Moulsham Times - December 2019

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Issue Number 82 - December 2019

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Bespoke Kitchens in Essex Bespoke kitchens are strong, stylish, efficient and tailored to meet your individual specifications and design ideas.

While many kitchen businesses sell high quality kitchens, they are usually very standard in shapes, sizes, designs and fittings - meaning that your choices can be quite limited.

Although it may seem less complicated to order a readymade kitchen, there may be problems when it comes to fitting, as a readymade kitchen may not fit your exact measurements or blend in well with your existing interior. This can cause a lot of disappointment and may limit your choices further. With a bespoke kitchen, you have an endless choice of designs, shapes and sizes etc, because each and every part of your kitchen - such as fittings, cabinets, furniture and islands - are made from scratch.

Here at Regal Kitchens we pride ourselves on our ability to create beautiful bespoke kitchens for your perfect living space.

With a huge range of different colours, textures, materials, fittings and designs, we can craft your kitchen exactly how you want it. Our highly skilled team have extensive experience and craft each and every kitchen with precision and close attention to detail to give you the finest bespoke kitchen, which is both practical and flawless.

Many kitchen sellers may use the term ‘bespoke’ to promote their kitchens, but you may find that a lot of these sellers are using the word bespoke incorrectly. Just because some readymade kitchens can be personalised with your choice of colours and materials, doesn’t mean that it is really ‘bespoke’.

For a kitchen to be truly bespoke, it should be made from square one to meet the customer’s individual orders and

measurements. All of the shapes, sizes, designs ideas, fittings and materials etc, are chosen specifically by the customer and each bespoke kitchen is crafted to meet their personalised requirements. Bespoke kitchens are made of raw, high quality materials and crafted with close precision.

At Regal, we can help you from the very start with discussing your design ideas to crafting and completion of your perfect kitchen. Whether you prefer traditional styles or classic and country, we can craft your ideal kitchen with extreme care and an expert eye for detail. With regular testing and inspections of our kitchens, we can ensure the highest possible standards are met. This will ensure that your bespoke kitchen is strong, durable and stands the test of time. We are proud of our excellent communication and customer service skills and we take our customers needs seriously, no matter how big or small; keeping every client informed throughout every step of the process. Our use of high quality wood and materials means that you will receive a practical, stylish and efficient kitchen for you and your family to enjoy for many years.

If you would like any more information about our beautiful kitchens, please do not hesitate to contact us here at Regal Kitchens, where we can discuss your design ideas and help you get started on your dream kitchen project. We look forward to hearing from you.

Our showroom in Navigation Road, Chelmsford is open 10am 4pm, 7-days per week. www.regalkitchens.co.uk

MT Welcome

Hi readers,

Welcome to the December edition of Moulsham Times.

A very merry Christmas and a happy New Year to all of our readers, advertisers and writers!

Just a note that our next edition will be hitting doormats from 3rd January.

If you wish to advertise in this magazine and reach 9,000 local readers, please telephone or email - you can find our contact details below.

Remember too that you can also view our magazines online at www. issuu.com/itsyourmedia.

Enjoy your month!

Regards Paul

Advertising & Editorial Paul Mclean 01245 262082 / 07595 949701 paul@moulshamtimes.com

It’s Your Magazines Ltd Disclaimer: It’s Your Magazines Ltd publish the Moulsham Times. The opinion expressed in each article is the opinion of its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of It’s Your Magazines Ltd. No part may be reproduced without the prior written permission of It’s Your Magazines Ltd. Reg Co No. 12080535. Printed by Printwize.

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Chelmsford Record Fair

1st Saturday Of Every Month Intense Records organise the Chelmsford Record Fair held on the first Saturday of the month at the Ale House, just a few doors down from the Intense shop in Viaduct Road.

This is truly a vinyl junkie’s treasure trove. Every month, alongside Intense Records, there are around 10 different knowledgeable sellers and collectors boasting a wide variety of records, from dance music to many other genres.

There are many gems and classics to be found that you won’t find in any high street record shop; so make a day of it and get digging!

The Hive Café The Hive Café is fast approaching it’s first Christmas and loving every second!

Situated in the picturesque setting of Oakland’s Park, and based in the beautiul and recently refurbished Chelmsford Museum, the café has been built into the Victorian House’s original drawing room, where the winter sunshine streams in through floor to ceiling windows throughout the day, allowing for breathtaking views of the surrounding park and gardens.

The summer saw swarms of customers heading to The Hive Café, enjoying delicous homemade cakes, all-day breakfasts and lunches, plus an endless list of takeaway options to carry into the far corners of the park.

Brand new specials each week ensure that there is always something new, seasonal and exciting on offer.

Hive Events is an exciting new opportunity to reserve areas of the café for private functions, celebrations & corporate bookings. The café is fully licensed, has ample parking available and provides a stunning location for your party - day or night. We are also able to provide external catering within the local area.

The Hive Café offers a wide and varied menu, ensuring that guests of all shapes, sizes and dietary needs are well catered for.

Our full menu is available all day and includes a dedicated section for our vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free friends.

At the Hive Café, we use high quality ingredients that are lovingly prepared for our guests by our kitchen team, led by Head Chef, Domenico Calagna.

Plus, to keep you entertained while you browse, we have live DJs and PAs from some of the best local artists around - and of course, most importantly, the best beer in town! What else could you ask for?

The Christmas Record Fair will be held on Saturday 7th December from 10am-5pm and will be the biggest one of the year. There will be some new sellers setting up stall for the first time and we have heard that they have some really exciting records on offer saved up especially for you lucky people.

Intense Records is also open at the same time, so pop down the road to view the full catalogue plus all the related merchandise they have on offer.

The Ale House If you aren’t familiar with the Ale House, it really is a great place for both the astute and casual drinker. With its unique ambience, attracting people from every walk of life and wide range of lagers, ales and spirits, there is no place anywhere else in Chelmsford like it.

Everyday there is a selection of 12 cask ales, 8 keg beers, 5 German beers on tap, 12 traditional ciders, 1 guest keg cider, over 100 bottles and cans and so much more. So while you dig through the crates or even afterwards, make sure you sample a brew or two.

Next year in 2020, the fair will be back in full swing starting on the first Saturday in January and will continue throughout the year - just like clockwork.

Our excellent Mocha Italia Coffee is served piping hot and complimented with a drizzle of your choice of syrup flavours.

An absolute favourite at the Hive is our scrumptious Marimba Hot Chocolate range… Available in white, milk or dark chocolate, we melt real chocolate flakes into milk and top with your choice of cream and marshmellows.

Christmas at the Hive is set to be a delight for our customers with the first of our festive inspired menus out this week! Pop in for a warming Cinnamon Latte and a homemade mince pie to start the festive season.

For more information, just pop in or send an email to enquiries@ hivecafechelmsford.co.uk.

4 www.moulshamtimes.com

Christmas Just Got Intense!

Intense is the only remaining independent record shop left in Chelmsford, and is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Situated under the railway arches in Chelmsford (near the train station and bus station), Intense is a walk-in shop and online record store. Over the years, Intense have diversified, stocking alongside its original passion for dance music, many other genres from rock to pop, indie to jazz and everything in between from artists such as David Bowie, Prince, Miles Davis, The Rolling Stones and many more.

Christmas Gift Ideas With people of all ages getting back in to vinyl, this will be one of the most popular gifts this year. If you don’t know what to get that special person, then we are here to help - we also sell vouchers, so recipients can come and choose for themselves. For those looking to start their collection or upgrade, we will be stocking a range of turntables and speaker packages from leading brands such as Rega, Pro-Ject and Pioneer, starting from just £189 - this also includes a free selection of vinyl. We have also launched a brand new range of tote bags and T-shirts with catchy slogans or images of popular artists including Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley and loads more.

Intense Advent Calender For Christmas, we always have some amazing deals on offer and this year will be no different! We will be bringing back the Intense Advent Calender featuring exclusive deals every day, from records and vinyl accessories to equipment and clothing. There’s a deal to be had for even the most discerning vinyl junkie.

Double Rewards For Christmas!

If you are signed up to the Intense In-Store Loyalty System, you will know that for every £1 you spend you earn 1 loyalty point, and when you reach 100 points you receive a £5 Intense voucher to spend on your next visit. In the lead up to Christmas, we will be doubling this to a massive £10 every time you reach 100 points. If you aren’t signed up its free to join - just ask in-store.

us a bell and we can pop round, or just bring them in.

Used Vinyl! Buy & Sell!

If you haven’t been yet, make sure you check Intense out.

Over the last few years Intense have been searching high and low for used vinyl collections and now boast a vast secondhand section with some classic albums from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s up to the present day from favourites like The Beatles, Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and many more.

We have thousands of records now, across all styles from rock to funk, soul, metal and much more. It’s a vinyl digger’s treasure chest!

We are always on the hunt for more, so give

Intense Records 33/34 Viaduct Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1TS 01245 347 372 www.intenserecords.com

3A Baddow Rd, Chelmsford CM2 0BX

We would like to wish all our customers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year If you would like to book a table over the festive period please call 01245 268268

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MT Therapy - by Chelmsford Therapy Rooms In the last issue I announced that Chelmsford Therapy rooms is expanding. We are now in the new premises and I’m pleased to report that things are going well! It’s so much quieter, still easy to get to, and the free onsite parking makes a fantastic difference! The sales calls from the energy brokers have slowed somewhat, although not before one of them tried a little fraud on me... This article is going to be a little different. In light of the Channel 5 series Cold Call, and my own experiences recently, I wanted to explore the emotions that can arise as a result of cold calls, what can cause people to fall for them, and how to deal with those pesky cold callers!

Here is what happened when I received a call from a company who lied to me to try and get me to sign up: For those that don’t know, I used to work in advertising sales. I have 15 years sales’ experience in total and I can tell when someone is trying to sell to me within five seconds of them speaking. I also have a small talent of memorising area codes - I called so many of them when I worked in telesales that some area codes have lodged themselves in my unconscious mind! Last week I received a call from a Lancashire area code. The sales person Chris had given me a quote a few days before, but the energy company I decided to go with offered much better tariffs, so unfortunately I wasn’t going to sign up with Chris’s deal. He asked who I had signed up with; this isn’t unusual as sometimes brokers can beat the quote depending on the service provider, so I told him and that was that.

Less than 2 minutes later I get another call, same area code similar number, from a guy saying he was from the utilities office and they tried to put the paperwork through for my new service providers but it was rejected. I pressed him to tell me which service providers he thought I signed up with - he quoted a similar sounding company but not the same.

Clearly Chris had written down the company incorrectly!

I told the guy that wasn’t the correct company and ended up talking over him as he tried to persuade me to listen to him. I then hung up.

It still shocks me that companies will try things like this. I knew the guy was lying for a few different reasons - the main one being that I hadn’t actually sent off the paperwork yet, so there was nothing to reject! However, these sales people have a way of speaking to you that can cause feelings of self doubt and low confidence.

Have you heard the term ‘confidence trickster’? When some cold callers contact you they want you to trust them more than you trust yourself. They will try to appeal to the part of you that is good - the part that wants to do good and to please. Sometimes, the way they go about this isn’t by being overly nice. There are of course different approaches that these people use to get you to do what they want.

Some of them are wonderfully nice, using emotional manipulation by saying such things as ‘I’m only ten minutes from the end of my shift and I want to go home to my family, I miss them and I know you can help me out by doing this now, it would mean so much…’ and they’re just as dangerous, but in this article I’m exploring the scammers that take a different tactic.

another ego state from transactional analysis….

Secondly, adopt an adult ego state. In this ego state we are logical.

We send the majority of our energy to the pre-frontal cortex - the logical thinking part of the brain. This will help to diminish those negative feelings and help you to think more clearly. Here is a more in depth explanation of adult ego state to help you: Behaviour: Adult ego state enquires, tests, reasons and gives and receives information. The adult in us is the grown up rational person who talks reasonably and assertively, neither trying to control nor reacting aggressively towards others. The adult is comfortable with themselves and is, for many of us, our ‘ideal self’.

Attitude: While a person is in the adult ego state, he/she is directed towards an objective appraisal of reality. For any Star Trek fans out there, the adult ego state has a similar attitude as the Vulcans. Not too much emotion is involved here, the attitude of the adult is based on logic gleaned from an objective analysis of the situation.

Keywords: How, what, why, consider, probable; questions asked objectively.

Voice Tone: calm, clear, enquiring, precise, monotone; without excessive emotion.

Thirdly, get the cold caller off the phone asap. I find that it helps to have a one liner I can say to them before hanging up. Something like ‘I’m not interested, please take me off you list’. Try not to feel guilty about doing this, these cold callers have thousands of people they call everyday. Although they try to make you feel like the chosen one, you are on a list the same as many others. If they say they’re calling from your bank, trying to get details out of you etc, don’t give them any details. If they offer you to phone your bank etc to check they’re being truthful, do not use the same phone line to do this. Remember, they are using an ego state to get you to comply with them. This ego state is likely to make you feel fear or guilt if you don’t comply. This is how they manage to con, or sell to, thousands of people everyday.

It’s not just cold callers that do this - many bosses, narcissists, or other people trying to gain power over you or make you do what they want, will use negative controlling parent ego state. Responding in adult ego state is a powerful way to stand your ground in a calm, logical way and even avoid a negative situation.

Jenny Hartill is a therapist and owner of Cloud9 Therapy and Chelmsford Therapy Rooms. She is a counsellor and hypnotherapist and can help with a multitude of issues. Please see the therapist list on the website at www.chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or you can email info@chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or call 0330 100 5162 to enquire about an initial consultation. Alternatively, Jenny’s own company website is www.cloud9-therapy.co.uk, her email is info@ cloud9-therapy.co.uk, and her telephone number is 07507 307 170.

Such scammers come across as confident, sometimes brash and blunt. In an approach to counselling called Transactional Analysis this is referred to as negative controlling parent ego state. This ego state reflects the state of a dominant parent - someone you are less likely to question or say no to. You can see how when a sales person adopts this ego state it can be quite effective!

So, how do we respond to, and deal with, this type of call?

Firstly, slow down, don’t panic. Those negative feelings that arise when you receive this kind of call are there for a reason. The way we deal with these feelings and get them off the phone is by adopting 6 www.moulshamtimes.com

Moulsham and Central Ward

When I first started writing this article, I wanted to describe the city centre orbital cycle route that Essex County Council Highways are attempting to deliver as part of the £15m Chelmsford city growth package, and highlight all its benefits and flaws. The entire route loosely follows the two rivers and the railway line, which is such a long way that I rapidly discovered that it would take far too many words to be able to cover adequately in this article! Instead, let’s take a look at a key section.

An important part of this route is on the southern side, running from Central Park to the confluence of the city’s rivers, alongside the River Can, and parallel to Parkway. Bell Meadow Park at the back of Marks and Spencer forms a large part of this section, where there is a stretch of cycleway along the north side of the park which was exclusively for cyclists, and delivered you from Central Park to the rear of Marks and Spencer without fuss. The improvements have seen a new entrance to the park at the rear of Primark, where cyclists are now asked to give way to pedestrians, and which also encourages far more pedestrians than ever previously used to, to use the exclusive cycleway as a footpath. When you reach the end, you arrive at a mixed cycle pedestrian area that has polished granite blocks strewn about it, which has gone even further to encourage pedestrians to mill around and cause an obstruction in an area that many cyclists transit through.

If people are going to start to think of cycling and active transport as a viable alternative to driving private motor vehicles into the city centre, then schemes like this MUST improve the existing cycling infrastructure and certainly not make it slower, more difficult, and more hazardous to travel into the city centre by bicycle. One of the aims of the City Centre Growth Package was to deliver several key improvements to active transport infrastructure, and I expect we will be hearing a lot more about this in the near future.

Adding small numbers of flats in our local roads can sometimes provide much needed additional housing, but not at any price. City councillors regularly require particularly contentious applications to be decided at the public Planning Committee meetings, where residents can have their say. A recent success for residents was the rejection of the over intense redevelopment of 18-20 Mildmay Road.

Infilling like this mustn’t compromise resident’s quality of life.

A further meeting with St Cedd’s is scheduled to discuss how the parking situation at drop-off and collection zones can be improved.

Not an easy one, but the County Council proposal to further limit parking on New London Road risks further inconvenience in side roads.

Our next surgery is 10.30am, Saturday December 14th at The Hive Café in Chelmsford Museum.

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We would like to wish all our customers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Monday to Saturday 8:30 am to 6:00 pm

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7

MT Health

The Simplest Way to Improve Your Life (And Health) - by Chris at Forté Physical Health In my clinic reception we have a quote board. It’s a place to share little messages of positivity and philosophy to nudge and guide those who see it.

One of my favourite quotes of all time is one from Antoine de SaintExupéry: “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”

the day. I had to take away the sugar ‘alligator’ first, then I could focus on adding the healthy diet ‘kitten’.

So, this has turned into kind of a long story, and I hope it hasn’t detracted from James’ neat little quote;

“What is one thing you can remove from your life that would improve it?” ... and make you healthier.

It caused a little confusion in the clinic when I posted it, so I think this week’s quote by my habits buddy James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, makes things easier to understand (he’s not really my buddy, but I feel like he should be!):

Chris Branch is the principal osteopath at Forté Physical Health. The therapists at Forté are specialists in the treatment of back pain, joint pain and sports injuries. The treatment often includes discussion of lifestyle factors to help accelerate healing and wellbeing.

“What is one thing you can remove from your life that would improve it?”

If you have any questions, you can find details to get in touch at fortephysicalhealth.co.uk.

I like this quote for two reasons; firstly, as soon as you read it, if you’re anything like me you will instantly be able to think of a myriad of things that you have or do that actively make your life worse and take you away from the things that bring you true happiness.

The second reason I like this quote is the ‘one thing’ element in it.

The fact that he is only asking you to name one thing just begs you to take action.

The quote from Antoine du Saint-Exupery sounds like a never-ending project, a life’s work of refinement and curation. James Clear’s quote makes me want to take action today to make something better for tomorrow.

I also feel these quotes relate perfectly to health. It’s easy to focus on what to add to our lives to get healthy. You need to add a workout, add a run, add a meditation, add a healthy diet, add an early night.

But often the lowest hanging fruit in our quest for a healthier life is taking away the things that bring us down.

On the blog, thehappyphilosopher.com, Jeff uses a metaphor to explain the fastest route to happiness. He asks us to imagine having kittens and alligators as pets.

Deadlines for the January edition: Articles - 11th December Print ready art work - 19th December

GROVE ROAD EVANGELICAL CHURCH

‘Bringing Good News to The Heart of Chelmsford‛ Warmly invite you to join us for our

Everyone loves a kitten, so they represent all the good things in your life. I imagine alligators make pretty crappy pets, so they represent all the bad things.

Carol Service

Most people, when trying to make their life better, just start adding kittens. They think a cute, cuddly kitten will solve all their problems.

But the research is very clear when it comes to happiness modelling that we should first remove the alligators before we go and buy a kitten.

Sunday 15th December At 11.00 a.m.

Again, this neatly applies to health too. Whilst you may want to pull out the yoga mat or don your running shoes for a quick 5k, do you rely on them to unwind from a hugely stressful life? If so, although yoga and running are good things to be doing, you may gain far more health and happiness from figuring out how to take away some of the stress.

Mulled punch and mince pies will be served after the service

I’ve been pretty good with my diet recently, but in the past I have had a habit of smashing family size bars of Cadbury’s all to myself. When I used to do that regularly, there was no point me patting myself on the back for the green smoothie I had at brunch when I go and blast my pancreas with 1,000 calories of pure, unadulterated sugar later in

ALL WELCOME We are situated just off Moulsham Street, behind Tesco Express

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9

MT Gardening As November draws a close to what has been a spectacular show of colour this autumn and the leaves on most deciduous trees and shrubs have fallen, take time to get the following jobs underway or completed: If the day is a crisp dry one, then consider getting that lawn prepared for the spring. Continue to cut the grass - it does keep on growing - and spend time scarifying, aerating, topdressing, feeding and over seeding. Completion of these tasks will only improve the lawn for next year. Take care when scarifying if you have loads of moss. Raking without controlling the moss will only lead to tears later! Use a product that has ferrous sulphate in as this burns the moss and dries it out. Only once the moss is black should you start raking. And, should further leaf fall occur, use a rubber tined rake to ensure that only the leaves are removed and not too many young grasses are pulled out leading to patchy swards.

If you’ve forgotten to do so, move tender perennials into frost-free environments and reduce watering dramatically. Over-watering during

winter will result in root rot and eventual plant death.

Now Is the time to complete bulb planting - especially tulips. I’ve started to plant a little deeper than usual to ensure the squirrels don’t get lucky and the bulbs will remain cooler in the summer, thus hopefully repeat flowering in subsequent years. If your soil is heavy clay then mix in gravel or horticultural grit to the planting hole spoil to ensure that there is plenty of drainage around the bulb - this also reduces any chance of rotting.

And for those wanting a good work out, don’t forget to dig over vegetable borders in preparation for sowing and planting.

At Writtle University College, we’ve started to turn over our new Geoff Hamilton Kitchen Garden beds incorporating plenty of organic matter for the next crop. As we have clay in this area, we’ll let the winter weather reduce the clods in to a friable crumbly nature; perfect for planting early spring.

Don’t forget that there are quite a few vegetables to go in now: garlic, bolt hardy onion sets, new asparagus crowns (if beds are ready), late spring cabbage, broad beans (‘The Sutton’) and peas (‘First Early’).

Lastly, if you want to further your knowledge and understanding of these or other gardening jobs, please consider one of the following courses at Writtle University College:

01245 422804/07711 606561

For RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Horticulture (1 year, day release on Thursdays), RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Plant Growth, Propagation & Development (September - February on Thursdays), RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Garden Planning, Establishment and Maintenance and for RHS Level 2 and 3 Certificates in Practical Horticulture, email tom.cole@writtle.ac.uk for information on availability of days and times.

If you’ve got more time we also offer full time Level 2 & 3 programmes and apprenticeship schemes. New for this year we are offering part time garden design programmes. Contact ben.wincott@ writtle.ac.uk for more information.

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If you’d like a shorter programme for say 1 or 2 days, then give our Short Courses team a call. We’ve got courses on construction (erecting fences, paving and brickwork), general garden tasks such as pruning, propagation, grafting, container gardening, successful care of lawns and growing fruit and veg. For the professional, a whole load of competence based certificates covering arboriculture, pesticide application and use of various machinery and equipment.

Happy gardening For any gardening tips please contact Tom Cole, Horticultural Lecturer, Writtle College, Chelmsford, CM1 3RR by post (including a SAE) or by email at tom.cole@writtle.ac.uk.

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Quiz Time by John Theedom 1.

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Tennis star Sir Andy Murray and his wife have just had a baby, what sex is it?

Lewis Hamilton has just won another world title. How many is that now?

What is the capital city of Norway?

Which group released We Built This City in 1985?

What is the egg of a louse called?

Which character is Pumbar in The Lion King?

In the night sky, The Great Bear is also known as what?

Which musical instrument does Jamie Cullum play?

How many planets are featured in Holst’s The Planets Suite?

For what purpose would you use a tagine?

In which month does the Notting Hill Carnival take place?

Who was the Joan who starred in many Carry On films?

Which animal lives in a warren?

In film, who was the actor who played Superman in the late ‘70s and ‘80s?

What is Boris Karloff’s real name?

What is the popular name for a lycanthrope?

Which vegetable has varieties called aquadulce, relon and rep epicure?

What was the title of the first Bond film?

What was the real name of the model Twiggy?

What is the world’s most expensive spice?

In which athletics event do the participants only move backwards?

What type of garments are chinos?

What form of transport is Bulstrode in Thomas the Tank Engine?

Red Adair is famous for what?

Who was the singer of the song Rehab?

Where is there a mountain called Pen Y Fan? You can eat pottage, but what is it?

How many legs does a shrimp have?

From which country does a pasha come?

How old will Suzi Quatro be in 2020?

In Japanese cooking, shoyu is a type of what?

What single word connects, sausage, piano, spring and drum?

How many degrees are there in each of the internal angles of a hexagon?

What is another name for brimstone?

When did the operation ‘Passchendaele’ take place?

How old is the Jamaican-born footballer John Barnes in 2019?

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40.

What nationality is the opera star Dame Joan Sutherland?

How did Steve McQueen die in 1980?

What is the meaning of ‘gimcrack’?

What is the name of the newly released TV show starring Sarah Lancashire?

(Answers on page 31)

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Nick Garner’s Music & Ramblings I was invited to attend and speak at a meeting that was hosted

by Chelmsford’s Civic Society whose aims are to stimulate public interest in and appreciation and care of, the history, appearance and character of Chelmsford. You can find out more at www. chelmsfordcivicsociety.co.uk.

This particular meeting was to consider a potential bid to become the UK City of Culture for 2025. The meeting was well attended especially considering it was during the daytime. There were two main speakers who mapped out what has gone on before and what lies ahead and what we need to do. The city and county councils seem to be behind the idea while also being a little non-committal at present. We do need to sort out what is happening with the Shire Hall though, as this really is the centre piece of the city and is sadly just lying dormant at present.

I spoke about my passion for the city and what I see as the benefits for us all becoming the UK city of culture which I think could be immense for all, potentially bringing new people to Chelmsford and Essex which will can money and grow employment in the area.

Having the Chelmsford Festival will also help with our chances, as the festival aims to promote all aspects of art and culture in the city and Essex, with 2020 being the year of science for us. Please do get behind the idea and back it and help in any way that you can, whether volunteering or by helping to spread the word for our city and county.

I recently attended the funeral of Barrie Masters, the lead singer of Eddie and the Hot Rods. Barrie was a friend, and what a great send off he had, with many friends, family and fans in attendance. I am so pleased I was there and there. Many big names from the local area were there as well to pay their respects and to say farewell for now.

Music First thing to say is go get your copy of the City Times to find what is on where and when! This has been a very busy time for me, playing and putting on music here, there and everywhere and going to some other shows as well.

Sadly I cannot mention all the gigs as I attend too many to fit them all in, but let’s start with Stony Road at the UB. Trev Gentry’s band were playing at the UB for the first time this year, and what a set!

With a new rhythm section in place they rocked the joint good and proper. On Wednesday 23rd October I went to Chinnery’s in Southend to see the family of Cream: Malcolm Bruce (son of Jack Bruce) Kofi Baker (son of Ginger Baker) and Will Johns (nephew of Eric Clapton).

These guys have worked hard, and having known Jack and Ginger and having seen Eric a number of times, I think these guys are every bit as good as those guys. What a great show it was. The next night was my blues night at the UB with Clean Sneak returning. They got everyone’s feet tapping too. I went to the Mick Jagger Centre the next night in Dartford to see my old friend Keith Hale’s production The Rice Harvest, which is a musical about the Vietnamese boat children.

A great production which I really enjoyed - I hope I can get them to bring the show to Chelmsford at some point.

Jamie Williams, Dave Milligan and myself played a double bill in London at the Little Green Dragon on Sunday 3rd November with BJ Cole and Joe Papa. The show was on in the afternoon through to early evening and the place was packed. We all had a load of fun.

On Thursday 7th November we had FullHouse (Frankie Miller’s old band) along with The SharpeeZ at the football club. Two great bands who both played great sets. We had to pack up quickly as Jamie Williams and the Roots Collective had to set off to Bude in Cornwall the next morning at 6am to play at a festival, which FullHouse headlined, in the evening.

We played an outstanding set and if you had seen the reaction from 12

the audience I think you would have agreed! The next day was an early off as we went to Devizes to play a Saturday night slot. I’m pleased to say we went down really well and got rebooked for further shows in 2020. On the Sunday 10th we hurried home from Devizes as I wanted to make the UB to catch a bit of When Rivers Meet who blew me away. On Friday 15th November it was Rough ‘n’ Ready at the UB who I have to say played the best I have heard them play.

Sunday 17th at Chelmsford City FC saw the Black Frog Mini Fest. What a show it was with Di Stone of The Delta Ladies, Joe Anderton and Connor Selby, Dangerous Daydream, Jamie Williams and the Roots Collective - and the Robbie McIntosh Band who just amazed us all; what a band they are! All of the acts on the day were fantastic.

Next, we were back in London for the first Black Frog event at the United Reformed Church in Winchmore Hill, which we all agreed has an amazing sound and potential to become another great live venue - and one we will definitely use again. All the acts were great as were Joe Anderton, Di Stone, Rough ‘n’ Ready Jamie, Dave and myself and BJ Cole and Joe Papa. It was a charity event so we all played for free to help the local homeless.

Coming Up On Friday 6th December at the football club Los Pacaminos (featuring Paul Young) return to entertain - and if that was not enough they are joined by The Ugly Guys who will be opening the night.

The UB will be having a special week from Monday 9th December with great live music every night. On the Monday will be the One Tree Hillbillies Christmas show, so expect a lot of fun. Tuesday sees Bex Marshall playing (Bex is due to open the Oscars and the Grammys in the USA next year); this a girl you have to see and hear. She has played in the past with Janis Joplin’s old band and with Starship - one not to miss. Wednesday is Joe’s festive open mic, and we expect it to be busy with lots of great people playing and watching. Thursday sees the blues return with The Woodbine Blues Band - a great fun outfit who you will love. Friday sees the return of Darryl Butcher spinning the decks with lots of great tunes that you will want to get up and dance to. Saturday it is the return of Andy Twyman and his one-man show, Then on the Sunday is Stephen Brian Leonard, a fab singersongwriter and player.

There is lots more going on in the run up to Christmas and New Year.

On Friday 27th December we have no less than Kimberly Rew, who is the man who played with and wrote all of the music for Katrina and the Waves. Of course there is lots going on all over the place, but sadly I have run out of space once again.

Enjoy your festive season and stay safe, and let’s hope that 2020 is something to look forward to!

Once again, please check out the listings in the City Times - these are not just for music, but for everything that the public can attend. If you know of something going on then please drop an email to editorial@ itsyourmedia.co.uk.

As ever, please do try to come out and support the great live scene we have in Essex because if you do not - we may lose it. For more information on all of the above and more see the links below and or pick up a copy of the City Times and go to the What’s On pages to see what else in happening in your area. If you go to our Facebook pages look at our ‘Events’ tabs to see who is playing and preview the up-and-coming acts. www.itsyourmusic.co.uk www.facebook.com/itsyourmusic/events Twitter@itsyourmusic www.facebook.com/theunitedbrethren/events www.visitessex.com/events

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1 Bridge Street, Writtle, Chelmsford, CM1 3EY 01245 422 891 www.pakwaan.co.uk Mon-Sat 12pm-2.30pm & 5pm-10.30pm Sun 12pm-10pm www.moulshamtimes.com 13

Moulsham Junior School

Army Day because there was a variety of activities - and our class is very competitive which only made it all the more enjoyable! We competed in a mini cross country race and cheered our team mates on along the way. We thoroughly enjoyed our topic of World War 2 this term and can’t wait for all the terms left to come.”

“We recently went to Duxford Air and Land Museum where we marvelled at the aircraft and tanks. We even got to watch planes landing on the air strip.

Dillon and Rebecca, 6 Sturgeon

This term has been very memorable - one of the best! Year 6 have been learning about World War 2 and all the events that happened during it. We also did lots of different fun activities, ranging from school trips to writing persuasive leaflets.

“In English, we read Friend or Foe by Michel Morpurgo, created persuasive leaflets of how civilians could help the war effort, wrote newspaper reports based on the book Friend or Foe, and wrote a story on the movie novelisation of Goodnight Mr Tom. “We finished the topic with Army Day. Each class competed against in various events such as: marching as a regiment, circuit training, making a Morse Code machine, origami, a mini cross country race and an obstacle course.

“Out of all the things that we did this term, we particularly enjoyed

Moulsham Infant School

stories, a reading pass the parcel game, a phonic hunt and a story from our headteacher, Mrs Cannon.

The event was a huge success and thanks to the generosity of our parents, friends and family we raised over £1,300 for new reading resources in school!

Reading Sponsored Event Day On Thursday 24th October we held an exciting reading sponsored event day in school to raise funds for resources to support learning in reading. The children enjoyed travelling around every classroom in school and visiting all the teachers. They took part in a variety of fun reading activities throughout the day both inside and outside.

Some of the activities included: creating a bookmark, taking part in reading relay races, a library bingo hunt, art activities related to

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The Singing Chef Hi, hope you are all well and recovered from last month’s squidgy brownies! I am so looking forward to Christmas this year. I will have all three kids home as well as my eldest son’s dad, who I get on very well with. The only thing with Steve is that he’s very loud and speaks in a heavy east London accent. It’s almost like he only speaks in vowel sounds. I imagine the phrase ‘...say that again Steve?’ will be well over-used on Christmas Day!

If you want to make these smaller and suitable for a Christmas Day starter, take a pair of scissors to the cooked macaroni and chop away. Use two teaspoons instead of an ice cream scoop.

Merry Christmas to you all and happy eating xx

The recipe I have for you today is perfect as canapés and should suit most guests over the holiday season.

Mac and Cheese Lollipop Trio (Plain Cheese, Bacon, Crab) Serves 10 •

Boil 330g of small macaroni pasta in salted boiling water for 12-15 mins.

• While boiling the pasta in a separate saucepan, heat together 50g of butter and 100g of plain flour until formed a thick paste.

• Slovenly add a pint of milk, stirring all the time to prevent lumps.

• Add 50g of chasse and 1 egg.

• Add you pasta back to the pan and mix, season heavily with salt and pepper, cool slightly.

• Split your mix into 3 vessels.

• Add dressed crab, parsley and a squeeze of lemon to one third.

• Add cooked bacon lardons to the next.

• Add 25g of grated parmesan to the final third.

• Using an ice cream scoop, put the luscious balls on a lined backing tray and finish cooling in the fridge.

• Prepare 1 bowl of seasoned plain flour, 1 of whisked egg, 1 of breadcrumbs (I crush cream crackers in my Magimix for breadcrumbs).

• Heat your oil for deep frying.

Sarah is a singer and vocal coach based in Chelmsford and offers • Dredge each ball in flour then egg then breadcrumbs and fry for singing lessons to people of all ages and abilities. You can email 5 mins turning once if needed.

Sarah at sarahmtfood@gmail.com or search for ‘Sarah Beth Vocal • I serve with celeriac remoulade (grated celeriac, mayonnaise Coaching’ on Facebook. and Dijon mustard with a splash of cider vinegar, salt, pepper).

16 www.moulshamtimes.com

I left Victoria Falls and for the first time on this adventure I headed west. My intention was to cross into Namibia, prior to riding down the west coast of Africa into South Africa. I left Zambia and crossed the Zambezi River on a rickety old pontoon into Botswana.

Without doubt I will remember Botswana for its animals. Chobe National Park, including the Okavango Delta, is four times the size of Essex, and home to hurds of elephants and buffalo. I was amazed to discover that I was allowed into the park with my motorbike. At various sections I had to sign a register in and then later, out. Lions are abundant in the park and are known for preying on elephants. I will never forget having to stop riding to watch a herd of elephants cross the road in front of me. I saw many lions whilst on safari, but luckily none whilst riding!

them. I also visited Fish River Canyon, the largest canyon in Africa.

Namibia was so very different to the lush jungle to the north.

I headed south and had a sense of sadness as I entered South Africa. It would be the final country I would visit before putting my motorbike on a ship home. I didn’t dwell on this fact, instead I made the most of my final weeks in Africa. Whilst I would be flying out of Cape Town Airport, my adventure hadn’t finished, over the next couple of days I rode south to Cape Aguilars, the most southerly place in Africa. I arrived and felt a massive sense of achievement, I rode my motorbike first north to Nordkapp, the most northerly place in Europe, before turning around and riding south through Europe and Africa to arrive at the most southerly place in Africa. I passed through 33 countries, the snow and freezing weather above the Arctic Circle, the remoteness of northwest Russia, the extreme heat of the Sahara Desert, the jungle as I crossed the equator, and the abundance of big animals in the southern African countries.

Five months earlier I stood at Nordkapp looking north, knowing the North Pole was just over the horizon, and now at Cape Agulhas, looking south, knowing the South Pole was just over the horizon. I breathed the fresh sea air in and smiled, a beaming smile, with a tear in my eye, I had done it! I had completed another overland adventure!

The world is an amazing place. I didn’t plan much, I headed south, adjusting and dealing with the different terrain and animals as I encountered them. The only constant, being the wonderful people I met along the way. People may physically change around the world, but they are constantly wonderful, lovely, helpful, engaging and a source of inspiration. It’s all about the people.

It’s always, all about the people… danskeates.com

I continued east and stayed a couple of nights at a great campsite on the Okavango River. Having been amongst large animals for over a month, the signs saying Beware Hippos and Crocodiles was nothing new. Often I was alone, the only camper. Early one morning at about 5am I was woken by the sound of a hippo grazing nearby. Over the past weeks I had seen many hippos in the rivers near me, crocodiles too. One evening as the sun was setting a herd of elephants walked within 2 metres of my tent. So, when I first heard the grazing hippo I wasn’t concerned, but it got closer and closer, to the point where I could hear it sniffing up against my tent. The fact that I had been told many times that hippos were the largest killer of humans each year had to this point been noted, but not caused me any stress. However, as I lay there knowing that nobody else was about, with the hippo a metre or so away from me, I became very aware of the potential danger. The hippo didn’t pass by, it continued grazing right outside my tent for 40 minutes or so. I was so aware of the risk, I didn’t move in case it heard me make a noise, I just stayed completely still. I was wide awake, there was no way I could have gone back to sleep. After 40 minutes the noise stopped, I still couldn’t move for another 10 minutes, but eventually, slowly opened the zip and peered outside.

It had gone! Whilst at no point did I think I would die, I was acutely aware that I was in a very serious situation.

Having spent the past couple of months in jungle and semi-arid savanna, I was now going to be riding through the deserts of Namibia.

The landscape of Africa is so diverse, I really had to think about what was ahead of me constantly, one week I may need mosquito repellent, and now, In Namibia, I needed to ensure I had a minimum of six litres water with me at all times. Namibia is one of the least densely populated countries in the world, which meant that I was at times all alone as I rode along the dry, dusty, dirt roads. Visiting Deadvlei (Dead Valley) was surreal, where trees which died over 600 years ago are still standing in the desert with no rain or water to rot

t o p s s i th n i e s i s t e r e m i v d T A m a h s l u in Mo £115 + VAT for Promote your business to thousands of local people every month!

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n o i t i ed t x Ne om r f t ou ary u n Ja d r 3

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Personal Finance Clinic: The Gift of Financial Freedom This Holiday Season It’s that time of year again. We’re heading full pelt into the holiday season when we all long for quality time with loved ones but invariably end up stressed out, over-indulged - and overdrawn...

For some inexplicable reason, we feel compelled to host the perfect Christmas lunch, to buy the perfect present and to make it the ‘most magical time of the year’.

It’s exhausting! No wonder we need a rest in January to recover our mental health and replenish our bank accounts. So, how about keeping hold of your cash this year, giving yourself - and others - the gift of financial freedom?

Budget and Plan Like anything else in life, it’s best if you set yourself a budget for Christmas and plan how you will spend it. This way, it’s less likely you will end up panic buying on Christmas Eve or putting yet another expense on the credit card.

Organise a Secret Santa Instead of wasting endless hours and far too much money buying everyone a gift that they probably don’t want or need anyway, why not organise a Secret Santa for the adults in your life? Keeping the budget to a token amount of, say, £5, £10 or £20 takes the pressure off those with less disposable cash.

Management, is a Chartered Financial Planner. She also holds the Pensions Specialist and Later Life Specialist qualifications.

Fiducia Wealth Management has offices at Saxon House, 27 Duke Street, Chelmsford CM1 1HT (01245 950 922) and at Dedham Hall Business Centre, Brook Street, Dedham, Colchester CO7 6AD (01206 321 045).

You can contact Lauren directly via lauren@fiduciawealth.co.uk. www.fiduciawealth.co.uk

View both our magazines online at

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Offer Your Time Instead of buying a gift, why not offer your time as a present? You could babysit someone’s children, help an elderly person with their garden, offer to fix something. The possibilities are endless and the gift will be so much more personal and, likely, far more appreciated!

Remember Charities For some people, the holiday season can be the worst time of the year. Lots of supermarkets run campaigns to help customers donate cans of food and other items to homeless charities. You could volunteer at a shelter or just remember to lend a few minutes of your time and a smile to someone who needs it. Or, how about donating to charity on someone’s behalf, instead of a gift? It’s worth noting that donations to charity receive tax relief.

Set up Savings for Children If the children in your life, whether grandchildren or nephews and nieces, are lucky enough to receive more presents then they know what to do with, why not start a savings account for them instead? A grandparent can set up a Junior ISA on their behalf, for example. Or, if you’re a parent, you could ask family members for cash to put into your child’s savings account. The children won’t miss the presents now, but will certainly be glad to receive the cash in the future.

Don’t Neglect Yourself Gift yourself time for relaxation and contemplation. January is just around the corner and usually a time for organising finances. Perhaps you are due to submit your tax return in January or you are planning on getting to grips with your pensions, savings and investments in 2020? You will want to be refreshed enough to deal with these issues and set those long-held plans into action once the holiday season is over.

Why not take the first step now by booking yourself a financial planning meeting in the new year? Fiducia Wealth Management offers a free initial meeting with no obligation.

Wishing you a restful Christmas and a happy New Year!

Lauren Peters, Senior Financial Adviser at Fiducia Wealth www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia 19

I suspect many of our readers were at the turning on of the Christmas Lights on Sunday 17th November in the High Street. No doubt you will have seen the familiar sight of Rotarians led by the Chelmsford Phoenix Club selling mince pies and mulled wine at very reasonable prices. A total of £1,885.78 was raised, which will be divided equally between Mencap and The Rotary Foundation. To attract the children the ubiquitous Human Fruit Machine was on hand for the first time and may well have boosted the money raised.

Chelmsford Rotary Clubs as Busy as Ever

There is a lot of energy being expended by the local Rotary clubs in the run up to Christmas, with a mix of the tried and tested events and the innovative.

A first was an initiative of the Rotary Chelmsford City Satellite Club which was a children’s Sell and Swap. This may sound like a good way of trying out a different child but, in fact, involved the children of the recently formed group actually running the stalls - under the strict supervision of their parents of course. This took place on Saturday 16th November at St John’s Church Hall in Vicarage Road. There was a fantastic atmosphere with the kids buying and selling. We are sure that some took home more than they brought along, but it proved a great experience for everyone and £250 was raised for Kids Inspire, a charity based in Great Baddow. A wonderful achievement and thanks go to everyone who came along and supported and went home with a bargain. These youngsters certainly seem to be Rotarians of the future as their shirts proclaimed.

At the Chelmsford Remembrance Day Parade I was proud to wear my Rotary poppy when I participated in the service and laid a wreath.

The Rotary poppy is a project started by the Chelmer Bridge Rotary Club which has gone national. Last year over £22,000 was presented to the British Legion from the sale of these pins. Not to be left out, Chelmsford Mildmay Rotary held a very nice dinner in aid of polio.

No let up then, and no time off for good behaviour! By the time you read this, Rotarians will be out and about in the streets of Chelmsford collecting money for local people, Chelmsford Rivermead Rotary will have held its auction in aid of Barrow Farm Riding for the Disabled on the 24th November, and Santa’s Grotto at the Frost Fair in Hylands House will be in full swing. This was new last year and was a great success. It is run by Chelmsford Rotary from 18th - 20th November and another super day out for the children. Not to be missed.

The Christmas Concert in Chelmsford Cathedral on 26th November will have tickets available on the door if you haven’t already purchased them, and it promises to be another super evening’s entertainment.

So much going on and Rotary is looking to the future for like-minded people to help run these events. If you have a bit of time on your hands, or are willing to put aside a little time, because I know we are all busy, then please contact me by email at communications@ rotary1240.org, or phone on 01245 260 349. You are assured of a warm welcome when you visit a Rotary Club.

Stan Keller

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Later the same day, the Rotary Club of Chelmsford ran a quiz on behalf of Families InFocus (Essex), another great local charity. The venue was Writtle Social Club with quizmaster Stephen Moriaty ably assisted by club President Francis Whitbread and his wife, Jackie.

Quizzes are always popular and this was no exception. Great fun and great result with £650 raised for another local good cause.

The week before, on the 9th November, Chelmsford Rotarians were running one of their fundraising jumble sales at the Danbury Village Hall. These occur twice a year and this one raised £470 which will go towards taking some elderly Chelmsford residents to the pantomime.

When you live on your own this is always one treat they to forward to.

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Neighbourhood Watch Santa is Coming!!

Hi all, your friendly Neighbourhood Ayman here.

‘be vigilant’ spiel.

I hope you are all having a great festive season preparing for Christmas and New Year. I thought I’d use this month’s article to talk about the meeting we had with the local Council, recent crime and finally, the usual

Safer Chelmsford Partnership and CCTV Tour )7th November) A number of NhW coordinators and I met with Community Safety Manager Spencer Clarke and his team to discuss what the Council are doing for our area.

Safer Chelmsford Partnership is made up of the County and City Councils, Essex Police and the fire service, National Probation and health.

The partnership has 4 objectives (see the picture below).

I am hoping that in future I can get Spencer Clarke to write an article for us to go through some of key points. If you have any ideas how the Council can improve their communication do send a message.

The meeting was finished with a visit to the Surveillance Room with over 300 cameras keeping a watchful on our safety. It was reassuring for many of the residents that came to see this in place and to gain some peace of mind and confidence in our councils and police.

Recent Crime We had an unsual burglary of two next door neighbours targeted during the day. Access was via patio doors and house alarms were not present.

A new car was targeted at night and stolen, with theives breaking into a home to get the keys. The back door wasn’t particularly secure and another set of car keys were also there which sadly meant two cars were stolen.

If you could add one extra thing to your stocking list, that should be a house alarm. Much more of a deterrent than cameras/door dameras.

Cameras are really only useful after a crime, and even then not that

useful if the intruders have hidden their faces.

An alarm however alerts everyone! It creates unwanted attention and that’s the last thing a thief wants.

A feature that I plan to start using is ‘partial alarm’. This can be used at night to alarm the doors and windows while allowing you to move around inside without triggering the alarm.

Please Be Vigilant While Shopping Everyone can be relaxed or in a rush while shopping and flying back and forth to the car piling up the presents. Please be aware of your surroundings while at cash machines and how you secure your shopping.

It might seem its all gloom, but Old Moulsham continues to be a great place to be with lots of community spirit. Open House Life size Advert Calendar being just one example of what’s happening this month.

All the best and happy New Year Ayman

Do You Love Christmas Trees?

Then come along to our exciting event at St Luke’s Church, Gloucester Avenue, bringing together our community within Moulsham Lodge and Tile Kiln - our first Christmas Tree Festival!

We will have the church filled with Christmas trees, each one imaginatively designed and decorated by local families, churches, shops, businesses, and clubs.

The church will be open over the weekend for everyone to have a look at all the trees with free entry. We will also have children’s activities and refreshments available throughout the weekend.

Come along and join us: Saturday 14th December, 10am-4pm and Sunday 15th December, 2pm-5pm!

24 www.moulshamtimes.com

Hello again to you all. Winter’s setting in now. As I write this there is a very cold wind, but with a bright sky. I must say, I am not a fan of this time of year, as I know we have short cold days to come for the next three or four months. Never mind, we have Christmas to look forward to - and when you visit the shops, it’s as if it’s already here. Christmas carols, decorations and the like - bit too early in my view.

On the subject of shops and Christmas, I had decided that I would not visit any shops that have all the decorations up before week three of December. However, if I were to stick with that, we would not have any food, or more seriously, wine, so I have given up on that.

Ear drops! I have been prescribed these recently, and I would like to know how the liquid can be kept in the ear and enticed into the inside the ear to enable them to work. Each day, I stand there with my head to one side, squeezing the little tube, pushing it as near as I can to where it should go, and each day I end up with the liquid running down my neck. I just have to hope that some of it is getting to the place it is supposed to go.

This month’s fiasco. I follow football (well, some might argue about that at the moment, as I support Southampton) and like a lot of fans, I’m not sure about this VAR thing. For those who do not follow the sport, VAR is used to clarify events on the pitch. Things like penalty awards, fouls or other offences. If there is a dispute, VAR comes into action. Play is stopped and officials, not on the pitch, examine the replay of the incident and give a decision. This has proved to be somewhat controversial, as not everyone agrees with the so-called experts. This has resulted in even more analysis of the incidents and argument. VAR stands for Video Assistant Referee. I think it might mean Very Awful Refereeing these days. Just sayin’!

We popped to Maldon the other day, we do this now and again as we enjoy visiting the town. Anyway, we found ourselves in the Queen’s Head pub on Hythe Key as they do lovely lunches there. Well, on the table next to ours was a man with a dog on his lap. The dog was very well behaved, sat quietly enjoying the view. No you’re right, of course he wasn’t, the tide was out! We suddenly noticed that there was a crash helmet on the table, and this set us thinking: Does the dog’s owner have a little basket on his motorcycle handle bars for the dog to sit in? In which case, where was his crash helmet? Or does the dog have to run alongside him as he goes along? Perhaps the helmet is the dog’s and he has arrived on his scooter. Last possibility, the dog sits on the pillion with his front paws round the waist of the owner, goggles on and his fur being blown all over the place, I would have loved to ask the man, but before I could, they left, so we will never know...

As regular readers will know, me and technology do not get on. The latest episode is related to trying to order something on Amazon, the online shopping company. As a reward for buying a smart thermostat, I was told I could have a free smart speaker. It would seem, however, that everything and everybody is smart except me! They said that I would be contacted to let me know what I have to do to claim my gift. So, Internet here I come. Sure enough, there’s an email in my inbox explaining what I should do. As usual, the ‘this is simple’ claim is lost on me.

Click the link to order, it said. Link clicked, through to the Amazon site, enter the code, press a few keys and there we are. I’ve

managed to order two of the speakers, only wanted the free one. In addition, I have apparently joined Amazon Prime, which I would have to pay for. Cancelling this will keep me busy for the rest of the day!

Update: I have managed to do this, in only half an hour!

Would you spend loads of money on something that belonged to someone famous? No, nor me, but it seems from the media that lots of people do. I read recently that Francis Rossi of Status Quo was going to sell his guitar at auction. It is expected to fetch over £100,000. It does not even work! He bought it secondhand years ago, painted it himself, and over the years it has been modified, so it is no longer seen as a genuine classic instrument. I know the money will probably go to charity, but who on earth is going to pay that sort of money just because it belonged to someone in a pop group? Olivia Newton-John’s jacket, the one she wore in the film Grease, sold for £100,000 recently. I think I’ll get a few white T-shirts, put holes in them with burn marks round the edge, and sell them as ones worn by Bruce Willis in the Die Hard films.

Poor old Meghan and Harry are in the news again. Apparently, they are not going to Sandringham for Christmas dinner with the rest of the family. Why do the newspapers publish this stuff? It will ruin my Christmas worrying whether this will spoil Christmas for the rest of them. How would anyone miss out on a meal with the finest food and wine? I think I may write to the Queen to see if I can come instead.

The food will only go to waste otherwise.

Well, hope you all have a great Christmas and wish you a happy New Year. Let’s hope that the ‘B’ thing gets sorted early in the new year so we can all think of something else to talk about.

Bin end chuckles: How do you know when Santa’s in the room? You can feel his presents...

I bought my friend a fridge for Christmas. I can’t wait to see his face light up when he opens it...

Mersey Beat Part Five - by John Power The Undertakers 1961-1966 (Sometimes Shortened to The Takers) The group got their name as the result of a typographical error in a newspaper which mixed an advert for a gig with a real undertaker.

Liking the joke, they dressed up for the part and had matching props.

They were created when two groups from Wallasey, a suburb in Merseyside, joined forces. The line-up that was created was Chris Huston on lead guitar, Geoff Nugent on rhythm guitar, Brian Jones (no relation to the Rolling Stone) on sax, Dave Cooper on bass and Bob Evans on drums. Jimmy McManus was the original vocalist for this line-up but left to be replaced Bugs Pemberton from Dee and the Dynamites in 1962, while Dave Cooper also left to join Faron’s Flamingos and was replaced by Jackie Lomax on bass - a new instrument for him. After a few months, he took over on vocals from McManus or Pemberton. Jones’ sax gave an added dimension to their sound and they were able to expand from rock covers to r&b classics like those of Ray Charles and Little Richard.

Records) and See for Miles, a 1985 compilation of recordings from The Cavern.

They chose Ralph Webster as manager as he had good connections with local music venues, but by so doing they missed out on the benefits of being part of the Brian Epstein stable. They did do the German tour and got a residency at Hamburg’s Star Club, and by 1963 had a Pye recording contract. Their first two singles failed to make a mark but their third, Just a Little Bit/Stupidity, reached the UK top 20 in 1964, mixing thumping drums, sax, and intricate guitar with the soulful voice of Jackie Lomax.

Early line-ups played The Cavern Club more times than The Beatles or any other groups. The group were given a contract by Brian Epstein but not the sartorial makeover that The Beatles received, so decided to fit themselves out with flashy suits, shirts and boots and split from his management. However, a Fontana Records contract was forthcoming and in 1963 they had a hit with It’s Love That Really Counts, then in 1964 a bigger one with I Think of You that sold a million copies. Wishin’ and Hopin’ and Sorrow (later covered by David Bowie) were other big sellers among ten hit songs. They enjoyed success on the continent and even had their own TV show in Italy.

Pye had teamed up with Tony Hatch, an old school record producer, who’s style did not suit the band, so they quit Pye in 1964 despite no other contract being in the offing. They continued to work in Europe then, minus rhythm guitarist Nugent, and got signed by US promoter Bob Harvey. Harvey had also signed ex-Beatle drummer Pete Best and his band, who he lavished more attention on than The Takers.

With visa problems in the States and no sizeable gigs, they soon ran short of income. A single I Fell in Love was released, but they relied more on session work, which included the alias The You Know Who group. An album was made, but was not released until 1995 on CD. Not feeling the benefits of success, Jones headed back to England.

Huston joined the successful Young Rascals. Pemberton joined a US Mersey Lads outfit and played with Jackie Lomax in Lost Souls. Brian Epstein caught up with them while in the States and helped them to record, but when he died it left the records not being promoted. The renewed contact did benefit Jackie Lomax however, who got onto The Beatles’ Apple label thanks to George Harrison.

Beryl Marsden Born Beryl Hoog in Toxteth, Beryl was not related to Gerry Marsden.

She first came to the fore singing with The Undertakers on occasions at The Cavern. She was a rock chick in the same mould as early Lulu, and she also supported The Beatles. Her backing band were called The Crew and they were signed to Decca Records in 1963, recording two singles I Know and When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes, which was later eclipsed by a Supremes version.

She came under the management of Tony Stratton-Smith, who later founded Charisma Records and who arranged a move for her to EMI’s Columbia Records in 1965, releasing the single Whats She Got? When Rod Stewart left Long John Baldrey’s Steampacket, he formed another similar soul review called Shotgun Express whose members would constitute a supergroup, as history unfolded. Apart from Rod, there was Beryl, Pete Green on guitar, Peter Bardens on keyboards, and Mick Fleetwod on drums. When that folded she joined an all girl trio, She Trinity. She then joined a band called Sinbad with Paddy Chambers from Paddy, Klaus and Gibson. Session money became her bread and butter for a while, then more solo work before becoming one of Martha Reeves’ Vandellas. One wonders what heights she could have reached if management had been different...

Her songs appear on the anthologies: The Girl Scene (Deram 28

The Merseybeats/Merseys 1961 and On Previously known as the The Pacifics and then The Maverics, the band managed to copyright the ‘Merseybeat’ name, as the Mersey beat boom started to take off. The founder members were Tony Crane (lead vocals and guitar), Billy Kinsley (rhythm guitar and vocals) as an Everly Brothers-style duo. There were many personnel changes as they continued to perform into the new millenium, as they were joined by David Elias on rhythm guitar and Frank Sloane on drums.

Sloane was first replaced by John Banks and Elias by Aaron Williams.

Kenny Mundye replaced John Banks in 1965. Billy Kinsley left to form the Kinsleys in 1964 and was replaced by Johnny Gustafson.

Bob Packham (bass) joined in 1974 and Lou Rosenthal became the drummer in 2000.

Billy Kinsley returned from the less successful Kinsleys to replace Gustafsen and in 1966 he and Tony Crane returned to original duet format, with the other musicians functioning as backing. At that time the duos just called themselves The Merseys. But in 1967 Crane, Kinsley and Kenny Mundye played as a trio calling themselves The Merseybeats again, which toured as a cabaret act. In 1971 they had a Merseybeat reunion in Liverpool. After another break Kinsley returned in 1993, before another split produced Tony Crane and the Merseybeats for a while. After 2000 it was The Merseybeats again!

No name changes reported since!

The Fourmost 1961 and On The origins of this band date back to 1957, when Brian O’Hara, guitar and vocals, and Joey Bower, also guitar and vocals, formed The Two Jays. In 1959 they became The Four Jays when Billy Hatton, bass and vocals, and Brian Redman on drums joined them. The Four Jays first played The Cavern Club in 1961. They were also joined by Mike Millward from The Undertakers in 1961 and Dave Loveday on drums.

They became The Fourmost in 1962, and Brian Epstein signed them as the Merseybeat craze grew in ‘63, and then got them a Parlophone record contract with George Martin.

The Epstein camp meant they had access to early Lennon and McCartney songs: Hello Little Girl, written by Lennon in 1957, was released in ‘63 and reached number 9 in the UK charts. I’m in Love (Lennon and McCartney) reached number 17 later that year, but, like their other songs, failed to take off in the US. A Little Loving, written

by Russ Alquist got to number 6 in 1964. O’Hara wrote some of the band’s own material, but this was was always used for b-sides of American covers, which probably accounts for their lack of success, especially in America. In 1965 they released the album First and Fourmost. That year also saw them feature in the film Ferry Cross the Mersey, singing I Love You. In 1966 Mike Millward died. He was replaced by George Peckham, and they released another Beatles song, a cover of Here There and Everywhere. Two or three comedy songs followed but to little interest from the record buying public. 1968 saw Apples, Peaches and Pumpkin Pie on CBS Records, then Rosetta, with Paul McCartney on piano, before they turned to cabaret. George Peckham left to start a recording studio. Joey Bower retired and the remaining group

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produced an album by themselves, The Fourmost, which was made up entirely of cover songs. O’Hara added new members, and many line-up changes followed. In 2007 the then line-up recorded Live at the Club Tropicana. A group still using the name Fourmost continues to tour.

Charley Records first produced a 20 track compilation using the name of their first album First and Fourmost in 1965, and EMI issued a remastered original version in 1999. In 2005 there was a 33 track compilation, The Best of Fourmost.

Mike Millward died in 1966, and later Brian O’Hara committed suicide in 1999. Billy Hatton died in 2017.

My Book My latest book, The 1960s Blues Boom is now available, 135 pages with ample pictures developing the theme of post-war experimental music to the mid 1970s.

Message me online via the website johnpowerweb. jimdo.com, or email madaece21@gmail.com for further information.

No Amazon this time: too much techno babble for an old’un!

A price of £8 covers the printing costs.

Officially, Our Pilates Retreat Is Ready to Go…!

...and we couldn’t be more excited!

•

At Hummingbird Yoga and Pilates on Writtle, we have launched our very first pilates retreat for Sunday 9th February 2020, to give you dedicated and uninterrupted pilates ‘me-time’ for four whole hours!

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What better way to spend a fresh new year Sunday afternoon, perhaps it may even fulfil a resolution too? Away from the chilly air and in our beautiful, peaceful, purpose built studios which are in a converted barn in the Essex countryside, we have the perfect setting for some me-time with no distractions.

I’m so excited to be planning this full 4-hour pilates experience for you, and as we have the whole studio (2 studios in fact) for the afternoon we are also offering a combo pilates and massage package (limited availability) for you to indulge in some proper metime. One of our studios will be dedicated to pilates sessions for the afternoon, the other will be a sanctuary for relaxation and time-out.

So what’s on offer? The retreat will run from 2pm through til 6.30pm and offer an exciting mix of 3 classes with specific relaxation time.

We will be revisiting some of the basics and consolidating the foundations of your practise - perfect if you are new to pilates or curious about the background of this worldwide popular exercise genre. We will then take up the pace with more of an exploration in how equipment can add fun dimensions to your pilates training; a great time to have a go at something new or let me help you master some of those old time ‘just can’t quite do it’ challenges!

After the first two sessions there is a break where you’ll have the opportunity to rest and relax, enjoy fresh juices and teas, and delicious healthy snacks to top up your energy. Use your time to read, maybe to meditate or get yourself in for a massage, lose yourself in some mindful crafts or just curl up and relax!

Finally, we have a whole class dedicated to exploring your spinal and joint mobility aiming to leave you moving more freely and feeling relaxed.

Whether you are new or experienced in pilates practise, I will be guiding you through a carefully thought out pilates repertoire, and whether it’s challenges you’re after or an indulgent time for stretch and mobility, this retreat is all about you, so just switch off from the buzz of everyday living stresses.

Enhance your retreat experience by adding a treatment, which may include: www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia

Hot Stone Back Massage: Allow warm basalt stones to release deep-seated tension and fatigue from the muscles. Combined with a soothing aromatherapy oil blend of frankincense, lavender and black pepper.

Indian Head Massage with Hot Stones: While lying on a bed of warm basalt stones, enjoy an ayurvedic scalp, neck and shoulder massage.

We provide all equipment that you need for your retreat. However, many of our clients like to use their own mats. At Hummingbird, we also have a yoga, pilates and lifestyle store, which provides a range of beautiful mats, props and clothes, so if you would like to purchase your own mat or equipment, you can buy it on arrival.

For details and more on our classes and retreats at Hummingbird Yoga and Pilates, please visit our website where you can book and pay online with our easy to use booking system (link below). You can also email us at info@hummingbirdpilatesyoga.co.uk, or just give us a call on 01245 422 556 and we can get your place reserved for the 9th of February!

See you there!

Erica xx www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk

In need of time for yourself ?

Book now Pilates & Yoga Classes & 1-2-1s

Introductory offer - 30 days for £45 (t&cs apply)

Tel: 01245 422 556 www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk.

11a, Long Barns, Reeds Farm Estate, Roxwell Road, Writtle, Chelmsford, CM1 3ST. Remember to tell our advertisers you saw their advert in the MT

27

All About Moulsham Lodge Moulsham Lodge Community Trust So what is a volunteer? A volunteer is a person who gives freely of their time, working for the benefit of others.

At Moulsham Lodge Community Trust that is something we constantly struggle with, finding people who are happy to give their time to help us as a group provide things for the wider community.

Thankfully though there are a few who are happy to give not only their time but a small part of themselves to help others. One of those is our trustee Jo Westram. She has been with us from day one and is always keen to do whatever she can to help others - and at last, her efforts have now been officially recognised. Jo was nominated as the Community Champion in the competition held by Chelmsford For You who organised the switch on of the Christmas lights. Jo works to help organise coffee mornings, after school clubs and many of the other events offered by MLCT, and as such she gained the title of ‘Community Champion’. On Sunday 17th December Jo helped turn on the Christmas lights in Chelmsford High Street (see photo, Jo is in the middle) Being a volunteer will vary depending on where and who you volunteer for, and at MLCT that can mean anything from making teas and coffees, selling raffle tickets at an event, calling the numbers at a bingo evening, cooking breakfast for nearly 200 people at Breakfast with Santa or, as we are doing now, picking up a paintbrush and painting the newly refurbished station.

There is something special about giving of yourself to help others and its people like Jo and all the other trustees and volunteers at MLCT

that mean we can provide facilities for people who need them.

Perhaps you want somewhere to go for a cup of coffee as it’s the only time you leave the house, or maybe it’s the defibrillator that we now have on the outside of the building which could save the life of someone you know.

Whatever it is and whatever you do, become a volunteer and see how rewarding it can be.

In December our choir, New City Voices, will be holding their annual Christmas concert - see the poster for details. This year we have as special guests Men2Sing, the all male choir from South Woodham Ferrers. www.mlct.org.uk enquiries@mlct.org.uk 07411 808 731 Also, search for us on Facebook and Twitter

Cllr Mark Springett - Moulsham Lodge Ward John Shennan The results of the John Shennan survey have been compiled and an initial report has been sent to Chelmsford City Council for consideration. One of the ideas put forward was to plant enough trees to create a woodland area; nearly 80% of people who responded agreed with this suggestion.

Keeping green space was also another important factor for a lot of residents along with improved play areas and other outdoor related activities. The next steps are for the team from Friends of John Shennan to meet with the cabinet member for a Safer Chelmsford to discuss the results of the survey and to discuss what the next steps might be. We’ll let you know when there is any news.

Army & Navy You may have heard that the Army and Navy flyover will never ever open again and will be removed as soon as a contractor can be identified. If you want to know what some of the options are, follow this link to Essex County Councils dedicated web page www.essex. gov.uk/armyandnavy.

Neighbourhood Watch Myself and other councillors have recently met with senior police 28

officers and community safety teams to discuss ways we can all help to stop crime, or more specifically, how best to report crime in our local areas. One of these initiatives is the reinvigoration of Neighbourhood Watch (NBW). We need street coordinators for NBW with some of their responsibilities being to help manage crime reported in their area and feed this directly to the local policing teams. It has shown to be working very well in places like old Moulsham and we now need to extend it out to other areas. If you are interested get in touch with me and I’ll give you more details, or you can always get more details here: www. chelmsfordneighbourhoodwatch.org.uk.

You may also have seen some recent daytime drug arrests at Moulsham Lodge shops, this was following reports you made to me and my discussions with the now promoted Chief Inspector Gerry Parker about these type of issues in our area.

See you next month. mark.springett@chelmsfordlibdems.org.uk 07411 808 731 www.markspringett.co.uk/blog Twitter: @markspringett (and also on Facebook)

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Tile Kiln Corner - by Linda Mascot Residents of Tile Kiln and beyond are lucky to have two opportunities, at Christmas and Halloween, to enjoy large displays on houses by residents who go that extra mile to bring a smile to our faces whilst raising money for charity.

Be sure to to visit the fabulous Christmas light display on the corner of Linnet Drive and Dove Lane (CM2 8AX).

The theme this year is Frozen and over the past 15 years, Sue Sharp’s displays have evolved to include bigger and better lights which have included themes of The North Pole and Toybox. Sue told me: “I started putting the lights up to raise money for charity in memory of my parents, I lost both at Christmas and it takes my mind off things. The light display brings a lot of enjoyment to many people who have made it one of their festive traditions to visit. All monies raised (by voluntary donations) go to a local charity and this year it will be Essex Air Ambulance. The lights are turned on daily from 3.30pm-9.30pm. Please feel welcome to walk up the path to view them.”

Another charitable event in our community is the annual Halloween balloon display in Goshawk Drive by Heydi Alvarado, who this year surrounded her front door with a huge balloon pumpkin, made a huge balloon spider’s web and sold cakes in aid of Tommy’s charity, which funds vital research into saving babies’ lives. As this is on a bus route, the buses were slowing down outside her house to enable the passengers to take photos!

Heydi is running the London Landmark half marathon next year for Tommy’s and said: “In the last 5 months I’ve been learning about the charity and I felt so lucky that I had two healthy pregnancies with two beautiful daughters, but not everyone is so lucky and this charity helps so many families. I’m running my own business, Heydi Party Decorations, on my own without colleagues or a networking company, but I have a good imagination so I decided to do a workshop to raise money. I’ve now completed two workshops at Chatty Hands, which were very successful, and another at my local Brownies, where my daughter Francesca used to go.

“I’ve created other displays at Halloween - my house has become very popular for my displays (I did a huge spider last year) so I decided to take this opportunity to raise money. My friend Sarah (at Lilyrose Cupcakes) has a big heart and makes cakes for my events.

She donated a large cake and 10 cupcakes with my daughters also donating 18 homemade chocolate apples. I made £125 on Halloween night and am so grateful to live in such a supportive community.”

I’d like to wish everybody a very happy Christmas. Stay safe, warm and look out for your neighbours. mascotlinda@gmail.com Twitter @lindamascot

Wait!

December is imminent - and that means we enter into the great waiting! Waiting is a disappearing art in our world. We no longer have to wait more than one sleep for our Amazon Prime delivery, and we no longer have to wait seven sleeps for the next episode of our favourite TV series - just Netflix away!

But in December, we still have to wait for 25 days and 24 sleeps (to use a child’s parlance!) until we get to Christmas Day. Schools, media, shops, adverts, calendars, Radio Times… all straining toward 25th December, and all having to wait.

But advent should be more than a fidgety waiting. The term itself comes from a Latin word meaning ‘coming’. In advent, we wait for something that is coming. But we don’t wait well, do we? Christmas Day tends to disappear in a flash - all that waiting, and then what?

Too much TV and an uncomfortable, accidental nap on the sofa with a paper hat? And let’s not mention the washing up…

But there is more. For Christians, advent brings into focus the anticipation and expectation for someone to save the day. The promise from God was that he would send someone who would change the world. Jesus being born as Son of God, as Saviour, as God actually with humans - that’s world changing! That’s what Christians savour and anticipate each advent.

Of course, this year we’re waiting for something else: the election of a new parliament and prime minister. All candidates set out their stall to be the UK’s saviour. But that’s too high a calling - they won’t meet the standard! So as you’re waiting, straining, toward Christmas, ask yourself; what am I really waiting for? In the midst of Christmas fever, and political wrangling, is there more? Can we hope for a true Saviour?

Want to know more? Get in touch…

Tim Goodall tim.goodall@tilekilnchurch.org.uk

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No Way Out - by Simon Inglis The early onset of highly unseasonal weather in Australia has helped fuel the dreadful bushfires in Queensland and New South Wales.

These fires certainly do effect the less built-up communities the most, as along most of Australian B and C roads in these states, as well as in Victoria, there are countless such ‘tiny towns’ of less than 500 people. The fires have also affected larger population centres such as Noosa, and a friend of mine living in an apartment on the populous Sunshine Coast even notified me they are closing windows and doors due to smoke and ash travelling over the city.

None of this is very new to me. As a child growing up in the heavily populated Adelaide metropolitan area in the 1980s I recall getting off the school bus only to see flames lapping along the hill face which overlook the city. It was a fire that had also destroyed countless lives and homes. And many readers will know of the devastation of Marysville in 2009, a small town that lost 173 people.

Bushfires are a sickening reality of living outside the huge metropolitan spreads here in Australia. Back in England I tend to laugh at the stories of dreadful spiders, snakes and crocodiles. While a salt water crocodile may well chomp you in half if hungry it isn’t as though these creatures swim in Melbourne’s Yarra River. Sure, spiders and snakes are a problem especially when I take my dog for a run, but vigilance and common sense means the worst critters of summer are the typical insect bites on the ankles and that horrible incessant heat. A decent pot set aside for deodorant isn’t such a bad idea come summer!

We all know Australia is underpopulated compared to many other countries. Most of us live near the coast or not far from it. I live inland near Victoria’s Grampians district. It is an extremely beautiful part of the world with four true seasons. Yet what stands out is that we get about 6 months of cold wet weather - sometimes we get snow.

The long damp winters allow for a rich soil base which in turn makes everything and anything grow. Gum forests, pine forests and lush ‘bushland’ as Aussies term the countryside. So it is very easy to forget about summer when you’re firing up the heating or de-icing the car on a winter morning.

Yet this is underpopulated Australia. Our major town is Ararat, a regional city with a rough population of 10,000. It is strictly suburbia albeit with larger housing blocks than the major cities. It has a major power station, it is on the main road and rail link between Melbourne and Adelaide, and it is also a Country Fire Authority centre base.

After those long winter months, Ararat’s emergency planning kicks in as it serves as a major regional evacuation zone should the worst happen - and the worst could indeed. Right now as I type this in mid-November, there are fire trucks and helicopter evacuation drills involving Ararat’s regional hospital.

So why am I writing about these summer-season perils in a motoring column? The answer to that is quite easy. I love a drive, and in this

pocket of the world the country drive is very special. There are long and winding C roads that pass by farms, rolling hills. There are forests where I take my son mushrooming and - small towns. When we came back to Australia 3 years ago we’d looked at some of the extremely pretty rural retreats that spread out 30 to 50 kilometres from Ararat and its regional neighbour, Stawell. It was a bleak midwinter’s day when I walked my son through just one of these old settlements admiring the old homesteads and cottages that adorned a main street with huge pine trees lining its entry point. This entry point is a major C road, a great stretch of bitumen which is a very popular tourist drive. Yet as we walked the street on that July day when melting snow and an icy wind hit our faces, I thought about that nice stretch of road. Quite simply, it is the only way in and out of town - and that has been a problem in many bushfire effected areas including Marysville. I thought to myself how the pretty green would slowly yellow and then brown over the fierce January to March period and how on earth to get out if the road isn’t safe.

Mercifully, southern Australia has been spared the awful start to summer in our neighbouring states. There have been blizzards in the High Country and again where I live, I have shivered through some very cold days fed by an icy blast from Antarctica. But it won’t last.

Soon it will warm up with those dreaded northern winds, and given the lack of population there just isn’t much between these rural communities to slow a fire.

Of course, our very mediocre crop of politicians and various lobby groups have their inner-city hands in this messy situation. With old growth forests to be protected and seemingly more interest in a species of bird’s habitat than acknowledging the intelligence and common sense of farmers - who now need ‘licences’ to clear their own land, fire breaks are getting harder to build. Indeed, while these city politicians enjoy making nice statements about Australia’s aboriginal population, the carried down over centuries wisdom of the original Australians is also ignored. For it was the aborigines themselves who would clear land by burning off in the cooler months in order to protect their communities in the summer. Native plants in particular, regenerate after a fire. Yet people, livestock and properties do not.

Besides the politics, for this former city-slicker, sadly these pretty rural settlements are not for me. While it may be achingly beautiful for most of the year, I’d simply prefer to fire up one of my favourite cars after checking the weather forecast and go for a nice drive. As always though, it’s the people who can’t afford to live in the larger centres who are most at risk come bushfire season, and as always, nobody in a position to help them really cares.

On a more positive note, with this being a December column, may all readers and their loved ones have a wonderful and safe festive season. Take care!

30 www.moulshamtimes.com

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Spot the Difference Answers 37. Australian 38. Cancer, aged 50 39. Showy but unsustainable, shoddy 40. The Accident

Halloween in Moulsham Drive Thanks to Sinead for sending these photos in of their Halloween display!

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31

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