Moulsham Times July 2017

MoulshamTimes

The Kast Off Kinks 15th July 2017 @ Chelmsford City FC (see p15)

Covering: Old Moulsham, Moulsham Lodge, Tile Kiln and surrounding area

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Issue Number 55 - July 2017

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MT Welcome Hi readers Welcome to the July edition.

This month we are pleased to welcome a new writer, Vicky Ford MP. Vicky replaces Sir Simon Burns, who had been writing for us since our early editions.

Enjoy this months festivals if you are attending.

Have a great month!

Regards Paul & Nick

Deadlines for the August edition Articles - 14th July Print ready art work - 20th July

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MT Therapy by Jenny Hartill As you’re all probably aware many of the original theorists in psychological theory - like Sigmund Freud (widely seen as the father of psychodynamic theory), Carl Jung (widely seen as the father of psychoanalytical theory), Carl Rogers (widely seen as the father of person centred theory) and Albert Ellis (widely seen as the father of rational emotive behavioural theory) - are all, unfortunately, deceased. However, there is a very important theorist and figure in psychology who (at the time of writing this article!) is still very much alive. I’m talking about Albert Bandura, the 91 year old Canadian/ American father of social cognitive theory and self-efficacy theory.

Bandura is known as the originator of social learning theory (renamed the social cognitive theory) and the theoretical construct of self-efficacy. He’s also known for some contribution to the fields of personality psychology and he was an influential figure in the transition between behaviourism and cognitive psychology.

Below is a great lowdown (that admittedly I found on the internet source: Dr Marev Nagel - but it’s so good I thought I’d use it here) of Bandura’s theories that he’s mainly known for:

Self-Efficacy One’s sense of self-efficacy can play a major role in how one approaches goals, tasks, and challenges. The theory of selfefficacy lies at the centre of Bandura’s social cognitive theory, which emphasises the role of observational learning and social experience in the development of personality. The main concept in social cognitive theory is that an individual’s actions and reactions, including social behaviours and cognitive processes, in almost every situation are influenced by the actions that individual has observed in others. Because self-efficacy is developed from external experiences and self-perception and is influential in determining the outcome of many events, it is an important aspect of social cognitive theory.

Self-efficacy represents the personal perception of external social factors. According to Bandura’s theory, people with high self-efficacy - that is, those who believe they can perform well - are more likely to view difficult tasks as something to be mastered, rather than something to be avoided.

Social Learning Theory Social learning theory describes the acquisition of skills that are developed exclusively or primarily within a social group. Social learning depends on how individuals either succeed or fail at dynamic interactions within groups, and promotes the development of individual emotional and practical skills as well as accurate perception of self and acceptance of others. According to this theory, people learn from one another through observation, imitation, and modelling. Self-efficacy reflects an individual’s understanding of what skills he/she can offer in a group setting.

Self Concept Theory Self concept theory seeks to explain how people perceive and interpret their own existence from clues they receive from external sources, focusing on how these impressions are organised and how they are active throughout life. Successes and failures are closely related to the ways in which people have learned to view themselves and their relationships with others.

This theory describes self concept as learned (ie, not present at birth); organised (in the way it is applied to the self); and dynamic (ie, ever changing, and not fixed at a certain age).

Attribution Theory

Attribution theory focuses on how people attribute events and how those beliefs interact with self-perception.

Attribution theory defines three major elements of cause:

• Locus is the location of the perceived cause. If the locus is internal (dispositional), feelings of self-esteem and self-efficacy will be enhanced by success and diminished by failure.

• Stability describes whether the cause is perceived as static or dynamic over time. It is closely related to expectations and goals, in that when people attribute their failures to stable factors such as the difficulty of a task, they will expect to fail in that task in the future.

• Controllability describes whether a person feels actively in control of the cause. Failing at a task one thinks one cannot control can lead to feelings of humiliation, shame, and/or anger.

Bandura was born in a small hamlet called Mundare in Alberta, Canada. Because the place he grew up was so small, educational opportunities were limited and he did lots of learning independently and was incredibly self motivated to do so. This self motivation has obviously proved very helpful in his rather long career as he is still the David Starr Jordan Professor Emeritus of Social Science in Psychology at Stanford University. He has worked in, and contributed to, the field of psychology for almost six decades and has been responsible for many important contributions to the field of education as well as psychology.

Bandura’s interest in psychology began at a young age and we have his parents to thank. Bandura’s parents wanted him to think outside the box, or outside the hamlet in this case, and so the summer after he finished high school he went to a place called Yukon, the smallest and westernmost of Canada’s three federal territories, to help protect the Alaska Highway from sinking. Here he got his first glimpse of psychopathology, being exposed to a subculture of drinking and gambling, and this helped broaden his perspective and scope of views on life.

It was in fact a complete fluke that Bandura got into psychology though. He enrolled on the course because he had nothing to do in the mornings and was bored! As it turned out, he was an exceptional psychological thinker and he graduated in three years in 1949 with a BA from the University of British Columbia, winning the Bolocan Award in Psychology.

This was just the beginning as he then completed his Masters and PHD eventually becoming the President of the American Psychological Association in 1974. Bandura has held a teaching position at Stanford University from 1953 to this day.

If anyone is interested in seeing a therapist, I own and run Chelmsford Therapy Rooms. We have a range of therapists that can help with a multitude of issues. We offer many therapies from hypnotherapy to counselling to nutrition. Please see the website www.chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or you can email info@ chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk or call 0330 100 5162.

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Welcome to Vicky Ford the new MP for Chelmsford It is a huge honour to be elected as the Member of Parliament for Chelmsford and my first week has been very busy.

The first-time MPs spent the beginning of the week in a very intensive induction course in Westminster; Parliament protocols are complicated, so it was helpful to learn how best to use official questions and debates to resolve issues affecting local residents.

On Thursday, all the new MPs took the oath of allegiance which is the formal start of the new role. My first official meeting was a sombre session about the terrible Grenfell Tower Fire. I have worked on the 50th floor of a tower block and I know that many Chelmsford commuters working in high rise buildings may be fearful. I asked the ministers for housing and the fire service to consider whether we need changes to fire safety recommendations for office blocks as well as residential properties. I also asked for and received assurance from Chelmsford City Council about fire safety in their buildings - and specifically that no residential council properties in Chelmsford have similar cladding.

This week, I visited two of our excellent local schools - Our Lady Immaculate and Newlands Spring. I was extremely impressed by the questions from the pupils in both schools - Jeremy Paxman beware!

I also joined Anglia Ruskin University to celebrate their 25 birthday. I have worked with them during my time as East Anglia’s Euro MP. They have built a very strong reputation in areas like health and medical innovation, digital and creative industries. Many congratulations to all involved. th

Finally, a thank you to St Andrew’s Church for bringing together volunteers and leaders of groups from all across Chelmsford for a Great Get Together inspired by the late Jo Cox MP. My predecessor, Sir Simon Burns, helped many people in Chelmsford and I will continue to give advice and help. It will take a few weeks to establish all the logistics, but do email me at vicky.ford.mp@ parliament.uk if you need assistance.

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From County Hall by Cllr Dick Madden

Another really hot day. I am sitting in our back garden having just survived another Madden family BBQ. I spent this morning visting local gardens where local residents were raising funds for Farleigh Hospice, a really enjoyable day.

Yesterday I helped at the Moulsham Lodge Community family day.

Breakfasts were served at 10.30am to families; an early celebration for Father’s Day. Don’t ask me why, but I had my face painted as a tiger and was put in charge of a form of stocks which was loved by families - children particularly loved and laughed at throwing wet sponges at their mums and dads, a great day. To all the trustees of the Moulsham Lodge Community Trust and all the volunteers who supported the family funday, well done and thank you.

Having had a hot eventful weekend it is back to local matters tomorrow. I am meeting Chief of Chelmsford Police to discuss several matters which includes the frustrations of many of you regarding visible supplying of drugs, anti-social behaviour and what appears to be a lack of visible policing.

In addition, many residents are frustrated at ringing our local police regarding assorted matters and being informed that either the matter is not an Essex Police priority or they do not have any resources to

deal with the situation. Worrying times for you that I will be making clear cannot be allowed to continue.

Many of the matters you have raised with me may not be a force priority, but to us the local community are priorities. I will keep those residents that have communicated with me updated.

Vicky Ford is our new Member of Parliament and having met and worked with her I am confident she will be an asset to us all and will be robust in Parliament representing all of us with energy and enthusiasm.

This week I will be meeting many of our city retailers, including many of our larger stores like John Lewis, supporting them to develop a business levy that stores will contribute to, seeking to improve further in advertising our city centre and funding additional posts to enhance the well being of our city centre. I do hope this initiative can achieve momentum and I will represent you with a positive attitude.

I do hope you all continue to enjoy this scorching weather.

BE SAFE. Dick Madden

6 www.moulshamtimes.com

The New Clay Pigeon

The Clay Pigeon in Tile Kiln is under new management. The new landlord and landlady are Andy and Kate. Andy has lived in the area for 30 years and has always wanted to run a pub/restaurant where families can meet and to give something back into the community.

There will be plenty of changes at the Clay Pigeon: • • • •

A new children’s play area A brand new menu A new Michelin Star-trained chef Sky Sports and BT Sports

Food will be served daily. To book, please call 01245 358 971.

Andy and Kate hope are looking forward to seeing many happy customers!

Ideas Hub on the Move The Ideas hub needs to move by end of September. We may have the option to be relocated to the first floor of the library but we need to evidence the Hub is needed.

Please like our facebook page search what the ideas hub chelmsford means to us?

Please add a comment if you can on how the hub has improved your life.

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7

MT Fitness Why Cant I have a Body like the Rock - By Matt Russell Part-time superstar wrestler/parttime superstar actor ‘The Rock’ AKA Dwayne Johnson is almost as famous for his extremely well muscled physique as he is for his acting exploits both in the ring and on the silver screen.

But what’s stopping you, yeah you Mr or Mrs Twiglet Arms, from hitting the gym and getting a body like his?

Well, just a few things…

Your Genetics There are more genes involved in the process of building muscle than there are grown men standing beside football pitches up and down the country claiming to have had trials when they were younger (well not quite, but there are still quite a few) and it’s the manner in which these genes interact which each other that determine a person’s ability to build muscle.

People who struggle to build muscle are known as non-responders which is quite an unhelpful term because yes, it’s true that they build muscle much slower than a high-responder does, but they will still build muscle - just nowhere near as much or as quick as the highresponders! So, unfortunately if you are one of these low-responders, you’re time might be better spent blaming your parents for your genes rather than trying to look like He-Man! Your Age Unlike a fine wine, the body doesn’t get better with age. The human body reaches its peak muscle mass between the ages of 20 and 40.

After that time the body begins to lose muscle. Between 40 and 50 you lose roughly 0.5% of your muscle mass every year. In your 50s the rate increases to between 1% - 2% annually and then after the age of 60 it increases to a 3% loss per year. So, once you hit the big 40 (as well as dealing with a receding hair line, a bulging waistline and a midlife crisis) you’ll have to deal with the fact that you may struggle to maintain what muscle you’ve got (let alone build any) if you don’t train hard enough. However, if you do train hard enough you can still build muscle, just perhaps not as quick as before!

Your Sex Although I’m sure not many women reading this would actually want to look like The Rock, there is a real fear amongst some women that lifting just a few weights will cause them to do so. But the truth is, women can build a relatively decent amount of muscle following a well regimented weight training programme, but it is still absolutely nowhere near as much muscle as a man can build, due mainly to differing levels of testosterone within the body.

Your Training Status The newer to weight training you are, the more potential you have to build muscle. When you start, with pretty much any training programme you undertake you’ll see improvements. However the more training you do, the closer you get to your genetic celling and the less capacity you have to build muscle. So if you’ve been training solidly for 10 to 15 years and you still look like Mr Muscle (from the polish adverts) your chances of looking like a beefcake are pretty slim!

In Conclusion…

Just like attracting a member of the opposite sex, building muscle is easier for some than it is for others. If you’re male, in your twenties, genetically blessed and new to training, you could perhaps build www.moulshamtimes.com

muscle quicker than Brad Pitt attracts a lady. However, if you’re in your 50s, genetically disadvantaged and have been training for a number of years, Quasimodo has probably got more chance of pulling than you have of building muscle!

A Word of Caution…

Beware though. Before you begin hitting the gym in your quest to get a bodybuilder’s body, remember that many of the really mahoosive bodybuilders seem to suffer from diabetes. Well at least I think they do. Because as I’ve seen plenty of them injecting themselves with insulin. Well, I presume it was insulin… I can’t possibly think what else it could be! A less gullible friend of mine said it was steroids but I don’t believe him!

To book your free trial session at my bootcamp class or your free personal training session please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Also, if you enjoyed this please tell your friends, oh and follow me on social media too. matt@mlrpt.co.uk www.mlrpt.co.uk 07939 316 401 www.twitter.com/mlrpt www.facebook.com/mlrpt www.twitter.com/mlrpt

Strawberry Fayre at Woodcroft Nursery School

Woodcroft Nursery School will be holding its annual Summer Fayre on Saturday 8th July from 10.30am until 1pm at the Nursery on Dorset Avenue, Chelmsford CM2 9UB. This is a lovely occasion with lots of fun and games for the little ones, BBQ, adults and children’s raffles, tombolas and our ever popular Sugar and Spice Café serving hot and cold drinks, cakes and strawberry cream teas.

Woodcroft is a popular and well established, local authority maintained nursery school, based in Great Baddow, Chelmsford. Not only is this event an opportunity for the children and their families that come here to have fun in the sun, our doors are also open to the wider community, particularly those people who might be looking for a nursery setting for their 2-5 years olds in September.

Woodcroft are offering 30 hour free placements (subject to eligibility) from September 2017. So the Strawberry Fayre is a great time to come and see our nursery at the weekend if it’s difficult for you to get here during the week.

Come along, join the fun and support your local nursery.

Dorset Avenue Chelmsford CM2 9UB Tel: 01245 473 222 Email: admin@woodcroft-nur.essex.sch.uk Website: www.woodcroft-nur.essex.sch.uk

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Sciatica - What it is and What to do about it Here in the clinic, one of the more debilitating problems we see is sciatica. Today I want to demystify it and show that even if you are in a lot of pain there is a way out.

Sciatica is a term that describes lower back pain with radiating pain down the back of the leg. Sometimes the radiations just goes to the buttock and thigh and in other cases it can go all the way down to the foot.

People can report their symptoms in interesting and unique ways.

Most feel pain, but it can be accompanied with pins and needles, a burning feeling, a cold feeling, or even a feeling of ants crawling down your leg!

Although each person’s pain is unique, the cause is always the same; a compression to the sciatic nerve. Osteopaths take it a little further than this and we have ways of figuring out specifically what structure is compressing the nerve. Our treatment would be slightly different, for example, if it were a joint strain pressing on the nerve compared to a disc bulge.

Most commonly, it is some sort of disc bulge that presses on the nerves. The pathway of the nerve root passes closely behind the discs, so if the disc bulges backwards, it can press on the nerve. The area also becomes very inflamed which exacerbates the problem.

If you have or have had a disc problem, you can have confidence that they do heal given time, even though it may not feel like it at the time!

If a disc is bulging out, they don’t ‘go back’ like some of my patients say, but over time the immune system works to reduce the bulge and take the pressure off the nerve. This may leave you with a slightly thinner disc, but this is not a problem in itself, it may just leave a little stiffness.

The easiest thing you can do to relieve the symptoms of sciatica is to stretch a muscle called piriformis. The sciatic nerve passes over (or sometimes even directly through) this muscle, and stretching it can reduce the pressure on the nerve.

In the photo, I have shown the stretch progressions to go through.

Start with the most basic one and move on from there if you feel comfortable. The stretch should feel ‘nice’, and should not cause pain. If it does, stop and seek advice on the best way to stretch for you.

Sciatica is a fairly broad term which can explain mild back strains with diffuse radiations to the leg, ranging to excruciating pain where people can barely put their foot down. Each case is unique, and the recovery time also varies dramatically.

Thankfully, we can say that the vast majority of cases make a full recovery, and very few need to consider surgery surgery really is a last resort. When our patients recover, we provide them with an exercise program to improve balance and core control to try to prevent the problem from coming back.

If you have been affected by sciatica and you want to ask any questions and see if we can help, please get in touch by calling 01245 522 360 or emailing info@fortephysicalhealth.co.uk and asking for Chris.

I have made videos of the above stretches and added them to our Facebook page, so if you want to see them search: ‘Forte Physical Health’.

Have a healthy month!

MT Gardening

Goodness me it’s hot! What a month June is turning out to be; hot, humid and challenging. This has got to be the year for making sure you’ve mulched the garden well. I’ve just topped up levels and as a result even in this hot weather, plants have continued growing well safe in the knowledge that there’s moisture in the border soil and weeds are suppressed.

With watering sorted for the time being, there are many areas to concentrate on to keep your garden in tip top form this month.

Follow these tips to success.

Continue to prune late spring/ early summer flowering shrubs such as Weigela, Kolkwitzia and Philadelphus.

Remove flowering wood to the ground or to where there is a well positioned vegetative shoot. Once this stage has been completed reduce vegetative limbs by 1/4 - 1/3. With Philadelphus, take every third stem out of the clump if too dense.

Continue to prune hedges but take care of any fledglings or nesting birds. If pruning box hedge, cut when dry to avoid the spread of box blight. I also feed hedging to boost growth using any seaweed based

products.

Containers need regular watering and potential topping up with liquid feeds.

Tomato based feeds are high in potash and are great for any flowering and fruiting plants. And if growing tomatoes, cucumbers or chilli peppers, try recycling bottles by cutting off the end, removing the stopper and inverting it so that the neck is pushed in to the compost. Once complete, irrigate into the bottle to get moisture quickly to the root system.

If growing sweet peas, remember to keep tying in limbs to the main support and continue to harvest flowers and remove tendrils. All of this will contribute to an extended supply of flowers. At the moment the fragrance from theses blooms is phenomenal.

Don’t forget to dead-head bedding plants and roses. With roses I tend to cut back the old spent flowers and reduce some of the whippy long growth - or tie in to extend the framework. With bedding, if you continue to remove old flowers the plant remains compact and rewards you with repeat flowers and a slight reduction in fungal diseases.

Lastly, if you’re looking for a great garden course from this September, contact Writtle University College to discuss our range of Royal Horticultural Society qualifications.

We offer Level 2 theory and practical options together with Level 3 practical programmes.

WE WILL BEAT ANY WRITTEN QUOTE

Our practical courses are really hands-on and can either be used to enhance your current level of skills or help you move into horticulture as a professional.

Keep safe during these hot times and remember to drink lots of fluids.

Happy gardening.

For any gardening tips 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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Music and Blues in the City by Nick Garner This coming month we have The Fling with the Blockheads and Dr John Cooper Clark playing alongside a whole host of other acts.

On Saturday 15th July at Chelmsford City FC we have the Kast Off Kinks, who are actually three ex-members of the Kinks - including Mick Avory on drums (and it has been known on occasion for a certain Mr Ray Davis to join them).

On Friday 30th June we have the welcome return of Albert Lee to the football ground to film and record the show for a possible live DVD. There may be some tickets left if you are quick - text 07508 496 411 with ‘Albert’, your name, and how many tickets you require and we will text back to confirm.

On Thursday 6th July the Bassment sees the Blues Jam where we often have Suzi Quatro come and join us. On Thursday 13th July we welcome Storm Warning, many of the members of the band have played with some of the greats. On the night, they will be supported

by Clare Free who is a wonderful singer-songwriter and making a welcome return to playing live again after having had a break for a couple of years to look after her family and pursue other ventures.

There is of course lots of other live music shows happening all over Chelmsford with Moulsham Street area with the UB, Star And Garter, the Bay Horse and Black Horse all putting on live music, as well as the Woolpack with their Sunday night events.

Up the other end of town, we have the Fleece, Ale House, Bassment and Asylum plus lots more going on in and around the city and surrounding villages. Just check out either Facebook or the City Times’ What’s On guide.

Plans are moving ahead for the city’s Arts and Cultural Festival for 2018 from 13th to 15th July. We have been making enquiries for some acts to come and play and hope to have more news soon. It looks very much like this is going ahead and it is going to be big, so keep your eyes open and see the updates in both the City Times and Moulsham Times as we progress.

The big part is going to be securing the sponsors for the infrastructure, but as it is to benefit the city and is a not-for-profit festival, I am hopeful of success.

Next month, the revamped United Brethren (UB) pub in New Writtle Street will be a year old, and to celebrate they are hosting a mini music and beer festival on Saturday 26th August which will run from noon until 1am Sunday morning. The event will be a mix of live acts, DJs and spoken word across three stages and the pub also are planning a barbeque as well as bringing in their mobile bar for the beer festival.

The live acts that we have lined up are Clare Free, Booga Red, the Jamie Williams Collective, Paolo Morena, Sheri Kershaw, Dave Sharp (The Alarm) and Small Town Rumour - and with a mix of great DJs playing music from the 70s, and 80s to soul, reggae, house etc, this is going to be a lot of fun (and free to enter as well).

The Golden Fleece have the 9th Bay Days Festival from the 27th to 29th July with a whole host of local acts and DJs playing throughout the period, which is always a lot of fun.

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Lessons from History - Rev Mark Meatcher I think it was someone famous who once said that “if there’s one thing history teaches us it is that we do not learn from history” (attributed to Frederick Hegel).

It is something that I have been thinking quite a bit about lately and I think that I’d probably like to change that quote to being something like: “Usually we don’t learn from history”.

My reason for saying that is that I have recently read two books that

were published around the same time (1979).

I don’t know whether you’ve done anything similar, but it was interesting to think about my reaction to these books.

One of them felt dated and not relevant in many ways to where we are as a society today in 2017. It felt old and I could not apply much of what was said to my life.

The other however, was completely different. It felt like it could have been written last week because the issues that it was addressing had not changed.

It saddened me that this was the case, as I felt that it meant that although a lot has changed in our society over the intervening period (almost forty years now), a lot of the things that we probably would like to change still haven’t.

The book, Be Not Afraid by Jean Vanier, left me feeling that we had not learnt from what it said, even though it was now in many ways a historical book.

Do we learn from things that have happened in our own lives, or do we carry on making the same mistakes?

I wonder...

Rev Mark Meatcher Interim Moderator Christ Church URC

MT Baking by Alison Motley

It’s no wonder cupcakes are popular, they look pretty on a plate and you don’t need a fork to eat them. They are super easy to mix together and don’t take long to bake. Add a pretty cupcake case and a swirl of frosting and you are done.

They also travel well (unless they are loaded with fresh cream like these ones!) and it’s easy to add flavour and texture with drizzles and nuts or sprinkles and fruit. You can add a hidden filling by scooping out a little hole with a teaspoon or cupcake corer or soak them with a syrup. You can go the traditional route with coffee and walnut or lemon drizzle, or elevate them to new heights with sophisticated flavours, fillings and toppings.

Cupcakes can be prone to drying out, but if you find a recipe that uses ground almonds, yoghurt or soured cream, the sponge will stay nice and moist and they can be made a few days ahead of decorating. I often bake cupcakes ahead of time, then wrap them well in cling film and freeze them. They take little time to defrost and ice on the day I need them and still taste freshly baked.

The history of the cupcake is relatively unknown. There are two main schools of thought, one is that in the 18th century cakes were baked in small cup-like moulds, the other that the cake ingredients were measured out in cups rather than weighed. Either way, cupcakes are huge business these days with specialist bakeries and equipment, cupcake cook books and magazines and blogs devoted purely to cupcakes. The current cupcake popularity really started in the US in the 21st century when specialist cupcake bakeries started popping up and they became massively popular when they featured in the hit TV series Sex and the City.

These strawberry and Pimms cupcakes are a taste of British summer to me and a great little celebration of all things Wimbledon. The whipped cream topping is lighter and less sweet than a buttercream, which really allows the flavour of the Pimms and strawberries to shine through, and the hidden strawberry adds an element of surprise.

Keep them refrigerated once made and ideally eat on the same day.

I freeze the little pieces of cake that are scooped out and use them to make cake pops or I sneakily eat them without telling anyone (baker’s rights!). So even if the British summer lets us down or your favourite tennis player is knocked out in the first round, these little beauties are ace - game, set and match!

Happy baking!

Strawberry and Pimms Cup Cakes (makes 12) For the cupcakes:

175g unsalted butter, softened

175g caster sugar

3 medium eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 175g self-raising flour ½ teaspoon baking powder 2 tablespoons milk 12 small strawberries, hulled, washed and dried

For the Pimms syrup:

150ml Pimms

50g caster sugar For the decoration:

150ml double cream

3 tablespoons icing sugar, sieved

1 tablespoon Pimms

6 strawberries, hulled, washed, dried and halved

12 mint leaves 1. Preheat oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4 and line a 12 hole muffin tin with cupcake cases.

2. In a large bowl beat together the butter and 175g caster sugar until pale and creamy.

3. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.

4. Sieve the flour and baking powder into the bowl and fold in with a large metal spoon, being careful not to knock out any air.

5. Add the milk and fold in. The cake batter should be fluffy with a soft dropping consistency. Add a little more milk if needed.

6. Evenly divide the cake batter between the cupcake cases and bake for 15-18 mins until risen and golden and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

7. While the cupcakes are baking, gently warm the 150ml Pimms and 50g caster sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat until bubbling for 5 minutes until it turns thick and syrupy.

8. Remove the cupcakes from the oven, and whilst they are still warm pierce them several times with a cocktail stick and generously brush over the Pimms syrup. Leave the cupcakes to cool to cool for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.

9. Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, use a teaspoon to scoop out a small piece of cake from the centre of each one and insert a strawberry.

10. In a medium sized bowl whisk the double cream with the icing sugar until soft peaks form, then add the Pimms and beat until the cream holds its shape but taking care not to overheat.

11. Top each cupcake with a dollop of cream and add a halved strawberry and a sprig of fresh mint.

I would love to hear from readers with anything baking related. Drop me an email at motleybakes@aol.com.

Travellers Tales: Behind the Iron Curtiain 1 Tallinn tall spires. Olav’s was once the tallest in the world. Both and Estonia - by John Power extremely have had to be rebuilt - Olav’s twice, due to lightning strikes and Well not quite; but, once behind the Iron Curtain before the era of Glasnost in the 1980s.

I generally like to escape Essex for warmer climates, so when Brenda suggested a visit to Estonia on the coast of the Baltic Sea (that’s the sea to the east of Denmark and Sweden, that stretches almost up to the Arctic Circle), I said with some trepidation: “Well, OK, we’ll give it a go...” It was going to be in the summer months after all.

To give some perspective, the country on the north-east of the Baltic (opposite Sweden) is Finland, and Estonia is south of that below the Gulf of Finland with Russia to its east and Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Germany to its south.

Tallinn is the capital of Estonia, and the flight seemed a fairly short one landing amidst a watery and conifer forested landscape that had been scarred by ice age glaciers.

At the small airport we were surprised to see signs of another Chelmsfordian, as Suzi Quatro’s stencilled equipment cases were unloaded from the plane. No sign of Suzi though. She must have taken a posher flight to wherever the gig was going to be.

Not having the local language, we took a bus not only into town, but around it a couple of times before we recognised the same docklands passing us for a second time. In the town centre we found the tourist information office and got our bearings. These led us to another bus to our digs on the southern side of town where the buildings faded into countryside. The ride was interesting in that Tallinn, like all cities, grew from the centre outwards. This was clearly defined by being able to see the old walled medieval town on the northern edge of the city near the port. Then, after a few quite stylish recent buildings around the modern centre, we travelled through the uninspired rectangular blocks of Soviet worker flats with no flair or external decoration, before emerging into the more inspiring new buildings around the outskirts.

After the protests of 1987-88 against Moscow (known as the Singing Revolution and the following political manoeuvres matched by others of the now reborn, north and west European countries), in 1991 Estonia declared its independence from Russia and an economic transformation began, especially in IT and infrastructure. In 1997 the medieval town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in 2004 Estonia joined the European Union and NATO. The year of our visit, 2011, was the first year that the Euro became the standard unit of currency.

There was a Swedish couple in our boarding house who visited Tallinn regularly, and they gave us clues about places to see. To them Estonia was a warm country. They said that where they lived, summer lasted about a month and the rest was more or less winter. We were surprised one day on our walks along the sea shore to find that the sunny day had persuaded a multitude out to the beach, and we joined them for an ice cream. It was equally bemusing to find that the nearest restaurant to where we were based was, along with several others in the town, run by Turks and serving a Turkish menu. So a double language barrier there and not too promising in choices for a vegetarian.

As we got out and about elsewhere we had to admit that the old town’s UNESCO status is well deserved, due to it’s splendid state of preservation with a sturdy 2 metres of surrounding wall still intact with 46 conically roofed towers dating back to the 14th century although the building had begun in the previous century.

The town square, once a market place, is the centre of the town surrounded by merchant’s houses and the enormous gothic town hall dating back to 1402-4. St Olav’s and St Nicholas’ churches boast

Nicholas’ due to World War II bombing.

Twisting cobblestone lanes lead around the warren of other ancient buildings now turned over to modern commercial enterprises like shops, restaurants, cafes and domestic living. Wooden walkways remain inside the walls as a remainder of the defensive positions mounted against any attacks from invading forces.

Outside the walls, walks or trams will take visitors to other historic edifices. In the area called Kadroig is the park and baroque palace established by Russian Czar Peter the Great in the 1700s. The palace is now an art museum with surrounding ponds and fountains intact.

A smaller house where Peter lived while the palace was being built has also been preserved. Whereas the palace currently houses historical paintings and other artefacts, there is also the Kumu Art Museum opened in 2006 for local modern art and visiting international exhibitions, all housed in a stunningly angular piece of modern architecture.

En route to the park of the palace, visitors pass through an area called Kalamaja with many wooden buildings from the 14th century used by the fishing industry, but kept alive and vibrant by the modern bohemian and creative community. In another park, Tallinn has huge botanical gardens in an area called Pirita.

The city is full of museums too numerous to mention, but one of note is the Museum of Occupations and the old KGB headquarters of the Russian Secret Police. At the edge of the old town there is a major construction and place of civic pride called Freedom Square and park - a centre for meetings and recreational uses since 2009. In 2011 Tallinn was the European Capital of Culture.

Outside the city there is obviously also much to see if you have the time, but ours was starting to run out. We did however manage to catch a bus to the north west outskirts of town to an open air historical museum park overlooking the sea, Rocca al Mare, which features old 18th to 20th century buildings gathered together from around Estonia and reconstructed in a forested park to give a feel of days gone by.

Most are of wooden construction as it is a plentiful building material in northern Europe. Trackways lead around farm buildings, windmills, craftsman’s cottages, a water mill, fishermen’s huts and net drying sheds, a village shop, a school and wooden chapel complete with organ and useable for services if occasion demands.

Estonia and the surrounding countries remained pagan until the 14th century before missionaries succeeded in introducing Christianity, but old Norse myth and practices remained as an underground stream of activity and still to this day has adherents who have appeared once again to practice the old ways after varying levels of suppression over the centuries.

Tallinn’s Baltic location has meant that it was an important trading centre with routes as far away as Arabian cultures in the 11th century.

The Danes invaded Tallinn in 1219 and as you look out to the sea through the forested landscape of the park, its not difficult to imagine the dragon headed ships coming ashore.

After this trip back in time it was good to find one other building in the shape of an inn, preserved complete with stables and barn, serving food and drink of yore. Staff there were all wearing period costume.

Back in town it was time to think of packing cases and making tracks to the airport. But if the climate that far north has always inclined you to look elsewhere for destinations, there’s no need to worry - just make sure you pick the summer months.

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Moulsham Schools

At Moulsham Infant School we are very proud of our outstanding PE provision. Joe Davis is our sports apprentice who we employed at the start of the year funded by Sport Premium. Joe has made an impact on the school through improving the quality and breadth of the PE and sporting provision.

He has achieved this through increasing participation in PE and sport so that all pupils develop healthy lifestyles and reach the performance levels they are capable of by developing additional clubs and activities for children outside the curriculum, encouraging children to work as part of a team, and increasing the amount of competition sport in which our children participate in giving extra support to our most talented children and those with special needs.

Throughout the academic year there were several competitions organised by the Chelmsford School Sport Partnership that our school entered. These included KS1 Gymnastics, 3 Tees Cricket and the Mini Olympic Games.

For the 3 Tees Cricket tournament, Joe taught the teams the skills of aiming, throwing, catching and striking prior to the event. One of the teams was successful in getting through to the Chelmsford final where they then came 7th overall.

In preparation for the Mini Olympic Games, Joe practised different games skills with our Y2 children, such as throwing, jumping and running. As a result, the school brought home 1st place in the individual boys and 1st place in the individual girls out of all the schools competing (the Moulsham family of schools in the Chelmsford Schools Sport Partnership). Overall, the school ended up in a fantastic 3rd place. Each school had to represent a country and we were Denmark. The children thoroughly enjoyed making flags, creating chants and parading around Melbourne Sports and Athletic Centre.

In addition to all of this, Joe has also run several clubs at school, including rounders and athletics, that have helped the children to improve on their skills and abilities in time outside of their normal PE lessons.

Our motto at Moulsham Infants is where learning is fun - and we certainly have a rich, exciting and fun sporting provision!

Life T M Hack Before you throw away a Post-it note, run it between the keys on your keyboard to collect dust...

One of the many highlights of the first half of this term was our Aspirations Day which took place on Friday 19th May. This is the first event of its kind at Moulsham Junior School and our aim was to show the children that anything is possible with hard work, determination and dedication. We contacted local businesses, and our parents and were delighted to receive several offers of support. We welcomed a paramedic, fireman, pharmacist and representatives for BAE Systems and E2V to name but a few. Our keynote speaker was the Paralympian athlete, Aaron Phipps, who for many of our children was the highlight of the day.

Here are some of their quotes and photos from the day: “I feel inspired

by Aaron Phipps. He climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and he agreed to climb it before he saw how high it was!

There’s one thing that he especially did which was that he persevered to climb the mountain although his knees were hurting so much. He also persevered to do the London Marathon in his wheelchair which broke in the race and his back was hurting so much. He opened has my mind to great things.” - Zainab “Inspiring, absolutely inspiring. Aaron Phipps has proved to us that anything is achievable, if you put in hard work and effort then the world is open for adventure. I mean, crawling up Mount Kilimanjaro on your hands and knees is utterly stunning and without help too!

As he spoke I stared in awe because of all his achievements. Utterly amazing. He has made impossible possible.” - Elliott “Aaron Phipps was very inspirational and if he can climb Kilimanjaro, we could achieve our dream too!” - Heather “Aaron Phipps was amazing, breathtaking and inspiring. I was so pleased when he fist-bumped me! He made me believe if you work hard and set your mind on something it will happen.” - Amy “Aaron Phipps inspired us all and showed everyone that everything is possible. This man is brave and has succeeded in achieving so many things.” - Brooke “Aaron Phipps is amazing! He has opened my mind to things that I thought were impossible. Now I don’t even though the meaning of the word!” - Sam Marie Staley, Headteacher

18 www.moulshamtimes.com

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An Englishman’s Home is His Castle - by Mark Roberts Last month I explained how habitual patterns of behaviour, operating through your belief system, choices and actions, have brought you to where you are today.

So, where you are right now is exactly where you should be. By extension, if you continue along the same path, your life will follow a somewhat predictable pattern - in essence, expect more of the same. Unless of course, you want something different…

until eventually there is acceptance and you no longer need to give it as much thought. It has just become another part of your life that cannot be changed.

If you want your life to take a different direction then you must do things differently. The solution to your predicament seems simple, but let’s examine that conclusion a bit closer to see how simple it really is. Let’s face it, if it was that easy, you would change, right?

It is unassailable by the rest of the world, because everyone knows that an Englishman’s home is his castle and you will defend it at all costs.

A Digression…

You will have noticed how a fly gets stuck on the inside of the window trying to escape into the garden - but just gets stuck as it stays in the same area, trying to fly through the invisible glass. The fly can see where it wants to go, but does not understand why it cannot get there. As you observe, you understand that the fly must move a little, maybe to the left, or right, just a small adjustment, to get through the open window. You understand that the fly cannot just fly through the glass, because you understand the nature of glass. The fly does not understand the nature of glass. It can see where it wants to go, because fly’s have excellent sight, but it doesn’t know how to get there. It does not understand the invisible nature of glass.

As a highly evolved human being, you know exactly where you are and can decide where you want to go. You are not like the fly that doesn’t understand glass, because you know all about glass. The fly does not have a mind like yours; it is not capable of thought, or reasoning, it is a stimulus-response organism. You on the other hand, have a highly evolved mind and you can perceive the nature of glass. You know that you must open the door before you can walk into the garden to get where you want to go, because you have awareness of how glass and doors operate. But ask yourself this: How often have you acted like that fly, constantly banging your head against the metaphorical glass?

How often have you failed to recognise that doing the same thing and expecting different results just doesn’t work?

Your comfort zone is just like your home. It is where you can retreat to everyday, whenever you want - maybe after a stressful day at work, or from wherever you have been that day. Your home is the place that you know best. It is where your family and friends come together, a place of love and mutual support. A place where you can shut out the rest of the world and all its problems.

Your comfort zone is your mind’s castle. It is also a place where you feel safe, a place where you know your own capabilities and limitations. Like your physical home, it is a place that you are equally prepared to defend at any cost.

Herein lies the irony, because your comfort zone equally preserves all your fears and perceived limitations and it may be holding you back from moving forward in life. Your mind’s castle has become your selfimposed prison. You are the one who holds the keys to that prison.

All you must do is let do is let down the metaphorical drawbridge and meet your challenges head on, one step at a time.

Are you ready for the challenge?

To your success…

For more about Mark Roberts, visit his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/intelligentlifestrategies.

Maybe, despite your highly evolved human mind, you are still acting like that fly, just doing what you know - what you have always done even though you understand that you are required to do something different to get where you want to go. Maybe you are just stuck in your old ways and don’t know how to change. Part of this may be because you are recycling habitual patterns of behaviour, acting on autopilot whilst your subconscious mind churns out the same old patterns, guiding you to do what you always do in a given situation. All this without you having to think about it - a kind of stimulus-response activity - a bit like the fly!

On the other hand, you may be held back by fear. Fear of the unknown or maybe fear of failure. Even a fear of success is not uncommon. Fear is one of the most common causes connected to failure. Fear is a stimulus-response emotion and acts as a warning signal that danger may exist, or at least to warn you to take heed in a certain situation. Fear can cause you to run and can also paralyse you into inactivity, like the proverbial rabbit stuck in the headlights.

When you are looking to make changes in your life circumstances, it could be your fear of the unknown which is holding you back. So why might this happen?

It happens because you have become comfortable where you are now. It may not be where you want to be and you may crave something different, but you are nevertheless comfortable and feel relatively safe exactly where you are. You may be experiencing all sorts of discomforts in your current situation, but they are discomforts that you know and understand. You are able to cope with them because you have integrated them into your daily life. Like a chronic illness, you get on with it, making allowances where required 20

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Film in Chelmsford - By Caitlin Lupton Chelmsford Film Festival

Best Editing: Gareth Scales (Trial) Best Sound: Joakim Sundström (Trial)

On Saturday 10th June Chelmsford’s first ever film festival wrapped up for the year with a closing gala and awards ceremony - and most importantly, some delicious Tiptree gin... The closing night had the same ambience as the rest of the festival; friendly and warm yet bubbling with excitement and anticipation, as none of the organisers, guests, filmmakers or festival sponsors had any idea what to expect of Chelmsford Film Festival 2017.

It was a wonderful event and the organisers definitely achieved their goals. The success of the networking events proved to everyone that the film industry isn’t just in London and everyone felt inspired to pursue their love of film.

The festival was a resounding success in ways that nobody expected.

On talking to my fellow crew members and the guests, people seemed most impressed by how valuable the networking events were. People from Chelmsford weren’t used to being able to stroll up to a stranger and discuss their common love of film, or wander over to a filmmaker and develop an idea for a project to work on together.

Numbers and email addresses were exchanged, professional and social relationships were formed and networking actually became fun.

Each venue was perfectly suited to the events of the evening and the interviews and Q&As with the industry professionals were truly engaging, discussing topics that were relevant and invaluable to the audiences. The quality of the films submitted were astonishingly high and at the closing gala, trophies were given to the winners for each category.

Festival Director Carl Mackenzie said: “Our first year couldn’t have gone better. The quality of films has been amazing and all the people who have attended the festival have been great. Outside the screenings you could hear every gasp, laugh and scream, it was great to have that reaction.

The winners are listed below: Best Short Film (sponsored by Chelmsford College): Sweet Maddie Stone Audience Choice Award: Balcony Best Mini Short: School of Shock Best Music Video (sponsored by The Bassment): Weather the Storm Best Documentary: A Game of Chess Best Director: Brady Hood (Sweet Maddie Stone) Best Screenplay: Jonas Dinal (Plane) Best Actor: John Connors (Breathe) Best Actress: Jessica Barden (Sweet Maddie Stone) Best Cinematography: Kate Reid (Trial) Best Score: Fabien Adamini (Plane)

“I think the truly overwhelming part of the whole event is the tremendous support we have had from the filmmakers, guests and our sponsors including Everyman, The Chelmsford Picture House, G&B Finch, Tiptree, Chelmsford College, Bassment and Transition, so massive thanks to them and all who made the festival possible. We are all excited to make CFF bigger and better for 2018”. www.facebook.com/ChelmsfordFilmFestival

Wine Corner

Hi everyone, as I start to write this the summer has disappeared again. I have a confession to make: I think I may be the cause of the poor weather. A couple of weeks ago I got the gazebo top out of the garage and, after a torrid couple of hours, managed to erect it in the garden. It has nearly blown away at least twice in the wind and rain, so I apologise to you all - and if things don’t improve soon, I will take it down again.

This month I am going to South America - in my article that is, not actually visiting the country.

There are 12 countries and 3 dependencies in South America and they are home to about 385 million people. Brazil is the largest of these, covering over 50% of the continent and is nearly as big as the USA. The smallest is Suriname. The Amazon river, the second longest in the world after the Nile, wends its way across the continent.

In the late 15th century, people from Europe (mainly the Portuguese and Spanish but also the Dutch, English and French) colonised the continent and as a result, many different languages are spoken.

In the south of Argentina you will find the most southerly city in the world, Ushuaia, which is home to about 55,000 people.

South America has been making wine since the 1500s thanks to those good old monks again. It was not deemed to be too good, but was produced for religious services. Gradually, as the monks travelled south, they arrived at Mendosa in the 1820s and planted Malbec vines and they now produce some of the most popular wines available today.

Where wine is concerned, I think we all understand that South Africa is a major wine producer. It is 7th in the world by volume with about 10,500 hectolitres per year. What’s a hectolitre I hear you ask?

Well apparently it’s 100 litres. Their wines are generally slightly high in ABV. Most of the wineries are in the Cape area of the country.

Other countries do produce wine, mostly those on the Mediterranean coast, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. In the 1950s, when these countries were ruled by France, most of their wine was exported to that country. At that time they produced nearly 30% of the world’s wine.

Now that is a bit of a surprise.

Morocco produces mostly red wines, with most using the Cardigan grape, but also other common grapes like good old Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

Production in Tunisia is now mostly light rosé wine, but they are starting to produce full-bodied reds. Algeria is similar, but do also produce a a white (Uni blanc).

I had a big birthday this month and it turned out to be a great day.

My daughter-in-law Micky and the family volunteered to do all the organising and prepare the food. My wife made two lovely cakes, which meant I had to blow out 140 candles!

The wines are mostly produced in Chile (9th largest producer in the world) and Argentina (5th). Argentina is famous for it’s Malbec, which was originally from the south of France, but also produces Cabinet Sauvignon and a white called Torrontes. Chile also produces Cabinet Sauvignon, but it tends to be more peppery (is that a word?) like the ones from Bordeaux in France. They also produce Carmenere, which is similar to Cabernet Franc. Uruguay does produce some, mostly Tannat, but little of that is exported. Tannat is a high acidic dry wine and is now getting blended with Merlot or Pinot noir. Finally, Brazil produces mainly Chardonnay and Merlot, two of the best selling mainstream wines.

Shirley Shiraz visited China recently, and I asked her to let me know about the wines over there. She explained that most of the common wines were available, but there were some local ones too. She tried both red and white but preferred the red, with wine company names like Great Wall and Dynasty, as I guess you might expect. By the way, I was surprised to find that the great wall is over 13,000 miles long.

This includes walls built by different dynasties and some of these ran alongside previously built defences.

I was in a pub recently, and during the evening it was announced that this was quiz night. Now, I like quizzes but we did not wish to participate in this one. The trouble is that even though we opted out, we still found ourselves trying to answer the questions. What interested me though, was some of the answers being discussed at the next table. Their suggested answer about the youngest of the Marx brothers was Karl. To a question about the royal houses before the the House of Hanover, one of them suggested Balmoral. To the question what is the highest frequency of female voice, their answer was Katherine Jenkins. Apparently, according to them, a stand-alone computer system is a computer desk without a chair. I was sorry to leave when we did, but I am betting that team next to us did not win.

Africa is a continent containing 54 countries and one non selfgoverning territory (the Western Sahara). Almost all these countries were colonised by foreign powers at some point in their history. Africa is the world’s second most populous continent, with 1.1 billion, after China. It is said that there are fewer people with internet connection in the whole of Africa than New York City, so I guess most people will not have Facebook friends with anyone from there.

22

Well, we could not have picked a better day, temperatures in the 80s, great food and plenty of wine, (and lager and stuff for those of that persuasion) and wonderful company, with all the family and some great friends. It was a terrific day and although it started at about 3 o’clock, it was still going after 10pm so I’ve been told! It was a good way of celebrating ‘getting on a bit’.

Keep calm and carry on drinking (in moderation).

Bin end chuckles: I had a dream last night that I was chopping up vegetables with the devil... Dicing with death.

My front door is made of sponge; don’t knock it.

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Saturday 1/7 - The Locals Sunday 2/7 - Open mic/jam Friday 7/7 - Adrenalin Saturday 8/7 - Storm Sunday 9/7 - Open mic/jam Thursday 13/7 - Phil Ball Band Friday 14/7 - Rewind Saturday 15/7 - Deand Mans Hand Sunday 16/7- Open mic/jam Friday 21/7 - Fast on the Draw Saturday 22/7 - TBC Sunday 23/7 - Open mic/jam Thursday 27/7 - Acoustic Jam Friday 28/7 - Next Generation Saturday 29/7 - Solar 9 Sunday 30/7 - Open mic/jam

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Rotary Lets the Sun Shine Bright My namesake, Jerry Keller, had a number 1 hit with Here Comes Summer in October 1959. A lovely song with an infectious melody and cheery words, and that’s just how Rotary should feel with the advent of summer and lots of activities...

sponsors, marshalls, local charities, VIPs, hospital radio and many more. The main charities supported this year by the races were Home Start, Kids Inspire, League of Friends of Hargrave House and our own Chelmsford Mildmay Rotary Charity Trust.

Spring had barely sprung when Chelmer Bridge, one of the five Rotary clubs based in Chelmsford, organised a tea party at home on the 8th March to raise funds for Purple for Polio. A massive spread of delicious sandwiches, wonderful cakes and scones was laid on. After everyone had had their fill there were still many to be auctioned, the final result raising funds of £342.

The oldest club in Chelmsford, actually called the Rotary Club of Chelmsford, which meets at Marconi’s in Beehive Lane and has done since 1994, has been busily engaged with its 90th birthday celebrations. The club has been an integral part of Chelmsford since it began in 1927 with many notable landmarks which most people do not realise came about through Rotary. For example, in 1939 the club was instrumental in setting up the Citizens’ Advice Bureau, in 1955 they created a scented garden for the blind in Oaklands Park and some twenty years later the Talking Newspaper for the Blind. The 90th charter was celebrated in true style at Chelmsford Cathedral and the club now looks forward to becoming a centurion making it one of the oldest Rotary clubs in Great Britain.

April was a busy month with the Chelmsford clubs coming together in support of an interesting talk on the history of Writtle going back thousands of years which was arranged by the Chelmsford Phoenix Rotary Club at Writtle College. This was also open to the public and we learned that Chelmsford was an important town in the days of the Romans with its ideal location between London and Colchester. A similar event organised by Chelmsford Phoenix was a talk in town on the connection between the Titanic and Marconi, and once again it was not only Rotarians who enjoyed the display and presentation.

On Good Friday a number of Rotarians made their annual pilgrimage to the children’s wards at Broomfield Hospital to distribute the massive number of Easter eggs and chocolates that members had donated. This is always a popular visit and a pleasure to see the delight of the young patients who are unfortunate enough to be in hospital over Easter.

On the 22nd April despite the weather, Chelmer Bridge’s horse ride attracted 80 plus riders who had applied to take part in another of the club’s fundraisers. As usual the rides (10 or 13 miles) were staged over the farm land and as always the riders were hugely appreciative and full of praise for the off-road route and pleasant scenery and the constant supply of bacon butties that awaited them on their return from the ride. The two beneficiaries of the event were the Essex Wildlife Trust and Essex Bridleways who share the net proceeds of £1,300.

So despite the indifferent weather, in the words of the song Here Comes Summer, to help let the sun shine on you, why not contact any of the local Rotary clubs to find out how you can make a difference to the lives of so many others and make a positive contribution to the city in which we live?

Visit www.chelmsfordrotary1240.org or give me a call on 01245 260 349 for more information. One thing that is assured is that you will get enormous satisfaction and make lasting friendships.

Stan Keller

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On the 14th May The Edmund Carr Great Baddow Charity Races once again proved to be a great success. For 30 years this event has been organised by the Rotary Club of Chelmsford Mildmay and is well and truly part of the Moulsham area folklore. With excess of 2,000 attending, with over 800 in the 10 mile road race and some 500 in the 2 mile fun run. Spectators were entertained by a divergence of all ages, with children in buggies, pet dogs accompanied by their athletic owners and teams from various local charities and running clubs.

Stalls on the Great Baddow Recreation Ground were kept busy with the sales of food, ice cream, garden and sports products, children’s rides, face painting and many other entertainments. The club wishes to thank everyone who helped make it happen, including the

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Step back in time at HRCC’s Vintage Fair Helen Rollason Cancer Charity’s annual Vintage Fair is returning to Cressing Temple Barns on Sunday 9th July.

Celebrating all things vintage, the event is shaping up to be the biggest and best yet with a variety of stalls, food and live entertainment for the whole family to enjoy.

Keeping the atmosphere lively throughout the day will be popular rock ‘n’ roll band the Kingsmen and female trio the Harmonettes, who will both be performing hits from the era. Visitors will also be able to watch or join in with jive dancing from LJ’s Jive School and Foxy Rock Rock ‘n’ Roll Club.

There will be lots of opportunities for shopping, with a selection of stalls selling vintage clothing, crafts, jewellery, kitchenalia, furniture and collectables.

Plenty of refreshments will be available, including a pop up vintage teashop and a horsebox bar offering Prosecco and alcoholic beverages. Other delicious food options such as pizzas, hog roasts, ice creams and fudge will also be on offer.

Those wanting to embrace vintage style with a new hairdo can get their hair styled courtesy of the Hairaid Shelter. And adding to the carnival of entertainment will be a display of classic vehicles and stationary engines.

Helen Rollason Cancer Charity is an Essex-based charity that supports people living with cancer. HRCC Fundraising Manager Kate Alden says: “Our annual Vintage Fair is one of our biggest and most important fundraising events each year and is such a superb day out for everyone. We’ve got a fantastic selection of stalls, food and entertainment and we look forward to welcoming our supporters to the beautiful grounds of Cressing Temple Barns on the day.”

Helen Rollason Cancer Charity’s Vintage Fair is on Sunday 9th July 2017, between 10am and 4pm at Cressing Temple Barns, Witham

Road, Essex, CM77 8PD. Admission prices: Adults £5, concessions £4 and under 16s go FREE. Tickets can be purchased from www.ticketsource.co.uk/ helenrollasoncancercharity. Free parking is available and dogs on leads are welcome at the event.

Farleigh Hospice Open Gardens Old Moulsham Sunday 18th June was a lovely sunny day for the Old Moulsham Open Garden event in support of Farleigh Hospice.

One of the highlights this year was the formal opening of the new Mildmay Almshouses garden. With a snip of the scissors the Mayor of Chelmsford, Councillor Duncan Lumley accompanied by the Lady Mayoress, duly declared the new garden open.

So What’s New? The Trustees of the Almshouse charity wanted to make the communal garden more accessible, especially for disabled and frail people. This has seen the creation of a semi-circular path round the lawn, a new patio area, new flowerbeds and other improvements.

The work was completed a month ago giving the residents just enough time to have the garden looking immaculate to join with 8 other gardens in this annual event.

The Almshouse charity dates back some 450 years and is still providing 6 homes in Moulsham Street for people in need.

The trustees are grateful to Fowler, Smith and Jones Trust and Chelmsford City Council for their financial support for these improvements. Last year nearly ÂŁ24,000 was raised by local people taking part in the Farleigh Hospice Open Garden events.

Moulsham Drive

Novel pot idea in Lady Lane

Art from Moulsham High School students on display in Vicarage Road

Spot the Difference: Find 10 Differences (answers on page 31)

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27

All About Moulsham Lodge & Tile Kiln Moulsham Lodge Community Trust

So after weeks of planning for our annual Community Fun Day, it has been and gone. Our village fête theme was a great success, where the coconuts were shyed, the rat was splatted, the tombola tickets all drawn and the village stocks still drying from wet sponges thrown at the victims. Below is a selection of photos from the day.

We also officially opened our new disabled toilet and new treatment room. The disabled toilet is also equipped with a baby changing unit.

The treatment room is available for hire either hourly or daily - it can

be used for anything from beauty to physiotherapy.

Contact us below for more details. We’ll leave you with more photos than text in this issue as we had so much fun. enquires@mlct.org.uk www.mlct.org.uk Twitter: @MLCTStation (and search Facebook) 07411 808 731

Cllr Mark Springett - Moulsham Lodge Ward First of all I want to say thank you to everyone who has sent me their condolences after the sudden death of my father in April. We had just visited him last December in South Africa where he had lived for nearly 40 years, so we were thankful for our recent family get together.

a 2,000 mile journey from Durban to Cape Town via the ‘Garden Route’ and back again through the Karoo desert. We even passed through the birthplace of Mr Mandela which was then the small internationally unrecognised republic of Transkei. My plan following that trip was to emigrate to South Africa, but realising I would have to complete 2 years national service in such a challenging environment, I chose the safety of what I knew best.

My dad was born in Chelmsford in one of the houses adjacent to the Army & Navy, he worked as a farmhand, a job which eventually took the family to Scotland to live on a remote farm. In the late sixties he changed jobs entirely and took a job with a theatrical agent and then on to the Ritz as part of the management team, He apparently had a bit part in one of the Monty Python TV shows. Time moved on and mum and dad split up and we ended up back in Chelmsford. Dad however decided on a move to South Africa.

My wife Sue had reservations about her first visit in 2000, especially as we were taking our two young daughters. She’d seen TV reports and read the newspapers about the crime, the unrest and changing political situation, but was reassured by my dad that it was no different to many other tourist destinations. After many other visits over the years, both Sue and my daughters regard it as their second home and have never ever felt in danger or threatened by the people or the place.

South Africa is an amazing country and one that has been through a rollercoaster of political and social turmoil since I first visited at the age of 18.

At the time of my first visit, Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island and apartheid was a system where the people of South Africa were divided by their race and the races were forced to live apart from each other. Apartheid was only banned in 1994, so up until this time signs like the one pictured were common everywhere. On my first visit in 1980 we undertook 28

He spend the last years living in a place called Hermanus, one of only two places on this Earth that you can see southern right whales from the shore based cliffs where they come to give birth and wean their young. If the wind is in the right direction in the middle of the silent nights, you can even hear them take a breath and maybe even call each other.

Our experiences in South Africa as a family only serve as a reminder as to how lucky we are to live in the UK. That may seem difficult at the moment with the horrible terrorist attacks and the immense strain on our tolerant society, but we have to remember that it is only a very small minority that are trying to destabilise our home and create division, not a whole nation that was once divided into black and white.

I’ll get back to reporting normal councillor news next month and hope you don’t mind my short personal reflection on life elsewhere.

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Tile Kiln Corner - by Linda Mascot This month I’d like to celebrate the achievement of Essex Dance Theatre’s Principal, Debbie Holme, receiving an OBE in the Queen’s Honours List.

Essex Dance Theatre (EDT) based in Great Baddow is a self financing, non profit making youth dance project working under the auspices of Youth Services at Essex County Council. Established in 1975, The EDT County Dance Company tours locally, regionally and nationally every summer as ambassadors for Essex to showcase the talent of their young people and inspire others. There is always time for the local community and the performing group appear at many local school fetes including Larkrise and Baddow Hall Juniors.

I asked Debbie how it all started.

“Well a man called Balanchine once said ‘you can’t have a company without a school’ and EDT is one of the best youth dance companies in the country. When I got here from Devon 42 years ago there was no youth dance here - now there are opportunities for everyone. We have an open door policy, every young person is welcome and they leave their troubles at the door when they arrive - from the fullyfunded boys night to the summer school that gives working parents a creative, caring place that’s only £100 a week for childcare. We run GCSE dance on a Sunday morning that teaches students how to choreograph their own work. EDT is about reaching everyone - adult classes too. All are welcome!

“I sincerely appreciate the recognition of the award as a tribute to the support and hard work I have had from the ECC youth workers who were there for me when I started the project and the dance teachers who joined me as it grew. EDT is a community, the young people help clean and paint the building and tend the garden. It uses dance

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as a youth tool to get young people ready to face life by providing outstanding dance training that creates a sense of worth and nurtures a creativity and discipline. Ex-pupils now in the professional dance world still treat EDT as their home and visit frequently to share their experience”

I can testify to the positive impact Debbie and her dedicated team make to the lives of young people and their self-esteem. My son Joe started dancing at EDT in Dorset Avenue when he was 10 and graduated from Bird College last year. He said: “Debbie has undoubtedly been a pivotal influence in my life, not only as an incredible dance teacher, but as an amazing, caring person who always has time to listen and always puts others before herself.

“I cannot think of a more worthy recipient for this honour and I’m thrilled her exceptional work with young people has been recognised.”

To celebrate this great achievement, past EDT students are invited to a celebration evening and reunion at the Galvin Green Man, Great Waltham on 16th August at 6pm.

For more information about Essex Dance Theatre classes, ring 01245 476 335 or see the website at: www.esssexdancetheatre. co.uk. mascotlinda@gmail.com Twitter: @lindamascot

29

Sandford Mill Hosts Science Discovery Day: The Great Outdoors Sandford Mill will be opening its doors for a fun day out for families at its Science Discovery Day: The Great Outdoors on Sunday 9th July from 10am-4pm. The event promises to be the ideal opportunity for those with a love of nature and a sense of adventure.

During the day there will be loads of fun hands-on activities to try, from archery to bridge building, rope making to blacksmith demonstrations and model traction engine rides. For those who want to get up close with nature there will be the opportunity to go on a wildlife safari, where you will sweep-net along the river and discover what you have found in the net using magnifying glasses before releasing the little critters back into the wild. The mill’s engine house will also be open for visitors to hear about the story of Sandford Mill or create their own news with the museum’s collection of Marconi TV cameras.

Chelmsford City Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure, Councillor Julia Jeapes, says: “The Great Outdoors event will be a brilliant day out for the whole family and it looks set to repeat the success of last year’s event at the mill which attracted over 600 visitors.

Quiz by John Theedom (Answers on opposite page)

“These events are always popular as they are a great way for children to learn about science and nature in a fun, hands-on way in the very special environment.”

Visitors can also gain some tranquillity onboard the Blackwater Dawn Barge which will be running cruises from Sandford Mill along the nearby river. The trips will depart from the Mill at 11am, 12noon, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm and each cruise will last 45 minutes. The price for the cruise is £6 for adults, £4 for 5-15 year olds and free for under fives. Pre-booking on 07802 514 400 is highly recommended.

Sandford Mill, which is the former water works for Chelmsford and dates back several centuries, is only opened to the public for a few days each year. Entrance is £3 for adults and children, free for babes in arms (children under 2 years old) and £10 for a family ticket (up to four people). Tasty treats will be available during the day provided by the Friends of Chelmsford Museum.

To discover more about Chelmsford Museum, visit www.chelmsford. gov.uk/museumevents.

26. What do the initials JAM mean?

27. What was the name of the lady MP who was murdered last year?

1. Who was the Scotsman who invented a 28. What is a scarp? mechanical TV system in 1925?

29. Ninon is used for what?

2. Why did 1 million women sign a petition 30. What colour is an egret? to Queen Victoria?

31. What is ling?

3. The maple leaf is the emblem of which 32. What was Queen Victoria’s first name? country?

33. What sport does Rory McIlroy play?

4. What is the Summer Solstice?

34. What is a tilde?

5. What are The Wright Brothers famous 35. Who is William Pitt the Younger? for?

36. Who is the current Dr Who played by?

6. What did Mussolini tax in 1926?

37. When is National Holocaust Memorial 7. What is Rosh Hashanah?

Day? 8. What did the singer Lou Reed die of?

38. 38. What is ‘Prevention better than...’?

9. Which year was the UK’s first zebra 39. 39. Who presented Question Time on the crossing opened?

BBC from 1989 till 1993?

10. In golf, what is 2 over par?

40. 40. What is congruent?

11. For what would you use an abacus?

12. What is lickspittle?

13. Where will you find a mott?

14. Which year did Paddington Bear make his debut?

15. What year was the BBC established?

16. What was invented by Richard Gatling?

17. Harold Wilson became Prime Minister in which year?

18. What is an aureola?

19. For what purpose would you use an etui?

20. What is telugu?

21. What is a hind?

22. Which vegetable has an athletic name?

23. What is a schism?

24. Where in your body is your solar plexus?

25. What do the initials LASAR stand for?

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23. Discord or upset 24. Nerve system behind your stomach 25. Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation 26. Just About Managing 27. Jo Cox. 28. A Steep slope 29. Making clothes 30. White 31. Heather 32. Alexandrina 33. Golf 34. ~ over a letter 35. Introducing Income Tax in 1789 36. Peter Capaldi 37. January 27th 38. Cure 39. Peter Sissons 40. Identical, Agreement or Harmony

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1. John Logie Baird 2. For Public Houses to close on Sunday 3. Canada 4. The shortest day of the year 5. 1st Powered flight in 1903 6. Bachelors 7. Jewish New Year (October 3rd) 8. Liver disease in 2013 9. 1961 10. A Double Bogey 11. A frame for counting 12. Sychophantic 13. A Castle Mound 14. 1958 15. 1922 16. The Gatling Gun in 1862 17. 1964 18. Halo or Corona 19. To store needles 20. An Indian dialect 21. Female deer 22. Runner bean

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31

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