ISSUE 49
£2 WHERE SOLD
Life
ISSUE 49
Editor s Letter ...................................3 Local Author .....................................4 Leek Twinning...................................4 Buxton & Leek College ......................6 Reader s Pics ...................................10 Patient Locality Group ....................10 Leek Town Mayor ............................11 What s On ........................................12 Heart Mind Body Advertsing Feature..... .......................................14 Rooftop Studios ...............................16 Leek Life Selfies...............................18 Woman s Institute ...........................19 Leek Blues & Americana Festival....20 London Marathon............................21 Music & Community Events.............21
Fund-raising ...................................22 Centre Stage Theatre Company.......22 Joke Time........................................23 Fundraising Stalwart.......................23 Poetry ..............................................24 Quiz Corner .....................................24 Gardening........................................25 Campaign For Real Ale. ..................26 Garden Nature.................................26 Tales From The Past........................27 Alton Towers Half Marathon...........29 Leek U3A.........................................29 Health And Fitness.........................30 Reflections Coaching.......................32 Scouting...........................................32 Financial Matters............................34
EDITOR S LETTER
RIP to such an inspirational character
W 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
e, at the Leek Life Magazine, always like to fill our editions packed with all things celebratory and helping to promote our lovely town of Leek. But, on this occasion, I am starting this letter with sorrow, that of the very sad passing of Marcus Birks a friend to many in our town and further afield; a chap who turned his life around to become an international music star alongside his wife Lis. A character so full of life, with such drive and passion for his work, his family, and for helping and inspiring others. My thoughts are with Marcus family at this very sad time, and also with anyone who has lost a loved one due to this awful pandemic. Moving onto a lighter note, as always we have tried our best to fill this edition of the Leek Life Magazine with celebratory and positive stories and features, and, even with a pandemic continuing, there sure is still such stories to tell about in our lovely market town of Leek. We have several features all about local folk who are doing their bit to raise much-needed funds for charity, most who
have taken on an energetic challenge to do so. We also have news of what s coming up for us to enjoy this Autumn, in particular with Centre Stage Theatre Company set to tread the boards once more, and the return of the ever-growing Leek Blues & Americana Festival. We also have our lovely feature of Leek Life Selfies. Thank you to all who have contributed to this feature, which is one of my favourites in the magazine as it s all about you you lovely folk of Leek. And once again, we also have so many wonderful columns written by a variety of folk from within our market town thank you, as always, to you all for taking the time to share your experiences and wisdom in your fields. Happy reading everyone and if you have a story to tell about life in Leek please do get in touch with me at hargreavespr@outlook.com Until next time take care!
Front cover photo by Brett Trafford Photography www.bretttrafford.com
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Brett has produced another stunning calender for 2022 using some of his latest creations taken around the Staffordshire Moorlands. To purchase a copy for £7.50, go online to www.bretttrafford.com/store.
Your local independent hearing specialist HERE AT RIDGWAYS WE OFFER:
WE ARE ABLE TO FIT HEARING AIDS FROM ANY SUPPLIER
OPENING TIMES: Monday to Saturday - by appointment, Sunday - closed
READER S PICS
Beautiful scenes of the Moorlands
W
hat a most lovely area of Middle England we live in! Isn t it just fantastic to be able take a quick drive, or in some cases even a walk, out of town, to be instantly greeted by the luscious green countryside of the Moorlands? Here we have some fantastic photos of our Moorlands scenery which have been kindly sent in to us by some of our readers. Have you snapped a stunning local scene recently? Email your pictures to news@timesandecho.co.uk.
PATIENT LOCALITY GROUP
Please be patient and polite with your GP practice
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t is pleasing to report that the Patient Locality Group for Leek and Biddulph is continuing to meet via the internet as it is unlikely that we will be able to meet face to face on NHS premises until possibly November due to the continued need to protect staff and patients from Covid infection. Many patients are complaining that they cannot see their GP face to face and do miss this contact. The facts are that due to the pressure on GP practices due to shortages of GP s new methods of working were introduced by NHS England in April 2020 just as the Covid-19 lockdown started. To try and ease the pressure and enable GP s to deal with more appointments
telephone triage, telephone consultations and video consultations were introduced. This coupled with the restrictions introduced to NHS premises because of Covid meant that many patients have not wanted to bother their GP with minor health issues during the various lockdowns. The net result is that in June 2021 there was a 26 per cent increase in the number of GP appointments (77,509) in Northern Staffordshire over June 2020. The local practices are endeavouring to see patients face to face where the GP considers it essential and no doubt over the coming months a more balanced situation will develop as more patients adapt to the new ways of dealing with their GP.>>
LEEK TOWN MAYOR
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ince the Mayoral election in May this year, I have been determined to meet with as many people as possible, initially under necessary restrictions and latterly, becoming a little more relaxed though still cautious and respectful of individuals preferences. It is heartwarming to meet with Leek people and those who visit us and remind us how lovely our town and surrounding countryside is, sometimes we forget. If lockdown taught me anything it s to appreciate what we have on our doorstep, and the people in our lives and in our community. It has been a pleasure to welcome new businesses to Leek centre and we all wish them well. Having unique shops supported by Totally Locally ensures our town thrives. We must support this effort by spending our money locally where we can. If we don t use it, we lose it. Over several months maintenance of our towns assets has been under discussion, instigated by my predecessor, working collaboratively with Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and our Town Council. There is now a Leek Town Mayor councillor plan of work Lyn Swindlehurst underway to spruce up our town. You will notice painting work, pressure washing and refurbishment of the unique Victorian lamp in the market square that is stunning, especially in the evening.
Of course the main asset we have in Leek is its residents. There have been thousands of hours dedicated by people amongst us volunteering to support each other initially in lockdown, but this continues and seems to grow. I thank everyone who gives support to others in whatever way, most sincerely. One of our town assets is the talented people amongst us. Artists musicians, gardeners, and of course, our Town Crier, the list is endless. For me, having live music back in Leek is wonderful. One date for our diary is the October Blues and Americana Festival. The organisers work tirelessly to ensure we can enjoy world class music, much of it free, welcoming residents and visitors alike. I am seeking help from individuals and groups in supporting my two chosen charities this year. Both charities are local initiatives, Family First who are a national charity but with local projects to support families, and Borderland Voices, a Leek based charity who support people with mental health issues through the arts. There are many families and individuals who have struggled as a result of the pandemic, making these groups vital. There is endless enthusiasm and commitment within our town that shows in its warmth, humour and collectiveness. I am proud to represent the town in any way as Mayor. Please contact me if I can do anything to support you.
<<As most people are aware the Covid vaccination programme is continuing with the vulnerable young people and those aged 16/17 now being called for their first vaccination. The Moorlands have a very high percentage of the population (over 88 per cent) are vaccinated particularly those over 50 years old but there are still significant numbers of those under 50 who have not taken up the vaccine. It is interesting to note that some of the younger people who are unvaccinated have been admitted to intensive care with Covid and it is these unvaccinated people who are putting a load on the hospital services. Thanks to the volunteers supporting NHS staff for their invaluable help in enabling the PCN to achieve the high level of uptake of the vaccine across the age groups. The reorganisation of the management of Health and Social Care across Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent is continuing but the actual Board structures are still being defined as the Parliamentary Bill is now at the committee
stage, and until it achieves the third reading the actual detail will not be finalised. The new structures are due to be implemented from April 2022. The Primary Care Network of GP Practices across Leek and Biddulph is continuing to develop the services provided across all practices and there are now five Pharmacists, one Pharmacy Technician, three Social Prescribers, two Occupational Therapists, Dietician and Mental Health Practitioner. These professionals have caseloads to support patients closer to home with their individual care plans and obtain external support where appropriate based on the patients none medical needs. This broadening of the services via the GP practices should reduce the need for many patients to travel away from their home to hospitals and clinics in Stoke. Please help your GP practice reception staff by being patient and polite when trying to obtain an appointment, their job is far from stress free.
Leek Town Mayor councillor Lyn Swindlehurst 07870 604739 lynswindlehurst2 @hotmail.co.uk
WHAT S ON
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t s most certainly fantastic that community events and activities are making a welcome comeback.
Here s just some of what s coming up in our area. Please note that the information in this feature was correct at the time of print but all events are subject to change. Please check with the venues for updates. Do you have a public/community event coming up which you would like to appear in our What s On feature? Email what, when, where, etc, to our Editor Belinda at hargreavespr@outlook.com. Saturday, September 11: Totally Locally Leek Scarecrow Trail. Running for a week. Details and maps: www.totallylocallyleek.com.
Saturday, September 11: Vagabond Sunn at The Silk Mill, Market Street, Leek. Admission £3 on the door.
Thursday, September 16: Flower Festival at St Matthew s Church, Meerbrook. Running until September 21. Details: Meerbrook Church Events on Facebook.
Friday, September 17: Pie & Peas and Chinese Auction at Haregate Community Centre, Queens Drive, Leek.
Saturday, September 18: Family Day in Leek town centre between 10.30am and 2.30pm. Hosted by Leek Town
Council. With live music around the streets, and the Moorlands Radio stage, plus performances and children s workshops by Circus in a Box between 11am and 2pm.
Wednesday, November 3: History Live at Warslow Village Hall. With The Railway from Matlock to Buxton by Glynn Waite. Details: www.historylive.co.uk.
Wednesday, September 29: Leek Blues & Americana Festival. Running until Sunday, October 3. Five days, 20 venues, 70 plus artists. Details www.leekblues.co.uk
Wednesday, October 6: History Live at Warslow Village Hall. With Calke Abbey and the Harpur Crewes by Eric Wood and Margaret Black. Details: www.historylive.co.uk.
Saturday, October 9: An Evening with Former England Captain Michael Vaughan at Ashcombe Cricket Club, Cheddleton. Tickets and further details: apccofficial@outlook.com.
Friday, November 26: The Polar Express at Churnet Valley Railway. Running on a variety of dates through until December 23. Details: www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.u k/polar-express-train-ride.
Saturday, December 4: Christmas Craft Fair at Haregate Community Centre, Queens Drive, Leek. 11am-3pm.
Saturday, December 4: Together at Christmas at 7.30pm at Trinity Church, Derby Street, Leek. With the Wetley Rocks Male Voice Choir and Leek Musical Theatre Company.
Christmas Fayre at Keatesy s Boxing Academy, Cruso Street, Leek. 10am-2.30pm.
Wednesday, December 8: History Live at Warslow Village Hall. With The Victorians & The Christmas Season by Dany Wells. Details: www.historylive.co.uk.
WHAT S ON Friday, December 10: A Lark in Leek at Leek Cricket Club, Macclesfield Road. With Alun Cochrane, Lloyd Griffith, and Aaron Simmonds. Advance tickets £16.50.
Wednesday, September 29:
Thursday, October 28:
Jerry Joseph part of the Leek Blues & Americana Festival. Music. Tickets £14. Doors 7.15pm for 8pm .
Attila the Stockbroker . Music. Tickets £10. Doors 7.15pm for 8pm start.
Friday, November 12: Friday, October 1 :
What s On at the Foxlowe Arts Centre Discoveries by the Midland Textile Forum. Running in the main Foxlowe Art Gallery until October 1. Gallery is open Wednesday to Saturday, between 10am and 4pm. Plus creations by Pauline Simcock are on display in the Foxlowe s Drawing Room Cafe until September 11.
Friday, September 10 : hina Crisis Music. Tickets £22.50. Doors open at 7.30pm. Saturday, September 11: Stephen Bailey: Can t Be Bothered. Comedy. Tickets £14. Doors 7.15pm for 8pm.
Son of Dave part of the Leek Blues & Americana Festival. Music. Tickets £12.50. Doors 7.15pm for 8pm.
Saturday, October 2: Ian Siegal part of the Leek Blues & Americana Festival. Music. Tickets £14. Age 14 and over. Doors 7pm for 7.30pm.
Thursday, October 7: Leek Comedy Club With Martin Mor, Rob Mulholland, Ian Crawford, Tal Davies, and compere Dominic Woodward. Tickets £10. Doors open at 7pm for 8pm.
Limehouse Lizzy Live @ The Foxlowe. Music. Tickets £18. Doors 7.30pm.
Saturday, November 13 : Martin Mucklowe The Full Works. Comedy. Tickets £15. Doors open at 7.15pm for 8pm start.
Thursday, November 18 Scott Bennett: Relax . Comedy. Tickets £12.50. Doors 6.45pm for 7.30pm start.
Sunday, October 17: Henge. Music. Tickets £15. Doors open at 8pm.
Thursday, October 21: Gary Delaney: Gary in Punderland. Comedy. Tickets £20. Doors 7pm for 8pm. Scott Bennett
Thursday, September 16: John Bramwell (I am Kloot) Music. Tickets £20. Doors open at 7.15pm.
Saturday, November 27: Mik Artistik s Ego Trip . Music. Ticket £12. Doors 7pm for 8pm.
Friday, September 24: Robyn Hitchcock. Music. Tickets £17.50. 7.30pm.
Saturday, October 23:
Robin Hitchcock
The Achievers part of the Leek Blues & Americana Festival . Music. Tickets £15. Doors open at 7pm for 8pm start.
For further details and to purchase tickets for any of the Foxlowe Arts Centre events, go online to: https://foxloweartscentre.o rg.uk.
HEART MIND BODY ADVERTISING FEATURE
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icola Murray is the owner of a new business in Leek called Heart Mind Body.
Here Nicola explains how she came about setting up the business which specialises in mindful movement, meditation, contemporary dance for adults and life coaching. I have been a teacher for 27 years now, I began my career as a teacher of Dance at the BRIT School for Performing Arts in London, working my way up to Director of Musical Theatre. I worked with some amazingly talented young people including Amy Winehouse and Leona Lewis. Life was fast and exciting. I loved it, loved my job, the vibrancy of the city and the opportunities I had. But I m a North Manchester lass and after 12 years of living down south, myself and my husband decided it better to move back up north to start a family. We ended up in Leek and have been here now
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for the last 15 years. I love Leek! I have never lived anywhere for as long as this. It feels like home. Life is still busy. I m still a full time teacher at a high school in Macclesfield, but about eight years ago, I realised something which had been glaringly obvious for some time. I hadn t been fully present in my own life. Even when I was sitting still, I was still in doing mode; planning, list making, strategising, creating, evaluating, over-analysing, being selfcritical, stressing, worrying, planning, reflecting and on we go. I realised this one evening walking home from my yoga class in the early evening sun. My walk to class bore the hallmarks of my usual state of being: distracted, eyebrows formed in their usual concentrating, thinking furrowed position. My mind full of what if s, should do s and why not s. Head down, tunnel vision with no awareness of what was around me or where I was. And yet only 90 minutes later on my walk back, I realised that I could hear the birds, smell the air and feel the breeze on my face. I felt calm and I felt inspired and moved by my surroundings. I was present, in the moment. Why was this? The answer, again, is an obvious one. My yoga class had taken me out of my busy head and into my body and in doing so, it had brought me into the present moment. When I thought about this a little more, I realised that dance had always provided this connection for me transported me out of my head and into my body. The constant chatter of my mind quietened whilst I focused on my physical experience in the here and now. I realised how lucky I was to have dance in my life. It got me to thinking. How could I get this same heightened awareness of being in the present when I was going about my day to day life more generally? How could I press pause and actually just be in the moment? This is when I started to research mindfulness and began a new learning journey. Mindfulness has been described as: Knowing what is happening, while it is happening, without preference. (Nairn, Choden & Regan-Addis (2019) From Mindfulness To Insight Colerado: Shambhala Boulder)
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HEART MIND BODY ADVERTISING FEATURE
indful business We accept things as they are in the here and now and sit with them. Allow them to just be without trying to fix them. We explore our present moment experience with a kindly curiosity. It sounds simple .. and it is. But actually being present in our experience takes practise. In Mindfulness Practice, we sit and we use our body as an anchor to bring us into the present moment. We allow thoughts to come and go and we use our breath and the sounds around us to support our meditation. It s not about removing any thoughts from your mind or having no thoughts at all. I think this is almost impossible. It s more about noticing. Being aware of when your mind starts to wonder into doing mode, accepting and letting go in order to be present. Practicing mindfulness has had such a positive impact on my wellbeing in so many different ways. I am much better equipped to cope with stress, I sleep better (I managed to kick my sleeping tablets out of touch). I feel calmer and I so much more readily appreciate the moment. I m not saying I have cracked it by any means. I catch my busy mind distracting me often, but I am able to notice it and bring myself back into the present. I can feel my feet on the ground, the air on my skin and the breath in my body. And I m learning all of the time and will carry on learning every day. I m so grateful to my teachers both at The Mindfulness Association and Breathworks. In the first lockdown, we were all forced to press pause on our lives. Although this was a stressful time, it gave me the opportunity to take stock of where I was at in my life and what I wanted to do, moving forward. I decided that I wanted to share the benefits of mindfulness with family, friends and anyone that wants to give it a go. This is how Heart Mind Body came into being. In July of this year, I set up a Mindful Movement & Meditation Class at the Foxlowe Art Centre and I m looking to extend opportunities further. An additional Mindful Movement and Meditation Class at Brough Park and the introduction of Dance4Joy - a Beginners Contemporary Dance Class for Adults on Saturdays from September. If you are interested in any of these classes, please contact me at nicola@heartmindbody.co.uk. For further information go online to www.heartmindbody.co.uk.
Nicola Murray
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e o ming
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eading Staffordshire erforming Arts Academy, Rooftop Studios, is set to open a new branch in Leek!
The Stone-based studio, which was established in , offers a host of opportunities for young people to develop skills in dance and the performing arts, and has seen many students go on to train at leading vocational performing arts schools - including ountview Theatre Arts, Arts ducational Schools, illenium erforming Arts and the uildford School of Acting. lasses are led by professional performers and the timetable caters for all ages - including a Stage Academy helping students hone skills in singing, drama and musical theatre; a ance Academy incorporating many styles of dance and acro taking students from beginner level to internationallyrecognised exams and adult dance classes. Thanks to exceptional industry connections, the studio also hosts regular workshops with West nd stars; offering youngsters the chance to learn from the pros. The new Leek studio, located in ewspaper ouse, rook Street, is headed up by Studio irector laire Simpson, a former Rooftop Studios student herself. laire went onto train in usical Theatre at erformers ollege and The rdang Academy before embarking on a -year career with the Walt isney ompany, where she worked for years at Shanghai isneyland, Tokyo isney Resort, ong ong isneyland, isney ruise Line, isneyland aris and also for isney haracter vents A performing for Live T , Tours, ommercials, ovie remieres, orporate and much more. laire says
ROOFTOPS:
Studio coming to Leek!
At Rooftop Studios we re passionate about training youngsters in the arts; building confident individuals who strive for excellence. We welcome new starters at all levels and abilities and have created a safe space, both inclusive and accepting, giving ALL our students a home to express themselves, be whoever they want to be and realise their full potential. The skills they will build during their time with us not only prepares them for a life on the stage but are valuable in any career, with an emphasis on building self-confidence, resilience, public speaking and presentation skills. We re massively excited to bring the Rooftop Studios formula to Leek and can t wait to discover the town s talented youngsters! For more information on the classes available at Rooftop Studios Leek and to arrange a free trial class, email Leek@RooftopStudios.co.uk; www.rooftopst udios.co.uk
CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE hEAdING LEEK LIFE SELFIES
Lots of smiley faces in town
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e, at Leek Life Magazine, just love filling out publication with lots of smiley faces.
Here we have a selection of Leek Life Selfies which have been kindly sent in to us by some of our readers.
What has your family been up to lately? Please email your pictures to be considered for use in our 'Leek Life Selfies' to our editor Belinda at hargreavespr@outlook.com.
WOMEN S INSTITUTES
August was our first official WI meeting since the Covid lockdown in April 2020. No change of venue but a change to second Tuesday in month. After so many years of it being on Monday it was very strange but the quick decisions to negotiate a day were appreciated. Anne, our president, opened the meeting by reminding members that we will be sensible regarding use of face masks and social distancing as the threat of another outbreak has not completely passed. Doom and gloom over we relaxed again. Thanks were given by all members in true Woodcroft fashion- gold medals and a rousing clap for Ann and Bev. I quote: to Ann for president perfection and to Bev for being a Zappy, zealous, Zoom coordinator during lockdown. The committee were also thanked for all their hard work. News from county was read out and paperwork dispensed of very quickly. Entertainment was a quiz set by Glenys which took us outside and around St Luke s Church. After an hour search parties were sent out. It was more challenging than expected. Those who had not ventured out were given things to do by Margaret. These included word searches, colouring sheets and games. Delicious cakes and savouries accompanied our hot drink and there was a brief interlude of quiet as members enjoyed them. In September we meet on Tuesday 14 at 7.30pm when our speaker is R. Burn with Various Vicarious Verse.
JOY welcomed us to the August meeting which was attended by 20 members. The minutes of the last meeting were read and received. We each received a copy of the SFWI News Bulletin giving us information about how some of the WIs were getting back to something like normal. All the reports from institutes expressed the joy of returning to some kind of normality. We received details of the many activities and competitions that have been arranged for the coming months. There would appear to be something to suit all interests. We were particularly interested in the flora demonstration by Sionedd Hughes at Checkley Community Centre. Whilst a floral demonstration may not be of interest to everyone it is so good to see an activity happening in the northern part of the county. We hope that it is well attended and that this venue may be used more often. We were informed of the Annual Meeting to be held at Liverpool on June 11 next year. I have only attended one Annual Meeting, and that was at Liverpool, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and can highly recommend it to our members. Once more there was much discussion about our future celebratory meals. Decisions have been made, and for our 101st anniversary in October we are going to Biggin Hall where the menu looks very tempting and for our Christmas meals we are going to our very well known and respected village public house, The Marquis, where we know that the menu is always great. Then we came to our speaker, artist Ann Glover. Thank you for your excellent talk Ann and for sharing the beauty that you have captured so well. We ended with coffee and biscuits and the raffle was won by Hazel Bradbury and Sheila Leeson.
LEEK BLUES & AMERICANA FESTIVAL
Five days, 20 venues, 70 artists
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music festival is making a very welcome comeback in a Moorlands town this Autumn.
The Leek Blues & Americana Festival is set to be staged between Wednesday, September 29 and Sunday, October 3. Taking place at a variety of pubs and other entertainment venues across the town, this year s event programme is packed with local, regional, national and international music stars. Taking place over five days, there will be live music at 20 different venues, from more than 70 artists. Festival headliners include: Jerry Joseph, Son of Dave, Kyla Brox, Ian Siegal, and Jesse Malin. There will be festival programmes being delivered to participating venues very soon, but folk can also find out more about this year s festival by finding the Leek Blues page on Facebook.
LONDON MARATHON
Marathon run in tribute to brother
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Leek man is taking on this year s London Marathon in a bid to help his late brother reach his £10,000 fundraising target for charity. Paul Lockett is currently training to take part in the Virgin Money London Marathon in support of the Douglas Macmillan Hospice. Paul said: Alan my dad sadly lost his fight with cancer on September 21, 2020. Eight weeks later on November 18, 2020, my younger brother James, aged 45, died suddenly and unexpectedly. James had supported Douglas Macmillan for a number of years and his goal was to raise £10,000 for this charity last year and he managed an incredible £6,742. It s my aim to help James reach his target of £10,000 for Douglas Macmillan as my tribute to him. Paul added: I wish to thank everyone for their kind donations and words of support, each and every donation makes a huge difference to Douglas Macmillan for the excellent care they re able to provide to the patients and the help they give to relatives, carers and friends and brings comfort to our family. The London Marathon is taking place this year on Sunday, October 3. Paul s aim is to raise a total of £3,258, in his
bid to help his late brother reach his £10,000 target for the Douglas Macmillan Hospice. He is not far off hitting that target as he has, so far, raised £3,021. Anyone wishing to donate can do so by going online to https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiserdisplay/showROFundraiserPage?userUrl=19924 _8561336_83320&pageUrl=1.
MUSIC & COMMUNITY EVENTS
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ow that Covid-19 restrictions have finally been lifted across the nation there are more and more community and music events taking place once again. And this is what Leek is certainly very good at embracing the amazing community spirt we have with a wide variety of events. Here are a few snapshots of just some of the events which have made a welcome comeback to our lovely Moorlands town this Summer. Have you attended a community event recently? Email your photos to our Editor Belinda at hargreavespr@outlook.com for possible use in the next Leek Life Magazine.
FUND-RAISING
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oorlands vet Tracy Latham has set herself the challenge of trekking the Pennine Way in just eight days this September. Tracy is aiming to raise £10,000 for the NHS Spinal team at University Hospital of North Midlands (UHNM) Charity in honour of her mum Helena Latham who suffers from major back issues. Tracy works at Moorland Veterinary Centre in Leek as a Veterinary surgeon - mixed practice vet. Tracy said: For as long as I can remember, Mum, Helena Latham, has suffered with debilitating back pain, but she has never given up. My Mum is a truly amazing woman, who used to love the simple things in life such as walking, seeing and being around friends and family. Now, once again, she just has pain every waking moment and even at night it is pain that wakes her. She looks out the window watching people walk by - All I want to be able to do is put one foot in front of the other without pain. She breaks down, but it is only ever me who sees this
side of her, because to everyone else she puts on a brave face, because she doesn t want to feel a burden. My Dad, 76 this year, is incredible. He is primary carer for both Mum and Paula, my mentally handicapped sister. I help where I can remotely, due to work commitments, and go home at weekends. Tracy added: I am doing this challenge (hopefully with Mum as my support crew) to raise funds as our way of saying thank you to our amazing NHS and giving back something for all that they have done for Mum. This truly lovely lady is still so willing and determined in mind but unfortunately is now so crippled physically. She, as lots of other people do, deserve the opportunity to experience a more pain-free living rather than an existence/ suffering that some days you wouldn t put an animal through. Mum is extremely brave, an inspiration, and I am so proud of her. It is for this reason I will never give up on her, and why I will do all 268 miles of the Pennine Way in eight days for what will be our greatest and most worthy cause yet. Every penny raised is greatly appreciated and will go towards the NHS Spinal team at North Staffs Hospital. Anyone wishing to sponsor Tracy can do so by going online to: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiserdisplay/showROFundraiserPage.
CENTRE STAGE THEATRE COMPANY
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ollowing the lifting of most Covid restrictions Centrestage Theatre Company has taken the decision to tread the boards again. At the beginning of August rehearsals began for a production of The Shell Seekers to be staged at Westwood First School, Westwood Road, Leek, from October 27 to 30 this year. Sue McKee, chairman of the group, said: This particular play has been chosen because it was based on a much loved and popular book by Rosamunde Pilcher so hopefully many readers would be keen to see it in play form. Also as a large cast and technical team were needed to stage the production it brings together most of the group s members who have not had the chance to work together for the last 18 months. The Shell Seekers tells the story of Penelope Keeling a 60-something widow with three children who is, after a stay in hospital, very aware of her own mortality. She looks back over her life and makes plans for the
future of her family - a future that she knows she will not share. Sue added: The play requires a cast ranging in age from the 70s to early 20s and it is fortunate that our group has been able to assemble such a cast. Penelope Keeling is played by Judy Herbert, one of the group s most experienced actresses while Ian Wilson, in a change from his usual director s role, plays her father Lawrence Stern. Lucy Baker and Anthony Davies who were memorable as Maggie Hobson and Willie Mossop in the group s 2019 production of Hobson s Choice are Olivia and Noel, the youngest of Penelope s children and Chloe Bayston, who was also in Hobson s Choice is Nancy the eldest child. Penelope s younger self is portrayed by Jess Sturgess a newcomer to the group and she is partnered by Jack Richardson who is very well-known to Leek audiences particularly for his leading roles in Leek Musical Theatre productions. Brian Bogie, another long-
serving member of Centrestage is Roy Brookner Penelope s solicitor and friend. Completing the cast are Kirsty Hort, another Hobson s Choice cast member, as Ellen, Penelope s housekeeper and John Hurst who to date has been very well known for his vocal talent is making his straight drama debut as George, Nancy s henpecked husband. The play is directed by Jean Pointon. Sue added: In order to keep the audience well-spaced seats will be limited to 60 per performance so the message is book early. There are five performances in total - four evenings (Wednesday to Saturday) and one matinee performance (Saturday). Tickets, available from late September are £10 and can be booked at Graingers in Derby Street, and the Post Office in High Street, by calling the Ticket Secretary on 01538 382546 or from any member of the group.
JOKE TIME
H
ere our local Jester Chris Sproston, shares with us some of his jokes to help create a few laughs:
FUNDRAISING STALWART
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sponsored walk in the Moorlands has resulted in a Leek fundraising stalwart hitting a major milestone in her charity work. Catherine Bennett has been raising funds for Breast Cancer Now for many years, since beating the disease herself. Over the years, Catherine has made many different items starting out with making jewellery and other accessories out of can ringpulls - and sold them at community events and online for the charity for which she is now an ambassador of. During the pandemic she turned her creativity to making face coverings raising even more funds for Breast Cancer Now. Catherine s latest fundraiser was her annual Walk for all your Titties-worth around the scenic Moorlands reservoir of Tittesworth near Leek. Catherine told the Leek Life Magazine: Although numbers were down on the walk this year, it was still a successful event.
A big thanks goes to Churnet Sound Radio who came along on the day and helped promote the walk from their roadshow which was placed in the barbecue area of Tittesworth. Thanks also go to those who donated prizes for the day. A total of £569 was raised from the walk resulting in Catherine now having raised more than £48,000 for Breast Cancer Now.
PoeTrY
Carnival
T
he carnival is special, so crowds are gathering to give a heartfelt cheer;
Memories before you, that dance through the years. Bringing back a childhood of laughter and tears, with flags of red, white and blue, And balloons everywhere, many people are eager to show that they care. Young carnival girls form up to make a long line, while the drum major bangs the drum to keep time. So march to the whistle and beat of the
drum, on this day of music, pageant and fun. Floats with magical scenes pass by, with crowns and castles towering high. A funny jester, a clown and a bear, what does it matter, we just want to stare. Many charities will benefit from this proud day, as the carnival winds on its colourful way. We are not the big city, we are just a small town. The carnival gives the town such a buzz, it brings out the child in all of us. For moments of magic, it s fun and good cheer.
By Brenda Pascall
Quizzes compiled by Paul Steele - email: pnsteele@aol.com. Paul's 'Which One?' quiz game is available on Amazon.
quiz corner
1. Ashleigh Barty 2. Ed Sheeran 3. 19th 4. California (Queen Califia was from a 16th century Spanish novel) 5. British Grand Prix 6. 73 years old 7. Naomi Osaka 8. Exhibition Centre London 9. Cristiano Ronaldo 10. Poole 11. Octopus 12. Michael Douglas 13. Ely Cathedral 14. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 15. Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Egypt (Eswatini was formerly known as Swaziland until is was officially renamed in 2018) 16. Aida (Memphis in Egypt) 17. Women s Equality party 18. ENT (ear, nose and throat) 19. Woodstock Peanuts) 20. Tooth
GARDENING
Perennial Lobelias
W
e all know the trailing or bushy lobelias used in bedding schemes up and down the country. Their big cousins, the Perennial lobelias are very different and are great plants for borders in a sunny spot giving lots of brightly coloured flowers in summer. The easiest and hardiest perennial ones are varieties of cardinalis and speciosa. These grow from a rosette of leaves and send up two to three feet / 6090cm spires of colourful flowers in summer. Traditionally they are considered to be bog plants. Indeed, they grow wonderfully in moist or wet soils in summer and can even succeed at pond edge plants. However, I ve found that these varieties will also perform well in dry soil, although they don t grow quite so tall. We ve found that they perform wonderfully in full sun in our very well drained soil. These types are usually winter hardy, although slugs can be a problem in wet soils. We ve tried lots of varieties in our garden to find the hardiest. The bright red Bees Flame also has bronze leaves through the summer as does Russian Princess which has shocking pink flowers. Tania has multi-coloured leaves in spring, turning to plain green in summer and deep pink flowers. Another spring-variegated variety is the lovely pale pink Compton Pink. Hadspen Purple is also very reliable. The unattractively-named species, siphilitica, is lower growing, bushy and very tough. The basic species has blue flowers, and the variety Alba has pure white. Propagation is best by division in spring. Clumps can be cut up into chunks and replanted. Sometimes it s possible to divide down to individual rosettes, but these take longer to make good plants.
The less hardy South American varieties of Lobelia are trickier to grow. The most impressive and easy was Lobelia tupa, known as Devil s Tobacco. This grows to eight feet / 240cm tall with flower stems studded with red or orangered flowers from July to October. It needs very well drained soil in winter. It is easily grown from seed but needs help getting through its first winter in the ground a deep mulch or a covering of pine twigs to insulate it. Once established it will survive down to -10 or -14c. We also tried the species bridgesii, polyphylla and laxiflora but these seem to only survive the mildest winters outdoors here. 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 diary: Weston Park, Shifnal on Sunday, September 12, Garden and Fair £3.50 (Usually £8). Entry to all these fairs is by advance ticket only. Please see www.planthuntersfairs.co.uk for links to purchase tickets online.
CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE
Long-awaited award presented to village pub
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fter the unprece dentedly difficult trading conditions for the pub trade both locally and nationally over the past 18 months, it s encouraging to see signs that things are very slowly returning to some kind of normality. As most of the Government imposed restrictions have been lifted, local pubs are beginning to see their footfall increase bit by bit and events like pool and darts teams, live music, beer festivals and other functions are once again bringing in much needed customers and trade which have been so desperately needed for such a long time. It is also wonderful news to hear the Leek Blues and Americana Festival is going ahead this year. The five day event at the end of September into October of course involves many pubs in town hosting bands which once again brings in extra custom and all helps to make our local pubs viable business entities. Indeed, even our local CAMRA activities have been given a cautious green light from our HQ to resume, so at long last we are allowed to host meetings, organise social events and
trips etc. One of the personally most rewarding things I get to do as the local Moorlands branch chairman, and yet another sign things are returning to normal, is to be able to present awards once again to a whole host of worthy winners we have in our area. The most recent presentation took place on Saturday, August 28 at The Greyhound Inn, Warslow. The Greyhound was presented with the very long awaited and much postponed Pub of the Season trophy and certificate for Summer 2020 at their annual beer festival over the Bank Holiday weekend. Our committee have been very impressed with how the Greyhound has been transformed into the now thriving village pub with a great
range of real ale on sale by the current landlord Lee Wilson and the whole team. Leek too has a whole host of award-winning pubs and bars that have been presented with various local, county, regional and national CAMRA awards over the past few years. These include Benk s, Blue Mugge, Cobblers, Cock Inn, Earl Grey, Fountain, Napoli Italian Restaurant, Old Mill Smokehouse, Roebuck, Wilkes Head. How lucky we all are to have such a range of venues to enjoy, right in the heart of our home town. Leek is not called A Beer Festival Everyday for no reason. Cheers!
GARDEN NATURE
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s I reflect on the last few months and consider what I have seen in my garden, there is one addition that has helped attract wildlife more than anything else a pond. We put a plastic pond in the garden with three aquatic plants from a garden centre. It is only 60cm x 30cm but what a difference that very small body of water has made. One tip is to make one side of it a shallow slope using pebbles. This allows anything that
may fall in, a way to get out. Birds absolutely love this shallow area for bathing, particularly in hotter weather. Blackbirds seem to be the cleanest of birds and make the most splash although we have also seen thrushes, sparrows and starlings using the new en-suite facilities. It is not only birds that are attracted by this new found water haven. That misunderstood insect, the wasp will readily drink from our pond, using the partially submerged pebbles for access.
TALES FROM THE PAST
I
n England pulling down statues is a tradition as old as the Reformation. A friend remarked on this as we saw empty alcoves in Canterbury Cathedral during the summer, the statues whose removal was a consequence of a fit of matrimonial pique by Henry VIII. The original Charing Cross was pulled down by Puritans in the 1640s and across the pond enraged rebels demolished a statue of George III in New York at the start of the War of Independence Then there is the story of George s uncle William Duke of Cumberland who has a local connection. It must have been a case of relief and jubilation for the townspeople of Leek in December 1745 when the Duke at the head of the British Army marched through the town in pursuit of the Scots rebels who had retreated two days before through the town. The Highlanders had caused havoc in the town when previously arriving in Leek on the 4th December. Cumberland s soldiers had been camped at Stone and had hoped to catch the rebel army coming from the direction of Derby so we were spared the Battle of Cheddleton which might have occurred should the two armies had clashed. Cumberland finally caught up with the rebels at Culloden near Inverness on April 16, 1746 and the Jacobite cause espoused by Bonny Prince Charlie was bloodily put to an end. At the time Cumberland was hailed as a champion and victor. The flower known as Sweet William was named after him- it is known as Stinking Billy in Scotland - and Handel composed See the Conquering Hero Come, statues were erected in his honour. It did not take too long for the public mood to turn against Cumberland as news of atrocities carried out by his troops in Scotland became general knowledge. The distaste that people felt for Cumberland and the nickname Butcher which Cumberland acquired followed the wholesale slaughter of wounded
Highlanders after the battle and the murders of civilians in the pacification process that followed. The Butcher of Culloden had his statue removed from its London vantage point in 1868 by the Duke of Portland renowned for his liberal views. Queen Victoria had the word Culloden expunged from an obelisk in Windsor Great Park, so enamoured was she of her loyal Highlanders and another one was dismantled in Co Offaly in Ireland. So Cumberland joins slave dealers, Confederate generals, Fascist leaders, Saddam Hussain and Communist apparatchiks in being swept away by history.
GARDEN NATURE
Our greatest delight has been the frogs. We acquired some frog spawn from a friend and have taken great delight in watching it hatch and tadpoles grow into froglets. These will hopefully winter in the garden and return to the pond in future years to produce many more tadpoles. Good fun to watch and great for keeping slugs under control. So, before next spring, why not help all the wildlife in your garden by introducing a water haven. Remember, even the smallest pond can make a huge difference.
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ALTON TOWERS HALF MARATHON
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Leek chap is currently in training to take on the Alton Towers Half Marathon in November.
I use fitness to manage my own mental health. I entered to try and focus, and also chose the date of the run (November 14) as it s close to Remembrance Sunday. Dave has already raised more than £300 for his chosen charity and hopes to get to his target of £1,000. Anyone wishing to donate to Dave s cause can do so by going online to: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/DavidOwen42.
Dave Owen is taking part in the energetic event to raise cash for the Commonwealth War Graves Charity in memory of his Grandad. Dave told the Leek Life Magazine: My Grandad died in active service while in Germany. His name was Wilfred John Simcox and he was in the Royal Engineers British Army. He served in Aden after World War Two but died in Germany in 1955. This is not the first time Dave has taken part in such energetic challenges having completed the Manchester 10km in 2012 and JCB Mud Run in 2013. He said: I am doing this half marathon in memory of my grandad to raise money for the Commonwealth War Graves Charity, but also to maintain my own mental health. I took up running again during the lockdowns when the gyms closed. He added: I am carrying out a 12 week half marathon plan with some cross training on my bike.
LEEK U3A
L
eek U3A has lots of classes and activities on offer.
The U3A is generally for people not in full time employment and is primarily for educational, creative, leisure and sporting/keep fit purposes. Here, Leek U3A member Ian Sheldon explains all about just one of the Leek U3A s activities Pétanque. He said: When on holiday in France or Spain, perhaps you have seen the locals enjoying a game of Boules or Pétanque (the name varies according to the area, but the game is the same), and perhaps thought it looked fun? Maybe even that it looked easy? Well it is. The Leek U3A Pétanque group is looking for new
members. We can t promise you any continental sunshine, but we can offer an entertaining couple of hours on Monday morning (weather permitting). The group meets at the Abbey Inn, on Abbey Green Road from 10am until noon. No experience is required, the rules are simple and the game is easy to learn just be prepared for lots of shouting, gesticulating, and laughing. Don t worry if you don t have a set of boules initially you are welcome to borrow them from one of our existing members. Ian added: Pétanque is perfect as a low impact exercise involving throwing, bending and walking. So why not come along and give it a try? If you are interested, please call me on 01538 381242.
HEALTH AND FITNESS
Fat Loss or Weight Loss?
T
he world of dieting is all so confusing. I do this for a living and I often find myself astounded by crazy claims and misconceptions about something that is ultimately quite straight forward. One of the biggest thorns in my side is the term Weight Loss. I am sure you have all heard the claims that Terry from down the road lost half a stone in one week or Sandra from accounts lost 16lbs in a month whilst you are there trying to feel content with your 1lb scale nudge after a week of tracking your calories and getting adequate exercise. Please allow me to put you at ease and let you know what s actually happening with those supposed super dieters. Weight loss is not fat loss and although losing actual body weight is a perfect start if you have a substantial amount to lose for health reasons etc, it s not all going to be actual body fat. Those crazy weight loss numbers you read about will include some body fat but will also include things like water weight and glycogen storage. Body weight can actually fluctuate 5 to 7lbs in one day depending on what you have eaten because of these factors. So in reality they would have lost some body fat which is amazing. But not 16lbs worth in a matter of weeks. So what s the big issue if they are still losing body fat? The issue is sustainability. Sustainability is the main
driving force behind any health or body transformation and to have that we need lots of consistency and motivation. When you step on the scales and see a big weight loss you feel motivated to keep pushing but after a while the drops dwindle and with it your motivation to carry on. Before you know it you plato and more often than not stop completely. Does this sound familiar? So what should you do? Leave the scales, or at least take the readings with a pinch of salt. Right now you need to rummage through your sewing tin or pop off to the local haberdashery and get yourself a tailor s tape measure, a pen and some paper. I am going to show you the simple four point measuring system that takes just a few minutes and can be done every three to four weeks. People generally store body fat on the stomach, hips, arms and legs. It can be stored on the chest too but we are keeping this unisex, feel free to throw in a chest measurement though if you like. These are the problem areas that people generally want to improve on. So why do we not face them directly and really see what s happening? Each measuring session you will take a measurement directly around your belly button, the fattest part of your hips, chunkiest section of your upper leg and biggest part of your upper arm. Make
sure you keep the limbs on the same side each time and don t pull the tape too tight. You are only lying to yourself. Write all these measurements down and watch them drop as you consistently follow the all important calorie deficit and a routine that allows for more physical activity. I ve seen changes of 0.5 to 3 inches in a matter of weeks depending on how much body fat is in that particular area. It s so much more exciting and motivating than standing on a scale. Just remember that body fat will come off from multiple places but not always the part you want straight away. You may find drastic changes on your legs but nothing on your belly button just yet. That s completely normal, just give your body time to get to that area and it will happen. Would you care how much you weighed if you had body confidence and felt amazing? No. So don t think about weight loss. Think about fat loss and finally use the tools that will help you to get the results that you want.
adrian wilson
Independent Landrover and 4x4 Specialists Staffordshire
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refleCTIONS COaChING
Remembering to live life
T
his morning I got talking to a fellow dog walker. It was a beautiful morning along the canal and I always feel privileged that not only is this stunning countryside on my doorstep, but also that I have some flexibility in my working week to enjoy it at a leisurely pace. When I had a full time job in financial services, my whole career was spent thinking about building wealth, paying off my mortgage and saving for retirement. I had 25 years of being conditioned in this way until I set up my business. The last ten years have been tough financially and compromises have been made, but it enables me to have more time at home and more flexibility to focus on the things I enjoy including my art/coaching business. I have returned to working part time alongside my business but I am once again thinking about semi-retirement and whether I can afford to do this at 55. So, when I exchange pleasantries with the
other dog walker about the beautiful day and being able to enjoy it, I wished away three years of my life, when my work choices open up a little more and I have increased flexibility again. My new wise friend argued against this. He wished to turn back the clock, (not wind it on), to a time when he was 20, to go and dance again, to go and love again. He grounded me in our short encounter and reminded me of my philosophy in life, to live in the now and to dance like no one is watching. It is important to look forward and plan, but I had been so focussed on this I had forgotten to live in the now. He reminded me that with just one life, we really do need to live it. Are you living yours? If you have goals to work to then I am happy to help, 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 assist.
CAROLYN TRAFFORD Reflections Coaching Contact details: 07714 216388. Email: Caro@reflectionscoaching.co.uk. www.reflectionscoaching.co.uk SCOUTING
S
couting in Staffordshire Moorlands is currently running a recruitment drive for adults across Leek and Cheadle to join their teams who look after their Beavers, Cubs and Scouts District Commissioner for Scouting in Staffordshire Moorlands Jon Lloyd said: Moorlands District Scouts provides fun adventurous activities to over 300 young people aged between 6-25 years old. The district has eight groups covering, Leek, Cheadle, Cheddleton, Endon and Waterhouses and has its own campsite. Scouting continued throughout the lockdowns and when face to face meetings started again in March we saw a huge youth membership increase. Unfortunately we are in need of more adult volunteers. We rely on people playing their part to give young people the opportunities they need. But volunteering s not just about giving something back. It s also about doing something that s good for you.
Volunteering gives you career-boosting skills, improves your wellbeing, and helps you make connections with friends, family and your local community. Jon further explained that there are plenty of volunteering opportunities for all kinds of people within the Scouting movement. He said: Tell us what you re interested in, and we ll help you find something that matches your skills (and the time you have available). We d love to give you the chance to try out different things, meet the team, and see what support's on offer before you decide whether to be involved. You ll learn career-friendly skills, boost your wellbeing, and make new friends. Because volunteering at Scouts is a two-way street good for young people, and good for you too. Anyone interested in volunteering with the local Scouting movement can find out more at: www.facebook.com/MoorlandsScouting.
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financial matters
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