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MoulshamTimes
Covering: Old Moulsham, Moulsham Lodge, Tile Kiln
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Issue Number 104 - August 2021
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MT Welcome Hi readers,
Welcome to the August edition of Moulsham Times. Well we have had some sun, some rain as well as some thunder and lightning - fingers crossed for a more settled August! Please do not hesitate to contact me using the details below if you wish to advertise your business or event in the September issue.
Regards
Please call Michael on:
07976 693457 or email Info@m-specservices.co.uk
Electrical Installation & Maintenance M-Spec Services based in Chelmsford cater for all your electrical requirements. You are always guaranteed a professional service at competitive rates. • Smoke Alarm Installation • Fault Finding • CCTV & Fire Alarms • Fuseboard Upgrades • Access Control & Intercom Systems • Rewires • Test & Inspect Certification
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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.
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Chelmsford - By Vicky Ford MP
As I write, we have almost reached the end of the parliamentary term before we break up for summer recess. I will also be catching up with various organisations around Chelmsford as well as helping to deliver my Reporting Back leaflet, so if you see me around, do stop to say hello!
There was some good news for Chelmsford schools recently as some have been awarded funding from the Condition Improvement Fund. These funds will upgrade heating at Moulsham Infant School, refurbish the annex at Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School, improve fencing and windows at Parkwood Academy and improve lighting at Perryfields. This was part of £483 million for 1,466 projects at 1,199 academies, sixth-form colleges and voluntary aided schools across the country. The figures for the number of adults vaccinated are truly extraordinary; in Essex, 83% of adults have received the first dose of their vaccination and 62% have received their second dose. This is above average for the rest of the country. Like many Moulsham residents I am concerned that the ‘quarters’ proposals will increase rather than reduce some car journeys. I am particularly concerned that this proposal will create more traffic on Parkway and the Army and Navy, which are already extremely busy.
It has been very good to talk to students from different schools across Chelmsford of all ages before they break up for the summer. I think it is so important that we recognise just how challenging this time has been for young people in particular. I am bowled over by the resilience of our young people and what they have done to help keep others safe. The Education Secretary announced plans to remove bubbles and contact isolation for pupils in England when we enter Step Four. Other key protections will be maintained, so that children are able to safely remain in school and will be able to enjoy a more normal school life, as well as more out of school and extra-curricular activities.
It is important to ensure that our road networks work not only for cars but also for cyclists and pedestrians, and that measures are brought in to reduce speeding in parts of Moulsham. I have met with some local residents to discuss these proposals in more detail and written to Essex County Council to voice my own concerns as well as making some alternative suggestions. It is very important that residents make their voices heard by responding to the Active Travel plan consultation. As ever please do stay in touch if you need help or advice. The easiest way to do this is by email - my email address is vicky.ford. mp@parliament.uk. I have resumed face-to-face surgeries for the future with social distancing measures in place. If you do need to speak to me urgently, please do call my office on 01245 352 872.
Chelmsford Carnival Returns For the first time in many a year, Chelmsford welcomes back a carnival, and to keep it environmentally friendly the carnival will be a walking one. Starting in Admirals Park at 1pm the route will follow the path through to Central Park, onto Bell Meadow, across Stonebridge Walk, left up the High Street, right onto Springfield Road and finishing in Backnang Square, where each participating group will get a spotlight on the iron bridge. Please come and show your support for those that have taken the time to be in the parade there are plenty of places to line the route - then join us in Backnang Square for the Festival Finale where there will be children’s activities, music, storytelling, Indian food, street theatre, stalls, Victorian bicycles and everyone’s favourite - Essex Fire Service. www.chelmsfordfestival.co.uk
Deadlines for the September edition: Articles - 19th August Print-ready art work - 26th August 4 www.moulshamtimes.com
‘Edible England’
10th - 19th September
Marconi History What a (lot of) Guided Walk Waste 10th - 19th Friday 10th 10am - 4pm 10am - 11:30am Booking Required Former Top Shop
Hill Road In Searh of Writtle Uni Chelmsford History of Allotments Tour Apples Hidden Draw Brew Co Writtle Uni talk Fri 10th, Sat 11th Friday 10th & 17th Friday 10th Saturday 11th Saturday 11th Sun 12th Tours 10am, 11am 12pm 7.30pm - 8.30pm 2pm 10.30am - 1.30pm 10am - 4pm Booking Required Booking Required Booking Required Booking Required
St John’s Edible England Pleshey Castle Springfield Lyons Moulsham Street Portrait Tours Tours Monday 13th & 20th Sunday 12th Saturday 11th 11th, 12th, 18th & 19th Sat 11th & 18th 10am - 4pm See web site Tours 2pm, 3pm, 4pm 10am - 4pm Tours 11am, 1pm, 3pm for more info Booking Required Tours Book @ event Booking Required St Andrew’s Church Tours
Tours of the Free Art Friday Galleywood Market Stall Essex Queens of Mayoral Parlour Edible England Heritage Centre Fibre Arts Crime Talk Thursday 16th Tuesday 14th Walk 14th 2pm, 16th 5pm, Friday 17th Fri 17th & Sat 18th 7:30pm to 8:30pm 10.30am & 1.30pm 10am - 4pm 17th 10am 10am - 4pm Booking Required Booking Required Booking Required All over Chelmsford The Market
Fruit & Veg Animal Models Saturday 18th 10am - 4pm By the Rainbows
Drawing Trail Edible England Saturday 18th 2pm - 4:30pm Sketching Food
Meet the Chelmsford Hylands House & Green Machines Estate Open Day Cathedral Tour Sunday 18th Sunday 19th Saturday 18th 10am - 4pm 10am - 4pm 10am - 11:30am Booking Required Tours Book @ Event
For more information or to book visit www.chelmsfordhod.co.uk Virtual Events released 10am each day via www.youtube.com/c/chelmsfordcivicsociety
Friday 10th - Bee Cast Friday 10th - History of Al Pacas Saturday 11th - Marconi Walk Sunday 12th - History Of Writtle Uni Monday 13th - Cathedral Tour Tuesday 14th - Danbury Delights
Wednesday 15th - Marconi Ponds Thursday 16th - Chelmsford Brew Co, Friday 17th - Brownies Grow Their Own Saturday 18th - Within these Walls Sunday 19th - Essex Queens of Crime
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MT Health: Don’t Blame Your Age, Blame Your Habits - By Chris at Forté Physical Health It’s all downhill from forty. I hear this a lot. As an osteopath, I often hear people blame their aches and pains on their age, but I prefer to think of it a little bit differently. Before we get into it, there is a kernel of truth to the ‘downhill at forty’ thing. Our genome has evolved to be very good at looking after our body for the ages of having and rearing children. To steal the title of Richard Dawkins’ book, our ‘selfish genes’ just care about one thing being passed on to the next generation. This is why we can cope with a high paced lifestyle through our twenties and thirties, but suddenly things seem to get a bit harder beyond the fourth decade. So yes, from a health perspective, things get a little more challenging after the age of 40. I still don’t like to blame things on age though. Your body follows a few principles and if you know what these are, you can manage your health effectively into later life. Firstly, your body is known as ‘bioplastic’, which means it is constantly reacting and changing in response to the stimuli it is given from the environment around it. Bioplasticity is a non-judgemental process, and it doesn’t necessarily have your best interests at heart. If you continually give your body a negative stimulus, the body will adapt negatively. The opposite is also true, and if you have positive health habits, your body will change positively. This is known as the ‘SAID Principle’ - your body will make a Specific Adaptation to an Imposed Demand. If you impose the demand of running 5km three times a week, your body will get good at running 5km. If you impose the demand of sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day, your body will get really good at sitting. I call it ‘Olympic sitting’. People train for years and years to become the best sitters they can be, but there’s no gold medal waiting for them, just tight hips. And this brings us on to the simple principle of ‘use it or lose it, but use it and keep it’. I heard a neat little quote the other day: ‘If you could do it yesterday, you can do it today. If you can do it today, you can do it tomorrow’. This is why it is so important to have habits that keep us strong and flexible beyond midlife. It is so much easier to maintain a function than to obtain a function, particularly in later life. However, here we have to loop back to bioplasticity. Just because it is harder for a seventy-year-old to gain a new function than a twenty-year-old, it is not impossible, it just takes a little longer. This is why exercise and healthy habits also have to be fun. The only way they work is by being consistent, and the only way to be consistent is to enjoy it.
From this sliding door moment mapped over the next twenty years, we would end up with two very different people. Have a little ponder and assess which habits you would like to keep. If you have lost some function, come up with a plan to regain it - slowly but surely - utilising bioplasticity and the SAID principle. For some help, you can search for ‘Chris Branch’ on YouTube, where I post weekly videos giving out health tips and stretching routines. Or if you are in pain and you feel you need some personalised help to get you started, I run the clinic Forté Physical Health which you can check out here: fortephysicalhealth.co.uk. Until next time, have a healthy and happy month!
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The final idea isn’t a principle as such, but more of a little thought experiment. I use this with my patients a lot, and I call it the ‘sliding doors’ concept. From this very moment, there are infinite possibilities that lay ahead of you. Let’s take two different versions of you in this sliding doors experiment and map them out over the next twenty years using the two previous principles. One version of you finds stretching and exercise a bit difficult and favours a more sedentary lifestyle. Because this version is not ‘using it’, it loses it. Bioplasticity works negatively, and function declines, slowly at first, but then faster as life goes on. The second version of you embraces the discomfort of exercise and favours the delayed gratification of healthy eating rather than the instant gratification of sugary treats. They learn new skills and test themselves with imposed demands of yoga and strength training. They do it with friends to make it fun, and they enjoy the social side of a healthy lifestyle - this makes it easier to stick to. With friends, they are not just nourishing their body, but also their soul.
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Regal Kitchen - Case Study
Mr and Mrs T’s New in-Frame Kitchen in Mundon, Essex Mr and Mrs T had lived in their property for around 2 years. They had quite a modern kitchen which they inherited from the previous owners, but the current layout or amount of storage available didn’t work for them or their family. They did look at other local kitchen companies, but Mr T’s parents had employed Regal a few years previously and were delighted with their new kitchen, so it seemed right to visit Regal’s Chelmsford showroom. The entire downstairs of the house is open-plan and therefore the new kitchen needed to be functional as well as beautiful. They see the kitchen area as the hub of the home, so it was important that we achieved the right layout that would work for the whole family as well as installing products that were on their wish list. As soon as they saw the display of bespoke, in-frame furniture, they knew it was the kitchen for them, so they invited our designer out to visit their home. It was important to the clients to get the right appliances, and as the flooring wasn’t being altered, the design had to accommodate this. The appliance wish list for their new kitchen comprised of coffee machine, oven, dishwasher, hob, extractor, fridge, freezer, washing machine and tumble dryer, as well as other accessories like a water softener, kettle tap and pull-out bins. The clients decided on all of the above. Additionally a microwave oven
combi was installed, and so not to make any changes to the ceiling or the island, a new Neff venting hob was chosen to be installed too, meaning their guests can feel involved whilst they are being entertained with no downdraft extractor restricting views and use of the island. The beautiful in-frame look and stunning Cambria quartz was continued through to the utility room where their laundry appliances were housed. The clients love their new kitchen and have already started recommending Regal to friends and family. Regal Kitchens showroom situated at 2 Navigation Road, Chelmsford, CM2 6HX is open 7-days per week between 10am and 4pm. Free parking available. www.regalkitchens.net
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LNR, Culture, Housing Consultation - By Cllr Marie Goldman There are always lots of things going on at Chelmsford City Council, so I thought I’d take the opportunity this month to highlight a few of them that you may have missed. Igniting Culture It’s a sad fact, but Chelmsford doesn’t (yet) have a reputation as a city of outstanding cultural diversity. Happily, there are plans for that to change. Ignite Chelmsford was set up by the City Council to create a new cultural forum and develop partnerships, connecting those working and volunteering with Chelmsford’s cultural, creative and heritage industries. On 20th July, the City Council hosted the first ever Ignite Chelmsford Summit. It was held at Writtle University College and was attended by local strategic leaders and influencers. As the Chelmsford City Council Cabinet Member for Connected Chelmsford - which covers culture - I was privileged to be able to attend. There were some excellent discussions, centring around attendees’ hopes, aspirations, concerns and wishes for the future of culture in our city. We talked about what was missing, what already exists, and how to connect the two. It was a genuinely inspirational session, which filled me with positivity about the future of culture in our city. There were some great contributions from people who are extremely passionate about moving our city forward - I can’t wait to see what comes next.
It’s encouraging to see that this was almost unanimously supported by the public in response to the consultation earlier this year. I think it demonstrates how important looking after our local environment is to the residents of Chelmsford - and it’s yet another step forward by the City Council in safeguarding nature for the benefit of all of us - not just now, but for generations to come. Housing Consultation Housing and homelessness are issues that come up time and time again when residents get in contact - and rightly so. The bottom line is that there aren’t enough houses for everyone, and not only do we need more, but we need the right mix: not just flats or 4 bedroom houses, but everything in between and in the right quantities at the right prices. This issue remains a top priority for the Liberal Democrat administration at Chelmsford City Council, which is why we’ve launched a consultation on our housing strategy for the next five years. We want you to have your say to help us get this right, so please visit the link below to read and comment on the consultation. Let’s move forward together: bit.ly/CCCHousingStrategy. Cllr Marie Goldman Deputy Leader, Chelmsford City Council Cabinet Member for Connected Chelmsford Essex County Councillor for Chelmsford Central
To find out more, to follow the journey, or even to get involved, you can read more on the Ignite Chelmsford Facebook page here: www. facebook.com/ignitechelmsford.
Admirals Park Now a Designated Local Nature Reserve At the July cabinet meeting of Chelmsford City Council, Cabinet Member for Greener & Safer Chelmsford, Cllr Rose Moore, brought forward a report inviting the Council to declare Admirals Park a Local Nature Reserve. I’m very pleased to say that this was voted through. This means that the Council will request that the site is listed on the Natural England register of Local Nature Reserves. Remember to tell our advertisers you saw their advert in the MT
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MT Gardening
Hurrah for the end of term! What a year… It’s certainly had its ups and downs - however, here we are now in the summer of 2021. Good luck to all those that have recently taken RHS theory exams - I know the team are busily marking, with results due early September. Now that term has finished I can actually get on to my garden - and boy is there a load to get on with; i’ve never known the growth we’ve had from plants this year. That early deluge of rain earlier in the year has certainly helped. Last year plants were starting to struggle, even with watering and feeding. This year it seems they have settled into their new homes and are burgeoning with leaf and flower.
That aside, there are a couple of things to really get sorted before we go any further: •
•
•
Earthing-up potatoes. Begin earthing up (pulling the soil up around the plants) when the plants are around 20cm in height. Always leave 10cm of leaf above ground to photosynthesise. Continue to earth up as plant grows.
Earthing up encourages tuber production and prevents tubers near the surface turning green - I use a draw hoe or small metal headed rake to do this. It can increase your tuber numbers and potentially reduce blight touching your tubers. An added bonus is that every time you turn over the soil you are also exposing possible pest eggs etc. Although weed seeds are brought to the soil surface, as the leaf canopy of the potato expands this becomes less of an issue. This technique also works well for Brussels sprouts and sweet corn to reduce wind rock.
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Check out any supports for tall herbaceous plants - at a recent trip to RHS Garden Hyde Hall for a spot of filming for Learning with Experts, I got the opportunity to stroll around the garden early. What a treat; the borders up near the farmhouse are looking spectacular (well they are on the entire site if I am honest) and I noticed the meticulous way in which some taller flowering plants had been secured to resist the chance of any flopping over and collapsing on other lower plants. Dahlias had been supported with a frame of upright wooden supports and string line. Although they could be seen at this time of year, when in full flower these mechanics would be hidden from view. Practically anything can be used, garden canes of varying lengths and brushwood from earlier prunings such as hazel work well. Brassica protection. Continue to watch out for cabbage white butterflies and also the cabbage moth for the tell-tale signs of damage: the outer leaves will have holes eaten out of them (and other brassicas) and damage may also be seen on the inner leaves of cabbages when the heart is cut through. Caterpillars and their excrement are often found on the plants. For me, the best control is to use a fine insect micro mesh for when plants are popped into the ground right up to harvest. Ensure that netting doesn’t touch the leaves of the brassica, as the pest can then still lay its eggs. This is a really useful link for further information on pest characteristics, biology and controls: www.rhs. org.uk/advice/ profile?pid=457.
For further jobs for July, check out this link: www.rhs.org.uk/advice/ in-month/july. For those wanting a sneak preview of jobs coming up in August, check out this link: www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/ august. Lastly, if you’re looking for a spot of gardening online, why not check out this link for a familiar face www.learningwithexperts.com/ gardening. Happy gardening For any gardening tips please contact Tom Cole, Horticultural Lecturer, Capel Manor College, Bullsmoor Lane, Enfield, Middlesex, EN1 4RR, or by email tom.cole@capel.ac.uk.
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Have Your Say on Army and Navy Sustainable Transport Package This Summer Residents, businesses and visitors will have a chance to have their say on ambitious proposals to transform the way people travel in Chelmsford. Essex County Council has been thoroughly assessing a number of junction layout options for the city’s Army and Navy junction, as well as developing a wider package of sustainable transport measures to provide better travel options and encourage safer, greener, and healthier ways of getting around the city. In addition to junction layout options, the proposed Army and Navy Sustainable Transport Package includes an expansion of Sandon Park and Ride, a new Park and Ride site to the west of Chelmsford in Widford, fully segregated and significantly enhanced walking and cycling facilities at the junction, improved bus priority measures and further connectivity improvements across the walking and cycling networks in Chelmsford. A public consultation will launch this summer, and responses will help the council to identify a preferred junction option and refine its final proposals. For all of the latest updates on the project, including notification of the launch of the consultation, sign up for the Army and Navy e-newsletter via: www.essex.gov.uk/armyandnavy.
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Nick Garner’s Music & Ramblings So, as I start writing this month’s article on what has been termed as Freedom Day, l think a better name might be ‘Cautious and Use Your Common Sense Day’. For me, there will be little change - I will still have my masks at the ready and I will be wearing them and keeping a distance.
I do understand if they had not done this there would be uproar, so now it is down to us to be sensible as the virus is still very much here and aggressive. There will be those who will blame our government, but in my eyes it is down to us now to prove that we can be trusted and not need to be treated like little children and told what to do. We need to be respectful of each other’s wishes as well; if someone asks you to keep a distance please respect this request. If you don’t want to wear a mask or to be cautious that is fine too - as long as you respect those who do. I do not know where the year is heading, as when I started this month’s article by marking as ‘July’ l had to check my calendar and saw that it’s actually for August! It must be my age I think, well if l had thought a little more I about it I should have realised when I tried to save it that July’s article was already there. I popped into the UB when it re-opened and boy, they have done a great job of it. The garden looks great as does the back room which has a bar in it now which makes a lot of sense. The whole pub has been given a facelift which is wonderful - and they have opened up the outside fireplace as well. For now they are not cooking, but they have different mobile kitchens coming in each weekend with a varied choice for fresh cooked food from around the globe. Justin and his team are feeling their feet and with what he has done with the New London and the Bottle Bureau we are sure it will be a success. The Bay Horse is also in new hands having had a facelift as well. Exciting times around the Old Moulsham and Baddow Road areas; what - and who - else can we expect to see to help revitalise the area and bring it back to its former glory? With the demise of the high street, big names, and with the rise of the independents, it looks like good times are ahead for us all with more choice. Places are opening up and with the sun shining and the parks and beaches are filling up, so lets all try to stay safe and well and just have a good and safe time. Music At last, we can hopefully get back to having ‘proper’ gigs again. Although there has already been stuff going on both inside and out so far as I know all has gone very well. I have been to two festivals so far and I am off to another this week and another in two weeks’ time. I must say I have so far felt safe and the events have been very well run. l Called into Tennessee Fields the other week next to Hylands Park, and I was surprised at the size of it, again it was very well run and Georgie Thorogood needs to hold her head very high for running such very well organised safe and fun event. The event had two stages, and I also had some friends playing - both had superb sound and lighting. There was a host of good stalls available with a wide choice of food on offer too, along with great shopping as well as a Ferris wheel. This is one I will return to again, and I encourage you to go - especially if you like country music as they do have a great mix of acts, both local and international. I have now put on three shows this year at the football club - all quite different but equally as good I think. The second show was Wille and the Bandits with Calum Ingram and both acts just blew everyone away. For Wille it was the first live show in over a year and with a new 12
line-up too, which I was a little sceptical of at first, but I need not have been as they were stunning as always. No one had seen anyone like Calum Ingram before with his electric cello. We saw people watching on in awe. At our third show we had a change to the opening act, as Jeff Chapman of the Roosters had injured his shoulder (get well soon). I was lucky enough to get none other than Connor Selby and Joe Anderton who played a great set and previewed songs from the upand-coming album which you must get when it’s released - it’s really good. You can see Connor with his full band at the club on Friday 1st October for a full show. In the past you may have seen Robin Bibi play for me with his band, or maybe as a duo with his mate and bass player Tony Marten, or even solo in the UB. This was different though, and only the second time performing with a three-piece brass section - they blew us all away. It was a shame we could not get up and dance as that is what we wanted to do. Robin and the band were on top form and this was the first time they had played with this particular brass section who had all the moves and grooves and put smiles on not only our faces, but the faces of Robin, Tony and Dave as well. By the way, they were called the Black Frog Brass just for us, so we thank them for that! We hope all goes and continues well for when we return in September on Friday 3rd with the man who was number one when England won the World Cup in 1966 with Out of Time - Chris Farlowe, along with Norman Beaker and his band. We also welcome Mississippi MacDonald who will open on the night. You can find details of all our planned shows so far further on in this edition. You can get tickets for my shows (please pay cash in person) from the Football Club, Intense Records, Hopsters and Chelmsford 4Good. Tickets are also available online or via our ticket hotline at no extra charge on 07508 496 411. Tickets are also available on the door subject to availability. Please see the link below which will give you links to all our pages so you can be kept up to speed of where we are at. It would be fantastic if you could share both our magazines, the City Times and Moulsham Times, for us. We continue to publish both magazines online at www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia. If you are interested in advertising with us please contact ads@itsyourmedia. co.uk, or if you have a comment or an article for us please send to editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk and we will reply to you as soon as we can. For all my updates and information go to Black Frog Presents via this link, www.linktr.ee/BlackFrogPresents, or scan the QR code in the poster in this magazine.
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Has Working From Home Got You Climbing the Walls? Now is the perfect time to create a relaxing space to get lost in the bubbles and switch off. With displays from leading brands such as Burlington, Merlyn, Aqualisa and Vado, there’s something for everyone. From traditional to contemporary, we’ve got it all. Whether you’re looking for some inspiration or need a whole bathroom designed, our friendly and knowledgeable team can’t wait to welcome you and start designing the bathroom of your dreams.
Our bathroom showroom is open. For the best viewing experience please contact us on 01245 352 650 or by email at enquiries@ chandlermaterials. co.uk to book an appointment. Walk-in’s will of course be accommodated where we can, although you may need to wait a little while for an advisor to become available. Thank you for helping us to help you safely.
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Pure, White and... - By Ola Adamolekun Don’t worry, I haven’t gone into the business of selling illegal substances. However, the substance I’m talking about today is just as dangerous and deadly as any illegal drug on the black market today. What am I talking about? You guessed it - SUGAR! It’s sweet, white and can be bad for your health. I’m sure you know that sugar can be a problem, but do you understand how much damage it’s doing to the health of our nation? British children are some of biggest consumers of sugar in Europe. They’re pretty much eating their own body weight in sugar each year. A study by scientists at Birmingham University found that children as young as five are consuming an average of 75g of sugar a day (the equivalent of 19 teaspoons). That’s four times their recommended daily allowance. Small wonder then that sugar has been singled out as the biggest contributing factor in the national obesity crisis: www.scimex.org/newsfeed/study-shows-that-sugar-sweetenedbeverages-are-the-dominant-source-of-free-sugar-intake-for-youngchildren. Sugar is also blamed for a rise of nearly a quarter in the number of children under four having one or more of their milk teeth extracted. So what happens to sugar when it gets into your body? Apart from spiking your blood sugar levels, when sugar hits the bloodstream it stimulates the release of the feel-good hormone dopamine. This makes you want more and more of the sweet stuff. That’s why one biscuit or scoop of ice-cream never seems like enough - even after a huge meal. It’s hugely addictive. What can we do about this massive problem? I know from working with clients that ditching sugar gets results fast. You can expect to lose a few pounds, up your energy, sleep better - some even find their skin glows - and your kids are less moody! Yes, that is possible! Your friends will wonder what your new regime is... I’m going to give you three tips on how to cut back on sugar.
1. Become a food detective and find out where sugar is hiding in plain sight. Some common examples are as follows: a. Breakfast cereals (avoid these like the plague!) b. ‘Healthy’ cereal bars - definitely not healthy. c. Fizzy drinks and fruit juices. d. Sauces and condiments. e. Ready meals. 2. Read labels: there are 50+ names for sugar. Clue: anything that ends in ‘ose’ is a sugar - eg, fructose syrup. 3. Try alternative natural sweeteners (not artificial ones) like dates, mashed banana, apple sauce. Small amounts of maple syrup give a subtle sweetness too. Finally, I’m issuing a challenge to you: can you go sugar-free for a week? In order to help you, here are 3 tips: 1. Don’t think what you are giving up - think about what you are gaining. 2. Focus on the benefits: more energy, better skin, reduced cravings, improved sleep. 3. Cleaning your teeth and going to bed early are good tactics if you get the munchies in the evening. If you’re really interested in giving up, I’m looking to run a 5-day sugar-free challenge soon on Facebook, so be on the lookout. Feel free to contact me and let me know how you get on. www.beencouragedwellness.co.uk
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Hello everyone, I hope you are all OK. As it turns out it will not be full freedom, but a step towards it. I don’t know about you, but I will happily continue to wear a mask when it is appropriate to do so. I am also thinking how long it will be before I stop moving over for people walking in the opposite direction, or keeping a two metre gap between others. We shall see. This may surprise you... I am actually going to miss some bits of the lockdown conditions. On buses for example; I have liked the fact that sitting alone meant that I wasn’t squashed against the window and not joined by some stranger who seemed to want to have a conversation. In pubs, I have liked the table service - the use of ‘apps’, not so much. Before this all started, I used to get so annoyed trying to get to the bar and trying to attract the bar staff, dodging the people who insist on sitting on stools at the bar. I also get annoyed when the bar staff don’t know who is next to be served. It always ends up with the tallest people or the one with the loudest voice, neither of which is me, getting served first. I have not missed that at all. Although I have not enjoyed the queueing outside supermarkets, I have enjoyed being able to get around the shop once I got in, without people blocking the aisles and standing about chatting, and yes, I am getting grumpy with age.
Since Covid, the problem has got worse. I generally have my mask in my pocket and forget it’s there. I also have my car keys in the same pocket, so when I take the keys out, more often than not the mask appears, tangled with the keys. Like me, I’m sure you must be aware of the increasing appearance of orange scooters left on pavements. I don’t know how the system works, but I’m pretty sure that statistically it is unlikely for several of these to run out of power at the same spot. So how come you very seldom see just one? I have a theory. Just like a horror film, I think that these things have a mind of their own and multiply if not moved for some time and that, before long, the country will be taken over by orange scooters. Actually it looks like I’ve found an official scooter stop (see photo).
With the holiday season arriving, I was thinking the other day about how things have changed over the years regarding what I take on holiday. As a teenager one little bag with a change of underwear, a couple of tee shirts and some shorts was sufficient. As I grew older, it was all about ensuring that there were enough clothes in two or three cases (between the whole family) to cover each day’s activities and various toys for the children. Once the children had left the nest, we tended to pack clothes for any weather conditions ‘just in case’, often going abroad, with two large cases (to avoid excess baggage charges). This meant that these cases often weighed over 20 kilos - very heavy - which didn’t seem to be too bad going away, but more often than not, getting the cases off the conveyor in the baggage reclaim on the way home became very difficult, along with the realisation that at least half of the stuff didn’t see the light of day. These days, we need to ensure we have all of our medication, hearing aid, Kindle chargers, health insurance documents, and there’s the hassle of checking all the flight tickets continually in case they have disappeared since I last checked five minutes ago. This means that these holidays are more stress than they are worth. I’m glad that all the restrictions and constant changing advice on travel has meant that I am not tempted to get on a plane any time soon. There are lots of lovely places in the UK where I can actually have a relaxing time and can understand the locals, well most of the time! What I am about to say will sound a bit silly (no change there then), but is there a small creature called something like a lead ‘tangler’. I only ask, because as soon as I try to get something with a lead attached from the garage or cupboard, the lead is always tangled or gets hooked round bits of other apparatus and cannot be released without taking the offending item out as well. This even happens after I have been careful to avoid this when I put it away. One of the worst things is the mains electricity cable for our motorhome. This is a 25-metre long electric wire to get 240 volt power on board. It take ages to make sure that has not got knotted when I put it away, but every time - yes I kid you not - every time I set up at the next stop, the cable has to be straightened out again. Something must be doing this and when I catch it, there will be serious trouble for the little rascal!
I see a lot of dog walkers on our morning strolls and it struck me that their dogs appear to still recognise their owners even when they are wearing a mask - the owners that is, not the dogs. Now I don’t know what the dogs thought processes are, but I imagine they must notice that there is something different going on. I do know that the dogs rely on their sense of smell a lot and I heard on the radio that each of us has a different smell. I decided not to look at the details... What can our pets be thinking? Not only have their caring owners decided to cover their faces, but also just as they get used to one colour the owner changes it. It’s a mystery to me. I think this is another example that since giving up work, I struggle to find interesting or challenging things to think about! Bin End Chuckles When my wife told me to stop impersonating a flamingo - I had to put my foot down... I was wondering why the frisbee was getting bigger and bigger, then it hit me... Keep safe and well and make the best of our new ‘freedom’. Things are getting better!
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MT History: Ford End & Bletchley Park - By Henri Lewi As early as 1938, Bletchley Park and other units that made up the Government Code and Cipher School (GCCS) had broken the German army (Wehrmacht), police (ORPO) and German Military Intelligence (Abwehr) radio and telegraphic ciphers and were able to read many of these throughout the war. In the early years of the war between 1939 and September 1941, sections of the German army, as well as German Military Intelligence had used simple hand cyphers that were easily broken and interpreted by GCCS. This radio traffic was intercepted by a countrywide network of radio listening stations, designated as Y (Wireless Intelligence) stations. These Y stations whilst operated by the RAF, Admiralty, and the Radio Security Service (RSS) came under the overall control of MI8, which was the Signals Intelligence Department of the War Office that ran a Worldwide Wireless Intercept Network.
One of these Y stations, though nominally under the control of the Admiralty but answerable to the Radio Security Service and identified as Ford End Naval D/F Station, was sited here in Chelmsford at Rolphy Green, a small hamlet halfway between Ford End and Pleshey. The intercepts from this and other listening stations were initially scrutinised locally and subsequently sent by motorcycle courier to the RSS headquarters at Arkley View, Barnet for further analysis. The Radio Security Service, initially based at Wormwood Scrubs, transferred its headquarters in late 1940 to a large country house at Arkley View in Barnet with the enigmatic address of PO Box 25 Barnet, and by mid 1941 the Radio Security Service came under the control of the Secret Intelligence Service. The encrypted radio intercepts were sent from Arkley View to the code breakers of GCCS at Bletchley, with the intercepts being decrypted by the various teams in Huts 3, 5 and 6 at Bletchley Park. These now decoded radio messages together with an intelligence summary were distributed to both the War Office branch of military intelligence (known as MI14)
and the Secret Intelligence Service (known as MI6 or SIS). A summary report was forwarded to Sir Stuart Menzies head of SIS (known as ‘C’), for distribution to the Joint Chiefs, Cabinet Office and Prime Minister, with many of the intercepts decoded by Bletchley being shared with the various US intelligence services. Why you ask did they bother with breaking the German police cyphers? By 1942 over 300,000 men were serving in the Armed Police Battalions in the Axis occupied territories, often involved in a counter insurgency and in an anti-guerrilla role. The partisan and resistance movements were being supported and armed by the various Allied Intelligence Services, such as the Special Operations Executive (SOE), SIS and the US Office of Strategic Services (OSS the predecessor to the CIA), so the breaking of the police cyphers was a necessity in ensuring the maintenance of a continuing strong resistance movement in the occupied territories. It is now acknowledged that because of the radio intercepts and the success of the codebreakers of Bletchley Park, Britain had better intelligence about Germany during the Second World War than any nation had had about its enemies in any previous war. In 1997 the British government allowed public access to many of these secret intercepts that had been stored by GCHQ (the successor to GCCS) at the Public Records Office at Kew. Whilst the available intercepts are in the original German, many have been translated into English by the Bletchley codebreakers and make fascinating reading! Particularly interesting are the summary reports from GCCS to ‘C’ (head of the Secret Intelligence Service - MI6) which can be found in the files at Kew. For those interested, these reports are in the File Group labelled PRO HW1 - be warned there are many, many documents available within this group!
Chelmsford Community Radio Download Our New App
We have something new and exciting at Chelmsford Community Radio 104.4FM and it’s an app! It will revolutionise the way you listen to us and also help you take part in phone-ins and ask for a request. Download the app to your smartphone and take Chelmsford Community Radio 104.4FM wherever you go in the city. Simply visit either Google Play or Apple App stores depending on what smartphone you have and search for ‘CCR 104.4FM’. It really is that easy. It has local events information and details about our presenters, as well as providing easy access to our listen again service run through the website MixCloud. So now you have no excuse for missing your favourite show on Chelmsford Community Radio 104.4FM. The app has been in development for many months and CCR volunteer, Tony Knight has helped to design the new piece of kit. So far, it seems that hundreds of you have taken the opportunity to get using the app through your phones. We’d like to thank local company Appkazoo for producing the fabulous piece of software. The station hopes to be out and about at events in Chelmsford soon, including the carnival and at the Morrison’s store. Pop by and come and see us - and better still, drop us an email via the app to ask for a song! Remember to listen online at www.chelmsfordcommunityradio.com or on 104.4FM in Chelmsford and the surrounding area - or via our app.
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Quiz Time - by John Theedom 1. Whois the famous man who uttered the cry: ‘Eureka’? 2. In bingo, what is meant by the expression ‘top of the shop’? 3. In heraldry, what word is used for the colour black? 4. What is meant by the term diurnal? 5. Which bird has it’s nostrils at the end of it’s beak? 6. Which comedian has just died (July 12th) aged 81? 7. What exactly is ‘Bara Brith’? 8. Which arm did Admiral Horatio Nelson lose in battle? 9. What does an apiarist do for a living? 10. What, who, or where is a bodkin? 11. Which year did the first colour TV go on sale in the UK? 12. Which actress played the role of Emma Peel in The Avengers? 13. Who or what is a hobbledehoy? 14. What do you say to a rabbit on his birthday? 15. How old was Sir Sean Connery when he died in 2020? 16. What proportion of UK children has asthma? 17. Which machine did Alan Turing invent during WW2 to read German messages? 18. Which cereal grass is grown in paddy fields? 19. If you are a polyglot what are you good at? 20. Where in your body is there a bone called an ossicle? 21. Luffing is a process in which pastime? 22. What is a splat?
23. The TV sitcom Yes Minister is set in which government department? 24. Which insect is commonly believed to be very noisy? 25. In France, what are you travelling on if you choose the TGV? 26. What is another name for the slats on your kitchen blinds? 27. How many passenger capsules are there on the London Eye? 28. What is a bradawl? 29. How old is pop star singer Boy George? 30. When did Eric Morcambe and Ernie Wise start performing together professionally? 31. Bonnie Langford featured in the TV programme Masked Dancer dressed as what? 32. What was the name of the rider who became the first Brit to win the Tour de France? 33. What did Dolly Parton do on her 79th birthday to make her husband’s day? 34. What honour has the city of Liverpool just lost? 35. What were Les Dawson’s facial expressions called? 36. On the subject of food, what do the initials GM stand for? 37. Why have the police in Burnhamon-Crouch just taken delivery of a special patrol boat? 38 What is the name of the father of the deceased singer Amy Winehouse? 39. Which one of the Osmond family is coming to play at Chelmsford’s Civic Theatre on October 15th? 40. A nectarine is a member of which fruit family?
(Answers on page 31) 20
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The Singing Chef
Well it’s just too hot to cook right now, way way too hot to cook, so this month I’m doing something a little bit different and I’m going to do a restaurant review with you. I’m off to my new favourite place, The Ship in Stock... The Ship has been taken over by a wonderful family with a fantastic executive chef (dad) in the kitchen and a lovely new landlady. Maria (mum) has blown us away with a fully packed calendar of events including singers, DJs, karaoke and my favorite, Pete The Hat’s Jam every other Sunday!
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.
Last night I was there for a special dinner with the Kent chef of the year. Oh and a pianist (yes I did sing a few numbers). We started the evening outside and watching the most beautiful Essex sunset before our dinner, which consisted of mushroom and truffle appetisers, scallops, followed by beef fillet and the most beautiful popcorn desert. All with incredible wines which were paired to each course. The setting is beautiful, the music was classy and the food was incredible! But the best part of the evening for me was our server Will; he was so passionate and knowledgeable about the food we were about to receive, and even the vineyard where our wines were produced. What a wonderfully bubbly gorgeous young man! Highly recommended.
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MT Therapy - Chelmsford Therapy Rooms Hi Everyone! I hope you’re all safe and well. Today I’m continuing to look at cyberbullying. Let’s look at some of the possible symptoms and then some of the reasons that people cyberbully.
Possible Symptoms of Cyberbullying Cyberbullying is notoriously hard to detect, however there are a few tell-tale signs to look out for in victims of cyberbullying (especially in children and teens): • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Becoming withdrawn - not talking, or spending more time alone Changes in eating habits. Changes in behaviour - becoming aggressive at home. Sleeping badly. Complaining of headaches or stomach aches. Wetting the bed. Worrying about going to school. Suddenly doing less well at school. Reluctance to let parents or other family members anywhere near their mobiles, laptops etc. Finding excuses to stay away from school or work including school refusal. Friends disappearing or being excluded from social events. Losing weight or changing appearance to try and fit in. Fresh marks on the skin that could indicate self-harm and dressing differently such as wearing long sleeved clothes in the summer to hide any marks. A change in personality, ie, anger, depression, crying, withdrawn.
Why Do People Cyberbully? The age old question - why do people bully? And why over the Internet? The answer is super duper simple. People make other people feel bad when they feel bad. It’s easier to do this online. There are various ways in which bullies do this. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons that people bully online: 1: They’ve been Triggered This means that there is something going on for the person at the time, or something has triggered something deep within them, but they’re reacting not as an adult but as a child. They’re hitting out, angry, defensive, feeling the need to take the other person down or punish them. When the bully is in this ego state, it’s not really the person they’re bullying that they want to upset. It’s whoever caused the original trauma. They feel that by letting out all their rage they’ll feel better. It feels justified in the moment, and depending on just how deep the trigger goes, they may develop a hatred towards the person and go on a vendetta. 2: They’re Out for Revenge This usually presents in younger people and people who are themselves the victims of bullying. When young people have been bullied, they often seek revenge instead of coping with the situation in healthier ways. The motivation for these victims of bullying is to retaliate for the pain they have experienced. When this happens, these young people are often referred to as bully-victims. Bully-victims feel justified in their actions because they, too, have been harassed and tormented. These bully-victims want others to feel what they have felt and feel justified in doing so. By cyberbullying others, they also may feel a sense of relief and vindication for what they experienced. These kids will sometimes even go after their bully directly. Other times, they will target someone whom they perceive to be weaker or more vulnerable than them.
3: They Have Low Self Esteem Some people believe that if they make someone look bad they will look better and therefore feel better about themselves. I’m not just talking about looks physically, it could be academically, socially, anything where they feel judged. By attacking someone else, perhaps accusing them of being wrong etc they feel better about their own ego - especially if they gain support. Sometimes kids or teens will cyberbully to fit in with a group of friends or a clique. As a result, these kids succumb to peer pressure in order to be accepted at school, even if it means going against their better judgment. These bullies are more concerned with fitting in than they are worried about the consequences of cyberbullying. Other times, groups of friends will cyberbully together because there is a false sense of security in numbers. When teens believe lots of people are bullying online, they are more likely to engage in the behaviour themselves. In their minds, it doesn’t seem like a significant problem because their peer group accepts the behaviour. What’s more, kids will cyberbully others to fit in with a group that regularly harasses people online. Bullying often revolves around a person’s social status, especially when at school. Some children will cyberbully others based on the school’s perceived social ladder. For instance, a ‘mean girl’ might get cyberbullied by an anonymous group of girls who are hoping to bring her down a notch or two. Or, a ‘mean girl’ might cyberbully a classmate who excels academically because she is jealous of her success. Other times, a teen might cyberbully a peer because they believe the victim stole their romantic partner. Whatever the reason, young people sometimes feel their cyberbullying behaviours are warranted and deserved. Consequently, they usually do not feel remorse or guilt for cyberbullying. This brings me to my next point... 4: They Don’t Feel Empathy Part A: See No Evil, Feel No Evil Many people who cyberbully believe it isn’t a big deal. Because they do not see the pain that they cause, they feel little or no remorse for their actions. In fact, several studies have found that a large number of students who engaged in online bullying reported not feeling anything for the victims after bullying online. Instead, many kids reported that online bullying made them feel funny, popular and powerful. Because a cyberbully may not see the impact it has on their victims, this leads us to another factor. The anonymity of the Internet gives people a false sense of security. Many believe if they post things anonymously that they won’t get caught. What’s more, if people don’t see the impact their bullying has on their victim this makes it extremely easy to say and do things they would not otherwise do. In fact, a significant number of children who do not bully face-to-face will still engage in cyberbullying. 4: They Don’t Feel Empathy Part B: The Power Hungry Narcissist I’m not accusing all young people or cyberbullies of being narcissists, but unfortunately they do tend to exhibit narcissistic behaviour. Cyberbullies have a range of different motivations, but the general goal is to increase their own power by reducing the power of someone else. This means they feel power-less - they feel less powerful than someone else. In older adults this can manifest in their trolling of online celebrities or CEOs of companies, anyone they feel is ‘above them’. They might even cyberstalk them, determined to get the other party to engage and if the other party doesn’t engage they move on to someone else to get their ‘fix’. It’s all about them and their ego, feeling that getting to someone they feel as ‘above’ them will give them that stroke that they crave. In children, cyberbullying can be a manifestation of social status. Those who are popular often make fun of kids who are less popular.
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Likewise, those who are attractive might single out others they feel are unattractive. This type of singling out and bullying has been going on for a long time, but now we have a whole new medium to take advantage of and make their victim feel powerless! They use the Internet to perpetuate relational aggression and mean behaviour.
becomes their only source of entertainment and an outlet for getting attention. Instead of finding a positive way to spend their time, cyberbullies entertain themselves by creating digital drama.
They also will spread rumours and gossip and may even ostracise others through cyberbullying. Meanwhile, those who are trying to climb the social ladder at school or gain some social power will resort to cyberbullying to get attention. They also might cyberbully to diminish the social status of another person.
You see this a lot with catfishing. By creating a fake profile they can be whoever they want to be. This is one of the reasons that a catfish will be so dramatic, yes they’re trying to draw their victim in, but it’s also very entertaining for them! In this instance it’s not just kids and teens that cyberbully because of boredom. In an episode of Catfish a very young man (he was 21 at the time, but met his catfish at 17) was catfished by a 48 year old bored house wife!
5: Boredom Those who are bored and looking for entertainment will sometimes resort to cyberbullying to add some excitement and drama to their lives. Younger people also might choose to cyberbully because they lack attention and supervision from parents. As a result, the Internet
Jenny Hartill is a therapist and owner of Cloud9 Therapy and Chelmsford Therapy Rooms. 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.
Counter Culture Games Are on a Mission To Recycle Your Old Games Counter Culture are collaborating with UK indie game company Big Potato as they launch the first ever board game recycling scheme. We’re all big fans of the family game cupboard, but nobody likes seeing a good game go to waste. That’s why Counter Culture Games in Chelmsford are taking part in The Great Board Game Trade-In, run by Big Potato Games. The idea couldn’t be simpler! To take part, just dust off your old board games and bring them in to 26 Baddow Road. As long they’re still in a playable condition, they’ll be whisked away to their brand new home… and you’ll be rewarded, 1 for 1 with 20% off any Big Potato game to say thank you. Better still, all games donated by the public will be passed on to local community organisations including Interact, various youth clubs etc. Please contact beth@counterculturegames.com if your group would like some. The Great Board Game Trade-In launched on July 5th 2021 and runs until the end of August. It’s also happening at over 60 other stores across the UK. Big Potato’s independent store account managers Laura Crumbley and Hannah Cornish have been leading the charge on the trade-In. “We wanted to do something to support our fantastic independent stores, who’ve been forced to shut up shop for the best part of a year. With the Great Board Game Trade-In, we can help drive footfall to the store, whilst giving board games to organisations that really need them. What’s not to love?” If you’ve got some board games just gathering dust and fancy donating them to a good home, or you are a community group which
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can offer that good home, then pop on down to Counter Culture Games or get in touch with them on 07856 348 288, or email beth@ counterculturegames.com. About Big Potato Big Potato is an independent board games company hailing from Shoreditch, London. Big Potato makes super simple party games that are easy to learn and quick to play. Best- sellers include Obama Llama, The Chameleon and Blockbuster. Started in 2014 by three friends who met in the advertising industry, Big Potato now designs, manufactures and distributes over 25 games in 26 different countries.
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MT Finance - Investing to Feel Good
In some families, the grown-up children come to take an interest in the portfolio investments of their parents, knowing they will be inheriting them in due course. It can become a multi-generational discussion of how the wealth should be invested and managed, where the insights of the family can help the original wealth compiler. Today, more commonly, there are active family discussions about what the aims of holding shares and bonds in a savings fund should be. Of course, there is usually still a prior wish to preserve and increase the value of the capital over time. The family may have specific requirements for the funds, such as assisting the children in purchasing a property - and will want reassurance that the wealth is increasing at least in line with any potential calls on it. They may need some of it in an accessible form in case of sudden emergencies. No wealth owner can avoid the discussion with an adviser, or with themselves, over how much risk of loss they are prepared to run and how high a return they would like to achieve, knowing that one is inextricably linked to the other. Key discussions here would centre around the time horizon over which the family would like to achieve a return and seek to meet their financial objectives, and a portfolio constructed accordingly. In a world of low (or no) interest rates on safe deposits and bonds, a saver has to take more risk if they are seeking a better return.
The arrival of ESG-sensitive (Environmental, Social and Governance) investing has added a new set of questions, which often causes family members some concern. Do the companies they invest in through shares and bonds reflect their values on the future of the wider world? Do the companies treat their employees well, and ensure their suppliers pay fairly and observe high standards? Do they avoid fraud, tax sheltering behaviours and other corporate crimes? What are they doing to protect and enhance the environment? If a local charity or trust is involved, the trustees need to be especially careful that the portfolio reflects the attitudes and purposes of the founding deed. The good news is that families can now ask a reputable investment adviser to help guide them through these difficult issues. Some families have a strong and united view that they do not wish to finance gambling or weapons of mass destruction or mining and burning coal. They can ask their managers to avoid such investments in companies that mainly do these things. Some have a wish that their portfolio should contribute to positive change in favour of a low carbon future or in support of higher standards of corporate behaviour. Advisers can recommend shares and sectors that do the most to further these aims. There is no perfect or prescribed portfolio to reflect a single political or holistic view, as the world of company investment and trading is very integrated. A good retailer may sell cigarettes that investors think should be banned. A well-run bank may lend money to a coal company the investor does not like, as examples. Taking reasonable account of the growing wish to invest in companies that are trying to do good can also be a successful investment strategy. Many of the activities which are growing and generating more profit are the very activities that power the green and digital revolutions that underlie many of these preferences. There is no substitute for talking. The aim of family wealth is to conserve and grow it, such that future generations can be provided for. Whilst the original wealth creator may play the leading role in setting out who is advising the family and the types of investments considered, increasingly the future generation can offer their own insights to help construct a portfolio which earns good returns whilst
also enabling the family to feel they are investing responsibly. Graham Austin, Chartered FCSI Investment Manager 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. Charles Stanley is one of the UK’s leading wealth management firms. We provide a range of financial planning and investment management services to private clients, trusts and charities. Charles Stanley & Co. Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered office: 55 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 3AS.
Steel Spirits A Film About a Wheelchair Basketball Team From Chelmsford
We are an independent film production company based in Chelmsford, and have recently completed a documentary film called Steel Spirits about a wheelchair basketball team from Chelmsford. The players have already been tested in life through injury or at birth and with a resilience natural to athletes, they test themselves again, daily, in a sport they love. Wheelchair basketball is gaining a reputation as the emerging sport of choice for fans of action and athleticism. It’s fast paced is not for the faint-hearted, and the High Rollers basketball team are real rock ’n’ rollers who’s lives reflect the chaos, order and resilience needed to compete. The pandemic hasn’t dampened their spirit for competition and when lockdown ends the team are ready to go. We would love to get as much exposure for the team get and the audience they deserve, so they can get funding and places to train. To see the trailer and pre-order the film for £2.99, visit vimeo.com/ ondemand/steelspirits, or search for ‘Electric Copper Films’ on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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Pilates: For the Love Of... Keeping Fit On Your 2021 Summer Break - With a Mini 20 Minute Programme! - By Erica Foulds As I type, the fan is blowing at my side and the dog is splayed out on the kitchen floor to keep cool. This weekend feels like Costa del Writtle! The schools have broken up and the holidays are truly here. Whether you have children chomping at the bit to get to the beach, or you’re a hot August breaker, waiting for September for something cooler or hoping Covid rules stay on track to be able to fly out of the UK, I hope you have a summer holiday this year. In recent weeks, as my regular ladies and gents have started to go away for their UK staycations, I realise the changes to virtual fitness in the last year are well and truly set to stay. The popularity of online offerings is astounding and in just one class alone I had someone log-on from a farm in Devon visiting family, a lady camping near Edinburgh after a wedding, a lady joined from Brighton who moved from Chelmsford a month ago and 2 people from separate households who are self isolating due to their children returning from university Covid-positive. If your fitness provider doesn’t offer online classes, we at Hummingbird have plenty of ways for you to try us out - drop in to a class here and there, or try 1x week for a month with our mini month block. Or if you fancy a month unlimited pilates and yoga for £45 (and no ties after) then that’s our intro offer, but it can be extended to standard unlimited for whichever class, whenever, wherever you want!
up over chest, to ceiling then to side of thigh, rolling chin towards chest, shoulders up from floor, wrap hands round back of thighs (* don’t wrap hands, keep reaching forward) curling up until seated, reverse back to floor. Side Lying Leg Circles: Lay on your right side, head on a cushion/right arm out under your head, left hand on floor in front of waist, right leg comfortably bent, left leg stretched out creating a straight line from back of neck, down to hips and to your left foot. Draw big slow circles with that foot (imagine a large beach ball size), 10 clockwise, 10 anticlockwise. At Hummingbird we have classes suitable for ALL experience levels from novice to well practised! If you would like more info from me on whether pilates would be good for you then get in touch on Facebook or Instagram @hummingbirdpilatesyoga. For more details on our 8-person pilates classes live in studio in Writtle and on Zoom, search ‘Hummingbird Pilates & Yoga’ Writtle, visit www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk, or email us at info@ hummingbirdpilatesyoga.co.uk. Or call 01245 422 556 for more info. Erica xx
This month I’m upping the usual 3 exercises. I’ve planed a mini 20 minute pilates work out that you can do anywhere and anytime, perfect if you’re away and the WI-FI isn’t powerful enough to log-on, for getting your muscles warmed up, your cardiovascular system revved (if you choose to go with the harder versions) and your joints feeling more mobile. Each exercise has a starter version, a progression (in brackets - look for the *) and none should cause pain to any joints. If you have any injuries/are pregnant where a medical professional has told you not to exercise, then please contact us first at Hummingbird Pilates and Yoga to see if we can help get you moving safely! Try each one for 3 minutes if you can, or 90 seconds each side where applicable, with a 1 minute rest between each exercise. Roll Down, Into Leg Pull: Stand feet hip width, hands on thighs, nod chin, round shoulders forward, bend knees, trace hands down to feet, curve your back until hands find floor. Walk hands out in front as far as you can (knowing you need to get back again) or to full plank, (* now lift one leg from floor, then the other), then walk hands back in to feet, knees bent and unravel to standing. Side Bend - Full: Sit down with legs out in front, bend your right knee foot still flat, place left elbow down behind you, (* straight arm with hand to floor) on the floor, lift right arm to ceiling, press into the right foot and lift hips as far as you can, swing right arm further over head to create a stretch in the right side of body, lower down slowly. Saw: Sit with legs straight out wider than your hips (if you find this hard then sit on a cushion or two), reach arms out to your sides shoulder height, sit tall, twist body to the right, take left hand towards right foot (* left hand little finger past right foot little toe), return and repeat twisting to left foot. Roll Up: Lay on floor arms straight over head, legs bent at knee (* straight legs if you’ve got no back injury and good abs) bring arms www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia
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The decking at the front of the Community Station is now partly painted and we have now taken delivery of new decking furniture for the Copper Pot - see the photo below. We have also been lucky enough to get some decking shade made by a volunteer; we had some old gazebo material from wind damaged gazebos stored away, and this has been converted into shading for the decking. Hopefully we can show you a photo next month with the decking full of people. Here we are at the the end of lockdown! Perhaps not the ‘Freedom Day’ we were all expecting as the pandemic hasn’t stopped overnight. As far as the Community Station is concerned we will be encouraging people to sanitise their hands on entry and register their attendance using the Track & Trace app. Face coverings will be down to personal discretion. We realise their are no legal requirements to do so, but we will continue to do our bit to reduce the spread of Covid. The Copper Pot Café will be open for business again every Tuesday and lunches will start from the 3rd of August. We are also looking at options for opening the café from Mondays to Fridays and possibly some of the weekends - this all depends on how things work out and if third party plans can mature and make these options more of a reality.
Starting on Tuesday 20th July, Moulsham Plant Sales will be offering plant sales on a fortnightly basis. This was after a really positive trial selling plants out the front of the Community Station. The Community Station is available for hire again - either the whole building or individual rooms. It’s ideal for things like small children’s parties, hobby/interest group meetings/activities, small yoga groups, conferences etc. Rates can be obtained using our contact details. www.mlct.org.uk enquiries@mlct.org.uk 07434 678 999
An Update From Cllr Rob Gisby Moulsham Lodge Ward Councillor As I write we are approaching the ending of coronavirus restrictions, branded ‘Freedom Day’, which for me has an ironic start - with a period of selfisolation for our household as we await test results for one of our children. It’s a reminder that there isn’t simply an end date but a change in responsibility as we learn to live with the virus. For myself, little will change, I will continue to wear face coverings in busy places, workplace restrictions will continue, and I will continue to regularly use lateral flow tests especially before meeting people with increased vulnerability. Although this change does represent freedom for people to make their own choices, for many the reduction in mask wearing, general increase in busy-ness in public places and shops due to the summer holidays and increasing case numbers, will be a real cause for anxiety and could lead to increased levels of social isolation - please do continue to look out for friends and neighbours. As we start the summer holidays, with many schools under pressure with isolations of staff and student bubbles, we are again reminded of the huge effort that schools, parents and students alike have all put in to keep everyone safe and educational settings functioning. I remain amazed by our often unsung heroes, our children and young people who have shown such flexibility and resilience throughout! As many readers will know, I have made a lot of the timing of the current City Council Administration’s plans to introduce parking charges at Hylands - when green space is so very important, the equality of access, and the impact on other areas such as Writtle… The list goes on and I’ve not seen suitable mitigation to any of the concerns. The City Council Administration decided to push ahead with these plans in spite of reasoned opposition. The proposed charging scheme for the parking has now been issued as part of
the Road Traffic Order consultation and it’s abundantly clear that the assurance that there would be a ‘season ticket’ for the park was a hollow promise, as whilst available at a rather steep £60 per car per year, this will only cover week days - so families, those who work weekdays or those who visit at weekends for any reason, will be subject to full parking fees. The reasons for charging now state they are to ‘regulate and manage car parking demand’. It is an intended consequence to deter visits from the site - by extension, if demand for parking becomes too high, will costs increase further? Why do I think the charge is steep and poorly judged? Well, apart from the fact the season ticket is limited to week day use, £60 for restricted access to a single park compares very poorly with the Essex Explorer Pass which for a similar cost give access to 7 country parks, gives 2 friend/family day passes and a number of further discounts. It really saddens me that Hylands may now be overlooked in favour of these more economical days out. We will of course again challenge this and ask for reconsideration. Finally, I’ve mentioned previously that I’ll be making a personal donation to an environment focused charity or scheme. The most support from residents and readers was for Essex Wildlife Trust: ‘The county’s leading conservation charity, committed to protecting wildlife and inspiring a lifelong love of nature. We manage nature reserves and discovery parks across the county, providing outstanding outdoor education and preserving places of wonder.’ I will make the donation shortly and update my Facebook page. You can get in touch with me via Chelmsford City Council, through my Facebook Page (‘Cllr Rob Gisby’) or via Chelmsford Conservative Association. Please do reach out - I look forward to hearing from you. Stay safe, keep well, be kind. Cllr Rob Gisby Conservative Ward Councillor for Moulsham Lodge
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Tile Kiln Corner By Cllr Linda Mascot As I write this my family has been selfisolating as my daughter had Covid, and although she has made a full recovery I’m grateful that my husband and myself have been double vaccinated.
mascotlinda@gmail.com Twitter: @lindamascot Instagram: @lindyloumascot
I have been taking part in a daily Covid testing scheme where I take a lateral flow test every morning and upload the result with photographic evidence of a negative test to be able to undertake essential tasks outside the home. If the trial is successful, it will be more widely available and hopefully stop another complete lockdown or ever-rising numbers of people self-isolating. I would urge anyone to take the vaccine when offered - it really offers protection against an indiscriminate illness. I’ll continue to volunteer at a local vaccine centre. If you’d like to get involved contact Chelmsford Centre Supporting Voluntary Action (CVS) at info@ chelmsfordcvs.org.uk or ring 01245 351888. If you need any help or support at this time, CVS are a local Community Resilience Hub and continue to work in partnership with Chelmsford City Council. You can call the direct local community helpline and be connected to local support and services on 01245 280 731. During the wet weather in July, weeds at the edges of pathways and kerbs were looking really unruly due to prolific growth. The main problem was that weed killer seemed to be washed away and weeds were worse than I’ve ever seen them along Robin Way. The responsibility of weed control is down to Essex County Council Highways and can be reported by ringing 0345 603 7631 or via the Essex County Council Highways website. I hope you enjoy the summer and stay well.
Where Do You Take Your Disapointment?
Can you remember where you were when it happened? The England football team got so close and fell just shy of an excellent Italy team losing to the familiarly cruel lottery of a penalty shootout. I’m writing this on the morning after. And there were a lot of glum faces as I dropped my son off at school. A lot of disappointment. And it got me thinking about how we process our disappointment. What do we do with it? How do we express it? We’ve seen already that some have taken to social media to post racist and violent responses toward the England footballers who missed their penalties. Rightly and roundly condemned; the police are involved and we hope justice is done - this is evil and is never a justified way to deal with disappointment and we can never allow it to become one. We know the statistics that tells us that domestic violence increases on England football nights - whether they win or lose, but it’s much higher when they lose. Add a day of alcohol consumption and it’s hard to even think about what the consequences will be. This is also evil. The wrong way to deal with disappointment and we can never allow ourselves to become desensitised to it. We know racism and violence are wrong ways to deal with disappointment, but knowing that doesn’t always stop it. So the question remains - where do you go with your disappointment? www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia
Louise Blyth, in her book Hope is Coming (wonderfulnessoflife.com/ about-me) tells of her husband’s death from bowel cancer. She shares about the moment she had nowhere else to take her anger, disappointment and pain, and ended up in a country lane in the middle of the night, shouting and screaming at God. One of the things that can put people off asking questions about whether God exists, whether Jesus Christ is real and alive, and what happens after death, is that they think of God as austere and grumpy - but that’s the farthest from the truth that you can get! The Bible says God is like the loving father who runs and risks disgrace in order to embrace a son who has returned home after spitting in his father’s face a few years ago; like a shepherd who leaves his flock of sheep to search with desperation and drive to find the one who wandered away and got lost. He’s looking and longing for you. He wants to hold and handle and take all your anger and disappointment and pain - at England’s loss, but also of those broken relationships, and of the experiences over the pandemic, and all else besides. He’s looking and longing for you. Tim Goodall, Pastor, Tile Kiln Church tim.goodall@tilekilnchurch.org.uk tinyurl.com/y24qlkvx www.facebook.com/tilekilnchurch P.S. You can find out about Louise’s book here: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=RKklhWrPBIE. 27
Spot 10 Differences (Answers on Page 31)
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Charity of the Month Meadows Shopmobility Meadows Shopmobility is a small but very important independent charity in the city of Chelmsford where Geraldine Roe is Co-Ordinator. 12 dedicated volunteers man the office 5 days a week and there is a small team of trustees led by Brian Poole who is the Chairperson.
resident to use our service.
We run a membership scheme and the charity is committed to keeping the membership fees affordable for everyone. We also offer a casual hire scheme, so that anyone visiting Chelmsford that needs help to get around can come and hire a scooter or a wheelchair just for the day. You do not have to be a Chelmsford
Anyone over the age of 16 can hire a scooter (a 16 -17-year-old would need to be accompanied by an adult). You do not have to be registered disabled - anyone with a mobility problem, be it temporary or long term, can use the scheme. Scooter training and safety will be given upon casual hire and when taking out a membership. The charity has a holiday hire fleet too. This enables anyone that needs a scooter to go away on a staycation to keep mobile whilst out and about. We have acquired 2 new scooters to update the fleet - they are light and fold down small enough to fit in a car boot and they also fit into the hold of a coach. Many of our members hire them out for a couple of days to go on a coach day trip. This service is available to anyone that needs it. There is a hire charge and a deposit is required.
your needs, we will have something that will help with any mobility issue. We have a selection of wheelchairs, including a bariatric wheelchair, electric wheelchair, and a small child-size wheelchair. Self-propel wheelchairs and transit wheelchairs are available too. It is in our Charity Charter to help and assist people to be confident, independent and free to enjoy getting around the city, to aid people in their homes and to go away for that all important holiday. As a self-funding charity, we also run a secondhand bookshop, where all our stock is donated - we also recycle books. This boosts our funds to be able to offer the Shopmobility service. The shop is run by another team of dedicated volunteers. If you have any books to donate, please take them into the bookshop or call our office for more information on how you can donate your unwanted books and puzzles to us. Volunteers We are currently looking for volunteers. If you have 3 hours to help each week then please get in touch. We are currently looking for receptionists and scooter operatives - all training will be given. We are also looking for volunteer trustees - trustees oversee the running of the charity. If you are interested in any of the vacant positions, please contact Geraldine in the office. We are a caring and friendly team! For membership, holiday hire, casual hire fees and volunteering, please also contact Geraldine in the office on 01245 357 097 or email meadowsshopmobility@btconnect.com. Our book shop address is: 4 Market Road Chelmsford CM1 1XA Our office is located on the ground floor by the disabled bays in the multi-story car park (by the Odeon Cinema). It is from this address that scooters are hired from: Q-Park Carpark Can Bridge Way Chelmsford CM2 0WP We have a Facebook page too, please search ‘Meadows Shopmobility’ where you can ‘like’ and follow us. Here we will post updates on our service.
Manual wheelchairs are also part of the holiday hire scheme. Please contact the office on 01245 357 097 to book. This service is very popular, so please book early to avoid disappointment. It is the charity’s mission to invest in new equipment regularly, and along with the two new holiday hire scooters, we have also updated the range of larger scooters in the fleet. We have a variety of scooters to choose from which allow people to get out and about. So no matter
The bookshop can also be found on Facebook by searching ‘Chelmsford Community Bookshop’ - look out on this page for special offers running in the shop.All of our mediums tell you about what is going on at the charity and our current opening times. www.meadowsshopmobility.org.uk
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Spot the Difference Answers
HIGHWOOD ROOFING • roof/chimney repairs • new roofs/flat roofs • facias & soffits/guttering NO JOB TOO SMALL very competitive rates! All work guaranteed 07711606561/01245 422804
Sue Campbell MCFHP MAFHP
Home Visiting Foot Health Practitioner
Treatment of common foot problems • Routine nail care • Corn & callus • Ingrowing toenails • Hard skin
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Quiz Answers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19 20. 21.
Archimedes A score of 90 Sable Active by day Kiwi Tom O’Connor Traditional Welsh bread Right Breeds bees Blunt needle 1967 (by Pye) Dame Diana Rigg A gawky adolescent boy Hoppy birthday! 90 1 in 11 Enigma Rice Speaking several languages In your ear Sailing - turning your yacht into the wind
22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37.
Part of a chair back Administrative Affairs Cicada High speed train (Train a Grande Vitesse) Louvres 32 (representing London Boroughs) Hand tool for making small holes 60 1939 aged 14 years Squirrel Bradley Wiggins in 2012 Wore the same Bunny Girl outfit she wore in 1978 for the cover of Playboy Magazine. World Heritage Status from UNESCO Gurning Genetically Modified To combat the increase in 38. Mitch anti-social activities along our 39. Merrill, 62 years in showbiz coastline 40. Peach
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