Stone Life June July 2018

Stone

& Eccleshall JUNE/JULY 2018

Life

New chapter for Lymestone Brewery Brewer’s daughter takes the helm

GET SET FOR A SUMMER OF FUN Festival season has arrived

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Many inspiring characters in our community

Belinda Hargreaves Contents Editor life@timesandecho.co.uk Sophie Cotton & Tracey Redfern Design & Production Jane Walters Advertising Manager Tel: 07817 128582 jane@timesandecho.co.uk Tom Brian Advertising Sales Tel: 07855 242693 tom@timesandecho.co.uk Times, Echo & Life Publications 18 Tape Street, Cheadle, Stoke-on-Trent ST10 1BD Tel: 01538 752214 www.timesechoandlife.co.uk life@timesandecho.co.uk Facebook - Search for Stone and Eccleshall Life

ummer is a most beautiful time of the year to get out and about, and with so much going on in our area during June and July, we are certainly spoilt for choice!

Not only do we have the annual extravaganzas such as Stone Festival and Carnival in June and Stafford Food Festival in July, and the bi-annual Eccleshall Festival in June; but we also have many events and activities taking place at many other venues within our lovely community. Check out our ever-growing What's On Guide for details.

This edition of Stone and Eccleshall Life Magazine is also packed full of features about different people, organisations, businesses, and events in the area and many are fascinating stories of awards and achievements.

One such feature is the story of a young woman who has successfully stepped into her dad's shoes – after he suffered an injury – to take over the brewing at the family's brewery; and another inspiring feature is a lovely story of a Stone lady who is set to embark on an overseas trip to help those less fortunate.

These ladies, and many others we feature in this edition, are just some of the amazing characters we have in our community who are so inspirational.

And we hope that by recognising all these wonderful characters, it will help others to be inspired to also do great things – however big Cover photo courtesy of Noel Bennett or small.

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Until next time – take care.

Belinda

noelbennettphotography .co.uk, 01785 813888

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June/July 2018

CONTENTS

Fulford Preschool .....................................23

Memorial Bench .......................................23 Art Classes and Exhibitions......................24 Girlguides..................................................25

Editor’s Letter .............................................5

What’s On .................................................26

Eccleshall Festival.....................................10

Volunteering .............................................29

Stone Festival..............................................8

Stafford Food Festival ...............................11

Eccleshall Young Farmers ........................28 Stafford and District Canoe Club .............30

Eccleshall Show.........................................12

Eccleshall Voluntary Car Scheme .............31

Lymestone Brewery...................................14

Eccleshall Dental Clinic ............................37

Stone Scooter Club ....................................13

Weight Watchers ......................................32

Award-winning Pub ..................................16

Quiz Corner...............................................38

Fund-raising Events..................................19

The Women’s Institute .............................42

Eccleshall Library......................................21

Investment Matters ..................................47

Britain’s Best Butcher ...............................18

Stage Directions........................................20 VE Day Commemorations ........................22

Gardening .................................................40

Legal Matters ............................................46 Motoring ...................................................48

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June/July 2018 7

STONE FESTIVAL

FESTIVAL TIME OF T tone Festival and Carnival will take place from June 2 through to June 10. The family extravaganza, which has been fund-raising for the community since 1969, will see a multitude of events and activities taking place.

This year's event is set to include: a Soapbox Derby, a Jazz Night, an art exhibition, car boot sale, raft race, dog show, historical talk, fun fair, treasure hunt, carnival parade, ramblers health walk, along with many sporting competitions and so much more.

Tickets for the Stone Festival and Carnival events are available from Home & Colour in Stone's High Street, as well as at Fairways Service Station on Lichfield Road. Alternatively email the festival team at ticketsales@stonefestival.co.uk. For further information, and to see a full programme, visit www.stonefestival.co.uk

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STONE FESTIVAL

F THE YEAR BOREHOLE THE

A warm and welcoming micropub Children and dogs welcome until 8pm Off licence on the premises - just like the old days... Purchase bottled beers, cask ales and ciders (bring your own containers)

COME AND ENJOY A DRINK IN OUR NEW BEER GARDEN Unit 2 Mount Road Ind. Estate, Mount Road, Stone, ST15 8LL Tel: 01785 813581 OPENING TIMES: Sun to Thurs 12 noon to 9.30pm Fri & Sat 12 noon - 11.00pm

June/July 2018 9

ECCLESHALL FESTIVAL

Eccleshall Festival returns

ccleshall Festival, which takes place every other year, will be staged this year between Saturday June 16 and Sunday June 24. The main feature of the festival will be a Street Market on Saturday June 23 – this will also include a visit from an animatronic dinosaur!

Other events are set to include: open gardens, Hand Bell Ringers concert, Singers Night, Strawberry Tea Afternoon, historical walk, quiz night, bingo evening, a special war memorial service, and so much more. For further information, including a full programme of events, visit: www.eccleshallfestival.co.uk

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STAFFORD FOOD FESTIVAL

Foodie fun in Stafford

tafford Food Festival will be staged in the town centre on both Saturday July 28 and Sunday July 29. The event is set to include more than 100 food and drink stalls throughout the town, and will also be a celebration of local breweries. There will be free children's activities and other entertainment, special offers and much more.

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June/July 2018 11

ECCLESHALL SHOW

Community groups benefit from show success

he organisers of the 2017 Eccleshall Show have announced that six organisations will receive donations following the very successful 70th annual show last September.

A total of £1,900 is being shared between Eccleshall First Responders, the newly established Eccleshall Drivers Scheme, Eccleshall War Memorial, Staffordshire Women's Aid, and Staffordshire Blood Bikes, with a gift of £100 to Drake Hall Women’s Prison in recognition of the help they gave both on the day of the show and with the clearing up.

Eccleshall Show Society was founded in 1947 with the aim of providing a social event for the local community. The show has expanded significantly in recent years but it remains a very traditional rural event run by volunteers.

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A society spokesman said : “The generosity of local sponsors helps to defray the considerable costs of staging such a show. Any profits are donated to local charities.”

The 2017 Eccleshall Show proved to be the most successful ever, thanks in no small part to the beautiful sunny day which drew record crowds to the event at Sugnall Parks.

Plans for the 2018 show are now well under way. The show will be held on Saturday September 1 at Sugnall Parks. The show website is currently being revamped but full details will be available very soon on www.eccleshallshow.co.uk. Committee members will also be promoting the show on their stall at the Eccleshall Victorian Street Market on Saturday June 23.

STONE SCOOTER CLUB

Group photo of some of the Stone Scooter Club members outside their club base: The Star Inn, Stone

Fifth year for scooter enthusiast club tone Scooter Club was first formed in 2013 with four local scooter enthusiasts. Since then the club has really taken off and now has a membership of 26 - both male and female.

Club member Len Hamilton said: “The club's membership base has certainly grown over the last few years attracting new members in from a 20 mile radius of Stone.

The majority of the scooters, which the members ride, are Lambretta's and Vespa's which are both classic and modern models.

The club meets every Wednesday at 8pm at the Star Inn, Stone, which is situated by the side of the canal.

Len said: “The Star is a well located pub and restaurant with plenty of charm and history. It's from this base where our club plans it's list of events for the forthcoming riding

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season, which includes regular Sunday half day and full day ride outs, regional rallies attended by hundred's which are organised by other scooter clubs, and the national scooter rallies attended by thousand's to such places like Llangollen, Woolacombe, Llandudno, Bridlington, Weston-super-Mare and Isle of Wight, to name but a few.

Len further explained: “The club likes to involve the members' family and invites go out to all when we organise our own party nights throughout the year with life music and disco, plus the occasional night out on the town including a curry.”

Stone Scooter Club invites new members at any time. If you are interested in joining, pop along to one of their Wednesday evening meet-ups, follow the club on Facebook, or call Len on 07702 874241 for more information.

June/July 2018 13

LYMESTONE BREWERY

Brewer’s daughter takes the helm or 24-year-old Sarah Bradford, there's nothing like coming up with a great new beer at her family's brewery – and it's a good job she likes the role as she became head brewer last year after her dad suffered an injury which meant he could not carry out the heavy lifting which brewing entails.

Lymestone Brewery opened in Stone in 2008 and now has three pubs including The Borehole in Stone. The brewery is run by Ian Bradford, his wife Viv and their family.

For their daughter Sarah, growing up going to work with her dad at weekends, during school holidays and even on Christmas Day – it is no wonder that she has learned the tips-ofthe-trade in brewing along the way.

Sarah said: “Whether I was helping my dad to check on the beer, cleaning casks or doing stock checks; it is all I have ever known

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Ian Bradford 14 June/July 2018

really.

“Yes, I wanted to do my own thing as a child so I left school and went on to Reaseheath College to do animal management and I started working part-time at Wetherspoon’s.

“College ended and I continued to work at Wetherspoons. I stayed there for nearly four years. It helped that I had grown up in the industry and that on occasion I would serve my dads beer.

“Still adamant that I wouldn’t join the family business, I volunteered in the Philippines for three months but on my return I began working at the brewery. Just helping out at first and then when a brewers assistant post became available I jumped at the chance and haven’t looked back since.

Sarah has been brewing alongside her dad at Lymestone Brewery since May 2016 but following her dad suffering a shoulder injury in November 2016, she has now taken to the brewing helm.

She said: “My dad tore ligaments in his shoulder which meant he had no strength and was in a lot of pain.

“He was not able to lift or hold heavy weights - both of which are required for the brewing process.

“So I had to step up my game and take on the brewing to allow dad to recover from surgeries etc.

“I have not only been brewing his recipes but this has given me the chance to experiment with my own ideas

too.”

Sarah, who lives in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, explained that the role of a brewer is not only about coming up with new beers but also dealing with the physical side of brewing beer.

She said: “Coming up with ideas and recipes to create a range of beers requires detailed knowledge about the ingredients, flavours, drinking styles and marketing.

“Once the recipe is agreed the role of the brewer becomes more physical.

“Ingredients need to be lifted into the brewing equipment and removed when used. This includes long hours, achy bones and a need to put your feet up at the end of the day.

“After the practical side I’m always managing my paperwork, making sure everything is documented. This could be about what we have brewed on what day or past brews. Even days when we are not brewing, beers need to be checked to make sure they are fermenting properly and this includes at weekends.

“The brewer also gets involved with all of the other jobs in the brewery, transferring beers from vessel to vessel. Putting beer into cask, stock checks to accepting deliveries using a fork lift truck.”

Sarah now works full time in the family business, not only brewing, but also helping out at the brewery's pubs from time to time and also helping her mum with 'pop-up' bar events.

However, brewing is where her heart is. She said: “I love that brewing pushes me each day.

It's not an easy job with all the lifting, digging out the malt and being on your feet all day but it is incredibly rewarding to see the finished product.

“There is no better feeling than entering one of our brewery taps and realising everyone is drinking something you have made.”

As for being in, what is predominately currently a 'man's working world' in brewing, Sarah said: “I do find that in parts of the industry, men tend to not want to speak to me when discussing brewery issues, as they assume I have no idea how to brew.

“They usually ask to speak to my dad or any other man in the building. But it’s so much more fun when they realise you are a

LYMESTONE BREWERY

brewer and you do know what your talking about.”

And Sarah has certainly proved that she knows her brewing stuff as she recently won an award for her beer and she now has her very own range of beers called 'Stray Cat Brewing'.

She said: “My beer range is going really well as I have been in the process of making recipes and experimenting for over a year now. My milk stout ‘Milk’ was the first beer I made.

“I wanted something dark and sweet but something not too high ABV so you could enjoy more of it.

“My lager is doing incredibly well and, after a few different versions were trailed, we have now settled on a recipe. I have also just kegged my fist batch of Pilsner.”

To find out more about Lymestone Brewery, which now offers tours where visitors can learn all about brewing the perfect beer, visit: www.lymestonebrewery.co.uk

Sarah Bra dford pictured at SIBA’s Independ ent Beer Award

June/July 2018 15

AWARD-WINNING PUB

PRESTIGIOUS AWARD FOR SWYNNERTON PUB A public house near Stone has been named as the top pub in the county.

The Fitzherbert Arms in Swynnerton came out tops in this year's Staffordshire category of the

National Pub & Bar Awards. The country pub is already an award-winning venue after scooping up the 'Best New Pub in the UK' award in the 2017/18 Publican Awards.

A total of 94 pubs across the UK have been celebrating being named the best in their counties.

From Oxfordshire to the Orkney Islands, the County Winners of the National Pub & Bar Awards are some of the finest examples currently operating in the United Kingdom’s cities, towns and villages.

The pubs, which have been selected on overall best practice across a number of operational categories, were officially crowned at a red carpet celebration at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly in May.

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newbroomstaffordshire June/July 2018 17

BRITAIN’S BEST BUTCHER

Eccleshall butchers comes out tops at a national awards ceremony

he 2017 Countryside Alliance Awards, nicknamed the Rural Oscars, were handed out recently by Environment Secretary, Michael Gove MP, to the top rural enterprises in the country.

Businesses from across England and Wales, who had already won their regional title, visited Westminster to find out if they were to be crowned national champion.

Champion in the Butcher category was Perrys of Eccleshall.

Countryside Alliance Awards Director Sarah Lee said: “This is a butcher that proudly believes in a nose to tail approach and has an ethos that is deeply rooted in provenance.

“They offer a unique experience to customers by offering meat that is only sourced from a fivemile radius and slaughter all animals on-site; placing animal welfare and well-being high on the agenda.”

Sarah added: “In addition, to a strong commitment to providing quality meat, this is a business that has enhanced their local community through regular demonstrations and workshops, as well as sponsorship of local organisations.

“In short, it’s a perfect combination of taste, welfare and community.”

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Perrys of Eccleshall, which has been trading in the historic market town of Eccleshall since 1927, stated on their website: “We are proud to be awarded Britain's Best Butcher by the Countryside Alliance and deliver the finest locally reared meat, poultry, cooked meat, hand-raised pies, seasonal game, and a select range of pantry items.

“Our extensive knowledge ensures customers get nothing less than the best service.”

he Countryside Alliance’s awards are an annual celebration of rural produce, skills, enterprise and heritage through small hardworking businesses. Now in its thirteenth year, this year saw more than 11,000 nominations across the five award categories.

The Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, who presented the awards, said: “The Countryside Alliance does a brilliant job standing up for rural businesses and residents and supporting a working countryside.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed helping to judge their awards which go to rural businesses that exemplify the best in Britain’s entrepreneurial spirit. The winners deserve all our congratulations.”

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FUND-RAISING EVENTS

GIN TASTING BRINGS IN FUNDS FOR THE DONNA LOUISE

he popularity of gin is helping to raise lots of cash for a charity. As we see gin on the rise to beating vodka as the 'spirit of the age' – The Staffordshire-based charity of The Donna Louise is benefiting from a number of gin tasting events.

A 'Love Gin Night' recently took place at the Upper House in Barlaston, near Stone, and raised an amazing £4,500 for the hospice.

During the fund-raiser, guests embarked on a botanical gin-tasting adventure as they chose from a wide range of unusual gins, each perfectly matched with a mixer and garnish to create really different and delicious flavours.

Zoë Gregory, Events Manager at The Donna Louise, said: “We held our first ever Love Gin event at Upper House and since then we’ve held further events in Nantwich, Burton and Lichfield which have all been really popular.

“We were delighted to return to The Upper House again recently and hope all of our guests had a brilliant night.”

The next gin focused event for the Donna Louise, will be taking place at Stafford Rangers Football Club on Friday June 22. The event, which will start at 7.30pm, is being hosted by the Donna Louise’s Stafford and Colwich Friends.

Jean Tabernor, Chairman of the Friends, said: “Tickets for our gin tasting event are available now. It promises to be a great night, with lots of different gins to choose from, each matched with a garnish and tonic.

“The Donna Louise has organised several gin-tasting events in the last year, and they’ve

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been a great success, so we hope our event will be really popular and help us to raise lots of money for The Donna Louise.”

Chris Belyavin, Relationship Manager at The Donna Louise, added: “Our Stafford and Colwich Friends Groups are brilliant supporters of The Donna Louise. By buying a ticket to their gintasting event guests will not only have a great night out, they will also be making a difference to hundreds of local children and young adults.”

Tickets priced at £20 are available from www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/love-gin-stafford-gintasting-tickets-45195014505

June/July 2018 19

Stage Directions

by Richard Lane

ADVANCED TICKET SALES REACH RECORD LEVELS FOR SHAKESPEARE AT THE CASTLE ummer is almost upon us and preparations are well underway for this year’s Stafford Festival Shakespeare production of Macbeth at Stafford Castle, with demand for tickets outstripping that of previous shows by some distance.

With just under a month to go until rehearsals get underway at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, the Creative Team have been paying regular visits to the

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county town venue in recent weeks, and Director Clare Prenton and Casting Director Sarah Hughes have now finalised casting for some minor roles ahead of an official cast announcement next week.

What’s more, anticipation for Stafford’s summer showpiece event is as strong as ever. Advanced ticket sales for Macbeth are just shy of 5,000 – a figure considerably larger than that of recent productions at the same point in time.

Stafford Festival Shakespeare spokesman, Thomas Waldron, says: “Macbeth is shaping up to be one of our most popular productions since the Festival began back in 1991. Along with the additional Schools’ performances we have added to the schedule this year due to considerable demand, a number premium and super premium performances are filling up fast so I would recommend anyone who is intending to see the show to book soon in order to avoid disappointment.

Last week we managed to cast the remaining minor roles using actors and young performers from the local area, and we will be making an official cast announcement very soon. All of the Stafford Festival Shakespeare team are extremely excited for this year’s show and we can’t wait for the start of rehearsals in just under a month’s time” Macbeth will open on Thursday 28th June and run until Saturday 14th July 2018 at Stafford Castle, with tickets available from just £14. Full ticket information can be obtained from the box office on 01785 619080 or by visiting www.staffordfestivalshakespea re.com

ECCLESHALL LIBRARY

TOLKIEN IS THE FOCUS FOR LIBRARY EXHIBITION

eople interested in celebrating the author of The Lord of the Rings’ and his links with Staffordshire are currently getting the chance to browse a unique exhibition.

This fascinating insight into the early years of JRR Tolkien, one of the world’s best-loved writers, and his time spent in Staffordshire, has already been seen by over 250,000 visitors since it launched in March 2016.

Now the exhibition is at Eccleshall Library until Saturday June 2.

The exhibition includes rare photos and copies of original sketches by Tolkien, not seen in Staffordshire since they left with the author in 1918, specially loaned by The Tolkien Estate and Bodleian Library.

Gill Heath, Libraries Chief at Staffordshire County Council said: “This is a fascinating exhibition with thousands of people already getting the chance to see it. It’s clear that Staffordshire had a profound effect on this famous writer’s formative years, and we’re very proud of this connection.

“The ‘Tolkien in Staffordshire’ story is one of war, comradeship, creativity, love and loss and this exhibition offers visitors a rare chance to learn more about the author’s stay in Staffordshire and what it was like to be a soldier

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in the Great War.” Arriving in Staffordshire on 17 August 1915, JRR Tolkien would begin a connection with the county that would span the remaining years of the Great War and provide inspiration for the mythology and geography of what we now know as Middle-earth.

During the Great War, Second Lieutenant J.R.R. Tolkien of the Lancashire Fusiliers trained in Staffordshire before he was sent to serve on the front lines of the infamously bloody Battle of the Somme.

After contracting trench fever at the Battle of the Somme in June 1916, Tolkien was shipped back to Staffordshire to recover with his new wife Edith, in Great Haywood. The Tolkiens later briefly took up residence in a cottage at Gipsy Green, Teddesley Park, near Penkridge. During this time, he began writing his earliest fantasy works for what is now called Middle-Earth.

J.R.R. Tolkien – Soldier and Myth-Maker” is organised by The Haywood Society, supported by Staffordshire County Council’s Libraries and Arts Service and the Museum of Cannock Chase, and funded by The Heritage Lottery Fund.

The exhibition is open during normal library opening times. For further details visit www.staffordshiregreatwar.com

June/July 2018 21

VE DAY COMMEMORATIONS

CHURCHILL AT LARGE AT COMMEMORATION EVENT

Jim Hanvey, Poppy Appeal Organiser, Rosemary Herbert, raffle organiser, Heather Hanvey, President of the Stone Branch of the Royal British Legion, Doreen Gibbins as “Clemmie” Churchill and Richard Gibbins as Winston Churchill.

tone Golf Club was the venue for the Stone Branch of The Royal British Legion's World War Two theme supper night. The event was to mark the 73rd anniversary of VE Day and to raise funds for the RBL Branch.

The Club dining room was decorated with bunting and other memorabilia and the evening was compered by new RBL member, Richard Gibbins, as a tribute to Winston Churchill. He was ably assisted by two more new members, Rosemary and Paul Herbert.

Royal British Legion officers were heavily involved in the organisation of the event and included President Heather Hanvey, Chairman Philip Leason, Vice Chairman Ron Fox and Poppy Appeal Organiser, Jim Hanvey.

They hosted a number of official guests on the evening, including the Stone Mayor councillor Jim Davies, Lady Mayoress Lin Davies and councillor Jill Hood.

The evening was sponsored by the Stone Branch of UKIP and James Du Pavey, and together with the generosity of donors of raffle prizes, net proceeds from the cash draw and ticket sales, Richard Gibbins was able to present a cheque to Heather Hanvey for £907 which equates to £1,133.75 with the benefit of Gift Aid. The excellent supper of pie, mash and peas served by the golf club, was followed by tributes to World War Two heroes including Winston Churchill and musical tributes by Julie Roberts to Vera Lynn and The Andrews Sisters.

The evening finished with dancing to the sound of Glenn Miller until the sounding of the “All Clear”. More events are being planned by the town's RBL with details to be announced shortly.

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Stone Mayor, Councillor Jim Davies thanking the organisers in his last public engagement as his year of office comes to an end. He is shown with Richard Gibbins, as Winston Churchill, who has just presented a cheque to Heather Hanvey, President

Guests joining in singing with Julie Roberts

Julie Roberts performing tributes to Vera Lynn and The Andrews Sisters

22 June/July 2018

FULFORD PRESCHOOL

Preschool open day for prospective tots

fter a decade of preparing little ones for the big wide world of school, Little Learners at Fulford Preschool is holding a special Open Day in July for prospective parents.

The preschool, which offers quality child care and education for tots ranging from two to four years old, will be holding the fun day at Fulford Village Hall, where they are based.

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Prospective parents will be able to meet the team of seven qualified and experienced staff on-hand daily to help develop toddlers for the next steps of their life, leading into the education system.

The preschool is open from Monday to Friday, 7.45am to 4pm and provides a secure and caring environment at the highest standard after being deemed 'outstanding' by Ofsted.

Little ones get to experience classroom life as well as going on day trips and playing indoors and outside, learning to grow independently as well as working with others.

Preschool manager, Angela Alcock works alongside a team of experienced and friendly colleagues to provide quality care in safe surroundings with both funded and paid places on offer.

The open day will be taking place on Saturday, July 7 from 10am and will introduce parents to the staff, learning and play environments as well as showcasing the services on offer.

Bookings for September 2018 are now being taken, to book a viewing or for more information on the open day, contact Angela on 07980 959456.

MEMBERS MEMORIES LIVE ON memorial bench has been put in place on the grounds of an Eccleshall sports club.

The wooden bench was unveiled at a recent Eccleshall Trust’s Ploughman's Lunch at the town's cricket club.

It has been purchased and put in place in memory of the time and effort put into the organisation by two members who had passed: Tony Ellis and June L Veck.

The bench was unveiled by Tina Seest, daughter of June, and Janet Ellis, wife of Tony.

A capacity attendance enjoyed a full buffet lunch provided by the Trust team.

The ceremonial side of the event was carried out by Trust chairman Ben Lynch.

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Tina Seest daughter of June Veck and Janet Ellis wife of Tony Ellis June/July 2018 23

ART CLASSES AND EXHIBITIONS

Demonstrations and refreshments included at watercolour exhibition ulton Watercolour Society will be displaying their latest creations this Summer.

The Society, which meets every Thursday evening, last held a successful exhibition at Oulton Village Hall in November.

A spokesman said: “We

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would like to thank everyone who attended the exhibition.

Without their support it wouldn’t have been the success that it was.”

The society's next exhibition will be staged at the same venue on Saturday June 2.

Entrance is free and the doors will open at 10am and close at

4.30pm. Refreshments will be available and a Raffle for a Hamper will take place.

Club members will be giving demonstrations and will also be on hand to answer any questions relating to the paintings and painting classes.

The event will also give the society members the opportunity to promote the club as they are always on the lookout for new members, whether they be experienced or complete novices.

Including in the exhibition is a Craft Corner for the younger ones; and all the pictures exhibited will be for sale, along with hand crafted cards.

The spokesman added: “The object of the exhibition is to not only showcase our work but to enable us to raise funds to cover the costs of hiring the Village Hall for our weekly classes and exhibitions, but most of all to encourage future artists.”

For further information find 'Oulton Watercolour Society near Stone' on Facebook.

Youngsters can get creative at Saturday art class reative youngsters are being invited to attend weekly art sessions in a village near to Stone.

Artist Rose Snead hosts the Saturday Art Sessions at Barlaston Village Hall from 10am until midday.

Rose is a qualified tutor with more than 20 years teaching experience and also has a BA Hons and an MA in art therapy.

She said: “The art sessions are for children to have fun while learning, build their confidence, develop creative thinking, problem

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24 June/July 2018

solving skills, techniques and materials involved in art and design.”

The sessions, which are aimed at youngsters aged six years and over, cost £10 per child.

Rose, who is also a qualified make-up artist who is available for parties and events, said: “The price includes all materials along with a snack and drink.”

For further information call Rose on 07910 886031 or email her at creative_faces@btinternet.com.

GIRLGUIDES

Unforgettable adventure for GirlGuides

group of 34 Guides, Guiders and Senior Section girls from across Girlguiding Staffordshire travelled over 4,000 miles to Kenya, as part of Girlguiding Staffordshire centenary celebrations.

While in Kenya the group – which included Girlguides from the Stone area, carried out two service projects. The younger members of the group decorated a home for eight foster children and their foster parents, while the adults decorated bedrooms and a sitting room for girls with disabilities at a Guiding Centre called Shanzu.

Girlguiding volunteer, Sophie Moulton, said: “Everyone expects a different way of life in other countries, especially in Africa, but it was a massive culture shock for everyone

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who went, and I’m sure we are all very different people because of it.

“We saw the best and worst bits of Kenya, from expensive houses, to the slum areas. However, there was one thing that stuck out most for me, and that was the people. The Kenyans who had very little were the happiest, kindest people you would ever meet.”

The Girlguiding group also travelled around Kenya and also went on safari, stayed at Treetops, and visited Lord and Lady Baden Powsell’s resting place which faces Mount Kenya.

Sophie added: “We fed Giraffes, went to church, visited a local school and so much more. It was an unforgettable adventure which has shown us how lucky we are, and what we take for granted, but also showed us that a group of 34 can make such a huge difference to people’s lives in only two weeks.”

GirlGuides who went on this trip fund-raised the money themselves by carrying out lots of different activities including running evenings at local girlguiding units, holding raffles, selling gifts and much more.

To find out more about GirlGuiding and to get involved visit www.girlguiding.org.uk.

June/July 2018 25

What’s on in

Y L U J / E N U J

Aston Marina, Stone • Live Music – No. 26 on Thursdays June 7 and July 5 from 7pm until 10pm.

• Wedding Showcase in the Boat Hous e on Wednesday June 13 from 5.30pm-8.30pm.

Details: www.astonmarina.co.uk/eve nts/ or 01785 819702

Barlaston Village on Saturday rket: 10am-midday • Barlaston Village Ma , friendly ely lov A ll.

Ha age Vill July 14 at Barlaston ge of food, rket with a wide ran atmospheric local ma tea room site on s style stalls. Plu plants, craft and life le. Free admission. ilab ava ies od go with home baked ageMarket ok.com/BarlastonVill Details: www.facebo Charity Gin Tasting Night • Stafford Rangers Football Club. On Friday June 22 at 7.30pm. Hosted by the Donna Louise’s Stafford and Colwich Friends. Tickets £20.

Details: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/love-gin-stafford-gintasting-tickets-45195014505

ent Do you have an ev you would coming up which ed in our like to see featur What's On pages?

Email details to o.co.uk life@timesandech

Eccleshall Festival • In Eccleshall from Jun e 16 to June 24. Lots of fun events and activities for all the family.

Details www.ecclesha llfestival.co.uk

e Centre, Ston een 5pm and Frank Jordan ay June 1 betw id Fr on t en b.

Hu ity un m • Volunteer Ev Com ityhub.org by the Stone 7pm. Hosted stonecommun w. w w or 17 24 81 5 78 01 : Details Mill Meece Pumping Station, near Eccleshall • General Interest Rally on June 17 from 11am-5pm.

• Classic Motorcycle Rally on July 15 from 11am until 5pm.

Details: www.millmeecepumping station.co.uk or 01785 822138

iety Exhibition Oulton Watercolour Soc urday June 2 between Sat on l Hal ge Villa ton • Oul le n. Refreshments availab issio adm e Fre m.

10am-4.30p ner for children.

Cor ft Cra s Plu . per Ham and a Raffle for a Plant Hunters Fairs • Summer Plant Fair The Walled Kitchen Garden at Sugnall, near Eccleshall on Sunday June 24 between 10am and 4pm.

Details: www.planthuntersfairs.co.uk

Sandon tween Sandon Hall, y on July 12 be s Valuation Da and Valuers. ue s tiq er An ne io ee ct Fr • Au Cuttlestones ith ay July 15 W . nd Su pm -3 on s 11am d Garden Tour an e us Ho er • Summ £7.

-5pm. Tickets ller on between 10am Faith Tucker and Allan Schi ith w g in 0. en £2 Ev s et An • . Tick . at 7pm-11pm 01889 508004 Friday July 20 onhall.co.uk or nd sa w. w w : Details

Stafford Food Festival • Stafford Ranger's Football Club on July 28 and 29.

With more than 100 food and drink stalls.

26 June/July 2018

Staffordshire Police Headquarters, Stafford • Family Fun Day on Sunday June 3 between 11am and 4pm. With demonstrations, stalls, and stands plus meet Police Dog Cooper.

Details: www.staffordshire.police.uk/openday

Granvilles Br asserie & Mus ic Bar, Stone • Check out ww w.granvilles.st for details of forthcoming gi gs

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust • 30 Days Wild during the month of June. Activities to get families out in the great outdoors.

Details: www.wildlifetrusts.org/30DaysWild Stone Festival and Carnival • Stone town ce ntre and othe r venues: From June 10. Lots of June 2 to fun Details: www.sto events and activities for all the family. nefestival.co.u k

Stone Revellers in Stone. From June • Cafe Rene at St Michael's Hall evening. Comedy play. each pm 7.30 at 16 June to 12 .uk Details: www.stonerevellers.org World of Wed gwood, Barla ston • Half Term Fu n Saturday May 26 – Sunday Ju lots of fun activ ne 3. With ities and tours.

• Fine Food an d Artisan Craf ts M arket: Sunday and Sunday Ju June 10 ly 8 from 10am until 4pm. With stalls, inside an over 50 d out, full of fin e foods from lo producers and cal hand-crafted products. Free and parking. admission • Royal Doulto n Collector's Fa ir Sunday June 11am and 3pm 3 between . Free admissio n.

• Artisan demon strations and sp ecial exhibitio website for da ns: check tes and details .

Details: 01782 282986 or ww w.worldofwedg wood.com

ON GUIDE REGULAR WHAT'S

Stone Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society Garden Club • Club Meetings every second Thursday of the month at 7.45pm at Christ Church Centre, Christ Church Way in Stone.

Details: www.stonecanddgardenclub.org or 01785 812097

Stone Farmers Markets th in Stone town centre.

• Every first Saturday of the mon .co.uk rket sma mer Details: www.stonefar ub Little rict Stroke Cl .30pm at the Stone & Dist m 10.30am-2 fro is £7 ay st sd Co ne e. ed on • Every W ter Road, St Club in Uttoxe cises, coffee er ex le nt Stoke Cricket ge , games, quizzes (in the and includes: eal, transport course hot m otw ts, ui sc bi and d subs. raffle ticket an Stone area), a .

07 37 60 5 Details: 0178

Stone Library • Creative Writing Club Every fourth Tuesd ay of the month at 10.30am.

• Lego Club Every Saturday at 2pm-3.30p m. Cost 50p.

Details: www.staffordshire.gov.uk

t Sessions ery Saturday.

Children's Ar Village Hall. Ev y at Barlaston d over. Cost da an id -m six es am ag 10 r • Rose Snead. Fo t tis ar by ed Host .com . s@btinternet £10 per child creative_face or 31 60 88 0 Details: 0791

Eccleshall Hand Bellrin gers • Every Monday (during term time) at 7.30pm at Holy Trinity Church Rooms in Eccleshall.

Details: www.ehbr.co.uk or 01785 859950.

June/July 2018 27

ECCLESHALL YOUNG FARMERS

Young farmers skip their way to success

he Eccleshall Young Farmers Club (YFC) Jump Rope team recently set out on a trip to Worcestershire for the West Midlands Area Sports Competitions Day, in an attempt to qualify for the National Finals of the Jump Rope.

It has been a testing time over the last few months for the Eccleshall Young Farmers following the team’s success at the County Round, after crucial member of the team, Dan Moseley suffered a serious neck injury and was therefore unable to take part in any further competitions.

As a group, including the other three members of the team William Massie, Sally Tyler and Sammie Wilson were determined not to give up and therefore asked a fellow Eccleshall member to step in after showing his skipping skills. The members were very lucky that the farrier extraordinaire and current Club Treasurer, Tom Westwell agreed to join the team and then the hard work started.

By the time the West Midlands Area competition came around, the team had been practising hard for approximately six weeks and were starting to build confidence. Sunday April 8 arrived and it was their time to shine. Sally, Sammie, Will and Tom were pleased with their overall performance and thankful to fellow Eccleshall members that came to support and cheer them on.

Sammie Wilson said: “We look forward to

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SCOUTING

practising during the next few weeks and heading to Blackpool to compete against the other qualifying teams.

“Plenty of cheering on the day of the competition at AGM will be much appreciated so come and support the Staffordshire team.”

For further information about Staffordshire YFC visit www.staffsyoungfarmers.org.uk or contact Julia Taylor, County Organiser on 01785 248645.

(L-R) Will Massie, Sammie Wilson, Sally Tyler and Tom Westwell.

Community spring clean

by Cubs embers of a local Cubs Pack have been out and about helping to give their community a spring clean.

The youngsters, along with their Scouting leaders, carried out a litter pick in late April and received some lovely feedback from members of the public about their great efforts for the community.

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28 June/July 2018

VOLUNTEERING

Sylvia on a previous volunteer trip overseas

Volunteer to take on overseas challenge

ylvia Keris, from Eccleshall, is preparing for her own challenging overseas Development Aid project in Autumn 2018.

Sylvia volunteers with several community organisations involved with disabilities or special needs - including Walton Hall Academy, County Hospital, First Responders and Guide Dogs alongside her current position as President of the Rotary Club in Eccleshall.

She has now been selected to be a part of a team of volunteers who will be going with the charity 'Mission Direct' to help on the charity's continuing work projects in Sierra Leone.

Sylvia said: “This extremely poor West African Country has, in the past, experienced a brutal civil war, and more recently a deadly outbreak of Ebola.

“The country is now at peace but continues to feel the effects of the civil war with its infrastructure, and shortage of schools and medical facilities.”

The Mission Direct charity team will be helping local workers build classrooms to enable more children to attend school, and help establish a clinic to provide urgently needed medical care.

The team will also volunteer at the Nehemiah organisation - where former child soldiers, now

S

grown up, run a home and educational facilities for street boys.

Sylvia further explained: “And our team will help at the Hastings Ladies Polio Association which provides accommodation and teaches vocational skills to all Polio sufferers, who would otherwise be abused or die on the streets.”

All volunteers have to raise nearly £2,000 for their team placement, so Sylvia is planning fundraising events over the coming months. She is happy to give talks for a donation to organisations such as Rotary clubs, Inner Wheel, Lions, Churches or other social groups.

Plus Sylvia is currently selling raffle tickets for a draw to take place in July, priced at £1 a ticket.

Some of the prizes kindly donated by local businesses include meals at London House Restaurant, The Kings Arms, Gentleshaw wildlife centre tickets, bubbly from the 3 Pillars off licence, Reiki relaxation treatments from Holistics Stafford, and 'Stafford: A History' reference book.

If your group would like a talk, or you wish to purchase raffle tickets, or could kindly support Sylvia's fundraising for Sierra Leone with other events, email her at sylviakeris@yahoo.co.uk or call her on 01785 851005.

June/July 2018 29

STAFFORD AND DISTRICT CANOE CLUB

Paddling their way to representing Great Britain

Sam Maingay he beginning of the Easter Holidays saw many Canoe Slalom athletes from Staffordshire headed down to Lee Valley Olympic Water Course in London to compete for selection to the GB Teams for 2018.

Stafford and Stone Canoe Club (S&SCC ) paddlers descended on the venue to compete with the best seniors and juniors from all over the UK. Junior Selection had started the weekend before at Nottingham White Water Course and S&SCC juniors had performed well leaving themselves in good positions for continuing the junior race at Lee Valley. The juniors would compete over two days to increase the points they had already secured.

As always the competition was closely fought but S&SCC paddler Sam Maingay, who competed on the junior GB Team in 2017, stormed through to secure his place on the 2018 Junior Team in C1M. He said: “I am delighted to have been selected to the GB team again this year and I am really

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30 June/July 2018

looking forward to competing at the World Championships in Italy.”

He added: “A massive thank you to my coaches, parents and sponsors.”

The senior paddlers were to compete over three days at Lee Valley, competing in four events K1M, C1M, C1W, K1W. In K1M Olympic Champion Joe Clarke retained his place with a good performance over the event, followed by Christopher Bowers qualifying for the Senior and Under 23 Teams.

C1M paddler Adam Burgess also made the senior team again. He said: “Representing Great Britain once again for 2018. Intense weekend, thanks for all of the support especially to the family and friends who braved the weather bankside in Lee Valley.”

As the top paddlers were competing for selection the club were busily arranging taster days for their 2018 Junior intake.

This successful Canoe Slalom club has introduced hundreds of children to the sport and these four GB athletes all started as youngsters.

ECCLESHALL VOLUNTARY CAR SCHEME

Community scheme drives forward local people who have no or limited access to public transport or having no transport of their own.

“The scheme depends on the flexibility of the voluntary drivers and what they can offer against the needs of the passengers.”

A set rate of charges per mile is made to the passenger and drivers receive 45p per mile expenses. The charge is for the journey and allows for carers to accompany the passenger where necessary. All drivers will be D.B.S checked, and public liability insurance will be in place.

Residents who feel that they qualify for the scheme should 'Join the Club' by completing a simple form outlining their needs and explaining the scheme to them. There is no charge to join the scheme.

community transport initiative has been formed after two years of planning. The Eccleshall Voluntary Car Scheme has now began thanks to the generosity and support of the Eccleshall Parish Council, Eccleshall Show, County Councillor Jeremy Pert, Eccleshall Business Focus Group, Eccleshall Community First Responders and NatWest Bank, which have all helped the scheme gain sufficient set-up funds to get started.

The scheme officially launched on May 1 and is now appealing for voluntary drivers to help offer the service to Eccleshall folk needing transport for medical visits initially.

Chairman of the Eccleshall Voluntary Car Scheme, Peter Jones, further explained: “The hope is to extend the service to

A

Peter added: “It is not a taxi service and the scheme can only support people who qualify for their help and there will be restrictions on the people that the private cars can transport.

They need to be largely mobile and able to get in and out of the vehicle on their own or with a limited amount of assistance.”

Passengers who have joined the scheme will need to book the scheme at least a week in advance and it relies on a suitable driver being available.

Peter added: “It is anticipated that the scheme will start small and hopefully build to become a useful service provided by the people of Eccleshall for the people of Eccleshall.”

For more information call Peter on 01785 851381 or mobile 07815 419166 or email peterwjones@btinternet.com.

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June/July 2018 31

WEIGHT WATCHERS

LIFE-CHANGING WEIGHT LOSS FOR STONE MAN H

ere is an inspirational story of Stone man, Malcolm Hodgkinson, who since retiring as a long distance lorry driver has changed his lifestyle and lost 2.5 stone.

At the age of 65, Malcolm began attending Weight Watcher sessions in his home town with the start weight of 15 stone and one pound. He has since successfully lost 35 pounds and is currently 12 stone and eight pounds.

Through this weight loss, he has also managed to reverse his diabetes condition and feels much fitter and healthier.

Here Malcolm tells Stone & Eccleshall Life Magazine the story of his journey to weight loss: My journey started once I retired from being a long distance lorry driver for 35

years. Eating on the run, boredom stuck in traffic and choosing the wrong snacks made me pile the weight on. I had diabetes for which I was taking medication and had already had one heart attack.

When I retired I weighed in at 15 stone 7lbs. My wife and I tried to make healthy choices ourselves to begin with but realised that we needed some extra support so joined my sister-in-law at our local Weight Watchers group on Stone.

As soon as I walked in to the Christchurch meeting on June 29 last year, I felt comfortable and supportive. You get a completely personalised approach for healthy weight loss, with a tailored SmartPoints budget (made up of a daily and weekly allowance, and FitPoints for activity).

It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. The new Weight Watcher SmartPoints Flex plan is simple, with a sensible, go-to list of over 200 zero Point foods including lean proteins and fruits and vegetables that you can eat until you are full and a SmartPoints budget that you can spend on anything else you want. I wish I had started this sooner as it would’ve been achievable even whilst I was working. All foods are in; you have the flexibility to eat what you want, any day, any time to fit with your life. You take control of what you eat and learn healthy habits for life.

I like it because it’s easy to eat out and on the go and still make healthy choices, meaning socialising or working away need never be a problem.

My wife Carol joined with me and got her to goal weight losing 21lbs and is thrilled.

I have so far lost 35lbs and am feeling fantastic and I am determined to reach my healthy goal weight.

I look much better and my health has definitely improved thanks to the support and fantastic flexible Weight Watchers plan.

I would recommend Weight Watchers to anyone, it’s like a little community where we share ideas and support each other under the fab coach Angela Gater.

Malcolm attends the Thursday 10am sessions of Weight Watchers at Christ Church Centre in Stone.

The sessions are led by Angela Gater.

32 June/July 2018

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34 June/July 2018

June/July 2018 35

REASONS TO CHOOSE US

ECCLESHALL DENTAL CLINIC

Excellence in Dental Care At Eccleshall Dental Clinic we provide family, general and cosmetic dentistry which is carried out to very high standards using only the latest materials and equipment. Our surgeries are maintained to the highest of standards and we continually reinvest in our staff with training to enable us to provide you with the very best dental care. We show great pride in the work that we carry out which means that your satisfaction is the most important aspect of our care. You have the peace of mind you will always see the same dentist Dr Jakhu or Dr Matharu for continuity of care.

5 Star Experience From the start to the end of your dental treatment, we ensure that you are treated to the very highest of care. Your new patient consultations are 40 minutes to one hour long with Dr Jakhu or Dr Matharu and they will assess the whole mouth. We book enough time so that we cover all of your questions and needs. We are open 5 days a week offering late night appointments on a Monday evening.

In-depth Consultations and Discussions As our staff are continually attending courses and updating our range of services we are always able to offer a number of different options when providing our treatment. We will spend the extra time to discuss all these options with you, so that you are able to make an informed decision on your treatment. We offer free consultations so that you can come along, have a tour of the practice and discuss your treatment with a member of the team.

Caring and Comfortable Surroundings At Eccleshall Dental Clinic we have created a friendly relaxing environment, we recognise the importance of excellent customer service and we pride ourselves in being able to provide a very professional yet personal service for our patients.

We also appreciate the importance of trust and good communication. We treat a number of anxious and nervous clients who have had bad experiences in the past and help them overcome any fears and maintain their teeth for the rest of their lives. For those patients who are unable to overcome their fear we offer dental sedation to help relax you and make your experience more comfortable.

Experienced Staff All of our staff are trained to very high standard and are committed to continuing their professional development by attending regular courses. Our trainee nurses all undergo thorough training and

our qualified staff are experienced and registered with the GDC, we maintain high ethical standards and have the same goals of providing excellent dentistry in a comfortable, caring environment.

Flexible Payment Options We know that depending on your dental needs, the cost of treatment can be quite high. We provide a number of options to allow payment over time. We allow payment in stages during your treatment as well as finance options including 0% finance over 12 months on some treatments.

We have introduced our own dental membership arrangement to reward and look after our patients who visit the practice regularly.

Gold Care Plan – £13.10 per month

What our patients say “Service to make you smile!

From the front desk and all of the support team, everyone at Eccleshall Dental Clinic did a great job of making a very nervous patient feel very comfortable. Prit and Ash did a fantastic job on my teeth fitting several crowns and implants over several months. This not only gave me the confidence to smile very broadly, I was able to enjoy food again with great working teeth! Great service, great team and a big thanks.”

‘In my experience l don’t like going to the dentist but in the few months l have been coming to Eccleshall Dental Clinic they have made me feel very comfortable and the Dentist (Prit) has calmed my nerves.

You have all helped me very much and l feel my teeth have had the right help in the past few months than they have in a long time. I’m glad l found the right dentist” ‘I have had treatment at the Eccleshall Dental Clinic under the care of Mr Ash, that’s what I wish to call him.

I lost a front tooth, he gave me a dental implant.

Every step of my treatment he talked me through. I had very good pain management. Most of all an amazing outcome, I can smile again, he gave me my confidence back thank you Mr Ash and you’re not to be forgotten amazing staff’ Visit our website to read more: www.eccleshalldentalclinic.co.uk/testimonials/

If you would like to book an appointment please call reception on 01785 850199 or email reception@eccleshalldentalclinic.co.uk so that we can provide you with a smile that you can be proud of.

June/July 2018 37

QUIZ CORNER

Let’s get quizzical COMPILED BY PAUL STEELE

General Knowledge Quiz 1. What name is given to a female fox?

2. By what nickname was John Merrick known in the Victorian era?

4. Which African country was known as Rhodesia between 1964 and 1979?

5. In which London square can you see a statue of Charlie Chaplin?

6. What is the family name of an England 1966 football world cup winner and his nephew, an England 2003 rugby union world cup winner?

7. Who wrote the 2017 thriller 'Origin' which begins with the unveiling of a discovery that will change the face of science forever?

8. Which 1966 Beatles album featured 'Eleanor Rigby' and 'Yellow Submarine'?

9. The 2017 film 'I, Tonya' features which sport?

10. What was the name of the blitz according to the Sweet single of 1973?

A quiz for the Eurovision Song Contest 1. Which UK winner included the following lyrics, ‘Pounding away, pounding away’?

2. Which Canadian superstar won the contest representing Switzerland in 1988?

3. Which country has won the Eurovision song contest the most times?

4. In which country is the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest taking place?

5. Which group managed to get the UK’s first ‘nul points’ in 2003?

6. Which famous boxer’s father represented Ireland in 1968 with ‘Chance of a Lifetime’?

7. What was ABBA's winning song of 1974?

8. How many times did Cliff Richard win the Eurovision Song Contest?

9. Ireland won their first contest back in 1970 - Who was the singer?

10. Which Irish entry contains the lyrics, ‘Close your eyes, pretend it's just the two of us again, make believe this moment's here to stay’?

General Knowledge Answers: 1. Vixen; 2. Elephant Man; 3. Lemon; 4. Zimbabwe; 5. Leicester Square; 6. Cohen (George and Ben); 7. Dan Brown; 8. Revolver; 9. Figure Skating; 10. Ballroom.

Eurovision Answers: 1. Boom Bang A Bang; 2. Celine Dion; 3. Ireland; 4. Portugal; 5. Jemini; 6. Barry McGuigan; 7. Waterloo; 8. None; 9. Dana; 10. Hold Me Now.

38 June/July 2018

Quizzes compiled by Paul Steele - email: pnsteele@aol.com - Paul's 'Which One?' quiz game is available at Gafuzzle in Leek.

3. Which fruit would you expect to find in the centre of a Sussex Pond Pudding?

You are warmly invited to visit at any time. Please call 01782 664620.

June/July 2018 39

GARDENING

CORNFLOWERS AND KNAPWEEDS W

e all love to see cornflowers growing wild, although it is a very rare sight these days.

These wildflowers are the annual Centaurea cyanus that can be grown from seed each year. There are however, lots of perennial types that have the same shuttlecock flowers but come up year after year in the garden. Cornflowers and Knapweeds all belong under the name of Centaurea which harks back to the ancient Greek legends regarding their healing properties.

It isn’t just the flowers that provide garden interest. Many varieties have grey leaves often divided into lacy filigree. The flower buds are clothed in woody, shiny or spiny scales and can be almost jewel-like One of my favourite natives is Centaurea nigra, known as Hardheads or Black Knapweed. It grows in all kinds of grassland and is a favourite of bees and butterflies all through the summer. The variety Elstead with larger, frillier flowers and the pure white variety, Waterfall White, are equally tough.

Another native, Greater Knapweed (Centaurea scabiosa), grows well in our garden seeding around gently.

There are many varieties suitable for the garden that enjoy the rough and tumble of the crowded border or naturalistic planting. The Giant Yellow Knapweed, Centaurea macrocephala has perhaps one of the most iconic flowers of the genus. The large globular yellow flowers resemble a giant thistle or cardoon flower. The buds are deep bronze and attractive in their own right. It would be a shame to dead head too promptly as the dead petals form a wig of brown hair atop the head-like seed pods (macrocephala = “big head”). For a more refined look to the border choose Centaurea glastifolia with its candelabra stems topped with silver-scaled buds and yellow flowers that are a smaller version of macrocephala. Even smaller is the dainty Eastern Knapweed (Centaurea orientalis).

For an upright, purple-pink flowered cornflower you can’t do much better than the new

variety “Caramia”.

This will rebloom if cut back hard after flowering and grows to about 1ft 6in tall.

Most gardeners will know Centaurea montana, the Mountain Bluet, for its blue flowers, grey-green leaves and low growing, running habit. There are lots of new colours available now: the whiteflowered Alba Carnea is flesh pink; Joyce mid rose; Purpurea is royal purple, Ochraleuca is very pale yellow and Purple Heart is white with an attractive purple centre. The new variety Jordy is a “must have” plant with large burgundy flowers. It is more upright and reblooms through to the autumn if cut back hard after each crop of flowers finish.

Centaurea are one of the best bee plants in the garden, particularly for bumblebees. In our garden, we have spotted many species of bumblebee regularly visiting Centaurea in large numbers. Butterflies are also attracted to the flowers to fuel up with nectar.

Whilst deadheading flowers is useful for us gardeners, it’s well worth leaving seed heads on to allow charms of goldfinches (and occasionally Redpolls) to come take their fill of the seeds, even in mid-summer and particularly through the winter.

Centaureas will grow in most soil types including sticky clay but if your soil is very acid you may find a dressing of powdered limestone each spring is useful. Spreading types can be divided before or between flowering.

Martin Blow

Janet and I run Special Perennials, website www.specialperennials.com we will be at the Plant Hunters’ Fair at Hodnet Hall Gardens, TF9 3NN on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd June with special half price entry for the stunning 63 acre gardens and plant fair at just £3.50; Sugnall Walled Gardens, Eccleshall ST21 6NF on Sunday 24th June plant fair and gardens entry £1.00; Henbury Hall Garden, Macclesfield (SK11 9PJ) on Saturday 30th June and Sunday 1st July entry to this lovely rarely open 12-acre garden and plant fair only £2.50; Abbeywood Gardens, Delamere CW8 2HS on Sunday 8th July fabulous gardens and fair £3.00; Middleton Hall, Nr Tamworth B78 2AE on Sunday 22nd July gardens, hall and fair only £2.00. For full details of these and other Plant Hunters’ Fairs please see www.planthuntersfairs.co.uk. We are happy to bring orders to plant fairs for you to collect.

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June/July 2018 41

THE WOMEN’S INSTITUTE The Women's Institute (WI), which was formed in 1915 and is now the largest voluntary women's organisation in the UK, plays a unique role in providing women with educational opportunities and the chance to build new skills, to take part in a wide variety of activities and to campaign on issues that matter to them and their communities.

Here we take a look at what's been going on at local WI's and see that they are “not just jam and Jerusalem”.

Is your WI group in the Stone, Eccleshall and surrounding villages area? Would you like your group to be featured in our WI pages? Email Belinda at life@timesandecho.co.uk.

Barlaston Afternoon WI e recently attended the Home and Garden WI event at Stafford County Showground. Staffordshire National Federation of WIs organise events like this for all WIs in Staffordshire. 700 plus ladies attend. We all bought something from stalls and really enjoyed the professional speakers.

Chelsea Flower Show was very much in evidence.

James Alexander Sinclair talked through his Chelsea garden making the earth and water move through sound, along with eight other wonderful garden designs. We are now ready for the Barlaston Open Gardens.

The afternoon was with Ian Lloyd who is a judge for all the stalls at Chelsea. His flower arrangements were amazing and so large. His music to accompany each display had us all singing along.

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One of our recent meetings saw Kath Reynolds speaking on ‘To Love and to Cherish’. All the myths of courting and marriage proposals were explored along with the eras for wedding day fashion - even to war wedding dresses made from parachutes.

Our May meeting included a presentation entitled 'Barking Mad' by Chrissy Whereat.

Forthcoming meetings of the Barlaston Afternoon WI are: June 20 with Leek Town Crier Bill Lomas; July 18 with Helen Bundy on Staffs Blood Bikes; August 15 with Hooksgreen Herbs by Malcolm Dixon; September 19 with Border Collie Trust by Ben Wilkes; October 17 with Willow Craft by Alan Rawlings; November 15 with Margaret Thompstone and Tudor Christmas; and December 12 with a Christmas Lunch at Tollgate Hotel.

We meet in Barlaston Village Hall between 1pm and 3 pm, visitor donation £3 which includes tea/coffee. Come along and join us.

THE WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

Aston-by-Stone WI here was a welcome visitor to one of our recent meetings: Meara the dog!

The programme had promised a fashion show, but unfortunately illness prevented this from happening. However Diane Scott stepped in at the last minute to tell us about the assistance dog Meara. We were unaware of this aspect of assistance dogs; after all, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People are well-known, as are Guide dogs for the Blind.

Meara had been trained to detect seizures in Diane’s grand-daughter Esme, who had been disabled by a seizure at a young age. Meara slept on Esme’s bed, and was trained to fetch an adult when a seizure is threatened. She was the first assistance dog to be trained to alert someone other than the person affected.

Esme’s mother wrote a testimony about Meara and the immense difference she made to their lives. As a result of this, the Kennel Club donated £20,000 to help train more dogs.

Meara has retired, as Esme now has round-the-clock care, but Diane takes her about when she does her talks, and Meara is very willing to enchant new groups of people! She made an inspection of the W.I. audience and apparently found us satisfactory, settling down and – maybe – listening to Diane’s talk.

Diane now donates all her fees and donations for talks to train more Support Dogs. Such good work is unpaid but certainly not unsung. We now appreciate the amazing people who train dogs to look after and help children with difficulties.

Our May meeting included a discussion about the resolution to be put forward at the W.I. Annual Meeting. We present different resolutions each year, all of which try to help the quality of life for everyone.

“Keep Britain Tidy”, food labelling and milk prices are just a few of our recent concerns.

Would you like to join us? We meet at 7.30pm on the second Wednesday of month at Aston-by-Stone Village Hall.

Contact us on www.astonbystonewi.btck.co.uk, contactastonwi@ntlworld.com, or ring 01785 615662. We’ll be pleased to see you!

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Yvonne Fazackerley with the Competition Cup

Diane with Meara June/July 2018 43

THE WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

Barlaston Afternoon WI n informative and heart-warming evening was had by the ladies of Barlaston Herons WI as they gained an insight into life with Parkinson's Disease recently. John Mills and his wife, Jane, discussed what life was like with Parkinson's Disease and how to care for someone that has the disease. This hard topic was addressed with openness and humour. John highlighted a few facts such as one in every 350 will get Parkinson's Disease and that there are 3,200 people in North Staffordshire with Parkinson's Disease. The symptoms were discussed and ways to adapt were put forward. John shared how he has tackled his symptoms and what support he taps into including the Parkinson's nurses and online support groups.

One of our own members, Vicki, stood up and briefly opened up about being diagnosed at the age of 44 and offered her own insight into her journey at the very start of

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Parkinson's.

The ladies had an opportunity to ask questions and lead an open discussion. The meeting finished with the usual business and lovely home-made cakes and refreshments.

Many exciting events are upcoming including First Aid courses, walk at Denstone, County Show competition and even oak clog dancing!

For our recent AGM, we began the meeting with all the ladies singing Jerusalem. It was also lovely to welcome some of the afternoon Barlaston WI to the meeting. Reports were written and delivered by the President, Secretary and Treasurer with a focus on celebrating all the varied opportunities and speakers that have been enjoyed throughout the year. Thanks were given to Sam and Sara as they step down as President and Secretary and the all important vote for the new President was taken. The successful candidate was Sue Laird and the ladies are looking forward to supporting her in the upcoming year.

The business part of the meeting covered upcoming events including a theatre trip, walk and environmental ideas for reducing using plastic. The ladies agreed on supporting the WI resolution in improving support for mental health issues.

The committee thanked the members by serving them a home-made cream tea. The meeting ended with a fun quiz on chocolate and music that certainly got the ladies scratching their heads.

Our May meeting saw our ladies crafting paper flowers from the kitchen and our June meeting on the 19th will see a presentation about Laughter Yoga. New members are always welcome, please visit www.barlastonheronswi.webs.com for more information.

THE WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

Stone WI he Stone WI AGM recently took place and saw our president, Barbara Beasley, announce to the members present that she was going to retire from the position although will still remain on the committee.

Barbara has been our WI's president since the formation of the afternoon group, apart from one year when Heather Whittall held the post.

Barbara is to be succeeded by Heather once more.

We had a brief visit and talk by Kay Jackson, from SFWI, who was able to explain some of the changes in the financial situation with respect to where and when our subscriptions go, and how things have changed nationally in the last year or so.

A cup of tea, a biscuit and a raffle was a superb time for a chat and this was followed by an auction.

At the moment Stone WI are quite small in numbers but it will be good if others decided to come along to the Christ Church Centre in Stone at 2pm on the first Wednesday in the month. Our meeting in June, however, involves a visit and lunch at Oak Tree Farm, Hilderstone whilst on July 4 Martin Saint will talk about "A bit of This and That" which sounds most intriguing.

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Eccleshall WI t a recent meeting of the Eccleshall WI, the speaker provided much food for thought with a talk and presentation about the lives of Polar Bears. Given that the new polar bear cub had, a day or two before, made its first public appearance, members were fascinated to learn more about the lives of these beautiful creatures. It proved quite difficult to draw members’ interest back to the Annual Meeting section of the meeting but they duly completed this business and returned to discussing polar bears.

Just a few days later a small group of members arrived at the local butchers premises ready to learn how to make sausages.

Steve, our local butcher, explained and demonstrated how to mix the recipe and produce sausages. Then, much to his

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Heather Whittall, incoming president (left) and Barbara Beasley (outgoing president) holding a bouquet of flowers. amusement, it was the turn of our WI members. To their credit they eventually turned out some fine sausages. By the time the last session of sausage making had taken place nearly half the membership of our WI had home-made sausages stored in their freezers.

They might have looked a bit wonky but they tasted wonderful.

Another recent meeting brought Ros Langford to tell us about Croxton Well Dressing which has recently restarted and has proved a successful and enjoyable experience.

It involved plenty of community involvement and lots of hard work Ros's presentation showed just how much time, effort and artistic skill went into producing some beautiful examples of Well Dressing.

In May, our WI had a Quiz Night meeting.

For further information about the Eccleshall WI, contact: joan.davies@ymail.com.

June/July 2018 45

LEGAL MATTERS

When it comes to family law matters: think before you speak (or post)! hen going through a divorce or trying to agree amicable child arrangements, we appreciate that you need to talk to family and friends to gain their support and understanding. This is perfectly acceptable so long as those you confide in understand the importance of privacy in family law proceedings.

As Lauren Jodrell, family law expert with Grindeys in Stoke-on-Trent explains: keeping matters private in these circumstances is very important. “Where the family court is involved, airing your dirty laundry in public is never a good idea because of the potential harm it could do to your case. This includes discussing details of your case on social media, such as Facebook or Twitter”.

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Who can I discuss my case with?

Obviously you can discuss your case with your legal team and with anyone appointed to help you try to resolve matters amicably, such as a family law mediator.

When you go to court about a family matter, the judge in charge will usually only allow you and a handful of other interested people to be involved in the proceedings and to have sight of any relevant court papers and reports.

If you are getting divorced, it is likely that only you, your former spouse and your respective solicitors, barristers and courtauthorised experts will be allowed to participate in the proceedings.

In cases involving children, permission may also be given for social workers and other professionals to become involved, as well as someone from the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) appointed to look after the interests of your children.

You may also be permitted to have a support worker in attendance. For example, if you have been a victim of domestic abuse you may have someone from Women’s Aid with you.

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your case with anyone who is involved in the negotiations to resolve the family matter in hand.

Who shouldn’t I discuss my case with?

Family and Friends Family and friends may be your main source of support during court proceedings so sharing and discussing certain matters is acceptable, but you must not mention anything to them that the court has specifically told you not to discuss and under no circumstances must you show them any court papers or reports.

Social Media Posts to social media platforms is an absolute no.

This is also something that friends and family need to understand. Not only will they attract disapproval from the judge, they could also amount to contempt of court if you reveal confidential or sensitive information. This is also likely to aggravate what will already be a difficult situation. Personal attacks about the character of your former spouse, or the competency of the professionals involved in the case, could also be libellous and result in civil proceedings and a claim for compensation being brought against you.

Press and Media During court proceedings for divorce or child arrangements, members of the press will be excluded to protect your privacy. It is highly advisable not to speak to press or magazines about your issue whilst court proceedings are in progress. This may sound like advice for only the rich and famous but many magazines are interested in the stories of ‘ordinary folk’ but this is not something that should be explored until your matter is resolved.

For a confidential discussion about privacy in family law matters, or for help and advice on any other family law issue, please contact us on 01782 840 542

INVESTMENT MATTERS

Market volatility is a fact of life

ne of the questions most frequently asked is whether market volatility is something that investors should worry about. The simple answer is that although we have seen great one-day market movements in recent months, there is nothing to fear from this.

Short term volatility is not something that should concern most investors for several reasons; not least of which is that losses and gains are only notional until the investment has been actually realised. For most people, having to wait a little longer than hoped for to get a better return is likely to be no more than an inconvenience. Only those with a fixed date on which money has to be accessed (such as an impending retirement date) are likely to be affected and they can manage the situation by moving money gradually into less volatile assets.

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Pound-cost averaging There is even some potential benefit from fluctuating asset values, for those making regular investments. The reason for this is that more shares (or units in a collective investment) are purchased by a given regular sum of money invested, when prices are lower, than when they

are higher. So, if prices suddenly drop when money is due to be invested, the amount will purchase more units in the fund. When it comes to selling, the investor will, therefore, have more units to encash, at a hopefully higher price than had he or she invested everything on ‘day one’.

This does not mean that lump sum investments are inferior to regular ones; simply that there are potential benefits from each approach. What really matters is that there is a clear investment strategy that reflects objectives and risk tolerance and that sufficient asset class diversity is present to avoid the ‘all eggs in one basket’ syndrome.

Stuart D Bryant is a fee-based Certified Financial Planner, specialising in personal lifestyle planning and investment planning.

SDB Strategic Planners Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Tel: (01782) 712233

NOTHING CONTAINED IN THE ARTICLE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS GIVING INDIVIDUAL FINANCIAL ADVICE. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS ARTICLE IS BASED ON OUR CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF LEGISLATION, WHICH CAN BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. THE VALUE OF INVESTMENTS CAN GO DOWN AS WELL AS UP; YOU MAY GET BACK LESS THAN YOU INVEST.

June/July 2018 47

MOTORING

HONDA CIVIC TYPE R WINS BRACE OF ACCOLADES AT THE 2018 AUTOCAR AWARDS

he British-built Honda Civic Type R has taken home two more trophies, this time at the 2018 Autocar Awards, winning the Readers’ Champion Award along with Britain’s Best Affordable Drivers Car. The annual Autocar Awards celebrate the very best new and used cars, and pay tribute to the engineers, designers and innovators blazing a trail in the car industry. These awards from the world’s oldest car magazine are among some of the most sought after in the industry, and highly important to customers when making a decision on purchasing a car.

Phil Webb, Head of Car at Honda UK, commented: “The Civic Type R is really proving to be the benchmark for hot hatches, and we are delighted to add even more highly prestigious awards to its name. Fans of the Type R brand used to look back to cars like the Integra Type R and original Civic Type R, but now it seems the

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best Type R to have is the one in our showrooms today.”

Mark Tisshaw, Editor at Autocar shared his praises on the successful night for Honda; “The Civic Type R signals a return to form in creating desirable performance cars for its maker, which in creating 2017’s most-improved hot hatch also produced its very best. Our readers share our love for the car that is simply the finest hot hatch on sale. They also rate it as the finest hot hatch yet produced which makes an especially poignant point since it’s made right here in Britain.”

Launched last year and available for under £300 a month, the Civic Type R has a top speed of 169mph and can do the 0-62mph sprint in just 5.7 seconds. The power comes from the 2.0-litre VTEC TURBO engine that has been optimised and refined to produce 320 PS with peak torque of 400 Nm.

June/July 2018 49

MOTORING

Hyundai i30 named a ‘Game Changer’ by industry experts

he Hyundai i30 N has been named as a ‘game changer’ at the annual Autocar awards, acknowledging the brand’s motorsport credentials and adding another accolade to Hyundai’s collection.

The expert judging panel lavished praise on the car’s impressive performance, driver involvement and competitive pricing. Hyundai’s i30 N was lauded for its all-round ability, especially given its status as the brand’s first entry into the highly competitive segment.

“Such has been its impact, that the i30 N is a performance car Autocar now rates more highly than rivals from established marques,” said Mark Tisshaw, Editor of Autocar. “Such impressive performance, intent, and usability for a relatively modest outlay – and at the first time of asking – is why the i30 N secures ‘game-changer’ status. It’s a gutsy, engaging and likeable first attempt at a fullfat hot hatch.”

The i30 N is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine available with two power outputs: the standard package delivers 250 PS, while the Performance version boosts this to 275

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PS. Torque vectoring by braking is standard, while the 275 PS car has an Electronic Limited Slip Differential (e-LSD), larger brake discs, and an active variable exhaust system.

Tony Whitehorn, President and CEO, Hyundai Motor UK, said: “It is an honour to be labelled a ‘game changer’ by such a pillar of the motoring world as Autocar. Albert Biermann, our High Performance chief, has really shown what can be done with this car, and as Hyundai’s first hot hatchback it is gratifying to see it placed ahead of more established rivals.”

The i30 N benefits from Hyundai’s comprehensive five-year unlimited mileage warranty and roadside assistance package. The car is packed with the latest equipment as standard, including the latest active safety features, such as Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, and a Driver Attention Warning system to detect fatigued driving.

The Autocar ‘Game Changer’ awards consider cars that have set new standards or defied convention by turning the established order on its head.

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Offer available until 30th June 2018.