Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice, Issue 64

Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
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Cresswell, Saverley Green, Fulford and villages in between
Issue 64

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Publisher and Editor: Nigel Titterton
The Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice is published by Community Voice Publications Ltd
Telephone 01538 751629 e-mail uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk
The views expressed in this publication are those of our contributors and are not necessarily those of the publishers, nor
indeed their responsibility. All Rights Reserved. Copyright Community Voice Publications Ltd.
Designed and Produced by noel@sergeantdesign.com
I can’t believe we are now surging into
‘Flaming June’ – where have the months gone?
We haven’t had a proper Winter with the
usual snow and ice have we but spring has
sprung and we have enjoyed plenty of warm
sunshine lately. Mind you, the weather wasn’t
too good recently when myself and Uttoxeter
Rugby Club supporters and players made the
journey to Newcastle-under-Lyme to play in
the Owen Cup Final against Rugeley!
The rain was persistent I think they call it! But we all defied the
elements to watch the cup final and it was disappointing to see the
Uttoxeter lads, who had already been crowned league champions
draw the game and lose on a conversion shoot-out. You’ve had a
magnificent season lads under the superb coaching of the wily old
fox Graham MacDonald who has made a real difference and the
tremendous work of Paul Bain. I urge all the players to stay together
for next season....
It was great to meet up with Uttoxeter supporters and friends
such as Richard Oldham, Pete Douglas, Spike Moult, Lee Finlayson,
Jason Cabrera, Kelvin Edwards, Kev Gear, and all the boys. I was
with my Voice columnist Les Humphries and his grandson and we
all certainly enjoyed a few ‘sherberts’ during and after the match!!
When the coach took us back to Oldfields club in Uttoxeter we all
disembarked and packed into see Evan and Gordon ‘Smelly’
Richardson behind the bar.
However, it was plain to see Les had imbibed perhaps a little too
much wine and myself had indulged in a few glasses of lager. My wife
was due to pick me up in the car from Oldfields so myself and Les
had a chat and came up with a plan which was don’t mention how
much we had imbibed!
Pretty simple to execute this plan you may think!! So my wife
arrived on the car park and myself and Les left the club and walked
towards my carriage home. Then Les decided to say hello to my wife
Marcia and give her a kiss on the cheek before shouting loudly in his
own inimitable voice ‘Marcia, we’re all drunk (not actual the word
Les used of course!!). So much for a great plan Les, you’ve put your
foot in it again mate!
Just a quickie, I’ve been informed that there is a serious flooding
problem at Birdland in Uttoxeter and residents have been trying their
utmost to get someone to sort it. Come on you councillors, get down
there and do your stuff!
I hope you enjoy reading this issue of The Voice colour magazine
Nigel Titterton, Editor & Publisher
The Uttoxeter &
Cheadle Voice is wholly
independent and is
published at 3 Spode
Close, Cheadle, Staffs
ST10 1DT
15,000 copies are
distributed free to
homes and businesses
in Uttoxeter, Cheadle,
Ashbourne, Rocester,
Denstone, Bramshall,
Stramshall, Alton,
Oakamoor, Tean, Lower
Tean, Checkley, Leigh,
Church Leigh, Crakemarsh, Combridge, Kingsley, Mayfield, Draycott, Cresswell, Saverley
Green & Fulford and Doveridge areas.
Clients are welcome to view the printing matrix.
ADVERTISEMENT SALES AND EDITORIAL
Tel: 01538 751629 or 07733 466 970 Email: uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk
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U
ttoxeter Choral Society celebrated the Queen’s 90th birthday with an
enthusiastic performance of the Coronation Anthems by Handel. The
conductor, Mitch Holland, had collected an inspired orchestra to
accompany them. The bassoons Sarah Smith and Bethany Lewis gave a
delightful lilt to the “Exceeding glad shall he be”.
The second half began atmospherically with the introit of Cherubini’s
requiem. The delightful cello arpeggios played by Cara Janes introduced the
Requiem aeternam.
The Dies Irae was announced with the trombones {Richard Bolten and
Mark Howarth} and excited listeners with the interspersions of the trumpets
[Eric Brookes & Sofia Mahon]. Each phrase building up from piano so that
the Rex tremendae was a fitting forte. Recordare tested the strings with their
beautiful semiquaver accompaniment to the single chorus line and continued
the build up so that the interspersions of quiet “salve me” and “voca me”
sounded really heart rending.
Pie Jesu had interesting support as the oboes (Penny Lord and Natasha
Flowers) played opposing tunes. The Sanctus and Agnus Dei were rendered
more exciting by the accompaniment of the excited string playing of David
Francis, leader, Mandy Too, violin, and Elizabeth Medrow , Viola. The requiem
finished peacefully as eternal light shone “lux perpetua luceat eis”.
Uttoxeter Choral Society

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WI Quiz team champions
T
he Staffordshire Federation of Women’s Institutes held their annual county quiz recently
at the Stafford show ground. Nearly ninety teams entered among whom were two teams
from Denstone WI. The ‘A team’, pictured below, won the championship by a
considerable margin of six points and were presented with the county trophy by Sheila
Moulton. This is the second time in the history of the championship that a Denstone team
has won, so well done to the four very knowledgeable women involved!
Left to right: Sheila Moulton (County Chairman), Janet Matthews, Jenny Richardson, Jane
Mack and Irena Beaumont)

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C
ouncillor Mark Deaville has kindly allocated £1000 from his
Staffordshire Local Community Fund to Cheadle Allotment Association.
The association has used the funding to surface the roadway that runs
down the centre of the allotments that are located on the outskirts of Cheadle.
Although the allotments have only been open for 18 months there is already
a very active community there. Members have completely transformed the site
putting in many, many hours of hard work to get the site up and running.
They have made the site both an attractive as well as productive area, with
the help of numerous sponsors as well as through the association’s fund raising
activities at Party in the Park and the Christmas Market. Particular attention
has been paid to try and conserve and also enhance the environment. Over the
winter native trees were planted around the perimeter of the site and currently
a wild flower area is being developed at the entrance to the site.
The association plans to further enhance the site and strengthen the
community bonds that have developed since the allotments have opened.
Cheadle Allotment
Association Funding

Lank’s Lore
By Steve ‘Lank’Lavin
Golden Memories from one of Uttoxeter’s Favourite Characters
W
ell at the time of writing this column the
decent weather has finally arrived at long
last, not before time I can tell you. The
winter time in England seems to drag on and on
especially as you get older in the tooth.
With this better weather arriving and the nights
drawing out the wife and I with nothing much to
occupy ourselves with we decided to re-live our
youth and visit the Bramshall Road Recreation
Ground which is a leisurely stroll from our house.
I know it sounds silly but we have not visited
their in over 30 years although it is in very close
proximity to our home, now that my daughter is
off our hands and we have no grandchildren to
entertain and the appeal of a ‘roll in the hay’ so to
speak after 40 years of wedded bliss is now longer
an attraction you can probably see why.
We were pleasantly surprised at the Rec
nowadays. On entering the large wrought iron
gates obviously erected for security after the park
has closed for the day (a sign of these so called
modern times I expect). The layout is pretty much
the same with well kept grass and clean paths and
the vista of the area has not changed a lot since we
both visited it last with some nice views across the
rolling countryside. Gone are the old smelly toilets
which have been replaced with up to date modern
facilities. I am not sure whether or not a caretaker
still resides in the house at the top. Mr Leese kept
it when I was a lad and used to convey
confectionery to us from the rear probably as a side
line in those days but it was very welcome after a
sunny afternoons excercise.
What has changed though is the playing
apparatus we were used to when we were young.
We started to reminisce on the old facilities we
used to entertain our selves with especially in the
school holidays and at weekends, we virtually used
to live there in those days along with probably half
of the kids in Uttoxeter and area.
We could both see that out old friends the good
old Elf & Safety have made their mark.
Gone is the old Maypole with its clanging
chains with a handle to hold on to whilst the older
kids would spin you round round to virtually
throw you on to the tarmac to sustain numerous
cuts and bruises. I can remember the chains tide in
knots to shorten them for the taller kids so that
their school shoes would not receive 3 months
wear of scuffs in one afternoon!
The roundabout which was really intended for
the tots, but abused by the bigger kids trying to
spin you round to end in a big heap yards away,
gone, along with the hobby horse, the old seesaw
that used to put splinters of wood in your rear
from its well weathered timbers, also gone.
The old witches hat was another popular ride
has disappeared but I noticed that it has been
replaced with a smaller more modern one along
with safety matting to stop you grazing yourself on
the hard surface should you come off, which
invariably you did on the one in my time when
some clever person would spin it round so fast
with you on it that it used to fetch it off its anchor
point!
The usual swings are still available along with
modern trends which today are very popular with
the kids of today which were not available or
thought of when we were young.
A skate board course, zip wires, numerous
smaller items amongst just a few modern pieces of
apparatus that have emerged over the years and
also not forgetting the exercise equipment for the
older visitors to the park, not a bad idea at all in
this keep healthy world we live in to save money
for the NHS!
One thing I did notice though is that the big
crown puller and heart of the old Rec which has
disappeared, which looking back at the old days I
am not at all surprised is the BIG SLIDE.
The Elf & Safety executive would have a dicky
fit today if that was availabe to the kids of today
to play on. I honestly do not know why it wasn’t
banned in my day although I suppose it was no
more dangerous then than skateboarding and the
likes are today the exception being that there was
no crash helmets issued in those days!
The slide itself was a marvellous piece of play
equipment, solidly built, standing over 15ft high
with chute made out of the finest stainless steel
which we used to polish up with wax bread
wrappers to improve its friction so that when you
slid down it you would come of the end of it like
S... of a Stick! The stainless steel used to burn your
backside in a hot summer when it had been
basking in the sun.
Although the old equipment has disappeared I
am sure that today’s kids still have a whale of a
time there in their spare time on the new facilities
and it also keeps them off the streets causing
trouble.
Till next time,
LANK
The Old Roundabout The Old Witches Hat The infamous ‘Big Slide’
The Zip Wire Rides The Skateboard & Bmx Bike Courses The Excercise Equipment
With thanks to my friends Tom & Lorna Croton, Uttoxeter for use of the colour photos
...in with the new
Out with the old...

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Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
190 years of Alton
Methodist Church
Recently Alton Methodist Church was packed with people celebrating the
Chapels 190th Anniversary, with special preacher, Chairman of the District
Rev Peter Barber.
Artifacts were loaned by Englesea Brook Methodist Chapel & Museum.

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F
ull production is getting underway this
month of a brand new JCB machine – a
product innovation which has created
around 85 new jobs.
The innovative JCB Hydradig is taking the
construction industry by storm after making its
international debut at an equipment trade fair in
Munich attended by more than half a million
people.
Now hundreds of orders for the new 10-tonne
machine have been placed and production has
started at the JCB Heavy Products plant in
Uttoxeter. Around 85 people have been recruited
as result of the launch of the new machine. The
roles include engineers, welders and assembly line
employees.
The JCB Hydradig was developed in complete
secrecy over a three-year period, under the
codename ‘Project 710’. The vision from the outset
of the project was to design and engineer the most
innovative solution in response to five key
challenges facing customers in today’s construction
sector. The machine had to have the best visibility,
stability, manoeuvrability, mobility and
serviceability.
JCB Chairman Lord Bamford, who initiated the
project, said: “The Hydradig really does have
innovation running right through the heart of it.
In fact Hydradig will transform the industry and I
am certain customers will quickly appreciate its
benefits.”
JCB CEO Graeme Macdonald said: “The
launch of the JCB Hyradig is not only one of the
most significant launches in the company’s history,
it is also one of the most successful. The response
has been unprecedented and we have very high
hopes for this revolutionary new product.
“The JCB Hydradig is the third product
revolution we have brought to market in the past
six months. We’ve launched a backhoe loader
which is 35% smaller than the standard model
which is opening up new sales opportunities
around the world. For our farming customers we
have just introduced a brand new dual technology
transmission for JCB’s Loadall telehandler
products which makes them 25% more productive
than competitive models. This is a
very exciting time to be part of the
JCB team.”
Working closely with a range of
customers, JCB conducted in-depth
analysis of the potential applications
for the JCB Hydradig, including
utilities, highways, municipalities,
general construction and landscaping,
assessing the suitability of current
machinery solutions. With job sites
becoming increasingly congested,
whether in an urban environment or
on busy road carriageways, it became
clear that a new and better solution
could be achieved by rethinking
machine design conventions, a JCB
speciality.
Chief Innovation and Growth
Officer Tim Burnhope said:
“Visibility from the cab was the main
customer consideration because of
on-site safety concerns. Stability was next on the
list, as machines are now being called upon to do
an increasing amount of heavy lifting, not just
excavating. As job sites become tighter many
customers are demanding improved
manoeuvrability, while others need increased
mobility to allow machines to move between sites
more quickly.
“Finally, customers now expect excellent
ground-level serviceability. So our design challenge
was to develop a single machine solution that
would deliver against all five customer challenges.”
Jobs created as orders flood in for
innovative new machine

Just the
perfect day...
E
ighteen months quickly went from the
day Craig and I got engaged. We both
had fantastic Hen & Stag do’s, mine at
Moddershall Oaks with all of my favourite
ladies and Craig’s at Edinburgh Beer Festival
with his best mates.
The night before our wedding on 5th
December 2015, Craig & I followed tradition
by going our separate ways. I spent the night
preparing for what was going to be the best
day of my life, it was just me and my mum
and a bottle of Champagne. Towards the end
of the evening, my Mum surprised me with a
wedding hamper full of lovely personal gifts.
The following morning Mum and I had
our hair styled by Nicola Byatt at home
before we prepared for the big day. We
planned to arrive at Weston Hall early in the
afternoon to meet with my bridesmaids and
photographer, Cris Lowis. I put my wedding
dress on which I purchased from Bridal
Couture by Josephine in Cheadle, who were
so helpful and friendly. My flowers were
delivered to the room by Sorella Events who
also provided the décor. My Sister Jo was
Maid of Honour, followed by three adult
bridesmaids and five flower girls.
As I have so many gorgeous nieces and a
Goddaughter, it was impossible to leave any
of them out. My Nephew Charlie was my
page boy and my youngest Son Freddie, who
took his role very seriously, was our ring
bearer. That left a very important role for my
eldest Son Jay to walk me down the aisle.
I looked out of the window of our room
and saw Craig and his Best Men arrive in
style in his favourite car, a Nissan GT-R,
which was very kindly arranged by his Best
Men. This was the moment I realised that my
dream of getting married at Weston Hall
since I was Young was becoming a reality.
After my fantastic photographer finished
taking pictures, I spent some time alone with
my Dad who helped keep me calm, we were
then joined by Jay who had arrived to escort
me down the stairs. I was so proud of Jay as
he looked so handsome and grown up.
The one moment I will never forget is
when I walked down the stairs to be met by
my beautiful Flower Girls and Bridesmaids
because they all looked so stunning. At this
point my nerves disappeared! We had hired
a wedding singer who sang Bonfire Heart by
James Blunt as I walked down the aisle. The
ceremony room was perfect and totally lit by
candlelight as the wedding was late on a
December afternoon. I kept to the tradition
of the bride being a little late and met Craig
who had been patiently waiting for me.
Our Wedding Singer sang ‘When You
Were Young’ by The Killers, whilst we were
signing the register and on exit, sang ‘It Must
Bride and Groom: Emma Ratcliffe & Craig Thornhill of
Uttoxeter
The Bride was given away by her son: Jay Hughes Ratcliffe
Maid of Honour: Joanne Chatfield
Best Men: Ivan Good and Nick Bailey
Bridesmaids: Amy Allport, Lisa Shaw, Lynsey Hardy, Poppy
Chatfield
Flower Girls: Miley Lomas, Scarlett Ratcliffe, Phoebe Hardy,
Pippa Hardy, Ezme Chatfield
Pageboy: Charlie Ratcliffe
Ring bearer: Freddie Thornhill
Ceremony: Weston Hall
Photography: Cris Lowis

Be Love’ by Madness. Our service was just how we
had chosen it to be and all of our family and closest
friends helped to make it made it very special. We
entered the wedding reception area as Mr & Mrs
Thornhill to be met by all our friends and family.
The room looked magical and everything was
perfect, with the tables beautifully dressed and named
after our favourite places we had visited in Southern
Ireland. The staff at Weston Hall did an amazing job
in ensuring our day went to plan. Our Cake was
made by Amerton Farm and was absolutely fantastic
and enjoyed by all, they also provided a sweet cart
which went down very well with all the children (and
a few adults!). Everyone commented on how lovely
the food was which was served hot and on time, even
though catering for a large number of people.
Following our meal, we had speeches from the
Best Men, Father of The Bride and The Groom - all
went down well. It was soon time for our evening
guests to join us, we enjoyed our first dance to
‘Wonderful Tonight’ by Eric Clapton followed by a
Disco by Blaze Entertainment. From that moment I
didn’t really leave the dance floor and Freddie my
youngest Son got his request to dance with me to
Lego House by Ed Sheeran.
The night came to a close all too quickly but a few
of our guests and close family strayed to the all night
bar where we continued to celebrate into the early
hours before retiring to the beautiful rooms at Weston
Hall.
With the help of our family, friends and staff at
Weston Hall our day was definitely one of the best
days of our lives and we will never forget it.
7 Cross Street
(off the High Street),
Cheadle ST10 1NP
Tel 01538 755550
info@bcjosephine.co.uk
www.bcjosephine.co.uk
Opening Hours:
Monday 10am - 8.30pm,
Tuesday 10am - 4.30pm,
Wednesday Closed,
Thursday 10am - 4.30pm,
Friday 10am - 4.30pm,
Saturday 9.30am-5pm

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Photo for illustration only

Uttoxeter Tile and Bathroom Ltd
7 The Square, Market Place, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire ST14 8HN
Tel: 01889 560111 Mob: 07929 201128
Email: uttoxetertileandbathroom@hotmail.co.uk
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Staffordshire, Archdiocese of Birmingham
Painsley Catholic College
Specialist Science College, Additional Specialism Mathematics and Computing
Painsley Catholic College Station Road, Cheadle, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs ST10 1LH
Telephone: 01538 483944 Email: office@painsley.staffs.sch.uk Web: www.painsley.co.uk
The Painsley Catholic Academy A company limited by guarantee registered in England & Wales with company number 08146661.
Registered office address: Station Road, Cheadle, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs ST10 1LH
Painsley Celebrates
Student Successes
Painsley Catholic College was proud to hold its annual
Presentation Evening on Wednesday 27th April. Students
received awards that celebrated academic progress and
special endeavour, as well as sporting colours and music
awards. The prizes were presented to students by Mr
Levison Wood—bestselling author, explorer,
photographer and former Painsley student.
Special subject awards were presented to
Year 11 as well as many other awards.
Parents packed the school hall to see their
children receive recognition of their efforts
and join in the celebrations. Of special note
were the awards to Breony Watson for
Work in the Community; Clarke Lear,
Citizenship Award and the PTA Award for
Charitable Works; Eleanor Gill and Aaron
Nash for Contribution to Life at Painsley;
Mary Simcock and Romy Whitehurst,
School Spirit Award; and Rebecca Palser,
Faith in Action Award.
Another special award, the Diana,
Princess of Wales Award, was awarded to
Clarke Lear. The Diana award is a
nationally recognised award given to young
people under a number of categories.
Painsley Catholic College nominated Clarke
Lear as a champion volunteer.
Guests of honour at the ceremony were:
Mr N Watson, President of Cheadle Lions; Mr A Gadsby,
Cheadle Lions, Councillor Stephen Ellis, Mayor of
Cheadle; Mr J Pennington, Chair of the Board of Directors
of Painsley Catholic Academy; and sponsors and directors
of the College.
RAF Platinum Partner Award
Painsley Catholic College is delighted to
announce that the college has been
awarded a prestigious Royal Air Force
Platinum Partner Award.
This award is one of only a hundred to
be presented by the RAF to schools and
colleges across the UK which have provided
top quality candidates to the RAF over the
last five years.
As a result of this award Painsley will
benefit from all the new initiatives provided
by the RAF recruitment team including
career presentations, interview skills
workshops and a table-top team building
exercise based on a disaster relief situation.
Mr Bell commented “We are delighted to
receive this prestigious award from such a
great organisation.”

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F I N A N C I A L S E R V I C E S L T D
Independent Financial Adviser
Russell House • 20 Stockwell Street • Leek • ST13 6DS
Tel: 01538 371288 www.brianmellorfs.co.uk
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Small Workshop Wanted
Small workshop wanted to rent by
semi-retired man for metalwork projects.
Approximately 4 x 4 metres.
Ideally in Cheadle or surrounding areas.
Please ring Paul on 07773645779
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By Mike Plant
O
n Sunday April 24th, the Cheadle
Remembers the Great War project came
to an end with the unveiling of a
memorial sculpture on Cheadle’s Tape Street car
park. The Great War project was led by the
Cheadle Discovery Group, who secured a £10,000
grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2014.
The sculpture was designed by local
blacksmith Jim Plant. The memorial is themed
primarily around the loss of animal life in the
war, but honours all who served in the Great
War. A plaque on the sculpture’s column features
an extract of poetry, written by Cheadle’s war
poet Charles Masefield, who died in the war.
Live music for the event was provided by the
Cheadle Community Band, who managed to
keep everyone’s spirits up, despite the wet
weather. Band member Chris Washington
performed a moving rendition of the last post,
which was followed by a two minute silence, to
remember the animals and men who died for our
freedom.
The unveiling was followed by a touching
open air pet service, organised by Cheadle’s
Churches Together and led by local vet Bruce
Barker.
For more information about the Discovery
Group and the Cheadle Discovery and Visitor
Centre please visit their website -
www.discovercheadle.co.uk
Cheadle remembers
the Great War
Cheadle’s Master
Craftsman Jim
Plant who made
the Great War
sculpture pictured
holding the
microphone with
Ivor Lucas,
Chairman of the
Cheadle Discovery
Group to the
right.

The Great War Sculpture - expertly made by Cheadle’s Master Craftsman Jim Plant

Ki
tchens by Paul Gabri
el
of S t r a m s h a l l
Affordable Kitchens from the
unusual to the straightforward.
Re-vamp your existing kitchen with a choice
of over fifty door designs and a wide choice of
worktops and sinks.
Or simply paint your existing doors
to freshen things up.
Otherwise I can design, supply and fit a
brand new kitchen or supply only.
For free friendly advice call Paul on
01889 562139 or mobile 07990 622125
Visit www.kitchensbypaulgabriel.co.uk
or e-mail paulmgabriel@hotmail.co.uk
Taekwon-do
We train at The Parkwood Community
Leisure Centre In Cheadle on Tuesday Night
6.00pm to 6.30pm 4yrs to 6yrs
6.30pm to 7.30pm Junior/Beginers Grades
7.30pm to 8.30pm Senior/Advanced Grades
Call John on 07854 806581
www.nctkd.co.uk
Church Street, Uttoxeter ST14 8AA
Tel 01889 564216
tyreways@uttoxeter.ndo.co.uk
Uttoxeter’s Premier
Tyre Centre
Right service
Right advice
Right choice
Right price
• Tyres
• Exhausts
• Batteries
• Brakes and
Shock Service
• Agricultural Tyres
• Wheel Alignment
R
ichard Kempson is the director and co
producer of a new independent
feature film being shot in and around
Tean (including at Heath House), Cheadle
and Leek.
‘Beneath Still Water’ is based on the
legend of Blake Mere Pool - Joshua (Linnett)
accuses Laura of being a witch after she
rejects his advances.
The village and more, importantly Father
Price, agree with him and Laura is drowned
in the pool. Present day - a group of young
adults are out on the moor for a weekend of
climbing, canoeing and walking etc. During
their stay, they encountered strange events
and strange stories from the local community
about a mermaid who lures men to their
deaths in Blake Mere pool.
Strange events happen, people
mysteriously disappear, leaving some of the
group trying to find out why.
This film is a crowd-funded project to
attract attention to the local area via its local
myths and legends, and what better place to
start than Blake Mere
Written by Steven K Beattie, Steven’s
speciality is horror and the dramatic and is
currently in the process of writing a collection
of monologues.
One of Steven’s short stories THE VOICE
WITHIN - has been included in the
anthology ‘Impossible spaces’ alongside
horror maestro Ramsey Campbell. The book
is available from Amazon.co.uk
Director Philip Kempson said “Philip has
been in the entertainment industry for over
30 years and lives in Stoke on Trent with his
wife and children. Starting out as stage crew
for the Theatre Royal, Hanley in the 80’s he
developed a love for stage and screen. Philip
then went on to be a projectionist for Warner
Bros and M.G.M within the west end of
London.
“On board we have Alan Ratcliffe who
appeared in the opening credits of the
Chained Oak film and has a small tree from
the Chain Oak in his garden.
For more information, please search for
‘Beneath Still Water’ on Facebook.
Local film shows
there’s something in
the water...

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T
his month we have launched the Bramshall Meadows
development on behalf of St Modwens homes. I was
expecting a quick response, but the level of interest
received has been incredible with us jointly selling over 50%
of the first release in the first day. I think the reason for this
high level of interest is down to a few important factors; firstly
their hasn’t been a similar development like this for a number
of years, buyers love a new house and the competition isn’t
there within the local area; the specification of a St Modwens
house is very impressive, as is the design. They really do have
the feel of a self build with large windows and open spaces.
They look stunning and are far better than your run of the
mill new house, I look at some developments where the
houses look just the same as the ones being built 20 years ago,
you have to hand it to St Modwens they are building homes
that are current, which means they must be listening to what
people want; They make it easy to buy, not only will they
reserve if you are in a position to proceed, St Modwens offer
a package where buyers can reserve and sell their property
through a local agent which really takes away a lot of the
stress.
Further releases are expected soon, with 2 to 5 bedroom
homes on offer. I would expect the interest in this next phase
to follow a similar pattern.
If you are looking to move, and would like a new home I
would highly recommend a peek at Bramshall Meadow, the
next phase is due for release very soon. If you are interested
in receiving any further information please contact ABODE
on 01889 567777.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T F E A T U R E
Property Voice
by Nathan Anderson-Dixon
Nathan is a local estate agent, with over16 years of experience in the residential sales and lettings market.
Local Agent Abode selling St Modwen homes first day

Whatever you can imagine your kitchen to be,
you can bring it to life with a Rose Kitchen, fully
tailored bespoke look.
Choose from a collection of stunning materials
and products. Find your colours and textured
finishes, opt for elegant curves or simple lines.
Begin with a creative free personalised design,
because when you start with amazing ideas and
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It’s easy to have the kitchen you dreamt of - with
our high-end kitchens and low-end price tags!
For a free, full HD inspiring
design and quotation call
Anthony Rose on 01889 591189
www.rosekitchens.com
sales@rosekitchens.com
Here’s a quick way to have
the kitchen you really want!
EMERGENCY
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Call Rob on 01538 361432, 01538 266993 or 07900 995139
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Everyone
lovesTheVoice
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sessions both on and off the horse, dressage training, test practise, schooling and clinics.
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Unit G1 City Park Trading Estate,
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Servicing, Maintenance
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Call Terry Atkinson
01782 594411
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email: info@swedish-carparts.co.uk
Est. since 1983
SPECIALISTS
Free collection from Uttoxeter
and surrounding areas
C
headle Methodist Church is keen to invite everyone to join in their
celebrations of the Queen’s 90th birthday. Members are busy making
plans for the weekend of 11th and 12th June 2016. On Saturday, 11th
June there will be an exhibition and displays in the Church and the Church
Hall showing the Queen’s faith and changes over the 90 years of her life.
Admission to this is free and refreshments will be available.
On Sunday 12th June there will be a special celebration service at 10.45am
to which everyone is welcome. So – book these dates in your diary now!
The Queen’s
90th Birthday
Celebrations
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Voice goes out
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To place an
advert call
01538 751629
or simply email
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M
anagement at Uttoxeter Racecourse have
moved at a gallop to make-up for
circumstances beyond their control
which saw Sara Cox have to pull out of her
starring role at this year’s Ladies Day on Friday 22
July.
Sara was forced to withdraw following the
BBC’s recent decision to switch her popular Radio
2 show to a Friday, which made it impossible for
her to appear at Uttoxeter for this year’s Ladies
Day.
The racecourse, however, has been quick to find
a suitable replacement for one of their landmark
occasions - and has announced that the star of this
year’s Ladies Day will be Jo Whiley.
Arguably one of the most recognisable voices
in British Broadcasting, Whiley has an exciting and
varied career and is considered one of the nation’s
favourite radio DJs.
Jo currently plays a great mix of new music and
classic album tracks from Monday to Thursday on
Radio 2 and presents Radio 2’s ‘In Concert’ series,
featuring live performances and a round-up of the
week’s music gigs.
Jo also presents coverage of the Glastonbury
Festival for BBC TV and for Radio 2. She is at the
helm of the Radio 2 coverage of the tastemaking
South by Southwest Festival, as well as the iconic
Brit Awards and also hosts the Radio 2 Hyde Park
Concert each September.
In addition to interviewing some of the biggest
names in music for Radio 2 she also continues to
pioneer new music.
Jo may be the face of Radio 2 but she was for
many years the face of Radio 1. She joined Radio
1 in the spring of 1993 and in September she
became permanent co-presenter of The Evening
Session with Steve Lamacq. Four years later she
landed her own daytime show, and remained part
of Radio 1’s weekday line-up until 2009, when she
began a new weekend programme.
Uttoxeter Racecourse now have two premier
DJ nights as The Jo Whiley Ladies Day on Friday
22 July now joins fellow DJ Vernon Kay with his
Ladies Night which will this year be pumping up
the volume at Uttoxeter Racecourse on Thursday
9 June.
Already regarded as two of the leading events
on Staffordshire’s annual calendar, Ladies Night
and Ladies Day at Uttoxeter
Racecourse give groups of
“gals and their pals” the
perfect excuse to get
glammed-up and in mood for
a girls’ night out with a
difference.
But the guest appearances
by radio and TV personalities
Jo Whiley and Vernon Kay
will give both events a huge
boost, and helps position them
as two of the area’s premier
social occasions.
David MacDonald,
Executive Director at the
racecourse says, “It’s always a
disappointment when
someone has to pull out of an
event for reasons that are
beyond everyone’s control. But
while we will be wishing Sara well with her new-
look show, we are also incredibly excited about
managing to sign-up Jo for Ladies Day. She’s a first
choice DJ with an impeccable track record, and
someone who will bring all of her experience to
Uttoxeter to ensure everyone has a great day at the
races. I think we can guarantee that it’s going to be
another terrific occasion.”
For ticket information about Ladies Day, log
on to www.uttoxeter-racecourse.co.uk/whats-
on/fixture/22-july-2016-ladies-day/.
For further details about all races and events
scheduled for 2016 at Uttoxeter Racecourse, visit
www.uttoxeter-racecourse.co.uk.
Janet Johnson BSc (Hons) Podiatry SRCh
Chiropodist
Treatments include:
nail cuts, thick nail reduction,
ingrown nail treatments, callus
and corn removal, verrucas, arch
and heal pain, nail surgery
biomechanical assessment
and diabetic assessment.
Based in the Northgate
Doctors Surgery, Carters
Square, every Friday.
Home visits available
£25 per treatment
Mobile: 07951820847
Home: 01889 592855
after 6 pm
janetjohnson1701@
gmail.com
WEDNESDAYS
Tean
Greatwood Hall, 5.00pm & 7.00pm
Tel: Gillian 07928 556552
Cheadle
Guild Hall, 5.30pm & 7.30pm
Also Morning Group Thursday 9.30am
Tel: Pam 07983 938240
Radio 2 DJ Jo Whiley set to take over
Ladies Day at Uttoxeter Racecourse
Sara Cox at last year’s event

velop a bespoke
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94 High Street, Uttoxeter ST14 7JD
Opening Times: Monday-Friday 9am-7pm; Saturday 9am-1pm
Tel: 01889 568900
Email: uttoxetervets@gmail.com
/uttoxeterveterinarypractice
The Uttoxeter Veterinary Practice
Welcome to Uttoxeter’s new
independent Veterinary Practice,
providing an extremely high
standard of service and the latest
technology. We offer digital x ray,
in-house laboratory work and
ultrasonography and have our own
Operating Theatre and separate
Preparation Room. We house dogs,
cats and rabbits in separate wards
to keep their stay with us as stress
free as possible. We realise the importance of continuity of care, so you will
always see the same vet that you know and trust. We provide 24 hour
emergency care at the practice and cater for large animals as well as small.
Free consultation worth £30 with this advert,
offer expires 30th June 2016.

QUALITY LOCAL MEAT, BEEF,
LAMB, PORK & POULTRY
All meat home killed with complete farm to fork assurance.
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2 Market Street, Uttoxeter
Tel (01889) 565870
Roycroft Farm, Bramshall
Tel (01889) 563353
New Flower Beds in
Bramshall Road Park
T
his spring, three
new flower beds
have been created
and planted in Bramshall
Road Park, Uttoxeter’s
main recreational park.
This project was organised
by the Friends of
Bramshall Road Park and
East Staffordshire
Borough Council and the
work carried out by The
Landscape Group. These
beds are located on the
raised ground between the
Carpark and the Bowling
Green. The plants are
now well established and
add a touch of colour to
brighten up the Carpark
used by many of the park’s
visitors. These new beds
are complimented by five
new trees planted the
other side of the Carpark
to celebrate Uttoxeter’s
successes over recent years
through “Uttoxeter in
Bloom”.
The new flower beds
were funded by a grant
from the Staffordshire Local Community Fund (Staffordshire County
Council) courtesy of the late Geoff Morrison, then Uttoxeter’s SCC
Councillor. In memory of Geoff, Mrs Pauline Morrison commented “I
know Geoff was very happy to support projects in Bramshall Road Park, a
facility much appreciated by Uttoxeter residents. He was particularly
proud when an earlier grant from the same fund facilitated, several years
ago, children from Thomas Alleynes High School planting an
arboretum/tree classroom near to the Wildlife Pond”
!
DM Bowd Environmental Services Limited
Old Stores Cottage, School Lane, Lower Leigh,
STAFFORDSHIRE, ST10 4SS
Mobile: 07875628694
Web: www.dmbowd-environmental.co.uk
E-Mail: contact@dmbowd-environmental.co.uk
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Apartments available to rent
in Burton and Uttoxeter areas
Trent & Dove Housing are looking for volunteers to assist with various
community projects in Uttoxeter and the surrounding area.
For further information please contact
Gail Topliss on 07921 233302
Transforming Homes, Lives & Neighbourhoods
Range of property types available, some with enclosed garden.
Will accept applicants in receipt of beneﬁts
From £75 per week
Contact 01283 528655 for more information

Hi there I’m Amy Bradley and drawing really is my
favourite thing! I work from my gorgeous studio at
St.Mary’s House in Uttoxeter creating illustrations for all
kinds of projects such as; picture books, branding, wedding
stationery, educational projects and SO SO much more…
Every month I will be giving you a sneak peek into what
I’ve been up to! I’m so excited!!
NEWS from the Studio…
This month I’m so SUPER excited to tell you about a
brand NEW book. It’s called ‘Lets go to the Dough Disco’
its written by the amazzzzing Shonette Bason
Wood from Spread The Happiness …and of
course its illustrated & designed by moi!
I know what your thinking, ‘What’s Dough
Disco?’ Well it’s a fine muscle exercise that
Shonette invented when she realized the
children in her class (Shonettes also an early
years teacher) were struggling to write
letters. She read a lot of books about
brain development and found that fingers
are one of the last things the brain
controls. A group of neuro
developmental practioners called
INPP do an exercise with older
children called tapping. It’s simply
tapping the fingers in a certain
order, some quite complex, on the
table in front of them. Shonette
enjoyed it as much as the children and it
began the growth of Dough Disco. Dough is used
because everyone loves dough and disco because music
stimulates our happiness levels. The book is a simple
instructional text on how you can ‘Go to the Dough Disco’
it’s popular for any age from 0-100, here’s some of the
pages taken from the book.
The launch is just ahead of ‘International Dough Disco
Day’ #DoughDiscoDay which will take place on June 9th
2016. With over 1000 schools from all over the world
including Barcelona, Germany, South Africa, Dubai,
Australia and New Zealand with many more signing up to
get involved. The good news is that there is still time for
more schools to get involved just pop over to
spreadthehappiness.co.uk/dough-disco-day/, where you can
sign up for all the latest information and receive a free
download of ideas. Plus you’ll find link’s to buy your very
own pot/s of Disco Dough (Again you’ll find the packing
was designed by me! #eek).
If all this has got you too excited and your itching to go
to the Dough Disco then here’s a recipe (I had the most fun
putting it together) for you to make your very own dough
at home.
Until next time
Amy x
If you’d like to know more about Amy check out;
www.amybradley.co.uk or get in touch;
mail@amybradley.co.uk – 07870 752480. Enjoy!’
Fun, colourful
illustrationsfor everyone!!

Top Lawn Company (TLC) have over twenty years of solving
lawn and turf problems using practical, effective and efficient
methods.
With treatments from as little as £15, your lawn could be the
envy of your friends, neighbours and prospective house
purchaser.
TLC will help you prepare your lawn for all seasons, moss
treatment, weed treatment and drought tolerance with the
right nutrients to ensure a high quality sward density.
We also offer a complete maintenance program for your
lawn, a service which is unique because it is you that chooses
after a discussion with our local, highly trained and
experienced lawn expert.
Our services
Lawn treatments • Aeration and scarifying • Mowing
Turfing and reseeding • Hedge and tree trimming
Mole catching • Garden clearance
Please contact us for a free analysis and quote
info@toplawncompany.co.uk
0800 6126831 / 07472765834
Take a drive out to one of the area’s most beautiful
‘olde worlde’ country inns and restaurants -
and savour a truly delicious experience!
Enjoy wonderful views overlooking Croxden Abbey
and the surrounding countryside.
Open every day, 12-10pm
Pensioners Specials
Monday to Saturday 12-2pm
Main Meal £4.95, 3 Courses £9.00
Sunday Lunches served all day
Take your pick from Beef,Turkey, Lamb,
Pork or Chicken
Traditional Cask Ales - Marstons Pedigree,
Spitfire, London Pride, Black Sheep
Heated smoking area
Mid-Week Evening Specials
Accommodation in superb Log Cabins with
Hot Tubs available. B&B and Self Catering.
See website for further details.
Enjoy a great meal atThe Raddle -
The Perfect Country Inn & Restaurant
Quarry Bank, Hollington, near Alton Towers
Telephone: 01889 507278
www.logcabin.co.uk
C O N S T R U C T I O N S
Serving the community since 1976
MJ Barrett Constructions,Brookside Business Park,Brookside Road,
Uttoxeter,Staffordshire,ST14 8AT
www.mjbarrettconstructions.co.uk
Tel:01889 564 253 • Fax:01889 564 210
F
M J Barrett Constructions supply and erect all types of
agricultural and industrial buildings,including grain stores,
equestrian centres,storage buildings,milking parlours,and
cattle housing along with a variety of industrial warehousing,
office accommodation,retail outlets and entertainment
complexes all built to the highest standards.

Down on the Farm
by Angela Sargent
“Nothing is so beautiful as spring-
When weeds in wheels, shoot long and
lovely and lush;
Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and Thrush
Through the echoing timber does so
rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to
hear him sing”
Hopkins
A
nd now May is here, the weeds certainly are
growing- always seeming to grow better
and quicker than the plants you would
rather grew on and shot up!
Lush, bright green, young stinging nettles thick
along the bottom of hedges and their roots
braiding in between bricks in walls, Celandines and
Buttercups amongst the grass in the meadows.
Of course, we want the grass to grow thickly as
it approaches its prime richness and the fields will
have had their fertilizer and been rolled to
encourage the plants, as now we are getting into
silaging time(we can’t do either on our old pasture,
as we are in a conservation scheme).
Of course, with the work and inputs that go
into silage- making, it means that it isn’t free and
has a cost value and that means that it is in farmers
interests to get the best quality silage we can- as
this is our livestocks winter feed.
Silage clamps have to be repaired and prepared
for the new crop- they have to be clean and dry
and any existing silage kept away from the new.
Grass should be 20-30% dry matter and the
more oxygen kept out, the better the end product
and it should be kept away from vermin, wind,
birds and UV light, as all this reduces the nutrition
and quality of the silage that we feed.
Our cattle and sheep are in the fields now and
that means there is lots more dung too! But, of
course, dung pats are a tasty treat for the insects
that live there and Dung flies will gather in swarms
around the cow pats.
Their eggs are laid in the dung and the resulting
larva feed on the cow pat and help to break it
down.
Still makes it yucky when you inadvertently
tread in one!
Our young sheepdog, Ted, has had lots of
disciplined training recently, as he has been used to
fetch in the in-lamb ewes at night and has had to
learn to be quiet and contained, so as not to upset
them and also to keep his distance if there are
lambs with them, as the ewe will attempt to drive
him away if he gets too close.
Our cows will be calving and, as we have six
footpaths across our fields, there isn’t anywhere
out of the way for them to go.
If you are out walking, particularly with dogs,
please keep your distance, but if threatened, let
your dog off the lead (it can run quicker than you),
but cattle and sheep aren’t pets and will try to
protect their young.
Equally, there has been an increase in sheep
worrying and sheep will panic if chased by a dog,
which causes distress or even death.
We live in a beautiful countryside, but it is a
working countryside and, with a little co-
operation, we can ensure everyone can enjoy it!
Angela Sargent
www.baldfields-farm.co.uk and follow us on
twitter (@bythebarn)and facebook(baldfields
farm) too!
Have I got news for you
by Uttoxeter’s Gary Hudson, Former BBC Chief News Reporter
Gary Hudson is a member of Uttoxeter Lions
Club, a former BBC Chief News Reporter and a
senior lecturer in Broadcast Journalism at
Staffordshire University.
When it’s all about talent but never a
talent contest
We need you. The Uttoxeter Beer and Cider
Festival at Oldfields Sports and Social Club is upon
us. And on Friday June 10th from 7.30pm we have
an open mic night in the festival marquee.
We need your support because 380 men came
for free prostate cancer tests at the racecourse last
month. The results suggest up to twenty lives may
have been saved, but at £15 a head for the tests
that’s a lot to pay out.
Donations on that evening came to more than
£1,600, which is incredibly generous. Thanks to
those who contributed, but it still leaves a big
shortfall, to be met from the proceeds of the beer
festival. Do the math, as they say.
So your support at the beer festival would be
great. It’s £7.50 a ticket. And that ticket will get
you into the open mic night too. Or you can pay
£2.50 for just the Friday evening. There’s a third
option which is the best of all and that is to turn
up on the Friday and play or sing - and admission
is free.
If you’re new to the phenomenon of the open
mic, where have you been? There are so many that
you couldn’t avoid them unless you’re a teetotal
hermit.
But ours is different. We are in a large marquee,
so we are confident in claiming that it is the biggest
open mic night in Staffordshire. If the number of
people who came to last year’s had been at any of
the regular nights in local pubs, the room would
have been packed, they would have been spilling
out of the doors and the chances of performing
might have been quite remote.
Book now to avoid disappointment
I’m confident that we can accommodate
anybody who comes along to play. If you want to
book a particular timeslot, then just give me a call
on 07974 168818, but I promise I’ll fit you in
whenever you turn up. We start at 7.30pm.
We have solo performers, duos and trios, male
and female vocalists, instrumentalists, the young
and the old, semi-pros and rank amateurs all lined
up, but there’s always room for more.
Some will be astonishing and brilliant; others
will be less impressive, and some will make
mistakes. One thing is guaranteed: nobody will be
judged. It’s not a talent contest. If I say Uttoxeter’s
Got Talent it’s a statement of fact, not an excuse
for a local imitation of Simon Cowell or David
Walliams to criticise people doing their best.
Everyone gets the chance to play two or three
songs, deliver a poem or tell a few jokes – and
sometimes all of these. We’ll probably finish with
some sort of impromptu jam session, which you
can join in or ignore – it’s up to you.
More and more beer and Moore and
Moore Beer
At Saturday’s Beer Festival, we have more than
thirty beers and ciders and some top entertainment
lined up; some of it familiar, some of it new. I
guarantee a good time.
Among the favourites at the open mic last year
were Moore and Moore Beer, who sing and play
popular songs with a mix of guitar, saxophone and
harmonica.
They’re also keen fund-raisers. They host the
charity bandstand busks at the Mercia Marina just
down the A50 and last year donated more than
£500 for the free prostate cancer screening at
Uttoxeter racecourse, the cause supported by the
beer festival.
The Marina busking sessions this year are in aid
of a project for traumatised children and young
people from across Staffordshire and Derbyshire.
Based in Osmaston, Nature and Nurture uses novel
approaches like animal therapy for kids with
problems ranging from bereavement to sexual
abuse.
So the causes we support may be deadly
serious, but there’s fun to be had on the way, like
that provided by the Trent Vale Poet. His
performance combines references to Bruce Forsyth,
snooker’s Steve Davis and “a tribute act to the
legendary Jilted John” - a master of surreal comedy.
Watch out!
Moore and Moore Beer, popular performers and
charity fund-raisers.

Let The Voice Be With You
by Les Humphries of Rocester
T
he Government have already done more U
turns than a driving instructor? If they had
got around the table with the Junior
Doctors in the first place, rather than making
contingency plans, they could have avoided the
strikes. They tried to force the Schools to become
Academies which they have now backed away
from, but have still managed to upset parents over
foisting needless exams on young children, and
now they are even tampering with the good old
BBC!
On a lighter, and happier note I attended
Uttoxeter Rugby Football Clubs Annual Dinner
and Awards Ceremony in Uttoxeter Town Hall, for
the usual boisterous night of fun. But unlike the
‘old days’ when it used to be a men only event,
although we have still retained the Dinner Jackets,
ladies are now welcome to come along also, so it
gives the wives and girlfriends a chance to dress up
in their finery, although I’m sure they must find the
speeches a mite boring!
As one of the ‘Old F***s’ present, It was nice
to see so many young faces around. Hopefully they
will stay with the club next season after winning
the League to gain promotion back into Midlands
3 West North.
Unfortunately Uttoxeter failed to do the
‘double’ by winning the Owen Cup when they
were beaten by Rugeley in the Final. The match
ended at 21 points all after extra time, but the
town lost in a sudden death goal kicking dual.
Rugeley didn’t miss, Uttoxeter did! Rob Scragg
who was a former coach and player for the Town
was lured out of retirement during the season to
help out, and made his farewell appearance in the
match at the age of 47.
Back to the Awards Night the Players voted
Adam Springall as their Player of the Year, he also
won the top try scorers award. The Captains Player
of the Year was Adam Tortoiseshell. Second Team
Player of the Year was Ben Gallimore, Best Young
Player was Jake Cabrera, and Most Improved
Player Ant Davies. The Clubman of the Year was
shared between two of the Junior Section Coaches,
Ian Middleton and Kevin Dunn - may they long
continue the good work, but they could do with
more help. I have only covered the event briefly,
because it will most likely have fuller coverage
elsewhere in this edition.
In the face of interference by the powers that
be, BBC still continue to turn out some great tele,
with plays like the award winning Wolf Hall, the
brilliant Night Manager and Line of Duty. ITV
seem to be obsessed at the present time with Ant
& Dec who dominate Saturdays and even Sundays
in their schedules. I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of
Here finished, only to be replaced by Ant & Decs
Saturday Night Takeaway then replaced in the
Saturday slot by Britains Got Talent with Ant &
Dec again. They even presented Her Majesty’s 90th
Birthday Celebration, come on ITV let’s have some
fresh blood!
A lot of forthcoming events this Summer in our
area. The Denstone Players will have held their
AGM when this Edition goes to press, following
record attendances for their Pantomime Cinderella
in February. Their next show will be Noel
Coward’s Blithe Spirit which takes place as always
in Denstone Village Hall on the Thursday 7th,
Friday 8th, and Saturday 9th of July, and will be
Directed by Marge Stanley.
St. Michael’s Church Rocester meanwhile
continue their Summer Events on June the 12th to
celebrate the Queens 90th Birthday, Following the
10:15 Church Service is a ‘Bring a plate to shove’
celebration, there will be games, music, and lots of
fun for all the family. The following Saturday June
the 18th is the Summer Fete which is always a
popular event. Unfortunately this is the same day
as the JCB Mud Run which I am helping to
marshall.
Moving on to July - Saturday and Sunday (9th
& 10th) St. Michaels will be celebrating Gods Gifts
of Creativity and Talents. There will be ‘Have a
go’ sessions, demonstrations and things to look at
and purchase all week end plus refreshments,
finishing with a Songs of Praise at 4pm on Sunday,
and entrance is free. We are looking for local skills
which people would like to share with others For
further information ring Susan on 01889 590617.
Hope there is something to fire your imagination,
see you next time
T T F N Les....
Jack’s nostalgic thoughts...
by Jack Hayhurst, of Alton
Former Painsley High School Woodwork Teacher
Alton Meals on Wheels 40 Years Ago
I
t may be more than 40 years ago when a group
of ladies got together in Alton to provide a hot
meal for anyone in the village that needed a bit
of help. I think the first organiser was Margaret
Forster. When she left the village Mona Shaw took
over and when she retired Sue Green took it on. At
first the meals were cooked in Dorothy Brereton’s
kitchen where there were two cookers. Later on the
ladies worked in their own kitchens at home.
Among the cooks were Annie Faulkner (who
usually did roast chicken) helped by Mrs Bannister;
Madge Wrightson; Jean Lea (who did liver &
onions and the pud); Maxine Rowlinson (did puds
and was the drop-off centre for the HotLock from
Cheadle); Judy Hayhurst (who was proud of her
Christmas dinner one year); Margaret Alcock did
puds. From now on, I know that the following
people helped but do not know whether they
cooked or delivered: Alison Shaw, Mrs Roberts,
Mrs Saint, Lilian Ball, Gwen Henson, Mona Taylor,
Elizabeth Marshall, and probably other lovely
people whose omission is down to my poor
memory.
Meals were once a week and the cooks rotated
every four weeks; there were about 12 customers
at first. In the morning the HotLock was delivered
to the cook. The first job was to fire up a tray of
charcoal which, when it was red hot, went in the
bottom of the HotLock. The Hotlock was a large
aluminium box, and by lunchtime it really was hot.
Local meat came from Hopkinsons’ and
seasonable vegetables came from Hictons’ nursery.
It was all home cooking. A rota of ladies did the
delivery. There were the inevitable stories, like the
day the custard jug got muddled with the gravy;
Alison Shaw got bitten by Miss Wilson’s dog in
Headlwand Way. Sue Green had a struggle through
the snow to a cottage across the fields down Nabb
Lane... etc.
In spite of the meals being really nice,
regulations and red tape took over and the meals
had to be made in Cheadle by the two cooks at
Lightwood Home. The meals were OK. Then it
was decreed that chilled meals would be bought-
in from Ashton-in- Makerfield and just heated-up
in Cheadle, firstly at Lightwood and then at the
High School kitchen.
There was still a rota of volunteers organised
by the WRVS to deliver. The Cheadle round was
usually over 30 people. People that amused us
included two brothers in Queen Street. You could
tell that they didn’t cook; they kept coal piled
round the cooker. You could hardly see across the
room; they liked a big pipe of baccy. One day we
went and Mr Warren said he only needed one
dinner, his brother had gone into Lightwood
Home.
“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that”, I said.
“I’m not” he replied!
One gentleman up Ashbourne Road was
obviously agitated when he angrily yanked his
door open to us one day....”I told them on Tuesday:
no dinner Thursday”.
What amused us was that he was stark naked.
Mr George Bernard Shaw really liked rice
pudding, but it was never on the menu; one day we
broke the rules and took him a tin of Ambrosia.
Calling on his neighbour I asked what music he
was playing on tape...” Proper music that is. New
Melody Band ; I played the drums”.
Many Cheadle people had danced the night
away to their music in the Guild Hall.
Miss Thorley in Queen Street offered us apples
from her orchard, but we hadn’t time to pick any.
She had a roaring fire in the old range but still had
cold hands so she had a row of big pebbles that she
warmed in the oven and held in her apron. A
gentleman at Town End always loaded us up with
sweets when we went. And so forth...
These things were all rather nice but sadly the
meals went down from home-cooking to
institutional grub that would keep you alive but
not cheer you. And then the professionals took
over and the WRVS system was stood-down. You
can now get a stock of frozen meals and
microwave them. Sensible really!

Karen’s Cake Corner
by Karen Hill
Chocolate Malteser Cake
I
t was my daughter’s boyfriend’s 18th
birthday last month and she wanted me to
make him a chocolate cake to incorporate
Maltesers which he loves. I have been making
this cake for years and is always very popular.
The icing has a lovely maltiness, and I always
try and fit as many Maltesers as possible on
the top!
For the cake you will need:-
150g soft light brown sugar
100g caster sugar
3 eggs
175ml milk
15g butter
2 tbsp Horlicks
175g plain four
25g cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
Half a tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the Icing:-
250g Icing sugar
1 tsp cocoa
45g Horlicks
125g unsalted butter
2 tbsp boiling water
At least 2 packets of Maltesers for
decoration!
Preheat your oven to 160C. Grease and
line two 20cm cake tins with greaseproof
paper.
Whisk together the sugar and eggs until
light and frothy. Next heat the milk, butter
and Horlicks in a small saucepan until the
butter melts, but not boiling. Add the milk
mixture to the sugar and eggs and mix
thoroughly. Fold in the sieved flour, cocoa,
baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
Divide the cake mixture evenly between the
two tins and bake in the centre of the oven
for approximately 25 minutes or until the
cake springs back when pressed gently. Let
the cakes cool and then turn out onto wire
rack.
Put the icing sugar, cocoa and Horlicks
into your food processor and give it a quick
blitz to remove any lumps, or alternatively
sieve. Add the butter and whilst this is
mixing, slowly add the boiling water and mix
until you have a smooth buttercream.
When the cakes are cold, sandwich the
sponges together with half the buttercream,
spreading the other half on top. I the put as
many Maltesers as I can on top of the
buttercream without them rolling off!
I used to make this cake when I had
children visiting, but I found it was even more
popular with the mums!
Baby Sensory
by Laura Johnson
Music To My Ears
M
usic is brain food for babies. It plays a
huge role in both the intellectual and
physical development of all of us. Babies
can hear sounds in the womb and will recognise
familiar sounds after birth too. Hearing these
familiar sounds can help baby to settle into the
brand new world they have arrived in, white noise
that comes from your vacuum or washing machine
can be settling for babies too as it sounds very
similar to the swooshing sounds they heard when
they were in the womb.
The music you introduce to your baby can also
have a big influence on their mood and well-being.
Classical music for example can help to soothe and
calm a stressful baby, some studies have looked
into the influence of classical music on babies and
if it can make them smarter, this has yet to be
proven however if it helps your baby to relax and
in turn sleep more soundly then its definitely worth
downloading some Mozart onto your iPod.
Along with soft instrumental music, babies will
also be settled by familiar lullabies especially ones
sung by a parent or someone close to them. The
sound of a familiar rhythmic voice can be just what
a baby needs to hear when settling off to sleep, go
ahead sing to your baby, it doesn’t matter what
your voice sounds like your baby will love it.
Music can also have a stimulating effect on
babies, music with a faster tempo can help your
baby to concentrate on the rhythm and studies
have shown this can help with listening skills too.
This ‘upbeat’ music can also provide a great
opportunity to dance with your baby, don’t be shy
its lots of fun and your baby will love to be held
into your body and move with you to the music,
the rhythm of your heartbeat will
also provide a wonderful
experience.
During the first year, babies
can learn to make their own
music and by giving them
instruments to play can not only
help concentration it can also
improve hand-eye co-ordination
and improve their sense of
expression.
When babies learn to grasp
objects, a musical instrument can
be a great toy for a baby to
explore. At three months a baby
will be able to hold a shaker or a
bell, and as they grow and learn
to move it for themselves they
will be able to make their own
music. As babies grow and hand-
eye co-ordination improves a
wooden spoon and washing up
bowl or baking tin can provide
hours of fun when used as a
homemade drum.
In classes every week we
provide lots of different music,
from the original Baby Sensory songs we use, to
the traditional nursery rhymes we sing, and to the
classical background music we use to create a baby
friendly atmosphere it all helps to give our babies
a wonderful sensory experience.

Shosh qualified from the Royal Veterinary
College in London, and has been working as a
small animal vet at Blue House Veterinary Centre
in Biddulph since 2009. She has a rescue cat
named Bagpuss.
Alabama Rot
I’m sure we’ve all heard of Alabama rot - even if
not by name. It’s the mysterious disease causing dogs
in certain parts of the country to become seriously ill
and even die, and it strikes fear into the hearts of dog
owners everywhere. But what exactly is Alabama rot,
how do we recognise it and can we prevent it?
What is Alabama rot?
It’s a good question. The full, technical name for
this disease is ‘cutaneous and renal glomerular
vasculopathy’ (CRGV for short), which basically
translates as a disease of blood vessels in the skin and
kidneys. Originally identified in greyhounds in the
1980s, the name ‘Alabama rot’ stuck because the first
cases were recorded in Alabama in the USA. It’s
always been rare, but in 2012 cases started popping
up in the UK and to date there have been around 60
confirmed cases on this side of the pond.
Frustratingly, the precise cause of Alabama rot
remains elusive - but it’s often suspected to be a toxin
produced by a rare form of E. coli bacteria. Fungal
infections, viruses and other toxins have all also been
considered, and as research continues we may well
find that more theories come to light in the future.
Symptoms of Alabama rot
As mentioned previously, Alabama rot is a disease
of blood vessels - specifically those in the skin and
kidneys. Therefore the signs reflect a problem in these
parts of the body.
In all cases reported so far, dogs have skin lesions
that appear as open sores and sometimes ooze. The
majority are found on the legs, but the muzzle and
tongue are also affected in some dogs. The sores are
often painful, and may cause lameness if they affect
the feet.
A few days after the skin sores appear, the dog’s
kidneys fail. The signs of acute kidney failure are
quite vague - lethargy, reduced appetite, increased
thirst and/or vomiting - and also occur commonly
with a range of other diseases. Most dogs with
Alabama rot also run a fever, which is again a pretty
non-specific symptom.
It’s not known how long after going for a walk
the signs of illness will develop. It’s thought that most
cases develop within a week, but some may take a
month but others only a few days.
Which dogs are at risk?
To date, Alabama rot has been reported all over
the UK. While early cases were confined to the New
Forest on the south coast, there have now been
reported cases as far north as Yorkshire. In the North
West and Midlands, dogs have been treated for
Alabama rot near Macclesfield and after walking in
Delamere Forest, Cheshire. One dog sadly died before
last Christmas having walked at Dimmingsdale, near
Alton, but it’s not certain that the dog contracted the
disease there because they had also walked in other
parts of the country.
The condition seems to have a seasonal pattern,
with most cases seen through winter and spring rather
than over the summer and autumn.
In the US, where the disease was originally
reported, virtually all cases involved greyhounds. In
the UK, however, a variety of breeds have been
affected including Springer spaniels, collies, Jack
Russells, Labradors, Staffies and crossbreeds; in short,
it doesn’t appear that any one breed is at increased
risk.
What to do if you suspect your dog has
Alabama rot
It’s important to remember that vets see dozens of
dogs with sore skin every week, and that virtually
none of these are Alabama rot. Skin infections,
wounds, insect bites, yeast infections, allergies and
parasites commonly cause skin problems and these
are rarely serious. However, it should be said that if
you have any concerns about a strange lesion that has
appeared on your dog, it is best to seek veterinary
attention as soon as possible.
Symptoms of acute kidney failure are, as discussed
above, vague and can be equally explained by a
myriad of other conditions. Again, if your dog
appears unwell - and especially if they are suddenly
drinking more than usual - contact your vet for advice
as soon as possible.
There is currently no specific treatment for
Alabama rot. Affected dogs must be managed with
supportive care as for any case of acute kidney
disease, with hospitalisation for intravenous fluids
and correction of electrolyte abnormalities.Treatment
is highly intensive and likely to be costly. Vets are
advised to consult with a specialist in suspected cases.
Sadly, current figures suggest that around 9 in 10
dogs with Alabama rot don’t survive despite
treatment.
How to avoid Alabama rot
Obviously, until we know for certain what causes
Alabama rot, it makes it very difficult to reliably
prevent it.
While walking in woods and forests during winter
and spring seems to be a risk factor, it should be
remembered that thousands of dogs all over the UK
do this every day and that only around 60 confirmed
cases have ever been confirmed in this country: it’s
very rare. There are currently no specific
recommendations to avoid walking anywhere in
particular, but the Forestry Commission has advised
owners to be aware of what their dogs are doing on
walks and prevent them from chewing or eating
anything they find.
Currently, the best way to tackle Alabama rot is
to check your dog daily for skin sores and see your
vet promptly if you have any concerns.
Always seek advice from your vet if you are in any
doubt.
Talking Pets
by Shoshannah McCarthy BVetMed (Hons) MRCVS
Pictures of skin lesions in dogs with Alabama Rot - published by Holm et al in the Veterinary Record, 2015.
My Monthly Musings
by Cecily Cowans of Cheadle
S
o here we are in the ‘…merry, merry month of
May…’ May is a merry month, a happy
month. There are two long weekends for us
to enjoy and a week off school for our youngsters.
We often enjoy better weather and the blossom on
the trees is a delight. Unless you suffer from hay
fever. I’ve loved this month since my daughter was
born on the fifth day of the month, twenty-five
years ago. How those years have flown!
Did you miss me last month? Did any of you
think that I didn’t muse on the month of April
because my prophecy of Wales winning the Six
Nations championship did not come true? Maybe
I need to confess that I spent April consuming huge
quantities of humble pie… or maybe leek pie.
Although my confidence in Wales’ abilities did not
come to fruition, I firmly believe that everyone is
entitled to his or her opinion. I was never a fan of
Margaret Thatcher. This may offend some of you
but I also believe that we are all entitled to express
our political opinions. One of Mrs. Thatcher’s
proclamations that resounded with me at the time
was her declaration, on the steps of Number 10,
that: ‘We are a Grandmother.’ She was greatly
ridiculed at the time as she seemed to be
channelling the ‘We are not amused’ statement of
the former longest reigning Queen of our shores.
On reflection, and particularly due to a recent
event in my life, maybe our first (and only, to date)
female Prime Minister was overcome with emotion
and, without the prop of a readily prepared script,
did not know how to express these new emotions.
The delight of welcoming a grandchild, a
grandson, another generation of the family and one
to carry on the family name. I now have something
in common with Mrs, T. We, too, are a
Grandmother, or rather a Nana. The next
generation of our family is here. This is my reason
for not having mused in April, I was far too busy
cooing over the baby and over the many lovely
clothes, books and toys that are available. I am
now back on track. See you in June!

Ginny’s Community Corner
by Ginny Gibson of Uttoxeter
H
ave you ever asked
yourself, in 2016,
what can you buy for
5p?
A plastic bag from the
supermarket, maybe a chewy
sweet or how about becoming
a member, in a co-operative
society, which allows you to
gain the right to sell goods, you
have made, at Country
Markets all over the UK?
That’s right, there is a local
co-operative working in
Uttoxeter, Leek Moorlands,
Stone, Lichfield, Stafford,
Tamworth, Derby that is called
the Country Markets, it is
linked to the national co-
operative of course, and for
5p, you become a shareholder,
which gives you a share in the
co-operative, that allows you
to sell your home made
produces to the public.
That small amount of
money will open a world to
you that will allow you to sell or show case the skills
and talents that you have, while encouraging the
public to discover the diversity of local produce.
In Uttoxeter , the Country Market, which is open
on Wednesday mornings from 8-12 in Wilfred
House, Cater Street, ST14 8EY (nearly opposite the
White Hart Hotel, and next door to St John
Ambulance building), has 11 co-operative members
who sell a range of home-made Jams, Pickles,
Chutneys, Cakes, Pastries, Puddings, Savoury Pies,
Gluten Free and Vegetarian items (made to order),
Stained glass Sun Catchers, Jewellery, Cards,
Vegetables (that are in season), Plants and flowers
plus a Café too. Oh and if you want a hamper or
cake for a special occasion, then these are available
to order.
So how does it work? Jean Gallimore explained
it to me. Firstly you become a member for your 5p
share, then you make your produce – Jean makes
incredible cakes for her stall and she comes along
every Wednesday at 7.30am and sets out her cakes
and you and I can buy from her and the money from
her sales goes to the Co-operative. At the end of the
month she gets paid for her sales, minus a small
commission to cover the running costs and
insurance. Other co-operative members, Margaret
and Helen also make cakes, so you have a huge
range to choose from, what heaven!
The only rules are that whatever you sell on your
stall is home grown, home-made, hand crafted by
you. They do not buy in goods for resale nor do they
provide stalls to third parties. But you can be assured
that all the goods are of high quality, as they have a
guidelines booklet to follow, which ensures that
everything is produced to exacting standards.
The members that I met on the day I visited were;
Jean Gallimore, Wendy Dyche, Adam Dyche, Bernice
Triccas and Christal Walker were really proud of the
fact they were local people producing local foods
and items to sell locally. What I was impressed by
when I walked up the corridor to the market in
Wilfred House was the smell of bacon cooking and
fresh coffee. They have a café where you can get
bacon and eggs and a coffee or tea at 8am, while
shopping at the stalls. The stalls on the day I visited
had a huge array of jams, chutneys and lemon curd,
my favourite. Then Cakes and Pies next to that,
while Tomato plants were nestled in the corner near
to the wonderful home-made cards, and a fantastic
jumper was on display, next to a lovely smocked
dress for a child.
Jean explained that if you want a jumper knitting
then that can be done, if you have a favourite cake
or a special occasion, then an order can be taken and
if you love lemon curd, like me, and want to stock
up then place the order too or just buy all the pots
that are on the stall that day!!! All the vegetables and
plants are seasonal, like it used to be, before
supermarkets made everything available all the time.
Not that I mind supermarkets, but I do miss the days
when you looked in the vegetable basket and knew
which month of the year it was, but then I am old
fashioned and the world has moved on.
Enough of me and my by gone day musings. The
facts behind the Country Markets are very
interesting, they were set up in 1919, when the WI
were invited by the predecessor of Defra to set up
co-operative markets to sell surplus products. The
first WI produce market opened in Lewes, Sussex
using the principle that to become a producer and
gain the right to sell goods at
the market, you must become a
shareholder in the society, be
over 16 and pay a shilling (5p).
By 1932 the WI markets were
grouped into societies for ease
of administration and to
formalise market procedures.
Then in 1975 the Staffordshire
WI Market Society was
formed. By 2004 Country
Markets was established and
the WI was dropped from the
name. Presently, Country
Markets co-operative have 50
participating regions and 300
individual markets in the UK.
So our market in Uttoxeter
is part of a huge network of
women and men making local
things and selling them to local
people. The Country Markets
co-operative nationally has
been part of the “Making
Local Food Work Project” for
years and it tries to focus on
community enterprise as a
solution to local food needs; its aim is to reconnect
consumers to the land by increasing access to fresh,
healthy local food.
One benefit of being part of this huge network
is that if you want to send a home-made gift to a
friend that lives miles away, then you place the order
in our market and the local market near to your
friend delivers it. Jean Gallimore explained that if I
wanted my Mum to get a hamper for Christmas or
her birthday, then I place the order in Uttoxeter and
the local Country Market nearest to my Mum in
Kent, will make up the hamper and deliver it. How
about that for service and great networking too.
So really, you have two ways to support this
market, you can go along on a Wednesday between
8 – 12pm and buy from the stalls that are available
on the day or place an order and collect it. Or you
can become a shareholder for 5p and sell the things
that you have been making and just didn’t know
how to get noticed by the general public, just contact
the Country Markets.
www.staffordshirecountrymarkets.co.uk/
uttoxeter.asp
uttoxeter@staffordshirecountrymarkets.co.uk
Telephone number 01889 563039
Facebook - Uttoxeter Country Market
Country Market share holders
• The Casserole Club
0300 111 8006
www.staffordshire.gov.uk/community/
Casserole-Club/Casserole-Club.aspx
• Uttoxeter and Burton Talking News
01889 565522
www.lichfieldtalkingnews.co.uk/index.html
• Fitness League
01332 513 141 – www.thefitnessleague.com
• North Staffordshire Railway Study Group
www.dmoore.org.uk/nsrsg.php
• Approach
01782 214999 -
www.approachstaffordshire.co.uk
• National Garden Scheme
01889 563930 – cityofgold@lineone.net
• Goldies
01889 562269 – www.golden-oldies.org.uk
• Mum Art Makers
www.mumartmakers.com
• Youth Emotional Support Services
01889 567756 – www.yes-s-org.uk
• Stramshall Indoor Bowls Club
01889 569860
• Cheadle Animal Welfare
cheadleanimalwelfare@hotmail.co.uk
• Staffordshire Wildlife Trust
01889 880100 - www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk
Local Community Groups
Ginny’s Local Community Groups already
featured in The Voice are listed below - why
not email uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk
and ask Ginny to write a feature on your
club or group?

Povey’s People
By Radio Stoke’s Owd Grandad Piggott
‘Ast erd o’ this hydrogen
collider thing?’ Club Paper Jack
asked the question one night in
Tummy Dawkins’s pub.
‘Eh??’ queried Owd
Grandad Piggott looking at him
blankly.
‘Thee’n made this machane.
It’s undergrind someweer in th’
French Alps an’ thee cow it an
hydrogen collider’ elaborated
Club Paper Jack.‘Its a greet lung
peyce o’ pipe as joins up an’ thee
put an isostope in one end an’
one in th’other an’ send ‘em off
so’s thee’l collide in th’middle
an’ thee’l goo off with such a
bang as it’ll create a black ‘ole...
some reckon as it could destroy
the world...’
‘What’s that got do with
uzz??’ said Owd Grandad
Piggott disdainfully.
‘Dussner see?... said Club
Paper Jack enthusiastically. ‘If
way made one – a little ‘un an’
set it off in some drainpipe dine the back alley, it
ud goo off back o’ Tummy Dawkins’s pub, meck a
black ‘ole an’ suck ow the money ite o’ Tummy
Dawkins’s till...’ cause that’s what black ‘oles do –
thee suck stuff into ‘em...’
‘If what they’t on abite’s rate, what’re we
waitin’ fer then? Let’s get bloody crackin’..., said
Owd Grandad Piggott, pound signs rolling around
his eyeballs like the cylinders of a one armed
bandit.
It started the next morning. Daft Gullickson
from the next street had a ricketty old van and the
three of them visited Scrappy Watson’s yard in
Lockett’s Lane and loaded it to the gunnels with
old cast iron drainspout. They dropped it off by
Owd Grandad Piggott’s back gate and went off in
search of old batteries. They gathered ten from
various sources, then found three dolly tubs, an old
copper boiler, three empty oil drums, some rope
then added it all to the rapidly growing pile which
was threatening to block the back alley. I caught
Owd Grandad Piggott knocking seven bells out of
the copper boiler with a large hammer trying to
knock the end of a pipe off it.
‘Oi you old ratbag’, I yelled ‘What the hell’s
goin’ on?’ Owd Grandad Piggott
jumped, spat in the grid and turned to
me.
‘Bugger off!’, he shouted, ‘This’s got
nowt do with they!’
‘Nobody can get down the backs!..
You’re turning this neighbourhood into
a scrapyard...’, I fumed.‘You’re nothing
but a filthy old weapon. I’m ringing the
police about this... you’ve nicked it
from somewhere!’.
‘Ar anna!’, he shouted. ‘Ar’ve towd
they - bugger off!! Mind thee own
business’. I saw his missus in Hilda
Aspinall’s shop and she was in floods of
tears.
‘Whatever’s he doing?’. I asked her.
‘What’s he doin?, she sobbed. ‘He’s
drivin’ may daft, that’s what ay’s doin’...
ah conner stand much more on it...
Lizzzie Lockett’s ‘avin’ a blue fit next
door... ‘er an’ Perce conner get through
their own back gate!’
The mayhem in the backs was
nothing compared to what was to
come. Later that day, Daft Gullickson
and Club Paper Jack turned up with an angle
grinder and proceeded to make a horrendous noise
and create a dense fog of dust as they carved the
drainpipe into sections and started handballing it
along the backs. There were bumps, bangs and
crashes as they spaced the oil drums at intervals,
and booms and curses as they struggled to
manhandle the copper boiler into Owd Grandad
Piggott’s coalhouse. There was a stream of
atrocious language as Gullickson cut his thumb
and nearly murder done when Lizzie Lockett came
out and went for Owd Grandad Piggott with a
brush stale. He howled loudly when the brush stale
connected with his ear.
‘Look at me washin’, yelled Lizzie...’ covered in
dust... I’ll have the police on to you - and you two
gormless bloody idiots...’ then she turned on me
‘What’re you gorpin’ at??’ and she brandished
the stale.
‘Hey, ‘I’m on your side’, I shouted, dodging the
swipe. Lizzie Lockett wasn’t very big but she was
quite dangerous when roused.
Eventually, they decided that it was all in place
and their invention was ready to be tested. The
back alley looked like a war zone. Perce Lockett
had managed to subdue Lizzie and had taken her
inside. A long length of drainpipe had been cobbled
together and ran down the length of the back alley,
round the corner, past the rear of Tummy
Dawkins’s pub and an ‘x’ chalked on it where the
isotopes were planned to meet and create the black
hole. It then did a ‘U-turn and came back to the
copper boiler where Tummy Dawkins’s takings
were to land and another bit of pipe fastened to
the end to complete the circuit.
‘That’s it!’ said Club Paper Jack, the brains of
the operation.‘Wale fire it up on Sat’dee nate at afe
past ten when when th’ till ull bay full an’ wale bay
rich!!
They couldn’t wait for Saturday to come and
arranged to meet in Owd Grandad Piggott’s
coalhouse at nine thirty at night.
‘Hey’, said Club Paper Jack suddenly. ‘Way’ve
got get some isostopes. Way anna got none an’ it
wunner work withite them.
‘Weer d’yer get isostopes from?’ queried
Gullickson. The other two looked blank.
‘Thee’re in medicine anna thee?’, ventured Club
Paper Jack.
‘Ar’ve got some openin’ medicine’, said Owd
Grandad Piggott.
‘That’ll do’, said Gullickson who rivalled Club
Paper Jack in the brains department.‘As long as it’s
medicine, it’ll ‘ave isostopes in it.
So on the Saturday night, they all met in Owd
Grandad Piggott’s coalhouse and tipped a good
dollop of opening medicine down each end of the
pipe and held their breath.
Nothing happened.
‘It needs a catalizer!’ said Gullickson.
‘What’s that?’ said Owd Grandad Piggott
‘Summatt as ull mack it goo off’, said
Gullickson... listen, ar’ve got a firework as was left
over f’m last bonfar nate... ar’ll goo an’ gerrit an’
wale stuff that dine it!’ So Gullickson went to get
the firework which turned out to be an ‘air bomb’
and when half past ten came, they lit it and
dropped it into the drainpipe. The air bomb fizzed
and spat, then with a ‘dunt’ shot a blazing
projectile along the pipe where it exploded with a
thunderous report by Gummy Webster’s back gate.
Gummy Webster was sitting on the outside khazi
two yards away when it blew out the side of the
pipe and nearly gave Gummy a heart attack. Ten
minutes later, the three instigators of the
horrendous explosion hid silently in Owd Grandad
Piggott’s coalhouse as a dozen people charged up
and down the back alley trying to ascertain what
had happened.
Needless to say, Tummy Dawkins’s takings
didn’t transfer to the copper boiler and Gummy
Webster sat moaning quietly on the khazi
promising himself that never again would he touch
any gorgonzola cheese from Whalley Wembley’s.
Each month Radio Stoke’s Owd Grandad Piggott (Alan Povey) will write a unique insight into our
local life and its many characters.
His infectious, humorous slant on people provides a different and unusual mix which hopefully will
bring a warm smile to the faces of our readers.
This month: Hadron Collider
Daft
Gullickson and
Club Paper
Jack turned up
with an angle
grinder and
proceeded to
make a
horrendous
noise and
create a dense
fog of dust...
Owd Grandad Piggott
Go to the new website
www.owdgrandadpiggott.co.uk
and download tracks from the original
Owd Grandad Piggott LP record which
was recorded live by Alan Povey in
The George and Dragon pub in Long-
ton in 1977 and sold over 6,000 copies
in North Staffordshire inside 6 months.

Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice, Issue 64

Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice, Issue 64

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Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice, Issue 64