Moulsham Times - July 2021

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Issue Number 102 - June 2021

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MT Welcome Hi readers,

Welcome to the June edition of Moulsham Times.

Firstly, thank you to everyone who submitted a poem for our competition. Rosie has selected the winners and the runners up, but they were so good we have published them all with a comment from Rosie - check them out on pages 23-25!

Please remember the City Times is also back in print and is available to pick up in most of the usual places, including most major supermarkets.

Regards Paul

Advertising & Editorial Paul Mclean 01245 262082/07595 949701 paul@moulshamtimes.com Disclaimer: It’s Your Magazines Ltd publish the Moulsham Times. The opinion expressed in each article is the opinion of its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of It’s Your Magazines Ltd. No part may be reproduced without the prior written permission of It’s Your Magazines Ltd. Reg Co No. 12080535. Printed by Warners (Midlands) PLC.

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Chelmsford - By Vicky Ford MP

MPs have been back in Westminster for the Opening of Parliament and Queen’s Speech. After such a difficult time for Her Majesty the Queen it was very moving to see her back for her first official engagement.

There is much to be excited about in the Queen’s Speech, especially the Lifetime Skills Guarantee which will enable people of all ages to access new skills and opportunities. The Health and Care Bill will lay the foundations for a more integrated and efficient health and care system. This will let NHS staff focus on delivering the best possible treatment and care for their patients. Following such a long period of immense pressure on the NHS, it will take time to rebuild the health services, but this is a top priority for the Government.

Her Majesty also announced the Building Safety Bill to ensure that people are safer in their homes. It will strengthen the regulatory system for building safety, change the industry culture and introduce rigorous safety standards for construction products, and a clearer path to redress for homeowners. I know this is an issue many Chelmsford residents care deeply about, and it is a top priority for me. I will continue to work with leaseholders who are affected by fire safety issues.

The Environment Bill will set legally binding targets, which will help the UK achieve its aim of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The UK has lead the world in tackling climate change and as we work towards the COP26 Summit in Glasgow, it is so important that the UK continues to lead on the international stage on environmental issues.

The Queen’s Speech also announced the Animal Welfare Bill. This will ensure the UK has the highest standards of animal welfare and will ban the export of live animals for slaughter.

As Children’s Minister I was also delighted that the Queen’s Speech announced that we will be bringing forward measures to ensure children have the best start in life by prioritising the early years. This is an area that I have been working on very closely.

Roadmap to Recovery It was super to be in Chelmsford on the day that cafés, bars and restaurants were able to reopen to indoor customers. I popped into some of the independent coffee shops in Moulsham Street to see how they were doing. This included Chelmsford’s newest café, Cake and Company, as well as The Lemon Tree and Loubees Tearoom.

Chelmsford is teeming with many small businesses, and it is vital show our shared support as businesses get back on their feet. I would like to thank all of those who are working so hard to make sure that they can reopen safely.

Vaccine and Health Services It is very good news that across the country over 36.7 million people have had their first COVID-19 vaccine, and over 20.2 million people have had their second dose too.

The COVID-19 variant of concern 1617.2, has been identified in cases within 7 households in Chelmsford. The majority of these cases have no obvious link to foreign travel; it is therefore likely that the variant is present in the community. This is the variant thought to have originated in India.

the Chelmsford City Council area do a lateral flow test as soon as possible, which will help reduce the spread of the virus. I test myself regularly twice a week, it is easy to do and helps to protect family, friends, neighbours and the local community. Residents can collect at home tests kits from their local library or pharmacy or order online. The self-testing kits are easy to use and deliver results in approximately half an hour.

It will take some time for our health services locally to recover back to normal after the pressures that they have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of our local GPs practices have been doing an outstanding job during this very difficult time, and I thank them so much for all they have done. I have also followed up with the NHS clinical commissioners locally about concerns raised by some residents in certain parts of Chelmsford.

Safety Issues Our Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Roger Hirst, was re-elected in the local elections. Under his leadership the Essex Police force has grown by 500 officers - and more are on the way. Night-time safety is a priority and the Government has increased the funding available for Safer Streets initiatives. As part of this, I have asked Roger to particularly look at safety in the Bunny Walks area.

Local Elections Thank you so much to all those who voted in the recent local elections, it was such a pleasure to speak to so many residents on their doorsteps, and to discuss with them how important it is to have our say, especially in such uncertain times. I will continue to work with local councils and public services to resolve issues raised by constituents.

As ever, please do stay in touch if you need help or advice. The easiest way to do this is by email - my email address is vicky.ford. mp@parliament.uk. I have been holding virtual surgeries, and I will be resuming face-to-face surgeries in the future with social distancing measures in place. If you do need to speak to me urgently, please do call my office on 01245 352 872.

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MT Health: Could Eating More Fibre Help Your Chronic Pain? By Chris at Forté Physical Health The first thing to say about chronic pain is that it’s complicated!

Chronic pain is defined as pain that has been there for three months or more. It is differentiated from ‘acute’ pain, which is the pain that comes and goes after an injury. Imagine you sprain your ankle: It hurts, it gets swollen, you limp around for a bit, and then eventually you go back to walking normally and forget about it forever. That’s acute pain. In this example, the inflammation involved in your swollen ankle is actually a good thing - it’s a natural and normal by-product of your immune system fixing the sprained ankle.

Chronic pain is different. There are many factors that could lead to one experiencing chronic pain, but one reason is that the immune system can get stuck in a loop creating too much inflammation.

There is a new area of medicine that is helping us understand how our immune system works and can shed some light on why the immune system might do this. The study of something called the ‘microbiome’ has taught us that the bacteria in our gut have a huge influence on our immune cells. If our bacteria are imbalanced, they can negatively impact the immune cells and create a cascade that leads to too much inflammation being produced.

Many of the relevant bacteria live in the lower part of our digestive tract and, like us, they need food to survive. The only food that makes it through that far is fibre - all the carbs, proteins and fats are mostly digested higher up.

Here’s where it gets interesting. If we lack fibre and the bacteria in the lower gut aren’t being fed their favourite food, they start to eat the gut lining instead. This can lead to ‘leaky gut syndrome’ and this is another thing that can lead to the immune system over-creating inflammation.

So where do we get our fibre from? Well, the other fascinating thing about fibre is that there are many different types. Each plant has a slightly different fibre and each fibre is a different bacteria’s favourite food. We need to eat a wide variety of nuts, seeds, whole grains, vegetables and fruits so that we keep each bacteria variety in our tummy happy. In turn, this will help regulate our immune cells and prevent them from over-making inflammation.

There are other important factors that help with chronic inflammation.

Taking regular exercise, for example, actually creates acute episodes of inflammation. For the few hours after you train hard, there is an inflammatory cascade helping you recover. This short-term inflammation is like training for your immune system and actually helps prevent the chronic form.

Looking after your mind by getting enough sleep and meditating have also been shown to help with chronic pain. We mustn’t ignore our psychology either, because emotional trauma can play a role too.

So as I said at the beginning, it’s complicated! But keeping those bacteria in the lower colon happy will be a great first step in improving your immune health and easing that chronic pain.

Until next time, have a healthy and happy month!

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.

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

Deadlines for the July edition: Articles - 18th June Print-ready art work - 25th June

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Regal Kitchen - Case Study

Mr and Mrs W from Grays commissioned Regal Kitchens, together with sister company Regal Developments, to reconfigure their entire downstairs. To achieve the look they desired, Regal removed a load-bearing internal wall and bricked up a doorway to open up the space and give them that open-plan feel.

Regal supplied and fitted new flooring throughout, and installed a new fireplace along with a TV and bar area, which the customers really wanted to complete the downstairs of their home. This amazing new kitchen consists of contrasting shaker-style doors with beautiful quartz worktops on the island and surrounding, as well as full set of Neff appliances.

Mr and Mrs W have already started recommending Regal to friends and family.

Regal Kitchens’ beautiful showroom in Chelmsford is situated at 2 Navigation Road, CM2 6HX and open 7 days per week between 10am and 4pm. Free parking is available.

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Record Store Day Is Coming!

Record Store Day 2021 will be like Christmas Day for vinyl lovers as they hunt down exclusives at Chelmsford’s only independent record shop, Intense Records by the bus and train station.

There are hundreds of limited edition releases catering for every taste and genre, including artists like AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Linkin Park, The Cure, Amy Winehouse, Noel Gallagher, U2, Suede, Ian Dury, The Clash, Prince, Madness and The Stones Dance music fans are in for a treat with releases from Fatboy Slim, Future Sound of London, Sub Focus, Happy Mondays, The Chemical Brothers and remixes of the Fine Young Cannibals She Drives Me Crazy. The younger generation will be queuing up early for Lady Gaga, Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande and Little Mix. Hip Hop heads will be after The Notorious B.I.G, Beastie Boys, Lupe Fiasco and Czarface.

You can check out what release are coming out on www. intenserecords.com and submit your wish list there too so we know what you are after. Due to the pandemic, RSD has been split into two dates comprising of 12th June & 17th July.

The manager of Intense tells us: “I guess we are lucky as we get double the fun and anticipation! The two dates are either side of the COVID restrictions easing, so we are planning for two different scenarios. On the first drop (12th June) we will be open from 8am5pm, then all the releases go online from 6pm! We will be booking time slots alongside the traditional walk-up queue. We will be opening up especially on Sunday the 13th 10am-2pm.

“On the second drop (19th July) we are hope to run the day as normal with no restrictions, fingers crossed.”

For more info contact Intense Records, 33/34 Viaduct Road, Chelmsford CM1 1TS (under the arches by the bus station) or call 01245 347 372.

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MT Gardening

growing in containers.

Try out a couple of these:

From a very dry April through to a wetter May, I am hoping for warmer weather to arrive, so that I can at least start to relax and enjoy the garden. However, with all this moisture, weeds are showing their ugly shoots and draining the surrounding soil of much needed nutrition and water that our choice plants require. Be vigilant and remove plants growing in the wrong place as soon as possible; ideally on a dry day and before they flower.

For this month I have been concentrating on the edible aspects of my clients’ gardens.

Although there has been a delay to a few plants putting on growth, they are all making up for lost time. The blueberries are burgeoning with immature fruits, the strawberries are in fine flowering mode and some even have tiny fruitlets forming already… I am buying the cream in readiness!

If you are thinking of growing blueberries, they must have acid (pH 4.0-5.5) moist, but well-drained soil with a high organic content to succeed and should never be subjected to drought. I have had to resort to planting in containers as my soil pH is too high. With containers, it is key to ensure plants are kept moist but have good drainage.

‘Duke’ AGM: Stocky bushes produce good yields of medium to large fruit of excellent flavour. Duke flowers late but crops early so is especially good for northern areas where the growing season is short. It is partly selffertile.

‘Nelson’: A mid- to lateseason cultivar that is very hardy and selffertile. The large fruits and good flavour make it useful for the home fruit garden.

‘Spartan’ AGM: Very hardy, early to mid-season Spartan bears large fruits with a sweet, tangy flavour. To crop well, this cultivar needs another blueberry cultivar nearby.

Blueberries ripen from mid-summer and crop through to late summer depending on the variety. They should be picked when soft and a blue-black in colour along with a waxy bloom. Pick over the plants several times, as not all the fruit ripens at the same time. The fruit can be kept for a few days after harvesting or up to three weeks in the fridge. Blueberries can also be frozen.

For strawberries, I have gone for the following types to spread the availability over a longer season: Summer fruiting strawberries have a short cropping season and they produce most of their fruit over a period of several weeks from late May to mid-July. Summer fruiting strawberries are usually propagated vegetatively by runners. I’m growing Pegasus this year; a mid-season strawberry with good flavour that keeps well. It is resistant to mildew, botrytis and verticillium wilt.

A small range of cultivars are available and all are suitable for

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Perpetual fruiting strawberries crop irregularly from summer to autumn.

Some cultivars may stop fruiting for several weeks in mid-summer and usually start to crop again in early autumn. Perpetual fruiting strawberries are usually propagated vegetatively by runners or division - try Aromel for excellent flavour. Suitable to grow as an annual crop.

Although better as an autumn planted bare rooted plant, pop along to your garden centre/specialist nursery to look at the strawberry range on offer. Check out this excellent link: www.kenmuir.co.uk/index. php?route=product/category&path=80_117.

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Happy gardening For any gardening tips, please contact Tom Cole, Horticultural Lecturer, Capel Manor College, Bullsmoor Lane, Enfield, Middlesex, EN1 4RR, or by email at tom.cole@capel.ac.uk.

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New City Girls WI I’m Lisa Brazier and I have been voted in as the new President of New City Girls, with Colette Day as my Vice President. We have an amazing committee who all volunteer their time and energy to make this WI so enthusiastic and fun:

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Moira Ash, Treasurer, Nicola Ockwell Sub Group Coordinator, Sarah Coote Newsletter extraordinaire! Plus Sarah Fairclough Charity Coordinator for 2020/21 (we need a new one!), Cathy Day Secretary, Nicky Ruddock and Lesley Jefferson for Membership, Jane Parkington, Programme Coordinator... All these ladies have made our WI the best during a very difficult time and all deserve a big thank you!

Before

After

I was one of the founder committee members of New City Girls over 7 years ago and I’m still really passionate about fun, friendship, education and including you all in that!

A little about me: I’m a keen open water swimmer and I love walking, exploring and discovering new places. I also love cake and really delicious food! I am a Devon girl and was born and raised for 27 years in Teignmouth in Devon - some of you may know it. I moved to London for work and met my Essex boy, Paul and we have a gorgeous 11 year old son called George. I am a local childminder and a Beach School Explorer.

The National WI have launched the Me, Myself & WI initiative, a programme that aims to help members easily recognise ways in which they can support their mental and physical health. You can find out more here: www.thewi.org.uk/home/me,-myself-and-wi.

With this in mind, We are opening up our membership to new members.

Did you know that New City Girls WI have raised over £40,000 for local charities including Safer Places Refuge, Age Concern, Chelmsford Community Transport, Farleigh Hospice, Essex Dementia Care, Essex Search & Rescue, Sanctus Homeless, Lighthouse Project, J’s Hospice, Homestart (to name just a few)?

We have also provided ‘Christmas’ for lots of ladies and many children over the years too, with the donation of presents, stockings, toiletries, gift cards and food.

We have also knitted and sewn twiddle muffs, fabric hearts, poppies, lavender bags, support cushions and provided various other creations for lots of charities.

Plus we have baked cakes for local schools and festivals to raise money for charities!

If you would like to join New City Girls WI, we usually meet at Hylands House, Chelmsford in Essex the second Monday of the month at 8pm (currently online). We are now open to new members, but if you would like a taster before joining you can come along to our next virtual Zoom meeting, all about Women Behaving Badly! There is a £5 fee for this taster meeting.

Or if you wish to become a full member for 1 year the cost is £44.

For either, you will need to email membership.at ncgwi@gmail.com for more details. Your membership includes 11 meetings and a magazine.

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their time to run subgroups including, walking, baking, crafting, wild swimming, theatre trips, lunches, cinema trips, gin, and comprises of spirited ladies outside of the main meetings which make this group of ladies so much fun!

Next Meeting Our next meeting is all about: Women Behaving Badly!

Date: Monday 7th June 2021 at 8pm.

Speaker: Ruth Rossington, Professional Blue Badge Tour Guide.

Description In this fascinating talk, Ruth will share with us the intriguing stories of the women from all walks of life who simply refused to play by the rules.

Taking a virtual walk around Covent Garden and Soho, we’ll learn about the prostitutes and courtesans who once moved among the crowds and the extraordinary directory that listed their ample assets.

We’ll trace the lives of those who defied convention, including the witty royal mistress who became a London heroine and the scandalous actress who shocked high society. Along the way, we’ll discover why two sopranos had an almighty bust-up, how gin led women to neglect their children, and finish with the biggest political scandal of the sixties. facebook.com/ncgwi or email enquiries.ncgwi@ gmail.com

New City Girls WI has a fabulous community of women who volunteer Remember to tell our advertisers you saw their advert in the MT

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Nick Garner’s Music & Ramblings Well, what a month it has been as we continue to unlock, with shops, pubs and restaurants, sporting facilities and much more now open.

We can now go into houses and hug as well which is massive for me being able to hug my family.

This is a big step forward for us all, but we very much need to still air on the side of caution especially with the Indian variant being so prevalent. If we tread carefully, we can hopefully continue with the Government roadmap and move on to the 21st June an an almost total opening and relaxing of rules for us all. I also have gigs to put on which myself, which my team and the artists can’t wait for (more of that in a bit).

It is now time to bid a fond farewell to Scott who successfully transformed the UB (United Brethren) pub in New Writtle Street into the vibrant community hub it has become. We wish him and his family well as he ventures off to pastures new. We welcome in Justin Cracknell who will be taking over the UB. Justin also owns the New London Restaurant & Lounge, and the Bottle Bureau, so we look forward to the good times continuing to happen and grow at the UB. Justin told us: “We are aiming to open the UB by the end of June and look forward to welcoming everyone in.” The Bay Horse is back too, with Steve Webb Junior taking over having refurbished the place. He plans on it being another music venue and we wish him and his team the best of luck in this venture.

We have recently seen the sad closure of Debenhams in our city centre High Street; it’s a massive loss to us all and especially those poor people - not only here but across the country - who are now looking for new employment. We wish them and families well and the best of luck. We have lost so many others from our high streets during these turbulent times, but let’s hope we will see a revival in time - not only in the high streets, but everywhere. It was pointed out to me that after previous pandemics and such world tragedies there have been explosions of growth; for example after the First World War and the Spanish flu, we had the roaring twenties, and after the Second World War we had massive growth throughout the fifties and sixties. So let’s stay positive and look forward to better times ahead although it will be very different l think.

On a personal note, it has not been a good month. It may be my age but I have never known a time like it - I have lost three good friends and another I knew, plus a few I knew of. None of these losses have been due to COVID-19; all have been due to cancer, heart problems or strokes. I recently had two funerals within a week - one for one of my oldest friends; we went back about 50 years.

The other was for a great musician who played in Chelmsford and Moulsham for me many times. Dave Jackson fought cancer for three years and was a great singer-songwriter and guitarist. After he lost the feeling in his fingers because of the treatment he was receiving, he once again took up the Hammond organ which he had not played since his teenage years. You would have thought he had been playing it all of his life, as just like on guitar, he was stunning. He leaves behind his band-mate wife and best friend, Janet - Janet played bass in the band. He told her ‘don’t stop the music, it is in your blood’ as Janet is also a classically trained violinist and a great singer. Dave also leaves a son and a daughter behind who will make sure that Janet is ok as they love her like their dad did for almost 20 years.

All this sadness has made me reaffirm one thing as you never know when it is your time - to make sure that all my affairs and wishes are in order, so that I do not leave a mess behind. I have spoken to my children so they are aware of what I want when I pass. I have to say, I have no plans on leaving anytime soon - as one of my songs says: ‘Only the good die young you know and that ain’t me. I ain’t been that 12

good so I have long life ahead. The mind may be willing just the body won’t always play ball.’

Let’s be positive as I have said before let’s look forward never backwards and let’s help, love and care for one another and our planet.

Music I really hope that I can start with my first show at the football club as planned on 25th June! It is good to see other music planned in and around the city too, as we welcome Hoppily in Baddow Road by the Nags Head. Although small, Hoppily will be putting on small shows.

HotBox of course continues, and I hear that Bassment is due to open later in the year once more. I’m also hearing of some new places that may be putting on live shows.

I have just been to a live gig in Barry’s Blues Barn, a fantastic inviteonly bijou venue where my good friend Trevor Babajack Steger played an excellent show of mainly original blues on his homemade amazing selection of guitars. With his gravelly voice and harmonicas, it all made for an epic show that wowed all who had the privilege to be invited. Thank you Barry Hopwood for including me in a night; I and all there will not forget it. It only took Trevor a few minutes to relax and get into his first live show in over a year.

As we move forward into June, we hope to finally be opening up with the relaxation of everything from 21st. There will be limitations on numbers of people being able to attend venues, theatres, festivals and other spaces outside and inside, from sporting events to village fêtes to open gardens and so much more. Do remember, if you have anything going on no matter what, as long as it is open to the public, please send it to us so that we can include it in our What’s On guide in the City Times. Send your listings to editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk.

For my Black Frog Presents gigs do note that you can now get physical tickets from the Football Club and they are also back in the shops; that is Intense Records in the arches, Hopsters in Moulsham Street and Chelmsford 4 Good charity shop near the market. Tickets are also available online and via our ticket hotline 07508 496 411 - see my advert for details.

Please see my links below to be kept up to date.

We are continuing to publish both the Moulsham Times and City Times online at www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia. If you are interested in advertising in this magazine, please contact Paul at paul@ moulshamtimes.com. If you have a comment or an article for us, please send to paul@moulshamtimes.com and he will reply to you as soon as he can.

For all my gig updates and up-to-date information, please go to www. blackfrogpresents.com, or www.facebook.com/BlackFrogPresents.

The Isolation Music Festival - Black Frog Presents page for all our online shows can be found at www.fb.com/ isolationmusicfestival.

We are also on YouTube at www.youtube.com/ blackfrogpresents.

Stay safe and well please and let’s get back to a new normal where we can have fun again.

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Thank You - By Cllr Marie Goldman First things first: a huge thank you to all of the residents of Chelmsford Central who voted for me in the May local elections.

I am thrilled, honoured and extremely excited to have been elected as your county councillor for the next four years, serving all local residents to help make Chelmsford a safer, greener,

Here’s a really basic example. All enquiries from councillors to Essex County Council have to be submitted via email to ECC’s Member Enquiries Service. That service then forwards the enquiry to the relevant council officer, who responds back to Member Enquiries, who then respond back to the councillor. If that councillor has any follow-up queries, it has to go back to Member Enquiries and the process starts again, ping-ponging around for something that may well have been quickly and easily resolved via a phone call. Not only is this inefficient, it also introduces steps into the process that don’t really need to be there and can potentially cause errors as information gets passed through multiple sources.

Being a county councillor will be a very different experience to being a city councillor, not least because as a Liberal Democrat, we run Chelmsford City Council, whereas at Essex County Council, we are in opposition. This means we have less influence at the County Council, but it still means that we can shout loudly about things that we - and residents - would very much like to see improved.

And here’s the kicker: under the terms of the Council’s Service Level Agreement (SLA) for Member Enquiries, the Council gives itself 10 working days to respond to the original enquiry. That’s potentially more than two weeks before a councillor might be able to get a response that they can give to a resident! I think that’s unacceptable and certainly something that I will be raising.

I’ve got stuck straight into my role, meeting local residents and businesses who have raised casework with me. I’ve submitted a question about the terrible state of our roads and pavements to be asked at the County Council’s first Full Council meeting, and I’ve attended various County Council training sessions to help me get to grips with how things work at Essex County Council.

There are other examples of inefficiencies at Essex County Council that I have also already discovered, including their somewhat bizarre approach to technology which seems to be stuck using 20th century policies in a 21st century world, but I won’t bore you with them here.

The point is that we need our councils to be efficient and effective at every level. We need them to use best practice gleaned from other organisations to help them deliver their services in the best possible way for local residents. There is always room for improvement in every organisation and ECC is no exception. Alongside my other duties as a local councillor, I hope to be able to bring a fresh pair of eyes to issues such as these and help move the council forward.

fairer and better connected city.

The first thing to note is not really much of a surprise, but it is nevertheless very frustrating: efficiency and urgency don’t seem to be high on the list of priorities for Essex County Council.

I know, I know - I could knock you over with a feather. But the point is, it doesn’t have to be this way.

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13

The Benefits of Excercise - By Ola Adamolekun ‘Exercise is good for you, makes you strong and beautiful!’ That’s what my Thai boxing coach used to make us chant while doing various moves.

As a health and nutrition coach, I use lifestyle changes to help people solve their health and wellness problems.

One of these lifestyle changes is the introduction of exercise. When people decide to lose weight, one of the things they do is to take up exercise. What a lot of people don’t know is that exercise alone won’t be of much help - nutrition is king when it comes to weight loss.

So why am I writing an article about exercise? Exercise has soooo many other benefits beside weight loss. Here are some of them: 1. Improves your mood and relieves stress.

2. Improves bone density and prevents osteoporosis (especially in women).

3. Helps you sleep better (especially morning exercise).

4. Helps stabilise your blood sugar (okay this one is related to weight loss!).

5. Improves flexibility and posture.

6. Prevents premature aging.

7. Gives you more confidence.

burning. So rather than spend hours walking on a treadmill, try and get outside.

Exercise is just movement. Lots of us hate the gym so my advice is to find something you like, so exercise isn’t a chore but something you love. Some of us are fortunate enough to have jobs where we are moving all the time. One of the fittest people I used to know was my next door neighbour who was a roofer. Not only did he keep fit - he had an awesome tan. Things like gardening, vigorous housework and DIY are all forms of movement that have some of the same benefits as exercise.

The only reason I’ve stuck at exercise is because I’ve found things I enjoy. Thai boxing, Olympic/power lifting, calisthenics and now running. My advice is to find something you enjoy - and it doesn’t have to be in a gym. Take up badminton or netball or something you used to do at school.

You may be surprised by how much you start to enjoy yourself and you may just start to reap the benefits I’ve been talking about. Feel free to post how you are doing on my Facebook page, email, or website. Good luck! www.beencouragedwellness.co.uk www.facebook.com/BeEncouragedBeStrong beencouragedwellness@gmail.com

Chelmsford Community Radio As we look forward to summer (and hopefully some better weather around the corner) we are pretty excited to be starting work on this year’s Eco-casts - In association with the Essex Book Festival.

The Eco-cast is a podcast project from our young volunteers which explores environmental issues, in light of a climate emergency being declared a few years ago.

If you are interested in contributing to our podcast series, then feel free to get in touch via our website at www.chelmsfordcommunityradio.com.

Plus, don’t forget that we will be covering the Chelmsford Festival in June/July. Look out for our volunteers on Carnival Day and grab a car sticker!

Allegedly, our ancestors were hunter-gatherers. If they didn’t move, they didn’t eat. In the 21st century it’s all about convenience. We live in a world where we have to do prescribed exercise. So, you get into your car, drive to a gym just to walk on a treadmill! I think one of the good things to come out of lockdown is that people were queuing to get into parks to exercise.

Walking is so good for us, especially when the weather is warm you get lots of vitamin D and we all know how important vitamin D is in treating Covid. Besides getting loads of vitamin D, getting out in nature is a good stress reliever, and walking is so good for fat

Michelle from Good Morning Chelmsford is also going to be running a podcasting workshop as part of the Essex Book Festival, suitable for age 14 and up. There are limited spaces available - for more details or to book please visit: essexbookfestival.org.uk/event/make-your-ownpodcast-workshop.

14 www.moulshamtimes.com

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We have space for advertisers who are builders, cafes and sandwich shops decorators, dentists, drainage companies, estate agents, hotels, retailers, recruitment companies, restaurants, roofers and many more!

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Email ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk for more information or call us on 07970 206682 16 www.moulshamtimes.com

So hello everyone. Here we are in mid May, with the promise of big changes to come to our way of life next week. It’s going to be a bit strange - in a good way - that’s for sure. I met a neighbour on my walk this morning and stepped off the pavement as usual: “You don’t need to do that” he said, “we can hug if we want to.” I don’t know him that well, so we just went on our merry way...

Even before this latest change, restrictions seemed to vary in different parts of the country. In Chelmsford, lots of the seats on buses are covered in red and white tape. In Norfolk and the Cotswolds you can sit anywhere. What they have all had in common is the wearing of masks. I know this is essential, but I am still not able to put on my mask without potential damage to my hearing aids or experiencing my glasses steaming up - I am still not sure who I voted for in the recent local elections! Well, it looks like we have to be masked for some time to come, so I guess I will have to grin and bear it. Other people won’t see me grinning though.

On a completely different subject, what on earth has happened to lettuce in pubs and restaurants? We manage to get to a pub for lunch at times and we like to have a sandwich as a light meal. Lots of them have ‘salad’ included in the ingredients. So when I get my offering, I note that there is no sign of lettuce - no Iceberg leaves, just a little bit of tomato and cucumber and some peppers. Sorry, but the addition of the weeds from the garden do not make a salad. Having said all that, I have never really seen the point of lettuce. It does not taste of much to me, gets between my teeth and adds nothing to the sandwich. Probably just me, I suppose.

In the press this week there was a list of what makes people ‘posh’.

You may not know that the term comes from the early days of cruise holidays, where people paid extra to be more likely to get a cabin which faced the sun for the entire journey, out and back. Port out, Starboard home - posh. There were loads of things to look out for.

Going to a public school, saying your evening meal is supper, for example. Plus knowing how to do up a bow tie without looking, having a brown sign pointing to your house on the main road, not having a problem with carpeted bathrooms and only shooting at weekends.

Meaning that me and all my friends are ‘non posh’, thank goodness.

It’s sometimes surprises me what you can get in shops. I visited a massive garden centre the other day; you know, they sell stuff for gardening or sometimes do-it-yourself. Well, I came out with a watering can and a quiche. No, I don’t know either. It was nice, but we only realised that it was discounted from a price of over £5 to about £2.50. As good as it was, I wouldn’t have paid that for it. The watering can was just what I wanted, a hole to put the water in and a spout to pour it out again. Perfect.

Going back to pub lunches, confusion reigns at times. In recent weeks, we were allowed to eat outside in pub gardens, the only difficulty is that lots of people had the same idea. Recently we saw a

pub with a big garden and there were seats available: “Table for two please.” “Certainly...” the waiter said. Great we can eat. “We only want a sandwich it that OK?”. “Yes” he said. We went to an undercover table and ordered drinks. He left a menu.

Any sandwiches on it?

No! We drank up and left. As I got up, I saw a sign on the side of the marquee (see the photo). Now, this sign was about 6 feet from the ground. I can only guess that they get a lot of high jump athletes there!

We had a strange experience when we last used our motorhome.

I was stood outside - that’s not unusual, but I did not have a glass of wine in my hand, and that is unusual. The chap from the pitch opposite came over and said that he had seen some birds that kept flying up inside the bonnet of the vehicle and he thought that they were building a nest. On inspection, I found some leaves tucked into the the space over the headlight. I thought I had better clear them out as if they had laid some eggs, they would be boiled by the time we got home. Next day, the little rascals had replaced all of the leaves. Out the leaves went again. I thought that the birds were coming in through the bottom of the grill, so I blocked it off with some cardboard. Next morning the leaves had returned and the cheeky birds had used my cardboard to fortify the nest. We were coming home that day, so I opened the bonnet and this seemed to do the trick. It did confuse the poor little things, but I couldn’t risk bringing them back home. I hope they quickly found another site for their nest and that it wasn’t another motorhome.

I went to my local chemist today to get some Covid testing kits. How many do you want they said? This threw me a bit - if I say 35, is that silly? Probably, but as it turns out you can have one each. Then she added that each pack contains 7 tests so I guess that will do for now. Not too sure how successful I will be with them, but at least it does not involve a computer. That would be a recipe for disaster. If it did, I would probably end up thinking I had some other disease after pressing the wrong buttons. Wish me luck!

Bin End Chuckles I like escalators because when they break down, they just become stairs...

Here’s a picture of me and REM. That’s me in the corner...

Remember to tell our advertisers you saw their advert in the MT

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17

Here in the county of Essex are the remains of two Norman castles one with an intact Norman keep and one now a ruin - that both played an important role in both the War of the Roses and the disruption of the monarchy that lasted throughout the 14th and 15th century.

Pleshey Castle (now a ruin) and Hedingham Castle were the homes of the de Bohun and de Vere families respectively and were the sites of not only the origin, but the ending of, the discord between the branches of the Plantagenet family that would ultimately lead to the disruption in the royal line and the War of the Roses. This would, over a hundred-year period, result in an internecine war between the descendants of Edward III and see the deposing and untimely death of three English Kings and the replacement of the House of Plantagenet by the House of Tudor.

From the Essex perspective, it all starts with Thomas of Woodstock (the youngest son of Edward III) obtaining possession of Pleshey Castle in 1376 by marriage to the wealthy Eleanor de Bohun, but (and here it gets nasty) he was intent in keeping all of the extensive de Bohun inheritance for himself. According to some of the contemporary chronicles, he had imprisoned Eleanor’s younger sister (and co-inheritor of the de Bohun wealth) Mary at Pleshey Castle with the aim of forcing her to become a nun and giving up her inheritance.

In 1380, John of Gaunt (the richest and most powerful of Edward III sons and elder brother to Thomas of Woodstock) succeeding in spiriting (or was it kidnapping?) 10-year-old Mary away from Pleshey Castle to the safety of Arundel Castle where he promptly betrothed her to his 13-year-old son Henry Bolingbroke. The marriage is said to have taken place the following year at Rochford Hall here in Essex - yes, the very same Rochford Hall that is now the clubhouse of the Rochford Hundred Golf Club. In 1386 Mary gave birth to the first of her six children - a son, one Henry of Monmouth. Sadly, Mary de Bohun died in 1394 and failed to see either her husband or son become Kings of England. At this point the infighting between members of the Plantagenet dynasty begins to resemble Game of Thrones, but without the dragons, ice and fire!

During the latter years of the War of the Roses he fought on behalf of Henry VI (red-rose) against the Yorkist forces (white-rose) of Edward Plantagenet (later Edward IV) and whilst besting him on many occasions finally went into exile after Henry’s defeat and death.

Later pardoned by Edward IV, John de Vere returned to England and reclaimed his lands in north Essex, but remained loyal to the Lancastrian cause.

When Richard III - we all remember the Shakespearian quote: ‘Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this son of York’ - succeeded his brother Edward IV as king, de Vere joined forces with Henry Tudor (later Henry VII) and was instrumental in defeating Richard III at Bosworth Field.

This Essex commander continued to serve both Henry VII and Henry VIII with distinction and was influential in bringing peace to a war-torn England.

John de Vere, who during his lifetime had served three kings and fought against two, managed to outlive four English monarchs. He died in 1513 at Castle Hedingham and was buried at Colne Priory in Earls Colne.

So here goes the history: Henry Bolingbroke overthrew and ordered the death of his cousin Richard II of England and claimed the English Crown for himself as King Henry IV. Following Henry IV death, his son by Mary de Bohun (late of the Parish of Pleshey), Henry of Monmouth was crowned King as Henry V of England (remember Agincourt?). Both Henry IV and Henry V were descendants of Edward III, and through John of Gaunt had inherited the Duchy of Lancaster and so were part of the red-rosed Lancastrian dynasty. The House of Lancaster would ultimately be defeated by their white-rosed Yorkist cousins in the war following the removal of Henry VI (Henry V’s son) by Edward Plantagenet, who was later crowned King of England as Edward IV. Poor Henry VI had inherited a heavily taxed and politically unstable country involved in the now disastrous Hundred Years’ War, so just like Game of Thrones, his cousin Edward had stepped in and acted as the ‘king slayer’, taking the throne for himself. Henry had married a strong-willed woman (Margaret of Anjou) who like Cersei Lannister (remember her?) acted as a corrupting power behind the throne whilst Henry progressively went mad and lost his kingdom just as the ‘mad king’ Aerys Targaryen had lost the Iron Throne.

Just to recap, England was thrown into 100 years of turmoil and strife because a bunch of cousins couldn’t and wouldn’t get on with each other.

Now enter from stage left - well from north Essex at least - a pale rider (no, not Clint Eastwood), one John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford of Hedingham Castle, tall distinguished and an excellent military commander, fiercely loyal to the House of Lancaster.

18 www.moulshamtimes.com

MT Therapy - Chelmsford Therapy Rooms Hi Everyone! I hope you’re all safe and well as we continue to come out of lockdown once more. Today I’m continuing to look at cyberbullying let’s look at where it takes place...

1: Social Media This is probably the most obvious place that cyberbullying takes place. If we look at the different types of cyberbullying that I mentioned in my previous article, social media is the easiest place to bully someone online. This is because if someone wants to be found by friends online, they’re unlikely to hide their profile. This leaves them exposed to potential bullies who can see their public profile and use it as bait, or as ammunition, to bully the victim. Social media lends itself as an excellent platform for bullying. This isn’t just because of the fact someone may not have their profile hidden, it’s also because there are so many social groups online within social media platforms.

The most common social media platforms and apps used for cyberbullying are Instagram, Twitter ad SnapChat.

2: Gaming Lots of people, especially teenagers, use online games and have friends all over the world. Unfortunately, this also means they could have cyberbullies all over the world.

A study from National Sun Yat-sen University observed that children who enjoyed violent video games were significantly more likely to both experience and perpetrate cyberbullying. Another study that discusses the direct correlation between exposure to violent video games and cyberbullying also took into account personal factors such as duration of playing online games, alcohol consumption in the last 3 months, parents drunk in the last 3 months, anger, hostility, ADHD and a sense of belonging as potential contributing factors of cyberbullying.

Gaming was a more common space for men in which to experience harassment, whereas women’s harassment tended to occur more via social media. Most respondents considered gaming culture to be equally welcoming to both genders, though 44% thought it favoured men. Sexual harassment in gaming generally involves slurs directed towards women, sex role stereotyping, and overaggressive language.

But it’s not just gamers that suffer from cyberbullying. Some game developers have been subjected to harassment and death threats by players upset by changes to a game or by a developer’s online policies. But of course it’s usually the players of the game that are subjected to online bullying, and gaming is no exception. In fact, within gaming cyberbullying can be taken to a whole new level...

In gaming there is a unique form of cyberbullying called ‘swatting’.

Swatting is a criminal harassment tactic of deceiving an emergency service (via such means as hoaxing an emergency services dispatcher) into sending a police and emergency service response team to another person’s address. This is triggered by false reporting of a serious law enforcement emergency, such as a bomb threat, murder, hostage situation, or a false report of a mental health emergency, such as reporting that a person is allegedly suicidal or homicidal and may or may not be armed. Swatting is seen by many as a prank but it can have serious consequences. On December 28th 2017 in Wichita, Kansas, police officers killed Andrew Finch at his Kansas home in a reported swatting prank.

Many of the traditional types of cyberbullying can also apply to gaming. For example someone might be deliberately left out of a group, or they might be trolled or dissed or outed whilst playing the game. There have also been reports of gamers using manipulation to gain points or tools they can use to get ahead in the game.

Sometimes that manipulation can go even further into catfishing and

even extortion.

3: Emails/Text/WhatsApp Etc This usually happens in a situation where the cyberbully and the recipient already know each other. Where someone is being bullied using these types of mediums, we can split this bullying into three broad groups: Covert: Emails/texts etc are the electronic versions of letters and therefore can be a more intimate version of bullying, using messages to humiliate the victim to a specific group of people without the victim’s knowledge. This can also be done via social media, but using email or text means the bully can target the humiliation of the victim much more specifically, and sometimes explicitly, therefore having a much more dramatic impact. If the victim has no knowledge of what is happening, the victim could be suffering from people treating them differently without them knowing why. It also means that this type of bullying can ramp up over a period of time, without the victim’s knowledge or ability to stop it. Meaning that by the time the victim becomes aware of what’s happening their reputation could be sullied. The bully could also create a group of specific people to talk about the victim behind their back.This type of bullying occurs in offices as well as schools and colleges and universities anywhere a group of people might use email or messages regularly to communicate.

Overt: This is where the bully communicates with the victim and with everyone else involved. For example sending horrible messages, threats or explicit photographs to a group including the victim so they know exactly what has ben shared and what is being said about them. This is one of the most popular ways to bully younger victims as they tend to have their own groups and to share things with each other, meaning the bully has fresh pickings and a constraint stream of information to exploit against the victim.

Direct: In this scenario, the bully communicates only with the victim with the express intention of making them feel vulnerable. Rather than sharing things with others to humiliate, they want to affect the victim directly. This tends to be more of a personal vendetta and the bully may feel the victim has wronged them somehow. This form of bullying is popular with narcissists who have been rejected and so they take to messaging the victim to make them feel as low as they do. This form of cyberbullying is also popular with stalkers, so you find that the victims are often cyber stalked and harassed by the bully.

4: Forums/Discussions/Message Boards/Question-Answer Websites There are loads of forums out there, probably one of the most popular ones is Reddit. A forum is a website where there are various discussion groups. A person can ask a question to the group, or answer questions or set up their own, but the idea is to help people find the information and answers they need. Another popular question/answer forum website is Quora.

If someone is going to bully in these forums, it usually isn’t tolerated for very long. These types of websites usually have moderators that can disable and block a user that is bullying other users. However, the danger isn’t just from what the bully posts in the forum or on the website to the victim. The bully may be able to gain information about the intended victim in order to continue to bully the person on another platform.

I hope you’ve found this article helpful and interesting! Until next time, stay safe.

Jenny Hartill is a therapist and owner of Cloud9 Therapy and Chelmsford Therapy Rooms. Please see the therapist list on the website at www.chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or you can email info@chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or call 0330 100 5162 to enquire about an initial consultation.

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Quiz Time - by John Theedom 1.

2.

3.

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6.

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8.

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How well do yu know your area?

Where is the Church of St Augustine of Canterbury?

What year was Hylands House built?

What do the initials ENOC stand for?

Where was the Hawkes Sweet factory situated?

When was the very last horse race meeting held at Galleywood?

Where is the Paul Kelly Turkey Farm?

Where is The Whalebone Inn? What was the business of Christy Brother’s in Broomfield Road?

What was the original use of the old St John’s Hospital site in Wood Street?

What is Weathersfield most famous for?

How many rivers are there in Chelmsford?

When were the last serious floods in the Baddow Meads?

Where did the old Methodist Church used to be in Chelmsford town?

Wyvale Garden Centre used to be called what?

What did Hoffman’s used to manufacture?

What is the name of the latest cinema in Chelmsford?

Where is Cow Watering Lane?

What colour were the Westcliffe buses?

What does the wavy structure at the bottom of London Road represent?

What is the origin of Broomfield Hospital?

21.

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Guess the year First World War started Second World War started Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation Nelson Mandela died Elvis Presley died Amelia Earhart crossed the Atlantic Empire State Building completed McDonalds was founded The Berlin wall was built Concorde first flew with paying passengers The Berlin wall taken down Ronald Regan elected President of the USA Amazon (.com) is lauched Facebook is born Google is launched The sealing of the Magna Carta William Shakespeare is born Chelmsford became a city Second World War ends First World War ends

(Answers on page 31)

To read this magazine and the City Times visit www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia

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The Singing Chef

Wow how expensive does it seem to eat and drink out after months of only doing so at home!? And wow the drinks are weak... But hey, how wonderful to eat a meal prepared by someone else without having to wash up and tidy away. I actually saw a live DJ last night at Hot Box; what an incredible venue that is.

I’ve got a new chillout acoustic duo in the making with my extremely talented son James ‘The Jesus’ Ashwell (that’s what they call him at Baddow... very long hair). Anyway speaking of kids, mine asked me if I would do something sweet this month for this article, so here it is...

strawberries and it’s all ready to eat!

Sarah is a singer and vocal coach based in Chelmsford and offers singing lessons to people of all ages and abilities. You can email Sarah at sarahmtfood@gmail.com or search for ‘Sarah Beth Vocal Coaching’ on Facebook.

If you have a one-off article of local interest that you wish to submit or want to promote your charity, association or club, please email paul@moulshamtimes.com

Football Fun Weeks Moulsham High School are running summer Football Fun Weeks again during the weeks commencing 2nd August and 16th August 2021. The children all receive a football kit, a football, two professionally taken photos, a medal and a certificate.

For an application form and more information, please go to the Facebook page at ‘footballfunweeks’.

Strawberry Shortcake Shortcakes: • 500g plain flour • 100g granulated sugar • 250g butter Mix these ingredients together with your fingertips or pulse in the food processor untill they are like breadcrumbs.

Then use a metal spatula or butter knife to mix in 1 free-range egg whisked into 200ml of milk.

Roll out, cut, prick, sprinkle with more granulated sugar and bake at 180oC for around 22-25 minutes.

• •

1 punet of fresh strawberries, cut and sprinkled with a teaspoon/tablespoon of caster sugar (depending on their sweetness).

300ml whipping cream whipped up with a tablespoon of caster sugar.

Once the shortcake has cooled, assemble in layers of cream and www.moulshamtimes.com

21

Moulsham Junior School Here at Moulsham Juniors, one of our achievements in spite of Covid, and one which has caused great excitement, has been the creation of our sensory garden. This area is now a beautiful oasis of calm and will be a huge asset to the school for many years to come.

Mrs Moores, our Deputy Headteacher, aided by an able team of willing volunteers, had a great time planting in the sunshine! We were so grateful to FOMS (Friends of Moulsham School) for providing significant funding for the planting. All pupils have accessed the garden, which is being enthusiastically enjoyed by our youngest students and the most mature.

Fathers Day Poems - by Rosie Waspe from www.personalpoems.co.uk

When I picture our Fathers Day celebrations, I think of cream soda, a sizzling BBQ and the ominous clouds threatening to spoil our fun!

Yes, I have always considered Fathers Day an event to look forward to and this year, more than ever, I recognise how fortunate I am to have a reason to celebrate.

Fathers Day is the chance to show my appreciation for all the guidance, support and terrible jokes my dad has bestowed on me over the past 29 years. So, now that loved ones can meet indoors after 15 months of waving at screens and through window panes, this opportunity is especially poignant.

Writing a personal poem to include in your card (homemade or shop-bought!) is a great way to say thank you. To start you off I have included a helpful checklist and an example (you can tell I’m a teacher!).

Checklist for writing a Fathers Day poem: Step 1) Describe your dad in a few words.

Step 2) List some things you share; like food, music, hobbies…

Step 3) List some reasons why you appreciate him.

Step 4) Don’t worry if it doesn’t rhyme!

Example Poem Dear dad, you are a legend and this poem’s just to say You’ve helped me to become the person that I am today.

You are the best of taxi services; I could not ask for better And we share a love of cheeses, of halloumi and of feta!

You’ve shared with me your music tastes, though not always so appealing (But I’m grateful that you still remove the spiders from the ceiling!)

I know I can depend on you anytime of day or night So happy Fathers Day, let’s get the BBQ alight!

Fathers Day is a joyous occasion, celebrating love in all its forms. Yet, at any age, getting through this day can seem daunting for sons and daughters with grieving hearts. So, I have included the poem below that I hope will resonate with and fortify those who may need some comfort as we approach 20th June.

Fathers Day Memorial Poem Dear dad, each year it comes round quicker, another date we have to face On the mantel piece there’s not a card, instead there is a space.

We love you and we miss you dad, of that you can be sure though we feel it every day, today we feel it more.

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Poetry Competition

It was a pleasure and a privilege to read the poems submitted to the MT poetry competition. Any of the entries would have made worthy winners and selecting only one per age category was almost impossible! A huge thank you to everyone who submitted their poems that - I am certain - will entertain, resonate with and inspire other readers. Poetry is ‘beauty in words’ and it is heartening to know that even after the year we have had, there is still plenty of beauty to be found. I am already looking forward to the next competition!

Love Rosie x Thank you to everyone who sent a poem in. They are all great and on such varried subjects and special thanks to Rosie for taking the time to judge and comment on each of them.

Paul

THE SWINGING SIXTIES On Portobello Road No one would stare, You could dress like a toad And no one would care, It was the swinging sixties.

You wore bells on your toes And flowers in your hair, It was groovy baby Cos anything goes, It was the swinging sixties.

You wore long flowing skirts Pretty flowers on your face, Bright paisley shirts Trimmed with white frilly lace, It was the swinging sixties I wear long flowing skirts And have silver white hair, I have bright coloured shirts And I dress with flair, I am a swinging sixty (By Patsy Campe)

Award: Winner Over 18s

What a vibrant, unusual and uplifting poem! I felt like your technicolour stanzas leapt off the page and the warmth radiating from your poem’s upbeat message was so refreshing. It was a joy to read and I’m sure many MT readers will find it strikes a chord with them too. Groovy, baby!

WAR AND PEACE War A sonic wave detonates...

As the explosion reverberates, Death engulfs the soldiers On the side of the antagonist.

The smell of decomposed bodies fills the air Peace New Year fireworks detonate With sparks of colours of every kind New hopes are born All over the world The fragrance of life fills the air (By Aditya aged 9)

www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia

Award: Winner Under 18s

Wow - I was totally blown away by your creative, thought-provoking and unusual poem. A very subtle yet clever technique to take an idea such as a destructive explosion and see it through an alternate lens, in this case a firework. Very well done!

FRIENDSHIP Funny jokes to make us giggle Remarkable support from your buddy Incredible friendships cannot be broken Everyone has someone to count on Never ending adventures Doing kind deeds for each other Sharing our lives Happiness in your heart Immense closeness Perhaps the greatest gift of all (By Rachel aged 8)

Award: Highly Commended

A clever and inspiring acrostic poem that reminds us how to be a caring friend.

With everyone looking out for each other, you are right that friendship is the greatest gift of all. Well done!

FEAR Peace, sitting, listening Quiet, mind still warmth, sun on my face.

Make biscuits make cakes read, rest and relax.

Fear, worry, heart racing news headlines, news updates government and expert opinions daily death toll.

Sleep, escape! wake, dread, fear keep a distance from my mum and children sleep, escape.

(By Sarah Fairhead)

Award: Commended

Thank you so much for sharing your heartfelt poem. In four short stanzas, you captured so many emotions and I could easily identify with the ideas you expressed. I am certain the message of your poem will resonate with many other readers too. It was a pleasure to read your poem, and I hope you enjoyed writing it as much as you enjoy baking and reading!

COVID A photo frame sits on the desk A holiday snap nobody looking their best A holiday taken before Covid Reminding me of the way we used to live Seeing family and friends whenever we liked But that was before the R rate spiked Now it’s been over a year Complete lockdown no longer in tiers Holidays, weddings and Christmas cancelled Still this virus holds us to ransom Streets are empty, schools and shops shut Exam results now seems a matter of luck Masks worn and 2 metre distance are law No restrictions like this since the 2nd world war This invisible enemy knows no border As it spreads around the world corner to corner The scientists have developed a jab Working hard as variants emerge back to the lab The virus seems one step ahead Sending so many to a hospital bed All we can do is wait watch and see What the next rules the government degree The reality is this virus could be here for a number of years So we must go on despite our fears For now we must all take care and stay safe (By Barbara Gilpin)

Award: Commended

Thank you for sharing your thought provoking poem, one that I’m certain could feature as a museum exhibit in a few decade’s time. Your poem created a detailed snapshot of life before and during the pandemic with some well chosen rhymes to emphasise the messages both of concern and of optimism.

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If I was an alien, who came from outer space, I would visit Chelmsford, that would be my place, I’d come in my spaceship, way after it’s dark, And I’d land it safely, over in Hylands Park, I’d take the opportunity, to visit Hylands House, Consider living there, with my kids and spouse, I’d visit the town centre, maybe stop for a drink, Then go stumbling around, the Riverside ice rink, I’d visit the County Ground, to learn the rules of cricket, Although the ground on the moon, would make a difficult wicket, I’d tell my people that Chelmsford, is a Cathedral city, No I don’t mean a cheese, but a building that’s pretty, I’d visit Chelmsford museum, to learn about it’s history, Why we haven’t visited before, remains a mystery, Finally I’d tell them, about the greatest of rhymes, A competition winner, published in the Moulsham Times, I’d show my people and the readership, would go through the roof, I’d send you some pictures, from my planet as proof, There’s so many nice venues in Chelmsford, too many to list them, It’s clearly the greatest place, in the solar system!

I’d better not linger I might loose a finger As with their teeth, my hand they explore.

(By Dave Trevallion)

What is hope?

Hope is the shimmer of money given to the poor To prove that kind people do exist,

Award: Highly Commended

The energy that radiates from your poem is palpable! Reading it took me on a whirlwind tour of Chelmsford and has fired up my enthusiasm to revisit some favourite places after so many months of closed doors. With clever rhymes and bold ideas, your poem is ‘out of this world’!

We’ve been doing this for many a year Through all sorts of weather with cheer Walking miles and miles Trying to do it with smiles Needing new shoes to wear. Oh dear.

(By John Mclean)

Award: Commended

What an amusing poem - it was a real pleasure to read! I laughed out loud at several lines and could clearly picture all the trials and tribulations of your delivery duties. I am certain this poem will bring a lot of smiles to the MT readership too.

Thank you so much for sharing your poem and I look forward to hearing a sequel, perhaps about your new shoes!

WHAT IS HOPE? Hope is that glimmer of light in someone’s eyes telling me everything is okay To tell me everything is fine, What is hope?

Hope is the sunrise that dawns after every night that hurts To cuddle my pain and to cure my aches, What is hope?

Hope is my mother’s warm hand that grips me through an injection to tell me all is good in the world,

What is hope?

Hope is a peace treaty to save hundreds from death and destruction, So families don’t have to worry when the next bomb will drop, What is hope?

Hope is a shoulder offered to me as the priest prays for my dead aunt, So the climb to heaven would be easy,

DELIVERING THE MOULSHAM TIMES The catches on gates are a challenge With their tricky catches and hinge Some need a a big push Opening into a bush And the nettles are making me cringe

What is hope?

Hope is a cure to a plague that’s killing all around you so you are certain that you will wake up the next day,

The letter boxes are all over the door At the top, or the bottom, many more Some I can’t see There it is, dear me Down the bottom next to the floor.

(By Opulence aged 12)

For these I have to bend nearly double Causing me lots and lots of back trouble I have some slippery mags Under my arm, a problem this adds As they all fall to the floor in a puddle Oh no! There’s a dog by the door Could be one or maybe some more

What is hope?

Award: Highly Commended

A sensitive and heartfelt piece - well done! Your poem captures our fears from the past few months and shines with warmth and optimism. I really enjoyed reading your poem, thank you for sharing it.

THE BUSY BEACH Waves a glistening Mothers listening, Children play A beautiful day.

Splash and splosh Oh my gosh!

Gossip to share Without a care.

Painted beach huts Locals’ irritated tuts, Ice cream cones And heat stroke moans.

Crabbing buckets Unclaimed trinkets, Bat and ball Fun for all.

Sandy sandwiches Bites from midges, Deck chairs snap Loose towels flap.

Sun is setting Grab the netting, Pack the car Home is far.

Roof rack heaving Turn back as leaving, One last glance I think I see France.

(By Nicola Pearson)

Award: Commended

What a feast for the senses! As I read your poem, I could taste the salt in the sea air, smell the fish and chips, hear the seagulls and feel the sand between my toes! Your poem was the closest I have come to a holiday for a long time and it was a joy to read. Thank you for sharing it!

Roses are red Violets are blue Now you listen to the tune.

Everyday you fly away in the beautiful cold wind And wash away in the light blue sea and go ‘Oooo’ with me.

Unicorns are flying away in the lovely rainbow sky Bunnies are cute on the boot What can I do today Dogs run away With the pretty blue shoe.

(By Erin aged 7)

Award: Commended

What a fun poem to read! It reminded me of a tongue twister and a nursery rhyme all rolled into one. Unicorns under a rainbow sky - such a magical sight!

24 www.moulshamtimes.com

OPPORTUNITY There are new tracks across the common, That the people’s footsteps made, They came there in their boredom, Because of rules the government made.

A few have always walked there, Climbing trees & riding bikes, Rope swings; a well-known secret For those who loved weekend hikes.

And then, along came Covid Shrinking our worlds and keeping us home.

More & more we went exploring, Realising we loved to roam.

Climbing trees and bearing witness; Acorns, bluebells and falling leaves, Remembering we’re part of this pattern That nature meticulously weaves.

There were times when life felt quite barren, School and family were all shut away.

Fox & deer reclaimed the cities As car engines sat cold every day.

But the quiet became quite alluring Could ‘the big pause’ perhaps be a gift?

Will you just snap back to normal Or will you take the time to sift?

I will put in the box, All of the amazing movies I have watched, All of the fun times I have had, A wish that the world would be perfect.

(By Noah aged 11)

Award: Commended

What a beautiful poem! You have filled your lovely Magic Box with special sights and memorable moments. I hope it is a roomy box because I am certain there are more fun times to come. Well done!

SIR TOM National treasure!

So well knighted ...How can we measure?

A quiet man, who asked himself Coming forth, from, a simple question To such, a grand creation By walking, for the NHS Saying ...What can I do? ...To help At least, this action.

Going forward, into the fight, yet again Towards saving, the health... of all souls

(By Sarah Taylor)

Step! ... by step, ...by steadfast step!

Passing through the gate Of his hundred year ...Finding himself yet again Willing for, the front line

As I read your poem, I felt like I was sitting beneath a large tree, surrounded by the peaceful comings and goings of a woodland in the springtime. Your poem created a vivid picture of the great outdoors and its heightened importance over the past year. Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm for the natural world your poem was a pleasure to read.

MY MAGIC BOX I will put in the box, A great, growling,grey, colouring the fur of wolves, My turtle tramping over Africa, All of the great grapes flying into my mouth like superman.

I will put in the box, All of the love I have been given by my Parents, The hope that I will find and achieve my dreams, The people who have helped me through the ups and downs.

I will put in the box, The galaxy that is beyond our wildest dreams, A massive yellow Earth, The happy memories I have had over the years. www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia

You know your medals Will always, shine! ....so strong As we carry along (By Tadhg)

And design a life actively chosen?

Where your.. joy(?) is given more room?

Choose wisely the seeds that you’ll nurture.

Award: Highly Commended

....to keep us all strong Captain Tom How can we follow ...In your motto footsteps You! Taken now, by the foe You fought so firm

From his own back garden A life’s experience His expression held up On how, to hold, the banner high Once more, in the line of duty For another type of war.

Saying!.. like the raising of a flag hailing For not failing!

Whatever the gauntlet...

‘Tomorrow will be a good day’ Captain Tom Passing on, ...not in vain Taken now, by the foe, he fought But your medals ...will always shine strong How we can be grateful You show us, how to strive In remembrance ..by a rock steady steady, attitude How he showed, his own gratitude, fortitude!

In quiet dignity proud For those health servants Who labour Constantly, in the good medicine fight

Award: Commended

A touching tribute to the man who captured the hearts of the nation. Your poem is a beautiful acknowledgement of his quiet determination and strength of spirit. Indeed, your poem was humbling to read, and I thank you sincerely for sharing it. I am certain that the readership of MT will echo your sentiments.

I WILL PUT IT IN A BOX I will put in the box, A ray of sun from the first morning dawn, The first green sprout from a seed, A weightless cloud from an endless night.

I will put in the box, The first silk flame from a flickering fire, A beat from the first song, The last word of a dear old friend.

I will put into the box, The first step from a staircase, The last wave from the sea, The first kiss from a marriage.

My box is fashioned from nature and magic, With love on the lid and secrets in the corners, Its hinges are flowers in bloom.

I shall explore in my box, The seabed of the ocean, Then swim off into the horizon, With the sun setting ahead.

(By Ellie aged 11)

Award: Commended

What an adventurous Magic Box! Nature takes centre stage in the design of your box and your poem took me on a journey that began with the dawn and finished in the ocean. I really enjoyed reading your poem - well done!

25

Station a new sense of purpose and vibe and help us become a more sustainable charity. Our intention as we have said before is to open the café on a more regular basis and we are reviewing plans to do this. So in the future, Wendy’s customers will not only enjoy a new hairdo but will also be able to get light refreshments, lunch, or even a posh afternoon tea. If you want to contact Wendy for an appointment, please call 0781 7865 648. Everyone at MLCT wishes Wendy good luck in her new venture.

We’re getting closer to the lifting of lockdown. In the meantime our Copper Potters have returned in small numbers and are looking forward to being able to sit outside in the warmer months - we just need the outdoor furniture to arrive, as it got stuck on a container in the Suez Canal!

We would like to welcome a new addition to the Community Station; we are pleased to welcome Wendy Dickeson who you may know from the Head Start Salon that has now closed its doors.

The new salon is called Wendy’s Hair Design and will be every bit as good as it was at Head Start. Wendy and her customers will give the Community

Our office refurbishment has been completed and we are very pleased with the result - lots more storage for pens and paper! We have also just taken delivery of a new (secondhand) office printer which can print and staple booklets in A5 and A4 sizes. This would be ideal for clubs and non-profit organisations to produce small print runs of club newsletters, programmes, orders of service for funerals etc. If you think you could make use of this facility, please get in touch. We also have some software to produce simple animations that could be used to advertise your events on social media platforms. Once we are fully up to speed we will post some examples on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram sites.

Don’t forgot you can also help MLCT while you shop in the Amazon app at no extra cost to you. Simply follow the instructions below to select ‘Moulsham Lodge Community Trust’ as your charity and activate AmazonSmile in the app. Amazon will donate a portion of your eligible mobile app purchases to us.

How It Works 1. Open the Amazon app on your phone.

2. Select the main menu (=) & tap on ‘AmazonSmile’ within Programmes & Features.

3. Select Moulsham Lodge Community Trust as your charity.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions to activate AmazonSmile in the mobile app. www.mlct.org.uk 07434 678 999 enquiries@mlct.org.uk

An Update From Cllr Rob Gisby Moulsham Lodge Ward Councillor A big thank you to everyone who came out and voted on Thursday 6th May. It is a real privilege and an honour to have been elected to represent you as your Councillor for Moulsham Lodge and I will do my very best to serve you well during my term.

I had the opportunity to see and speak to a great number of you during the election campaign, and I really enjoyed getting to know our community better and hearing your views and ideas, as well as taking on board your challenges and concerns. Over the coming weeks I’ll be looking to meet up with more of you in the community, including residents, local businesses and the voluntary sector. I am also meeting with our local Neighbourhood Watch teams to ensure that I can play my part in keeping our area safe - If you’re not already involved and would like to be, do have a look at www.ourwatch.org. uk.

A key priority for me is to be available to you and to listen and to champion your causes, so please do get in touch.

As I write this article, it is Mental Health Awareness Week and we know how important our green environment is to emotional

health and wellbeing. On the doorstep, many residents were keen to mention green issues, whether it be concerns regarding traffic and congestion, or access to the brilliant parks we have across the city. You know that I campaigned hard against the parking charge at Hylands Park which will sadly be implemented by the Liberal Democrat-run City Council. I will continue to lobby and fight to ensure than green spaces remain accessible to all.

On the subject of green issues, you will have received a few communications from me over the election period - a necessary evil of campaigning and giving you the information you need to vote. However, as someone who cares about our environment, I am committed to offsetting this activity as best I can and I will be donating to a tree planting scheme of your choice. In the interests of continued democracy(!) please head over to my Facebook page @MoulshamDad to vote for your preferred scheme.

You can get in touch with me via Chelmsford City Council, through my Facebook Page (Cllr Rob Gisby) or by post at Chelmsford Conservative Association. Please do reach out - I look forward to hearing from you.

Stay safe, keep well, be kind.

Cllr Rob Gisby Conservative Ward Councillor for Moulsham Lodge

26 www.moulshamtimes.com

Tile Kiln Corner By Cllr Linda Mascot

Elections to Essex County Council elections took place on 6th May and although many more people applied for postal votes, Democratic Officers in Chelmsford went to great lengths to enable polling stations to be open safely due to Covid restrictions. These included masks to be worn, separate entrance and exit routes and asking people to bring their own pens to mark the ballot papers.

“I will continue to support Tile Kiln residents in their attempts to get more service roads repaired, getting yellow lines on junctions to make ingress and egress safer from these and other roads, as well as safer crossing points across some of our busier roads.”

Essex County Council is responsible for schools, adult community learning, libraries, youth services, children and adult social services, blue badges, coroners services, registration of births, deaths and marriages, citizenship, trading standards, highways (including footpaths and street lighting), recycling centres, county parks, historic monuments, archives and much more.

Once Covid restrictions allow, I will be resuming my regular face-toface councillor surgeries where you can come along and discuss issues you may have with any of the above.

Potholes, broken pavements, streetlights, traffic signals, bus stops, roadworks and overhanging trees and hedges on the highways should be reported either by phone on 0345 603 7631 or online at www.essexhighways.org/tell-us. You will be given a reference number which you can use to track progress of your reported issue.

I am sure I’m not alone in looking forward to being able to get out and about and meet up with people again. Until then, stay safe and well.

The result of the election of county councillor for West Chelmsford, which includes Goat Hall Ward incorporating Tile Kiln, was the re-election of Cllr Jude Deakin for her fourth term (13th year) representing this area.

Jude was delighted to be re-elected and enthused: “I am honoured to have been re-elected to represent West Chelmsford on the county council for another 4 years. Whether you voted for me or not, I will do my best to represent you as your Essex County Councillor.

If you have a persistent parking problem and would like to request restrictions in your area, the South Essex Parking Partnership (SEPP) has an online form and is responsible for resident parking schemes and double yellow lines - go to www.chelmsford.gov.uk.

Take care and stay safe. mascotlinda@gmail.com.

Twitter: @lindamascot

Who’s in Control?

I write this the day after our Government cast a vision for the country in the form of the Queen’s Speech. The previous day, 10th May, our Prime Minister confidently asserted that we are gaining mastery over Covid.

These events show a kind of confidence in the future that should be tempered with an honesty that often gets left behind in our public square - we do not know what tomorrow will bring. We need only look to Brazil and India to see that over-confidence in brighter days ahead can be disastrous. Throughout history, humans have boldly asserted their ability to make things better, and our track record is patchy at best!

We find it very easy to believe we have control over our own future.

I make my own decisions, I take responsibility over my life. But the pandemic should teach us that we have alarmingly less control over our lives than we usually imagine.

But if we don’t have control, where do we look for it? Is everything just meaningless? A random sequence of events that wash over our lives? If we don’t have control, where do we find security, hope, purpose? www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia

I wonder how you’d answer those questions? For me, and for all followers of Jesus Christ, we believe that God is in control. He created the world (leaving aside debates as to how he did it for now!), and he sustains the world. All evil is an incursion into a world made good, and so the God who created and sustains the world also promises to make it right again, through Jesus Christ. There’s still a lot of unknowns and mystery - how does this all work out? God tells us snippets, but makes bold promises that mean security, hope, and purpose are possible now, even knowing that we don’t have as much control over our lives as we’d like.

If any of these questions have stuck a chord and you’d like to explore them more, I’d love to chat - just get in touch on the email below.

We’re running an online Alpha Course (www.alpha.org) - a relaxed course giving you a chance to explore who Jesus claims to be from the comfort of your own home. Get in touch if you’re interested and want to find out more.

Tim Goodall Pastor, Tile Kiln Church tim.goodall@tilekilnchurch.org.uk tinyurl.com/y24qlkvx www.facebook.com/tilekilnchurch 27

Spot 10 Differences (Answers on Page 31)

28 www.moulshamtimes.com

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Pilates: For the Love of Gardening - By Erica Foulds This month, our focus is looking at another wonderful pastime that many are getting back to, especially now the freaky frosts of April have left - lets talk gardening!

I hope you all had a great April and if youre a runner, new or seasoned, I hope you were able to take a few tips from April’s article about pilates to assist your performance. The articles thus far have included pilates for walkers, golfers, runners and now gardening.

Now that the evenings are lighter (and though fresh, the evenings are far more inviting) I have been walking at the ends of the day making the most of sunsets and less muddy tracks. I pass a couple of allotments on my regular routes and often see folk chatting away over turned soil and heaps of winter weeds and it looks such a peaceful way to wind down and find a more manageable pace for the soul. Like so many of us, I finally found the time to get into the garden (for the first time) last year, when there was little else to do and was furloughed from my position at a clinic in London. Though my garden was small, I was hooked and am now a firm convert and totally appreciate the patience required to taste your own homegrown lettuces, kale, tomatoes and runner beans! Having moved to Writtle at Christmas, and with a better garden space, I was on my knees and digging over the beds back in March when we had those warm spells - but without proper gardening fair, after kneeling and bending over in all manner of positions for several hours I needed a good stretch after!

In my profession I come across all sorts of injuries; aches and pains which have been brought on sometimes by the strangest but simplest things, and gardening is one of the pastimes which crops up now and again - specifically those who’ve acquire back (disc) injuries. Our backs have a natural ‘s’ shape to them, like a soft spring allowing movement to be absorbed by the skeleton and not jarring when we twist, bend, run, jump etc, but if that ‘S’ shape is regularly disrupted and pulled out of shape then muscles and joints can complain. The most regular and common spine curve that I see, I describe as a desk post ‘C’, jutting chin peering over a PC, rounded shoulders, slumping lower back and pelvis that has rocked under in a profile view resembling a capital ‘C’. Though the average amongst us may not garden as much as some sit at a desk, we can work with the same idea that the muscles of the back deserve a little iron out/ reset, to make sure it can cope with crouching, bending and kneeling for the long stints as we prepare for the spring to summer season.

Below, I have chosen my favourite 3 moves found in pilates that would work brilliantly before or after an afternoon at the allotments or in your own back garden.

Working with the natural S and stretching the muscles of the spine: Standing roll down: Stand tall, arms hanging to sides, begin with broad open shoulders, feet hip width equally weighted left-right and tuck the tail bone under, being against a wall can help, nod chin to chest, round shoulders forward, create a big ‘C’ shape in the body from neck to lower back, bend knees and continue to round all way down until hands are level with ankles without stopping reverse up imagining stacking the back up like lego bricks one on top of the other until head is fully upright. Repeat 5 times (about 45 seconds per one).

Strengthening the muscles that support your skull: Chin tuck - sitting comfortably, hands rest on thighs, look ahead imagining a glass of water on the crown of your head, give yourself a double chin without dropping your chin down, so youre are gliding your skull back and forward, not up and down!

Resetting the upper back curve from being hunched forward: Back extension a simple swan dive - laying face down on the floor, arms beside your hips, palms down, (imagine an aeroplane taking off gliding down the runway gathering speed not just taking off vertically), start to lift your chin, pull the front of the chest wide, reach the hands off the floor behind you, lift the sternum and look straight ahead (not up), don’t lift till your back feels too tight, lower down slowly. Repeat 10 times.

Next month I am planning Pilates for the love of… getting back to the gym after 12 months! If you would like to request a sport then get in touch on Facebook or Instagram - @hummingbirdpilatesyoga.

For more details on 12 person pilates classes on Zoom, search ‘Hummingbird Pilates & Yoga’ in Writtle, visit www. hummingbirdpilates. co.uk, or email us info@ hummingbirdpilatesyoga. co.uk.

Call 01245 422 556 for more info.

Erica xx

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Spot the Difference Answers

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Quiz Answers 1.

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St Augustine’s Way Springfield 1730AD Eastern National Omnibus Company Where the police station is 1935 Danbury South Woodham Ferrers Refrigeration and electrics Army barracks in WW1 American air base in WW2 Three November 2001

By Stone Bridge Cramphorn’s Steel ball bearings Everyman Writtle (off Lordship Road, to Great Oxney Green) Red 3 rivers: Wid, Chelmer & Can Built as a sanatorium for TB patients before WW2

The January, February and 21.

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1914 1939 1953 2013 1977 1928 1931 1940 1961 1976 1989 1980

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1994 2004 1998 1215 1564 2012 1945 1918

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31

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