Moulsham Times - October 2023

Buy a treatment get the other half price through the whole of October 150 Gloucester Avenue, CM2 9LG

MoulshamTimes

Delivered to 9000 homes and businesses monthly in Old Moulsham, Tile Kiln & Moulsham Lodge - Issue 130 - October 2023

2

www.moulshamtimes.com

MT Welcome

Hi readers, and welcome to the October edition of Moulsham Times. The clocks will soon be changing and Halloween is approaching fast! Please send in your photographs if you are having a Halloween display so that we can print them - email paul@moulshamtimes.com.

We have a few new advertisers this month, so please check them out - and if you call them do please remember to let them know that you saw their advert in Moulsham Times!

The next edition will be out from November 2nd. Please contact us for prices for advertising and distribution details and we can send you over a detailed price list.

Regards Paul

Advertising & Editorial Paul Mclean 01245 262082/07595 949701 paul@moulshamtimes.com Disclaimer: It’s Your Magazines Ltd publish the Moulsham Times.

The opinion expressed in each article is the opinion of its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of It’s Your Magazines Ltd. No part may be reproduced without the prior written permission of It’s Your Magazines Ltd. Reg Co No. 12080535. Printed by Warners (Midlands) PLC.

2 Course Lunch Menu £13.90 Available 7 Days a Week 12-4pm

2 Course Evening Menu £24.00 Available Sunday to Thursday

45- 46 Moulsham Street, CM2 0HY www.theblazerestaurant.com 01245 283944

www.moulshamtimes.com

3

Chelmsford - By Vicky Ford MP

This month brought excellent news for Chelmsford’s largest private sector employer, Teledyne-e2v, where around 900 people work for the company in Chelmsford. From their base in Waterhouse Lane the company produce the RF devices that drive ninety percent of the world’s radiotherapy devices, helping to cure people from cancer.

They are also the world leader in space imaging technology, providing the ‘eyes and ears’ of global space missions. It is thanks to the very skilled work of the teams at Teledyne-e2v that we are able to see the images captured of far-off planets, as well as many of the images of earth that are taken from space. This helps to monitor and react to changes in weather systems, climate impacts and events such as earthquakes and floods.

The government has now signed a new deal with the EU to rejoin the European Space Programme known as Copernicus. This could be worth around £100 million in contracts to this Chelmsford-based company in coming years. I brought Trade Minister Nigel Huddleston to visit the company and hear more about their work.

I recently met with Beacon Health Group who run Mountbatten House and Moulsham Lodge surgeries. The doctors explained that every morning there are two GPs running clinics at these two smaller surgeries. These are largely for non-urgent GP appointments as they run a large hub service which has GPs, nurses, physiotherapists and other professionals available for urgent cases. I have asked them to hold more urgent same-day appointments at the Moulsham Lodge surgery for those who cannot travel to Danbury.

Anglia Ruskin University has been shortlisted for the very prestigious University of the Year award, and I have been helping with their plans to host a second Science Festival in Chelmsford in October. There will be many fascinating free events, including two free family days on 21st and 22nd October 2023. Please go online to find out more about the programme. Here is a link: www.aru.ac.uk/communityengagement/community-events-listing/chelmsford-sciencefestival?page=2.

I am also excited to announce my fourth apprenticeship, Training, Skills & Jobs Fair, taking place on Friday 13th October between 10am and 2pm at ARU. Last year’s event was a huge success and there will be opportunities for people young and old in a range of sectors including construction, beauty, health, engineering, police and other public services.

Visit to Teleydyne with Trade Minister, Nigel Huddleston MP (left)

Ask us about free editorial with long-term bookings! paul@moulshamtimes.com

A huge thanks to those companies that are supporting, including sponsor Anderson Construction. Schools are welcome to visit so that their students may see the various job and training opportunities.

Please do come along and share with others who may be interested.

t o p s s i th n i e s i s t e r e m i v d T A m a h s l u in Mo £120 + VAT for Promote your business to thousands of local people every month!

MoulshamTimes Reach 9000 readers in Old Moulsham, Moulsham Lodge and Tile Kiln Discounts or free editorial for advertising in more than 3 issues!

We also publish

The City Times

For more information please call us on 01245 262082 or email ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk

4 www.moulshamtimes.com

www.moulshamtimes.com

5

Regal Kitchens Case Study

Mr and Mrs K had were in the process of planning a kitchen extension when they contacted Regal to look at redesigning the space available. They have 2 young children, and both Mr and Mrs K regularly work from home.

The whole family has a very busy schedule and were looking for a modern, stylish but more importantly, durable kitchen to suit their lifestyle. After reading some of the reviews left online by previous customers, they decided to visit the Chelmsford showroom to start to gather ideas.

They desired a modern shaker-style kitchen and had a preference for the colour blue. Their architect had already completed the drawings for their kitchen extension. However, a structural steel post in the kitchen posed a significant challenge. The new extension was larger than the existing kitchen and aimed to flood the space with natural light by featuring black aluminium framed bi-fold doors leading to their garden. The clients also wished to incorporate an island into the design, but were uncertain about how to work around the post.

Design Solutions Our designer, Stacey, worked closely with Mr and Mrs K to create a functional and aesthetically pleasing kitchen that met their needs, incorporating an island that featured a seating area, allowing for cooking on one side and providing a space for the clients’ children to do homework or for working from home on the other. A venting hob was strategically placed on the island to minimise the need for a prominent extraction system, enabling the clients to cook and interact with their children simultaneously without a bulky overhead extractor getting in the way. Stacey also suggested that a wine cooler could be placed on the island to cater to guests without obstructing the cooking area. Waste bins were also included underneath the island in a place easy for everyone to access.

- plus the existing American-style fridge/freezer was seamlessly incorporated into a dedicated wall, complemented by additional furniture to blend with the overall kitchen design.

The clients selected midnight blue painted shaker-style doors, and the worktop was also used as a splashback to achieve a sleek, cohesive look with beautiful champagne-coloured handles.

The inclusion of a Quooker stainless steel tap with instant hot water functionality streamlined the food preparation process, eliminating the need for a kettle and freeing up valuable worktop space.

Client Satisfaction Mr K said: “We’d heard nothing but positive things about Regal, so they were the first people we went to. We weren’t disappointed.

“The staff including Stacey, Phil and Emma, were very knowledgeable about all aspects from specification to installation and later usability of appliances. Our kitchen formed part of a side/rear extension and it was important for them to be present at different stages of the build to ensure continuity and no surprises when it came to install.”

The design team skilfully integrated the structural steel post into the island, ensuring it did not disrupt the room’s overall visual appeal.

The primary bank of tall housing included ovens, a generously sized larder for food storage, a wet area with a sink and dishwasher

www.regalkitchens.co.uk | 279a Beehive Lane, Chelmsford, CM2 8LU | Where Client Is King 6 www.moulshamtimes.com

Get your shutters in time for the big day...

• Place your order with us by Thursday 12th October 2023 and we guarantee your beautiful new shutters will be fitted in time for the big day!

• Our top of the range Wooden Shutters are now available at MDF prices!

• We smash quotes given by the big brand names such as Hillary's and guess what? We use the same factory!

Call now to book your FREE no obligation in-home appointment t. 0207 101 4698 e. sales@woodcraftshutters.co.uk w. www.woodcraftshutters.co.uk

www.moulshamtimes.com

7

An Osteopath’s Letter to His Parents (…and Patients) - By Chris at Forté Physical Health Think about all of the change that has happened in the last twenty years; the progress we have made in science, medicine and technology has been staggering. Utterly mind-boggling.

Have you noticed that it seems to be speeding up? The rate of change, I mean - it’s getting faster...

I have two children under the age of ten and I honestly have zero idea what sort of jobs they will want to do when they’re older. Even me; I’m an osteopath, but now I’m a budding ‘YouTuber’. When I graduated, YouTube had just been launched as a platform where odd people posted their home videos for the world to see. Now it’s a genuine part of my business. Who’d have thought!

With the amount of change we have seen, and the rate at which we are progressing, can you even imagine where we will be in another twenty years? No. No you can’t. Nor can I. No one has any idea where this is going.

in check, cook fresh wholefoods, get our heart rate up a few times a week and stay on top of our bloods, we can stay ahead of the game.

Heart disease is the number one killer worldwide, so we need to pay attention.

Looking after your muscles means strength training. You need strength training. No excuses. Not anymore. There is too much evidence behind this one now and you can’t shirk it. Excuses like ‘I don’t have time’, or ‘I don’t like gyms’ don’t cut it. You can do decent strength training in 20-minutes or less two or three times a week, and there are gyms out there to cater for everyone. They are friendly places, and there will always be one out there that makes you feel welcome. This is too important to ignore; strength training reduces your risk of pain, it helps you overcome pain faster, and in later life, being stronger has a direct impact on your social life. If you are strong, you can get out more. If you can get out more, you see more people, and that leads us on to our final focus…

In our pessimistic moments, we can draw a roadmap to dystopia.

Artificial Intelligence runs wild, the political landscape fragments, climate change wins. The world is in distress.

But the optimist in me sees a different path. Medicine cures the incurable. Technology solves climate change. AI creates wealth, bringing up standard of living for everyone. Who knows? Anything is possible!

One thing I know for sure, the only thing that will allow you to see the future come to fruition is your health. If you can just stay healthy for another five years, ten years, twenty years, there will be so much more available in this world then.

Look after your relationships. The Harvard Study, the longest standing medical study in history, has found that the variable that most strongly correlates to health in later life is the quality of your relationships. Putting in the work to keep up with your friends and family has been shown to be the strongest predictor of your wellbeing.

But it’s a loop. We need our physical health to improve our social well-being and this, in turn, helps our mental well-being.

Prioritising these things will help you see the future come to life, and who knows where it’s going to take us? It takes work. It can be hard, at times, but we need to get it done.

I am reminded of an old proverb; ‘the healthy man wants many things; the unhealthy man wants one’.

However, in our health, we are not just aiming for a long lifespan (the time in which we are alive), we must also aim at a long healthspan (the time in which we are functional). Ideally, we want the gap between the two to be as close to zero as possible. We don’t want to be the person who lives to a hundred but suffers for the final twenty.

Aiming at maximising our healthspan should keep us active, healthy and happy for as long as possible.

Whatever your age, try and project five, ten, twenty years into the future, and imagine two different versions of yourself; one where you have prioritised healthspan with good life choices, and one where you have let the good habits slip. They are two entirely different human beings.

When it comes to optimising for healthspan, there are a few things we know to be true; look after your heart, look after your muscles, look after your relationships.

I hope today’s article hasn’t come across as a rant. Maybe it has?

But with the amount of information we have at our fingertips these days, I find it hard to see how many people still aren’t prioritising their health. In my clinic, our expertise is physical health, so if pain or injury are holding you back from getting started, we can help. We also like to talk about other aspects of health to help you create a lifestyle that looks after your long-term well-being.

It’s pretty much that simple. There are many nuances to all of these things, of course, entire degrees taught on each subject, but in its most simple summary, that’s it.

Looking after your heart comes down to eating well, exercising regularly and getting blood tests even when you are symptom-free to check your biomarkers for heart disease. If we keep our calories

Make sure you are the one who has prioritised their healthspan.

If you would like to see more, check us out at fortephysicalhealth. co.uk.

8

www.moulshamtimes.com

01245 698 045 07939 609 732 07548 944 727 Specialists in new boilers and heating systems.

We can also supply and install new bathrooms We offer boiler servicing from just £50.

New heating systems (cat not included)

New kitchens and bathrooms

• New Boiler installations • Kitchens & bathrooms • Landlord certificates • Plumbing Emergencies • Boiler Servicing • Blocked drains All work comes with a 12 month warranty from the date of installation We are Gas Safe Registered Reg no. 545555

info@pthplumbingandgas.co.uk www.pthplumbingandgas.co.uk

Remember to tell our advertisers you saw their advert in the MT

www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia

9

MT Gardening This is the perfect time of the year to renew or spruce up containers, plant out or move shrubs and continue to grow and produce vegetables. For me, the latter is especially important at this time of year. Shortly, I’ll be sowing in situ broad beans, such as some good old favourites Aquadulce and The Sutton, in the hope that they will develop a dense root system over winter and mature hopefully before the black bean aphid attacks them early summer next year. To help, I’ve kept cultivations down to a minimum opting for the technique of ‘no-dig’.

The no-dig system involves no primary cultivation of the soil and minimum overall soil disturbance.

Topsoil is built up by adding layers of organic matter such as garden compost to the surface of the soil.

Green manure crops are used to keep the ground covered at all times, thus protecting the surface from capping and erosion. Organic matter increases the worm population and their activity improves soil structure. The mulch is topped up during the growing season so that the actively growing vegetables can benefit from any nutrients. Seeds are sown in the decayed remains of last year’s mulch, or if it is too coarse it can be raked to the side to reveal a good seedbed beneath. When crops are harvested, they can simply be pulled or carefully forked out.

One of the benefits of this technique is that it avoids any damage to soil structure as a result of continual cultivation. It will take time for

a good soil to develop when a no-dig system is introduced - difficult soils such as clay and sandy soils will take longer. If a soil is very compacted it may be necessary to double-dig prior to implementing this system. After a few years the soil will exhibit good soil structure with free drainage and good water and nutrient retention and availability. Left undisturbed the soil ecosystem of beneficial fungi, bacteria, worms and other detritivores will be thriving leading to the natural breakdown of organic matter, humus formation and recycling of nutrients.

Advantages of the no-dig system: • Soil organisms are not disturbed.

• Weed seeds are not brought to the surface.

• Moisture loss is reduced by mulching and by not bringing moist lower layers of soil to the surface during cultivation.

• Less hard work and time is required.

• Less danger of soil erosion, cultivation pans and capping.

Disadvantages of the no-dig system: • Pests such as slugs may thrive in the mulch.

• Perennial weeds may build up in the soil.

• Slow to remedy existing poor soil structure.

• Hard to apply to large scale mechanised production.

Now, nearly 2 years in, I have noticed a real difference to the soil conditions, moving from a cloddy difficult soil to work with and having a lovely crumbly tilth.

Back to the broad beans... I tend to work on the following regarding sowing. Sow seeds 5-7.5cm (2-3in) deep and 1523cm (6-9in) apart, depending on the cultivar. In open ground, sow in single rows 45cm (18in) apart or double rows 23cm (9in) apart with 60cm (2ft) between each double row. In raised beds, where space is not needed to walk between rows for picking, all rows can be spaced 23cm (9in) apart.

Aside from enhancing planting, there are a few other jobs in the garden to consider: • To reduce the impact of wind rock on taller shrubs, prune back by half. Plants such as Buddleia davidii (the butterfly bush), bush roses, Lavatera species and Salix alba. Don’t go too wild, with the dogwood, as this plant really comes into its own with coloured bare stems over the winter. The added bonus is that the plants look tidier.

• Continue to water early flowering shrubs such as Camellias and Rhododendrons to enable flower buds to be initiated for a successful bloom next year.

• Start to collect leaves as they fall and store in an open pen, compost bins or bags with holes in to develop leaf mould. I tend to collect up with the mower on a lawn as leaves are shredded and will break down at a faster rate.

• The best thing you can do for wildlife is leave out water at this time of year and moving forward into the darker months of the year. Either use a bird bath or a saucer on the ground preferably both. Thirsty birds and hedgehogs will be grateful.

Lastly, check out this link for other jobs for the garden as we move through this month: www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/september; and a sneak preview for October: www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/ october/trees-shrubs.

Happy gardening and keep safe!

For any gardening tips please contact Tom Cole, Freelance Horticulturist, by email at tomcole8@hotmail.com.

10

Remember to tell our advertisers you saw their advert in the MT

www.moulshamtimes.com

Remember to tell our advertisers you saw their advert in the MT

11

Nick Garner’s Music & Ramblings I am having a rare week off from putting on any gigs... I have just reached another milestone in my age, and to be honest I think I am lucky to have made it this far! I will be celebrating my birthday with my family and a few special friends. I have had to renew my driving license and now have to do so every few years since becoming 70. This milestone does not stop me doing what I do, and I’ll continue the writing and publishing and playing and putting on music.

I feel I also have the right to have my say and moans now, having spent more years on this planet than many - and to be honest I don’t really care what people think of my opinion.

I have been to Ipswich with my sound system and team for a for an outdoor event, where it mainly stayed dry luckily. Chelmsford has just had the Streets Eats ‘n’ Beats Festival, but I was unable to attend so cannot report on it as it was a heavy music day for me with two gigs to attend - and both were great!

We have recently had our Heritage Open Days, and I have been informed that has been a huge success with the events having been very well attended. Did you go to any? If so, please let our editor know your thoughts as he is very involved with it.

I recently wrote in The City Times about the sad loss of one of Old Moulsham’s longtime and muchloved residents, Mick McDonagh.

Mick did so much for the community and charities. He also managed High Chelmer Shopping Centre for over 30 years until his retirement last year.

many of us.

Our thoughts are with his family and his many friends. Mick could often be found having a drink and a laugh at The Orange Tree or in the cricket ground, and many of you may have known him from his involvement in karate over many years. He will be greatly missed by

Recently, the weather has been very hot then very wet and windy. I know September can often have an Indian Summer, but typically, the day most schools returned we had a heatwave - and more recently we have had some storms. What is going on with the weather? Will it settle down I wonder - let’s hope for a decent winter that is not too wet and cold.

Music This is a heavy month for me.

We have many great acts playing and it’s very busy as you will see from my advert.

What a manic week I have just had, starting with The One Tree Hillbillies, then with Mike Ross and then back to The Social Club 12

with The Kast Off Kinks who were just amazing! Everyone had a great night with plenty of dancing at the end when they played all those big hits. We also had Mick Avory drumming, who is still superb at the age of 78. He also got up and sung Dedicated Follower of Fashion with a very funky cartoon jacket on.

After the show we had to strip it all down and load into a trailer to set off very early in the morning to Ipswich to do a weekend at the Mind Body & Spirit Festival as outside stage sound hire. This was a first outside hire for us, with a couple of little hiccups quickly resolved.

Otherwise, all went very well and all were very happy as we were also.

As this edition of Moulsham Times hits your mats, we have another very busy few weeks with some big acts playing - not only at the Chelmsford Social Club, but at Hot Box as well. Robbie McIntosh will be playing with his best buddy Steve Wilson; they are opening for (and joining) Mim Grey on stage to pay tribute to the late great Denny Newman. They were mates with Denny and also performed on his new album. The gig is on Friday 6th October at Chelmsford Social Club.

Then on the Saturday 7th October Robbie and Steve are returning to play a duo show at Hot Box from 2pm - they loved it so much the last time they played there. Just before that on Thursday 5th October, also at Hot Box, we have Calum Ingram playing - quite possibly the best electric cellist around. He will be playing with his band. Be prepared to be stunned by his awesomeness as we always are.

The line-up for 2024 is coming together nicely and I will be announcing it soon. We are just waiting on a couple of confirmations which we think you will love. Just to give you a taste, for Chelmsford Social Club we have Jim Cregan and Co playing on Friday 9th February 2024, and they will be followed by Nine Below Zero plus The Zac Shulze Gang on Friday 16th February. There’ll be many more to come at both Hot Box and Chelmsford Social Club for 2024!

We are now working hard on confirming some further great acts for next year, so do keep your eyes and ears open as we will announce them as soon as we have confirmation.

We have a change of support for Wille Edwards of Wille and the Bandits, as Jack Browning now has his own tour going on. We wish him well with it. So, we are thrilled to have Joe Anderton playing instead.

If you have anything you think that could be of interest to our readers for either publication, then please let us know by emailing editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk - it may be an event or a topic of interest. Or have you done anything unusual or are you planning something? If so, we want to know about it. If you know of someone who may wish to advertise with us, then please ask them to contact ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk and we can send over full details.

You can get tickets for all our shows in Chelmsford from Intense Records, Hopsters and Chelmsford 4Good - please pay cash in person when you buy. Tickets are also available online from www. wegottickets.com/BlackFrogPresents, or via our ticket hotline at no extra charge - call or text 07508 496 411 and you can then pay the advance price on entry to the show rather than the walk-up price.

Please take a look at our Black Frog Presents adverts in this mag to see some of the amazing acts that are coming to play at the Chelmsford Social Club and Hot Box. For all Black Frog Presents gig updates and information, go www. linktr.ee/BlackFrogPresents, or scan the QR code in the poster in this magazine. It would be fantastic if you could also share our magazines The City Times and Moulsham Times for us too. We continue to publish both magazines online as well at www.moulshamtimes.com and www.thecitytimes.co.uk

www.moulshamtimes.com

Safety Barriers and Dog Attacks - By Cllr Marie Goldman

Hello! Welcome to October; home of Halloween, pumpkins and probably getting the winter coat out of the cupboard. It’s also the month when a lot of the shops start to think it’s OK to start being blatant about selling Christmas stuff. Personally, I think it’s a bit early. I like to get Bonfire Night out of the way first and then maybe I can turn my attention to Christmas and the festive season. I have to say though, that as much as I LOVE the summer (and I really, really do), there’s something really wonderful about rediscovering cosy jumpers, scarves and - well, for me at least - knee-high boots.

I digress. I’m supposed to be giving you an update on a few things, so here goes.

Temporary Safety Barriers to Be Replaced at Army & Navy Back in April of this year, a car somehow managed to mount and severely damage the metal railings that served as pedestrian guardrails next to the pedestrian crossing on Van Diemans Road, near the Army & Navy. These were replaced very swiftly by temporary plastic barriers. At least I assumed they were temporary, but by the middle of September, the metal barriers still hadn’t been reinstated. This matters because the plastic barriers weren’t able to provide the level of protection obviously required for pedestrians at this busy crossing - not least because they were held together by cable ties!

chase it up again.

I’ve now been in contact with Essex County Council highlighting the issue to them and reminding them that the barriers still needed to be replaced. I’m pleased to say that they apologised for the delay in reinstating them and promised to get them fixed very soon. I’m hoping that by the time you read this - or very soon thereafter - new, permanent barriers will have been installed and this will once again be safe. If it isn’t, I will

these can be traumatic for both dogs and owners, which is one of the key reasons why we’re creating spaces at Hylands Park for people (and dogs) to feel safe because other dogs must be kept on a lead.

Hylands is a very large park and these new proposals only affect a very small percentage of the park and at certain times of the day, but it should give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors without having to be worried about an out of control dog (even if it is a friendly one) coming up to them. As a responsible dog owner, I think it is absolutely right to consider the needs and feelings of others around us. These small changes should help to achieve that.

You can find out more about the plans here: citylife.chelmsford.gov. uk/2023/09/13/dog-walkers-suggestions-included-in-final-hylandspspo-plans.

In the meantime, if you witness a dog attack, please do report it on the City Council’s website here: www.chelmsford.gov.uk/environmentand-public-health/dogs/report-a-dog-on-dog-attack.

If you ever need to get in touch, please email: marie.goldman@ chelmsfordlibdems.org.uk.

You can also follow me on these social media platforms: Facebook: www.facebook.com/MarieGoldmanLD. Twitter/X (whatever it’s now called): twitter.com/mariecgoldman.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mariecgoldman.

Look after yourselves. See you in November - if not before!

Marie Cllr Marie Goldman Deputy Leader, Chelmsford City Council Ward Councillor for Moulsham & Central Essex County Councillor for Chelmsford Central Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Chelmsford

I recorded a video on the subject, which you can watch on YouTube here: youtu.be/1uYrFHZdIEo. Dog Attacks This is a very unpleasant subject, especially as I’m a dog owner myself and I hate the idea that my dog might ever cause anyone or any other dog distress or - let’s sincerely hope not - injury. I’m sure you saw the horrific news about the 11-year-old girl who was attacked by a dog in Birmingham last month. Sadly, dog attacks across the country are growing at an alarming rate, going up by more than a third in the last five years, from 16,000 in 2018 to 22,000.

Chelmsford is not immune to this.

Sadly, I’ve also witnessed a recent dog-on-dog attack myself as an out of control dog launched an entirely unprovoked attack on my own black labrador. Worryingly, the owner seemed unperturbed by it and didn’t even attempt to pull his dog away - that was left to me and my husband. It’s such a shame that there are a few irresponsible dog owners out there. I will admit that it was a horrible experience for both me and my dog, even though, mercifully, it didn’t lead to any injuries.

At Chelmsford City Council, we recognise that experiences such as www.moulshamtimes.com

13

Non-Spoiler Film Reviews - By Henry Godfrey-Evans

Strays Honestly, it’s not a single clever joke in this whole muck of a film.

Went solely for shock value crude humour. The kind to catch you off guard for one or two laughsm but quickly sets a precedent and bores you for the rest of the film.

I thought the horror was stunning - actually, stunning in moments but I rewatched it a few days later and I think I let those moments linger too long, to the point I forgot that the rest of the film was just… okay.

66/100

Just rubbish.

18/100

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 Virtually nothing of any real substance or skill but kinda nice feeling.

You feel that the actors have known each other for a while.

Blue Beetle Superhero films are just, one after the other, the same stuff. The family were quite funny, especially George Lopez, but it did very little to raise my heart rate beyond resting.

The lead’s personality was that ‘he’s just perfect’ - notice that no successful superhero follows that template.

Very tired formula and I left the theatre a cynical reviewer.

30/100 The Blackening Weird one, because the first half an hour was just packed full of onthe-nose boring comedy, but at some point the momentum changed and it got some audible laughs out of me. Almost like they met on the first take and their chemistry built to the point that it was funnier.

Overall it had little to it other than the style of comedy and that was decent but very forgettable.

54/100 The Equaliser 3 Another mixed bag of unique and generic. I remember thinking that the suspense and delay of Denzel Washington’s ‘getting back in the game’ was phenomenally done. His motivations were also very nuanced and natural; I really appreciated that.

After that, it was basically every other action film. The gore and action were done fairly well, but I just don’t care about Hollywood actors going around with pistols and never losing.

It was only Denzel’s own blueprint that made it something.

62/100 Cobweb A very strange film. Like The Blackening, it started and ended badly, but the middle hour or so was unrecognisable. Very cool psychological horror where you felt like a child who was terrified of his parents.

The direction and cinematography that created that unease were also stunning in moments, but they were key and they stuck with me.

Great film for people who don’t really follow the films they watch, but who like watching things.

34/100 The First Slam Dunk I can’t believe how much time and consideration goes into some animation. Watching it feels like interfering with the membrane of a really pretty dessert. Like every moment you’re not totally focused on the image in front of you is disrespectful.

Yeah I think that captures it. But I will add that there are some emotional themes and an energetic pacing that just sets you alive.

88/100 Rise of the Footsoldier: Vengeance This is really just an objectively average UK gangster film. It’s moderately entertaining because the lead had screen presence, but never once sets you alight.

Meh. 36/100 A Haunting In Venice It was basically an 8 out of 10 in every category. Writing, shots, acting, mystery, pacing. The sort of film you could recommend to almost anyone.

Just an extremely solid whodunnit mystery. More please.

80/100 It Lives Inside I was so bored watching this that I started thinking about emails I was going to send the next day. It was a hugely illogical horror film but I don’t know some people care about that more than others.

The main thing is the characters were boring and I didn’t care whose spine got snapped.

17/100 henrygodfreyevans@gmail.com

Overall a mixed bag, but there were some memorable performances and an overall uneasy feeling.

69/100 Sound of Freedom On the very taboo but important topic of trafficking. It did elicit the intended response in me, which means it did its job, but film-wise it wasn’t dazzling.

It packed some punches with Jim Caviezel’s performance and some of the film-making, but looking back I think it could have been the subject matter more than the film…

Important though.

64/100

November Edition Deadlines: Articles - 23rd October Artwork - 27th October

The Nun 2 I go to horror films for the scare factor primarily. Always found the Oscar-bait films quite annoying in comparison.

14 www.moulshamtimes.com

One Million Steps for Charity On 1st September, I embarked on a mission to walk 1 million steps throughout the month.

This equates to 17 miles per day (around 6 hours per day) all to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children; a charity that is close to my heart and one that has supported my daughter significantly over the last 5 years. It’s quite a challenge and will end up being just over 500 miles in total, equivalent to 19 marathons, or walking across the entire width of the UK two and a half times - all in just 30 days. I’m currently on day 28 and on target, as well as in complete agony. However, I will finish the challenge whatever it takes. I live in Moulsham Lodge (Linden Close) have completed most of my walking in and around Chelmsford/Danbury/Margetting etc.

I have setup a website allowing people to track my daily progress and see how much we have managed to raise. The link is www.1millionsteps.co.uk.

Thank you Jonathan

Sienna, my daughter, faced a number of issues early on in life and consequently was admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) who have provided, and continue to provide, truly amazing care and support. She has had 5 general anaesthetics, many different scans, check-ups and an underwent surgery at just 1 year old.

She’ll continue to be under GOSH’s care for many years to come.

As a result of her circumstances early on in life, Sienna struggles to walk any sort of distance, becoming easily tired and getting painful legs, which has resulted in her missing out on many different things in early life that her peers take for granted. I am choosing 1 million steps as my challenge, as this will allow me to further understand her daily struggles and experience the tiredness and exhaustion she faces on a daily basis, but also goes some way to catching up on all the steps she’s missed out in her lifetime.

Sienna has promised to walk the last 100 steps by my side.

CCR Latest News Firstly, we should say thank you to the wonderful team at Chelmsford Civic Society for allowing us to take part in their Heritage Open Days for September. The Eco-Cast Workshop was really good - did you spot our budding reporters doing interviews in the High Street? Then on the 16th September we were hosting the entertainment in Tindal Square. Such a lovely event and we should recognise all of those who worked really hard to make it such a brilliant afternoon.

Look out for us in October at the Anglia Ruskin Apprenticeship Fair, Science Festival - and also, as we celebrate Local Radio Day. If you’d like us to attend your event or give it a mention drop us an email: admin@chelmsfordcommunityradio.com.

Chelmsford Community Radio celebrated its 10th year back in June and some of you who have followed us since the early days may be delighted to learn that station legends Dan Looney and Sam Champness are back on air - you can hear The Amazing Dan and Sam Show on Wednesday evenings from 8.30pm - 10pm. Our Mop Tops and the King Show with Steve Chelmsford now starts straight afterwards at 10pm and the ‘Tea Boy’ aka Carl Spaul from the In the Middle team will be bringing us Dreamfrog from 11pm till midnight.

We are also pleased to share that Thursday nights Ovation show, covering all things theatre, has been extended and now starts at 7pm.

Finally, we want to say thank you so much to the listeners for tuning in and supporting our volunteers in helping to make big (radio) waves in our city. It is very much appreciated; they love to hear from you with your song requests. You can get in touch with them via studio@ chelmsfordcommunityradio.com. www.chelmsfordcommunityradio.com

Remember to tell our advertisers you saw their advert in the MT

15

Some Physio Advice… Time to Get Active!

This month, Erica asked me to write an article in her place and I thought a little physio advice might be in order. Wednesday the 21st September was National Fitness Day, encouraging us all to celebrate the fun of fitness and physical activity. The government is extremely keen to improve the nation’s health and fitness, particularly as recent health statistics make grim reading.

The Health Survey 2021 estimates that 25.9% of adults are obese and 37.9% are overweight, which is defined as having a BMI of 25-30.

Tackling this is essential in improving our health, protecting NHS and social care capacity from the far-reaching consequences of health problems that often exist alongside obesity and require long term interventions.

The Health Foundation estimates that by 2040 nearly one in five will have a major health problem, increased from one in six in 2019.

Additionally, by 2040, 9.1 million people will have a major health condition - a 37% increase from 2019. Most of this increase will be driven by ageing, however it is a ticking timebomb, as our NHS and social services are already struggling to cope.

No wonder then that the government is so keen to get us all moving when increasing our activity levels can protect us against the risk of developing many long-term health problems, protecting our NHS and social care services.

For most of us, increasing our physical activity levels to 150 minutes

moderate activity per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity, spread evenly throughout the week, ideally 4-5 times a week or every day, would provide us with a long-term solution to improving our health and well-being, helping us to manage our weight and to feel better in ourselves. Often the more complex the problem, the simpler the solution and for most of us, moving more would make a huge difference to our overall health and well-being.

I am a Clinical Specialist Neuromusculoskeletal Physiotherapist and am passionate about the positive impact of finding something active that you love to do and sticking with it. Many years ago I became a partner in Hummingbird Pilates & Yoga, as pilates and yoga are excellent starting points to get you gently moving, helping you to build up your confidence and getting you to start feeling the benefits of regular activity.

Many people have chosen to stay on with us as they feel amazing for regular practice. Others have used it as a stepping stone to get back into a sport that they once loved but felt too unfit to take up again.

I hope that this article inspires you to get active, find something that you love to do and stick at it, preventing avoidable health issues.

For those of you that would like to try pilates or yoga, here is a free class pass-code that you can use at www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk: HYPFREECLASS.

Royal Choral Society – Saturday 28th October Join the Royal Choral Society in its first visit to Chelmsford Cathedral for a concert of classical treasures by Haydn, Mozart and Handel on Saturday 28th October at 7pm.

The Royal Choral Society joins forces with the London Mozart Players and a quartet of soloists under the baton of Richard Cooke to present this magnificent work in Chelmsford Cathedral. The concert opens with two glorious anthems composed by Handel for the coronation of King George II, after which the orchestra will play Mozart’s enchanting Symphony No.29, a high point of his early symphonic writing. Mozart’s captivating melodies have all the elegance of his mentor, Haydn. The finale will by Haydn’s Nelson Mass, which was composed in 1798 against a backdrop of fear as Napoleon’s army fought its way to Austria.

The Royal Choral Society began its illustrious life as the Royal Albert Hall Choral Society - formed for the opening of the Royal Albert Hall in 1871. Its inaugural concert was held at the Royal Albert Hall on 8th May 1872. The choir’s name was shortened to the Royal Choral Society (with permission from Queen Victoria) shortly afterwards.

Tickets: £32, £24, £10 (plus booking fee) can be purchased via fixr.co Unreserved seating.

Programme Handel: Zadok the Priest.

Handel: My Heart is Inditing.

Mozart: Symphony No. 29 in A, K.201.

Haydn: Nelson Mass.

Performers Royal Choral Society.

London Mozart Players.

Richard Cooke, conductor.

Miriam Allan, soprano.

Hannah Cooke, mezzo soprano.

Nicholas Madden, tenor.

Richard Bannan, baritone.

The Royal Choral Society is always on the lookout for new members, whether you’ve sung in a choir for 20 years or you are fresh out of school/university and want to continue your choral singing. The choir meets for rehearsals every Monday between September and July (with Christmas and Easter breaks) in central London, singing from 6.30pm - 8.30pm.

ot p s s i h nt i e s i t r Adve ulsham Times in Mo £120 + VAT for

Promote your business to thousands of local people every month!

MoulshamTimes Reach 9000 readers in Old Moulsham, Moulsham Lodge and Tile Kiln Discounts or free editorial for advertising in more than 3 issues!

We also publish

The City Times

For more information please call us on 01245 262082 or email ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk

16 www.moulshamtimes.com

GC-LIFT 31531 - 0723

Serving Chelmsford and the surrounding area for over 360 years Private Chapel of Rest Horse Drawn Funerals 24 Hour Care, 365 Days a Year Pre-paid Funeral Plans from Golden Charter Monumental Masonry

At M. Lucking & Sons, we’re proud to have been serving communities of Chelmsford and the surrounding areas for over 360 years. As an independent, family-owned business we have all the regional knowledge and years of experience to make sure everything runs smoothly. We also work in partnership with Golden Charter so you have a simple way to plan ahead with a pre-paid funeral plan.

Contact us today for more information and our friendly staff will be happy to help.

195 New London Road, Chelmsford, CM2 0AE. Call: 01245 353733

M. Lucking & Sons is an introducer appointed representative of Golden Charter Limited trading as Golden Charter Funeral Plans which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN:965279).

www.mluckingandsons.co.uk

enquiries@mluckingandsons.co.uk

JOIN NOW* NEW GYM OPENING SOON

Exclusive Pre-opening offers for new members* Find out more at chelmsford.gov.uk/csacgym

*Subject to Terms & Conditions.

Remember to tell our advertisers you saw their advert in the MT

17

Hello everyone. I hope all is well with you. As I write this, we are having very hot weather. Probably means it will snow next week!

I have to start this week by saying a massive thank you to two groups of people. While I was delivering the magazines this week, I tripped over a kerb outside a unit on the Waterhouse Business Park (my fault), leaving me with quite a nasty head wound. Unable to get up, I was not sure what to do, but a group of people rushed out from the Community College Initiative and came straight over to help. What a wonderful team they are. They quickly assessed the situation, took the appropriate action, phoned an ambulance and contacted my wife. They stayed with me with towels to minimise the bleeding and with very comforting words.

They certainly prevented a more serious outcome. A member of the Park Management came along too, and was very encouraging and helpful. What a lovely team of people, if I ever had to go back to work, I would apply for a job there. Thank you so much.

Moving on to the next group. The ambulance crew, the A and E staff and everyone at Broomfield Hospital. It must be a very stressful time in the NHS at the moment, as well as other organisations, but the care and treatment I received was brilliant. If I hear anyone criticising these hard working and dedicated people, I will be pleased to put them right! Thank you to my family for their help and ongoing support and everyone involved. I am very grateful. In these days of doom in the media, it is great to see there are lots of very kind people around doing good things.

Just one point. In A and E, a porter came up and told me where he was taking me. I am hard of hearing and didn’t quite catch what he said, No matter, I thought, he knows where we’re going. As we went along I was reading the direction signs. The first one said ‘Major Surgery left’. Oh no, I thought what’s going on!? He carried straight on, thank goodness. Then came ‘Resuscitation’ straight on. Oh dear!

Then we turned right to the X-ray department, Phew!

My grandson works for Guinness World Records, and he mentioned that they have just released the latest edition. I decided to have a quick look at some of the new entrants. Among the ones that caught my eye were a man who broke the world record for climbing a radio mast with a football on his head. I wonder if he reached his goal?

Another was a women who spent a month living with 5,000 scorpions, bit of a sting in the tale in that one! What about clapping for 3 hours? Deserves a round of applause. Finally, a man has more Guinness World Records than they have at the company. Read all about it.

Sorry about those.

Well the clocks go back this month - I wonder how many of us will say on the 29th October, ‘five o’clock and it’s dark already’.

Bin End Chuckles Mr Ben has died. No more Mr Rice Guy...

Black Beauty. Now, there’s a dark horse...

Keep safe and well and be nice to one another!

Do you have a local good news story?

Email us paul@moulshamtimes.com to get it featured!

I am a football fan and as such, often listen to reports on radio and television and I noticed recently how many match reporters seem to think they have to shout during their reports. I think it may be my age, but I am getting more annoyed at this trend - mainly because I don’t understand why they do it. I guess that it may be that they think they have to shout above the noise of the crowd, but they seem to forget that they are talking though a microphone. Or is it that they think it adds to the excitement? Well, for what it’s worth, I don’t agree! Bring back the days of people like Martin Tyler, David Coleman and the legendary Kenneth Wolstenholme. Yes I am getting old!

Talking about old, I went to the Chelmsford Civic Society Heritage Through the Arts celebrations on Saturday (very good it was too) and passed a stall displaying old games. One was a game of shove halfpenny. As I went by, the stall holder was explaining that this was a very old game, or something like that. I had to mention to him that I could remember playing it as a child. Oh dear! I don’t think that there is an app on my phone for this.

I was reading my newspaper the other day and browsing through the full page advertisements looking for those that I could mention here. There it was; a home indoor weather station! Essential item to own apparently. I was surprised, I must say, so I did a bit of research.

There are loads available. They offer lots of information, including air pressure, indoor and outdoor temperature, humidity and so on. I was seriously thinking about getting one but decided against it. Yet another item that I would not think would benefit a full page ad in a national newspaper. Obviously wrong again!

Funny stories in the media: Police found money in the cab of a truck wrapped in foil to make it look like sandwiches. I guess that confirms the use of bread as a slang word for cash...

18 www.moulshamtimes.com

Advertise your event or business with us!

We have space for advertisers who are builders, cafés and sandwich shops, decorators, dentists, drainage companies, roofers, hotels, retailers, recruitment companies, restaurants, and many more!

• 10,000 copies of the City Times • 9000 copies of the Moulsham Times • Discounts available for longer runs or when advertising in both our magazines • Editorial/business interview for regular advertisers Email paul@moulshamtimes.com for more information or call me on 01245 262082 www.moulshamtimes.com

19

Grove Road Evangelical Church In October 1976 I headed off to Switzerland to spend a couple of months at the Christian Centre established by Rev Francis Schaeffer.

Known as L’Abri, The Shelter, it was high up in the Alps.

shouting. The lady was beckoning me to return. I saw her take some coins out of her own purse. She paid for my ticket, and I was rescued from the mess I was in.

I had not planned the details of my journey very well. It wasn’t so easy in those pre-internet days! I had been told that when I arrived in Paris, part of the train would continue around Paris and then head off to Switzerland. On arriving in Paris, however, the guard insisted I needed to get off the train and take the Metro to Austerlitz. That guard was wrong on many counts!

Two things I learned from that experience. First, God answers our prayers, sometimes in amazing and unexpected ways. Second, a picture of what Jesus has done to help us. We have no currency acceptable in Heaven, but Jesus paid with his own money for us to have a ticket there.

Problem! The French accepted francs, not pounds, and I only had pounds! Nevertheless, I walked up to one of the Metro’s ticket kiosks, said to the lady, ‘Austerlitz’, and showed her some pounds! What did she say to me? Probably something like ‘Go away’! I turned away, feeling a great weight of helplessness. I did the only thing possible. I prayed. ‘Lord, please help me!’.

At once I heard a shout: ‘Monsieur!’. I turned round to see who was

Come and join us at 11am each Sunday and learn about what God can do for you if you trust in Jesus.

Philip Loose, Senior Pastor Grove Road Evangelical Church (Behind Tesco Express, Moulsham Street) www.grecuk.co.uk pastor@grecuk.co.uk

MT History: The County of Essex - By Henri Lewi The county of Essex with its long coastline of 350 miles and 35 islands, is one of the oldest counties of Britain, originally one of the seven kingdoms that formed the ancient kingdom of England.

The word ‘Essex’ has its roots in the Old English name Ēastseaxe, referring to kingdom of the East Seaxe or East Saxons, and most likely refers to the old Germanic tribes who had invaded England and made much of the county their home.

It is traditionally accepted that Aescwine of Essex who was born in Saxony in Northern Germany in 494, founded the Kingdom in 527, ruling for a further 60 years until his death in 587.

Do you have a local good news story? If so feel free to email it to paul@moulshamtimes.com

In 825, Essex became part of the kingdom of Wessex, until parts of the county were ceded to the Viking kingdom of East Anglia as part of the Treaty of Wedmore, a peace treaty Alfred the Great negotiated with the Danes in 878. Parts of Essex remained under the control of the Danes for nearly 40 years.

In the early part of the 10th century, Edward King of Wessex fought the Danes until their collapse in 917 and Edward now expanded his control over southern England as far north as the River Humber.

Edward re-established Essex as a county as it was finally reincorporated back into the kingdom of England. This king who was the eldest son of Alfred the Great is often referred to as Edward the Elder, died in 924 and was succeeded by his son Athelstan the Glorious.

From the time of Edward the Elder and Athelstan until the 19th century, the county of Essex was divided into 19 hundreds.

Why a hundred? A ‘hundred’ is an administrative division that is part of a larger region with each hundred having a separate council that allowed it to rule on local judicial and taxation matters.

The origin of the term hundred remains obscure, but may refer to an area of land covered by 100 hides, which in the Anglo-Saxon era was the amount of land farmed and required to support a peasant family.

An alternative origin is that a hundred is an area of land settled by 100 men-at-arms.

In the Victorian era, the development of the railways changed the rural nature of the county with much development occurring in most of the towns of Essex, resulting in significant shifts of the population. By the mid to late 19th century, trains from London now ran to Brentwood, Ongar and Colchester and the coastal towns of Grays, Tilbury Southend and Shoeburyness.

The Local Government Act of 1888 established the county councils and county borough councils throughout England and Wales replacing the hundreds, which had existed in Essex for nearly 1,000 years.

20

www.moulshamtimes.com

Chelmsford Camera Club Chelmsford Camera Club is a well-established photographic society, originally founded in 1952. Until very recently our base was Moulsham Mill, an interesting venue, full of character which served the club well, but post-covid we have moved our base to Broomfield Football Club, which offers ample parking and great facilities.

CCC is a friendly club, appealing to Moulsham Mill (image by Jackie Bale) all standards of photographer, from beginner, intermediary or those of a more expert nature, and holds regular competitions internally for members and against other clubs, in addition to inviting a host of speakers from across the wide array of photographic genres.

Members are extremely active and organise various trips out during the year with events as diverse as local nature reserves, studio shoots, motor racing (4-wheel and 2) which provides great experience to those who may not have shot these activities previously.

If you have an interest in photography, or maybe studying for www.moulshamtimes.com

photography, or your existing club didn’t make it through the pandemic and you are looking for somewhere to channel your interest, please get in touch with us and come along on a club evening (every Thursday from 7th September - evenings start 7.30pm) to get a friendly welcome and taster of what is on offer.

The first three meetings you visit attract a fee of £3 per visit, after which we ask you to join the club if you have enjoyed the fare on offer. You will receive an extremely warm welcome.

If you have any interest please don’t hesitate to contact us at membership@chelmsfordcameraclub.info.

21

22 www.moulshamtimes.com

The Mighty Push Up - By Ola Adamolekun

Hi folks. So, this is the second in my miniseries on powerlifting for the everyday person. This time I’ll be looking at the push up. In the real powerlifting world this would be the bench press, however for the purpose of this series, I’m going to swap that out for the push up because the push up is a much easier exercise to do - everyone and anyone can do a push up.

There is so much I could write on push-ups it’s difficult to know where to start. It is a one of the most basic bodyweight exercises. It’s commonly known to work your chest, but it works way more muscles than just the chest. It also works your triceps, shoulders, and your core. Depending on how well you do them, it can also work your quads.

variables you can tweak. Just by changing your hand position, your foot stance and/or position you can make a world of difference.

You can also do them with equipment - resistance band push ups, weighted push ups, etc. The only thing that limits you is your imagination!

The next time you are thinking about a new way to increase your upper body strength or just want to try a new exercise - give the humble push up a try. If you want someone to teach you, feel free to get in touch with me.

Happy pushing! www.beencouragedwellness.co.uk www.facebook.com/BeEncouragedBeStrong

To advertise or speak about charity editorial please email paul@moulshamtimes.com All my clients, at whatever level they are, do push ups. As far as I’m concerned, everyone can do a push up. It just depends on your strength level and ability. So, if you think you can’t do a push up, where do you start? Here are 3 variations you can do as a complete beginner: 1. Start with your hands on the wall and your feet flat on the floor the closer you stand to the wall, the easier the movement.

2. Hand elevated push ups - these are a progression from the wall push up. All you do is lower your hands from the wall to something like a kitchen counter, then a chair or sofa, then maybe a step. You can play around to find the right level. The higher your hands, the easier the exercise.

3. Knee push ups - Some people don’t like these, but I think they’re a good progression to doing a full push up. You start in a high plank position, then drop to your knees and do the exercise from there.

So that’s how you start out doing push ups. Now that you know how and where to start, why should you be doing them? As usual, I have a few benefits: 1. They are a compound exercise, ie, they work multiple joints. They give you more bang for your buck when you’re working out because they save you time.

2. They improve upper body strength - this is beneficial to women especially because we have less upper body strength to our male counterparts. This simple exercise is a good way to start building upper body strength and that’s why I ensure all my female clients do push ups.

3. Believe it or not - they are fun! Yes, I said fun. Once you’ve mastered the basic push up, there are so many ways to make it more challenging and more fun.

Talking about fun and making push ups harder, there are so many www.moulshamtimes.com

23

MT Finance - Financial Planning in your 50s Balancing finances in your 50s is a challenge, but with some careful planning you can set yourself up for a secure financial future.

Your 50s are a really important time to think about your financial plan. Life will likely have settled down into a pattern, any children will have probably left home and become financially independent, and thoughts may turn to when you might look to wind down or fully retire.

Everyone’s path in life is different with varying levels of resources, but there are some common priorities and steps to take at this life stage.

It can be confusing to know where to start, though, so here’s a list of key areas to focus on to help ensure your finances are in good shape for your 50s and beyond: Five Tips for Financial Planning in Your 50s 1. Examine your balance between cash and investments: The amount of cash you should keep as an emergency fund will depend on your individual circumstances. A good rule of thumb is to have enough cash to cover a minimum of 3 to 6 months of living expenses, and any planned spending. This will help you if you lose your job, incur a major expense, or another unexpected event.

However, if you have less secure employment or high expenses, you may need to keep more cash on hand.

It can be tempting to keep lots more in cash, particularly with the higher interest rates currently on offer, and that is the right thing to do for short-term spending and goals, but if the money is set aside for the longer term, it is likely to be beneficial to invest it in order to give it a better chance of growing ahead of rises in the cost of living, as over the long-term the stock market is likely to outperform cash.

2. Consider using higher earnings to accelerate retirement provision: Your retirement provision should be a top priority in your 50s, and typically higher earnings can mean extra benefits from tax relief when you make pension contributions. It’s also a time when lots of people wonder when they can retire and whether they have adequate resources to commit to it. It can be hard to get a handle on this and it’s all too easy to underestimate how much capital you need to generate the income you require for the rest of your life.

To help you can use a pension calculator to estimate how much you need to save to reach your retirement goals. The calculator considers your current pension savings, your future contributions, and your life expectancy. If you’re earning more than you were in your 30s or 40s, you can use this extra money to accelerate your retirement savings.

One way to do this is make additional contributions to your pension, and to maximise investment flexibility consider a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP).

3. Get a state pension forecast: The State Pension represents an important component of most people’s income in retirement. For some it’s their only income, or a large part of it. Yet confusion abounds about how much is paid, from what age, and the rules for qualifying. If you haven’t already done so your 50s is the time for figuring this out.

You can get a State Pension forecast from the gov.uk website. As well as checking your State Pension age, a forecast can tell you how much you could get and how it might be possible to increase it. You can also keep tabs on how your entitlement to the State Pension is building by monitoring your National Insurance (NI) contribution record, which again you can check at gov.uk. Here you can see your history of NI credits received and any gaps in contributions or credits.

It’s often possible to pay voluntary contributions to fill these gaps, either for a full year or a partial one where you have paid some NI but not enough to gain a credit.

If you’re risk-averse, you may prefer to pay off your mortgage as quickly as possible. This will give you peace of mind knowing that you have no debt to worry about, plus it will free up more money each month that you can invest or use for other purposes. However, if you’re willing to take on some risk, you may be better off investing your money. This could give you the potential for higher returns, which could help you reach your retirement goals. That’s especially the case for higher rate taxpayers making pension contributions where tax relief can give savings a big boost.

Alternatively, if you have a large home, you may want to consider downsizing in your 50s. This could release equity that you can use to fund your retirement or other goals. It can also be a way to simplify your life and reduce maintenance costs.

5. Start thinking about succession and inheritance tax planning: As you get older, it’s important to start thinking about how you want to pass assets on to loved ones and inheritance tax planning.

Inheritance tax is paid on the value of an estate when the owner dies, but there are various ways to reduce a liability such as making gifts or setting up a trust.

If you want to find out more around this, it is helpful to engage a financial adviser who can provide more specific advice to your personal situation. You should also make sure your will is up-to-date and that it reflects your current circumstances. Your will is a legal document that sets out your wishes for your assets after you die.

Give Your Finances a Health Check Balancing finances in your 50s is a challenge, but with some careful planning you can set yourself up for a secure financial future. You also don’t have to tackle it on your own. Having a conversation with a financial professional can help you to take control of your finances, giving you freedom and peace of mind.

Graham Austin, Chartered FCSI Investment Director Graham.Austin@charles-stanley.co.uk 0207 149 6696 The value of investments can fall as well as rise. Investors may get back less than invested. Past performance is not a reliable guide to future returns. The information in this article is for general information purposes and is not a trading recommendation. Charles Stanley is not a tax adviser.

Nothing in this article should be construed as personal advice based on your circumstances. No news or research item is a personal recommendation to deal.

Charles Stanley & Co. Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered office: 55 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 3AS.

Advertise with a classified advert for just £28+VAT per issue

4. Balance paying off your mortgage vs investing: The decision of whether to pay off your mortgage or invest your money is a personal one. There are several factors to consider, such as your risk tolerance, your financial goals, and your tax situation.

24 www.moulshamtimes.com

The Singing Chef French Toast Hi all I’m writing this from Magaluf, but let me tell you now it is a super savy saver.

Sarah is a singing and vocal coach based in Chelmsford and offers singing lessons to people of all ages and abilities. She has a brand new website at www.chelmsfordvocalcoach.co.uk, or you can email her at sarahmtfood@gmail.com.

Okay, so you need two slices of bread per person, one egg per person and some butter and some oil in a pan and an appetite.

This Is French Toast Sounds posh, but it’s actually a cost-effective money-saving leftovers recipe.

Sweet Version • One egg whisked with one table spoon of milk and a teaspoon of sugar.

• Put to one side, now make your favourite sandwich (I used jam and left over cream cheese).

• Soak the sandwich, both sides, in the egg mixture and fry the butter and oil. Serve as you like.

Savoury Option Make your favourite savoury sandwich soak in whisked egg and milk. Fry in butter and oil and serve how you desire.

www.moulshamtimes.com

25

Our main event of the year, Breakfast With Santa, will be upon us before we realise it. This year’s event is on the 9th and 10th December and tickets will go online in early October, so keep an eye out on our Facebook page and on the website.

Before that, we have a Christmas market that we are calling Made With Love; this is on the 4th November from 10am till 3pm. The Copper Pot Café will be open as usual.

Here at MLCT, we support small local businesses by selling some of their products.

You can see quite a range of products here in the photo.

The most popular product is the honey, this is made by local bees and if there is anything in the truth of local honey helping with hay fever then why not give it a try!

There are dry and wet chilli mixes, the dry one’s are made by our very own Hayley in the Copper Pot Café.

Another of the Copper Pot’s staff, Laura, has got an artistic hand and produces hand-drawn pictures from photos - an example is the MLCT sign on the front of the building (our logo). Visit her Etsy site at www. etsy.com/shop/colvdesigns.

Copper Pot Cafe is open Tuesday - Friday 8am till 4pm, and Saturday from 9am - 3pm. www.mlct.org.uk enquiries@mlct.org.uk 07434 678 999

An Update From Moulsham Lodge Ward - By Ashley Thompson & Simon Goldman It’s been another busy month for your two Lib Dem councillors for Moulsham Lodge.

Once a month on the first Saturday, we do our regular Coffee With Cops at The Copper Pot Café on Gloucester Avenue, between 1.30pm and 3pm. This is your chance to come in and quiz your councillors and representatives of the local police on what’s going on Moulsham Lodge. Come along on Saturday 7th October, and let us know of any concerns you may have about life in Moulsham Lodge.

programme on the evening of Friday 6th October. Why not pop down and help support live music in Moulsham Lodge? Who knows, if this one goes well, we may well be hearing music more regularly around these parts...

Simon recently attended a meeting alongside the leader of Chelmsford City Council, Stephen Robinson, Vicky Ford MP and high-ranking police officers to discuss anti-social behaviour (ASB) in the city centre, which is obviously a concern to all of us. A number of action points came out of the meeting, but the main point was that the police agreed to have a better presence in the city centre. There were also reports of anti-social behaviour around Waterson Vale.

We are also holding impromptu street surgeries most Thursdays. We recognise that only about a third of people tend to regularly engage with and vote in local elections, and not everyone has the time to get along to a traditional surgery type event like Coffee With Cops to get their voice heard. So each Thursday we pick a different road, or group of small roads, in the ward and just start knocking on doors.

The police are keeping an eye on these areas. The Public Protection Manager from the council recently visited Chelmsford College and they will be putting out a message to all of the students that this behaviour is not acceptable. If you witness any ASB then please do report it to the police or on the council website or to one of us.

For any local issues, please do get in touch any time.

It’s always fascinating to hear the range of perspectives within our community, from anything like bus shelters, to speeding, anti-social behaviour and post office closures. If you would like us to visit your road then let us know.

ashley.thompson@chelmsfordlibdems.org.uk simon.goldman@chelmsfordlibdems.org.uk

Outside of his role as a local councillor Ashley works as a professional musician. This month he is collaborating with St Luke’s, Moulsham Lodge (Church of England), who are putting on a varied musical

Or follow us on the following platforms: Chelmsford Liberal Democrats Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChelmsLibDems Facebook: Simon Goldman - Moulsham Lodge Councillor Twitter: twitter.com/ChelmsLibDems

26 www.moulshamtimes.com

Tile Kiln Corner - By Cllr Linda Mascot

Litter has become more of an issue in our area. I was recently contacted by a resident who wanted to volunteer as a litter picker and wondered what is being done to tackle this blight on our communities - not only as an eyesore, but as an environmental crime with danger to wildlife and habitats.

If you want to arrange a litter pick in the local area, please contact me and Cllr Hazel Clark and we’d be happy to support and join you. mascotlinda@gmail.com

Last month, the City Council launched an anti-littering campaign with increased fines to try to dissuade perpetrators. As a local councillor, it is extremely frustrating that people think it is ok just to litter without any regard for others and you can report any littering, including cigarette butts, food and drink containers - litter will be removed if it is on the road, pavement or in a public space by reporting here: www.chelmsford.gov.uk/environment-and-public-health/streetproblem-report/report-litter.

This also includes details of how to report fly-tipping, which carries a fine of £400, and dog-fouling where owners can be fined £100.

You can also find details of how you can volunteer via the above link or by visiting the Love Your Chelmsford website directly here: loveyourchelmsford.co.uk/volunteer.

There are currently 3,461 litter picking volunteers in Chelmsford, all have requested the loan of a litter-picking kit for up to 14 days which include litter picker, gloves, hi-vis waistcoat and branded heavyduty green waste bags which, when full, can be left next to any City Council street bin and will be collected within 7 days. Extended loans of 3-6 months are for volunteers who wish to complete their Duke of Edinburgh Award. Look out for group litter picking events near you or arrange one yourself, Chelmsford Litter Wombles are a great group of local people to connect with and who organise group events all over Chelmsford - find them by searching on Facebook.

If you fill more than 5 bags with rubbish, please contact lyc@ chelmsford.gov.uk or call 01245 615 800 and ask for the Love Your Chelmsford team to arrange a collection.

Digging Out Old Holes We moved home over the summer holidays this year. As you’d expect, the process of moving was somewhat stressful - but completely worth it.

We’ve all been hurt, we all have these wounds, and we all wonder at one time or another whether healing is actually possible.

True and full healing is possible, and it’s found in Jesus Christ.

We moved into our new home at the same time as there were gas pipe replacements going on along the road outside. So, as you’ll know in such situations, there were holes everywhere - barriers up directing pedestrians through the maze, equipment left on the street corner and three-way temporary traffic lights.

Because his love for you is so powerful and deep that he’d go to his own death for you, he is able to heal you so completely, so thoroughly, so wonderfully, that you’ll never go over those old hurts again. He’s able to fill in those holes so beautifully that it’s almost as if they were never there.

The works finished a few weeks after we moved in and to much relief as well, as the drills and cement mixers were packed up and driven away. Quiet and calm at last.

What do you need to do for Jesus to heal you? Just ask him. You can’t do it yourself, you need to ask Jesus to do it for you. Just ask - simple as that.

Until, horror upon horror, a week later a different utilities company turned up, and started digging out some of the recently filled-in holes!

It seems that some repair work was needed to some of the other underground lines, following the gas works.

Ask Jesus.

This has been happening nearly every week since - re-digging old holes, and filling them in again.

It got me thinking how much we do the same thing. Going over old wounds, old hurts, stirring up old grudges - all of which leave us frustrated, angry, and bitter all over again. www.moulshamtimes.com

If you want to know more, or have any questions, please get in touch!

Tim Goodall, Pastor, Tile Kiln Church tim.goodall@tilekilnchurch.org.uk 07821 866 301 YouTube: tinyurl.com/y24qlkvx Facebook: www.facebook.com/tilekilnchurch www.tilekilnchurch.org.uk 27

Quiz Time - By John Theedom What is the name of the latest book by Trinny Woodall?

2. Who sang I’m Still Standing?

3. What was the first car to be built on a British assembly line?

4. What type of creature is a nematode?

5. What is the never-ever?

6. What musical lnstrument does Andre Rieu play?

7. In music, what does the term conbrio mean?

8. Which animal product is used to curdle milk?

9. The plantain is closely related to which other fruit?

10. In Classic FM, what do the initials FM stand for?

11. What is a calzone?

12. Cava is a sparkling wine from which country?

13. What kind of animal is a babirusa?

14. What is Vanilla Fudge (apart from the obvious)?

15. What nationality was the composer Ravel?

16. What is a salvo?

17. Who played James Bond in 1981 For Your Eyes Only?

18. In which country was Florence Nightingale born?

19. What is the name of the latest album by the Rolling Stones?

20. What is the name of Boris Johnson’s youngest son, born in July?

21. If you are parsimonious, what are you?

1.

22. In which month is Canada Day? 23. In which decade was Simon Cowell born?

24. What is a ‘RoRo’ ferry?

25. What can be a leather worker and a coin?

26. In which London park is Speaker’s Corner?

27. Who painted the Mona Lisa?

28. What type of jewellery is rhombi?

29. What is the first name of the artist Goya?

30. What kind of plant is esparto?

31. Which actor starred as Rene Artois in ‘Allo ‘Allo?

32. How many colours are there on the Italian flag?

33. What sport is Lee Trevino associated with?

34. What is the name of the prisoner who escaped from Wandsworth?

35. Who is the impressionist who died recently, aged 82?

36. Who said to Paul Gascoigne, ‘Gazza, is that actually you’?

37. How much did the 3 gowns of Princess Diana’s make at auction - £800,000, £1.3 million or £2 million?

38. Who played the two hotel owners in the TV series Fawlty Towers?

39. And what were their charater names?

40. What is the last letter of the Greek alphabet?

Wordseach by thewordsearch.com

(Answers on page 30 & 31)

28 www.moulshamtimes.com

We design web sites

3 page website £325 3 page website with mobile site £499

£325

www.moulshamtimes.com

29

Giving advice - Chelmsford Citizens Advice Bureau Are you a good listener? Can you give calm, thoughtful advice and assist people accessing information? This role is assisting clients by phone to help resolve their practical issues/problems.

Volunteers needed to join SWF Community Garden Meadowcroft Garden Centre have donated a beautiful piece of land for local people to grow flowers, harvest vegetables, learn new skills, and enjoy being with friendly people in a lovely location. The sessions are supported by an expert from the RHS. We need volunteers who can help get the garden started and then carry it forward for the community. A bit of gardening knowledge would be lovely but not essential, and we’ll always strive to provide activities for all levels of access and know-how. Tuesday mornings.

Knit and crochet for good causes! - ladies’ knitting group Are you a keen knitter? Or have you always wanted to learn how?

We are welcoming volunteers to join a ladies’ only knitting group at Hamptons Sport and Leisure Centre in Great Baddow. The group includes experienced knitters, complete beginners, refugees, older people, and ladies who’ve dealt with difficult circumstances or sad times. Over lots of coffee and cake we chat, create, laugh, and make things for good causes! Monday mornings.

By using questioning and listening skills to gain as much detail as possible, you will help worried clients decide what the next best steps are.

This could be by researching and providing them with information; signposting to other organisations; referring clients to other services and charities, or arranging for the client to receive full advice from one of our experienced advisers.

You will receive full training, constant support and advice. You are not expected to know all the answers!

Community Speed Watch volunteer Community Speed Watch groups consist of volunteers from their local community, who all share the same concerns about speeding through their local villages. These volunteers are from all walks of life, with a variety of skill sets and knowledge, who give up their free time to assist with reducing the number of fatalities and serious injuries on our roads.

Customer Service Volunteer - Springfield Library We need you to join our friendly team of volunteers in the library, welcoming customers, supporting them to use the library, and enabling them to make full use of the services available. Must be happy using computers and the internet.

t o p s s i th n i e s i t Adver ulsham Times in Mo £120 + VAT for Promote your business to thousands of local people every month!

MoulshamTimes Reach 9000 readers in Old Moulsham, Moulsham Lodge and Tile Kiln Discounts or free editorial for advertising in more than 3 issues!

We also publish

The City Times

For more information please call us on 01245 262082 or email ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk

30 www.moulshamtimes.com

Sue Campbell MCFHP MAFHP

Home Visiting Foot Health Practitioner

Treatment of common foot problems • Routine nail care • Corn & callus • Ingrowing toenails • Hard skin

01245 917744 or 07583 477846

Answers

1. Fearless 2. Elton John in 1983 3. Ford Model T 4. Roundworm 5. Hire purchase 6. Violin 7. With vigour 8. Rennet 9. Banana 10. Frequency Modulation 11. Type of folded pizza 12. Spain 13. Indonesian pig 14. A pop group from the 1960s

15. French 16. A volley of gunfire 17. Roger Moore 18. Italy 19 Hackney Diamonds 20. Frank Alfred Odysseus Johnson 21. Frugal, or mean 22. 1st July 23. 1950s 24. Roll on, Roll off 25. Tanner 26. Hyde Park 27. Leonardo da Vinci 28. Diamond

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

Francisco A coarse grass Gordon Kaye 3, red, white and green Golf Daniel Khalife Mike Yarwood HRH Prince William, in Pret A Manger £1.3 million John Cleese and Prunella Scales Basil and Sybil Fawlty Omega

www.moulshamtimes.com

31