Newcastle Life Issue 16

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ISSUE 16

Life NEW LOOK FOR CIVIC CENTRE Town’s services now under one roof

The intriguing history of remarkable Wolstanton graves A 250 year old murder mystery

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TICKETS TO SEE BEAUTIFUL THING AT THE NEW VIC

CONTENTS

ISSUE 16 Editor’s letter .......................................6

Graduate research .............................24

Buried secrets.....................................10

Headteacher retires ...........................28

Sign language surprise ........................8

Pants 2 Cancer ...................................14 Life through a lens .............................16

Stage directions..................................18 Civic Centre ........................................19

What’s on...........................................20 Scouts adventure ...............................22

Gardening ..........................................25 Edenhurst Preparatory School..........30 Lymedale Business Centre.................31

Rhythm Foundry ...............................32 Legal matters .....................................35

Motoring ............................................36

Quiz corner ........................................42

A

There’s change afoot

Laura Campbell Contents Editor laura@timesandecho.co.uk Sophie Cotton 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

fter an enjoyable and memorable long hot summer, it’s starting to feel like there’s a change in the air, and autumn is just around the corner.

Over the last few weeks not only has the weather become cooler and the nights longer, but the children are back to school and students everywhere are celebrating exam results - looking forward to starting new jobs and university courses or embarking on the travel adventures of their dreams.

In this issue of Newcastle Life Magazine we delve into the intriguing history of two remarkable graves in St Margaret’s Churchyard, Wolstanton, each with their own fascinating stories to tell. If you want to see the graves for yourself, you can visit the 500 year old site at the start of September, when the church will be throwing open their doors for their Heritage Open Day. Well worth a visit to discover some wonderful local history.

The local scouts have escaped the summer sunshine and have been exploring cooler climes, whilst the town’s new Civic Centre has opened its doors to several local community groups.

We chat to a local headmaster who is about to start his well deserved retirement and we discover how a Newcastle barmaid has gone above and beyond to support hard of hearing customers.

Finally, thank you to all of you who sent in your photos for consideration for our front cover images. We have had a wonderful selection,and feature some of these in our ‘Life Through a Lens’ feature. There’s still time to send in your images!

Enjoy your autumn, and we will see you again for our Christmas edition.

Thank you to all of you have been in touch so far.

Remember, Newcastle Life is YOUR magazine and we want to hear from you! Perhaps you have a story to tell or a photo to share; maybe you’d like to promote your event or your talent; or you may have exciting snippets of local history to interest our readers!

Simply get in touch by emailing laura@timesandecho.co.uk

Laura

ISSUE 12

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ISSUE 13

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Life

VICTORY FOR ‘THE BEAST’

Champi on Edd ie is World’s Stronge st Man

Football given ing hero Fre of Newc edom astle

Gordon BoroughBanks OBE Council’ awarded s high est hono ur

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Kickin seaso g off the n in sty le

New star festivalsts, new initi atives, creativit , fundrais ing and y acro ss the area

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S PA FIT FLIP

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tickets to see Hard Times at The New Vic

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‘MONUME DAY FOR NTAL’ CIRCUS HETOWN’S RITAGE

A family Adventu ticket to see Astl res at The ey’s New Vic Astounding Theatre

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Newcast le above and Lions go beyond

Celebrat ing 31 year friendshi s of p and fund tickets raising for hilariou Diamonds are s new 60’s for musical Eric - the at The New Vic

Did you know that you can read Newcastle Life online?

Cover Photo: Brampton Park by Ron Fox 6 Newcastle Life Issue 16

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Newcastle Life Issue 16 7

ACTIONS speak louder than WORDS SIGN LANGUAGE SURPRISE

‘We’re all friends here’

A

group of deaf visitors to one local pub got a welcome surprise recently, when they discovered the establishment’s young team leader was fluent in sign language.

Chelsea Smith, who works

8 Newcastle Life Issue 16

at the Golden Lion in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, went the extra mile to make her customers feel engaged.

She had grown up learning how to sign because her grandparents were both deaf, so took the opportunity to use her

skills to chat with the customers. She was even able to teach her co-workers a few things to say, such as 'thank you' and 'we're all friends here.'

Her efforts to include the group snowballed and other customers in the pub began to join in, bringing them drinks and having a conversation with them so they wouldn't feel excluded from the evening's entertainment; Karaoke.

"I didn't realise that Chelsea spoke fluent sign language!" said manager of the Golden Lion, Daniel Wilson, adding, "I couldn't be more proud of her and the rest of the staff and our customers for making sure that everyone was included in the night's activities."

Chelsea said: "I grew up using sign language to communicate with my grandparents, so I have a lot of empathy for the deaf community and I felt really pleased that I was able to help."

Deaflinks Staffordshire, a charity offering services to the deaf and hard-of-hearing in and around Staffordshire, loved the story so much they posted on their Facebook page that it was "an example of how a pub should be, engaging with deaf customers and the regulars joining in to encourage inclusivity."

The Golden Lion is planning to host a charity event for Deaflinks in September.

BURIED SECRETS

The intriguing history of remarkable Wolstanton graves A 250 year old murder mystery

N

estled deep inside the tranquil churchyard of St Margaret’s Church, Wolstanton, there lies a secret.

In the oldest section of this ancient burial ground, there is a grave like no other - the inscription on the headstone of 21 year old Sarah Smith points the finger at her murderer. It says: 10 Newcastle Life Issue 16

HERE lieth the Body of Sarah Smith Daughter of Samuel and Martha Smith of Bradwell Park who departed this life Novbr 29th 1763 and in the 21st Year of her Age It was C––––s B––––w that brought me to my end Dear Parents mourn not for me For God will stand my friend With half a Pint of Poyson He came to visit me Write this on my Grave That all that read it may see.

BURIED SECRETS

When he came across the grave, Jeremy Crick was ‘rooted to the spot.’ Wishing to know more, the local history enthusiast embarked on an investigation of his own to discover what happened to Sarah Smith and he found a very interesting tale indeed in the Wolstanton parish burial register records.

Jeremy said: “Sarah’s death record did not mention any unusual circumstances - not a hint of the extraordinary allegation found on her gravestone.”

Estate papers from Bradwell Park in the Sneyd Archive at Keele University turned out to be key

to linking Charles Barlow with two historical archives (Sneyd papers and Parish registers), enabling Jeremy to solve the grave’s mysteries and put together a theory of the tragic events that could have unfolded three hundred years ago.

It all started when he discovered that on the same day Sarah was buried, her illegitimate daughter, also called Sarah, was baptised, before she also died just nine days later. The grave, therefore, probably contains the bodies of two Sarah’s, mother and daughter.

››

Newcastle Life Issue 16 11

BURIED SECRETS

››

After this shocking discovery, Jeremy was determined to find out all he can about the unidentified person accused of Sarah’s murder on her gravestone: C–––s B–––w.

He explained: “I already had a very likely motive in the birth of an illegitimate child. Now, having the opportunity makes it more than likely that he was well known to Sarah Smith and therefore a local man.

“With the help of the index in the transcribed editions of the registers, and the fact that the author of the gravestone inscription decided on C–––s B–––w and not simply CB, the search was narrowed down to just two men - Charles Bradshaw and Charles Barlow.

“Charles Bradshaw could be discounted at once because he’s in the wrong period entirely and after looking further into Charles Barlow, I discovered that the Rev. Edward Sneyd, when recording the burial of Charles Barlow’s eight year old son some years later, not only recorded the single burial twice but, identified him in both entries with a property - was this to draw attention to this name?”

“Further investigation unveiled it was unorthodox at this time to identify anyone but a Sneyd heir with the name of a property in the parish registers, but Charles Barlow was recorded as living very close to Sarah Smith.

“It’s hard to believe that the Reverend hadn’t 12 Newcastle Life Issue 16

given approval to the laying of the gravestone with its uncompromising allegation of murder, so whatever his motive in making this duplicate entry, it provided a vital clue - Charles Barlow lived in New House, Red Street, which may have been tenanted to Charles Barlow as part of the Bradwell Hall estate.

“If Charles lived at New House around the time that Sarah and her father, mother and brother worked on the estate at Bradwall Park, there is a good chance that Charles could have come across the Smith family on an almost daily basis.”

Jeremy then developed the following theory.

“In her young teens, Sarah Smith would either be working the fields or might even have found employment ‘below stairs’ at Bradwell Hall, Bradwell Park.

“By the age of twenty she had caught the eye of the twenty-six year old middle class Charles Barlow. Now, imagine his shock one day in the spring of 1763 when Sarah tells Charles that she is expecting his child.

“Whilst Sarah might have seen it as a way of climbing out of her peasant class, Charles may have had other ideas. He may have wanted to marry above and not below his station. Did Charles decide that he must rid himself of this embarrassment? Had Sarah, in desperation, threatened that if Charles did not marry her, she would have his name registered as the father in the Baptism Register anyway?

“Being a familiar face around the place, Charles clearly attracted little untoward attention when he turned up to visit Sarah on that late November day. Perhaps he’d prepared the ‘half a Pint of Poyson’ in such a way to make it seem that he was bringing her a medicinal cordial. One thing is certain – Sarah never suspected the slightest treachery behind Charles’ visit until it was too late.

Fingerprint fame

M

eanwhile, another gravestone of interest in Wolstanton graveyard is that of Dr. Henry Faulds, who is thought to have invented the modern fingerprinting technique.

Dr Faulds was born in Scotland in 1843 but he lived for the last eight years of his life in James Street, Wolstanton, and died in 1930. In 1874, he went to Japan as a medical missionary, helping to establish a hospital in Tokyo.

During his studies in medicine, he began to delve into the subject of fingerprint identification in criminal investigations.

Local historian Mervyn Edwards, from Wolstanton, has researched Fauld’s story. He explained: “There were other people making similar discoveries at the same time, notably William Herschel – and some people regard Faulds as one of history’s “Nearly Men”.

“Sometimes in history, it has been a case of the person who shouted the loudest receiving the most recognition. The jury is still out about how significant a figure Faulds was in this field, and he himself became rather bitter about his relative lack of recognition even in his own time.

“However he did become revered by the Japanese police in this field, and they officially adopted the fingerprinting system in 1911, a

BURIED SECRETS

“What kind of poison it was we cannot know.

But it is unlikely to have been too long before Sarah realised what was happening to her and she angrily expressed her wish for his treachery to be recorded on her grave so ‘that all that read it may see’ what he’d done. If, in the last few moments left to her, she could bring him down and make him pay, those last few moments would not have been wasted and on Sarah’s very own gravestone, the accusation is at least recorded.”

In July, Sarah’s grave slab was Grade II listed by Historic England for its special architectural and historic interest after it was submitted to its ‘immortalised’ campaign. It was listed “for its highly unusual and poignant epitaph which records the infamous and tragic circumstances surrounding her death” and “as a good example of a mid-Georgian monument which, despite some damage, survives in its essential form with a legible inscription.” Visit www.historicengland. org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1458049 for more information. decade after it was introduced in the UK. “It is only in recent years that there has been much recognition of Faulds’ work in this country. The Fingerprint Society were responsible for commissioning the plaque on his grave in 1987, and there was a blue plaque on the house in James Street, from 2006.

“In 2011, representatives from the Tokyo metropolitan police met church officials and myself and placed a commemorative bouquet of flowers on his grave.”

Newcastle Life Issue 16 13

GOLDEN LION SUPERHERO PANTS 2 CANCER

F

ollowing the devastating news last year that one of their longest serving staff members had been diagnosed with bowel and liver cancer, the team at The Golden Lion rallied around to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Care.

At the same time, General Manager Daniel Wilson was approaching his first year anniversary

of managing the pub and realised that several of the regulars were going through treatment or had sadly passed away due to cancer.

He told Newcastle Life magazine: “We decided, based on Jo posting a status on Facebook about her having to ‘put on her big girl pants’ and face up to the reality of her diagnosis, that we were going to try and get our regulars involved in fundraising, and also trying to do something where people would do a double-take and ask us what we were up to— so Pants 2 Cancer was born.

“We all decided that for that weekend, everyone would wear a pair of underwear over their normal clothing.

“Last year we had a lot of the lads from our pub, our regulars, and some of the staff from the pub next door (The Kiln) have their heads shaved to help raise money, and we did pretty well, raising just shy of £1000.”

Sadly, just a week later, Jo passed away.

Daniel continued: “The cancer had really taken hold of her and by the time of her diagnosis, there wasn’t much that could have been done. Due to the suddenness of her diagnosis and her passing, her family were struggling to find the funds for the

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Come and try our exciting menu that includes: • British Fayre • Texas Classics and • New Brit-Tex Fusion Dishes FOR BOOKINGS AND ENQUIRIES PLEASE CALL 01782 680536 @jrstexas www.jrstexas.co.uk

Stone Road, Baldwins Gate, Newcastle under Lyme, ST5 5ED 14 Newcastle Life Issue 16

OES SUPPORT MACMILLAN

PANTS 2 CANCER

funeral, but our regulars rallied and supported her daughter, Jade (who also works here).

“It’s been a tough year without the woman who was the beating heart of our business, and after a decade’s worth of service, I made the decision that August Bank Holiday would ALWAYS be an event we run in honour of Jo’s memory.

“This year, we’ve been more fortunate— we have a large number of our customers facing cancer and whilst we wanted to celebrate Jo’s life, we also wanted to celebrate their victories over cancer too.

“So we decided that we’d have a super-hero theme this year— not only do super-heroes also wear their underwear on the outside of their clothes, but we wanted to celebrate the fact that we have so many real-life heroes amongst us who are winning their battle with cancer.

“This year we raised £250 for Macmillan Cancer Care. We’ve been overwhelmed by everyone’s generosity, with some people that we don’t even know that well seeing what was going on and throwing their change into our collection buckets.

“Over the weekend we had a Lipsync for your

Lager event on the Friday evening and had a soul and Motown DJ on the Saturday evening.

“Ultimately, this is something I’m really proud of, and there’s a lot of our regulars who’re asking us what we’ve got planned for the next Pants 2 Cancer event... and while I don’t know what that is just yet, it’s only going to be something bigger and sillier than this year!”

North Staffs Local Group

INVITE YOU TO A GRAND AUCTION

at Bradwell Lodge Community Centre Bradwell Lane, Porthill, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 8PS

Saturday 29th September 2018 Viewing 10.00am - 11.00am Sale at 11.00am Admission and Catalogue £1.00 Lots will include Moorcroft, Beswick, Doulton & Anita Harris Proceeds to Diabetes UK North Staffs Local Group Newcastle Life Issue 16 15

LIFE THROUGH A LENS

LIFE THROUGH A LENS These images were sent in by Hannah Johnson.

The image of the bee was snapped in her garden and the lovely shot of the monkey was taken at nearby Trentham Monkey Forest.

16 Newcastle Life Issue 16

LIFE THROUGH A LENS

13 year old Lizzie Gater sent in these two photographs she took on her iPhone on a family holiday recently. With a keen interest in photography, Lizzie is thinking about studying the subject when she goes to High School.

DO YOU HAVE A KEEN EYE FOR SUPERB SNAPS? Can you look at the world around you and capture inspired and eye catching landscapes and portraits?

11 ISSUE

We are looking for photographers in the Newcastle area who can express the beauty and diversity of our lovely corner of Staffordshire through the lens. Amateur or professional, we would love to hear from you if you would like to see your creative work published on the front cover of our magazines. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, please email life@timesandecho.co.uk

Life

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Footballi ng hero given Fr ee of Newca dom stle

Gordon Banks OB Boroug h Counci E awarded l’s highes t honour

E ‘TIS TH N...

SEASO hat’s ide to w Your gu ristmas Ch on this

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KET TOND ILY TIC A FAM EASURE ISLA SEE TR

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Kicking season off the in style

New sta rts, new initiati festiva ves ls, creativ fundraising and, ity across the are a

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tickets to see Hard Times at The New Vic

Newcastle Life Issue 16 17

Stage Directions

by Richard Lane

Win tickets to see Beautiful Thing at The New Vic

B

eautiful Thing is a play that has charmed and delighted audiences across the world and inspired a cult film of the same name. This production, in the play’s 25th anniversary year, features pop songs from the ’60s and ’90s performed live each night by a local community choir the Clay Chorus.

Teenagers Ste and Jamie are next door neighbours on the Thamesmead estate in South London. Jamie’s being bullied at school and Ste’s being bullied at home. One evening when it all gets too much, Ste seeks refuge at Jamie’s and something frightening and beautiful begins.

Beautiful Thing offers a razor-sharp depiction of life and love on a post-war council estate, and a gloriously nostalgic trip back to the early nineties. Coronation Street writer Jonathan Harvey is at his insightful and

hilarious best in this iconic story, which shows how community can lift you out of isolation and suffering.

Recommended Age: 14+

We have teamed up with the award-winning New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, to give away a pair of tickets to see Beautiful Thing. Simply answer the following question:

Which television soap did Jonathan Harvey write?

A) Emmerdale

B) Eastenders

C) Coronation Street

(CIRCLE YOUR ANSWER)

Name................................................. Address.................................................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................. Daytime phone no.........................................................

Please send your entry to Newcastle Life Magazine, 18 Tape St, Cheadle, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs, ST10 1BD. To be received by Tuesday 16th October 2018.

The prize can be used for any performance of Beautiful Thing. The production runs at the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, from Tuesday 30 October to Saturday 3 November. The prize is a pair of tickets.

Tickets are non-transferable and are subject to availability

18 Newcastle Life Issue 16

NEW LOOK FOR TOWN CIVIC CENTRE D

CIVIC CENTRE

esigned to boost town centre economy and save taxpayers millions of pounds, Newcastle’s new Civic Centre opened at the end of July.

The £15.4 million, four storey Castle House is located next to Queens Gardens and houses services from the County Council, Newcastleunder-Lyme Borough Council, Staffordshire Police and Aspire Housing’s customer services department, as well as being home to the town centre library and Newcastle Register Office.

Philip Atkins, Leader of Staffordshire County Council, commented: “By pulling together all these services under one roof in the centre of town, it will make life easier for Newcastle’s residents.

“At the same time moving out of old buildings will save taxpayers millions of pounds in the long run and help local businesses by concentrating hundreds of workers close to the shops.”

Castle House, which can also be accessed from Hassell Street, faces Queens Gardens where extensive improvement works costing around £190,000 have also been carried out. New and

better seating has been provided for the public, paths have been upgraded and widened, trees planted and the bandstand setting revamped.

There is also improved lighting in the area.

Finance for the Queens Gardens work has come from a variety of sources, including a section 106 agreement from a nearby development to provide student accommodation.

For Staffordshire Police, the move coincides with the force increasing the numbers of officers posted to Newcastle neighbourhood policing team, part of a significant increase across the county.

Meanwhile the new library is located on the ground and first floors, with a lift connecting the two. As well as thousands of books, it has a dedicated children’s area, space for accessing archive materials and the photographic collections of national museums and galleries, plus places for 37 PCs. Delivered by Kier Construction on behalf of Staffordshire County Council, the energy-efficient building also contains meeting rooms which can be used by the public.

Newcastle Life Issue 16 19

What’s on

September & October

nt to share? e v e n a e v a h u Do yo Let us know!

do our best to .uk and we will co o. ch de an es tim guide Email laura@ our what’s on in t en ev ur yo feature Art exhibition The Royal Society of British Artists (RBA) are set to bring in exc ess of 100 paintings by over 20 artists to exh ibit in North Staffordshire for the firs t time in the organisation’s history.

Annually the RBA exh ibits in the Mall Gallery, a stone's throw from Buckingham Palace, with the event being a firm favourite in the London Arts Cal endar. But now, the RBA is set to travel No rth, for the first time ever, bringing with the m some of the UK's most prestigious artists to exhibit at Trent Art Gallery in Newcastle under Lyme.

The event takes place at Trent Art. Friday 7th Septemb er - Saturday 22nd September Heritage Open Day St Margaret’s Church are throwing open as their doors and inviting people to visit day Satur on Day Open age Herit the of part is Days Open age 8th September. Herit England’s largest festival of history and s of culture, held in September, where place are historical interest all across the country ce to chan great a be will It rs. visito to open as see inside St Margaret’s Church as well rch, getting involved in family history resea r activities for children, tours up the towe and more. There will be a pathway noon dedication ceremony taking place at 12 me. to which all are welco Saturday, 8th September

20 Newcastle Life Issue 16

Farmers Market A selection of fabulous food from farmers market producers including fresh homegrown veg, organic and free range meat and eggs, hand made pies, cheese and homemade cakes.

Ironmarket, 9am-2.30pm Friday, 14th September Friday 19th October

Funding F air For voluntar y and comm funding fair unity groups is a chance , this to meet wit consider a ra h funders, nge of fund ing you may previously not have considered , gain an in way of thin sight into a king and di funder’s scuss organisation ’s funding ne your group or ed any charity s. The even or voluntar t is free to y/commun operating in ity group Staffordshir e. Refreshm provided an ents will be d spaces ar e limited to organisation two per . For more information matthew@ contact staffscvys.o rg.uk. 4pm the Great, C - 7pm, St Ja layton mes Thursday , 20th Sep tember

FoodFest 2018 different things Sustainable living can mean it means lly ntia esse but to different people, g our min har out with way a in g livin ing the availability environment or compromis re generations. futu of essential resources for live a more to ple peo s age our enc st FoodFe ess of food ren awa es rais sustainable life and munity is the Com Our et, Plan Our . erty pov Friday local FoodFest event for 2018. On light the issue of high to schools will be involved hasis on emp cial spe a with y bilit sustaina er. wat n plastic waste and clea d September Friday 21st - Saturday 22n

Scouts cake sale Join Newcastle Scouts outside the Guildhall in Newcastle to raise money for local and international scouting in 2019. 10am - 3pm Saturday, 22nd Se ptember

Grand Charity Auction Diabetes UK North Staffs Local Group will be holding a charity auction at Bradwell Lodge Community Centre, Bradwell Lane, Porthill (ST5 8PS). Viewing commences at 10am until ssion 11am, with the sale starting at 11am. Admi e includ will lots and £1 is gue Catalo and s Moorcroft, Beswick, Doulton and Anita Harri Saturday 29th September eworks harity Fir ks, fair Mayor’s C cular firewor alley ta ec sp of eV ym L at An evening more s and much ground ride Parkway.

1st October Sunday, 2

Spooky Saturday y This year the town is getting into the spook kin pump a with in Join . ween spirit of Hallo trail, zombie drumming, Halloween craft s, workshop, Zombie nerf shoot out, stilt robot take will event The . more fire performers and place at the Roebuck Centre and Lymelight Boulevard.

Saturday, 27th October

Back in time running a Brampton Museum will be looking at the ber tem Sep special exhibition in Newcastle under in by e gon rs yea of ions fash Lyme. fabulous Take a glimpse at some of the years of 200 r ove g nnin spa hing clot items of on n bee er nev e hav history, many which ude a local incl hts hlig Hig re. befo lay disp homemade mining photographer’s backdrop, a the early 1800s from strike banner and fashion 0s. to the 198 vember 15th September - 13th No

Bake off Charity bake off and cake sale to raise mo ney for Back2Back - childr en’s spinal support gro up at Royal Stoke Unive rsity Hospital. Donat ea cake or buy on the day . Music and refreshm ents, free parking, wheelcha ir access. 9am - 12 midday, Penkhull Vil lage Hall Saturday, 6th Octob er

Health information day on To coincide with World Arthritis Day ital Hosp ood Hayw y nearb the October 12th, n will be hosting a community informatio s acros itis arthr by ted affec le peop for day The m.

7.30p and m 3.30p the area, between ts, day will include talks by rheumatologis s nurse and s rcher resea ts, physiotherapis to and there will be plenty of opportunity have your questions answered. Exercise taster sessions, stalls with aids and nt adaptations, information leaflets, patie be all will nts shme refre support and available.

Friday, 12th October

Newcastle Life Issue 16 21

From Newcastl SCOUTS ADVENTURE

SCOUTS HEAD OFF FOR AN EPIC ADVENTURE

O

ver the past 14 years 79th Mitchell Troop Scouts have established and upheld a close relationship with a Scout group based in Strand Jorpeland, Norway.

The groups first met at the International Friendship Camp at Kibblestone in 2004 and since then have held fun filled camps in both Norway and England.

Mitchell Troop’s 2018 journey to Norway started at the end of July this year, with 16 Scouts, 5 Explorers and 7 Leaders excited to take part in the week long camp.

However the trip got off to a shaky start when the group’s first flight was cancelled and the scouts had to turn round and go home, until coach transport to an alternative airport could be found.

“There are no words to express the thanks we have as Leaders, and from the Scouts and their families, to tell the District how grateful we were for their personal and financial support during these stressful few hours,” explained Scout Leader Jon Mycock.

Finally the group arrived in Norway, 28 hours later than expected.

Jon continued: “Upon arrival at Camp 773 we were greeted by 32 excited Norwegian Scouts, Rovers, and Leaders. This meant that we had a

22 Newcastle Life Issue 16

total of 60 Scouts between our two countries, camping together for the week.

“On our first day we sailed ships to an island for a pirate themed wild camp. Some of the scallywags amongst us were forced to walk the plank which naturally ended up with most of the Scouts in the sea!

“We camped out under tarps and in hammocks, tried new foods, and rebuilt friendships.

“The following day we sailed back to Strand Jorpeland where we were treated to lunch at the Norwegian Scout Hut on the harbour. The Scouts played ultimate Frisbee and then took part in sailing themed activities before heading back to site for a wash in the fjord.

“On Wednesday we travelled to Pulpit Rock where we planned to sleep under the stars. Whilst the sun set the Scouts set up their base for the night on top of the mountain. After sunset we walked to the edge of the cliff and, alongside 2,000 other people, watched the premier of Mission Impossible 6 in the open air. This was part of a big event in Norway that was reported by all major news networks as part of the movie was filmed on Pulpit Rock.

“The Scouts then headed back to Camp 773 for some well-deserved sleep before more swimming in the fjords and then hosting an ‘English’ themed evening of food and activities. The Norwegians had invited family, friends, and old Scouters to join us for a Full English Breakfast and traditional

tle to Norway...

SCOUTS ADVENTURE

English Scout games, rounded off with a classic campfire.

“On our last full day with our Norwegian friends, we continued with our water themed camp and canoed 3 kilometres along the fjord to Grimsli whilst stopping off at different shores to collect bingo cards.

“When we arrived at the beach we were treated to cheesy hot dogs in the rain before drawing the bingo and watching Leaders and Explorers take part in a very competitive ‘no rules’ canoe race.

“Needless to say everybody ended up in the water with our UK leaders winning the race (but not without cheating).

“The Scouts clambered back into their boats to complete the 3km return journey in tough conditions of headwind and rain. Upon arrival back at camp the Scouts chose to capsize their boats and were taught how to safely rescue each other before heading for some more fjord showers.

“In the evening we started to pack our bags and had our last supper together before heading outside for a group campfire. During the campfire we sang songs and were treated to a guitar solo, before exchanging gifts and hugs and toasting marshmallows.

“Since arriving back in the UK we have

received many positive comments from the Scouts and their families about what amazing memories they have made with their new friends. We have extended the invitation to the Norwegians to host them again in the UK in 2020 and we look forward to starting the planning process all over again!

“Once again our thanks go out to Newcastle Scout District, families, friends, and fellow Scouters for all of their support in the planning and undertaking of this event.”

Newcastle Life Issue 16 23

GRADUATE RESEARCH

Calls to boost body image education

A

psychology graduate is calling for better education in schools around body image and appearance.

Emily Griffiths, 21 from Newcastle-underLyme, studied BSc (Hons) Psychology at Staffordshire University and researched body image in the Girlguiding community for her final year dissertation.

Emily, who has been involved with Girlguiding since she was five, explained: “Personally I’ve had body image issues. I’m now an adult leader in the Girlguides and I’ve noticed that some of the girls who are teenagers have body issues.

“They’ve got absolutely fine bodies, perfectly healthy, so I was interested in finding out how they felt.”

Emily interviewed participants between the ages of 12 and 17 at her Girlguiding group in Chesterton to investigate how they felt about their bodies and what influenced that body image.

Generally, the participants reported having a positive body image however they also identified areas that made them feel negatively about their appearance including parental influence, social media and the media in general.

Emily explained: “The research discovered that most of the participants' negative views of their body image stemmed from others' views personal comments, social media use and 24 Newcastle Life Issue 16

constant subconscious comparison with others all had a long-term effect.

“Overall it turned out that they felt quite fine about their bodies but now I’m interested in knowing if that is because Girlguiding has had a positive influence on them or if I was just lucky to find participants who all had positive body image.”

Emily received a first for the dissertation and with the help of her lecturer Dr Alison Owen the research was published in the British Journal of School Nursing. She now plans to do a Masters degree at Staffordshire University to continue her research.

Emily and Dr Owen also hope that this report can be used in future health promotion in schools, for example through class discussions and sharing information with students about airbrushed or filtered photographs used in the media.

“I think there needs to be more education for both children and adults about the focus on self worth. As a whole, we all need to be less judgemental of ourselves and others, we need to empower one another and take importance away from appearance.

Emily added: “It is great to have had this opportunity. Not many people before they’ve fully graduated have been accepted for publication in a journal!”

Crocosmia – Stars of the autumn garden

GARDENING

C

by Martin Blow rocosmia are better known as “Montbretia” in Britain and often have a bad name as invasive, plants. However, there are lots of choice varieties that are less spreading and worthier of their other common name: “Falling Stars” after their cascade of brilliant, fiery, starry flowers.

These plants come from Africa and were previously thought to be winter tender needing to be dug up in late autumn and laid out to dry so that the corms could be stored indoors in winter. This is still good practice if your soil is water logged in winter and it also serves to reduce the spread of the plants as well. I leave the corms in the soil over winter as my garden isn’t very wet or cold.

The plants like a moisture retentive soil in summer and this will give bigger and more flowers.

By choosing different varieties you can have flowers from July to early October and plants from 1ft / 30cm to 4ft / 120cm tall.

Perhaps the most popular, tallest and earliest to flower is the orange-red “Lucifer” with his pleated leaves and long cascades of flowers. He will start

flowering in July through to the end of August.

Other tall varieties flowering in late July and August are “Rowallene Yellow” and “Rowallene Orange”: these two have the largest heads of flowers and are around 3ft / 90cm tall.

At the other end of the scale there are short varieties for the front of the border like the orange and yellow “Firejumper”, red and yellow “Jackanapes” and red “Gloria”. These grow to 1ft / 30cm or slightly less and their bold colourways are the highlight lining my paths and patio in August and September.

For a softer effect, there are some lovely pale lemon flowered varieties. All are very alike: you might find “Citronella”, “Sulpherea” or “Morning Light”, there’s not much to choose between them.

These are 1ft 6in / 45cm tall and flower in late August perhaps through to early October.

These bright plants are easy to grow and invaluable for brightening up the garden in late summer and autumn. Keep an eye out for Crocosmia at plant fairs in the autumn and catch a falling star for your garden.

Janet & I run Special Perennials, website www.specialperennials.com we will be at the Plant Hunters’ Fair at Weston Park, Shifnal TF11 8LE on Sunday 9th September, entry £2.50 for fair & gardens; Henbury Hall Gardens, Nr Macclesfield SK11 9PJ on Sunday 16th September, entry £2.50 for fair & gardens and at Abbeywood Gardens, Delamere CW8 2HS on Sunday 23rd September entry £3.00 for fair & gardens. For full details of these and other Plant Hunters’ Fairs please see www.planthuntersfairs.co.uk We are happy to bring orders to plant fairs for you to collect.

Newcastle Life Issue 16 25

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Fond memories as popular head retires HEADTEACHER RETIRES

F

ollowing a successful 42 years at the helm of Edenhurst Prep School, Headteacher Mr Nick Copestick has hung up his pencil case and embarked on retirement. At the same time, his wife Suzanne also retired from her teaching role and as Registrar at the school.

Edenhurst Prep School was founded in 1961 when Nick’s parents, Bill and Sylvia Copestick, purchased ‘Edenhurst House’ in Westlands Avenue, Newcastle, and immediately began converting the residential property into suitable premises for a school.

Nick took over the Head’s role from his father, Bill Copestick, in 1976, initially working alongside his parents for five years before they moved to Cornwall. Edenhurst has seen many changes in that time and survived three economic recessions but has retained the nurturing, family aspect that so characterised its beginnings.

28 Newcastle Life Issue 16

After much expansion and extension, the Copestick family created a school boasting many excellent facilities, including a science lab, an art suite, a full Nursery complex, playing fields, tennis courts, and a kitchen of sufficient size to cater for rapidly increasing pupil numbers.

Former Edenhurst pupil Emma Joustra, an illustrator from nearby Stone, was commissioned to draw a personal and memorable gift for the couple on their retirement - an image of the school surrounded by the familar faces of its teachers, pupils and staff.

“I have never regarded my role as just a 'job' – it has been my way of life and I feel privileged to have shared that with Suzanne for the past couple of decades,” commented Nick.

“It is going to be a real wrench for us both to leave Edenhurst behind but we feel that the school is in a very strong position and that we have life goals we want to achieve before I, particularly, am not too old!”

“I feel very proud of the school's many achievements since then; at the same time it is humbling to think of the hundreds of families and children (not least our own!) who have put their trust in us and we will carry very many fond memories of them and of the colleagues who have supported us and contributed so hugely to the successes over the years.”

Michael Hibbert, currently Assistant Head (Senior Deputy Head) at Merchant Taylor’s Prep in Hertfordshire, will become the next Headteacher of Edenhurst at the start of the 2018 - 2019 school year.

Michael said: “The minute I walked through the doors, I knew Edenhurst was the kind of school I wanted to be a part of. The sense of community and family was clearly evident.

“Edenhurst is a place where children are the absolute priority and this resonates with my own beliefs. Meeting Mr Copestick played a significant part in me applying. I find it truly inspirational that he has devoted his whole life to this school and I am honoured to be given the opportunity to continue his good work.”

HEADTEACHER RETIRES

Newcastle Life Issue 16 29

EDENHURST WELCOMES NEW HEADTEACHER EDENHURST PREPARATORY SCHOOL

E

denhurst Prep School is welcoming a new Headteacher this month.

Mike Hibbert is taking over as head at Edenhurst Preparatory School, in Westlands Avenue, following the retirement of Nick Copestick who was head of the school for 42 years.

Speaking about his new role, he said: “The minute I walked through the doors, I knew Edenhurst was the kind of school I wanted to be a part of. It is a lovely place to be – the sense of community and family is clearly evident.

Edenhurst is a place where children are the absolute priority and this resonates with my own beliefs.”

“I have a very strong staff team. Some of them have been here for years and it is good to have that expertise.

Speaking about his predecessor, he said: “I find it truly inspirational that Nick has devoted

30 Newcastle Life Issue 16

his whole life to this school. I am looking forward to developing strong relationships with pupils, parents and staff and am honoured to be given the opportunity to continue Nick’s good work.

Mike was previously the Assistant Head (Senior Deputy Head) at Merchant Taylors’ Prep in Hertfordshire. His wife Babitah Hibbert will be joining the staff part-time from September, teaching Maths and PE. For more information about Edenhurst Preparatory School, visit www.edenhurst.co.uk

LYMEDALE BUSINESS CENTRE

A decade of enterprise A

council enterprise centre is celebrating its 10 year anniversary. Lymedale Business Centre in Newcastle opened in 2008 and is now home to 36 small businesses, offering a broad range of goods and services.

Across the county there are eight enterprise centres, offering both office, workshop and industrial units to small businesses. The office units are let on flexible short-term tenancy arrangements and offer a range of facilities including meeting rooms, parking and networking opportunities. Lymedale is now connected to fibre broadband through the county council’s Superfast Staffordshire programme.

Among the Lymedale businesses is Cybernautix, a web design and online marketing company. The company’s CEO Peter Brough commented: “ Originally we were home based, but as we grew it became more important to be somewhere we can bring our clients as a professional business. “ There is a massive advantage in having a

flexible tenancy – we have a rolling contract which means low investment and it takes the pressure off, allowing us to focus on growing the business. Being in a building with other small businesses is helpful and there is a lot of networking opportunities.”

Staffordshire County Council’s economic growth leader said: “Lymedale Business Centre is home to 36 thriving small businesses providing a range of goods and services, creating jobs and playing an important part in our economic growth.

“They are innovative enterprises and I am pleased that our centre has provided suitable premises to enable their successful operations and continued growth.

“Our enterprise centres are attractive to businesses as they provide the facilities they need in addition to flexible short-term tenancies which remove any worry about committing to long agreements. We’re pleased that Lymedale has been providing support to small businesses in Staffordshire for a decade now.”

Newcastle Life Issue 16 31

RHYTHM FOUNDRY

RHYTHM FOUNDRY S A

music school in Newcastle-under-Lyme is hitting all the right notes, forging a community of creativity in North Staffordshire.

Rhythm Foundry in North Street, has become an important part of the music scene locally, with one-to-one tuition from fantastic local musicians and a number of clubs and bands using the 'hub' facilities at the premises.

Drummer, Dean Fradley, began the hunt for premises after starting up music lessons at his home.

With a Grade 8 drumming certificate in LCM and Rockschool, Dean has 25 years of teaching experience and studied drumming for 10 years with Luke Flowers and 10 years with Dave Hassell.

He worked for three years as the drum tutor at Stoke College before founding Rhythm Foundry in 2005.

Originally based in Hanley, the larger North Street premises in Newcastle became home to the Rhythm Foundry last year, allowing the music hub to expand.

Now, the business is continuing to grow thanks to a host of local expertise on offer for 32 Newcastle Life Issue 16

music students of all ages.

With a core teaching staff of 12 instrumentalists, each offering a wealth of skill and experience, the music school caters for budding musicians of all ages.

And with state-of-the-art facilities throughout its seven custom-built teaching studios and two fully-equipped practice rooms, the Rhythm Foundry has become a popular resource for artists and bands across the region.

The community aspect of the business has also become an important part of the overall ethos, encouraging a flourishing music scene in Newcastle and embracing people of all ages, abilities and skill level who are keen to learn their art.

Students at Rhythm Foundry enjoy one-toone lessons and get the chance to take part in an annual show at the Mitchell Arts Centre in Hanley.

September is enrolment month at the school and students looking for expert tuition in drums, guitar, bass guitar, piano, keyboard, singing, saxophone, violin, viola, cello, flute, recorder, ukulele, voice or music theory lessons can find out more at: www.rhythmfoundry.co.uk.

RHYTHM FOUNDRY

Y SETTING THE BEAT

Newcastle Life Issue 16 33

LEGAL MATTERS

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DIE WITHOUT A WILL?

W

By David Birchall, Beswicks Legal wills and estate planning solicitor

e use insurance without giving it a second thought to protect the ‘things’ we value, which is why it is all the more mysterious why so many of us fail to put in place a mechanism to pass that wealth to our families.

A staggering 60% of Britons fail to put a will in place, something that is an absolute necessity to ensure the value of your estate is passed to your family.

If you die without a will, your estate will be shared out according to the rules of intestacy.

This creates a huge amount of stress and uncertainty for families, for example: • Your partner will only inherit under the rules of intestacy if you are married or in a civil partnership. Cohabiting

partners will inherit nothing, regardless of how long they have been together.

• If you have informally separated from your partner, they will still inherit under the rules.

• If there are surviving children and your estate is valued at more than £250,000, your partner will inherit all of the personal property and belongings, the first £250,000 of the estate and half of the remaining estate, while your children share the remainder equally.

The rules of intestacy are complex, leading to confusion and delays at an emotional and difficult time for families. But this situation can be avoided by simply making a will.

A will can be made for a one-off fixed fee starting at just £190+vat, which is less than many people pay for their buildings and contents insurance each year.

Food for thought and perhaps the prompt needed to implement the most important insurance you can for your family.

If you would like advice about making a will or updating an existing will, call us on 01782 205000.

Newcastle Life Issue 16 35

Holdcroft Honda unveils the all-new CR-V MOTORING

H

oldcroft Honda is celebrating the launch of the all-new Honda CR-V with an exciting launch event on 10th September.

The new CR-V will be available to purchase at Holdcroft Honda from early September, prices starting from £25,995. The launch event of CR-V is the perfect opportunity to view the new car and make the most of the Complimentary premium accessory pack on all orders before September 31st.

The new CR-V follows the grading of the previous generation, rising from the entry level S grade to SE, SR and finishing at the top of the range EX. The 1.5 i-VTEC petrol engine will come with a choice of two and all-wheel drive and in both manual transmission and CVT. Standard across all grades is parking sensors and a rear-view camera as well as Honda SENSING; Honda’s suite of safety features which includes collision mitigation braking system, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane

36 Newcastle Life Issue 16

departure warning, road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition. SR and EX will also feature blind spot warning and cross traffic monitoring, while the CVT version will feature low speed follow.

SR grade also adds smart entry and start, leather interior, active cornering lights and front windscreen de-icer; while EX further includes a heated steering wheel, head up display, hands free access power tailgate, heated rear seats and panoramic glass sunroof.

Anthony Cox, Dealer Principal at Holdcroft Honda, commented: “Everyone at the dealership is raring to go for the launch of the all-new CR-V and we can’t wait to kick things off with our event on 10th September. We want to offer our customers a complete experience when they visit our showroom and allow them to enjoy viewing the new Honda CR-V in style.”

To find out more information about the models and to register your interest in attending the VIP event, visit: www.holdcroft.com/honda/

elegant return to Europe's most famous resorts in the form of the new Fiat 500 Spiaggina 58 special series.

Produced as a limited edition

classic which also appeared for the first time in 1958 - starring the new Fiat 500 Spiaggina ‘58.

The video pays homage to three greatly loved, world-

water, long sandy beaches and dramatic cliffs.

The car's seductive passage is accompanied by the notes of the most famous of all Italian songs:

their power unconfined by time, borders or cultures.

Luca Napolitano, Head of EMEA Fiat & Abarth brand, explains: "The new Spiaggina 58

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VOLVO ADDS POWER AND REFINEMENT V MOTORING

olvo is introducing the performance and efficiency benefits of its T5 turbocharged petrol engine across its large-car range in the UK, adding the T5 powertrain to the S90 saloon, V90 estate, V90 Cross Country and XC90 SUV. Tuned to deliver 250hp and an impressive 350Nm of torque, the T5 has well-established credentials as a strong yet refined performer that delivers impressive fuel economy and emissions.

It is matched as standard to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The T5 is a member of the newest Volvodesigned-and-built Drive-E engines, and is further evidence of Volvo's continued focus on petrol engine technology. The advanced 2.0-litre, four-cylinder unit is both compact and lightweight, with aluminium alloy extensively used in its construction.

It benefits from a raft of sophisticated engine technologies, including a variable valve system that supports driveability as well as overall efficiency, advanced combustion control and measures to reduce power losses through internal friction. The single-scroll turbocharger uses exhaust gases to force more air through the induction system, increasing the engine's responsiveness to driver inputs.

In the S90 saloon, the new T5 is available in all model grades apart from the entry-level Momentum and the Momentum Pro, and joins the existing T4 petrol, D4 and D5 PowerPulse diesels, and the T8 Twin Engine petrol-electric

plug-in hybrid. Despite being the most powerful non-hybrid unit in the range, it achieves combined cycle fuel economy from 42.8mpg and CO2 emissions from 154g/km*. For business users, its first-year benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax rate is 31 per cent. The T5's power translates into sharp performance, with a 0-62mph time of 6.8 seconds and a top speed of 140mph. The new S90 T5 is available from £41,120 on-the-road for the R-Design version.

The V90 mirrors its sister saloon in terms of the availability of the T5 within the range, with the addition of the Cross Country all-road estate models. The benchmark efficiency figures are from 41.5mpg and 157g/km in the standard V90, and from 38.2mpg and 172g/km with all-wheel drive in the Cross Country. Performance is equally impressive, with 0-62mph in just 7.0 seconds in the V90 and 7.4 seconds in the V90 Cross Country. T5 prices are from £43,120 for the V90 R-Design and £44,685 for the V90 Cross Country. The BIK tax rates are 32 per cent for the R-Design and 35 per cent for the Cross Country.

Customers for the XC90 SUV can specify the T5 with all-wheel drive in all model grades, starting with the Momentum, which has an onthe-road price of £50,435, and topping out with the luxuriously specified Inscription Pro at £59,235. The BIK rate for business motorists is 37 per cent. The XC90 T5 AWD achieves official combined cycle figures from 35.8mpg and 184g/km, while acceleration from rest to 62mph is dispatched in 7.9 seconds.

Jon Wakefield, Managing Director of Volvo Car UK, said: "The T5 petrol engine is a superb addition to the S90, V90 and XC90 ranges. This cutting-edge engine brings increased choice for our customers, and offers strong performance with excellent efficiency and refinement. We're sure it'll be a hit with retail and business users alike."

Order books are open now for the new T5 models across the S90, V90 and XC90 model ranges. Further information and the online configurator are available at www.volvocars.com/uk *All figures quoted are WLTP, NEDC-derived

40 Newcastle Life Issue 16

QUIZ CORNER

Let’s get quizzical COMPILED BY PAUL STEELE

General knowledge quiz 1. In which country were twelve boys and their coach trapped in a cave system for 17 days in July?

2. Which country won the 2018 FIFA World Cup? 4. When put in order the chemical symbols of Silver, Arsenic and Silicon make up which former tennis player's surname?

5. What colour is naranja in Spanish?

6. Who provides the voice of the title character in the 2018 film 'Peter Rabbit'?

7. The counters used in the original Connect 4 game are?

8. Which shapes are used in a Venn diagram?

9. How many bites are missing from the fruit in the Apple logo?

10. Which 2017 number one begins, 'I found a love for me, Darling, just dive right in and follow my lead'?

A drinks quiz for Oktoberfest 1. Which act won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1981?

2. In the sport of cycling what was the Tour of Britain known as from 1958 to 1993?

3. Which group was fronted by Errol Brown?

4. Which former England captain divorced Julia Smith and had links with Princess Diana?

5. Which novel by Laurie Lee was set in Gloucestershire?

6. Which hit for the Wurzels was adapted from the song 'Una Paloma Blanca'?

7. Which drink has a name that translates into English as Aunt Mary?

8. What is the capital of Trinidad and Tobago?

9. Which song written by Neil Diamond was a number one hit for UB40?

10. Which female duo had a 1987 hit with 'Heartache'?

General Knowledge Answers: 1. Thailand; 2. France; 3. Drake; 4. Agassi; 5. Orange; 6. James Corden; 7. Red and Yellow; 8. Circles or Ovals; 9. One; 10. Perfect.

Drinks Answers: 1. Bucks Fizz; 2. The Milk Race; 3. Hot Chocolate; 4. Will Carling; 5. Cider With Rosie; 6. 'I am a Cider Drinker'; 7. Tia Maria; 8. Port of Spain; 9. 'Red Red Wine'; 10. Pepsi and Shirley.

42 Newcastle Life Issue 16

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

3. Who was at number one in July with 'In My Feelings'?