MoulshamTimes
MT Welcome
Hi readers,
Welcome to the August edition of the Moulsham Times
Heritage Open Days festival is throughout September and is not too far away now - check out the centre pages for a pull out poster for all events, remember they are all FREE!
You can also read more about the Rising Sun (see the front cover) on page 15.
The next edition will be out from August 31st. Do please contact us for pricing for advertising and distribution details and we can send you a detailed price list.
Regards
Paul
Advertising & Editorial
Paul Mclean
01245 262082/07595 949701
paul@moulshamtimes.com
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.
Is Making Music Your Passion?
For many people, making music is a passion. Some artists can’t go a day without writing a song or composing a piece of music, while others enjoy the simple pleasure of playing an instrument or singing in the shower. But, whether you’re trying to‘make it in the music industry or you just love the creative process for its own sake, all musicians seem to agree on one thing: music is an outlet that allows them to express themselves in a way that nothing else can.
Self-expression is an essential part of being human; we have a need to feel understood and music is a powerful way of getting our feelings across to those around us. Writing your own song or composing an original piece of music is an amazing achievement! But it’s really only the first part of the process... To truly get the most out of the experience, you need to share your music with others.
However, it can be extremely nerve-wracking to perform in front of an audience. Thankfully, there’s an excellent alternative: Recording!
Simply book a studio session at your convenience (no stress, no pressure!). You can record your performance in a friendly, creative environment, safe in the knowledge that any mistakes can be seamlessly edited out and your music will be mixed to perfection, freeing you to share it with confidence.
That’s my job, and it’s always a pleasure to work with new artists. So give me a call and let’s have a chat... You’ll be glad you did! :)
Dan Hewett
Sidrat Audio
Chelmsford - By Vicky Ford MP
It was a joyous start to the week to be able to join the medical doctors at their graduation ceremony in Chelmsford Cathedral on Monday 17th July. Many many congratulations to the 81 new doctors, to all those at Anglia Ruskin University and those across our hospitals and GP practices who have helped to train them.
Thanks to government funding increasing the number of medical places, the Medical School opened five years ago and has been a huge success, seeing the first ever doctors to be trained in Essex graduate. Many of them want to stay working locally in our NHS.
Anglia Ruskin has been a pioneer in introducing apprenticeship routes into nursing and other health degrees.
I have been pressing for an enlargement of the Medical School and would dearly like it to be able to double in size. This would be great for the future of the NHS in Essex.
Staying with medical matters, people across Chelmsford often write to me about GP surgery capacity and I am campaigning to increase GP surgery capacity in Chelmsford. Please support my campaign, fill
in my summer survey, and help me petition the NHS to get this done. Together with local people, I’ve drawn up a six-point plan for our area - and I want to know what your top priorities are.
If we can demonstrate that local people back our plan, we’ll have a much stronger case to make our streets safer, increase GP surgery capacity, improve skills and training, deliver better infrastructure and protect our green and open spaces.
Thank you to the hundreds of Chelmsford people who have already signed up to support my campaign to increase capacity at our GP surgeries. It is really important to show that local people support this; please do visit my website www.vickyford.uk and support the campaign.
If I can be of any assistance with a problem or an issue that you are facing, do get in touch with me by email at vicky.ford.mp@parliament. uk.
Wellness and Pilates, the Best Relationship Ever Made for You!
The heart of the summer time is in full swing; the time of the year when it is easier to get out and be active. Great for our physical health of course and also much easier to be positive when the days are longer, lighter and brighter which is great for our mental health.
The term ‘wellness’ is now commonly used and seen all over the place - from work places, to GP surgeries and even now some festivals. Since we are currently in the heart of the festival season, its been wonderful to see so many wellness, well-being and inclusive celebratory festivals all about how we can get the best from ourselves, and do the best for ourselves for both our physical health and mental well-being.
Looking after your mind and your body, everything that these both require for normal healthy balance is not always easy, but when it comes to considering taking time for yourself, this can come in many ways - it shouldnt need to be hard. This could be a calm two minutes a day of mirror-facing affirmation, self encouragement, some ‘me’ time in the garden with the weeds, simply noticing the sky and bird song - or maybe you do have time once a week, maybe more, doing your favourite class. Pilates is considered by many to be an integral part of creating wellness since it includes so many elements of helping the mind to reset, helping the body to move better and creating more calmness between the body and mind.
Those who have followed me would have seen the article about the 7 main principles which pilates has been created upon. They intertwine the physical movements that the body should be able to do for good healthy alignment, working on ideas such as centering the body always working from the core, making sure the spine is safe and effectively moving, pushing your stamina and strength with effective coordination. They acknowledge mental awareness such as controlling your breathing, creating calmness and stress reduction, and concentrating enough for your movement not to be using the wrong muscles or incorrect balance between sides.
Considering wellness, all of this is a brilliant way to get the body feeling its potential best and able to embrace everything else that makes you happier and healthier in life.
Perhaps try these exercises to bring your own mind and body
together...
Lateral Breathing: To breathe better and more calm - sitting or laying on your back. Place hands around the sides of your rib cage, spread fingers and relax shoulders. Take a few breathes and notice where the movement is, the focus on the breathe creating a wider, fuller feeling into the palm of your hands, try several breathes with hands there then rest hand away and try without.
Mermaid: Stretch the spine and breathe fully - sit on a chair for the arm movement only or on floor on a cushion, left leg straight out 45 degrees, right leg bent in front of you. Place one hand on the floor to your side, lift the other as drawing a rainbow over the body and back again. Do the same with the other hand down vs up. Do 8 total, then switch the legs.
Superman: Strength and endurance of the core - on floor, hands under shoulders and knees under hips, scoop the belly button in under your waist band to engage abdominals, extend right arm as far forward as you can, extend your left leg as far back as you can, hold for three breathes then lower, repeat other side. Increase the time you can hold with out wobbling or holding your breathe. Repeat 10 times total if you can.
At Hummingbird Pilates & Yoga in Writtle, you can explore your wellness journey getting active again safely after a break - suitable with most injuries, or to just add to your lifestyle for more combined mind and body exercise. Go to www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk for our £45 unlimited month of classes - our most popular way to start (excluding specialist ante and post natal courses). For group classes (8 max) we don’t expect any experience just willingness to try, we offer classes for all levels - join us in studio or opt for an interactive Zoom class from wherever you are.
Don’t try anything without professional supervision if you have a back injury.
See you on the mat soon!
Erica xx
Chelmsford Kitchen Retailer Wins at Prestigious Awards for Second Year in a Row
Kitchen designer and retailer Regal Kitchens, based in Chelmsford, has won a prestigious award for Best Showroom Experience.
Up against five other shortlisted businesses, Regal Kitchens took home the accolade at the Studio Partner Awards, hosted and organised by Häfele UK, which is one of the biggest manufacturers and distributors of kitchen fittings, features, hardware, lighting and accessories.
The event, held on 29th June 2023 at Warwick Castle, saw 17 studios vying for winner trophies in the most contested awards to date following a record number of nominations and categories decided by just a few marks.
Regal Kitchens picked up the prize for Best Showroom Experience, with judges highlighting the company’s creativities, like organising charity treasure hunts and annual interior student workshops around its Navigation Road showroom.
Regal Kitchens Director and Senior Kitchen Designer commented: “It’s an honour that the Regal team’s commitment to our company ‘Where Client is King’ standard is recognised by the leading industry experts. We couldn’t be happier to have won this prestigious award which we will proudly display in our showroom for all to see.”
Gareth Bevan, Sales Director at Häfele UK, added: “From the calibre of the entries, it is clear that showrooms like Regal Kitchens are some of the best in the business. This is the second year in a row that they have picked up an award, which is a testament to constant drive to improve and be more creative in their marketing and customer engagement. Congratulations to Regal.”
The Studio Partner programme is a network of independent kitchen studios, hand-selected based on their superb customer service, business excellence and growth.
Regal Kitchens has won several awards for their innovative designs, customer service and dedication to living by their company ethos ‘Where Client is King’. Their beautiful showroom is open 7 days per week between 10am and 4pm.
01245 351 151 www.regalkitchens.co.uk
How to Get Strong - By Chris at Forté Physical Health
If I were to write one article that would do me out of a job, this would be it.
Regular readers will know that I’m an osteopath and I treat people’s aches and pains. If you want to know the number one thing that reduces your risk of injury and helps you to overcome injury faster, it’s this:
Get strong. That’s it: get stronger - it really is that simple.
Having strength protects your joints and gives your tissues resilience to strain. It improves your balance and makes you less likely to fall. It also builds muscle, which helps a whole host of metabolic and hormonal functions around the body.
Sounds too good to be true? Well, there is one caveat.
I’m asking you to train for the rest of your life. As long as you are alive, you need to do strength training. Sorry.
Think of it like showering. Did you take a shower in 2013 and call it a day? No. It’s an on-going process of self-care.
You need to aim for at least one day a week (although three days would be best), for the rest of your life. But, it will be fun! I can promise that.
So, how do you get strong?
When I’m taking a case history with my patients and ask them if they do any strength training, the most common answer I get is, ‘yes, I walk every day’. Walking is like a superfood for the body. It’s wonderful. It is fantastic low-intensity cardio that helps us live longer and clears the mind. It is not, however, strength training.
What about HIIT training, yoga or pilates? Well, we’re getting closer, but there are some very specific features that make a workout strength training. If we’re not careful, our training can fall into the muscular endurance bucket, or the anaerobic conditioning bucket.
To optimise your training for strength, you need to think about three things:
• Time under tension.
• Relative perceived exertion.
• Rest.
Time under tension is the time your muscle fibres are under tension in your training. This is where reps and sets come in. Each time you move a weight (or your body), this is a rep. Once you have done as many reps as you can, this is a set.
We can go a little deeper than this and improve the quality of our time under tension by thinking about how we do our reps. We can label our reps with four numbers. The first number is how long it takes to lower the weight. The second number is how long we pause before changing direction. The third number is how long it takes to push the weight. And the fourth is the rest at the starting position. A good rep might be something like 4-1-1-1 where we take four seconds to lower the weight (this is known as the eccentric phase, and it’s where we cause the most stress to the muscle), take a onesecond pause in the deepest part of the rep (I like to take a breath and check my posture here), explode the weight for one-second with power and control, then take a one-second pause at the top (I do another mental check-in for posture here too).
To begin with, three sets of about ten repetitions per movement would be perfect, but this leads us to the next point; relative perceived exertion.
Relative perceived exertion (RPE) is the fancy way of saying, ‘how hard do I think I am working?’. In order for something to get us stronger, we need to be working in the 9/10 to 10/10 range. As a complete beginner, you might want to start with 7/10 or 8/10, just while you are refining your technique.
I said that three sets of ten reps is a good approach for your strength movements, so you need to adjust the weight to find your tenth rep a 9 or 10/10 on the RPE scale. If you can do more reps, then increase the weight, if you find it too hard, reduce the weight. More advanced strength trainers will use lower rep counts like 5 or 3 reps per set, or even 1-rep-max attempts, but to begin with, aiming to max out your RPE at 10 reps is a good goal.
Between each set, you need to rest. Once you hit your maximum RPE, all your fibres in a muscle have been recruited and they need a little rest before they can fire again. If you go too soon, your muscles won’t be ready, and you won’t be optimising for strength; you will be targeting muscular endurance. There are times when this might be what you want, but if you want to get strong, use at least a 90-second rest between sets (advanced athletes may even need up to five minutes).
Now we can look back and answer the question about HIIT, yoga and pilates. While these things can get us stronger compared to not doing any training, and they can improve our anaerobic fitness, balance and flexibility (all very good and important elements of health), unless they get you to an RPE of 10/10 and you take a rest of 90-seconds before moving again, they are not optimising for strength.
I think of health like a puzzle, and we need all the pieces of the puzzle. Walking is low intensity cardio. Running and cycling etc, are higher intensity cardio. Yoga and pilates are great for body control, flexibility and balance. HIIT is anaerobic fitness, and strength is strength - and that’s not even mentioning all the mental well-being and even spiritual benefits all these forms of exercise bring.
To be clear, all these forms of exercise are fantastic; no one thing is better than anything else, they all have a place in our life. But if you want to avoid trips to the osteopath, there is only one winner - and that’s to get strong.
In my clinic, it is our greatest joy to help get people back to living an active life, free of pain. If you are struggling and want to get back to a more active lifestyle, you can find out more at fortephysicalhealth. co.uk.
And until next time, have a healthy and happy month!
MT Gardening
Summer is well and truly upon us and progressing well for the time being. We’ve even had a fair amount of rain in some areas, although a number of places still remain dry and challenging. As part of the RHS Sustainability Strategy, Target 4 is all about water - becoming water neutral by 2030. Which is to use less, capture, reuse and recycle water in RHS operations, including gardens and shows and to encourage waterneutral gardening practices.
As gardeners we can all do our bit for water conservation. Here are just a few quick wins:
• When adding new plants to your garden, always consider ‘right plant, right place’. As our garden spaces experience drier and hotter weather conditions, choose plants which are adapted to such conditions. Look out for plants with waxy reduced leaf areas such as fragrant thyme (Thymus vulgaris) or those
plants with more succulent leaves and stems such as the house leek (Sempervirens spp.) and the ice plant (Hylotelephium spectabile).
• Try to store as much water as you can by using water butts and interconnecting devices to expand the number of butts on site - use contents during dry periods.
• Mulch areas using either organic materials, such as well rotted farmyard manure or leaf mould - or if not available, landscape membrane would help reduce water loss at key points during the growing summer. I have moved to a method of ‘no-dig’ in all the gardens I maintain and can honestly say that adding organic matter to the soil surface throughout the year really helps with conserving water and also suppressing competition from unwelcome weeds. The only issue is that it can be difficult to get enough organic matter. Follow this link for further information: www.rhs.org.uk/science/sustainability.
Other Jobs to Consider This Month
If, like me, you are growing cordon tomatoes this year, don’t forget to keep on removing those side shoots and feeding weekly with a good potassium rich feed. I’m growing Sungold and Gardener’s Delight.
All evergreens could do with a generous supplementary feed. I tend to use a seaweed-based products for its organic credentials. Check out this useful RHS link, www.rhs.org.uk/soil-composts-mulches/ seaweed-products. Aside from seaweed feeds, I have just fed ericaceous plants such as camellias and heathers with an iron rich feed to boost flower bud development now for next year’s blooms. It also has helped to ‘green-up’ leaves.
If you have found that your perennials have bloomed and are looking a little sad, cut them down (this will be my third time of doing this for this year) and they should flower again later this summer. As you are removing a good degree of top growth and therefore robbing the plant of stored food, I would feed with any flower promoting feedperhaps use a tomato based feed; I have just done this with catmint (Nepeta x faassenii) and hardy geraniums.
To be a more sustainable, why not make your own liquid feed? They can be made from a wide range of plants including comfrey, nettles, borage, clover and bracken. Comfrey is rich in potassium whilst nettles have a higher nitrogen content. Using comfrey is particularly attractive to organic growers as it is deep rooted and able to extract nutrients below that of many other plants; the leaves are harvested to produce a nutrient-rich plant food. There are many different methods of making liquid feed from comfrey and other plants, all of which should be diluted before use.
Here’s a look at some other jobs for the rest of the month of July, www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/july - and a sneak preview of the tasks for Augusts www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/august.
Happy gardening!
For any gardening tips please contact Tom Cole by email at, tomcole8@hotmail.com.
Nick Garner’s Music & Ramblings
It can’t be, but it is August already! The nights are drawing in, the holidays and festivals are well under way and young people are waiting on exam results. Maybe they are all wanting to go to sixth form and university, but I hope that some are looking at the trades and thinking about an apprenticeship; we are desperate for trades people and apprentices can earn very well and have a great life.
Did you attend the Chelmsford Festival at all or see the parade which finished in Oaklands Park? There was certainly a lot of fun had. I saw the parade and took a lot of photos and then went to the park. We must thank Edith and Tony and their team, as this is our festival and we should all celebrate it as it’s all-inclusive - no matter who or what age you are.
I see we have a new attraction about to open in Hylands Park as Go Ape has arrived - it is their first site in Essex. I am not sure it is for me, although I will go and have a look of course! Who knows, when I am there l might be tempted...
We recently had the Chelmsford Summer Beer and Cider Festival back, which I think was fab and well run and very well attended. I did programme the music for them and organised a various selection of acts to play. We also had Pride, and Fake Fest, and coming up is the Writtle Jazz Festival - and for the first time the day before on Saturday 5th August, there is the first Country and Folk Festival with a whole host of amazing acts. These include Beans On Toast, Jess and the Bandits and The Jackson Line among many others. Check out Hot Box Live events for more info on that.
I am preparing for a meeting with people from the theatre and council to hopefully convince them to help to promote not just themselves, but the whole area - and to say that mid-Essex is a great place to come and visit and spend a few days in. This would help not just the venues but also the hotels and every Airbnb etc, the eating places, the shops and more, creating money and employment. We have a lot to visit in Chelmsford and the surrounding villages and towns, so come on lets promote us - a place worth visiting. Maybe get Olly Murs, Grayson Perry, Gemma Collins, Joey Essex, Dermot O’Leary, Anne-Marie and others to get behind this...
I am wondering, do I need to come up with more ideas and try to get things moving? Anyone up for it? I am getting older and would need some help - you have my details below.
Ok that is off my chest now time to relax, well not too much. We have lots to explore around us which will be good for the kids during the holidays and not just our wonderful coastline. Going a little further afield, Clacton is the place to be for the August Bank Holiday when they will have the air show for Battle of Britain with the Red Arrows.
Have you looked at your local area to see what is on offer or at our City Times’ What’s On guide recently? You could well find something you would like to go and see.
If you have something that maybe of interest to the readers then let Paul know, and if you have an event to promote, then let us know at editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk.
Music
Mmmmm music... I just love it don’t you know! I believe it is good for us all in one form or another. I do my best to vary the music I put on - so it’s not just for my own tastes either. Take a look at who I have at the Chelmsford Social Club and Hot Box and I hope you’ll agree that we are covering a good few bases. I am also busy booking for 2024 now too! I can secretly tell you that we have Nine Below Zero coming back early next year, but don’t tell everyone yet... I can officially tell
you that we have Cregan and Co (Jim Cregan; ex Rod Stewart and Cockney Rebel), Cold Flame (who play Jethro Tull), and Police Dog Hogan returning, as are Noasis. We also have The Jam Project to confirm. I have to say, I am excited by the line-up from September onwards. Just look at the advert in this edition - if you don’t know them, you’d be best to visit YouTube or go to my social media pages to have a listen - you could even go to Spotify...
The Ugly Guys kick us off playing a Hot Box fundraiser on Tuesday 5th September - all ticket revenue going is going to Hot Box. The Ugly Guys are also launching their new album shortly, so please do come and support them. On Friday 8th September we start up at the Social Club again with the D’Ukes - our very own ukulele band; if you have not seen them before, then why not?
Also at the Social Club, we have now confirmed the legend that is Terry ‘Superlungs’ Reid, who is probably best known for turning down his pal Jimmy Page and putting his friend Robert Plant forward to front Led Zeppelin. Terry also turned down Deep Purple who then took on Ian Gillan. Terry has lived in California for the past 40 years. Aretha Franklin said the three best things to come out of the UK were The Beatles, The Stones - and Terry Reid. Terry has recently been recording with Joe Perry (Aerosmith) at Johnny Depp’s studio. This is a rare show and he will have his English band with him.
We have plenty more coming up this year which I can tell you more about in future editions. As this edition is coming out, I will be away doing a couple of festivals. One is Chickenstock in Kent, who will have The Jackson Line playing, among many others. Then I move on to the Wickham Festival near Portsmouth, where they have the likes of The Proclaimers, Midge Ure, the Afro Celt Sound System, The Saw Doctors, Tim Edey, Track Dogs, and Show Of Hands among many others playing. I will be photographing and talking to the acts as well as enjoying them of course. It is going to be good to get away in my caravan for a few days as I really need the break!
While I am away, I will not stop though, if you know me I never do! I cannot switch off, or very rarely anyway. I will have an article to get writing for City Times and then processing all the photos I am taking and booking acts up for next year as well. There will be plenty to going on to keep you all amused for those of you staying in Chelmsford. Do remember to support everything local - not just music, but everything from shops, to theatre and all else - or we could lose it. I will report back how I get on with the council meeting as well, so fingers crossed that they are responsive.
Please take a look at our Black Frog Presents adverts in here to see some of the amazing acts that are coming to play at the Chelmsford Social Club and at Hot Box.
If you have anything you think that could be of interest to our readers for either publication, then please let us know by emailing editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk - it may be an event or a topic of interest. Or have you done anything unusual or are you planning something? If so, we want to know about it. And if know of someone who may wish to advertise with us, then please ask them to contact ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk and we can send over full details.
You can get tickets for all our shows in Chelmsford from Intense Records, Hopsters and Chelmsford 4Good - please pay cash in person when you buy. Tickets are also available online from www. wegottickets.com/BlackFrogPresents, or via our ticket hotline at no extra charge - call or text 07508 496 411 and you can then pay the advance price on entry to the show rather than the walk-in price.
For all Black Frog Presents gig updates and information go www. linktr.ee/BlackFrogPresents, or scan the QR code in the poster in this magazine. It would be fantastic if you could share our magazines The City Times and Moulsham Times for us. We continue to publish both magazines online as well at www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia.
Skills Fest: Inspiring Children - By Cllr Marie Goldman
August tends to be a bit of a quieter month for official council business (although I realise this is tempting fate quite a bitwe can never rule out the possibility of the passing of a senior dignitary or, let’s sincerely hope not, another global medical emergency). It’s a time for many, including councillors and council staff, to catch up with their families. I’m sure that’s what many of you are doing too - I hope you have fun, whatever you have planned.
As it’s fairly quiet, I thought I’d take the opportunity to tell you about something that happened at the very end of June that you may not have been aware of, but which I’d really like you to know about - the return of Skills Fest.
As the name suggests, Skills Fest is a festival all about skills, but with a key twist; this one is aimed at children. Year 8 school children to be precise - 12 and 13-year-olds who, in just a few months’ time will need to choose their GCSE options - courses that will start to shape their future career paths. It’s an important and potentially exciting time in their lives and maybe a little daunting too. How on earth are you supposed to know at the age of 13 and 14 what you want to spend your adult life doing? How can you possibly know the options that are available to you? In days of old, schools had careers advisory services that helped children understand the bewildering array of careers open to them, but even then it relied on careers advisors who had that knowledge themselves and had kept up-to-date with changes in technology and industries - a tricky task at any time, but with school budgets cut to the bone and stretched even further, it’s virtually impossible.
And that’s where Skills Fest steps in. Skills Fest is an initiative by Chelmsford City Council. It made its debut appearance in the summer of 2019, but subsequent years were thwarted by the pandemic. I was absolutely delighted, as Deputy Leader of Chelmsford City Council, that we were able to make it return this year.
We invited over 50 businesses, education establishments and other organisations to create exhibits to inspire young people. The brief was to give children an opportunity to discover jobs they may never even have known existed and to broaden their horizons to consider that this might be a career option for them. I’m thrilled that so many of the exhibitors did exactly that and created hands-on activities for the over 1,000 Year 8 students from secondary schools around Chelmsford who attended the event held at the Writtle University
College campus at the very end of June.
I was so happy to see and overhear some of the conversations that were taking place - opening eyes and creating worlds of opportunity. A huge thank you to all of our partners who made this happen.
Businesses and government often talk about skills gaps and skills shortages. In my opinion these sorts of events, aimed at children just starting out making their careers choices, are a vital step not just in building a workforce fit for the future, but in helping children reach their full potential.
I don’t know how many children will make a different, more inspired career choice after attending this year’s event (we’re trying to put in place a way of following that up over time), but if just one child’s eyes were opened to the world of possibilities out there, then I’m happy.
If you’d like to read more about this year’s Skills Fest and the help that we need to make it happen in future years, please have a look at this City Life article, including the video we recorded showcasing the event: citylife.chelmsford.gov.uk/2023/07/06/student-skills-festivalreturns-to-chelmsford.
As usual, if you have any questions or would like help or advice, please contact me at, marie.goldman@chelmsfordlibdems.org.uk.
Enjoy August - whatever you’re up to. Marie
Cllr
Marie Goldman Deputy Leader, Chelmsford City Council Ward Councillor for Moulsham & Central Essex County Councillor for Chelmsford Central Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Chelmsford
Non-Spoiler Film Reviews - By Henry Godfrey-Evans
Asteroid City
Yeah, I can’t say this is guaranteed hit for everyone… but I watched it twice.
Absolutely golden in places and a style of filmmaking that just made me want to worship the efforts they went to.
The comedy was odd but brilliant, and there was a surprise ambush of confusing emotion that derailed me. In a good way.
Almost went a third time.
90/100
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
I’ll preface this by saying that I’ve seen Raiders of the Lost Arc and I didn’t really care for it. So now you know whether to now switch off or not.
I’ve said to others and I stand by it; this sort of action and character does not hold up if you make them today. I’m happy that it inspired a generation of film fanatics, but I honestly think this is the same quality as the older films - which is cheesy and not all that special.
The reasoning many will raise is that practical stuntwork and effects were replaced with SFX, but I think at it’s barebones it’s a franchise that’s aged.
45/100
Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken
To be honest I don’t know. I tried and you know I did. I’ve only ever walked out of Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile since the dawn of my reviews.
‘What if we use every high school drama placeholder that AI can write us, BUT she’s a kraken?’ - yeah, that’s pretty much the film.
I feel awful for animators who work with some pretty sorry projects
Letters
“Having read the letter from Ms P Finch and the answer from Cllr Goldman it would seem that the councillor only answered regarding e-scooters and not cyclists.
“The major problem in the city centre is the number of cyclists who are collecting takeaway food and ride through the city without a thought to the consequences, but I have to say a lot of other cyclists also flout the no-cycling rules.
“I have contacted my local councillor on several occasions dating
Mr Springall is absolutely correct to point out that cyclists riding through our High Street is a problem that never seems to get any better. Indeed, with the rise of food takeaway deliverers using bicycles to get around, this issue appears to have grown worse over the last few years. While I certainly prefer deliverers using environmentally-friendly transport methods, such as bicycles, they must all comply with the law.
And it is the law that governs this behaviour and which, therefore, can only be enforced by the police, in exactly the same way as I described in my response to the letter about e-scooters in last month’s edition.
I have raised the issue of both e-scooters and cyclists in the High Street with our local Community Policing Team on several occasions and they have confirmed that it’s a concern that gets raised a lot with them by members of the public, local businesses and councillors.
and deliver some visual comedy. So I can’t in good conscience rate it the absolute minimum.
6/100
Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One I suspect I’m talking to a lot of classic film guys here, and I might have lost you with my comments about Indiana Jones, so I’ll win you back here…
Tom Cruise has done a PHENOMENAL job at nursing dying 90s action-vibes into a 2020s spectacle. He refuses to rest until he’s produced the most audacious set pieces of the year, and he truly understands pacing, camerawork and production.
I will say, the first half had most of its strongest ideas and dialogue, but this is the sort of film you would bet your life savings on that it would send people home happy.
88/100
Insidious: The Red Door
We all knew this was going to struggle. Not a noughties horror film expected to develop into a franchise, so a 5th installment was always going to be invention rather than best laid plans.
Director and lead this time, Patrick Wilson, seemed to resuscitate my enthusiasm from the moment he appeared in frame, and the horror was very solid, especially when things were growing.
Unfortunately, like most horrors, it got altitude sickness as things escalated and things were no longer creepy. Watch this space though, I suspect Patrick Wilson understands how to beat predictable horror and he may do well.
52/100
henrygodfreyevans@gmail.com
back to 2019, and although I got replies nothing has been done to stop the behaviour of the cyclists in an area that purportedly is a pedestrianised area.
“It is surely a matter of time before someone is going to be seriously injured.
“I have to ask the question is the city pedestrianised or not if it is then get it policed and prevent someone being injured.”
A Springall
The police tell me that they have had some recent success with a campaign to tackle this problem. In May, they seized three e-scooters and issued 17 fixed penalty notices to cyclists riding through our High Street.
They have also been engaging directly with the public and businesses on this issue. If resources were unlimited, there is of course always more that could be done, but in the meantime, please do speak to the community policing team if you are concerned about a particular business (perhaps a repeat offending delivery company) or type of problem. You can contact them via the Essex Police website here: www.essex.police.uk/police-forces/essex-police/ areas/essex-police/au/about-us/policing-in-essex/chelmsford.
Kind regards
Cllr Marie Goldman
Rising Sun Celebrates Its First Birthday Since Refurbishment!
Some of you might be excused if you conjure up rather unsavoury images or even memories of The Rising Sun.
Not anymore! The pub has undergone a major refurbishment and recently celebrated the first of many birthdays since its renaissance.
Now a family run pub, the main pull for the neighbourhood is the family friendly atmosphere: “We have our own little family and are always on a mission to find somewhere good that caters for adults, kids and dogs. We are simply running our pub the way in which we select pubs to visit ourselves. It’s not a kids-zone at all, but an adult environment that is built around family values.”
For a rather compact pub, the space offers something for everyone. The bright benches and colourful bunting will welcome you as you enter the main area. With plenty of seating inside, a cool breeze is a godsend in the summer heat. The beer range is varied and boasts some of the current UK favourites. You can find pale ales, IPAs, lagers, cider and of course, stout and real ale.
Local wine supplier Mark has done a great job in curating our wine list and as an independent operator, we can change wines regularly. We welcome customer feedback on any given area of the pub and feel that we are serving the community so input from locals are paramount to our success.
Amazing news! Our very own Daisy Barker from the Friday Drive at Five show has won Gold in the Young Audio Awards, which recognises young people with a passion for making audio. The awards are supported by the BBC and commercial radio and Daisy picked up the gong for BBC Sounds’ Rising Star in the 12-15 age category.
Wander through the pub and out to the sun trapped beer garden. Here you can enjoy the shaded patio with leather sofas and lawn games surrounded by tall trees. Or, if you have a sunnier disposition, you can bask in the warm weather on the picnic benches or low rattan seating.
In the garden you will find a sandpit to keep the little ones entertained so the adults can have some peace and quiet whilst enjoying an Aperol Spritz or some Brixton Coldharbour lager, to mention but a few of the great drinks on offer. If you’re up for the challenge, a ping pong table in the garden will make time fly. Just try not to hit the ball onto the neighbour’s lawn. Again.
The food menu caters for all tastes and serves up burgers, pizza, small plates and loaded fries. Keep an eye on the specials board, as this is often where the magic really happens. Sausage rolls are made fresh and can be found on the bar daily with other snack and fresh fruit. Biltong is made on-site and can be seen curing on the bar.
So, what’s next? The outbuilding is currently being refurbed and will have more seating, pool table and darts: “We are hoping to get this done with the introduction of Sky Sports before the next Premier League season starts.
“We would also like to thank everyone who has supported us over the last year. Our customers are fantastic!”
Awards is an absolute dream come true for me. I am so grateful to all the people who chose my audio and it means so much to be recognised for my work on Chelmsford Community Radio. Radio is my passion and I love being on air. To win this award just makes it even more special.”
Daisy’s prize will now include a 1-hour radio show on national station Fun Kids, plus opportunities organised by the Radio Academy to learn more about a career in the industry.
Sam Bailey, Managing Director of The Radio Academy, said: “These awards are a fantastic opportunity for young people across the UK to be recognised for the hugely creative work they do with audio - one of the most accessible forms of media you can imagine. At The Radio Academy, we love to recognise kids starting up their own school radio shows or bedroom podcasts - and Daisy is an example of one of the best out there. Congratulations Daisy!”
Michelle Durant, the Community Outreach and Fundraising Support Officer for CCR said: “Chelmsford Community Radio is very proud of Daisy’s achievements at the station since she joined us three years ago. We have a real mix of ages/abilities amongst our presenters and our shows are very diverse from specialist genres to supporting local performers, groups and organisations. Daisy winning this award is a real boost to not just her but our whole team who work really hard towards our aims of trying to be an accessible and inclusive platform for our community.”
If you’d like to know more about us, help support our work or would like to get involved, contact: admin@chelmsfordcommunityradio.com. www.chelmsfordcommunityradio.com
After receiving the award, Daisy said: “Winning the Young Audio
The awards were presented by BBC Radio 1’s Jordan North and KISS FM’s Tyler West, and Daisy received her trophy from the duo during a visit to KISS FM’s studios in London.
Hello everyone, I hope you are well and enjoyed the not-so-hot July. Other countries round the world are experiencing very high temperatures, but that would not suit me.
The other Saturday morning started as most Saturdays do for me, but mine changed when I decided to renew my barbecue for a family meal later.
On to the good old internet. Ah, found just what I wanted at Argos. Checked the stock (I am getting better at the internet malarkey) and they had one in the retail park in Chelmsford. Great. Without another thought, off I went to the store...
I was quickly served, and the assistant disappeared into the warehouse. She came back with an enormous box on a trolley. I had not actually thought this through. Anyway, another assistant kindly took the box to the car and just managed to get it into the boot.
All the way home I was trying to think of a way of getting it into the house, and decided that I would open the box in the boot, and take bits out until I could lift the rest out. Nope, it was what looked to be one item. At that point neighbours came over and offered to help. Thank goodness they did. It is great to have such lovely neighbours.
Sorry this Is going on a bit. I looked at the assembly instructions, which showed how to unpack and build the barbecue, but they were those that just have pictures which always confuse me. It took me an hour to get to the end of the first page, by which time I was grumbling to myself that we wouldn’t be having our family barbecue, and we would cook indoors. PANIC! Luckily when our sons turned up, they were able to do the rest of the job in about 40 minutes. Sorted. So it turned out OK, we had our barbecue and the hardest thing I had to do was open the bottle of wine!
I am a bit hard of hearing and this sometimes gets me into embarrassing situations. I was shopping in a supermarket, the one I use but in a different location. I was looking for their very good value dinner for two range. I couldn’t find them but found an assistant. I couldn’t remember the exact description, so I tried asking about their dine in for two thingy. The assistant gave me a ‘what on earth are you talking about’ look, then suddenly started by saying ‘dinner for two range is 26... . I quickly explained that I didn’t want to know what the range was, but where they were in the shop. They gave me another ‘what planet are you on look’ then slowly said ‘the dinner for two are in aisle 26!’ Oops. Oh ‘sorry,’ I said, ‘I thought you going to go through what was available’. The customer stood close by burst out laughingthe assistant didn’t.
I have noticed that the new bridge at Boreham looks finished. I did comment recently that it looked a bit steep. It looks better now, quite spectacular in fact.
I do go to the supermarkets quite often. My family and friends think I have an obsession with them and often ‘forget’ items on purpose, so that I have to go back, I find myself people watching at times.
Those that seem to want to drag the trolley behind them, only just avoiding sweeping up anyone within a 2 metre radius. Some people appear to favour pushing the trolley backwards, completely ignoring the expertly designed handles.
Then there are others who seem to be out on an afternoon stroll, wandering round the shop without a care in the world.
I was reading an article in the press this week giving advice on how we can reduce our shopping bills. Some were quite obvious, but I hadn’t realised that shops often stack shelves so that the more expensive items are at eye level, and that cheaper items are near the floor.
I can see that I am going to come home after shopping, having made savings but ending up with a backache or being asked to leave the shop!
I try to check the best value of different sizes of items - price per gramme, for example - on cereal boxes. This information is very helpful. Well most of it is, but I tend to get annoyed when one size quotes cost per kg and another size, cost per unit. Not too helpful.
I see that Meghan and Harry are still making the news. The newspapers are especially guilty in my view. I still try and skip over them, but sometimes I find myself reading some of them, falling for a cleverly written headline. I am still not sure how many people have got too much interest in these stories.
I enjoy quiz shows. My favourite is The Chase. The contestants seem to be well selected and the banter between Bradley Walsh and the chasers is very amusing. I also like the chasers’ comments about aspects of the contestants hobbies and the like, but surely most of these are scripted. I would like to attend a recording of the programme; the running time is about 50 minutes but like all these television programmes, it must take much longer than that.
Bin End Chuckles
Two fish in a tank. One says to the other ‘do you know how to drive this thing..?’
People ask me ‘Jonny are you an optimist?’ I say ‘I hope so...’
Stay safe and enjoy your summer holidays.
Grove Road Evangelical Church
Some readers will no doubt remember the night of October 15th-16th 1987. It’s a night that is famous for two connected reasons. The first, a hurricane swept across the south-east of Britain, the worst storm for centuries, causing untold devastation, leading to the deaths of 19 people.
And the second? The BBC’s weather presenter, Michael Fish, made this pronouncement, which he never lived down: “Earlier on today, apparently, a woman rang the BBC and said she heard there was a hurricane on the way. Well, if you’re watching, don’t worry, there isn’t!” But there was! And it was devastating.
If you are tempted to believe an expert simply because they claim to be an expert, first dig out the video of Michael Fish and his ‘no hurricane coming’ weather forecast!
Jesus said many things, he made many claims. As people listened to what he said, they came to this conclusion: here’s a man who knows what he is talking about, he speaks with authority - unlike all the other experts who keep telling us what to do. Jesus for example
claimed to have power - and he proved it by what he did, not just by what he said.
Jesus made this claim about himself too: ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life’. A bold claim! But if true, one that can transform who we are. Billions through the ages have accepted his claim for themselves. Have you considered his claim?
Maybe you are uncertain about which way to go, about what, ultimately, to believe about reality, about how to find life rather than just existence? Come and join us on a Sunday morning at 11 o’clock and meet with those who take the claims of Jesus seriously.
Philip Loose, Senior Pastor
Grove Road Evangelical Church (Behind Tesco Express, Moulsham Street)
www.grecuk.co.uk
pastor@grecuk.co.uk
MT History: Ox and Bucks - By Henri Lewi
In late summer 1914 Chelmsford and Writtle welcomed the 4th Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry into it’s midst where the territorial battalion set up camp. It was here in Writtle that the battalion trained and recruited its men prior to leaving for France in March 1915. Whilst the battalion was originally headquartered in Oxfordshire, it was here in Essex in Hylands Park that the battalion became a fully formed cohesive light infantry unit, consisting of a full battalion of around 1,300 men and a reserve battalion of 500 men.
Following their arrival in France and subsequent deployment into the front line, the 4th Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry took part in the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916, in which the British Army suffered a large number of casualties
All the battalions of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry on the Western Front saw extensive service, during not only the Battle of the Somme between 1st July and 18th November suffering heavy losses, but also participating in the subsidiary battles including Mametz Wood, Poziéres and Ancre.
The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry commonly called the ‘Ox and Bucks’ were formed by the amalgamation of the 43rd Regiment of Foot and the 52nd Regiment of Foot in 1881. The regiment had a distinguished pedigree dating from its antecedent battalion’s performance in the Peninsular Campaign between 1809 and 1814, and the memorable contribution that the 52nd Light Infantry played in the final stages of the Battle of Waterloo.
In 1803, the two infantry regiments of the line were converted into light infantry, used for rapid deployment and acting as skirmishers ahead of advance of the main army. The men were in the most part armed with the standard British musket rather than the newer rifles.
In 1808 the 1st battalions of each regiment together with the 1st Battalion of the 95th (Rifles) were formed into a flank brigade, and in 1809 were formally designated as a light brigade under the command of General ‘Black Bob’ Craufurd, and served throughout the Peninsular Campaign finally returning to England in June 1814.
The 52nd was again called on to serve under Wellington in 1815 during the ‘100 days’ of Napoleons advance through France and Belgium as part of General Adams’ 3rd (Light) Brigade. Put into the line late in the day on the 18th June, they were placed alongside the foot guards as Napoleon’s Imperial Guard attacked them. Sir John
Colbourne, the Battalion Commander ordered his men to wheel left and poured volley fire into the flank of the advancing Imperial Guard, breaking the French advance; as the 52nd advanced against the French, Wellington is said to have exclaimed, ‘Go on, Colborne, they won’t stand!’
The 43rd meanwhile had been sent to the Americas and took part in the Battle of New Orleans in January 1815, alongside the 1st Battalion the East Essex (44th Regiment of Foot). They returned to England too late to participate in the Battle of Waterloo.
Probably the most famous recent engagement of the Ox and Bucks, which was immortalised in the film The Longest Day, is the taking of Pegasus Bridge that crossed the Caen Canal. The aim of taking the bridge was to prevent Nazi reinforcements crossing the canal and attacking the flank of the British divisions landing on Sword Beach on the 6th June 1944. On the night of 5th - 6th June men of the 2nd Battalion Ox and Bucks led by Major John Howard, landed by glider alongside the bridge and within 10 minutes had secured not only the bridge but also the approach roads.
Within a few hours, they were rapidly reinforced, firstly by paratroopers from the 7th Paratroop Battalion, and sometime later that day by the arrival of Lord Lovat’s commandos. In an interesting note, Richard Todd, who played Major John Howard, had in fact participated in the Pegasus Bridge Operation as a lieutenant in the 7th Paratroop Battalion that reinforced the men of the Ox and Bucks in the early hours of the 6th June 1944.
Widford Lodge
It is always exciting at Widford Lodge and this term has been amazingly busy, we have been transported back in time to Medieval England with visits to Leeds Castle, Hedingham Castle and Mountfitchet Castle by different year groups.
Upon return to school, the theme continued with a variety of art and craft activities with the children making shields, castles and dragons and firing a trebuchet. We all dressed up - there were fair maidens, knights and dragons and we had visitors who taught medieval dancing, potion making and how to fight with axes and swords! We all had a fabulous time.
Our Reception children have been very busy; they have been on two lovely trips, to Maldon Promenade Park with their Form 6 reading buddies where they spent the day playing games, and visiting the petting zoo and to Southend, visiting the sealife centre, finding out about the RNLI station then taking the train along the pier - all rounded off with an ice cream!
Form 4 visited the Gurdwara Karamsar temple in Ilford to learn about Sikhism, ‘the 5 Ks’ and Gurdwaras around the world. The day was rounded off with meditation and a delicious lunch!
Our Form 6 students have certainly been the busiest though, with a fun-packed activity week which included trips to Thorpe Park, the National Gallery and The Houses of Parliament - they had a tour and were able to listen to debates in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
The students then arranged an afternoon tea for their parents and grandparents, cooking all morning to make delicious scones, cakes and sandwiches, which were enjoyed by everyone. The week culminated in a silent disco and overnight camping on the school grounds!
Form 6 also visited Writtle University College for the annual Food and Farming event, where they learnt about agricultural activities and processes. This is a fun and informative event - thank you to the Writtle University College team that organise this for all the local schools.
There have been many sporting activities over the term as well. The children have competed at a Mini Wimbledon event against local schools, the U11 Essex Cricket Cup and District Sports Event which is held at Melbourne Athletics Centre, we had some great results and are always proud of the children’s team spirit and sportsmanship at all the events they attend.
We held an Enterprise Day, split into teams - the students were given a small budget to create a game or treat for everyone to enjoy. There were many fun things to do including throwing a water bomb at a teacher; who wouldn’t want to try that! The children all had a marvellous time and the winning team chose to donate the
whopping total of £945 half to a charity which is dear to the Widford school community, a team member whose daughter has MND. The other half was donated to Sanctus, a Chelmsford charity supporting homeless and vulnerable people in the Chelmsford area.
After this, the parents’ association held the annual summer fayre, with a surprise visit from the All Things Alpaca team and two of their alpacas, I believe we met Pluto and Poncho!
As the school year ends, Form 6 are preparing to move on to senior school, and we held a lovely leavers’ service at St Mary’s Church Widford. For the grand finale next week they head to Devon for a fun-filled activity week. We wish all our leavers good luck at their new schools and hope that their Widford memories last a lifetime.
As one group leave we look forward to welcoming the new Reception children in September who are just starting out on their journey at Widford Lodge.
Oaklands Infant School
Recently at Oaklands Infant School, we have put music at the centre of our curriculum provision. We started the week with a day of learning how to play steel pans. The musicians were brilliant, and the children thoroughly enjoyed playing the different notes on the steel pans.
In the afternoon, we welcomed the parents into our playground for a special concert; everyone was impressed by the skills picked up by the children in just one day.
For the rest of the week, we finished our afternoons with an opportunity to listen to some live music. Tuesday, we listened to a music producer use his decks to entertain the children by recording and playing back musical clips. On Wednesday we listened to traditional Scottish music on the bagpipes. We loved the sound of the bagpipes and enjoyed clapping in time to the beat.
On Thursday, we enjoyed listening to a range of songs in Polish, Spanish and English, accompanied by a classical guitar and an electric guitar. Finally, on Friday we listened to a drum and keyboard duo. We loved dancing in the playground and it was a brilliant end to week of music appreciation.
Many thanks to those who volunteered their time to share their musical skills with the children and to our PFO who funded the steel drums workshops.
‘The Big Three’ Powerlifting for the Everyday Person - By
A few weeks ago I was invited to be part of a well-being day at Moulsham Lodge Community Trust. It was so much fun and shout out to Jennifer for inviting me along. The highlight of my day was meeting a young powerlifter. My only regret is not getting a picture with her - that would have been the icing on the cake. So, what’s so special about power lifting and why was I so star struck?
Today, I’ve got my Personal Trainer hat on to explain the benefits of power lifting. Powerlifting focuses on three primary movements: squats, bench presses, and deadlifts. It is not solely about bulging muscles or extreme physiques; instead, it’s all about functional strength, overall health, and empowerment.
Now, just to clarify, I’m not talking about power lifting for competition - but if that’s your thing then kudos to you. I’m talking about how you incorporate these moves into your everyday training. I make sure I programme all 3 exercises into my client’s workouts - and I programme them into my circuit classes as well.
Here are 3 benefits of doing
1. The obvious one is strength. Powerlifting uses multiple muscle groups - so you get more bang for your buck. It’s such an efficient way of training because you spend less time in the gym and work more muscles. Most of my clients are middle-aged women and these movements help them increase muscle mass (it won’t make you big and bulky unless you want to do that), improve bone density, and enhance joint stability, reducing the risk of conditions like osteoporosis and arthritis. It promotes better posture and balance, reducing the risk of falls and injuries, which is crucial as we grow older. It really doesn’t get better than this.
2. The second benefit is confidence. There’s nothing like walking into a gym and heading straight to the weights section. I’ve
Ola Adamolekun
had people start with me who were intimidated by the weights section and now they instruct there with confidence. You know that your body is strong and capable of amazing, strong movements. Not only confidence in the gym, but the confidence to carry off that little black dress, evening dress or ball gown.
3. Stress reduction. The sheer physical exertion involved in lifting weights releases those feel-good hormones, which lifts your mood and eases stress. Powerlifting also offers a unique opportunity to disconnect from daily stressors and focus solely on your personal growth and achievements. You lose yourself in the gym!
4. I know I said 3, but I’m generous and I’ll give you a 4th reasonit’s fun! I always advise my clients to find something they enjoy and believe it or not powerlifting is fun.
Out of the 3 main power lifting movements, my favourite is the deadlift. I love it so much that my next article may be solely dedicated to this one lift. So, if you’re a middle-aged woman, I’d love you to join me on a journey to unleash your inner Wonder Woman, Sarah Connor or whoever your favourite superhero is. Happy lifting!
www.beencouragedwellness.co.uk www.facebook.com/BeEncouragedBeStrong
these movements:
With much recent press coverage on the benefits and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), we assess whether robo advice can provide a realistic alternative to human led financial advice.
Do you trust a robot as much as a person? It probably depends on the context. A specific task requiring multiple precise calculations is most reliably carried out using computing power. However, when thoughts, feelings and uncertainties are involved the deeper understanding and empathy of a trusted individual is likely to be paramount. In today’s context, many people needing guidance around financial matters will now compare robo advice vs human advice, and which would benefit them the most.
The answer also hinges on what is at stake. It is one thing interrogating an Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot such as ChatGPT to investigate inconsequential matters or provide generic answers, but another to entrust it to make the potentially life-changing decisions involved in personal financial planning, particularly where there are emotions embedded in the outcomes and process.
The Rise of AI and the Robo Adviser ChatGPT has been a big hit since its launch last November. Powered by a groundbreaking artificial intelligence system trained on a vast amount of information gathered from the internet, it can generate plausible sounding responses to questions in almost any field. It can also create all kinds of content including articles, essays, poems, summaries of documents and even programming code.
This is just the start. Google has its own AI chatbot, Bard, and Microsoft is incorporating similar technology into its Bing internet search engine. Meanwhile Baidu, China’s main search engine, has its own chatbot, Ernie. These chatbots are becoming smarter through their interactions with humans, and the latest ChatGPT - GPT-4 - has reportedly passed the bar exam for trainee lawyers.
There is no doubt chatbots can be useful for seeking quick and convenient answers. Their ability to respond to questions like a human allows us to interact with technology in a more immersive and intelligent way. However, they have their limitations. For instance, on financial planning or investing questions, they can offer an overview on a subject, or some sensible basic tips, but dig deeper and they can sometimes present incorrect or out-of-date information. They can also omit relevant facts as the subject matter becomes niche or more personally relevant.
For instance, ask ChatGPT ‘how should you invest?’ and it responds generically with the main points:
1. Set clear financial goals.
2. Determine your risk tolerance.
3. Diversify your portfolio.
4. Consider your time horizon.
5. Educate yourself.
All fair enough, but it is stumped when it comes to detail on certain rules and regulations, or it simply refuses to answer in case it might fall foul of the financial regulator.
To be fair, both Google and open AI chatbots do consistently stress the importance of seeking professional advice to help make informed investment decisions. For instance, ChatGPT regularly presents warnings such as: ‘While I can provide general information and guidance, speaking to a financial advisor is often a valuable step when making important financial decisions’.
Take Care With Chatbot
Advice
Chatbots often give reasonable answers that can pass for specialist knowledge, but you shouldn’t take responses at face value, even though they can be disarmingly human. Ultimately, formal, personal advice, whether corporate, legal, financial, or in any other field, is the responsibility of a qualified professional who is suitably regulated
by a professional body. That is not something AI can offer without a human to backstop it. As such it will always be restricted to offering broad brush answers to general questions, or else be carefully marshalled by an individual or business with the relevant expertise and definitive accountability.
You should also be wary of the information you feed into a chatbot. In particular, they are not an appropriate place to disclose personal information or anything you wish to keep confidential. Also keep in mind the potential for the aggregation of information you submit across multiple queries over time. Think carefully about the privacy terms of the service you use.
The True Value of Personal Financial Advice or Guidance
As a person you are unique, and so is your financial situation. That’s why a robo adviser as opposed to a financial adviser presents a clear distinction: AI is no substitute for successful planning that fully considers individual circumstances, detailed financial position, and personal goals. The multiple factors, stakeholders and permutations of life means AI can make sense as a co-pilot to the financial adviser in certain tasks, but it cannot be the adviser.
With the benefit of experience, and asking more searching questions, a financial adviser can offer tailored, personal advice, which will differ depending on your age, circumstances, personal goals and the amount of risk you are happy with. AI also lacks the true personal touch, something that is very important to us at Charles Stanley. A real life conversation with a human being that explores deeper questions, challenges and feelings, alongside analysing your financial position, is the key to producing the right plan for you.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to proper financial advice, and to reflect this we offer a range of services where you can choose between comprehensive and ongoing financial planning and our One Step Financial Plans which provide streamlined advice around a particular area for a one-off fee.
Graham Austin, Chartered FCSI Investment Director
Graham.Austin@charles-stanley.co.uk 0207 149 6696
The value of investments can fall as well as rise. Investors may get back less than invested. Past performance is not a reliable guide to future returns. The information in this article is for general information purposes and is not a trading recommendation. Charles Stanley is not a tax adviser.
Nothing in this article should be construed as personal advice based on your circumstances. No news or research item is a personal recommendation to deal.
Charles Stanley & Co. Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered office: 55 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 3AS.
The Singing Chef
I have a controversial yet totally yummy recipie for you this sunny August.
I have been making and eating this delicious seafood mix for a few years now. It’s on the menu at O’Connors and is one of our best-seller sandwiches!
I know theres been a bit of online talk about the prosesses used to make seafood sticks (AKA crab sticks) and I totally get it, the way some of our food is produced is not very pretty, but thats just the way that is...
We should always think about possible positives of a food when it gets this sort of media attention. For excample these super sweet, soft and affordable sticks are a great way of introducing fish to children. The prosses also uses fish that is sustainable.
Of course you can substite the seafood sticks for some crab if your budget allows for other seafood. This works beautifully as a sandwich, wrap, salad or inside a hot, buttered jacket potato. It also looks beautiful as a seafood cocktail for a dinner party or in canapé style for an event.
Dont forget to taste and add more of any flavour that you cant quite taste.
Finish with cracked black pepper to serve. Enjoy your summer!
Sarah x
Sarah is a singing and vocal coach based in Chelmsford and offers singing lessons to people of all ages and abilities. She has a brand new website at www.chelmsfordvocalcoach.co.uk, or you can email her at sarahmtfood@gmail.com. Sarah is also the chef at Nanny Wilson’s Kitchen in O’Connors in Hall Street.
The Marie Rose Seafood Mix Serves 2
Ingredients
10 - 12 seafood sicks shredded.
2 tablespoons cooked coldwater prawns. 120g smoked salmon.
2 tablespoons mayonaise.
1 tablespoon ketchup. Squeeze of lemon. Pinch each of sea salt/paprika/white pepper.
Wellbeing Day. This was our 2nd such event to highlight organisations that support people both with physical and mental health. We also had Chelmsford based PCSOs come along to answer questions, and take part in some of Ola Adamolkun’s boxing-based exercise (see the picture on the right).
Our local Lloyds Pharmacy came along and were offering informal blood pressure checks and services like providing regular medication and the ability to order using their mobile app. We will be putting information about all of the attendees on our website, so if you need to follow up from your visit to the event, or couldn’t make it and want to know more information. We will likely run this type of event every other year if there is enough interest. We would like to thank the Mayor of Chelmsford, Cllr Linda Mascot, for coming along and supporting the event. Linda and Ola are regular contributors to the Moulsham Times
We are now hosting a regular Coffee with Cops, where you can come and ask any community policing questions.
This takes place on the first Saturday of every month from 1.30pm. This is a chance to get to know your local community policing team and chat about local issues.
Alongside Coffee With Cops, our local councillors, Simon Goldman and Ashley Thompson, will come along at the same time so you can talk to them about any Chelmsford City Council based issues.
We have a talk on 7th September from Meadows Shopmobility between 2pm and 4pm. Shopmobility is where you can borrow scooters and wheelchairs from the Shopmobility kiosk in Market Road.
Request
We have an open position for a treasurer at MLCT, this is a volunteer role keeping our financial responsibilities up-to-date and reporting back to the trustees.
www.mlct.org.uk enquiries@mlct. org.uk 07434 678 999
An Update from Moulsham Lodge Ward - By
Moulsham is a great place to live and work - and for myself, Cllr Ashley Thompson and my colleague, Cllr Simon Goldman, a great place to represent.
But it would be a mistake to think we’re completely immune from problems that you might normally associate with more deprived parts of Chelmsford and Essex more generally. Sadly we have received reports of antisocial behaviour in the Chislett Row area, centring around the play area, and have been monitoring this situation very closely. For those who live around there, please do continue to make a written note of any times, dates, incidents etc, and forward them on to Simon or myself at the email addresses below so we can keep our police contacts constantly updated.
As the summer holidays continue apace, many of you will no doubt be looking for things to get involved with over the summer, and then when term-based activities start back again in September. From 21st to 26th August, Chelmsford For You presents Green City 2023. This is a free family friendly event, bringing the High Street to life with a fantastic mix of entertainment, whilst highlighting environmental issues and educating the community on how to be more green.
The entertainment runs in multiple locations and features walkabout acts, installations, shows, story sessions, workshops, green market, live music and more. So nip down to the High Street to see these various activities.
Ashley Thompson & Simon Goldman
out to the work done by the 2nd Chelmsford Boys’ Brigade (BB) and Girls’ Brigade (GB). The companies are based at Moulsham Lodge Methodist Church in Lime Walk - this group has now been going for 55 years.
The younger ages (5-11 years) meet together on a Tuesday evening during term time and although they spend the first 20-30 minutes together playing individual and team games, the different ages then split off separately for the last part of the evening to do age appropriate badgework. The older children in both BB and GB (11+) meet separately - the girls on a Tuesday evening and the boys on a Friday evening. During the summer holidays, the BB and GB (11+) spend a week at a canvas camp along with their friends from 7th Chelmsford Boys Brigade who are based in Springfield. so if you have children and you are wanting them to get involved in somthing, this is a great opportunity for them.
Don’t forget every Thursday morning from 10.30am until 12 noon also at Moulsham Lodge Methodist Church, do drop in for their regular coffee morning. If Thursdays don’t work for you, why not nip down to St Luke’s Church for coffee on a Saturday from 12 noon? Next date is 19th August. For those with young children, Edward Bear Baby and Toddler Group continues to thrive at St Luke’s Church from 2.15pm on Wednesdays - next date is Wednesday 23rd August.
Have fun in the sun, and remember, Simon and myself are always here if you need us:
ashley.thompson@chelmsford.gov.uk simon.goldman@chelmsford.gov.uk
Closer
Tile Kiln Corner - By Cllr Linda Mascot
Mildmay Primary School - Our First Year
As the first academic year of Mildmay Primary School draws to a close, I was delighted to be invited to give you a round-up of all we have achieved so far. From the moment we opened our doors in September 2022 and celebrated this new beginning with (then mayor) Cllr John Galley, it has been our key aim to bring the two schools together and forge ahead as one; and, with over 650 children and over 100 staff, that was no mean feat. We have, in my opinion at least, passed the test with flying colours.
All the staff have worked tirelessly in class, across the year groups and as part of a vertical house structure to provide a consistent ‘one school’ education, even though for the time being, we have two entrances, two offices and separate facilities.
Our Resource Base for Deaf Children continues to provide inclusive education for up to 27 deaf children and we have spent this year looking into starting basic British sign language with our whole staff and cohort of children. Exciting deaf-inclusive times are ahead.
We have also worked hard to be more part of the local and education communities than was the case over recent (covid-affected) years. This year, amongst other sporting achievements, we have successfully launched both girls and boys football teams with strong performances in a local school’s league; respectively known as the Lions and Lionesses, we hope that a partnership with Ferdinand
What God Wants
Football Group will seem them go from strength to strength next season. We have also participated at various times of the year in hockey tournaments, a netball league, panathlon events, tennis tournaments - and both our Upper and Lower School Sportsdays were something to behold!
Mildmay has also had great community success with children performing at the GBHS Primary Music Competition, our own Mildmay’s Got Talent show, in partnership with John Lewis (Chelmsford) - both for community display and our Singing and Signing choir and many trips and visits. In all cases public feedback is that Mildmay children are fantastic! I couldn’t agree more.
I am so proud of the children, staff, families and governors of the school for all they have done to make the merge a roaring success. We are all looking forward to 2023-24 when we will once again be ‘Growing, Caring and Learning Together’.
Dominic Mulholland Headteacher
Firstly, a big thank you to James Bell for standing in for me during the past few months whilst I’ve been on sabbatical - I hope you enjoyed his articles, I certainly did. We at Tile Kiln Church will miss James and his wife Rachel, but we’re so pleased to support them as they obey Jesus Christ through their move.
One of the most wonderful things I’ve been learning whilst I was on sabbatical is the desire of Jesus Christ to know me deeply and personally, and to develop a conversational relationship with him. I’ve just read that sentence back, and I guess it might sound odd! But here’s the truth: God wants to know, love and speak to you. And he wants you to know, love and speak to him. It’s easy to think of God as out there somewhere, hidden away or too distant to do anything. But that’s a lie. Don’t fall for it! God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to show us who he is - to tell us about his character. And what we find is that God is someone who longs for your friendship. That’s why he sent Jesus. His love for you is so deep that Jesus died to make peace between you and God. All you need to do to find this out for yourself is ask - ask God to show you His love for you. Ask Him to speak to you. Then, listen.
There’s more I’d love to say - but the key thing is this: God is not distant, remote, angry, or uninterested. He is closer than you realise, he is present, and he is deeply interested. Jesus Christ shows us who he is - and the best way to discover how Jesus does this is to read the Bible, starting with a book called the Gospel of Mark. It’s a biography of Jesus, and if you’ve never read it, well, you’re in for a treat!
I’ve got copies I’d love to share - get in touch below if you’d like one. Oh and one more thing: our Church4All service is having a picnic in Chelmer Park on Sunday 27th August at 4pm. We’d love you to join us for fun, games, and community (don’t forget your picnic!).
Tim Goodall Pastor, Tile Kiln Church
tim.goodall@tilekilnchurch.org.uk 07821 866 301
YouTube: tinyurl.com/y24qlkvx
www.facebook.com/tilekilnchurch
www.tilekilnchurch.org.uk
www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia
Quiz Time - By John Theedom
What is the real name of the rapper Jay-Z?
Which was Shakespeare’s longest play?
Which Scottish engineer gave the world’s first TV demonstration?
How many little piggies were there in the rhyme
This Little Piggy?
How many holes do most golf courses have?
What is a more common name for decompression sickness?
How would 14 be written in Roman numerals? On a Monopoly board, what colour is Bond Street?
Who is the only singer to have had hits in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s?
Why are some labourers called navvies?
Complete the title of the Puccini aria Nessun ……….?
What was the tv game …… Factor?
If you were described as Rubenesque, what would you be?
What was the first name of the American actress Ms Haywood?
What kind of animal is a hydra?
How old is Jason Donovan?
What was Marylin Monroe’s full birth name?
When were TV licenses first issued in Britain?
What is hygge?
Which actress played Ma Larkin in the original Darling Buds Of May?
What is aloo gobi?
What are lardons?
Apart from a container for liquid, what else can be a pitcher?
Who was Oberon’s wife?
What is the name of Phillip Schofield’s wife?
Holly Willoughby has just launched her new lifestyle product, what is it called?
What instrument does the pop star Bruce Springsteen play?
What is the term for a young kangaroo?
What is the name of the Islamic State convert who has been condemned to at least 6 years in prison?
What is an ouija?
What does ESP stand for?
What is the first name of the fashion designer Armani?
What is the surname of the newly elected Turkish president?
Who had a hit record with Only You in 1982?
What was the wrestler Big Daddy’s real name?
Which football club plays at Loftus Road ground?
In which sport do they compete for The Stanley Cup?
How many claws does a cat have in total?
Apart from the conventional tie, what other neckwear do some men wear?
What word connects bedding and birds?
(Answers on page 31)
Care home mobile shop volunteers - Cherrywood Grange
We are looking for 2 volunteers for our friendly care home to attend once a week to come and run a mobile shop for our residents on a Tuesday from 10am - 2pm.
You will need to be able to communicate well as there will be a lot of involvement and socialising with our lovely residents.
Trustees needed
Trustees play a crucial role in guiding charities, helping make plans and decisions, and making sure they stay on track. It is a fantastic opportunity to make real difference to the organisation you volunteer for. You don’t need prior experience, just enthusiasm and dedication. We are currently recruiting for: Age Concern, Farleigh Hospice, Millrace Furniture, Essex Youth Build, Interact, Essex Community First Aid, Support 4 Sight, RAF Association, Chelmsford Education Foundation.
Help at a friendly, town centre charity shop - Chelmsford 4 Good
We can promise you a welcoming, cheerful environment with friendly volunteers and regular customers. Our shop in the centre of town takes everything - from furniture, clothes, books and other assorted treasures. We welcome volunteers from all walks of life and all abilities.
Telephone support volunteer - DeafBlind
Our Wellbeing Volunteers contact a range of different members every week to make a friendly ‘check in’ call and have a chat.
During these calls, you’ll provide the opportunity for our members to talk, offer friendly support and make them aware of the Deafblind
services available to them.
Whatever the conversation you’ll be making a positive difference!
Website volunteer - Essex Gardens Trust
We need an IT-savvy volunteer who can help us in maintaining an interesting, relevant and up-to-date website.
Answers
Shawn Carter Hamlet
John Logie Baird
Five Eighteen
The bends
XIV Green
Sir Cliff Richard
Many were used to construct the early navigation canals
Dorma
Krypton
Voluptuous
Rita
Water monster with 9 heads 55
Norma Jeane Mortenson
27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26.
June 1st 1946
Cosiness and conviviality that sparks a feeling contentment and well-being
Pam Ferris
An Indian dish of potatoes and cauliflower with onions, tomatoes and spinach
Strips of bacon used to ‘lard’ meat
Baseball player
Titania
Stephanie Lowe
Wylde Moon
Electric guitar
Joey
Matthew King, aged 19
A board used during sessions at a séance by mediums
Extra Sensory Perception
Georgio
Erdoğan
Yazoo
Shirley Crabtree
Queen’s Park Rangers
Ice hockey 18
A cravat Flock
