The Beestonian Issue 77

for residents of Beeston... and the World!

The

n a i n o Beest issue No.77

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Beestonian The

W

ith any luck we’re going to have a lot more ‘normal’ now. We’ve been here before of course, and we don’t want to put a hex on anything, so let’s just make sure we enjoy what we can while we can.

There is certainly a lot more to enjoy in Beeston than there has been for a long time, even before Covid and its many variants threw a spanner in the works. The cinema is now fully open, and what a superb addition it is (you can read former cinema owner Amy’s great review in this very magazine). With it are coming new bars and restaurants to occupy empty units, which will bring ever more people into the town. Beeston is continuing to adapt really quickly to the changing times and has become a destination rather than just somewhere for local people.

Whilst there seems a lot to celebrate just now, please remember that Covid is going to have a lasting impact for many, and not just those who have been bereaved or are suffering the long-term effects of the disease. Lots of people will be struggling financially because of temporary or permanent closure of many businesses, and the economy won’t recover overnight.

Please think about donating to one of the local food banks – even leaving just one or two items a week in one of the collection points in Lidl, Tesco and Sainsburys will make a difference to those who really need it. You can also donate to Hope House on Boundary Road or Broxtowe Community Projects on Queens Road, and there are several smaller ones in the wider area. A quick search online will show where they are and their opening hours etc.

Hopefully the next issue will bring further good news about the future. Until then, keep looking after each other, appreciate what we’ve got on our doorstep, and if you’ve got anything you think others should know about please email thebeestonian@ gmail.com and we’ll do our best to include it in here or on the soon-to-be-revamped Beestonian website.

JC

John Cooper Editorial

beeston l a n o s r e p + Up close

A beautiful new addition to our high street - the little plant guys have transformed the old taxi shack into a verdant cabin of discovery!

After being made redundant at the beginning of the pandemic, the little plant guys online shop was born.

Delivering to the local area throughout lockdown, the gang soon acquired a

larger van to begin markets and popups around Nottingham.

As more products were added to the list, working from home became impractical and the new site in Beeston become plant HQ. Opening in the middle of May, the little plant guys general store sells houseplants, post, homewares and

gifts as well as offering a relaxed cabin room to hang out, have a coffee, read a book or just escape the outside world for a while.

You can find them at: 154 High Road, Beeston Open Wednesday to Saturday 11am6pm and Sunday 11am-4pm

the arc cinema

The Arc Cinema opening is part of Broxtowe Borough Council’s long-term £50million plans to boost Beeston town centre and will also include a new residential area. Backed with funding from D2N2, the new Beeston Square, in the centre of the town is set to attract more and more people to stay local and support the town. Which is what we all want.

Recently announced more new businesses will be opening in the complex underneath our new cinema with locally founded company Doughnotts heading to Beeston soon and expanding their tasty empire. Plus The Beeston Social - a new unique

bar from the creators of several quirky and successful ones in Nottingham city centre.

After a hugely successful opening launch night with special guest and local film hero Shane Meadows at the end of May, The Arc has now seen 1000’s of people visit from all walks of life, and they’ve all enjoyed safe COVID secure experiences as they’ve been able to return to the cinema. Shane brought his sons along to the opening gala where his film “Somers Town” was screened and said: “I am really chuffed for the people of Beeston that such an amazing facility has opened in our town centre.

Beeston is a fantastic place to live

and having access to a local cinema will be great for the community. They’re already getting local schools involved too so hopefully, the kids of Beeston will be inspired to tell their own stories and have opportunities to learn more about the industry too.”

Being a community magazine we took to social media and many people who visited in the opening week kindly shared their thoughts with us about their first visits and what they’re looking forward to seeing, as trips to the cinema become a part of our everyday lives again.

Thank you to all those who contributed.

AVG

Tim Mayfield “I was in Matera Italy in 2019 and was lucky enough to see the filming of the latest Bond movie, “No Time to Die”. The release has been put back no end of times so hopefully, we will finally get to see it at our new cinema......how good will that be?”

Jenny Swann “It’s so amazing to have this cinema in Beeston, catering for lots of different tastes! When I turned up to see “Nomadland” they had sold out - and I was actually really pleased to think that people are supporting the cinema, even if it meant I didn’t see the film.”

Kerry LW Claire Foston “We were lucky enough to win tickets for the opening night. So impressed with the staff, amenities and the Hypersense theatre. Can’t wait to go back.”

“One of my children said "it's so beautiful", I feel lucky to have this so close for my children to grow up with! Looking forward to many more visits in the future.”

Steve Moss Beth Watson “I've been this evening to see Those Who Wish Me Dead. We're so lucky to now have a cinema 10 mins walk from home! Screen, sound, staff all great. I can't imagine we'll ever go to Showcase again. Plus there's nothing better than an air-conditioned cinema to cool down on a hot day.”

“I’ve not been to see a film yet, but my wife and I visited to ask about wheelchair access and slots for them in the screens.

We were given a tour of the screens that were empty and I have to say we were very impressed. Personally hoping to see “Dune” and “Black Widow” on the big screen.

beeston speaks i am

Stuart Baird PR Guru

I

was brought up in West Yorkshire and met my wife at university.

She had moved to Wollaton at age 10, when her family relocated to Nottingham from East Yorkshire, so she knew the area well. After we got married, I was working up in Manchester, but we always had our eye on Beeston, as we wanted a house where we could to walk into a town, to pubs and restaurants, get into Nottingham easily and had a real community feel. It ticked all the boxes. My job also meant I had to go to London a lot, so the rail link was perfect.

"Regardless of who you are, or what your background is, you will be accepted."

Even when we were first looking at houses, I got a good feeling about the place. It’s hard to put your finger on it, but it feels ‘grounded’.

It is genuinely one of the best places to live in the UK. We have some fantastic schools locally, and those who work there are so committed to providing the best they can for the children and the students. We have more than our fair share of great places to eat, not least the best vegetarian/vegan restaurant in the country and the pubs are not half bad as well. I have mates from the four corners of Nottingham, and when I invite them for night out, they all say, “why can’t we have all this stuff you’ve got in Beeston?”

And if I need to escape back up north to breathe Yorkshire air, visit family and go to the football, I’m 5mins from the M1.

People from Yorkshire (and I am one of them) always think that is the friendliest place, but I know how it works up there – unless you’re one of their own, they’ll only accept you after maybe the first 30 years!

We have always felt at home in Beeston. We have some incredibly intelligent, talented and creative people, but there is a sense of

bonhomie, of community. Regardless of who you are, or what your background is, you will be accepted. We are blessed with living on a great street, our next-door neighbour showed us pictures of her at a street party on Enfield Street as girl during VE Day 1945 when we had the celebrations last year. She was in the same class as Paul Smith. When we had last year’s street party, everyone walked up and down the street, chatting to each other (from a safe distance). It was the one highlight of the lockdown for me. It was amazing.

When my children were at College House (now The Lanes), the headteacher asked us for help with the (Civic Society) Richard Beckinsale blue plaque launch as at that point I was doing PR for the NHS and was used to running events. Before I knew it, Kate Beckinsale was flying in with her Hollywood director husband, alongside her ex-husband Michael Sheen and best friend David Walliams, and of course her mum and friends of Richard. We had a bit of media circus which was good fun. The highpoint was when about 200 kids, who didn’t have a clue who all these people were, spotted David Walliams and charged towards a fence, screaming like Beatles fans, to get to him!

Recently my agency helped launch the Arc Cinema and new square which was a real privilege. Shane Meadows did a brilliant job and was so gracious with his time. Broxtowe Borough Council really need to get credit for their work on the new square. I remember the horrible car park and public toilets that used to stand there.

We have made lifelong friends here, we have wonderful neighbours with beautiful spaces on our doorstep, our children have grown up safe and happy, what more can you want? You hear about places in London and other cities that become gentrified and price local people out. I hope it keeps grounded, while still being inspirational and a lovely place to be.”

CF

D

uring the height of flower power in 1967, Scott McKenzie released a single about going to San Francisco. It took local author Ginny Hartman 23 years to achieve this, and in an unconventional method. Wearing flowers in your hair had long gone. It was more shell suits and raving then.

So how and why did Ginny make this trip from Nottingham to California? All is revealed in her new book ‘The Giant, the Dream Machine and Me’. Part travelogue, part autobiography, part adventure story and with a light dusting of romance to help things along. Written over the past year, during lockdowns, face masks and shielding.

In the summer of 1990, Ginny’s life changed, when she gave up her job with a local legal firm, and decided to be a full-time mature student at Trent University studying for a degree in the Creative Arts. A whim maybe.

But it was something that she was keen to do.

Whilst there, she jumped at the opportunity of becoming the first exchange student with the San Francisco State University. So, on 25th June 1990, Ginny landed in New York, but then wondered how she would eventually get to the West Coast of America with very little money. Fortunately, an old school friend called Roger Hart lived in the Big Apple, so that made the transition to Stateside living a lot easier for this mature student.

Ginny seemed to have a fair bit of luck while in the States, through the people that she met or was introduced to. One in particular had a big influence on her at the time. And in more ways than one. His

name was George Bailey, an artist and at 6’ 9”, he dwarfed Ginny’s slender 5’ 4” frame.

Whilst in a conversation with him, George just happened to mention that he planned to move to San Francisco, and wondered if it might be a good idea for them to travel together, by car, rather than Greyhound bus or fly there, as both of them were quite poor, as Ginny only had her student grant to live on, and a small salary that she had earned from working for a short while in Roger’s office.

Ginny heard from George a few weeks later, saying that he had found a 1977 Dodge Station Wagon, that was for sale for $600.

The Dream Machine. They paid half each, and so the road trip began. Ginny then realised that there were going to be two major problems with driving in the States.

The first one being that she had never driven a vehicle on the ‘wrong’ side of the road before, and the other, was the size difference between her and George and having to keep moving the cars’ bench seat, every time there was a change of driver. The first problem was overcome by just driving on the long straight road of Route 6, and the latter by Ginny sitting on a booster seat made from foam rubber, so she could reach the pedals.

This also doubled up as a mattress, as they slept under the stars, with just the odd night in a motel as a treat. And so started the 3500 mile journey from Pennsylvania to San Francisco. They passed through such states as Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, The Rocky Mountains, Utah, Nevada, before finally reaching California about ten days later, and the sight of the Pacific Ocean.

The book itself isn’t that long. Ginny Hartman isn’t Jack Kerouac or Bill Bryson. But then she doesn’t aim to be. But what Ginny does write about, she does in an interesting and honest way and with a certain amount of wry humour.

I read the whole thing in one sitting. It makes for a nice gentle, afternoon read. Sitting outside and imagining that the vast plains of America are at the end of the garden. It’s illustrated with some 35 photos that Ginny took during her time there. She took hundreds with her trusty Pentax, as photography was part of her course, and before the time of digital cameras.

So those 36 frames had to count.

But of course the main theme of the story is about how two strangers from the opposing edges of the Atlantic, could develop such a close relationship as quickly as the days and miles went by. Especially as George believed that he was gay. As an epilogue to the story, Ginny is planning to meet up with George in Palm Springs, just as soon as it is safe for her to travel. Not by car this time, but by aeroplane. It will be the first time in over 30 years that they have seen each other.

So, did Ginny leave her heart in San Francisco? You’ll just have to buy the book to find out. And when you do, you’ll also be helping the Broxtowe Women’s Project, as Ginny will be donating £1 to them for each book that’s sold. At the time of writing, ’The Giant, The Dream Machine and Me’ can be purchased locally from Two Little Magpies, Iguazu and very shortly the Canalside Heritage Centre.

Also from Ginny herself; ginnyhartman6@ gmail.com and of course Amazon.

CF

Tim Pollard This issue: An Englishman's Home

I

t’s been a weird time for performers, entertainers and middle-aged blokes who dress up as Robin Hood for a living this past year or so; as I’ve mentioned before there’s been precious little opportunity to work at all in tourism because...well, there simply aren’t any tourists, and even if there were it would have been illegal to perform for them. Fun times, eh?

But on June 1st I had my first actual in person, live (and paying!) gig for well over a year and it was an important one both for me and for Nottingham; after many years it was time for the City Council to ceremonially hand the keys of Nottingham Castle over to the Castle Trust, the not-for-profit body who’ll be responsible for running the newly refurbished site when it opens.

And so, fresh from having my second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine the day before (and thus feeling a bit ropey, I must admit), I dug out my Robin Hood kit, squeezed into it and headed up to the Castle for an 8am photocall with both the Lord Mayor and the Sheriff of Nottingham, the Chair of the Trust, representatives of the Council and the group who’d overseen the refurbishment of the site and buildings and loads of newspaper and TV reporters from the city’s media organisations.

I know the Castle can be a contentious subject; I know people who are adamant Nottingham has no castle as the building most people call ‘the castle’ is actually a ducal palace from a much later period (a building still hugely important in its own right, mind you – it was, for instance, the first municipal library in the country outside London), but unlike other medieval castles it has not fared well, with only a few sections of wall remaining as well as the historic caves.

The vast amount spent on the whole site (which in fact is ‘the Castle’) in landscaping, repairing and creating new facilities and galleries has taken what we have and made the most of it so we now have what promises to be a vastly upgraded site that can genuinely be a modern world-class attraction, display space, museum and event location.

The grounds have been improved considerably. A lot of the self-seeded trees whose roots were digging into the sandstone

have been removed, the moat cleared of overgrowth and debris and a new visitor centre built just inside the gates. Inside there’s a whole new ‘Robin Hood’ gallery complete with archery and quarterstaff games (thankfully I did reasonably well…) and the rest of the building and galleries have been remodelled sympathetically, extensively and impressively.

But for me the hand-over ceremony was a bittersweet affair; I’ve been Nottingham’s Official Robin Hood for a very long time now - I started ‘Hooding’ (if that’s allowable as a verb) over thirty years ago (when I had just the one chin and a flat stomach) and as the City’s Robin I realised that this event might well be my last appearance at the Castle as their official resident outlaw.

I’ve no idea if that’s the case or not but it certainly added extra poignancy to the morning for me and made me think about all the memorable, fun, silly, happy and wonderful times I’ve enjoyed there over the years; the Pageants, events, guided tours, filming TV shows and parades I’ve spent there with tens of thousands of visitors, my friends, fellow performers, reenactors, castle staff and management and especially with my wonderful and much-missed Maid Marian and late wife, Sal. There was even the time when, seven years ago, I was officially made ‘Under-Sheriff of Nottingham’ by the then real Sheriff so we could work together to help raise the funds which ultimately led to the now finished renovations - who’d have thought, Robin and the Sheriff on the same side for once!

So whilst I’ll still be (and be exceptionally proud to be) the City of Nottingham’s official Robin it may be time to let a new era start at the Castle – after all, I’m now eleven years older than Sean Connery was when he made the fabulous movie ROBIN AND MARIAN about the final days of an elderly and infirm Robin.

But I’m still not quite ready to hang up my tights yet – especially as I’m still underSheriff. Because who knows, maybe one day I’ll stand (as Robin) for election as the real thing – and I’m pretty sure that would make history!

TP

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Amy VIctoria Gathercole

On Beeston's New Cinema

Beeston welcomes

The Arc Cinema!

A

fter many months where giant screens and sound systems were closed around the globe, as seats remained empty, the film industry like many other industries made many changes to survive.

Thankfully none of these changes stopped The Arc Cinema in our beloved Beeston from being built and opening its doors last month.

What have you missed the most? The epic big screens and surround sound that soundbars/speakers and even professional home audio set-ups just cannot provide? The feeling of sharing an experience with a room full of strangers in a darkened and magical space as the lights go down? Someone else making your much-loved popcorn? Or just being transported away for a couple of hours of immersion where no one can disturb you as you sink back in your chair to be entertained and turn off your phone?

For me, it’s all of the above and now with The Arc Cinema being only a 10min walk away, I’m very excited to get a new ‘church’. A cinema to me is honestly a place of worship, or appreciation and of faith. It's the place I learn, laugh and feel alive as I watch hundreds of stories a year unfold in front of me. For me, it’s all of the above and I’m very excited to get a new place and plan to escape regularly.

For those who don’t know me, I’m a true cinephile I’ve been going to the cinema, (or the pictures as my family fondly refer to it) multiple times a month since I was about 5.

Not being able to go during the pandemic has honestly been one of the most difficult parts of lockdown for me. I’ve had a paid job as a film critic who used to get to run around London attending press junkets, seeing preview screenings in secret cinema rooms all over the big smoke (the best straight out of uni job!). For 7 years I even owned and managed the smallest cinema in the world (yes, really!) - Screen 22 in Nottingham city centre.

So for someone who’s literally lived above a cinema having 8 brand spanking new glorious screens of mystery, full of new stories to be told and shared so close to my house is the dream.

The interior of The Arc is tasteful, classy and harks back to what cinemas used to look like, with bright stylised lighting and plush carpets, with the oh-so-familiar but missed smell of popcorn wafting through your nose as you enter. There’s a bit of a seating area for pre- and post-film drinks too and the place is, in a word, slick.

The Arc contains 700 luxury leather electric reclining seats in total and boasts laser digital projection and Dolby Digital 7.1 sound in 6 of its 8 screens. For the nontechnical amongst you, that’s the most up to date way to view your cinematic content. The other two specialist screens are Hypersense, which use 4k laser projection and giant (14m) wall-to-wall screens, which in short means maximum impact and precision. Those seats are extremely comfortable and there’s a lot of legroom available!

Did you know that Nottingham once had over 100 cinemas? Back in times where going out to the flicks was an event that people dressed up for, smoked through and were seen at. In the days when cinemas showed newsreels and not trailers, and there were double feature matinees for children on a Saturday afternoon.

The film heritage of Beeston is strong, beginning back as far as the early 1900s, when Waller Jeffs came to town with his travelling show. This included one of the first times that the general public could view film as a form of entertainment, with his shows performances attracting significant sized crowds daily. In 1907 a local Greengrocer, Henry Peberdy set up the Cozydrome and later Kozy Kinema, which were accessed down the alleyway which still exists next to Greggs, where punters were said to have paid pennies to sit on wooden benches and watch as the projector was hand-cranked and oil lamps provided the light. Sounds utterly magical to me.

A love of cinema continued in Beeston with many options available for fans to enjoy.

Two larger cinemas of note were situated where Iceland and the Co-Op now stand.

Others that older readers or the families of may recall taking trips to include: •

The Palace Cinema

1913 - 1960

•

The Palladium

1914 - 1959

•

The Astoria

1936 - 1975

•

The Majestic/Essoldo 1938 - 1968

Over more recent years film nights and screenings have been run in Cafe Roya which used to host The Beeston Film Club, The Berliner has been known to host film nights and of course, the ol’ Barton bus depot or The Garage as we now know it, event built a minicinema with authentically restored seats showing classics throughout the year. Now we welcome our new purpose-built cinema, Arc Cinema.

We now live in a world where some film studios will offer you the chance to watch a film at home for more than the cost of a cinema ticket, on the same day it’s released in cinemas. Some film studios are making deals where films are screened for as little as 17 days in a cinema before they can be streamed online and at home and moves are being made that will change the industry forever, changes that cinemas have tried to fight for decades. Is there a place for everyone in this new model?

At The Arc there are plenty of discounts available keeping our visits to the pictures on the more affordable side,

including

Time will tell, but the highly desired new addition to Beeston is certainly proving popular and will hopefully be here for many years to come.

Local resident and new cinema manager Caroline said: “Myself and my team are delighted with the response from the people of Beeston in coming out in our first week to support us. Opening on a bank holiday weekend and into half-term week meant so many local people got to see what we have to offer, and we have seen many people returning already.

I am so pleased with the fantastic reviews and feedback we have received in the first week and I really do look forward to continuing to build on that success.

Meerkat Movies on Tuesday and Wednesday giving you 2-4-1 tickets on all films, Kids club screenings for anyone attending at £3.50 a ticket on weekends and in school holidays Off-peak pricing before 5pm in the week, Family discounts and parent and baby friendly screenings too

Thank you for welcoming us!”

To find out more about Beeston’s new entertainment and be a part of their online community: www.facebook.com/ ArcCinemaBeeston To see showings and make bookings visit their website: beeston.arccinema.co.uk AVG

Beeston's Beau Christopher Frost

On Beeston's Classic Cars

F

or two short periods of time, Beeston built cars. Not on the grand scale of Dagenham, Cowley or Sunderland, but more of a cottage industry.

Humber Works, on Humber Road between 1901 & 1908, and Middlebridge Scimitar on Lilac Grove, 1988 - 1995. All gone now of course, but their history lives on. If you want to see old vehicles these days, there’s always the Barton’s Garage in Chilwell, where you can see a number of their old buses and associated vehicles on Heritage Days or when they put on one of their many great events. (*CAR 3, CAR 5*)

Or there’s the annual Autokrama at Wollaton Park, where a huge number of period vehicles are on display, usually in the summer sun. If you’re lucky, you can sometimes spot an old vehicle on the streets of Beeston. After spotting a mid-70s Ford Granada recently, it got me thinking about how many vintage vehicles there must be in the area.

Car 1

Car 2

So I put a message on Beeston Updated’s Facebook page, to see what sort of response I might get. I had some replies telling me about th eir vehicles. Carrying on with the Barton theme, here’s ‘Beauty’, a 1933 Riley Open Tourer, which has been in the Barton family for 48 years. Jeanie Barton’s mum Barbara spoke to me about it.“We got the car from Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, as my late husband Elson wanted to be Bertie Wooster. I was invited out for the day on a ‘date’, which was to ‘look’ at a vintage car. We arrived at a smallholding in the countryside and were led to a barn where the Riley was stored. The car was dark green and although most of the bodywork was visible, the seats inside were covered with straw and chickens were standing on the footboards and bonnet!

Car 3

A deal was struck and to my astonishment, I was ‘offered’ the chance of being towed back!

I recklessly agreed and a piece of polythene was placed on the seat for me to sit on. I was given a large white handkerchief to hold and was told to wave it if I had any problems.

We did a few miles and then I smelt burning.

I waved the hankie and we slowed to a halt.

Being rather nervous, I had been braking rather a lot and the smell was coming from the brake discs which were very hot! After they had cooled down, I was told not to use the brakes unless considered absolutely necessary!” (*CAR 4*) Jim Goodinson lives on a canal boat in the Rylands. He currently owns three classic cars; a 1961 Ford Popular, a Hillman Minx from 1963 and a 1988 Ford Fiesta. I met him on Canalside by his boat, the Whirligig with the nice smell of burning wood emanating from the stove and asked him about his small collection of vehicles. “I’ve had the Pop for about six years now. I saw it on Ebay, but just missed out. The winner didn’t go through with it, and as I was the second chance bidder, it was offered to me. I had to collect it from Sandy in Bedfordshire. It’s done 68,000 miles.

Classic cars tend not to do that many miles in a year. That’s why we get cheaper insurance.

She’s called ‘Bertha’. I’ve kept her in the original condition. As I prefer it that way”. (*CAR 7*) “I’ve also got a Hillman from a friend who lives in Bingham. We used to see each other at car shows. He kept pestering me to buy it. So in the end I did. ‘Hilda’ has only done 11,000 miles. It’s beige and cream. It’s stored at a garage in Beeston. Do you know what, the biggest cost to owning a vehicle isn’t insurance, but storage”.

utiful Classics Lastly Jim talked about the red Fiesta that’s parked in front of the black Ford. “It was my son’s and he wanted me to buy it.

He’s made a few changes to it. Different tyres, lights etc. I might change it back. I’ve got all the old parts in the lock up. She’s called Phylis. (*CAR 8*)

The 1979 MG BGT in vermillion red belongs to Roger and Christine Hatfield. “I purchased it new from Oakwell Garage in Ilkeston. It cost a little under £4500. We had three previous MG BGTs. This was our last purchase and was our family car. We were and are very keen MG owners. We’ve not been anywhere special in this one, but we’ve been to Italy in a previous car. The fuel pump played up while queuing to get into St Tropez, which caused a few issues”. (*CAR 1*) David Barton owns a 1967 Sunbeam Alpine. “I purchased it from its third owner in Norton Disney near Newark, after searching all over the UK for a year or more. The reason for my excellent purchase was because I went to the 1985 Santa Pod drag strip bonfire night spectacular and saw one in the car park for the first time in a long time. I just knew I had to have one. We are now still together after 34 years. I’ve been on various holidays in the car and also once turned up on the 1st owner’s doorstep who was quite surprised and wished she’d never sold it!

Unfortunately, it’s not running too well at the moment, and I am looking to have it fixed very soon.” (*CAR 9*)

Gulf war, before being sold off. Even after all these years, I still keep finding sand in it. It was bought by someone who deals with Land Rovers, but he had to sell it. I’ve only had it since November last year. I’m planning to turn it into a camper van”. (*CAR 2*)

Car 5

Although not a Beeston resident (living in nearby Wollaton), Raymond Allan Dunstan Goodwin’s 1969 red Volkswagen Wizard is seen on an almost daily basis in the Rylands, as his family live there, and he owns some properties in the area.

“We have had it five years now and it came from Scotland. My partner Robert and I loved it, so we got it. It makes me and others smile when we drive it around Nottingham. It’s a special feeling we get. Once we got caught out with the weather and had to come home with Robert holding umbrellas over us. It made lot of other drivers laugh at us. It was very funny to see. People often ask me if it’s an angel on the driver’s door. I have to put them straight, and say it isn’t. There was a sticker on the door, which I’ve taken off. I’m getting a new one, which will cover up the mess”. (*CAR 6*).

CF

Car 6

Car 7

There must be a small enclave of old vehicles on this particular street, as Roger & David’s neighbour Oliver Herbert owns a rather unusual ex-army Land Rover 101 ambulance, which dates from 1983 and is still painted in desert colours. “It served in the first

Car 4 Car 8

Car 9

Scott Bennett This issue: Tip Top

E

very Sunday morning at ten o’clock I’m there. Joining that queue with all the other broken people. Ready to cross that threshold and purge our souls, which are laden with the excesses of everyday life. I don’t consider it worshipping, it’s more like a pilgrimage. But here you don’t need a bible and a prayer mat, all you need is a people carrier and a permit.

Whatever your story, whoever you are, you’ll always be welcome at the local tip.

Words cannot express the sheer cathartic joy I get from slinging bits of wood into a skip.

Hearing it crash into the sides, making that thumping noise which sounds like a giant kettle drum in a steel band. I feel clean, I feel centred. This is the mindfulness money can’t buy.

In this pandemic we’ve all craved something more spiritual. A connection with a higher power that gives us hope and guidance. Many people put their faith in religion. I always find it interesting when people say that it would be great if Jesus came back. Would it though? I think he’d just be frustrated, he’d be a celebrity wouldn’t he? The first week would just be him doing meet and greets!

He’d be saying, “Can I sort out this famine in Nepal?” and they’d say, “sorry Jesus you can’t mate, you’ve got a book signing session at Waterstones and then you’re on the One Show!”

He’d just be sat there bewildered on the sofa in his sandals, next to Christopher Biggins wondering what on earth he was doing there.

He’d have to get used to the modern world too. I can imagine him sitting in front of the laptop replying to all the negative feedback for the Bible on Amazon.

“Seriously, who gives a miracle one star?!”

“Yes, it did really happen Dave_5673, I was there!”

He’d be a big player on the celebrity circuit too. Going on talk shows, occasionally throwing in the odd party piece like turning water into wine. Taking the Turin Shroud on The Antiques Roadshow.

He’d probably have an agent too, who would be constantly trying to raise his profile.

“Jesus you need more of an online presence” “I’m omnipresent mate!”

“You need more followers!”

“Followers?! I’ve got millions!”

“They’re not the right type of followers Jesus!”

“You’ll have to go on Love Island Jesus” “Fine,but tell them I can’t do Sundays!”

Anyway, back to the tip. That Sunday morning visit has become a regular feature in my life now. As a forty-year-old father of two, it’s the closest I get to a little holiday.

Sometimes as a treat I take my children with me. The first time they saw that place they were almost moved to tears. They couldn’t believe their eyes. Sat in the back of the car, buried by grass clippings, their faces pressed in wonder against the glass, taking in the sights, the sounds and the smells of this Disneyland of debris.

A trip to the tip is an adventure for any kid.

Up there with an afternoon in the laundrette, going through a car wash or going to Pets at Home, which is basically a free zoo.

The tip is a true assault on the senses.

You see so much there. A man carrying a full wardrobe on his back like a giant wooden tortoise. Couples dragging rubble sacks across the tarmac, like they are competing in the final of ‘World’s Strongest Man’. And an elderly gentleman who has queued up for an hour just to get rid of one tiny hanging basket.

He could’ve put it in his wheelie bin at home but he’s here for the atmosphere.

Then there is that moment when the skips are replaced. It’s a ceremony which could rival the changing of the guard. There are lorries, chains and huge diggers that compress the rubbish down like the foot of a giant transformer.

A recent addition saw a huge metal structure installed over the top of the cardboard skip.

Constructed from galvanised steel, like the set of a Wrestlemania cage match, it had a small access slot, to force people into folding down their boxes. It’s a feat of engineering excellence that wouldn’t look out of place on an episode of Grand Designs.

It’s a fact that kids love a job. They like to have a sense of purpose and responsibility.

The tip trip is a chance to put that theory in action. When I saw my five-year-old giggle with excitement after flattening a cardboard box, and post it into that skip, I could understand why child labour was a thing for so many years.

The place is truly wonderful, however there is one thing that can always upset the balance. One thing that prevents this unique world from being a true utopia. I’m talking about the much-feared tip marshals.

These people are like the Orcs in the Lord of The Rings Films.

Terrifying foot soldiers, clad in high vis jackets and safety boots, they prowl menacingly amongst the skips, waiting for their moment to strike. And just like in the Lord Of The Rings films, if you’re in the wrong shire, you’re in trouble.

There is nothing quite like the joy you see when they are telling someone they can’t get rid of their rubbish because they don’t have a valid permit. The look on their faces is almost orgasmic.

Sure, the man lives in the area, he pays his taxes, but if he didn’t manage to navigate the simple 40 page form to validate that permit, he’s nothing more than a common criminal. So what if he’s spent six hours loading a car and strapping a sofa to the roof? Like bouncers at a nightclub, if your names not down, you’re not coming in. They watch him drive away, knowing he’s probably going to fly tip it in a layby around the corner, but they’ve won and that’s what matters.

The amount of ID required to dump your own rubbish these days is truly staggering. You need a recent utility bill, your name and address, a driver’s license, a passport and your own mother in the back seat to vouch for you. Honestly, it’s easier to fake your own death than get rid of some garden waste. Who do they think you are, Jason Bourne?!

“I’m deep undercover but today I’ve been gardening?”

Many of the men that work at the tip have something about them.

I don’t understand why they don’t feature more in sexual fantasies alongside fireman and soldiers. They have a brooding intensity, an assured sense of self-confidence and the brute strength to rip the flex out of a knackered sandwich toaster using their bare hands!

Phwoooaaar!

The tip is a haunting place at times, especially on a foggy morning.

There are often workers rummaging in skips. Searching and separating. Sometimes without warning they’ll just pop up through the rubbish, frightening the life out of you like the dancers in the Thriller video.

They will also claim a weird toy as a kind of macabre souvenir.

You’ll always see a plastic baby with one eye missing nailed to the door of their little hut or tethered to the front of a lorry like a ghoulish mascot.

During the pandemic the tip marshals became drunk on power. They often sat at the entrance on an old deck chair with a clipboard like a military checkpoint. As soon as you opened your boot they would interrogate you. And let me tell you there is no fear like that moment when they ask you what’s in that bin bag, it’s like a suspicious wife asking to see the messages on your mobile phone.

They miss nothing: “What’s that mate” “Some floorboards, I’ll just put them in the wood skip” “Wait a minute son………………….Tony!”

A man then comes out in a white coat with a clipboard and a microscope. He rubs his finger along the wood and then licks it.

“We can’t take that mate, it’s got asbestos in it” “EH?!?!?”

“Health and safety pal, nowt we can do” I try and speak their language, try and connect with them on their level, basically what I’m saying is I whistle and use the word “mate” a lot. It rarely works.

Although there is one way you can outwit them, one way you can pass through security undetected. It’s quite simple. Go at lunchtime.

As soon as they disappear into that little hut with a brew and a sausage roll, you could get rid of a dead body. Although if you do, then take precautions, please put it in the right skip number seven, non-recycling.

Scott Bennett Comedian www.scottbennettcomedy.co.uk Twitter - @scottbcomedyuk Instagram - @scottbcomedyuk Stand up from the shed – Live stream Every Week Live – www.facebook.com/scottybcomedy Podcast – Search “Stand up from the shed” on Apple and Soundcloud Twitter - @standupinashed

WHATTHE FU ZZ ?

By Lucy Morrow

Can you guess the Fuzzy Felt Formations?

(Answers below)

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2

3

4

5

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To view Lucy's online gallery or to make a request, visit @capturedbythefuzz on Instagram. Greetings cards are available at www.etsy.com/uk/shop/capturedbythefuzz

Fuzzy Felt Answers: 1. Abigail's Party 2. Dougal & The Blue Cat

3. Knightmare 4. Pulp Fiction

5. Rocky Horror Picture Show 6. Van Gogh Starry Night

timetoplay 10-18 JULY 2021

For i n fo an d t i c ke t s visit www.nottcham berfest.com All bookings must be made online

65 Only £ A3 for an or print A4 r £55 fo

Prints now available

Rendered in pen and watercolour, our expanding collection of Beeston's spectacular pubs and restaurants are now available as limited edition, signed Giclee prints.

• • • •

High quality Giclee prints, on thick A3, textured paper.

Each print is individually signed and numbered by the artist £65 for A3, £55 for A4 (plus £5 postage if outside Beeston) Postcard sets coming soon...

Interested? Drop us a line at: thebeestonian@gmail.com and we'll arrange payment and delivery.

All p ro go to fits supp help o Bees rt the tonia n

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Beeston

! s t h g i l n i up Maze n cullen on, artwork by da rt ba od go n le he crea te d by

It’s very exciting that Beeston now has its very own cinema again, after decades without. And of course, our small but significant town has its own links to TV and film! Our puzzles this issue are all film and TV related...

Can the Beest get through th e maze of barriers to buy his popco rn in time for the start of his fi lm?

odd one out Of course, we all know the famous caped-crusader, Batman, made his home, Wayne Manor, close to Beeston at Wollaton Hall.

Can you find the odd one out from these Bat-logos?

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bake it POPCORN BARS Take that cinema snacking up a level and make some delicious popcorn bars for your home movie night. Get a grown up to help you with this, as the mixture and saucepan will be hot! I’ve added some suggested extras to this simple recipe but if you’ve other ideas, got for it!

Essential ingredients: 30g popped corn 30g butter 4 tablespoons of honey 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Suggested extras:

Chocolate chips Dried fruit (raisins, apricots, cranberries) Marshmallows Mixed seeds

word py ramid Can you complete this TV and Film themed word pyramid? Each row adds one extra letter from the word above and creates a new word as an anagram of it! The clues on the right are NOT in the correct order, so you’ll have to figure out where each answer goes...

A Movie , the American name for a Cinema For a Jedi, Fear Anger and the Dark Side!

The Last Kids on Netflix TV show

lead to ,a

The Mad , a character from Alice In Wonderland A very famous film about an alien with a glowing finger!

WALLA funny little robot in a Pixar film who cleans up rubbish for a living This is something that Garfield the cat likes to do a lot

Instructions: 1. Line a small tin with baking paper 2. If you are popping your own corn (lots of fun) do that first in a saucepan with the lid on. If not, just weigh out your pre-popped corn, but make sure it’s plain not sugared or salted.

3. Crush the popcorn into slightly smaller pieces.

4. In a large saucepan heat the honey and butter until it makes a nice gooey caramel texture that you can pull the spoon through, and it momentarily leaves a channel.

5. Remove the caramel from the heat and add the vanilla, popcorn, and a sprinkle of whatever else you might think would be yummy in it! Remember not to add too much extra, or there might not be enough caramel to stick it together.

6. Whilst it’s still warm, press it into the lined tray with your spoon or spatula.

7. Let it cool, in the fridge if you want it faster, and cut into bars.

8. EAT!

Beest on film & TV facts

word search

Here are some fun facts about Beeston, and its connections to film and TV. Can you find the words highlighted in red in the wordsearch?

Beeston’s new cinema, The Arc, is the first cinema we’ve had here for decades.

Beeston has its own Film Festival, which is now in its 7th year Famous film director Shane Meadows has made Beeston his home An old children’s TV show called Harry’s Mad, about a parrot named Madison and his owner Harry, was filmed at a hotel on Elm Avenue (which is now some apartments)!

• A TV show called Boon was filmed at The Star Inn. You can spot some Beeston Street Art of the characters on a motorbike on the the side of the pub • Bafta-winning actress, Vicky McClure, grew up in Wollaton and now lives in Toton.

She also has a tram named after her!

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S E L M A M R Y A V N

T I B A K A H B O O N

R E T R O Y O K V C D I C V M O T W H A D I

E A R C R S T R E R R

T M E A D O W S D R E

A E T T I N D K E Y C

R T E S A K H R I F A B P M R A E O M N T L I O I C M F E C T O R

Survive & thrive

R

emembering and celebrating events of the past is something we do often at Friday Club, we look at old photographs and watch video footage of Goose Fairs and other local events of the past, getting lost in memories of halcyon days gone by.

Recently we were remembering the Plessey Gala Day and members described fondly the rivalry of the inter-factory running races, the beauty competitions, various themed tents, and all the fun of the fair. They laughed when remembering the minor celebrities that would open the event.

One year (we reckon in the early 1980’s) the famous Grand National winning race horse Red Rum made a guest appearance. They described gala day as “really exciting” with hundreds going, “it was always hot and sunny”.

Brenda remembered the wild boar roast on a spit. When asked if she had any, she said “No, I was too busy watching out for my four kids!”. She also described her sister Joyce, being crowned the first Beeston Beauty Carnival Queen. When asked if she was ever crowned the Beeston Queen, she laughed and said “nah, I was the youngest, I was just the Squirt of the family”.

Whilst most remembered the Plessey gala day fondly, a couple were more reflective saying that it was a bit ‘clicky’ and they often felt excluded from the fun if they weren’t part of certain crowd. Being ‘clicky’ is something that the Beeston Carnival could never be accused of, always a lovely day to be enjoyed by all. Sadly COVID 19, has led to the unavoidable cancellation of the Beeston Carnival for a second year.

As a result of the disappointment of no carnival, and the lack of community events over the last 14 months, Beeston Rylands Community Association have decided to create its own outdoor gala event. The event will be held on Sunday 25th July at 12pm.

We wanted to harness the remarkable resilience of the community and have

something positive and fun to focus on as we finally (and hopefully) evolve out of restrictions.

The day will be based at the community centre and the surrounding fields and will host local charities and entertainment, food, and fun (Covid restrictions permitting). We might not be able to recreate the famous Plessey Gala Day, or provide a celebrity race horse to open proceedings, but we’ll have our very own Beeston Dog Show, and a variety of other things for everyone to get involved with and have a bit of fun.

Perhaps one thing that can be taken from last year of uncertainty is that us humans cannot thrive in isolation, and that we are healthier and happier when we are able to connect and move forward as a whole. This is an event for everyone and we’re therefore open to suggestions from all members of the community, and if anyone is interested in having a stall, please contact Amanda– Claire- acemillington@gmail.com.

Fingers crossed for some sunshine in July!

Janet Barnes and Naomi Robinson; Rylands community activists

Community Matters This issue: Halcyon Days

Beeston u3a

Learn, Laugh, Live

Karen Attwood Karen explains what is going to be out there for retired and semi-retired folk as restrictions ease.

I

had my eye on Beeston u3a for quite a while. I had heard good things about it, but didn’t know the detail. Large groups of laughing people could be seen having lunch together, playing daytime tennis matches, walking and playing chess in the local cafe.

It turns out it is part of a massive national organisation, u3a, created in 1982. Before the lockdown, more than 40,000 u3a interest groups met in the UK every week, face to face and more recently lots of them have transferred online. It also turns out that membership is open to all retired or semiretired people and there is no upper or lower age limit.

The idea is simple – interest groups, run by members for other members, all help given voluntarily. The u3a national body, the Third Age Trust, looks after all the u3as in the UK, providing educational and administrative support.

Although u3a formerly stood for ‘University of the Third Age’, the word ‘University’ has now been dropped in favour of a more inclusive sense of groups of people wanting to study or discuss a subject.

It will not surprise any local people to find out that Beeston u3a is one of the most active in the country! More than 800 members come together to enjoy 90 interest groups.

In June 2021, many members of Beeston u3a came together for a Virtual Afternoon tea to celebrate their 10th Anniversary. Several founder members spoke, sharing the most memorable stories from the last decade and the future was excitedly discussed.

This local u3a community kept in touch during the lockdown. Even though they could not meet in person lots of them learnt about

Zoom and kept the groups going remotely.

Hundreds of people joined in the monthly meetings from their front rooms. It is clear that this is more than just a series of interest groups – it is a supportive social network, with people enjoying life and passions and taking care of like-minded members who live just up the road.

Just after my husband retired and I slowed my own business down, in October 2019, we popped down to the Group Fair at the Pearson Centre. Before we rounded the corner from the library we heard the buzz! There was a very friendly welcome, rows of tables lined up and the hall full of passionate people trying to persuade us to join them. It was wonderful!

Reminded us of a Fresher’s Fair.

Since then we have been experimenting with some things we haven’t done for years – Tennis, Cycling and Yoga. Also reconnecting with other former passions – Chess, Science, Languages, Art History and poetry reading.

We have had nothing but friendly support and fun since we joined.

I have found it so refreshing to be much more defined by my interests rather than my job, background or even gender.

So, if you or anyone you know has stopped work, or slowed down, and fancies meeting new people and finding new interests, don’t hesitate to point them in the direction of Beeston u3a.

Many of the indoor groups kept going through lockdown and are active. Many outdoor groups are meeting up again, under strict Covid conditions. It is hoped to run the next Group Fair in March 2022.

Full details are on the website at www. beestonu3a.org.uk and we’ve just started a new Facebook Community Group page ‘Beeston u3a’ KA

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new international wellbeing initiative has originated in Beeston.

It will bring together the works of creative people from all over the world, centred around roses. It encourages everyone from schoolchildren to experienced artists to participate.

Why the rose? Marysia Zipser, founder of ACT (one of the organizations behind the initiative), sees the rose as a sign of hope and a symbol that encourages endurance during difficult times, such as the pandemic we are collectively going through at the moment. Or as she eloquently puts it: “The rose is a sign for hope for the future.

Because after the thorns, we need the roses.”

The project is based on the idea that if you only need to submit images of anything with roses, then almost anyone can participate. So regardless if it is a single rose that is growing in your back garden, or a multitude of award-winning roses in a public garden, it is your image of it that is being sent in. It can also be representations of roses painted on a canvas, or paper, or even a rose inspired design object.

There has even been a whole song composed and recorded for the initiative, with an accompanying video. Local musician Jeanie Barton got inspired when she heard about the project and in a state of creative excitement wrote a song that has now become the anthem of the project.

“I got inspired by the resemblance between roses and us during this pandemic we must endure, so much strength coming from something so fragile.”

And in a chain of creativity, that song inspired Italian artist and writer Roberto Alborghetti to create a video to accompany the song. He explains that: “This video is my creative work, like paintings, books or photos, so I’ve made it in total freedom.

This is my personal way to see roses and to show Jeanie’s theme song in the best way.

The sharing of our roses in all their forms will spread a message that will help us to overcome difficult moments together.”

So what will happen to all the images that will be sent in? During the length of the project, which stretches to the beginning of autumn, submitted images will be spread through the channels of ACT and OKAY Italy (the other organization behind the initiative). Afterwards there will be a book, a video film, an online exhibition and finishing with a public outdoor event right here in Beeston.

A lot of people see a connection between creativity and wellbeing. This goes for both sides of creativity, both for the viewer and the creator. We are also longing for belonging and connection to other people at the moment. Hopefully projects like this can help people get inspired to create and spread the sense of wellbeing that comes with it to others.

To enjoy the rose song and video, search Youtube for ‘the year of the roses 2021 theme’ Do you or any group you belong to want to contribute with images? Send them in here: www.artculturetourism.co.uk/ yearoftheroses2021 ME Image credit: Inna Schutts

Mikael Eskilsson Mikael reveals all about a new competition

"To enjoy the rose song and video, search Youtube for 'the year of the roses 2021 theme'.”

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arah Sharples, the pro-vicechancellor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Nottingham has landed a new job in central Government.

Ms Sharples, currently teaching in the department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, will be the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Transport, commencing in July of this year.

A long-time Beeston resident, and a fan of the Beestonian magazine, Sarah will happily be able to complete her new job in the same hybrid way that many people have adapted to over the course of the pandemic, and will be splitting her time between her Beeston home and government offices in London.

The role itself will rely on Ms Sharples’ experience to research the facts and advise the Department of Transport accordingly, therefore creating the best policies and outcomes possible for the whole of the UK. When we asked what she was the most excited about the role, Sarah said: “One of the things that’s brilliant about the role is that I’ll have the opportunity to work in a hybrid way. I got a train set for my fifth birthday and I have always loved and been hugely interested in transport as a sector, so I think I’m really looking forward to thinking in depth about all the issues about how we’ve got to deliver the best possible transport system to the UK.” Her role as an advisor to the Department of Transport will also rely heavily on her experiences of using public transport, of which Beeston is the perfect example. Here, we have a fully functioning tram system alongside a plethora of buses, and the train, allowing Sarah to take this knowledge to her new job.

She added: “I’ve lived in Beeston since 1995, when like many other people I moved here as a student when I was doing my postgraduate degree, into a house in Beeston Rylands and I grew very fond of Beeston very quickly. I think one of the reasons I’ve stayed living in Beeston is because of the great public transport connections. But also, it’s really good from an environmental point of view, so as a

family we’ve always coped with just having one car and that’s because we’ve both me and my husband have used public transport to travel either socially or for work as well. I think there are some really great examples of a public transport focused environment that we can see from Beeston.”

But Sarah is aware of the current issues surrounding public transport, in particular the interconnectivity between services nationwide, and the potential isolation that can cause for certain demographics.

She added: “I think one of the things though that we do need to be aware of is that somewhere like Nottingham and Beeston has a really wide diversity of socioeconomic backgrounds in terms of access to things like online payments, and so whenever we’re thinking about the design of new ways of enabling people to use public transport, we need to make sure that things are not socially exclusive in any way.”

Faith Pring This issue: Sarah Sharples: Transport Adviser

Sarah also went on to explain how her life in Beeston, and her career at the University of Nottingham, will influence her new job, and allow her to use her experience to support the policy makers in the world of transport.

She said: “Nottingham is a fantastic university and I’ve been working here as a member of staff since 1998 and I was a student here from 1991 to 1998 so I’ve seen it from lots and lots of different perspectives. One of the things that is a huge opportunity that Nottingham gives me is the understanding of the breadth of issues that we need to consider when we’re thinking about the future of transport. But I think the other thing about working in a university, you have to be able to have really clear reasons why you’re doing things and one of the things that I’m hoping will help me in my new job is that ability to take that information from a really wide range of sources, summarise it in a way accessible, but not be biased and help the people that are making the policy to access the research in the most effective way.”

Sarah Sharples will be starting her new job, as a secondment from her current job at the university, in July.

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Debra Urbacz This month: The Rylands Project

Creative A

watery image of luminescent grasses under milky blue canal water halts me in my scrolling. I absorb the soothing glow from the small screen in my hand then scroll up to see what came before. It’s a photograph of a familiar place which looks like it was taken several decades ago, rather than the sixteen months that has lapsed between these two photographs. Curiously I inspect the cars parked alongside the canal and note that despite them most definitely being cars from this decade they have a vintage look about them, achieved by the muted shades of the paintwork on the vehicles. The subject of this particular photograph appears to be a trio of giant green cotton balls on top of slender trunks – its captivating.

Taking my virtual tour around Beeston Rylands, I am struck by how much the photos remind me of the Polaroids of my childhood.

Not least because they have transported me blissfully back to the long hot summers of the seventies, a time of freedom and adventure, but because they are incredibly grounding. When I meet up with the photographer Jonny, we talk at length about the appeal of his images and how he came to be living in and photographing the Rylands.

‘I always feel at home near water.’ Growing up near the South Welsh coast, living just outside Cardiff and then spending time in the big cities of Leeds and London, it made sense that he would be drawn to somewhere like Beeston Rylands. Though Nottingham is pretty landlocked itself, Jonny recognises how beautifully the area ‘satisfies that faded coastal glamour.’ This seems to have increased significance for him and I feel he captures that ‘holiday’ atmosphere well. Nobody is rushing in the Rylands, especially around Beeston Marina. Life seems to have a much easier pace.

Hiraeth n. (Welsh) A spiritual longing for a home which maybe never was. Nostalgia for ancient places to which we cannot return. It is the echo of the lost places of our soul’s past and our grief for them.

It is in the wind, and the rocks and the waves. It is nowhere and it is everywhere.

Far from being a ‘pocket photographer’ you will see Jonny at the start or the end of a day setting up his tripod for the weighty Mamiya medium format camera which suits this style of photography well. Favouring the sensitivity of real film for this project, and the depth he can achieve in his images, he tells me the light fits the mood at these times of the day and lends itself well to the translucency of natural forms, producing softer hues that you often associate with looking into the past. This explains the wave of nostalgia you might experience when viewing the photographs.

Paying homage to life in slower motion, Jonny takes his time over each image he produces. The medium format system gives him more room to experiment with depth of field, which is particularly useful in landscape photography. It is this which gives the viewer a sense that they are ‘in the scene’ rather than observing from afar, and makes Jonny’s work so engaging. They are not traditional landscapes and there are no people in his photographs.

The objects he photographs are intended to ‘belie the presence of people.’ An empty patio chair next to a bus stop, the curve of grasses suggesting a human form was pressed against them at some point, you are invited to consider the story behind the image. He executes this excellently, and the character of the people and the place is discernible in each frame.

His visual documentary of the Rylands began in May 2018 with a photograph of the almost empty playing fields, just two tiny figures can be seen at the back of the field. There is a sense of desolation as you scroll through the images from the summer of 2018 until the last one of that series in November. The next image is the water grasses from April of this year, but the feeling is the same. Like so many creatives, Jonny did not feel inspired throughout the initial months of the pandemic which partially explains the pause.

Beeston Zoë Zegzula

(this issue’s featured artist) As Zoë’s spring exhibition comes to a close at Beeston Canalside Heritage Centre, I am reminded of the superbly clever way that she creates convincing landscapes using textiles. Having already featured a watercolour painter and an illustrator I thought it would be good to look at an artist who works in another type of medium and find out how she creates such a range of beautiful images using a variety of fabrics and threads.

You can read more about Zoë’s work using this QR code link.

TREES OF Baby Oak

Dr Jo Norcup

legacy it would be for future Beestonians!

Here’s Helene with more: OK, in a nutshell, national government climate change targets are talking about increasing the urban tree canopy to 30% (currently around 15%). Do you want to make sure that happens on our patch, on our watch?

Canopy 2050 Project Tree Guardians wanted!

As I was planting a few acorns collected on the Bramcote Ridge in Autumn, I mused, wouldn’t it be great if everyone grew and planted a few trees each year? I know plenty of people like me with gardens or allotments.

Do you have a little outdoor space for a few pots to grow a few saplings? The basic idea is to get as many people as possible who will be willing to plant and look after 20 or more saplings in their gardens/allotments.

S

ummer here in Beeston is increasingly unpredictable.

Of course, the British love to discuss the weather, but extremes of cold and heavy rain, hail and flooded gardens one week and scorching hot sun the next is a marked reminder that our planet is heating up and extreme weather conditions become more extreme and more predictably unpredictable! Such changes mark a significant shift in our landscapes, activities and the survival of species on our planet, not least that of human survival. As regular readers of Trees of Beeston column will know, I am passionate about valuing and protecting the arboreal inhabitants of our part of Nottinghamshire. Trees bring multiple benefits - oxygen production, carbon-dioxide absorption, providing habitats for bugs, birds and mammals, food provision for all kinds of animals, to say nothing of the shade in the summer, water absorption capacities when heavy rain and snow descend. Everyone should have a tree that they look after.

This Trees of Beeston column is handed over to the fantastic Helene who is spearheading a campaign to reforest Broxtowe. I’ll let Helene explain more. If you would like to become a tree guardian and grow some acorns, please see the end of this article for more details. If everyone planted a tree what a phenomenal

The Guardians will grow the tree saplings from seed or cuttings, look after them for approximately 2 years and then either give them back or plant them out themselves in the places designated by Broxtowe Borough Council. The aim is to give growers a vested interest in their trees, from seed to planting out, and into the future with watering and perhaps surveying. I would love for people to be able to plant their trees local to them so they can watch them grow to maturity

Acorns

BEESTON I wanted to start this project in Autumn 2021 with some organized forays into woodland areas to collect seeds, nuts and acorns. Broxtowe Borough Council were very supportive of the idea.

However, fate or Mother Nature had other plans. Apparently 2020 was a bumper year for acorns. The council were contacted by a couple who have a 180 year old oak in their garden. They had sacks and sacks of acorns and were trying to find a good home/use for them. We were put in touch and I couldn’t refuse. So this year we start with oaks.

I first did a little pilot survey with members of a local nature reserve ‘Friends of’ group and some friends. After a very positive response to the idea I decided to go ahead. I already have over a hundred growers and around 2000 acorns distributed. But I still have a lot more if you have space and the inclination.

All it takes are some pots, some earth and water to keep them damp. I’ve been storing the acorns in damp leaf mulch and they are sprouting nicely, they just need foster homes.

They really are no trouble.

Acorns

to plant

In future years the project will expand to include birch, hazel, holly, hawthorn, black poplar, alder, ash, aspen, beech, wild cherry, bird cherry, crab apple, field maple, juniper, lime, poplar, scots pine, rowan, yew, white beam, willow, wych and elm, basically any native species bar a few.

Since this venture began, I have made contact with a lot of people and one of the nicest surprises has been to find many people who already grow trees or rescue them from their lawnmowers and flower beds. I was happy to be able to help some of these people who had large saplings to find a permanent home for them in a place designated by the council. So the project has already had its first planting out session too.

What I would also love to see in the future is people participating in tree surveys. Check out the Treezilla.org site. By surveying an urban tree or two we can contribute to a Nationwide database. The data collected will help future town planners with their tree planting choices, the aim is to put a value on each tree in terms of carbon capture, diversity and pleasure.

Could you be a tree guardian?

Please contact Helene hlaanest@yahoo. com or 07852 818178/0115 8775304.

Canopy 2050 website and email to come soon.

Dr JN

"What I would also love to see in the future is people participating in tree surveys. Check out the Treezilla.org site. By surveying an urban tree or two we can contribute to a Nationwide database.”

SPORTS FOR CHAMPIONS FUND RAISER AT JOHN CLIFFORD SCHOOL Carol Bamford Carol, assistant headteacher at John Clifford School tells all about an inspiring visit and some amazing fundraising.

A

s we all know, this school year has been very challenging in many ways. Since returning, we have been focusing on the John Clifford Promises; to be positive and proud, to take care of myself and others and to make everyone welcome. With this in mind, on Thursday 20th May, the children and staff of John Clifford School welcomed two TEAM GB athletes. The athletes are part of a team of Olympians who visit schools across the country inspiring the children of today, to be the champions of tomorrow by educating, enabling and empowering them. As part of their visit, we took part in a sponsored fitness event, raising money for both the school and for the team of thirty-three professional athletes and Team GB Olympians who visit schools. The whole school joined in with the event, from the three-year-olds in Busy Bees, to our wonderful YR6 children and staff, with everyone completing a timed circuit of spotty dogs, leg shoots, press-ups and star jumps.

"It would be truly amazing if this sponsored event has inspired a future Olympian or World Champion..."

The highlight of the visit was meeting the real-life athletes! Eden Francis (shotput and discus) has represented Great Britain at the Commonwealth Games and is in training to compete at the Tokyo Olympics. Eden led

an assembly where she talked about her training, the importance of a healthy diet, her sport, answered the children’s questions and then put everyone through their paces in the fitness circuit. Eden was also accompanied

by Otallie Robinson-Shaw, a freestyle Junior World Champion kayaker who was shortlisted for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year in 2019!

As this year has been a real challenge for everyone, we really didn’t know how much money we would raise. However, we shouldn’t have worried, as the John Clifford School community rose magnificently to the challenge and we were totally blown away by the support we were given, with over £3,100 being raised.

It would be truly amazing if this sponsored event has inspired a future Olympian or World Champion within our school. We know this event will have encouraged the next generation to take part in physical activity, have a healthy diet and to understand the benefits of having an active lifestyle. It has kick started our ‘Summer of Sport,’ as we are continuously encouraging our children to be active and healthy, and to take part in a range of sports, including cricket, rugby, archery, gymnastics, basketball, croquet, the Daily Mile and table-tennis to name but a few.

We would like to thank Eden Francis and Otillie Robinson Shaw, from the Sports for Champions organisation, and all the pupils, parents, carers and staff of John Clifford School, for their amazing support with this event. Thank you.

CB

shopfronts

S

e love links to the past Beeston, and in recent times a bit of refurbishing work has seen a couple of old shopfronts revealed from the days of typewriters, black and white TVs and rickets. Bizzy Kids on Queens Road was once home to an early DIY store, whilst on the High Road what is due to become Yellow Wood café was evidently a shop that sold Golden Meadow Butter.

There are probably loads more of these in Beeston currently buried behind modern frontages, but if any are spotted then we’ll do our best to include them in here.

JC

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Where to Get a Copy 73 No. 20 ue 20 iss Dec

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t: -ou . ull re.. t p d mo ees es an i-B cipi Minnts, re e hu h t re ing easu tur s, tr Feapuzzle

We are determined to ensure that everyone who wants to read The Beestonian is able to, in times of lockdown or otherwise. The temporary closure of lots of places we’d usually distribute from hasn’t made this easy.

Our current stockists include Hallams, Attenborough Nature Reserve, Canalside Heritage Centre, Broadgate Post Office, events at the Bartons Garage and many more (see opposite page for full list).

For locals who are unable to get to any of these places, we have set up a subscription service – for just £15 you can have the next 8 copies of The Beestonian delivered direct to your door (for those living outside NG9 it will cost a little more, as they will be sent by first class post).

Simply visit our Ko-Fi page – ko-fi.com/thebeestonian – and check out at our shop. Every subscription includes a free A5 postcard of a locally drawn Beeston landmark delivered with each issue.

If you’d like to support The Beestonian anyway, you can also make a donation through the Ko-Fi page. We’re a community-led, non-profit making, and reinvest all funds into getting The Beestonian to as many people as possible (we currently print 2,000 copies of each issue and are hoping to increase this when it is affordable).

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A Bit of A Blur: when I met rock royalty

W

Spring 2010 and experimental band Gorillaz were trundling down the motorway promoting their newly-released album Plastic Beach. Pop-star tummies began rumbling when the junctions hit the twenties. The Sat Nav was consulted, some tour-bus googling was conducted and the perfect place was found. A short drive from the motorway, good nosh, good drinks and a genuine, family-run free house with the type of reviews most bands would eat a drum kit for. They pulled off the M1, and headed for the legendary Victoria, in some suburb called ‘Beeston’.

“I’m a chicken, and I’m having a ball” I was singing as I walked down the corridor of the Vic, at exactly the same time the band walked in. Not the most sophisticated of songs, admittedly, but I was only five, and was pretty proud of my effort. It was Easter, after all. As I serenaded anyone passing in the pub, I saw some interesting men get repeatedly asked to sign things -2010 still pretty much the pre-selfie era - and was intrigued.

One man with shaggy sandy blonde hair noticed me singing, smiled, and approached.

And that’s how I ended up duetting with a

The Beestonian is...

Editor in Chief / Lord Beestonian:

Matt Turpin Co-founder /Resident Don: Prof J Editor / Ad Sales : John Cooper Deputy Editor /Community Editor: Christopher Frost Design & The Beest: Dan Cullen Creative Editor: Debra Urbacz Sports Editor/ Digital Wizardry: Isaac Seelochan All Things Rylands: Janet Barnes / Naomi Robinson Finance/ Belper ambassador: Jade Moore

man who had Brit, Ivor Novello, Mercury and numerous other awards under his belt.

Damon Albarn and I performed, for the patrons of the Vic, my freshly composed song.

My grandad, Neil Kelso, is well known and much missed by many Beestonians.

He transformed the Vic into Beeston’s standard-setting pub, with much work put in to give our town a pub that is never short of quality and atmosphere. And, that day, rock stars.

Jay Martin "The five year old me probably didn't know much about Gorillaz...”

The five year old me probably didn’t much know a great deal about Gorillaz, Blur or the Clash, so when I saw one of the members of the band - probably Mick Jones, founder member of The Clash - at a table I told Damon he looked like Blakey off On The Buses. This tickled Damon immensely - not just the fact I’d made that comparison to a punk god, but that I even knew who Blakey was ‘I watch it when I have tea with my step-dad’. The whole band thought this hilarious, and a smiling Damon crouched down, scooped me onto his shoulders, and posed for a photo.

If Damon ever gets to read this, then I’m more than happy for you to use ‘I’m a chicken, I’m having a ball’ in your next live set.

JM

contributors this issue: Scott Bennett, Jo Norcup, Tim Pollard, Lulu Davenport, Amy Victoria Gathercole, Lucy Morrow, ay Martin, Carol Bamford, Faith Pring, Mikael Eskilsson, Karen Attwood and Helen Goodbarton

Thanks to all who help us get the issue sustainable and available to all who want to read. If you’d like to help out - by advertising, promoting or writing with us, then drop us a line at thebeestonian@gmail.com. We are an absolutely independent, grassroots nonprofit community magazine with the sole intention of making Beeston a wonderful place to live, work and visit.

Stockists: (Subject to Lockdown ruling updates)

Fred Hallams, Out Of This World, Cycle Inn, Broadgate Post Office, The Bird Hide, John Flynn Opticians, J&B Autos, The Commercial, The Victoria, The Circle Eatery, The Doughmother, Gill’s Fish & Chips, Dessert Haven, events at the Bartons Garage, Attenborough Nature Reserve, Canalside Heritage Centre, The Star, The Berliner, The Hop Pole, Charlie Foggs, The Malt Shovel, The Bird Hide, Totally Tapped. Soon to be available in lots more outlets as lockdown restrictions allow.

Lulu Davenport This issue: Mega Extra Beasty Beats Edition

C

onfession time. I have had a major crush on records for most of my entire life, although I am not able to tell you why or how it happened, I was drawn to record shops like Orbit Records in Long Eaton or Selectadisc in Nottingham like a moth to a flame. I have spent many a day idly scanning the treasures in Rob’s Records while also trying to ignore the OCD in me that screams that there needs some kind of order to his hectic ongoing collection. It’s the artwork, the ownership, the fact that records are living a well over due resurgence. I decided to chat with fellow local record enthusiast Rory James about love, life, his 10 most influential albums and all things musical...

“First vinyl I ever bought. I am not fully sure, as I have been collecting since I was about 8-10 years old. I think it was a second hand copy of Metallica's Master of Puppets.

Metallica had come on my horizon and I thought wow, who are they? Then played the vinyl so much that I killed them beyond repair. My first ever purchases of music were actually tapes.

I was living in Hull where I was born and had really started to focus on music. It was the late 70's/early 80's and music had caught my attention massively with Toyah and Adam and the Ants, as well as many other new wave/punk and electro acts of the time mostly via TV. I had been saving my money to buy myself some music and I bought three albums all on tape as my first ever music purchase. These were The Beatles ‘Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’, ZZ Top ‘Eliminator’ and The Cars ‘Greatest Hits’. I still own the tapes even now.

Music was actually in the blood for me without me knowing it. Mum was a massive fan of The Doors and many other bands from back in the 60's and 70's, my dad played guitar in a band and sang and they named me in part after his guitar hero Rory Gallagher.

I was heavily influenced by the whole hippy rock thing my parents were into. My actual earliest memory of owning vinyl would have been a record I still own now. It’s not the original copy from back then, but I refound it in recent years as a collector, which massively brought memories flooding back.

It was a Disney record for Mickey Mouse's Christmas.

I also remember before moving from primary school to secondary school when electro music and hip hop hit the airwaves.

At that age I was trying to work out my own identity. I got massively into Michael Jackson for a short while, then discovered Metallica, WASP, Sabbath, Bon Jovi, Guns ‘n’ Roses, Def Leppard and so on.

My mate at the time who lived not too far away was a huge rock and metal fan. Alister was his name, he showed me WASP records and lots of skater thrash bands and that was it. I was hooked on the whole thrash metal scene. Oh yeah, and then came along Iron Maiden with their images of Eddie. I bought myself a denim jacket, lots of band patches mainly of Maiden and grew my hair long.

By the time I was 15 we moved to Nottingham. I'd watched a documentary on TV by Arena all about the UK rock and metal scene, had seen Rock City on it and a load of head bangers moshing around the dance floor and ‘I thought I want to go there one day’. Let’s just say I lived in Rock City from the age of about 17 right through into my early 30's. So music and vinyl have been massive parts of my life.

Musically, vinyl was always in the house as a kid, I loved the sound, the crackles and the pops. The other reason I loved it and still do is the artwork, that fact you had something to look at, read, explore, work out what was engraved on the run out in the centre of the record and the messages you could find from the bands to the fans. It was and always has been a journey.

I moved away from vinyl and tapes in the 90's, had a brief but limited journey with CD's but got into downloading music when the internet came along. But by that point I had already amassed quite a large collection. But I returned to vinyl around 10/15 years ago, when I started buying second hand from charity shops.

I then started going to markets and charity shop warehouses, offering cash for larger job lots, often walking away with tubs full of vinyl for not much money. Then with the resurgence in vinyl for bands and collectors I started buying new vinyl. The first one I can remember buying was David Bowie’s ‘Black Star’, which was a massive deal as he passed away literally 2 days later. It was at that point I saw the value in vinyl. I bought the LP for £25 brand new online, and if I remember rightly, the day he died the value went up to at least £100.

So I have many, many stories all music related through all the years of buying vinyl, from meeting bands, sitting in recording studios, working with the drummer from Sabbat in Long Eaton, working for Ferocious Dog (I built their first website and did photography for them for a time). I have even done photography once at Rock City for the Levellers, oh yeah and I was DJing in town, mainly at the Maze and Albert’s in between bands until COVID hit.

I have roughly 6-9,000 records, CD and Tapes in my collection. I also regularly buy new vinyl online, usually limited editions. My most recent purchase that was delivered was Gary Numan's new album ‘Intruder’. Great album and great artist. I am waiting for the delivery later in the year of the latest Fear Factory LP (back to my metal thrasher routes).

So where do we go from here...I have been gifted or bought friends and family's entire collections many times because I am well known for collecting and selling the odd bit also.

I have built up a very wide collection of genres and knowledge to go with it. I always wanted to end up working in the music industry, in a shop or as a roadie or something but as much as I have delved in slightly it never happened. I currently work for Public Health England as an admin manager helping fight COVID, its funny where you end up isn't it? I'd still love to head into the music industry especially with the skills and knowledge I have built up.

10 most influential albums of my journey: • So it has to be my first 3 tapes – Beatles – ‘Sgt Pepper’, ZZ Top – ‘Eliminator’, The Cars – ‘Greatest Hits’.

• Then Pink Floyd – ‘Wish You Were Here’ (always makes me think of my dad in Australia) • Metallica – ‘Master of Puppets’ (my door way into rock and Metal) \m/

• Tool – ‘10,000 days’ - such an amazing album, every time I listen to it, it puts me right in the same place, it’s very dark in places, atmospheric and when I am really feeling quite low it really helps me process the darkness inside and empowers me to let it go.

• Fields of The Nephilim – ‘The Nephilim’ - If you don’t know this album then you’re really missing out.

"I got massively into Michael Jackson for a short while, then discovered Metallica...”

• More recently my most loved and cherished album is by a band called Heilung and the LP is called ‘Ofnir’. This is Pagan/Viking music played with many traditional instruments including bones. It may sound crazy to some but take a listen and watch them online, if you can go see them live, it’s very earthy and grounding music.

• Electronic music was (and still is) a huge part of my musical journey, and none more than The Prodigy. I would be straight on any dance floor or anywhere I could (including illegal raves in the 1990's) when they came onto the speakers. I have loved them right from the start of the ‘Experienced’ LP but have to say the best LP was and always will be 'Music for the Jilted Generation'. I actually own one of only a few original prints from the artist that produced the artwork for that album, framed on my office wall. I am so proud of that print and everything it says about music and society. I have never told my partner how much that cost me to get hold of, but to me it’s priceless.

• Lastly is one considered a flop for the artist. I only own a copy on CD as the vinyl copy is quite hard to find (especially in mint or near mint condition). It is Billy Idol’s ‘Cyberpunk’ record.

I love the fusion of rock/punk and electro, and this has to be my fave type of music nowadays the fusion of rock instruments with electro.

This album also added in for me my crazy love of sci-fi. I believe even Billy Idol himself considers this LP to be a flop for himself mostly financially, but for me regardless this has to be one of his best.

• Oh...one more...one more to add! Number 11...and I really, really could just keep going... the last has to be Daft Punk’s ‘Tron Legacy’.

OMG what an album, what a film!

I also run my own Facebook page called DarkSide Records - yes it’s my love of Star Wars and sci-fi crossed with my love of music. I use it to share anything musical I find that I want to share with others. Also to sell a few bits when I don’t want them or people use it to contact me if they have collections the want to offer. It’s a bit of fun most of the time but it’s who I am. I use it when I DJ either out at gigs, club nights in venues or when I DJ online. Basically it’s my way of sharing my musical journey with others.

Music brings us all together.”

LD

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