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Issue 74

July 2025

Completely

Bromsgrove

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Completely Bromsgrove

3

Welcome to the July issue of

Completely Bromsgrove

W

ell, summer is cer tainly upon us. The sun continues to shine and temperatures are rising!

This time of year is associated with county shows and we are delighted to bring you great ‘moos’ from the recent Three Counties Show in Malvern.

The Monk family of Lizzie’s Farm’s three-year-old home bred Highland heifer Eilidh enjoyed double success, being named female champion and breed champion. Many congratulations from the team here at Completely Bromsgrove and we wish the family ever y success at the Hanbur y Countr yside Show on Saturday, July 5th.

Staying on the theme of high achievers, turn to page 28 for a full round up of the National Champion Town Criers competition. Move on to page 34 to find out more about this year’s entrants and winners of The Bromsgrove International Young Musicians competition.

6

Contents

15

6 MPs Message 8 Rail Matters 10 Bus Service Returns 12 Gardening 14 Worcs Wildlife Trust 15 Lizzies Farm Win 16 Lib Dem’s 17 Butchers Block 7 Years 18 B’grove Care Home/ Jinney Ring Centre Retire

Very best wishes Michele Ford

28 40

20 Inheritance Tax 21 The Basement Project 22 Beating the Bounds 26 Health 28 Town Crier Competition 30 History 31 Astronomy 32 Travel - Alaska 34 Young Muscian Awards 35 Scouts Award 36 Public Speaking

Completely

Bromsgrove Tel: 07948 086870 Email: completelybromsgrove@gmail.com

4 Completely Bromsgrove

And last, but cer tainly not least, congratulations go to Charlie Harris of Lickey and Blackwell Scout Group who has received the prestigious Young Leader award. Well done ever yone, such fantastic results for Bromsgrove and the surrounding area.

Our final shoutout is to aspiring female rugby stars of all ages. International rugby player Danielle Jordan-Taft and Bromsgrove’s very own Sewing Bee Jenniffer Taylor are joining forces to encourage more women and girls to try rugby through Inner Warrior and #LoveRugby camps. Full details can be found on page 44.

So folks, let’s all enjoy the amazing events that are happening across our region this summer and remember, use it or lose it!

37 Words 38 B’grove Flower Club/ Lickey End Social Club 39 Hikkaduwa Village Fund/St John’s Church 40 Bromsgrove Arts 41 FeckenOdeon 42 Drive Time 44 Womens Rugby 45 Bromsgrove Sporting FC 46 Avoncroft Cricket Club

Visit our Instagram or Facebook page and leave a comment, we would love to hear from you. www.facebook.com/completelybromsgrove

Sales: Michele Ford Tel: 07948 086870 Design: Matt Walton Design The contents of Completely Bromsgrove magazine are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Completely Bromsgrove magazine.

Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but Completely Bromsgrove magazine cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.

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5

A message from our MP

2

025 is whizzing by and this month marks one year since I was first elected as your Member of Parliament.

It’s the honour of my life to serve you and not a moment goes by where I don’t think about how lucky I am to represent such a beautiful constituency.

Since my election last July, I’ve been focused on delivering on the promises I made in My Plan for Bromsgrove and the Villages. Working together, I’m determined to deliver real results and fresh investment for our wonderful constituency to ensure it remains a great place to live, work and visit.

One of my top priorities is to improve local GP and hospital access. In the past year I’ve been able to secure 7,000 extra GP appointments, and I’m really pleased there has been a ‘good uptake’ in the face-to-face appointments that are available.

I’ve also focused in my first year on improving local transport. A key part of this work has been to back the Midlands Rail Hub which will bring benefits to rail users.

The hub will allow for an additional cross city train to run each hour to and from Bromsgrove, giving a regular three trains per hour cross city service from Bromsgrove into Birmingham. Barnt Green and Alvechurch, will also benefit from the proposals too.

I’ve also lobbied for the £7.5 million

6 Completely Bromsgrove

accessibility improvements at Barnt Green station and met with Network Rail to find a long-term solution to the ongoing car park flooding saga at Alvechurch station.

The past year has also reinforced my view of just how much the countryside underpins our identity – after all, our constituency is 89% green belt.

Last July I vowed to fight against inappropriate green belt development to protect our rural way of life – and I’ve been doing just that. Whether that’s opposing the solar farm and battery energy storage system in Weatheroak, the battery energy storage system in Hunnington or Groveley Garden Village in the north of the constituency, I’ve stuck to my word and stood with residents.

And before I hit the word limit, let me quickly run through what else I’ve done in the past year.

I voted against the cuts to winter fuel payments, as well as voted against the Family Farm Tax, the Jobs Tax, the Education Tax and the Boiler Tax. I voted for a full national inquiry into grooming gangs and for a legal annual immigration cap.

I will always stand up for Bromsgrove and the Villages and vote in the best interests of our constituency – and that’s what I’ll continue to do in the years ahead.

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Completely Bromsgrove

7

www.bromsgroverail.org.uk

Time for some TLC

for Bromsgrove station O

ne hundred and 85 years ago on June 24th 1840, the original Bromsgrove Station, at the base of the famous Lickey Incline, was opened by the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway - in those days passengers could travel directly to Gloucester!

Its current four platform successor, the only one operated by the West Midlands Rail Executive (the rail subsidiar y of the West Midlands Combined Authority) and the one which should be WMRE’s flagship station, was opened in July 2016. As of April 1st 2024 it had an annual footfall of 591,650 passengers.

trains and, as a result, par ticularly in the late afternoons and early evenings on weekdays, the roadways alongside the bus shelters, and the shelters themselves, become congested with waiting cars. BARRUP has proposed a possible solution of making the eight bays opposite the electric charging spaces shor t stay parking bays.

Nearly nine years on, there are several issues with the station which need resolving, and earlier this month members of BARRUP had a meeting at the station with the new West Midlands Stations Alliance Manager to bring these to his attention.

The reliability of the parking ticket machines requires addressing, as passengers are frustrated tr ying to use them on a regular basis, and the delayed introduction of ANPR for the car parks needs to be speeded up.

Urgent action is required regarding the severe rusting across all three flights of stairs, resulting in them being both visually unattractive and possibly structurally concerning.

Two new bus shelters, promised in September 2021 by Worcestershire County Council, need to be installed and then configured so that one ser ves all the buses on the six different ser vices to Bromsgrove Town Centre Bus Station, with appropriate signage, and the other one ser ves all other destinations, again well signed.

At least one additional intermediately located platform shelter is required on each of the two island platforms, par ticularly now that the Cross City Line ser vices are all six carriage formations.

Currently, the toilet is open only when the ticket office is open. It is not open all of the time when passengers are using the station, and some way needs to be found of ensuring that it can be.

There is insufficient shor t stay car parking for people collecting passengers from the arriving

8 Completely Bromsgrove

There are also issues with the security of cycles left at the station, and with the lack of signage to the pedestrian gate in the bottom car park.

BARRUP will pursue these issues with the WMRE and the County Council.

by Nick Taylor, memsec@bromsgroverail.org.uk

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Direct bus service to Brum

makes welcome return A

fter an absence of just over three years, Bromsgrove now has a direct bus ser vice to Birmingham city centre.

The new hourly X20 ser vice, operated by National Express West Midlands (NXWM), provides a crucial link to the second city for residents on the nor th side of Bromsgrove, who are less well ser ved by Bromsgrove’s train station.

from the city centre and between 6.40am and 8.05pm from Bromsgrove bus station, Monday to Friday. A similar ser vice operates on Saturday with the hourly ser vice on a Sunday offering double the frequency of the previous 20 Sunday ser vice.

The new service follows a similar route to the previous 20 service between Bromsgrove and Northfield, passing through Sidemoor, Lowes Hill, Catshill, Marlbrook, Rubery, Rednal and Longbridge.

Fares are £3 (£1.50 for a child) for a single journey and £5.50 (£2.80 for a child) for a day ticket (that can be used on all NXWM buses). There are a host of other outer zone tickets available including a group (up to five people) day ticket for £9.70 and a ten-day ticket bundle for £45 which offers flexible travel. All tickets can be purchased on the mTickets app; single and day tickets are available on the bus (cash, contactless or via a Swift card).

From Nor thfield, the route continues through Shenley Fields before passing within a few hundred yards of the QE Hospital, where the previous 20 ser vice terminated. The X20 then follows the routes of the X21 and X22 ser vices past the University of Birmingham and on into the city centre, calling at Birmingham New Street and terminating at Birmingham Old Square.

Ser vices run hourly seven days a week.

Operating times are between 5.25am and 7.35pm

10 Completely Bromsgrove

Whether you want to take the stress out of commuting, save on fuel and parking costs, or travel more sustainably, this new service offers improved connectivity between Bromsgrove and Birmingham.

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11

GARDENING

Be inspired by Grown Not Flown ethos

Tansy

I

heard a great quote recently, Grown Not Flown. We loved the phrase and will be promoting it in future. Maybe we can all use it when we load up our weekly shopping trolleys.

Most supermarket garlic hails from China so how about buying one clove of garlic and then splitting it up and planting it in a pot. It’s a bit early to do this as garlic likes to be hit by frost to promote growth, but it might be a bit of fun for the kids to plant over the school holidays.

Check where flowers are from when you buy them too. Did they fly halfway across the world to get onto your windowsill? Star t planning nice blooms for next year and be proud that you saved the air miles.

Among the plants we don’t eat anymore is skirret, which tastes like a cross between parsnip and carrot that we ate in abundance before potatoes made it across the pond. At Stoke Road allotments, we are tr ying it for the first time so we will let you know later in the year how we get on.

Another plant to consider is tansy, a perennial herbaceous plant and a great companion to deter pests from potatoes.

Jobs for July: Prune willow trees and put them in water to grow more free willow trees. Willow can be

12 Completely Bromsgrove

woven to make pea and bean stakes and look lovely when the tops star t growing again.

Dandelion leaves can be added to salads, and they grow for free. Many decades ago, they were eaten all the time but now have a reputation as a weed which is a shame as they taste good.

Save hollyhock seed heads and put them in a labelled envelope for next spring (more free plants)! If you don’t have any speak nicely to someone who has them and star t your own generation of tall beauties.

Keep dead heading sweet peas to keep them flowering for longer.

Watering pots will now be essential as the poor plants will be ver y thirsty, and they will show their appreciation by keeping your plants safe and happy while waiting for rainfall.

Keep enjoying the birdsong as the blackbirds sing all day long and sitting in the garden on a sunny afternoon will keep the smile on your face.

Happy gardening ever yone!

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13

Tiny tots Harvest mouse by Amy Lewis

H

arvest mice – the tiny tots of the mouse world. We thought they were really scarce but now we’re finding that they may be more common than we thought.

It’s funny how the everyday escapes our notice.

Some of the most common species are the most under-recorded. Sparrows, for example, were once so common that Worcestershire’s bird recorders never bothered to note down when they’d seen some.

Whilst their numbers have declined, research is showing that har vest mice might not be quite as scarce as we once believed. They really are tiny tots; full grown adults weigh in at just 6gm (that’s less than a 2p coin and half the weight of a hefty house mouse). They’re a beautiful gingery colour with tails as long as their bodies. The tails are prehensile, acting like a fifth limb to help them cling to grass stems as they move around. Their nests consist of a ball of woven grasses wound amongst stalks of grass, crops, reeds or brambles and are the most complex built by any British mammal. These nests are only 10cm in diameter so, along with their small size, you can begin to see why they’re very rarely spotted or recorded.

They star t breeding in May, producing two or three litters a year, each with about five or six youngsters. By the time you read this, they’re probably onto litter two or three – youngsters are independent at just two weeks old. They face a hard life and, as with many small mammals, they rarely live beyond 12-14 months. Almost everything eats them if they can find them and the modern world doesn’t help either. We flail our hedges and overmanage our verges, giving them little vegetation to build a nest amongst. Modern farm machinery moves quickly and doesn’t give them chance to escape and the widespread use of pesticides adds another threat to the mix. Farm stewardship schemes have helped by encouraging farmers to

14 Completely Bromsgrove

leave rough, grassy margins to fields or managing areas more sensitively. Long grass around the edges where grassland meets woodland, scrub, arable fields or wetlands is perfect harvest mouse habitat.

Members of Worcestershire Mammal Group have been trained, and have trained others, to search for harvest mouse nests (below) – the best way of surveying for their presence. Their abandoned summer nests are most easily found in the winter so intrepid volunteers head out into long grass on the hunt for a woven bundle of grasses about the size of a tennis ball.

And they’ve been finding them in many more places than expected – great news for the UK’s smallest rodent.

Nest by Eleanor Reast

Keep up to date with us...

- X x.com/WorcsWT - Instagram instagram.com/worcswt/ - on Facebook facebook.com/worcestershirewildlifetrust - on Bluesky bsky.app/profile/worcswt.bsky.social - on YouTube youtube.com/c/WorcswildlifetrustUK1

by Wendy Carter, Worcestershire Wildlife Trust

Show-stopping Highland cattle bring joy to owners A

Bromsgrove farming family were among the successes at the Three Counties Show in Malvern.

The Monk family at Lizzie’s Farm have kept a fold of pedigree Highland cattle for 27 years. Their first two Highlands were a gift from John to his wife Valerie for their 25th wedding anniversar y.

Since then, they have enjoyed taking them to many different shows, locally and as far afield as the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells, and they have celebrated many successes over the years.

The event at the Three Counties Showground was Eilidh’s first time away from the farm. A threeyear-old Highland heifer, she was born and reared at Lizzie’s Farm. She won her class and then went on to win female champion and breed champion.

Lizzie Monk said: “We are ver y proud of Eilidh, she behaved wonderfully for her first show. She took it all in her stride and seemed to really enjoy all the pampering and attention she received.

“I know we might be slightly biased, but we think she is gorgeous. The judge was looking for a beast exhibiting the best characteristics of the breed and she has those in abundance.”

Lizzie was also showing Louis, a two-year-old black bull, who came second in his class.

Chadwich Fold has grown considerably over the past two decades and there are now just under one hundred Highlands on the farm. They are often seen as a landmark as people travel up and down the M5 and see the majestic looking animals grazing in the surrounding fields.

The Highland cattle and other friendly animals are enjoyed by the many visitors to Lizzie’s Farm. Admission is free but she asks that visitors use the tearoom, farm shop and gift shop. Farmer John also runs Highland cow experiences, which you can book to get up close and personal with these wonderful animals.

You can also see Lizzie and Eilidh later this summer at the Hanbur y Show, Burwar ton in Shropshire and Moreton Show in the Cotswolds.

Lizzie’s Farm at Chadwich Manor Farm, Redhill Lane, Bromsgrove, B61 0QG is open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sundays from 10am to 4pm.

Completely Bromsgrove

15

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Local development plan is ‘wrong’ for Bromsgrove B

romsgrove Liberal Democrats have hit out at the ruling Conservatives for bringing forward an unsuitable local development plan for consultation in Bromsgrove.

The group has criticised the plan for not considering the pressure on the town’s infrastructure of 2,570 new homes, not sharing enough new housing with other parts of the district and for proposing a ‘Grafton Manor new town’ in the longer term.

The plan seeks residents’ views on the best places in the district to build new homes over the next 15 years. The Government has increased Bromsgrove’s housing targets so that it now has to find land for an additional 9,280 homes over the next 15 years, almost all of which have to be built in previously protected green belt.

Lib Dems say they want to see more genuinely affordable homes for local residents who need to get on the ladder but that the plan laid out is not fit for purpose, with too much new housing proposed for the town of Bromsgrove which is already creaking at the seams and not enough in other locations where there is better access to services.

Councillors are also concerned that the plan seeks more housing than is necessary to hit the Government’s higher targets.

The proposals put out to residents for consultation contain sites to meet the 9,280 homes requirement plus ‘an aspirational option for longer term growth, providing for large scale housing and employment

16 Completely Bromsgrove

development based on the provision of a new motorway junction at Grafton Manor and a new railway station in Stoke Prior. This plan dubbed the ‘Grafton Manor new town’ goes beyond the requirements set out by Government, proposing even more development in the longer term.

Councillor David Nicholl, who represents Avoncroft ward which would be heavily impacted by the proposal, said: ‘As far as I know nobody has asked for a Grafton Manor new town. I don’t understand what business the Conservatives have proposing this when it goes above and beyond the requirements laid out by central government.

“Furthermore, the council is about to be absorbed into a bigger council as part of local government reorganisation and so has absolutely no mandate to propose this unnecessary new town and the complete destruction of the historic setting of Grafton Manor.”

The Lib Dems have also asked for some relief for the town of Bromsgrove and for other areas of the district to have a fairer share of new housing.

Councillor James Clarke, who represents Sidemoor ward, asked officers to produce a map showing which areas of Bromsgrove had historically had more than their fair share of new housing and which areas had been neglected and had little or no development compared with the rest of the district.

Adver tisement Feature

Butcher’s Block prepare to celebrate

7 years in Bromsgrove!

A

ugust 1st sees the popular high street independent butchers celebrate 7 years with their annual charity event.

“Time certainly does fly when you’re having fun, and we aren’t quite sure where the past 7 years have gone,” states Michelle! “We love celebrating each year, and this year is no different”.

This year the ladies are again suppor ting The Basement Project, along with Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer and Sapcote Memorial Hub CIC (a charity they recently suppor ted at the Dance For Dementia event).

As well as this charity initiative, Lilith and Michelle have also so far raised £520 for local causes through their monthly roast dinners, held on the last Sunday of the month at ‘The Neighbourhood’ in Ruber y.

To raise money and celebrate 7 years in business, we will again be holding a raffle.

Lilith will be on Bromsgrove Market on Saturday 2nd August, exchanging her popular food for charitable donations.

53 High Street, Bromsgrove B61 8AJ Tel: 01527 570241

To be kept up to date with ever ything the ladies are doing in the community, follow them on Facebook @ butchersblockbromsgrove The only all female staffed butchers in the West Midlands!

Completely Bromsgrove

17

Bromsgrove care home honoured with award

A

luxur y all-inclusive care home in Bromsgrove has been recognised for its commitment to inclusive employment and suppor t of young people in education, receiving a prestigious award from Hear t of Worcestershire College.

Burcot Grange & Lodge, par t of the Berkley Care Group, was presented with the inclusive employer award at a graduation evening hosted by the college for its suppor ted internship programme.

The event, held at the Redditch campus, celebrated students who have completed their internships this year, including one who spent their placement at Burcot.

The award highlights the home’s dedication to nurturing and empowering young people with additional learning needs, helping them build confidence and workplace skills in a supportive environment.

Team members Vicky, Julie and Aileen accepted the award on behalf of Burcot, joining students, families, and fellow employers for the celebration.

Over the years, the internship programme has become a valued par t of life at Burcot Grange & Lodge, with many students going on to join the team as permanent members of staff.

General manager Vicky Osborne said: “We’re incredibly proud to receive this award, it means a great deal to us. Supporting students through their placements and seeing them grow in confidence is so rewarding.

“Our residents and team members all play a part in making our home a supportive, welcoming place for young people starting out in the world of work. We look forward to continuing our partnership with HOW College and welcoming more students in the future.”

New chapter for Jinney Ring as longstanding owners retire T he owners of the Jinney Ring Craft Centre in Hanbury will retire next year and close some par ts of the business.

From early 2026 the Farmhouse Restaurant, gift shop and gardens will no longer be open to the public, but some craft units may continue to trade and welcome visitors.

Until the end of this year all facilities and events will continue as normal. Anyone with Jinney Ring gift vouchers will be able to redeem them until December 31st.

Opened in 1980, the Jinney Ring was originally the creation of Richard and Jenny Greatwood. They retired in 2005 passing the baton to Amanda and Malcolm Sunter who have owned and managed the site for nearly 20 years.

Over the last two decades, the Sunters have had to adapt and change.

They have extended business activities to include concer ts, outdoor sculpture trails, par ties, wakes, wedding ceremonies and receptions.

Amanda said: “It has been a wonderful experience, but the time has come to retire, especially for Malcolm who is still very active in the business at almost 78 years old.

Running the restaurant and gift shop are big jobs and neither of us is getting any younger.

It will certainly be a wrench though as this has been such a huge part of our lives.

“We have worked with so many wonderful artists and craftspeople over the years, some of whom have been here longer than we have. Not to mention all the thousands of customers who’ve visited - we will certainly miss it.

“We would have much preferred to sell on the Jinney Ring in its entirety to someone younger, with new ideas and energy. Indeed, we had the business on the market prior to the pandemic, but without success,” she added.

For more information about Jinney Ring, visit www.jinneyring.co.uk

18 Completely Bromsgrove

Malcolm and Amanda Sunter

Completely Bromsgrove

19

The simple document that could save you thousands

B

rits have been warned that neglecting a cer tain document can often leave them paying thousands of pounds more in inheritance tax.

The aler t comes as HMRC released their latest inheritance tax receipts showing £7 billion was collected in the first 10 months of the 2024-25 financial year.

Over half of UK adults have not written a will, according to research from Canada Life. This includes 13% who state they have no intention to write one in the future.

A will can include specific provisions to help minimise tax liabilities. By incorporating taxefficient strategies into estate planning, people can safeguard their assets for future generations and prevent unnecessar y stress and even disputes for the administrators and beneficiaries of an estate. This could save them having to pay unnecessar y inheritance bills.

The Office for Budget Responsibility predicts that approximately one in ten deaths will incur inheritance tax by 2029-30. This is double the propor tion seen in 2023-24, meaning significantly more estates will face inheritance tax liabilities within a decade.

20 Completely Bromsgrove

Changes to inheritance tax rules star ting in 2027 will affect even more families. For the first time, Pension pots will be included in peoples estates for inheritance tax calculations. The Chancellor has also extended the freeze on nil rate bands (IHT allowances) until April 2030!

From April 2026, changes to business and agricultural property relief will impact estate planning.

The first £1m of combined business and agricultural assets can still be passed on tax-free, but any amount above this threshold will be taxed at 20 per cent.

The Will Par tners would encourage people to regularly assess the value of their estate, including up-to-date proper ty valuations. Estate planning can be complex, and seeking professional advice can help individuals navigate the rules, mitigate potential liabilities, and ensure they pass on as much wealth as possible. Call us on 01527 877313 to arrange an appointment.

New civic charity is lifeline for young people T

he Basement Project has been chosen as the civic charity by the newly elected chairman of Bromsgrove District Council, Councillor Sam Evans.

An independent local charity that helps young people under 25 with any issues or problems they are experiencing, The Basement Project is a safe, secure environment and offers some stability and guidance.

Councillor Evans said: “The charity plays a vital role in supporting some of the most vulnerable members of our local community, and I look forward to working closely with them to raise awareness and much-needed funds. I hope residents across the district will join me in supporting this important cause.”

Caleb Mallard, CEO of The Basement Project, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to Councillor Evans for choosing us.

“This support means so much — not only does it help raise vital funds, but it also shines a light on the challenges young people are facing and the importance of supporting their mental health and wellbeing. We’re looking forward to working together over the coming year to make a real difference in our community.”

The chairman will help to raise funds for his chosen charity at civic events across the district this year.

Tel: 01527 874526

149 Golden Cross Lane, Catshill, Bromsgrove, Worcs. B61 0JZ

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Completely Bromsgrove

21

Beating the Bounds

Walk No.1

TheTything Boundary of DODFORD in the Ancient Manor of Bromsgrove

Dodford was a Manor in its own right, but has been a part of the Manor of Bromsgrove since at least the 19th Century. This walk is great for the whole family, being both child and dog friendly, as it has possibly the shortest sec�on of road boundary of all theTythings. Do prepare carefully, however, as there are no shops and no other refreshment opportuni�es en-route if The Dodford Inn is not open.

Terrain: Narrow lanes, without pavements and off-road footpaths, at �mes extremely rough and muddy.

Parking – Roadside parking at foot of Nible�s Hill and Alfred’s Well, adjacent to our first marked footpath. ( * Prancing.le�.jaws) Alterna�vely, parking might be nego�ated with The Dodford Inn during opening hours. In this la�er case, begin your walk by turning right out of the car park onto Whinfield Road and right again onto Warbage Lane, before arriving at the star�ng point.

Open the what3words App. Terrain: Narrow lanes, without pavements and off-road footpaths, at

times extremely rough and muddy.

Introductory notes to these Tything walks can be found in the previous issue, or at:

Parking: Roadside parking at foot of Nibletts Hill and Alfred’s Well,

In the search box type ’///’ followed by the given words.

Completely '25 issue 73 issuu adjacent Bromsgrove to our first June marked footpath. ( by1 completelybromsgrove *Prancing.left.jaws) - Issuu

1

///prancing.le�.jaws

Alternatively, parking might be negotiated with The Dodford Inn during We recommend downloading the ‘What Three Words’ app opening hours. In this latter case, begin your walk by turning right out of the car park onto Whinfield Road and right again onto Warbage Lane, before arriving at the star ting point.

2

///deeds.usual.drilled

3

///buckling.revival.proves

4

///evaporate.salutes.cleans

Introductory notes to these Tything walks can be found in the previous issue, or at: Completely Bromsgrove June ‘25 issue 73 issuu by completelybromsgrove Issuu We recommend downloading the ‘What Three Words’ app

5

///fried.dressings.badly

6

///thrashed.supply.hazel

5 6

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4 3

2

22 Completely Bromsgrove

Walk – Dodford

Start and finish – Alfred’s Well/Nibletts Hill.

1

D

odford was a Manor in its own right, but has been a par t of the Manor of Bromsgrove since at least the 19th Century. This walk is great for the whole family, being both child and dog friendly, as it has possibly the shor test section of road boundary of all theTythings. Do prepare carefully, however, as there are no shops and no other refreshment oppor tunities en-route if The Dodford Inn is not open.

Follow signposted path for approximately 200m to a footbridge on the left. Cross the stream and up steps to top the opposite bank. Veer right to a gate, through a copse to reach another gate.

Again, veer right to a narrow field strip, then left to another gate. Continue straight, through the next gate into an open field. Turn half right aiming for the farmhouse at far right-hand corner, emerging on Fockbury Road. 2 Turn right, pass Dodford School, before right again along Priory Road. After a few hundred metres, pass Dodford Church then Tower House. Continue.

Turn left onto a waymarked footpath diagonally opposite Rose Lane. Follow this up the hill for approximately 50m to climb a stile on the left onto a broad track. 3 Turn right, through a farm gate, then left to a stile. Keep right along high field edge to a double stile in the top right-hand corner.

Turn right then bend left and follow the path to reach another stile and diagonally right to another.

Continue downhill in the same direction to yet another stile in the bottom right-hand corner.

Cross the footbridge on the left, ascend the shallow steps to a gate then, just past the first waymarker, veer right and right again at the path junction.

Follow a bending path for approximately 400m ignoring minor junctions and keeping to the same general heading. Through the trees come to see a large house, (Highwood Cottage), on the right, then, arriving at a T-junction, turn right to face the house and follow the path, bending left. Pass through the gate to a lane. 4

right. The gate from this field is in the right-hand corner behind a hawthorn tree. Ignore side paths and follow the route ahead. Towards the end, progress slightly downhill until there is a stream ahead. Turn left at a waymarker.

Follow for 100m, cross the footbridge, 6 climb the far-side steps and continue, reaching a lane.

Turn Left, back on Woodland Road. Follow the road to the end, turn right on Warbage Lane to return, after 1km, to your star ting point.

Start Point

Turn right to border the property. Continue to a gate, re-enter the woods and through another gate.

Emerge onto a more open path with woods left and a field right. Continue through the woods until you reach a lane. 5 Turn right and immediately right again, through a gate and back on yourself, to re-enter the woods.

Pass through another gate and as the path bends, look out for waymarkers. At the end of the woods, a gate leads to an open field. Keep to the left field margin to reach a three-way path junction, turn right to keep the hedge on your

Chartist Cottage

Completely Bromsgrove

23

Experts in care quality

With some of the highest regulatory ratings of any provider, families can enjoy peace of mind that their loved ones are expertly cared for.

If you’re considering a care home, call 01527 903 634 or visit careuk.com/chandler-court

Trusted to care Chandler Court care home Bromsgrove

24 Completely Bromsgrove

Advertising Feature

Bromsgrove care home is proud to be CQC rated ‘Good’ The CQC rating awarded by the Care Quality Commission recognises the person-centred approach and expert care at Care UK’s Chandler Court care home on Recreation Road in Bromsgrove.

Home Manager, Lilly Dahms, says, “It’s wonderful to have gained an overall ‘Good’ rating in ‘Safe’, ‘Effective’, ‘Caring’ and ‘Responsive’ categories.

It’s testament to our team’s hard work.”

Residents were keen to echo this feedback to the inspectors, commenting that they ‘couldn’t be in a better place’.

Person-centered care

“Moving your loved one into a care home can be a difficult decision, and we recognise the importance of feeling you’ve made the right choice,” says Lilly. “That’s why we were delighted to hear relatives’ feedback to the inspectors. Relatives commented on the safety of their loved one since moving into Chandler Court, and the reassurance they feel with the support of the team.”

“We’re proud of the person-centered care we provide to every resident,” explains Lilly, “and the report highlights our dedication to enabling residents to ‘live their lives according to their wishes and preferences’. The report praises our team for ‘interacting with people with kindness and respect’, observing a ‘calm and relaxed atmosphere’. Inspectors also emphasized that activities at Chandler Court ‘promoted independence, health and wellbeing’ whilst ‘people were supported to maintain relationships important to them.”

At Chandler Court, the team get to know your loved one like a member of their own family, supporting them to lead fulfilling lifestyles; whether it’s continuing a much-loved hobby, making new friends or achieving a lifelong goal.

Safety and reassurance, always

To find out more about the expert care at Chandler Court, call 01527 903 670.

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

Promoting choice and independence “At Chandler Court, we put your loved one at the heart of their care, supporting them to maintain independence and make choices around the way they’d like their care to be delivered,” says Lilly. “Our CQC inspection report highlights this, stating that ‘People’s care and support plans guided staff on how to promote their independence, choice and control’.

Completely Bromsgrove

25

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Sea, sun and sand:

Coping with holiday stress S

ummer is here and you may be jetting off to exotic places in search of sunshine, sea, and adventure. But as relaxing as holidays are meant to be, the lead up can bring more stress than serenity. From checking if passpor ts are up to date, to booking the dog or cat into kennels, packing, planning, and purchasing travel essentials, it’s no surprise many feel overwhelmed before they even leave the house.

Even for those staying in the UK, the unpredictability of the British weather can add its own layer of anxiety. What clothes should you pack? Will it rain all week? And if you’re travelling by car, there’s the worry about breakdowns and making sure everything is in perfect working order.

This kind of pre-holiday stress is incredibly common. In fact, the preparation phase of a trip often involves dozens of decisions, financial planning, and logistical coordination, which can leave us feeling frazzled.

So how can we manage this stress to ensure our holiday is the relaxing break we so desperately need?

Plan ahead - A good way to reduce anxiety is to prepare in advance. Create a checklist weeks before depar ture to avoid that last-minute panic. Include ever ything from booking confirmations and pet care to packing lists and medication. Spacing tasks out over time will make them feel more manageable.

That said, it’s also impor tant to embrace a flexible mindset. Not ever ything will go to plan — and that’s okay. Accepting that you can’t control ever y detail (like the weather) can help lower your stress levels.

Take time for yourself before you go - Often, we rush right up until the moment we leave — frantically packing the night before and collapsing onto the plane or into the car. Take an hour or two the day before to unwind, perhaps with a walk, a bath, or simply some quiet time. This mental reset can help you arrive at your destination feeling more at ease.

26 Completely Bromsgrove

Before Renu 28

After Renu 28

Breathe and be present - Once you’re on holiday, allow yourself to truly disconnect. That means resisting the urge to check emails constantly or sticking rigidly to a packed itinerar y. Take time to relax, reading a book, taking a stroll, or enjoying a leisurely meal. Simple mindfulness techniques like deep breathing exercises, journaling, or a shor t daily meditation can keep you centred and help you soak in the moment.

Make space for joy Holidays are meant to be enjoyable, so prioritise activities that bring you happiness and leave room for spontaneity. Whether it’s tr ying a new food, exploring a hidden cove, or just watching the sunset, these simple pleasures are often the most memorable — and the most calming.

In the end, the key to a stressfree holiday lies not just in the destination, but in how you approach the journey. With a little planning and a lot of selfcompassion, your summer break can be as rejuvenating as the sea, sunshine, and sand you set out to find.

Lastly make sure you don’t get sunburnt. For tunately, I had Redox Renu 28 and within three to four applications over 24 hours this was the result. For information contact; colette@need4change. com

by Colette Garside

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27

National Champion T

he sun shone down on a wonderful National Championship of the Ancient & Honourable Guild of Town Criers in Bromsgrove on Saturday 14th June, in a day filled with fun, laughter, colour, friendship, tradition, oh and a ver y serious competition.

Twenty five magnificently dressed Town Criers from around the UK, and one from Australia, entered the competition, which consisted of two rounds of cries, to decide the Champion.

Joined by the Bailiff and members of the Bromsgrove Court Leet, the Town Criers processed from Church Street to the Event Space at the north end of the High Street for the first cry titled “My Home Town”. With the criers proclaiming their words amid the bustling Saturday streets, where many onlookers stopped to enjoy the spectacle and seven judges gave them marks for accuracy, clarity, content, diction, inflection, volume and their costumes.

There was a break for lunch where Criers mingled with shoppers and enjoyed lunch at a café or restaurant of their choice, thanks to sponsorship from the Bromsgrove Society. After lunch it was all aboard a vintage Midland Red bus cour tesy of the Transpor t Museum at Wythall for a journey to Avoncroft Museum.

On the steps at the back of New Guesten Hall, overlooking the lawns, the second round of the Championship was held. The cry was titled “Why Visit Museums?”, very fitting for the setting and produced some very interesting thoughts and points.

After a full day in the glorious sunshine, with the scores all collated, the winners were announced with local dignitaries present to award the trophies.

The Carole Williams Trophy for the Best Ambassador was awarded by the Chairman of Bromsgrove District Council, Cllr Samuel Evans to Studley’s Town Crier Adrian Smith. Town Crier Paul Gough, from Nuneaton & Bedworth, presented the trophy to the Championship in memory of his late partner Carole Williams, who had also been a town crier.

Trophies in the Best Dressed Categor y were presented by Bromsgrove Cour t Leet Bailiff, Mark Robinson. The Best Dressed Couple were Rennie & Denise Chivers from Colchester, Best Dressed Consor t was given to Peter Campbell from Echuca Moama, Australia and Best Dressed Town Crier was Andrew Parkhurst from Clare in Suffolk who was dressed as a Medieval Merchant.

With much anticipation in the air, Member of Parliament for Bromsgrove, Bradley Thomas presented the trophies for the best four Town Criers.

The Bob Walker trophy for the best placed crier who hasn’t won a Guild Competition before, was awarded to Judy Campbell from Echuca Moama, Australia. Third Place was awarded to Mark Wylie from Calne with second place going to John Griffiths from Sleaford. The gathered crowd were asked to help with a drum roll before event host, Bromsgrove’s Town Crier for the past 40 years Kevin Ward, announced the National Champion for 2025 was Jeremy Holland from Cinderford.

Kevin Ward leads the parade

28 Completely Bromsgrove

Bradley Thomas MP awards Championship Trophy

Town Crier is crowned Of the day Kevin Ward enthused “What a STUNNINGLY successful Championship in Bromsgrove, all down to the help, support and hard work of a magnificent team of wonderful and talented friends who made up the organising team and judges. The day was EXACTLY as I had hoped and dreamed it would be over the last 2 years since being given the green light to host it in the town. Thank you all!”

The event was made possible thanks to sponsorship and suppor t from Bromsgrove Institute Trust, Allica Bank, Elmley Foundation, Andrew Harris Trust, Bromsgrove Cour t Leet, Bromsgrove Society, Bromsgrove School, Bromsgrove Cobbler, Bromsgrove Arts Alive, Bromsgrove Festival, Destination Bromsgrove, Completely Bromsgrove, Cllr Dr Mick Marshall, Cllr Josh Robinson and Cllr Dr David Nicholl.

Local judges included Bromsgrove Society ViceChair Pat Tansell who marked the criers on their ability to stick to their submitted script, local textile and sewing exper ts Jenniffer Taylor and Matthew Stanley judged the competitors’ outfits, music exper ts Steve Cowper thwaite, Andrew Burling and Ruth Henley were paying attention to the clarity, diction and inflection.

Kevin’s daughters Natalie and Georgina were volume judge and scorer respectively. The cadets from Bromsgrove & Ruber y were on hand throughout the day to ensure the event ran smoothly.

Criers wear Allica Bank orange hats

Council Chairman presents Carole Williams Trophy

by Jo Slade Criers enjoy vintage transport Completely Bromsgrove

29

Discover a passion for history

HISTORY

A

re you curious about the histor y of the town where you live? If so, why not consider joining like-minded individuals in the Bromsgrove Society?

Formed in 1980, we are a joint civic and historical society for the town and surrounding district. We organise local history events and projects, keep a watch on local planning applications, and take an interest in environmental and community matters.

by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Digging Bromsgrove investigated the town’s archaeology; the Dodderhill Parish Survey researched the history of Dodderhill, including local nail makers; and we established a heritage trail around Bromsgrove Cemetery.

Our programme of monthly talks runs between September and May, generally on the third Tuesday of the month. These cover a broad range of topics, from the Roman period through to the modern day. Talks have included aspects such as archaeology, family histories, architectural and ar t histor y, militar y histor y, canal and railway histor y, adventure stories, plus well-known – and some less well-known – people and places.

More recently, the Townscape Heritage Initiative has researched the history of the High Street and suppor ted current retailers in improving the quality of their street-fronts. We have also run history walks in the town centre, Catshill, Bournheath, and Charford. The society took a keen interest in saving the nailer’s cottage on Birmingham Road and its successful transfer to Avoncroft Museum. We are a suppor ter of the Bromsgrove Festival and have provided financial suppor t for several history books relating to the district.

The Society’s annual lecture invites well known exper ts to talk in depth on a topic of local and/or national interest. Launched in 1987, the lecture has taken place ever y year since, apar t from a break during the pandemic. Over recent years, the venue has been the Routh Concer t Hall at Bromsgrove School during April.

Our annual summer school is an oppor tunity to take a deeper dive into historical issues. First held in 2011, it offers three days of lectures, generally with an afternoon visit to a related location. This, too, is held at Bromsgrove School, in the Learning & Resource Centre. Courses are open to both members and non-members, with discounts for those who attend on all three days.

The society believes in bringing history to life.

We have managed and suppor ted many projects relating to historical topics, including several funded

30 Completely Bromsgrove

We have donated to restoration projects that benefit the town. This has included grants to several local churches, the John Adams Memorial in Bromsgrove Cemeter y and the Railwaymen’s Graves in St John’s churchyard. Commemorative plaques have been funded around the district, such as the one near Bromsgrove station commemorating the engineer James McConnell.

There will be an oppor tunity to learn more about the society’s work at the annual general meeting, which will be held at Avoncroft on Wednesday, July 2nd at 7.30pm. The evening will include a presentation on the spire restoration at St John’s Church. Why not come along and see what we have to offer or find

by Mike Sharpe us online at www.bsoc.co.uk

The time is right to view

magnificent Milky Way

D

uring July, although it still doesn’t get dark until after 11pm, night owls can be rewarded by great views of the Milky Way and other objects only visible during the brief nights of summer.

The Milky Way is the galaxy containing our solar system, most of the objects we see when looking up at the night sky and comprises more than 100 billion stars. To see it you need a dark site, well away from light pollution, and to allow time for your eyes to become dark adapted. With full moon on July 10th, the best times will be during the second half of the month.

your location. Skyglow is caused by artificial lights from streetlights and buildings. This diminishes the contrast between the night sky and the Milky Way, making it impossible to see it and other objects in much of the UK. Viewed from a truly dark site - rural Wales, Devon or Cornwall - during the summer the Milky Way forms a spectacular ribbon of stars passing across the night sky.

Locate south-east and look up, almost overhead, to find the brilliant white star Vega, in the constellation Lyra. To the left is Deneb, in Cygnus (The Swan), whilst below is Altair, in Aquila (The Eagle), together they make the Summer Triangle. The central part of Cygnus is also known as the Northern Cross, with Deneb being at the top of the cross.

If you have binoculars, there are further delights to be found. Scanning across Cygnus will reveal several open star clusters, while views around Sagittarius and across to the red star Antares will reveal more open clusters and nebulae. For more details I’d suggest using a star atlas, or a phone app like Stellarium.

Across the central part of the Summer Triangle, along the length of the cross, you should see something that can initially be mistaken for a cloud but is the Milky Way. Track along it to the lower right, past Altair, eventually reaching Sagittarius, which resembles a teapot. You are now looking towards the core of our galaxy, at the centre of which resides a supermassive black hole (not visible).

Bromsgrove Astronomical Society usually meet on the first and third Monday of every month at Bromsgrove Rugby Club. We also do outreach, have an annual quiz and star party.

If you can’t see the Milky Way, it is likely there is too much light pollution, causing skyglow, at

On July 21st, Ben Evans is presenting ‘Spacewalking: 60 years of Stepping into the Void’ Visitors are always welcome, so if you would like to learn more about astronomy, you can find more details at: Adrian Bigland www.broms-astro.org.uk Completely Bromsgrove

31

Snowy Alaskan winter S

“

o, why are you visiting Alaska in February, Ma-am?” asked Homeland Security at Seattle airport where we were catching a connecting flight to Fairbanks.

“I guess we are gonna find out!”

The main reason for our trip was a promise, from hubby, to see the Northern Lights for my big birthday. Google told me Fairbanks had the best sightings and so the planning began.

Nothing prepared us for the beautiful, white sparkling snow which covered Fairbanks, the largest city in inner Alaska but with the feel of a small town with a big community spirit. Huge drifts of snow had been pushed back on either side to the reveal the roads, and these were eventually sliced up and taken to a snow dump where, in the spring the snow melted into the natural water course.

Everything in Alaska is given back.

We spent our first day at the World Ice Sculpting

competition playing table tennis on one of the sculptures and chess on a frozen board. There were sledding routes carved out in the ice and hot apple cider to warm you up afterwards.

At 8pm that same day we were picked up by Arctic Night Tours, which promised to chase the Northern Lights down using meteorological data and technology. Wrapped up from head to toe we headed for the White Mountains. Luckily, they made an appearance at midnight and, although not visible to the naked eye that well, through the lens of your phone their full gloriousness of greens and pinks could be seen.

The next day we spotted a man barbecuing in two feet of snow on a car park behind our hotel. Turned

Photos, clockwise from top left: Blanket tossing, fun on a snow machine, running with reindeer, snow being brought in to Anchorage and Big Daddy BBQing.

32 Completely Bromsgrove

TRAVEL

is simply full of wonder out he worked at Big Daddy’s BBQ, a restaurant on the next block to where we were staying. It was wing Wednesday, so we stopped by for a feast of ribs, chicken, creamed corn and collard greens – the latter being an acquired taste.

Fur Rendez-Vous (Fur Rondy) also takes place in the run up to the Iditarod. A celebration of Alaskan spirit, they hold more than 20 traditional winter sports including blanket tossing and, one we took part in, running with reindeer.

Our next stop was Anchorage, a 55 minute flight, where the ceremonial start of the Iditarod was taking place after the official start had been moved to Fairbanks due to lack of snow. For the ceremonial start snow was brought in by dumper trucks and spread out along the main street by snow ploughs, literally overnight!

The winter scenery was stunning. We took a hike, with shoe grips, to a frozen waterfall at Eagle River, saw moose during a snow machining trip along the Pinochle Trail in the mountains and met lots of huskies on our own sledding experience.

Thirty-three mushers came down the snowy track, with sleds pulled by a pack of their best dogs. It was a real party atmosphere before the dogs and their mushers packed up to travel back to Fairbanks for the official start of the 1,000 mile race across Alaska. The

Although too early to enjoy fresh Alaskan salmon, some of the local fayre we sampled included king crab, oysters, halibut and reindeer. Alaska boasts a lot of its own craft beers too.

We flew with Virgin Atlantic to Seattle and then Delta to Alaska. Internal flights from Fairbanks to Anchorage and back were with Alaskan Airlines.

by Anne Marie Harley Photos, clockwise from top left: Frozen waterfall, Anchorage coastline, sledding at the Ice Sculpture exhibition, reindeer sausage crepe and dog racing Completely Bromsgrove

33

Madeleine Brown, BIMC winner, performing on stage

Junior Platform Winner, Celia Cahill-Wright, performing on stage

Senior Platform Winner, Lia Iben Matos Wunderlich, on stage

Stunning performances at young musicians’ finale

M

usicians from several nations across the world, including South Korea, Spain, Germany and Romania, competed in The Bromsgrove International Young Musicians’ Competition, also known as The Bromsgrove and BIMC. The audience watched in awe as 23-year-old British pianist Madeleine Brown performed pieces by Serocki and Scriabin to scoop the top cash prize, as well as a bursary to support future concert engagements.

Madeleine is currently studying at the Royal Nor thern College of Music having graduated with a BA in music from Trinity College, Cambridge. Jamie Cochrane (piano) and Iohan Coman (violin) were awarded two finalists’ prizes, with Iohan returning to the stage in Bromsgrove having been a finalist in the sister competition, the Young Musicians’ Platform, back in 2019 as a secondary school pupil.

Now hosted biennially, The Bromsgrove competition is open to talented instrumentalists and singers of any nationality aged between 18 and 25. The age limit for singers is 28.

The three finalists: Madeleine Brown (seated), with Jamie Cochrane and Iohan Coman standing behind

Madeleine Brown said: “It was a wonderful experience to be in such a great concert environment, it didn’t feel like a competition. I’d recommend The Bromsgrove, it is hosted in such a nice location, and ever yone has looked after us so well. All we had to worr y about is playing.”

Ten talented musicians from across the UK took to the stage to compete for financial bursaries of £1,000 (senior section) and £750 (junior section) to enable them to fur ther develop their talent.

The event is hosted in Routh Concer t Hall at Bromsgrove School, with the preliminar y rounds and semi-final open to the public free of charge, followed by the final on the Saturday evening.

The Saturday now includes the bonus of the final of its sister competition, the Bromsgrove Young Musicians’ Platform, taking place on the same afternoon. With two sections to the young musicians’ competition, a junior section for nine to 13-year-olds, and a senior section for those aged 14 to 17.

34 Completely Bromsgrove

After much deliberation, Lia Iben Matos Wunderlich (cello) aged 15 from London, and studying at the junior depar tment of the Royal Academy of Music, scooped the top prize in the senior section. For the juniors, the Platform announced their first winner on the recorder, Celia Cahill-Wright, aged ten, also from London. Runnersup were Nathaniel Ming Shun Law on oboe (senior section) and Aiqi Li for the junior section (piano).

For the latest news about the contest, visit www.bromsgrovecompetition.com and www. bromsgroveplatform.com

Dedicated young leader

achieves top Scouting award

L

ickey and Blackwell Scout Group is celebrating after Charlie Harris achieved the Yong Leader award.

Charlie completed the volunteering sections for various Duke of Edinburgh Awards as well as 11 modules of training and four Young Leader Missions – run a game, run an activity, contribute to programme planning and take responsibility for organising and running part of a section programme.

His Scouting journey began as a Beaver Scout in 2013. He moved through to Cub Scouts, Scouts and Explorer Scouts where, aged 14, he also began volunteering as a young leader supporting eight to 11-year-old Cub Scouts.

Along the way Charlie completed the top honour in each section of Scouting, and he showed the same commitment to the Young Leader award process.

Matthew Fox, leader volunteer for Lickey and Blackwell Scout Group, said: “Many congratulations to Charlie for gaining the Young Leader belt, which is one of the top awards that a young person can achieve in Scouting.”

Lickey and Blackwell Scout Group is one of the largest Scout Groups in the area. Nationally, Scouting is thriving, and its popularity is limited only by the availability of volunteers.

If you are interested in getting involved, please visit www.scoutshw.org.uk/join There are roles working directly with young people aged between four and 24 and behind the scenes jobs such as supporters and trustees.

Completely Bromsgrove

35

Shake off your fears and speak up

D

o you have to speak in meetings or give presentations? Maybe you have a big event coming up, such as a wedding or are looking for personal development or a new challenge.

Bromsgrove Speakers Club can help you achieve your goals.

In July the club will be celebrating ten years of helping our members to develop the skills to become effective speakers and presenters.

It is an independent, not-for-profit club, the aim of which is to develop speaking confidence as well as technique. The club is run by members for members and is open to ever yone age 18 and upwards. We meet for tnightly on Tuesday evenings in the Barn meeting room at The Bell, on the A491 Bromsgrove to Hagley dual carriageway.

Meetings are self-contained, so it doesn’t matter when you join. We aim to var y the format as much as possible, but a typical meeting could consist of prepared speeches, impromptu speaking and an educational session. Positive feedback is provided to speakers to help with their development and that of other club members.

Our speaker development programme is flexible and allows you to tailor your learning to suit your needs at the pace that suits you.

Glossophobia - a fear of public speaking - is ver y common. It can cause anxiety and avoidance of situations where speaking in front of others is required. The best way to overcome it is to practise in a safe and suppor tive environment. The ner ves may never totally go away, but you will be amazed at how you can learn to manage them.

36 Completely Bromsgrove

Mark, (right), one of our members, said, “My confidence in social situations has improved, and I now enjoy speaking.”

Another member, Claire, (right), said, “Learning to communicate well can be one of the best investments into your career. Bromsgrove Speakers Club is a talented and supportive group who provide a safe environment and constructive feedback to help you develop your speaking skills, whatever level you join at!”

Bromsgrove Speakers Club welcomes newcomers wanting to improve their public speaking abilities for whatever reason. We can help anyone from a complete novice to a professional speaker wanting to hone their skills.

If you are interested in joining us and would like to find out more about what we can offer you, why not book a taster evening with us? Book via our website: www.BromsgroveSpeakers.org.uk

Former UK ambassador is WORDS’ festival guest A s par t of Bromsgrove Festival, WORDS welcomes as its speaker Sir Laurie Bristow, who was the UK’s Ambassador to Afghanistan when the Taliban over threw the Government and took power in August 2021.

Sir Laurie’s book, “Kabul: Final Call”, is a first-hand account of the final days of the Republic and the evacuation of the City. He was previously the Ambassador to Russia and is now President of Hughes Hall, Cambridge University, also regularly publishing and broadcasting on geopolitics.

The talk will be held in New Guesten Hall at Avoncroft Museum, Stoke Prior, Bromsgrove, B60 4JR on Tuesday, July 22nd at 11am. Tickets, priced at £15, are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk Type Kabul – Final Call in the search bar.

For fur ther information on WORDS, visit www.bromsgrovewords.com

Photo: Crown Copyright

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37

Delightful delphinium is star of July gathering

B

romsgrove Flower Club will be welcoming gifted demonstrator Carol Stokes from Pinks Florist in Solihull to its next meeting on Thursday, July 17th at 1.30pm. Carol’s title is “pied d’alouette”, featuring delphinium.

We meet at All Saints Church Hall in Burcot Lane, Bromsgrove. The demonstration star ts at 2pm but feel free to arrive early and browse our bring and buy stall, read about future events on our noticeboard or purchase raffle tickets and have a go in our sweepstake.

Entrance for members is £5 and for visitors £10.

We are a ver y friendly club who all enjoy an afternoon’s peace and relaxation with complimentar y refreshments and stunning blooms.

This month’s competition for members is “country weddings” so bring along a bouquet, a corsage or even a buttonhole. Last month’s meeting was all about foliage, which you can see in the photos here.

The friendly Lickey End Social Club

where everyone is welcome!

L

ive music events throughout the year, fundraising for The Primrose Hospice.

Non-members are more than welcome to come along and share our evenings enjoying local musical talent. Please come along and see what else our Club has to offer.

Live music in July

Fred Zeppelin

Friday 4th July – The Appearance in the B60 Music Lounge Friday 4th July – Fred Zeppelin on the B60 Concert Stage – doors open at 7:30pm , tickets available online or from the club Saturday 12th July – The Precursors – doors open at 7:30pm, entry is £5 Friday 18th July – Hannah Bowen in the B60 Music Lounge Friday 25th July – The Moseley Brothers in the B60 Music Lounge

The Moseley Brothers

Other events happening in July Monday 7th July - MG Club, a local group of MG car enthusiasts Sunday 27th July - Jackpot Bingo, 7.30pm Dancing every Tuesday Night Slimming World classes run every Wednesday morning West Coast Swing dance lessons run every Wednesday night www.lickeyendsocialclub.co.uk

38 Completely Bromsgrove

The Dance Floor

Friday nights are intimate and held in our lounge area, whilst Saturday nights are in our large concert room which has a fantastic dancefloor to dance the night away

Moving talk honours team

that made a difference

T

wenty years ago, a group of divers set off from a small dive centre in Harwood Park, Bromsgrove, for a Christmas holiday in Sri Lanka.

On the third day, their world changed forever when they were caught in the Boxing Day tsunami - the most catastrophic natural disaster in modern history.

More than 250,000 people lost their lives. Sri Lanka suffered devastating loss, with over 30,000 lives taken and the deadliest rail disaster the world has ever seen occurring just miles from where the group was staying. Remarkably, every single member of the dive team survived.

That same team, driven by gratitude and purpose, came together upon their return to the UK and formed the Hikkaduwa Village Fund - a grassroots charity that, with the suppor t of friends, family, and the Bromsgrove community, raised £100,000 in just six months to help rebuild lives in the region that had given all they had to look after them.

Now, two decades on, one of those divers - local businesswoman and professional speaker Michelle Mills-Por ter - returns to honour that moment, the community who stood together in crisis, and the community that made the difference.

Michelle will be delivering a talk at Bromsgrove Golf Centre on Thursday, July 31 at 6.30pm as a hear tfelt thank you to the community that helped turn tragedy into hope. Tickets cost £30 each and Includes Graze Board Buffet Station.

This event will offer a moving insight into the power of adversity to unite, transform, and reveal the true magnificence of humanity. It is not just Michelle’s story - it is the story of the team, the town, and the extraordinary good that can come from the darkest of days and a lesson for society today and in the future.

Talk to the Team at St John’s W ith the Spire Project reaching its halfway point there’s an excellent oppor tunity to learn about the restoration project, chat to the team and have a go at the heritage crafts and skills being used to restore Bromsgrove’s landmark church building.

Following the success of the Side by Side Open Day held in May, the team at Friends of St John’s are looking forward to running another event on Saturday 12th July from 11.30am to 3pm.

The day will start with the last in the season of Cake and Coffee Concerts with the Singing Villeins entertaining from 10.30. At the Open Day visitors are encouraged to view the architect’s plans for the restoration work and see a demonstration of how the spire stays strong and stable in the winds with the Structural Engineer. Attendees can also have a go at carving stone with stonemasons Steve Allard & Sons and try their hand at lime pointing with Restoration Contractors Phillips & Curry.

The church historian Simon will also be around to chat about the history.

Refreshments will be available.

Visit www.stjohnsfriends.co.uk or FriendsStJohnsBromsgrove on Facebook to find out more.

All are welcome to attend this free event, made possible thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

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39

Timeless masterpiece

makes festival appearance

R

eturning to cinemas and being screened as part of this year’s Bromsgrove Festival is National Theatre Live’s A Streetcar Named Desire.

Gillian Anderson (Sex Education), Vanessa Kirby (The Crown), and Ben Foster (Lone Survivor) lead the cast in Tennessee Williams’ masterpiece, which will be screened at Fairfield Village Hall on Sunday, July 13th and Wednesday, July 16th.

As Blanche’s fragile world crumbles, she turns to her sister Stella for solace – but her downward spiral brings her face to face with the brutal, unforgiving Stanley Kowalski.

Buckle up for a hell of a ride when Meat Loud Duo take to the stage and perform A Tribute to Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman on Saturday, July 19th.

Andy Plimmer and Sally Rivers will cover many of the songs from the Meat Loaf back catalogue, including a performance of the album Bat Out of Hell in its entirety, as well as some of the Steinman classics

by Bonnie Tyler, Celine Dion and Cher.

The year is 1544 and King Henry, the eighth of that name, is engaged upon royal progress about his realm; and has halted here to afford his loyal subjects the opportunity to have ‘audience’ with their sovereign lord and king. From the Select Society Theatre Company comes Divorced, Beheaded, Died: An Audience with King Henry VIII on Wednesday, July 23rd.

With fun and laughter, learn the art of mixology at a cocktail masterclass from The Midland Mixo’s on Wednesday, July 30th.

After enjoying a welcoming drink, this entertaining two-hour class will see you make three cocktails and play some games, with the support of experienced mixologist Lee Cowell. If alcoholic cocktails are not for you, non- alcoholic cocktails are also available.

Bromsgrove Arts, the home of Fairfield Flicks and Fairfield Music, is located at Fairfield Village Hall (B61 9LZ).

Free parking and a licenced bar. For information and advanced tickets for all events visit www.bromsgrovearts.org.uk

40 Completely Bromsgrove

Avoncroft Arts Society are running a series of exciting and creative workshops throughout 2025 which are available to book.

The Workshops cover a range of art styles and mediums, from traditional watercolours to festive wreath making.

05.07.25

10am-3pm

Fauvism in Acrylics, led by Richard Crabtree

£35

12.07.25

10am-3pm

Calligraphy, led by Annemarie Hulley

£35

13.09.25

10am-3pm

Beginners Pastels, led by Annemarie Hulley

£35

20.09.25

10am-3pm

Beginners Acrylics, led by Adrian Clamp

£35

27.09.25

10am-3pm

Beginners Watercolours led by Richard Crabtree

£35

11.10.25

10am-1pm

Felting for Beginners, led by Lynda Sharp

£50

25.10.25

10am-3pm

Painting with Oils, led by Adrian Clamp

£35

08.11.25

10am-3pm

Watercolour and Ink, led by Brendan McMahon

£35

22.11.25

10am-12.30pm

Glass Christmas Decorations, led by Marc Weston

£39

06.12.25

10am-3pm

Wreath making, led by Dee Hirst

£40

13.12.25

10am-3pm

Wreath making, led by Dee Hirst

£40

For more information contact: events@avoncroftarts.org.uk | 01527 833829 Avoncroft Arts Society, Redditch Road, Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove B60 4JR

Revenge is sweet for gutsy S

howing at FeckenOdeon on Friday, July 18th at 8pm, Thelma (12A) is a warmhearted film for a summer’s evening.

Thelma Post is a 93-year-old grandmother who loses $10,000 to a con artist on the phone then takes matters into her own hands.

After stealing a souped-up mobility scooter from her friend Ben (Richard Roundtree), the pair eventually team up, setting out to retrieve her money from the scammer (Malcolm McDowell). June Squibb, herself 94, gives the performance of a lifetime in this comedy caper.

The FeckenOdeon is Feckenham’s community cinema based at Feckenham Village Hall, High Street, 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.

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41

The new Santa Fe T

ransformed visually with a new squared-off looking design, the latest Santa Fe stands out to a point that could almost be termed a rebirth. Spotting one coming towards you is easy thanks to those impressive H shaped lights.

If you’re on the trail for SUV serendipity you just might want to consider this bigger and bolder Santa Fe which has consistently received a multitude of well-deserved accolades in 2024 and 2025 as one of the best large SUVs. It’s a purposeful looking and appealing ‘whip crack away’ seven-seater from Korea with an indomitable presence that’s practical, classy, top quality and well equipped inside and outside. A five-year, unlimited mileage, warranty, therefore, reflects manufacturers confidence. It seems that reliability is a given with this make.

Since its entry into this highly competitive market, competitors have quaked. And with good reason, for you’d be hard-pressed to match the ‘bangs for bucks’ that Hyundai delivers. At

42 Completely Bromsgrove

£49,650, this top spec. Calligraphy 7 seat 1.6 petrol hybrid with the new six speed automatic transmission and with ‘on demand’ four-wheel drive, is up there with the best for much less.

We all know that the appeal of the SUV is dependent on ultra practicality and versatility.

You can go anywhere with anyone in any weather and virtually on any highway short of the Rocky Mountains in one of these because it is no ‘soft-roader’. It has different drive modes for different challenging conditions.

There are acres of room for five and their luggage and if you flip up the other two seats from the boot floor, there’s still room for luggage. Put all seats down and you have a veritable pantechnicon.

DRIVE TIME

is a drivers dream The name given to this model is redolent of adventurous treks ‘Out West’ but for the British market Hyundai have made subtle and clever adaptations. UK models are chassis tuned to the unique demands of our great British roads.

Driving feels as smooth as silk, and it even has Trailer Stability Assist (TSA). The torquey 1.6 petrol engine combines with the 58 bhp electric motor to give lovely smooth and linear performance, taking you to ‘certainly fast enough’ mph (112mph) and, surprisingly, I got about 48 mpg in eco mode on a long run.

Inside, comfort is as comfy as comfy can be, on heated and cooled seats that are power operated.

There are so many bells and whistles to make your life complete and you can even choose from 64 colours for the interior ambience.

You and yours are kept safe by safety systems galore. The flight deck displays an array of

instruments and controls, and you are soothed by a Bose (the best) sound system of sonic excellence. To put it in a nutshell (and a very big one at that) it has as much going for it as rivals that are over half as much again. Would I buy a Land Rover when I could have a Santa Fe that is unlikely to breakdown?

With indomitable presence and purposefulness, the Santa Fe delivers like a galloping Pony Express. If you’re in the market for a big-hearted hunk of a car that won’t take a massive chunk out of your earnings, here is utility value that’s worth flagging up: and never has practicality felt so luxurious.

You could carry the Queen of Sheba and guarantee not to spill her sherbet in one of these - and it’s also a fairway to carry a gaggle of golfers on their way to the 18th.

by Syd Taylor

Completely Bromsgrove

43

Sewing Bee star and international player team up for women’s rugby drive I

nternational rugby player Danielle Jordan-Taft and The Great British Sewing Bee contestant and author Jenniffer Taylor are joining forces to encourage more women and girls to tr y rugby through Inner Warrior and #LoveRugby camps.

Run in par tnership with England Rugby’s Inner Warrior initiative, the sessions are par t of a national movement that has introduced more than 30,000 women and girls to the game since 2017.

With the Women’s Rugby World Cup fast approaching and excitement building across the countr y, Bromsgrove RFC and the team hope that it will help to grow the spor t locally.

“My five-year-old daughter and I got into rugby after attending a free taster session a year ago,” said Jenniffer.

“Initially, I was there just to support her as she joined the under sixes mixed team. But after chatting with other mums on the sidelines, we realised many of us were curious to try rugby or get back into rugby ourselves. Despite no dedicated women’s teams at the club at the time, we decided to change that and the support from the club has been incredible.”

What began as a conversation among spectators has evolved into a thriving, female-led movement. The growing team includes Danielle Jordan-Taft, international rugby player ; Sarah McIntosh, chair of the group and active community leader through BDHT and The Hub; and rising star Chloe Butterwor th, captain of Worcestershire Women under 18s. Together, they share a vision of making rugby more accessible, inclusive, and empowering.

The sessions, which began in June, are free and open to beginners.

July dates for the girls’ sessions are July 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th, all run from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.

No special equipment is needed, just wear comfor table clothing, trainers, and bring a water bottle. For more information, email sarahmcintosh364@gmail.com

44 Completely Bromsgrove

Jenniffer Taylor

Danielle Jordan-Taft

Ash Carter

Reece King celebrates

The UK Electrical Stadium

Sporting bolster ranks with quality signings

Photos by Chris Jepson

T

he off-season can prove to be the busiest time of year for a football club, and that’s certainly the case at Bromsgrove Sporting with plenty of new faces already through the door ahead of the 2025-26 season.

Full back Jack Kelly was the first new addition of Coleshill Town and Sporting Khalsa preceding home the summer, joining from Redditch United, where matches against the under 21 sides from both he won both the manager’s player of the season and Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion, along players’ player of the season at the 2024-25 end of with Solihull Moors and one remaining fixture that season awards despite only joining in November. is yet to be revealed.

Goalkeeper Adam Harrison was next in - he was Bromsgrove’s league opponents for next season swiftly brought into the club by manager Scott Adeyhave been announced - the five new teams for the Linforth following Charlie Price’s return to Stourbridge. upcoming season are Needham Market, Quorn, The experience in the ranks Bury Town, Real Bedford and was bolstered with the signing of Worcester City - two tasty derby quality centre back Paul McCone fixtures await against the Rouslers’ from Stratford Town. McCone joins county rivals.

Sporting in the role of playerEarly bird season tickets have been assistant manager, replacing Darryl on sale at the UK Electrical Stadium, Knights as number two, who which have been snapped up in departed for the vacant Stourbridge decent numbers, while the club has manager’s role. He will be assisting also proudly launched its ‘Wall of Adey-Linforth alongside Karl Fame’, as part of the celebrations of Fellows, who was first team coach 140 years of football in Bromsgrove. with the Rouslers last season.

The Wall of Fame will give people Manager Scott Adey-Linforth Creative midfielder Nick the opportunity to leave a mark at Clayton-Phillips was the fourth new player to join the ground, securing their place in the next 140 Bromsgrove during this off season before prolific years of Bromsgrove football and beyond. non-league number nine Luke Benbow became new For more details on this, email commercial@ addition number five, joining from Rushall Olympic. bromsgrovesporting.co.uk Billy Shaw, Jordan Lyden, Jack Newell, Reece The incredible debut season for our under King, Josh Ezewele, and Ash Carter have all been 21s came to a close in June, while open training retained for next season, while Carter Lycett, Jamie sessions have also been taking place for both Meddows, Aaron Roberts and Charlie Price have our ladies’ first team and development sides. left the club.

For the latest on all the Sporting sides, head to Sporting’s pre-season schedule has been released bromsgrovesporting.co.uk

by Max Banner too, with trips to Romulus, Stourport Swifts, Completely Bromsgrove

45

AVONCROFT CRICKET CLUB

Upgrade needed among Croft ranks I

t’s been a mixed star t to the season for Avoncroft Cricket Club, with the Second XI challenging at the top of the table while the First XI and Third XI have work to do as the summer progresses.

The First XI currently sit in ninth place in Worcestershire Division Three, with three wins from their first nine games. Duncan Roke has led the way with the bat, already totalling 432 runs at an average of over 50. He’s been ably suppor ted by captain Dan Elliott and youngsters Ben Athey and Ben Huxley. Wickets have been shared more evenly, with five bowlers taking between 8-10 wickets to date.

The Second XI have star ted the season well, sitting in second place in a crowded Division Eight (East) where just 22 points (about one win) splits second and eighth place. Will Sach has been Croft’s most consistent second team batter with 184 runs at an average of 63, but it’s been the bowlers that have led the team to their four victories to date.

Seventy-two-year-old Andy Pittam appears just to be reaching his peak as a bowler, already taking 12 wickets at an average below ten runs per wicket and going for just over two runs an over! He’s been well suppor ted by openers Max Jukes and Charlie Foulger, who have taken 11 and seven wickets respectively.

46 Completely Bromsgrove

The Third XI has suffered a tough star t to the season following promotion to Division Eight (West) but can at least celebrate their first win of the season in their most recent clash with Kidderminster Four ths, beating their hosts by 42 runs. Kunal Issar (192 runs) and Car ter Morgan (ten wickets) lead the individual standings for batting and bowling respectively.

The club’s youthful Sunday XI have recently kicked off their campaign and there have already been a number of individual highlights from the club’s future stars. Cooper Bridgewater narrowly missed his first centur y for the club, scoring 93 against Clent, while with the ball, James Livesey took his first senior five-fer, recording figures of 5-8 against Blakedown.

In the junior ranks, there have been too many highlights to pick out but a special mention goes to Avoncroft girls under 13s team, who in par tnership with Alvechurch, played their first ever hardball game – another step forward for our girls’ cricket section!

by Paul Athey

Summer Day Camps Tuesday 30th June - Friday 22nd August for children aged 8 - 13

REGI

Tuesday 30th June to Friday 22nd August 8.30am - 5.30pm daily £40 per day including hot lunch and snacks Activities include Sports Swimming Football Dance Crafts Art Drama Cookery and lots more

To book your place or find out more scan the qr code or email activities@bromsgrove-school.co.uk or call 01527 579679 ext 616 www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk/holidayclubs Completely Bromsgrove

47

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