The City Times - January - February 2026

The City Times Chelmsford, Hatfield Peverel, Danbury, Great Baddow, Maldon, South Woodham Ferrers, Stock, Ongar, The Walthams, Ingatestone & Dengie area

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Issue Number 147 - January 15th - February 14th 2026

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City Times Intro Hello readers, Welcome to The City Times January/February edition. We hope you are enjoying the new year so far! This month we are pleased to be able to welcome a new quiz writer - you can find Tim Brooks on page 28. Thanks Tim for taking over from John! We also have a new writer called Amara, who is going to be talking to local busineses about how they formed - see page 24. Please also remember to tell our advertisers that you saw their advert in The City Times, as it really helps both them and us to know that their adverts are working. Paul & Nick

www.thecitytimes.co.uk www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia Advertising Nick Garner 07970 206682 ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk

Editorial Paul Mclean 07595 949701 editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk

It’s Your Media Ltd Disclaimer: It’s Your Media Ltd publish The City Times. The opinion expressed in each article is the opinion of its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of It’s Your Media Ltd. No part may be reproduced without the prior written permission of It’s Your Media Ltd. Registered offices: 15 Hayes Close, Chelmsford. Reg No 9154871. Printed by Warners (Midlands) PLC.

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Another year is here and so off we go! I think I am still in time to wish you all a happy, healthy, prosperous, safe and good 2026. Let’s hope for more peace in the world with less wars and catastrophies. This year has started with a sad event, but it was possibly about the best funeral celebration of life I have been privileged to attend. The event was for Dave Monk of BBC Essex. Dave was a friend and he was the same age as me. We sadly lost him just before Christmas to cancer. He has left a wife who is an amazing woman who gave the most wonderful speech at his funeral. The family rightly booked a double slot, as it was rammed inside and out. The celebrant was fantastic and she spoke very eloquently for about an hour. Dave had family come over from Canada and Australia to attend his celebration of life it, and was good to meet them.

Friday 10th July at the Social Club, they are celebrating 40 years as a great blues band, so don’t miss this one. Coming up on Friday 16th January we have Pearl Handled Revolver at Hot Box, along with Santu opening - well worth attending, we say. Back to the Social Club on Friday 30th January we have our first gig of the year with Imagine the Beatles, who we think are the best tribute to the Fab Four. On Sunday 1st February, it’s the turn of Hot Box again for an afternoon with The Peter Bruntnell Band, who we love - Pete is a great player and singer-songwriter. Peter was one of the considerations for The Rolling Stones when Mick Taylor left. Thursday 5th February at Hot Box is one for all you lovers of Delta blues with Rich Miller, whose voice has often been compared to the late Chris Rea. Back at the Social Club on Friday 6th February we have a gig for all lovers of Steely Dan, with Steemy Dan playing, who we think are superb at what they do. Back at Hot Box we have the double BBC Musician of the Year winner Tim Edey, who also played with The Chieftains for 10 years and is about the best Scottish and Irish Celtic guitarist around. He is also amazing on the squeeze box. The last act I need to mention is Quo’d - from what we have seen and heard, we would say look no further than these guys if you like Status Quo.

As we left, there were two baskets; one with a small dried flower spray in a box and the other with some seeds to plant for butterflies and bees - both things to remember Dave with. Rest in peace my friend and we will all help to look after and make sure that your family is ok.

If you want to book to see any of our shows you can save the commission by going to one of our ticket outlets or by sending a text to 07508 496 411 so you can then pay at the door by card or cash. We hopefully can look forward to seeing you soon at a live show whether it’s ours or others.

I have recently had big computer problem with one of my hard drives crashing. I know I should have backed it up, but I didn’t. It’s the one with all my magazine and music information on as well. I now have someone trying to recover the contents for me, so its fingers crossed.

Please do remember to support all live events whatever it is, especially in your local area to help keep the events and the acts, as well as all of our venues, going. If you can, please do book in advance as it really does make a difference to the organisers, venues and the acts.

Well, the weather has been all over the place so far this year and I wonder what is in store for the rest of the year. I am looking forward to spring and hopefully some better weather, as I really want to get away and use my caravan more this year as well. By the time the next edition of The City Times is out it will be Valentine’s Day and also half term... It can’t just be me who believes that time is flying past us, can it? Music Due to my hard drive problems, please note that the adverts in this issue are the same as the ones I have in this month’s edition of the Moulsham Times. I have made a couple more bookings for both venues and I am waiting to hear back from some others regarding dates. We now have Spike of the Quireboys at Hot Box on 17th December 2026 and we also have The Beano Bluesbreakers (a tribute to John Mayall) and they will play the whole of The Beano Album on Monday 8th June with Sonny Flint, son of Hughie (the original Bluesbreaker drummer) and Laine Hines (son of Denny Laine of Wings and Moody Blues) amongst the line-up. I have also confirmed Bad Influence for

If you have anything that you think could be of interest to our readers for this publication or the Moulsham Times, then please let us know by emailing to editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk. It may be an event or a topic of interest. Or have you done anything unusual or are you planning something? If so, we want to know about it. And if you know of someone who may wish to advertise with us, then please ask them to contact ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk and we can send over the full details for this and the Moulsham Times. You can get tickets for all our Black Frog Presents shows at The Social Club in Chelmsford from Intense Records, The Hop Beer Shop and Chelmsford 4Good - please pay them in cash when you buy from them as well. Tickets for all shows, including Hot Box, are also available online from www.wegottickets.com/BlackFrogPresents, or via our ticket hotline at no extra charge - call or text us at 07508 496 411 and you can then pay the advance price on entry and without paying any commission as well for the show rather than the walk-up price. To find out more about Black Frog Presents and our shows go to www. linktr.ee/BlackFrogPresents or scan the QR code in our adverts.

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City Times Food! I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and a very happy New Year. I cannot believe how fast the holidays went. The decorations in our house came down today and the last of the Camembert has been consumed and I’m ready to start the new year. Me and my family had a fantastic break with plenty of beautiful food and plenty of drink. I’ve always struggled with my weight and have done every diet that’s out there! I feel I’ve finally got to a point where I now enjoy Christmas without the worry of getting on the scales in January. And as all my other articles say, it’s all about balance and having what you enjoy and not restricting yourself because let’s face it, with when Friday comes there’s no way I’m not going to not enjoy a nice glass of wine! For new readers of my article, I am a trained chef and also a mum. I try and take recipes and then adapt them with healthier choices and make them work for families. As a working mum, I like meals that fit around me and my family that don’t take hours to prep - no one wants to come home from work and then be cooking for hours. I also like to talk about budget meals that still have all the flavour, look great but do not cost a fortune - and January is a very long month! As we start a new year, our social media, magazines and other platforms all push for a ‘new year, new me’ - especially regarding our diet. Realistically. how long does this last? A week? A month? Our local gym has been so busy, which always tends to die down by the end of the month. It’s all about making exercise a habit rather than a chore or punishment. This month, I want to talk about not starting a new fad diet or starving ourselves, because all that is going to lead to is binging. Let’s make new habits by having nice food that the whole family can enjoy. The first thing I like to do in the new year is do a big shop and stock up on lots of nice meat and vegetables and start creating new recipes. We’ve lived on party food for long enough - it’s a lovely treat but I was so happy to get some colour back in to my fridge. So let’s get back to basics - stock up on the spice rack and store Hello everyone and happy New Year! I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Christmas filled with great food, good company, and that you still have a few mince pies and chocolates left to enjoy. I’m starting 2026 by recommending a local food spot that is well worth adding to your must-visit list this year. If smoked meat is your thing, this is a place you won’t want to miss. Ochsmoke is a food truck located at Stockbrook Farm Shop, nestled between Stock and Billericay, specialising in homemade, high quality smoked meats. I finally got around to visiting last month and can safely say it lived up to the hype. Based in the farm shop car park, Ochsmoke offers free parking and a heated indoor seating area, making it an ideal option in this cold weather. It’s also available to order on Deliveroo for those who live locally and would rather enjoy it at home. The menu is packed with tempting options and plenty of choice for meat lovers. I opted for the smoked pork belly bites, served with perfectly seasoned potato wedges and homemade coleslaw, which cost £12. The pork was beautifully tender with a delicious smoky flavour in every bite. I also sampled the mixed smoked platter, a Page 6

cupboard. I then like to plan my meals for the week; this way I know exactly what I’m going to cook for that coming week. I find that by doing this I’m less likely to grab unhealthy snacks in between and have a nice plan of meals for the week. I’ve been in my kitchen trying lots of new recipes this week. I really hope you’re going to like my recipe this month. Pork Fillet Wrap I love using pork fillet. This is a cheap cut of pork but is very cheap and so lean. This month, I’ve played around with flavours and colours and hope you like what I’ve come up with. So here It is my pork fillet wrap with a fresh slaw and peanut sauce. Ingredients Slaw Loin of pork fillet. Half cucumber. 1 tbsp peanut butter. Half a red onion. 1 tsp sweetener. 1 carrot. Juice of 1 lime. 1 spring onion. 2 wraps. Juice of 1 lime. Crushed peanuts.

Marinade Juice 1 lime. 2tsp soy sauce. 1tsp chilli flakes. 1 tsp garlic. 1tsp onion granules. 1tbsp honey.

Slice the pork fillet and add the 1 teaspoon of soy, chilli, garlic, onion granules and the juice of 1 lime and honey into a bowl and marinate for 30 minutes (or longer for a more intense flavour). Ideally, I like to leave it overnight. Next, make your slaw. Slice the cucumber and red onion, grate your carrot and slice the spring onion. Add the other lime juice to this. Now fry your pork fillet in some low-calorie spray on a high heat for 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and rest. Next make your peanut sauce. Mix the peanut butter, 1 teaspoon of soy, sweetener and lime juice. Add some hot water to blend if needed. Grab a wrap and layer your peanut sauce on top it, then the slaw, topped by the pork and sprinkle some crushed peanuts over it. I hope you enjoy this easy little recipe and it brightens this dull January up a tad! Lauren generous tray of assorted meats priced at £20, which I’d highly recommend if you want to try a bit of everything. My personal highlight was the ox cheek which had been smoked for 16 hours. It fell apart effortlessly and practically melted in my mouth. Portion sizes are impressive, so come hungry! You can find Ochsmoke at: Stockbrook farm shop, Stock Road, CM4 9PQ. Follow me on Instagram for more local foodie finds by searching for ‘@thehungrykp’. Don’t forget: Bowl Bites Street Food Market takes place Saturday 7th February, 12-4pm, at 2 Russell Way, CM1 3AA. Essex Foodies Market runs Sunday 8th February, 10am-3pm, at Hylands Estate, CM2 8WQ.

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Happy New Year! January often feels like a pause in the gardening year. Beds are bare, borders look subdued, and growth is slow. But beneath the surface, plants are resting and preparing for the season ahead - and what you do now can make a real difference to how your garden performs in spring and summer. With shorter days and unpredictable weather, January gardening is about choosing the right moments. Avoid working on frozen or waterlogged soil, but take advantage of dry, mild spells to get ahead. Here are five key outdoor jobs and one indoor task, all with clear step-by-step guidance. 1. Prune Apple and Pear Trees Winter pruning improves structure, light penetration and fruit quality. January is ideal while trees are dormant. Step by step: • Choose a dry, frost-free day. • Start by removing any dead, damaged or diseased branches. • Cut out crossing or inward-growing branches to open up the centre. • Shorten overly long shoots, cutting back to an outward-facing bud. • Step back regularly to check the overall shape is balanced. • Avoid pruning stone fruits (plum, cherry) now - they are best left until summer. Check out this RHS link for further information: www.rhs.org.uk/plants/types/trees/fruit. 2. Prepare Soil for Spring Planting Healthy soil underpins everything. Even if you’re not planting yet, preparation now pays off later.

Step by step: • Stay off soil if it is frozen or saturated. • Remove weeds, including roots, from borders and veg beds. • Spread 5-7cm layer of well-rotted compost/manure on surface. • Leave worms and weather to incorporate it naturally. • Mark areas where spring planting is planned. • Why now? Organic matter improves structure, drainage and nutrient availability before growth resumes. 3. Check and Improve Garden Drainage Winter rain can highlight problem areas where water sits too long. Step by step: • Walk the garden after heavy rain and note puddled areas. • Clear blocked drains, gullies and ditches. • Gently aerate compacted lawn or soil with a fork. • Add grit or organic matter to heavy soils when conditions allow. • Consider raised beds for persistently wet spots. • With wetter winters becoming more common, good drainage is increasingly important. 4. Protect Plants from Frost and Wind Cold snaps can still cause damage, especially to newly planted or borderline-hardy plants. Step by step: • Check fleece, straw or bark mulch is still securely in place. • Firm in plants loosened by frost heave. • Move pots closer to walls or into sheltered corners. • Raise containers onto feet to prevent waterlogging. • Brush heavy snow gently from shrubs to prevent breakage. 5. Clean and Sharpen Tools Well-maintained tools make gardening easier and reduce the spread of disease. Step by step: • Wash soil off tools with warm water and a stiff brush. • Dry thoroughly to prevent rust. • Sharpen secateurs and spades with a sharpening stone or file. • Wipe metal parts with an oily rag. • Tighten loose handles and replace damaged ones. • As a result, you’ll have cleaner cuts, less effort, and healthier plants. 6. Start Chilli or Sweet Pepper Seeds Indoors January is perfect for sowing slow-growing crops indoors for a long growing season. Step by step: • Fill small pots or modules with seed compost. • Sow seeds thinly on the surface and cover lightly. • Water gently and place in a propagator or warm windowsill. • Keep at 18-22°C for reliable germination. • Prick out seedlings once they develop true leaves. • Indoor sowing brings greenery (and optimism) into winter homes. • Check out this RHS link for further information: www.rhs.org.uk/ vegetables/chilli-pepper/grow-your-own. A Final January Thought The garden may look quiet, but it is full of potential. January rewards patient, thoughtful gardeners who work with the weather rather than against it. Each small task completed now reduces pressure later and sets the stage for a healthier, more resilient garden in the year ahead. Wrap up warm, take your time enjoying the calm Spring is on its way. Happy gardening! For personalised gardening advice, feel free to contact Tom Cole, Freelance Horticulturist and online tutor, at tomcole8@hotmail.com or visit www.learningwithexperts.com for online RHS courses.

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Regal Kitchens: Another Remarkable Year!

Another Remarkable Year at Regal Kitchens As we come to the conclusion of another successful year at Regal Kitchens, we are proud to reflect on a period defined by hard work, creativity, and strong relationships with our clients. This year has once again reinforced what matters most to us: delivering exceptional kitchens, providing outstanding customer service, and ensuring every client feels supported and valued throughout their journey with us.

another year of five-star feedback, satisfied customers, and industry recognition, Regal Kitchens remains committed to raising the bar even higher. We are excited for the opportunities the future holds and look forward to continuing to create beautiful kitchens and lasting relationships in the year ahead.

Over the past twelve months, we have continued to achieve fivestar reviews, a true reflection of the trust our customers place in our team. Working closely with our lovely clients, we have had the privilege of designing and creating beautiful kitchens that are not only stylish and functional, but tailored to suit individual lifestyles and homes. From the initial consultation through to final installation, our focus has always been on quality, attention to detail and clear communication. Our success this year has also been marked by a significant milestone - being shortlisted for the Trusted Trader award. This recognition is particularly meaningful to us, as it highlights our commitment to professionalism, reliability, and consistently high standards. To be acknowledged in this way is a proud moment for everyone at Regal Kitchens and reinforces the values we strive to uphold every day. Behind every successful project is a dedicated and skilled team, and this year has been no exception. The passion, craftsmanship, and teamwork shown across the business have played a vital role in achieving the results we are so proud of. We are equally grateful to our clients, whose ideas, trust and positive feedback continue to inspire us to improve and innovate. As we look ahead, we do so with optimism and ambition. Building on

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Vegan Mum Emma Celebrates 7 Stone Weight Loss in 55 Weeks with Slimming World A dedicated vegan mum and overnight respite foster carer from Essex has achieved an extraordinary 7‑stone weight loss in just 56 weeks, transforming her health, confidence and daily life while continuing her vital work supporting children with complex needs. Emma, who joined her local Slimming World group in November 2024, has become an inspiration to her fellow members, and her friends - including one who has now lost more than 4-stone after joining alongside her. Emma’s journey began with a simple, personal goal: with a long awaited holiday to Marrakesh booked for March 2025, she hoped to lose 3 stone before she boarded the plane. It felt ambitious but achievable and she walked into her first Slimming World session with determination and a quiet hope that this time, things might finally change. What she didn’t realise was that this goal would spark a lifechanging transformation that would see her lose more than double that amount within a year and ultimately reach a total loss of 7-stone in just 56 weeks. A Lifestyle That Fits Around Caring Emma’s daily life is far from ordinary. As an overnight respite foster carer, she provides essential support to families of children with complex needs, offering them rest while ensuring the children receive safe, compassionate care. Her role requires patience, emotional strength, and flexibility and often means her own needs fall to the bottom of the list. “Caring is something I love deeply,” Emma explains, “but it also means you’re constantly thinking about everyone else. Slimming World became the one hour a week that was just for me.” Despite her demanding schedule, Emma committed wholeheartedly to attending her Slimming World group. Aside from two weeks away on holiday, she has been present every single week since joining. That consistency became one of the cornerstones of her success. The group offered structure, accountability, and a sense of belonging - something she hadn’t realised she needed until she found it. Her consultant Emma Lodge is incredibly proud of Emma’s success: “Emma has been amazing. Change isn’t easy but she has quietly made those changes and seen the benefits growing with each week. It’s been a joy to see her transformation, in terms of her confidence as well as her physical changes - a real life changing experience! The beauty of Food Optimising is that is is so tailorable to different dietary requirements and choices, so being vegan isn’t a issue. I’m gluten-free which fits beautifully within the plan too.” A Vegan Journey Powered by Food Optimising As a committed vegan, Emma knew Slimming World would still work for her. The Food Optimising plan not only accommodated her lifestyle but enhanced it. The abundance of plant-based Free Foods - including beans, lentils, vegetables, fruits, tofu and whole grains - meant she could enjoy generous, satisfying meals without feeling restricted. “Being vegan has never held me back,” she says. “If anything, it’s helped me get creative. Slimming World showed me how much I could enjoy while still losing weight and its been great to share vegan meal ideas with my group - including my home made piccalilli at Christmas!” Cooking from scratch became one of Emma’s greatest strengths. She embraced the freedom of creating meals that were both nourishing and exciting, proving that vegan food can be vibrant, hearty and full of flavour. Two dishes quickly became favourites in her household: cauliflower dahl and Slimming World‑friendly dirty fries. The dahl, rich

with spices and lentils, became her go‑to comfort meal, while the dirty fries offered a fun, indulgent‑feeling option that still fit perfectly within the plan. Her approach to food wasn’t about restriction, it was about abundance, creativity and discovering new ways to enjoy the ingredients she loved. Smashing Her First Goal - and Setting New Ones By the time March 2025 arrived, Emma had not only reached her initial 3‑stone target, she had exceeded it. Stepping onto the plane to Marrakech, she felt lighter, healthier and more confident than she had in years. That early success lit a spark inside her. If she could achieve that in just a few months, what else was possible? Returning from her holiday, Emma set her sights on a new goal: to keep going, steadily and sustainably, until she reached a weight that felt right for her. She continued attending group every week, continued cooking from scratch and continued embracing the plan with enthusiasm. Her consultant Emma and fellow members watched in admiration as the numbers on the scales dropped week after week. But more importantly, they saw Emma’s confidence grow. She moved with more ease, smiled more freely and carried herself with a renewed sense of pride. The day she came in with a new shorter hairstyle, no longer hiding behind her hair was a great moment. A Year of Transformation By her one year anniversary with Slimming World, Emma had lost an incredible 6-stone 9.5lbs. Just 3 weeks later, she reached her personal achievement target: a full 7-stone lost in 55 weeks. It was a number she had never imagined possible when she first joined, but one she had earned through consistency, determination and a deep belief in the process. It was a milestone that left her group cheering and her consultant Emma beaming with pride. For Emma, it was a moment of reflection - a chance to look back at how far she had come, not just physically but emotionally. “I felt like I had my life back,” she says. “I had more energy for the children I care for, more confidence in myself, and more joy in everyday things. It’s crazy what I have achieved and I feel amazing!” Inspiring Others Along the Way Emma’s transformation didn’t just change her own life - it inspired those around her. One of the people most moved by her journey was her friend Mandy. Seeing Emma’s steady progress, renewed energy, and growing confidence encouraged Mandy to join Slimming World too last January. With Emma cheering her on, Mandy embraced the plan and soon began seeing incredible results of her own. To date, she has lost more than 4 stone and is now heading confidently toward her own target and is able to have the knee surgery that will give her even more freedom. “Emma has been such a positive influence,” Mandy says. “Watching her succeed made me believe I could do it too.” A Story of Strength, Consistency and Self‑Belief Emma’s story is a powerful reminder that transformation doesn’t require perfection - just consistency, support and a willingness to take the first step. Her vegan lifestyle, once seen by some as a potential barrier to weight loss, became one of her greatest strengths. Slimming World’s Food Optimising plan gave her the structure and flexibility she needed, and she embraced it with creativity and passion. Today, Emma continues to attend group, support her friends, and cook the plant powered meals she loves. Her journey may have started with a holiday goal, but it has become a lifelong celebration of health, strength, and self‑worth. “I joined for a holiday,” she reflects, “but I gained a whole new life.” For more information about Slimming World and to find a group near you please call Emma Lodge on 07887 692 906, or see page 5!

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Introducing Presenter Ruth Cooper-Dickson

breakfast show.

This month, we’re introducing presenter Ruth CooperDickson. Ruth has been part of the Chelmsford Community Radio team since May 2025 and presents the Fitness Friday edition of the Good Morning Chelmsford

With a long-standing passion for well-being, and a background as a fitness instructor in her 20s, Ruth loves that the Friday breakfast show is all about motivation and feeling good. Expect current, upbeat pop tracks, and if you’re listening in the final hour, you’ll notice she always turns things up a notch. Whether you need an extra boost to get through the last working day of the week or you’re easing into weekend mode, she’s got you covered! A regular gym-goer, park runner and occasional cold-water swimmer down at Southend Beach, Ruth very much walks the talk on a Friday morning. She also loves a good natter with listeners and often runs polls or questions on Instagram ahead of the show to see what people think about that week’s fitness theme. Ruth has been presenting on the radio for around 18 months. Before joining CCR, she was a breakfast show presenter at Mix92.6 in Hertfordshire. A self-confessed early bird, she says it’s a real honour to be part of listeners’ morning routines. What you might not know is that Ruth is also a massive fan of classical music and is a member of the Royal Philharmonic Society, where she coaches classical musicians. She’s covered several reports and classical music features for the Chelmsford Reports show and is keen to do more across the station in 2026. For more information, visit www.chelmsfordcommunityradio.com

Starting this year with a vote of thanks to you for helping to make City Sound such a popular radio choice in and around Chelmsford. We have managed to increase our listenership to unprecedented levels, and that has been made possible through your interaction and contributions, in addition to the professional job put in by our presenters and technical staff. We now offer broadcast services, that a few years ago would have been dismissed as impossible at a local independent station level, including live transmission from local music venues and full band sessions from our studios, and many shows where the general public have shaped the content. We intend to carry on making informative, entertaining and inclusive radio for our wonderful audience, and have major plans for the sound quality of our broadcasts. More about that next month. As far as our daytime shows are concerned, we are bolstering our early breakfast crew, especially after the success of Stewart Calvy’s successful year, so colleague Matt Sterry is taking over Monday and Tuesday mornings to help you start the day in style. Look out for the fresh new schedule for 2026 coming shortly to our website - citysound.radio. If you would like any topic raised on air, or use our facilities to make a

point, or perform to our growing audience, or a feature on you or your business, or advertise regularly for a small fee, let us know at studio@ citysound.radio. Catch us live 24/7 on citysound.radio, on our website, on our app downloadable from your app store, on your smart speaker (‘play City Sound Radio’), or on numerous radio apps. City Sound - The Voice Of Chelmsford

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January

Thursday 15th Hot Box - Battle of the Bands: Heat 2 Friday 16th Chelmsford Theatre - Jason Manford: A Mnford All Seasons (sold out) Hot Box - Blues Box Presents: Pearl Handled Revolver + SANTÙ Bootmaker Bar (Moulsham Street) - Walk & Talk Club (12 noon booking essential: www.engagefitnessservices.com) Saturday 17th Chelmsford Social Club - Nine Lives Presents: Spike’s 66th with The Hicksville Bombers, Jack & the Real Deals and Radar Chelmsford Theatre - Sweet and Sour: The Ultimate Tribute Chelmsford Theatre - Nicky Horne: Beatles, Bowie and Me Hot Box - Com-unity Roots Double Six Dominos (2pm) Hot Box - Don Letts DJ Set RAFA Club (Hall Street) - Coffee morning (10am - 1pm) The Wheatsheaf - Karaoke Sunday 18th The Ale House - Quiz Chelmsford Theatre - RBO: La Triviate Chelmsford Theatre - Beyond the Barricade Hot Box - Hot Box Guitar Club Hot Box - Blues Jam Monday 19th Ale House - Beery Bingo Chelmer Village - Pilates classes Hot Box - Chelmsford Chess Club Sandon School (Sports Hall 2) - Scottish Country Dancing (7.30 9.30pm - all abilities welcome - www.sandonscotdance.org.uk) The Wheastsheaf - Club Tuesday 20th Bootmaker - Quiz Night Chelmsford Theatre - Psychic Sally Hot Box - Open Mic Night The Only Way is Melee Old Park Meadow - Yoga (to book text 07711 947 199 or visit bookwhen.com/beckysallows) Widford Village Hall (turn left at Chandlers) - country dancing (barn dance, £2 - 7.50pm - 01245 475 660) Worlds Pantry Coffee Shop (Moulsham Mill) - Walk & Talk Club (9.30am - booking essential: www.engagefitnessservices.com) Woolpack - Quiz Wednesday 21st Bootmaker - Salsa dancing Cheerful Chai (Broomfield) - Walk & Talk Club (9.30am - booking essential: www.engagefitnessservices.com) Chelmsford Theatre - When Vincent Met John Chelmsford Theatre - That’ll Be the Day (sold out) The Golden Fleece - Karaoke Hot Box - Control Voltage: Electronic Open Mic Madison Heights (Maldon) - Open Mic Old Park Meadow - Gardening Club and coffee morning Old Park Meadow - Meditation (to book call 07906 653 666) The Wheatsheaf - Music, Movie & TV Quiz Thursday 22nd Black Rabbit (Maldon) - Quiz night Chelmsford Social Club - Social Ballroom Dancing Evening Chelmsford Theatre - NT Live: Hamlet

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Chelmsford Theatre - That’ll Be the Day (sold out) Golden Fleece - Quiz Night Hot Box - Winter Gardens The Rising Sun - Quiz night Friday 23rd Chelmsford Theatre - The Elvis Years Downham Hall - Burns Night Hot Box - Chris Hawkins DJ Set Bootmaker Bar (Moulsham Street) - Walk & Talk Club (12 noon - booking essential: www.engagefitnessservices.com) Saturday 24th Chelmsford Theatre - Jack Off the Beanstalk: Grab Your Chopper Hot Box - Roots Chelmsford Dominos Jamaican Style (2pm) Hot Box - High Fade + Molly Gone Mad RAFA Club (Hall Street) - Coffee morning (10am - 1pm) The Wheatsheaf - Karaoke Sunday 25h The Ale House - Quiz Chelmsford Theatre - The Bowie Experience Hot Box - High Fade + Molly Gone Mad Monday 26th Chelmsford Theatre - EOS: Caravagio Hot Box - Chelmsford Chess Club Hot Box - Will Varley Sandon School (Sports Hall 2) - Scottish Country Dancing (7.30 9.30pm - all abilities welcome - www.sandonscotdance.org.uk) The Wheatsheaf - Club Tuesday 27th Bootmaker - Quiz Night Chelmsford Theatre - The Illegal Eagles Hot Box - Chelmsford Creative Collective Meet Up Hot Box - Waxes Lyrical: Poetry and Spoken Word Old Park Meadow - Yoga (to book text 07711 947 199 or visit bookwhen.com/beckysallows) Widford Village Hall (turn left at Chandlers) - country dancing (barn dance, £2 - 7.50pm - 01245 475 660) Woolpack - Quiz Worlds Pantry Coffee Shop (Moulsham Mill) - Walk & Talk Club (9.30am -booking essential: www.engagefitnessservices.com) Wednesday 28th Cheerful Chai (Broomfield) - Walk & Talk Club (9.30am - booking essential: www.engagefitnessservices.com) Chelmsford Theatre - The Illegal Eagles Hot Box - The Dunwells + Fox Club and the Big Red Madison Heights (Maldon) - Open Mic Old Park Meadow - Gardening Club and coffee morning Old Park Meadow - Meditation (to book call 07906 653 666) Thursday 29th Acanteen - Paint and Prosecco Black Rabbit (Maldon) - Quiz night Chelmsford Theatre - The Illegal Eagles Golden Fleece - Quiz Night Hot Box - Welly Old Park Meadow - Yoga (to book text 07711 947 199 or visit bookwhen.com/beckysallows) The Rising Sun - Quiz night Friday 30th The Black Bull - Shakey’s Sessions: James Gold Band + Kerosene + Stone Buddha Chelmsford Social Club - Black Frog Presents: Imagine the Beatles Chelmsford Theatre - Celine: My Heart Will Go On Bootmaker Bar (Moulsham Street) - Walk & Talk Club (12 noon booking essential: www.engagefitnessservices.com) Saturday 31st Acanteen - Mr Scruff Miniature Arena Tour The Compasses - Karaoke Danbury Village Hall - Howdown Party Night Hatfield Peverel Village - Legends of Rock Hot Box - Roots Chelmsford Dominos Jamaican Style (2pm) RAFA Club (Hall Street) - Coffee morning (10am - 1pm) The Wheatsheaf - Karaoke

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February

Sunday 1sh The Ale House - Quiz Chelmsford Theatre - Swinging at the Cotton Club Chelmsford Theatre - Hannah East: Express Yourself (Work in Progress) Hot Box - Blues Box Presents: Pete Brunell Band Monday 2nd Hot Box - Junior Brother + Armoured Man Sandon School (Sports Hall 2) - Scottish Country Dancing (7.30 9.30pm - all abilities welcome - www.sandonscotdance.org.uk) The Wheatsheaf - Club Tuesday 3rd Bootmaker - Quiz Night Chelmsford Theatre - The Woman in Black Hot Box - Dylan LeBlanc + Jack Browning Old Park Meadow - Yoga (to book text 07711 947 199 or visit bookwhen.com/beckysallows) Widford Village Hall (turn left at Chandlers) - country dancing (barn dance, £2 - 7.50pm - 01245 475 660) Worlds Pantry Coffee Shop (Moulsham Mill) - Walk & Talk Club (9.30am - booking essential: www.engagefitnessservices.com) Woolpack - Quiz Wednesday 4th Bootmaker - Salsa dancing Cheerful Chai (Broomfield) - Walk & Talk Club (9.30am - booking essential at www.engagefitnessservices.com) Chelmsford Theatre - The Woman in Black Friends Meeting House (Rainsford Road) - CRAG Retirement Group monthly meeting (9.30 for 10am - first visit free) The Golden Fleece - Karaoke Hot Box - Battle of the Bands: Heat 3 Madison Heights (Maldon) - Open Mic Old Park Meadow - Gardening Club and coffee morning Old Park Meadow - Meditation (to book call 07906 653 666) Rettendon Lodge (Battlesbridge) - Belvedere Jazz & Music Supper Club: Essex Hot Five (7.45pm - to book phone Phil on 07850 607 075) The Wheatsheaf - Music, Movie & TV Quiz Thursday 5th Black Rabbit (Maldon) - Quiz night Chelmsford Theatre - The Woman in Black Golden Fleece - Quiz Night Hot Box - Blues Box Presents: Rich Miller Old Park Meadow - Yoga (to book text 07711 947 199 or visit bookwhen.com/beckysallows) The Rising Sun - Quiz night Friday 6th Bootmaker Bar (Moulsham Street) - Walk & Talk Club (12 noon booking essential: www.engagefitnessservices.com) Chelmsford Social Club - Black Frog Presents: Steemy Dan Chelmsford Theatre - The Woman in Black Hot Box - Pigeon Wings + The Horse Heads Saturday 7th Chelmsford Theatre - The Woman in Black Chelmsford Theatre - Backstage Tour: The Woman in Black The Compasses - Karaoke Hot Box - Com-unity Roots Double Six Dominos Jamaican Style (2pm) Hot Box - Meryl Streek + Dharma Hounds RAFA Club (Hall Street) - Coffee morning (10am - 1pm) The Wheatsheaf - Karaoke Sunday 8th The Ale House - Quiz Chelmsford Theatre - Chelmsford Dance Spectacular Monday 9th Chelmsford Theatre - RBO: Woolf Works Hot Box - Karvus Torabi Sandon School (Sports Hall 2) - Scottish Country Dancing (7.30 9.30pm - all abilities welcome - www.sandonscotdance.org.uk) The Wheatsheaf - Club

Tuesday 10th Bootmaker - Quiz Night Central Baptist Church (Victoria Road South) - ECC Retirement Fellowship monthly meeting (2-4pm - new members welcome) Hot Box - Glass Eye Comedy Club Old Park Meadow - Yoga (to book text 07711 947 199 or visit bookwhen.com/beckysallows) Widford Village Hall (turn left at Chandlers) - country dancing (barn dance, £2 - 7.50pm - 01245 475 660) Worlds Pantry Coffee Shop (Moulsham Mill) - Walk & Talk Club (9.30am - booking essential: www.engagefitnessservices.com) Woolpack - Quiz Wednesday 11th Bootmaker - Salsa dancing Cheerful Chai (Broomfield) - Walk & Talk Club (9.30am - booking essential at www.engagefitnessservices.com) Chelmsford Theatre - Money For Nothing Chelmsford Theatre - Meet Fred The Golden Fleece - Karaoke Hot Box - Battle of the Bands: Heat 4 Madison Heights (Maldon) - Open Mic Old Park Meadow - Gardening Club and coffee morning Old Park Meadow - Meditation (to book call 07906 653 666) Trinity Methodist Church (CM1 2XB) - Chelmsford National Trust meeting (Terry Hiscocks will speak about the music of Elgar, Vaughan Williams and Holst. Starts 7.45pm) The Wheatsheaf - Music, Movie & TV Quiz Thursday 12th Black Rabbit (Maldon) - Quiz night Chelmsford Theatre - MacBusted Golden Fleece - Quiz Night Hot Box - Blues Box Presents: Tim Edey Old Park Meadow - Yoga (to book text 07711 947 199 or visit bookwhen.com/beckysallows) The Rising Sun - Quiz night Friday 13th Bootmaker Bar (Moulsham Street) - Walk & Talk Club (12 noon booking essential: www.engagefitnessservices.com) Chelmsford Social Club - Black Frog Presents: Quo’d Chelmsford Theatre - Jarman: The Story of Derek Jarman Chelmsford Theatre - Josh James: Doin’ Alright Hot Box - HotHaus Drag: Palentines Day/Unlucky in Love Saturday 14th Chelmsford Theatre - Fastlove: The George Michael Tribute The Compasses - Karaoke Hot Box - Com-unity Roots Double Six Dominos Jamaican Style (2pm) Hot Box - Boogie in the Box (7pm) Maldon Town Hall - After-Eight Social Club Disco Dance: Come and dance the night away! (www.aftereightsocialclub.chessck.co.uk) RAFA Club (Hall Street) - Coffee morning (10am - 1pm) Chelmsford Social Club - Record Fair The Wheatsheaf - Karaoke Sunday 15th The Ale House - Quiz Chelmsford Theatre - Let’s All Dance: Sleeping Beauty Hot Box - Guitar Club (1pm) Hot Box - Blues Jam (3.30pm) Venues are in Chelmsford, unless mentioned in the listings as being elsewhere.

Send us your events between 15th February and 14th March - email paul@itsyourmedia.co.uk

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Local Author - Britains Inland Bridges Local Essex author and historian, Mark Chatterton, has recently had a book published on bridges. It is called Britain’s Inland Road Bridges and looks at 100 different road bridges found all over Britain. These include the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, Trent Bridge in Nottingham and the Clyde Arc in Glasgow. The book also includes a few bridges from Essex including the bridge over the River Crouch at Battlesbridge and the Ballingdon Bridge near Sudbury on the border with Suffolk. The recently opened Bow Bridge Road Bridge here in Chelmsford is not only mentioned in the book, but it is also featured on the cover.

all types is a growing hobby, with people travelling around the country taking photos of bridges that they admire. For instance, there is a Facebook group where people can upload their bridge photos onto to share with other bridge enthusiasts. It is called Bridge of the Day and has over 35,000 members. Such people are known as ‘bridgers’!

Author Mark Chatterton has travelled all over the country photographing many of the bridges which feature in the book. He is interested not only in the design and features of bridges, but also their history and the engineering behind them. Interest in bridges of

Britain’s Inland Road Bridges is Chattertons second book on bridges and is a sister companion to his previous book, Britain’s Coastal Road Bridges. Both book are available from the publishers, Amberley Books or from Amazon.

Inner Wheel Glows in Support of ORANGE THE WORLD!

Lords, speaking at events, donating orange gifts to CARA, an Essexbased centre against rape and abuse. Arrangers at Chelmsford Cathedral themed their flowers, two members were interviewed on Essex Community Drive Time and Christmas trees were bedecked for local church festivals.

Chelmsford Mildmay members joined the United Nations global call to action on 25th November 2025 ( International Day to Stop Violence Towards Women and Girls). The campaign lasts for 16 days ending on the 10th December (Human Rights Day) and is supported by International Inner Wheel with over 100,000 women worldwide uniting to raise awareness to stop violence and abuse.

Chelmsford Mildmay Inner Wheel club have certainly ‘Oranged their World’ and beyond for 16 days. They have demonstrated the diversity of service and activity we enjoy as a thriving group and raised awareness about stopping violence against women and girls. Interested in learning more about Chelmsford Mildmay Inner Wheel Club? Please contact us on iwmildmay.membership@gmail.com.

Sporting orange rosettes and high viz jackets, our intrepid members ‘walked the walk’ in Hylands Park, distributing leaflets, talking about the OTW campaign and the Mildmay Club service and friendship activities. Meanwhile, a small group of members braved the elements, gained access to the Shire Hall foyer in Tindal Square, Chelmsford and set up an information stall about Orange the World. They talked to passers-by about the initiative and the voluntary work of the Inner Wheel Club. A magical moment was achieved when Paul Galley illuminated the Shire Hall in orange or shades of orange - as the daylight faded amber turned to orange gold and finally burnt orange as darkness fell. We felt very much in keeping with illuminations throughout the world but especially Blackpool Tower, Rochester Cathedral and the Spinnaker in Portsmouth to name a few GB&I examples. Thanks are extended to the County and City Councils for their support and assistance. Members have been busy launching the campaign in The House of Page 18

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The Friends of Chelmsford Museum The Friends of Chelmsford Museum (FCM) wish a happy New Year to museum staff and volunteers, all who support the Museum of Chelmsford, and to current readers. Museums nationally are having a difficult time, but local efforts helped to ensure that our museum continued to provide in 2025 an outstanding, award-winning visitor experience. It maintained a wide-ranging programme of events, joint activities and regularly changing exhibitions, while looking forward at approaches to future change and development. The FCM raise funds from social event, visits to historic sites and lectures which are used to help acquire new items for the museum. A recent grant from the Friends demonstrated local support for the bid by the museum to obtain the important hoard of Iron Age gold coins from Great Baddow. A highlight of the FCM programme is the Annual Museum Lecture, which this year is being given by Essex archaeologist Nigel Brown on the subject, Layers of Memory: The Historic Landscape of the Chelmer Valley. The valley is identified as of great natural, historic and archaeological interest, which is increasingly recognised as the landscape of JA Baker, of Chelmsford and one of the most important nature/landscape writers of the 20th century. The lecture will focus on the historic aspect of the landscape, the product of 6,000 years of human activity and show how it has been shaped by these ‘layers of memory’ to quote Baker. It will offer some thoughts on how understanding of the antiquity of the landscape may be used to enhance our understanding, appreciation and management of the valley. The lecture is at the Cramphorn Theatre (studio), Civic Centre, on Friday 20th March 2026 at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £11.50 and are available at the Civic Theatre Box Office - call 01245 606 505, or visit, chelmsfordtheatre.co.uk.

Museum of Chelmsford Education Room at 1.30pm. Cost to members will be £7 and non-members £9. For information about the Friends and events, please visit friendschelmsmuseums.org.uk.

FCM coming Spring Talks are A Rose by Any Other Name: A History of Surnames by Julian Whybra on 9th February and Braintree’s Roman Doctor by Richard Bale on 16th March. These will be held in the

Love your museum, be a friend.

For those yet to visit, the current special exhibition at the museum is Oi Chelmsford. For more information about this and museum events see www.chelmsfordgov.uk/museums.

Happy New Year from ECL Chelmsford (Highfields) It is always a busy at the day centre, but never more so than Christmas time, everyone had a great time and we were lucky to welcome some visitors from the local community. Kicking of the festive treats, we welcomed the senior choir from Widford Lodge School who sang festive favourites - this was enjoyed by all. The children were fantastic ambassadors for their school and made Miss Cole and Miss Toms very proud - we are already looking forward to their next visit. The second visit was visit was from TIME musical group, they are an Essex-based charity that make music accessible to all, they are always interactive and engaging (and rather loud!) sessions which the customers and staff all enjoy. We also had a visit from the elves that work for Kinder Essex, this is a community led social movement delivered by Essex well-being service. They work to support residents and connect people with local groups with their aim to help reduce social isolation. They also deliver random acts of kindness and they were kind enough to www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia

bring Christmas gifts to all our day centre customers, these were thoughtfully chosen with each customer in mind. The gifts also included beautiful crochet blankets, hand-knitted tree decorations, handmade cards from local schools and colleges, as well as toiletries, puzzles, games and arts and craft sets. The gifts were all greatly appreciated by all the customers. So, a big thank you to all that contributed and co-ordinated this amazing and generous act of kindness. The team at ECL also made the festive season fun, with arts and crafts, baking, dancing, singing, games and a few games of bingo. Everyone was very well fed, the older peoples team cooked a Christmas dinner three days in a row, while the LD team turned out a fantastic buffet for everyone. We are looking forward to more fun in 2026. If you are interested in finding out more about ECL’s Day Services and would like to arrange an informal visit to one of our centres across Essex please email ECL.contactcentre@essexcares.org, call 03330 135 438, or visit www.ecl.org.

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role is voluntary and involves getting to know your neighbours and ensuring they’re aware of preventative measures to help keep them safer from crime and anti-social behaviour. Urgent need - English For All Sessions needs you! We are looking for friendly and approachable volunteers to help people learn and practice English at our group sessions. Multiple roles with Read Easy! Read Easy is a national charity that helps adults learn to read. We are looking for coaches, a coordinator, and a safeguarding champion. Can you support a carers coffee morning? We need friendly volunteers to welcome and support carers when they attend our well-being coffee mornings on Broomfield Road. Help a young person learn construction We are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our team and support learners (aged 14-19) to learn DIY and construction skills. Springfield District Neighbourhood Watch volunteer We need 12 new volunteer coordinators in the wards of Trinity, The Lawns, North Springfield, Chelmer Village and Beaulieu Park. The

Office/admin volunteer - Hearing Help Essex We need a volunteer to help with our to help with day-to-day tasks within the office which is situated in Meadow View Cottage, Moulsham Mill. Trustees needed Trustees play a crucial role in guiding charities, helping make plans and decisions and making sure they stay on track. It is a fantastic opportunity to make real difference to the organisation you volunteer for. You don’t need prior experience, just enthusiasm and dedication. Minibus and/or Car Drivers - Chelmsford Community Transport Can you help isolated people to get out and about? We are looking for volunteers to drive our fully accessible minibuses, or their own cars.

Chelmsford Library Join a Book Group! Joining a book group is a fantastic way to meet new friends through a shared love of books and reading! We support many book groups that you can join but if you’d like to start your own, head on to our website for all the details: libraries.essex.gov.uk/digital-content/join-a-bookgroup.

The Winter Reading Challenge Will Soon Be Here! Paws at the ready for the Winter Reading Challenge 2026! Embark on an exciting journey with The Pawfessionals as they explore the amazing careers waiting for them, here in our fantastic and diverse county of Essex. Complete 6 challenges from a choice of 12 and collect stickers of each of The Pawfessionals to add to your challenge sheet. There’s also lots of fun extras! Discover the secret library quiz word by finding the hidden letter on our adorable Pawfessional characters uniforms. You can also write a review of your favourite book and post it online for everyone to see. At the end of the Winter Reading Challenge 2026 you can enter our big prize draw for a chance to win amazing goodies! The Winter Reading Challenge is made possible through the Essex Year of Opportunity. The challenge will run from 10th January 2026 until 22nd February 2026, aimed at children up to 12 years old.

Crochet and Knitting Club Thinking about taking up a new hobby for the new year? Why not try learning crochet! This fantastic crochet club is for anyone with any skill, whether you’re a beginner looking to start your crochet journey or a seasoned crochet expert wanting to socialise with fellow crocheters. Join us every Tuesday and Saturday from 10am to 1pm. This group is free, no booking is required, but participants need to bring their own equipment and materials.

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Cat to Cow Pose - By Steve Johansen, Hummingbird Pilates & Yoga Cat to Cow Pose consists of two yoga postures typically practised in conjunction with each other. Cat Pose, or Marjaryasana in Sanskrit, marjary means cat and asana means pose and Bitilasana which translates as Cow Pose. I like to slow down when practicing Cat and Cow Pose. I find moving in time with my breath allows me to pay attention to each posture. Practicing mindfully helps me notice details like hand placement and how my neck relaxes. Cat to Cow are foundational yoga poses and provide numerous benefits for both mind and body, enhancing spinal strength and flexibility, improving circulation and preparing the body for advanced yoga postures.

• • •

Next, engage your core by drawing your navel upward and gently rounding your spine toward the ceiling. Push into the mat with your hands to broaden across the should blades. This allows your neck to extend as your head roles downwards.

Transitioning Into Cow Pose • On your next inhalation press through the tops of your feet to engage your abdominal muscles and thighs. • Roll the hips lifting tailbone upwards, arching your back as you lower your belly. • Draw the sternum forwards, pressing into the mat with your hands to broaden the collarbones and to roll the shoulder blades toward each other and backwards. • Keep the back of your neck long as you lift your chin and gaze. Keeping your core engaged will enable more movement in the mid and upper back. While Cat Pose and Cow Pose may be practiced independently, I prefer to transition mindfully between the two in a controlled sequence, coordinating each movement with slow, steady breathing. This approach cultivates a gentle, rhythmic flow that effectively mobilises and awakens the spine. If you’re thinking about starting your own home practice, you can’t go wrong starting with Cat and Cow Poses. Teacher Tip To modify Cat and Cow Pose if kneeling is difficult, place a folded blanket under your knees, and if your wrists are uncomfortable, lower yourself onto your elbows.

Where to Start Start in Table Top Pose on your hands and knees - knees directly under your hips and hands directly under your shoulders. • • • • •

Extend the fingers widely, applying pressure evenly through the fingers and knuckles with particular emphasis on the thumb and index finger. Lengthen the neck and find your Dristi, 2 inches or 3cm beyond your fingertips. Press through the tops of your feet to engage your thighs and abdominal muscles. Roll your shoulder blades back and towards each other and the elbows inwards. Establish your long slow, steady even breath.

Alternatively, these poses can be performed while seated on a chair by sliding forward, arching your back and resting your hands on your knees, as you move through them. You can vary this pose by starting it from different areas of the spine and mixing it with other movements. For all those of you who would like to know more about both Cat Pose and Cow Pose and how to incorporate it within your practice, join me at my studio using this free pass code, HPYFREECLASS. My gift to you this new year www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk

City Times Poem The First Flutters

Preparing for Cat Pose • On your next exhalation press through the tops of your feet to engage your abdominal muscles and thighs. • Keeping your hips above your knees, gently roll the tailbone downwards towards the mat.

The first flutters of spotless snow Gently land on the unyielding ground Carpeting blackened asphalt, mud and grass Falling in the night, Without a word, without a sound; As a thief in the stillness of the night It entered the land in twilight flight To cleanse with softest sheet The land, the roofs, the street. So thin it lays its life I fear Maybe hours before it leaves to go Is dissolved as fast as children’s dreams Then watered grounds no longer snow. By Richard Simmonds

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CT History: Almshouses in the Chelmsford Area Part 2 By the 18th century new almshouses were being built to provide long term shelter for the aged and infirm. Religious observance was no longer enforced. There were still, however strict rules and regulations. All almshouses stressed the need for residents to get along with each other. A number of the Tudor almshouses were rebuilt in the Chelmsford area, They were still endowed by the local wealthy. Most of those built in the 17th and 18th century were one and a half floors in height. In the 18th century, almshouses were used by parish overseers to house aged and sick paupers, and by 1900 the elderly made up 85% of those in these institutions nationally. The Mildmay Almshouses The Mildmay almshouses were rebuilt in 1758 by William Mildmay of Moulsham Hall. The records of these were destroyed in 1900. By the middle of the 19th century the almshouses in Church Street, Chelmsford, were restored after falling into decay. They belonged to Chelmsford parish and were rebuilt by William Straight in memory of his brother. From the early 1800s a charity provided almshouses for the poor in the parish; they were expected to go to church until they were too infirm. These have now been replaced by flats controlled by a local charity.

area, including one to repair the Chelmsford Cathedral tower. In 1932 she founded the John Henry Memorial Homes in memory of her husband in Broomfield Road, Chelmsford. The homes originally consisted of 28 bungalows around a main quadrangle, designed to ensure that each bungalow would receive the maximum amount of sunlight. Specially made books were used to keep details of residents. Each bungalow had a bath, if only in the kitchen. This was at roughly the same time as the Boarded Barns council houses were built without baths because it was felt tenants would keep coal in them! The homes were built in 8 months and officially opened in October 1933. Seventeen of the bungalows were originally occupied by married couples, while two were filled by the resident matron and the caretaker. The remaining 9 homes were lived in by individuals. Lavinia Keene died in 1949. Heavy death duties meant that Carlton House, the family home in Galleywood had to be sold. Because she was childless there was at least sufficient money to build 14 additional flats in 1953. The bungalows underwent major improvements in the 1980s, including showers, this was under the control of the trustees and clerks. A communal room was added for residents. Vacancies at the homes do occur from time to time for people aged between 55 and 79.

Chelmsford Stories: Cultural Food Stores - By Amara Agwo The shelves at MM Global Supermarket are stocked with everything from fresh vegetables to instant noodles, and from Filipino food to Japanese. It’s one of many independent grocery stores across Chelmsford, specialising in cultural food items.

In Ingatestone the Elizabethan almshouses of Lord Petre were rebuilt in the High Street in 1840 on an open square. In Writtle, six almshouses were built in 1879 - three are still being used today. In Stock there are a number of almshouses which were originally built in the 16th century by a Richard Tweedy, who was a soldier and local JP. The current charity that runs them caters for people with a connection to Stock or Boreham. A Canon Hutton founded church almshouses in Great Waltham and eight almshouses there are still run by a local charity. Applicants for new places have to have lived for at least two years in Great Waltham.

Michael and his wife, originally from Taiwan, have run the shop for over 10 years. During my visit, Michael’s wife kindly offered me a bubble tea. Meanwhile, Michael described the difficulties he’s faced - from the early days of sleeping on the shop floor, to more recent break-ins and security challenges. But he refuses to give up. His son is his motivation. “Without family, you are nothing,” he tells me. MM Global Supermarket, 44 New St, CM1 1PH. Mr Lawrence, who owns an eponymous store, also tells a story of family. In 2021, he opened a Polish shop with the support of his Polish wife and mother-in-law. But as a Ghanaian man, he faced difficulties in this niche. He has since transitioned into Afro-Caribbean goods. I visited Mr Lawrence’s shop before Christmas, and he was handing out ‘Thank You’ bags to his customers. He was kind enough to give me one - it was filled with plantain chips and malt guinness. As one lady received her bag, she commented “You go to Asda all year long and don’t get anything back. It’s more personalised here.” Afro-Caribbean Shop, 46 Viaduct Road, CM1 1TS. Despite the difficulties, cultural food stores continue to serve our city. For the uninitiated, they offer a chance to try something new. And for Chelmsford’s growing migrant communities, they offer a taste of home.

Almshouses in the Chelmsford Area in the 20th Century The John Henry Keene Memorial Homes were built in 1933. John Henry Keene was a director of the Prudential Insurance Company and a successful investor. When he died in 1931, he left a fortune of £1,144,201. His late wife, Lavinia, gave many donations to the local

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Crafts - By Magali Ellis and Scrap-Circle How to Store and Organise Photos for Easier Scrapbooking Scrapbooking is a creative and meaningful way to preserve memories, but the process becomes much easier - and far more enjoyable - when your photos are well stored and organised. Whether you work with printed photographs, digital images (or both) having a clear system in place will save time, spark inspiration, and reduce overwhelm. The first step is proper photo storage. For printed photos, use acidfree photo boxes, albums, or sleeves to protect them from fading, moisture and damage. Store these containers in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. For digital photos, keep multiple backups: one on your computer, one on an external hard drive, and ideally one in cloud storage. This ensures your memories are safe and easy to access whenever creativity strikes. Once your photos are stored securely, the next step is organisation. Start with a broad category system and refine it over time. One of the most popular methods is organising by events or holidays - such as birthdays, weddings, Christmas, summer vacations, or school milestones. This approach works especially well for traditional scrapbooking layouts that tell a clear story or document a specific moment in time. Another helpful method is organising photos by themes or subjects. For example, you might create folders or sections for family, friends, pets, nature, everyday life, or special achievements. This makes it easier to pull photos when working on themed scrapbook pages or

The Art Place @Meadows Shopping Centre: More Than a Shop - Community, Caring, Learning, Hope and Love

albums. For more creative scrapbooking, consider sorting photos by visual elements, such as colours, moods, or seasons. Grouping photos with similar colour palettes - pastels, neutrals, bright colours, or black and white - can help you design cohesive layouts. Similarly, organising by seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter) or moods (happy, calm, playful, reflective) can inspire more artistic and emotionally resonant pages. It’s also useful to edit and curate your photos regularly. Remove duplicates, blurry images, or photos that no longer feel meaningful. This keeps your collection manageable and ensures you’re working with images you truly love. Finally, keep a small ‘scrapbook ready’ selection - either a physical box or a digital folder - where you place photos you’re eager to use next. This simple habit can make starting a new scrapbook project quicker and more motivating. With thoughtful storage and creative organisation, your photos become a joy to work with - and scrapbooking becomes a smoother, more inspiring process. Let us all start the new year a little bit more organised! If you are looking for a fun and relaxed crafting group, try us! We will meet at Highwood Village Hall near Chelmsford on 31st January, 21st March, 30th May, 26th September and 28th November. All details are on www.scrap-circle.co.uk. Happy New Year to all!

From the Closet: An Exhibition as an Act of Liberation At the beginning of January, Chelmsford will host From the Closet - a project in which personal history becomes an artistic statement, and private experience takes the form of a collective encounter. The exhibition, opening at The Art Place, brings together works by local artists who explore themes of inner confinement, vulnerability and the challenging journey towards self-acceptance.

be a solitary chamber and instead becomes something that can be filled with love, support, and acceptance even if its doors can no longer ever be fully closed.

The curator and initiator of the exhibition is the artist gb (@curiousgb), for whom the image of the ‘closet’ is not a reference to fashion or domestic space, but a complex psychological and social symbol. In his manifesto, he describes the closet as a prison of the mind: a place where fears, suppressed emotions and unspoken identities accumulate over the years.

From the Closet opens on 2nd January at The Art Place (The Meadows, Chelmsford).

This image took shape during the artist’s teenage years and remained tightly shut for a long time, until encountering an entirely new world caused the ‘hinges and screws’ holding the door closed to begin to loosen.

The second part of the project - the Coming Out Party (18+) at Bar Plus - will take place from 24th to 31st January in Moulsham Street.

The exhibition does not offer easy answers or a heroic narrative of victory. On the contrary, From the Closet suggests that after the first step towards openness, a far more complicated and prolonged process begins - not a battle, but a war with the internal consequences of suppression. The works presented in the exhibition capture this state: a fragile balance between relief and pain, between fear and hope.

This exhibition is not only a cultural event, but also a significant gesture for the city: a reminder that art is capable of conveying the most vulnerable experiences honestly, quietly, and with striking precision.

Importantly, the project does not remain an individual confession by a single artist. gb deliberately invites other local artists to participate, expanding the framework of the statement and transforming the exhibition into a space for dialogue. Here, the ‘closet’ ceases to Page 26

This article was written by Elena from EKM Gallery. For more information about our work, projects, workshops and support offered, please visit: www.ideashubchelmsford.org and follow us on Facebook by searching ‘The Art Place Chelmsford’ (for The Art Place) and ‘Ideas Hub Chelmsford’ for the charity in general, and on Instagram by searching, ‘Art Place Chelmsford’.

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Five Ways to Beat the Winter Blues! - By Freddie Trevanion January and its bleak weather can feel a gloomy time for us all, after the excitement of Christmas. Therefore, I decided to write about some great ways you can fight off the winter blues and feel more optimistic about the year ahead. 1. Anti-Resolution Goals (Habit-Stacking) This year, New Year’s resolution trends have seen a shift from the typical punishing self-goals to more subtle changes that prioritise self-compassion. Instead of setting yourself unattainable goals that will only set you up for failure, focus on building small habits that make your life more manageable. Instead of setting out to complete a high-intensity workout at the gym five days a week, incrementally increase the amount of exercise you do per week. You could even resolve to say ‘no’ to things more, giving you extra time to focus on your health and mental well-being. 2. Reconnect With Nature Throughout the winter months, it is easy to feel isolated from the outside world, with short days and the desire to spend time away from the cold. A great way to combat this is to take the time to learn about the wildlife you’d typically look straight past. January is far from a dead month nature-wise. Visit one of the great parks Chelmsford has to offer and make a note of all the different wildlife you see. If you are unable to do this, simply look out your window for 10 minutes. Reconnecting with nature can remind us that the world is so much bigger than our individual lives. It can help us to feel grounded, more empathetic, and keep us in tune with the present moment. 3. Learn a New Skill The problem with learning a new skill is that it can feel like climbing a mountain. Instead of trying to learn a language or an instrument,

learn something within your limits that you’ll actually enjoy doing. Ideas could involve learning a new recipe each week or a craft that relaxes you. It is important to choose something that doesn’t make you feel in competition with others. It should be something purely for you and your enjoyment, so don’t force yourself to become a master at it. 4. Digital Detox With screens becoming increasingly present in nearly all areas of our lives, use the new year to reduce your screen time to become less stressed and closer to the world and people around you. Simple steps to achieve this can include refraining from looking at a screen for 30 minutes before or after you sleep, as a reminder that you don’t need to inundate yourself with constant news or social media updates. Another useful tip is to unfollow all accounts that make you doubt yourself and feel inferior to others. Only look at accounts that add to your life instead of bringing you down. 5. Focus On the Present Moment The start of the new year can feel overwhelming and pressurising if you feel you want to achieve a lot before the year’s end. To avoid obsessing over the future, set aside 15 minutes a day to focus completely on the present moment, putting your anxieties about what’s to come aside for a little while. This doesn’t have to be meditation, simply become mindful of a simple, everyday task you’re doing and give it more attention than you usually would. This could involve thinking about the sensations you feel in your hands when washing the dishes or concentrating on a specific instrument when listening to a song.

Tales From the Circle - By Sylvia Kent

Off we go again - another fresh diary and, we hope, a sparkling new writing year for members of the Brentwood Writers’ Circle. Last year we encouraged our newcomers to keep a daily/weekly journal to help spark ideas for their work‑in‑progress. I’m delighted that several took up the suggestion and are already enjoying looking back over their first year of chronicling, rediscovering moments they might otherwise have forgotten.

For as long as I can remember, our committee has opened the year with a spooky short‑story afternoon, where members read their ghostly tales by candlelight. In earlier days - before today’s stricter fire regulations - we would switch off the main lights and cluster candles around the narrator to create an eerie atmosphere. These days, the candles are nightlights and obviously safer, but the stories remain as chilling and entertaining as ever. This year’s Tales of the Unexpected session certainly lived up to tradition. We were also treated to news of several latest members’ writerly works. It’s always heartening to celebrate these successes, whether in fiction, poetry, memoir, or simply writing for personal pleasure. Many of our regulars continue to enter national competitions, keeping the Circle’s name well represented. Our Chair, Helen Finch, was especially pleased to welcome new faces at our latest meeting: “It’s great to meet such an eclectic mix of writers,” she said. “We offer information, a bit of guidance, and above all, the chance to learn from others who have already navigated the writing world. Friendliness has always been one of BWC’s greatest strengths.” On Saturday we welcomed a new author/playwright whose new play is opening shortly in London, and I enjoyed introducing him to our one Equity‑member actor. We welcomed visitors from other

Essex writing groups - each bringing fresh perspectives and shared enthusiasm.

In a constantly changing industry, we certainly benefit from learning from one another. We were also delighted to hear the winning entry of the Frances The winner of the Frances Clamp Literary Award Clamp Literary is Samantha Scott, with third runner-up Patrick Forsyth and me, Sylvia Competition, written by Samantha Scott, who was introduced to the Circle with warm applause. Her trophy will be presented at our next meeting at the Bardswell Social Club. Now that our monthly newsletters are published within our website, www.brentwoodwriterscircle.com, you can learn more about us and perhaps pay a visit at Bardswell Social Club, Weald Road, Brentwood (first visit free) on the first Saturday 2.30-4.30pm of each month. www.sylviakent.blogspot.com

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By Tim Brooks What is the name of a shape with nine sides? Who wrote the play Romeo and Juliet? What is the largest planet in our Solar System? In which year did World War II end? What is the chemical symbol for gold? How many players are there in a football/soccer team on the field? 7. Which country won the FIFA World Cup in 2018? 8. In which sport is the term ‘love’ used? 9. What is the highest score possible in a single frame of bowling? 10. Who holds the record for the most home runs in MLB history? 11. What is the smallest prime number? 12. Who developed the theory of relativity? 13. What is the tallest mountain in the world? 14. Which element has the atomic number 1? 15. What is the capital city of Japan? 16. Which language has the most native speakers worldwide? 17. What is the chemical formula for table salt? 18. Who is known for the theory of evolution by natural selection? 19. What year was Heinz established? 20. How many teeth does a typical adult human have? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

21. What is the largest volcano in the Solar System and where is it located? 22. Who wrote Moby-Dick? 23. What is the freezing point of water in Fahrenheit? 24. Which country hosted the 2016 Summer Olympics? 25. What is the tallest waterfall in the world? 26. What was the original purpose of gin? 27. Who wrote The Divine Comedy? 28. What is the largest type of deer? 29. What is the tallest tree species in the world? 30. Who invented the light bulb? 31. What is the largest species of lizard? 32. Up Helly Aa is a festival marking the end of the yule season in which Scottish town? 33. Who developed the theory of quantum mechanics? 34. What is the smallest ocean in the world? 35. Which of Stephen King’s novels was the first to be adapted into a movie? 36. Margaret Thatcher Day is the 10th of January in which part of the world? 37. Who developed the first successful polio vaccine? 38. What is the largest species of cat? 39. What is the capital of Portugal? 40. Who wrote Frankenstein?

Wordseach by thewordsearch.com

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23rd January: evening. Saturn south of Moon. 27th January at around 20:30: Moon occults the Pleiades star cluster. Occultation in this case means that the Moon partially obscures Pleiades. The beauty of observing Pleiades this way is that occultation makes this star cluster very easy to find. The Pleiades cluster lies at a distance of roughly 400 light years. 30th January at around 20:30: Moon, Jupiter, the stars Castor and Pollux (also known as the Heavenly Twins) combine to form a rectangle. Public Stargazing Nights in Essex Many astronomy clubs have stargazing nights open to the public. This is the best time of year. Yes, you can look through a telescope and see a planet or the Moon with your own eyes... Castle Point Astronomy Club Clacton & District Astronomical Association East Essex Astronomy Club Havering Astronomical Society Loughton Astronomical Society North Essex Astronomical Society (NEAS) South Essex Astronomy Group

Thaxted Astronomical Society Theydon Bois AstroKyds Thurrock Astronomical Society Good News for UK Space Keeps Coming! Designed and built by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) in Guildford, HydroGNSS is backed by £26 million in funding from the UK Space Agency. The mission highlights the UK’s industrial and scientific excellence in satellite innovation and climate monitoring. Space Minister Liz Lloyd said: “The launch of HydroGNSS is yet another success story for British space innovation. Backed with government funding, this UK-built satellite will play an invaluable role up in space, helping tackle some of the most pressing environmental challenges we face on Earth. “As we build the UK’s space capabilities, groundbreaking missions like HydroGNSS demonstrate that Britain is at the forefront of space technology that delivers real-world impact for people and our planet.” New Moon: On 18th January and 17th February there will be a new Moon. This means the skies will be extra dark which is a great opportunity to see planets, galaxies and deep space objects. As usual, email me with any questions. www.chelmsfordcommunityradio.com mark.willis@chelmsfordcommunityradio.com Mark Willis presents The Retro Chart Show every Monday morning at 10 am on Chelmsford Community Radio online and also across Chelmsford and beyond on 104.4 FM.

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Quiz & Wordsearch Answers

1. Nonagon 2. William Shakespeare 3. Jupiter 4. 1945 5. Au 6. 11 7. France 8. Tennis 9. 30 10. Barry Bonds 11. 2 www.thecitytimes.co.uk

12. Albert Einstein 13. Mount Everest 14. Hydrogen 15. Tokyo 16. Mandarin Chinese 17. NaCl (Sodium Chloride) 18. Charles Darwin 19. 1869 20. 32 21. Olympus Mons on Mars 22. Herman Melville

33. 32°F Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) Angel Falls in Venezuela 34. Medicine 35. Dante Alighieri 36. Moose 37. Coast Redwood Thomas Edison (commonly 38. 39. credited) 40. 31. Komodo Dragon 32. Lerwick, Shetland Isles 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30.

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Multiple scientists, including Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg Arctic Ocean Carrie Falkland Islands Jonas Salk Siberian tiger Lisbon Mary Shelley Page 31

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