The Beestonian Issue 78

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n a i n o Beest issue No.78

Free!

Bloody typical

red hot summer edition!

It ’s g o t

for residents of Beeston... and the World!

A FRESH APPROACH At RM Tax & Accountancy we like to do things differently to most other accountants.

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All our fees are agreed up-front and paid month by month to spread the cost of your accountancy and tax needs.

We make ourselves available around our clients hours; if a 7pm call suits you better than anything 9-5, then it suits us too.

The Beestonian is designed and printed

by The Big Idea: proud to be a Beeston design company since 2008.

Find out more: www.rmtaxandaccountancy.com Give us a call: 0115 7270 725 or email us: rob@rmtaxandaccountancy.com

IT

H

opefully you've been making the most of the restrictions being eased, and seeing Beeston getting back to its best. Fingers crossed we won't see any more lockdowns, and I for one really look forward to the time when they become a distant memory.

Beeston is continuing to thrive, not just in terms of new business and investment, but the community itself. The sense of neighbourliness that sprang up out of necessity during the lockdowns has carried on, and we've heard lots of tales of new friendships that cross the divides of age, culture, religion etc.

The amazing street art which has been cited as a prominent reason for recent investment looks set to continue, and we will soon see the first results of an exciting new project called 'Alight In Beeston'. As the name suggests, it involves light, in this case to create art, in a similar way to the annual 'light night' held in the city. All being well, a pilot event will take place in November.

The Beestonian will soon be celebrating its tenth birthday, which will hopefully involve a big party. As things get finalised we will have more details on the Beestonian Facebook page.

THE BIG IDEA PAINT

Beestonian The

BRIGHT

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This is a magazine for Beeston and those that live, work, study or visit here.

Therefore, if there's anything you think we should be covering or others should know about, email us: thebeestonian@gmail.com

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Lastly, as ever, stay safe and keep looking after each other.

A4 posters now available FREE cover poster with every subscription: Visit our Ko-Fi page (ko-fi.com/thebeestonian) or check out page 26 for more info...

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John Cooper Editorial

beeston l a n o s r e p + e s o Upcl Not strictly Beeston, but neighbouring Dunkirk. Eagle-eyed Beestonian Dan Robinson spotted this painful sounding partially obscured street sign which looks like one to avoid!

ABC update

Karen Attwood What's the buzz on Beeston's Art Trail?

T

he team have got their fingers well and truly crossed that everything can go ahead at the later than usual dates of September 4th and 5th from 11am until 5pm on each day.

You can find more details about the artists on the ABC Art Trail website, but we can tell you there will be twentytwo artists spread over eleven venues.

This will include four new artists who have not participated before, which is exciting for them and us!

Brigitte Beauty Salon on Chilwell Road is the only place in the midlands where you can have salt cave therapy.

This amazing room is designed to help those who have respiratory problems, through breathing salt air. It is also beneficial for skin conditions too.

In the 1800s it was noted that salt mine workers rarely suffered from respiratory diseases, and not long later the first halotherapy spa was opened in a salt cave. Apparently the closest one apart from this is in Milton Keynes!

This year they also have three lovely non-artists who have loaned their houses to artists, so the Trail will feel a bit different. Especially as some of the regulars won’t be able to join in this year due to the date shift – they will be missed.

We were really sorry to hear about the disappearance and passing of Benton, known to many people as The Tram Stop Cat. He was very familiar to people who used the Inham Road tram stop for being incredibly friendly and affectionate, sometimes to the point of following people onto the tram! After the sad news broke, his owner Ginny Hicks set up a GoFundMe appeal for Mansfield Cat Rescue, which exceeded its target of £500. RIP Benton.

In response to the popularity of last year’s competition, the organisers are running another schools competition.

The four local schools taking part will be Roundhill, The Lanes, Eskdale and Trent Vale. Winning and commended entries will be displayed around the Trail and the theme is 'Spring in Our Community'.

This superb community event has received fantastic support again from local sponsors. Details of these can also be found on the website.

Look out for artist profiles on the ABCAT Facebook page in the run up to the Trail. They are hoping to include some videos for a sneak preview of what’s in store for September. www.abcarttrail.uk/2021-art-trail www.abcarttrail.uk/communitysupport KA

beeston speaks i am

Dr. Donna-Marie Urbanowicz PA for the QMC’s Centre for Spinal Studies and Surgery

I

was born in London and moved to Beeston in 2003 to complete an MA in American Studies at The University of Nottingham. When I asked them for “good places” to locate to, the University advised me that Beeston was lovely. I was then invited to complete a Ph.D and have never left Beeston. That was 18 years ago now. This is a lovely place for my children to grow up in, and whilst I don’t feel that I have done anything interesting in my time here, I have found Beeston to be a safe environment to raise my family”.

“Beeston has a lot to offer both in terms of its local urban environment and its artisan shops and restaurants. The fact that we have such wide variety of open green spaces in close proximity is wonderful. There is Attenborough Nature Reserve, Wollaton Park and University Park to name a few and all offer a different day out depending on your wishes. Beeston also has a very active high street. Although I feel the town will suffer somewhat with the closure of Argos. There are good stores here, but where we make up for charity shops and eateries, we probably lack in a decent department store. That said, I very rarely feel the need to go into Nottingham, and now that we have the new cinema, the desire to go to the city is not necessarily there”.

“Beeston has and continues to have a real sense of community. I have lived in three different houses during my years here and have been very lucky that all neighbourhoods afforded a community spirit. There is always a friendly face and a smile to be had when you are walking through the park and when my children were really young, I was often stopped in the street for a conversation. I feel very lucky and blessed to have been assimilated into the landscape of Beeston.

As an ‘outsider’, I have never been made to feel unwelcome. As a student, I was never dismissed, and as a mother, I was always impressed by the activities offered by such a small community. My children attend the Rattle and Roll nursery rhymes at the library and visited the under 5s play group at Beeston Free Church”.

“I love the fact that Beeston has an amazing array of charity shops. I wander

through them on a regular basis as I love the vintage fashion look. I particularly like the 50s era with the full petticoats and cute cardigans. They tend to go with my mega crazy shoes. Sue Ryder has a vintage section that I am often scrabbling in, and many a bargain can be found in the others, if you have time for a browse. Unfortunately, this style is often hard to find, so I tend to shop on-line for my dresses. And as for my shoes… well, let’s just say they are a bit like Marmite, you either love them or hate them. It does sadden me a little, that there is a definite lack of popular clothes shops in Beeston for the more contemporary market. Considering Beeston is such a diverse town with a large cohort of students and permanent residents alike.

Other than the charity shops, buying new clothes in Beeston is very limited to either Peacocks, or the supermarket own brands.

It is good to see White Rose open up to attract the younger population, but it is still second-hand. I do feel Beeston would benefit dramatically if a larger well-known clothes store took the plunge and opened a branch here, especially in light of the fact that we now have a new cinema, which is very exciting and will, I have no doubt, increase the foot traffic to the local shops nearby.”

“One of my favourite things about Beeston is the switching on of the Christmas Lights.

My father used to call this the “Beeston Lightbulb” and it has become a large part of our Christmas tradition. Again, times have changed and where once the rides used to be all down the high street and the fireworks were in the square, things have moved around more. It will be interesting to see what happens this year with the new cinema now taking up prime real estate. But I am sure it will still be a family fun evening. My family used to travel up from London every year for this event and we made it part of our celebrations. There has always been a wonderful atmosphere in Beeston, that I have never felt unsafe, even when walking home late at night on my own and this is probably one of the greatest achievements that Beeston can offer, safety in the community and in a town that I am proud to call my home”.

CF

Tim Pollard This issue: It's Coming Home...

B

een up to much since last issue? I’d imagine you have, unless you’ve been stuck at home poorly. As I write it’s the evening of July 19th, inaccurately dubbed ‘Freedom Day’ by some elements of the press – but oddly enough there’s an element of truth in that libertarian soubriquet for me, as today was the final day of my and my daughter’s sixteen day period of self-isolation - we’ve had Covid.

I thought I’d done pretty well to avoid it and was *extremely* happy when I had both of my vaccinations but just over a couple of weeks ago I received an email from my daughter’s school saying they believed she (and her class) had been in contact with someone who had tested positive. Ten days couldn’t be that bad, I figured – we’d done longer in earlier lockdowns. Maybe we were getting blasé about it, even.

"this time I could almost hear the heavy ‘clang’ of the prison door as it swung shut”

Yeah... no, I'm not feeling great.

But a few days into our new quarantine Scarlett complained of a nasty head and stomach ache; just to be sure I gave her a Lateral Flow Test and there it was, a positive.

I did one for myself and was relieved to find it negative but booked us both in for a PCR test the next morning at the University Walk-in site. It was a doddle, thankfully – and Scarlett’s symptoms, such as they were, had already vanished by the time we’d been ‘done’ and told to expect the results in two days.

That afternoon though I began to feel pretty rough and by the next morning I didn’t need the result that arrived on my phone, less than 24 hours after taking the PCR test.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m the first to admit that blokes are generally *dreadful* when poorly (unless I’m just judging you all by my feeble standards, in which case I apologise unreservedly), but it really was bad. I’ve had

proper influenza once before and that was horrendous, and this was right up there with it – literally going from sweating like a polar bear in a sauna (No idea, not seen it, it just sounded like a descriptive turn-ofphrase) to proper teeth-chattering cold, with goosebumps and nothing in between.

Scarlett, now full of energy and with not a symptom in the world was wonderful, covering and then uncovering me as my latest temperature episode kicked in and generally fussing me wonderfully. Of course the worst bit for her was us both having to start eleven days self-isolation again on top of the time we’d already done; this time I could almost hear the heavy ‘clang’ of the prison door as it swung shut.

It. Was. Horrendous.

The temperature changes, the acute muscle-pain, headaches, the cough and shallow breathing, the vomiting (thankfully very short-lived) – I got all the symptoms except for the diarrhea (and I’m glad I didn’t, that combined with coughing…eeuuwww!)

Normally I’m fine at being ill. Just give me a bed, Radio 4 and a bit of sympathy and I’m good (especially with a diet of Tunnock’s caramel wafers and pineapple juice) but add in a bored seven-year old who is absolutely fine who’s asking “Daddy, do you want to see what I can do/sing/draw/dance/create in Minecraft?” every five minutes and the next few days became a grumpy purgatory for us both in which I tried to sleep and Scarlett didn’t…

And yet, after what seemed like an eternity (but was about five days) I felt able to move again, wracked by guilt at having dismissed her so often but glad to be alive; I daren’t think how poorly I’d have been had I not had both vaccinations…

So I guess we’ll see how well ‘Freedom Day’ goes for us here in Beeston but please don’t be fooled into thinking the ‘mild ‘flu like symptoms’ you may suffer if you catch it are actually ‘mild’ in themselves. I still can’t smell or taste anything, but that was the least of my worries.

So no trite joke at the end this time, just a heartfelt ‘look after yourselves’. Please.

TP

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Dough notts Amy Victoria Gathercole

Doughnotts newest store is here, in Beeston!

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eeston is about to get "proper freshly baked doughnuts" Welcome Doughnotts!

Yet another new, fun and entrepreneurial business is moving into Beeston in late August, into the units underneath our new Arc Cinema.

We’re thrilled to be welcoming Doughnotts into our thriving and growing town and even have a competition launching on our website (www.beestonian.com) around the time they open their doors so do keep an eye out online.

When asked why Beeston was the newest location to serve their oh so tasty Doughnuts doughnuts, one of the founders Wade Smith (29) waxed lyrical about Beeston being “... a vibrant and up-and-coming town - with such a friendly community atmosphere”.

You may know that Doughnotts are no strangers to Beeston, as they’ve been providing freshly baked delicious goods to our community on their pitch at the Farmers Market for a while now.

Wade shared: “We’ve had a stall at the farmers’ market there for a couple of years and the welcome we’ve had has been amazing. There’s been nothing but positivity from the people of the town and when we found out this development was happening we knew it was somewhere we wanted to be.”

This will be Doughnotts’ fourth and largest location and their new flagship store. They also cater for many types of events and offer a delivery service in England, Scotland and Wales with the intent to be offering the same service in Europe come Christmas this year and soon after, next day delivery to New York!!!

Doughnotts are a company that have been ambitious since they started back in 2015.

When the business began in Clifton, with locals Megan and Wade who decided to start making and selling doughnuts with just £10, a wok and a mother’s kitchen in order to pay for a holiday. Talk about a success story!

A few months later they had their own micro-bakery, stocking cafes and bars around Nottingham and attending food fairs which led to them opening their very first shop in Nottingham in 2016. Fast forward to 2021 and with the help of a growing team of dedicated and hardworking staff, DoughNotts is soon to have 4 stores and a multitude of wholesalers spanning the Midlands.

What can Beeston residents expect?

- A range of hand-made Doughnuts including vegan options and fresh coffee from another Nottingham business, 200 Degrees.

- There’ll be a selection of indoor & outdoor seating and a grab and go area for those catching buses or trams.

- New partnerships with fellow new businesses, like The Arc Cinema - hopefully creating some unique and special flavours and products for cinema-goers once they’ve settled in.

- A welcoming feel like they have established in their other stores in Lincoln, Leicester and Nottingham city centre.

This new central Beeston location will be bringing the same friendly atmosphere but will be bigger, with seating inside and out and will be equipped with sockets etc. So if you fancy working away from the home office for a break or just grabbing a treat on the go, with the longer opening hours of 8am 8pm planned, they've got you covered!

The magic of making the doughnuts, testing and experimenting with flavours and fresh baking happens in their 5000-foot bakery in NG2. This is where on a day-to-day basis, they make between 2000 to 3000 doughnuts, on average. This large number is distributed between fulfilling the needs that the shops sell, wholesale suppliers, deliveries, events and weddings. They really have it all going on.

We're really looking forward to welcoming them to Beeston. How excited are you? Have you tasted a Doughnotts doughnut before?

Doughnotts is looking for Store managers, key holders, baristas and team members for the new store, full time and part time positions available. If you’re interested, please send a cover letter and CV to jobs@doughnottsofficial. com and don’t forget to make it fun!

To keep up with the announcements and sneak peeks of how the new shop is shaping up then join their enormous and growing social media following at Instagram - @doughnotts_official Facebook - www.facebook.com/Doughnotts Website - www.facebook.com/Doughnotts AVG

Scott Bennett This issue: Lighter fluid and lava rock

I

t’s thirty degrees in the shade, I’m sweating so much even my man boobs have started to cry, weeping endless tears into my Sports Direct vest. The inside of my underwear is now frankly like a war zone, it’s just chaos down there, everything is just smashed together, I have to keep lunging just to bring some peace to the region.

In this oppressive heat what can you do?

Stay inside drinking ice cold drinks and wait for the rain to come? No, that’s a stupid idea, what you need to do is have a barbecue.

So, you spend three hours, on the hottest day of the year, stood behind an actual fire.

Its absolute madness isn’t it? It’s the food you’re meant to be cooking, not yourself. It makes no sense, it’s like having a Cornetto in a snowstorm.

The only time you enjoy a barbecue is when you are a guest at one. If you’re on that grill it’s a miserable afternoon. Everyone else is sat there on the decking, sipping beer and having a great time. Meanwhile you’re stood at the end of the garden, totally engulfed in smoke, eyes streaming like you’ve just been tear gassed.

Occasionally one of the guests will come and check on you to see how you are. You think they might be concerned for your welfare, but all they are interested in is when those sausages will be ready. You are just the staff to these people now. If this was the Titanic, they are in the ballroom and you are downstairs in front of a boiler, shovelling coal into the furnace.

The reality of a barbecue is never as good as the fantasy. In Australia they are so casual and relaxed about it. A barbecue for them just happens organically, because they have the weather. In Britain, all ours are done in a panic. As soon as the temperature creeps above twenty five degrees, we lose our minds.

You can hear the rallying cry being carried on the breeze, “go get me some charcoal briquettes Susan, today is the day to set fire to some meat!”

But if you’re not in that supermarket in the next twenty minutes your barbecue dreams are crushed quicker than the garlic in your marinade. You had big ideas involving kebabs on skewers, Peri Peri chargrilled chicken,

fresh shrimps and organic lamb steaks.

Unfortunately, so did everyone else. Is there anything more depressing in life, than the sight of an empty meat aisle in a supermarket? It’s like the end of the world’s worst game show.

Now you’re facing the prospect of having to feed a family of four on a six pack of sausages and some king prawns that are so past their sell by date, they have started to grow beards.

There is so much prep to do a barbecue properly, some people get really into it. “I’ve been rubbing this meat all morning with infused chilli oil” - “Cheers Kev, nice one, I thought you were cooking it not giving it a massage!”

But no matter what happens, there is only one rule. You cannot, under any circumstances, switch on that oven. That is like an athlete taking performance enhancing drugs, it’s cheating, and it would bring shame on your family. If the cavemen only had fire and they still managed, well so can you.

It’s that hunter gatherer instinct that makes having a barbecue so exciting. It connects us to our primal ancestors. The only difference is we didn’t have to hunt anything. Many of us didn’t even gather. We’re stood there in shorts and flip flops cooking meat we’ve had delivered from Asda, we haven’t had to go out at daybreak and spear a wildebeest.

It does tap into something in the male psyche though. Ask a man why he loves to barbecue and he even starts to talk like a Neanderthal. His eyes widen and he goes all monosyllabic. Ranting at you with his top off, whilst rubbing a honey and mustard glaze on his nipples, saying things like, “MEAT” “FIRE” “BEER” “FIRE!" Men and women do tend to act differently at a barbecue. The women tend to congregate together, they are interested in each other, the garden is alive with excitable chatter.

The men are huddled together around the barbecue itself, with cans of lager, like tramps gathering around a burning barrel.

Conversation is stilted and awkward, with many of the men hypnotised by that powerful combination of meat and flames. Occasionally someone will break the silence:

“I think it’s hot enough now Steve, if I were you, I’d pop another bag of coals on there.”

Traditionally it’s the man who likes to be in control of the barbecue.

There is nothing more manly than standing there in your own garden, lager in hand, just casually poisoning the rest of the family.

The misconception that women can’t use one is ridiculous. In fact, they are often better at in than the men and the food they produce is actually edible.

The hygiene always worries me. You can never get that grill clean enough. The first ten minutes of any barbecue is spent burning off the remains of the last one.

It always amazes me, some restaurants have been closed down because of their poor food hygiene practices, yet on a summers day, I’ll gladly tuck into an undercooked burger, served by some Dad I hardly know, who’s stood there next to the bins, with his hand down his shorts.

Barbeque models are like cars, some people don’t really care as long as its practical, but others get really passionate about it. You can see the men eyeing up each other’s cooking stations, they can’t hide their jealousy. “Look at him with his triple burner, who does he think he is!” “Was that hotplate an optional extra?” “How many steaks to the gas bottle does it do pal?”

I’ve been to barbecues where the guy behind it has so much kit I’m surprised he didn’t have to employ roadies. It was like Iron Maiden on tour. Hundreds of utensils dangling from everywhere, tables for the raw meat, tables for the cooked meat, separate grills to cater for the vegetarians along with oils and rubs of every description. This man was like a conductor in his own meat-based orchestra. He even had a meat thermometer, presumably so he could check if his pork chops were a bit under the weather.

The designers of the barbecues have tapped into this too. Even the names of them are very masculine. They are called things like “Beefmaster” “Matador” they may as well just go all out and release a model called “The meat Bastard 3000”.

The most impressive display of barbecuing I have ever witnessed was on a holiday in Sidmouth in Devon. We were sat on the beach and a man in a wetsuit walked into the sea holding a fishing rod.

Five minutes and he had reeled in about three fish. He then went back onto the beach, arranged some pebbles into a pit, brought out an old grill from his bag and proceeded to cook the fish in front of us. I was so in awe I was almost aroused. He was like an aquatic Ray Mears. They only way he could’ve been more manly was if he had emerged from that ocean with those fish between his teeth like a giant grizzly bear.

Sausages are always an issue for me. They are a logistical nightmare on the bars of that grill. I’ve never made it through a full cook off with all my sausages accounted for. They just seem to have a death wish those guys. And there is no trauma like seeing a sausage give up and fall through the bars into the abyss below. This must be how a child feels when the top of their ice cream falls off,

or they let go of a new helium balloon at the fair. There is nothing you can do to rescue that fallen comrade. It had so much potential, it was ninety five percent pork, but now it’s just one hundred percent ash. It looks like something found in the ruins of Pompei after the volcano erupted.

You can try and recover it, but it’s over. Because let’s be honest, there is nothing bleaker in life than having to rinse your sausage under an outside tap in front of your family.

Scott Bennett Comedian www.scottbennettcomedy.co.uk Twitter - @scottbcomedyuk Instagram - @scottbcomedyuk Stand up from the shed – Live stream Every Week Live – www.facebook.com/scottybcomedy Podcast – Search “Stand up from the shed” on Apple and Soundcloud Twitter - @standupinashed

WHATTHE FU ZZ ?

By Lucy Morrow

Can you guess the Fuzzy Felt Formations?

(Answers below)

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THE

CADLAND

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he Cadland in Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, is believed to be the only pub in the UK bearing that name.

What we know of the Cadland is that it has probably been a public house since the late 18th century - possibly earlier - but has only been known by that name since 1828. It was in that year, or very shortly afterwards, that the landlord changed the name to The Cadland, in recognition of the horse that won the Derby in May that year.

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Cadland (1825–1837) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from April 1828 to 1831 he ran twenty-five times and won fifteen races, with several of his wins being walkovers in which all of his opponents were withdrawn. In the summer of 1828 he ran a dead heat with The Colonel in the Derby, before winning the race in a deciding run-off. He went on to have a long and successful racing career, winning a further eleven races before his retirement, and developing a notable rivalry with his contemporary Zinganee. Cadland was disappointing as a sire of winners in England

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Fuzzy Felt Answers: 1. Are You Being Served 2. Back to the Future

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To view Lucy's online gallery or to make a request, visit @capturedbythefuzz on Instagram. Greetings cards are available at www.etsy.com/uk/shop/capturedbythefuzz

and was exported to France, where he was much more successful. He died in 1837.

Local legend has it that the landlord named the pub after the horse because it was supposedly trained around the fields of Chilwell. This legend is dubious as records show the horse was never trained around Nottinghamshire and most probably never set a single horse shoe on a field in Chilwell.

Another legend states that the landlord at the time named the pub after the horse after winning a very large sum of money betting on Cadland. Again this is only conjecture.

What we do know is that surviving licences show that between 1810 and 1825 the pub was known as The Bulls Head and that throughout this period the landlord was John Felton.

Unfortunately, no further licences survive for subsequent years, but White's Trade Directory for 1832 indicates that the landlord was John Hopewell. It is not known exactly when he took over from John Felton, but one of these landlords was presumably the one who changed the name of the pub..

JN

Jimmy Notts Takes a closer look at a rather unique pub...

3. Fear & Loathing in Vegas 5. Scooby Doo Gang 4. Prince 6. The Shining

65 Only £ A3 for an or print A4 r £55 fo

Prints now available

Rendered in pen and watercolour, our expanding collection of Beeston's spectacular pubs and restaurants are now available as limited edition, signed Giclee prints.

t s e e B Mini The

# t s e e B i in M o t e We l c o m Goodbarton, Created by Helen

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llen

Graphics by Dan Cu

It’s time to get out and about for some fresh air, exercise, and recreation! Where shall we go today, Beestonians?

There’s so much choice.

Get out to the Whispering Woods Have you ever found a portal to another world? Or a dragon’s egg? With how much of a detailed eye do you look at things when you’re out and about? Possibly one of my favourite places for me and my family to stomp about, is Bramcote Woods. It’s so full of adventure and untrodden paths. Now, I have a brilliant adventuring companion to take with me, in this book!

Deep In The Whispering Woods: An Imagination Journal for Storytellers takes you out into nature, inviting you to look around you and explore the outdoors, to imagine wonderful things, and to write about your ideas.

• • • •

High quality Giclee prints, on thick A3, textured paper.

Each print is individually signed and numbered by the artist £65 for A3, £55 for A4 (plus £5 postage if outside Beeston) Postcard sets coming soon...

Interested? Drop us a line at: thebeestonian@gmail.com and we'll arrange payment and delivery.

All p ro go to fits supp help o Bees rt the tonia n

It’s written by a lady called Holly Staniford, who runs her own Forest School in nearby Derbyshire and is packed full of brilliant activities, and thought-provoking story prompts like those she would use in her sessions, such as the Magic Wand Making below!

If you’d like to grab a copy of the book for yourself, it is sold locally in Snuggles and Kisses on Chilwell High Road, or it can be bought directly from Beeston-based publishers, Sojo & Mouse via their website www.sojoandmouse.com.

Park Bingo Can you make your way around all these parks!

Cross them off as you go. Can you get a line? Or a full house!

Dovecote Lane Lenton Abbey Park Park

Beeston Fields Rec

Inham Nook Rec

Leyton Crescent Park

Manor Farm Park

Hickings Lane King George’s Rec Park

Broadgate Park

Chetwynd Road Rec

Queen Ilkeston Road Elizabeth Park Rec

Highfields Park

Cator Lane Park

Hetley Pearson Rec

Bramcote Hills Park

Ball Games

There’s so much you can do with a ball! In Beeston we have Football Clubs, Rugby Clubs, Hockey Pitches, Crazy Golf at Highfields, and of course Tennis at the nearby Tennis Centre, Can you identify these ball games from their little rhymes, and find out which one is The Beest’s favourite, in the shaded column?

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Colour In Attenborough

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We couldn’t go an issue about the outdoors without mentioning the beautiful Attenborough Nature Reserve. So here is a picture for you to colour in. Take a visit and make it true to form, or just let your imagination go wild and colour it how you like (but either way… take a visit, it’s lovely!)

Da

r d n

t a aw

o b ten

h g rou

1.

Try to hit the ball, and run at speed from base to base.

If you hit it really far, you’ll get a ‘Home Run’… ACE!

2.

Hit the ball to your opponent, right over the net.

Love for no points; fifteen, thirty, forty, you can get.

3.

Eleven players on each side, a goal is what they need, But don’t let’s get to penalties, we struggle to succeed!

4.

Hit the ball through all the hoops around the sporting green With possibly the biggest mallet that I’ve ever seen!

5.

Bowl a googly at the stumps, and knock them off, “Howzaaat!”

This sport’s for those with patience, sometimes playing five days flat.

6.

Goal Attack, Wing Defence, and Centre in the group.

Throw the ball, don’t run with it, and get it through the hoop.

7.

For this most physical of sports, the ball’s not actually round.

Tussle, Scrum, and ruck and score a try upon the ground.

Code Breakers 1

Can you use the code to find out the message below?

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14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 15,6 / 1,12,12 / 20,8,5 / 16,1,20,8,19 / 25,15,21 / 20,1,11,5 / 9,14 / 12,9,6,5 / 13,1,11,5 / 19,21,18,5 / 1 / 6,5,23 / 15,6 / 20,8,5,13 / 1,18,5 / 4,9,18,20

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Can you work out these Beeston area places to get out and about in, from the pictures?

Survive & thrive

W

here do Rylanders go if they need a pint of milk, a hair cut, or a bottle of wine? Not that surprisingly they can get all these things and more within the Rylands.

What may be more of a surprise is you can also pick up a portaloo, a very good haircut, some vegan fast food, or even talk to an experienced Luthier (stringed instrument expert) on Lily Grove if you so wish.

We’ve had numerous shops here over the years, but if you a newcomer (or a resident of just the last 20 years or so) you’ll perhaps remember the post office on the corner of Trafalgar Road, the various food outlets on Lilac Crescent, or the afternoon tea shop on Trafalgar near the old Plessey site.

News and Essentials that most refer to as “the Cob Shop” is a ‘jewel in the crown’ of Rylands retail and has faced many challenges and reincarnations over the years. The vast shelves that held the extensive DVD lending library 20 years ago now bears a fantastic range of wines, chilled foods, cupboard essentials, and even has its own garden centre out the front. Winter hasn’t arrived until we see the Facebook post from owner Lloyd that sledges are out and ready for purchase.

After a conversation with Lloyd it became obvious him and his colleagues are driven by a passion and enthusiasm for serving

The Beestonian is...

Editor in Chief / Lord Beestonian: Answers: 1. _________________________ 2. _________________________ 3. _________________________

Matt Turpin Co-founder /Resident Don: Prof J Editor / Ad Sales : John Cooper Deputy Editor /Community Editor: Christopher Frost Design & The Beest: Dan Cullen Creative Editor: Debra Urbacz Sports Editor/ Digital Wizardry: Isaac Seelochan All Things Rylands: Janet Barnes / Naomi Robinson

the Rylands. What we also learnt are his extensive ambitions for the shop and is commitment to supporting local charities.

The good news is Lloyd and his partners Pat and Andy are around to stay, having just signed a ten year lease.

While change is inevitable and bigger retail places may evolve, the strength of communities is measured in the power of its supporters. It’s lovely to hear about the days gone by and also see the enthusiasm of more recent businesses firming their roots in to the Rylands and creating new memories.

Community Matters This issue: Rylands Retail Renaissance?

The resilience of our community really does offer hope and continuity, with creative and green-fingered individuals opening up pop up shops outside their front doors selling such things as rhubarb and gladioli or veg and bedding plants, or even something creative from local artists.

We’re also got the recent initiative of incredible edible project down at Leyton Crescent providing a sustainable healthy scheme that has been accessed by families, who have helped plant, grow and nurture the produce offering all in the Rylands delicious home grown veg in return.

Community at its best - use or lose it!

Janet Barnes and Naomi Robinson; Rylands community activists

contributors this issue: Scott Bennett, Jo Norcup, Tim Pollard, Lulu

Davenport, Amy Victoria Gathercole, Lucy Morrow, Aedan J Slater, Karen Attwood and Helen Goodbarton Thanks to all who help us get the issue sustainable and available to all who want to read. If you’d like to help out - by advertising, promoting or writing with us, then drop us a line at thebeestonian@gmail.com. We are an absolutely independent, grassroots nonprofit community magazine with the sole intention of making Beeston a wonderful place to live, work and visit.

Stockists: (Subject to Lockdown ruling updates)

Fred Hallams, Out Of This World, Cycle Inn, Broadgate Post Office, The Bird Hide, John Flynn Opticians, J&B Autos, The Commercial, The Victoria, The Circle Eatery, The Doughmother, Gill’s Fish & Chips, Dessert Haven, Attenborough Nature Reserve, Canalside Heritage Centre, The Berliner, The Hop Pole, Totally Tapped, The Pottle, The Crown, The Star, The Commercial, The Malt Shovel, Metro, Charlie Foggs, Cartwheel, The Little Plant Guys and the Boathouse Cafe, events at the Bartons Garage.

In light of the Government's relaxation of lockdown measures and following guidance from the Government NHS England, our optical governing and advisory bodies, we are happy to announce that we are still open for business.

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www.desserthavenbeeston.co.uk Dessert Haven 123 High Road Beeston NG9 2LH

Beeston Bounces Back I

’ve lived in Beeston for all my life, and over the years I’ve seen many changes, big and small, but never as much as the last year or so.

Where so many businesses have struggled under the pressures of the lockdowns, and highstreets in places like Arnold and Long Eaton have withered away, Beeston has been thriving in spite of the circumstances.

We’ve seen many welcome additions to the town centre, the most obvious one being The Arc Cinema, which opened back at the end of May. After a couple of visits, I still stand firmly by my recommendation that you check it out as soon as possible! Another fantastic addition has been the new Turkish restaurant, Anatolia, which I could recommend on its excellent service alone, but the food is pretty good too. Just across the street is the newest branch of The Pudding Pantry, a coffee shop and dessert restaurant, and while I haven’t managed to pop along myself, I have it on good authority that it’s another great inclusion to our high street.

It doesn’t end there however - there’s way more coming to the town over the next few months. One of Nottingham’s best success stories - or as you might know them, Doughnotts - is upgrading from a market stall to a whole new store, moving into one of the units underneath the cinema. Speaking of, there are plans for another of the units to be filled by a new bar called “The Beeston Social”, the latest in a chain of indie bars from Fletcher Gate Industries, who run popular

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joints in the City Centre such as Das Kino and The Hockley Arts Club. Another chain making its presence in the town is Ohannes Burgers, and on top of that pastry giant Greggs is opening its second branch on Queen’s Road later this year, with plans for an indoor and outdoor seating area too.

Although the new additions have been, and surely will be fantastic, another great boon for the existing businesses in Beeston will be the easing of lockdown measures. Safety is of course paramount in times like these, but I’m sure that many locations are breathing a sigh of relief now they have the freedom to deliver a safe yet improved service to their customers. One change among many that I don’t think will be going away will be the increased use of outdoor dining. Originally envisioned as a way of slowing the spread of Covid-19, I think having people out in the fresh air, especially on hot summer nights like these, has brought a revitalised feeling to Beeston’s high street. Dare I say it even makes the town seem a little sophisticated with all our favourite places going al fresco.

I can’t pretend it’s not great to see that Beeston is looking better than ever despite the trying times we’ve all been through over the past year and a half, and like many of you I’m glad to be getting out and enjoying what’s here. Whether it’s our longstanding local businesses, favourite new additions, or most anticipated openings, Beeston is putting itself on the map in a big way.

AJS

Aedan J. Slater As Lockdown eases, Beeston wakes...

Debra Urbacz This month: Craft, Create, Connect.

Creative Beeston B

eeston is such a hive of creativity! With so many resident artists and increasing opportunities to appreciate artwork we really are truly spoiled for inspiration. As soon as you alight at the Beeston Interchange you are just steps away from the street art murals that have enlivened some of our industrial buildings and added character to those of more historic value. Adding in the painted telephone exchange boxes we have an enviable street gallery to feast our eyes upon, and on top of this our town also now possesses an indoor exhibition accessible from the outside. Currently in the old Argos building, local community projects and professional artists sit comfortably together in a window gallery of artistry worth shouting about – The Beeston Showcase.

If this public display of creative talent has fired your imagination, an obvious place to start picking up art and craft materials would be Artworks on the corner of Imperial Road.

Shelves stacked with paints, inks and specialist papers they also have an extensive range of cardmaking and scrapbooking materials that would keep you busy until Christmas! Jess is working towards re-starting the weekly art classes back up in September, including those led by our featured artist Oliver Lovley. The ever popular Canalside Art Club, at Canalside Heritage Centre, also returns this summer and can be accessed both in person or on Zoom.

For those of us that prefer to sew than sketch, we recommend that you pop down Chilwell Road to find The Fabric Place. A browse around the tempting collection of floor to ceiling fabric rolls is tantalising, especially at this time of year when their fruity summer fabrics are especially eye-catching. From curtains to bags to summer frocks, they have everything you need for your stitching projects. Bob tells us that are looking at introducing workshops later in the year so why not pop in and express your interest.

If you can’t find that finishing touch you are looking for there’s always the Sewing Box tucked away on Willoughby Street, just off the High Road, a definite top spot for trimmings!

And if you are searching for craft kits they have a selection to choose from to satisfy your creative cravings. They have a large range of fabric and wool too, and if you can’t see it on the shelves Mike will be more than happy to assist.

At the Broadgate end of town you will find Pot ‘N’ Kettle Ceramic Café, a spacious place where your colour and imagination join forces to help you create your own special trinket or a personalised present for someone. If baking is more your thing then Beeston Baking School are running classes all summer from their outdoor venue on Cumberland Avenue.

From rustic loaves to decorating techniques, Jill loves sharing her expertise and providing opportunities for a bit of experimentation with her tailormade sessions. We love her ‘Quintessential English Baking’ classes but then who doesn’t enjoy a freshly baked scone with jam and cream?

Down at Chilwell’s Creative Corner, Cyrilyn invites you to join her in a personalised jewellery making session and be part of the whole unique process. If the joyful folk in her social media posts are anything to go by, this is generally an amazing experience and fantastic fun! We adore the handmade wedding ring pics but the one-off blue opal ring created by local lady Liz featured in this article, was an absolute stunner.

Larger organisations that serve our community well are Beeston Library with their engaging family theatre productions and the annual Summer Reading Challenge. Lakeside Arts’ events for children take place in and around the Arts Theatre, with Art in the Park and Play in a Week. As an added bonus, all the Arts Council funded activities have all been transferred online. Log in for storytelling adventures, music sessions, craft activities, workshops, dance performances and a delightful digital book to evoke awe and wonder across the generations Both venues are also well known to provide high end and community exhibitions that provide a little ambling time.

It's clear that restrictions easing mean that opportunities to create together are reappearing and we can begin reconnecting.

The huge benefits that creative pursuits can have on our mental wellbeing is something we thoroughly and repeatedly endorse. Whether it be art appreciation or hands-on creation, Beeston has a whole lot to offer – I am fairly sure I have not mentioned all of them.

The cherry on the cake this year though, has to be the return of the ABC Art Trail over the weekend of 4th and 5th September. An inspiring gem nurtured by an enthusiastic team, this accessible display of local artist’s work successfully combines the professional appearance of an art exhibition with an open house attitude. And everyone is welcome!

DU

Football Crowd #2 oils on board, 45cm x 60cm

Featured Artist: Oliver Lovley

With his haunted figures in ghostlike scenes, Oliver’s work could be considered somewhat unsettling except his paintings are often of everyday people in ordinary situations such as waiting rooms and cafes.

Nevertheless they are captivating in their expressive simplicity with their implied back stories represented in greys and browns, Baconesque in their abstract nature.

Take a closer look at Oliver’s work and read the full article on our article-packed website via the QR code.

TREES OF BEESTON Dr Jo Norcup Summer Trees: an appreciation of three trees along Queens Road* *Or just off it

A

s I write this issue of Trees of Beeston, the sun is scorching and a heatwave has kicked in, so I wanted to reflect on the glorious street trees that provide shade and respite from weather extremes in our town.

In particular, the trees on or just off Queens Road. There are too few where once there were lines of poplar trees, these have now been replaced by driveways and parking. I was genuinely gutted to witness the cutting down of the silver birches that were once on King Street, the first trees I wrote about for The Beestonian back in 2018. I am sometimes concerned that this column could perform a Medusa style kiss-of-death whenever I mention the notable trees beloved of the

community! I missed the silver birches very much walking past in the blazing sun earlier.

Same with the large tree that was next to the Rockaway / now private flats along Station road near the slip-road to the train station.

So I want to dare to salute and acknowledge three trees: the Alder on the corner of Station Road and Queens Road (behind the billboard and what was once public toilets latterly Vicky’s beauty bar), that provides dappled shade while waiting to cross at the junction of Station Road and Queens Road, where birds perch and sing.

Further along Queens Road heading into Nottingham there is, on the right-hand side the copper beech tree of Queens Road near Alexander Crescent with its seasonally changing leaf colours, and tall aspect for blackbird song in the spring. Every time I see it, I am reminded of the Sherlock Holmes Copper Beeches mystery (if you haven’t read it, do so, it’s a joy, Beeston Library has a copy). This is a spectacular tree, casting its shade and cover across the road and providing shade to anyone waiting for the bus into town.

Finally, I want to mention the majestic Tree Preservation Order protected (so I have been unofficially informed) sycamore tree of Henry Street where owls are heard to hoot and bats have been seen. Plaques have been placed on this tree to reflect the local love for it, a reminder that our Beeston trees are loved and appreciated beyond the short term cuttingdown profiteering of the absentee landlords who appear to target this part of Beeston for rental properties, levelling down any trees or plants that might serve as a financial loss in their maintenance.

I am reminded walking down Station Road towards Beeston centre that the house with the plaque ‘The Beeches’ on it was likely named after trees that were planted along the road a century ago. Many towns that developed their roads after WW1 began street tree planting programmes in order to create idealised living landscapes for those returning from the Western Front. The remains of one old beech tree – its low-cut trunk and roots bears witness to the likelihood of this.

A majestic tall mature tree is a privilege to behold and be around. Trees are recognised to add value to properties (think of the lovely leafy trees along Devonshire Avenue!), so when there are few tall street trees, they should be treasured. In the cold of winter, tree canopies trap in the warmth and provide shelter from the rain and snow. Tree canopies provide splendid shade and cool temperatures in the heat, especially good if one is waiting for a bus (thank you copper beech of Queens Road!), and the evapotranspiration of water from the leaves has a cooling effect on the surrounding air. Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30% and in the winter save energy used for heating between 20 – 50%. In addition to this, trees provide habitat, food and protection to plants and animals, increasing urban biodiversity which is good for the wellbeing of humans and animals.

Of course, trees need to be maintained.

Coppicing a tree, maintaining its branches helps both the tree and the humans around.

Make sure you find a qualified tree surgeon though, then they will maintain and care for your tree.

If you don’t have a tree, have a look around on your wanderings around Beeston, choose your favourite tree, and adopt it. Look out for it. Take care of it. Give it a hug. Artists and scientists recognise the enriching capacity of hugging a tree, and it will do you a world of good.

"A majestic tall mature tree is a privilege to behold and be around.”

If you have space in your front or back garden, consider planting a tree. Even miniature trees in pots on a balcony can improve your quality of life and that of the insects and bird wildlife. As the saying goes, the best time to plant a tree is yesterday, the second best time is now.

Queens Road

Dr JN

Reference: Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations website / benefit of urban trees.

Sing , Baby Sing N

ot only is the Beestonian celebrating its tenth birthday this year, but the same number of candles have been blown out on a cake belonging to the Beeston Mum’s Choir. Unless you are a parent of a baby or toddler, you may not have heard of this local group, who get together to sing songs, whilst their offspring play to their heart’s content. I contacted Rose Norman, after seeing her post on Beeston Updated about the groups’ anniversary. She in turn contacted the choir’s musical director Sarah Taylor, who answered all my questions, and some of the choir met me for a quick photo. From the left are Kate, Rose Norman, Sarah Taylor, Emma-Jayne, Rose S and Emily.

rehearsals. I had been involved in running choirs since we were at university together and she asked if I could make us a choir where we could bring our babies, but sing for us, not for them”.

"The only rule we have in terms of songs is no nursery rhymes..."

How have you all still managed to keep going since lockdown? “We've kept going throughout the last 16 months online, and actually had two rehearsals per week for most of that time. One at our usual 10am time and one at 8pm, because Zoom with a toddler in the house is hard! We’ve actually managed an in-person rehearsal on Monday 19th July, just as a one off before the summer holidays.

It was wonderful to be back together and to sing together again. It's not the same being at home singing on your own”.

Christopher Frost Finds out more about the Beeston Mum's Choir

I asked Sarah, when did the choir start, who started it and why? “The choir was created in February 2011 by myself and a good friend.

We both had young babies and were missing singing in choirs, as we weren't able to get out in the evenings to conventional choir

How many members do you currently have?

“Membership is quite fluid, as many people join us for a few months whilst on maternity leave and then must go back to work. Others plan their return to work, so they can still sing with us, and some come back for a second (or third) time, as they have more babies! Usually, we will have between 15 and 20 singers at a rehearsal (and that means 20+ babies and toddlers).

Regular numbers have gone down slightly over this past year or so as Zoom choir singing is not for everyone. We're hoping to be back to regular in person rehearsals from September, so hopefully numbers will pick up again”.

What sort of songs do you sing? Is there a favourite amongst the group? “The only rule we have in terms of songs is no nursery rhymes! That's what makes us different from other singing baby groups; the singing is for the mums (but the kids do enjoy it and pick up a lot of the songs themselves). We sing a real mixture of music from classical and folk songs, to songs from the shows and the usual pop tunes. We're usually in two or three part harmony, but everything is taught by ear, so there's no need to be able to read music. I think if you asked the members, they would all name a different song, but our signature tune is probably ‘Bella Mamma’, which incidentally, we have just released as a virtual choir recording to mark our 10th anniversary. We sing it as a warm up at the start of every rehearsal. It's a really simple round which sounds glorious when it's in full flow and the words mean Beautiful Mother.

Quite apt for us”.

Are dads allowed in the choir? “This is a question we keep asking ourselves. But in truth, no dads have ever asked! In theory there's no reason fathers can't join us.

However, the music we sing is arranged for upper voices, so they might find some of it a bit high! If we did find out that we had a group of dads who wanted to join I guess I'd have to find some new music with lower parts”.

Have you ever performed in public?

Any inclination to do Beeston's Oxjam for example? “We generally do two main concerts per year, and other performances to support local events, such as at the Canalside Heritage Centre and fundraisers for OpenHouse Nottingham, the charity we support. in December 2019 we were also lucky enough to provide 'backing vocals' for Jonny and the Raindrops’ Christmas gigs.

That was totally different for us and loads of fun. We've never done Oxjam. I’m not sure why but we would be keen to be involved”.

Are any members of the mum's choir, in say the Beeston Rock Choir? “I'm not sure about Beeston Rock Choir, but we have had members who also sing with Beeston Voices. It seems to be the choir members will move on to once they can get back out in the evening”.

Where do you meet, and how often? “We generally meet on Mondays at 10am during term time in central Beeston. We need to confirm our venue for September onwards, so details will be on the choir’s Facebook page”.

If there are any new parents that like what they’ve just read, and are considering joining, then please contact the group through their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ beestonmumschoir.

And as Sarah mentioned, you’ll also be able to find out where their meeting space will be when the group reconvenes in the autumn.

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We are determined to ensure that everyone who wants to read The Beestonian is able to, in times of lockdown or otherwise. The temporary closure of lots of places we’d usually distribute from hasn’t made this easy.

Our current stockists include: Hallams, Out Of This World, Broadgate Post Office, Gill’s Fish and Chips, the Cycle Inn, Dessert Haven, The Circle Eatery, John Flynn Opticians, The Doughmother, J&B Autos, The Commercial, the Victoria, Attenborough Nature Reserve, Canalside Heritage Centre, The Berliner, The Hop Pole, Totally Tapped, The Pottle, The Crown, The Star, The Commercial, The Malt Shovel, Metro, Charlie Foggs, Cartwheel, The Little Plant Guys and the Boathouse Cafe and events at the Bartons Garage.

For locals who are unable to get to any of these places, we have set up a subscription service – for just £15 you can have the next 8 copies of The Beestonian delivered direct to your door (for those living outside NG9 it will cost a little more, as they will be sent by first class post).

Simply visit our Ko-Fi page – ko-fi.com/thebeestonian – and check out at our shop. Every subscription includes a free A5 postcard of a locally drawn Beeston landmark delivered with each issue.

If you’d like to support The Beestonian anyway, you can also make a donation through the Ko-Fi page. We’re a community-led, non-profit making, and reinvest all funds into getting The Beestonian to as many people as possible (we currently print 2,000 copies of each issue and are hoping to increase this when it is affordable).

EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS AND OFFERS FROM LOCAL TAKEAWAYS GET THE APP FROM PLAY STORE AND APP STORE

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Boccia England

A

n email pings into The Beestonian inbox: “Did you know we have the National Governing Body for a Paralympic Sport right here in Beeston?” Well, no we didn’t. Beeston consistently punches above its weight - one of the reasons we set up this mag a decade ago - but considering that the Paralympics is imminent and one of its most fascinating sports is based here, we have to find out more. I jump on my bike and pedal round to one of the buildings near the Padge Road sorting office.

Boccia England (BE) have been based here for 3 years after moving from just over the Nottingham border in the Lenton Science Park with Cerebral Palsy Sport. “It’s ideal in many ways” Cally Keetley, BE’s fundraiser tells me “Being so central to everywhere in England”. Their office could be that of any modern office, apart from the floor, which is marked out with a Boccia court, and the set of leather balls on the table we talk at. What, however, is Boccia?

Considering it is perhaps the most inclusive sport in the world, it has probably not appeared on many of our reader’s radars.

Pronounced ‘Bot-cha’ (the name is the Latin for ‘boss’) it’s one of only two sports at the Paralympics that doesn’t have an Olympics counterpart (the other being goalball). It resembles boules or petanque, with players trying to get their balls as close to a jack as they can. What makes it a wonderful sport for the Paralympics is its sheer accessibility: it can be played with hands, feet, or even for those with severe disabilities, a ramp to direct the ball. There are resources that allow the visually impaired to play, and, provided they stay seated, the able bodied can join in.

It’s difficult to imagine a more inclusive sport.

Making it’s paralympic debut in 1984, it currently has 54,000 regular players spread over 60 clubs in the UK alone and is fast growing worldwide. And no wonder.

A glance at Boccia games on YouTube is not dissimilar to how people get drawn into seemingly simple looking sports and realise the fiendishly wonderful tactics required.

Remember when the UK went curling crazy at a previous Winter Olympics, and we all became experts at broom technique and stone angling? Similarly, Boccia is a gripping sport to watch. “You haven’t seen sport until you’ve seen boccia” wrote Times sports editor Simon Barnes in 2012. He’s not wrong.

But it's more than that for those who take part. “It’s a wonderful way for people to socialise, to have a challenge to work at, and to grow confidence” Cally tells me. “It changes people’s lives”.

It also saves them: “I had a real horrid time after my accident...Boccia pulled me round.

It gave me friendship, it gave me skills...it literally saved my life” says one player in a BE video. Its amongst numerous testimonies saying similar: this is more than a sport.

But on a purely competitive level, things are gearing up ahead of the Tokyo Paralympics.

Cally’s colleague, BE’s Team Administrator Dan Headley, is preparing to fly out to Japan when I visit in his role as an international boccia referee. “Boccia will be streamed online throughout the Games” he explains “And Team GB is confident of medals”.

His hot tip? “David Smith. It’s amazing he’s not better known”. Absolutely. David Smith, MBE, should be as well known as Mo Farah or Becky Adlington. His Paralympic medal haul - 2 gold, a silver and a bronze - when added to his multiple World and European titles makes him the world’s most successful Boccia player ever, an inspiration to those, like him, with Cerebral Palsy - and anyone who loves a world class athlete. He also pulls some mean doughnuts in his wheelchair.

They are doing great things down on Padge Road, and that work will hopefully pay off in medals at Tokyo - as well as giving many thousands of disabled individuals a sport that adds so much to life.

If you’d like to find out more, check out BE’s website: bocciaengland.org.uk where you’ll discover a huge amount of info and resources - including how you can help raise money for them.

MT

Matt Turpin

Gearing up fo the Paralympics

Lulu Davenport This issue: Re-emergence of live music

H

owdy readers, make yourself comfortable, pull up a pew, grab a brew and cosy on in, Beeston Beats is about to get rather loud and live. Yey!! At last!! For the first time ever in my life I can actually count how many bands I have seen in the last year on one hand, pre-covid (remember that?) I caught as many as three gigs a week with Rock City feeling like my second home.

The dreadful C word has forced me into temporary musical retirement, but before I yammer into ‘back in my day’ spiel about the wonders of life pre-2020, I have to take time to say how much I have reconnected differently with certain aspects of music.

Let me explain, the rise of online streaming has introduced me to Twitch, mainly used for gaming but a quality platform for live DJs, where I listen to the banter and call outs by DJs like I used to via radio many moons ago (I was a huge John Peel fan), with services like Spotify and Youtube you can forget there can be a more personal side of music. There’s the Old Skool Rave stories told by DJ Brisk, to supporting the music by virtually buying them a pint. Checking in with shows over the weeks has been fun. I catch Hardy T for my R’n’b and soulful needs on Saturday 3 till 5 pm on The Music Galaxy Radio (he really is the nicest guy). If am still alive listen in to DJ Zee from Ilkeston based Apollo radio - usually an 8pm start has also regularly started on a Friday night from 7.30pm. He plays a mix of allsorts but Fridays is more party and hi-energy dance stuff to fuel up the weekend. But this schedule is going to be thrown into disarray – yes, lurking on the horizon is live music faintly making its way back to us!

My first glimpse of anything remotely live was at The Victoria Hotel. At first i was unsuccessful in managing to secure a seat outside but luckily there was some football match or other on, and people began to

disperse to watch the big game. We grabbed a table and for an hour sat dreamily supping a pint while Kelly’s Heroes poured beautiful renditions of ‘Dirty Old Town’ and ‘Whiskey in the jar’ into my awaiting ear holes. If you missed out they will be performing at Celt Fest on Sunday 5th September at the Vic Hotel again, the event starts at 1.30pm.

Creeping up in the live calendar is also Richie Muir on September 12th and The Brace Friday 24th September. Please note that I do not have a crystal ball and there is a possibility that things may move or get cancelled, I guess what I am saying is correct at the time of going to print.

But wait, theres more! Schuggie who organises Ceilidhs and has been entertaining us throughout the lockdowns with online events is returning to hosting actual events at the Boat and Horses. The events are dance at your own risk as it is close proximity dancing, however there will be hand sanitizer and those attending will be encouraged to track and trace. For more information search for ‘Schuggies Ceilidhs’.

There is also seven piece ska and soul band Special Bru performing at the Chequers Inn on Saturday 31st July from 9pm, and The Modskas, same place Saturday 7th August, from 9pm.

Local Beeston band CodeOut are set to perform ‘Covers that people usually hide under’ when they play at Vat and Fiddle Nottingham for their upcoming shindig festival. It is usually a ticketed event, at the time of writing there is no details yet on entrance fees. To be held over the August bank holiday, CodeOut will play on the Sunday.

Phewww, isn’t it nice to be getting social again? I feel like a cautionary word is in order, play nice, play fair and play safe, till next time.

LD

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