Moulsham Times - December 2023

MT Welcome

Hi readers,

Welcome to the December edition of Moulsham Times

We hope you have a great festive break, whatever you are doing! Our deadline for the January edition is a little early, as we go to print just before Christmas:

Articles: 15th December

Artwork: 20th December

Please contact us for prices regarding advertising, and also for distribution details, then we can send over a detailed price list.

Regards

Paul

Advertising & Editorial

Paul

Mclean

01245 262082/07595 949701 paul@moulshamtimes.com

Pop Up Shop for Intense Records

Chelmsford’s vinyl specialists Intense Records, who normally reside in Viaduct Road and have done for the last 20 plus years, has popped up in the centre of the city in the Meadows Shopping Centre this Christmas, where they will be staying until mid January. They can be found next to The Works.

The team has worked impressively hard to fit the shop out in less than a week and have stocked the shelves with best-selling vinyl and CDs.

There is also a massive secondhand section for your crate digging pleasure - and if you are selling your collection, then please bring it in to either of our shops.

There’s a huge selection of music merchandise which will make perfect Christmas gifts to the music lovers in your life; from band T-shirts to mugs, to tea towels, coasters and so much more.

There is also a fantastic range of turntables, speakers and headphones to make sure your vinyl sounds crisp and clear with a range to suit all budgets.

In December, Intense will be having a series of in-store events when the Meadows open up for late night shopping every Thursday in December, running up to Christmas from 5pm-8pm. There will be live acts and a pop-up licensed bar thanks to our friends at Radio City & Voodoo Lounge. Live acts include Paolo Morena (The Mighty Small) on December 7th and Leanne Louise on the 14th December.

When you’re in town next, don’t forget to pop in and support your local record shop!

Regular customers don’t panic though, as the Viaduct Road location is still open as usual but with a bit of a different offering of vinyl selections in addition to the above.

Chelmsford - By Vicky Ford MP

I am delighted that the plans for a new junction at the Army and Navy have taken a huge step forward. The Outline Business Case for the Sustainable Transport Package was approved in November, backed by £68.75 million of government funding. The package incorporates the new junction as well as expansion of Park and Ride facilities and improvements to bus, cycle and pedestrian routes.

A new junction at the Army and Navy will make a huge difference to reducing traffic jams and grow our local economy. It is a complex project and will take time to deliver, but this approval means experts can now go full steam ahead to get planning approval, finalise engineering designs, procurement, appoint contractors, etc. The funding is conditional on all these elements going smoothly, and the total project is estimated to cost up to £81 million. I will continue to press for it to be delivered as quickly and as smoothly as possible.

I recently met with Greater Anglia bosses to request more Chelmsford starter trains. They have agreed to look at this when the timetable comes up for review. When Beaulieu Park Station opens, this will reduce the pressure on Chelmsford’s main station as well as reducing people driving through central Chelmsford to catch trains.

I recently visited the construction site of the new station to see the huge progress that is being made. The next few weekends and the Christmas to New Year period are absolutely critical to delivering this project. Two platforms have been already completed and from early January trains should start to use the new track on the north side of the current railway which will enable work to start on the platform to the south. This is all possible thanks to £250,000,000 of government funding for station and the bypass.

Our local police have been doing an exception job this autumn since they started more patrols and operations in the city centre. Recently, they made 24 arrests in central Chelmsford in one week alone and also took down a significant drugs line. Please do continue to report incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour. Across the UK, crime

rates have dropped by over 50% since 2010, and arrests have been made for car and bike thefts, but please do keep your car keys in a Faraday pouch and lock up your bikes - even when in a shed.

I was delighted to hear that funding has now been secured for improvements at Broomfield Hospital. This will increase ward and accident and emergency capacity of wards. The hospital has moved out of special measures following recent progress. Improvements are still required, but this is a very positive step forward. I would like to thank all staff who have worked hard to deliver this.

Thank you also to all the children who entered my Christmas card competition. We have some fantastically talented young people in Chelmsford! As ever, please do get in touch with your thoughts, or if you have an issue, by emailing vicky.ford.mp@parliament.uk.

Christmas Tree Recycling 2024

Following the success of last year’s tree collection and recycling, Helen Rollason Cancer Charity will again be offering to collect, take away and recycle your Christmas trees. They will be collecting trees in many CM and CO postcode areas between Friday 5th and Tuesday 9th January 2024.

You can book your tree collection on Helen Rollason Cancer Charity’s website (www.helenrollason.org.uk/event/christmas-tree-recycling). Donations would be gratefully received and every penny raised will go towards providing services for local people living with cancer.

Many businesses have already pledged to support the charity by providing vans, drivers and tree shredders. However, more help would be welcomed. If you are a local business and you can help, then the charity would be pleased to hear from you - please call on 01245 380 719. They are also looking for volunteers to assist with tree collections - if you would like some fresh air for a day and have a pair of gardening gloves, give the fundraising team a call on the same number.

Regal Kitchens Case Study

When Mr and Mrs N bought their property nine years ago, they knew that they wouldn’t want to keep the existing kitchen but decided to live with it for a while as they learned the pros and cons of the existing layout.

Although the kitchen layout worked for them, the furniture had seen better days and was in need of a refresh. Mrs N also wanted to reignite her passion for cooking and had her eye on some innovative appliances from NEFF that she wanted to upgrade to, which included a pyrolytic oven and venting hob. She was keen to make better use of the space available to give her more storage and include some clever solutions to make kitchen life more pleasant. The kitchen needed to work within the existing open-plan space and be suitable for their older children and family gatherings. Mr and Mrs N really wanted to include as large an island as possible in the room, but didn’t want this to impact the flow of the kitchen. Mrs N is a keen user of Pinterest and had gathered many great ideas from the platform, which helped her realise that she really wanted German furniture in 3 different colours to fulfil the look she was aiming for.

After researching on the internet, they narrowed their choice to two Essex-based companies with great customer feedback and access to quality German manufacturers. Visiting both showrooms, they invited the respective designers out to listen to their recommendations. They were particularly impressed with Regal Kitchens’ designer’s listening skills, and all ideas and wishes were incorporated into the design. He suggested moving the large American style fridge-freezer from the entrance view to a more discreet place, and it was also recommended that extra height wall units were used to give more storage space on either side of the kitchen as well as including some clever storage solutions to make access to larger cupboards simpler. A combination of three different colours can be difficult to make work outside of anything but the largest kitchens, however with the right design and a daring client it can be pulled off. Changing the existing

bulky extractor for the more modern venting hob really creates a more open, spacious area, and the new oven and combi mean that catering for family and friends is a breeze. The exposed brickwork creates yet another texture to add warmth and richness to the ambience of the room.

Mr N said, “Regal Kitchens certainly live up to their values - client focused, sincere and genuine from start to finish. Any issues were addressed promptly and communication was fantastic, they truly care. A huge thank you to John and his wonderful team, we are extremely grateful to you all, we are so so happy with our new kitchen. We have and will continue to recommend Regal to others.”

Mrs N added, “Regal Kitchens really listened to all of our ideas with sincerity and gave advice when we needed it. Everyone we have dealt with at Regal came across as very professional but with a real family-feel, which instilled trust from the outset. We never felt any pressure to make decisions, which was why they were the company for us - and we couldn’t be more pleased with the end result.”

Santa’s annual sleigh ride for charity by the Chelmsford Lions Club will once again raise funds that support local charities. The sled, accompanied by music and bells, will be driven around Chelmsford from 1st December for 19 evenings, up to 21st December - after which Santa will be busy with wrapping parcels, feeding reindeers and getting down chimneys!

Santa travels on the sleigh accompanied by elves and Santa’s helpers, who provide drivers and collectors for the team. These comprise Lions Club members, plus Chelmer Ladies Club and local charities that commit their time to collect on different nights throughout the city. These comprise Barrow Farm Riding for the Disabled, CHESS Homeless charity, Families in Focus, Farleigh Hospice, Haven Hospices, Helen Rollason, Guide Dogs for the Blind, the Mayor’s Charities, and New City Women’s Institute. Each charity uses funds their members collect, to support initiatives that help local people.

Our Sseigh routes cover roads in Broomfield, Springfield and Chignall in the north, plus Tile Kiln, Great Baddow and Galleywood in the south. Also the Beechenlea Estate, Moulsham and Writtle Road Crompton Estate toward the west, plus Chelmer Village and Sandon in the east. The sleigh also visits the town centre, Arbour Road, Princes Avenue and the Tabour Road area. Our collections include Morrison’s

Copperfield Road and Regiment Business Park stores and Tesco on Princes Avenue. Dates, routes and times for these visits are displayed on a sleigh tracker at the website mentioned below.

We hope you will welcome these charities visiting your area with the sleigh. We welcome donations by cash or on the website at www. chelmsfordlionsclub.org.uk, or the Facebook page, which receives cashless donations using the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) platform. Or by card using a SumUp card reader that will be available with the sleigh.

Jim Thomas, President of the Chelmsford Lions Club, said: “This will be our 33rd year taking the dleigh around the city. It is always a pleasure to see the excitement that young children show, and to meet families and single people who are happy to support our local charities.”

During 2022, the Chelmsford Lions Club collected £10,775 and presented cheques to the above-mentioned charities. After Christmas, the Lions Club will also engage with Farleigh Hospice’s Christmas Tree Collection during January 2024.

The Chelmsford Lions Club Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number is CIO-1185328.

High Street Christmas Light Switch on and Enlightened at Hylands Park

At M. Lucking & Sons, we’re proud to have been serving communities of Chelmsford and the surrounding areas for over 360 years. As an independent, family-owned business we have all the regional knowledge and years of experience to make sure everything runs smoothly. We also work in partnership with Golden Charter so you have a simple way to plan ahead with a pre-paid funeral plan. Contact us today for more information and our friendly staff will be happy to help.

Call: 01245 353733

M.

MT Gardening

As we move into December, take time to move around and clean and revamp patio pots. Even consider adding additional displays. For example, a terracotta container of 70cm x 70cm provides ample space to create a visually striking winter display in the UK.

For vibrant and resilient winter colour, consider a combination of plants with varying textures, shapes, and hues that can withstand colder temperatures and thrive during the winter months. Here’s a selection of plant species that can beautifully adorn such a container:

1. Skimmia japonica ‘Rubella’: This evergreen shrub features deep red buds that open into fragrant white flowers in spring. However, during winter its glossy, leathery leaves provide a rich green backdrop, and the red buds add a pop of colour, offering an elegant touch to the container.

2. Bergenia ‘Winterglut’ (Winter Glow): Known for its stunning foliage, this perennial displays glossy, leathery leaves that transform from green to a vibrant red or bronze hue during winter. The deep red intensifies with colder temperatures, contributing a bold splash of colour to the arrangement.

3. Heuchera ‘Purple Palace’: This compact perennial boasts striking purple leaves that maintain their colour throughout winter. The foliage of ‘Purple Palace’ offers a contrast in colour and texture, creating a captivating visual appeal in the container arrangement.

4. Helleborus niger (Christmas Rose): Renowned for its early winter blooms, the Christmas rose produces delicate white flowers with yellow centres, providing a charming and delicate touch to the container. Its evergreen foliage also contributes to the overall visual interest during winter.

5. Cyclamen coum: These low-growing perennials offer a burst of colour with their dainty, pink or white flowers against marbled foliage. Their ability to thrive in colder temperatures makes them a perfect addition to the container, adding a cheerful and delicate accent.

To create a visually appealing arrangement in the terracotta container:

• Begin by placing a taller plant like Skimmia japonica ‘Rubella’ toward the centre or back of the container to provide a focal point.

• Surround the Skimmia with Bergenia ‘Winterglut’ and Heuchera ‘Purple Palace’ placed at varying heights to create layers and texture.

• Add Cyclamen coum around the edges or in gaps between the taller plants for a delicate, colourful touch.

• Finally, consider planting Helleborus niger towards the front or slightly off-centre for its beautiful blooms to stand out.

Ensure to use a high quality peat-free potting mix suitable for container plants and provide adequate drainage for the terracotta pot. I tend to place pots on feet (a couple of bricks would suffice) to aid in drainage during the winter months to avoid rotting or roots or freezing conditions. Feeding shouldn’t really be required until the spring months.

This combination of plants in the terracotta container will not only provide winter colour, but also create an eye-catching and visually appealing display, enhancing the outdoor space with its charm and elegance during the colder months in the UK.

For other tasks to keep you active for December, check out this RHS link: www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/december.

Regards for now,

Tom Cole

Nick Garner’s Music & Ramblings

This is it then; the final article and the last edition of the Moulsham Times for 2023! I wish you all good and happy festive season, and let’s hope for a better 2024 for all of the planet.

I have just heard a bit of good news about the Shire Hall and the Essex Shire Hall Trust, who have people involved that I am sure will do a grand job. The Essex Shire Hall Trust does not yet have the Shire Hall, but they do have an option on it - so now they have to come up with a workable proposal for the benefit of us the people, and not just a business to make profit. I am sure we will hear more about this as time moves on, so keep your ears and eyes peeled.

As the festive season approaches, the lights have gone on and decorations are going up all around the globe, sadly though people will also be getting into debt buying what they cannot afford. For me as usual, my Christmas will be pretty quiet; I will visit my family on the day which will be fantastic and l will see a few friends over the break, otherwise I will be mainly on my own like many others. I do hope the weather is okay so we can go out for walks and maybe visit some places like the coast or our countryside and parks.

You will be aware that I do not know of a lot that goes on around me as my main interest is music and I don’t have much free time either. To be honest, I don’t go out a lot these days except for music and l do tend to get a bit tired. So please do let us know if you know of anything that could be of interest to the readers of either the Moulsham Times or our other publication The City Times so we can let the readers know. You will find our contact details below or on page three of this publication. If you are on Facebook, it’s worth checking out a couple of pretty good pages: The Real Old Moulsham Neighbours page and What’s Going On Chelmsford.

It is sad to see that we have now lost our only chemist in Moulsham Street, so we have to go hunting elsewhere now. With The Bay Horse now also gone, it’s getting rather quiet down that end. We do though have a couple of new openings, with Ditto the cocktail bar now next to Tesco, and a couple of doors along there’s a new tattoo studio, and Blue Sky Dentist has moved to the main part of Moulsham Street with a new bigger practice.

It is good to see that Moulsham Street is still pretty vibrant overall as is the small part of Old Baddow Road with the new Flour and Spoon bakery and café which is very good. There’s also the Amalfi Bistro having just opened as well. It seems the independents are the ones going for it and doing okay these days, yet compare this to the High Street and all the empty properties we have there... Work is going on in the old Debenhams for the forthcoming Range, so let’s wait and see what that is like when it opens.

Do remember that Hylands Park and other places have their ‘light walks’ on and of course, Jack and the Beanstalk has just started here in Chelmsford at the theatre after being postponed last year.

I did notice that the fireworks were a lot quieter this year and seemingly there were fewer this year too, so let’s hope that people went to the organised events and that they used quieter fireworks or even silent ones. When the lights were switched on in Chelmsford the other day the fireworks at the end were so loud! They just terrify some people of all ages and creatures both domestic and wild. I know of someone who lives a few miles away who thought it was a bomb going off! Next up is New Year; lets see what happens then.

Music

We have just a couple of shows left for 2023 (see the poster in this magazine). We have been busy working on next year’s line-up of course, and we are we are pretty much now getting there. I have just booked an act for Friday 1st March which is not on the poster

yet. They are Transmission, and they play the music of Joy Division and believe me they are great.

Now going back slightly, I have been to see some great shows this year, including Dhani Harrison (son of George) in London. I’ve also been to see The Hollies, as well as Jools Holland and a few others at Hot Box, and Barleylands Blues Club. I’ve also seen Hamish Stuart with his band: when he plays for me l am working, so this time I was able to enjoy it!

Coming up shortly is Connor Selby, then on Thursday 7th December we have, at Hot Box, two of the world’s number one acoustic guitarists with Tim Edey (he won BBC Musician of the Year twice and has played with The Chieftain’s for ten years) and Chelmsford’s own Clive Carroll (voted as one of the world’s top ten acoustic pickers) who has to be seen to be believed. This is a rare show as both of these guys play their own shows but rarely get to play together. Tickets are just £15 and you can prebook by text or calling 07508 496 411.

Please do check out the poster in this mag - we have some great acts coming up, and some you may know and some you may not. I would suggest checking out the ones you don’t know on YouTube, like Malcolm Bruce, Held By Trees, Cold Flame and Jah Wobble.

When we return to the Social Club in February, we are back with a bang with Jim Cregan who played and recorded with Family, Cockney Rebel and has 20 years with Rod Stewart. Then we have Nine Below Zero who I am sure most of you know. Both shows have fantastic opening acts as well, and I will tell you more about those coming up in future editions and also in The City Times

Do please check out our What’s On guide in The City Times or go online - I know Hot Box has a full programme. I will also be helping out during the jazz concerts at the Social Club on Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd December.

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. If you 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 at the Chelmsford Social Club 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 for both the Chelmsford Social Club and Hot Box 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-up price.

For all Black Frog Presents gig updates and information go to www. linktr.ee/BlackFrogPresents, or scan the QR code in the poster in this magazine.

It would also be fantastic if you could also share our magazines, The City Times and Moulsham Times, for us - just go to our websites for the online versions: www.thecitytimes.co.uk and www. moulshamtimes.com.

Photo: Terry Reid band & Del Bromham

Little Victories and Positivity - By Cllr Marie Goldman

OK - so not quite yet, but in my book it really is OK now to start playing festive songs and to put up fairy lights and mistletoe (if that’s your thing of course). I’ll admit that I can be a bit bah-humbug about starting the festivities too early. It’s not that I don’t like Christmas, I really, really do. It’s just that you can peak too early with mince pies and renditions of Driving Home for Christmas (which is my all-time favourite Christmas song). Gotta love some Chris Rea! But it’s December now, so go for it. Let the parties and carol singing commence!

In the meantime, I’ve got a few small victories to report this month. First of all, I know that the broken streetlights in our parks are frustrating to many residents. I’m still working on trying to get Essex County Council to fix the two by the pedestrian roundabout in Central Park, but I have recently received confirmation that finally, after some five years, they will be reconnecting power to the run of lights in Bell Meadow alongside Bellmead. I have been promised that these will be fixed before Christmas and while I won’t hold my breath, I will be very pleased if they are - especially seeing as these were broken by Essex Highways in the first instance when they were commissioned to do the works at the entrance to the park when it was refurbished in 2018.

Secondly, the temporary plastic safety barriers that had been put in place by the Army & Navy roundabout have finally been replaced with new barriers. I’m glad this has been done as this is a very busy crossing next to an extremely busy road. It’s important to make sure vehicles and pedestrians are safely separated.

Finally, Cllr Simon Goldman and I have been working with residents, the City Council, and Chelmsford College to tackle the persistent issue of litter along Princes Road. I’m very pleased to report that a brand new litter bin has been installed by the pedestrian crossing on Princes Road between Lady Lane and the Lidl roundabout near the cut-through to Fortinbras Way, as shown in the photo on the left. When I spotted that it had been installed, I could see that it was already being put to good use with plenty of litter already safely inside it, instead of potentially being blown down the road and getting caught up in the grass and the bushes.

Over the past few months, I’ve been out and about a couple of times on Nights of Action with officers from Chelmsford City Council, together with police and enforcement officers from the South Essex Parking Partnership and others. These are targeted operations providing highvisibility policing and patrols in Chelmsford City Centre, talking to businesses, reminding people of the rules and making sure that everyone stays safe in our city centre.

When I joined the teams in November, we were also accompanied by assessors for the Purple Flag award, which is given to places that achieve excellence in the evening and night-time economy. As we were wandering around our city centre, it was nice to be able to point out all of the positive things that are happening. Of course, there is always room for improvement, but it was good to be able to point out the pedestrianisation of Tindal Square that has now been completed (I do know the lights aren’t working yet - at the time if writing, we were still waiting for UK Power Networks to connect the power), and the bars and restaurants that are doing so well and winning awards, such as Kaani Kanna and Taste of Italy.

I know it’s tempting to moan about things (broken streetlights and potholes are a particular bugbear of lots of us - me included!), but it’s also important to appreciate the good things. There genuinely are a lot of positive things happening in Chelmsford at the moment and it was lovely to be able to focus on them for a while. I very much hope Chelmsford will be re-accredited for its Purple Flag status. Fingers crossed for the results of the assessment.

Of course, this is the last Moulsham Times for 2023. Where did that time go? It seems to have been over in a flash! Whatever your plans are for the next few weeks, I hope you’re able to spend some time with friends and family.

Wrap up warm and have fun.

Marie Cllr Marie Goldman marie.goldman@chelmsfordlibdems.org.uk

Deputy Leader, Chelmsford City Council Ward Councillor for Moulsham and Central Essex County Councillor for Chelmsford Central Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Chelmsford

Non-Spoiler Film Reviews - By Henry Godfrey-Evans

Cat Person

It’s taken me a minute just now to work out the reason for this title. My eventual epiphany is that It’s a film about first impressions, and how you assess someone you might have interest in.

It’s very quirky and entertaining. One of those where you come out of the theatre feeling like you’ve been entertained, but perhaps it won’t pop into your head often.

Director Susanna Fogel knew what she was doing and I think she’ll be great.

73/100

Five Nights at Freddy’s

Based on a horror video game with a very wide audience. A lot of people came out to see how they would do these creepy animatronic villains - and I think they succeeded in that sense. They were done practically rather than through CGI and, if I’m honest, it was the one thing this film had going for it.

About 10 minutes of horror, 5 minutes of funny characters, and then over an hour of boring character development. Zero development and originality.

Elizabeth Lail is really not up to standard. It’s mean, but this is a review.

33/100

Bottoms

This came out months ago in America and honestly, it kind of looked like one of those new annoying high school comedies.

I must say though as far as those high school spoofs go, I laughed my head off constantly for about half an hour - and I mean straight. I had hardly any time to let my grin drop.

It did kind of falter later on but I’ll be supporting these kinds of movies whenever I can because it was just pure fun. Nicholas Galitzine was so good that I’m instantly a superfan.

Love it.

87/100

The Marvels Marvel really doesn’t try anymore, it’s like they’re in such a rush to start rendering their CGI that they’ve started digging into the pile of rejected scripts.

Characters were boring and forgettable as usual.

The one solace with this particular film is there was some decent comedy, but it’s few and far between. You end up hoping the pretty visuals will keep you focused.

43/100

The Killer

I’d be surprised if this ended up being the first film you watch about a methodical assassin who hardly talks, the plot thickening when their usual perfection suffers a momentary lapse.

However, I think the execution of this was great - little details that made me believe he was at the top of his profession, and certain scenes illustrated ‘the game’ they were a part of delightfully.

I generally assign 80+ ratings when I don’t want a film to end and this was one.

85/100

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes I was so excited for this; I’ve always thought The Hunger Games dystopia was one of the cooler worlds out there, and because of the

writers strikes there were less of those annoying trailers (I didn’t intend for this intro to sound so damning).

The intro was fantastic; plunged straight back into the bloodthirsty conflict and erratic characters. Delightful. I mean it when I say those stretches of films are the highlights of my week.

I didn’t think the story thrived throughout however, and the ‘games’ weren’t as interesting this time around, but it was entertaining, unique and displayed some strong acting.

78/100

Thanksgiving

Again, it was instantly unique. Everyone knows this was supposed to be in the slapstick gore camp, but the tone they went with was so shocking, fun and hilariously sadistic.

I do think a weakness it had was how they straddled that line between comedy-spoof and serious tension, but overall it was fresh and enjoyable.

The mystery was decent but it wore garments from many many other films I’ve seen, so it returns a solid B-rating.

68/100

Saltburn

Going into this I had such faith because the leads, Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan, are always magnificent.

What developed was a bromance with undertones, absolutely stuffed with charisma and natural conversation. It went as smoothly as a film about ‘people’ could have gone. Anyway, that’s the first 45 minutes accounted for.

What occurred afterwards transgressed all of the boundaries of civilised cinema. Explicit, outlandish and risky. At this forkroad you either went with it, or began shaking your head. I was the former but I’ll admit it was delicate.

I think I was in the right mood for it.

86/100

henrygodfreyevans@gmail.com

Do You Know Your ABCs? - By Ola Adamolekun

In October 2023, I found myself in the weird and wonderful world of seated/ chair-based exercise. To put this into context, at the end of September 2023 I left my job in the NHS as a Health and Wellbeing Coach to concentrate on building my business. I had been working on an additional personal training qualification called Supporting Clients With Long Term Conditions. This had been dragging on for months. However, once I had resigned from the NHS I finished it within 2 weeks. ‘So now what?’ I thought.

Once I was a free agent, I started making connections within the local community and attending health and well-being events. A friend had seen an advert for instructors to conduct chair-based exercises in various libraries around Chelmsford. I enquired and voila! Here I am - a seated/chair-based instructor in two libraries in Chelmsford. I cannot believe how quickly it happened.

In case you are worrying, I have done some training around seated exercise because it is a bit different to standing exercises. However, the long and short of it is that you can take most exercises that you do standing and adapt them to be done seated.

This opens a whole new world of opportunity for those with mobility issues. The purpose of this article is to encourage people to try

something new. There is a lot of information in the press and the NHS around frailty, and falls in the senior population are increasing - and that’s where the ABCS come into it.

A is for Agility

B is for Balance

C is for Coordination

S is for Strength

These are the main qualities I am to teach in my seated exercise classes. But I will go into that in future articles (I feel another miniseries coming on!). However, I just want to talk about how the classes are going in this article.

I was not sure who was going to turn up (if anybody) since the library were doing most of the promotion. I had invited a couple of people and I was glad that they turned up. We do all the classic primal human movements - push, pull, hinge, twist, squat, lunge, and gait. All the movements we perform in our daily lives are built around these primal patterns. Most falls and injuries occur when one or more of these primal patterns is not performed correctly, so it is important to incorporate them into exercise especially for people who may be limited in their mobility.

So, who is this class for? Most people think that seated/chair-based exercise is for seniors. That is not strictly true - anyone can do it. Just think about most of the exercise machines in the gym - a lot of them are seated. My seated exercise classes are not as vigorous as my other exercise classes, however they just as challenging.

The first classes went well, and I was so impressed by the amount of effort the participants put in. My sneaky goal was to get most of the participants doing the exercises standing and some of them achieved this in the first session. After doing an exercise once, they were all keen to try the harder variation the next time - very impressive. They surprised themselves.

Anyway, as I said, seated/chair-based exercise is for anyone - so why not come along and give it a go? There are 2 classes a week: One in Great Baddow Library at 2pm on a Wednesday and another one in North Melbourne Library on Friday at 4.30pm. I am looking forward to seeing some of you there. Happy lifting!

www.beencouragedwellness.co.uk www.facebook.com/BeEncouragedBeStrong

CCR Latest News

It was lovely to see thousands of people at the Christmas Lights Switch on - thank you to everyone who came to watch the line-up at the Christmas Tree Stage. It really was a wonderful afternoon and our very own Shakey was proud to showcase some of the amazingly talented performers and musicians that our fantastic city has to offer. Don’t forget, Shakey has a great three-hour long show every Tuesday between 7pm - 10pm jam-packed with tracks from many local and unsigned artists. If you know someone in a band who isn’t being featured already, get them to email their tracks to unsigned@ chelmsfordcommunityradio.com.

Talking of shows, have you caught any of our new ones yet? Don’t worry if you’ve missed them. All of our shows are available to catchup with on our mixcloud page www.mixcloud.com/chelmsfordcr. Plus we are excited to share that there are even more new shows and presenters on the way in the new year. Keep an eye on our social media pages for news and also look out for our Instagram reels by serching, ‘@chelmsfordcr’.

Finally, we have already mentioned this in The City Times but thought we’d mention again about our success at the 2023 Community Radio Awards. Where 15-year-old Friday Drive at 5 presenter Daisy Barker gained Silver in the Young Person under 25 category. As well as that, our pantomime, Frankenstein, won Gold in this year’s awards. We have been producing radio pantomimes for four years and each year they get better and better. The scripts are written and produced by Jared Bates and Michelle Durant, and the cast consists of a mix of our presenters and local performers, and the storylines all have local elements included. This year’s pantomime, Treasure Island, is already in production and you can listen to it on Christmas Day at 3.10pm.

Have a great month, and we’ll be back in the next issue with more station news.

www.chelmsfordcommunityradio.com

Hello everyone. Getting a bit colder now, as expected for November/ December, so I hope you’re all prepared for the winter weather. I have several waterproof coats and trousers, so I should be OK.

A few silly things to mention this month.

I am sure that you will have seen in the media that a tree was cut down in Northumberland. It was the ancient Sycamore Gap Tree. Very historic. I’ve seen pictures of the fallen tree, and I I am not a tree cutting specialist, but it looks like a professional job to me. After an investigation it was reported in the press that officials thought it was a deliberate act of vandalism. I think I could have worked that out - unless of course, a lumberjack with his chainsaw running accidentality got too close as he walked by...

On a completely different subject, I think that I have activated an invisibility cloak on my wife’s car. You know that one that hides spaceships in sci-fi films to avoid being seen by the enemy. On more than three occasions in the last week, other drivers have just pulled out in front of me at junctions. The worst offender was one that pulled out when I was about 4 metres from the junction. It was near enough for me to see the driver’s face, who then just carried on regardless. I need to find that button!

It reminds me of an incident some years ago when I worked with a research scientist in the electronics industry. He was a very nice man and very bright, but a bit eccentric. He was late into work one day, so I asked what had held him up. He explained that most of his journeys to work had been delayed because a bus did a three point turn blocking the road and forcing him to stop. This morning, he decided that he would not stop. Neither did the bus, resulting in a minor accident and making him late, he was laughing as he told me. As I said, eccentric...

There has been quite a lot of stuff in the media about self-service tills in shops. One report explained that Booth’s supermarkets are to shut most of these in their stores, saying the customers did not like them. Incidently, I don’t know if you have visited one of their shops (I don’t think they have any in the south of the country), but I have and they are wonderful. My family think that I am a bit of a supermarket geek, as I quite often use them almost every day of the week!

Anyway, to get back on track, I think there is an argument to keep some of the self-service tills. I often shop for a small number of items and it is mostly quicker and avoids the queues at the regular checkouts. So I feel that there is a compromise here; keep some of the self-service ones and allow customers to make a choice. I have not been into a store yet where the only way to pay for your goods is to serve yourself. Like most people, I do get a bit frustrated when things go wrong.

Looking at the news stories this month, I see it is 90 years since the first sighting of the Loch Ness Monster. It was 12th November 1933 when a man named Hugh Gray snapped the first-known photograph of a creature lurking in the Loch. Since then, there have been 1,155 official sightings... What? Unbelievable. I think it is a good story and I expect it boosts the local economy when the visitors come. I can understand that some of the early photos are a bit unclear, but why is it that the latest ones are almost as blurred, when lots of people

have very good cameras and mobile phones? Perhaps I am just cynical!

Apparently, more than a thousand soft balls have been found washed up on the shores of the Tee Valley. I think someone saw them and floated the idea that they should be collected...

In Australia, a postie left a parcel somewhere on an 800 acre farm. To be fair, he had taken a picture of the location, but there were loads of trees and similar terrain on the farm, so the photo wasn’t much good. I think the owner found it in the end... And there’s me getting all annoyed when I got a note in the door that the parcel had been put over the fence - but unfortunately it was not our fence, but one three doors down!

Well, it’s that time of the year again and the Christmas stuff has been on sale for about four months. I am not a big fan of these early sales, but I guess it must work or the shops wouldn’t do it.

Have a great time and I wish you all a happy and healthy 2024.

Bin End Chuckles

A spa hotel is like a normal hotel, except for the picture of a stone in the foyer...

What did the drummer call his daughters? Anna One and Anna Two!

Keep well and be good to each other.

The Repair Shop for Slides, Negatives & VHS

Christmas is coming. Are you expecting to be busy?

Yes and no! People are saving more money these days, but then again, there’s always a last minute ‘Eureka moment’ where someone decides on a lovely unique present for a loved one - and getting your old slides repaired in time for Christmas is, well, a perfect gift.

To be honest, there’s very few people now with slides who can actually see them properly on a projector these days, and besideswe all want things easily accessible on a computer these days too!

You are now doing VHS videotape conversions too?

Indeed so. It took a few enquiries to make sure it was worth investing the time into some new equipment, but so far it’s been great. I carefully researched the equipment available and decided what to buy. Unlike the old VHS-to-VHS copying machines, which badly degraded copies each time they copied, I can now copy VHS videotape to the same exact level of quality it was on the original VHS tape - no degradation. These are the advantages of digital!

One thing to note though, we are all so used to high quality HD, UHD 4K and blu-ray, that VHS video can be a little bit of a shock at how it compares to what we have now, etc. VHS is one step down from a very basic DVD, at least!

Can you do the same repair job with video?

No, this is not possible. The copy is simply the exact copy from the videotape - there’s nothing that can be done to remaster an old video, especially as the camera sources can vary in quality so much. A bit of lightening on a dark video is about all that can be done.

How does repairing slides and 35mm negatives work though? Slides and negatives are as good a quality (depending on the photographer!) as ever, so scanning them at huge resolutions allows me to manually - no AI here - repair each image. As a slide or negative is generally about an inch wide, all those fingerprints and that daily dirt gets magnified as well, so there’s always a lot of care and digital cleaning is required.

What do you enjoy about the process?

For me, giving people back their memories is something to cherish. Slides WILL degrade and eventually become unusable over time, as the emulsion can get destroyed with fungus from fingerprints or simply be scratched as they are so delicate. Restoring something that brings joy and memories back to people is great.

You mentioned AI briefly, explain the pros and cons here? It has to be understood that we are dealing here with precious memories. Whenever you see an ad on social media as to how a grainly old image has been so miraculously enhanced, you need to have a good long think about how this is being done.

You simply cannot put back what isn’t there - so what happens with these amazing AI enhanced images is that you end up with a great looking image - but I’m afraid to say it’s not Great Uncle John anymore as such; it just looks like him.

For example, AI will pool from millions of similar eyes or noses in its database - a bit like an advanced version of a classic police facial composite identikit drawing we have all seen in some old police series, like The Sweeney. So regretfully, you end up with an image that may not be completely Great Uncle John anymore. Which to me is not right - as these are precious images. So do beware...

That’s interesting. So what do you do that’s different? I simply adjust what is there. Everything gets fed into Photoshop once scanned and with the ability to manually remove blemishes and marks but not add anything that wasn’t in the original photo, you get an accurate image as a final result. And more to the point; it’s an image I can be pleased about finally getting to be as good as it can possibly get.

So who have you done work for over the years?

Well, I’ve done work for creative agencies in big cites, politicians, steam train enthusiast companies, mountain climbers, jungle explorers, and so many various other businesses and interesting people - but I’ve also done my best with a single old image that was found on the floor of a shed for someone too!

My favourite jobs are simply for folk who have tons of images they may not have seen for years, and creating them as carefully restored images that will now last forever that they can show to their grandchildren and their children. That’s the biggest satisfaction; the thought of a family over Christmas sharing all these long-hidden images once more. It’s quite idyllic I suppose, but then why not!

So how does someone go about getting slides, negatives or videotape copied?

With video, the good thing is that the turnaround is very fast - I just need to run the video in realtime to copy. Slides and 35mm negs are different, as each individual image needs digitally processing and cleaning and carefully enhancing to make it look its best. a 2-week turnaround on around 200 slides is common.

VHS video I will copy for £15 per tape, while slides and negatives are costed at 50p per image. 50p doesn’t sound a lot, but when someone provides 2,000 slides for a Christmas job, it adds up!

Is there anything else you might want to add to the company for the future?

Possibly. It depends on how many enquiries I get to decide if investing in additional knowledge and new equipment is worthwile. I can now copy VHS videotape, but maybe there might be opportunites to be able to copy other formats too, who knows - we will see!

www.slidetodigital.co.uk

Grove Road Evangelical Church

It’s nearly time for Christmas again, isn’t it? Time to get all those decorations up. Time to finish buying all those presents. Time to get the cupboards and freezer stocked up with food for the celebrations. For lots of us it will mean a time to relax and time off work, even if only for a day or two. A time to meet with friends and family. Christmas seems to be all about time, doesn’t it!

But isn’t Christmas really supposed to be a time to remember the birth of Jesus two thousand years ago? Isn’t it a time to reflect on the fact that the eternal, infinite God stepped into his creation as a real human being?

As someone who knew Jesus well wrote: ‘And the Word (the one who is eternal and was creator and sustainer of the universe) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth’. Do you want to see beyond the mundane things of life and catch a glimpse of God’s glory? Or to see what God’s grace looks like in a world often so

devoid of grace? Or know the real truth about life and the universe, truth revealed by God himself? Then use this Christmas as an opportunity to get to know Jesus for yourself.

Visit our website to find out the times when we meet over Christmas to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Saviour of the world. We look forward to seeing you.

May this Christmas be a time of blessing and hope as you discover the real meaning of Christmas, with Jesus at its centre.

Philip

Loose, Senior Pastor

Grove Road Evangelical Church (Behind Tesco Express, Moulsham Street)

www.grecuk.co.uk pastor@grecuk.co.uk

MT History: Chelmsford and the Normandy Invasion - By Henri Lewi

In the spring of 1944, Chelmsford was the scene of an important grouping of US forces in preparation for the invasion of France. The First US Army Group, often referred to as FUSAG, under the command of General George Patton was spread over much of East Anglia and other parts of south east England.

Here in this part of Essex, an important component of this FUSAG, the US 14th Army under the command of General John P Lucas, was headquartered in Little Waltham. The 14th Army was composed of 7 divisions; two were US airborne troops with the remaining five being infantry divisions. All were being readied and prepared for the invasion of France. A constituent part of the 14th army, namely the XXXVII Corps comprising two divisions, was physically stationed in Great Baddow and fully attached to FUSAG in July 1944. Other constituent parts of the US 14th Army were based in Suffolk around Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich.

The First US Army Group (FUSAG) was being readied to support the Normandy Invasion of June 1944 by landing its troops in the northern part of France around the Calais region - except for one thing; FUSAG and its component armies didn’t exist. There were no US troops based in Chelmsford - the 14th US army was fictitious; they were all part of major deception operation to convince the enemy that a second major landing of Allied troops was going to take place in northern France and so prevent the German occupying forces from moving additional troops as reinforcements to oppose the Normandy landings.

The Role of FUSAG was part of a complex deception operation know as Operation Fortitude, which involved the creation of two sets of phantom armies.

Operation Fortitude North was based around Edinburgh with the use of the fictitious British 4th Army being readied to invade Norway. Two British (double) agents nicknamed ‘Mutt and Jeff’ provided sufficient false information to German Military Intelligence to convince the German High Command that an invasion of Norway by Allied Forces was imminent. So successful was Operation Fortitude North, that Hitler and his commanders kept 13 army divisions (somewhere in the region of 130,000 men) in position to await this invasion.

Operation Fortitude South was more complex; it involved false radio traffic, use of double agents, and multiple fields of decoy tanks, balsawood aeroplanes, empty tents and even dummy landing craft moored off the coast of Kent. The use of the fictitious US 14th Army based in Chelmsford was an important component of this major deception. The use of the Signals’ intelligence and false radio traffic together with the use of double agents (the most famous of whom

was codenamed ‘Garbo’), ensured that the German High Command were convinced that the Normandy landings were simply a diversion and that the major route of the invasion of France would take place via Calais. As a consequence, the German High Command held many of its best troops and armoured forces in reserve to await the Calais invasion, which of course never happened.

Undoubtedly, Operation Fortitude was a great success, and Fortitude South ensured that the landings in Normandy were successful, paving the way to the liberation of France and the low countries.

Time to Get Active!

We all know that getting active boosts our physical and mental wellbeing, but it is all too easy to put off exercise indefinitely, as there is always something else to be done. For some, physical activity is a chore, but even for those of us that are sold on the idea of exercising, finding the time and space to fit it into our busy lives can be a challenge. I find that helping people to find something that they love to do and showing them how good they can feel is a good way of encouraging them to prioritise getting active and finding the time for themselves to exercise.

At Hummingbird, our pilates and yoga classes are a fabulous gateway into encouraging people into becoming more active, in a flexible, friendly way that is right for them. Our classes are particularly well suited to people who are inactive, or who have long-term conditions and may be too anxious to join a gym or undertake other group exercise options.

As a Neuromusculoskeletal Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, I am highly aware of the need for people to improve their health and well-being, manage their weight, increase fitness and strength and develop active coping strategies, preventing and managing long-term conditions. Research shows that this need is even greater for women than it is for men. 39% of women aged 16 and over are not active enough to get the full health benefits of sport and activity (Sport England). A survey by Nuffield Health Healthier National Index found that 8,000 adults, 38% of women, had done no exercise in the last year. Women are generally found to be less active than men initially

Cards For Good Causes Pop-up Returns to Chelmsford

Visit the charity pop-up at Chelmsford Central Library to give back this Christmas The season for giving is almost upon us, and as the cost-of-living crisis continues to impact UK households, making meaningful purchases is a must this Christmas. That’s why Cards For Good Causes are delighted to announce that their pop-up shop has returned to Chelmsford, for all your festive needs!

The charity is delighted to have opened the doors of its shop located at Chelmsford Central Library, Market Road. With beautiful greeting cards, advent calendars and gifts galore, a visit to the Chelmsford Cards For Good Causes shop is guaranteed to have local residents, visitors and tourists singing carols, decking the halls and spreading festive cheer!

It doesn’t stop there either. Shoppers can stock up on stunning gift wrap and decorations, stationery and homeware too, all whilst raising much-needed vital funds for the charity of their choice. The full selection is also available to purchase online, with same-day dispatch and free shipping on orders over £40: www.cardsforcharity.co.uk.

As the UK’s largest multi-charity Christmas card organisation, Cards For Good Causes has opened shops around the UK each year since 1959, raising over £40 million for local and national charities in the last decade alone. Charities that will be supported by the money raised this year include a new addition of the Terrence Higgins Trust, as well as Cancer Research UK, Diabetes UK, Perennial, NSPCC, Epilepsy Action, Barnardo’s and many more local and national charities.

Cherry Whiteside, CEO at Cards For Good Causes says: “We are delighted to have opened our doors again this year, all thanks to the support of the Chelmsford community! If you’re looking for Christmas cards and gifts that give back, we have a fantastic selection available for you to purchase, all whilst supporting the charities of your choice. We hope to welcome you to our shop very soon!”

Cards For Good Causes is still recruiting for shop managers. Those interested in finding out more can find vacancy information here: www.cardsforcharity.co.uk/join-us.

and this continues through adulthood. Increasing physical activity to the recommended 150 minutes a week protects against many long-term conditions and improves outcomes for those already living with one. We hope that people who visit our studio get a wonderful introduction to the benefits of pilates and yoga which has a lasting impact on their activity levels and attitudes towards physical activity, encouraging them to remain active long term, promoting better overall health and well-being.

We hope to show you the power of yoga and pilates in improving strength, flexibility, balance, posture, pain management, relaxation, mindfulness and active coping strategies. We believe that exercise is medicine with a long list of positive side effects, flatter tummy included. Whether pilates or yoga are your thing or not, we hope that it encourages you to try something new, that could have a lasting positive legacy on your overall health and well-being. For those of you that would like to give it a try please book online at www. hummingbirdpilates.co.uk using the code ‘HPYFREECLASS’ to try a free class either at the studio or online.

For anyone that thinks it couldn’t possibly be for them, why don’t you test that theory and give it a try? For everyone else, try and remember what you loved doing in the past - whether it be dancing the night away, playing football or gardening, and find a way of doing something similar, and at a level that suits you now.

Best wishes,

Ellie

Urgent Appeal For Used Postage Stamps For Charity

I am writing to you on behalf of Friends of Bone Cancer Research Trust to ask for your help at any time, but especially as it is Christmas time. We are a group of people throughout the UK who are raising funds independently for this wonderful charity. Thank you to everyone who has helped us over the year.

More postage stamps are used in December than any other time of the year. We are appealing for your support this Christmas by asking your readers to save their used, new and obsolete postage stamps from the UK and overseas, Horizon labels and Royal Mail tracking labels, first day covers and collections etc. Every stamp sent to us will help to fund life-saving research into primary bone cancer. Postage stamps are used less and less, so if more people know about our requirements we will hopefully still raise enough money to find a cure for primary bone cancer. We are in great need of postage stamps from anywhere outside mainland UK. We are also in need of currency from overseas and obsolete UK notes and coins. Why not get your school, church, business, social group or other community group involved? This is an ongoing appeal so stamps can be sent at any time. We are desperate for overseas, so please ask all your friends and family around the world to support us as well!

Our Facebook group is: Friends Of BCRT - Postage Stamp Appeal & More! Stamp appeal updates will be added often. Primary bone cancer can occur at any age, but affects mostly children, teenagers, young adults and the elderly. Every 10 minutes somewhere in the world someone is diagnosed with primary bone cancer. Collecting used stamps is a simple way to make a huge difference.

C/o: 20 Bowers Road, Benfleet, SS7 5PZ

MT Finance - Tax on Savings Explained -

Many savers with relatively modest sums in bank and building society accounts are likely to be caught up paying tax on savings as higher interest rates increase income. Find out how tax on savings interest works.

The higher interest rates now available on cash, stand in contrast to a prior decade of rock bottom returns. It’s welcome news for savers, but there’s a sting in the tail for many people - tax.

Interest on savings, outside of ISAs and over and above certain limits, is taxable and with interest rates having forged higher, there are more and more savers being caught in the tax net.

That’s especially the case as bank and building society accounts now pay interest gross of basic rate tax by default rather than net of tax, as was the case before 6th April 2016.

The past year or so is the first time since the change that the Bank of England base rate has been above 1%, which implies many savers are unprepared for the tax liabilities the interest on their savings will shortly incur. Up to now they simply haven’t earned enough interest to worry about it.

It will have become a greater issue for the 2022-23 tax year, and even more so for the 2023-24 tax year as interest rates have increased. Some cash savers are getting four or five times the interest they received a couple of years ago on the same sum, and we would encourage savers to shop around on their deposits to maximise interest where possible, given the high variation in account rates available.

How Much Tax Do You Pay on Savings?

The tax rates on savings interest depend on how much earned income or other non-savings income you have, for example, rental income. If your taxable savings income falls within the basic rate band after these, and after the deduction of the income tax personal allowance if applicable (presently £12,570), you will normally pay income tax at the rate of 20%.

In the 2023-24 tax year, tax rates on income, including savings interest, are as follows:

• The basic rate band is £37,700, which means broadly speaking you pay the 20% basic rate tax up to £50,270.

• If your taxable interest falls between £50,271 and £125,139, you would pay the higher rate of 40%.

• The additional rate of 45% is payable for savings interest, if your earnings are above £125,140.

Please note that tax rates on dividends from shares are different, and if you are a Scottish taxpayer the rates and bands are different too. Further information can be found on the government website.

But What About the Tax-Free Allowance for Savings Interest?

The personal savings allowance introduced by the government in April 2016 means some people don’t pay tax on a limited amount of savings interest:

• Basic rate taxpayers can earn £1,000 of interest in 2023-24 before paying any tax.

• Higher rate taxpayers have a lower allowance of £500.

• Additional rate taxpayers don’t receive any personal savings allowance.

There is also an extra ‘starting rate’ for savings, which is a special 0% rate of income tax for savings income of up to £5,000 for those with

How Much Will You Pay?

taxable income below £17,570 in 2023-24. You’ll only get the full starting rate amount if your other income is below or up to the personal allowance of £12,570.

Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each person or entity and may be subject to change in the future. If you are in any doubt, you should seek professional tax advice.

Who Pays Tax on Savings When Interest Rates Are High?

Given the complexity of the rules outlined above, as well as the fact that the tax bands and allowances are now frozen for longer, many savers with relatively modest amounts in bank and building society accounts are likely to pay tax on savings as higher interest rates increase income.

By way of an example, you only need to have £20,000 in savings attracting an average rate of 5% to use up the personal savings allowance of £1,000 if you are a basic rate taxpayer. It’s another example of relentless ‘fiscal drag’, where higher inflation and earnings can cause more people to pay higher rates of tax.

Some people do not realise that if your income from savings and investments is over £10,000 you automatically need to register for Self-Assessment. Others will have to arrange to pay tax on their savings that fall outside of the various allowances.

For many people this can be done automatically. If you’re employed or get a pension, HMRC will estimate how much interest you’ll get and change your tax code. If you’re not employed, do not get a pension or do not complete Self-Assessment, your bank or building society will tell HMRC how much interest you received at the end of the year. HMRC will then tell you if you need to pay tax and how to pay it.

What Else Counts Towards the Personal Savings Allowance? Individuals need to be aware that it is not just interest on savings that counts towards the personal savings allowance and, if applicable, the starting rate of savings. Income from certain investments such as unit trusts and open-ended investment companies where income is classed as interest rather than dividends would also count, as well as government bonds (gilts), corporate bonds, purchased life annuities and some life insurance contracts. Add these to the equation and many other unwitting investors are going to be potentially exceeding the modest savings allowance.

However, savings and interest-bearing investments in tax-free accounts like Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and some National Savings and Investments accounts do not count towards the allowance, highlighting the importance of continuing to make use of this yearly allowance as an important tax shelter.

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

Happy Christmas guys! I’m going off-piste again this month; y’all gonna have enough Christmas recipies to try anyway! I’m talking about an alternative monthly Sunday lunch here...

Amie is the proud owner of Parlour, which was founded during lockdown when Amie was struggling with her mental health after being furloughed from her job in the music industry (a story I know very well!). Amie sought the comforting, distinct, northern Indian flavours she enjoyed with her grandfather. She found them... and she’s sharing them with us. Boom.

My wonderful son Jamesy boy treated me to this monthly alternative.

performing in here a few times when

to a few cocktails

first - absolutely incredible. There was this Real Smoked Whisky Sour that reminded me of toasting marshmallows over a real fire... pure nostalgia. Then it was time for our thalli. I can’t describe it, it’s different to any Indian food I’ve had before (my bad really, because like many I always order the same thing).

It’s was so light and fresh and zingy. It was perfect journey of flavours. I was literally buzzing with this food, and then out of the kitchen came this buttery, spicy, pineapple. OMG I can’t actually say how it made me feel, let’s just say I was close to a god!

Parlour proudly partners with the team at Voodoo Keller Bar in Chelmsford city centre, and the majority of their 2024 events will be hosted there. Dates to be confirmed, but look out for every last Sunday of the month when they will be hosting Run The Dish (the event I went to) with a traditional Indian style thali and Sunday classic vinyl album listening session.

www.parlour-catering.co.uk

I host an open mic at O’Connors every Wednesday; feel free to join us!

I do love this venue; I remember

it was The Hot House. James treated me

Sunday lunch at Parlour’s Kitchen-takeover at Voodoo Keller Lounge

The weekend of 4th November dawned with the arrival of Storm Ciaran. Our trusty marquee stood up well to the battering while our team of hard working volunteers, friends and stall holders created a festival made with love.

Christmas Fayre

There were wreaths, garlands, jewellery, a range of wooden items made from recycled wood, knitted and felt gonks, local honey, and homemade Christmas crafts to name but a few, all brought together in a warm atmosphere of friendliness and laughter. The fayre was opened by Chelmsford Mayor Linda Mascot, and a total of £450 was made for Moulsham Lodge Community Trust to add to funds needed to run the MLCT building (aka The Station). The popularity of this event has encouraged us to put on another next year (2nd November 2024) for which our Men’s Shedders intend to make a range of rustic trees and other wooden items. Watch this space for details...

In the meantime, regular events continue to run - here’s a taster.

2nd and 4th Fridays each month: 10am - midday: IT Man and team visit us. If you need help with any of your devices bring them along for advice.

Every Friday 1pm - 3pm: Men’s Shed: A place to share ideas, do a bit of woodwork/metalwork or just have a cuppa and biscuit.

There are other clubs/events at MLCT - pop into the Copper Pot Café for more information about these. Here’s Hayley with some info about this month in the café: “As the festive season approaches, make sure you pop in to the The Copper Pot Café and open their Advent calendar! Each day of December there will be a different offer behind the Advent door. You can even get a free drink on the 7th December if you come in wearing your Christmas jumper! Check them out on Facebook and Instagram to see what the deal is each day, by searching, ‘@thecopperpotcafe’.

New City Voices choir are raising money for Moulsham Lodge Community Trust this month - here are the details. It’ll be a festive concert with refreshments - tea, coffee or mulled wine are included in the ticket price.

Wishing you an enjoyable Christmas and a peaceful New Year, from all at MLCT and the Copper Pot Café.

www.mlct.org.uk enquiries@mlct.org.uk 07434 678 999

An Update From Moulsham Lodge Ward - By Ashley Thompson & Simon Goldman

As the festive season fast approaches, your two Lib Dem Councillors for Moulsham Lodge, Ashley Thompson and Simon Goldman, will still be here for residents, fielding your enquiries and local concerns throughout.

In last month’s edition we told you about the council’s plans to install Junction Protection double yellow lines in an effort to tackle problem parking on street corners around Gloucester Avenue.

But Simon has been thinking - is this really going far enough? What about the roads off Heath Drive? Watch out in the new year for our survey on this topic as we continue the fight for more considerate parking across Moulsham Lodge.

In the meantime, there’s so much for all the family to enjoy during the run up to Christmas, here’s a flavour of what’s on locally:

Chelmsford Museum, Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd December: Father Christmas will be there for the children, whilst adults can enjoy creative workshops on wreath making, calligraphy and cupcake/ cookie decoration. The Saturday is Hive Café’s Annual Festive Fayre, with the museum shop open late to sell a range of stocking fillers.

Thursday 7th December, Yuletide Stride: Meet at 6.30pm at the Lord Ashcroft Building, Anglia Ruskin University for a 6.55pm briefing, and a 7pm start time for the walk. A charge of £5 will be made to benefit the Mayor’s charities.

If you’ve lost anyone close to you during the year, there’s a Christmas memorial service being held in the South Chapel of Chelmsford Crematorium on Sunday 10th December. Doors open 1pm for a 2pm start, including songs and carols for the season. The names of those departed during the year will be read aloud and candles lit in their memory. Either call 01245 605 630 with the name of the person you wish to be remembered at this service, or give their name upon arrival at the chapel.

Meanwhile back in Moulsham Lodge, 3rd December sees our local choir, New City Voices, perform at Moulsham Infant School. Tickets are £10 (£5 for children) on sale at The Copperpot Café or via mlct. org.uk.

May we take this opportunity to wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

ashley.thompson@chelmsfordlibdems.org.uk simon.goldman@chelmsfordlibdems.org.uk

Or follow us on the following platforms: Chelmsford Liberal Democrats

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChelmsLibDems

Facebook: Search for Simon Goldman - Moulsham Lodge Councillor Twitter: twitter.com/ChelmsLibDems

Tile Kiln Corner - By Cllr Linda Mascot

Goat Hall City Councillor Hazel Clark has mobilised kind fellow councillors to donate Christmas gifts to disadvantaged teenagers across Essex. Hazel will delivering the gifts in the next couple of weeks - if you can help to make Christmas happier for these young people and have anything you would be able to donate, including chocolate treats, please email: hazel. clark@chelmsford.co.uk to arrange collection, thank you.

Galleywood Heritage Centre offers regular activities including yoga, light aerobics, seated yoga and meditation, pilates and Zumba.

Other Groups of Interest Tea and Tiaras WI: 2nd Tuesday of the month, 7.30pm to 10.30pm.

Essex Handicraft Association: Last Wednesday of the month, 12pm to 4pm.

Point to Point Sewing Group: Monday mornings, 10am to 12.30pm Ukulele Group: 1st, 3rd and 4th Thursday of the month, 7.30pm to 9pm. Inland Waterways: 2nd Thursday of the month, 7.30pm to 10pm. Guitar Orchestra: 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month, 7.15pm to 9.15pm.

Essex Chordsmen Barbershop Choir: Monday afternoons - open to both males and females.

If you are interested in any of the above activities, please phone 01245 357 700, or email mail@galleywoodheritagecentre.org. uk.

Fledgelings Pre-school have a Christmas coffee morning on Sunday 9th December from 10am to midday at Tile Kiln Church with cakes, biscuit decorating and crafts.

A reminder of the Christmas services coming up at Tile Kiln Church - all are welcome: Sunday 17th December: Carol service at 6pm.

Sunday 24th December: 10.30am - Nativity for all ages; come dressed up as nativity characters and enjoy singing carols as the nativity play unfolds.

Monday 25th December: 10.30am - Christmas morning worship.

Wishing you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas.

Cllr Linda Mascot mascotlinda@gmail.com

Don’t get Distracted by the Deep-filled Mince

Pies, Ask Deep-filled Questions Instead...

I’m told I can come across as a bit of a Scrooge when it comes to Christmas. I really don’t like the rigmarole that surrounds it. The glitter and gloss and fairy lights and tinsel. The endless tramping along to fêtes and fayres. The everearlier introduction of ‘seasonal’ aisles in supermarkets (codeword for Christmas chocolates!). But, I do love Christmas!

I take issue with a lot of the trappings because they become a distraction. A deep and deadly distraction to what Christmas is all about. God turning up in history, becoming human in the person of Jesus Christ, in order to show us who he is, what he’s like, and make a way to find him.

Can I encourage you to read that sentence again?

I suspect that we all ask the deep questions of life sometimes. You know the ones: why am I here? what’s the point of life? what happens when I die? where can I find hope? Christmas is an excellent time to ask them, because Christmas answers each one. God answers each one when he was born as a baby boy, lived a fully human life, in Jesus Christ. Another name for Jesus is Immanuel, which means, literally, ‘God with us’. God turned up to answer life’s big questions!

But at Christmas, we’re too often distracted to ask such questions. And should these deep questions pop up unannounced, as is their want, we too quickly push them back down by turning to deep-filled mince pies. I’m challenged by Cal Newport (google him), who said: ‘What we choose to focus on and what we choose to ignore - plays in defining the quality of our life.’

What he means is that if we choose only to focus on the superficial, we’ll end up leading a superficial life. That’s the danger I see at Christmas and why I can come across as a bit of a Scrooge. Focussing on the tinsel, twinkle, and trees leaves a huge vacuum that we can only deal with in one of two ways: distracting ourselves away from, or staring into, the depths of.

Choose to stare into the depths of these questions this year - and I’m certain that you’ll find Christmas has much more to say about them

that will lead to a far more fulfilling life in the long run.

Ignore that deep-filled mince pie, and ask the deepfilled questions of life instead. You’ll discover that God became human in the person of Jesus Christ so that you can get some answers that satisfy you in a truer, deeper, and more longlasting manner, than a rich turkey dinner ever would.

PS: Don’t forget to pop those Tile Kiln Church Christmas services in your diary! Check out the dates in the ad on this page...

If you want to know more, or have any questions, please get in touch!

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

Quiz Time - By John Theedom

In which UK county is St Ives?

On which TV advert for a game do they use a dog to tell you about the product?

What word can be clothing and part of a car?

What is a jar of mixed flower petals used to make rooms smell nice called?

Who or what is a maharishi?

In which English county is the Eden Project?

What is the name of the tool commonly used to grind substances in a mortar?

What is the city that contains the Taj Mahal?

What is an isthmus?

Kippers are made from which fish?

In France, what is a cru?

Where will you see a windrow?

What word can be a laurel and a coastal inlet?

How old is Davina McCall?

Which pop star had a number one hit in 1959 with Mack The Knife?

Which year did Emmerdale Farm start on ITV?

Which American road runs from Chicago to Los Angeles?

Nori is which type of sushi ingredient?

What is the origin of the name AMSTRAD?

How many horns does an Indian rhino have?

Which bone in your body is commonly called the thigh bone?

Who is the Jane that wrote Mansfield Park?

What is the informal network used to spread gossip etc ‘bush’......?

What word means to frolic and gambol and a shrub?

What is the term for a humorous verse of 5 lines?

What was Rita Hayworth’s birth name?

Which animated pair live in Jellystone Park?

Where and what is the world’s oldest living land animal?

Which snooker player did Ronnie O’Sullivan defeat in the Shanghai Masters final? Brunost cheese comes from which European country?

A bullace is a variety of which fruit?

Who is Erling Haaland?

What is the name for a twin-hulled yacht?

Who is the president of Egypt?

Complete the dog’s name Lhasa ……?

What is the common term for a military policeman?

What is another three-lettered word for new? Which is the second largest city in Wales?

In which country is Ostend?

Which US criminal had the nickname ‘Scarface’?

“Dear Moulsham Times, It’s about the Quiz Time by John Theedom - First of all please let him know that I always enjoy his quizzes (even if I can hardly answer half the questions...) and this is not a criticism, only a ‘clarification’. Question 33 in this month’s issue is: “What does the phrase ‘dolce vita’ mean? And his answer is correct (‘a life of indolence and self indulgence’) apart from the fact that it is not French. It is in fact Italian! As I am Italian myself, I felt it was my moral duty to point this out! Kind regards, Adriana.”

Chelmsford Hypnobirthing Teacher Linda McNeill Publishes Book, The Hypnobirthing Handbook

For 10 years, Linda McNeill has helped pregnant women and their partners in the Chelmsford area to stop fearing birth and instead feel prepared and excited for it. Since launching her business Bun in the Oven Birthing in 2013, she has taught more than 1,000 women and their partners, guiding them through one of the most important times of their lives.

To celebrate this 10 year milestone, Linda has published her first book The Hypnobirthing Handbook so she can share her expertise and knowledge. In this period of economic crisis, positive birth preparation can be limited to those who can access it financially, and this is not good enough. The workbook and journal guides the readers through their entire birth preparation, with activities and QR codes leading to expert videos.

Linda’s client Rosie describes it, “This is so much more than just a book. It is the complete package. I had an incredible birth all thanks to Linda’s fantastic guidance.” The book is released on 2nd December, priced at £29. Buy your copy here: www.

bunintheovenbirthing.co.uk.

Linda Is Celebrating the Launch of Her Book With Two Free Events Book Launch Party, Saturday 2nd December 10am - 11.30am, The Angel Pavilion, Broomfield. Join Linda and her past clients and their children in a morning of celebration. The party is supported by other local businesses providing family activities and will involve lots of cake, as Linda has baked for every client and class since 2013 (her business is not called Bun in the Oven for nothing!). Attendance is free and you can book your place here: The Big Bun in the Oven Book Launch and Cake Meet! Tickets, Sat 2nd December 2023 at 10:00 | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-big-bun-in-the-oven-booklaunch-and-cake-meet-tickets-756034027127?aff=oddtdtcreator The Hypnobirthing Handbook will also be available to buy hot off the press.

The BIG POSITIVE BIRTH Masterclass, Sunday 3rd December 6pm - 7pm - an online Zoom Event. Linda will share her knowledge and techniques for those wanting to have their own positive birth experience. Book your place here: Join The Big Positive Birth Masterclass (bunintheovenbirthing.co.uk).

You can find Linda by searching, ‘@bunintheoven.positivebirthprep’ on Instagram, ‘@bunintheovenbirthing’ on Facebook and at the website, bunintheovenbirthing.co.uk.

Reception and Shopmobility Assistant

We are in urgent need of volunteers who would like to help with daily admin tasks - helping in the office, booking members in and out and handling payments.

You will also be preparing scooters for Shopmobility members by maneuvering them from storage for collection. You will need to be friendly with a cheerful personality, non-judgmental and patient.

Foster carer and trainer for veterans’ service dogs

We train up rescue dogs so that they can make a profound difference to veterans who are suffering from PTSD. We need safe, loving foster homes where our rescue dogs can settle into life and begin their training, before being matched to the right veterans.

Support young adults with disabilities

The Independence Project needs volunteers to help young adults with additional needs to enjoy gardening, dancing, and socialising!

Macmillan volunteer Buddy

Our Macmillan Buddy service provides a lifeline for people with cancer, offering them weekly support from someone who understands what they’re going through.

We need Buddies to support people by phone and in person. Some experience of having lived with cancer would be beneficial.

Help us plan community events

We are a group based in Writtle looking for people to join our association to help plan events for the local community.

Winter donation appeal

Chelmsford CVS is working together with the Salvation Army and The Ideas Hub to make sure some of our most vulnerable residents don’t suffer outside this winter. Coats will be distributed to our city’s homeless, refugees and asylum-seekers, elderly, women in refuge, and children and families who are struggling.

If you have a spare warm coat in a clean and good condition, then please consider donating it to:

Chelmsford CVS, Burgess Well House, Coval Lane, Chelmsford, CM1 1FW

01245 351 888 info@chelmsfordcvs.org.uk

Deadlines for January Edition

Bobby Darin

1972

Route 66

years old

Luca Brecel

Norway

Pot

Leading instructor in the Hindu faith

Cornwall Pestle

Agra

Narrow

Herrings

Vineyard

Seaweed

Alan Michael Sugar Trading

One

Femur

Austen

Bush telegraph

Caper

Limerick

Margarita Carmen Cansino

Yogi

Plum

Norwegian footballer

Catamaran

Abdel Fattah El-Sisi

Apso

Redcap

Neo

Swansea

Belgium

Capone