Moulsham Times May 2017

MoulshamTimes

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Supersonic 70s 20th May 2017 @ Chelmsford City FC see p23

Issue Number 53 - May 2017

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MT Welcome Hi readers Welcome to the May edition.

If you love 70s music there is only one place to be on Satrday 20th May - Chelmsford City Football Club for the Supersonic 70s (see the advert on page 23).

As you may know Sir Simon Burns is retiring as our MP after 30 years at election time in June. We would like to thank him for writing for us for the last 4 years and wish him a happy retirement.

Have a great month!

Regards Paul & Nick

Deadlines for the June edition Articles - 19th May Print ready art work - 25th May

it’s your media Ltd

Advertising Nick Garner 07970 206682 ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk

Editorial Paul Mclean 07595 949701 editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk

Star & Garter Opening Hours Sun -Thurs 12pm-11pm Fri - Sat- 12pm-12am Live Music This Month

Friday - 5/5 - Fast on the Draw Saturday - 6/5 - Solar 9 Sunday - 7/5 - Open mic/jam Thursday 11/5 - Phil Ball Band Friday - 12/5 - The Stents Saturday - 13/5 - The Statins Sunday - 14/5- Open mic/jam Friday - 19/5 - The Strides Saturday - 20/5 Indigo Hammer Sunday - 21/5 - Open mic/jam Thursday - 25/5 - Acoustic Jam Friday - 26/5 - The Mint Saturday 27/5 - Hit Parade Sunday - 28/5 - Open mic/jam + Fishing 4 Robots Friday - 2/6 - VT11 Saturday - 3/6 The Class Sunday - 4/6 - Open mic/jam 159 Moulsham Street, Chelmsford CM2 0LD

Disclaimer: It’s Your Media 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 Media Ltd. No part may be reproduced without the prior written permission of It’s Your Media Ltd. Reg Co No. 09154871. Printed by Printwize.

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MT Therapy by Jenny Hartill There are many disciplines of psychotherapy and many therapists have their own interpretation of these disciplines. In training I was encouraged to find my own style of counselling and when researching for my essays I found that many of the early therapists had done exactly the same thing.

Although Sigmund Freud has been hailed by some as the ‘father of psychology’, there are other therapists out there that have helped shape the land of therapy by breaking away from the traditional ways of thinking and forging their own way forward and their own way of working.

One of those people was a psychoanalyst by the name of Sandor Ferenczi. He originally worked with Freud but developed his own approach. Today I wanted to share some of his story with you.

Sándor Ferenczi was notable as a psychoanalyst for working with the most complex of clients and for developing a theory of more active intervention than is usual for psychoanalytic practice. During the early 1920s, Ferenczi collaborated with Otto Rank (an Austrian psychoanalyst and one of Freud’s closest colleagues for over 20 years) to create a ‘here-and-now’ psychotherapy that, through Rank’s personal influence, led Carl Rogers to build the foundation of Person-Centred Therapy (according to Kramer 1995). This is notable because it criticised Freud’s ‘classical’ method of neutral interpretation.

Below is a group photo from 1909 in front of Clark University. This photo is in my therapy room as a homage to some of the main players that formed my profession.

Front row: Sigmund Freud, G. Stanley Hall, Carl Jung.

Back row: Abraham A. Brill, Ernest Jones, Sandor Ferenczi.

Let’s take a look at some of Ferenczi’s main ideas...

Ferenczi’s Unique Style of Psychoanalytical Theory: Contrary to Freud’s opinion of the therapist refraining from too much interaction with a client, Ferenczi advocated a more active role for the analyst. For example, instead of being passive as a therapist, Ferenczi used to challenge certain responses, verbal and non verbal alike, to allow suppressed thoughts and feelings to emerge.

Ferenczi described in a case study how he used a kind of behavioural activation (uncommon in the psychoanalytic therapy at that time) when he asked an opera singer with performance anxiety to perform during a therapy session and in this way, to struggle with her fears (Rachman, 2007).

Unlike other psychoanalysts Ferenczi believed the empathic response during therapy was the basis of clinical interaction. This may well be why some of his and Otto Rank’s work helped influence Carl Rogers’ theories on Person Centred Therapy, as Rogers also believed in the client/therapist relationship being key to helping a client. Ferenczi

based his intervention on responding to the subjective experience of the client. The more traditional opinion was that the analyst had the role of a physician, administering a treatment to the patient based upon the analyst’s diagnostic judgement of the client’s psychological state. Ferenczi wanted the therapist and client to become more coparticipant in the therapeutic process. This emphasis on empathic exchange during the therapeutic encounter was an important contribution to the evolution of psychoanalysis.

Something else that Ferenczi had in common with Person Centred Therapy is that Ferenczi also believed that self disclosure of the analyst is an important therapeutic healing force. The practice of including the therapist’s personality in therapy resulted in the development of the idea of mutual encounter: The therapist is allowed to discuss some content from his/her own life and thoughts as long as it is relevant to the therapy. This is in contrast to the Freudian therapeutic style of the therapist abstaining from involving his/her personal life with the therapy, as the therapist should remain neutral. The mutual encounter is a precedent for the psychoanalytic theory of two person psychology.

So far we’ve seen Ferenczi’s very much different perspective on how the therapeutic journey should be between client and therapist.

However some of his theories definitely do still ring true of the psychoanalytical persuasion... Brace yourselves guys, these theories do refer to concepts of a sexual nature.

The ‘Confusion of Tongues’ Theory of Trauma Ferenczi believed that the persistent traumatic effect of chronic overstimulation, deprivation, or empathic failure during childhood is what causes neurotic, character, borderline and psychotic disorders. According to this concept, trauma develops as a result of the sexual seduction of a child by a parent or authority figure.

The confusion of tongues occurs when the child pretends to be the spouse of the parent (to those that are familiar with Psychodynamic Theory, does this sound familiar? A little like the Oedipus/Electra complex perhaps?). The pathological adult interprets this infantile and innocent game according to his adult ‘passion tongue’ and then forces the child to conform to his passion tongue. The adult uses a tongue the child does not know, and interprets the child’s innocent game (his infantile tongue) according to his disturbed perspective. Ferenczi generalised the idea of trauma to emotional neglect, physical maltreatment and empathic failure. The prominent manifestation of these disturbances would be the sexual abuse. As a result of his psychiatric work, Ferenczi came to believe that his patients’ accounts of sexual abuse as children were truthful, having verified those accounts through other patients in the same family.

This was a major reason for his eventual disputes with Sigmund Freud.

Regressus Ad Uterum Theory In Thalassa: A Theory of Genitality (1924), Ferenczi suggested that the wish to return to the womb and the comfort of its amniotic fluids symbolises a wish to return to the origin of life, the sea. According to Ferenczi all forms of human practice, especially sex, were an attempt to re-establish genitalia with the intrauterine experience.

Ferenczi at the End Ernest Jones, a biographer of Freud, termed Ferenczi as mentally ill at the end of his life, famously ignoring Ferenczi’s struggle with pernicious anaemia, which killed him in 1933. Though desperately ill with the then untreatable disease, Ferenczi managed to deliver his most famous paper Confusion of Tongues (see above) to the 12th International Psycho-Analytic Congress in Wiesbaden, Germany, on 4th September 1932. I’d have loved to have been a fly on that wall…

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.

Our Local Butcher Can Now Be Your Local Butcher Too! Our Local Butcher is an exciting new Chelmsford based butchers that offers free delivery (on orders over £25) to areas in and around Moulsham Lodge and Old Moulsham.

Our Local Butcher opened its doors and online store 7 months ago and is based at Stockbrook Farm Shop on Stock Road. Owner James Thomas is proud to be part of the team at Stockbrook Farm Shop & Nursery and says: “This is just the first addition of many to come.”

The farm shop which has been on the site for over 25 years and already sells a wide range of fruit and vegetables alongside gluten free produce, health foods and lots more. The addition of the fresh meat counter will soon be followed with a new tea room which is expected to be completed over the next 12 months.

Located on the same grounds is the nursery which also features a playground and plenty of parking space.

When enquiring please quote "M&S VOUCHER”

07936 198651 From County Hall by Cllr Dick Madden

of your political views, I offer Sir Simon our thanks and wish him a happy and healthy retirement.

Just to remind you the County Council elections are on May 4th and the General Election is on June 8th. Whatever your political persuasion, on behalf of all the candidates I ask that you please carry out (if you qualify) your lawful right to vote at these future elections.

Last week I attended a meeting chaired by Nick, one of the joint owners of this excellent Moulsham Times. The purpose of the meeting was to start thinking about and develop a City Culture and Arts event for 2019. I support the proposal and will continue to support Nick in achieving his ambition, which will be a further tonic for our city.

When the General Election was announced recently our existing MP, Sir Simon Burns, indicated he would not be standing at this election.

Sir Simon has been our MP for the past thirty years. Irrespective

BE SAFE. Dick

From The House by Sir Simon Burns - The New pound Coin By now, I suspect many of you will have seen the new £1 coin which entered into circulation on the 28th March.

In 2014, the then Chancellor George Osborne, announced in his budget that the £1 coin was going to be replaced. The decision to change the coin was taken in response to the fact that the old coin, which had been in circulation for over 30 years, had become vulnerable to sophisticated counterfeiters. Approximately one in thirty £1 coins were estimated to have been counterfeit, which carried a considerable cost to both businesses and taxpayers.

Treasury research suggests that over £400m round £1 coins are sitting unused in people’s homes and you are encouraged to exchange them sooner rather than later.

The new coin has a number of new features that will make it much more difficult to counterfeit.

The coin is 12 sided and its distinctive shape makes it instantly recognisable, even by touch. It has a latent image, like a hologram, that changes from a ‘£’ symbol to the number ‘1’ when the coin is seen from different angles. There is very small lettering on the inside rim on both sides of the coin. One pound can be seen on the ‘heads’ side and the year of production on the reverse ‘tails’ side. It also has milled edges with grooves on alternate sides and a high security feature is built into the coin to prevent it from counterfeiting in the future.

A six month co-circulation period is now under way before the legal The new design shows the English rose, the Welsh leek, the Scottish tender status of the old round £1 coin is withdrawn on the 15th thistle and the Northern Irish shamrock emerging from one stem October. During this period the coin will be removed via the banking within a royal coronet and was created by 15 year old David Pearce, system and after the 15th October shops will no longer accept them, who won a public design competition. but the public and businesses will still be able to deposit them with their bank.

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MT Fitness

Trigger excercises to Shoot Down Poor Motivation! - By Matt Russell

I’d love to sit here and claim to you that I train 6 days per week without fail, but I can’t. I’d love to claim that I’ve never had more than a week off from training, but I can’t. The truth is at times I struggle - probably just like you - to exercise.

A lot of the time I’m like your average toilet tissue - on a roll. By that I mean my training is consistent, my eating is pretty good and my sleeping patterns decent. But sometimes, well, life just gets in the way and I fall off the exercise wagon, so to speak. Whether it’s family commitments, work commitments or whatever, sometimes I just simply cannot find the time or (whisper it quietly) the motivation to exercise. Now, this may come as a surprise to many of you that a person making his living out of the fitness industry should admit to struggling with motivation, but it’s the truth (unlike most of the perfect lives you see portrayed on social media).

Unfortunately for me and for many others, this downturn in exercise almost certainly goes hand-in-hand with an upturn in eating rubbish too. It’s as if training keeps my nutrition in check!

So, what do I do when my levels of motivation are lower than the compassion in Katie Hopkins heart? I make like your average American trying to resolve a relatively minor dispute and reach for my trigger. But not the trigger of a gun, no, the trigger that will get me off my backside and back on the exercise super highway!

For me this is a nice long, slow, easy paced run (that’s probably another surprise for many of you that as a personal trainer - my go to exercise isn’t HIIT!). For others, your trigger exercise may be lifting

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weights or doing some yoga. It might be a pilates class or may be even taking part in competitive sports. Regardless of whatever it is, the most important thing is to find YOUR trigger activity - the exercise that will get you back on track again!

It doesn’t even have to be something you would normally do in your regular training, believe me I rarely go for long steady runs when I am bang on with my training, but for whatever reason, once I’ve had a little time away from exercise I know that an easy run will kick start my training and set me up for future sessions!

In conclusion…

Motivation isn’t permanent like a parent’s love. It’s more like a holiday romance - fleeting and uncertain. You must enjoy the highs whilst finding ways of dealing with the lows. So finding YOUR trigger activity is one good way of combatting the lows when it comes to motivation and exercise!

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

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should we Stretch our Hamstrings

brain to use the muscle when on stretch.

I saw an article recently that went viral titled Stop Stretching Your Hamstrings! on The Huffington Post.

I – Integrate. Use that movement in a global body movement.

This can be incredibly confusing for people, surely we should be stretching our hamstrings!?

L – Locomotion. Use various crawling and walking patterns to move in a way which stretches the muscles, but uses the arms, legs and core together.

Health and medicine is a minefield of information, a constantly changing landscape of research, ideas, and protocols. It can feel like the ground is shifting from under your feet and knowing what’s best for you can be very difficult.

The article actually went on to speak about how important strength and control of the muscle is, and that flexibility alone will only lead to more injury, all of which I agree with.

The problem is, we live in a sound-bite world now and taking articles like this in isolation is just as dangerous as having flexibility in isolation!

I think of stretching very simply: What you are doing is gradually teaching your body to become more comfortable in new positions and situations. This helps you day to day when life asks you to bend or reach or twist to achieve the task at hand. If you have practiced to be in all sorts of weird and wonderful positions in your training, then your body never gets caught off guard.

So, the million dollar question; should you stretch your hamstrings?

Of course you should! However, the article was correct in saying that they also need to be strong and able to control movement. Without that, you will be at a higher risk of injury.

I have learnt this protocol from Dr Perry Nickelston and for those interested, he has a great Facebook page, Stop Chasing Pain. The RAIL system goes a lot deeper than this, but for now I think it’s a nice way to summarise the journey we need to go through with a muscle and movement pattern.

The idea is that it not just allows muscles to be flexible, but it teaches them to be strong in those end-range positions and it also changes the brain to feel safe in these positions. Your brain only gives you movement if it thinks it will be safe in the position you need to get in to.

If you have tight hamstrings, stretching and massage will help, but it’s only the first step in injury prevention. It must then be followed with strength, balance and locomotion exercises which integrate the new-found flexibility into functional movement patterns.

It’s important you find the correct level of exercise for you, each component of the RAIL system can be tweaked for your needs.

I follow a simple formula: RAIL. R - Release. Stretch, use a foam roller, have massage.

If you need any help with this and want to go deeper, our excellent team at Forte Physical Health are here to help! Check us out at facebook.com/fortephysicalhealth where we post lots of videos to give ideas on where to start. You can also give us a call at 01245 522 360 and ask for Chris; we love to chat!

A - Activate. Use simple strength and balance exercises to teach the

Have a healthy month!

MT Gardening It looks magical out in the grounds of Writtle University College this month. The daffodils are just finishing as the tulips take centre stage and there’s blossom everywhere on flowering trees. Take care though with temperature changes this month - and be ready with the horticultural fleece if frosts are looming. Aside from this, try out these jobs for late May: Keep weeds under control by using weed killer on patios and running a hoe through beds and borders. For the best results do this on a warm dry day for annuals - and don’t forget to dig out perennials, or use a glyphosate based product with care.

Continue to tie in climbing roses, clematis and honeysuckle before they flop out of control and potentially split or tear.

Give your house plants more water and regularly feed them. Go for proprietary house plants feeds or drip feeders and follow instructions carefully.

Re-cut the edges of your lawn to straighten them up or create new dynamic bed lines. Better still, install lawn edging to make future maintenance easier.

For a perfect finish, trim the lawn’s edges with long handled shears or a grass trimmer. Bare or thin patches of grass can be thickened up by raking over the surface and then resowing.

Go back to your seed packets for the right instruction. Check out this link for further information: www.rhs.org.uk/ about-the-rhs/publications/magazines/ the-garden/2014-issues/January/Caringfor-seedlings.

Early sowings of salads should be ready to pick now. Cut off the leaves rather than pulling up the whole plant and they should resprout new ones. Sow a pinch of seeds every few weeks to have a succession of leaves to harvest through the spring and summer. Good salads to try include loose leaf lettuce, rocket, mizuna and mustard.

Look out for signs of pests and disease - the sooner you catch them, the easier they are to eradicate. One such beasty is the dreaded lily beetle. Not only does it attack lilies, but also the giant lilies (Cardiocrinum species) and fritillaries (Fritillaria species). Look out for bright red beetles around 8mm-1cm long, rounded holes in leaves caused by adults and/or clusters of orange-red, sausage shaped eggs on the undersides of leaves. Remove all stages by hand from now onwards. However, pesticides are likely to be more controlling such as Bug Clear Ultra. Avoid spraying when the plant is in flower as this may be dangerous to pollinating insects.

Check tree ties to make sure they’re not cutting into the trunk and where necessary, loosen tight ties to allow room for growth.

Keep an eye on seedlings and as soon as they start growing leaves, pot on to individual pots and take care of temperature and lighting issues; too much shade and warmer temperatures will create a leggy seedling as opposed to a more compact stronger version.

Other Gardening Jobs for May: • •

WE WILL BEAT ANY WRITTEN QUOTE

• •

Deadhead early flowering primulas as early as possible, as they tend to cross breed very easily.

Early May is your last opportunity to hard prune late flowering shrubs such as Buddleja davidii, Caryopteris species and Hydrangea paniculata.

Stake your perennials before it’s too late. Create attractive willow or hazel structures.

It’s a good time to clean the glass on your greenhouse to make the most of the increasing light levels. Soap and water is all that is required; clean inside and out.

Good luck and happy gardening!

For any gardening tips contact Tom Cole, Senior 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 month’s article will be a little different as I have written about all of the live shows we have had to date in the latest edition of the City Times which is out now. I will mention though what we have coming up for May...

On 13th May the Jamie Williams Collective are live at the United Brethren and on Thursday 18th at the Bassment I am putting on Angelo Palladino & the Street Hawks, with Booga Red opening the night. This is going to a very good night as Angelo has written with the likes of Carole King in the past. Saturday 20th we have the Supersonic 70s show at Chelmsford City FC (see the advert for full details) and on the second May Bank Holiday I have put together a festival stage at the Theydon Oak In Epping where they will also be having a beer and hog roast festival. If you have not been there, it’s a great chance to visit a wonderful country pub.

Please call Michael on:

07976 693457 or email Info@m-specservices.co.uk

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Now news of an idea I have had when I heard that someone wanted to put Chelmsford forward to be the City of Culture for 2020. I thought we needed something special to make this more likely.

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My thoughts are to put on a World Cultural and Arts Festival; dates the we have pencilled in are from 5th to 21st July 2019. The event would encompass everything from music, dance, spoken word, comedy, food, movement, art and more. The idea is that it will take place everywhere in the shops (including empty shops), the streets, the parks, theatres and pubs. Including surrounding areas like Maldon and South Woodham Ferrers and all in between. We will need some very big sponsors and a committee, we need to get schools and universities and all kinds of groups of people involved. It is a big idea, but I think with the right planning and the right people on board it is doable - and in principle, both the City and County Council are on board with it.

I hope you our readers think this could be good for Chelmsford and might put us on the world map which would then bring people and money to benefit the city and make it somewhere people talk about and want to come to, as they do with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the likes.

If this is something that you think that you, or a group that you are involved with, may potentially be able to contribute or help with then please send us an email to infofestival2019@gmail.com.

As ever, please do try to come out and support the great live scene we have in Essex, because if you do not, we may lose it.

For more information on all of the above and more, see the links below and pick up a copy of the City Times and check out the What’s On page to see what else in happening in your area. If you go to Facebook page events you can preview up-and-coming acts. www.bluesinthecity.co.uk www.facebook.com/bluesinthecitychelmsford Twitter: @BluesintheCity1 www.itsyourmusic.co.uk www.facebook.com/itsyourmusic Twitter: @itsyourmusic 12

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MT Baking by Alison Motley

This month I’m saying cheese! Did you know that a person who loves cheese is called a turophile? No neither did I until writing up this article! One for the pub quiz I think...

I love cheese and anything cheese flavoured. Give me a chunk of strong vintage Cheddar or a bag of cheese and onion crisps and I’m happy, although for me the ultimate cheesy treat is cheese on toast made with crumbly, creamy Lancashire.

Cheese takes on a completely different taste and texture when cooked. Who can resist stringy Mozzarella on a pizza or tasty Gruyere in a cheese toastie? As for mac ‘n’ cheese, it has to be up there in the all time top 10 of comfort foods.

Cheese is pretty nutritious, containing calcium, vitamin A and vitamin B12 and its high protein content ensures you feel fuller for longer.

There’s no denying that most cheeses are high in fat but Quark, cottage cheese, Ricotta and Mozzarella are all relatively low in fat and many cheeses are available in reduced fat varieties, although these don’t always perform well in cooking and baking. Personally, I would rather have a little bit less of the real thing.

Strong cheeses such as Parmesan and cheaper alternatives like Grana Padano and Pecorino bring so much flavour to so many different dishes and a little goes a long way. Soft cheeses like Brie and Camembert are good as they are, but even better baked and served with crispy bread, apple slices or pickled vegetables.

Soft cream cheeses are fantastic for cheesecakes and cake frostings or as pasta sauces, and Mascarpone and Ricotta are great for trifles and desserts.

Feta and goats cheese were made for salads but are also great in couscous or dropped into casseroles and soups just before serving, and squeaky salty Halloumi is wonderful grilled on the barbecue.

Most hard and semi soft cheese can be frozen, as long as they are well wrapped, although in my experience cream cheese and cottage cheese both go grainy and watery when frozen. Grating leftover cheese and storing it in the freezer in an airlock bag makes a great standby for quick cheese toasties or homemade pizzas and you can easily mix different cheeses together.

The one cheese that does seem to divide opinion is blue cheese.

Personally, I am ok with the milder varieties like Dolcelatte but even the aroma of Stilton makes me want to gag! However, I will happily scoff warm blue cheese and leek tarts or a blue cheese soufflé.

The cooking seems to mellow the flavour and remove the lingering aftertaste that I struggle with. Most cheeses will lose some of their flavour when cooked, so strong flavoured cheeses like blue cheese

work particularly well here.

Cheese scones are easy to bake and always popular. You can easily vary the cheese you use and add other ingredients like nuts, olives, onion or chutney to create lots of lovely combinations.

These savoury cheese biscuits are a great way to bake with blue cheese. You can vary the variety of blue cheese you use, or even make them with another hard cheese entirely. Just make sure it has a good flavour. You don’t have to add the poppy seeds if you don’t have them or don’t like them - I just feel they add extra texture. Similarly, the chives can be omitted if you prefer.

The biscuit dough does need to be made the day before baking so it can chill overnight, but it keeps well in the fridge for a few days. It also freezes well so you could make a double batch and freeze half the dough for later use. Believe me, you will want to make these biscuits again as they are addictively moreish.

Happy baking!

Blue Cheese, Chive and Poppy Seed Biscuits (Makes 24-30) 150g blue cheese, crumbled (I used Cornish Blue) 75g unsalted butter, softened 1 egg yolk 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives 2 tablespoons poppy seeds Freshly ground black pepper 150g plain flour 1. In a large bowl beat together the cheese and butter until well blended. Add the egg yolk, chives, poppy seeds and pepper and beat until just combined.

2. Sift in the flour and fold in until the dough comes together.

3. Shape the dough into a log about 5-6cm in diameter. Wrap in greaseproof paper and chill overnight.

4. When you are ready to bake the biscuits, preheat oven to 190C/ Fan 170C/Gas 5 and lightly grease two baking sheets.

5. Cut the biscuit dough log into slices approximately 3mm thick.

Place them on the baking trays and bake for 10 minutes until golden around the edges.

6. Transfer the biscuits onto a wire rack to cool.

I would love to hear from readers with anything baking related.

Drop me an email at motleybakes@aol.com, or take a look at www. motleybakes.co.uk.

Travellers Tales - Egypt by John Power Our two visits to Egypt were not both planned. The first came about on the spur of the moment when we were visiting Cyprus. Larnaca is the only airport on the island and from there we bused to Paphos, a more sedate part of the island for old codgers like us, and booked into the Roman Hotel, complete with its own sculptor, who had chiselled away at large blocks of stone to create centurians and other Roman figures to decorate the front and garden of the hotel.

pharoahs had chiselled into his image. It later lost its nose thanks to Napoleon’s army using it for target practice.

Once visitors get beyond the Sphynx complex and move towards the pyramids, hawkers are constant pests offering souvenirs, photos with, or rides on, camels in a very persistent manner as is the Egyptian attitude to selling, which often proves counter-productive with westerners.

Nearby were the Tombs of the Kings (actually native aristocrats, not kings). These were also carved from solid rock but underground dating back to the 4th century BCE, and hence through the era of the Roman Empire. They once housed the remains of local nobels in subterranean edifices the size of large rooms that would have kept masons busy for long periods of time.

The Great Pyramid is said to have been built for Pharoah Cheops, while the medium sized one, with a few remaining stone facing slabs after others were used to help build Cairo, was built for Pharoah Chephren, and the smallest for Mykerinos. They are thought to reflect the positions of the three most northerly stars of the Orian constellation. They are surrounded by smaller pyramids for Queen consorts and even an excavated boat.

We also visited an artist’s colony in the Trudos mountains, once the hideout of Greek freedom fighters in the independence struggle of the 1950s and subsequent disputes with Turkish Cypriots after independence in 1960. Since those colonial times and those of post colonial conflicts, until early in the 21st century the island became divided into a Turkish North and Greek South (where we were), before the border was finally abandoned to free movement. While in Paphos we saw adverts for overnight cruises to the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, and thought we could make two holidays out of one.

So having booked places on one of the ships, we set off again to the south coast port of Limassol and checked on to the vessel. The overnight journeys to and fro began with evening cabarets. After these we found our way into the bowels of the hull and the cheapest communal bunk areas amid the rather incredulous workmen from Greece and Egypt. In the morning we awoke in Port Said at the northern end of the Suez Canal and after breakfast, disembarked past the souvenir hawkers to a rather shabby coach to go south across the Egyptian Western Desert with a jeep and its machine gun escort. These were still unsettled times after the conflict with Israel and several tourists had also been shot the previous year at Queen Hetshepsut’s temple by Islamic extremists.

Once in Cairo we went directly to Giza, after negotiating the manic road traffic and admiring the scenery of part finished houses around the outskirts. Loans are forbidden by Islamic law, so families have to save up and build homes one room at a time.

So ample scaffold and palm leaves are a common decoration.

All the tourist literature and screen ads always shows the pyramids and sphynx against a backdrop of the desert, but if the cameras swivelled in the opposite direction they would show the outskirts of Cairo and the Sphynx is, after thousands of years, staring at a Pizza Hut restaurant! We wandered around the Sphynx complex which was relatively enclosed and free of hawkers. The Sphynx’s age is far older than the pyramids, themselves from 5,000 years old, and it may once have had a different face that one of the

It is still a matter of debate as to whether any of the structures were built as mausaleums or for ritual and astronomical purposes. We didn’t have enough time to explore far into the Great Pyramid, which was a pity, but the coach wanted us all back by a certain time in order to visit the Cairo Museum and an outlet for replicas of papyrus paintings. It would be impossible to do justice to the contents of the museum in a few words, but obviously for anyone with an interest in ancient history it is a magnificent feast for the eyes, written in stone, heiroglyphs, and grave goods for mummies. Several were later stolen during the unrest that accompanied the Arab Spring uprising.

The papyrus factory was purely a commmercial outlet, but informative about how Nile reeds have been soaked, woven, crushed and pressed into some of the world’s earliest paper and painted with coloured minerals. Then it was back across the desert, the return cruise, Paphos, Larnica airport - and finally back to blighty.

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Moulsham Schools Healthy School Awards Ceremony

Healthy eating is a topic which is often in the news and here at Moulsham Juniors it is something we take very seriously. We are very proud to have received a Healthy School Enhanced Award recently and the report below was prepared by one of our children who attended the ceremony; Evie May: “On Friday 17th March, Mrs Lonsdale took Harris and I to the Healthy School Award Ceremony at Chelmsford Racecourse to receive our enhanced status award.

“As we walked into the humongous building a chill ran down my spine. I wasn’t scared, it’s just I didn’t know what to expect. The first thing I noticed as I meandered in was a beautiful tree made of fruit. Some of these fruits I haven’t even heard of! They had kiwi, orange, plum, watermelon and many more.

It was outstanding!

“After we had settled down, a man came on to the stage; he kept telling us we are brilliant and he made us repeat it (really loudly). It was extremely encouraging. Then the mayor gave out lots of awards.

When it was our turn to go up and shake her hand and receive an award I was so scared. I strolled up the bumpy stairs and shook her hand. I paced to my chair still shaking with excitement.

“Before long, Paralympian Aaron Phipps gave a most heart warming speech. He was only 15 when he found out he had to have his legs and a few fingers amputated. Later on, we found out that he had climbed Kilimanjaro with no legs or assistance and he made it. It shows you not to be so lazy, if he could climb Kilimanjaro, you can do anything! Then Harris and I got to take a picture with him.

Then we said our goodbyes and left with our awards. It was such an amazing time, so thank you so much Mrs Lonsdale for taking us!

We received a certificate and an award which are now proudly displaying in our reception area.”

their early school years. However, the governing body’s prime motivation is for the children to be safe and happy whilst they are with us. Inevitably, we will have to manage within the resources available to us, but we will ensure that we get the best possible value from every pound. I hope to meet many of you over the coming terms.

One of my first duties as Chair of Governors was to welcome Pippa Bull from the DFE (Department for Education) on her visit to Moulsham Infants. As well as meeting myself and the Headteacher, she met with some members of staff, chatted to children and went on a learning walk around the school. She said that her visit was very enjoyable and that both staff and children were very enthusiastic about their school.

It was a chance for us to showcase everything that makes Moulsham Infants such a great school. In next month’s article we will share more of that with you.

Jim MacDonald At the time of writing it is the Easter break. We have just finished off another great term with an Easter egg hunt, hot cross bun eating and egg collage activities. As you can see from the photographs, some of our Foundation Stage children had great fun with the face paints too! Our PTA association, known as the Parents and Friends of Oaklands, have sent all the children home with a paper plate and a challenge to return with it decorated in an Easter theme at the start of the summer term. Teachers are busy planning for the term ahead, but hopefully getting some rest to recharge their batteries.

By the time of printing, offers of school places for the children joining us in September will have been sent out. We are always excited to read the list of younger brothers and sisters joining us from current families, as well as looking forward to meeting new families from Old Moulsham and nearby areas. We will be inviting new parents to a meeting in June to go through the essential information in preparing to start school.

Mrs M Staley, Headteacher I would like to introduce myself. My name is Jim MacDonald and I have been a governor at Moulsham Infant School for some 4 years now. On 14th March 2017 I was elected as Chair of its Governing Body. I spent All the children will then be invited to some introductory visits in my career in finance, principally July, the purpose of which is to give the children some enjoyable education finance and served on experiences so they are keen to come back in September. An exciting national advisory groups working with time for all concerned. the Department for Education - I retired Mrs Little, our Foundation Stage leader, has been liaising with our in 2011. I strongly feeder nurseries (and Foundation Stage teachers from Moulsham believe that as a Infants and Mildmay Infants) to give a shared message to parents governing body we can about the best ways to prepare children for school. Nurseries come help the school deliver under pressure from some parents to start formal reading and the best possible writing skills and we want to add our support for the distinct work start to school life for that nurseries do in nurturing children’s social skills, speaking and each and every one listening skills and independence. These are the skills that are vital of the children at the for a successful start to school and more! school. We have high expectations of every If you have a child at one of the local nurseries, you will hopefully be child and ensure receiving the leaflet they have created on the subject. We would be they achieve the best pleased to hear your thoughts on it. possible outcomes in 18 www.moulshamtimes.com

Essex Book Awards 2017

the musicians had a key role to play to ensure the performance looked professional. It was a proud moment for all staff when the cast took their bows on the final evening performance. This was made even more special by the attendance of the Deputy Mayor of Chelmsford who took the time to meet some of the cast backstage after the performance.

The Essex Educational Services’ (EES for Schools) Essex Book Awards This year was the first year Moulsham ran a community evening, (EBA) are open to all secondary schools in Essex. Moulsham takes part where members from local groups were invited to attend the every year and invites new students to join in October. opening night of the event. It was wonderful to welcome people in through the gates of Moulsham and offer them a free evening of From October 2016 to March 2017, Moulsham High School Library entertainment where they could see just how talented the students has run two fortnightly EBA reading groups, where students have read at this school are. We are already looking to expand the community and discussed the six books shortlisted for the award. The groups evening for next year - so watch this space. have, alongside their reading, been engaged with the EBA blog writing reviews of the books they have read and sharing their thoughts and opinions with other readers across the county. They also voted online for the book they most wanted to win the EBA Book of the Year. For some this was an easy choice, however for others there was much discussion and deliberation!

There has been a real sense of the shortlisted books providing opportunities for widening students reading habits both in terms of genre and text types. It has been fantastic to see students improve both their reading and writing skills and develop further as capable independent readers.

On Tuesday 14th March, fourteen EBA group students attended the EBA Awards Ceremony at King Edward VI Grammar School. It was a chance to meet with other EBA students from across the county as well as the shortlisted authors, and on arrival, the hall was buzzing with excitement as to which book had won EBA Book of the Year. You should have heard the drumroll amongst the hundreds of keen readers.

Five of the six shortlisted authors attended the ceremony and students were able to hear first hand about the inspirations behind their books.

They were all so passionate about their work and shared with students some of the creative processes involved in being an author. This highlighted for students the important link between reading and writing and many took away the belief that they should think about taking the ideas and thoughts they may have in their heads about a particular read and translating this into their own creative writing.

The winner of the Award was Boy X by Dan Smith and we were thrilled when our very own Olivia H in Year 7 won the Best Pupil Review for her review of this book. Well done Olivia!

Another important collaboration this year was working closely with 1159 Productions. The managing director of 1159 Production Company has always been involved on a professional basis through the hire of sound and lighting equipment. Steve Roberts, ex-student and parent of a current student at Moulsham, volunteered many hours towards the production, helping to construct the set and stage, as well as managing the crew. This year he was also celebrating 20 years of 1159 Productions. The Performing Arts department cannot thank Steve enough for all his support.

Mrs Rhodes, Head of Performing Arts at Moulsham High School said: “I would like to take this opportunity to also thank the parents and carers of all the students involved. With five performances in four days, not only did you have to keep them well fed and motivated, but also contribute costumes and act as a taxi service bringing students to and from school.

“Thank you so much! Finally, well done again to everyone involved, everyone did a fantastic job, and I look forward to seeing you all next year”.

Wizard of Oz Production With only ten weeks to put on a show, the pressure was definitely on for the performing arts department at Moulsham, but with the commitment of students and staff, The Wizard of Oz production was yet again a huge success.

Taking part in a production is a rewarding experience and students quickly learnt that although it meant attending rehearsals before and after school, they would make new friendships and really enjoy being part of a team. With students taking part in Years 7 to 13, it was wonderful to see the younger students working and learning from those with more experience. We are so proud of all the students.

Every member of the cast, the crew and www.moulshamtimes.com 19

Sometimes, you must Rise Above it all - by Mark Roberts If you have read any of my previous articles you may find this one goes against my usual coaching style regarding success and achievement. My last article, There Are No Shortcuts, was pretty much representative of my coaching ethos, because in the main I believe that true and lasting success hinges on some key factors, which include a high degree of personal awareness, clear thinking and an understanding of how habitual patterns of behaviour can both hinder and help achievement. When you combine this with well defined goals, a clear path to follow and an awareness of potential hurdles that may pop up along the way, then success is usually pretty much guaranteed.

Planning and preparation is of course, always essential; as the old saying goes: ‘fail to plan - plan to fail.’ All well and good, but what about those times when the blockage is less about the planning and preparation and more about you - your emotional well-being, selfesteem and confidence?

This is where I am going to turn things on their head a little, because it isn’t always easy to do the planning and prep when the problem lies with the person at the centre of it. When this happens there often aren’t any warning signals as it creeps up unawares taking you by surprise. The truth is that it can happen to anybody and when it does it can feel like everything has just, well, come on top. You feel like your life has just sailed into the doldrums and come to a grinding halt, with no headwind, or a star to guide you.

So, what do you do?

It can be easy to just give into it and hope it will pass, because in most cases it usually does, but the important question is when? If it goes on too long there is a danger of it becoming chronic. Now I’m going to be completely honest with you here and admit that on some occasions I have given in to those feelings, indulged them and actively wallowed in my torpor.

Coming from a coach you may think this is a little uncharacteristic.

But here’s the thing; despite my relatively low emotions during those times I have learned to use this apparent weakness as a tactic - a kind personal survival technique. I do this in the knowledge that at some point, as the title of this article suggests, I must rise above it all.

Everyone experiences some low points in life, because that’s the way life is. Unplanned events can just take you by surprise. The important thing to remember is this: It’s not what happens to you that counts, it’s how you choose to respond - because you always have a choice.

Now I am not suggesting you should always give into feelings of torpor, but there may be times when it is the right thing to do. For example, when your ability to summon up the necessary enthusiasm or desire to march onwards has completely deserted you, it can be helpful to sit back and reflect on the cause of your feelings and provide an opportunity to recharge your batteries.

It may be that you are simply unwell, which can drag you down emotionally. On the other hand, it could be that you have other things going on that are creating extra pressure, stress and tiredness.

Maybe, like the author facing the metaphorical blank page, you just don’t know what the next line is going to be.

In all cases, it’s good to reflect and identify the cause, because you know that it must be resolved before you can move on. A technique I use is to carry out ‘a whole body and mind scan’. I find a quiet space to sit for as long allowed, where I can focus on my breathing.

This helps to produce a state of calm, allowing me to focus on ‘me’.

20

You will find what works best for you, but I usually start by mentally scanning my physical body to assess if there are any obvious concerns that need attention. This is an important step, because any physical concerns can be hugely distracting, if not worrying.

Next, I just allow my thoughts to arise, without any judgement. It is common for the most prevalent matters in my life to surface, which will often provide clues to my current dilemma. When this happens, I note what arises without trying to resolve it - I just note it, nothing more.

The next step is to tell myself that I will resolve the issue, whatever it is and then remind myself of my goals. I do not try to solve the problems there and then, but I do afford myself the luxury of allowing my mental and physical well being batteries to recharge. After this, I set a time limit to recover, letting my subconscious know that matters need to resolved within a timeframe.

Using the above technique always works for me, so I know that it can work for you too. The final tool in my toolbox is my ‘I will not fail button’. I imagine a large red button inside my mind that I mentally press to get me restarted. After pressing the button, I immediately undertake some positive physical activity that will provide a shortterm win, such as cleaning the car, or clearing out the shed. It doesn’t matter what it is, so long as it gets me moving. Physical activity that doesn’t require any mental effort is usually the best kind in situations like this. You may find, like me, that this is when the solutions start to surface in your mind and you will simply rise above it all and move on.

To your success…

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

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The Gospel According to Caroline For the last few days the sun has shone gloriously and there is warmth in the air and hopefully these are the first signs that spring is on the way. Spring often encourages us to spring clean; we turn out the cupboards and wardrobes and declutter, and maybe even tackle the dreaded task of cleaning the oven!

A fresh season and the promise of warm sunshine invokes a frenzy of activity after the dormant dark and cold months. However, what about us? How many of us I wonder stop and take a long hard look at ourselves and see if we need a spring clean. It is so easy to slip into bad habits, like over eating, over drinking, being uncaring and thoughtless to name but a few.

If we are not clean within ourselves all the superficial cleaning of the outside will not renew and revive us. Psalm 24 talks of how people want more of God in their lives and to be in and feel His presence, but this gift does not come free, we have to be prepared to have ‘clean hands and a pure heart.’

In this season of spring, maybe look to declutter yourself as well as your cupboards.

To find out what we exciting things are happening at Christ Church visit our website www.christchurchchelmsfordurc.org.uk, or our Facebook page: Christ Church URC Chelmsford.

Caroline Brown, Church Family and Community Worker, Christ Church United Reformed Church.

Film in Chelmsford

By Caitlin Lupton Since graduating from university it seemed that if I wanted a job in the film industry I needed to look to London. Take into account the cost of commuting and the many other film students all competing for a handful of runner jobs, and suddenly you feel like you might never realise your dream of working in film production.

The truth is though that there are many people outside of London who are film lovers, film makers and cinema goers. This was the thinking that inspired the creation of the Chelmsford Film Festival, which opens for the first time in June this year. “As people who work in the industry, we wanted to make the link between film making in London to Chelmsford. To show people that the industry is closer than they think.”

These are the words of Carl Mackenzie, one of the three co-founders and festival directors and writer, director and producer in the industry.

The rest of the festival team have a variety of skills and experience and work in roles such as event organisers, cameramen and VFX modellers within the British film industry.

The festival will open at Everyman, Chelmsford’s fantastic boutique cinema, on Wednesday 7th June with a night of Q&As, speeches and the presentation of the CFF Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Cinema. There will be a screening of an interactive film called The Late Shift which promises to be a cinematic experience the like of which has never been seen before in Chelmsford. Carl is particularly excited for the opening night and has hopes of it drawing a large audience: “The opening night should be great, we will have live interviews with local film makers such as the creators of sci-fi film Solace and our recipient of the CFF Award for Outstanding Contribution will be leading a Q&A and giving advice to film makers.”

The rest of the festival will include panel discussions, information about creating film festivals and screenings of the films selected this year. The closing night will be a networking event and awards will be given to celebrate the best work from the festival. The intention is that this will be the first of many Chelmsford Film Festivals, as well as other events that will create opportunities for industry personnel to work together and allow Chelmsford to celebrate cinema. “We hope that there is no limit… we want to help teach and inspire film lovers and make Chelmsford a centre for the film industry. Using the resources that Chelmsford has to offer can help attract a big part of the industry.”

Visit the website at www.chelmsfordfilmfestival.com to buy tickets and find out more information and also to buy tickets for your favourite nights, or a bargain festival pass to get you into all the events.

An exciting and unmissable event for Chelmsford; come and meet some of your fellow cinephiles and discover some talent right on your doorstep.

Wine Corner

Hello everyone. As I write this month, summer has arrived - although tomorrow is supposed to be wet... Still, make the best of it and hopefully we can look forward to a good summer, but maybe not tomorrow.

This month,I thought that I would look again at Australia. The country is the sixth largest in the world, and is a bit smaller than Brazil, the fifth largest. It’s also the biggest island and a continent.

Well, that’s all some claim to fame. Just over 24 million people live there in just 10% of the land available. The other 90% is described as uninhabitable. This population could fit into the top eight most populous cities in the UK - as London contains almost 10 million now, it could accommodate about 40% of them, provided they don’t bring their motor homes with them! However, there are more than 74 million sheep spread over most of the six states, and these include some of the so called uninhabitable areas, so it can’t be much fun being a sheep farmer!

Australia is the world’s fourth largest exporter of wine shipping out about 60% (750 million litres) of their production. There are 60 designated wine growing areas spread amongst the 6 states producing mostly white wine (a bit surprised about that). They only import about 17% of their wine. In the late 1700s vines imported from South Africa failed to cut the mustard and it was later in the 1800s that vines from France were successful. It wasn’t until the 1970s that Australia started to produce the wines that we know today. Before that they were mostly sweet and fortified. How things have changed!

Now, most wine regions in the four most southerly states are almost all on or near the coast. Other northern areas do produce wine, but in places like the Northern Territories (which you may have guessed from the name is not a state), it is mainly the fortified type. The largest red production by area is Shiraz (Syrah in France), followed

by Cabernet Sauvignon and then the good old Merlot. Despite its popularity round the world, Merlot is only 25% the size of Shiraz.

Others are Pinot noir, Granache and Mourvedre, which probably originated in Spain, and is said to be difficult to grow. Whites are led by Chardonnay then Semillion followed by Sauvignon blanc and Reisling.

The wine regions have a range of names that seem to end in ‘valley’, ‘hill’, ‘river’ and a couple of ‘creeks’. There is even one called ‘grampians’ - a long way from Scotland.

Always popular around the world, and I think here, like many other new world countries, their contribution to wine production shook the old world countries into updating there processes and marketing.

I visited the Ideal Homes Show in London last week. They have lots of cookery type stands and some with more interesting fare, like vodka. That and gin were both tasted (about six of each) which was very nice, but the total consumed was probably about half of a pub measure, so not too wobbly going home. What did amuse me were the number of people who buy stuff after seeing demonstrations.

There were loads of people walking round the show carrying brooms that had little rubber spikes on them, and, almost without exception, these people held them out in front of them with the broom bit held high, like a Roman legionary standard bearer. It did make me laugh. If I had bought one, I think I would have waited until the last minute to get it and not be poking people with the broom head all day! I would like to have seen the chaos on the underground when several broom carriers were going home.

I have been looking at car brochures lately, and whilst looking at the various benefits of buying a certain model, I noticed that most showed a list of what I would call ‘features’. Now some I could see were attractive, like climate control, DAB radio, alloy wheels... but most lists included daytime running lights. Now, it has been a legal requirement for over two years that these are necessary on new cars, so why do they include it here? Should they also be including 22

headlights, fog lights, indicators? Where would it stop? I don’t know, there must be a reason for it, I guess.

I was saying recently that the Sandringham estate is producing sparkling wine and I think their marketing people have missed a trick.

The wine is labelled as Sandringham Sparkling Wine, but I think they should have come a bit up to date and called it ‘Lizzie’s Fizz’ or ‘Fizz from Liz’. Much more catchy don’t you think?

There has been a lot of discussion about climate change, most of it explaining the problems it is causing. One upside, at last, is that more and more countries are now producing wine. Technology is also helping.

Japan is back in the wine producing family. I say back in, because they began growing vines in the 16th century when Jesuit missionaries (yes them again!) from Portugal started producing a sweet wine.

Apparently its popularity in Japan was not shared outside that country. Now they have wineries producing a white wine similar to Muscadet.

The Netherlands had been out of the wine making club mainly because the climate is too cold and damp. Now however, there are over 100 wineries producing grapes that have devolved using grapes from Austria and Germany. The cost of production is high, so any wine available would be expensive.

Tunisia is back producing wine - production of which started about 2,000 years ago. This success is more about the investment from the private sector following years of being state owned. Most of it is consumed within the country, so if you have had a holiday there you may have tasted some.

Cape Verde. Where is that I hear you say? Well, I didn’t know, but I do now. It’s off the west coast of north Africa. It is essentially a volcano, with no running water or electricity. Yet that did not stop the locals from planting vines on a plain on the crater. They produce a very small amount of Portuguese grapes. I do wonder if I might get thrown out of the local wine merchant if I asked for some though!

Other countries include Ireland, Burma (now known as Myanmar which is next to Thailand, where they have a growing reputation for their wine making), Sweden, Venezuela, India and Hawaii. I would not suggest that you look on the supermarket shelf for these just yet.

Bin end chuckles: This may be the wine talking, but I really, really really love wine.

I’m trying to get into classical music, but I can’t find any originals, only music by cover bands.

Keep calm and carry on drinking (in moderation).

Life T M Hack

How to chill a bottle of wine fast Wrap a wet dish towel around the wine and pop in the freezer for 15 minutes. The dampness holds in the cold more effectively and ensures the entire surface of the bottle is chilled.

How to keep white wine cold Add a couple of frozen white grapes to your glass of vino - it’ll keep it chilled without watering it down.

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23

Rotary Gives You the Choice Press 1 for sales, press 2 for technical support, press 3 for accounts, 4 for administration... You know the sort of thing. Once upon a time you made a phone call and spoke to a person who redirected your call to the correct department. Nowadays you are forced to make a choice. Choices are everywhere - in the restaurant; peas or runner beans, fat chips or fries, new potatoes or roast, béarnaise or peppercorn, well done or rare, red wine or white wine, Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay. You can’t even buy a sandwich that easily - which bread do you want? White or brown, rye, wholemeal... and don’t get me started on around a hundred television channels to flick through.

and women and it is not unusual to find couples becoming members as something enjoyable and satisfying that they can do together.

These are the small choices but some decisions are more important, like the right school, the house that suits you best, your car, the government and most of all your perfect partner. Life is full of choices. Choices create challenges, not just for ourselves but for the people trying to influence you - those offering the choices. That is competition but the main commodity, in small supply, is your time.

I hope you will make the effort to find out what your local Rotary club is doing and how it provides something from which you can benefit, either through the friendships you will enjoy or the satisfaction of making a difference to the lives of so many people locally, nationally or globally.

There are huge demands upon us all these days. Those affecting our personal lives but others impacting on wider issues in the community with the ripple effect spreading from your immediate environment to national or even global importance. So how best to use your time or put another way, what is best for your fulfilment of life?

I am all for packing as much into a day as possible as none of us know what’s around the corner, but it is a balance. There has to be time for family, for work, for helping others and time just for yourself and each individual’s idea of balance will differ. So this finally brings me to the point - allocating some of your precious time to the community, our community, through membership of Rotary.

Rotary is looking for new members as the age profile is increasing and therefore, the criteria for involvement is changing. The time commitment laid down by the international office is now far less onerous to take into consideration modern working practices where it is often not possible to attend a meeting every week. The message is simple: If you have something to contribute, Rotary would rather you do what you can than nothing at all. So if that means coming along once a month but also helping organise or support an event, then so be it.

This is a crossroads when Rotary can either progress and see younger people becoming members, or the world’s largest service organisation will age and become less relevant and disappear like other household names such as Woolworths and BHS. By younger people, I mean all ages from eighteen upwards, but realistically those in their thirties or forties, but not excluding the newly retired with a wealth of experience, time on their hands and looking to give something back to the community.

Of course, it should be stressed that Rotary clubs are open to men

Younger people have different skill sets and fresh ideas and energy.

That is why any organisation needs the impetus of new blood - and there are not many places where talent is so quickly recognised and where there is so much opportunity for self development. For example, standing up in front of a couple of hundred people to deliver a talk is an experience which can only be beneficial in your workplace so Rotary membership is a two way street.

Life is about choices and how you prioritise your time. Some people will tell you how I am irritated by the response, ‘I haven’t got the time.’ Everyone has time. I prefer another slogan, ‘Every little helps.’

You can, of course, spend your free time down the pub or watching the television. Or you could make a real difference to the lives of hundreds of people. The choice is yours.

Contact me for details or visit www.chelmsfordrotary1240.org.

Stan Keller 01245 260 349

Fling Festival 2017

The Fling Festival returns to Hylands Park, Chelmsford on Saturday 1st July, 2017.

Bollywood tent, Fire Garden and the craft making Rubbish to Treasure.

The Fling is like no other festival, curated purely for adults with curiosity encouraged and featuring a diverse mix of entertainments, including music, comedy, theatre, cabaret, crafts, burlesque, curious sideshows, food, drink and more.

This year promises to be the best yet with more bars, more walkabout fun, and more surprises lined up to satisfy, entertain and wow the crowds.

This year’s festival includes a main stage headline performance from legendary British band, The Blockheads, who are best known for their hit singles recorded with original lead singer Ian Dury; Billericay Dickie, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Reasons to be Cheerful Part 3, plus their hugely successful Number One song, Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick.

Other headline performances include a very special spoken word set from the original punk poet, the Bard of Salford - Dr John Cooper Clarke. Not only is he adored across Europe as an elder statesman of subversive art but he also proves his relevance is as strong today as it ever was by regularly featuring on the popular TV shows, Have I Got News For You, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Would I Lie To You. Headlining this year’s comedy stage is the charismatic motor mouth, Seann Walsh. Regarded as one of the most exciting new acts on the circuit, his assured delivery and self deprecating silliness has won over critics, promoters and audiences up and down the country and on TV. On top of this, there is a world exclusive BBC 6 Music DJ battle with Steve Lamacq vs Shaun Keaveny, the return of the award winning cabaret host, Dusty Limits, and performances from the world of Cirque du Soleil.

Not forgetting the usual Fling favourites; Silent Disco, Horse World,

VIP, Tier 1 and Tier 2 have sold out. The last and final tier is currently on sale.

For up-to-date festival information, including exciting announcements coming up over the next few weeks, please visit the official website www.FlingFestival.com, or follow the social media pages, facebook. com/flingfestival, twitter.com/flingfestival.

The Fling Festival is produced by Chelmsford City Council Events and Engagement Team with support from Essex & Suffolk Water.

Life T M Hack When you are at a bar or club and put your items in the cloakroom, take a photo of the tag in case you lose it.

QUIZ - CINEMA & TV

26. On which Australian soap would you find the location Yabbie Creek?

27. Name the villain in the popular 1969 American cartoon series The Perils of Penelope Pitstop?

28. Name the family followed on the ITV period drama series Downton Abbey?

29. In what year did ITV air its final episode of the police drama series The Bill - 2008, 2009 or 2010?

30. Which TV personality from BBC’s The Apprentice appeared on ITV’s This Morning in 2013 stating that she would not let her children play with certain named children?

31. In what year did news presenter Sir Trevor McDonald finally retire from ITV’s News at Ten - 2007, 2008 or 2009?

32. What is the name of the yellow teletubby in the popular British children’s TV series Teletubbies?

33. Name the successful barbecue sauce pitched on BBC’s Dragons’ Den created by Levi Roots and invested in by Peter Jones?

34. Name the owner of the cafe, Central Perk, in the American TV sitcom Friends?

35. What is the family surname shared by both inspectors played by Neil Dudgeon and John Nettles on ITV’s Midsomer Murders?

36. What was the name of Richard Briers’ screen wife in the hit British comedy series The Good Life?

37. Name the TV presenter best known for presenting the British paranormal investigative series Most Haunted?

38. What character did William Shatner play in the original American science fiction TV series Star Trek, first broadcast in 1966?

39. Which popular 1980s American TV series portrayed Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as a wealthy couple?

40. Who plays Mrs Brown in the television sitcom Mrs Brown’s Boys?

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These questions have been taken from The Essential Pub Quiz Book compiled by local author Hannah Blamires, published by Apex Publishing Ltd. The book is priced at £5.99 (paperback) and £3.99 (eBook).

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1. What can the character Elsa from Disney’s 2013 film Frozen transform an object into by touch alone?

2. Who was Luke Skywalker’s mentor in the Star Wars film series?

3. Who directed a series of films chronicling the adventures of Indiana Jones?

4. Who played Rose’s fiancé, Caledon Hockley, in the 1997 film Titanic?

5. What game does Steve McQueen practice against the wall to pass the time when in solitary confinement in the 1963 film The Great Escape?

What was the name of the campsite where Barbara Windsor’s bikini top flies off in the 1969 comedy film Carry On Camping Wonderland, Paradise or Eden?

What year in the sixties, was the first Psycho film released?

Which American slapstick comedy duo, popular since the 1920s, are also referred to as Stan and Ollie?

Who played Jane in the 1962 film Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?

What is the name of the tear jerking movie starring Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey released in 1988?

Who showed James Stewart what life would have been like if George Bailey never existed in the 1946 film classic It’s A Wonderful Life?

What type of wine did Hannibal Lecter wash down a victim’s liver with in the 1991 film Silence of the Lambs?

Which 1975 film focussing on a mental institution did Jack Nicholson win an Oscar for Best Actor?

What is the name of the computer animated comedy film, first released in 2010, starring minions?

Which actress starred opposite Humphrey Bogart in the 1951 film The African Queen?

Name the song that the Prime Minister dances to around 10 Downing Street in the 2003 film Love Actually - Jump by Girls Aloud, What a Feeling by Irene Cara, or Wannabe by The Spice Girls?

What year was the true story film 12 Years a Slave released 2011, 2012 or 2013?

What was the name of the paraplegic marine in the 2009 film Avatar - James, Jake or Jock?

What was the name of the first James Bond film that starred Daniel Craig as the new Bond agent?

Name the power weakening material that Superman is affected by in his 1978 film and other on screen adventures?

Who was the winner of Big Brother 2007?

Who plays Nick Cotton on BBC One’s EastEnders?

Who was the first host of the British game show Family Fortunes?

Which Channel 4 documentary did White Dee first appear on in 2014?

Who was the fourth doctor in the BBC science fiction series Dr Who?

Happicabs take Kids Inspire to the Zoo!

had been hand selected by the office staff. A big thank you to Umar and Waqas for their incredible generosity in putting on the event, the team at Kids Inspire for the brilliant work they do and the fantastic team of Happicabs taxi drivers and staff members that gave up their day to help a good cause, and most importantly to all the inspiring families that attended.

On Tuesday the 11th April Happicabs Chelmsford teamed up with the Kids Inspire charity to take 24 children, 12 of their parents and 12 members of staff to Colchester zoo. The day started off at Kids Inspire, on the site of the former St Peters College in Melbourne.

Eight Happicabs drivers volunteered to be a part of the trip, and all showed up in high spirits at 8.30am, ready to decorate their cars with brightly coloured balloons and Kids Inspire stickers to raise awareness for the charity on their way.

Volunteers from the Happicabs office helped to greet the families and introduce them all to their designated drivers for the day. When all were settled it was time to pull away. Eight taxis one by one all covered in balloons was quite a sight to see! Both the weather and the traffic were very much on our side and it was a smooth and sunny journey to the zoo, which was reached at about 11am.

When we arrived everyone was given their tickets and spending money for their lunch courtesy of the brothers behind Happicabs, Umar and Waqas Hussain. The kids and their parents could hardly wait to be counted and were soon inside the zoo, free to do as they liked all day. The cab drivers and office staff were also treated to tickets and lunch, which was our first port of call!

With all the volunteers from Happicabs we nearly filled the zoo’s restaurant and it was great to see our hard working drivers getting the chance to relax and eat together.

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With the sun most definitely out, it was the perfect day to walk around in the sunshine with an ice cream and we managed to see all the best parts of the zoo, including a lovely new born lemur surrounded by its family and the new baby rhinoceros and mum. The whole team got involved in feeding the donkeys, and a few braved walking around with some very cheeky goats. A real highlight was one brave young boy getting to stroke a snake - some of the drivers wouldn’t dream of it!

All in all it was a fantastic day and when we all regrouped at 3pm it was a slightly more tired but very happy group of children and parents that met us.

The Happicabs team weren’t done yet however, as each of the children got their own goodie bags with chocolates pencils and animal themed gifts, which www.moulshamtimes.com

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27

All About Moulsham Lodge & Tile Kiln

Moulsham Lodge Community Trust Work Day. On Saturday the 6th May we have a work day. We have various maintenance jobs from painting to weeding, sweeping to washing and probably a few less energetic tasks that the less mobile could manage as well. So if you would like to help us out with our annual Spring Clean please get in touch so we can plan for the day.

We will provide refreshments throughout for all volunteers that turn up on the day.

Annual Family Fun Day. The 17th of June we will be hosting our Annual Fun Day. This will start with a Fathers Day Breakfast where you can bring dad or grandad along for a cooked breakfast and some fun activities. Tickets are available via our website, www.mlct.org.uk.

The fun day will have a traditional village fete theme with fun and games for all the family as well as a range of food to enjoy throughout the day. You will be receiving a newsletter from MLCT very shortly if

not already with more details. Can you volunteer on the day? If so, please get in touch.

Old photos. We would like lots and lots of old Moulsham Lodge and Tile Kiln photos, especially any that involve the old community centre and the fundraising activities that took place to raise funds for the building. We can scan your originals or you can send them to the email below. We hope to have a photo display on the Fun Day and long term create a coffee table book that people can buy.

Coffee Mornings. Just a reminder about our regular coffee mornings every Tuesday from 10am till 12noon. Hopefully it will soon be nice enough for coffee al-fresco.

Contact - email enquiries@mlct.org.uk - tel: 07411 808 731 - www. mlct.org.uk @MLCTStation

A little Update from your local Councillor

The New Children’s Play Area. This is all progressing well and the council staff are hoping to hold a community consultation in the near future to propose various plans. Tree planting is scheduled to start in the next couple of weeks to start improving the general appearance of the area. I will advertise the consultation site/dates/times as soon as the information is available.

The proposed removal of the last bus on Route 45. I am continuing the fight to keep this service alive. As a commuter myself I regularly use the bus service from the station to Moulsham and am therefore totally empathetic to the many residents whom have called and emailed me about this issue. Over the last couple of months I have regularly called and emailed the Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport in an attempt to get further clarification and will continue to do so. On a positive(ish) note I am being told that we are still in consultation and nothing has been decided.

Springhealth. It was extremely sad to note that the owners of the health club had not been able to keep it open. I contacted the Leisure & Heritage Services Manager at the City Council to enquire on the chances of the site remaining a sporting facility. Unfortunately the City Council do not own the site so have a limited influence. However, I am assured that they are establishing contact with the owners and they will do everything they can to encourage them to keep this site

as a sports venue. Having learnt to play squash there as an 8 year old, I personally would love to see the facilities survive. With UK gym memberships at a record high, fingers crossed it will be picked up by another leisure company.

Potential development of the John Shennan Plot. The new local plan preferred options consultation document for the city is live between 30th March to 11th May 2017. This document gives the opportunity for all residents to have their opinions heard on this and all other plans across the city. This site is in the plan as potential land to develop although there are a number of factors that mean it may be difficult.

New housing would pay for improved facilities for the ward, so there is a strong argument for the development. However we are always mindful of the impact on adjacent properties. Whether for or against, I urge you to go onto the council website (www.chelmsford.gov.uk/ planningpolicyconsult) and make you views heard.

As I stated in my previous article I am here to help and serve. The new children’s playground is happening as a direct result of an email from Andy, a local resident, to me last year. I cannot solve all the issues that are put to me but I will always make myself available and do my best.

Councillor Simon Cook, Moulsham Lodge Ward simon.cook@chelmsford.gov.uk

Cllr Mark Springett - Moulsham Lodge Ward John Shennan Playing Field has been identified by Chelmsford City Council in the Local Plan Consultation as a possible site for redevelopment. The City Council is publishing the Chelmsford Local Plan - Preferred Options document for consultation from 30th March to 11th May 2017.

Chelmsford City Council is inviting your comments on the Chelmsford Local Plan - Preferred Options document, its Sustainability Appraisal (and Non-Technical Summary), and its Habitats Regulations Assessment.

The Chelmsford Local Plan will guide growth and development across Chelmsford City Council’s area to 2036. It will identify land for new development for the provision of housing, jobs and schools as well as areas for protection. The new Local Plan will also include new policies to help determine planning applications. See the website links for details: www.chelmsford.gov.uk/planningpolicyconsult www.chelmsford.gov.uk/preferred-options Now many of you who have lived here for a few years know that John Shennan was a landfill site and has suffered with considerable 28

methane problems for many many years and so we thought was likely to remain that way for a very long time. However I am told that methane levels are now so low that they don’t need monitoring anymore. This could potentially change everything and give concern that the 200 houses identified for the site could be more of a reality than we first thought.

With the ever shrinking green spaces in our city it is vital that this remains a playing field. With the knowledge that contamination appears to have stabilised, this gives us the opportunity to improve the playing field and create a more usable space for the local community to use.

If you don’t want to see John Shennan developed, then please comment on the Local Plan using the links above. My website and blog will have more specific details about how to comment. If you don’t have access to the internet then I can help with that if you need it.

An action group has been created to save the playing field from development and a Facebook Group has been created called Friends of John Shennan Playing Field. You can also get in touch by email at johnshennan2017@gmail.com.

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

www.moulshamtimes.com

Tile Kiln Corner by Linda Mascot

Ex-Mildmay School pupil and local professional footballer Cameron James is causing quite a stir at Colchester United after rising up through the Academy, playing for the Under-21s, Under-23s and proving himself a versatile defender and team player. In May 2016 he made his professional debut for Colchester and in February 2017 Cameron, 19, had his first senior team start against Wycombe Wanderers with the League Two ‘U’s’ winning 1-0 and his performance securing a regular place on the team for the talented young player. I caught up with Cameron to find out more about his career so far: How long have you been with Colchester United now?

“I was scouted for Colchester in a tournament at Layer Road (the old Colchester stadium) at the age of 9 where I then got looked at again whilst playing for my local team Writtle Minors. They offered me a 1 year contract and continued to offer contracts until I was awarded a 2 year scholarship at the at of 15. I began this when I left school and then got offered a 4 year pro’ deal half way through my scholarship which I signed on my 18th birthday. After this, I was then offered another 4 year contract at the beginning of this season.”

Did you always want to be a football player?

“Yes, I’ve always wanted to be a footballer as do many other young boys. I’ve been lucky enough to have the opportunity to now be a professional footballer and hope to keep pushing on and go as far as I can in the game.”

How often did you train to start off with and how long now?

“I used to train twice a week with a game on either the Saturday or the Sunday up until the age of 16 when I started my scholarship. I then went full time training 4 times a week and playing games on Saturdays.”

How did you feel when you walked onto the pitch for your first match with the senior team?

“It was a surreal feeling. I was nervous until we finally got out onto the pitch where I then took in the atmosphere and felt right at home. I settled into the game quick quickly I felt and have never felt so good.”

What’s been the highlight of your career so far?

“I would have to say my full debut was the best experience I’ve had so far, playing against a good Wycombe side who are also battling for the play offs. We came away with a hard-fought 1-0 win in front of the home fans. After the game I got a lot of positive feedback from the coaches and from the fans which only boosted my confidence for the following games. It was an amazing day for me.”

You’ve really fitted into an experienced and cohesive team confidently, what do you think stood out in the way you played that helped your selection?

“I feel like the players around me have brought the best out in me as they have made me feel comfortable in the position I am playing and the coaches also encourage me to play freely and express myself on www.moulshamtimes.com

the pitch. I feel comfortable on the ball and all the players knows how each other play which a big help for each other on the pitch.”

How would you sum up this season for Col U so far?

“It has been a very good season for us so far, considering the past few seasons we have been battling to stay up. Now we have a different battle in which we are fighting for promotion. It’s great for someone like me to be involved in a promotion push so early in my career and we are all confident that we are more than good enough to achieve that this season.”

What would be your advice to any aspiring young players?

“Enjoy playing and always work your hardest to make yourself a better player. I’ve always pushed myself from a young age and put in the extra work to try and give myself the best chance that I could to get to where I want to be.”

What are your hopes for the future?

“The same as any aspiring young footballer, to have a long successful career in the game and to push as hard as I can to get to the top.”

Tony Humes, Director of Football at Colchester United, commented: “We have had a number of extremely talented youngsters progress into the first team squad over the past few years and Cameron certainly falls into that category.

“He has been with us since he was nine years old and always impressed us with his work ethic, attitude and willingness to learn. These attributes, along with the natural talent he has, have ensured his upward momentum and it’s great to see him perform so well at first team level.

“The injuries we suffered have certainly helped Cameron move up the pecking order quicker than he thought, but he has taken to it like a duck to water. His temperament is such that he doesn’t get carried away with the praise he has rightly received, and also never lets mistakes phase him. He just carries on playing his game, and his performances since getting into the team have certainly merited the extended run of games that he has had in the team.”

It’s so refreshing to speak to such a polite and self-effacing young man who really has worked incredibly hard and is a great role model for young people because of his commitment and dedication to his sport. The future looks very bright for this talented footballer - thank you for taking the time to speak to me Cameron and all the best for the future. mascotlinda@gmail.com Twitter: @lindamascot 29

Sing Out Loud at “Picnic in the Garden”!

industry that never stands still - the operators of the best pubs know that they have to be at the top of their game 100% of the time. Our 94 county winners are shining examples of that energy and creativity. They are what makes the pubs and bars of the UK so renowned. Congratulations to all of the finalists.”

The Galvin Green Man works with local sourced seasonal ingredients. The menu concentrates on classic pub dishes of the highest quality created by Galvin protégé head chef Jack Boast, while the bar serves craft ales with a strong emphasis on working in partnership with local craft brewers.

Have you ever wanted to sing with others, but don’t know if you can sing? Would you like to perform occasionally in a group and make new friends?

If so, come to a Taster Evening with Sing Out Loud in Central Chelmsford. We are a community singing group, meeting during school terms (open until 6th July, returning after the summer holidays on 21st September 2017).

Sing Out Loud is open to men and women of all levels of singing ability aged from 20s to 80s. We learn a wide variety of familiar and lesserknown songs by ear. Our tutors play guitar. You don’t need to read music and there are no auditions.

New singers may join the Sing Out Loud performance on Friday 30th June 2017 at Picnic in the Garden, the opening event for the Galleywood Festival fundraising for their Heritage Centre.

Says Karen Hughes: “When I started Sing Out Loud 8½ years ago I was very shy. My confidence grew through singing, and I now happily sing in front of others and teach the occasional song.”

Set in 1.5 acres of riverside meadow amidst beautiful countryside with the river Chelmer running at the bottom of the gardens, the Galvin Green Man is one of the oldest pubs in Essex dating back 700 years. The transformation was extensive, with interior and architectural renovation restoring the listed building to its former splendour with the addition of a stunning new main dining room with glass vaulted entrance sitting alongside the original pub, keeping its Great British pub traditions. The pub also boasts an impressive beer garden and four private dining rooms for up to 16 guests, each with their own style and crated in partnership with local businesses and suppliers in the Chelmsford area.

The National Pub & Bar Awards - East of England County Winners 2017: • • • • • •

Essex - Galvin Green Man Bedfordshire - The Fancott Cambridgeshire - The White Hart, Ufford Hertfordshire - The Fox at Willian Norfolk - The Crown, Pulham at Market Suffolk - The Turks Head

The Galvin Green Man, Main Road, Howe Street, Great Waltham, Essex, CM3 1BG.

Eden Garden Moulsham Street

Renowned for our welcoming, inclusive, supportive and encouraging approach, we meet on Thursday evenings (7.30pm-9.30pm) for 3 x 10 week terms (also in Colchester on Monday evenings).

With half a dozen performances each year, we have sung for charities and helped raise funds for local schools, churches, cancer charities and food banks.

If you want to sing and make new friends instead of sitting indoors, why not call for full information and to book your place? Whether alone or with a friend, you will be warmly welcomed.

Phone: 07853 132 633; Email: info@sing-out-loud.co.uk, website: www.sing-out-loud.co.uk (please give your phone number and suggest a good time to call).

Galvin Green Man Wins Award

Judges from the National Pub & Bar Awards have crowned the Galvin Green Man in Howe Street the county’s top local boozer. The pub was relaunched last November 2016 by Essex born chef brothers, Chris & Jeff Galvin.

Commenting on the win, co-owner and Chef Patron Chris Galvin said: “We’re extremely pleased to have won such a prestigious award. It wouldn’t have been possible without such a fantastic team and all of our amazing customers who have supported us.”

The Galvin Green Man will now compete against five other county winners for the best in their region title at the National Pub & Bar Awards grand final at BAFTA London on Tuesday 23rd May. On the night, the overall National Pub & Bar of the Year will also be announced, with 94 county winners in the running.

Tristan O’Hana, editor of Pub & Bar magazine, said: “This is an

15 years on, we are still going strong. Come and visit Eden Garden and let us take your taste buds on an amazing journey with some healthy options. We are a local family run Chinese takeaway in Chelmsford with over 15 years experience. Eden garden is leading the way by being the first Chinese takeaway in Chelmsford to be a member of TuckIN group.

We are committed and have made a pledge to introduce low fat, low sugar and low salt delicious and healthy food available to everyone, with a strong focus on honest, healthy food. We use only natural, locally sourced ingredients to make our dishes and don’t compromise on taste.

Our homemade dessert of Green Tea Swiss roll is a great example of a healthier option, with no butter, low sugar and green tea powder. It tastes very light, soft and yummy! An Eden Garden Exclusive!

OPEN FOR LUNCH NOW! We’ve done it! We’ve heard you! So if you are passing by, do pop in and say hi to the staff who are there between 12noon-2pm every Tuesday to Friday. Students can also enjoy 10% off! So why not order from us?

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Quiz Answers 1.

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Ice Obi-Wan Kenobi Stephen Spielberg Billy Zane Baseball Paradise 1960 Laurel and Hardy Bette Davis Beaches An angel/Clarence

www.moulshamtimes.com

12. Chianti 13. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest 14. Despicable Me 15. Katherine Hepburn 16. Jump - Girls Aloud 17. 2012 18. Jake 19. Casino Royale 20. Kryptonite 21. Brian (Belo)

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John Altman Bob Monkhouse Benefits Street Tom Baker Home and Away The Hooded Claw Crawley 2010 Katie Hopkins 2008 Laa-Laa

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Reggae Reggae Sauce Gunther Barnaby Barbara Yvette Fielding Captain James T Kirk Hart to Hart Brendan O’Carroll

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