The Beestonian Issue 62: The International Issue by The Beestonian

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n a i n o Beest Issue No. 62

Pack Your Bags

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It's The

International Issue

featuring worldwide beestonians... das schu is new a german cocktail bar?

i was beeston beestonians from afar

beeston scouts in the usa!

Beestonian The

een around the world and I can’t find my baby”. So sang Rochdale cowlick-sporter Lisa Stansfield, in her ‘80s song detailing a rather slack approach to post-natal care, but also unintentionally inspiring our latest issue. For we too are off around the globe, this time looking for those far-flung corners that are forever Beeston.

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We have an international reach in many ways: Boots’ pills, Beeston boilers and Humber vehicles have all spread Beestonian innovation globally. Our local lad turned couturier Sir Paul Smith has shops in around 30 countries; another local knight, Sir Martin Poliakof is an global internet sensation; and when a baby pops out of a royal the world watches a bit of Beeston in the form as a shawl, made at Hurts in Chilwell, wraps the regal new-born. Beeston is anything but insular, and while we often focus on the marvellous medley of cultures that light up the town, it’s fascinating to see what we are doing elsewhere, what influence this little bit of Notts has elsewhere. For instance, there are dozens of Beeston streets in New England alone and many more across the wider USA; a smattering across Australia and tributes to our town set up

by homesick migrants all over. We regularly receive correspondence from migrants who have chanced upon us when looking up their previous home; these are always a joy to read, especially the ones that are misty eyed about those halcyon days when every street corner had a shoe-shop.

We meet Beestonians who long left these shores and now look back longingly in our We Are Beeston feature (our photographer’s expenses claim was eye-watering this issue); ruefully check out the trees celebrating Beeston’s European friendliness; why Beeston Film Festival is now an international phenomenon; find out what local scouts are doing across the pond – not one at Attenborough, the Atlantic - and take a tour of other Beestons that you’ll need a passport to get to. That’s not to say we’re taking the eye off the ball when it comes to all things local: au contraire. You’ll also find our usual brilliant columnists; a competition to predict the future of Beeston; football; cakes; bikes coffee and all the other stuff that makes living in this town such an excellent idea. The Beestonian: local and global.

EDITORIAL Lord Beestonia; lead writer and founder...

* II W Am as BBeeeessttoonn CHRISTOPER FROST Meet Beestonians from around the world...

s those who regularly read the Beestonian will know, Beeston resides at the heart of the universe, and despite some failings, everyone enjoys living and working here. But for some, they have found that the grass is actually greener on the other side, and so, as a twist to the ever popular ‘I Am Beeston’ interviews, we give you two examples of former Beestonians, who packed their suitcases and bought a one way ticket to a far off land. Firstly let me introduce you to Keith Walker, who emigrated to New Zealand in the early 1960s’. “I was born in September 1932 in Chilwell, near School Lane, and remained in the area until I married in November 1959 and moved to Littleover, as I was working at Rolls Royce and my Cheshire born wife Marian was a radiographer at Derby Royal Infirmary. We decided that we wanted a better life and explored as many possibilities as possible. Canada? Too cold in winter. Rhodesia? It was the time of Ian Smith, just before it became Zimbabwe. So that was out. South Africa? They had recently left the Commonwealth and apartheid was starting, so no! Australia? Maybe. We also looked at New Zealand. It was difficult to get much information other than touristy stuff, which is all very well if you are going for a holiday, but we wanted information like the cost of shopping. It took us two years of filling forms, interviews, medicals etc, before we were accepted and given a sailing date for the six-week voyage to New Zealand on the Shaw Saville liner 'Southern Cross'”. “We arrived in Wellington on 19 Oct 1962. The government had paid for our passage and guaranteed employment. We went to Blenheim, a small town in the NE corner of the South Island. It is now a major wine producing area, but then it was all fruit growing. I worked for the Inland Revenue, and as a public servant, if you wanted to get on, you had to be prepared to move, and we did. After leaving Blenheim, we moved from place to place in the North Island eventually settling in Napier on the east coast. A lovely art deco city, which had been devastated in the earthquake of Feb 1931. Marian and I split up in 1976. I eventually remarried and moved to Taupo in 1981, on the NE corner of the North Island, and have been here since. Sadly that marriage ended too. Cameron, the eldest son of that marriage lives with me now”.

“Moving to NZ was a bit of a culture shock. Weatherboarded houses with corrugated iron roofs. When we arrived the population was 2.5 million, now there are about 4.7 million. Was it a good move? Definitely. The best thing I did. NZ is a beautiful place. Our land mass is about one sixth larger than the UK. Very mountainous. We have a relaxed, laid back lifestyle. Apart from our major centres such as Auckland, towns are relatively small and miles apart. The nearest provincial city to Taupo is Rotorua, and is 50 miles away, with virtually nothing in between. Certainly these are the Shaky Isles. We have had several strong earthquakes in the last few years. Taupo is in the Taupo Volcanic Zone, a highly active geothermal area with very hot ground, and relatively frequent eruptions from the three central North Island volcanoes just south of the lake. Taupo is a holiday and tourist destination. But it’s nothing like Skegness! It is an adventure playground, with lots of energetic activities like skydiving on offer”. “I volunteer at a local geothermal park called 'Craters of the Moon’. About 9 or 10 years ago, a group of ‘Poms’ arrived. I asked them where they were from. One of them said “Nottingham”. After a few minutes I found out he was Dave Tacey from Chilwell, and had been involved in 1st C&A Scouts, just like me. That blew him away. We became very close friends. He had tried to get residency in NZ, but our immigration people decided we have enough accountants and so he moved to Llanbedr in Wales. He visited a few times and we kept in close contact until his death last April”. “On Dave's last trip, he spent a day with me recording my memories of my former life in Beeston. I lived with my mum and dad for 27 years, apart from my 3 years in the RAF. I have been in New Zealand now for over 56 years, and in Taupo for nearly 38. I came back to the UK once, for six weeks in 2001. I visited Beeston for a couple of days. I found the crowds especially in Nottingham very claustrophobic and I was homesick after a month. I enjoyed exploring the area, looking at where I was born and where I used to live. Dave spent several weeks in and around Beeston a few years ago looking for anyone from my time, but was unable to. Although I have contacted the parish church to see if they had anyone in their congregation with memories of those times, I’ve had no response”. If you knew Keith, or fancy reminiscing about Beeston with him, then please contact us, and we will let him know.

Next is Amy Roberts, who currently resides in Reno, Nevada, but would love to return to Beeston. Unfortunately due to present UK immigration laws, she can’t. But more of that later. “I was born in the QMC in February 1985 and lived in Beeston until 2003, when I attended Manchester University. I fell in love with the city and its incredible music scene. However, Beeston’s siren song was strong and after I graduated, I headed home and started my first ‘real’ job. I lived happily in my wonderful hometown until August 2011, when I headed to Satsumasendai, a small city in semi-rural Japan. I lived there for two years, teaching English to high school students and having the most incredible experience of my life, which will stay with me forever”. “I returned to Beeston in 2013, and there I remained until January 2016. You could call me the ‘Beeston Boomerang’. This time I headed west to be with my husband Andrus, whom I had met in 2013, whilst travelling in the States. I was working and lived with my parents. So, we made the very difficult decision that I would apply for a Green Card and move to the US so we could finally be together. This was incredibly hard for me, as all my family are in the UK, and I had a wonderful network of friends. But I accepted it, as naturally I wanted to be with Andrus. Unfortunately, it took 19 months to actually hold it in my hand, and was an extremely stressful process. By that point I had a good job at East Midlands Airport. I had been married for over two years, but had spent all that time apart, and we didn’t want to wait any longer to be together. So with an extremely heavy heart, I left Beeston, my family, friends and my job for the last time and travelled to the medium-sized town of Reno, Nevada”. “Reno is as different from Beeston as it is possible to get. Neon-lit casinos dominate the downtown skyline. Guns and marijuana are legal. Beautiful mountains rear up into the clear blue sky. We get 300+ days of sunshine a year. Thousands of wild horses run free in the mountains. The stunning sapphire blue Lake Tahoe is just 45 minutes drive away. It gets up to a sweltering 36 degrees in the summer, no rain for six months but then proper, up to your knees snow in winter. It’s high, dry, harsh, but beautiful”.

“I found out I was pregnant less than three weeks after I arrived in the USA, and Audrey was born in October 2016. While she was obviously a wonderful gift and lights up our lives, it was and still is indescribably hard to have a child so far away from home and the NHS, in a country where maternity leave is non-existent and once you leave the hospital, you're presented with a huge bill, but with no support. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. But it’s not all bad. People that I meet love my accent and are fascinated with my life story. But I do sometimes find myself wondering what would have happened if I had remained in Beeston”. “It was a massive wrench to leave, but I had to in order to finally be with my husband. You see in 2012, the year before I got married, the then Home Secretary Theresa May introduced extremely harsh immigration laws. There are strict financial requirements on British citizens who dare to fall in love with someone from outside the EU, and the result is that there are thousands of ‘Skype’ families like mine, forced to live half a world away from their loved ones. Because I married an American, I either have to find £62,500 in savings or I have to earn at least £18,600 per year in the UK before I can apply for my husband’s visa. This can cost thousands of pounds and has a high rejection rate. It’s my heart’s desire to reunite my family, and I won’t stop until I achieve it. There are so many things I miss about Beeston, the vibrant town centre, the Beeman and the distant sound of the bells ringing at the Parish Church where I was christened. I miss being able to walk everywhere and feeling safe. I miss Beeston with every fibre of my being, and I long to return”. “As I have no other way of raising the money needed for my husband's visa application, I created a ‘GoFundMe’ page. This has been featured in the Nottingham Post and Daily Mirror. I hate asking strangers for money, but if my story has struck a chord, please, please help me get home. You can find my page at https://www.gofundme.com/4ptaah-pleasehelp-reunite-my-family “. CDF

The Yorkshireman Speaks

SCOTT BENNETT This month the Yorkshireman takes on British booze culture

ongratulations, some of you reading this have almost made it to the end of “Dry January.” A whole month without booze, there’ll certainly be a celebration when it’s over. Not just for you, but for the rest of your family too. They’ve had to endure a month of your miserable face sulking round the house, looking at all that left-over festive booze and moaning about not being able to touch it. I think the British have a real issue with alcohol. As a comedian I often have to walk through city centres late at night and it’s like Dawn of The Dead. There are couples screaming at each other, men trying to pick up their mates in an impromptu show of strength, people rocking back and forth in the kebab shop hypnotised by a spinning slab of meat. Then there’s little old me, sober as Mother Teresa, trying to make it back to my car with my flask and tuna sandwiches. Us Brits can turn any event into an excuse for booze. Wedding? Have a drink. Funeral? Have a drink. Finished the decorating? Have a drink. I was in an airport recently. Now that’s where we really go for it. It’s like everyone is on some sort of perpetual stag weekend. You never hear this conversation anywhere but in an airport: “What time is it?” “Ten to four in the morning” “Fancy a pint?” “Why not? We are on holiday!” No, you’re not mate. You’ve gone nowhere. You’re still in the East Midlands. What are you doing? Surely the last place you want to be hammered is at 36,000 feet in a glorified tin can. What if you are the passenger who has to lead everyone off the plane? You’ve been drinking since 4 am, it took you an hour to open that packet of crisps, how are you going to cope with an emergency exit and an inflatable slide? We don’t do this with other forms of transport. You don’t see anyone drinking cans of Kestrel at 6am before getting on the 38 bus to Long Eaton? Well you do actually. Sorry that’s a bad example, but to be fair if I had to drive that bus route too, I’d have a drink. I do most of my drinking under the radar. I don’t mean laid on the runway. I mean when I’m cooking. Specifically Sunday lunch. I love cooking and drinking. It’s amazing. It’s like normal boozing but instead of a hangover

you’re left with a slow cooked lamb shoulder and seasonal vegetables. Occasionally you have to chase the last few drinks with a shot of Gaviscon, but that’s as bad as it gets. To the outside world you’re a diligent parent providing a meal for your family, however in reality you’re smashing your way through that drinks cabinet like a teenager whose parents have left them home alone. My night out starts at 10am Sunday morning. As soon as Andrew Marr says goodbye, I pour a sneaky glass of wine and tell everyone to get out the kitchen; I need space to create. It’s just me, Amazon Alexa and Delia Smith. By half twelve I’m naked from the waist up, body shiny with meat grease, dancing around on the lino floor like Mr Blonde in Reservoir Dogs, ripping chunks of off the roast with my bare hands. At this point my wife always comes in. “I thought you were cooking?” I shout back at her, “I am, I’m doing a red wine reduction, I started with a full bottle and now it’s nearly gone.” I start to get overconfident, experimenting with flavours. “You know what this mash potato is lacking? Vanilla extract!” I’m pioneering flavour combinations even Heston Blumenthal would describe as “a bit much.” My portion control is all over the place too. “How old is she? 3? I reckon she’d eat a kilo of mash.” The alcohol makes you fearless, you start taking things out of the oven with no gloves. I once ended up with the Tefal logo burnt into my palm like Joe Pesci in Home Alone. By two, I’m in the euphoric stages of the cooking binge. Most of the week’s shop has gone, I’ve got some Brillo pads browning under the grill and I’ve fried off my rubber gloves in garlic. I’ve used every single pan too, so I’m now having to boil the sprouts in a wok. I rarely remember the meal itself, but I always think it went well. I’m often laid on the sofa, nodding in and out of consciousness. Behind me I can just make out the sound of smoke alarms and pans being scraped into the bin. “At least he tries to cook” says my wife to the starving children, dialling the number for Domino’s, “and I reckon he’s onto something with that vanilla mash.” @scottbcomedyuk scottbennettcomedy.co.uk Find The Scott Bennett Podcast on SoundCloud and iTunes

*** B E E S T O N Home And Garden Bread bin. Ideal for stale loaves, mouldy cobs and bad baguettes. £4. Call Tony on 0115 3289376 Fork handles. Make for an ideal comedy sketch. Suitable for bloke who owns Norwegian Blue parrot falling through recently opened bar hatch in London wine bar. £10 for 4. Call Ronnie on 0115 3218949

Trowell trowel. Small implement from local garden centre. £3. Call Jill on 0115 3948229 Chesterfield sofa. £50. Also Mansfield Town armchair, £30, and Notts County foot stool, £10. Call Arthur on 0115 3211865 Fire drill. State-of-the-art extinguisher, puts out flames with rapid cylindrical corkscrew motion. Dyson wasn’t interested. Also good for getting screws in. £50 o.n.o. Call Sam on 0115 4829398 Collection of vintage Penthouse magazines 1980-1989. Very classy, contains some quality photography with some stunning views from top floor flats. £1 each, or big Kwik Save carrier bag full for £25. Call Keith on 0115 3479215 Mamas and Papas cot. Plays ‘California Dreaming’ on a loop until baby just gives up and goes to sleep. £25. Call Julie on 0115 6341896 Inflatable chopping board. Used once. Very disappointing. £1. Call Marie on 0115 3218765

C L A S S I F I E D S ***

Russian doll collection. Nearly all of them Vladimir Putin in various different masculine outfits. Complete with election-meddling accessories. Includes two ‘President’s Friend’ female dolls with realistic wetting action and hotel bed. £50 the lot. Call Keith on 0115 3479215

Jack-in-a-box. Very lifelike and fleshy. Only used once, hence £12. Call Keith on 0115 3479215

Podcast. Immortalise one of your testes in Plaster-of-Paris mould. Ideal Christmas gift for longdistance loved-ones. £5 or £9 the pair. Call Keith on 0115 3479215

Beatrix Potter 50p collection. Peter Rabbit, Jeremy Fisher, Miss Tiggywinkle, Jemima Puddleduck. £40p each or all 4 for £1.50. Call George on 0115 3474378

Slow cooker. Far too slow. Still waiting for casserole from July. £5. Call Helen on 0115 5236648

BASS GUITAR Also haddock ukulele, cod banjo, and salmon sitar. Hallams, early on Saturday mornings.

Nutri-Bullet. 35mm projectile made of nourishing vegetable matter. Garlic version suitable for halting Draculas. £5 each. Call Bram on 0115 3837729 Zebra crossing. Also suitable for gazelle and wildebeest. £30. Call Darren on 0115 3847438 Rabbits for sale. Black one, brown one, and pink one (comes with original packaging). No batteries, hence £4 each. Call Keith on 0115 3479215

Adobe Shoeshop software licence. Airbrush a footwear retailer into photos of the High Road, and everything will be better. £10. Call Doris on 0115 2874839 Top Trumps cards. Eggy, cabbage, silent-but-deadly, motorbike, bath bubbler and Donald. £3. Call Alex on 0115 4837297 Signed copy of ‘Angles’ by Robbie Williams. Also ‘Saxons’ and ‘Vikings’ with handwritten intro by Jason Orange. £5 each, or £4 for two. Call Ali on 0115 5327762

Gold. Also Myrrh. Prices to be haggled. Wonder what Myrhh actually is? Call Frank Insence on 0115 3849492 Book all about Iceland. Bit boring if Im honest, apart from the chapter about the Kerry Katona adverts. Call Rob on 0115 4387379 FANCY A DIRTY WEEKEND? The back fence needs creosoting. Gutters need cleaning out. That plastic garden storage unit is filthy with mould. Those drains won’t clean themselves.

Junk mail. Huge bag full of unwanted pamphlets trying to get me hooked on heroin. £3. Call Derek on 0115 3482923

2 bar electric heater. Suitable for places with two bars eg The Hop Pole. £10. Call Karen on 0115 5837287

Beefy curtains. 8ft x 4ft drop. Featuring classic Ian Botham action shots in the Ashes series of 1984. £10 each, or £15 the pair. Call Keith on 0115 3479215

Lost. Foot long model of an Indigo bus carved out of ice. Last seen in Broadgate Park in August. Call Eileen on 0115 3743799

Clever clogs. Also smart arse and brain box. £3 each. Call Magnus on 0115 3382644

Box of 480 Tetley tea bags. Delicious Yorkshire bitter brew. Just add boiling water. Mash tun not included. 4.2% ABV. £100. Call Jim on 0115 4271956

Missing. Lap. Was here 5 minutes ago when I was sitting down. Stood up and it had vanished. Reward for finder. Call Donna on 0115 2732899

Flat cap cat flap. 2 way, lockable, in the shape of Kangol Classic. £2. Call Desmond on 0115 3637823 Tuesday morning at work. Really boring. Will swap for Friday afternoon with prospect of a couple of pints after. Call Beryl on 0115 4829887 Collection of vintage Mayfair magazines. 1984-1992. Some pages missing, but still some really interesting articles on highly desirable part of London. Call Keith on 0115 3479215 Wanted – voters. Call Anna in Charnwood on 01509 654273 Dove moisturising cream (unopened). Also works a treat for pigeons, starlings and thrushes if you can catch them. £4. Call Steve on 0115 4882399

Bulldog clips. Enough to keep 4 bulldogs clipped together (or 12 pups). £3. Also duck tape, crocodile clips, and gorilla glue. £2. Call Morris on 0115 3874223 Binary calculator. Only two number keys. Saves loads of time adding up. Call Albert on 0110 1101010

Motoring Wheel nuts. Peugeot pecans, BMW brazils, Mercedes macadamias. £2 each. Call Tom on 0115 6252563 Collection of vintage Fiesta magazines. (1981-1993. Well thumbed, but still got plenty of life in them. Includes 1985 special calendar edition featuring Mark 1 Super Sport and XR2 action. Call Keith on 0115 3479215

Austin Ambassador. Everyone’s favourite Beeston barman, formerly of the Victoria, Crown and now the Star, will play host at an embassy of your choice. Big stacked cone of Fererro Rocher on silver platter included. Guest appearance by Julian Assange on Thursdays. £100, or £190 for a couple. Call Gemma on 0115 4353667 Cavalier. Good horsepower. Not suitable for Roundheads. £400 o.no. Call Charles on 0115 3535267 Nearly new Polo. Only been sucked for 5 minutes, can still read the lettering. 4p. Call Marco on 0115 3674746 Porsche Cayenne. Spicy hot pepper in the shape of a sporty 4x4. £1.50 each. Call Ferdinand on 0115 4354667 Collection of vintage Escort magazines. (1983-1992). Some pages stuck together after do-ityourself mishaps. Call Keith on 0115 3479215 BMW indicator bulbs. Never used. £4. Call Wayne on 0115 3328477 FORD GALAXY Large people carrier made of delicious smooth chocolate. £300. Call Stuart on 0115 3372897 Golf. 12,000 miles. That’s how far I’ve walked round the Beeston Fields course since 1997. Frankly I think I deserve a medal. My wife says she is glad to get me out of the house. Austin Maestro. Everyone’s favourite Beeston barman, formerly of the Victoria, Crown and now the Star, will play a selection of concertos on the piano. £15 for half an hour. Call Damian on 0115 4353667

MINI COOPER Very small man makes wooden barrels the size of a tin of beans. £4 per barrel, £7 if full of Special Brew. Call Johnny on 0115 3473287 Jaguar. Incredibly fast. It’s yours if you can catch it. Was interesting at first, but keeps clawing at the fence. Call David on 0115 3437463 2015 McLaren. Really racy pushchair, with slick tyres and go faster vomit stripes. £50 o.n.o. Call Lewis on 0115 4388390 Fully restored Triumph. New clasps, fresh elastic and replacement embroidery round cups. 36C. Call Keith on 0115 3479215

5 TH ANNUAL

Chapter 10. Technobabble...

local radio station ran a piece recently on whether not children spend too much time looking at screens and not enough time playing outside, getting ruddy-cheeked and grass-stained. Their experts (a grandma from Sandiacre and a bloke called Tony who doesn’t have kids) were in fiery agreement, that kids these days are indeed a lazy bunch of lounge-lizards, content only when 15 million megapixels are shining directly into their retinas, content never to leave their child-caves lest they catch a lethal dose of vitamin D waddling to the car for the school run. They are an obese, entitled generation of layabouts who were given phones at birth and wouldn’t hesitate to outbid your Nan on eBay. WELL. I had some THOUGHTS. Yes, Tony, my daughter can code an entire computer game from scratch and edit homemade animation which she casts to our xBox from my laptop. She can also do her times tables, knows the rules of chess and can bake cupcakes without a recipe. She does indeed play Minecraft after school, but she spends all summer camping around the UK

while her dad and I perform at dozens of festivals, She is far better at learning about new technology than I am, and I’m writing this on Microsoft Word 93 so suck it Tony. You too, Sullen from Sandiacre. My daughter is the generation you sighed about, and you compared her life to your own wistful childhoods full of good old rickets and rationing. Mind you, after Brexit we might have a small glimpse into those halcyon days when antibiotics are being sold for £100 a pop behind the bins at Tesco, so chin up. She’s also the generation which will be left to sort out the mistakes of mine and yours, and she’ll be using a computer to do it. How about we all open our minds a little and look at what these fantastic advances mean to our children instead of attributing lazy stereotypes to a group of people you simply don’t know. You have no clue how clever our kids are, what a huge (and daunting, I’m not daft) place the internet is, and what brilliant things are out there to help kids learn and understand. Chill out Tony, the kids are alright. DL

BEESTON FILM FESTIVAL create either Fiction or Non-Fiction Films aiming to drive a change in the world we live in, champion causes, influence prevailing attitudes and moving the world to a better place.

Beeston/nig ht Worldwide

From 13th March

ith an initial concept o f bringing the latest short films to screen in the East Midlands crafted by a variety of innovative filmmakers, Beeston Film Festival is now in it its fifth year and hosting entries from across the globe.

warm up, the Berliner will screen a great night of classics on Wednesday 13th of February, showing favourites from previous festivals such as The Stomach and The App. Returning to Café Roya, where the festival launched five years ago, a second warm up showcases Iranian films on Sunday 24th February. Roya will provide some Persian cuisine and the programme includes B’Oscar winner, 1001 Teardrops.

“A breath of fresh air!”

The festival has earned a title of being the biggest international short film festivals in the Midlands, as its submissions have increased by 68% from over 50 countries across every continent of the globe. John Currie, the film festival Director, and his team of over 20 local Beestonians and global jury of 18 film industry professionals from the UK, America, France. Belgium, India, South Africa and Taiwan, make up its unique programming team. As part of the pre-festival

The festival itself begins on Wednesday 13th of March at its first warm up location, The Berliner, running for a period of five days in its four different venues across Beeston town, making it its biggest and brightest film festival ever. This year the festival continues to expand and has introduced their newest category, Better Place; inspiring filmmakers to

MATT TURPIN Beeston Film Festival

Not only is Beeston Film Festival presenting a new category this year, the iconic B’Oscar will be revamped and is under development from Beeston glass artist Becs Cass. The renowned international festival has been rated gold as well as being placed in the Top 100 of Best Reviewed Festivals on FilmFreeway that showcases over 6000 festivals world-wide. The reviews are from filmmakers involved and guests of the festival and reflect the welcome from the Beeston community. One review by Judson Vaughan says this: “Just great! What else can I say, just a breath of fresh air! The organisers are true film/ indiefilm lovers that are fair, impartial and committed to the filmmakers. Great communication, great fun and if you get the chance to meet John, then what a bonus! This is our second film to be screened at Beeston and we'll be back! Thank You John, James and everyone involved.” As final entries are being selected, it would be a shame to miss out on celebrating film and filmmakers from across the globe showcasing their creative arts at the Beeston Film Festival this year. MT

International glamour at the festival.

DEBRA URBACZ Celebrating 5 Years of ACT!

Creative Beeston F

or those of you that didn’t know, Beeston has it’s very own tourism ambassador in Marysia Zipser and this year marks five years since her interest in local heritage blossomed into a fullyfledged organisation promoting both local and international artists – Art, Culture, Tourism (ACT). Marysia originally moved to Beeston in 2012, to retire and continue with her writing but after exploring the local area her head was quickly turned by the rich tapestry of its heritage, as well as an appreciation of its wealth of green spaces to enjoy. Determined to spread the word she has since made connections with creatives all over the globe which has earned ACT international status. It’s been an exciting five years for ACT! Since the birth of her networking events, Marysia has collaborated with artists, photographers, writers and filmmakers alike with impressive results! She herself is inspired by nature and feels that connections are made naturally and she has allowed ACT to grow organically via the ‘opportunity’ pathways. She is a professional promoter of People and Places. When I asked her for the highlights since ACT started she mentioned these as her top six;

OUT THERE exhibition 2017, L-R: Marcus Gilmore, Sara Gaynor, Theresa Moynes, MZ and Joe Ganech

1. Exploring Beeston meeting new friends, discovering the historical archives at Boots and the ‘heritage wall’ at The Boathouse Café, in particular the photograph of Ghandi’s visit in 1931

2. The first creative networking event at Beeston’s landmark site, Anglo Scotian Mills themed around Nottingham lace in December 2013, followed by Cultures Crossing in March 2015 3. Making ACT international via articles she published on LinkedIn bringing Beeston critical acclaim 4. The Italian connection in particular meeting visual artist, bestselling author, journalist and official biographer to Pope Francis, Roberto Alborghetti ,who first visited in Beeston in 2014 and has fuelled her creative ideas ever since. Roberto is re-visiting Beeston for his 6th time early March 5. The Ghost Bus project. An idea conceptualised by Roberto Alborghetti on a visit to Barton’s garage and inspired by one of the old decaying buses. His Ghost Bus short films show us how we can see what we would never imagine to see. The project with Robin Hood’s help will be travelling around the world 6. Cultural tours to Tuscany, Venice, Frascati/Rome, originally an extension of the Italian connection, which will now be moving into other countries too Featuring a culturally varied line up that reflects the diversity of our wonderful town, the first of these took place on Wednesday 30th January at The Berliner, with the second Cultures Crossing evening taking place at Synergy NG9, 60 Attenborough Lane, Chilwell, on Wednesday 27th February 6.00-8.30pm. See and read more about ACT, Events and Blog on www.artculturetourism.co.uk Get involved with the ACT-ive Opportunies programme www.artculturetourism.co.uk/partners-sponsors.html "Go/grow with the flow...naturally...nothing forced" - Marysia Zipser 2016 DU

Roberto Alborghetti & Sheriff of Nottingham Cllr Glyn Jenkins with Ghost Bus friends/supporters.

first learned of The DoughMother, about a month ago, when Mr U presented me with a white paper bag containing a couple of still warm sourdough baguettes and a fruit syrup glazed koulouri which was nothing short of divine!

Baked goods have a way of invoking feelings of reassurance; of being hugged from the inside. We ate the baguettes with a bowl of homemade soup later, perfect! The creativity was evident, and so I had to find out more.

read a book or just enjoy the eclectic mix of music playing in the background. It is an honest place where everyone is welcome. Alichan tells me about their plans to develop the secure back yard into an area where children can play safely, whilst their parents enjoy a coffee and a catch up with a friend. Houlia tells me how the whole idea for The DoughMother came about and why she chose this area: she tells me that since moving from a small island in Greece to Nottingham in 2011 to study for a Biology Masters, and then her PhD, she had lived in various parts of Beeston and fell in love with the place. She liked the convenience of not having to go into the city to buy essentials and felt drawn to the town, ‘It had a good feeling.’

Baking is an experience we can all appreciate in a holistic way. Getting back in touch with all our senses, particularly our sense of smell, can revive happy memories of early childhood. Scent is the first way we recognised our Living close to Central Avenue, she noticed mothers, and contributes to us feeling safe and that lack of opportunities for locals to buy the loved. According to psychologist and columnist wholesome, home-cooked food that would Linda Blair, who wrote an article extolling the have been available in her home town, and how virtues of The Great British Bake-Off, ‘the act important this experience is to communities. Both she and Alichan talked of the of baking is a process, not a soundbite. It alienation that is occurring in society takes time to read a recipe, gather the “The and how providing spaces like The ingredients, mix the dough, let it rise, e n lo a a DoughMother is encouraging people shape it, and then bake what we’ve arom created.’ It’s how we humans are most is enough to to come out of their homes in search of nourishment after a busy working comfortable operating, understanding entice you day, to enjoy a bit of escape from that in what we are doing, step by step. It’s in” a space that breathes a nurturing warmth good for our wellbeing, and all this effort into their lives. It’s a place to meet friends, brings us great rewards. enjoy community and celebrate the very basic We have been back a couple of times since nourishment of life, eating together. and it seems word has got out already in the neighbourhood about the artisan boulanger in I look around and appreciate the emblems of a the middle of Central Avenue. Each time we visit simple life:a wire basket of milk bottles reminds we are greeted with a generous welcome, Houlia me of Mr Jeffries, our copper-topped milkman, tells me that they celebrated their two-month who dropped off our daily pinta as we still anniversary on New Year’s Day and already she slumbered, and came around cheerily on a Friday and her partner Alican have attracted regular afternoon for his milk money. There are accents customers. Houlia is ‘The DoughMother.’ She is of nature, lush greenery against the soft tangerine responsible for the warm scent of bread baking walls, and the mismatched furniture harks back to in the busy oven out back. The aroma alone is a time when things were built to last. enough to entice you in, but they have more than delicious loaves on offer to tempt you. Alican is If you haven’t discovered this little gem yet, the maker of the sweeter treats. The koulouri is then you really should pay them a visit. You his speciality, but they also have a range of cakes can’t miss the clever signage, designed by and pastries in their antique glass cabinet. The Houlia herself, thankfully you won’t find any flour they use for the breads is locally sourced, Mafiosi drinking the Greek coffee and beating from Green’s Mill in Sneinton. They are proud you to the pastries. of the space that they have built together and overwhelmed with the support they received You will find The DoughMother at from friends in bringing their dream to reality. 109 Central Avenue, Beeston, NG9 2QS Using reclaimed bits and pieces, transported Or on Facebook at by supermarket trolley in the absence of a car, facebook.com/thedoughmother DU they have created a welcoming café space which encourages you to stay, have a coffee,

Soul Food in Beeston

Creative

Beeston

y t n e w T t a n a Be MATT TURPIN

How the Bean reached 20

offee shops and Beeston have become synonymous over the last few years. It’s become a caffeine-lovers hotspot, and although some grumps seem to think this is a negative most Beestonians recognise it as a sign of a strong town: if enough local, largely-independent businesses can survive on the disposable incomes of residents, we’re doing alright. Hipsters and their caffeinated contemporaries would be shocked to know that just a mere 20 years ago, a cappuccino was as exotic as it’d get and the default coffee was a cup of bitter Nescafe. The café that ushered in this new era back in the late nineties was The Bean. To mark 20 years of excellence, we talked to owner Alex Bitsios-Esposito to find 20 facts about the shop that started it all… 1. The Bean was set up by Silvana, a Canadian Italian who moved here in the nineties. Her son Alex explains ‘There just wasn’t anywhere in the town to get a decent coffee. Italy and Canada both have developed coffee-cultures, so she took a gamble” 2. Beestonians were initially cautious, but curious ‘The idea of a coffee shop being a social meeting point wasn’t really there, and took time” 3. Alex was just 8 years old when he started helping out “I’d take orders, do bits and bobs. I could barely reach the till”.

9. Alex is a fan of these other coffee shops “They’ve created a healthy competition, keeping us on our toes to innovate” 10. Handily for our international issue, they’ve always been one of the most global of employers. Alex: “Spanish, Turkish, German, Czech, Chinese, Ghanaian, Australian, Vietnamese, Latvian, New Zealanders…and many more” 11. Many people met their partners here, not least Alex, whose wife used The Bean as a place to write a book. Staff have married other staff; customers have married other customers. 12. He’d be able to retire if he’d taken a commission on all these couplings… 13. They became the first café in Beeston to be part of the Suspended Coffee programme: customers can buy a coffee for those less fortunate than them, and those who can’t afford a drink for whatever reasons can receive one, no questions asked. Nice. 14. It has a city-centre sister shop, Cartwheel: ‘It’s less of a community place, being located there, a different buzz’

"Beeston, as a coffee , was destination in given a shot ” rm a the

4. It swiftly gained accolades: in 1999 it won a national survey of coffee shops 5. It was unprecedented in carefully selecting its coffee: ‘Mass produced coffees tasted burnt - we wanted to show off the vast range of flavours and subtleties” 6. Back then, it was a Cyber Cafe (readers under 30: ask an older person). People would queue to pay £3.50 per hour to tediously wait for a message board about Star Trek to refresh on Windows 98, and sip on their Latte thinking they were living in the future. 7. “We still get people a bit confused, and asking what the wiffy is and why its free” 8. As it grew in popularity, more coffee shops opened up to cope with the demand. We currently have around 12, mostly independent. Do Beestonians sleep?

15. One fan is the superstar author Jon McGregor, who voted it one of his cultural highlights in an article for the Guardian. 16. Quite cheeky considering he’d just won the Costa award, if you think about it.

17. Other famous Cartwheelers are Dylan Moran and Ronan Keating: “he had a juice” 18. The Bean, and many other cafes and pubs, seems to be the de facto office of The Beestonian. If you’re reading this in one of those places and see a harassed looking chap bashing away at his keyboard while muttering to himself, you’re probably watching the next issue in progress. 19. Alex took over as owner in 2018. With two young kids and one on the way, is this a start of a dynasty in Beeston? “When they can reach the till” 20. Favourite drink? ‘Same as my mum: straight espresso” When I look disappointed, he replies ‘It’s a perennial classic’. As The Bean moves into its third decade hepping-up Beeston, it’s a description that serves that corner of Stoney Street well. MT

Frames Spokes Chains

and

famous Nottingham company that most people will know is Raleigh, who evolved and popularised the bicycle. Frank Bowden founded Raleigh in 1888, after acquiring a small cycle making workshop in Raleigh Street. By 1896 Raleigh was the largest cycle manufacturer in the world with bikes produced at their much missed factory in Lenton, made famous of course through the Sillitoe novel ‘Saturday Night, Sunday Morning’. Frank’s son Harold took over the business in 1921 and for a time lived at the manor house at Beeston Fields, now the golf club. Sadly the company folded in the late 1980s, and the site cleared for Nottingham University’s Jubilee Campus. Beeston of course had it’s own bicycle factory, the Humber Works, formed by Thomas Humber in 1878. They also branched out into making motorbikes and cars. In 1932 Humber sold their cycle patents to Raleigh, with Humber Cars ceasing trading in 1967. Unlike cars, bicycles don’t seem to attract the same level of fascination. Maybe people view bikes as just being two wheels and a saddle. Fortunately there’s one man in Beeston that’s doing his best to preserve the history of the humble pushbike. I first met Paul Page last January, when he appeared as an ‘I Am Beeston’ subject. During our chat, I discovered his passion for bicycles and preserving their history. Paul recently invited me to his house to see his collection of bikes and memorabilia. Arriving, I noticed an old, rusty bike propped up by a garden shed. “This is a 1904 Sunbeam safety cycle,” enthused Paul. “Introduced to replace penny-farthings. Hence ‘safety cycle’”. Inside his large workshop, were many bike frames hanging up, waiting to be assessed. He has around 14 musette bags. These are small logoed bags that riders use to carry tools and food. Of course there’s one with Sid Standard’s name on it. I had to ask him if he had met Beeston’s cycling legend. “Sadly not. I think he died before we came to live in Beeston. But I do have one of his bikes, a 1984 Superbe 541 that was built by Peter Riches”. Rows of bikes, many ridden by famous cyclists, boxes full of memorabilia, and of course the obligatory Christmas tree fight for space in the spacious loft. Paul directs me to what looks like an old army bike. “This is a prototype Raleigh

military bike from 1943. 50 were made, but only 6 survive. I think this is the only unrestored one. It was so over engineered, that it wasn’t taken up”. Paul then shines a light into a corner, where an old trike sits. “This was raced by David Duffield in 1962, when he went from Lands End to John O’Groats”. I ask Paul what made him interested in cycling. “I used to cycle as a kid. Like a lot of people then, we were quite poor, so I used to make up bikes from old parts. My dad rode a Hetchins bike. Would love to have one of them in the collection. I’d also like something from Beeston’s Cycling Club, and a Raleigh jersey. Talking of Raleigh, I’m really keen to own something from their Specialist Products Division. With so many local people working for Raleigh, someone must have something lurking in their garage”. I was curious to know how Paul increases his collection. “It tends to be word of mouth. I also run an advert in Cycling Weekly. These bikes were designed to be used, and I try to make them road worthy. My wife Penny is a keen cyclist. We’ve ridden all over Europe. Sadly our children don’t share our enthusiasm, and will probably chuck the lot away when we go”. Back in Paul’s ‘man cave’, he shows me an old advertising sign for the Heart of the Midlands, now Rock City. “Something else I’ve saved from landfill”. Paul obtained an ordinary looking gents Raleigh Popular bike in November, but it has a mystery attached to it. Purchased in Cardiff by David Thomas on 13th July 1935. Around the 11th February 1937, David disappeared. The bike had remained with the family until Paul purchased it. No one knows what happened to David. He was interested in ships, so may have gone to sea, losing his life during WW2. Or he just fancied doing a ‘Reggie Perrin’ and becoming something more exciting than an accounts clerk. Paul has a truly wonderful collection of cycling history and it’s a great shame that more don’t have the opportunity of seeing it. Beeston therefore needs a ‘museum of cycling’, so that Paul’s collection can be displayed properly. If anyone has anything to do with vintage cycling that they’d like to offer Paul, then please get in touch through the Beestonian’s Facebook page. Of course if anyone can offer a large space that would be suitable for a museum, then we’d really love to hear from you too. CDF

CHRISTOPHER FROST Meet Beeston's bicycle collector

JADE MOORE Amateur authors invited to write the next chapter in the story of Beeston

Lose Your Armour

The Future's Write

f you’re reading this, you *probably* live in Beeston (although if you read the rest of this issue, you’ll find that’s not always the case). But, for those of you who live the majority of your life in this town, you’ll no doubt have thoughts and opinions of what you’d like the future of Beeston to hold. After all, this is the place we call home, it’s pretty important. So if you’re a budding blogger, willing writer and far-sighted futurist as well as a proud Beestonian, you could see your name in print as part of a competition to write the next chapter in the rich history of Beeston. To celebrate their 120th anniversary, the family owned, family run business CP Walker & Son commissioned local historian and writer David Hallam to help them to tell and celebrate the story of Beeston over the period 1896-2016. The book is organised with chapters covering each decade from the 1890s to the 2010s. Now, having chartered the history of Beeston, Rex and Dan Walker have created this competition to look at how the town might develop in the 2020s.

As Rex explains, “We are keen supporters of community projects and initiatives that benefit the local population. Our book charts the ups and indeed the downs that Beeston has faced during its history. However, we then thought, what happens next? We were chatting about the future of the town with the various developments going on and realised there’s a whole new chapter to write, perhaps even a couple. Who better to write them than local people like us who love their town? That’s where the competition idea came from.” He continues: “Lots of people make New Year Resolutions to start writing or to rekindle their hobby, but getting published is too often out of reach. This a chance for people to share their ideas and their love for Beeston and to start a debate that will play a part in forming the next chapter of our town’s tale, perhaps even the next century.”

Continues...

If reading this has got your brain stirring with thoughts of what the future could hold or how you could implement your brilliant vision on the town, and you’re just itching to get writing, then here’s what you need to know before you put pen to paper: • • •

•

• • •

•

It’s 8pm on a Thursday and four of my friends are stood in front of a closed Waterstones while I jog up and down the side of the building, losing a game of charades with the oblivious bookseller inside. Twenty minutes later we are finally inside the Sillitoe Room, listening to a spectacular line up of poets here to support the main talent of the night: Chris McLoughlin and the launch of Lose Your Armour. Published through Nottingham’s indie Big White Shed, this 12-strongpoem chapbook reads like an open letter to those drowning in emotional struggle.

The competition is open to anyone with three age categories: Primary School, Secondary school and 16 plus. There’s no word limit per se, but you’re advised to try and stick to around 1000 words maximum if possible. Try and look to the future with a positive outlook, write something to stir the imagination and get people thinking about what comes next and how it can happen (We’re not talking pipe dreams here!) Entries will be judged by an independent panel of local people, chaired by Rex Walker and featuring Editor in Chief of The Beestonian Matt Turpin, Phillipa DythamDouble from Double Image Photography and David Hallam, author of ‘The Story of Beeston’. The deadline is April 23rd and entries are preferred via email to nextchapter@ cpwalker.co.uk If providing a hard copy entry, please post them to CP Walker & Son or drop it in to their office. Entrants must consent to having their work published and to taking part in any publicity around the competition should they win. For more information, visit cpwalker. co.uk/pages/nextchapter or the dedicated Facebook page at facebook. com/beestonthenextchapter.

This is a fantastic opportunity, so once you’ve extracted all the inspiration possible from reading the rest of this issue, get your futurethinking in gear, because you never know what it might lead to. Good luck, Beestonians! JM

POETRY ROUND-UP POTTLE POETRY

Free, every first Sunday of the month, Pottle of Blues micropub With plenty of open mic slots, this is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon listening to (or performing) poetry.

WOMEN GOT TALENT POETRY NIGHT

Friday 1 March, Synergy NG9 19:00-22:30 £6 on the door All welcome (16+) A night of woman-powered poetry and spoken word. Includes an open mic slot. Email slcamplin100@gmail.com for more info.

The Beestonian is... WORD! FEATURING ZENA EDWARDS

Friday 8 March, Beeston Library £7/£5 (booking advised) 16+ WORD! – one of the longest running poetry nights in the UK – returns to Beeston Library with an International Women’s Day special. To perform on the open mic email hello@wordpoetry.co.uk.

Lead Writer/Founder • Lord Beestonia Co-Founder/Resident Don • Prof J Editor • Christian Design & The Beest • Dan Business Manager • Jade History Editor • Joe Earp

Top-notch contributors this issue:

Matt Turpin, Dan Cullen, Scott Bennett, John Cooper, christopher Frost, Daisy Leverington, Debra Urbacz, Jade Moore, Ruby Porter, Isaac Seelochan, Jo Norcup, Lulu Davenport and Christopher Frost.

Stockists:

Berliner, The Hive, Rye, The Hop Pole, The Crown, The White Lion, The Star, Mish Mash Gallery, The Malt Shovel, Broadgate Laundrette, Bubba Tea, The Bean, Beeston Library, Cafe Roya, Metro, Beeston Marina Bar and Cafe, Attenborough Nature Reserve, The Pottle, Greenhood, Beeston Nursery, The Victoria, Canalside Heritage Centre, Beeston Community Shop (formally Thorntons), Oxfam Books, L’Oliva, Two Little Magpies, Local not Global, John Flynn Opticians, Out of this World, lots of hairdressers and suchlike. ... If you’d like to be a stockist, let us know by emailing thebeestonian@gmail.com

‘Dust Days’, which was performed in full at the launch, documents fourteen individual days or nights that begin with hedonistic behaviour and descends into helplessness and the deep pit of depression many of us have clawed our way out of. In particular, ‘Day 34’ is one run-on sentence of a disassociation episode in the Victoria Centre, before McLoughlin turns his attention to the reader, asking ‘Are you entertained now?’ The change of pace and directive almost makes me feel guilty for enjoying how expressive the bleakness is. As a reader, you want to hug the persona. As someone who suffers from mental health, you nod and continue to read. Back in the Sillitoe Room, I glance down the aisle of seats in the middle of Chris’s set to see friends faces full of sadness, awe, but most importantly, inspiration. Lose Your Armour screams, ‘if I can get through this, let my words help you get through yours’. FM

A hive of lives content Jeanie Barton By rail or by bus find Beckinsale and us Alight because Paul Smith met Edwin Starr in a bar Periodic Videos are viewed from afar It's chemistry! (Poliakoff knows) Beeston's the place to go. Siemens, Marconi, Bartons, Boots, Humber, Plessy Took roots Attenborough, Toton, Bramcote, Chilwell, Stapleford Offshoots Music is The Star as well! Hop around Oxjam - what a Boon.. Films at The White Lion Find Meadows in the room The Crown of our town? The people around That buzzing sound Of dreams and machines Past and present Our home A hive of lives content.

We're the

Beeston

Scouts in America

RUBY PORTER Beeston Scouts at the World Scout Jamboree

ix local Scouts from Beeston and the surrounding areas have been chosen to represent South West Nottinghamshire District at the 24th World Scout Jamboree in America during the summer of 2019.

Football Club

They meet once a month with their unit (a group of 40 leaders and scouts) to discuss their plan for the trip and get prepared for all the opportunities and experiences it will offer. This includes becoming accustomed to the cultures of many other countries, thinking about travel and being aware of the heat and therefore their health. But probably most importantly getting to know each other within the group as before the selection process they had never even met before!

The World Scout Jamboree is an international gathering of Scouts held every 4 years. Nearly 100 years ago the first jamboree was held in London in 1920 and "... an The Scouts have been raising was attended by 8,000 Scouts. tunity to money in order to fund their going or p The number expected to attend in op things to the jamboree and to support 2019 has increased to over 40 000 learn new new the funding of Scouts from less Scouts who will be joined by many and to build s day visitors from the US. friendship ” affluent countries- a grand total of £3595 each! Amongst other things collectively they have done bag In West Virginia, Scouts from over 168 other countries will take part in a wide range packing, organised beetle drives, a ceilidh of activities over the 12 days, including aerial and a Caribbean evening. Individually the and water sports, climbing and shooting. They participants have also been raising money will be given the opportunity to participate by holding cake sales, afternoon teas and in unique programs to learn about different sponsored events like a sponsored paddlecultures, sustainability, peace and community board. service. These activities are intended to give (If you can support in anyway please participants an opportunity to learn new contact Susan on 07887895976). things and to build new friendships. RP

eeston FC has grown considerably since we last covered them a year ago. The club has further developed there work with girl’s football, to the extent in which they now have four separate groups playing, whilst the club itself continues with its plans for a clubhouse which will benefit not just the football club but the local community as a whole. “I’ve got a daughter who’s now 12 and she and her friends wanted to try football, so I ran a few sessions at Roundhill Primary School,” said Beeston FC’s Charlie Walker. “As a club and the way football is evolving, the girl’s game is such an important part of it that we wanted to offer that. We’ve got groups at under 7, under 9, under 11 and under 13 with just over 50 signed up and we’ve put six coaches, a mixture of men and women, through their level 1 FA football coaching course.” The club have come far with the development of their girl’s teams, with January seeing the under 13’s take part in their first competitive match in a friendly against Nottingham Forest Ladies under 13’s. Football participation amongst females is at an all-time high in this country. In March last year, the FA revealed that 1.7 million females aged five and over, took part every month.The increased attention given to the England Women’s football team, nicknamed The Lionesses, has certainly helped to remove the stigma that football is a sport primarily for males. Beeston FC took part in the FA’s Wildcat Scheme to try and get more girls interested in

playing football, however, the Wildcat Scheme only lasted until the summer, something which makes running a girl’s football team throughout the year more difficult. “Because the Wildcat Scheme was supported by existing coaches who all had their own teams, the challenge was to find coaches who would be willing to take it on should we support them and also, could we keep hold of those who came to the Wildcat sessions and find more girls to join,” says Charlie. “But we have managed to do that, which has been our big achievement of 2018.”

Beeston FC Under 13’s vs Nottingham Forest Ladies Under 13’s at Hetley Pearson Recreation Ground.

ISAAC SEELOCHAN All to play for at Beeston FC

Whilst Beeston FC is one of the most popular football clubs in the area, like many at grassroots level, it’s difficult to fund for new facilities. In November 2017, the club where unsuccessful in their bid to receive £10,000 from the Aviva Community Fund, in order to improve the facilities even though they received over 5000 votes, one of the highest numbers in the competition. “It’s important for us as a club, that as we develop the teams and attract more young people to play, that we can improve the facilities,” Charlie tells me. “If we can have a clubhouse to bring people together and create a community feel within the club as well as bringing some benefit to the Rylands, then that would help in terms of the growth and development of the club. We run a little fundraising event, we’ve just done a raffle. We advertise them on Beeston Updated so we’ll be publicising stuff” Charlie concludes. If your daughter is interested in playing for Beeston FC please contact Charlie on 07803 592032 IS

Beeston FC under 9’s.

“A Culture is no better than its woods” W. H. Auden

t seems only fitting in this Trees of Beeston column to consider how the natural world, its biological systems and lifeforms, can give pointers to humans about valuing the interconnectedness of the local, the national, and international. Of the way nature abhors borders and boundaries, and demands fuller realisation by making connections with other places. Plants and seeds serve as symbolic of hope: the seeds of an idea, the green shoots of new growth. The culture of sharing plants and trees across scale and between countries in terms of landscaping urban planning further exemplifies how human cultures and lives, and the animals that live alongside, can be enriched and life possibilities expanded by such exchanges of flora. As a geographer, studying the world and its human and non-human interconnectedness is at the heart of the subject: how people and the environment are part of wider interdependent systems of life and life forms. And so it is that I bring you two treebased sculptures, one living and growing, one formed of a once-living tree, fashioned as a reminder of the need for humans to remember their connectedness to the natural world and to each other. Both tree forms are located in Dovecote Park, and they are the European Union (E.U.) tree circle and the Yew Green man of Dovecote Park.

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Encircling the bandstand of Dovecote Park, the E U tree circle acts like a fairy ring of twelve trees. Each tree is a Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) a deciduous tree native to mainland Europe. Each one represents one of the twelve Western European Union member countries who had joined by the E U by the mid 1980s prior to the additional member states joining in the intervening years since the tree ring was planted in January 1993 by members of Broxtowe Borough Council’s Technical and Leisure Services Committee. Ornamentally, the Norway Maple is planted as a shade-giving tree, and certainly they have provided that to many picnic-going Beestonians attending events at the bandstand in recent summers. As current debates rage around Britain’s political, economic and social membership of the E U, this tree circle serves as a reminder to the power of collective connection and endeavour, to look back to the past, to the cooperation and benefits of being connected to other parts of Europe and the world; and how trees have often provided a way to illustrate vital human kinships across national borders. Think of the Norwegian spruce, gifted to Trafalgar Square every December, or else twin-town gifts of memorial trees planted in villages and towns up and down the British Isles by way of recognising civic friendship across the world. It is a reminder that our towns and cities are often enriched and benefit from landscaping ideas, such as tree-lined streets, stretching back to the Victorian era from landscaped parks and gardens across the globe, but in particular influenced by urban planning initiatives from France, Germany and Italy (Johnston 2017). Such tree planting symbolises the desire of the people and place in which they are located to forge social, economic and political connections from the local to the global, marking an expansive vision of a more welcoming and humane world.

Plants and trees symbolize growth and fruitfulness. Gifting plants is a common enough practise. If one has the privilege of having an allotment or garden, consider how many plants or seeds are exchanged to enact knowledge exchange and friendship, to share the bounty and joy, the hope and growth promised in a single plant. These small acts make landscapes more inclusive, more friendly, and serve to symbolize a humanity and humility. Hopeful acts fro m th e past, living in the landscape of the present, signposting possibilities of hope for the future. Green spaces such as parks also offer up much needed connectivity to the non-human world, for the mental and physical wellbeing to people who are able to avail themselves of it. Dovecote Recreation Park was gifted to the residents of Broxtowe in 1908 and ever since continues to be a much loved and well used green space to residents for a variety of purposes: from those who once or twice daily walk their dogs, take their daily exercise, meet with friends to play, or simply as a space through which to wander and ponder life. To mark its centenary in 2008, the local Beestonian sculptor Stan Bullard (who used to have a striking totem pole in front of his house/ studio on Dagmar Grove), carved the statue of the Green Man out of an old Yew trunk. Replacing a previous statue on the site which commemorated the Earth Summit in 1992, the plaque tells how Bullard’s green man symbolises “man’s (sic) interaction with the natural green world”. Carved from a found Yew tree trunk, Bullard’s Green Man is in thoughtful pose with a variety of insects, birds and animals surrounding him.

The sculpture gives afterlife to a tree (The Yew itself having many spiritual connotations to do with protection and the afterlife) and serves as reminder to those who see it of the need to be thoughtful of humans and their responsibility as custodians of the natural world, to live sustainably. It serves as reminder that our actions have consequences, and that what we do to the natural world, we ultimately do to ourselves. In studying these two tree sculptures, new ways of seeing the other trees in the park become apparent. Dovecote Park is blessed with a variety of trees: there is a stunning Oak, its branches reach out and provide glorious shade if one attends formal activities or has a picnic in the summer months. There have, however, lately been a number of notable losses in the park: three trees that once stood near the Dovecote Road entrance have been felled as have the height of a number of poplars that once stood near them. This removal also serves as reminder that our trees and our green spaces need to be cherished and valued for the priceless gifts they afford residents and visitors to the park, and that we have an ongoing responsibility to maintain and ensure their preservation. . Dr JN

References: Mark Johnston (2017) Street Trees in Britain: A History. Oxbow Books.

LULU DAVENPORT If das Schu fits

Five star childcare

hy hello January, where on earth did you come from? The festivities have gone and left most of us skint, over indulged and with failed New Year’s resolutions falling as fast as they were made. Currently I am on day 20 of the highly controversial Dry January, Shhhh it’s a secret! to make matters worse I have been offered a free shot by a barman (has anyone ever heard of this before?) been baked a boozy Cointreau cake and won, yes actually won for the first time in my life A HAMPER FULL OF CIDER!! As these goodies taunt me and very quietly call my name I am safe in the knowledge that in December I blitzed it properly. I feel like I have failed in bringing the latest in Entertainment news to these pages. My head hangs in shame as I heard a new shiny bar had opened way back on November 16th and it took a whole month for the news to filter down to my ears (maybe they were filled with tinsel), even worse a friend had visited before me, shock! Horror! I feel Ihave let everyone reading this down... but not for long, I herded up some friends (it’s easy to lure people out when it’s December) and sprinted ok, maybe waddled, to the newest bar on the circuit. Located next door to the Berliner, Das Schuhzimmer (meaning the shoe room) is the newest addition to the High Road run that has seen the gin bar, Berliner and Totally Tapped, pop up to offer Beestonites, Calpol shots, Espresso Martinis, experimental stouts and ales by Totally Brewed and many varieties of gin, it’s amazing anyone ever makes it into Beeston town centre. For those who have been to Boilermaker in Nottingham and Washhouse in Manchester, Das Shu is a bar masquerading as something else. I managed to catch up with manager James Thomas a thoroughly lovely chap who also runs the Berliner. Hi and welcome to Beeston Beats, what is Das Schuhzimmer is exactly?

Das Schuhzimmer is a speakeasy cocktail bar, using high quality ingredients and unique flavours. Most cocktails on our menu are our own creations. What was your inspiration? People in Beeston have wanted a shoe shop for a very long time, my Granddad used to run a Shoe Shop ‘Rose Shoes’ in Beeston years ago, so I took the opportunity to build Beestons first secret bar, to play on people’s hopes up for a shoe shop, but also to create a great addition to Beestons nightlife. How is Das different to The Berliner? Being in Berlin inspired me to open The Berliner, so I wanted to continue a bit of a German theme with the name, but it has a very different atmosphere and feel. It’s all table service, and it’s quite chilled, compared with Berliner, where we might have a live band on or more of a ‘party’ atmosphere on weekends. What does Das Schu bring to Beeston? Beestons nightlife is already fantastic, but I’d recommend DS as a nice cocktail bar to go to on date nights, without the need to go into town. It’s something different to bring your friends to and the cocktails we’ve created really are special. If you were a shoe which style would you be? Good question, probably a pair of Loake Brogues - good quality and stylish. What is the future for Schuhzimmer? People of Beeston have also wanted a cinema for a while, so we’re running a cinema night (Tipsy Cinema Club) every Wednesday from February in DS, ticket only and all films can be found on our Facebook Page. Thanks James I shall be in to sample more cocktails when the dreaded Dryanuary is over, make mine a triple! In other news, I have found a sign bearing my namesake hanging high up in the Victoria Hotel, it’s the only one I have ever seen from Davenports beers, apparently there was a jingle ‘Beer at home means Davenports!” In a completely unrelated ad -Wanted tall person with own tool kit must have an alibi ready. Anyhoo am off theres plenty more adventures to be had, see you next time me hearties! LD

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HIVEMIND Gossip from the

Beeston Abroad! A HIVEMIND SPECIAL

Let’s get out of the NG9 postcode, and not merely to find our Beeston namessakes in Leeds, Norfolk Cheshire and so on, but worldwide. Grab your passport, get your jabs and lets go explore our top five pics:

AUSTRALIA:

beestumped 1. W hich sitcom based in Seattle ran for 264 episodes between 1993 and 2004? 2. T he star of that show had previously worked with which Modern Family star? 3. T he bartender in the show had a name that would later be made even more famous by an animated toy cowboy, but what was the name? 4. T he actor who voiced that character is known amongst other things for screaming at a football, but what did he call it? 5. H e’s also known for his turn as prison officer Paul Edgcomb in which Stephen King adaptation? 6. S tephen King hated one particular film adaptation because he said it veered too far from his novel. What was the novel? 7. T he lead actor in that film had his breakout role in another book adaptation. Who wrote it? 8. T hat actor would later go on to play a famous comic book villain, but who will be playing that villain again in 2019? 9. T he Joker first appeared in 1940 and has been played by nearly a dozen different actors, including which Jedi? 10. Finally that Jedi and that Seattle Psychiatrist joined forces in 2018 for what Netflix animated show?

THIS IS IT: THE HARDEST QUIZ IN BEESTON! DO NOT SPILL ITS PINT!

BENDIGO We start right around the world in Australia, where the former gold-mining town of Bendigo, Victoria* owes its city name to Beeston’s world-famous boxer. Bizarrely, its twinned with Penzance rather than us, but does have a famous tram system, built in 1890, at the same time a local newspaper titled ‘The Tram Ranter’ began, which has since descended into a rightwing mess of idiocy.

THAILAND:

BEESTON CAFE We wrote about the ‘Beeston Cafe’ a few issues back, where a group of former Thai students had been so impressed with Beeston’s cafe culture, not least The Bean (see within) that they set up their own joint in Bangkok to emulate our little bit of NG9. We hope they continue the mission to Beestonify Bangkok by closing down all local shoe-shops and encouraging locals to moan about it.

VIRGIN ISLANDS:

BEESTON HILL The choice of the discerning tax-shirking ex-Beestonian, this little hamlet is currently for sale for around £81,000. It’s rather pretty too. Anyone want to sub us ‘til payday?

USA:

BEESTON FIELDS Our own area of opulence has a twin over in Virginia, and it’s just as fancy. It boasts a country club, runs off a main road simply called ‘Nottinghamshire’ which also, quite wonderfully, boasts streets called ‘St Anne’s’ and ‘Bulwell Forest’. Confusingly, to the North you’ll find streets named after Somerset, Devon, Sussex and Hastings, while to the South you can visit the New England Scotland by travelling to nearby ‘Glasgow’ ‘Aberdeen’ and ‘Dundee’. Enough to make a UKbought Sat Nav weep.

GERMANY:

GÜTERSLOH As we hurtle towards some form of Brexit horror in a few weeks, we’d like to remind our twin** city in NorthRhine Westphalia that an obligation of the twinning process is honoury citizenship towards your twin, which we’ll happily cash in when all we have to eat here is roasted blue-passport and crumbs thrown from Jacob Rees-Moggs table. * sadly not named after the pub. ** Actually the whole of Broxtowe, not just Beeston, but we’re the biggest town so neh.

ANSWERS: Frasier/Shelley Long/Woody/Wilson/The Green Mile/The Shining/Ken Kesey/Jaoquin Phoenix/Mark Hamill/Trollhunters

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