Chelmsford The City Times September Edition

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Issue Number 12 - September/October 2014

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CT Welcome Hi readers,

Firstly, apologies to all that entered our competition for event tickets at the three Hylands Park events. Unfortunately they all got cancelled.

On brighter news, this is our 12th issue, one year of City Times.

Where has the time gone?

This month look out for CityDiversions and Blues In The City. They both look like being great events!

Enjoy Nick & Paul

www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk, www.moulshamtimes.com & www.braintreelife.co.uk Advertising Editorial Nick Garner Paul Mclean 07970 206682 07595 949701 ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk Disclaimer: It’s Your Media Ltd publish Chelmsford The City Times. The opinion expressed in each article is the opinion of its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of It’s Your Media Ltd. No part may be reproduced without the prior written permission of It’s Your Media Ltd. Registered offices 15 Hayes Close, Chesmford. Reg No 9154871. Printed by Imagery UK.

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CT Fashion - Autumn Trends

It only seems like yesterday, when I stored away my winter clothes and replaced them with my summer ones, but it’s that time of year again, when your feet get too chilly in sandals, jeans are now the order of the day and you are reaching for those cardi’s.

If you can manage to bid a fond farewell to those denim shorts and flip-flops for another year, making the transition from summer to autumn doesn’t have to be a wrench. Autumn is an exciting time in the fashion calendar, with the new collections at London Fashion Week in September and new looks on the high street, so let’s examine the forthcoming trends for this season and embrace all things autumnal.

Bold Over Colour this season will be everywhere and we shouldn’t be afraid of bold colour, as it can be much more flattering then a dark palette.

The aim is to mix brights with brights; good colour combinations are sunshine yellow with tomato red or royal blue with shocking pink.

boho/folk trend in 2005 and 2006, (check out Kate’s Glastonbury outfits) Now the Folk trend is back once more. On the high street you will be seeing… Broderie cotton shirts, embroidered tops and dresses, crochet tops, printed tunic dresses, and fringing on bags and jackets. This look is soft, floaty and relaxed, perfect for autumn.

So… I hope I have come up with something you can get excited about as the seasons change. A word of warning though, don’t wear them all at once!

Emma Smith lives in Chelmsford and is a style consultant.

She offers personal shopping and wardrobe planning. You can contact her via her website www.emmasmith.co.uk or email her emma@emmasmith.co.uk.

Swing into the Sixties The sixties trend is going to be big this autumn, extending to hair and make up too. Clothes-wise, think shift dresses in block colours, plaids and tweeds. Mid-length skirts in plain bold colours and with pattern, wear with a contrasting bold colour.

Explore texture, like they did in the sixties, with tops in leather, tweed, and crochet. Coats will follow the sixties swing shape and come in all the primary colours and in gorgeous pastels like sky blue, violet and baby pink. You’ll also find patterned coats on the high street, anything from a quirky cat print, to monochrome dogtooth, to animal print. The classic short belted mac is also spot on for this season, in camel or pastel.

Well done to Andy Poole and Christian Kay for completing their walk from Trafalgar Square to Chelmsford High Street tied to each other at the ankle!

They raised £3010 including gift aid for The J’s Hospice.

Bye Skinny... Hello Boyfriend The skinny jean is being replaced by the boyfriend jean, don’t fret though, the skinny jean isn’t totally finished (the new skinny is slim, rather than skinny and cropped) This season’s boyfriend jean is not as tapered and high waisted as the 1980s Levi’s, that were made famous by pop stars like Madonna.

The new boyfriend jean is less feminine (hence the name) so is more CT flattering around the hips for us girls. For a really stylish way to wear them, pair with a stiletto heel or a block heeled court shoe.

Midi not Mini The midi length skirt rests mid-way between your knee and ankle, it’s not the easiest length to wear for everyone, but here are some tips to get it right for all body shapes. If you are tall, then this length looks good with ankle boots, pumps or loafers, but if you are shorter, then any shoe with a heel will elongate the leg and be more flattering.

If you are curvy, gathers around the waist are not a problem, but if you are pear shaped, it would be best to avoid fullness at the waist and opt for a drop waist with softer gathers or pleats.

Suited and Booted The trouser suit will also feature this season. This doesn’t just mean the classic work suit, but the trouser suit in all guises. Trouser suits this season come in bold colours and printed fabrics. The trouser suit is incredibly versatile. Pair the trousers with a different jacket or sweatshirt and pair the jacket with a mid length skirt or jeans.

Animal Magic The animal print never really goes away, each season it comes back into fashion. Leopard print is on trend yet again. It will be covering everything, from dresses to trousers to coats. If you don’t feel brave enough to wear your leopard print loud and proud, start with a bag or a pair of kitten heels.

Folk Law If you look at photos of Kate Moss by Corinne Day in the 1990s you will see the beginnings of the boho trend or folk. Corinne obviously saw Kate as the archetypical folk girl, looking at the way she styled her for those photos. Kate Moss would later reinvent and lead the

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Hop Harvest by Simon Tippler Who Brews for and Runs Round Tower Brewery, Chelmsford City’s Brewery.

At this time of year the hop fields of England are being harvested.

The hop bines are cut down, the hops separated from the vine and then dried to ensure they will store well so they can be used by brewers over the coming year. Between March, when the hop vine emerges from its dormant winter protection in the soil and July, when the plant is fully grown, it can easily reach an height of over 20 ft for standard varieties and 12ft for dwarf or hedgerow varieties.

It is believed that hops were introduced in to England in the late 15th century. Up until that point the common drink was ale which was a malty alcoholic beverage often flavoured with herbs and spices, differing from the beer from the continent made with malts and hops.

Initially, hops were added simply as a preservative. Interestingly, old recipes from the 1800s of Pale Ale and Porter shipped out to India show that the beers had a high level of alcohol and also were well hopped to enable them to survive the long journey.

In the late 1800s, hops growing in the UK had reached a peak with 77,000 acres dedicated to hop farming. Most recently in 2013, the acreage was claimed to be around 2,500.

What is a hop?

Hops, as referred to in relation to beer, are the flowers of the hop vine. It is the resinous substance contained in the flower that is of interest to the brewer as it is this part which gives the bitterness and lots of flavour to beer.

So how are hops used in beer?

Brewers use hops to add bitterness that balances out the alcohol and residual sweetness left from un-fermentable sugars in the beer and also to add flavour and aroma to the final product. Hops that are boiled impart a bitterness that is desired in many styles of beer.

Up to a point, the longer the hops are boiled the more bitterness they add to the final product. Hops that are only boiled for a short period, or even added after the boil has finished, do not impart much bitterness but are added because of the other flavours and aromas that they add.

Hops can add a whole range of flavours to beer. The traditional

English hops such as Fuggles and East Kent Goldings give flavours that are described as spicy, honey, earthy and grassy. From America, the Cascade hop gives a flavour of lychees, grapefruit and floral notes.

Also from America, the Simcoe hop gives flavours of pine, grapefruit and passionfruit. Sorachi Ace, also American, gives lemon and coconut flavours. From Australia, Galaxy gives flavours of passion fruit and peaches.

Blending the multitude of different hops and using them in different parts of the process allows brewers to introduce many different flavours and characters to their beers.

I spoke to Alli Capper, a well know British hop farmer, who said that ‘British Hop growers produce over 20 commercial hop varieties with uniquely beautiful delicate and complex aroma notes that make some of the most drinkable beer in the world. And brewers have started to notice us again.’

Do you want to have a go at identifying some of the flavours given by hops for yourself?

Try Round Tower’s Boyton, a 4% brown beer, solely hopped with Bramling Cross, a great English hop with spicy and blackcurrant flavours. Wibblers have also brewed a single hop beer made with Galaxy, an Australian hop. Look out for notes of passion fruit and peaches. Crouch Vale produces Amarillo and Yakima Gold, both hopped with Amarillo. Can your taste buds identify the floral and citrus tastes?

At this time of year lots of breweries make ‘green hop beer’. This is made but adding fresh, undried hops to the end of the boil, so keep an eye out for them on the bar in a pub near you over the next month or so. www.RoundTowerBrewery.co.uk.

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CT Cooking

By John Jacobs

Chain Reaction

tomatoes evenly over the surface like a pig pizza. Cut into even strips of about an inch thick and roll each one into something that looks like a mini chocolate swirl. Stand each roll upright and place in a circular loaf tin. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove for 30 mins. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. And bake for 15 mins, reducing 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 for a further 30 mins. Tap out and leave the bread on a wire rack to cool completely.

My wife shares a birthday with several of her closest friends.

Coincidence? Yes of course it is, this isn’t the X-files. Traditionally there’s a celebratory restaurant involved, lots of happy shiny beautiful friends and inevitably a morning of fizzy pain management.

This year’s choice of venue was Wildwood, smack in the heart of the city in Backnang Square. I asked my wife whether this was her way of testing my commitment to our marriage or perhaps I’d suffered recent head trauma and hadn’t quite heard right. There are 13 (say it slowly, thir... teeeeeen) Italian restaurants in the city centre, not counting pizza outlets, soon to be 14, so presumably at some point the Jamie Oliver machine rocked into town and thought, “I know what this place needs...”

I don’t think you can get a fair review of a restaurant until you actually eat there yourself. At one time we could log on to trip advisor and get some idea of what a restaurant was like however it’s now so flooded with the ungrammatical effluent of pseudo-wannabe food critics and opinionated trolls filling cyberspace with the deafening cacophony of grinding axes, it’s pointless. Deep breath.

What is exciting about the city is the small but growing number of independents willing to take a chance. Olio is doing great things, Zorba the Greek is making its mark and El-Chigre is a real destination for a great night out. I plan to eat at Med-Fusion soon where you can also listen to live music or apparently take in a salsa class.

Seek them out good folk of Chelmsford, give them our support and discover new favorites in these small gems.

So, back to Wildwood. I sit corrected, placing my words in a big fat humble lasagne and like many a vegan, chowing down my smug self importance. Broad and interesting menu. Attentive, pleasant, knowledgeable waiting staff, beautifully cooked fresh food and a blissful but largely lethal cocktail called a mandarin mohito. One of the best dining out experiences I’ve had in Chelmo.

I fancied a little baking this month, probably influenced by the return of Bake Off. You can really overcomplicate bread baking. Once you get the hang of a basic recipe you can bravely experiment with textures and flavours. Here’s a really basic bread mix characteristic of the Med’ and put together in an easy tear and share. Thank you to Alice & Jack Taylor for being my chief tasters on this one.

As always, I love reading your e-mails and recipe suggestions. Email john@perfectlysimplecookery.co.uk. Happy September everyone.

Olive and sun dried tomato tear and share bread: Ingredients: 500g strong white flour Healthy pinch of salt 60ml extra virgin olive oil 20g yeast (fresh is not so easy to find so granules will be fine) 275ml warm water 150g black Greek olives, pitted and chopped (sometimes these can be a little too salty so rinse under a cold tap) 60g chopped sun-dried tomatoes Method:

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2. Knead once more then with a rolling pin, roll into a large sheet of about a centimetre thickness. Sprinkle the olives and

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1. Pop the flour, yeast and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the middle to pour in nearly all of the warm water. Get stuck in with fingers and mix into a slightly wet, puffy dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 10 mins. Place the dough in a clean oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise until doubled in size.

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Will Writing & Probate Services

CT Gardening Even the smallest garden can be transformed into a haven for wildflowers and animals with a minimal amount of sympathetic management. Such natural oases can form vital habitats providing food, shelter and breeding sites for animals. They also link rural and urban areas together and act as wildlife highways and stop-off points.

Less than 1% of Britain’s 22,400 species of insects are garden pests, and many are beneficial pollinators and predators or parasites of garden pests.

Ways to Encourage Wildlife in the Garden When planning and managing a garden for wildlife a few simple guidelines should be followed: 1. Turn over as large an area as possible to wildlife. The bigger the wildlife garden, the more balanced and stable it will be as a habitat.

by Tom Cole completing the nutrient cycle.

7. Use local plant stock where available. Often native plants sold by your garden centre or seed merchant have been grown from seed from the continent and could well be European subspecies which differ genetically from our own indigenous plants. Wild flowers are protected by law and should not be collected.

Gardening is all about balance and if you could just do one of the suggestions above you’ll be adding much needed diversity - good luck!

Lastly, if you’re looking to develop a new garden skill this year or want to move into horticulture as a career, please check out our huge range of courses on offer at Writtle College: www.writtle.ac.uk from this September. Good luck and happy gardening!

2. Provide a variety of habitats to increase the range of animals and plants that can be found in the garden. Many animals require more than one habitat to complete their life cycle. For example, many butterflies will feed on nectar plants in the garden but will only be passing visitors unless you provide a food plant for the caterpillars such as a patch of young stinging nettles in full sun. Birds may require berries and seeds for food as well as nesting and roosting sites such as a hedgerow or a clump of mature tree ivy.

3. Provide cover and protection for your wildlife. Lightly clipped hedges, lush pond side vegetation, ground cover and log piles will all provide shelter.

4. Link habitats together and provide wildlife corridors. Often shy animals will not risk being exposed and end up being trapped in one area of the garden. For example, frogs will not venture out onto a close cut lawn. By planting up the back of the pond with a lush bog area frogs will come out of the pond to feed on slugs and insects and if the bog garden then leads to the vegetable plot or herbaceous border, they can help with natural pest control there too. Hedges can act as wildlife corridors connecting the garden to other wildlife oases and highways outside the garden such as canals, woodlands and railway embankments ensuring a steady flow of animals through your garden.

5. Avoid excessive tidiness. Allow plants to seed to provide food for seed-eating birds. Leave vegetation and dead wood stacked in a shady spot to provide over-wintering sites for insects and amphibians.

Where safety and disease considerations allow, dead branches may be left as insect habitats and nesting sites for birds and bats.

6. Reduce the use of fertilisers and pesticides and be tolerant of some disease and pest damage. Where available use biological controls and/or short persistence or selective pesticides. Strive to achieve a natural balance and recycle garden waste, thereby Page 8

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A & M Tiling, Rainsford Road, Chelmsford A&M Tiling was established in 1972 by brothers Anthony and Martin Buck. Now run

by Martin’s son Marlon, our showroom has recently been extended to display a vast selection of leading tiles from Italy and Spain.

The majority of our business comes from personal recommendations and we continue to pride ourselves on our professional service and product knowledge. We distribute to 55 showrooms in the South East enabling us to

purchase direct from leading tile factories in Spain and Italy so we can provide high quality products at a competitive price.

From the front our showroom looks small, but once inside we feel we have the best selection locally with tiles presented easily to view. With our free sample service you can make the right decision for your house/ project. We look forward to seeing you.

Bi-monthly Beer Festival 25th-28th September 2014

September

Sunday 21st - Acoustic Sessions Saturday 27th From country wide cask ale Howling Matt and cider, to imported Coyotes German lager and worldwide Sunday 28th Mississippi MacDonald & the Cottonmouth Kings bottled beers, no matter Split Whiskers what you drink, The Ale

House is the place for you!

October

Saturday 4th - Redwood Band Saturday 11th - Clemtones

24-26 Viaduct Road, Chelmsford, CM1 1TS 01245 260535 www.the-ale-house-chelmsford.co.uk

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Things Got a Bit Fishy - a Chat with Fintasia Things got a bit ‘fishy’ this month when I was invited to interview Cliff Betts, owner of Fintasia Aquatic Shop in Braintree. Clearly passionate and highly knowledgeable about all things aquatic, Cliff filled me in on the highlights of his business.

Cliff and his wife Michelle opened their shop eight years ago, fulfilling a lifelong ambition. He has been a marine enthusiast and kept fish for over 30 years so to run his own business indulging in what he loves has been a fantastic way to earn a living. “Getting up to come to work in a shop full of the things you like is great, we have had some difficult times but our customers say that with great stock choice and healthy quarantine times, the service we provide is very helpful and knowledge is a key point”. Cliff and Michelle pride themselves on their customer service: “we always make sure that people are happy with the information we give them or purchases they have made - this is very important to us here at Fintasia.”

Fintasia stock a huge array of fish, ranging from cold water pond fish through to exotic tropical and marine species. From a Neon Tetra to Angel Fish and Molliesect; a marine Clown Fish to a Triggerfish; Lionfish to a Wreckfish, and coral shrimps that clean parasites to Starfish - Fintasia really do have a great variety of different species. “Fish delivery day is still as exciting as the day we started as we have fish delivered from all over the world.”

The shop does not stop at fish but also stocks live foods, so as to create natural living, as well as dry and frozen foods. It also stocks reptile dry goods and live foods pumps, heaters and lights - all you may need to run and maintain your aquarium. “We stock all leading names in the trade and if we don’t stock it we can also try to get it for you so come and see what we have to offer!”

Fintasia also offer a fantastic service to businesses whereby they stock and maintain an aquarium in your office environment so you can have a beautiful marine or tropical aquarium without the worry of having to look after it. Enjoy an underwater world at your place of work!

If you would like to check out Cliff and Michelle’s underwater one-stop-shop please find there website at www.fintasiauk.co.uk or visit the shop on Charter Way in Braintree (near Freeport)..

By Linda McNeill

CT What’s On In Chelmsford Sept/Oct September 19th Asylum - Helen Conelly - Scarlet Echo + Origami Noise + Wolves In Sheepskin Bassment - Secret Company + Stealing Signs + Indie Disco Civic Theatre - License To Thrill - Music of James Bond The Fleece - The Replik8ers Indigo - Akki & Saltfish 20th Asylum - DMO + Distorted DJs Bassment - Alternative disco till 4am - Lopez + Darryl Butcher Chelmsford City FC Vs Weston-Super-Mare Civic Theatre - Viva La Drag!

Cramphorn - Comedy Club 4 Kids!

The Fleece - Dawgfish Indigo - Militia presents Stark Future Recordings Med Fusion - Live Blues 21st Asylum - Blue Nevusa + A Higher Demise 23rd Civic Theatre - Jesus Christ Superstar 24th Asylum - Quiz Night Bassment - AD Project + Sophie Nixon Civic Theatre - Jesus Christ Superstar 25th Asylum - acoustic - Steve Foster Pilkington + Ethereal Fire + Joseph Neal + Joe Stam + Aaliyah Wood Bassment - Girls with Guitars: Khanyisa Twani + Amy Westney Civic Theatre - Jesus Christ Superstar The Fleece - Proud of Our Ale Festival begins Hylands House - Open Studios Med Fusion - Oink 26th Asylum - Silent Divide + Crooked Little Sons + Wild City Bassment - Attaque + Winston and the Lads + Indie Disco Blues In The City - Chelmsford Social Club - see advert opposite Chelmsford City FC - The Official Comedy Club Civic Theatre - Jesus Christ Superstar The Fleece - Hot Sauce Disco Hylands House - Open Studios Indigo - Jared Lee + Bakerside + Pepper Collins + Machine Gun Men 27th Bassment - Alternative Disco till 4am - Firat + Darryl Butcher Blues In City - The Touchline Hullbridge - see advert opposite City Diversions City centre & Anglia Ruskin Civic Theatre - Jesus Christ Superstar The Fleece - Turbulance Hylands House - Open Studios Indigo - Lady C’s Old Skool House Soiree 28th Blues In The City Fringe Festival - see advert opposite Hylands House - Open Studios 30th Chelmsford Civic Society - An evening in Hylands House October 1st Asylum - Pool competition Asylum - Kane + Xentinel + Asylum Bassment - David J Harvey + Lianne Kaye Cramphorn Theatre - Lunchtime concert The Fleece - Outdoor beer festival begins 2nd Asylum - Gavin Chappell-Bates + Warm Winters + Finding Miranda Bassment - The Library Suits + Sound Mirrors

2nd continued Cramphorn Theatre - The Ladykillers The Fleece - Outdoor beer festival 3rd Asylum - Fistikuffs + We Come First + The Three Mothers Bassment - Rubber Soul Chelmsford City FC - Dance-Parties UK Civic Theatre - Hugless Douglas Cramphorn Theatre - The Ladykillers The Fleece - October - Expose + Outdoor beer festival Indigo - Kosha Med Fusion - Salsa Night 4th Asylum - Remember December + The Natives Bassment - Alternative Disco till 4am - Mat Format + Darryl Butcher Civic Theatre - Hugless Douglas Cramphorn Theatre - The Ladykillers Dark Side Comics - 1st Birthday The Fleece - Break for Cover + Outdoor beer festival Indigo - Drop the Bass 5th Cramphorn Theatre - Chelmsford Jazz Club Chelmsford City FC - Antiques & Collectables Fair The Fleece - Outdoor beer festival 6th Chelmsford City FC Vs Concord Rangers Cramphorn Theatre - Frank (15) 8th Bassment - Jazz Funk - Zak Barrett + Holly Barrett + Andy Staples + Andy Sear + Dan Banks + Dan Parker + guests Civic Theatre - Bouncers Cramphorn Theatre - Lunchtime concert 9th Bassment - Acoustic Underground - Peppermint Apes + Sheri Kershaw Cramphorn Theatre - Under The Skin (15) 10th Asylum - The MaCgregors + Lost on Broadway + Dregs of Society Bassment - Supersonic present Brit Pop Fundraiser Chelmsford City FC - City Legends Evening Civic Theatre - Bouncers Cramphorn Theatre - Call Mr Robeson – A life, with songs The Fleece - Steel Indigo - Flavour Jardins - Dona Oxford + Standard Lamps 11th Asylum - Origami Noise + Chased By Karma Bassment - Alternative Disco till 4am - Lopez + Darryl Butcher Civic Theatre - Sensational 60s Experience Cramphorn Theatre - Essex Poetry Festival The Fleece - Undercover Indigo - Seriously Retro 12th Civic Theatre - An Evening with Tony Jacklin 13th Civic Theatre - Shakespeare Schools Festival 15th Asylum - Quiz Night Bassment - Blues In The City - Back Porch + Sofie Reed Cramphorn Theatre - Lunchtime Theatre Cramphorn Theatre - National Trust Talk 16th Asylum - VII + Minerva Falls + On Atlas Bassment - Acoustic Night Civic Theatre - Sherlock Holmes - The Scandal of the Scarlet Woman Cramphorn Theatre - Mano

Hippo Screenprinters Open Studio The beautiful Essex countryside has long been an inspiration for artists, from the famous John Constable and Sir Alfred Munnings, to many a amateur landscape painter. This tradition continues and flourishes today with Essex being home to numerous artist studios, workshops, world class galleries and award winning arts venues.

Margaretting, near Chelmsford, is the chosen location for fine art printmaking studio, Hippo Screenprinters, which is owned and run by artists Lynne Blackburn MA and Ian Bailey. Hippo is named after Saint Augustine of Hippo, the patron saint of printers, and has been producing high quality screen print editions for artists since 2009.

Having earned their reputation by providing screen printing services to a wide range of artists, from local illustrators and designers to international graffiti artists, Hippo Screenprinters have recently launched a series of classes and workshops covering the art of screen printing. The classes are currently all led by experienced printmaker, and exhibiting artist, Lynne Blackburn and are kept to low class sizes to ensure maximum attention for each attending artist.

As well as screen printing, Hippo Screenprinters’ studio also has the facilities for preparing and printing etching plates, and a workshop in safe, acrylic resist, etching techniques is being planned for the near future.

As part of the Essex Summer of Arts Open Studios event, Hippo Screenprinters will be opening their studio to visitors on Saturday 27th September between 9am and 5pm.

There will be printmaking demonstrations throughout the day.

On Friday 12th September, the Walthamstock team gathered with their volunteers and chosen charities and donated over £8,000 to them and other local organisations!

They also got the chance to say a big thank you to everyone that helps make Walthamstock what it is.

Please note, all events are subject to change. Please visit the relevant websites or Facebook pages for more details.

Please send details of your events to editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk.

Events can be charity events, jumble sales, dance classes, school reunions, garden parties, live music, local theatre etc.

Next issue deadlines Copy - 3rd October Print ready artwork 7th October

Hippo will also have a stand at this years Art in the Park at Hylands House on Sunday 28th September, 11am - 5pm. So if you’re around that weekend please come along and say hello and find out what we do.

To find out more information on dates and details of classes and workshops, and to have a look at some of the screen prints which Hippo have produced, check out the website at: www.hipposcreenprinters.com.

You can also contact Lynne on 01277 355 362 or lynne@hipposcreenprinters.com if you would like any information on classes or editioning services.

CT Business

sponsored by:

Andy’s Cycles by Darren Lerigo

This month we had the chance to take a break from our work with Modern Mint and interview Andy of Andy’s Cycles. Read on to find out more about his business…

(www.andyscycleschelmsford.co.uk).”

“We are a bicycle repair and sales business based in Great Baddow.

We specialise in refurbished secondhand cycles for all ages.”

“The most difficult part of the business is getting enough bikes to meet demand. We could sell more if we could get them.”

“We also operate an express repair and servicing facility at our purpose built workshop in Great Baddow, although some jobs can be done at the customer’s home. We have access to most parts and accessories through two national trade suppliers.”

What does the future hold?

“Many people have been customers for years. We pride ourselves on our knowledgeable and friendly customer service. Our unwritten motto is really to treat customers as you would hope to be treated yourself.”

“Customer care and respect really is a dying phenomena, especially among the larger retailers whose sales assistants often don’t seem to care, or are stuck in the corporate customer care babble.”

“We, I am proud to say, are different!”

“The contrast with my full time job, teaching, is one of the most appealing features of the business. There is nothing better than being your own boss and reaping the rewards of hard work and service to customers.”

What problems do you face with the business?

“Within the next few years, retirement from my full time job as a teacher should enable us to move the business forward. It would be great to see things develop to the point where the profit becomes a living income in retirement.”

“I love repairing and refurbishing bikes. Turning a “wreck” into a safe and smart machine that anyone would be proud to own and ride gives a real sense of satisfaction.”

“Unfortunately, many people do not maintain their bikes so the call I get is usually “help, something’s broken.”

“Regular servicing is essential and, in the long run, cheaper than waiting until something goes wrong.”

“We sell from home and at Boreham Boot Sale every Sunday, March to October.”

How has the business grown Andy?

“Saturdays are usually busy days preparing cycles for sale at the boot sale and servicing and repairing customers’ machines.”

“There is a huge demand for secondhand bikes, particularly roadready ones for people who appreciate the value of knowing that their prospective purchase has been properly serviced.”

“My wife and partner in the business, Lisa, takes care of all the paperwork and banking although we employ an accountant for annual returns.”

“Most of our work is on mountain bikes. Some are very challenging due to neglect. The cost of repair can easily become more than the value of the bike, in which case customers are advised to think carefully and possibly consider a “new” secondhand machine.”

“The reward is seeing customers happy and satisfied with their purchases.”

“There is a lot of publicity about the rise in demand for top end road bikes, but they are beyond the financial reach of many.”

“Occasionally people want their bike repaired regardless of cost for sentimental reasons; usually that they have owned it for many years and just don’t want to part with it. Any age or condition is repairable!”

How did the business start?

“The business started from seeing what people bought at boot sales.

We started buying anything secondhand. The bikes we bought always sold quickly. I made contact with a shop owner who supplied us with mail order returned cycles, we could then supply a bigger range, repeating on models as they became available.”

“Another contact was selling a few bikes from the back of a van at boot sales. He went on to establish a chain of shops in the south east. I sometimes think that we should have taken the plunge too and gone full time, but the security of a full time income was too important to us with a young family.”

“The ownership of that business changed hands but the supply of well priced, virtually new bikes continued until Universal Cycles were bought out by Sports Direct and the returned cycle business moved north with the vast majority of bikes being retailed through their own shops.”

If you are looking for good quality, ‘new’ used bikes – do give Andy a call on 01245 473740 or visit www.andyscycleschelmsford.co.uk to grab yourself a bargain!

All About Local by bestofchelmsford

They’re aren’t many businesses that don’t need to market themselves in some way especially if they want to grow. Here at thebestof we offer a way where we work with our clients on a regular basis. We’re not a web directory, we only want to work with a few businesses in each category. We only want to work with the best businesses in their field, we meet them and see reviews from their customers and clients. Part of what we do for them is to help manage their reputation, letting local people and businesses know what they do and why they’re good at it.

Providing businesses with another platform by giving them a webpage on the bestof which links with their own. Making the most of their reviews by posting them on our Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Networking on their behalf, showcasing them at expos, supporting their initiatives and publicising their offers and more.

We’re also part of the community, getting news about local events out to local people, giving free use of our events page to clubs, societies, charities and similar organisations. Our village pages also provide additional coverage in Great Baddow, Ingatestone and Stock, Danbury and Bicknacre, South Woodham Ferrers, Hatfield Peverel, Boreham and Burnham on Crouch. Helping businesses outside the city to get the message across.

“It was at this point that we decided to return to our roots, So if your business is good enough, give us a call and let us tell you concentrate on secondhand and develop the repair side of the how we can help you to get noticed. business. The development of our website has helped to this end Page 14 www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

Sarah Brockwell sarahBee marketing based in Essex

A Picture-Perfect Reinvention by Linda McNeill

The wedding season is upon us and the lovely lady I interviewed this month had had an extremely busy week when we met. For this issue I squeezed in a chat (over a home-made chocolate brownie!) with the delightful Tracy Williams of Tracy Williams Photography. Tracy had photographed two weddings, two newborn shoots and had had a client viewing session in the week I interviewed her (as well as celebrating her sons birthday!), but despite having had a hectic week she was still brimming with enthusiasm and excitement for each shoot she described.

studios for her photography but as time passed she developed a passion for natural light – both indoors and outside - and she began to develop her own style.

She also does ‘picture perfect shoots’, which involve a beautiful makeover and the use of natural light. These are often done to celebrate a significant birthday.

Tracy increasingly began doing outdoor shoots: ‘using natural light you can capture personalities better and relationships between couples or children with their parents. White studio light is unfamiliar whereas the outdoors is more relaxed and people can be themselves and their personality will shine through the pictures.’

Looking through Tracy’s portfolio I would entirely agree with this as she has so many gorgeous photos capturing people who are clearly having a fabulous time! I particularly like her photographs of children and I am definitely booking Tracy for an autumnal welly boot shoot with my own little ones.

Tracy’s aim is to make people go ‘WOW’ – she wants people to look like themselves but the best of themselves and to relax and have fun.

I first met Tracy at a networking event earlier this year and instantly warmed to her. For those who are new to my column – I interview an inspiring woman every month who has ‘reinvented’ her career and branched off in a completely different direction.

After Tracy had her third child she needed an adaptable career, which meant she could spend more time with her children. She realised her priorities had changed – she wanted to consider her children and a career as a photographer offered flexibility as well as fulfilling her creative side.

Tracy has always been passionate about photography but this was not her first career path. She originally trained as an accountant, working at top investment companies where she project managed the implementation of financial systems, heading up a team of people: ‘I was doing a job I loved but always knew that photography was my true vocation’. She went back to work full-time after the birth of her first child but, wanting to take high-quality photos of her son, went to college one night a week for 3 years, completing a City and Guild qualification in photography.

In her own words, Tracy ‘will photograph anything!’ Not, however, in a desperate (or rude!) way. Rather she is up for fun and creativity and loves the diverse opportunity of her job. When I met her she was off to photograph a young model and her pet snake the next day – she is definitely up for a challenge!

Tracy’s ambition is to photograph people at all different moments of their lives and she prides herself on her personal approach – she wants to make a connection with them.

She photographs engagements, weddings, bumps, newborns, families, children, This rapidly led to Tracy taking photographs head shots, supplier shoots and her latest of family and friends as she gained speciality is themed shoots – enchanted experience, enjoying every shoot until she fairy, cowboys and indians using handmade gradually realised a second career was in custom outfits and props - priding herself the offing! At this stage Tracy frequently used on doing ‘something a little bit different’.

Page 15

I really enjoyed chatting to Tracy – her passion and enthusiasm for her photography really shone through. She was literally ‘fizzing’ with excitement about her projects.

Her career reinvention has clearly paid off and in her own words she is in ‘a really happy place in my life’.

If you would like to get in touch with Tracy, please find her details on her website www.twsp.co.uk. If you are a lady who has reinvented her career and would like to be featured in my column, please get in touch at linda@bunintheovenbirthing.co.uk – I would love to hear from you!

www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

Angel Broomfield City Detective Agency

Episode 9: The Case of the Tour de Chelmsford

by Simon Culleton Angel Broomfield, Chelmsford’s very own private detective was raised by nuns in a secret monastery in Boreham with only the complete volumes of ‘Sherlock Holmes’ for company.

Angel is now resident of 221½ Moulsham Street home of the City Detective Agency and with his trusty side kick John and the radiant Helen, Angel is ready to serve the City.

In episode 8 we left Angel about to have a gunfight with Mad Mickey Maroon at Chelmsford’s Country and Western exhibition. Angel stood rooted to the spot and dare not even move for fear Mad Mickey would draw. Then suddenly they both began to vibrate as the ground beneath their feet rumbled. Even the glasses on a nearby table began to shake.

“It’s an earth quake” somebody shouted.

“No” said another, ”some idiot has spooked the cattle.” Then noticing the approaching ball of dust shouted, “STAMPEDE’.

At the head of the charging herd of cattle John could be seen running for all he was worth.

As he sprinted past Angel he shouted. “I only wanted to pet them”. Angel seized the moment and grabbed Helen’s hand and followed John just before the cattle came steaming through, flipped up tables and trampled Stetson hats in their wake. Mad Mickey did try and draw his gun but was no match for a bullock with a big horn.

Once out in the open the three of them ran down the middle of the road unable to get onto the pavement due to the crowds of people that were packed shoulder to shoulder on the walk way.

“What are they waiting for?” asked Helen.

“No time to worry about that” said Angel, “we must get back to 221½ Moulsham Street to analyse the clues.” John was rather liking all the attention from the crowds and began to wave back at them when suddenly “wham” (the sound not the group), a cyclist came crashing into him sending both rider and John sprawling across the road. The cyclist soon stumbled to his feet, patting the dust off his yellow jersey, angrily shouting in French, “Sacre bleu”, he said then noticing the beautiful wide-eyed Helen changed his tone in an instant, “Mon Cherie, you ‘ave beautiful eyes.”

“What is he saying?” asked Angel.

“I don’t speak lingo,” said John getting to his feet, “I deduce,” proclaimed Angel striking his best Sherlock Holmes pose, “a French man, wearing a yellow jersey, cycling through the streets lined with spectators can only mean one thing; The Tour de France is coming through Chelmsford.”

“Look sharp” warned John who had noticed with alarm that in the distance the pursuing pack of cyclists were thundering towards them. There was no way of getting off the road due to the packed crowds.

“Quick use the bike” ordered Angel jumping onto the saddle.

John happily settled for the crossbar, re-living a life long fantasy to play the woman passenger in the bike scene in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Helen had to be dragged away from the Frenchman who by now was on one knee proposing.

“Say wee wee, mon cherie” he begged. John called to Helen, “or you can sit on the cross bar with me” “Dream on” said Helen as she climbed onto the shoulders of Angel. The French man stripped off his yellow jersey and threw it to her.

“You will forever be in my ‘art” he passionately proclaimed.

Then his attentions were taken by another pretty girl in the crowd and down on one knee he went again.

“Collaborators” mumbled John under his breath as Angel pushed off straining with every turn of the pedals. Angel managed to pick up speed and with Helen now wearing the tight fitting yellow jersey and with the crowd not knowing what a Tour de France looked like, assumed that the trio were the course leaders and cheered and screamed. Angel

was not unfamiliar with cycle racing having been part of the now disgraced 2004 Secret Nuns Tour de Maldon, where sister Inject Armstrong as she was now known, had been discovered to be taking performance enhancing milkshakes which had helped her win the race, though with the side effects of having to shave twice a day and a legitimate need to use the men’s toilets.

The pursuing pack of cyclists were soon rapidly gaining on them as they took the route through the town centre. Angel pushed hard on the pedals in an attempt to stay ahead yet they were soon surrounded by angry cyclists bumping and knocking into them in an attempt to take the lead. The crowd was wild with excitement in the 3 seconds it took for the whole procession to pass. Angel tried to hold the lead by swerving from side to side as Helen and John stuck their legs out on either side to prevent anyone from passing but it was no good. One cyclist in bulging lycra pushed by on their left followed by another on the right. It wasn’t long before they were completely surrounded by sweaty men, pumping their thighs and swigging from water bottles; Helen was in heaven.

Suddenly ahead Angel could see a very sharp corner.

“We’ll never make it on this bike” shouted Angel. But before he could think the corner was upon them. The surrounding cyclists easily leaned into the corner but Angel, with Helen on his shoulder’s and John on the cross bar, could not make the turn. Instead ploughed through the crowd, down the hill towards a river. They gathered speed as they hurtled towards the river bank. “I can’t swim” shouted John,“It’ll ruin my hair” screamed Helen “and what about that boat full of Swedish tourists?” shouted Angel as the bike left the bank and the three of them flew towards the stern of a river boat just as the captain was saying: “OK, it’s now time to be Swedish, everybody take your clothes off…” when suddenly…..

Tune in next time to see if John will sink or swim? Will Helen ruin her hair and can Angel find the missing clue amongst some naked Swedish? All this and more in the next addition of Angel Broomfield, City Detective.

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CT CHARITY Helen rollason Helen Rollason Cancer Charity improves the lives of people living with cancer now and in the future. The charity is named after the BBC sport and news presenter Helen Rollason MBE who sadly died of cancer in 1999.

Just like Helen, they believe “good quality of life while coping with cancer is the most important gift a sick person can receive. It should be available to everyone.” Helen Rollason Cancer Charity delivers its vital work in two ways: through their support centres and clinical drug trails.

Helen’s vision to provide better emotional support for cancer patients has led to the foundation of three Helen Rollason Cancer Support Centres in Essex, London and Hertfordshire. In an environment of peace and tranquillity, complimentary therapies, manual lymph drainage, counselling and support groups are available to people with cancer, their families, carers and friends. The centres are for patients with all types of cancer at all stages: whether newly diagnosed or longer term, throughout treatment and after treatment is completed.

The charity also has enabled more than 3000 cancer patients to participate in pioneering clinical drug trials since 2000. It is the largest Cancer Research Clinical Drug Trial Programme in the Essex Hospitals Network. A team of research nurses work together providing care for cancer patients at two centres: Broomfield Hospital in Essex and North Middlesex University Hospital in London.

The charity does not receive any government or lottery funding and relies heavily on events like the fantastic Blues in the City to raise much needed funds for them. If you would like to get involved with Helen Rollason Cancer Charity through volunteering or holding an event please contact: enquiries@helenrollason.org.uk, 01245 380719.

4th Blues in the City Festival In Aid of Helen Rollason Cancer Charity

Devils, who will both be playing and are well worth seeing.

Day 3 is the fringe day which is being hosted all over Chelmsford thanks to all the pubs for hosting. The acts we again have the most incredible line-up of acts, all of them at the top of their game and I am so grateful to them all for coming to play for us and to help raise much needed funds for The Helen Rollason Cancer Charity. There are too many acts to mention them all, but we start in the Cricketers at 12.15pm and go until about 10.30pm ending at the Black Bull.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank all the acts, the volunteers, the sponsors and most of all, you the public who will come and support the festival and The Helen Rollason Cancer Charity. If you want to attend and need tickets for the Friday or Saturday night, then you can get these from the Ale House in Viaduct Road or via our website: www.bluesinthecity.co.uk.

O’Connors raised £3716.56 at their charity day for Southampton Hospitsal Charity!

We are almost there just a few days to go until the 4th annual Blues in the City Festival and wow, we are really excited as the line up once again is amazing, even with the change to headline act on the Friday 26th September at the Chelmsford Social Club we have had an awesome band step up with the Jon Amor band. Jon has put together a truly great line-up with his band mate from the Hoax on drums, Mark Barrett on keyboards, the great Paddy Milner (award winner of best keyboard player in 2012) and on bass Dave Doherty who himself is also a great guitarist and long time collaborator with Jon Amor.

The Hoax are a multi award winning band who have four critically acclaimed albums to their name and can be seen at the Royal Albert Hall at the end of September. The gig and line-up we have playing is very rare so do not miss it.

Along with them, we also have Porter opening then Pearl Handled revolver then another special and rare to see act in Phil Spalding’s All Messed Up. Phil, who is the bass player to the stars, having played on all of Robbie William’s solo work, Ray Charles, Toyah, Mike Oldfied, Elton John, Roger Daltrey and Mick Jagger. All Messed Up’s line-up is Phil Spalding - guitar, bass is Pat Davey who plays with Cregan and also played with Rumer, Zoot Money and Tom Robinson on vocal we have Robert Hart, ex Bad Company and currently with Manfred Mann’s Earth Band and on drums Olly Richmond-Jones, who is a top session drummer who has also played in the shows, Elvis and the Blues Brothers - And this is only day one.

Latest Limited Editions By JJ Adams

Day two sees yet another great day with two free entry events in Chelmsford (see the poster on page 12 for full details). We have the Blues Spiders opening the day then the great Robin Bibi. Then two legends playing at the Touchline in Hullbridge: on first, Jamie Williams & the Roots Collective, followed by Slack Alice, who started out about 40 years ago and are still led by founding member, Cliff Stocker who writes their original material and has a voice that has to be heard to be believed. They are followed by Del Bromham, who dates back to the early 60s when he had his first band at age 12 and is still going strong with his band from the late 60s Stray as well as his Blues Page 18

43 Moulsham Street

www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

Back Stage at V Festival with James Wilkinson

On Stage sketching Example

On stage sketching All Saints Resident V Festival artist, James Wilkinson, has provided us with these exclusive back stage shots form his weekend at V. James creates an exhibition each year with paintings of the stars of V Festival. Next year at the exhibition, it will be another great evening with more amazing live music, paintings, candid photos and star’s self portraits with food and drink.

To help fund this charity event. James has set up a Crowdfunding page. There is an opportunity for both companies and individuals to get involved with what he does. Lots of amazing rewards are available including: original paintings, prints and VIP tickets to the event. Also full page advertisements and pages in the exhibiton catalogue. The link to get involved and be part of it is: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/v-festival-art-exhibition.

All photos copyright James Wilkinson

Ed Sheeran doing his 60 second self portrait for the exhibition.

James with Ed Sheeran in his dressing room

Tinie Tempah doing his 60 second self portrait for my exhibition

Tom Odell with his 60 second self portrait for my exhibition

Tinie Tempah taking his portrait from V2012

Hypnotherapy by Jenny Hartill

Last time I discussed the use of hypnotherapy in childbirth.

Hypnotherapy can also be useful in the stage before this though – actually getting pregnant in the first place! Many couples experience troubles when trying to conceive.

Mostly, in order for a fertility issue to be diagnosed and clinical intervention to be done on the NHS, it is generally considered that 2 years of trying (having regular unprotected sex at least three times per week) is a sensible time frame to wait before considering investigation into the reasons as to why a couple have not conceived. The only exception to this is if the woman is over the age of 35: sometimes it is considered prudent to start investigations after a year of trying because the time frame for conception is smaller due to the factor of age affecting fertility. If the couple have never conceived, infertility is considered as primary. If the couple have managed to conceive in the past, it is considered secondary. Please note that for those who have suffered recurrent miscarriages, this is not encompassed in infertility treatment – it is approached in a completely different way.

So, what causes infertility? Statistics on this are notoriously unreliable because they come from so many different sources and contain many variables. However, according to the NHS, of all couples trying to conceive about 16% will be unsuccessful at the end of a year of trying, 8% will be unsuccessful after 2 years of trying, and 7% remain unsuccessful after 3 years. In 30% of couples the cause of infertility is never found, in 27% the cause is ovulation problems, in 19% male factors are responsible, in 14% tubal problems are the cause, in 5% of problems the cause is endometriosis and around 39% the cause is related to both parties. Below is a brief breakdown of the most common causes of infertility in women and men.

Women: Fallopian tube blockage or damage: can be caused by ectopic pregnancy, inflammation or an STI such as Chlamydia.

Endometriosis: caused by the tissue that constructs the lining of the uterus growing outside the uterus, often on the ovaries themselves or the abdominal lining near the uterus and the fallopian tubes. This can be an incredibly painful condition.

treatments. The psychological and emotional effects of infertility can be intense. Usually a couple feel the stress of the perceived “failure” of themselves as a human-being at being unable to reproduce and then when they seek treatment, that in itself is also incredibly stressful. Sometimes a couple can reach a point where one half wants to persevere but the other half has simply had enough.

This can lead to a breakdown in communication and subsequent relationship issues.

So, how can hypnosis help? Usually with this type of issue I would use hypnosis in conjunction with counselling. In terms of hypnosis though, it can be used to investigate any “skeletons in the closet”, encourage the client to look at their true feelings and helps them come to terms with anything that may be hindering the conception process – for example a psychological block. For those that read the article last month about hypnosis and childbirth, remember my reference to how women are told through the ages in western culture how horribly horrific childbirth is? The mind is extremely suggestible, it is entirely possible for a woman to have a complete fear of childbirth because of what she’s been told all her life. I’ve treated this before and the lady had no idea how petrified she was until we explored it. That kind of psychological block can have an immense impact on the conception process.

In my experience though, when a couple have been trying for a while and nothing seems to be happening, they get more and more stressed so hypnosis simply helps them to relax. Think about it this way – stress is a part of our fight or flight system. It’s designed to keep us alive and tell us something is wrong and needs to change in our environment. The body doesn’t recognise that you’re trying to conceive a baby and lack of conception is causing the stress, it simply recognises that you’re stressed. Anything could be causing this stress; you could be living next to a pack of lions for all your brain knows. So why on earth would your body allow you to conceive if you’re living next to a pack of lions? Some people do manage to conceive even if they are extremely stressed, but stress affects people in many different ways and generally seems to be the mitigating factor in most of the clients I’ve seen with this issue.

So, to those out there trying to conceive and not getting anywhere and the doctor has said there’s nothing wrong keep trying, or even if you do have the medical explanation, I say this.

RELAX

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: this is caused by an increase in the androgen hormone.

Go out with your partner, have date nights, have fun, and then go home and…. ahem…. show ‘em how it’s done! (That wasn’t meant to rhyme). Sometimes when I say this to clients I hear back: “It’s not that easy! We’re both so busy!”, to which I say: “if you don’t have time for each other now, how will you have time for a child and each other in the future?” If you’re really struggling to conceive, counselling and hypnotherapy really can help. You might as well explore the psychological issues that could be hindering the conception process as well as the medical ones. That way you have all bases covered.

Men:

If anyone has any questions or queries please let me know!

Ovulation disorders: the brain controls the hormones responsible for ovulation; any disruption can lead to fertility issues.

Impaired shape and movement of sperm: in this case the sperm may not be able to reach the egg.

Low sperm concentration: making it less likely a sperm will reach the egg.

Infections: can affect sperm mobility. STIs, especially when contracted repeatedly, can often affect fertility.

Emotional Stress: stress in excess can interfere with sperm production.

There are of course factors that affect both partners including age, smoking, alcohol consumption, and being overweight or underweight.

Many people seeking hypnosis to help them quit smoking do so with the aim of conception as a driving force. Technological treatments for infertility include surgery to remove any blockages, increasing sperm production, fertility drugs are used for the primary treatment of women with ovulation disorders and of course IVF are all common

Training When You’re Travelling by Keith Porter Working out when you’re travelling, or on holiday, isn’t always easy. First, there’s the disruption to your routine.

If you go to the gym at set times around your work and family life, when do you go when that routine changes?

And even if you do get to the gym in your hotel, chances are it won’t be what I’d call a ‘real’ gym. We’ve been in hotels in New York, Washington and Orlando in the past few weeks, and none of the gyms have barbells, or dumbells that are heavy enough (and I’m hardly a beast), and all of them have a focus on expensive looking cardio machines. Not necessarily what you need if you’re a functional strength person like myself.

Finally, there’s the temptation that comes with being on holiday.

Drinks turn into cocktails turn into shots turn into too-hungover-toworkout. The food is plentiful, the gym isn’t right, so you take a good old leap off the wagon.

If you do, it doesn’t have to be a disaster. Here’s some ideas to make it less of a catastrophe:

Ditch your programme and just go with the flow No barbells? No heavy dumbells? Do what I did and adapt your exercises. Increase the reps and the intensity. It will most likely do you good to have a break from your regular routine.

Keep it simple Depending on where you are, you could make the most of the city streets, the beach or the outdoors. Warm up, then sprint five times as hard as you can. Workout done.

Take the time to rest, stretch or recover Part of being on holiday is that it’s a break from everything - and that can include your training. A rest week can do you a lot of good, and if you can include sleep, relaxation, and perhaps even a massage, you’ll return to your training raring to go.

You might feel guilty about skipping workouts when you’re away.

Personally, I can go either way. Some holidays I make use of the gym or sprint every day. Other times I’ll do very little - it’s up to you to gauge how you feel. But, if you do decide that this is going to be a chilled holiday, put your feet up and don’t feel guilty one bit.

To find out more about Personal Training in Chelmsford, visit www.liveasimplelife.co.uk.

Vitality! What Is It and Why Don’t We Talk About It? by Kellie Jones

After the shock news about Robin Williams untimely death and the tidal wave of depression related news, I felt torn as to whether to write about it or not. After all Hummingbird is a wellbeing business and there are many people coming through our doors every day who already know that yoga, meditation and pilates help greatly with the symptoms of depression. So therefore a rather inappropriate opportunity whilst the subject is trending to gain business. I’m imagining the pharmaceutical companies licking their lips as more and more people confess that they are sufferers and go to seek help.

I myself did that very thing a few years ago and I definitely feel there is a place for medication in the treatment of depression as it certainly aided my ability to be rational enough to take action and seek alternative, less addictive ways of combating my ‘dark cloud’.

I am not the only member of our team to have suffered, Andy Pierce, our mindfulness meditation teacher said this; “just over four years ago, I suffered a bout of depression and was prescribed antidepressants. Whilst the pills helped, they sapped me of energy and vitality. As is the nature of depression, it came back with a vengeance two years ago. I had a choice, take the pills again or explore an alternative treatment. I turned to mindfulness and it turned my life around. I gained a real inner-peace attending a meditation course at the Hummingbird and that gave me the impetus to continue meditating. A key aspect of mindfulness is being present to life’s opportunities - and this led me to a key meeting with Kellie, the joint owner of the studios and a job teaching meditation!”

Grand Designs Gets a Bit of Magic

Chelmsford based company The Magic Thermodynamic Box are pleased to announce that the product that they have invented and manufacturer in Maldon, Essex was featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs on Wednesday the 10th of September. The company supplied an innovative energy saving product ‘The Little Magic Thermodynamic Box’ which can save the homeowner up to 90% on their hot water energy usage. ”The Little Magic Thermodynamic Box also makes use of a Thermodynamic Panel which is similar to a solar panel, however unlike solar it can be installed more flexibly even on the outside wall of the home. The unique selling point of this product is that it works day and night every day of the year unlike Solar Thermal that only works when there is sun light. It was a simple installation which took just over a day and will save the user on energy for years to come” said managing director Alistair Smit.

The property is on the outskirts of Cornwall and was planned and

So how could I make the subject of having a heavy heart lighthearted? Well there is the word right in the middle of Andy’s quote, VITALITY!!!

The exact opposite word.

So what is it and why don’t we talk about it? Check out its meaning: noun: the state of being strong and active; energy. “changes that will give renewed vitality to our democracy” Synonyms: liveliness, life, energy, animation, spirit, spiritedness, high-spiritedness, vivacity, exuberance, buoyancy, bounce, vibrancy, verve, vim, pep, brio, zest, sparkle, spark, effervescence, dynamism, passion, fire,vigour, forcefulness, ardour, zeal, relish, gusto, push, drive, punch, elan, the power giving continuance of life, present in all living things ”the vitality of seeds.”

I love this fabulous word, let’s get this one trending! We know that what we focus on is what we get, so I know I most definitely want to feel all of these words, (with the exception of punch maybe!) So if my business helps more people to feel vivacity, zest and effervescent sparkle then I would be doing everyone a disservice if I didn’t shamelessly plug it. So watch this space for more high-spirited news and if you can’t wait until next month then check out our Facebook and Twitter pages, sign-up for our newsletter or even better come and see us to get your dose of vim and verve. partly built by a Californian architect that wanted all of the domestic energy to be provided from renewable energy. After researching the market the architect visited The Magic Thermodynamics Box Company’s office in New London Road where he watched a presentation from Malcolm Stratford, the Technical Advisor. It was then agreed that this was the product to be installed into the property that will be seen by millions on TV. “The Magic Thermodynamic Box Company are the only company in the UK that manufacturer Thermodynamics, we have manufacturing this product for nearly two years now and are already supplying the product to 15 countries around the world. Working with the production team for the two days on set was a rewarding experience and we are all looking forward to seeing the product in the Grand Designs magazine on the 2nd of October as well as the TV show on the 10th of September” said Marketing Director Alex Basile.

For more information please go to www.magicthermodynamicbox. com or call 0844 967 1500.

Pilates, Yoga, Meditation Book your space online or call: Small Classes & 1-2-1’s www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk Inspirational Teachers 01245 422556 Friendly, Community Vibe Reeds Farm Estate, Writtle, CM1 2ST

CT History Canute and the Vikings by John Power Most people will have heard of King Canute (Cnut) because of the story of his inability to turn back the tides. That event took place on the beach at what is now St. Osyth, near Clacton. It was badly reported by Anglo Saxon clerics, because Cnut was himself a Viking and became the first Dane to rule the whole of England after a battle fought in Essex, and a treaty which at first gave him shared rulership with Edmund II, Ironside, until the latter died. The ‘turn back the tides’ demonstration was actually to show those who believed in divine kingship that he couldn’t perform miracles.

The Viking (their own word for pirate) raids into England were in two main waves. The first raids began in 865 C.E., and were only intended for pillage. These were still pagan Vikings who fought Alfred the Great and the West Saxons whose power base was in the south-west of the country known as Wessex. The second wave actually led to a change of rulership with Cnut after the invasions from 980 to 1013 CE. The former era of invasions included the Battle of Maldon in 991 CE during the reign of Aethelred (the Unready) and took place on the shore in front of the causeway to Northsea Island in the Blackwater estuary. Olaf Tryggvason, the Norwegian leader, camped on the island with part of what was rumoured to be a force of 2,000 to 4,000 men, and negotiated with Saxon Ealdoman, Brythnoth, and his Thegns to let his men come ashore to make battle. This proved to be a fatal agreement for Brythnoth, who’s men were outnumbered and fell to Olaf’s forces. As a result Aethelred paid a ransom to the Vikings of 10,000 Roman pounds of silver to leave the country in an early form of bribery that came to be named Danegeld. Brythnoth is remembered on the headland in the estuary at Maldon by a statue, and in 1991 an embroidary was presented to the Maeldine Centre to commemorate the battle, which was also recorded historially in an epic poem entitled ‘The Battle of Maldon’.

In the second wave of Viking invasion another kingdom north-east of Wessex and up to Humberside was established. Centred around Northumbria, it was known as the Danelaw. To the north-west lay Mercia. Cnut’s father, Swein, Forkbeard, King of Denmark, campaigned with a force that included mercenary soldiers as well as the previous marauders between 1003 and 1005 CE But he was again paid off in Danegeld to the value of £48,000 to leave. However Swein returned in 1013 to land in Kent, and marched his army up to Northumbria, leaving his son, Cnut, in charge down south. Aethelred decide it might be safer for him to leave for France, and joined his wife and children in Normandy, so Swein was nominally King of England, but died the following February before being crowned.

Cnut was elected King of England by the Danes, but Aethelred’s son called upon his father to return. He did so and was welcomed by the Saxons, who formed an army that went to Humberside and attacked Cnut’s forces causing him to return to Denmark.

Cnut’s brother had become King of Denmark after their father’s death and together they amassed new forces that returned to Southern England. Edmund, Aethelred’s eldest son, tried to raise an army but factional quarrels meant that there was no military engagement. Cnut campaigned in both Wessex and Northumberland, then turned to London where Aethelred and Edmund were. Aethelred died in April 1016. The Danes again proclaimed Cnut King, but the Saxons chose Edmund. He left London to campaign in Wessex before returning to relieve Cnut’s siege of the town. The Danes were driven to Kent and Essex. Edmund thought he had an ally in Eadric Streona with forces from Hereford, but when the two armies met at Ashington in Essex Eadric withdrew his forces leaving Cnut to victory and a slaughter of all the Saxon nobles captured. This led to a truce of joint kingship until Edmund died in November 1016, leaving Cnut as king of all England.

Canewden near the Crouch estuary. It was said that Edmund had the high land at Assundun (pre- standardised spelling and with only a few educated scribes at the time) and it was the practice of victorious monarchs of that era to build a church as a monument to their success and to atone for the bloodshed, just as William the Conqueror was to do at Battle near the site of the Hastings conflict half a century later. Ashingdon Minster, now the Church of St. Andrew but which has had previous dedications and buildings, is on the high ground above the supposed site of the battle. Certainly the Danes recognise this as the site of battle and presented the church with a large model of a Viking longship which hangs above the congregation’s seating. The Prince of Denmark attended the church for its consecration.

Cnut’s reign in England was a peaceful one once established.

Saxons were tired of fighting, and he was said to have been a very statesman-like ruler, only sending forces into Scotland where kings Malcolm and then Duncan of Shakespearean fame were being troublesome, before Macbeth killed the latter in an inter-clan battle (not in bed as the Bard re-wrote history.) Cnut also extended his empire in Scandiavia. There was much inter-marriage of Saxons and Vikings in England, including between noble families and Cnut had converted to Christianity for political reasons while his father had only tolerated Christianity but Cnuts second wife was by Pagan handfasting ceremony so he too clung to older ways if it suited his purposes. The difference between the All-Father incarnate as Odin speared to Yggdrasyl, the World Tree, in his vision quest that revealed the Runes, to Jesus speared whilst hanging on the cross, was minimal when Norse priests were only the solitary shamanic variety depending on oral transmission sagas of legends and histories. For the pagan peasantry it was just more gods to the pantheon, which allowed choice of godform. It was only as the church hierarchy drove home their more dogmatic monotheism that competition for the true form that monotheisic deity must take led to religious conflict.

Cnut even went on pilgrimage to Rome. He died in 1035, leaving two sons to a three and then a two year reign before Edward the Confessor, another son of Aethelred but also William the Conqueror’s cousin and great-grandson of Hrolf, founder of the Norman dynasty, restored the interbred Saxon lineage in 1042 as the scene was set for 1066 and the Norman conquest. Harold Godwinson, who was himself half Danish, may have been fighting northern Vikings in Nothumbria before Hastings, but Norman is short for Norse men, a fusion of Franks and Vikings. So either way Vikings prevailed.

The Viking method of conversion to Christianity as it took hold in Northern Europe became ‘convert or die’, a long way from most of Jesus’ teachings. As the Viking blood of Normans showed its influence in the then forthcoming Middle Eastern Crusades the same ‘covert or die’ and plunder mentality brought conflicts to the world have had repercussions to the present day when previously Muslim and Christian had free access to Jerusalem. It is one of the greatest tragedies of history that teachings intended to supercede the violence of previous centuries were used by those whose professed beliefs hid motives of self interest that made the carnage worse instead. It seems that the “I came to not to bring peace, but the sword” would be a self-fulfilling prophecy that extended beyond resistance to Roman occupation of the New Testament Middle East.

There has been some dispute as to where the Battle of Assundun was. A few have claimed it was at Ashdon, near Saffron Walden in North Essex, due to documents in the form of wills, but the greatest amount of evidence points to Ashingdon, between Rochford and Page 24

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DJ Charlotte Devaney Interview We had the chance to interview DJ Charlotte Devaney, whose new single, ‘Bass Dunk’ featuring Fatman Scoop and Lady Leshurr follows, hot on the heels of her hit ‘Flip It’, featuring Snoop Dogg.

Mentored in her music by her boyfriend, Radio 1’s DJ Fabio (the Liquid Funk Master) she also starred in the film ‘How To Lose Friends and Alienate People’ with Simon Pegg – and believe us, her part in it is unforgettable!

Charlotte, your CV to date is eclectic – how come you’ve done so many different things?

“I didn’t set out that way; I get into something and get passionate about it. I was a model for years which I’m very proud of, I’d always been a dancer and into the whole performing thing, then being in ‘How to Lose Friends and Alienate People’ was massive for me. But it’s hard to do everything so now I concentrate on the music”.

That was a conscious decision?

“Definitely. Working as a DJ was a hobby at the start, though I was always passionate about music. At thirteen, fourteen you would sit in your room listening to these DJs, idolising them, who then years later become your friends”.

Where do you perform?

“Asia, the Middle East, Europe… I’ve spent seven years flying all over the world – I’m playing in Chennai in November. I’m so lucky to travel to these places but it isn’t a holiday – it’s tiring, unglamorous and you are on your own most of the time – but then you find people are always up for a good time and you get a brilliant gig… London is not so good to play, but anywhere else people are mad up for it.

Like in Essex?

I’ve Dj’ed in Billericay (where my mum was born), Basildon, Romford…

the people of Essex are great, they get their glad rags on and have a boogie.

We might even be back there this year – when ‘Flip It’ came out we followed it with an amazing tour, it worked, so we may do the same thing here with Bass Dunk”.

What can you tell us about Bass Dunk?

“Out in October, features the amazing Fat Man Scoop, who is really lovely. Lady Leshurr too, who I think is the best rapper from the UK in a long time. She will be doing big things in the future. And the singles got loads of amazing remixes too.”

To see DJ Charlotte Devaney’s new song ‘Bass Dunk’, visit her website at www.djcharlottedevaney.com or join 20,000 other people by following her on Twitter @CharlottDevaney.

By Darren Lerigo - www.modernmint.co.uk

31st Oct

My Top Ten Tips for Learning How to Sight Read Music by John Seeley MA BA Music When you first begin trying to sight read music it can be difficult, frustrating, complex and often you do not know where to even start.

The following top ten tips will hopefully simplify the process and enhance your knowledge in order to improve your sight reading skills.

Top Tip 1 Find somewhere quiet, light and aerated where you will not be distracted by background noises. Have a glass of water to hand to ensure you remain hydrated.

Top Tip 2 You will need good quality sight reading material, anything from Jazz heads to Classical studies to maintain your focus and motivation.

Top Tip 3 Your sheet music belongs to you, so allow yourself to make comments before you start sight reading, you do not need to retain all the information in your mind. I encourage my students to use a highlighter or pencil to make annotations to assist them as they read through the music. As your confidence builds, you will notice that you will not need as many written aids.

Top Tip 4 I teach my students to visualise and hear in their heads what they are about to play before commencing the piece.

Top Tip 5 Always start by giving yourself a pulse before you commence your sight reading and continue at this pace throughout the piece. The pulse does not have to be at full tempo to start with, it can be increased when accuracy develops.

Top Tip 6 Whenever you look at a piece of music for the first time observe the tempo markings, key signatures and the time signature. The tempo markings denote the speed of the piece and indicate how fast or slow you will need to play. Once again, you do not need to begin at full tempo. Check the key signature for accidentals and be aware of the sharp, flat and natural notes. Check the time signature; this denotes how many beats are in a bar and the type of beat.

Top Tip 7 Practising is more effective if you take your time and do it slowly. You need to be accurate and precise in what you are reading, playing quickly means nothing if you cannot execute everything correctly.

Top Tip 8 Rhythm is the most vital part of sight reading music and you can practise rhythm sight reading with any sheet music. At first, ignore the pitches and only read the rhythms. Later, go back through and practise reading the rhythms and pitches together. With my students I get them to clap the rhythm first before playing the piece.

Top Tip 9 Do not just concentrate on the note you are playing, look ahead on the music to see the next note or group of notes whilst you are playing the first one. Let your eyes look ahead to comprehend what is coming next; learn to read one measure whilst playing the measure that came before it. This is difficult to coordinate at first, but will become easier with practice.

Top Tip 10 Once you have broken down the rhythms and start performing the piece, do not stop if you make a mistake. I encourage my students to forget their mistakes, compose themselves and continue as though the mistake did not happen. When performing within a group or workshop, you will not have the opportunity to stop midway through the piece to go back and correct your mistake.

I teach my own Jazz Workshop and Saxophone Workshop that run alternate Thursdays at St Michael and All Angels Church in Leighon-Sea, 7.30pm to 9.30pm so I know from experience that my students will not play every piece of music without making the odd mistake. I use all of the above methods, and teach these skills in my workshops and private lessons. By breaking down the pieces using these processes, the students have a better understanding of how to perform the piece in a manageable way when sight reading the whole piece, avoiding panicking, and feeling under pressure, therefore making learning to read and play music more enjoyable. These skills are tangible and can be used going forward with new pieces of music to improve your speed and understanding of sight reading music.

John Seeley is a professional musician and provides private and group teaching both classical and jazz on the saxophone and clarinet, from beginners to grade eight. For more information please visit www.johnseeleyjazz.co.uk or email teaching@johnseeleyjazz.co.uk.

The God’s Jukebox Top Ten of Everything – Lip Tremblers: Songs to Make You Sob Richard Wilson, singer with Sound Mirrors and DJ for God’s Jukebox, gives us the lowdown on his very personal top tens of everything he can think of.

“Sad songs say so much,” said Elton. A top of the range weepy can be a friend who understands; it can be that cathartic scream to help you belt out your pain; and it can be a moment of woe-is-me indulgence.

Tissues at the ready; here come ten of my favourite tear jerkers.

1. The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore - The Walker Brothers.

If you’re hell bent on being a blubbering mess of angst and hopelessness you might as well do it with a choir, an orchestra and Scott Walker’s old-before-its-time baritone. Don’t forget to play along by beating your fists on the bed and shouting, “Why! Why! Why!” 2. Love is a Losing Game - Amy Winehouse. Cut through all the torrid tabloid muck raking and what we’re left with is the story of a boy and girl and a love affair that destroyed one of the nation’s brightest talents.

3. Hope there’s Someone - Anthony & The Johnsons. The opening track to the Mercury Award winning, I Am a Bird Now, is jaw-on-thefloor beautiful with a terrific waling and gnashing of teeth outro.

4. The Lonely Sea - The Beach Boys. Only a stone could listen to Brian Wilson’s falsetto in this minor-key classic and not get a bit teary.

5. Strange Fruit - Billie Holiday. The fruit of which she sings are the

bodies of black men, lynched by racist gangs hanging from bloody trees in the Deep South. Listening to this song is like having your heart taken out, filled with sorrow and knowledge and then put gently back inside. What record players were invented for.

6. Will You Love Me Tomorrow? - Carol King. Stripped of the optimism of the Shirelle’s original, King’s 70s re-boot of her own tune lays bare the fears of a woman’s decision to place her trust in a man.

7. Ne Me Quitte Pas, Jaques Brel. As dramatic as it is heart breaking.

Also just as beautiful in the hands of Scott Walker and Dusty Springfield.

8. A Man Needs A Maid - Neil Young. I used to think this song was misogynist, but then I realised it was just a desperately sad fable about man’s inability to connect with others. Jack Nitzsche’s strings are also lush.

9. The Man Who Sold The World - Nirvana. Bowie’s pre-glam classic gains new resonances from the complex character of Kurt Cobain.

10. I Wish It Would Rain - The Temptations. Thanks to Duncan Egleton on Facebook for this suggestion of a lesser know Temptations classic.

Nice.

Next issue’s top ten is “songs about books.” You can suggest a song and I’ll choose the best for my number ten spot. Continue the conversation @GodsJukeboxDJ and facebook.com/GodsJukebox.

Stroke of Luck

by Simon Culleton

If there were such a thing as reincarnation, I think I’d like to come back as a cat. It’s an easy life where food is supplied for on demand and affection is given unconditionally and apart from lazing in the sun, the only thing you have to do is chase the odd bird (nothing new there). Almost everyone that I spoke to over the weekend on this subject could recount a cat story, some even with tears in their eyes. Two woman actually carried photos of theirs.

Nowadays here in the UK we have an estimated 8.5 million cats spread around 19% of the households. In my home town of Chelmsford that roughly equates to 13,000 cats, (two of which I have now seen pictures of over the weekend). People speak of them with such affection, giving them names like Smokey and Garfield. Kitty is the number one name in the UK, my personal favourite out of the top 100 (just because I’d like to call it out at night) is Peanut coming in at number 53.

Although when you scratch the surface (pun intended) cats can be quite a menace. Yearly, 210 million creatures are killed by them, 80 million of which are songbirds. Not so cuddly now.

Incidentally, pet dogs number the same as cats, yet fish beat them both into being the number one pet in the UK in both tank and pond (go fish). Although unlike the cats and the dogs you can’t take a fish for a walk or cuddle up to them by the fire, well, you can, but only once.

Statistically, women are more likely to have a cat as a home companion than men, who generally favour dogs (only because we can take them to the pub and blame them for any bad smells). Yet, if women have more than one cat then they may unfairly be

As companions, cats are considered to be one of the best and a great cure for loneliness. Last year the NHS began to consider giving them to elderly people who live alone; some of which no doubt would be so thankful that they may leave them their life savings. Last year an Italian lady broke the record by leaving a whopping $13 million to a stray cat that she had befriended in her later years (I would have been her friend for half of that). Only a chimp called Kola who was left $80 million and a German Shepard who was left $372 million have topped that.

stigmatised as being a mad cat lady. While researching this thought I came across a website that dedicates itself to helping woman avoid being tarred by the mad cat lady brush with such advice as: try not to have too many framed cat photos on the wall or best not to dress them in baby clothes and my personal favourite and quite accurate: stop at two. I also read, and I have to say agreed with, an article written by a feminist writer who argued that “if woman have cats they are considered mad yet a man can virtually marry his dog and no one bats an eye lid”. This is true, I know of many a

Page 29

married man who if forced to choose between his wife and his dog would immediately crouch down and pat their knee’s and say “here boy”. Statistically woman are more likely to keep the cats after divorce, (along with house, the car, the TV and the furniture).

So whether you like them or not, cats are with us to stay. Come 2015 cats are estimated to pass 9 million here in the UK in the US there is already 90 million of them.

So it’s no wonder that they would come up in conversation or that people would carry pictures of them. I’m now considering carrying a photo of a cat myself. I don’t actually own one but at least it’ll give me something to talk about. simon@limepad.com

www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

Chelmsford WEA Chelmsford WEA has a full programme of 10 week courses which will start at the end of September.

They include Great Gardens & Gardeners, History, Tai Chi and Australian Art. Â Everyone is welcome, and there is no homework. Just come along and learn for pleasure.

We have a one day school on Saturday 15th November and on 11th November our very popular tutor- Laurence Staig is coming to the Cramphorn to talk about how the 1st World War was portrayed in film. This will be followed in the evening by a showing of Paths of Glory.

City Slickers by Nick Schofield www.nickschofieldart.co.uk

For details about how to book any of these courses/events please ring 01245 354644 or go to the web site: www.wea-essex.org.uk/ chelmsford.

Page 30

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