Leek Life Issue 47 by Times Echo and Life

ISSUE 47

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ISSUE 47

Editor s Letter..............................5 Fundraising .................................6 Leek Town Mayor ........................7 Reader s Pics................................7 Campiagn For Real Ale ..............10 Patient Locality Group...............10 Leek Show ..................................11 Leek Town Crier.........................12 Local Author ..............................12 Fox and Crow Gallery.................13 Leek Life Selfies .........................14 History.......................................23 Fundraising ...............................24 Community Litter Pick...............18

Dyers Den ..................................21 Garden Wildlife .........................22 Joke Time ..................................23 Poetry ........................................23 Leek U3A ...................................24 Quiz Corner ...............................24 NSPCC .......................................25 Gardening...................................26 Fitness........................................27 Tales From The Past...................28 Competition...............................29 Local Author...............................30 Reflections Coaching..................32

EDITOR S LETTER

Wonderful contributions from a variety of Leek folk

H Belinda Hargreaves Contents Editor life@timesandecho.co.uk Erin Tuckwell Tracey Redfern Design & Production Thomas Brian General Manager tom@timesandecho.co.uk Mobile: 07855 242693 Jane Walters Advertising Sales jane@timesandecho.co.uk Times, Echo & Life Publications 18 Tape Street, Cheadle, Stoke-on-Trent ST10 1BD Tel: 01538 752214 www.timesechoandlife.co.uk life@timesandecho.co.uk

ello fellow Leekensians! I hope everyone is keeping well and enjoying the continued easing of restrictions? It s certainly rather strange having our new found freedom again, but also nice to be socialising and being able to get out and about again. For me personally, I cannot wait for live music gigs to start up again in our ever so brilliantly musical town whether that be an acoustic gig in one of our lovely public houses, or a get up and dance gig at the fabulous Foxlowe, I ll be there! And won t it be lovely once community events can make a comeback and our town is thriving once more with the hustle and bustle of community spirit which our town certainly does best. However, in saying that, there has still been lots of amazing community spirited activities going on during the past few months, and in this packed edition of the Leek Life Magazine, we feature just some of those initiatives.

Front cover photo by Brett Trafford Photography www.bretttrafford.com

We have the fantastic Love Where You Live Leek litter busting initiative which has seen many of us take part in helping to keep our town clean and tidy; we have the amazing fundraising which has taken place in memory of one of our much-loved locals which has helped purchase four defibrillators for the town; and we have two other inspirational fundraising stories too. Plus in this edition, we have news that Leek Show will be going ahead this year, a feature all about a historic site being recognised in town, as well as two features about local authors publishing their latest books. And, as always, we have the wonderful contributions from a variety of Leek folk focusing on different subjects from gardening, life goals, fitness, our pubs, poetry, quiz, jokes, health, garden wildlife, tales from the past, as well as columns just simply all about life in Leek. On that note, we also have two pages of Leek Life Selfies quite simply a lovely feature showcasing just some of the smiley faces of Leek folk. If you would like to be considered to be featured in our next Leek Life Magazine, please do not hesitate to get in contact with me by emailing hargreavespr@outlook.com. Until next time take care!

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FUNDRAISING

Four defibs in memory of our Macca

our life-saving pieces of equipment have been installed in the town of Leek thanks to donations made in memory of a popular Leek resident. Donations raised in memory of David McNeaney, aka Macca to many of his friends, exceeded £6,000 and have enabled his family, working in partnership with Stone-based national charity AEDdonate, to arrange the installation of four life-saving defibrillators across the Moorlands town. David s sister Fiona Meer explained: We originally hoped to support the installation of a defibrillator at the top of Leek Market Place, near to where David was found when he collapsed, adding funds to a project already initiated and partially funded by local town and district councillor Ben Emery. We exceeded the funding for that installation within hours of the donation link going live on the AEDdonate website. Messages of sympathy and further donations poured in from David s former colleagues at Britannia Building Society and The Co-operative Group, classmates from Durham Chorister School, and family and friends from across the UK,

as well as from many far flung places around the world. The final total has enabled us to install four defibrillators at locations selected by Jamie Richards from AEDdonate, David s friend Dave Swarbrook and with support from councillor Emery. We are also very grateful to the local businesses who have offered to accommodate the defibrillators at their premises and undertake the regular checks to ensure they are ready for use when needed. Philippa Thorogood, David s other sister added: Originally from the North East, David moved to Leek to work at Britannia Building Society in the mid-90 s originally on a six week secondment where it turned into over 25 years David quickly settled into Leek life and was a popular figure, instantly recognisable in the local pubs due to his love of brightly-coloured Hawaiian shirts. As a family we have been overwhelmed by the kindness and support of David s friends and colleagues, which was clearly evident at his funeral in February where the streets near St

Luke s Church were lined with friends, socially distanced due to Covid regulations, as the cortege left the church for Macclesfield. The David McNeaney defibrillators are located: in the former phone box on the Market Place, outside Footprints on Sparrow Park, at So Marketing on Broad Street and at the Prince of Wales pub on the Wallbridge estate. Should anyone wish to support the installation of further defibrillators in and around Leek in memory of David, donations can still be made here https://www.aeddonate.org.uk /projects/david-mcneaney/

LEEK TOWN MAYOR

Let s get behind Leek and stay local Leek has a strong community spirit and a growing pride in its place as the Staffordshire Moorlands premier town. The past year has made us all recognise the value of a strong high street and one that has local connections. Yes, there have been casualties on the retail scene and that is certainly a national phenomenon. Many business models have become outdated and for others increased overheads have made them unviable. I often see negative comments online it s all charity shops and tearooms but apart from the important function of charity outlets and some lovely quirky and much-loved teashops Leek has lots of independent shops and suppliers - you just need to look and find them. These are just some of the goods and services from independents who serve our town and the many thousands of folks who live in the villages here in the beautiful Moorlands. These businesses have put their faith in you as they gradually reopen their doors. Bridal shops, traditional and Turkish Barbers, children s clothes and shoes, hardware store, garden centre, chocolatier, bookshops, picture framing, butchers, bakers, fruit and veg shops, menswear, ladies fashion, delicatessens, photography studios, coffee shops, jewellers, shoe repairs, key cutters, phone shops, pet care shops, health food, cycle shop, kitchen and cookware, zero waste food shop, homewares, wool and craft shops, antique and collectables, television shop, boutiques, florists, silversmith, sock shop, ironmongers, heritage

hardware, traditional sweet shops, interiors, curtains and blinds, carpet shops, kitchen studios, glazing and glass, card shops, cake shops, cafes, opticians, hair salons, perfume shop, wine and whiskey, newsagents, travel agency, lingerie shops, pie shops, traditional fish and chips, bottle bars, the incomparable Getliffe s Yard, a champagne bar, a roof top bar, and of course lots of fantastic pubs. Loads of restaurants to suit all tastes, shoe shops, garden machinery, gymnasiums, car parts and accessories, bed shop, tyre bays and car body shops, upholsterers, tattooists and vape shops, and even Panama hats. Add in our Trestle and Butter markets with plants, cards, butchery, fresh fish, farm produce, gifts, vacuum cleaners, Victoriana, doll s houses, household goods, books, jewellery, vintage clothes, furniture, and a local shopper s favourite - Mary s Café. Then there are our regular outdoor markets and of course the hugely popular monthly Sunday Supplement which will reappear this summer. So - love where you live. Let s get behind Leek and stay local, and fully explore the fantastic retail scene right on our doorstep. Here s to a great summer of recovery. Leek Town Mayor Stephen Wales

Snow and spring scenes

e love seeing and publishin g pictures which have been taken by our readers of the local area. Here we have a picture of a snowy Rudyard Lake recently which has been kindly sent in to us by Janine Chell; as well as a lovely photo of a blossom tree by Carlee Kwiatkowski.

HAVE you snapped a scenic photo of Leek or surrounding area lately? Email our Editor Belinda at life@timesandecho.co.uk

READERS PICS

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CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE

Let s enjoy what our town has to offer

ell! What a turbulent and potentially disastrous 12 months the pub trade has had to endure.

They have had the lot thrown at them. Enforced closure, restricted trading, having to install expensive social distancing measures, employ extra staff to serve less customers bringing in even less revenue; these are just some of the things that could have closed down many licensed premises for good. Some larger breweries and pub owning property companies have even had the audacity to still charge their tenants rent payments during this latest closure, knowing full well that a closed pub cannot trade and therefore has no takings or profit at all. Leek is in a better position than most other small and medium sized towns and even some cities, in that most of its pubs and bars are either privately owned family affairs or owned by small independent locally based breweries or property companies who thank goodness have shown some common sense in looking after their hard working publicans. Being privately owned means that the great and diverse array of pubs and bars in town all have the unique ability to adapt and change to the latest Government restrictions and regulations, which are of course intended to keep us all safe from this dreadful coronavirus. I personally feel far more safer siting down in a well-managed and properly run and socially distanced pub than I do for shopping in a

supermarket for instance. But rules are rules and we all have to try to make the best of a bad situation. Although some larger breweries have used this situation to dispose of some of their less profitable pubs and a few others will undoubtedly go to the wall, I have every confidence that the vast majority of Leek s privately owned licensed premises and the pub scene in the wider Moorlands area will bounce back and will be open for normal trading as soon as they are allowed. Some pubs have even shown their own confidence in the future by using the latest government enforced closures to carry out essential refurbishment, upgrades and improvements such as The Blue Mugge and The Fountain; The Roebuck has seen changes to take advantage of the huge outdoor seating area to the rear and Beyond the Pale have finally opened their roof top terrace, which is a first for Leek. So lucky people we shall all be able to enjoy what our town has to offer us locals and the many visitors the pubs attract and will once again be able to remind ourselves why Leek and its vast variety of great pubs have made the town known in regional and national CAMRA circles as: Leek, A Beer festival Everyday. Cheers!

Steve Barton Chair of the Staffordshire Moorlands

PATIENT LOCALITY GROUP

Keeping the patient s voice active

ere is the latest from the Leek & Biddulph Patient Locality Group.

The two vaccination centres for the Primary Care Network in Biddulph and Leek have completed the target of offering Covid vaccinations to all those aged over 50 years old and the clinically vulnerable patients in line with the Government target. They are now concentrating on giving the second doses to these groups. The vaccination of the under 50 s has now started and we are assured that by mid-July all over 18 s will have received the first

dose of vaccine. The vaccination roll out at the Park Medical Centre for patients from the three Leek GP Practices has been extremely well organised with tremendous support from volunteer stewards from the PPG s and many other local people. The vaccination roll out at Biddulph Town Hall has been similarly well organised and well supported by volunteer stewards. The Primary Care Network (PCN) is now providing a much wider service to patients from the five practices. The Pharmacy and Social Prescribing Link Worker teams are now well established and

making an extremely important contribution to patient health and wellbeing. Two occupational therapists and a dietician have recently joined the PCN team and are developing their patient caseloads across the five practices. Patient Locality Group is still meeting as planned but via the internet until the restrictions on face to face meetings are relaxed. Individual Practice Patient Groups are still meeting via the internet and hence keeping the patient s voice active during these difficult times. Some practices need new

LEEK SHOW

Show is set to go on this year

he Leek and District Show committee are keeping their fingers crossed that the easing of lockdown will continue and allow the annual show to take place this year. Preparations are well in hand for the community extravaganza which is scheduled for its usual date of the last Saturday in July, which this year falls on the 31st. Show Chairman, Eddie Sims, said: After the disappointment of last year s cancellation we are all raring to go and give our regular exhibitors and competitors a chance to meet again and keep this longestablished event well and truly on the local calendar. With the full support of our main sponsors Leek United Building Society, and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council as landowners, a full program of rural activities is planned. Further details will be published on the website nearer the time. Keep up to date at: https://leekshow.org.uk.

members for their Patient Groups and if you feel you wish to become involved in supporting the patients in your GP Practice please contact your practice reception or visit the website for information and application form. On the wider health and social care front the formation of the Integrated Care System Board for Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent will facilitate the integration of services at community and secondary care levels. It has been announced the Leek Hospital will become the Primary Care hub for the Moorlands and this we are informed will necessitate the redevelopment of the buildings over the next few years. It is planned that services will be developed at the hub to enable many more investigations and treatments to be carried out closer

to patient s homes than travelling to the secondary / acute hospitals such as Royal Stoke or Stafford County Hospitals. It is a great period of change in the health and social care system and it is essential that the patient s voice is taken into account with these major changes. The first part was the development of Primary Care Networks. In the case of our local PCN the patient s voice is heard and we have developed a meaningful relationship between the PCN and the Patient Locality Group. We now need to develop similar relationships with Secondary care which is implementing the

formation of the Primary Care Hub in Leek. There are many challenges ahead but it is crucial that patients make sure their voice is heard and taken into account by those developing health and care services. Bas Pickering

LEEK ToWN cRIER

Hope is the greatest word known to us

aybe it s the popular thing to do by some to welcome back the beating heart of our

town. But it s the people of this amazing and resilient town that has kept it alive and will rejuvenation with a great flourish like a polar bear coming out of its hibernation after a very sleepy one and comes forth very hungry, looking to eat as much as possible to get back the weight that he has lost over the winter months. I have much love and respect for the people of this town because of their strength of character and their determination to arise from the ashes from the destruction of a pandemic that this world has never seen or experienced before. Here is a cry that I have written as Leek Town Crier, to say to the people of this special town that we live and love in: Hope is the greatest word known to us. Let s take that hope and make it work for all of us now.

Come forth from your homes and work places and make this wonderful place shine again. We can t be beaten and we most certainly won t be. Shop keepers, once again, open your shops and hearts to the people of Leek and show us that you are ready to be a big part of this revival. We have seen lots of people coming forward to help in so many wonderful ways to help all those who have needed help. Some are simple giving, not just their time and effort, but are doing it out of love and compassion for their neighbours. I know that gratitude is felt to these wonderful people, many not seeking public acknowledgement for their deeds but I call upon all those that

have been helped in anyway at all, to shout with me a mighty thank you all for all your love and kindness. You will always be remembered with gratitude from all of us. Bill Lomas Leek Town Crier

LocaL aUTHoR

former Westwood High student has recently released her second illustrated picture book for children. Kathy Tallentire wrote her first book, Nana Duck, in 2017 following the birth of her daughter. She explained: I was reading a book with lots of different ways of saying hello, and I thought it would be fun to have a book that included Ay up. The idea grew from there. Oatcakes and a canal also feature prominently in the story, giving it a real local feel Kathy said: I love where I m from and was proud to capture that in a children s book. Nana Duck was shortlisted for the 2018 Arnold Bennett Prize and the 2017 Wishing Shelf Awards for self-published authors. Kathy, who started to do author visits, continued to provide online classes during the pandemic and states she can not wait to get back into schools once again. Her new release, Rescue Me, is about a puppy

abandoned in a park and what happens to him once he is rescued. Kathy, who lives in Endon, explained: It is a happy story in the end, but Dog does go through some ups and downs on his way to a forever home. Kathy rescued a dog a number of years ago and it had a massive impact on her life. She said: I am so grateful to have found Benji and hope that my book can encourage people to talk about dog rescue with young children. Most of all though, I just want them to enjoy the story and the gorgeous dog illustrations. Kathy doesn t illustrate the books herself, but works alongside illustrators who bring her ideas to life. She said: Despite the pandemic, this is an exciting time for me as I ve launched Rescue Me and am hoping to bring out two more books in 2021. Kathy is currently working with Sarah Croker (the illustrator of Nana Duck) on a new book about a flamboyant flamingo called Felipe. Another illustrator, Becky Stout, is busily creating the artwork for a story of a little bunny s first experience of snow to be released later in the year. Kathy s current books are available on her website at https:/kathytallentire.com where people can also sign up for her newsletter.

FOX AND CROW GALLERY

Supporting the local artist community

he Fox and Crow Gallery is a small independent artisan shop which stocks unique handmade products from ceramics, jewellery, textiles, original art, printmaking, sculptures and much more. The shop is based within the Foxlowe Arts Centre, a delightful and historic listed Georgian building at the top of the marketplace in Leek. They share the ground floor with The Drawing Room Café, which offers a delicious range of food and drink to enjoy, while surrounded by stunning artwork. Creating the perfect experience for a catch up with friends and family. Initially set up in 2019 by Sarah Taylor, Cathey

Yardley, Sarah Higgins and Chris Mayhew and joined later by Sarah Rowley and Val Muir to support other local artists in what was formally known as the Cruso Room. The pandemic has seen many changes, the biggest being that the gallery directors Sarah Taylor and Sarah Rowley now jointly run the gallery, both selling their own work alongside 38 other local artists with some help from jewellery maker Rachel Chadwick. The development of a new website and online shop created by local company Encapsulate Marketing on their behalf, also allowed them to carry on trading whilst closed for lockdown. Sarah said: The website is a fantastic asset to our gallery, getting our local artists work seen nationally as well as locally. We offer both a click and collect service alongside a UK only postal service and have also made local deliveries ourselves where we can throughout lockdown. The aim of the gallery always has and always will be about supporting the local artist community and the shop local/totally locally ethos. The Fox and Crow Gallery also has a shopfront on the Totally locally Leek shop website alongside many other independent businesses.

leek life selfies

Smiles all around W

ith the nation's ongoing battle with Covid-19, there's not been the events or activities taking place within our lovely community where we would normally be out and about snapping pictures of smiley faces. However, we would very much like to still fill the Leek Life Magazine with such pictures and so we now have a lovely feature where we are asking our readers to send in their own 'Leek Life Selfies'. These could be taken anywhere within Leek and surrounding areas, not only showing life in Leek but also showcasing the lovely scenes of our area. Many thanks to those readers who have sent in their Leek Life Selfies for this edition of the Leek Life Magazine. Please email your pictures to be considered for use in our 'Leek Life Selfies' to our editor Belinda at hargreavespr@outlook.com.

Enjoying an early morning spin at the new play area in Brough Park. Photo by Kirsty King

Alexia enjoying the Bluebells in Birches Gardens. Photo by Davina Dracocardos Photo submitted by Sammi Pickering

Joe Walker, aged nine, bottle feeding one of his lambs. Photo by Jane Walker

A social distanced brew at Rudyard. Photo by Michelle Harris

LEEK LIFE SELFIES

for life in Leek Family walk at Tittesworth. Photo by Alice Leather

Having the opportunity to meet a newborn lamb, whilst visiting Paddocksforpaws on dog exercise. Photo by Kirsty King

Fiki and Tobes. Photo by Alice Leather

Emelia and Harry. Photo submitted by Wendy Tomkinson

Joseph saying a birthday hello to his grandparents, through the window, due to lockdown. Photo by Michelle Harris

history

local historian has officially unveiled a plaque which has been put in place to honour an historic site.

The Blue Plaque, which has been unveiled at the retirement complex Portland Grange in Leek, has been put in place to commemorate the site s long history as a former silk mill. The Portland Grange Retirement Living development on Portland Street is located on the site of Portland Mill - a textiles mill which for over 150 years was owned and operated by multiple generations of the Worthington family. A domestic silk industry was established in Leek by the 1670s with silk buttons as the staple trade. Leek s thriving silk industry continued to develop in the 19th century when several silk mills were built. AJ Worthington's Portland Mill was one of them making silk sewing threads, braids, cords, bindings and trimmings and later, parachute cords during the Second World War. Ensuring that the history of AJ Worthington s iconic Portland Mill building, was not lost, the design of Portland Grange incorporates a number of original features of the building including parts of the original façade and bridge. The Blue Plaque, located on the main entrance to the development recognises the Worthington

family s contribution to the town as well as commemorating the hundreds of people who worked there. The plaque was recently unveiled by local historian Cathryn Walton, whose grandfather spent time working at the mill. Cathryn said: I was thrilled to have been invited to unveil this plaque to commemorate the history of this important Leek landmark. The mill holds a special place in my heart as my grandfather, Horace Pickford, worked there as a braid tenter. He delighted in showing us the intricately woven braids, produced on the braid machines and I feel honoured that he and so many hundreds of other mill workers will be remembered in this way." John Russell, vice chairman of the Leek and District Civic Society said: We appreciate the decision to install this plaque on a building that has played such an important part in our town s history. We place a huge importance on remembering the mill and the people who worked there and this plaque is tribute to that. Fiona Brooks, Regional Sales and Marketing Director for McCarthy Stone, the development company which built the retirement complex, added: Ensuring that we retained as much of the history of the mill building was very important to us and with the unveiling of this plaque we hope to keep that history alive for our homeowners and the people of Leek for many years to come.

FUNDRAISING

Leek teacher is putting her best feet forward all in aid of charity.

Liz Salmon is currently walking a total of 874 miles - the distance between Lands End and John O Groats within her local community. She has decided to take on the energetic challenge to raise lots of cash for the Dougie Mac Hospice. Liz explained her journey: At 10pm on New Year s Eve last year, I signed up, slightly on the spur of the moment, to the End To End Land s End to John O Groats (LEJOG) challenge, having been inspired by a friend who had already started the challenge in 2020. The aim is to virtually walk or run the length of the UK, 874 miles, in 12 months or less. I decided to walk this challenge with the aim of raising money. A good friend of mine chose the charity for me, our local adult hospice, the Douglas Macmillan, as her husband, who has very sadly recently passed away, was receiving in-home care from this fantastic charity. I set myself the aim of completing the distance by the end of 2021 by walking to and from work every day plus doing longer walks at the weekend. I also set myself an additional target of walking at least one mile every day. So on January 1st, I set off early morning and ended up walking eight miles, all locally, which was the longest walk I d done in years. By the end of January I d walked 100 miles so I brought my completion date target forward to the end of September, which also coincides with my birthday. At the time of writing this in mid-April, I have walked just over halfway (445 miles) and

most importantly have raised almost £1,400 for Dougie Mac. Every dayy I log my virtual miles on the End To o End map which allows me to see where I have h walked lk d tto - att th the momentt I m in the Lake District, not far from Gretna Green. I am loving this challenge. I really enjoy my walk to and from work every day, I enjoy listening to Podcasts and I enjoy the bit of me time it gives me. My daily walk has really helped to keep me positive throughout this winter s lockdown and I shall definitely carry on with my daily walks after this challenge is complete - I ve already modified this challenge to include the return walk from John O Groats so my new aim is now to walk 1,748 miles before the end of December. I would like to thank Diane who runs a local business called Ladies Love Walking who has been my (socially distanced) walking guide most weekends this year - she is helping me to discover the beautiful area in which we are so lucky to live. If anyone would like to help me to achieve my ultimate fundraising aim of £2,000, please use the link below to donate. To make a donation to Liz s cause, go online to: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lizsalmon. HAVE you taken on a challenge for charity? Email our editor Belinda at hargreavespr@outlook.com.

COMMUNITY LITTER PICK

We love Leek and Leek now loves you

new community initiative is helping to keep our Moorlands town of Leek clean and tidy.

The first mass community litter pick which was organised by the team behind Love Where You Live Leek took place on Valentine s Day in February, while a second took place over the Easter weekend in April. Here we have some pictures from the debut litter pick which saw 323 of the 435 streets in Leek being covered with a total of 73 bin bags of rubbish being collected. The Love Where You Live Leek initiative was set up by partners in grime Alan Fletcher and Sammi Pickering and has involved many residents across the town.

Sammi told the Leek Life Magazine: It s been really amazing. Such great community spirit. I want to thank Alan for letting me come on board and be a partner in grime, as well as thank each and everyone who has taken part. She added: Everyone who has taken part should feel good because they re all amazing Leek folk with fantastic community spirit. Sammi and her friends are continuing to litter pick on their daily walks, Sammi added: Once the sunshine arrives, we would love to see lots more people helping to keep our town tidy. We love Leek and Leek now loves you. To keep up to date on the community litter pick days, go online to: https://www.facebook.com/lovewhereyoulivelee k.

COMMUNITY LITTER PICK

DYERS DEN

rganisers of a competition for start-up entrepreneurs in Staffordshire Moorlands have decided to delay the launch due to Covid-19 but are adamant that it will go ahead later in the year. The Dyer s Den competition, which first took place in 2019, rewards a deserving business or entrepreneur, who have been trading for less than three years, with a prize worth £5,000 in cash and business services. The competition is the idea of Jed Eatough, director of Leek based LSGK Accountants Ltd. It is sponsored by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, Staffordshire Moorlands Chamber of Commerce, Tinsdills Solicitors, The Capture Factory, Moorland Contract Group, Moorlands Radio, Cathy Bower Photography and Mark Brammar Associates. Jed said: We had planned to launch in February and judge in April but with the ongoing lockdown we felt it was only right to delay the launch to later in the year. As an accountant and a small business owner

I am acutely aware of the effect the pandemic has had on business. However, it was the view of all the supporters and sponsors that the competition was important because it highlights the resilience of small businesses and it will provide a positive boost to celebrate this spirit later in the year. When we get to the judging process, we will be looking for innovative and original businesses and also ways in which a business may have pivoted to adapt to the new business landscape. The prize is made up of £750 in cash, financial and legal advice packages, membership of the Chamber of Commerce, photography, a website, a radio advertisement campaign and mentoring. There will also be a £250 cash prize for the runner up. For more information on the competition visit www.dyersdencompetition.co.uk

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GARDEN WILDLIFE

Dunnock not a sparrow! H ere is a new addition to our Leek Life Magazine, written by yet another local contributor.

This time it is all about the wildlife we can find in our gardens and it has been kindly submitted by Leek resident Steve Woods who has an interest in nature and photography. He said: The last 12 months I have been mainly working from home and this has focused my attention on my garden and everything that visits on a regular basis - which is much more than many people, myself included, expected. Here s Steve s first column about what we may be seeing and what to look out for in our gardens or the immediate surrounding green area. If you are a similar age to me, you may remember a chart hit from 1979 by a group of kids from a junior school called The Ramblers. The song was titled The Sparrow and included the lines: I m only a poor little sparrow, no colourful feathers have I. Well, I feel this song did no favours for the Dunnock. It relayed to everyone that Sparrows are boring little birds, seen regularly and not deserving of a second glance. All too often, lumped in with sparrows and therefore equally overlooked is the Dunnock. Disparagingly described as an LBJ in the birding world. I think the Dunnock is far from another Little Brown Job the term used to describe those small brown birds that tend to be difficult to readily

identify. To dismiss the Dunnock so easily is a mistake. It is a bird you will have seen in your garden but have probably dismissed as a Sparrow. It requires a little effort to spot this beauty but once you have done so, you will be amazed how often you will check out that Sparrow, just to make sure it isn t a Dunnock. So where do you look in your garden to find this beautiful little bird? Typically, look down. The Dunnock prefers the ground. You may spot it nervously darting around under shrubs, trying to stay out of the spotlight, looking for beetles, spiders and caterpillars. They regularly appear under birdfeeders, clearing up the floor as the more glamorous Finches and Tits fail to mind their manners, dropping crumbs as they dine at the top table on fancy nuts and seeds. What do they look like? As the pictures show, they are lacking in striking colours but are still incredibly beautiful. Look for a chestnut brown streaked back together with bluish grey underparts and face. Also, focus on the bill. A Dunnock has a thin pointed bill compared to the Sparrow that has a much fatter bill. So next time you look out your kitchen window, consider whether you are indeed looking at a poor little Sparrow or as may be the case, a beautiful Dunnock. Experience tells me that once you have noticed the difference for the first time, you will never dismiss a Sparrow in the same way again. Steve Woods

JOKE TIME

Comic re-leaf for Springtime

ere our local Jester Chris Sproston, shares with us some of his jokes focusing on Springtime:

POETRY

Circus of Clouds

he arena is God's sky, with puffs like great white elephants passing by.

A ring master's whip is the thunder roll, while the lighting flashes form a back cloth of gold. Then clowns come out with the dancing breeze, to scurry across the sky and freeze. Their mood is changing and the tears come down, with darker skies and the sodden ground.

The later twinkling stars start to appear, to form a spotlight cold and clear. That heralds in the Fairy Queen, the most beautiful light ever seen. A moon silver ray with deepest hue, wrapped in a gown of midnight blue. White horses of sleep will carry us away, while the circus rests for another day. Brenda Pascall Leek

leek u3a

Learn, Laugh and Live with Leek U3A

he U3A is generally for people not in full time employment and is primarily for educational, creative, leisure and sporting/keep fit purposes. It is a registered charity and is a not for profit organisation run be unpaid volunteers. Established in 1995, Leek U3A now has over 1,000 members with over 80 different classes or groups ranging from Badminton to Bridge, Creative Writing to Crochet, Family History to Folk Dancing plus many more besides. A U3A spokesman said: All our activities have a social dimension which can be particularly relevant to single person households the U3A motto is Learn, Laugh and Live. We mainly operate from Norton House and the Watson Centre in South Bank Street plus

various other venues in Leek including Brough Park Leisure Centre. They added: Some of our U3A groups have continued throughout lockdown virtually, and some have restarted already. But we expect all groups will be back up to speed by the end of June but some groups usually shut during summer anyway so they may wait until September. Annual membership for the Leek U3A is £15 and the per session charges are normally £1. Non Members can attend a taster session for free but are advised to check availability of spaces with the leader as some groups can be full up. For further information, call 07973 416194 or go online to: www.u3asites.org.uk/leek.

Quizzes compiled by Paul Steele - email: pnsteele@aol.com. Paul's 'Which One?' quiz game is available on Amazon.

quiz corner

General Knowledge Answers: 1 Lady Gaga 2 Buttons 3 Driving Licence 4 Jenna Coleman 5 Blackberry and Raspberry 6 Charlotte 7 Wensleydale 8 Brothers Grimm 9 Minari 10 Somerset 11 N 12 Wayne Rooney 13 Mr Benn 14 Mary, Queen of Scots 15 It was the ship that got stuck in the Suez Canal 16 Sutton Hoo 17 Great Ouse 18 1947 (at Westminster Abbey) 19 First woman to referee a Football League match 20 Brutus

NSPCC

undraising during lockdown has been particularly difficult for many charities and it has been up to local fundraisers to rack their brains and come up with new ideas which actually work. And the local branch of the NSPCC have been successful in doing just that. Sue Wardle, NSPCC Branch Chair for North Staffordshire said: It is very difficult to keep asking people for donations, especially by email or social media, when you can't see them face to face, but thankfully the Leek and Moorlands area has some very generous supporters and we have done very well, despite the restrictions imposed on us. Our Leek committee managed to raise over £9,000 during the year 2020/21 with various virtual events and sponsored walks, which is amazing. Leek and Moorlands NSPCC usually holds a quiz and supper at Leek Cricket Club at least once a year and had their last one cancelled, last March, due to the impending spread of Coronavirus and lockdown. So for their Easter fundraiser, they emailed personal contacts a set of 50 quiz questions and asked for a minimum donation of £4, which is the cost of answering a Childline call. They also used social media to get their appeal to as many people as possible. Their target was £1,000 and to this date they have raised over £1,400 and there is more in the pipeline. Sue also had a request for the people of Leek and wider area: The NSPCC has a special day coming up on Friday June 11, which is called Childhood Day. We are hoping that this will be an annual event and will be a date for everyone s diary each year. We are hoping that all schools, nurseries and

playgroups will take part and organise an awareness day and possible a small fundraiser. Wouldn t it be wonderful if all schools organised something for this special day and got their children and parents involved? There is an activity pack available from the NSPCC website which has lots of lovely ideas for a Childhood Day based on play. It costs nothing to sign up and helps spread awareness of the wonderful work that the NSPCC does, all year round, in protecting vulnerable children in the UK. Other people might like to organise something simple like a sponsored walk around Rudyard Lake, or a fun run in their local park, or a small coffee morning with a cake sale. The possibilities are endless and every bit helps protect children, some of whom have suffered very badly during lockdown. Sue can be contacted on 01782 550258 or at checkleysue@aol.com if you are interested in discussing fundraising in any way for the NSPCC. For further information about the NSPCC Childhood Day, go online to https://www.nspcc.org.uk/support-us/eventsfundraising/childhood-day.

gardening

Bearded Irises the ultimate showstoppers

very May and June I am bewitched by the sheer flamboyance and beauty of the bearded irises in the borders of gardens I visit. The large, showy blooms come in many colours and it s a shame that we don t have smelly-vision as most are sweetly scented. They are called bearded because of the line of hairs on the lower petals (the falls ). These beards are often in a contrasting colour to the petal and act like runway lights to guide bees to the nectar and pollen. Iris is a large, varied family and it is one where you need to know exactly which type you are planting: some grow in water and some in deserts. Bearded irises are no exception and it is important to give them the right conditions if you want them to thrive and flower. They grow from a knobbly rhizome a sort of modified root. These need to be planted so that they are not completely buried maybe halfway up their thickness. They like a sunny spot: this year s sun makes next year s flowers. When planted in the shade or with their rhizomes buried, they struggle to flower. The ground must be free draining as they will rot in claggy, soggy soils: add grit below the rhizomes if your soil is moist and forget about growing them if it s boggy there are plenty of other types of iris you can grow. You can plant pot-grown bearded iris at any time but often nurseries supply them bare rooted as they are difficult to keep nice in a pot. There are many hundreds of varieties in a range of heights and colours to choose from.

The flowering season starts in late April with the very dwarf varieties. These are less than 16in or 40cm tall and best suited for a rockery. Next come the Intermediates (16in 28 / 4070cm) that flower from early May. Then later in May the tall, bearded types (28-48 / 70-120cm) and these have the showiest flowers. After flowering you can cut the flower stems off as close to the rhizome as possible using a sharp, sterile knife since leaving them on can cause rotting of the plants. Bearded irises are tough, drought tolerant plants very well suited to modern as well as traditional gardens looking equally as good as drifts or as single, statement plants and with so many heights and colours to choose from there s no reason why every sunny garden shouldn t have some. Janet and I run Plant Hunters Fairs, specialist plant fairs at wonderful locations offering special reduced entry rates on the plant fair dates. Plant Fair dates for your 2021 diary: Adlington Hall, Macclesfield: (SK10 4LF) on Sunday, May 9, Garden and Fair entrance £4. The Dorothy Clive Garden (TF9 4EU) on Friday, May 21 and Saturday, May 22, Garden and Fair entrance £4 (usually £9). Entry to all these fairs is by advance ticket only. Please see www.planthuntersfairs.co.uk for links to purchase tickets online. Martin Blow

FITNESS

Does anxiety stop you from using the gym?

t s pretty safe to say that all of these lockdown s have had some sort of effect on a lot of people s mental health.

This could be low moods, being irritable or feelings of anxiety around certain situations. Lockdown has effectively put us into a bubble and there are people out there who are now finding it difficult to return back to situations that they once enjoyed, especially the gym. Does this sound like you or somebody you know? I have found that those people s perceptions of what they expect to find is far removed from reality, so let s try and clear up some of these misconceptions. The first thing to remember is that you are not alone. Gym-based anxiety is on the increase amongst both seasoned gym goers and new starters. I can t personally vouch for every gym in the area, but in my experience, gym staff are very empathetic towards everyone and have worked hard to install a positive and happy training environment. Lots of gyms offer free inductions to help you familiarise yourself with the surroundings and how the equipment works. It s priceless and extremely valuable knowledge. I offer these free inductions myself at Cave Fitness on Mondays between 4pm and 8pm. Feel free to message the Cave Fitness Facebook page and book an appointment. Another very common worry is that you are not fit enough to use a gym. This is extremely common amongst new starters and has crept in on even the more seasoned lifters. I find that this is a body confidence issue.

Let me clear this one up for you straight away. Gyms are not like you see in movies, with beautiful Greek Gods and Goddesses gracefully bicep curling in the mirrors 24/7. Of course you will see people like that from time to time. They need the gym to build and maintain their fitness and physiques. But they are the minority. In general a gym floor looks like any public space with people of all different body types. The important thing to remember is that everyone has to start somewhere and gym-goers understand this. We all once had and still remember that first day at school feeling. People who use the gym are instantly united in a common goal. To better themselves. It doesn t matter if you are on day one or day 828 of your journey. The moment you walk through the doors, you become part of one of the most positive cultures on the planet. It s the same mutual respect that you will find going to see your favourite sports team or being in a public place of worship. It s very much a judgement-free zone. In conclusion the gym offers a safe secure environment where you can work towards your fitness goals and maybe even make new friends along the way. Our industry has a firm grasp on how intimidating it can feel initially and we are there to support you every step of the way. I m sure I speak for everyone when I say, we hope to see you soon. JP Body Transformation Coach

TALES FROM THE PAST

A victim of celebrity

848 is called by historians the year of Revolution as civil unrest swept through Europe. Major cities saw violence directed at oppressive regimes in Berlin, Warsaw, Paris and Prague as well as other centres of population. In Britain the last great Chartist demonstration took place in London with large crowds demanding political reform including the right to vote. It was in Ireland that the authorities feared that a popular uprising against British rule would occur in the wake of the Irish Potato famine which killed about one million and led to another one million leaving the country. One of the leaders of the demonstration was an Irish MP William Smith O Brien a leader of the Young Ireland movement who was keen to promote the Irish language with the ultimate goal of independence and freedom from the British Crown. It was Smith O Brien who designed the Irish tricolour uniting the orange and green traditions in Ireland. On 29 July 1848, O'Brien and other young Irelanders led landlords and tenants in a rising in three counties in central Ireland, with an almost bloodless battle against police at Ballingarry, County Tipperary. He escaped but was recognised by a railway guard William Hulme of White Chimneys near Leek who with a police officer arrested Smith O Brien. Hulme took a loaded revolver off the Irishman at Thurles Railway Station. The young man from North Staffordshire instantly became a national celebrity as the popular press endeavoured to find out more about Hulme. He was in his late 20s and had been a policeman in Manchester. He had also worked at Manchester Victoria before moving to Ireland earlier in 1848 to work on the Limerick to Thurles line. Hulme had a mother who lived in Leek. Because of his role in capturing the principle

O'Brien being arrested rebel, Hulme was given a reward of £500 by the Home Secretary Sir George Grey and left Ireland as it was thought his life was threatened if he remained. (£500 is the equivalent of £60,000 in 2021). He returned to Leek and was feted by his friends in the town. Smith O Brien went on trial for his life at the Old Bailey, was spared the death penalty and was transported to Tasmania. Eventually his sentence was commuted and he returned to Britain although he was never politically active again. A statue to him stands in O Connell St in Dublin alongside other leaders of Irish nationalism such as Parnell and O Connell. Hulme s end was sad. He was dead by the age of 28 in November 1849. It is suggested that he drank himself to death resulting from his windfall. Bill Cawley Local Historian

COMPETITION

WIN tickets to see The Floyd Effect

ith theatre shows set to make a very welcome comeback here we take a look at one show which is coming up at the Buxton Opera House. There are tribute bands and then there are tribute bands with members who have worked with the likes of David Bowie, Janet Jackson, Jon Bon Jovi, Brian Adams and Keith Emerson, and others who have performed on Broadway and in the Royal Albert Hall, The Floyd Effect isn t just a bunch of enthusiasts who love the music of Pink Floyd, it s a band of the highest calibre that loves the music of Pink Floyd. The Floyd Effect will be returning in 2021 with their show The Dark Side Of Reason, which will feature a complete, unbroken performance of the iconic Dark Side Of The Moon as well as tracks from seminal albums including Wish You Were Here and The Wall. Renowned for the remarkable accuracy

with which it performs the Pink Floyd canon, The Floyd Effect faithfully recreates the music and intensity of a Pink Floyd concert without recourse to racks of computers and other technological wizardry. Each performance is a genuine live event supported by a dramatic light show that incorporates the iconic circular screen together with two sets of projections that make it a powerful and emotional experience. Sit back and enjoy The Floyd Effect as the band takes you on a journey through the music of Pink Floyd. Unless you were there the first time around, it was never as real as this. The Floyd Effect The Dark Side of Reason is here on Saturday, September 25, 2021 at 7.30pm. For further information and to purchase tickets contact Buxton Opera House Box Office on 01298 72190 or go on;line to: www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk

We have teamed up with The Buxton Opera House to offer one of our readers a pair of tickets to see The Floyd Effect on Saturday, September 25. To be in with a chance of winning the pair of tickets, just answer this question: What is the name of the show which The Floyd Effect will be bringing to the Buxton Opera House in September? Your answer................................................... .. Your name.......................................................... Your address................................................... ........................................................................... Your day time contact number........................... Post entries to: The Floyd Effect Competition, Times & Echo, 18 Tape Street, Cheadle, Staffordshire. ST10 1BD. Entries must arrive by 10am on July 6, 2021. Leek Life Magazine and the Buxton Opera House both reserve the right to change or cancel this competition at any time.

local author

Debut book for former librarian

former Leek librarian has published her debut children s book.

Moorlands resident Sue Brunt, who writes under the name Nanny Sue, has brought her love of teaching children to read to life, in the tale of Jack, The Pirate with a Secret. Sue said of her debut book: It s been thrilling to see the book come into print and to already be enjoyed by so many children. I ve taught children to read and foster a love of learning through books and stories for many years, and I ve always wanted to write for children. My tale of Jack The Pirate with a Secret follows my own thirst for adventure. I ve experienced storms at sea, just like Jack does in the story. I ve taken part in a pirate adventure on a galleon while on holiday in Mexico, and I ve swum alongside stingrays, barracuda and nurse sharks as a scuba diver. I m always eager to do the extraordinary, just as Jack does in the story. Sue, who is a retired primary school teacher and former librarian at Leek Library, has seen her book travelling across the world to Italy

where former Moorlands teacher Stephen Ryder is using it in his classes at Bambi e Bimbi Scuola school in Verona. Sue has also received a letter from Downing Street about her book after she sent a copy to PM Boris Johnson. Jack, The Pirate with a Secret is available to buy online from Amazon.

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reflections coaching

Adapting again D uring the last 12 months or more, we have all seen many changes and we have had to adapt to living differently in so many ways. I have been working from home, seeing clients over the internet and selling my jewellery online only. But as we follow Boris roadmap, I m finally welcoming clients back on a face-to-face basis, returning to the office and eagerly awaiting the news that the artisan markets will open again. All this has been a bit like the hokey-cokey. Stay at home, go outdoors, eat outside, have a scotch egg with your alcohol, stay away from the pubs, stay indoors and now finally local shops and eateries are opening and things do feel like they re getting back to a (new) normal. Personally, I am finding it tough. It means multiple changes and that is not always going to be easy. Even stupid little things like driving my car any distance for the first time in three months made me a little nervous. Certainly going back into the shops, wondering what the individual shop s etiquette is for queuing has caused some stress. Change affects us all in different ways, and it is often accompanied by anxiety, shock or frustration, however its inevitability means that acceptance is the path of least resistance. My approach to this is simple and you will be able to adapt it for your own needs. I take life in small chunks, little steps that get me a little closer to where I need to be, just as I would if I was setting myself goals. So if the thought of going to the supermarket is just too much, I settle with going to a small local shop, just to get used to the idea. Driving to Stoke was only tackled after several small trips around Leek, oh and recharging the car battery. As to be expected, I have lots to say on this

subject, and 500 or so words never quite enough but I blog regularly about change, the change curve and lots more handy tips, all available to view for free online, just pop the word change into the search box at: http://reflectionscoaching.co.uk/reflections-blog/ I m always here to help with goals, motivation and dealing with change no matter how large or small, simply give me a call on 07714 216388 and we can have a chat (outdoors if you wish) or zoom to see if I can help. I am a Creative Freedom coach and author of Don t Just Dream It Achieve It! (A great way to kickstart those goals) is available from my online shop at: https://carolyntraffordart.ecwid.com/Dont-JustDream-It-Achieve-It-Book-p196854491)

CAROLYN TRAFFORD Reflections Coaching Contact details: 07714 216388. Email: Caro@reflectionscoaching.co.uk.. www.reflectionscoaching.co.uk

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