Completely Bromsgrove Dec/Jan '23 issue 47

Thriving butchery business is in the pink

Anyone who travels round Worcestershire and the wider West Midlands will have spotted bright pink The Butcheress vans transporting high quality produce to wholesalers, caterers, and discerning domestic customers.

This thriving local and independent business celebrates its fifth anniversary this winter and owner Rachel Edmonds has bold plans for the next five years and beyond.

More of that later but first let’s look back at how Rachel got her vision off the ground.

“I’d worked in butchery for many years, as well as doing accountancy and management, but I always wanted to open my own shop,” said Rachel, who hails from a farming background in Worcester.

“The premises we found in Ryefields Road, Stoke Prior, had been a butchers’ shop in the past but had gone to rack and ruin and needed £30,000 worth of renovations.

“We opened our doors in November 2017 and have gone from strength to strength. Using pink and black in the branding reflected that I was a woman in a male dominated industry and it really stands out.”

After an initially quiet period, word began to spread about this exciting new business on the block. Rachel forged strong links with the wholesale and catering sector as well as supplying customers both in store and through deliveries.

Meat boxes which change monthly are particularly popular and eggs are also available, courtesy of Rachel’s own 200 chickens. All produce is fully traceable and supplied by local farms.

Clients regularly comment on the cleanliness of the store, which has a five star hygiene rating, and high levels of

customer service as Rachel’s five strong team can advise on how to get the best out of the produce sold.

The business continued to operate during lockdown, as Rachel explains.

“Fortunately, we’d already set up an app which allowed our customers to order online.Then it was simply a matter of dropping their order off on the doorstep.”

Accolades followed with Butcheress sausages and home-cured bacon burgers winning awards in the Great British Butchers and Meat Management Awards. Rachel also reached the final of the Women in Meat Awards 2021 for her contribution to the wholesale butchery industry.

Rachel strongly believes in giving back to the community when and wherever she can. She is an ambassador for St Richard’s Hospice in Worcester and supports the Worcestershire Homeless Appeal, for whom she will be cooking for in the New Year.

Looking forward, Rachel’s future plans include franchising The Butcheress brand and opening more shops. Everyone at Completely Bromsgrove wishes her well on her fifth anniversary and for the future.

In this final issue of 2022, we bring you information about a wealth of events that are happening over the festive period and into the New Year. Grab those diaries to make sure you don’t miss out. Turn to pages 44-53 to find out more.

We would like to congratulate Michelle HolseySheppard for winning the coveted prize of best independent retailer of the year at the Women in Meat Industry Awards. This is a great achievement and just proves what amazing independent retailers we have on Bromsgrove’s High Street. Congratulations Michelle!

On another positive note, Bromsgrove District Council are offering shoppers free parking in the town on the weekends of December 3rd-4th and 17th18th. It is so important to shop local and support our retailers at this time of year.

All that is left is for me to say that the team at Completely Bromsgrove would like to wish our readers and advertisers a wonderful festive period. We look forward to bringing you many more news stories and features in 2023.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Michele Ford Best wishes

Inside the spire at St John’s

Back in 2018 cracks first appeared at the very top of the spire, and emergency repairs were carried out to fill the cracks in the stone and to secure eight stainless steel straps around the top.

Each year, the steeplejacks have returned to inspect the spire top, and in recent visits there was a need to carry out further repairs, which took place earlier in the year. The top section of the spire is solid, with a hollow structure built up from the base of the tower. Within this top section is a metal rod which keeps the top stabilised and holds the weather vane in its lofty position. It is believed that this metal rod is rusting, and thus causing the stone to crack as the rusting metal expands.

The intrepid steeplejacks secured ladders to the inside of the spire to carry out an additional inspection at the top, having previously only looked from the outside. It is not possible to see the very top from the base of the spire as there’s a wooden platform below the weights which are secured to the bottom of the metal rod, keep the structure stable.

The Friends of St John’s have launched the Spire Appeal, to raise funds to safeguard Worcestershire’s tallest spire at Bromsgrove’s beloved church building. It is expected that £300,000 is required to rebuild the top of the spire where the stonework is cracking. Without any central funding, all funds must be raised by the Friends of St John’s. You can contribute by sending a text with the word SPIRE to 70450 to donate £10.00 or visit www.tinyurl.com/Friends-donate to donate via PayPal.

Keep up to date with the work of the Friends via www.facebook.com/ FriendsStJohnsBromsgrove

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Investigations are continuing at St John’s Church in Bromsgrove to ensure the safety of the spire top as funds are raised to rebuild it.

Jo Slade

Be who you’ve always been... a keen gardener

At Chandler Court care home being a keen gardener doesn’t stop when you make the journey into care. Our dementia specialists support each resident to live life as independently as possible. Bring your life with you to a place you can call home.

Award winning, person-centred care for over 40 years.

If you’re considering care for yourself or a loved one call 01527 958071 .

Trusted to care.

Chandler Court care home

Bromsgrove careuk.com/chandler-court

Fulfilling lifestyles, designed around you

At Care UK’s Chandler Court care home in Bromsgrove, your loved one can expect the very best of dementia care, whilst being supported to enjoy a fulfilling lifestyle.

Our dedicated and caring teams learn all they can about your loved one, tailoring their care and lifestyle plan to suit their unique needs as well as their hobbies and interests. We’re trained in the latest dementia care approaches, thanks to our partnership with the Association for Dementia Studies at Worcester University, whilst a Dementia Coach in each home supports all colleagues to deliver high quality care and a fulfilling lifestyle.

Enjoy each day, your way

Our Lifestyle team is passionate about enhancing your loved one’s quality of life and there’s always plenty of activities to get involved in. Reminiscence-themed activities such as music therapy and baking help to spark happy memories, whilst gentle exercise classes and yoga help your loved one to stay fit and active.

Food forms the basis of many activities at Chandler Court. Themed menus, cheese and wine evenings and afternoon tea are a regular occurrence, and our ‘Dining with Dignity’ approach means residents can feel confident knowing discreet help and support is always on-hand.

Pet Therapy sessions are proven help to prevent feelings of loneliness and can often improve self-esteem and confidence in people living with dementia. We are often visited by local animal sanctuaries, and recently residents have enjoyed cuddles with puppies, ponies and even snakes!

Everything under one roof

Chandler Court has everything your loved one will need under one roof and is designed to the latest dementia standards with its own café, hair salon, cinema and bar. Signage, colour schemes, soft furnishings and floor coverings are all designed

to create a calming and accessible setting, whilst accessible courtyard gardens with wheelchairfriendly pathways and raised flower beds provide a relaxing haven for residents.

If you’re thinking about care for an older loved one living with dementia, why not speak to our friendly and helpful team?

To find out more about the award-winning dementia care at Chandler Court, please call 01527 903670

Chandler Court care home Recreation Road, Bromsgrove B61 8DT careuk.com/chandler-court

Butchers Block’s Michelle wins prestigious national award

November 11 saw the fourth annual Women in Meat Industry Awards at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington and Butchers Block owners Michelle and Lilith were honoured to attend the black tie event.

There were 12 categories in total and Michelle was shortlisted for best independent retailer, scooping the award on the night. She managed to beat other contenders from as far afield as Scotland as well as two premises within Worcester and the West Midlands.

“We looked back over the criteria and it really did come down to public votes and judging by how many people popped in to tell me they’d voted it was clear I had a lot of the town behind me,” said Michelle.

“It’s still blowing my mind with all the good wishes that are coming in. Anyone can spend months on developing a product for award season, but it takes a lot of hard graft to run an independent with such high customer focus on a daily basis. To be recognised for that is amazing.”

The awards were hosted by celebrity chef Rachel Allen who along with the category sponsor from Danish UK handed Michelle her award.

All finalists were entered for businesswoman of the year where Michelle was just pipped to the post.

“It was amazing to be in a room of like-minded women and I’m thrilled to be walking away with one award so not winning the second one doesn’t matter,” she said.

To keep up to date with news from the all-female team of Michelle, Lilith, Jenny and Jenni including details of their new Caribbean kitchen, follow them @butchersblockbromsgrove

Christmas is a coming

The goose is getting fat Keep your Christmaslocalshopping It’s as simple as that!

Parking is coming to town!

Christmas has come early for Bromsgrove shoppers and visitors who will benefit from free parking on two weekends during the festive period.

To coincide with Small Business Saturday on December 3rd, visitors to the town will be able to park for free, for an unlimited time, on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th.

Free parking will also be up for grabs on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th December for shoppers to get their last-minute Christmas gifts and goodies.

Bromsgrove District Council Leader, Karen May, said: “The district has a great mix of High Street names and independent shops and I hope visitors come from far and wide to do their shopping here, giving their local businesses a boost, especially in the post pandemic economic climate.

“It is so important to shop local and I can’t wait to see Bromsgrove High Street busy, bustling and full of festive cheer.”

Small Business Saturday is a non-commercial campaign, which highlights small business success and encourages consumers to ‘shop local’ and support small businesses in their communities.

Three Redox products to boost your mind and body

This is my last article of 2022 and I am trying to plan for what I will write about next year. Maybe I will focus on holistic therapies whereas this year has all been about nano technology relating to the research of Redox molecules.

Three new products have been launched in the UK in the last few months that work in conjunction with Redox. Instead of taking an energy drink and getting the highs and lows they give, this product gives you the same results without the crashes.

These Cell Performance products are Redox Mind, Redox Mood and Redox Energy. Cell Performance is a new category of products formulated with your health and wellness in mind and working on a cellular level.

These easy-to-use sachets can be taken anywhere such as the gym, to work, in the car and in your briefcase and handbag. You can mix them into your bottle of water or even make tasty drinks. It is recommended adding the sachet contents to 8 to 12oz of the liquid you want to drink (except alcohol) and to drink the contents within a time limit of 15 minutes.

REDOX MOOD

One of the ingredients is an extract of saffron, it is fully backed by published scientific research studies showing that it supports reduced stress, better sleep, an uplifted mood, and relief for anxiety?

A study published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine, for example, evaluated the impact of 28mg of Affron® (the premium extract of saffron that we use) in adults. The results showed that Affron® helped adults maintain a positive mood and alleviate occasional stress, frustration, and tension. www.sciencedirect.com/.../ abs/pii/S0965229917300821

Very importantly, these benefits were produced without side effects.

by Colette Garside

Here is another interesting study on the saffron extract we use: “affron® a novel saffron extract (Crocus sativus L.) improves mood in healthy adults over four weeks in a double-blind, parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial” www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28735826/

REDOX MIND

This proprietary blend of ingredients helps your brain operate more efficiently and perform better by assisting the interactions between your brain’s nerve cells and supporting neurotransmitter functions. It improves your attention and shortens your response time for quicker thinking, supports the production of proteins that are important for brain functions and supports the functioning of brain-nerve cells as well as interactions and performance between them, especially those connected to memory. It also contributes to antioxidant activity to support the ability for spatial and recognition memory.

REDOX ENERGY

We’re all looking for a reliable source of energy to get us through the day— something to power our innate potential to feel our best. But it can seem challenging to find a product that delivers results without the negative impacts of short-term energy boost that many other energy products have. Redox Energy is a source of sustained cellular energy. It’s not just about increasing your output but generating and maintaining more energy at the cellular level.

If you would like more information on these three products, contact me at colette@ need4change.com

Merry Christmas everyone. I hope Santa brings you everything you wish for this year.

18th

24th December Christingle Service at 4.00pm

25th

117th

18th

Bromsgrove welcomes visitors from Gronau

2020 marked 40 years of the friendship between Bromsgrove and Gronau, its twin town in Germany. Unfortunately, due to lockdown, the anniversary could not be marked at the time, so celebrations had to be put on hold.

The event finally took place in October with a visit to Bromsgrove of seven councillors and officers from Gronau, including the Bürgermeister (Mayor), Rainer Doetkotte.

They arrived on Thursday, October 20th and enjoyed a lunch hosted by Bromsgrove District Council chairman Councillor Rod Laight and leader Councillor Karen May before going on a guided tour of Sanders Park and the town.

On the Friday, they specifically asked to visit a couple of schools in Bromsgrove so arrangements were made to go round South Bromsgrove High School and Bromsgrove School. In the evening a dinner was laid on at Parkside Hall when welcoming speeches were made and an exchange of gifts.

The visit was arranged mainly by Bromsgrove International Link (BIL), formerly known as Bromsgrove and District Twinning Association, and they presented a decorative glass plate, made by the sister of one of BIL’s committee members, which incorporates a design from Gronau’s coat of arms. The council gave a glass bowl obtained from Jinney Ring. Avery Turner made a financial donation for the purchase of a bench to be sited in the English Garden in the park in Gronau. This gift to Gronau represents the legacy of Avery’s late husband, David who was president of the association for many years.

On the Saturday morning, the visitors attended a concert given by Barnt Green Choral Society and The Gemini Choir at St John’s Church in Bromsgrove. The twinning link was initiated in 1980 by respective local choirs and the programme featured pieces in both English and German.

Gronau is situated in north-west Germany, close to the border with the Netherlands and the city of Enschede and is just over 100 miles from Amsterdam. Visits between the two towns used to

take place annually but these ceased a few years ago when the Gronau twinning association folded.

Judith Stephenson, chair of Bromsgrove International Link, said: “We were delighted to host this visit from our friends in Gronau on this occasion and hope that we can return to Gronau at some point in the future.”

Bromsgrove is also twinned with the town of St Sauveur Lendelin in Normandy and annual visits between the two towns still take place.

Anybody wanting further information can visit the association’s website, www.bromstwin.org.uk

Caring for a Christmas cactus

How many of us have been given a Christmas cactus as a gift? Resplendent reds, powderpuff pinks and even snowy white. All too often when they finally finish flowering, they end up pot bound with shrivelled foliage; bits falling off it every time you pass by, never to flower again.

Christmas cactus is a very popular winterflowering houseplant that makes a great addition to nearly any indoor setting. They are easy to care for and propagate easily too. They originate from the humid, shady forests of Brazil and live above the ground on the surface of trees. They are not considered a true cactus but are succulents and are also available as Easter plants.

To keep your gift happy, it needs to be sited in a bright position but not in direct sunlight as it can suffer from sunburn, causing the leaf segments to become reddy-purple. If this happens move the plant to a shady spot. It should recover if caught in time.

One of the biggest complaints is that the plant doesn’t flower again, which is often due to it not being allowed to have a dormant period. From late January to late March, reduce the watering to only occasionally so that the compost does not

completely dry out and reduce the temperature to 12-15°C. This can be done easily by moving to a cooler room.

The growing season is from April to September; increase the watering and start feeding with a houseplant liquid feed.

The plants are happiest in slightly acidic soil, so use a standard cactus compost, including some grit to improve the drainage. They don’t like wet feet so don’t leave them sitting in water, allow the plants to dry out between watering but not completely. Re-pot once a year (or at least every two years) to maintain healthy growth. This can be done at the end of March, which is the beginning of their growing season.

When the temperatures improve place outside but watch for slugs and check the direct sun position.

Jobs to keep you busy throughout December & January

Insulate outdoor taps and prevent ponds from freezing Harvest leeks, parsnips, winter cabbage, sprouts and remaining root crops

Protect terracotta pots from cracking in freezing weather by bringing them indoors or wrapping in bubble polythene

Plants can be protected from cold, wet weather by wrapping with horticultural fleece

Reduce watering of houseplants

Check stored bulbs and corms regularly for signs of rot

Order seed catalogues and plan what you are going to grow next season

Check your stored seeds and discard any that are out of date

If you feed visiting birds to your garden, make sure you clean the feeders regularly and provide plenty of fresh water

Plan your vegetable crop rotation

Enjoy the holiday period and make the most of those relaxing days. Happy Christmas and have another glass of mulled wine and mince pie.

In January start forcing your rhubarb by covering with an old dustbin

By Suzi M, plotter

D of E Students Keep Bromsgrove Beautiful

You may have seen students in white hi-viz vests out and about with their litter pickers, keeping the streets of the town clean.

Students who have entered in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme have to take up volunteer work as part of the schedule required to achieve the award.

34 young people from South Bromsgrove High School have chosen to take up litter picking as their voluntary contribution and the team at Keep Bromsgrove Beautiful have been delighted to support them.

Within the group there are 21 students aiming for the Bronze award which requires 3 months of volunteering and 13 students aiming for the Silver award who will need to undertake 6 months litter picking. Five of the students in the Silver group have returned to litter picking with KBB after doing it for their bronze awards, which they achieved.

Julia Harper is the KBB team member who looks after the group. She said “It really is wonderful to have so many students taking time out to volunteer to help to keep Bromsgrove litter free. The young people are required to go out once a week for an hour to litter pick. They are clearing up their own neighbourhoods, areas close to their school, around Sanders Park and the industrial estates. It’s a pleasure to be able to help them and support our town in this way.”

Founder and Chair of Keep Bromsgrove Beautiful Sarah O’Conor is thrilled with the take up, she said “I’m really over the moon and so proud that these young people working towards their DofE awards have chosen litter picking in such large numbers. It is fabulous to see the photos of their efforts posted on the group’s Facebook page. They really are making a difference and I’m sure their behaviour has an impact on others, and it reduces the amount of litter dropped in the first place. Keep up the great work DofEers!”

The litter picking kit has been generously sponsored by a local company. Kirsten Bridgewater, partner at mfg Solicitors said “The team at Keep Bromsgrove Beautiful do vital work in and around the town and we were delighted to support the litter picking initiative with a £1,000 donation for equipment. The town sees thousands of visitors every year so it is important for the local economy and the community to keep the streets, parks and shopping areas looking clean and tidy. It’s a wonderful project which involves young people too and we hope it continues for many years to come.”

To get involved with Keep Bromsgrove Beautiful visit the website www.keepbromsgrovebeautiful. com or find them on Facebook.

Chasing away the winter blues

Rather than wish you were a dormouse that could snooze away the winter, why not grab it with both hands and chase away those winter blues?

As the year draws to a close and thoughts about a new year and a new start begin to surface, why not consider volunteering? You won’t be alone – we’ve got more than 400 amazing individuals across the county who help us to help wildlife in a host of different ways. From the hardy souls who help us manage our nature reserves for wildlife to people who organise talks and walks for our local groups, we’ve got plenty of opportunities to suit your interests.

Becoming a practical conservation volunteer on one of our nature reserves will help you to meet new people, learn new skills and get a deep breath of fresh air. Whilst wildlife is slumbering, winter is the best time for volunteers to get out into the wilds to get various jobs done ready for spring. Whether it’s coppicing or planting trees, clearing scrub from flower-rich meadows or repairing boardwalks there is plenty to get involved with. There are a number of nature reserves around the Bromsgrove area and all need a helping hand to keep on top of the many tasks to keep the habitat tip-top for wildlife. Depending on the location, groups meet on both weekends and weekdays so hopefully you’ll find something to fit your time.

Bromsgrove Local Group is one of eight supporter groups across the county that help to enthuse and inspire people about their local wildlife. After many years of running the group, the current Chair is stepping down. Would you be interested in helping to form a new group to inspire more people about our

wonderful wildlife? You don’t need any knowledge or experience of wildlife (although it’s great if you do have); you’ll be helping to organise walks and talks so you really just need enthusiasm to help others love wildlife as much as you do.

Our new and exciting Nextdoor Nature project is now up and running in Bromsgrove and Redditch so perhaps you’d prefer to get involved in a different way? Would you like to be a point of contact to help your local community do more for wildlife, for example?

December and January are a great time to take a fresh look at things and consider getting involved in doing something to help the beautiful natural world in and around Bromsgrove whilst getting out, meeting new people and trying new experiences. Take a look at our website to find out more www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk/volunteer

Photo: Brian Taylor

What the future may hold for Bromsgrove’s rail and bus services

www.bromsgroverail.org.uk

Looking ahead, many passengers may be wondering what might happen to rail and connecting bus services at Bromsgrove station in 2023.

Firstly, West Midlands Trains (WMT) has announced that both rail routes serving Bromsgrove i.e the Birmingham New Street - University - WorcesterHereford diesel service and the Cross City electric service to and from Lichfield Trent Valley via University and New Street will have new rolling stock.

It is anticipated that the Class 196 diesel fleet will enter service in spring 2023 and the Class 730 electric fleet in late 2023 though, as WMT state “timings with new fleet introductions are always slightly fluid”.

Secondly, on page five of Worcestershire County Council’s Draft Worcestershire Rail Investment Strategy - 2 Document, there is mention of a new Birmingham (presumably New Street) - Bromsgrove - Worcestershire Parkway - Cheltenham SpaGloucester - Bristol Temple Meads service, which might be introduced in 2023.

This would eliminate the current ridiculous situation whereby passengers from Bromsgrove have to travel north to University and New Street, thus incurring extra expense and time, to get on a cross country train to travel back through Bromsgrove to go south to Parkway, Cheltenham and Bristol.

Thirdly, the new bus shelters at the station, showing real time information on the six different bus routes serving it, promised by the county council in September 2021, might be installed, enabling Bromsgrove residents and visitors to the town and district arriving by train to identify and connect more easily to the relevant bus service for their onward journey.

Fourthly, perhaps WMT might realise that not everyone travelling on their two services has a smartphone or access to a digital device (or can afford one!) and might introduce pocket timetables and posters of the timetables at Bromsgrove, Alvechurch, Barnt Green and Redditch stations.

Finally, WMT might commit itself to keeping the ticket office at Bromsgrove station open, recognising that there is a need for passengers to obtain advice from a knowledgeable clerk as to how to get to and from Bromsgrove to destinations all over the UK and thus enabling it to sell more tickets!

On December 31, 2023, we shall see which of these five “might happens” have happened!

by Nick Taylor

BMW X-Drive

Ecstatic!” cried my passenger. I’d just asked him how he felt following our journey to the coast and back. For those of you who might think he was deploying what experts in the language would term hyperbole, let me correct you, whoever you are.

No mate, no hyperbole here: just delight, incredulity, reassurance, excitement, luxury and - yes - an irresistible mood of ecstasy. That’s what a car like the BMW 545e X-Drive M Sport can do for your habitual reserve. This isn’t just a car, it’s a motoring banquet offering a menu of delight. Banquet? Alright - the full spectrum cornucopia of hospitality on wheels.

Let’s just take a look at it for starters. You’ll notice that it’s a BMW. As with the venerable city of Venice you won’t mistake it for anything else. But unlike Venice, experiencing it won’t give you that sinking feeling. With the BMW there’s no Blue Lagoon waiting to swallow you up: just a blue heaven of technological inventions inviting you to come up and ride with the gods and goddesses on cloud nine.

In appearance, what you see is what you get. Here is an up-to-the-minute BMW featuring today’s most

progressive hybrid power systems and combining them into a luxuriously appointed sporting package of elegant sleekness and purposeful poise.

A staggeringly impressive set of mpg figures (claimed 156.9 mpg if you use electric power as much as you can) show just what a progressive motor this is. A venerable 286hp 3.0 litre turbo, in-line, six cylinder petrol engine, mapped for ultraefficiency and turbocharged to provide all the poke up to a limited 155mph you would expect from a BMW, is married to a torquey 109hp electric motor that can - should you wish - carry you comfortably across town in smooth whispering serenity without using even a drop of petrol nor emitting the least smidgen of nasty carbon.

has the X-factor

Throw in a silk-lined auto gearbox plus the most sumptuously cosseting of luxury upholstery and you might think that even the fabled magic carpet is looking threadbare when compared with this luxury motor. Bernard, my passenger, was keen to view a retirement flat on the coast. Early in the morning I picked him up from his suburban semi and introduced him to the new BMW 545e X-Drive M Sport. He was immediately impressed with its undeniable presence. He settled in then glanced at me as if to say ‘Let’s go!’ and off we went. The ride through town was in ‘stealth mode’ as I deployed the electric propulsion option only. Nothing could be heard but the faint creak of yielding leather and the pulsing of one’s own heartbeat as the BMW made light of the traffic. Then it was time for the open road. How to describe the experience? Aficionados will know that the M prefix indicates something special.

Also that ‘X Drive’ denotes 4 wheel propulsion. This capability, coupled with the enormous power on tap results in an ability to make the swiftest progress in the safest manner. Handling and general vehicle dynamics seem to represent an extension of one’s thought, making it much more enjoyable to drive than it’s rivals.

Regardless of how much more there is to say about it, one thing is clear: the 545e X-Drive M Sport is not only the car for today. It is also a car for tomorrow. Every ecological concern is taken on board, analysed and addressed.

My passenger compared the price of a seaside pad with the £ 63,285 price of this superior motor car. But after his experience he was inclined to opt for years of refined motoring at the wheel of this BMW.

“X-Drive seems to mark the spot for me,” he declared. “After all, I can always stay in seaside hotels.”

by Syd Taylor

Zenergy - solving the wellness energy crisis

All too often, we talk to people who are exhausted and lacking energy, nearing burnout, juggling family life and work, stressed, and not prioritising time for themselves, which adds to the above. We get it – this was us!

These are the words of Sara and Gary Jones, who opened the doors of Zenergy, a wellness studio at 72 Birmingham Road, Bromsgrove, in September 2022.

“Our vision is to allow people to embark on a holistic health journey that is bespoke and suitable for their health and wellness needs. We do this by partnering with expert instructors and therapists to help you find solutions to improve your energy, sleep pattern, mindset, mobility, and self-belief,” said Sara and Gary.

As you enter the Zenergy reception and coffee shop, you instantly feel a sense of calm and warmth. You relax, your shoulders drop from your ears, and you are enveloped with a sense of belonging where you can be yourself.

A personal touch is what we promise at Zenergy as you begin your holistic health journey.

Zenergy offers a range of yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi classes from morning to evening for all levels, either as a member or with a flexible drop-in pass, along with specialist pre-natal classes and a beginners yoga course.

We also have access to crystal healing, Reiki, massage and PHYSIO 206, as well as several wellness events and courses, offering immersive experiences for Christmas gifts. These range from breathwork masterclasses, crystal bowl sound baths, crystal workshops, Zenergy restorative

retreats and much more. We also have an introductory offer of 10 classes for £35 in your first 30 days.

At Zenergy, we wish for anyone who steps through our door that “there is nothing to fear, because you cannot fail – only learn, grow and become better than you’ve ever been before” - Hal Elrod - author of The Miracle Morning.

If you want to purchase the introductory offer or book one of our offerings, please download the free Zenergy app, head to www.zenergwellness. co.uk or call Sara at 07865 684204. Alternatively, if you would like to pop in, say hi and look at the studio, we would be delighted to see you.

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place to live” - Jim Rohn.

Zenergy reception

Court Leet elects new Bailiff

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At the Great Autumn Court, members of Bromsgrove Court Leet elected Robert E Bird to the position of Bailiff, the head of the Court. Philip Thomas was elected as the Reeve, and Ealdorman Richard Harper became the Marshal.

As is traditional, the role of Bailiff and Reeve are held for one year, and during that time the Bailiff sits at the head of the Court and organises the events which will be held during the year.

Each year the Court Leet holds two Great Courts – in spring and autumn, and celebrates the 1199 Charter, granted to the town by King John, on Fair Day. In 2023 Fair Day will fall on the Feast of St John, June 24th. The Bailiff, assisted by the Court Ale Tasters, will arrange two Ale Tasting events during the course of the year and will support events held in the neighbouring Courts of Alcester, Henley in Arden and Warwick.

At the Autumn Court two new members were welcomed. Jamie Leavesely, proprietor at Coffee2 in Bromsgrove High Street, joined the Jury and was given the office of Breadweigher.

Terry Bacon, owner of the Little Ale House, joined as the Tythingman for the Bonehill yield.

Group Captain John P Rogers stepped down as Marshal to the Court and Ealdorman Richard Harper took on the role. The Marshal is responsible for leading the parade on Fair Day and for keeping good order at the official Court meetings.

After the business of the Court was heard the Lord of the Manor, Chris Bird, was presented with a claret jug to celebrate 50 years in the role. Chris inherited the title from his grandfather Howard Bird in 1972. He was thanked for his long service and commitment to the Court.

Bromsgrove Court Leet exists today to preserve and uphold the traditions of the past, as a source of pride for the people of Bromsgrove and to support local businesses, schools, organisations and charities in a ceremonial role. For more information visit www.bromsgrovecourtleet.co.uk or www. facebook.com/CourtLeetBromsgrove

Jo Slade

Bromsgrove’s forgotten Dambuster

Alocal man’s contribution to one of the most remarkable flying missions of the Second World War is highlighted in the latest edition of the Bromsgrove Rousler.

The Rousler is the annual local history magazine published by the Bromsgrove Society, and the 2022 edition is number 37 in the series.

Flight Sergeant Bill Townsend, who lived in Marlbrook, was the pilot in one of the 19 Lancaster bombers involved in the Dambusters raid in 1943. The night of May 16th and 17th 2023 will mark the 80th anniversary of the raid, which struck at the heart of Germany’s wartime industry in the Ruhr Valley.

Bill was in a reserve aircraft in the third wave of the attack. Although his bomb missed the target (the Ennepe Dam), he was able to confirm the destruction of the Mohne Dam during earlier waves and report back on the devastation that had been caused. The return flight to RAF Scampton was flown at tree-top level, and it was solely due to Bill’s immense skill at low-altitude flying that they managed to land safely on three engines.

Bill was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal for his efforts that night. Several of his crew also received awards, making them the second most-decorated Dams raid crew after that of the mission’s leader Guy Gibson. Bill Townsend’s contribution has received little recognition locally, a situation the Bromsgrove Society hopes to rectify by erecting a memorial plaque.

The accompanying cover illustration, Shadow of the Dam, is by award-winning artist Simon W. Atack and is based on detailed aerial photographs of the period. Also featured are Harry Shinner’s recollections of the town in the last years of the 19th century, from a memoir he wrote in the 1970s. Harry’s father, William Shinner was manager and chief engineer of the East Worcestershire Water Company and the family lived at Glamorgan House on the Strand.

Meanwhile, regular contributor Pam Harrison remembers life from a different era – her childhood growing up in Worcestershire in the 1950s.

The Cofton Tunnel collapse of 1928 is the focus of a detailed study by Richard Churchley. Long fascinated by stories of the accident he heard as a boy, Richard weaves together newspaper accounts and other sources, as well as presenting a folksong he has written on the subject.

The remaining articles focus on two landmarks within the town centre. Jo Slade, chair of the Bromsgrove Society and immediate past Bailiff of the Court Leet, presents new research on connections between Perry Hall, the Housman family and the Court Leet. An article by Rousler editor Mike Sharpe describes notable graves in Bromsgrove Cemetery.

Also included are reviews of three local history books on the area, including the Bromsgrove Society’s own Bromsgrove: The Story of a Market Town.

The society is selling the Rousler postage-free via its website, www.bsoc.co.uk and via @ bromsgrovesoc on social media. It is also available from a wide range of retail and other outlets across the district, priced £2.95.

by

Mike Sharpe

Flight Sergeant Bill Townsend

Local care home residents celebrate

Diwali with bindis, bhajis, saris and Bollywood dancing

Staff and residents at local care home, Burcot Grange and The Lodge, celebrated the Hindu festival of Diwali with a fun-filled day of Indian culture.

Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, is one of the most important religious festivals in Hinduism. To mark the start of the five-day festival, staff and residents at the home wore saris and traditional Indian decorative jewellery; ate Indian food; and enjoyed a Bollywood dancing class.

The dance class was led by Reena Tailor, Artistic Director of Bollywood Dreams Dance Company and her team of school-age volunteers. After enjoying a series of performances put on by Reena and her team, residents and staff were invited to take part.

Residents were also invited to wear a range of traditional Indian saris in a wide variety of colours as well as crystal bindis, a traditional form of Indian decoration worn in the centre of the forehead.

The celebrations were complemented by fresh, handmade, traditional Indian food by Burcot Grange’s own in-house team of specialist chefs. Staff, residents, and their families were able to enjoy hand-made onion bhajis, samosas, as well as a selection of Indian sweets.

The celebration marks only the second event to have taken place at the home since the pandemic and comes thanks to the progressive easing of social distancing restrictions by new owners Berkley Care Group to bring them in to line with Government guidelines. Described as ‘the new normal,’ the guidelines mean that families of residents at the home no longer need to make appointments to visit their relatives and can once again participate in activities and events at the home.

Commenting on the event, Vicky Osborne, General Manager of Burcot Grange and The Lodge said:

“It’s been a tremendous event for both for residents and staff to enjoy. Celebrations like this really help to bring a sense of energy into the home, which is clear to see not just on residents’ faces but also on those of the caring staff.

“I can’t thank Reena and her student-volunteers enough. They were great with the residents showing them different Bollywood dancing techniques.

“I’m also grateful to our team of expert chefs who went to great lengths to reproduce these fabulous Indian recipes. The food was delicious and allowed the residents to learn more about Indian cuisine and culture.”

Also commenting, Reena Tailor, Artistic Director from Bollywood Dreams Dance Company, said:

“It was so nice for us to be able to spend the day with the residents. My team really enjoyed teaching them about Bollywood Dancing, Indian culture, and to offer them an experience they may not have had before.

email: kiran.chaggar-smith@berkleycaregroup.co.uk

Christmas Goose with Baked Apples

Method:

Wash the goose, dab dry and season inside and out with pepper. To make the stuffing, peel and dice the onions and peel and crush the garlic. Melt the butter in a pan and sauté the onions and garlic in it. Pre-heat the electric or gas oven to 200°C, or 180°C fan.

Cut the brown bread into cubes, peel and quarter the apples, then remove the cores and dice. Mix together the bread, apples, pistachio nuts and three tablespoons of Kikkoman Soy Sauce and season with salt, pepper and ginger. Fill the cavity of the goose with stuffing and close with skewers. Place the goose breast down in a roasting tin and roast for approx. 2 hours. Baste several times during the roasting process and turn the goose over when it has been cooking for approximately 1 ½ hours. Stir together the honey and the remaining soy sauce and baste the goose with it for the final ten minutes of the cooking time.

Wash and core the cooking apples. Mix together the marzipan, raisins and amaretto and put the mixture into the centre of the apples. Place a dab of butter on top of each apple, arrange them on a soufflé dish and bake in the

oven with the goose for the last 20 minutes of the cooking time. To make the gravy, heat up four tablespoons of roasting juices with the goose stock, bring to the boil, stir in the crème fraîche, season with soy sauce and thicken with sauce thickener. Serve the goose with the gravy and baked apples, plus red cabbage and potato dumplings if liked.

Ingredients for 4 portions:

For the goose:

1 ready-to-cook goose (2.5 kg)

Freshly ground pepper

1 onion

1 garlic clove 2 tbsp. butter 200 g brown bread 3 apples 80 g chopped pistachio nuts

5 tbsp. Kikkoman Soy Sauce ½-1 tbsp. ground ginger 2 tbsp. runny honey

For the baked apples:

4 cooking apples

100 g marzipan 50 g raisins 10 ml amaretto liqueur 1 tbsp. butter

For the gravy: 400 ml goose or chicken stock 2 tbsp. crème fraîche

2-3 tbsp. Kikkoman Soy Sauce

2 tbsp. sauce thickener

Prep. time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

www.lovebritishfood.co.uk

Show your support for vital childhood cancer trust

Get involved and give something back this festive season by supporting the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust.

Established in 2016, the charity was set up to carry out the legacy four-year-old Grace left behind when she passed away from a rare childhood cancer.

Out of this devastation Grace’s wish of helping others has grown into an inspiring legacy that is helping save lives of children diagnosed with cancer and supporting families facing the childhood cancer journey at their time of need.

There are lots of ways to get involve and support the trust this festive season, including taking part in their Reindeer Festive Fun campaign, buying Christmas cards from their online shop (www.gkcct.org/ grace-kelly-childhood-cancer-trust-onlineshop), putting on your festive knits and holding a Christmas jump day at your school or workplace or signing up to have your Christmas tree collected.

The Christmas treecycling campaign is back in January 2023, covering more areas and collecting even more Christmas trees.

We all love a real tree until the time comes to dispose of it after Christmas. Instead of having all those Christmas tree needles in the back of your car, why not ask the trust to pick it up for you?

This campaign is eco-friendly and incredibly sustainable as the collected trees are chipped down and used back out in the local community at parks and play areas.

On Thursday, January 12th we will be collecting in B60, B61, B80, B96, B97, B98, Barnt Green, Alvechurch, Feckenham and Inkberrow.

Due to high demand, we have allowed four days for the collections, so we also have Friday and Saturday to collect. All you need to do is register for a collection and we will pick up your tree from your area.

The trust receives no statutory funding so relies heavily on support from the local community, supporters, and fundraisers.

Your support this Christmas will be supporting our fight against childhood cancer and will help us to continue to offer our vital services that are very much needed in your local community.

Find out more about our festive fundraising and how you can get involved at www.gkcct.org/ festivefundraising

For more information email contact@gkcct.org or call 01905 885777.

Get your 2023 off to a green start with Primrose Hospice

Faye was very close to her aunty and they used to enjoy lots of activities together like drama, dancing and gymnastics.

“When my aunty died it felt like I was closed off and didn’t want to know anybody,” said Faye.

“I felt like I couldn’t communicate properly as I could always talk to Mary and open up to her.”

Faye has received bereavement support from our Family Support Team which has helped her to come to terms with the changes in her life. Through her sessions she has made a special memory box with photos and memories of her family which she can look back on in years to come.

Since receiving support Faye has since gone on to do some volunteering in our Redditch charity shop.

“Coming to Primrose has built my confidence back up and the care team I work with have noticed the positive changes in me since coming to Primrose.

Having support and volunteering at the shop feels like a massive achievement in my life. I’m hoping one day to find a job I can do at Primrose,” she added.

Unfortunately, there are lots more people who, like Faye, would benefit from bereavement support. That’s where Completely Bromsgrove readers come in. Did you know £15 could pay for one family support session?

This Christmas why not support Primrose by signing up for our new Treecycle event. We can take away the hassle of your first job of 2023 by recycling your Christmas tree in return for a small donation to Primrose Hospice. We will be collecting in: B60, B61, B80, B96, B97, B98, B45, WR9, Alvechurch, Feckenham and Inkberrow.

To book your collection visit: www. primrosehospice.org/events/treecycle

For more information, call 01527 889796 or email events@primrosehospice.org

When Faye’s mum and aunty Mary died, she came to Primrose Hospice & Family Support Centre in Bromsgrove for support around coping with her bereavement after a dramatic change in her life.

Faye with her memory box

Spectacular evening of dinner and drama at Avoncroft

If you fancy a change from the typical Christmas party, treat yourself to a spectacular evening of dinner and drama at Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove on Friday, December 16th.

Avoncroft has teamed up with Oddsocks Productions, one of the UK’s best-loved theatre companies, to present a three-course feast with an immersive performance of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. At this special event, fabulous food is only half the story.

This will be an evening to remember for families, friends and work colleagues. The setting is Avoncroft’s New Guesten Hall with its magnificent 14th century roof. Start your evening with a seasonal pre-dinner drink, then sit down for your meal and enjoy Shakespeare as you have never experienced him before. A pay bar will be available throughout the evening.

Oddsocks are renowned for their sparkling performances of Shakespeare’s plays that thrill and entertain audiences. Twelfth Night is one of the most popular comedies and includes an epic love triangle, a case of mistaken identity and a maid with attitude. With a toe-tapping Britpop playlist, “if music be the food of love, play on”.

Museum director Zoe Willems said: “Avoncroft Museum has hosted Oddsocks for their very successful summer outdoor theatre for many years – we’re delighted to partner with them to provide a unique theatrical dining experience, for something a little different in the run up to Christmas.”

Elli Mackenzie, creative producer of Oddsocks Productions, added: “Since our first open air theatre performance at Avoncroft in the summer of 2013, we have wanted to bring more to the museum, it is such a unique and welcoming venue. Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare’s most accessible, hilarious, and festive of plays and it adapts beautifully to a dining experience happening between courses.”

This is a fund-raising event to support Avoncroft Museum. Tickets cost £75 per person and must be purchased in advance before December 12th. View the menu and book your places at: www. avoncroft.org.uk/product/festive-thatricaldining-experience-16th-december-2022

An AGM fit for a queen!

Saturday 3rd December at 7.00pm Lickey Hills Art Society, will be holding their AGM at Longbridge Methodist Church, 1654/8 Bristol Road South, Longbridge, Rednal, Birmingham B45 9TY

Following the AGM refreshments will be served and a raffle of original artworks by Richard Crabtree, Mike Skidmore plus a little something for Christmas!

Our special guest speaker is Lynda Sharpe a costume designer and re enactor who is coming to give a talk entitled Propaganda Portraits of Queen Elizabeth 1st and their symbolic meanings.

Lynda will come dressed as queen Elizabeth 1st and you will be invited to take photos of her to paint ready for 2023 February painting challenge.

Lynda gave LHAS a talk about the Peaky Blinders back in 2019 which was a very entertaining evening so I do hope you can make it.

Looking forward to seeing you all on 3rd December, please note we are meeting earlier at 7.00pm Members £1.00 visitors £5.00

Christmas celebrations at Bromsgrove Flower Club

Come and join us at Bromsgrove Flower Club on Thursday, December 8th for our special Christmas celebrations.

This will be our last meeting of the year, so members and visitors can enjoy Christmas refreshments on arrival and a short Annual General Meeting. The AGM will be followed by a floral demonstration by our surprise demonstrator who will give us ideas for our own decorations.

The demonstrator’s arrangements will be included as prizes in our grand Christmas raffle. You will also be able to pick up the programme details and a membership form for 2023.

Throughout the year, Bromsgrove Flower Club meets every third Thursday of the month at 2pm at All Saints Church Hall, Burcot Lane, Bromsgrove, B60 1AF. We welcome both old friends and new members.

Entrance fee is £3 for members and £7 for visitors. Members are reminded that there are no competitions at the December meeting. We meet again on February 16th 2023. Keep a look out for more details about future meetings in Completely Bromsgrove

For more info, visit www.bromsgroveflowerclub.org.uk or www.facebook.com/bromsgroveflowerclub

Arrangements by Tammy Kefford

by Kay Morse

See nature in a new light at safari park’s lantern festival

West

Returning for its second year, the park will open its gates to evening guests for selected dates over the Christmas period, until January 8th 2023.

With 50 different lighting scenes, all the lanterns, projectors and interactive displays have a flora and fauna theme, including a spectacular safari, towering dinosaurs and snow-covered winter wonderland.

The new trail runs from the entrance to the park, down to Boj’s Giggly Park playground, then back towards Spring Grove House, finishing in the gardens of the Georgian manor house.

As Lantern Festival coincides with the park’s popular Santa Safari event, guests will be met with a snowy winter wonderland in the Discovery Trail, complete with photo points, snow projectors and Christmas trees.

The Twilight Cave, Creepy Crawlies, Aquarium and Reptile House will also be open to guests, allowing them to see what some of the smaller animals get up to, at night-time.

In Boj’s Giggly Park is a new interactive piano and a nature projector, where animals move away from where children are stepping on the ground.

Additionally, the park’s food and beverage outlets will be open, offering a wide range of eat-in and takeaway options, such as hot dogs, burgers, pizza and nachos and children will be able to purchase their own illuminated, light-up toys from the gift shops.

A variety of ticketing options are available for Lantern Festival, including an evening ticket which includes seeing Santa and an Ultimate Winter Ticket which includes a day visit to Santa Safari, all the animal attractions, talks and shows, then Lantern Festival on the evening.

Tickets can be booked in advance via the park’s website, where guests can also see the calendar of events: www.wmsp.co.uk/tickets

Lantern Festival runs on selected dates, from 5pm until 8.30pm. Adventure Theme Park rides are not open during the winter season.

Find out more on the official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/WestMidSafari

Midland Safari Park is getting ready to host its spectacular Lantern Festival event and this year there is a new route and theme.

by Tony Turpin & Vecteezy.com

Muchloved festive fixture in OSJ calendar returns

Music from the beloved Christmas film The Snowman will return to Bromsgrove’s St John’s Church for the first time since 2019.

In two back-to-back performances, The Orchestra of St John will play the concert version of The Snowman, including Walking In The Air and other catchy tunes from the adaptation of Raymond Briggs’ classic picture-book, at the Kidderminster Road church on Saturday, December 17th.

Due to the huge popularity of previous Snowman concerts, there will be two performances, at 4.30pm and 6.30pm.

The orchestra welcomes back Kevin Ward –Bromsgrove’s Town Crier – to bring the story to life as the narrator. Another well-known local, artist Tony Turpin, has created the artwork for the posters.

The programme will feature a choir of children from Astwood Bank Primary School and will also include music from Disney’s Frozen, Sleigh Ride by Delius, and other Christmas favourites for the whole family. The performances will be relaxed and suitable for the very youngest upwards.

Conductor, Richard Jenkinson said: “We are delighted to be back performing this much-loved fixture in the Orchestra’s calendar. How could it be Christmas without The Snowman? We look forward to seeing you there.”

Hot chocolate will be for sale, and there will be a chance to have a selfie with a giant inflatable snowman and to take part in a raffle.

Tickets are £8 for adults in advance, or £10 on the door. Under 16s go free. Buy your tickets soon to avoid disappointment. All seats unreserved.

Tickets are available from www.priorbooking. com/u/orchestrastjohn or from Decanter Spirit in Bromsgrove High Street.

Proceeds from the concert will be shared with St John’s Church and the Friends of St John’s for the Spire Appeal. £300,000 is needed to rebuild the top section of the spire on Bromsgrove’s iconic and ancient church building.

Illustrations

Festive Fairfield’s full

K

ick-start the festive season with feel-good movie Mrs Harris Goes to Paris (PG) on Sunday, December 11th at 7.30pm. .

Produced in partnership with the House of Dior, the film tells the story of a widowed cleaning lady in 1950s London who falls madly in love with a couture Dior dress and decides that she must have one of her own. After she works, starves and gambles to raise the funds to pursue her dream, she embarks on an adventure to Paris which will change not only her own outlook, but the future of the House of Dior.

There are three films for Twixmas, starting with Emily the Match Girl (U) on Tuesday, December 27th at 11am.The film is based on the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairytale The Little Match Girl, with the voices of David Bradley and Lesley Joseph. It was screened during the October half-term break and the storyline, animation, music and songs were rated brilliant by the audience.

Following the death of her grandmother, Emily is taken to the local match factory where Harry ‘the match maker’ and his wife Mary exploit children, selling their matches in exchange for lodgings and a warm meal. On Christmas Eve, Emily struggles to sell enough

matches to keep Harry and Mary happy; and what money she has made is lost in a drain. Deciding to stay out, to avoid any punishment, Emily strikes a match to keep warm.The matches take her on a magical journey, eventually reuniting her with her grandmother.

In the meantime, Emily’s new friend Anna decides to leave the match factory in the middle of the night in search of Emily. On her journey she teams up with Richard, a wellto-do young gentleman who has ambitions to help the children after learning of their treatment.Will Harry and Mary get away with their business endeavour and will the other children be saved?

Inspired by one of the most beloved British family films of all time, The Railway Children Return (PG) is an enchanting and heart-warming adventure for a new generation. As life in Britain’s cities becomes increasingly perilous, three evacuee children — Lily, Pattie and Ted Watts — are sent by their mother from Salford to the Yorkshire village of Oakworth in 1944.

There to meet them on the platform are Bobbie Waterbury (Jenny Agutter, reprising her iconic role in the original film), her daughter, Annie (Sheridan Smith), and grandson Thomas (Austin Haynes), and with their help the evacuees are soon settling into their new life. When the children discover injured American soldier Abe (KJ Aikens), hiding out in the railyard at Oakworth station, they are thrust into a dangerous quest to assist their new friend who, like them, is a long way from home. Screen time is 2.30pm on Wednesday, December 28th.

Even superheroes have pets, in DC League of Super-Pets (PG) on Thursday, December 29th at 11am. Krypto the Super-Dog and Superman League of Super-Pets are inseparable best friends, sharing the same superpowers and fighting crime in Metropolis side by side. When Superman and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto must convince a rag-tag shelter pack– Ace the hound, PB the potbellied pig, Merton the turtle and Chip the squirrel –to master their own newfound powers and help him rescue the superheroes.

range of family flicks

On New Year’s Eve we step back to the era of platform shoes and flares as we screen a screwball comedy and music from the 1970s. What’s Up Doc (U) is a 1972 romantic comedy where the accidental mix-up of four identical plaid overnight bags leads to a series of increasingly wild and wacky situations. The film, starring Ryan O’Neal and Barbara Streisand, will certainly help you see out the year with a laugh. The entertainment starts at 9pm and admission includes a light buffet.

Live seasonal sounds for all music tastes!

AChristmaspudding of melodic folk, sophisticated jazz with a touch of pop and contemporary tunes is on the menu on Saturday, December 3rd at 8pm courtesy of Katy Rose Bennett and David Freja .

Katy Rose has been writing and performing her idiosyncratic brand of folk for over 20 years. David is a singer/songwriter with deep meaningful words at the heart of the melody and is influenced by Neil Young, Radiohead, Nick Drake, Nick Crave, Portishead and Sigur Ros. Admittance is £8 (advanced) and £10 (on the door).

Fairfield Flicks is located at Fairfield Village Hall and there is free parking and a licenced bar. For information and advanced tickets for all events, visit www.fairfieldflicks.org.uk

Santa and sunshine at FeckenOdeon this winter

FeckenOdeon Cinema Society in Feckenham has lined up three winter warmers for cinemagoers in December and January.

The festive offering on Friday, December 9th at 8pm is Christmas & Co (15). Christmas Eve is right around the corner when everything goes haywire. Santa’s 92,000 elves all keel over, sick as dogs, which is a harsh blow to jolly old St Nick. Now who’ll make the toys for all the kids all around the world? Santa and his reindeer must go to earth in search of a cure. But once he gets there, Mr. Claus gets into even more trouble. Showing as part of the 2022 French Film Festival, this is great fun for adults but is not a children’s Christmas film.

Shirley Valentine (15) is being screened on Tuesday, December 27 at 7.30pm, a bit of Mediterranean sunshine to lighten up the dark days between Christmas and New Year. Pauline Collins plays a woman being driven to despair by a life of dull routine. When the chance of a trip to Greece comes along she grabs it with both hands - but gets a bit more than she bargained for when handsome local Tom Conti proves that life can be more than chips and egg. We’ll turn the heating up and there may be ouzo at the bar!

Tee off on Saturday, January 28th at 7.30pm with Phantom of the Open (12A). This is the story of the golfing world’s answer to Eddie the Eagle. Maurice Flitcroft, crane driver, dreamer and incurable optimist, is determined to scale the heights and win the 1976 British Golf Championships. His only handicap? He can’t play golf. Allegedly a true story, this tale has made a hugely entertaining film for golfers and non-golfers alike. Mark Rylance plays Maurice.

The FeckenOdeon is Feckenham’s community cinema based at Feckenham Village Hall, High Street, Feckenham, B96 6HN. Tickets for all FeckenOdeon films can be booked online through feckenodeon.co.uk, by phone on 0333 666 3366 or in person at The Rose & Crown and The Village Shop in Feckenham.

Live onstage on Saturday, December 10 at 7.30pm at Feckenham Village Hall is Jez Lowe’s That Snow Joke Jez Lowe’s annual Christmas tour has become quite a tradition in recent years, striking out from his native North East England to entertain audiences across the whole of the UK.

Award-winning songwriter Jez Lowe will be joined by his intrepid touring band so expect a musical feast of guitar, cittern, fretless bass, fiddle, melodeon, piano, whistles and their trademark harmony vocals. This year, the band invites special guest Benny Graham, actor and balladeer, to share the music, merriment and mirth of Christmas in the North-East. Part folk concert, part music-hall revue. Sing along, laugh along, and drive the cold winter away.

Tickets for live shows at Feckenham Village Hall are on sale at The Village Shop and The Rose & Crown. You can also book by phone (through TicketSource) on 0333 666 3366 or online at www.feckhall.org Live and Local aims to bring quality touring performances to rural locations and is sponsored by Arts Council England, Worcestershire County Council and Redditch Borough Council.

Love, legends & lullabies launch spring season

Bromsgrove Concerts’ spring season begins at Routh Hall, Bromsgrove School on Friday, January 27th at 7.30pm with female a capella vocal group

The group will perform Love, Legends and Lullabies, a diverse programme ranging from sacred medieval and Armenian motets to lilting folk ballads and lullabies. Throw into the mix Purcell, Scarlatti, MacMillan, Sandy Denny, Canadian mouth music and a comedy commission and you have something for everyone.

On February 17th at 7.30pm at the same venue, Michael Christian Durrant (guitar) and Jonathan Radford (saxophone) will perform Bartok’s Rumanian Folk Dances, Ciaren Farrell’s The Shannon Suite, Rodrigo’s Aranjuez, me pensée, PIazzolla’s Histoire du Tango and Falla’s Seven Popular Spanish Songs and Danse Espangnole No 1 (from La Vida Breve).

On Friday, March 31st at 7.30pm at Cobham Theatre, Bromsgrove Preparatory School, Callino String Quartet will perform Haydn’s String Quartet in C Op 33 No 3 ‘The Bird’, Helena Winkelman’s Papa Haydn’s Parrot (2016), Ian Wilson’s String Quartet No 6 ‘In fretta, in vento’ (2001) and Ravel’s String Quartet.

Originally formed in Ireland, the Callino Quartet first played for Bromsgrove Concerts in 2009 and have supported Irish composer Ian Wilson over the years. Helena Winkelman plays First Violin in the group. Her quartet was written as a ‘companion piece’ to Haydn’s Op 33 No 3. The Ravel, composed in 1903 in a classical four movement structure, offers both lyrical and playful themes.

Bromsgrove Concerts are delighted to be welcoming two distinguished artists: Michael Christian Durrant was acknowledged as a forerunner in the new generation of classical guitarists by BBC Radio 3 and saxophonist Jonathan Radford received a five-star review in BBC Music Magazine for his latest album The Saxophone Craze.

Birmingham Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble are the visitors to Routh Hall on Friday, March 17 at 7.30pm. The musicians return to perform three works that represent the very best of the chamber music repertoire.

Starting with the idyllic setting that is Appalachian Spring, by Copland, and finishing with a work of symphonic proportions by Richard Strauss, passing through France with Saint Saens’ glorious Septet for trumpet, piano and strings. Strauss’s Happy Workshop celebrates recovery from illness, appropriate for these times.

For general enquiries about Bromsgrove Concerts, call 07849 774529. To book, visit website www. bromsgrove-concerts. org.uk or buy tickets on the door. Tickets cost £22 (students and children free, discounts for multiple tickets available).

Papagena (pictured above).

Jonathan Radford

Michael Christian Durrant

Callino String Quartet

The strain of Christmas – A busy time for physios

Christmas for most of us is our busiest time of the year - bumper crowds at matches and the games come thick and fast. Depending when Christmas falls, you may get lucky and have a gaffer who gives you an extra day off but it has been known for us to train on both Christmas and New Year’s Eve. For most pro clubs, it will be turkey sandwiches and an overnight stay.

What is life like for the physio at Christmas? The festive fixture programme is a busy period but this season is slightly different with two games compared to the usual four in seven days. Christmas Eve falls on a Saturday giving us a break from the usual routine with no fixture scheduled. But it’s back to it on Boxing Day with a local derby away to Stourbridge. It’s similar on New Year’s Eve but we do get the chance to enjoy the celebrations slightly as we don’t play until January 2nd at home to Stratford Town.

You tend to get more injuries with losing teams but football is an emotive business. The role of the physio is as much a psychological prop as anything else. The present fixture list is congested enough but had today’s professionals played 40 years ago then December 25th would have been matchday. Most games would take place in the morning ready for players to be home in time for the groaning table.

Long term injuries are not affected by the concentration of games. It is the running repairs, knocks and strains which are not helped over the holiday period. The trivial injuries get our attention. If a player has a broken leg, he has his surgery and it’s a case of going to the gym and ‘I’ll see you later.”

The problems for a physio are heightened at intense periods like Christmas. Easter is almost worse because by then the minor injuries have accumulated and worsened. A keenness to carry on with slight injuries can often backfire. If the physio does not put his foot down players will carry on with a slight strain, feel sore after the game then reappear three days later. Several weeks of that and then... snap.

The desire especially for smaller clubs to make sure players are fit for crucial games can cause friction between a manager and his physio. It’s a real problem trying to squeeze more games out of smaller squads. We have to stay neutral and do what is best for the club. If that means not allowing a player to play because it is too risky, then so be it. But at the same time, we do everything we can so the manager has as many fit players as possible for each game.

While essential services keep watch, nurses and doctors are on duty and the world ticks over like an idle car engine. Sport however asks for maximum commitment and full throttle effort.

The idea of a Christmas break is a hot topic of discussion. The job of a physio would probably be made easier by a winter break but the practicalities of it are difficult. It is a lucrative period for attendances often increase and clubs would be unwilling to lose that revenue.

Yet while the crowd becomes mellow on the festive atmosphere, to the players the prospect of Christmas is as enthralling as it was to Scrooge. As a colleague of mine once said: “Christmas comes at the end of May!”

by Gavin Blackwell

While the rest of the country sits down to a festive feast on December 25th, footballers’ minds will be focused on avoiding a stuffing, rather than eating it, in their quest for three points.

Improvements at Bromsgrove Sporting

Green shoots of improvement for Bromsgrove Sporting

Following the departure of manager Thomas Baillie in October, team captain and centre-back Mike McGrath was asked to take on the manager’s role temporarily until an appointment could be made.

However, with results improving and the squad setting down well, it was decided to make McGrath’s position permanent. Supporting him is Andy Mason returning to the role of assistant manager that he held under Brendan Kelly. Also in the dugout will be West Bromwich Albion legend Richard Sneekes, who is appointed coach along with Adam Marusiak, who has returned to the club as goalkeeping coach.

On the field, results did not start that well for the new man at the helm with defeats against Ilkeston Town and Mickleover but since then the Rouslers have gained a win and a couple of draws leaving them reasonably comfortable in mid-table.

Following the departure of manager Thomas Baillie in October, team captain asked to take on the manager's role temporarily until an appointment could However, with results improving and the squad setting down well, it was permanent. Supporting him is Andy Mason returning to the role of assistant Kelly. Also in the dugout will be West Bromwich Albion legend Richard Sneekes, Adam Marusiak, who has returned to the club as goalkeeping coach. On the field, results did not start that well for the new man at the helm with Mickleover but since then the Rouslers have gained a win and a couple of comfortable in mid table.

Additions to the squad are Mo Njie from Alfreton Town, Brandon Smalley from Yate Town, who scored on his debut, while Kai Lissimore and Jack Tolley have joined on loan from Kidderminster Harriers.

Additions to the squad are Mo Njie from Alfreton Town, Brandon Smalley while Kai Lissimore and Jack Tolley have joined on loan from Kidderminster Fixtures until the beginning of next year are shown below though games so a check on the club's website is recommended.

Fixtures until the beginning of next year are shown below though games can get called off or changed at short notice so a check on the club’s website is recommended.

Sat 3 Dec 3:00 PM H Rushall Olympic

Sat 10 Dec 3:00 PM A St Ives Town Sat 17 Dec 3:00 PM H Needham Market Mon 26 Dec 3:00 PM A Stourbridge Mon 2 Jan 3:00 PM H Stratford Town Sat 7 Jan 3:00 PM A Hitchin Town

Bromsgrove Sporting Ladies continue to do well, having now won five of their six league matches and they are still in the County Cup. Plans are also being drawn up to expand the number of girls’ teams operating under the club’s umbrella next season allowing progression from under fives up to senior level. Details will be announced shortly.

Bromsgrove Sporting Ladies continue to do well, having now won five of the County Cup Plans are also being drawn up to expand the number of umbrella next season allowing progression from under fives up to senior

The Veterans' team are top of their division having only dropped a couple The Bromsgrove Sporting website can be found at www.bromsgrovesporting.co.uk

The Veterans’ team are top of their division having only dropped a couple of points in six matches.

The Bromsgrove Sporting website can be found at www. bromsgrovesporting.co.uk and enquiries can be sent to hello@bromsgrovesporting.co.uk

There is also a new Facebook page, Fans of Bromsgrove Sporting with plenty of information about what is going on at the club and you can follow Sporting on Twitter @SportingFC

Photos by Chris Jepson

Player/Manager Mike McGrath

by Phil Baker