Whilst every Essex Country Park offers the perfect place to walk your fluffy friends, we’ve picked some of our top dog walks to suit you whatever you’re looking for.
1. Weald Country Park – for rolling, open spaces. Brentwood, Essex
With over 520 acres of grassland, woodland, and wildflower meadows, you’re spoilt for choice at Weald.
For one of our favourite dog walks head to Lincoln’s Lane car park and take the footpath across the ridge of the hill enjoying sweeping views across the park. Take a right down Chestnut Avenue through The Forest.
For a longer walk loop right round the lake into Belvedere Field, or keep the lake on your left for a slightly shorter route, heading back up the hill through Lake Field towards Stock Pond, Tea Cup Pond and enjoy those views once again. There’s plenty of space for you and your dogs to roam free.
2. Hadleigh – for an accessible loop. Castle Point, Essex
One of the largest open spaces in Essex with views to the Thames Estuary, Hadleigh Country Park at Castle Point is a great place to take dogs, toddlers and all the family.
3. Belhus Woods – for agility and puppy training. Thurrock, Essex
Beautiful Belhus Woods is home to ancient woodlands, grasslands and five lakes. To visit the large fenced area and dog agility training zone take the footpath from the back of the car park (opposite where you would exit to visit the visitor centre) and head through the fields. You’ll find the dog agility area on your left.
Carry on for the large enclosed area, perfect for training puppies and rescue dogs.
For a circular route loop back through Whitehall and Running Water Woods, back towards the visitor centre.
Please remember to act responsibly when you visit.
Always tidy up after your dog, always use a lead in busy areas and keep your pets under control.
Please respect other visitors and wildlife. Be aware that some parks may also be home to grazing livestock.
An adaptation of Dario Fo’s Sotto paga? Non si paga!
Written by Deborah McAndrew
A Mercury co-production with Derren Brown, Andrew O’Connor, Michael Vine, Paul Sandler and Kenny Wax for Unbelievable Productions
Mercury Theatre, led by Executive Director, Steve Mannix, Executive Producer, Tracey Childs and Creative Director, Ryan McBryde, today announce their programming into 2023.
The season opens with Run Rebel in a co-production between Mercury and Pilot Theatre, the award-winning company that brought Noughts and Crosses and The Bone Sparrow to the Colchester stage. Tessa Walker directs the world première adaption of Manjeet Mann’s Carnegie Medalwinning young adult novel, combining physical theatre and visual effects, and opening 2 March, with previews from 25 February, running until 4 March.
Opening next is a new Mercury Production of They Don’t Pay? We Won’t Pay!, Deborah McAndrew’s adaptation of Dario Fo’s Sotto paga? Non si paga!. Directed by Ryan McBryde, this ferociously funny political farce asks what lengths people will go to when they’re desperate to survive. The production opens on 22 March, with previews from 17 March, and runs until 31 March.
Next, Mercury Creatives alumni Mia Jerome brings a new Mercury Original to the stage in her uplifting children’s show The Instrumentals. As part of a UK tour, the show features soulful music, seventies grooves and innovative puppetry. Drawing on inspiration from the African-Caribbean diaspora, The Instrumentals celebrates the way people hold memories, running in Mercury’s Studio Theatre from 30 May to 3 June.
Derren Brown’s astounding new production Unbelievable is Mercury Theatre’s summer spectacle, directly ahead of the show’s West End run. A cast of seven will bring magic to the Colchester stage, in a show created by the Olivier Award-winning illusionist, whose five-star sell-out production of Showman is currently playing in the West End. Unbelievable begins previews from 28 July and runs until 26 August.
Creative Director Ryan McBryde said today, “At the Mercury, our aim is to provide exhilarating, shared experiences for our community and our 2023 Spring season is a
programme of new shows that promise great nights out like no other. We’re tackling the cost-ofliving crisis head on with Dario Fo’s side-splitting satire, They Don’t Pay? We Won’t Pay! as we work with Deborah McAndrew to bring the show right up to date with current events. We’re delighted to be launching Pilot Theatre’s electrifying new adaptation of Manjeet Mann’s Carnegie Medalwinning novel Run Rebel as it tours the country with our co-production partners. Colchester audiences will be the first to exclusively access a new work from master illusionist Derren Brown, who will be conjuring up a brand-new show, Unbelievable. And finally, our Studio continues to provide a platform for ground-breaking new work including The Instrumentals, a new Mercury Original family musical full of soulful sounds and seventies grooves written Mia Jerome, one of our alumni from the ground-breaking Mercury Creatives scheme. I can’t wait to share all this work with our audiences, along with a few more surprises up our sleeves in 2023.”
Pilot Theatre presents with Mercury Theatre, Belgrade Theatre Coventry, Derby Theatre and York Theatre Royal
Based on the novel by Manjeet Mann
Director: Tessa Walker 25 February – 4 March 2023
Press night: Thursday 2 March at 7pm
I am strength I am power I am courage I am revolution I am Amber Rai
Amber is trapped – by her family’s rules, by their expectations, by her own fears. But on the running track she is completely free. As her body speeds up, the world slows down. And the tangled, mixed-up lines in her head get straighter…
It’s time to start a revolution: for her mother, for her sister, for herself.
Tessa Walker directs the world première adaptation of Manjeet Mann’s award-winning novel for young adults, published in 2020.
Director: Ryan McBryde 17 – 31 March 2023
Press Night: Wednesday 22 March at 7:30pm
The cost of living is out of control –and so is Anthea. Sick of scrimping and scraping to pay her energy bills, she starts a riot in the local supermarket resulting in a group of raging housewives looting the building.
Now, with a pile of freshly “liberated” groceries, Anthea and her best friend Maggie embark on a ludicrous, laugha-minute adventure, trying to keep their law-abiding husbands in the dark whilst staying two steps ahead of the crime squad.
They Don’t Pay? We Won’t Pay! is the work of Dario Fo, Nobel Laureate and the master of farce. Deborah McAndrew’s whip-smart adaptation mixes political satire, hilarious plot twists and wisecracking dialogue to create a thrilling play about the lengths people will go to when they’re desperate.
A Mercury Original in co-production with Blouse & Skirt!, Goblin Theatre and Little Angel Theatre
Written and directed by Mia Jerome Music by Cal-I Jonel; Set, Puppetry and Costume Design by Oliver Hymans 30 May – 3 June 2023 Suitable for ages 4+
When Belle is feeling down, she slips into her grandfather’s basement and discovers his old dusty instruments. But far from being junk, The Instrumentals are pure funk, and they teach Belle to ‘get down’ in a whole new way. Bursting to life with brilliant puppetry and bold music, The Instrumentals is full of love and laughter, about the memories we hold and how we celebrate life.
This is a show for all children with characters, story and inspiration from the African-Caribbean diaspora. It’s full of uplifting original music with soulful sounds and seventies grooves. Combined with innovative puppetry and lots of comedy, this fun musical journey will have audiences dancing in the aisles!
Written and directed by Derren Brown, Andy Nyman and Andrew O’Connor
28 July – 26 August 2023
Derren Brown’s one-man shows have won two Olivier Awards and played to sold out houses on tour across the UK, in the West End and on Broadway.
Now, with his long-time collaborators Andy Nyman and Andrew O’Connor, has created a new show starring a multi-talented cast of seven who will perform magic like you have never seen!
Be among the first to see the world première of this theatrical experience before it goes to the West End.
Please note, Derren Brown will not be appearing in this show.
Balkerne Gate, Colchester CO1 1PT Box Office: www.mercurytheatre.co.uk 01206 573948
Main house tickets from £15; Studio theatre tickets from £10
RUN REBEL
25 February – 4 March 2023
Press night: Thursday 2 March at 7pm Age guidance: 11+
THEY DON’T PAY?
WE WON’T PAY! 17 – 31 March 2023
Press night: Wednesday 22 March at 7:30pm Age guidance: 12+
30 May – 3 June
Studio Theatre Age guidance: 4+
28 July – 26 August 2023
Age guidance: 9+
While this is a book written for adults I think older teens will find a lot to relate to.
The book follows Marianne and Connell through their angsty, often quite pretentious adolescent years (and who among us wasn't at least a bit pretentious or obnoxious in their teens?)
into the complications of early adulthood.
Rooney treads a fine line between evoking irritation at two flawed, slightly unlikeable people, while making those flaws and the angst seem so raw and real that as a reader we begin to care about them.
The novel is one about relationships and how they are affected by both class and social status. Marianne is a smart girl from an affluent family, but this does not protect her from being socially ostracized at school and emotionally abused at home. Connell on the other hand is from a working-class family and enjoys an easy popularity. Connell's mother works as a cleaner for Marianne's family, and the teens are drawn to each other and begin a secret sexual relationship, but it falls apart because Connell does not want his friends to find out.
By the time they meet again at university, Marianne is the popular one, and Connell is feeling increasingly depressed and isolated. They are once
The cuticle is the layer of clear skin located along the bottom edge of your finger or toenail. The function of a cuticle is to protect bacteria from entering at the nail root.
Our nails are made from keratin protein that is secreted by a layer of living tissue called the nail matrix situated at the base of the fingernail. The pale pink half-moon shape that pokes out from under the flesh of your finger is called the lunula and part of that matrix. It's most clearly visible on the thumbs but isn't visible on everyone.
Cuticles are delicate and they can get dry, damaged, and infected. Caring for the nail area and keeping it clean will ensure that your nails stay healthy. The easiest way to do this is to soak your hands and feet in soapy, warm water for around 10 minutes every few days. This helps to soften the cuticle and keeps your nails clean. Applying a moisturiser will help prevent dryness and cracking.
Because of their protective function it is inadvisable to cut cuticles as it
makes it easier for bacteria to get inside which can lead to an infection. A better approach is to push the cuticle back gently and only and trim loose skin and hangnails.
It’s tempting to pick at cuticles, but this should be avoided, as should using harsh nail polish removers. Stick to an acetone-free formula.
If you use a nail salon, ask the technician not to cut your cuticles, and make sure that they sanitize their instruments.
If you notice signs or symptoms of infection at the base of your nail, talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
By Kate McCarthymore drawn to each other as they navigate through a world filled with social expectations. Through Marianne and Connell, Rooney examines our need to impress and perform for others in a world that seems to grow ever more connected online, with so many things left unsaid face-to-face.
Rooney has created a weird, awkward, compelling novel about weird, awkward, compelling people, who find what they really need, and a lot they don't, in each other. As Marianne spirals into selfdestruction and Connell looks for meaning in his life, how far will each of them go to save the other.
Ami is a clever, thoughtful girl who is gifted an escape room experience for her birthday. She's excited arriving at The Escape, eager to solve puzzles and to make new friends. But Ami and the children who enter the escape room with her, never have anticipated the dangers ahead or how far their strengths and fragile new friendship bonds would be tested. It seems that
far from playing simply to win the escape room, they are fighting for the continuation of the entire planet! The novel is aimed at ages 8-12. It's short, fast paced, and full of twists and turns, so is particularly ideal for more reluctant readers, and the ending has quite a twist.
By Tash Donovan
Following the success of the 2022 Cultural and Creative Events Fund, which supported more than 20 projects, Colchester City Council (CCC) is pleased to announce the Cultural and Creative Events Fund will be returning for 2023/24.
Applications are now open for micro grants of between £250-£1500 to help deliver creative events and activities across the City of Colchester local authority area between 30 April 2023 and 1 May 2024.
The fund comes out of recommendations in the Colchester Cultural Strategy, and demonstrates the council’s commitment to help maintain and develop the city’s rich and diverse cultural landscape.
The available funding totals £30,000, made up of £20,000 from CCC and £10,000 from project partner the NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board. By linking up with the NHS, CCC is cementing its commitment to improving residents' health, wellbeing and quality of life through encouraging participation and engagement with culture.
Only applications which demonstrate the planned activity will achieve at least three of the following will be considered for funding:
1. Deliver a high-quality cultural experience to local audiences
2. Develop or showcase local creative talent
3. Celebrate, explore, and raise awareness of local heritage
4. Encourage visitors to the City of Colchester
5. Celebrate our diverse local communities
Projects will also need to demonstrate how they will be contributing to breaking down social barriers, help develop inclusive communities, and have a direct or indirect aim of reducing social isolation through fostering community within the boundaries of the city.
Funding applications will be welcomed from registered charities, constituted voluntary and community organisations as well as not-for-profit groups.
The fund closes to applications on 6 February 2023.
All applications must be submitted online through CCC’s online portal which can be found here www.colchester.gov. uk/cultural-creative-events-fund
Councillor Pam Cox, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Heritage, said: “Thanks to the commitment of a huge range of individuals and groups, the breadth and diversity of our cultural offer makes the City of Colchester a unique place to live, visit, work, and study. In partnership with our local NHS, through this fund we hope to support organisations and communities across the local authority to provide further fantastic opportunities for people to come together and participate in a wide range of creative and cultural activity.”
Dr Ed Garratt, Chief Executive, NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board, said: “It’s well known that involvement in creative and cultural activities has a positive effect on an individual’s wellbeing, as well as giving a boost to our communities.
“From the success of last year’s fund, we know that Colchester is bursting and flourishing with creative energy, and hope that 2023 will see even more new projects come forward.”
Across 1 Scottish plaid (6) 4 Entice, coax (6) 9 Shape with many sides (7) 10 Circulate, deliver (5) 11 Grovel (5) 12 Spiky plant (7) 13 Calendar, schedule (6) 15 Despot, bully (6) 18 Touchable (7) 20 Scrutinise (5) 22 Pretended (5) 23 Teeming, jammed (7) 24 Victim, prey (6) 25 Delicate, fragile (6)
Down 1 Subject matter (5) 2 Let go (7) 3 Seraph, cherub (5) 5 Nimbleness (7) 6 Beginning (5) 7 Essential feature (7) 8 Coalesce (5)
Captivate, fascinate (7)
Ebb, fade (7)
Kept away from (7)
Instruct (5) 19 Provide for (5) 20 Leave bread to rise (5)
Sea-dwelling duck (5)
Christmas is often a time when problems already present within a marriage come to a head. January is often when people decide they want to make a break. Divorce is a scary word, but if approached correctly the outcome can be positive for both parties.
What do you want from your settlement?
Think about your children, the house, and any shared finances. Try to remove emotion from the equation and be clear and realistic. Courts are not interested in why a relationship broke down and will try to be fair to both parties regardless. The fact your partner cheated will not mean that you get more money.
It's good to talk.
A divorce will be quicker, cheaper and less destructive if both parties co-operate and behave with maturity. Even if you can't agree everything, try to remain civil because if you fall out and the divorce become acrimonious and prolonged, savings and any equity in your house will get eaten up very quickly.
Discuss things like who will petition who for the divorce and what grounds they will cite e.g. infidelity, unreasonable behaviour, or separation. Having a clear, uncontested plan will keep costs down.
Mediation is not marriage counselling. It is there to help both parties agree on the key issues such as childcare arrangements, what happens to the house, what happens to savings, pensions and investments. If you can agree on these matters than all the lawyers really have to do is draw up the agreements. In this way and the need for an expensive court hearing is avoided.
Mediation works best if both parties commit to find a solution that works best for everyone. It is not always free, but it is much less expensive than legal fees.
By Louise Addison
The teen years are a time of body changes, brain rewiring, social pressures and exam stress. Parenting a teen can be hard work.
ConflictConflict is completely normal. Teens have to learn to become independent. They are hard-wired for it. Try to remain calm, listen and choose your battles. Decide what is worth taking a stand on and what isn't.
Boundaries –
Teens will test boundaries which is a source of conflict (see above). Set out clear guidelines about what is acceptable. Tell your teenager where you're going, who with and when you'll be back. Explain that this is for your safety and so they don’t worry. Tell them you expect the same in return, so that they are safe, and you don’t worry. Boundaries show you care. You teen knows this even if they choose to argue over them.
Individuals –Your teen is not an extension of you. Don't expect them to agree with everything you say or believe. Teenagers should and will test opinions and people. Agree to differ. Your teenager is more likely to respect your views if you respect theirs.
Interest –
Show an interest in your teen’s day, whether at home or at school. Offer support and guidance with homework or revision. But please note that genuine interest is neither pressure nor prying. Just keep channels of communication open so they know they can talk freely to you about anything.
Family time -
Your relationship with your child will change as they progress through their teens. Makes sure you spend some time together doing everyday things…sweeping up the leaves in the garden, sorting laundry, preparing supper. Don’t assume they won’t appreciate a family outing to the cinema, bowling or mini-golf now and then, or even a country walk. They may approach the event ironically as though they are humouring you but if they come it’s because they want to be there.
The work you put in to your relationship with your teen will pay dividends as they get older.
By Heidi Leonardpuzzle solutions:
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30-40 minutes
Serves: 4
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely sliced
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp sweet paprika
½ tsp cumin seeds
½-1 tsp cayenne pepper
800g tinned tomatoes (use the best quality you can find)
2 tsp soft brown sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
4-8 eggs, depending on hunger
Small bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Heat the oil in a large frying pan (with a lid) and add the onion. Fry gently until golden, then add the peppers and cook until they are soft. Stir in the garlic and spices and cook for another minute or two.
Pour in the tomatoes and mash roughly. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Taste and season. Add a little more cayenne if you like your dishes more spicy.
Make 4-8 hollows in the sauce and break an eggs gently into each one. Season lightly, and turn the heat down as low as possible, cover the pan with the lid and and cook for about 10 minutes until the eggs are just set. Sprinkle with coriander and serve with crusty bread.
Shakshuka is a North African and Middle Eastern dish. It makes a wonderful spicy brunch or supper for a cold January day.
Ilove a garden planted for winter. There are so many plants with wonderful shape and interesting evergreen foliage. But the thing that draws me out into any garden is scent, and fragrance is particularly uplifting in the depths of winter.
Getting outdoors into natural daylight, even on a cold, dank day is a mood booster. If you need an excuse to don woolly hat and gloves then what better than winter-flowering shrubs. Even better if you can cut a few sprigs to take back indoors. Chimonanthus praecox, known as Wintersweet is the type of shrub that looks rather unexciting in spring and summer, but in winter once established (which may take a couple of years) the bare branches erupt with lovely waxy yellow flowers which have an intense sweet and spicy scent.
For a little spot near the front or back door, think about Daphne bholua, a shade-loving, tiny, evergreen shrub which produces delicate pink or white blooms that look like they are made
from fondant icing. They have a rich floral, old-fashioned scent.
If space is limited you also try Sarcococca hookeriana. This is also a shade-lover and produced a very powerful jasmine-like scent which carries well on the breeze.
If you have more space and would like something more robust then plant Viburnum x bodnantense. It produces pom-poms of flowers in pastel pink or white which smell of warm vanilla and lilac. It also has an extremely long flowering season, starting in midautumn and going right through until early spring.
All of the above flowers can be cut, and will last for several days in a vase in the house. But January is also the perfect time to enjoy gardening indoors. My teenage son collects cacti and was gifted a striking, ornamental cactus with funky foliage a couple of years ago, called Epiphyllum anguliger. The wavy-edge leaves which oscillate along the stem give
rise to its more common name, the Fishbone Cactus. As well as looking handsome all year round it has the delightful bonus of producing large creamy white flowers in winter which emit a wonderful scent in the evening, just one bloom can fill a room with a sweet fragrance.
You don’t have to be deprived of scent in the winter months.
Make a New Year’s resolution to bring some fragrance into your garden, and your home.
Happy gardening.
By Rachael Leverton
Whether its maxi, knee length or mini; A line, flowy or slinky, most women possess at least one black skirt. If you’re anything like me, you mostly pass over this humble item of clothing when choosing what to wear. But when challenged to write a series on ‘how to style it…’ I thought it would be as good a starting point as any. My black skirt is a thick Ponte jersey and hits just above the knee but the following combinations can be adapted for any length or style of black skirt.
Channelling my inner Parisian I styled my black skirt with a camel-coloured top, my favourite black blazer, sheer tights, gold jewellery, red lipstick and high heeled nude court shoes.
I paired a faded slightly oversized wine-coloured sweatshirt with black opaque tights and chunky black boots,
then swapped out the boots and tights for white trainers. Both looked good.
It’s a classic combination but can look like waitress attire or school uniform. The trick is to choose a blouse in a luxe fabric like silk or satin, that’s embellished with a frill, or cut away shoulders or a low back, and pair it with nude, black or metallic heels and classy jewellery.
This is a great casual look when paired with a white or grey T shirt and trainers. Logo T shirts look particularly good, and if you’re more of a boot person, those chunky boots look great with this outfit.
I haven’t worn patterned tights since school and now I’m 44 and I still think of patterned tights as being for teens. My daughter (who is very much a
teen) persuaded me to try her black sheer polka dot tights and actually they did look very nice when I paired them with a plain V neck red jumper and black flats. Perhaps if your style is a bit more edgy you could try pairing a brighter patterned pair with military style boots, and add chunky jewellery.
I am wary of animal print. I own a pair of leopard print flats and one dark leopard print V neck jumper, so I paired the skirt with the jumper and added opaque black tights and kneelength mid-heeled black boots with simple jewellery. I was surprised how classy it looked…and how long my legs looked!
I would normally consider my black skirt too boring for a party, but I tried pairing it with a sleeveless purple sparkly top, nude tights and some pretty gold party shoes I found in a charity shop. I added my black blazer and a black evening bag with a gold chain strap and felt quite sophisticated as I headed off to a 21st birthday dinner.
I hope I’ve encouraged you to pull out your black skirt and get imaginative with styling.
By Lorna Chalmers
It’s that time of year again. What’s your resolution? The top three people usually make are:
• Lose weight
• Get organised
• Save more (or spend less)
Most resolutions fail even before the turkey leftovers run out. So, for 2023 why not make a resolution or two with your partner that will enhance your relationship? The major benefit of doing it together is having a readymade accountability partner.
Here are our suggestions for the best relationship resolutions.
Communicate authentically –
Make time to talk about the best bits in your relationship, and then talk honestly about any resentments you have been holding on to. Don’t be accusatory, make a pact to be constructive and resolve any problems as a team.
Together time –Schedule it in the diary if you have to. Have lunch or supper together without the kids at least once a week.
If money is tight you don’t have to go to a restaurant. Cook together or just have a sandwich and a chat. When our kids were young, we created ‘our time’…lunch once a week on a Wednesday because this was the only time we were ‘together alone’. Even If I we hadn’t managed a proper chat all week, we knew Wednesday would come round again.
If you can, take ‘together time’ to the next level and set aside a ‘date night’ once a fortnight, even once a month can make all the difference. Go to see that new film or play, or hit the bowling alley,
Take note –
I used to put little post its in the kids’ lunchboxes when they were at primary school, along with a little treat. One day on a whim I did the same for my husband and he loved it, so I kept doing it. He then started to leave the odd post-it in my car or took the time to send me a sweet text message. The experts call these little gestures daily love habits and they help to create a loving atmosphere in a relationship.
The thrill of the new –Go roller skating, or take a ballroom class, or learn to paint together. Maybe
visit a local museum you’ve never been to, a nearby stately home and garden. It doesn’t really matter what the activity is, it’s about having fun and creating a good memory together. It counts as a date too!
Say thank you –
Yes he might usually clean the loos or put the bins out. You might always clean out the rabbit, do the grocery shopping and put the laundry on. Maybe you take turns to cook. We all tend to have chores that are ‘ours’ but try making the effort to say ‘thank you’ to each other. It will probably feel a bit odd or unnecessary at first, but everyone likes appreciation for the little things. A few words of thanks can mean a lot. It might be the only appreciation anyone has shown all day.
Laughter is the best medicine –Laughter is serious stuff! When life gets serious, we often forget to have fun. Tell your partner a joke, or an amusing story from your day; watch your favourite comedy show together or go to a comedy club. Laughter brings people together. It’s also a great aphrodisiac! Was there ever a better reason?
By Kate McCarthyFill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the numbers 1 through to 9 with no repetition.
You don’t need to be a genius. These puzzles use logic alone. Watch out! Sudoku is highly addictive.
After the war the Government wanted to encourage people to save again and on November 1st 1956, Premium Savings Bonds went on sale. These didn’t earn interest, instead each £1 bond received a unique number and had an equal chance to win a prize in a monthly draw. £5 million worth of bonds were sold on the first day (about £121 million today).
Initially you could only invest £500 maximum, and the biggest prize was £1000. In a time when the average weekly pay was £10 per week, and average house prices were just under £2000, it must have seemed like a huge sum.
Do you own any Premium Bonds? More than 21 million of us own at least one, and their history dates back to the 19th century.
By 1861 the British Empire was wealthy but ordinary citizens were not. They had little opportunity to save. A Huddersfield banker called Charles Sikes wanted to change this. He proposed a scheme to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, William Gladstone. Gladstone approved and decided there should be a savings bank within, "...an hour's walk of every working man's fireside.”.
The Post Office Savings Bank was established to provide cheap funding to the Government, and the Ordinary
Savings Account was born. Because the funds were secured by the Government people felt it was a safe way to invest so the project was a success with 2500 branches opening within two years.
During the First World War, the Government needed to borrow more money, so in 1916 it launched War Savings Certificates in 1916 and followed those with National War Bonds in 1917. These raised £433m (around £24 billion based on today's values).
During the Second World War there was a similar National Savings campaign and deposits rose from £509m to £1,982m between 1939 and 1946.
So that each £1 bond had an equal chance of winning a prize, the draw needed to be truly random. Because of the complexity of the task, the Government used the team behind the Second World War code breaker, Colossus, to build a piece of Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment, dubbed ERNIE. This machine generated bond numbers based on the signal noise created by gas neon diodes. The original ERNIE was the size of a van and took 10 days to complete a draw. Over the past several decades ERNIE has been through several iterations the current machine is ERNIE 5, which was introduced in 2019. ERNIE 5 is powered by quantum technology which uses light rather than thermal noise to generate random numbers and takes just 12 minutes to complete a draw.
Back in 1956 you had to own a bond for six months to be entered into the draw, now it's one full calendar month.
Today, you can hold up to £50,000 worth of Premium Bonds, and the maximum prize is £1 million with two chances to win the jackpot each month. There are also many smaller prizes down to a modest £25. 82 billion bonds go into the draw each month so the odds of any individual bond winning a prize (no matter how small) is 24500 to 1.
More than £350 000 of bonds from 1956 are still active today and eligible for entry into the monthly draw.
Believe it or not, even in the present economic climate there are currently over 1.6 million prizes worth more than £63 million which have not been claimed. Perhaps now might be a good time to check to see whether you have any old Premium Bonds in your name, which have been forgotten about. You might get lucky!
NOTE: Before making any financial decisions you are advised to consult a professional. financial adviser.
By Jamie MaxfieldDue to survey works, Britannia and Vineyard Street car parks in Colchester will be temporarily closed at different times during the week commencing 23 January.
Previous Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey works by archaeologists to better understand the history of St Botolph’s Priory which took place in November had to be halted, due to the weather conditions.
This work will now resume on 23 January, when the car park will be completely closed, followed by partclosures on 24 and 25 January.
Vineyard Street Car Park will be closed from 25-28 January to carry out identical GPR survey works. Due to Vineyard Street Car Park’s proximity to the Roman Wall, the works are being carried out to improve our understanding of the history of the earliest city wall in Britain.
Visitors and workers in Colchester can still take advantage of the great value parking available at the Council’s other award-winning car parks nearby, including Priory Street, St John’s (open 5am until 7pm) and Napier Road North, all of which offer disabled parking bays.
Cllr Pam Cox, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Heritage, said: “The work being undertaken is designed to reveal new information about two of Colchester’s most important historic sites – St Botolph’s Priory and the Roman Wall. Britain’s First City is steeped in history and this opportunity enables us to discover more about its rich heritage.”
Cllr Martin Goss, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Services and Waste, said: “We apologise for any inconvenience these works cause and have worked hard to ensure the disruption is
minimal. There are a number of other car parks offering great value parking in the city centre as well as the Park Active scheme for those who are keen to walk and cycle part of their journey and save some money too.”
If poor weather prevents the works from taking place on these dates, they will take place on alternative dates in the near future, which will be advertised beforehand in the car park and on the Council’s website.
Information on parking in Colchester can be found at colchester.gov.uk/parking
If you haven’t heard of TikTok you’ve probably been living with the Amish for the past couple of years.
TikTok is the social media platform which allows users to create shortform videos up to three minutes long. Users, known as TikTokers, share everything from original music, to lip-synching videos to funny moments and pranks.
The TikTok App Has Been Downloaded 3 billion Times and there are 900 million active users worldwide. During the pandemic when people were quarantining at home, TikTok was a major beneficiary of increased social media use. It was the most downloaded app of 2021, beating Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat.
TikTok was created by Chinese tech giant ByteDance and released in September 2016 under the name ‘Douyin’. Instagram and Facebook are banned in China, so there was an opening for a video-sharing social networking service. When ByteDance acquired Musical.ly - which allowed its users to create and share 15-second lip-sync videos – it merged a lot of the features, and in August 2018 TikTok was born.
TikTok is best known for dance and lip-sync videos, made possible by TikTok’s extensive music library, called ‘Sounds’. The music is licensed from labels like Sony, Warner and Universal. Recording a video involves selecting the music, which plays through your smartphone’s speaker in real-time while you’re filming. TikTok’s algorithm works out users’ tastes and preferences based on how they engage with the app, and whenever a new video is uploaded, the algorithm displays it to a small group of users. If it gets a lot of likes and shares, it will be shown to more users with similar interests. If it continues to be popular the process repeats and the video might go viral. This can happen whether the creator has hundreds of thousands of followers or just a handful. Democracy is one of the features that makes TikTok so attractive.
TikTok is now a global platform available in 155 countries. 90% of users access the platform daily and spend just under an hour on the app. Almost half of users are in the 16-24 age bracket and cite the online community as the best feature. ‘Duet’ is the main community-building feature. It allows users to record themselves alongside existing TikTok videos in a split-screen format, or
they can choose to use just the audio from the original video, which is credited at the bottom of the video as the “Original sound”. Tapping on the ‘Original sound’ icon links you to the original TikTok video, as well as all other TikTok videos using the same ‘Original sound’. Users can then respond to, parody or perform alongside other TikTokers, and the videos (which include the TikTok logo and the TikToker’s username), can be downloaded and shared to other platforms. It’s easy to see why memes and challenges can go viral very quickly on TikTok. The platform
also
TikTok is hugely popular but social media is a fickle industry and it’s difficult to project too far into the future. The popularity of any social media platform depends on whether it can keep users on board and whether corporate controversy gets in the way…just think about Twitter!
By Tom Hancock3. a new business case for strengthened corporate services
4. exploring alternative electoral arrangements to the current election by thirds cycle
5. providing clear ‘hybrid working’ guidance, and
fiscal management, and robust governance. Addressing the review team’s recommendations will put us in a better position to deliver for our communities, as we navigate some extremely challenging times ahead.”
Cllr David King, Leader of the Council, added:
Colchester City Council’s response to the recommendations of a wide-ranging Local Government Association (LGA) peer review is set to be examined by the Scrutiny Panel next week, before Cabinet meets to approve the action plan on Wednesday, 25 January.
The LGA peer challenge, which took place in September, was led by a group of public sector experts and leaders drawing on their own experiences in other local authorities both from a political and operational perspective.
The review focused on the council’s performance, governance, relationships, and financial resilience, and provided the council with an opportunity to discuss its strengths, as well as areas for improvement. The
council was praised for its high-quality services, strong fiscal management, and robust governance, with the review concluding that the council has a positive future with opportunities to put Colchester on a regional and national stage.
The council welcomed the team’s constructive feedback and advice on key areas for review and improvement and has drawn up and already begun implementing strategies to address the eight key recommendations* before April.
Measures in the action plan will focus on:
1. the economic and cultural opportunities provided by city status
2. a full review of the capital programme
6. commissioning an independent review of Colchester Commercial Holdings Ltd to assess whether the companies are realising the benefits they were established to deliver.
Pam Donnelly, Chief Executive of Colchester City Council, said: “I’d once again like to thank all the members of the peer review team for visiting Colchester and for such an incredibly positive experience.
“Their report highlights a substantial number of strengths but also some key areas for review and improvement, which our action plan will address in the coming months.
“We are a well-run and ambitious council with an established track record of providing high quality, award-winning services, strong
“As this experienced review team have said, there are many reasons to be optimistic and excited about Colchester’s future. But we have a great deal to do to make the most of that future and to ensure, given high inflation and financial pressures, that we do so in a sustainable way, balancing the books year on year.
“The action plan response to the recommendations for the council acknowledges the scale of challenge we must address with others. We see this as an opportunity to do even better: to reinforce transformation and change already well underway; to help us make our services more efficient and cost-effective; to help us build on the great work we already do with other organisations, as we continue to manage a tough economic climate, intense pressure on resources, and increased demands on our services.”
