Magazines Ltd publish the Moulsham Times. The opinion expressed in each article is the opinion of its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of It’s Your Magazines Ltd. No part may be reproduced without the prior written permission of It’s Your Magazines Ltd. Reg Co No. 12080535. Printed by Warners (Midlands) PLC.
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Chelmsford - by Vicky Ford MP It has been an incredibly busy time in Westminster, working not only on the many decisions that need to be made due to COVID-19, but also on delivering the commitments from our manifesto last December. For example, this month MPs passed the Domestic Abuse Bill, a landmark piece of legislation which will help protect many thousands of victims and their children.
The Chancellor’s Summer Economic Update focused on protecting jobs and creating new opportunities. We know that in the past it is often young people who are most impacted by an economic downturn; in the last recession in 2010 over one million 18-25 year olds were not in employment, education or training. By contrast, this time the Government has put in place a new Kick Start Scheme as well as more traineeships and apprenticeships which will help hundreds of thousands of young people. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has supported over 12,700 people in Chelmsford who have been on furlough and the new Furlough Bonus will encourage employers to bring them back to work. Locally, 39,000 people have used the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme. Additional Government funding to local councils has enabled business grants and just under £28m in grants has been paid to support over 2,145 local businesses. It is estimated that the VAT cut for the hospitality, leisure and recreation sector will benefit 510 Chelmsford businesses. I do hope many local people will take part in the Eat Out, Help Out scheme to support local cafés and restaurants this August. It has been great this month to see Chelmsford beginning to get back to its usual self, with many shops and businesses now re-open
and sports facilities coming back too. I recently popped down to the canoe club to find out how they are doing - our Chelmsford club is the top ranking club in the country, with many of its members competing at an international level. We’ve also had the good news that seven schools in Chelmsford will benefit from funding to improve school facilities as part of a £434 million capital investment across the whole country. I have been catching up with all the heads of our secondary schools and I was very moved by emails from Chelmsford parents and pupils telling me of the enormous efforts to which many schools, teachers and staff have gone to keep in touch and support children and young people. Thank you! Thanks and congratulations must also go to Essex Police who participated in the biggest ever law enforcement operation. The police and the National Crime Agency (NCA) took down an encrypted global communication service used exclusively by criminals. It resulted in the seizure of over 155k of class A drugs and 13 arrests here in Essex. Do please consider dropping into the virtual village hall exhibition that shows the proposals for the Chelmsford North East Bypass and Beaulieu Station. These are vital infrastructure projects for Chelmsford and it is good to know that work is continuing. You can find out more here: www.essex.gov.uk/chelmsford-north-east-bypass. I have been holding virtual surgeries during the lockdown in order to continue to help my constituents during this extremely unprecedented time. This month I was able to do my first face-toface surgery with social distancing measures in place. As ever, do stay in touch and if you need my assistance, please email me at vicky.ford.mp@parliament.uk.
You Can’t Prepare Every Speech!
Picture this: You’re at a wedding. Not just any wedding, but the wedding of one of your closest and best friends. The speeches are underway and all is going well - until the groom looks across to you and tells you that the best man is missing, and could you just stand up, right now, and say a few words... Now, not many of us would have a speech in our back pocket, prepared just on the off chance of this happening. So you’re going to have to make it up as you go. You’re going to have to do some impromptu speaking. I know you’re thinking this is a pretty extreme example, but impromptu speaking is something we do every day: you answer a question in a work meeting, you tell a story to a friend, you explain to the engineer on the phone exactly why your broadband is not working for the 10th time this week… Impromptu speaking is a skill, and there are techniques to improve that skill - and like most skills, it gets better, and easier, with practice.
At Toastmasters that’s what we do, we PRACTICE! Giving speeches whether prepared or not, it’s the thing that Toastmasters is famous for. How to prepare, how to stand, what to do with your hands, how not to have a panic attack and run off the stage... These are all skills that I have been developing and practicing in the past year since joining Toastmasters, and it’s great, because it’s exactly what I joined toastmasters for. Now, whether it’s an impromptu wedding speech, an in-depth analysis, or even getting my broadband fixed, I am developing, using and practicing all the skills I’m building as part of my toastmaster journey to becoming a more natural, structured and interesting speaker who doesn’t run out the door at weddings! I look forward to seeing you there. Meetings are currently online via Zoom, but email us for more info chelmsfordcitycommunicators@gmail.com, or find us on Facebook.
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MT Health
How to Build the Habit of Stretching - by Chris at Forté Physical Health
One of the things I am most fascinated by in life is the fact that we all know what’s good for us - but we just don’t always do it. Why is that? It’s a phenomenon that infiltrates every aspect of our lives, from how we spend our time and money, to the habits we build to look after our bodies. Today I will be discussing how to build one specific habit - and that’s stretching. Many of my patients say that they know they need to stretch more and that when they have stretched regularly in the past, they enjoy the feeling that flexibility gives them. But like many things in life, the habit just never quite sticks. Well, hopefully these 5 strategies can help you turn your desire to feel more flexible into a lasting habit. 1. Environment In James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits, he speaks a lot about how our environment has a huge influence over our habits, both positively and negatively. For example, if we make our bad habits easy to access then we are more likely to do them, and if we make our good habits hard to do then we are less likely to do them, so we really want the opposite of that! When it comes to stretching, all we need is some clear floor space and our body, so at the time of day you like to stretch make sure you have comfortable clothes on and that the room is tidy. Also have any tools you use - like a foam roller for example - easy to access so you don’t have to go rummaging. I like to get my stretching done in the evening when the kids are in bed and my wife and I are relaxing with some Netflix. So once we have finished their bedtime routine, I quickly tidy the living room (it’s chaos!) and get my foam roller out and make sure I’m in clothes that move freely. Then there are no barriers to getting down on the floor and having a wriggle. 2. Find Interesting Ways to Move We often think that stretching has to be structured and follow rules, or that you have to use certain moves like in yoga, but at its most basic level, all that stretching consists of is testing your joints nearend range in three planes of motion. I like to do this throughout my day in weird and wonderful ways, like going into a deep squat to take things out low cupboards, or walk up the stairs three at a time, or do a slow motion karate kick to close the kitchen drawers. Yep, I am that weird. But these little choices throughout your day contribute to overall joint range of motion and they test your body in a way that keeps your joints happy. 3. Process Over Outcome When starting a new endeavour, it’s human nature to focus on the outcome. If you start lifting weights, you immediately want the muscles. If you start a new diet, you want the smaller waistline. If you start running, you want to get that ‘runner’s high’ after each run.
Stretching is like this too. When you stretch at the beginning, all it really does is highlight how inflexible you are! It hurts and you don’t seem to make any progress at all. But this is normal! Don’t worry about it! Once you have made the decision that you want to be more flexible, stick to the process of stretching every day, and over time, amazing things will happen. 4. Start With ‘Why?’ Ask yourself - why do you want to have better movement? Is it that you enjoy the feeling of being flexible? Do you want to prevent injury? Will it help you in your training or sport? Or do you have little people in your life that you need to keep up with? Grab a pen and paper and write down all the reasons that you want to be more mobile and try to link it to as many things outside of you as possible. The bigger your ‘why’, the more likely you are to stick to it. 5. Have Fun With It! Another important one here. Nothing in life is sustainable if it’s not enjoyable, so find ways to make it fun. Personally, I’m a bit of a geek, so I can make anything fun by learning about it! When starting a new practice, I watch a ton of YouTube videos to get a deeper understanding of the topic and I find that makes it more fun (told you I was weird...). Or maybe you could rope in your family members and do it together, or link your stretching to your training or sport that you enjoy. However you do it, making it fun will make it sustainable, and sustainability leads to consistency, and consistency is a superpower. If you want any ideas on how to stretch, check out our extensive channel by searching ‘Forte Physical Health’ on YouTube. Or if you need help with aches or pains, you can check us out at fortephysicalhealth.co.uk. Until next time, have a healthy and happy month!
Deadlines for the September edition: Articles - 19th August Print ready art work 27th August
Unfortunately, that’s not how this stuff works. At the beginning of any new pursuit, I hate to tell you, it’s going to suck! Weightlifting hurts, nothing happens to your waistline, and running is boring! 6 www.moulshamtimes.com
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Making Democracy Local by Cllr Marie Goldman Did you know that 38% of Chelmsford doesn’t have a parish or town council? This includes Moulsham and Moulsham Lodge, and it means that residents in these areas are potentially missing out on the very local voice that parish and town councils provide. To find out whether residents think this should change, Chelmsford City Council is holding what is called a Community Governance Review and it wants to hear your views. The review has two parts: 1. Should areas without that very local voice have a new community/neighbourhood/parish council? 2. Do changes need to be made to existing parishes? The 38% without a community council are in the urban centre of the city. The City Council wants to know if they should have that local voice. Elsewhere, especially in areas which have seen a great deal of development, boundaries of existing local councils may need to change. For these reasons the City Council is carrying out an initial public consultation from Monday 20th July to Friday 25th September. Have your say at www.chelmsford.gov.uk/parishconsultation. Neighbourhood/community/parish councils are made up of councillors who are elected to serve and represent the residents at that very local level. They have two main roles: community representation and local administration. They are statutory consultees on planning matters and provide a focus for representing local issues and identity. They also work with local organisations and other tiers of local government to provide services to the local community. These can include village halls, playing fields, community grants, bus shelters, children’s play areas, allotments, events and festivals, among other things. Parish councils are mainly funded through a very small part of your Council Tax (and also grants and fees they charge for facilities). This Council Tax amount is set by each parish council, depending on what services and facilities they want to provide. With new development happening across Chelmsford, I think it’s important we make sure everyone in Chelmsford is properly represented. At Chelmsford City Council, we’re asking you to
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help us ensure that our neighbourhood and parish councils are effectively representing the views, interests and concerns of the local communities they serve. If we don’t have that very local level of council, we want to take a look at whether non-parished areas would benefit from the community voice that most other parts of Chelmsford already have. If we want to change things, even around our own neighbourhood, it’s vital to get involved with democracy and tell those in power what you want. Whether you live in Moulsham, Moulsham Lodge, or elsewhere in Chelmsford, if you think your parish arrangements aren’t working or you need better representation, please take part in this consultation and make your voice heard. Give your views online at www.chelmsford.gov.uk/parishconsultation by Friday 25th September 2020. Chelmsford City Council will consider the results of the consultation and a report will be put before the Council’s Full Council in December, to decide whether to go to the next stage of the review process. Cllr Marie Goldman Deputy Leader, Chelmsford City Council Ward Member for Moulsham & Central
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Get a Bird’s Eye View of Your Property! When you think of drones, you probably associate them with causing airport chaos or people using them in locations where they shouldn’t be and raising privacy concerns. However, drones have the potential to be used to do tasks that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago. In addition, as the technology develops they are expected to add millions to the UK economy, which is even more crucial at the current time.
“I needed to go through a thorough theory and practical assessment enabling me to obtain the relevant permissions from the Civil Aviation Authority. Additionally, I need to know all about the airspace I am operating in, safe separation distances for people and buildings and of course understanding the great British weather! Flying the drone is only a tiny piece of the overall operation. A drone in itself isn’t dangerous, it’s all down to the person operating it and knowing what to do.” So how could a drone benefit you? Would you like to capture a unique view of your property and land to create a photo that will last a lifetime? Do you think you have some missing roof tiles or damage? Don’t erect scaffolding or scale a ladder - send the drone up! Are you embarking on a construction project and would like to capture stages of the build at regular intervals? Or would you like a promotional video for your business? Essex Aerial Photography works with businesses and individuals, and in response to COVID-19 wants to help support the local community. Therefore, it is now offering its basic photo only service for just £99 (+VAT); this is a 50% saving off the normal price!
It is this future potential that caused Craig Hubble to have a career change and move from his full-time career in the London TV industry to focus on setting up his own company Essex Aerial Photography Based in Chelmsford. Craig wants people to use his company for jobs that may have previously been carried out by more expensive and less safe methods. Craig is keen to change the perception and the myths of the drone industry: “Anyone can go to a shop and buy a drone, but as soon as you use that drone to make money - you are breaking the law.
This would be great for homeowners wanting to show off their property or for estate agents to add a competitive edge. Additionally, all other packages, including 4K video plus their video editing service, have been reduced by 25%. Drop them a line for a no obligation quote or to discuss your requirements in further detail. www.essexaerialphotography.co.uk info@essexap.co.uk 07445 092 821
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MT Gardening Hasn’t the garden grown what with all the wet weather and sunny days we have had? I managed to get away for a week and on my return the garden is burgeoning with growth of all kinds. The Wisteria needs pruning again, a couple of herbaceous perennials have shot up and collapsed and everything needs deadheading and weeding.
It’s best to cut all long leafy shoots on the Wisteria back to two leaves. This will have the impact of bringing the framework under control and can give a much needed boost to a last flush of flowers. It won’t be as spectacular as earlier ones, nonetheless, flowers do often form. For herbaceous perennials, it is still ok to cut catmint down by half as regrowth will occur and there will be a small, but perfectly formed late flush of flowers. This sometimes goes for hardy geraniums, although I tend to find that it’s just a ‘cleaning the plant’ exercise at this time of year. For the likes of taller ones, additional stakes help prop up plants enabling
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you to still see flowers forming. Deadhead where seed heads aren’t required, although there are some fabulous plants that are worth leaving flowers on to develop into dramatic seed heads. Plants such as Rudbeckia fulgida, Echinacea purpurea and grasses. These could be left alone and pruned hard next February. You’ll also be supporting the local wildlife as the seed heads become a valuable food source, seed can spread to give you a few free plants and hollow stems become superb overwintering boltholes for insects such as lacewings. With roses and bedding plants, I continuously deadhead to prompt the plant to continue flowering. For all roses, other than the ones great for producing hips, it gives me an opportunity to open up the plant a little, improve air flow and reduce diseases. For bedding, such as Pelargonium zonale and Fuchsia ‘Mrs Popple’ the process of removing the flowers keeps the plant compact, promotes further flowering and reduces diseases such as grey mould. As you are working in the beds and orders, it goes without saying that keeping on top of the weeding will reduce competition for light, water and nutrition. Lastly, don’t forget the following garden jobs: • Check out your garden magazines this month in preparation for vegetable gardening from autumn onwards. Look out for pest and disease resistant varieties. • Garden centres will start to stock autumn and spring flowering bulbs and corms, although there are a lot of deals online to be had - key is to check the quality every time. Bulbs that are soft and smaller than usual should be avoided as this could mean possible pest or disease issues. If purchasing loose bulbs take care in particular with hyacinths - the outer tunic often causes irritation when handling and then touching your face. • Start to look at your container displays in preparation for boosting their appeal this autumn. As bedding goes over and starts to look sad, scour the many good outlets for replacements. Look for forget-me-knots, wallflowers, primulas and always underplant with suitable spring flowering bulbs such as Narcissus ‘Minnow’ or the many different types of crocus. Check out this link for other jobs for the garden as we move into August: www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/august. Happy gardening and keep safe! For any gardening tips please contact Tom Cole, Horticultural Lecturer, Capel Manor College, Bullsmoor Lane, Enfield, Middlesex, EN1 4RQ by post (including a SAE) or by email at tom.cole@capel. ac.uk.
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Nick Garner’s Music & Ramblings Ramblings The world is supposedly now opening up for business again, and a lot more has been relaxed since the last publication, like pubs and hairdressers opening and lots more. I must say for me personally it still worries me a lot to see so many who act as though it is all over when it is definitely not. Just look around the world at the resurgence of the virus going on. This government have given 3 billion pounds to the NHS in preparation of a second spike, which I suspect will happen, and it looks like the authorities do too, sadly.
the staff too. It also depends on whether the public will feel safe enough yet in such environments.
It is good to see that people can get back to work now and start a ‘new normal’ though, and also that a lot of smaller businesses can start trading again. I know that just like us they need to - as long as we all take care.
I am still working at putting on some online concerts and have some great acts lined up - I will tell you more about who in the next edition. The concerts we are planning are going to be a very affordable pay-to-view at around £3 to £4 per screen. Remember, it is not each person but each screen - so very reasonable we think.
The kids have now broken up for the summer. I know many of you thought with so many being at home they would not be working at their schoolwork too well. Though I know from my grandchildren and other small folk that they have been working - and often harder than they do in school! So with the holidays now on and not nearly so many people travelling abroad what will they do and where will they go? maybe just stay at home and go for days out. Maybe discover how wonderful this country of ours is and have a holiday here in the UK. I am thinking I must hitch up my caravan and find somewhere to go, if only for a few days even - just to get away from it all. After all, I have been stuck indoors alone pretty much since March and the start of the lockdown. Thinking about it, this could even boost the economy if people are staying at home and using our museums, art galleries, open houses and ornamental gardens, as well as our beaches and forests. There’s many other attractions too. Just as long as people are sensible and cautious it could help the UK economy. I have been popping out early of an evening to the Hop Beer Shop in Moulsham Street to catch up with friends and have a bit of a banter. John now has a good selection of alcohol free beers which is great for me. For those who like wine, he has a selection of local award winning New Hall Wines which people seem to like after initially suspecting that because it is English it can’t be any good - then they taste it and change their minds! He also has an amazing choice of beers, not only from the UK but from the around the world too, plus many ciders. Don’t forget they do takeouts as well. I know there are many other great watering holes in and around, including the new Peaky Blinders bar where the Saracens Head was by the Shire Hall. So has everyone got their mask? I have had mine for a long time but now thankfully we must all wear them in shops and yes, I really do think it can help. Please do remember if you have an interesting tale to tell of your time during the lockdown, then please do let us know. We will publish the good ones! Send your tales to the editor at editorial@ itsyourmedia.co.uk. Music There is not too much to say as it is still very quiet out there. I know that outside events can now happen and the UB has been hosting a few in the garden. I have heard that they are being careful and people are loving it. I have also heard of some illegal raves that have been just awful as well where people are just not giving a damn. Yes we all want live music to start up. I have sadly had to postpone so many shows and I do not see any bigger shows happening until next year to be honest - not just my opinion of course.
How could you police the audience of a band that people want to dance to? I see that as nigh on impossible. I also know some festivals are planning to go ahead this year with reduced numbers. I say good luck in controlling it all. My first priority is lets be safe and well and get rid of this virus the best we can - and then look at starting things up when it is much safer.
Why are we charging you may ask? Well many of the musicians have not earnt a penny during the lockdown and it is how many make a living as many are professionals, so with this small charge they can hopefully get a small income to help them survive to eat and pay some rent and bills until they can get back on the stage in front of an audience. We are hoping to put on about one or two a week to start with. You could make an event out it; invite some family or friends around and have a bit of a party while enjoying some fantastic live music. I can tell you that the first act we have is The Sharpeez, who are celebrating 15 years. The show they will be playing will also be recorded for a live celebratory album too, so well worth being involved in some way in the making of it. I am no longer in my old band the Roots Collective. I have started on a new path and I am starting to write and play my guitars more again as well as my harmonicas, and it looks like I have a band in the making which I am calling Yes It Is. This will be a band where the line-up will vary a bit. We do not plan to gig a great deal, and there will also be some surprise guests playing with me, I have to say I am getting quite excited by this and can’t wait to let you hear something, although it will be a while before the first recording is done. Don’t be surprised to hear violin, cello, keyboards and maybe some sax, as well as the normal guitar/bass/drums along with some percussion and who knows what else! Keep an eye open on various social media feeds and ‘like’ different pages and artists or follow them to find what is happening all around. Not only for music, as there is so much comedy, theatre, storytelling, cookery, keep fit, lots of stuff for the kids and loads of craft - it is really quite amazing how much I have discovered! It would be fantastic if you could share our magazines the Moulsham Times and City Times for us. We will continue to publish both magazines online at www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia. If you are interested in advertising with us please contact us at paul@ moulshamtimes.com, or if you have a comment or an article please send to editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk and we will reply to you as soon as we can. Black Frog Bands is where we will now be putting on music; for all the info and links go to www.blackfrogbands.co.uk. The Isolation Festival Facebook page can be found at www.bit. ly/3cDoCYW. We are now on YouTube as well - go to www.bit.ly/3dEG4wK. My new band page is www.facebook.com/yesitis.
To safely have large shows on again, there needs to be enough people attending to be able to pay the artists their fees and to pay 12
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Regal Kitchens - Case Study
Being aware of their reputation followed by strong recommendations, it was probably no surprise that that Mr and Mrs Evans contacted Regal Kitchens when they decided to extend their property in Basildon. With the aid of their sister company Regal Developments, Regal Kitchens was able to help with the planning, building regs and everything else involved in realising the property’s potential.
solutions (as well as compulsory wine cooler) really ticks every box. The client wanted white handleless furniture, but because of the sheer amount of cabinets were concerned about being too clinical, so the use of light grey furniture was incorporated and with handles for the tall housings to make the tall fridge freezer easier to open, as these can sometimes be laborious with a handleless door.
When the architect plans were agreed, they asked designer John Martin to assist with the kitchen design. After consultation they concluded that a large L-shaped kitchen with a huge island would be the perfect solution. John explains the design: “We really wanted to make the most of the space that the new extension gave. And because we were involved in the build, we were able to ensure the sky pod was positioned directly above the island taking full advantage of the natural light that this afforded.” A full set of appliances including tumble drier, bins and corner
The different quartz, particularly the Cambria statement island piece, really added to the beauty and ‘magazine look’ of this installation. Regal Kitchens showroom at 2 Navigation Road is open 7-days per week 10am - 4pm www.regalkitchens.co.uk
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MT Therapy: Chelmsford Therapy Rooms Hi there everyone! I hope that you’re all well and the vast majority of you have been able to enjoy the easing of the lockdown! Some of us at Chelmsford Therapy Rooms have gone back to work face-to-face, with strict guidelines in place. All of our therapy rooms are able to offer the 2m distance at all times. We have excellent ventilation onsite for all of the rooms and we have two sanitisation stations situated 2m apart in reception; one for clients and one for therapists. Each station also has (disposable) face masks available to those who wish to use them. In addition to this, I have provided 70% alcohol wipes in the rooms to wipe down any surfaces that clients and therapists have touched, as well as a spray for the furnishings that has a very high - above 70% - ethanol level so this will disinfect the furnishings too. I’ve asked that the furnishings be sprayed at least 5 minutes before anyone else sits on them to ensure that any contaminant is disinfected. This spray is also in the waiting room. We have an excellent cleaner who gives us a full deep clean regularly on top of this. Of course not everyone is comfortable working face to face yet, and that’s fine. The vast majority of therapists at Chelmsford Therapy Rooms are offering therapy online still via Zoom or Skype or another online medium, as well as over the phone, and I envisage that this will continue for the foreseeable future. The past few months have taken a toll on many people. Being cooped up for so long is not pleasant for lots of people! Currently I’m seeing many clients who feel that this pandemic has triggered something from their past. Often at times it isn’t possible to pinpoint what this might be. In this month’s article I’d like to explore with you a different type of therapy, one you likely haven’t heard of before. It’s called Mnemodynamic TherapyTM. I have recently trained and qualified in Mnemodynamic TherapyTM. I wanted to study, qualify and therefore offer this type of therapy it because the concept seemed fascinating to me. Mnemodynamic TherapyTM helps the client to identify, process and heal from past trauma. Usually this trauma has occurred in childhood. The really interesting thing about Mnemodynamic TherapyTM is that once the trauma is resolved, all of the negative things associated with that trauma (so for example the symptoms of anxiety) are eradicated. So let’s first of all look at the concept of trauma. When we look at trauma in terms of Mnemodynamic TherapyTM, we’re looking at how a child might react to an event. If as an adult we come across an event, and we have no prior negative experience with said event, we in theory would be able to process what happened. This is because we are reacting as the adult would, not as a child. The theory is that children do not yet possess the processing capability to be able to deal with a certain type of situation or event the way that an adult would because they have not yet developed enough emotionally to do so. Because of this, the event is registered within the child as a trauma. The trauma is not processed, but when the adult comes across a similar situation or event it can act as a trigger. The inner child remembers the initial sensitising event (or trauma) and experiences it exactly as they did as a child. It’s as though it’s happening all over again. We don’t consciously remember this trauma necessarily. And that is where Mnemodynamic TherapyTM comes in. In order to explain this as best I can, I’m going to give you a real life example. I had a fear cured with Mnemodynamic TherapyTM.
that I suffered severely with generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder and self esteem issues (culminating in imposter syndrome... not a pleasant thing let me tell you!). I overcame these issues with a mixture of counselling and hypnotherapy. I didn’t realise that I had a lingering fear, one that I was completely embarrassed to admit, until I came across Mnemodynamic TherapyTM. I had a fear of training. Whenever I was in a CPD training session I would suffer with waves and waves of awful anxiety. I managed to avoid a panic attack (I’ve had A LOT of experience in that!). The anxiety that I suffered whenever in a training session was debilitating because I knew that I had dealt with my previous anxiety and imposter syndrome issues. I was so confused as to why I was feeling this way. I decided to get help. In this article I want to share with you, in a nutshell (I only have a certain word count!) how I healed and moved on from this awful anxiety regarding training. Let me break this down for you: My Issue: I explained to my therapist that I had severe anxiety whenever in a training session. Feeling trapped. Feeling like everyone was looking at me. Desperate to stand up every five minutes because I just wanted to run out of the room. Everyone would know something was wrong with me. The Original Trauma: In my Mnemodynamic TherapyTM session I went back to when I was five years old. I was in assembly and everyone was packed in. I was sat cross-legged on the floor feeling very uncomfortable. I felt trapped. I wanted to be in the group behind me playing recorder because I was desperate to stand up and get out of there. There was nothing I could do though because if I did try to get out everyone would look at me. It was horrible and I didn’t understand why I felt so trapped and anxious. Everyone else seemed ok. What was wrong with me? The Process and the Healing: Through Mnemodynamic TherapyTM I helped my inner five year old by helping her to process what happened. I normalised the situation for her and helped her to understand what was happening. I then helped my inner child to heal by letting her know I was always there for her. I haven’t felt anxiety when in a training course since. In fact, I’ve done more and more training and I love it! I’ve been doing loads of CPD training in lockdown (great opportunity to do so online - even online training was painfully anxious for me previously!) and I admit I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the training. I’m very happy to report that I have had fantastic success with clients using Mnemodynamic TherapyTM since I qualified. It’s so wonderful to see my clients thrive and achieve what they want to in life. It reminds me of why I do my job. I love helping people. Jenny Hartill is a therapist and owner of Cloud9 Therapy and Chelmsford Therapy Rooms. She is a counsellor, hypnotherapist and MnemodynamicTM therapist and can help with a multitude of issues. She, and the other therapists at CTR, are seeing clients online via Zoom or Skype but beginning to now see clients face to face. Please see the therapist list on the website at www.chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or you can email info@ chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or call 0330 100 5162 to enquire about an initial consultation. Alternatively, Jenny’s own company website is www.cloud9-therapy. co.uk, her email is info@cloud9-therapy.co.uk and her telephone number is 07507 307 170.
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Record Store Day Is Coming! Record Store Day 2020 will be like Christmas Day for vinyl lovers as they hunt down exclusive vinyl at Chelmsford’s only independent record shop, Intense Records by the bus and train station. The event grows year on year with a queue of customers lining up by the viaducts. This year it will be a little different though... Due to the pandemic, RSD has been rescheduled from its regular spot in April and split into 3 dates each on a Saturday August 29th, September 26th & October 24th - to reduce the amount of queuing on one particular day. The manager of Intense reluctantly tells us: “Unfortunately there won’t be a big instore party this year as social distancing rules will still apply, but we will still be providing the same good vibes, products and service. “We will also be limiting the amount of people in the shop at any one time and how long they spend in the shop. We will do all we can to make it a safe,
but still enjoyable day.
“We will be open from 8am5pm after which, all the releases go online from 6pm! For those that can’t make it on the day, Intense will also be opening up especially on Sunday the 30th from 10am4pm.” There will be hundreds of limited edition releases catering for every taste and genre, including artists like New Order, Pink Floyd, Soft Cell, Madness, Suede, Motorhead, Bastille, The Cure, Mansun, The Specials, offerings from labels like Trojan Records and heaps more. David Bowie is always the most popular and most sought after for RSD and he has two releases this year with ChangesNowBowie and I’m Only Dancing (The Soul Tour 74) both available on vinyl or CD. Dance music fans are in for a treat too with releases from Fatboy Slim, Future Sound Of London, D Mob, Strictly Rhythm and loads more. You can check out what release are coming on what date by visiting www.intenserecords.com - you can submit your wish list too. For more information, pop into Intense Records, 33/34 Viaduct Road, Chelmsford CM1 1TS (under the arches by the bus station). Alternatively, call them on 01245 347 372 or check out their website, www.intenserecords.com.
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Hello everyone, I hope you are all staying well, staying safe and staying alert. As I write this, the Government has decreed that we should wear masks in supermarkets and shops. That’s my very brief shopping trips finished. If I wear a mask, more often than not, my glasses steam up, so goodness knows what I would bring home from a trip to the shops. I was thinking (yes, we have lots of time for that don’t we?) what have I learnt from the lockdown? • • • • • • •
• • •
I can now judge 20 seconds in time without a stopwatch. If I am reminded not to touch my face, within 20 seconds (see above) my nose starts to itch. I can read a 500-page book in less than four days. Lots of people don’t seem to know how far 2 metres is. Empty buses run on time. News reporters must use the word ‘unprecedented’ at least once during a bulletin. I should be surprised that, after the shops were closed for a number of weeks, sales dropped. The Government seem to have a money tree, but we will have to supply the money to plant loads more when this is over. If you ask people not to go to the beach - they will go to the beach. A lot of the repeats on television are much better than the programmes we had before lockdown. I can’t get more than 12 questions right on Ken Bruce’s PopMaster Quiz on Radio Two.
So some pubs are open. Good news? It should be, but I’ve slowly been building up a picture of what my first visit to one might be like. I must stress that is a tongue in cheek look at the experience, as I’m sure most people will get on fine. I do realise that all the rules are necessary. I decide to go to the pub for a lunchtime treat at 12 O’clock. Walk to the pub and arrive about 12.20pm. Wait in the queue outside, carefully observing the two metre rule, or is it one metre now? A table in the garden becomes free at 12.30pm - great, pop across and sit down. 12.35pm the bar staff that come over to my table decked out in mask and face shield. I have a mask on too, just to be safe. Now, I am a little hard of hearing, so with the masks on, the conversation gets a bit confusing. I ask how this is all going to work, and am told that I have to unload an amp. An amp? What does that mean? Eventually I get it; I have to download an app. Luckily I have a ‘smart phone’ so the app is a possibility. I get on the phone and it takes 10 attempts to complete the task. It is now 1.30pm. I go to the app. It’s simple to use, they say. I look at the instructions and think I understand. Enter your order and table number. Table
number? I can’t see a table number. Minutes pass and I find it on an empty bottle on the table. The number on the bottle was facing away from me and I thought the bottle was there to hold a candle. It is now 1.40pm. Right, now for the drinks order: enter your order in the text box. Here we go, ‘I would like a globb of Pimi Grogup pleade’. On checking what I’ve typed, I see my usual problem of fingers too big for the keyboard. Spend some time correcting the order to a glass of Pinot Grigio. Time now 2.15pm. Press ‘send’. Wait for drink. After 15 minutes I want to check the progress of my order. Can I go to the bar? Apparently no. Can I wave at the bar staff? No, they are all busy with other customers. So I wait. It is now 2.30pm. Another Personal Protection Equipment wearing bar staff member arrives with a 125ml glass of wine. In other words, a very small glass. I had left the word ‘large’ from my order. The drink is gone after 3 minutes. Best go home, as it is now 2.40pm. I have had one drink and I have been out of the house for 3 hours by the time I get home. As I go through the front door, my wife shouts from the garden: “You’ve been gone for a while, bet you are a little worse for wear!” - if only she knew! An update on the blackbird in our back garden: She has come back and working hard again to feed her chicks. She is still phased out about the gazebo, but, after thinking about her route to the nest, manages to get by. We can hear the chicks answering her calls across the garden and are looking forward to seeing them soon. As I mentioned, I have been reading more books in the last couple of months. I have even bought a Kindle, you know, the little tablet for downloading books. I had a little trouble getting used to it. I kept accidentally touching the screen and moving to the next page before I was ready. Anyway, most of the books I have read are crime thrillers. What always amuses me about these, as well as on the crime television programmes, is that the most senior officer always seems to be a grumpy, demanding person. Another thing is that when the detectives get together to discuss a case, the DI (Detective Inspector in case you don’t know, oh, listen to me the expert all of a sudden) seems to have to tell the team to do stuff that I am sure they should know to do anyway. For example, DI announces that ‘we have seized the suspects computer’ and explains that ‘we need to look to see what is on it’. Eh? I don’t think I would need to be told that if I were them. I shall continue to read them though. Anything to pass the time. Stay well. Bin End Chuckles: In my dad’s job, he’s never lost a case. That makes him Stansted’s top baggage handler... Planning meals in advance... Now that’s food forethought...
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Sixties British Blues and R&B Boom 5 - by John Power
The Yardbirds The Yardbirds originally formed in 1963 with Keith Relf on vocals and harmonica, Jim McCarty on guitar and sometimes bass, though originally Paul Samwell-Smith as bassist and record producer. Relf and Samwell-Smith had been in the Metropolitan Blues Quartet, but were joined by Dreja, McCarthy, and Top Topham on lead guitar for their first gig at Kingston School of Art in 1963 backing Cyril Davies All-Stars. At first they called themselves the Bluesounds and then changed it to Yardbirds after the American hobos who hung around freight yards waiting to jump a free ride. They followed The Rolling Stones to become house band at the Crawdaddy Club in Richmond. They chose to feature songs from Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Howlin’ Wolf, Elmore James and other, mostly Chicago, blues singers - even though Relf’s voice, if not his harp playing, sounded very ‘white’ by comparison.
Topham left the band and was replaced by Eric Clapton. Giorgio Gomelsky managed the Stones and also now took The Yardbirds into his fold. He got them a tour backing Sonny Boy Williamson at the end of 1963 to early 1964, which produced an album, to be followed by Five Live Yardbirds on EMI Records. They did well with singles too. I Wish You Would and Good Morning Little Schoolgirl featured Clapton, but once the band ventured into early prog rock with For Your Love with Brian Auger on harpsichord and experimental guitar sounds, Eric - then a blues purist - decided to join John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers instead. He recommended Jimmy Page as a replacement, but Jimmy had a safe position as a studio session musician and declined at first, but recommended Jeff Beck instead. Jeff was only too glad to join an experimental band: Indian raga sounds, fuzz boxes, feedback and distortion all joined other innovations like a Gregorian chant on Still I’m Sad the b-side of the single Evil Hearted You. They embarked on a US tour in 1965, with new tracks like Mr. You’re a Better Man Than I and Train Kept A-Rollin’ was mixed into the middle of UK material in US releases. They did three more tours before the end of 1966. Shapes of Things and Over, Under, Sideways, Down in 1966 were later hailed as the precursor to the psychedelic sound. The album Yardbirds marked the end of their association with Giorgio Gomelsky as manager. In June of 1966 Jimmy Page did join the group - not to replace Beck, but on bass and then to create a dual lead guitar line-up that produced Beck’s Bolero as John Paul Jones joined as bassist before joining Page in Led Zeppelin. Only compilations of tracks from that era were issued later. A couple of their songs appeared in the trendy film about a fashion photographer, Blow Up, at that time. Beck left at the end of 1966 during their last US tour and formed the Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood and Aynsley Dunbar in a group that preceded the sound that Led Zeppelin would create. Page stayed as the only lead until 1968 when the group disbanded, and he reformed the New Yardbirds with Robert Plant as vocalist, his second choice after Terry Reid who was tied to another contract, but who recommended Plant and his mate John Bonham on drums, while John Paul Jones played bass and keyboards. When he told Keith Moon his idea, Keith said that should go down like a lead balloon... or ‘zeppelin’ as it turned out. Keith Relf, Chris Dreja and Relf’s sister formed the band Renaissance playing more folky mediaeval music, but Keith was electrocuted by a microphone while rehearsing and died. Zeppelin refused to be pigeon-holed musically, but it was clear that all members had their roots in the blues. In the nineties, Dreja and McCarty reformed The Yardbirds, with a new singer called John Idan, who looked like Keith Relf and sounded like him too as he sang the old songs and played bass. Gypie Mayo took on the task of walking in the shoes of former guitarists and also did a good job before joining Dr Feelgood and then the Marques Brothers
with Jeremiah Marques, before dying of cancer in 2014. Many line-up changes continued and there was an album Birdland in 2003 of old reworked, and some new, songs with a host of younger musicians playing as a tribute. Jeff Beck has even been known to guest again with the band. John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers John Mayall was born in 1933, so was old enough to be conscripted into the Korean War. Back in Manchester he studied art and became a graphic designer for a while playing with semi-pro bands while living in a tree house in his family’s garden. In 1963 he decided to make the move to London and make a full-on attempt at a musical career. With Bernie Watson on guitar, John McVie on bass, Martin Hart on drums and John on keyboards and harmonica, the first single came out in 1964: Crawling up a Hill/Mr. James, the latter a tribute to Elmore James. After the single, Roger Dean replaced Watson and Hughie Flint took over the drum stool from Hart for the Decca album, John Mayall Plays John Mayall and then a single, Crocodile Walk/ Blues City Shakedown. When Roger Dean left he was replaced by Eric Clapton from The Yardbirds. The next single, I’m Your Witchdoctor/Telephone Blues in 1965, with Clapton, was on the Immediate label and produced by Jimmy Page. It was the first time the Bluesbreakers name appeared on a record. Other albums were still released on Decca, or its subsidiary labels, like The Blues Alone where Mayall sang, played all instruments and designed the album sleeve for the Ace of Clubs subsidiary. The groundbreaking album on Decca - sometimes called ‘the Beano album’ as Clapton is reading the comic on the cover - was simply called Bluesbreakers. On it, Clapton used amp distortion to emulate the music of Big City electric blues greats like Buddy Guy, BB King and Freddie King as well as his Mississippi Delta hero Robert Johnson. A month after that album, Mayall and Clapton released a single on the Purdah label, Lonely Years/Bernard Jenkins. Clapton also recorded with Steve Winwood from The Spencer Davis Group and an adhoc (and largely anonymous for contractual reasons) group calling themselves The Powerhouse, with a few tracks that appeared on an Electra multi-artist album called What’s Shakin’. Before, there was another Mayall album. Ginger Baker had talked him and Jack Bruce in to forming Cream, which started out as a hardcore blues band, but soon had jazzers’ Baker and Bruce using Clapton as frontman for lengthy improvisations mixed with shorter, almost pop songs, part written by poet Pete Brown, in the psychedelic era. Mayall replaced Clapton with Peter Green for the next album A Hard Road, which had a Mayall painting of the group on the cover. Green left before the next album to form Fleetwood Mac with Mick Fleetwood on drums, John McVie on bass and Jeremy Spencer on slide guitar. Future Rolling Stone Mick Taylor replaced Green with Mayall’s band for the Crusade album, then Tony Reeves replaced McVie for the Bare Wires album. Taylor was also on the album Blues from Laurel Canyon in 1968, and the double Diary of a Band, Vols. 1 & 2. Laurel Canyon is in California and that album marked Mayall’s emigration to the States. Mick Taylor joined the Stones in place of Brian Jones and the ‘Bluesbreakers’ suffix for Mayall’s bands disappeared until a 1982 revival. With numerous line-up changes and guests joining for various projects, Mayall has continued to record over 50 albums. A reunion for his birthday in 2002 in Liverpool included Clapton, Mick Taylor and Chris Barber. He had continued to tour until he said he was retiring, aged 75, in 2008. Over the years his bands have featured 16 guitarists, 9 drummers, 9 bassists, 14 brass players, 1 other pianist, 1 violinist, and 1 other harmonica player. Anyone who has played with any of his bands has found it a good way to gain their own musical reputation.
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I Like Music - by Evie Mclean (Aged 12) Hello readers. So I am going to start this off by introducing myself: my name is Evie, I am 12 and I have been told that I don’t have the average music taste for someone of my age, and that is what I will be basing the forthcoming articles on.
I had always been interested in music. For instance, I used to listen to the charts on the radio every Sunday, but around a year and a half ago it all changed. It was around the time when the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody was released, and I had heard the song Killer Queen for the first time and I quite liked it, so along with my best friend, I decided to start listening to Queen, starting with the classics like Bohemian Rhapsody and Somebody to Love. It went on from there, and we both continued listening to Queen as well as other songs that were new to me or popular at the time. It was only near the end of the year when people started suggesting other artists that were around at the same time as Queen. One of those artists was David Bowie, who has always been a family favourite, and I quickly started to love him and his music as much as my relatives do, and he has remained my favourite solo artist ever since. Then, at the start of this year, I decided to listen to a few songs each of mostly Fleetwood Mac and The Rolling Stones (who my grandad suggested) and a mix of popular songs from the sixties, seventies and eighties. Eventually, at the start of lockdown, as I had so much free time, I decided to finally start listening to Led Zeppelin. I had already listened to Stairway to Heaven which I quite liked. It took me a while to start really enjoy their music, as the majority of it was heavy rock, blues and folk, which I had not listened to before and I wasn’t used to the sound. However, over time I listened to all of their albums and now I regard them as my favourite band. Meanwhile, I also started to discover artists like T. Rex, The Velvet Underground, Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd - and that is where I am today. I am planning on exploring more genres, especially glam rock, and I would say that as of now I have a pretty generic taste in classic rock, as in I listen to most of the greats that fall under the genre - except I am not too fond of The Beatles!
The music that I listen to has influenced other areas of my life, along with the people behind it. Like the way I want to dress and express myself for example. I am also quite artistic and one of my main hobbies is sewing, which I would like to be part of my career when I am older. The things that I make, and want to go on to making, are quite influenced by different rock stars and the clothes worn in the eras that they performed in. I am particularly interested in sixties mod and seventies glam rock fashion; although fairly diverse, they both defined a generation. In conclusion, I would like to say that music has played a massive part in my life and hopefully I can write more about one of the things I enjoy most.
A piece of artwork I drew for my art class of vinyl records that mean something to me and my family
Heritage Open Days is back between 11th and 20th September 2020! This year will be a little different. We are hoping to do some outdoor events, but there will also be a number of virtual events.
We Need Your Help! Do you have a memory from wartime Chelmsford? We are aiming to put together clips of World War Two stories from Chelmsford in a series of up to 3 minute long clips to show during this year’s Heritage Open Days. Maybe you remember sheltering during an air raid, or maybe you have a story of community spirit? If you have a story a family member has told you, please feel free to tell this story too! If you have any questions please email info@chelmsfordcivicsociety. co.uk.
Search ‘Chelmsford Civic Society’ on YouTube and Facebook to keep up to date with events.
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Spot 10 Differences (Answers on Page 31)
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Quiz Time - by John Theedom
1. Why has Bradley Walsh had to lose weight? 2 What is ‘The Grail’? 3. In the world of music, what does the term legato mean? 4. What sort of tree is an areca? 5. Which year did Donny Osmond achieve his first number 1 hit with Puppy Love? 6. What do the initials BFPO stand for? 7. Who is the English actress who stars in Murder She Wrote? 8. What is the population of Essex? 9. What would you do with a sitar? 10. What measurement is used in horse racing tracks? 11. Who or what is Pegasus? 12. What was Claire Rayner famous for? 13. Which is Britain’s longest river? 14. What is the title of the TV programme that Nicky Campbell heads up? 15. On which Island did Princess Margaret spend the last years of her life? 16. What was David Niven’s wife’s name? 17. What was the name of Admiral Lord Nelson’s flagship? 18. Who is the actor whose catchphrase is ‘I Don’t Belieeeeeve It’? 19. What do the initials RADA stand for? 20. When was the TV programme The Office first aired on BBC2? 21. Grayson Perry, the artist, comes from which area of England?
22. On TV, what subject does Monty Don specialise in? 23. Which is the county town of Hampshire? 24. What is the term for a word like ‘civic’ or ‘madam’? 25. When was Coronation Street fist broadcast? 26. The Salvation Army was formed originally by a Mr Booth, but what was his first name? 27. Which word connects ‘chicken’, ‘live’ and ‘razor’? 28. What is euchre? 29. What does a fletcher make for a living? 30. When did the very last VW Beetle come off any assembly line? 31. In WW2, why did the Government ask households to hand in their aluminium pots and pans? 32. What was Muhammad Ali’s original name? 33. What’s the shortcut for the ‘copy’ function on most computers? 34. Halitosis means you have what affliction? 35. Where will you see an oxer? 36. What type of animal is classed as a pachyderm? 37. What’s the primary ingredient in hummus? 38. Roquefort and Emmenthal are what type of food? 39. What type of material is loden? 40. Who were the group that had a hit in 1968 with Fire? Answers on page 31
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The Singing Chef
This week’s recipe is dedicated to a most wonderful, fabulous lady called Nancy who very sadly passed away last month. We had some great times and I will never forget how kind Nancy and her husband were to me and the children after the dreadful fire. They gifted us their home for two weeks whilst mine was inhabitable and repairs began. Beautiful people inside and out. The world would be a really fun and much better place with more Nancy’s around! Rest in peace Nancy x
Irish Soda Bread Ingredients 400ml buttermilk (you can squeeze a lemon into 400ml of whole milk and stir for 5 mins tops if you can’t find buttermilk) 2 medium eggs 500g wholemeal plain flour (plus more for your hands) 2 tbsp sugar 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 5 tbsp (70g) very cold, cubed butter Method • Preheat oven to 200c. • Mix all wet ingredients together in a jug. • Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl and rub in the butter (as you would with scones) then slowly add the buttermilk and egg combining with a fork or palette knife. The dough should be a little wet and sticky. • Use your well floured hands to form a nice round shape, scoop out and place on a greased or lined backing tray. • Cut a cross through your dough to ensure the middle cooks evenly and bake for 45/50 mins. • Now the hard part: leave to rest for 15 mins before you dive in with your Kerrygold butter. Oven-Baked Trout with Colcannon Sautée a handful of greens per person with onion in a little butter, Add a bunch of chopped spring onion, a teaspoon of mustard and mix with (very) buttery mash potatoes. Bake your rainbow trout, simply in the oven with some butter, salt, pepper and lemon for no more than 20 minutes depending on the thickness. Sarah is a singer and vocal coach based in Chelmsford and offers singing lessons to people of all ages and abilities. You can email Sarah at sarahmtfood@gmail.com or search for ‘Sarah Beth Vocal Coaching’ on Facebook. www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia
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Bypass and Station Plans to Be Launched Plans for a Chelmsford north east bypass and Beaulieu Station are to be launched to the public this month in a specially created Virtual Village Hall event, following the award of £218million of Government funding for the schemes. The new 8km bypass, running between the A131 close to Great Leighs and the A12 at Boreham, will remove traffic from the B1008 in Broomfield village, Essex Regiment Way and rural routes to the east and west, while also supporting the ongoing development of Beaulieu. Chelmsford Station meanwhile, is the busiest two platform station outside London with 8.5 million passenger trips per year. Creating a new three platform station at Beaulieu will help ease pressure on this station. Through reducing the need to travel into Chelmsford
city centre, there will also be up to 900 vehicles taken out of the city centre each morning peak, improving capacity on the road network. More details on the two schemes was launched on Monday 13th July from 9am through the Virtual Village Hall - a web based exhibition created specifically for the scheme which will run until Friday 21st August 2020. For further information and to access the virtual event, visit www.essex.gov.uk/chelmsfordnorth-east-bypass. For enquiries, email cneb@ essexhighways.org.
Hearing Help Essex New Chelmsford Resource Centre Now Open! Hearing Help Essex, a Chelmsford based not-for-profit charity, is pleased to announce the opening of a brand new spacious and accessible Resource Centre on Monday 6th July located in Moulsham Street, as part of their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. After months of lockdown, the charity has worked hard in making provision to resume its services in a safe and socially-distanced environment to support the many people across Essex who have acquired hearing loss and wear NHS hearing aids. NHS Hearing Aid Support, the cleaning and retubing of hearing aids, information, advice, and guidance services will be offered to clients who are in need of vital help. Anyone new to hearing loss, who is perhaps feeling isolated will also derive benefit from talking to the friendly team. Appointments must be booked in advance and are available Monday-Friday between 9:15am and 4pm. Sophie Ede, CEO, Hearing Help Essex said: “We are delighted to be back to doing what we do best and look forward to seeing as many people with hearing loss benefit from our fantastic new Resource Centre. It is important for hearing aids to be retubed and cleaned every 4-6 months to ensure best efficiency and benefit to wearers.” The organisation is committed to helping people that remain shielding or are housebound and who are in essential need. If visiting the Resource Centre is not possible, the charity hope that a doorstep service can be provided in the near future. All visits to the Hearing Help Essex Resource Centre and doorstop service are by appointment only. If people have an urgent issue with their NHS hearing aid, they should contact their nearest NHS
Audiology Department for advice. Government social-distancing guidelines are applied to all prearranged visits, with the right safety procedures in place and will be shared in writing prior to attendance. To make an appointment call 01245 496 347 or email info@ hearinghelpessex.org.uk or text 07950 406 173. hearinghelpessex.org.uk
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Moulsham Lodge Community Trust When Moulsham Lodge Community Trust was set up, the aim was always to try and provide facilities for the community. Part of the MLCT family is the choir, New City Voices, which was formed in January 2014 and has been steadily growing since then.
Following on from the show and tell evening, Tracey has painted some of the stones we had at The Station and some of these can now be seen around the plants at the front of the building (see photo).
We meet every Thursday in St Lukes Church on Gloucester Avenue where we rehearse for an hour and a half, however we have not been able to physically get together since out last charity concert on 14th March. The choir forms an important part of the lives of some of its members, so we had to see if we could find a way to still meet up and rehearse. We have now been meeting every Thursday via Zoom where we rehearse in our own homes, and more often than not alone. It’s nowhere near the same as physically meeting each week to sing of course, but it’s our only alternative.
The lockdown and social distancing has meant the station has not been open to anyone since March, and as we’ve mentioned before our income has dried up. The cream teas have brought us a little revenue but we are struggling. So if you feel able to support us you can now made a donation to MLCT uvia the ‘donation’ button on our website at www.mlct.org.uk. Whatever you can spare, please be assured your help will be very gratefully received.
The virtual choirs that we’ve become used to seeing on the TV are heavily edited, as when we get together there are significant delays in our broadbands and as such we are not all singing in time with the piano accompaniment. We have to then mute ourselves and sing so no-one else can hear us. Its not the greatest experience but it is keeping many of us in touch with our singing - and each other - every week.
You can contact us by email at enquiries@mlct.org.uk, or search on Facebook and Twitter (we’ll have phone numbers soon).
We’ve also tried other things to encourage all members to join in at some time. We’ve had quiz nights, social evenings and even a show and tell, where everyone was asked to bring to the Zoom meeting something that was in some way important to them or which would tell the other members something about them. To our surprise more folks joined in that week and we learned that amongst us we have daredevils who bungee jump or ride ostriches. Some members have amazing musical talents other than their singing, and a number of folk are particularly artistic.
Cllr David Jones - Moulsham Lodge Ward As most of you know, my colleague Mark Springett resigned as a member of Chelmsford City Council back in March. It has been an absolute pleasure to work with him and without doubt he has been a worthy successor to Philip Firth who served the Moulsham Lodge Community for over 25 years. In my opinion, Mark’s greatest achievement is the setting up of the Moulsham Lodge Community Trust. Many other Moulsham Lodge and Tile Kiln residents have worked hard to make MLCT viable, but it is Mark that has been the driving force behind the success of this project, from his roles as Chief Executive Officer to General Handyman! During the pandemic, MLCT has been prominent in helping the community. Most recently, the Moulsham Lodge Cream Tea days have been much appreciated by those unable to get out because of COVID-19. Unfortunately, the Government has decided that a by-election for a replacement Moulsham Lodge councillor cannot be held until next May. This will mean that my hands are going to be very full for the next 9 months, but I have always enjoyed my work as a councillor and I am looking forward to the future when we can hopefully put the pandemic behind us. The pandemic has had a major impact on the finances of every local authority in the country, as cash from theatres, events, car parks, properties and leisure centres has vanished, while extra spending had to be found to help with pandemic management. The cash from these charges make up over half of the Council’s total income and pays for services like emptying bins, recycling collection, street cleaning, housing the homeless and community safety. I am very proud that Chelmsford City Council, unlike many others, has been able to keep up those services which have not been curtailed by
lockdown. Before the pandemic, Chelmsford City Council was in a relatively strong financial position, so we are better placed than some councils in other areas, who are now really struggling. We will do everything we can to reduce the impact of this crisis on our residents and keep our most essential services running, but it is an extremely difficult situation. Without significant extra Government support, Chelmsford and many other councils may be unable to provide the most basic and vital services for residents. To end on a high note: the Council has now formally adopted the Local Plan which was amended after last year’s local election to remove John Shennan Playing Fields as a housing development site. This means that, at least for the time being, our ward is safe from another housing estate.
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Tile Kiln Corner - by Cllr Linda Mascot Whilst in lockdown, Andy and Kate, Landlords of the Clay Pigeon in Robin Way, took the opportunity to spruce up both the exterior and interior of the pub and are now open to offer a friendly and safer welcome to customers. With extra seating outside and new measures adhering to Government guidelines, including antibacterial hand sanitiser and temperature checking, they are looking forward to welcoming customers old and new. They are hoping to restart their roast dinners soon, so check their Facebook page and notice board for the latest updates. At the moment events have been cancelled due to the restrictions. Opening hours are Monday-Thursday 3pm-10pm, Friday 2pm-11pm, Saturday 12-11pm and Sunday 12-10pm. These will be extended as lockdown relaxes further. Twitter: @lindamascot Email: mascotlinda@gmail.com
Have You Tried Praying? Summer is here! But it’s not as we would hope, and certainly not what we expected. We live with the mixed world of freedom and restriction, with the looming local lockdown a very present threat. The threat of COVID-19 is an unseen threat, especially when it seems that so many are asymptomatic. In the midst of this, it’s pretty clear that we face a mental health pandemic too. This will be very serious for some, but for many - perhaps for most who have not struggled with mental health in the past - it probably takes the form of low-level anxiety. Uncertain about leaving the house, unsure whether the planned trip to the park for children to see their friends is allowed or not; guilt about doing something that’s not been done since early March, but now seems to be allowed. What can we do about this? Well, have you tried praying to Jesus Christ? Many people have reported that they have prayed more during lockdown. Praying isn’t a mystery - fundamentally it is a conversation; speaking and listening to Jesus. At Tile Kiln Church, as we work out our own lockdown easing, we are opening our community space, The Kiln (155 Robin Way), for prayer and quiet reflection. Have a look at the poster for the details. We’d love to welcome you. If you’d like to explore prayer from the comfort of your home, you can www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia
do that too. Head to www. trypraying.co.uk - they walk you through everything you need to know about prayer. Jesus Christ promises peace that is past all understanding a kind heartlevel peace that makes no sense in difficult situations, yet remains present and very real. You can ask him for it - try praying. Tim Goodall Pastor Please get in touch! tim.goodall@tilekilnchurch.org.uk www.facebook.com/tilekilnchurch 27
Moulsham High School Ranked Best Non-Selective School in Essex On Thursday, 9th July 2020 Moulsham High School was named the number one non-selective school in Essex by The Real Schools Guide.
our students, their families and our staff but we look forward to the new academic year and welcoming our new students in September.”
The guide ranked MHS as the 10th best school in the county overall* and 230th nationally.
Now in its seventh year, The Real Schools Guide aims to give a more comprehensive picture than traditional league tables. It takes into account 51 different data points, as well as GCSE results and Attainment 8 scores. It also considers factors such as Progress 8, pupil-teacher ratios and absence rates.
Headteacher Miss Mead said: “I am incredibly proud that we have been recognised by The Real Schools Guide as the best non-selective school in Essex. I know what a fantastic school we have, but for others to recognise this reinforces everything we have accomplished and continue to strive for. It’s been an unprecedented few months for
MHS ranked 10th in Essex, behind nine selective schools, therefore making it the number one non-selective school. *
Widford Lodge School The staff and children at Widford Lodge School have now finished for the summer holidays after what has been a very different term.
who was awarded a Highly Commended prize for her picture of an elephant in the Year 1-2 IAPS IART 2020 Competition.
In the first half of the summer term all classes worked from home, covering the full range of curriculum subjects through live online lessons with their teachers, and assignments set and marked using Microsoft Teams, to PE and outdoor activities, as well as art and music. The children also spent lockdown finding ways to help others, including donating to a local charity and writing letters to local care home, Baycroft. Children of keyworkers came into school daily throughout the term and over the holidays.
After half term, the school opened its doors again to ever-increasing numbers of pupils and teachers, so that all children from Pre School to Year 6 were able to spend at least three weeks back with their friends and in the school environment. Staff and pupils have faced the challenges of the COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing rules with courage and resilience and have been so happy to be back together. Year 6 presented the school with a special gift of a beautiful clock to remind us all to make the most of every minute! A special mention to one of or pupils, Lila Rehman-Wani (Year 1)
If you have a one off article of local interest you wish to submit please email paul@moulshamtimes.com 28 www.moulshamtimes.com
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In Defence of the SUV - by Simon Inglis The SUV, or Sport Utility Vehicle, accounts for about 50% of new vehicle sales here in Australia, and the UK itself is closing in on such numbers. The Utility or simply ‘Ute’ dominates the Australian top three new vehicles sold. Toyota’s Hilux and the Ford Ranger (umm, proudly developed here in Australia) are among the top sellers for families. The wagon, or estate car, like its 4-door relatives, is now entrenched in the prestige car market. While I understand Mercedes Benz is downgrading C Class production for the United States, the C Class, BMW 3 Series and the Audi A4 still sell very well in Europe, the UK and for their relative numbers here in the far off antipodes too. It’s becoming a fair bet that most cars under ten years of age in Australia - if not still Holdens or Fords - are prestige models. Unlike my youth in the 1990s, used 3 Series are as common as muck in the classifieds these days. While I’m not a fan of the SUV onslaught I’ll concede that the things have won the war on the general car market. Beyond the big three Germans I do see some Corollas, Golfs and the occasional Lexus. Yet for each of these there are a dozen SUVs or Utes.
‘newer shape/facelifted’ Mercedes ML from about 2005... Anything with reasonable mileage seems to cost a cool double its sedan equivalent. Supply and demand I suppose? Frankly, there’s not much else that is tickling my fancy for my proposed budget so this may well be a very long search. The arc of depreciation still has a while to run for me. Anyway, I’m not yet ready to toss away the keys of my pretty little Mercedes CLK and succumb to proper middle age. Once I’m inside the old girl I’m a happy chappie and want for little, and the sedan is still good for most days. However the future is inevitable. Given my line of work and my thinking, a car loan or a lease isn’t on the horizon, so used it’ll be. An SUV however a reprehensible thought at first now makes perfect sense. The ability to, as my GP suggests, slide in and out of a car without straining has its attractions. No wonder the blasted things are selling so well, as our western population begins to age and grows outwardly. In summary, the SUV is a logical progression as we age. My turn will come... The prestige sedan won’t die out, it’s just too nice. In addition for those of us who still like the act of driving a sedan or low coupe with its enormous dynamic advantages, will always have its followers - me among them. On a good day. However when the aches and pains are turned up to 11, and the day’s drive means a supermarket round cartering shopping bags, the attraction of a slide-in/slide-out SUV is most worthy. Indeed, I’ll be continuing to check Australia’s online sales websites on a rather regular basis from now on..!
Australia is reverting to its most primitive self with hard to manage separate chassis vehicles. Bigger is best it seems unless you’re privileged enough for a prestige vehicle lease. Yet perhaps all is not lost... The thought of a (very used) SUV was fostered on me by my GP over a year ago as a back injury started to really play up. As COVID-19 has brought about a temporary closure to elective surgery, the pain associated with getting into and out of our sedan cars is no longer something I can ignore. In fact, to my horror and shame, I’m avoiding my beloved Mercedes CLK as much as possible of late. I got into it today and my goodness it’s low - I felt as though I was almost touching the gravel in our drive! The process of exiting displays a complete lack of dignity on my part as I scramble out with the aid of an old ski stick. This is certainly not a good look and a ‘good look’ is part-and-parcel of owning a coupe. Quite simply everybody looks at you in a coupe! Yet worse is the sedan situation. It’s very comfortable inside with the heated seats and electric adjustments this way and that. I have no trouble with visibility or with parking either, and as far as room is concerned we are a small family of mum, dad, child and lab. Boot space is quite ok too. Yet once again it’s an issue of pain. On more days than not I find myself slumping in behind the wheel. Getting out is not of such interest to other shoppers especially in a supermarket car park dominated by mummies in their little cars on stilts. No coupe and a man past the spring of youth means very little attention these days. Yet while easier than my low Mercedes, it’s still a painful enough affair getting out on a bad day. Thus given all of this evidence, I’ll admit to having scanned the used classifieds for an SUV or 4x4 which I think would fit into my life. The first thing I’ve noticed is the prices! In this country a Land Rover Discovery 3 or 4 commands frankly silly money. A 4 is out but the 3s I look at are high mile 15 year old cars. Then there’s that 30 www.moulshamtimes.com
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