Wickford Town News - Issue 04 February 2023

Wickford Town News February 2023

Wickford Wombles Find out more on page 4

News from Wickford Town Council Find out more on page 16

Dining for two

Find out more on page 26

What's on Wickford Find out more on page 32

Hashtag United

Find out more on page 38

ISSUE 04

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Wickford Town News February 2023

Feeling the love with Wickford Town News It’s safe to say 2023 is in full swing so here I am sat hoping everyone has had a great start to the year and wondering how many of us have managed to keep up with our new year’s resolutions?

One of my personal resolutions this year was to love more across all aspects of my life, whether in making memories with friends and family, in the working relationships I hold or to passing strangers in the street, if we all love more and choose kindness and compassion then the world surely becomes a better place, and that’s something we could only wish for!

On the topic of love, there is no better time to revel in love than during the month of love that is February. In this issue we have some simple recipes which you can try out with a loved one, a self-care checklist to remind you all to look after yourselves not just now but always, plus the latest news and events from some fantastic local clubs and groups!

Don’t forget, as well as being available to read online, 12,000 copies are also printed and delivered every month through the doors of homes in the community.

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As you read this, we are preparing the March edition of our magazine, for any article submissions, and reader comments please contact us on the email below. Until next time, happy reading!

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3

“In England’s green and pleasant land one often sees a merry band of Wombles dressed as humankind: their goal, each scrap of trash to find.

They scour the parks and verges green, determined that the land pristine be safe and litter-free for all, for Essex creatures great and small.”

The beautiful poem above was written

by Tony, one of the regular pickers from Wickford Wombles, both solo as one half of their #Boysclub duo and a valued group member. Tony picks up a colossal amount of other people’s discarded rubbish, as do an amazing team of Wickford Wombles who care enough to make things better. We can all help by getting our own rubbish into a bin or picking up other people’s or the debris left on a breezy bin day. Just outside our own houses even. The Wickford Wombles find many a small rodent drowned in a discarded bottle, how sad that our thoughtless actions can impact innocent little lives. It’s really an easy solution. Bin it. Recycle where possible and be responsible with the litter we create.

Check them out on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter or drop them an email at WickfordWombles@gmail.com And be the change you want to see.

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Wickford’s Little Free Library Little Free Libraries is a non-profit initiative that started in America and has since expanded to over 100 countries all across the world.

Having seen the idea online, I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of and to create one for right here in Wickford. It is a great way for sharing books and building a community, all through the joy of reading.

Lapwing Library was set up and installed back in October 2021. Upcycled from an old bedside cabinet that was destined for the rubbish dump, and fixed using a fence post, into a half barrel planter. The book sharing box has had well over 200 books pass through it.

Anyone can take, leave or exchange books at the library and there is no need to return them once you’ve finished, simply keep the book or pass it to a friend or neighbour for them to enjoy too. The library is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with a little sensor light installed inside for those visiting during the darker evenings.

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W i c k f o r d Town News

The library is always stocked with books, so if you’re looking for your next read, come and take a look at what is on offer. You can find it located in Lapwing Road, SS11 7JS. You can also find the library on Facebook and Instagram @Lapwing.Library. Please don’t forget to tag the accounts in any of your social media posts, I love seeing them and it really helps to spread the word.

If anyone else is interested in setting up their own Little Free Library or book sharing box, either outside their house or within a place of work, café or restaurant in Wickford, I’d be more than happy to share some ideas with you about it. Drop me a message via social media or email lapwing_library@outlook.com Happy reading.

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Rovers Dog Rescue – finding ‘furever’ homes

towards Ongar. We do not use kennels and rely heavily on our amazing band of fosterers spread out through Essex who take the dogs into their homes.

According to PDSA, 27% of adults have a pet dog, with an estimated 10.2 million dogs across the UK.

“There they can be fully assessed, vet checked, neutered, and vaccinated while we look for a new home for them which we vet and home check for suitability.

It’s clear to see we are a nation of dog lovers, but with that comes an unfortunate amount of dogs abandoned and left to fend for themselves.

Rovers Dog Rescue is a small home-run dog rescue in the Essex countryside who help to give our four-legged friends a better quality of life and chance for a forever home.

All of the dogs that come through the rescue are microchipped, vaccinated, neutered, where age applicable, before rehoming.

We caught up with Rebecca from Rovers Dog Rescue to find out a little more about the important work they do, and how local readers might be able to support them.

Rebecca told us:

“There are two of us running the show, one of us in Billericay and the other out 8

“Our dogs come from dog wardens, dog pounds, vets, public hand-ins and breeders and 2022 was particularly hard and just before Christmas we had 9 puppies in from 2 separate litters, Christmas was chaos in our houses!”

For our readers who would like to support the rescue through donations, whether it’s food, money to help with huge vet bills, or dog items such as collars, fleeces and toys etc, they are always greatly appreciated.

“The one thing more important than anything is our need for foster homes we can’t do what we do without them,” poignantly added Rebecca.

To find out more or to get in touch visit the rescue on Facebook at Rovers Dog Rescue

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Businesses invited to help create 300 new apprenticeships in 2023 The Essex County Council Essex Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Service (EALTS) and the newly launched Essex Apprenticeship Hub are asking large businesses to pledge to create 300 apprenticeship opportunities in 2023.

This follows a successful year, during which the service supported 240 apprenticeships.

This exceeds its pledge to create 100 opportunities between March and December.

The EALTS enables large Essex-based businesses to donate up to 25% of their apprenticeship levy to a smaller business.

Smaller organisations can sign up to the service, set their objectives and be matched with a larger business. Both businesses are supported by a team of advisors, who will provide practical guidance.

The apprenticeship levy is a tax paid by employers to help fund apprenticeship training costs. The EALTS helps larger 10

employers avoid returning unspent levy to government.

Since the service was launched, it has attracted pledges from organisations like Timpson and the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust.

Cllr Tony Ball, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Lifelong Learning and Employability, said: “The EALTS plays a key role in our Levelling Up agenda, helping trainees to access good jobs after completing their apprenticeship. It also strengthens the economy by creating new networks, bolstering supply chains, adding value and filling skills gaps.

“We look forward to creating new opportunities in 2023 and supporting our businesses and partners to welcome apprentices on board.”

Find out more about donating your unused apprenticeship levy or receiving a transfer online via www.essexalts.co.uk Read more about Essex apprenticeships on the Apprenticeship Hub via www.essexopportunities.co.uk/ apprenticeship-hub

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11

War Memorial

Wickford Memorial Park - War Memorial, Heroes Arboretum, Remembrance Ave January’s edition of the magazine gave an overview of the Wickford Memorial Park and the volunteers group.

Over the months we will be breaking down areas in the park with more information.

This month we are looking at three areas as you come into the park from the main Runwell Road Entrance. There are three car parks: Runwell Road (main entrance); Rettendon View; and Highcliffe Road.

War Memorial The War Memorial is situated just outside the main gates in Runwell Road Entrance.

The Memorial itself was built and moved into place November 2011. Every year the Remembrance Parade is held at the Memorial.

The Friends Group have planted the borders of the Memorial and planted thousands of daffodils leading to the main road.

Heroes Arboretum This area to the right of the main gates is dedicated to venues where servicemen have fallen and the site of the Beacon. These commemorative trees have been planted in remembrance to the Wickford men who sacrificed their lives in World War I, there is an information board by the Beacon.

Arboretum will be a lasting tribute to their courage and determination.

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W i c k f o r d Town News

Each tree represents a battle of campaign where the men fell.

The Friends Volunteers have planted thousands of bulbs in the area across the back and around each tree and wildflowers at the base of the wall.

We have also refurbished two benches, which have been installed by the council and Carter and Ward erected a black mesh along the back fence to hide their compound.

The Beacon The Beacon was installed inside the main gates in time for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The Friends Group helped co-ordinate the flower tributes for the Queen’s funeral. We expect it to be lit again for the Coronation in May. The shrubs and plants inside the Beacon area were planted by the Friends Group.

Remembrance Avenue The Remembrance Avenue is a tree lined pathway, each tree dedicated to a fallen serviceman. Each tree has a plaque. Full details of the history of them can be found on the Wickford War Memorial Association: Wickford War Memorial Association - Home (www.wickfordmemorial.com) (They maintain the records of the servicemen and women, plus civilians that died in the wars.)

Please visit our website: www.friendsofwickfordmemorialpark.co.uk or Facebook: Friends of Wickford Memorial Park

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15

News from Wickford Town Council Wickford Town Councillors monthly surgeries

This is an opportunity for residents to come along and talk informally to Members of the Town Council about issues in and around Wickford.

Monthly Councillor surgeries are currently held inside the Wickford Library on the 3rd Saturday of the month, 10am to 12 noon.

The next surgery is on 18th March.

individual Town Councillor, then please contact the Town Clerk to make an appointment: Tory Melhuish Tel. 01268 858979 Email: clerk@wickfordtowncouncil.gov.uk www.wickfordtowncouncil.gov.uk www.facebook.com/ WickfordTownCouncil

From April, it is hoped that Councillors will be back out in the High Street once a month on a Saturday morning.

If you would like to get in touch with an

Meeting with the MP A recent meeting held in Westminster with the MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, Mark Francois and the Chairman of the Town Council, Councillor Derek Harrison, the Vice Chairman, Councillor Graham Bradley and the Clerk, Tory Melhuish.

16

A number of topics were discussed including the Wickford Railway Station, Gibraltar Walk, Ward Boundary Review, A132 to A127, Housing Targets, Infrastructure, circus posters and the Wickford Market.

News from Wickford Town Council Wickford Market The Town Council is working in partnership with Basildon Borough Council and Essex County Council to ensure the continuation of the current Market in Wickford High Street.

The Market is a valuable asset to the Town and the Town Council would like this to continue whilst also making improvements.

The Town Council will keep residents informed of the status of the Market as the negotiations continue.

Further information can be obtained by contacting the Clerk Tory Melhuish Tel. 01268 858979 Email: clerk@wickfordtowncouncil.gov.uk www.wickfordtowncouncil.gov.uk www.facebook.com/WickfordTownCouncil

The Market has been relocated to a temporary location whilst the application for a permanent Traffic Regulation Order is progressed.

Successful Grant Applications The newly formed Town Council established a Grants Scheme to provide financial support to encourage and assist local groups and organisations to carry out activities for the benefit of Wickford residents.

Successful groups this year are: Wickford in Bloom £7,500 – to provide hanging baskets, planters and flower beds, which will improve the overall appearance of Wickford particularly in the High Street. Also, to support the purchase of hi-viz clothing, equipment and appropriate insurance cover.

The Wick Community Association Over 55 Club, £500 – to support the cost of hall hire for the group’s meetings.

Wickford Town Carnival Association £4,000 – to support the running of the 2023 Wickford Carnival.

The Grants scheme for 2024 will be open in September this year.

If you would like to know more about the Town Council’s Grants Scheme please contact the Town Clerk: Tory Melhuish Tel. 01268 858979 Email: clerk@wickfordtowncouncil.gov.uk www.wickfordtowncouncil.gov.uk www.facebook.com/WickfordTownCouncil

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News Around Wickford Girlguiding

Wickford Girlguiding are always looking for new members to support our 14 Girlguiding units in Wickford. From 4-year-old rainbows to 17-year-old Rangers we ensure we give girls great experiences and fun adventures in a friendly atmosphere. We’ve recently celebrated 100 years of Girlguiding in Wickford, we’re so proud of our mural celebrating this which is on display in the subway of Wickford High Street. We’re looking forward to many more years making memories. All members of Girlguiding are volunteers, we really appreciate any help that you can offer. Register your interest to join us at www.girlguiding.org.uk

You can either womble on your own or join our events to make Wickford a town to be proud of (see more on page 4).

Litterpickers are available to loan on event picks or bought at Chris’s DIY store at a reduced price if you mention Wickford Wombles.

Look forward to meeting more volunteers to swell our ranks.

Thank you for reading.

Recommendations for children’s mental health

Wickford Horticultural Society

Welcome to our Society. We are one of the last Horticultural groups in the area following the pandemic.

We meet monthly on the last Thursday of the month, and have a range of speakers and fun quizzes throughout the year, as well as 2 or 3 fun flower, fruit and vegetable mini shows.

We hope to arrange coach trips to some of the beautiful gardens in southeast England this year.

We meet at Christchurch in Wickford behind the High Street at 8 pm prompt.

All welcome whether you’ve an acre or just a window box.

For more information look at our Facebook page.

Wickford Wombles volunteering

Recently retired or looking to do more exercise for FREE? Here is an activity for young and old alike.

Welcome to your friendly Wickford Womble group, available on Facebook to keep up with the group events and activities.

The group was started to attack the litter problems on our streets and in our parks, to make the area more environmentally friendly and also to educate and inform the next generation to the impact litter has on our wildlife and sea life, also to us as human beings.

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A new report is available which outlines recommended improvements for children’s mental health.

Work took place in 2022 by a Mental Health Services for Young People Task and Finish Group. It comes following a motion put forward at the Essex County Full Council meeting which expressed the need to review the current challenges young people face.

The group considered different evidence during their review. This included the impact of the pandemic, funding and the importance of early support. There is already positive work happening across the county in this area. However, the evidence highlighted some common areas of improvement needed across Essex. It also demonstrated how central government, local authorities and health services need to work together to address them.

Read the full recommendations report online via www.essex.gov.uk/news/recommendationsfor-childrens-mental-health

Wickford Town Booking system planned for Essex recycling centres

A booking system will be trialled for all vehicles at Essex recycling centres.

This is to help manage waiting times, reduce congestion, and improve the customer experience. The new booking system will come into place from Monday 13th March.

The booking process has already been trialled for all vehicles using Rayleigh Recycling Centre, and also for large vehicles using the nine vanfriendly sites.

Both trials have been effective in smoothing the pattern of demand across operating hours and reducing queues and congestion both in and around the sites.

Site users visiting by foot do not need to book a slot.

Blue Badge holders do not need to book a slot and can visit any recycling centre in any vehicle, including vans at any ECC recycling centre.

Find out more about the booking system trial at the Love Essex website www.loveessex.org

Multiply in Essex with Essex County Council

We use maths every day without even realising.

From helping children with their schoolwork,

to cooking or as part of our job, maths is part of our daily lives. For lots of us though, maths might feel like a daunting subject. Multiply in Essex is a new programme aiming to change that.

If you are 19 and over, you can now access free maths courses across Essex. The courses will help to boost your confidence and gain a maths qualification up to NVQ2 (GCSE at grade 4 to 9 or A*to C). This can not only help you gain higher qualifications; it can enable you take advantage of new job opportunities and progress in your career.

Courses are flexible and available at different venues across the county. If you run a local business, we can also support you with free, tailored courses to upskill your employees. Find out more and sign-up to a course today via www.essexopportunities.co.uk/multiply

Time to get walking again!

With Spring on its way we start to think about getting out to walk in the beautiful English countryside again, but where to find new and interesting walks?

Walking in Essex www.walkinginengland. co.uk/essex has loads of walks to download and print, free, it also has books of walks, details of all the walking groups in the county and much more. Whether you want to walk on your own or with a group all the information is there in one place.

John Harris (who maintains the website) said ‘There is so much walking information on the web but it is difficult to find. Walking in Essex (part of the Walking in England website) has brought it together in one place so whether you are walking from home, or away on holiday, you will be able to find a walk suitable for you’.

With walks from half a mile to twelve miles plus long, and a note of suitability for pushchairs and wheelchairs, everyone can find a walk to enjoy.

So home or away, check out the websites and get walking!

John Harris www.walkinginengland.co.uk john@walkinginengland.co.uk 19

If we take a look at Basildon, you can see

How health has changed how health has changed over the past six in your local area: 2015 to years: Health Index score for Basildon: 2020 98.3 The start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic caused widespread changes to health in England.

This included a worsening of personal well-being, mortality, mental health, and economic and working conditions, but also some improvements such as reduced air pollution and crime.

The Office For National Statistics has released a new edition of an interactive tool recently, showing how health changed in each local authority area across England between 2015 and 2020, according to the Health Index.

The Health Index gives every local area in England an overall health score for each of the past six years. This overall score is made up of a wide range of measures, including physical and mental health conditions like diabetes or anxiety, local unemployment, road safety, and behaviours like healthy eating.

Basildon’s Index score decreased in 2020 and has an overall Health Index score of 98.3, which is down 1.4 points compared with the previous year.

Basildon’s best score across all subdomains is 110.7 for health relating to “physical health conditions”.

“Physical health conditions” looks at cancer, cardiovascular conditions, dementia, diabetes, kidney and liver disease, musculoskeletal conditions, and respiratory conditions.

The second highest scoring subdomain is “access to green space” - Basildon’s score for health relating to “access to green space” is better than the score for England as a whole with a Health Index score of 103.6 for “access to green space”. The score for the East of England is 101.1, while England has a score of 99.9. On top of this, Basildon’s Health Index value for “living conditions” improved by 8.4 points in the five years between 2015 and 2020 and Basildon’s Health Index value for “economic and working conditions” improved by 3.1 points in the five years between 2015 and 2020.

This score can show whether health in a local area is improving. The Health Index score has a baseline of 100, which represents England’s health in 2015. A score higher than 100 means that an area has better health for that measure than was average in 2015, lower To find out more make your way over to than 100 means ons.gov.uk and search The Health Index for worse health than England. the 2015 average.

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25

Dining for Two I think it’s safe to say that food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate… over the years lots has been said about food being the language of love and it certainly seems to be a universal way to show you care. With that in mind, we have 3 simple recipes for you to try this month packed full of our favourites and not limiting the aphrodisiacs!

BAKED FETA WITH CHILLI & HONEY Ingredients 200g pack of feta cheese 1 ½ tbsp clear honey Drizzle of olive oil 1 banana shallot finely sliced Generous pinch of chilli flakes 2 garlic flatbreads Chopped fresh parsley

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Method 1. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Arrange the feta, whole, on top of a large piece of foil covered with a piece of non-stick baking paper, drizzle over the honey and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the sliced shallot and a generous pinch of chilli flakes on top.

2. Fold up the foil and paper around the feta to form a parcel, scrunch to seal, then put on a baking tray along with the flatbreads. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the tray from the oven and put the flatbreads on a board (keep warm).

3. Heat the grill to high and grill the feta parcel on the tray for a few minutes. Unwrap and serve the feta in its paper, scattered with a handful of chopped fresh parsley with the flatbreads.

CHICKEN & MUSHROOM RISOTTO Ingredients

Method

50g butter

1. In a large pan melt the butter and fry the bacon lardons for 5 mins over a low-medium heat.

2. Stir in the onion and fry for until the onion is soft but not coloured, roughly 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the mushrooms and continue cooking, stirring, for 5 mins.

4. Stir in the risotto rice and cook over a medium heat for 2 mins until the rice has started to turn translucent.

5. Pour in the wine and allow it to bubble away over the heat. Pour in a quarter of the chicken stock and set a timer for 20 mins.

6. Continue cooking, stirring very frequently, topping up with a splash more stock as it gets absorbed – this is best done in three more stages, until the rice is cooked and most of the stock has been absorbed (you may not need all the stock). The texture now should be creamy, like rice pudding.

7. Stir through the chicken, warm briefly, then turn off the heat. Stir through the parmesan and parsley, cover and leave to rest for 5 mins to allow more liquid to be absorbed into the rice. Season to taste and serve with extra parmesan, should you wish.

85g smoked bacon lardons 1 large onion, halved and finely chopped 250g chestnut mushrooms, thickly sliced 300g arborio risotto rice 150ml dry white wine 1.4l hot chicken stock 140g cooked chicken, chopped 50g grated parmesan, plus extra to serve (optional) ½ small pack of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

CHOCOLATE & STRAWBERRY FOOL Ingredients

Method

56g finely chopped chocolate (use your preferred chocolate, milk or dark)

1. Add the sugar, vanilla extract and 90g of the strawberries into a bowl and use a fork to mash the mixture together – place the mixture in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

2. Whip the double cream into stiff peaks using a hand mixer or a stand mixer.

3. Fold the chilled strawberry mixture and the chopped chocolate into the whipped cream.

Spoon into glass serving dishes, alternating in layers with the remaining chopped strawberries. Top with additional chopped chocolate and a strawberry.

240g sliced strawberries 70g granulated sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract Pinch of salt 180ml double cream

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First Essex Community Supermarket opens in Basildon The first community supermarket has opened in Essex at the Laindon Community Centre.

For a small membership fee, anyone with a Basildon postcode can now come and shop at the Hope Community Supermarket. It is open every Friday from 10am until 12pm.

The supermarket is being run by local organisation the Billericay Street Pastors and Hopethree16, with investment from Essex County Council. It is a non-profit project supported by volunteers and is the first of two we are supporting.

A second supermarket in Jaywick Sands near Clacton is also in development.

The Essex community supermarkets offer people who may be struggling with food bills the opportunity to purchase food and household essentials at reduced prices, bridging the gap between food banks and affordable supermarkets.

The supermarket follows the model designed by national experts Feeding Britain.

Cllr Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Community, Partnerships and Performance said: “We know how much pressure family budgets are going to be under this

Christmas and into the New Year, so this is welcome and timely support for families.

We are already seeing customer numbers in Laindon and Jaywick Sands beginning to build.

“But it’s not just about food. Hope Community Supermarket is also a vital local hub, bringing neighbours and communities together and offering a warm welcome and friendly face to anyone needing support during these challenging times.

“We hope to open more community supermarkets across our Levelling Up activity areas, reaching even more families across the County who need support.”

Phil Norton, Chair of Billericay Street Pastors said: “With ever increasing costs for every-day essentials, such as food and fuel, there is a real need to help families who may be struggling to make ends meet.

“The introduction of this new Community Supermarket will mean that local people will be able to save some money on their weekly bills, giving them essential extra funds for things like utility bills or school uniform or anything else that their families need.

“We look forward to building relationships with all our customers and welcome anyone from the local area to pop in, choose some food you like and come and say hello.”

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31

What’s On Tots Football Fun sessions

Every Thursday, 11:00 – 11:45am at the Wick Community Centre.

Every child gets a 3-week free trial. For more info head to www.thefootballfunfactory.co.uk

‘Strike The Right Note’ Music Quiz

Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story

22nd February – 25th February, showings at 2:30pm and 7:30pm at Towngate Theatre, St. Martins Square, Basildon SS14 1DL

This sensational multi award-winning West End show first opened in 1989 and has been thrilling audiences around the world ever since. Now it triumphantly visits the Towngate Theatre as part of its 2023 UK Tour.

Forget feel good, Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story is FEEL GREAT! Experience the drama, passion and excitement as a cast of phenomenally talented actors and musicians tell Buddy Holly’s story, from his meteoric rise to fame, to his final legendary performance at The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa.

Featuring two terrific hours of the greatest songs ever written, including That’ll Be The Day, Oh Boy, Rave On, La Bamba, Chantilly Lace, Johnny B. Goode, Raining In My Heart, Everyday, Shout and many many more, this show is just Peggy Sue-perb!

Book now for the most successful Rock & Roll Musical of all time! towngatetheatre.co.uk/buddy-holly-story 32

Friday 24th February, 6:45 – 9:45pm at The Basildon Upper Academy Wickford Avenue, Pitsea, SS13 3HL With this event hosted by Heart of Pitsea, create your own team of up to 8 or join a table on the night - a fun night out suitable for all the family.

Tickets cost just £2.00 per adult. Bring your own refreshments. Tickets must be pre-booked.

Order your tickets via www.eventbrite. co.uk/e/strike-the-right-note-music-quiztickets-488638860987 or pay on the night.

Wickford Pamper & Gift Evening Sunday 26th February, 5:00pm – 9:00pm at The Wick Community Centre, Silva Island, Wickford, SS12 9NR With over 25 stalls for shopping, makeup, handbags, jewellery, personalised gifts, clothes, plants, sweets, cakes and so much more…

13 therapists and 5 beauticians offering hot stones, massages, reflexology, facials, reiki, hair cuts, gel nails, waxing, tinting, lashes and so much more…

We have gifted mediums offering 1-2-1readings. www.facebook.com/wickford-pamper-giftevening Email: pampere@yahoo.co.uk 01268 572727

Wickford Town Sing For St Luke’s

Wednesday 8th March, 7:00pm at Towngate Theatre, St. Martins Square, Basildon SS14 1DL Sing for St. Luke’s is St. Luke’s Hospice’s live show where 8 local schools from across Basildon and Thurrock are invited to perform.

The eight school choirs – which vary in age and size – are given the unique opportunity to compete by performing two songs on a fully functioning theatre stage, in front of a live audience.

At the end of the evening, one school choir will be chosen as the winner of Sing for St. Luke’s 2023.

Money raised from the show will help St. Luke’s Hospice provide specialist and compassionate palliative and end of life care.

Sing for St. Luke’s is kindly sponsored by Birkett Long. www.towngatetheatre.co.uk/sing-for-stlukes

Celebrating 20 years of our Viola & Pansy Festival

• Craft Stalls • Face Painting • Live Music • FREE Goody Bag for Kids under 16 (Goody Bag includes seeds, pot and compost, mini meadows mini golf membership, tomato plant voucher and a kid gardening calendar while stocks last) Visit at the weekends for Live Music, Craft Stalls, Facepainting and a FREE goody bag for kids.

11th & 12th March 18th & 19th March The Viola & Pansy Festival is the largest independent variety trial of these plants held in the world, with seed of new varieties supplied by plant breeders from around the world.

Wick Country Park Monthly Wildlife Walk

Wednesday 15th March, 10:30am at The Wick Country Park, Wickford SS12 9ES Started early in 2020 and organised by Martin

11th March – 19th March, 9:00am – 4:00pm at Meadow Croft Garden Centre, Woodham Rd, Battlesbridge, Rettendon Place, Wickford SS11 7QU

SAVE THE DATE The Viola & Pansy Festival is returning for a week full of festival favourites - 11th 19th March – free entry fun for the whole family - Meadow Croft Kitchen will be open throughout the event.

• Competitions • FREE Hot Drink for everyone who votes for their festival favourite

Singleton of the Wickford Wildlife Society (WWS). Held monthly, on a Wednesday morning, Martin will be facilitating a sociable and leisurely walk lasting approximately 1 – 1 ½ hours around the Park looking out for, and recording, birds and other wildlife spotted or heard. Martin provides a report on each event, and also presents an annual summary.

These events are free, but if you are interested in joining them, please register interest with Martin via b512rubble@btinternet.com, so that you can be notified of future plans by email and / or WhatsApp. You are advised to ‘get in the loop’ because sometimes it is necessary to vary the date and / or time from the standard pattern. If you come throughout the year, you may be amazed at the changing patterns of sightings throughout the seasons.

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Top tips to prepare your garden for Spring

Image: Alexander Raths

Spring is on its way and you’ll soon be caught up in a frenzy of seed sowing, growing, and nurturing your garden as it comes back to life. Organise your thoughts and get a head start on the new gardening year. Read our useful guide for top tips on how to prepare you garden for spring.

deciduous grasses and herbaceous perennials now, although, if you’d like to be wildlife friendly, it’s best to leave these until early spring. Winter is a great time to move any deciduous shrubs, as they’ll still be dormant.

Move shrubs on a still day to prevent the wind from drying out the roots.

Order summer-flowering bulbs and seeds

Dig a circular trench around the shrub, giving it a wide berth. Try to take as much of the root ball as possible so it can re-establish itself in its new location as quickly as possible. When you replant your shrub in its new position, place it at the same level it was previously in the soil, and remember to water in well afterwards.

Clear borders and beds back to bare soil.

Put the dead organic matter you’ve cleared away into your compost pile or bin to break down. Remove any weeds you can see and either burn them or put them in your brown bin. Don’t compost them as the seeds will germinate and cause you more problems later on.

If your soil is workable, dig a 5cm layer of organic matter - such as well-rotted manure, compost or recycled green waste - into empty garden borders.

Order summer-flowering bulbs and seeds now - it’s the perfect task for a wet and windy winter’s day. Flowers like lilies, gladioli and ranunculi can all be ordered in the winter for early-spring planting.

Tidy up flower beds and borders

Have a general tidy up, removing leaves and other debris from flower beds and borders.

You can cut back the old dead growth of 34

Hunt down and remove garden pests

Hunt down and remove hibernating pests now - it will save you a lot of trouble come spring and summer. Take a closer look at the crowns of your perennial plants and check for any slugs, snails and aphid colonies sheltering for the winter.

If you still haven’t cleared last year’s pots of summer bedding then do so now, checking for white-vine-weevil larvae, which live in the compost and feed on plant roots. Destroy any larvae that you find and be prepared to treat for vine weevils this year, using parasitic nematodes or chemical drenches.

Maintain fences, gates and trellis

Clean and sharpen gardening tools

Give your tools a clean and a sharpen during the winter months. Maintaining your garden tools will help preserve them, saving you money in the long run and helping prevent the spread of disease. Dirty secateurs are notorious for introducing bacteria and fungi to fresh pruning wounds.

Use strong detergent, hot water and a scourer to give bladed tools a thorough clean. Sharpening your tools will also improve their performance; they’ll be easier to work with and will give cleaner pruning cuts. Once sharpened, apply some oil or WD40 to blades and hinges.

Hand tools, including spades, hoes, trowels and rakes will also benefit from a good clean and oiling.

Create a composting area

Winter is the ideal time of year to get those niggly little maintenance jobs out of the way.

Check fence panels, gates and trellis for any sign of weather damage or decay. Fixing any broken structures now will give you more time to spend in the garden during the spring and summer. Replace any broken segments or structures.

Next, clean fence panels and gates with a power washer to remove dirt, moss and mildew. Use a stiff brush to help remove stubborn grime. Let the wood dry completely before applying two coats of stain, paint or wood preservative on a dry day.

If you haven’t already, now’s a great time to set up a compost area in your garden. This could be as simple as buying a ready-made compost bin or you could build your own using spare wood.

A compost area provides somewhere to put all your organic waste. Once it has broken down, you’ll get a lovely, rich compost your plants will thrive on. Make sure you have a good mixture of grass clippings, vegetable peelings, paper and woody prunings. And to help the process along you’ll need to turn your compost with a garden fork each month to keep it aerated.

As you can see, there’s plenty to be getting on with this winter! Work your way through the list and you’ll hit the ground running when spring finally arrives.

www.thompson-morgan.com 35

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37

Hashtag United Getting to know the ‘oneof-a-kind’ football club

What would you say you are most proud of having achieved at the club so far?

There’s so much to be honest. The merger with our brilliant women’s team and youth With over 1.5m followers across social set up is right up there for sure. Winning the media, CommunityAd had the pleasure first title, and achieving two promotions with of catching up with local football club the men since we joined non-league is also Hashtag United’s CEO Spencer Owen who told us more about his wonderful club and massive. But it’s also hard not to highlight the incredible 7-year journey it has been on playing in front of 34,000 people at Wembley stadium! since it was first founded…

Can you give readers a background into your own football career as a whole from your junior days to now as founder and player of Hashtag United?

I started playing in my early teenage years for Brentwood Boys (now Brentwood Athletic) and Hartswood Stars, before moving to Danbury and playing for Heybridge Boys.

At 16, I actually formed my own team with school mates from KEGS (Chelmsford) that played in the Chelmsford Youth District League. Whilst at Reading University I played for the University team before then playing adult Sunday league football throughout the Chelmsford and Brentwood leagues until 2016 when Hashtag United was formed.

Make no mistake, any success I’ve had in football has come in spite of my abilities rather than because of them! My biggest highlights came through YouTube charity games such as the Wembley Cup where I was lucky enough to play multiple times in front of crowds of 34,000+ people and with and against players such as Steven Gerrard, Robert Pires and many more legends of the game.

Hashtag was formed around my friends and my brother’s friends, many of whom played with me at school and university.

38

With over half a million subscribers on YouTube, can you explain just how much support you have received not only from the online community but locally as well and did you even envisage a fan base of this magnitude?

The support we have online is incredible and really sets us apart as a truly unique club, not just locally but globally. We are one of the most followed clubs in the UK and we usually finish in the top 6/7 spots nationally on charts ranking things like monthly YouTube views and followers etc.

It’s amazing to have so many people from across the globe continue to support our team, buy our shirts and watch our videos.

Locally, it’s definitely stepped up since we merged with Forest Glade youth club at Barleylands in Billericay. We inherited an incredible family of local football lovers, be them kids or parents, many of whom are now crucial parts of the organisation of the club. However we still believe there’s a lot of people in the local community that don’t really see us as a local asset though, partly due to our unique club name not featuring the name of a place/town in it. But we are very much based in this part of Essex, and proud of it, with our offices in Brentwood and Brentwood being where I live and grew up.

What would you say are the pros and cons of Hashtag United having such a huge following? Are there games where you are subject to abuse from opposing players and fans and almost treated as though you are the pantomime villains?

To be honest any successful team in football attracts some detractors, that’s unfortunately part and parcel of the game. In some ways it’s flattering, especially when you consider we haven’t actually ever done anything worthy of criticism.

We pride ourselves on being a tremendously positive club, with a family feel and celebrating inclusivity for all. Everyone is welcome at Hashtag. We have a very unique origin story and a funny name, some people don’t like change and are perhaps threatened by us. But those people don’t really understand us.

We are a family-team that’s been brought up in the non-league scene, I grew up following my dad who was a physio for clubs like Brentwood Town and East Thurrock United and some of my earliest YouTube content was based on East Thurrock. I have real respect for the traditions of the game, I just don’t believe there’s only one way of doing things. And I think we’ve proved there are ways of innovating and bringing more attention to our country’s great institution of non-league football. Surely that’s a good thing? We’d be stupid to think everyone will like us and support us, but nearly 7 years in we’ve managed not to attract any genuinely deserved or factually correct criticism, so I sleep soundly!

As CEO, what would you say is your overall ethos and style of play that you like to integrate into Hashtag United?

My job is running the club on a daily basis, from working with our exceptional commercial department, our brilliant media team and our football/Esports sides. There’s a lot going on! But we have two brilliant first team managers (Jay Devereux at the men’s team and Jason Stephens on the women’s side) who have already won multiple promotions and titles for our relatively young club with their exciting brand of football.

How would you assess the 2022-23 season so far and are there any upcoming fixtures/ events local readers can look forward to?

Both teams are doing fantastically well. Our Men’s 1st team sit 2nd in the Isthmian North and are very much aiming for a promotion, and the Women’s 1st team sit top of the National League Division 1 South East. Our women’s team are also Essex champions so we see them as the pride of the county!

We’d love readers to get themselves down to a game to support either team, both of which are winning a lot of games. Our men ground-share with Bowers and Pitsea (near Basildon) and our women ground-share with Aveley.

Where would you like Hashtag United to be in the next 10-20 years?

One thing that’s huge for us is getting our own ground, and getting our teams playing out of the same venue. It’s something we haven’t been able to achieve yet but is very much on our radar. We want to put down proper roots in the local community and build a local support that can rival our amazing online/global fan base. I’d love for Hashtag to be seen as a valued part of the local community and see some more of our youth players transition into the senior sides.

We already have a great set up at our Forest Glade site in Barleylands with over 40+ teams and 500+ boys and girls representing Hashtag United and I’d love to see that grow even stronger too.

Follow the club online through social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok), YouTube and their website www.hashtagunited.co.uk

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