Wickford Town News - Issue 06 April 2023

Wickford Town News April 2023

Books for children receiving social care Find out more on page 4

Coronation of His Majesty The King Find out more on page 16

Mouth-Watering May Treats Find out more on page 26

What’s On Wickford Town Find out more on page 36

Essex in Pokémon Futsal Final Find out more on page 42

ISSUE 06

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Wickford Town News April 2023

Coronation Celebrations and Community Spirit with Wickford Town News

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Whether you’re a royalist or not, we’re heading into the month of May which is set to be a good one! The weather’s warming, we’ve got some upcoming bank-holidays to look forward to and to top it all off there’s an additional Bank Holiday to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III!

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As always, your Wickford Town News magazine is available to read online and 12,000 copies are also printed and delivered through the doors of homes in the community.

If you’re a local charity, group or club and you’ve got something you want to share with your community then do get in touch because we always endeavour to support the local organisations that work tirelessly to benefit the greater community.

As you read this, we are preparing the May edition of our magazine, for any article submissions, and reader comments please make sure you get this across to us before 3rd May! Until next time, happy reading!

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Books for children receiving social care support are launched Essex County Council have launched a series of unique picture books developed to help children receiving social care support.

The five books, written by author James Henry and illustrated by Valeria Valenza, have been produced with the help of young people with experience of Essex social services. The books look to address issues they have identified during their journey.

Young people worked together in workshops to develop the main themes of the books and met the author in a series of Zoom calls to share their own experiences with him.

Each book in the series focuses on a different subject, including coming into care, social work, grief, loss, reunification and adoption.

The first of the five books, ‘A New House for Little Mouse’, was published in 2020. Due to its success, four more were created. The series of books are: • ‘A New House for Little Mouse’ - for children experiencing grief and loss after moving into a new home with new adults.

• ‘Little Robot’s School Play’ - for children who live with other family members, such as kinship carers and special guardians.

• ‘Dino and Bun’ - for children who experience adoption.

• ‘Koala and Panda’ - for children who are living at home with family but need the support of a social worker.

• ‘Looking After Little’ - for children who have experienced being in care and are being reunified with their families.

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W i c k f o r d Town News

The books were officially launched during a special celebration event for young people hosted by our Involvement Service and care leavers on Tuesday 28th February.

Cllr Beverley Egan, ECC Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Early Years, said: “The books are a unique way of ensuring that any child that needs to move away from their family home, for whatever reason, is well-supported.

“Importantly, they’ve been developed with input from children and young people from Essex who have had a social worker, spent time in care, or have been adopted themselves, so their lived experiences have helped to shape the content. They’re also bright, colourful and engaging and we have had fantastic feedback so far from the professionals and adults who will be using them.

“It was a lovely moment to be able to launch the books at the celebration event and hear the thoughts of the children in attendance. With the series now complete and available, more children will be able to benefit from these stories about circumstances similar to their own.”

Author James Henry said: “I was honoured to be asked to work on this wonderful innovative project alongside the illustrator Valeria Valenza and the teams from ECC, as well as teenagers and children who had experience of social care support.

“Together, I think we developed some really special stories which I hope will help children and their carers who are taking their first steps through such a difficult time.”

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New figures show huge impact of fly-tipping Newly-released figures from Defra show that there were more than a million incidents of fly-tipping on public land in the last year – and more than 100,000 in the South East alone.

Councils dealt with 1.09 million fly-tipping incidents in 2021/2022, though these figures only account for waste illegally dumped on public land that has been reported to the authorities. Representing around 27,000 rural businesses across England and Wales, the Country Land & Business Association (CLA) believes these figures only tell half of the story.

Many fly-tipping incidents occur on privately-owned land, painting an even more damaging picture of the financial burden and environmental impact fly-tipping brings. One CLA member is so badly affected he pays £50,000 a year to clear up waste.

This highlights the need to change the current fining and imprisonment laws, which are not often enforced and do not deter criminals.

CLA South East represents thousands of farmers, landowners and rural businesses in Kent, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.

Regional Director Tim Bamford said: “These fly-tipping figures barely scratch the surface of a crime that’s blighting rural communities and damaging the rural economy. Two-thirds of all farmers and landowners have at some stage been a victim.

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W i c k f o r d Town News

“But hundreds of thousands of offences on private land are going unrecorded, with farmers bearing the cost of removing rubbish themselves.

“It’s not just the odd piece of litter blotting the landscape, but tonnes of household and commercial waste which can often be hazardous – even including asbestos and chemicals – risking the safety of people and animals. This often requires costly expert treatment to remove.

“The maximum fine for fly-tipping is £50,000 or 12 months in prison, but this is rarely enforced. This means landowners pay on average £1,000 to remove the waste, but in some cases have paid up to £100,000 to clear up other people’s mess, or risk facing prosecution themselves.

“It seems that criminals simply do not fear prosecution. Ministers should look urgently at increasing the penalties for convicted fly-tippers, and properly resource rural police forces to ensure they are held to account. Without more progress farmers, not the criminals, will continue to pay the price.”

In the borough of Basildon, there was a total of 3682 fly tipping incidents reported by local authorities with ‘Other Household Waste Incidents’ the highest recorded category with 2631 cases.

For more information about the CLA and its work, visit www.cla.org.uk/in-your-area/south-east and follow @CLASouthEast on Twitter.

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Time capsule helps celebrate 50 years of Basildon Hospital caring for patients Five decades of patient care at Basildon Hospital has been celebrated by staff during a special day of events, which included the burying of a time capsule.

Part of the team burying the celebratory capsule was 8 year old Rosie Kirkman and her mum Pamela. Rosie has been coming to Basildon Hospital since she was 6 weeks old. She has a genetic condition called KGB syndrome, which means she needs frequent stays in hospital.

Speaking about the opportunity to be part of this historic day, Rosie’s mum, Pamela said:

“It was a real privilege to be asked to be part of this special day and to see the time-capsule buried. We are so grateful to the nurses and doctors here, who are absolutely fantastic, they make our stays as pleasant as possible.”

Placed near the Renal Department, the time capsule contains historic photos, new poems written by staff, a photo of today’s Senior Leadership Team, and a collection of branded items, including a pen, lanyard and copies of the Trust’s Your Hospital magazine and Mid and South Essex Hospitals Charity newsletter.

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There was also reception at the hospital attended by staff and members of the local community, with a special selection of 1970s-inspired food and decorations in the paediatrics, maternity and emergency departments. Those attending included Stephen Metcalfe, MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, Cllr James Halden, Mayor of Thurrock and Alan Ursell, Chair of Basildon Hospital League of Friends.

Since the hospital welcomed its first patients in 1973, it has undergone many changes to allow it to meet the needs of its community.

In 2002 the 321-bed Jubilee Wing was opened, soon followed by a dermatology centre in 2004, and the opening of the world-renowned Essex Cardiothoracic Centre in 2007.

Today, the hospital carries out almost 400,000 outpatient appointments and delivers almost 4,000 births each year.

Fiona Ryan, Managing Director at Basildon Hospital, said: “Today was a chance for us to pause and reflect on everything that has been achieved over the last 50 years, where for half a century we have provided care to our local population, from birth through to last moments.

“I’ve been blessed to work in many fantastic teams since joining the Radiology department in 2007, when I was first introduced to the Basildon way! Passion, commitment and a good-natured humour remain the hallmark of what I see every day.”

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Wickford Memorial Park - Volunteer Group Continuing on our tour of the Memorial Park - this month we will be looking at more areas of the park with more information.

We will be looking at Hutton’s Café, The Crazy Golf and the ‘Spring Mound’.

Hutton’s Café Hutton’s Café is situated by the Rettendon Ave Car Park (near the Childrens Playground).

It is open every day except Mondays for breakfast, snacks, lunch afternoon tea etc.

They also hire rooms and cater for events.

The volunteers love Hutton’s, and we socialise after our gardening groups for lunch and coffee.

The staff have been very kind and helpful to the Friends Volunteers. We use their rooms for our committee meetings and social events.

Crazy Golf The Crazy Golf was built in the 1970’s and was falling into disrepair when the Friends Volunteer Group was formed in 2019.

Working with the council staff we refurbished two reclaimed benches and they were installed in the Crazy Golf Area by the council contractor.

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W i c k f o r d Town News

We also cleaned and painted reclaimed car and tractor tyres to use as ‘planters’ and planted trees in the larger ones.

The Crazy Golf has been painted twice - The eighteen holes were repaired, sealed and painted by the Friends and two companies, in bright colours.

It was a mammoth task and we arranged for Team Building Days with Virgin Media and Fords to help seal, paint and edge the holes.

All the equipment was supplied by the council.

The Friends Group planted Spring bulbs and shrubs in the planters and around the Crazy Golf enclosure.

If you want to play Crazy Golf it is run by the Hutton’s Café for a nominal charge.

‘Spring Mound’ The Friends have named a little mound near the Childrens Playground; the ‘Spring Mound’.

We have planted cherry trees and Spring Bulbs: Snowdrops, Narcissus, and Crocus.

It should develop over the years and produce a fine display each Spring.

There are three car parks: Runwell Road (main entrance); Rettendon View and Highcliffe Road.

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

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WickfordCommunity Archive Hall's Corner in the 1958 flood

Wickford Community Archive was started in 2009, and then launched as a website in 2011. Yes, it’s been going for 12 years!

What we’ve set out to do is to develop a website which records the history of the town and its residents, using local people’s photographs and memories. The website address is www.wickfordhistory.org.uk and our theme is ‘Preserving our yesterdays for tomorrow’.

The group was set up through the combined support of the Essex Records Office and Essex Libraries, with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

We have monthly sessions, called Memory Desks, in the library when members of the group will be on hand: to show people

how to access and use the site; to scan photographs for including on the site; and to take the names of those people who would like to have their memories recorded.

They are usually held on the second Saturday of the month, between 10am and noon.

We include the life stories and memories of individual people but would also like to hear the history of groups and organisations in Wickford. Anyone can contribute a page (or pages) to the site, or, if you would like a hand, contact us at wickfordhistory@gmail.com or through Wickford Library.

Please spread the word for us amongst your friends, family, colleagues and neighbours who may be interested in contributing, or just looking at the site.

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News from Wickford Town Council Jubilee Plaque To celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 the Town Council has purchased and installed a commemorative plaque in Wickford Memorial Park.

This allows other considerations that the inspector feels relevant to be factored into the risk assessment and is used to determine the level of response.

Risk Factor Score The risk factor is the combination of the consequence and likelihood assessments multiplied together. This will produce a range of scores from 1 to 16. It is this score that identifies the seriousness of the risk and consequently that appropriate level of response.

Programmed repairs The vast majority of reported potholes are not assessed as urgent and are put into a programme of work. Following the risk assessment, the pothole will be categorised from Priority 1 (S1) to Priority 4 (S4). The timescale for the repair depends on the risk assessment and which type of road the pothole is on – County Routes (A, B and some C roads) and Local Routes (majority of C and unclassified roads).

Repairing Potholes A pothole is a hole in the road that is deeper than 50mm and 100mm across in two directions at right angles to each other (perpendicular). They are usually formed during the winter months as a direct result of snow, ice and prolonged periods of rain and occur where an area of the road’s surface has broken up and fallen out.

Prioritising potholes Essex County Council carry out regular inspections of the roads but also rely on the public reporting potholes to them. All reported potholes are inspected and risk assessed to prioritise their repair. They will either be classed as urgent or will be put into a planned programme of works to ensure they are repaired as efficiently as possible.

The assessment will take into account many issues including the location of the pothole in the road and the type of vehicle that uses the road such as cars, motorbikes or pedal bikes.

Defect Assessment Recorded defects are risk assessed during the inspection on a site specific basis.

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W i c k f o r d Town News

To report a pothole for repair to the County Council and to view further information please use the website: www.highways.org/potholes or telephone 0345 603 7631

Town Council meetings May to July 2023 • Annual Council 15 May • Annual Town Meeting 25 May (St Catherine’s Hall) • Finance & Resources Committee 5 June • Planning & Infrastructure Committee 19 June • Council 3 July • Environment & Leisure 17 July Meetings are held at The Wick Community Centre Tel 01268 858979 E: clerk@wickfordtowncouncil.gov.uk

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Celebrations and events The Official Coronation programme will include the procession and service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May, the ‘Coronation Big Lunch’ across the country on 7th May (with a concert taking place in Windsor in the evening), and ‘The Big Help Out’ community activity on the bank holiday, Monday 8th May 2023.

The Coronation Big Lunch

Coronation Of His Majesty The King & Her Majesty The Queen Consort

The Coronation Big Lunch (6th8th May) brings neighbours and communities together to share friendship, food and fun. Be part of history by joining millions across the UK with a Coronation Big Lunch celebration in your community.

Sign up at www.edenprojectcommunities. com/the-big-lunch to receive your Coronation Big Lunch pack for all you need to get started with ideas, top tips, practical advice and loads more.

The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty The Queen Consort will take place at Westminster Abbey, London, and will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury on Saturday 6th May 2023.

The Ceremony will see His Majesty King Charles III crowned alongside Her Majesty The Queen Consort. Celebrations will be held across the country to honour this historic occasion, including over the special bank holiday weekend between 6th and 8th May.

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Tens of thousands of Coronation Big Lunches and street parties will be held in the UK and Commonwealth on Sunday and across the weekend.

Big Lunches take place across the UK annually and last year they raised more than £22 million for local charities.

The Big Help Out

From rolling up your sleeves to help a local group, to supporting some of the UK’s best-known national charities, the Big Help Out on Monday 8th May will give everyone an opportunity to join in.

Read and follow government guidance on how to host a street party on www.gov.uk/ government/publications/your-guide-toorganising-a-street-party If you’re planning to host a street party, submit your details to the interactive map via www.coronation.gov.uk/share-event

Coronation Concert

Hundreds of activities are planned for the day by local community groups, organisations and charities including The Scouts, Royal Voluntary Service, National Trust and RNLI. Run a charity and want to get involved? Find out more and join a range of national and local charities already signed up at www.thebighelpout.org.uk Created by Britain’s best loved charities and organised by The Together Coalition, it will highlight the positive impact volunteering has on communities across the nation.

On Sunday 7th May a spectacular Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle will showcase the country’s diverse cultural heritage in music, theatre and dance. One of the highlights of the concert will be “Lighting up the Nation”, in which iconic locations across the UK will be lit up with projections, lasers, drone displays and illuminations.

The Coronation Concert will bring together music icons, contemporary stars, a world-class orchestra and art performances.

This concert will be broadcasted live and available to view on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.

In tribute to His Majesty The King’s lifetime of public service, The Big Help Out will encourage people to come out and support the causes that matter to them.

Street Parties

The UK has a long history of organised street parties to celebrate national events. Why not organise one with your neighbours for the Coronation?

You’re welcome to host parties right across the Coronation weekend, or as part of the Coronation Big Lunches.

There are plenty of events and celebrations taking place to honour this historic occasion so here’s to what will be a very special and memorable Coronation bank holiday weekend. Long live the King!

For more information head to www.coronation.gov.uk

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News Around Brand-new play area opens in Northlands Park

Northlands Park’s brand-new play area is now open and ready to be enjoyed by the local community.

The new facility is a complete rebuild on the existing play site, with it now offering over 40 different play elements and including varied equipment that will allow over 200 children to play together.

Alongside the play area now stands an exciting new ball court for football and basketball, an outdoor gym, as well as other ball games.

The play area follows recent improvements including resurfaced footpaths, a newly built bridge around the lake, over a dozen new angling swims, and a restored viewing platform.

Director of Community and Environment, Paul Brace, said: “It’s not the end of our improvements there either - a brand-new skatepark will be coming to the park by the end of May.” The skatepark will feature twelve different exciting elements, including a bowled halfpipe, an extended quarter pipe, and a grind ledge. There will also be two new benches installed on the site.

The new play area comes in year two of the council’s Play Review, a ten-year programme of approximately £9 million investment in our borough’s play areas, to create a network of high-quality play facilities for residents across the borough.

18

Citizens Advice Essex to run evening and weekend advice line thanks to Essex County Council funding

We have announced a package of support for the county’s Citizens Advice Services.

It includes additional funding in response to unprecedented demand for their services.

The funding, initially worth £185K, will support the network of community-based advice charities throughout the remainder of the financial year.

The new funding supplements funding received by local offices from their borough or district councils as well as national sources.

It will be used to increase capacity and deliver new services. This will include a new “out of hours” advice line available in the evenings and weekends. The funding will also be used to enhance existing advice services and provide additional specialist debt advice.

The new “out of hours” adviceline is available from 4pm to 8pm during the week and 9am to 1pm on Saturday mornings on 0808 250 5724

New UK Emergency Alerts system

The Government’s new Emergency Alerts system is now live. The system will enable

Wickford Town people to be contacted via their mobile phone when lives are in danger. It will be used to warn you in the event of emergencies, such as severe flooding.

In an emergency, alerts would be sent to all compatible mobile phones within an area of risk. They don’t track your location, need your phone number, or collect personal data. Only the Government and the emergency services will be able to send them. If you don’t have a mobile phone, you’ll still be kept informed through other channels.

If you get an Emergency Alert on your phone, you’ll hear a loud, siren-like sound. A message on your screen will tell you about the emergency and how best to respond. You can check an alert is genuine via www.gov.uk/alerts

Essex Housing Annual Delivery Plan approved

Our Cabinet has approved the 2023/24 Annual Delivery Plan for Essex Housing, our award-winning in-house developer.

The plan sets out Essex Housing’s approach to delivering new housing across the county.

Schemes are being brought forward in Colchester, Harlow, Epping Forest, Maldon, Chelmsford and Castle Point.

The current Essex Housing programme will deliver 1,028 homes and seven new community assets – around half of the homes are for older people, people with disabilities or general needs affordable. Of these 357 properties already have planning permission

and a further 70 are currently awaiting determination.

We established Essex Housing in 2016 to work with public sector partners throughout Essex to identify and bring forward land and assets for development.

Any surpluses from Essex Housing developments are reinvested in public services.

Bulky waste collection price changes from April bookings

Bulky waste collection bookings are now open for April - when charges will be changing to remove the subsidy on the service from council taxpayers.

The decision agreed during a Cabinet meeting back in January means the price of collection of up to five bulky waste items has now become £30, with the collection of six to ten items costing £50.

The previous arrangements for special collections meant collection of up to five items costed residents £11, whilst the collection of up to ten items costed £22. This made Basildon’s the lowest charges across Essex by a significant margin, and whilst it has been agreed to increase the charges, they will still be significantly cheaper than other Essex authorities.

Every booking for a bulky waste collection at the previous pricing model was subsidised by the council, meaning the charge does not cover the costs of delivering the service. This has limited the ability to adjust capacity to meet an increase in demand for the service, as doing so would increase the cost for taxpayers.

19

To celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty the King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort events are taking place over the 3 day bank holiday weekend

from Saturday 6 May to Monday 8 May

Saturday 6 May The Coronation will take place at Westminster Abbey conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury

Sunday 7 May

For neighbourhoods to connect, sharing friendship and food Make use of one of the parks in Wickford by having your own picnic Wickford Memorial Park The Wick Country Park Nevendon Park Concert in the evening to be broadcast live from Windows Castle

Monday 8 May

To encourage people to get involved in their community, try volunteering and join the work being undertaken to support your local area

The Town Council will be putting up bunting in the High Street as part of the celebrations

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Bee Good Plot Competition 2023 Whether your school is just starting out or looking to develop an established garden, the Bee Good Plot Competition can help demonstrate the value of gardening, enriching the curriculum, teaching life skills and contributing to children’s mental and physical health.

This year it is all about the British Bee and how we can help by supporting these mini beasts that are so crucial to our ecosystem. GC is asking our busy bee helpers to create a bee haven for our buzzy little friends to feed, live and prosper.

The competition is open to all primary schools in Essex and requires teamwork. All we ask is for the children to think outside of the box with their plot design and encourage schools to promote wellness within their community so that children can explore and enjoy the natural world.

GC has some exciting prizes to be won this year including literature for the classroom, Bee Good Hotel and the number one request via our Bee Good Survey that supersedes all other needs, gardening equipment!

To find out more and to enter the competition please visit the Rural Community Council of Essex website www.essexrcc.org.uk/ourwork/growing-communities The Growing Communities project is managed by the Rural Community Council of Essex (RCCE).

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Green waste is rich in nitrogen, and includes

DIY Kitchen Compost Bin things like vegetable ends, apple cores, Saving the planet can sometimes seem like an impossible task, but the humble compost bin is a great way to cut down on waste and recycle at home.

Composting is open to everyone – even if you don’t have a garden you can DIY a kitchen compost bin that can be discretely hidden under a sink or by the back door.

The first step is to find a suitable container for your compost bin, and the good news is that this doesn’t have to be anything fancy. A plastic box with a tight-fitting lid is a cheap and easy place to start. Make about five holes in the lid to allow sufficient airflow – you can hot glue or tape some fine mesh over the holes to prevent flies from congregating around the bin.

The next step is to layer your ingredients. The key components of a compost bin are green waste, brown waste, air, soil, and moisture.

Waste like fats, meats, and dairy should be avoided as they won’t break down with the other ingredients and will rot, smell, and potentially attract vermin into your house.

Stick to plant-based food waste. Pet hair, lint, and pencil shavings can also be composted.

To get started, spread a few inches of dirt or soil at the bottom of your bin, then add a layer of torn-up paper and spritz it with water. Then add green and brown waste as it accumulates in your kitchen.

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banana peels, bread, and eggshells. Brown waste is anything rich in carbon, like coffee grounds, teabags (make sure they’re plasticfree first), dried leaves, newspaper, and cardboard. It’s advised that a bin err on the side of more brown waste than green – try layering shredded paper to aid the composting process.

Give your bin a quick shake every other day or a good stir once a week to keep the air circulating. You can keep the bin in a tray lined with newspaper to cut down on any potential spills. If your bin starts to smell, try adjusting the ratios of dry and wet content by adding more dry brown waste like shredded newspaper or cardboard – the bin should only be damp to the touch, not wet. You can also buy a charcoal filter to fit inside the lid which will help eliminate any unpleasant odours.

You can use your compost as fertiliser for your house plants or blend it into the top layer of your garden soil to give your flowers and shrubs a boost of homemade nutrients.

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Mouth-Watering May Treats The month of May is always a great month marking the transition from Spring into Summer but this May will be extra special and hopefully one to remember!

Millions will be coming together to rejoice in the crowning of King Charles III and celebrating His Majesty’s Coronation. With that being said, we thought it would be handy to provide you with some easy treats this month whether you’re looking to enjoy a treat alongside the Coronation celebrations or you’re venturing into the garden to enjoy some spring sunshine for the first time this year.

Traditional Scones With Clotted Cream And Jam Ingredients 350g self-raising flour ¼ tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder 85g cubed butter 3 tbsp caster sugar 85g sultanas or fruit of choice (optional) Dash of lemon juice 175ml milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 egg beaten Jam of choice Clotted Cream

Method 1. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and into a large bowl, add the self-raising flour, salt and baking powder, then mix.

2. Add the cubed butter into the flour and rub in with your fingers until the mixture looks like fine bread crumbs. Stir in the caster sugar and sultanas (if using).

3. In a microwavable jug heat the milk in the microwave for about 30 secs until it’s warm, but not hot. Add a dash of lemon juice and the vanilla extract to the warmed milk and set aside.

4. Put a baking tray in the oven. In the dry mix, make a well and add the liquid.

Combine the mixture quickly with a cutlery knife.

5. Dust some flour onto your work surface and tip your dough out on top. Coat the dough and your hands with a little more flour, then proceed to fold the dough over 2-3 times until it’s a little smoother.

Do not over-work the dough or it will become tough.

6. Pat into a round roughly 4cm deep, take a 5cm smooth-edged cutter and dip it into some flour.

7. Using the cutter, cut out your scones from the dough until you have four scones. You may need to press what’s left of the dough back into a round to cut out another four.

8. Lightly brush the top of the scones with a beaten egg, then carefully arrange on the hot baking tray.

9. Bake for 10 mins until risen and golden on the top. Eat just warm or cold on the day of baking, generously topped with jam and clotted cream.

Biscuit Bunting

Ingredients 350g plain flour 100g cold cubed butter 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 140g light soft brown sugar 1 large egg 75g golden syrup 2 tsp vanilla extract To decorate: 1kg ready-to-roll icing Food colouring in colour of choice Icing sugar for rolling Method 1. In a food processor add the flour, butter, bicarbonate of soda and sugar and blitz together until no lumps of butter remain, then tip into a mixing bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, golden syrup and vanilla extract and then stir this into the bowl with the flour mixture with a wooden spoon. Using your hands, knead together into a smooth dough.

3. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

4. Find some clean card and cut out a triangle template in the size you want your bunting to be.

5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out your dough using your template to cut out triangles – re-roll trimmings to get as many as you can.

6. Carefully lift the biscuits onto some baking sheets lined with baking parchment. Use a pencil end to make 2 small holes in the top of each biscuit – not too close to the edge. Bake, one tray at a time, for 8-10 mins, remaking each hole when biscuits are just out and still soft. Cool.

(Un-iced biscuits can be frozen for up to 3 months, or will keep in an airtight container for a week.)

7. Divide the icing into as many colours as you want, and knead in food colourings to get your desired colours.

Roll out thinly on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar, and use your template to cut out icing triangles.

Brush the backs of the icing with a little water and stick onto the

biscuits – making holes in the icing to match the biscuits as you go. Cut out small circles from leftover icing, brush backs with water and stick onto some of the biscuits.

Decorate with icing pens, if you wish, then carefully thread through ribbon or string and hang up your treats.

Rhubarb crumble with custard

Ingredients 500g rhubarb chopped into 2-inch chunks 100g golden caster sugar For the crumble topping 140g self-raising flour 85g chilled butter 50g light brown muscovado sugar Method 1. Tip the rhubarb and sugar into a saucepan, cover and simmer on a very low heat for 15 mins.

2. When the rhubarb is soft but still holds its shape and sweet enough (you can add more sugar), pour the rhubarb into a medium baking dish.

3. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

4. For the crumble, rub together the butter and the self-raising flour with your fingers until you have a soft, crumbly topping.

5. Add the light brown muscovado sugar and mix together with your hands.

6. Scatter the crumble over the rhubarb and bake for 30 mins or until golden brown on top.

7. Serve piping hot with a big jug of thick vanilla custard.

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ENGLEMAN WILLS + POWERS OF ATTORNEY 1 Nesbit Close, Wickford, Essex SS12 0PT ~ Tel 01268 761022 ~ Mobile 07901 948745 Email: engleman@businessadvisoressex.co.uk Website: www.businessadvisoressex.co.uk OPEN FOR BUSINESS 7 DAYS A WEEK ______________________________________________________________________________ Will Writer’s Words of Wisdom Red for Danger / Green for Safety _______________________________________________________________________________ If a married couple dies together, and where there is no Will, the eldest is deemed to have died first, so only the family members of the surviving spouse will inherit A beneficiary or their spouse should not be a witness to a Will, or they will disinherit themselves Unless it has a contemplation of marriage clause, marriage or re-marriage invalidates a Will, requiring a new arrangement Without a Will, spouses and civil partners are NOT automatically entitled to all of the estate assets on death Without a Will, the Government could inherit your estate if you die with no surviving traceable relatives Without a Will, the Rules of Intestacy, ie ‘The Government Will’, could land the children with a 40% IHT (Inheritance Tax) liability Even if an estate is less than £5,000, Probate may still be required re lifetime gifts in the preceding 7 years, so take legal advice If you have no surviving parents, siblings, grandparents, uncles or aunts, then under the Intestacy Rules, the whole estate goes to the Crown or the Duchy of Lancaster or the Duke of Cornwall A properly worded Will could ensure that half the value of your home is potentially protected against Local Authority care home fees Always appoint charities as your final beneficiaries, to avoid your estate being claimed by the Government By the use of a Property Protection Trust, you can ensure that if you pre-decease and your spouse re-marries and has more children, your own children benefit from your share of your home, and not the new spouse If children have special care needs, an appropriate ‘Disabled Discretionary Trust’ could avoid loss of State benefits on inheriting your estate If you own property abroad, you should arrange a Will in that country, to avoid costly fees and Probate delay The estates of current or retired members of the Armed Forces are entitled to exemption from Inheritance Tax if they die on active service, or if their later death was caused by an injury or disease that was received or aggravated while they were on active service. This was extended in the 2014 Budget to members of the police, fire and ambulance services and emergency service personnel and humanitarian aid workers There is no Inheritance Tax liability if the deceased spouse has left their entire estate to their surviving spouse or civil marriage partner Provide in your Will for continuity of your business on your death MARTIN ENGLEMAN AIPW AFPC DipPFS Certs CII (MP & ER) (Mortgage Practice & Equity Release) Principal: Engleman Wills + Powers of Attorney + Probate + Equity Release Associate of The Institute of Professional Will Writers Estate Planning Legal Specialist with APS Legal & Associates Ltd Member of the Society of Mortgage Professionals, the Personal Finance Society and the Chartered 30 Insurance Institute W i c k f o r d Town News

MAKE YOUR W HAVE YOU MADE …IN THE COMFORT OF YOU YOUR WILL?

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Annual Town Meeting Thursday 25 May at 7pm St Catherines Hall Southend Road Wickford Wickford residents are invited to come along and meet your Town Councillors.

This is an opportunity to ask questions and receive information about any issues affecting Wickford Speaker - Basildon Borough Council on refuse and recycling Refreshments available

Tel 01268 858979 E: cerk@wickfordtowncouncil.gov.uk www.wickfordtowncouncil.gov.uk

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SOUTH ESSEX PRE SCHOOL GYMNASTICS Structured independent CLUB gymnastics classes designed

GYM SCHOOL Our Gym School sessions are designed for school-aged children and aim to develop more confident and coordinated gymnasts. After a warm up, the gymnasts are divided into groups where they work with a coach and focus on the main 5 pieces, beam, bars, floor, vault and trampoline.

1 hour classes Monday - Saturday

South Essex Gymnastics Club has three state of the art gyms. Two of these gyms are located at the Basildon Sporting Village and we also have a gym at the Eversley Leisure Centre. As a Club we are committed to providing gymnastics coaching to all levels and abilities, and to all sections of the community, in a safe, friendly and fun environment.

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What’s On Coronation Day – Free Family event Saturday 6th May, 11:00am – 4:00pm at Runwell Sports and Social Club

There’s a fantastic day planned at Runwell Sports & Social Club on 6th May! • The coronation will be televised inside the clubhouse, including on the large projector screen!

• We’re encouraging everyone to get involved in the UK’s Big Lunch - bring your own picnic, a blanket and your favourite picnic food and set up outside!

There’s plenty of open space and hopefully sun! (Please note if you are bringing a picnic, own drinks are not permitted as these can be purchased from the bar.)

• There will be music & balloon animals supplied by everyone’s favourite entertainer - Party Monsters!

• Garden games outside supplied by Putt Party!

• Caroline’s face painting will be here decorating all your beautiful faces between 12pm - 2pm • Craft activities for the little ones!

The clubhouse bar will be open for all your refreshment needs- soft, alcoholic or hot!

See you there on what will be a momentous day!

SEND Parent/Carer Drop-In Coffee Morning

Tuesday 9th May, 10:00am – 12:00pm at Eastgate Centre, Basildon Come along to the Happy Hub in the Eastgate Centre (upstairs) to meet the MyOTAS team 36

and talk about autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and other neurological differences.

Drop in at any time from 10am and have a chat with the Family Support Team about all things SEND, including diagnosis, support at school, behaviour and mental health issues.

You’ll even be treated to a free tea/coffee/soft drink!

Everyone is welcome, from anywhere in Essex, whether your child is at school or home-ed and whether you have a diagnosis, are waiting for one, or are just considering starting the process.

If you have any queries, please email info@myotas.org

80s Live

Saturday 13th May, 7:30 at Towngate Theatre, Basildon

From your Final Countdown’s to your Electric Dreams – there is no era like the 80s!

Get ready to step back in time, as we take you through a decade of amazing hits. Whether you are a Material Girl, a member of the Culture Club or on your way to Hollywood with Frankie, there is no chance you’d want to miss out on a night like this.

Our live band ‘Electric Dreams’ takes you on an adventure like no other, with a sensational line-up of anthems from Duran Duran, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Kim Wilde, Rick Astley, The Human League, A-ha, Tears for Fears and so much more!

We know you’ve been Living on a Prayer for a show like this… and we certainly don’t

Wickford Town disappoint, with non-stop classic-after-classic, with hits such as Don’t You Want Me Baby, Relax, Never Gonna’ Give You Up, It’s Raining Men, Rio, Tainted Love and so much more in store!

For tickets head to www.towngatetheatre.co.uk/80s-live

fun flower, fruit and vegetable mini shows.

All welcome to join whether you have an acre or just a window box.

Wickford Community Archive Open Day

Saturday 13th May, 10am till 3pm at Christ Church Hall *For more information check out the ‘wickford horticultural society’ Facebook group.

Wickford Wombles volunteering The Archive will be holding its 2023 ‘Open Day’ on 13th May 2023. The main theme this year is ‘Sport in Wickford’, but the displays will range over other aspects of earlier times in our town.

It will be held in Christ Church Hall, starting at 10am and finishing at 3pm. Entry is free and refreshments will be available to buy for those who wish to sit down with a drink and a snack to talk over years gone by, possibly with some people that you haven’t seen for a while.

Visitors are invited to search out and bring along their own photographs of sports and events that happened in Wickford’s past. A scanner will be available so that new material can be copied and added to the Archive website.

Saturday 13th May. Please make a note in your diary, members of the Archive look forward to seeing you then.

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

Join your friendly ‘Wickford Wombles’ Facebook group 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.

You can either womble on your own or join our events to make Wickford a town to be proud of.

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.

Wickford Horticultural Society

Last Thursday of the month, doors open 7:30pm for 8pm start at Christchurch* For people who enjoy growing plants of all types from flowers, fruits and vegetables to houseplants, the society meet on a monthly basis and have a range of speakers and fun quizzes throughout the year, as well as 2 or 3 37

Probiotics, prebiotics and gut health If you’ve been feeling a bit under-the-weather or looking to avoid problems such as constipation, heartburn and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) then we may be able to help!

The largest population of microorganisms within our body live within our bowel and this bacterium is completely unique to each and every individual. Each species of bacteria plays a specific role in our health and therefore require different nutrients for growth, this is why it is so important to eat the right foods and aim for a tummy friendly diet. The health of our gut affects the health of our brain, supports a healthy mood and promotes wellness.

So, we all know it’s important to lead a healthy lifestyle and to eat healthy but what does eating healthy mean?

When deciding on what to eat we ideally need to cut out processed foods and focus on gut-healthy foods which typically fall into two groups: probiotics and prebiotics. We explain briefly below what these two food groups are and provide some suggestions of foods to incorporate into your daily diet.

Probiotics – helpful bacteria found in fermented foods Suggestions: yoghurt with live cultures, kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi, cottage cheese, kefir Prebiotics – non-digestible food that promotes fermentation and becomes food for gut-healthy prebiotics Suggestions: mushrooms, garlic, oats, soybeans, artichokes, dragon fruit To sum it up, cut heavily processed foods, artificial foods, foods with added sugar and preservatives and try maintain a healthy microbiome by consuming a wide range of fresh, whole foods derived from fruits, vegetables beans and whole grains.

Mondays after 5pm from 14th May

Alternatively come along to Wickford Bowls Club We are based in Memorial Park, Wickford, Rettendon View SS11 8JE

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A step to excellence We believe all employers should be in the driving seat of their apprentice's learning journey as you will be moulding these learners to become the therapist/technician of the future, therefore your input is key to their success.

We have devised a step-to-excellence path to allow you to be able to choose optional further specialist training which adds further value to your apprentices' main qualification, ensuring these courses will be well suited to your business needs. These options will be for those learners on or ahead of target and who wish to further develop a skill in the area most deserving to their role, this will increase motivation to strive for excellence.

Apprentice courses available VTCT Level 2 Diploma for Beauty Professionals (Nail Services Technician) VTCT Level 2 Diploma for Beauty Professionals (Beauty Therapist) VTCT Level 2 Diploma for Hair Professionals VTCT Level 3 Advanced Beauty Therapist Apprenticeship VTCT Level 3 Diploma for Advanced and Creative Hair Dressing NCFE Level 2 Customer Services Practitioner NCFE Level 3 Customer Service Specialist NCFE Level 5 Learning and Skills Teacher

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49 Essex Teams Set To Take On Pokémon Futsal Youth Cup The Pokémon Futsal Youth Cup, in partnership with England Football returns for the 2023 season, Essex seeing 49 teams participating in this year’s competition.

The return of the Pokémon Futsal Youth Cup has seen an increase in team participation compared to previous years. This rise can be attributed to the inclusion of new and returning County Football Associations, including: - Bedfordshire FA - Herefordshire FA - Isle of Man FA - Kent FA - Northamptonshire FA - Northumberland FA - Nottinghamshire FA - West Riding FA - Westmorland FA - Wiltshire FA In Essex, the following teams are participating in this year’s boys’ competition: - Braintree Futsal Club - Essex Minors Hornchurch (EMH) - Gol Futsal youth - Pro Lovell Athletic Youth (PLAY FC) - Sporting club Southend - Genesis Futsal - Newham Futsal Club - Buckhurst Hill U10 Whites - CM Futsal Academy - Wickford Town - Ballers FFA - Genesis - Risden Wood - Finesse Club de Futbol U14 - St Clere’s Y U14 - Braintree Futsal - Finesse Club de Futbol U16 - Essex Royals U16s - Risden Wood U16 Colts

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Additionally, the following teams will be competition in the girls’ competition: - Pro Lovell Athletic Youth (PLAY FC) - Perry Street U10 Girls - Gol Futsal - West Essex Girls U10 - Evolution Girls U10 - Hutton U12 Sharks - Hashtag United U12 Blue - Tigers Girls U12 Black - Evolution Girls U14 - Aveley Girls U14 - Colchester City Girls U14 - Tigers Girls U14 - Dagenham & Redbridge U14 - Colchester City Girls U16 The Pokémon Futsal Youth Cup, in partnership with England Football gives young players across the country the chance to get involved in this energy-packed game, compete against other teams and go all the way to the national finals.

Jake Ling, Football Development Officer & Male Pathway Lead at Essex FA, said: “We are really pleased to be hosting the Pokémon Futsal Cup for another year this March.

We are keen to build on the success of the competition we hosted last season and are preparing for a much larger competition this season across the mixed & girls competitions.

“We have several Futsal dedicated clubs affiliate to Essex County FA, so it is our responsibility to ensure they have opportunities to participate in competitions such us these, to support their development and sustainability in providing a different offer within the grassroots community.

“Competitions such as the Pokémon Futsal Cup is a great way to showcase the game of Futsal and for those that aren’t familiar with the game to experience its many technical benefits it has linked to football as well as the great enjoyment the fast-paced, smaller format game has to offer.

“We will continue to support grassroots futsal participation and work alongside England Futsal to create more opportunities as the game continues to grow within our County.”

Pokémon is the title partner of the FA’s Youth Futsal Programme which aims to work with boys and girls aged eight–sixteen. Alongside the Pokémon Futsal initiative in schools, youth football clubs across the country will take part in this season’s Pokémon Futsal Youth Cup by England Football, with competition kicking off in November 2022 and culminating at the national finals in July 2023.

To find out more about this season’s Pokémon Futsal Youth Cup go online and visit www.mastertheball.com

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