Citylife in Lichfield June 2021

3

Welcome to
CITYLIFE
Welcome to CITYLIFE in Lichfield, a monthly magazine
bringing you our pick of the city’s news, events and stories.
Each month CITYLIFE in Lichfield is delivered to
businesses and homes in Lichfield, Kings Bromley, Fradley,
Alrewas, Hill Ridware, Whittington, Stonnall, Shenstone,
Hammerwich, Burntwood and Longdon, completely free
of charge; bringing you the best that the city has to offer.
Each issue features heritage stories exploring the rich
history of our area, plus competitions, interviews and the
latest in fashion and style.
Got a story or charity event you want to share with our
readership? Think you’ve snapped an image that captures
the spirit of the city? We want to hear from you!
Our business is bringing you Lichfield’s city life.
CITYLIFE Contacts
Editor - Kristen Lackajis 07885 380632
kristencitylife@gmail.com
Features - Jono Oates 07785 757201 jonocitylife@gmail.com
Advertising -
Barbara Smith 07999 327419 barbaracitylife@gmail.com
Steve Brown 07740 166497 stevebrowncitylife@gmail.com
Rebecca Hill 07970 513144 rebeccahillcitylife@gmail.com
Production -
Helen Smith 07967 154187 helencitylife@gmail.com
Citylife In Lichfield Ltd
PO Box 7126 LICHFIELD WS14 4JS
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@citylifelichfield
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Your Local Magazine
Inside...
6 Local News
What's been happening in and around Lichfield
.............................
32 Cutest Pets
Just a few of your pet contributions
.............................
38 Celebrating 125 Years!
Jono Oates explores the history of the Lichfield
Chamber
.............................
52 CityView
News from Lichfield City Council
.............................
63 Father's Day Gift Guide
Find something special for Dad
From the Editor…
As the end of lockdown is finally nearing, the world is slowly
opening up once again as a new ‘normality’ ensues. It’s safe to say
that Lichfield has become a bustling hub of activity recently, with
shops, restaurants, cafes and attractions coming back to life – it
truly is a wonderful sight to behold as our beloved City regains
its lifeforce.
Of course, it is still prudent that we remain socially aware as the
pandemic has not left us, but is merely under control, and it is
great to see safety measures being employed and utilised
throughout Lichfield.
In this issue, you’ll find more of your favourite news stories,
history articles and local features, and we’d like to once again
take the opportunity to thank all of our loyal readers, advertisers
and supporters who have enabled us to safely and successfully
weather the Covid storm… This issue is dedicated to you all!
Enjoy!
Krissy

5

LOCAL NEWS
6
Visit Lichfield for
Short Breaks
Kirsty McMahon from Visit Lichfield with
Danielle Nicholls and Ross Ballinger from
Drayton Manor Park
Visit Lichfield has launched a short breaks
brochure to help anyone looking for holiday
ideas in the UK to discover what is on offer in
Lichfield District.
The Visit Lichfield short breaks brochure
showcases the many exciting and interesting
attractions to visit as well as the leisure, culture,
shopping and hospitality to be found across the
district, ideal for holiday makers to ‘escape the
everyday’ on a perfect weekend or mid-week
getaway.
The short breaks brochure is available to order
online
at
www.visitlichfield.co.uk/brochurerequest. It is
also available to pick up from the Visitor
Information Centre at St Mary’s in the Market
Square, or it can be downloaded at
www.visitlichfield.co.uk/download.
To find out more about all Lichfield District has
to offer visitors, go to www.visitlichfield.co.uk.
.......................................................................................
City Pedestrianisation
Study
Street activity was measured by cameras to
evaluate vehicle and pedestrian movement
around Lichfield city centre.
Lichfield District Council, working in
partnership with Staffordshire County Council,
carried out a two-week pedestrianisation
feasibility study in May as part of its work to
deliver the Lichfield City Centre Masterplan.
Small cameras were positioned in areas of
Tamworth Street, Conduit Street, Market
Street, Breadmarket Street and Bore Street to
study pedestrian, cycle and vehicle movements
and identify peak times of use.
Lichfield City Centre Masterplan was published
in 2020 to help shape the future growth of
Lichfield city centre, set out opportunities for
enhancing the quality of the city centre
environment, and provide a guide for future
investment in Lichfield. A consultation on car
parking options in February received feedback
from more than 1,000 individuals and
businesses.
Information on the Masterplan is available at
www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/city-centreregeneration.
.......................................................................................
Mayor and Sheriff
Open Canal Walk
Engineering Director, Peter Buck, with Deborah
Baker and Daryl Brown
A new section of Lichfield Canal's Heritage
Towpath Trail has been officially opened.
Canal Walk, stretching 260 yards from the
Longbridge Road footpath to Gallows Wharf at
London Road, was formally opened by the
Mayor of Lichfield, Deborah Baker, and the
Sheriff of Lichfield, Dr Daryl Brown, in a
socially-distanced ceremony attended by a
group of canal restoration volunteers.
Councillor Baker said the Trail ticked every box
in her Mayoral year because she was keen on
the environment and green corridors, and the
Sheriff remembered playing on the filled-in canal
as a child and looked forward to the day when
it was filled in with water.
The Mayor and Sheriff were presented with
paintings of an imagined canal in water by the
artist Stuart Sampson, who helps the Trust raise
funds by offering his work as prizes in a raffle at
https://raffall.com/lhcrt.
.......................................................................................
Permanent Chief Exec
Appointed
District councillors
have formally
appointed Simon
Fletcher to the role
of chief executive of
Lichfield District
Council at the annual
council meeting on
18th May.
The appointments Simon Fletcher
committee reviewed
all the applicants in the original search and
invited two candidates who scored highly in the
first stage of the recruitment process but had
withdrawn before progressing to the next stage.
Having completed the interview process, Simon
was chosen and will take over as chief executive
later this year.
Simon currently works for Agilisys Ltd as Head
of Business Change Practice. Previous roles
include Strategic Director for the Royal
Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead and Deputy
Chief Executive for the Government of the
Falkland Islands.
Tony McGovern will still take over as interim
chief executive from 1st June when the current
chief executive, Diane Tilley, leaves the
organisation.
.......................................................................................
Johnson’s Birthplace
Re-opens
One of Lichfield’s most distinctive tourist
attractions has re-opened after over half a year
of closure due to Coronavirus restrictions.
The Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum on
Breadmarket St, adjacent to the Market Square,
opened its doors to visitors again at 10.30am
on Monday 17th May. The Museum is free to
enter, but tickets must be booked in advance.
Measures introduced at Johnson’s family home
to facilitate reopening include hand sanitiser
available on entry, social distancing markers, and
a one-way system with route markings and
signage to help visitors travel around the
historic building safely. Contactless payments
are available and encouraged for anyone who
wishes to purchase items during their visit. The
Museum has also been certified under the
‘Good to Go’ mark, a scheme run by Visit
England.
Interactive activities have been removed to
avoid contact between visitors, but printable
activities for families can be downloaded from
the Museum website, along with international
language guides.
For more information and to book your free
visit go to the Museum’s website at
www.samueljohnsonbirthplace.org.uk. Contact
the Birthplace team on 01543 264 972 or email
sjmuseum@lichfield.gov.uk.

Advertising Feature
Are you happy with your pensions and investments?
Are your pensions and investments performing to your satisfaction?
Will your Pensions allow you to have the lifestyle you want when you want to retire?
Would you like to speak to a local, fully qualified and experienced financial adviser?
Is it time that you had a free one-hour Financial health check to see if I can help you?
Many of us are starting to think about our savings, investments and pensions. Others are thinking of moving house, taking out life assurance,
booking holidays or just waiting to see what the rest of the year will bring. You may not have had your second vaccine yet but hopefully it
shouldn’t be too long before things are getting back to normal.
I would suggest that looking at your life assurance, savings, investments and pensions should be on your list of priorities for 2021. Your financial
future and that of your families is important so please don’t neglect it. I am still taking on new clients and if you feel that you need advice then
please give me call so we can have a chat. My clients get a personalised service and I see them once or twice a year depending upon their
circumstances.
At Four Oaks Financial Services I am
supported by in-house research, client
liaison and administration teams. I spent
most of 2020 and the first half of 2021
working from home using online meetings
to great effect, keeping in contact with my
clients and advising them during a very
strange year. It shouldn’t be too long before
face to face meetings are the norm.
Your first meeting will be at my cost and
there is no obligation to proceed any
further. Financial Advisers get paid in a
variety of ways and I will explain this to you
when we speak. If you do decide to be a
client then you will get a personalised
service that matches your needs, whatever
they may be, as we are all individuals.
I will carry out a full fact find of your
circumstances and discuss with you your
priorities, where you want to be financially
in the future and how I may be able to help
you get there. I will speak in clear terms and
do my best to try and help you achieve your
goals.
As an experienced Financial Adviser I
work with clients, at all stages of their life, to
help them achieve their financial goals. My
clients are mainly in the Burntwood,
Lichfield and greater Wolverhampton areas,
although I do have clients much further
afield. You can find me on the Independent
rating sites Unbiased and Vouchedfor, via my
website - www.financialadviser.me.uk or the
Four Oaks website – www.fouroaksfs.com
It is often said that people deal with
people, particularly local people, so please
give me a call or drop me an email. We can
have a chat and can take it from there if you
wish.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Robin Place DipFA, CeLTCI, MLIBF
Financial Adviser
0121 323 2070, 07968 504805
robin@fouroaksfs.com
7

LOCAL NEWS
8
BBC Award for
Local Teen
Local teenager, Sebbie
Hall, has been chosen
to receive an Inspiring
Young Person award in
the BBC Radio WM
Make a Difference
Heroes Awards.
Presented by
pantomime legend,
Matt Slack, the Inspiring
Young Person Award is
given to someone aged
17 or under who has
demonstrated courage,
talent or commitment in any field.
Sebbie Hall
Chosen out of hundreds of nominees, Sebbie,
from Lichfield, was awarded this prestigious
title for his good work throughout the
pandemic, which included participating in doing
random Acts of Kindness every day for a year
in order to raise money for charity.
Sebbie initially wanted to raise £1,000 for
charities which help to prevent loneliness in
young people with disabilities, however he has
raised an astonishing £27,000 so far and made
thousands of people smile along the way!
.......................................................................................
Local Charity
Welcomes Celeb
Patrons
Local Charity
Liberty Jamboree
is delighted to
welcome Joanna
Lumley OBE and
actress Mina
Anwar as its two
new Arts Hub
Patrons. The
charity is also
thrilled to have
the support of
Rugby Legend Will Joanna Lumley OBE
Greenwood MBE
for its new mixed
ability rugby opportunity.
Liberty jamboree is a registered charity based
in Burntwood and Tamworth that offers
vocational training, social, fitness, mental
wellbeing groups and job opportunities for
young people with disabilities. Liberty works
with young people aged 11 - 25 from areas
across Staffordshire and the West Midlands.
Recently, Mina produced a song with Libert’s
‘shine and sign’ choir to celebrate international
women’s day with the young people teaching
Mina on Zoom the Makaton signs for the iconic
Helen Reddy song ‘I am Woman’. Mina will be
joining the choir in person at this year’s
Lichfield Fuse Festival on Saturday 14th August.
For more information on the exciting
opportunities at Liberty Jamboree please go to
our website www.libertyjamboree.co.uk.
.......................................................................................
Lottery Cash Trains
Caring Classmates
Pupils from Nether Stowe School
Students at a Lichfield school are to be trained
to become ‘peer mentors’ to help their
classmates deal with wellbeing challenges
brought by the Covid pandemic, in a pioneering
scheme funded by the National Lottery.
Twenty pupils at Nether Stowe School, which is
part of the respected Arthur Terry Learning
Partnership, will be trained as peer mentors to
become Mental Health Champions through
YMCA Heart of England, a local young people's
charity.
Under the scheme, the school’s newly-trained
peer mentors will actively work in the school
community and beyond delivering peer-to-peer
sessions about the importance of wellbeing, as
well as proving one-to-one support to students
who are struggling.
The ground-breaking idea is based on the belief
that children often find it easier to confide in
their peers first, before talking to family
members or school staff.
.......................................................................................
Shenstone Station
Adoption Group
A newly formed group has ‘adopted’ Shenstone
Railway Station as part of West Midlands
Railways’ initiative to involve local communities
with the railway stations.
The Shenstone Station Adoption Group went
‘live’ in May after completing the necessary
health and safety checks and has already set up
its first event. This being an exhibition in the
station ticket office featuring vibrant art
canvases created by the young people of Sutton
Coldfield YMCA and focussed on the theme of
The four members of Shenstone Station
Adoption Group
mental health, particularly in young men.
The exhibition is open daily from 7am-10pm,
although it can be viewed through some of the
station windows if the ticket office is closed.
Another remit of the Group is to enhance the
station and its environment within the village
with the first job being to clear and then replant
the bank above the car park with plants,
grasses and shrubs that will not only be
attractive, but will also attract insects.
.......................................................................................
Rediscover Lichfield
Guided Tours
Visit Lichfield’s guided tours are starting up
again, so small Covid-secure groups can
rediscover the City’s fascinating history.
The socially distanced ‘bubble’ guided tours
offer family and friends groups the chance to
find out more about Lichfield’s historic streets,
buildings and personalities.
The tours, which are available now, can be
booked for a time and date that suits the tourgoers.
A 90-minute tour for up to five costs £30 and
can be booked by calling Visit Lichfield on
01543 308924.
Visit Lichfield’s full programme of tours is
expected to start up again in stage 4 of the
roadmap, which is no earlier than 21st June
2021.
Find out more about Visit Lichfield’s tours at
www.visitlichfield.co.uk/tours.

9

LOCAL NEWS
Cathedral Receives
Further Funding
Lichfield Cathedral has received a grant of
£364,400 from the Government’s £1.57 billion
Culture Recovery Fund to help with recovery
and reopening to visitors following the
pandemic and various lockdowns.
Nearly £400 million has been awarded to
thousands of cultural organisations across the
country, including Lichfield Cathedral in the
latest round of support from the Culture
Recovery Fund.
Lichfield Cathedral has been able to remain
open for worship, adhering to strict Covid
guidelines. It has also offered its services to the
NHS as a giant vaccination centre for the
people of Lichfield. But, in line with all ‘indoor
attractions’, the doors have had to remain
closed to tourists and visitors.
Inevitably this has led to the loss of vital income
as well as extra expenditure involved in keeping
the Cathedral Covid-secure. The grant from the
Government’s Culture Recovery Fund will be
used on essential works to the building and on
core operating costs as the Cathedral looks
ahead to a full summer programme, continues
its recovery and reopens for visitors.
.......................................................................................
Don’t Dump It
- Sort It!
Local construction firms are being encouraged
to follow four simple steps when disposing of
site waste in a bid to cut down on fly-tipping
across Lichfield District.
Lichfield District Council is joining forces with
the Environment Agency to urge construction
10
firms to take
responsibility for
their waste.
In April the council
received 130 reports
of fly-tipping, many
of which contained
builder’s rubble and
other by-products
from
the
c o n s t r u c t i o n
industry, such as
asbestos, which
Church Road in Stonnall
needs to be
handled by professionals.
People posing as genuine waste collectors can
cause serious harm to the environment by
taking construction waste and dumping it. This
is why it is so important to check the details of
anyone paid to remove waste.
Local builders are being encouraged to follow
four simple steps to meet their duty of care:
1. Identify and label waste.
2. Arrange a waste collection service.
3. Check your site waste is going to the right
place.
4. Keep records of the waste that leaves your
site.
Fly-tipping in Lichfield District can be reported
to the council at www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/report.
.......................................................................................
A Beautiful Place
for Coffee
Welcome back to one of the most beautiful
places in Lichfield to enjoy a coffee. The Hub at
St Mary’s is really excited to reopen and be able
to serve customers once again with delicious
coffee, cakes and light bites.
During lockdown the café has taken time to
source some local suppliers and continued to
work with brands that match its values, so it has
opening with a refreshed food offering, a restocked
bar and lots of ‘finishing touches’, ready
to welcome visitors back in.
The Hub Café has refreshed itself with new
parents in mind, making sure the space is
especially welcoming to Lichfield’s newest
residents. Staff have added more kids’ food
options and activities to keep them occupied
while parents relax and enjoy that well-earned
slice of cake in the glorious, relaxing venue.
The Coffee Shop and Bar is open from Tuesday-
Saturday 9.30am-3pm.
Library Members - show your library card for
10% off food and drinks. There are also special
offers for Visit Lichfield Card holders. More
details can be found on website
www.thehubstmarys.co.uk.
.......................................................................................
Repair Work Starts
on Car Park
The upper floors of the multi-storey car park
on Birmingham Road in Lichfield will be closed
for around four weeks during repairs.
The purpose of the work is to replace existing
waterproofing on the top deck of the car park,
carry out some concrete repairs, treat small
areas of corroded steelwork, and repair recent
damage to a section of wall on the ground floor
level.
Site set up began on Monday 24th May 2021
with repair work starting on Tuesday 1st June.
To make way for works, the upper three levels
of the car park - levels 4, 5 and 6 - are closed
from Tuesday 2nd June but the rest of the car
park will remain open.
Details of alternative car park around Lichfield
city centre can be found on Lichfield District
Council’s website at
www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/carparkmap.
To Advertise
call:-
Barbara Smith 07999 327419
barbaracitylife@gmail.com
Steve Brown 07740 166497
stevebrowncitylife@gmail.com
Rebecca Hill 07970 513144
rebeccahillcitylife@gmail.com

11

LOCAL NEWS
12
Classic Car Club’s
Charity Tour
A classic German Borgward
Classic car owners are being invited to take a
spin to help raise money for a local charity.
To celebrate Covid-19 restrictions beginning to
ease, a Classic Car Tour has been organised by
Wolverhampton & South Staffordshire Car
Club for Sunday 13th June 2021, giving classic
car owners the chance to take to the roads to
raise funds for The Community Foundation for
Staffordshire.
The informal convoy (touring assembly) will
have a ceremonial start in Lichfield City at 9am,
before meandering via Barr Beacon, Sutton
Park and the National Memorial Arboretum
(where drivers will be able to take a
refreshment break). The route will continue via
other areas of local interest before finishing at
Bishton Hall, Wolseley Bridge at around 1pm.
There is an entry fee of £38 per car, and any
classic car owners interested in taking part
should visit ‘Cannock Chase Classic Car Tour’
on Facebook for more details.
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Developing the
McClean Way
A study that could see cyclists and walkers
benefitting from a new greenway between
Brownhills and Lichfield is getting underway
soon.
Lichfield District Council is starting work on a
project that could transform a mothballed
railway track into a new cycle and footpath
linking Brownhills to Lichfield.
Working with Network Rail and Sustrans, the
national walking and cycling charity, the council
will assess a section of the old South
Staffordshire Railway line between Lichfield and
Brownhills for its potential to reopen as a
greenway. This would link Brownhills to
Lichfield, continuing the National Cycle
Network which runs between Walsall and
Brownhills.
South Staffordshire Railway initially opened in
1849 and was used for passenger travel and to
transport coal and oil. The branch line has since
been closed to passenger and freight services,
but much of the track still remains.
A feasibility study will be carried out this
summer to understand the scale of the project,
likely issues, opportunities, costs and how best
to develop it. The findings will be used to draw
up a project plan and engage with the local
community and partners.
.......................................................................................
St Giles Summer Raffle
St Giles Hospice, based in Whittington, is
holding its annual Summer Raffle this year in
order to raise funds to continue the good work
that it does for patients with incurable illnesses
and their families.
It costs more than £10 million to provide the
care St Giles offers every year and the hospice
needs to raise £850,000 each month to keep its
services going and continue to support more
local families living with a terminal illness.
Tickets for the hospice summer raffle are now
on sale at £1 each and prizes up for grabs
include a jackpot of £8,000, a second prize of
£2,000 and other cash prizes.
Anyone wanting to enter the draw can find out
more or buy raffle tickets online until midnight
on Wednesday 30th June at
www.stgileshospice.com/raffle or by calling the
Lottery Office on 01543 434020. The raffle
draw will be made on Wednesday 14th July.
Burntwood Voters
Back Neighbourhood
Plan
Voters in the town of Burntwood backed the
Plan in a vote held on 6th May, with 76%
supporting the proposal.
Burntwood parishioners had the opportunity
to vote on their Neighbourhood Plan, which
sets out a strategy for the management of
proposals for new homes, shops and offices that
could be built in the town between now and
2029. It also identifies the infrastructure that
will be needed to support this growth.
.......................................................................................
Cabinet Reshuffle and
New Chair
Last night’s Annual
Council saw
changes to Cabinet
roles announced
and the new Chair
of Lichfield District
Council sworn in.
The Leader of
Barry Gwilt, Chair of LDC
Lichfield District
Council, Councillor Doug Pullen, announced a
number of changes to Cabinet roles at the
Annual Council meeting, held on Tuesday 18th
May 2021 at Burntwood Leisure Centre to
allow for social distancing.
The changes will see Councillor Ashley Yeates
move from Community Engagement to Cabinet
Member for Climate Change and Recycling;
Councillor Richard Cox will move from Leisure,
Parks and Waste to take over responsibility for
Community Engagement; Councillor Iain Eadie,
who remains Deputy Leader and Cabinet
Member for Economic Development and Local
Plan, will add Parks and Leisure to his portfolio;
Councillor Liz Little keeps Major Projects;
Councillor Andy Smith’s role changes to
Cabinet Member for Innovation and Corporate
Services; and Councillor Rob Strachan’s role is
updated to Cabinet Member for Finance,
Procurement and Revenues and Benefits.
Councillor Angela Lax’s role remains
unchanged.
The meeting also saw Councillor Barry Gwilt
sworn in as the new Chair and Councillor Colin
Greatorex as the Vice Chair of Lichfield District
Council.
Councillor Gwilt replaces Councillor Joe
Powell as Chair after two years in the role. As
the Chair, Councillor Gwilt will represent the
district at a range of events that take place
across the district and region, including royal
visits, community events and formal openings.
He will also chair council meetings throughout
the year.

13

Advertising Feature
Slowly Back to a
New Normal
........................
As the country cautiously
emerges from lockdown
local care company Visiting
Angels is continuing to
provide invaluable home
care services to its clients.
Following a massive effort
by both health professionals and the public, May 17th
marked a return to something which resembled a more
normal way of life.
Owner of Visiting Angels, Andrew Lofts, explains: “We
have spent months supporting our clients in their own
homes ensuring they were safe and comfortable.” He
continues: “We support the continuing independence of
our clients and, now that society is opening up again, we
are looking to help those individuals who wish to go out
and partake in those activities they used to enjoy –
whether that is a trip to the shops, a local garden centre
or a stroll around the local park.”
Although the vaccination programme is progressing well
Visiting Angels continues with full infection control
measures including PPE for both carers and clients and
continuing to follow social distancing guidelines.
Andrew concludes: “None of us want to return to
lockdown, we all want a return of our social lives, we must
therefore all take responsibility to curb our initial reaction
to rush out and not to forget those hard earned
achievements.”
14
Advertising Feature
New Showroom for
UK Stoneworx
........................
UK Stoneworx is a family-run business specialising in
providing bespoke granite and quartz kitchen work
surfaces.
The firm has recently expanded by opening a brand-new quartz
kitchen worktop showroom, based on Burntwood Business Park.
Having been established for more than four years, and previously
working from home, the opening of a dedicated showroom is big
news for this local retailer.
Leon, owner and managing director, previously worked as a stone
mason and has over 15 years’ experience working with this
material. Leon progressed to laser templating, creating made-tomeasure
worktops as laser templating is much more accurate
system and allows for more intricate work.
The business provides quartz and granite worktops in a range of
colours and styles. Fireplace surrounds and mantle pieces are also
available, and installation services are offered by the company too.
Leon and the team at UK Stoneworx work with the Silestone
and Dekton ranges, however other brands are also available.
Pop into the new showroom at Unit 28a, Ring Road, Burntwood
Business Park, Burntwood, WS7 3JG. Find out more online at
www.ukstoneworx.co.uk or call 07704 719254.

15

This L.G.B. G gauge locomotive features in Richard
Winterton’s Antiques and Home Sale on June 21.
16
I Used To Have
One Of Those!
...............................
By Jon Price
We certainly get to a see a wide range of toys and games here at
Richard Winterton Auctioneers, from people selling cherished childhood
items to room-size model railway layouts built up over many years.
Traditionally the interest for collectors was in die-cast vehicles, model
railways, dolls and teddy bears and these are all still strongly collected,
but these days there are large numbers of enthusiastic collectors for all
types of toy with Action Man, Star Wars, Film and TV-related, various
action or superhero figures, Subbuteo, Sindy and her friends, Mamod live
steam engines, Britains soldiers, Scalextric and all types of tinplate and
clockwork items being especially popular.
British die-cast vehicles have long been collected with many collectors
concentrating on the so called ‘Golden Age’ of British die-cast which is
roughly the period from the end of World War Two until the middle of
the 1970s.
These years were dominated by the familiar names of Dinky, Corgi, Triang
Spot-On and Lesney Matchbox and these are all highly collectable.
But there are many other smaller manufacturers from this period
some who just existed for a few years in the early 1950s and finding and
identifying these can be an interesting area of collecting.
Toys based on popular TV and film
titles such as the James Bond series
are always very popular can be and
highly sought after; in particular the
Star Wars phenomenon shows no
signs of slowing down.
In general, the earlier Star Wars
figures and vehicles that are marked
with dates from the late 1970s or
early 1980s are of most interest to
collectors.
The Star Wars phenomenon shows
no signs of slowing down.
Unbuilt model aircraft kits really do
fly at auction too, with large collections reaching for the skies to realise
thousands of pounds.
Sought-after brands include Airfix, Matchbox, Italeri and Frog.
We are currently starting to
catalogue several large collections of
trains and model railways for a special
section in our Antiques and Home
Sale on Monday, June 21.
These range from 1950s Tri-ang and
Hornby Dublo items up to modern G
scale trains for use on garden
railways.
The toy market is constantly
changing as different generations get
to a certain age and decide they want
to buy the items they had when
children or items that they always
wanted but were not allowed or
were too expensive at the time.
At present Pokémon cards are in
vogue and there has been an
explosion of interest – and
consequent increase in value! – of the
earliest cards and sets over the last
couple of years, so if you have certain
cards in good condition they can be
worth a great deal of money.
A classic 1960s Corgi James Bond
Aston Martin DB5 model
complete with ejector seat
released to tie in with the film
Goldfinger.
Mamod live steam engines are
popular with collectors.
A good one to look out for is a 1st edition Charizard from the original
or base set No4./102.
So if you have any old toys or games in the loft or the back of a
forgotten cupboard, now would be a good time to get them out and let
us have a look at them, you might well be pleasantly surprised by the
results.
Email enquiries for toys together with a photo of the item directly to
jon@richardwinterton.co.uk.
In-person valuations for toys and collectables as well as jewellery,
watches, silver and antiques on Thursdays at The Lichfield Auction
Centre, Wood End Lane, Fradley Park WS13 8NF can be booked on
01543 251081 or by emailing office@richardwinterton.co.uk.
Richard Winterton Auctioneers has introduced new fortnightly
online Two Day Antiques & Home Sales every other Monday and
Tuesday, starting at 9.30am each day.
Jewellery, watches, ceramics, toys and collectables feature on
Day One with automobilia, household items and furniture
on Day Two.
Viewing by appointment only takes place the preceding
Friday – call 01543 251081 to book.
Visit www.richardwinterton.co.uk/auction-dates to view
digital catalogues online.

17

Lichfield Smiles, the award-winning
denture clinic based in the city, is
set to reopen after what can only
be described as a turbulent two years.
The clinic, run by clinical dental
technician Matt Burnell BSc Hons Dip
CDT RCS (Eng), offers a wholly
personalised approach to all denture
needs, delivering ‘smile solutions’
combined with the utmost of discretion
and exceptional service.
It was just under two years ago that disaster struck for the
renowned clinical dental technician and his dedicated team, when
a devastating flood swept through the period building, situated on
Upper St John Street, causing tens of thousands of pounds worth
of damage.
In the face of all adversity, committed Matt battled on and
continued to offer his services to patients already under his care,
making the visits to him as ‘normal’ as possible for clients, whilst
attempting to rectify the situation.
Sadly, the clinic experienced yet further issues when the Covid-
19 pandemic hit, which rendered the denture centre completely
closed and out of use for many months.
Fast forward to 2021, and the clinic appears to be finally ‘out of
the water’ (excuse the pun!). A brand-new refurbishment, both
inside and outside, means that the clinic is not only looking great,
but is fully compliant with all Covid regulations in order to be able
to safely reopen once again and offer the same fantastic, personal
level of service to its clients.
There is finally light at the end of the tunnel for Matt and the
team, and it’s a glaringly large flashlight-style beacon of light in the
form of yet more prestigious recognition in the world of dentistry!
Matt was recently presented with the title of President of the
British Association of Clinical Dental Technicians (BACDT), the
only UK association for dental technicians. This is not only a great
honour, but an incredible achievement, as the nominations for this
position involve votes from the Board and the association
members too.
What’s more, is that Lichfield Smiles is approaching its 10-year
anniversary so Matt is very much looking forward to celebrating in
style after what has been an extraordinarily challenging period!
“My main ambition now is to push advances in treatment
protocols and techniques, while raising awareness of clinical dental
technology within the dental profession and to the general public,”
comments Matt with, of course, the widest of smiles!
Find out more about Matt and Lichfield Smiles by visiting
www.smiles.uk.com of calling 01543 415288.
18
All Smiles as Local
Dentist Reopens!
.........................

19

Vintage Train Trip
Rescheduled
.........................
Apostponed special Charter Train Service from Lichfield to
Buxton and the High Peaks has now had a new date
confirmed.
The service, originally scheduled for 18th April was postponed due to
the Covid-19 lockdown however, following discussions with the train
operators and the rail authorities, Transport For Britain is delighted to
announce that the service has been rescheduled for Sunday 18th July.
The train has been chartered to raise awareness and support for plans
to reopen the railway line between Lichfield and Burton to regular
passenger trains and for the construction of a new station at Alrewas.
The train will be made-up of vintage 1980s rolling stock, with both first
class and standard seats available, and will run from Lichfield to the
beautiful spa town of Buxton via the Hope Valley calling at Edale.
Refreshments and toilets will be available onboard.
The train will depart Lichfield at 10.38 arriving at Edale at 12.14 and
Buxton at 13.07. The return journey will depart Buxton at 17.18, stopping
at Edale at 18.20 and returning to Lichfield at 20.22*.
Pete Longman, Managing Director of Transport For Britain, said: “This
is a great opportunity to raise the profile of the campaign to reopen the
line between Lichfield and Alrewas. Ticket holders will enjoy travelling in
style and have the opportunity to either explore Edale and the
surrounding area of the Peak National Park or alternatively, they can soak
up the atmosphere in one of Britain’s foremost Georgian spa towns. Visit
the Pavilion Gardens, perhaps take in the Buxton Crescent Heritage
20
Stepping Out
By Jo Howell
.........................
Have you ventured out to a restaurant yet?
Found yourself in a beer garden on a Friday
evening, catching up with friends? Or maybe
you’ve dug out the gym gear and headed to a class? If
you have, I hope the experience was worth the long
lockdown wait… and if you haven’t? That’s perfectly
ok.
I’m going to let you into a little secret - I actually feel
quite apprehensive about doing some of these things. A huge part of me
wants to throw myself back into the life we all once knew and embrace
everything on offer but there’s another part that’s putting the brakes on
and encouraging me to stop, breathe and just wait.
And these feelings are perfectly normal. So, my top three tips for
‘Stepping Out’ after Lockdown are:
Take it Slow
It’s understandable that your emotions may be a little erratic and
ranging from high to low on the same day. You may feel nervous about
stepping out of your comfort zone again and doing things that feel a little
Centre – part of the newly opened Crescent Hotel complex, or while-away
the hours in one of Buxton’s many tea rooms, bars and restaurants.”
Tickets for this special day out to one of the county’s most beautiful
destinations are available from Eventbrite, priced at £60 standard class
and £80 first class plus booking fees (terms and conditions apply). Visit
www.arboretumline.uk/charterservice to get your tickets. If you would
like any further information prior to booking email the Transport For
Britain Team at charter@arboretumline.uk.
*Train times may be subject to change and will be confirmed prior to
the date of departure.
unusual – just take it one step, or day, at a time and do what’s right for
YOU.
Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
Just because you neighbour/friend/colleague is living their best life now
the latest restrictions have been lifted, doesn’t mean you have to.
We’re constantly bombarded with people who live their lives on
Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Social media can be a great source for
inspiration. But, if it triggers inadequacy, self-doubt, and frustration, then
choose to do a detox.
The only person you should compare yourself to is… YOU.
Focus on the Positives
Sometimes it’s hard to find the light in what has been a very unsettled
year but even the stormiest of seas has a calm horizon eventually.
Resetting your mindset, playing your favourite music, and even 10
minutes of mindful meditation, can all help you feel, and live, a more
positive life. Remember, YOU are in charge of both your mind and your
actions.
One day, we will look back on these times; they will be part of our
history. We will have good, happy memories and we will have ones we’d
rather forget. So, as you (may) start to step out, ask yourself – can I learn
from the past, live in the present and believe in the future?
Yes, YOU can!
Read more of Jo’s work at www.justanaveragejo.blog.

As a family Jennifer Ashe & Son Funeral Directors know and
understand that the death of a loved one can be a traumatic and difficult
time. We are here to offer guidance and support to ensure the funeral
of your loved one not only gives you comfort but honours the
memories and life they leave behind. Jennifer Ashe & Son have
supported families across the West Midlands, Staffordshire and
Birmingham since opening their first funeral home in 2016 and are
proud to be 6th year running award winners of ‘Best of Three’ for
Walsall.
With branches based in Hednesford, Brownhills, Walsall and
Willenhall, and a further two opening in Wolverhampton and
Birmingham in the coming months, as well as our own in house florist
and stone mason, we are best placed to support families across the
whole of the West Midlands and Staffordshire when making
arrangements for their loved one’s final goodbye.
Jennife Ashe & Son have an envied reputation for delivering excellent
care and quality, we are proud to offer families a range of services from
the most simple to the most elaborate of funerals, we have several
packages aimed at supporting families whatever their budget. We are
committed to ensuring that funerals remain affordable for families, we
review our pricing structure along with those of our competitors
weekly, not only to allow families choice in the various types of service
they may want, but also giving them confidence that they are getting the
best possible service and care for their loved one, we are also proud of
our ‘Never Knowingly Overpriced’ guarantee, this is our promise to
families that if they do find the exact same services offered by another
Advertising Feature
Jennifer Ashe & Son Funeral Directors
...........................................................
Funeral Director at a lower rate we will of course match and beat that
rate.
Our most popular ‘at need’ funeral is the ‘Complete Cremation
Package’ priced at £2,600. This includes; Bringing a loved one into our
care day or night, completion of all legal paperwork, care in our
professional facilities, viewing in our private chapels of rest, all our
services for acting as Funeral Director, a Jaguar Hearse, a Jaguar
Limousine, Coffin, 3ft floral coffin spray, 30 Order of Service booklets,
Cremation at any Crematorium, Religious or Non Religious Funeral
Celebrant and payment of Cremation Certificates.
Planning ahead;
As with anything these days, the costs of funerals are also rising year
on year, we are finding that many families are choosing to protect their
loved ones from the increasing costs by paying for their funeral in
advance. We have a prepayment specialist available in each branch to
support those wanting to make arrangements to pay for their funeral in
advance, we have a range of prepaid funeral plans designed to suit all
budgets and requirements allowing plan holders both reassurance their
funeral wishes are followed as well as comfort that they will not be
leaving their families with the extra financial burden of paying for funeral
expenses.
In line with our commitment to offering affordable funerals as well as
being open and transparent all of Jennifer Ashe & Son’s prices are
published on our website; www.jafunerals.co.uk.
21

Your Garden in June
By Byron Lewis
What a cold start we've had to the gardening season so far - we're
due a decent bit of weather soon surely? Hopefully now the danger of
frost is over and you can safely plant out your summer patio plants
without the risk of those low overnight temperatures. While planting, it's
worth adding some slow-release feed into your pots and hanging
baskets to give them an extra boost - this will feed for the rest of the
summer, so all you have to do is add water!
Unfortunately, as temperatures rise, so too do the pest and disease
problems. The dreaded blackspot or fungal leaf spot, as well as greenfly,
are two issues common to many plants. Garden hygiene is the best
method of control for both of these - remove affected leaves early. Also
clear the soil around shrubs of any old leaves - the spores that cause leaf
spots will lurk on these leaves and quickly spread back onto healthy
growth.
Greenfly can be treated with soapy water, or you can physically
remove most of the problem by hand. If you see ladybirds nearby, they
will enjoy feasting on these sweet tasting bugs (I was also told once by
a lecturer at college who was into organic methods of pest control that
greenfly were sweet to eat - none of the class ever took him up on the
offer!)
If you have major problems, you can spray with Roseclear once every
three weeks or so (taking care to avoid getting spray onto buds and
flowers) - Roseclear is a combined pesticide and fungicide so one spray
will tackle two problems.
Jobs in the rest of the garden:
• Feed and water lawns regularly
• Keep an eye on weeds in beds and borders - consider applying a bark
mulch to prevent weeds and reduce watering too.
• In the greenhouse, maintain good ventilation - lack of airflow is a major
cause of disease in vegetable crops grown under glass.
• Perennial plants are just starting to come into flower - think about
filling any gaps in your borders with these for continued colour every
year.
• Later in the month, you can start to sow seeds of autumn flowering
plants like pansy, viola and the like - also on the subject of seeds... pop a
few nasturtium seeds into your summer pots and baskets to give a
splash of colour towards the end of the summer.
Byron Lewis runs Lichfield Garden Centre, at
Curborough Countryside Centre in Lichfield. Tel: 01543
254306, visit the website at
www.lichfieldgardencentre.co.uk or find
on Facebook and Twitter.
22

23

Holiday Hounds
Top Tips
By Lauren Hirst
...............................
With lockdown now
easing many people
are planning a staycation this
year with their canine
companions. Since
greyhounds are used to
travelling during their racing
careers, they generally make
excellent travel companions.
Remember, the Highway
Code states that motorists
need to ensure dogs are
“suitably restrained” while
travelling in a car. Not doing so
could result in a large fine and
invalidated insurance if you had
an accident. Use a good quality
harness with a seat belt clip, dog guard or crate to keep your dog safe.
Never leave any dog unattended in a car even with the windows cracked but greyhounds
especially feel the heat due to their physiology. Temperatures can soar in minutes. When driving
be mindful that the back of the car can be hotter than the front, even with air conditioning so
plan frequent stops and bring plenty of water. Window shades help block direct sunlight. There
are a selection of “cooling coats” on the market that make such a difference in keeping your dog
cool but keep checking to make sure it’s still wet.
Equally, greyhounds also feel the cold so remember to pack coats or pjs for the evenings,
especially if you’re caravanning or camping with your hound.
If your dog is a nervous traveller (and even greyhounds can get stressed – cars have windows
– so much to see compared to a trainer’s van!) there are calming products you can give your dog
prior to travel. Natural remedies, such as Adaptil collars, Valerian tincture, YuCalm, Calmex and
others, can help, but speak to your vet as some remedies need a vet prescription.
Just like humans, greyhounds enjoy a change of scenery – lots of new sniffs and places to
explore but take it easy especially if it’s your retired greyhound’s first holiday. They will be
exhausted from all the mental stimulation. Greyhounds already excel at snoozing. What a great
excuse for humans to have a siesta too – the dog needs a nap so might as well join in! Another
top tip is to attach an additional dog tag with the address of where you’re staying in case your
dog gets loose.
Bring plenty of your dog’s own food – holidays are not the time to change diet and greyhounds
are well known for having sensitive tummies at the best of times.
When scouting out dog friendly places to go, be aware of public footpaths with stiles! This is
something we learned the hard way. Lifting a 34kg greyhound over a stile is not for the fainthearted
but usually ends in fits of laughter and some funny noises coming from said greyhound!
Bridleways are often a better bet. Greyhounds love the beach (perhaps the sand reminds them
of the track) and they often start digging to Australia!
If you’d like a greyhound companion to join you on your staycation this year, please get in touch.
Greyhound Trust Hall Green has over 40 dogs in its kennels. Harry told me to tell you that he’d
love a trip to the seaside with a new family! If you can make his wish come true, phone us 0121-
426-4810, email hallgreen@greyhoundtrust.org.uk or visit our website
www.greyhoundtrusthallgreen.org.uk to find out more.
Heart of
the Country
The original rural
shopping village
Heart of the Country is thrilled to be
open again and offer its visitors a Covidsafe
destination to shop, dine, relax and
enjoy. The renovated red-brick barns
are home to eighteen stylish and
eclectic local businesses, including an
award-winning hair salon, four
independent eateries and a woodland
walk fairy trail. The site is dog-friendly,
with a large free car park, making it the
perfect place to spend a couple of hours
shopping or enjoying the fresh air in a
leisurely, friendly atmosphere.
Heart of the Country Shopping
Village, A38, South Swinfen,
WS14 9QR.
Open: 10am-5pm,
Tuesday-Sunday
24

Now open 7 days
a week
25

Wildfire Folk are Back!
Advertising Feature
New Members Wanted
...............................................................
They may have only managed to rehearse three times in
the past 12 months but Lichfield’s Youth Folk Ensemble,
Wildfire Folk, are now rehearsing once again following
the recent Covid-19 restriction changes. They even have a new
Musical Director to help steer the band out of these troubled
times.
The band was originally formed in 2009, when Lichfield Arts
commissioned a workshop to introduce the folk genre to the young
people in the local area which resulted in the first ever performance
of Wildfire Folk.
Twelve years on, they have released four EP CDs and, before the
pandemic hit, were playing to audiences around the country, at
festivals, church services and fundraising events. With regular
performances in and around Lichfield, they now have quite a
following. Something that they are really looking forward to doing
again.
The group, due to its youthful nature, has regenerated itself on
many occasions as band members leave for university and new
members join, but through all the changes, the same fun vibrant and
funky style has always remained at the heart of this unique group.
It’s Folk music, but not as you know it and previous compilations
created by the group have included samples from Lady Gaga, Dr
Who and James Bond! Band members regularly receive top-class
tuition at weekly rehearsals and also get the chance to perform and
grow in confidence as part of a fantastic music group.
“If you only know how to play a few notes we will find something
for you to play, if you're a genius we will challenge you! No
experience required in playing folk music or learning by ear. This is
an amazing experience that will improve all aspects of your musical
and performance skills!”
Wildfire are always on the lookout for new band members aged
between 10 – 25, so if you can play any instrument from Grade 2 or
equivalent standard (no certificates needed), then this band could be
for you. They rehearse every Thursday evening in school term time,
from 6pm till 8pm at Wade Street Church Hall, Frog lane, Lichfield,
WS13 6HL. If you are interested, or know someone who may be,
please come or bring them along to one of our rehearsals. You can
find lots of information at www.wildfirefolk.co.uk or find them on
Facebook.
Got a story or
charity event you
want to share with
our readership? Think
you’ve snapped an
image that captures
the spirit of the
region? We want to
hear from you!
Contact Citylife at
kristencitylife@gmail.com
26

27

Learn How and Why to
Record Wildlife
By Mitchell Lakin
........................
With a big thanks to the
National Lottery Heritage
Fund, Transforming the Trent
Valley are excited to host our
free “Discovering and Recording
Wildlife” event for families on
Saturday 19th June at Croxall
Lakes Nature Reserve.
This day is part of Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s 30 Days Wild, which
encourages people to do something wild every day for the month of June.
On the weekend of 19th/20th June, the Trust are asking people to take
part in the ‘Big Weekend Wildlife Watch’, looking for and recording wildlife
in your local areas.
Spotting wildlife can be a lot more than a pastime. Finding and recording
species data is hugely important to understanding and protecting our local
environment and the wildlife that resides there. During our event at
Croxall Lakes, staff and volunteers from Transforming the Trent Valley will
Festival
Friends Family
Explorers’ Trail
By Jono Oates
............................
guide you through what a wildlife record is, and how to submit them while
you explore the wildlife of this beautiful nature reserve. Families will also
receive a free Transforming the Trent Valley wildlife ID guide and survey
booklet to explore the Trent Valley and its wildlife.
To ensure Covid safety and social distancing, the event will be split into
three timeslots – 10-11.30am, 12-1.30pm and 2.00-3.30pm. Head to our
website www.thetrentvalley.org.uk/events.php for more information and
to book your space. For more information about 30 Days Wild, see
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s website www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk.
The walking is easy, with the only main road to cross being Beacon
Street (please use the pedestrian crossing) and there are lots of lovely
views and points of interest along the way.
The PDF includes the answers so you can either check the answers as
you go or wait till the end and see how many you have got correct! The
trail takes about an hour, depending on how quickly you spot the clues -
and whether you stop for a drink and cakes as you walk round!
The Lichfield Explorers trail is fun, family-friendly and informative and
a great way to get outdoors this summer and discover the history of Ye
Olde Citye of Lichfield!
The PDF is available via email at explorers@lichfieldfestival.org.
Ilove a history trail of Lichfield, so I was delighted to try out the
new family-friendly history trail of Lichfield from the Lichfield
Festival Friends group recently.
The trail, called Lichfield Explorers, is available as a PDF either sent via
email for £5 or printed and posted to you for £6.50. This is the first trail
provided by the Festival Friends, who help to support, promote and raise
funds for the Lichfield Festival, but there may be more in the future if the
trail proves to be successful.
The trail starts at the corner of the Market Square, on Dam Street and
then goes past Minster Pool, into the Cathedral Close, through to the
herb garden of Erasmus House via the Vicars’ Close, then across Beacon
Street to the Museum Gardens at Beacon Park before re-crossing the
road to walk along Minster Pool Walk and finishing the trail back on Dam
Street.
There are 32 clues to find on the trail, so there is a clue to spot every
few metres and there is always something to see and find, which will keep
the younger children fully occupied. The clues are all quite visible and not
hidden away plus there are no cryptic clues to unravel. Several of the
clues involve reading signs and plaques which are either at eye-level or
higher up so you will need to keep your eyes peeled.
28

29

Theatre is Back!
..........................
It’s been a long hiatus during lockdown without
live theatre. The much-loved Garrick Theatre in
Lichfield was closed for over a year except for one
live show, but as the country opens up, it awaits its
turn with increased anticipation.
At long last, patrons and performers will be
making their way back into their treasured venue,
with the likes of Suggs, Kevin Quantum, Solve-
Along-A-Murder-She-Wrote, Judy & Liza: The
Musical, and Freddy the Teddy.
Shows from 2020 have been rescheduled into
2021. Fan favourites such as The Fizz, Tony Christie
and Suggs are among those with new dates. Many of
the rescheduled shows now have tickets available,
so if you missed out on tickets the first time, now is
your chance to buy!
New shows have also been added to the
programme, which are on sale to the public now!
Back by popular demand is the brilliant magician
Kevin Quantum who returns this summer with a
socially distanced magic show like no other.
Comedy fans will be delighted by the return of The
Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre – the world’s
funniest footwear return to the Garrick studio for a
hilarious performance.
TV Historian Lucy Worsley returns with two
performances in one day to tell us all about a Very
British Murder and If Walls Could Talk. Lots of
exciting things to come indeed!
The Box Office has reopened on reduced hours
on Fridays and Saturdays, 11am to 1pm. Fridays are
exclusively for people to phone the Box Office line
to book tickets. On Saturdays the theatre doors will
be open for patrons to come and book tickets in the
temporary Box Office location, which will be in the
Green Room. Please wear a face covering if you
intend to visit the Box Office in person.
The theatre would like to reassure audiences that
all appropriate safety measures are in place. You can
find out more at www.lichfieldgarrick.com/covid-
19/.
Check out the website at
www.lichfieldgarrick.com to see what exciting
theatre shows you can book now!
Everyone at The Garrick Theatre looks forward
to welcoming you back to your theatre to
experience the magic of live entertainment once
again!
Jack and the Beanstalk, courtesy of
Pamela Raith Photography

31

Cutest Pets!
......................................
We had an overwhelming response to our call for the area's
Cutest Pets - here are just a few of them! Send your pet
pics to us at petscitylife@gmail.com and see if your furry or
feathered friend features in next month's compilation!
This is Banquo - the short haired silver tabby
Harley & Libby were adopted by Katie
Sammons from the Cats Protection League
After a nervy start Barney the rescue
greyhound is now very settled in his new home!
Rik, aged 5, was an abandoned feral kitten
Bea the Beagle is 18 months’ old
Bob was a feral who joined the Baker family
Margo the cat and Daisy the dog enjoying
some peace and quiet during lockdown!
32
Franky, sent in by Rachel
Bear the Pomeranian
Henrik

TESTIMONIALS
At the Cedars
“Although not living or based in Lichfield, we have been
associated with the City for a number of years. When it
came to broadening our horizons in the area and needing
to use more traditional forms of advertising, we chose
Citylife in Lichfield magazine and we have not been
disappointed. It is not only the professionalism of the
team that has impressed us but also the physical quality of
the magazine and the high level of editorial content. It is a
pleasure to receive it every month and are pleased to be
associated with such a high quality publication.”
- Patrick, At The Cedars
Little Green Thumb
"Citylife has been a great boost to
my business in 2021. Aside from
having a friendly voice on the other
end of the phone, having taken
advantage of some full page adverts,
I saw an immediate increase in
quality leads and conversions along
with a boost in my brand awareness.
"Steve in particular has been great behind the scenes,
taking his time to get to know our needs and often
coming to me if he thought he had something of genuine
interest to me, not just trying to sell me anything.
"I will continue to use Citylife to help promote my
business where possible and wouldn’t hesitate to
recommend them to any other local business."
- Jon Ellis, GreenThumb Lichfield
All snuggled up in bed!
The lovely Ziggy with his toy pig!
Sent in by owner, Nicola
Tia
Changes to Tip Site
Reduces Tailbacks
.......................
Improvements at Lichfield’s household waste
recycling centre have significantly reduced queues
and tailbacks which used to form on the road
outside the site.
Last month, The Witley Drive facility underwent a site
remodel, which saw an extra 13 unloading spaces and
seven ramps added, giving visitors access to an additional
14 waste bins.
The changes are timely as the site has seen a higher
footfall of visitors over the last few months due to the
Covid 19 restrictions. With more people staying at home
cleaning their houses, gardening or making home
improvements, the site’s visitor numbers have risen by
over 25% compared to summer last year.
Anyone planning to visit Lichfield’s household waste
recycling centre can find a list of the busiest times by
searching Lichfield Recycling on the Staffordshire
County Council website www.staffordshire.gov.uk.
33

Win a Granite Chopping Board
If you require our services please do not hesitate
to call us on 01785 711096 or email your quote
request to stef@justgranite.ltd.uk
With the largest variety of natural stones in the Midlands, the
solid slabs are kept on-site and are available for a virtual viewing
from 9am-5pm on Monday to Friday. Located at The Stone
Works, Pillaton Hall Farm, Penkridge, ST19 5RZ.
We’ve got a bespoke Chopping Board (in the
colour of your choice) to give away! To be in
with a chance of winning this magnificent prize,
simply answer the following question correctly:
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Our showroom and stock barn is now fully open to our customers. You're welcome to call us on 01785 711096, or
email jgladmin@justgranite.ltd.uk, to arrange your visit. This will allow us the time to fully show you around and for
you to take in the varied materials and textures available.
Appointment times available are between 9am-5pm on weekdays and 9am-12pm on Saturday.
We are all really looking forward to seeing you again and getting back to normal as safely as possible!
Where does the supply
of granite come from?
a) Spain
b) Italy
c) Germany
To enter, just send your name, contact details and answer to Just
Granite Competition at competitioncitylife@gmail.com or post your
entry to Citylife in Lichfield Ltd, PO Box 7126, Lichfield WS14 4JS by
the closing date of 23rd June 2021. One entry per household.
Multiple entries will be disqualified. No cash equivalent. Please note
you must be 18 or over to enter. All entrants’ information is
processed in line with GDPR Data Protection Regulations and our
Privacy Policy (available at citylifeinlichfieldltd.co.uk).
Full t&cs on page 61.
34

Valuation Day at Bishton Hall Proves
to be ‘Udderly’ Marvelous
By Charles Hanson
................................................................
On 6th May, at a
Hansons Auctioneers
valuation day at Bishton
Hall, situated near Rugeley,
Dr Richard Halliday
discovered a superb signed
Royal Worcester plaque.
Unusually, it still bears its
original Worcester
framer’s paper label to the
reverse and was one of the
most interesting and
uncommon items found
that day. The central Royal
Worcester plaque depicts
a well-painted scene of
highland cattle watering in
The plaque discovered by
Dr Richard Halliday
a riverscape with leaden skies above. The plaque is signed to the lower
right-hand side and, although this is indistinct, the quality of the painting
and style does suggest the work of one of the Stinton family who had
connections at the Worcester factory for some 160 years.
Often when a framed plaque is seen, it can be a dinner or side plate
that was chipped or damaged in some way and was then cut down and
framed. While this does indeed ‘save’ and repurpose the central artwork,
its commercial desirability is significantly lessened. These ‘plate centres’
are often completely flat whereas a plaque is usually slightly convex in
shape. To make sure of its authenticity, and with the vendor’s kind
permission, the frame was removed to determine its authenticity. As luck
would have it, this indeed is a genuine plaque and, as such, will be prized
by collectors of Royal Worcester.
The consignee did not think this item was anything of value, but it will
now be offered for sale in the Curated and Connoisseur Ceramics
Auction on 9th of June at £200-300. Thus demonstrating the importance
of valuation days - always get items checked by specialists.
Valuation days at Bishton Hall are every Monday, Wednesday and
Thursday. Please contact rhalliday@hansonsauctioneers.co.uk for
further details.
35

Lichfield Defeats Limburg for the
Second Year Running
..........................................
Lichfield Camera Club continued last
year’s success in the annual
photography competition with its
German twin town, Limburg. Each club
submitted 30 images that were judged by
an independent judge in each city. The
total points awarded by the two judges
determined the winner.
The competition, always keenly contested,
saw Lichfield gain the upper hand scoring 855
points to Limburg’s 838. Each year the two
clubs compete to produce their best images
on a mutually agreed theme which this year
was ‘River Landscapes.’
Country Estate
• The highest scoring image with a maximum
score of 40 points was by Limburg’s Ralf G.
Keil with his image ‘Flamingo Group.’
• The highest scoring image from Lichfield
was by Joe Anderson who scored 38 points
with ‘Stari Most, Bosnia.’
• Four other Lichfield photographers
occupied the next four places on the leader
board. Darron Matthews scored 35 points
with his ‘Old Corn Mill’ image.
• Anne Anderson scored 33 points with her
image ‘Country Estate.’
• As did Tim Wayne for ‘Above the River.’
• And Richard Moore for ‘Outback
Waterway.’
Stari Most, Bosnia
Old Corn Mill
Outback Waterway
Flamingo Group
For more information about Lichfield Camera Club visit
www.lichfieldcameraclub.org.
Above the River
36

37

Lichfield Chamber of Trade
handbook 1906
Celebrating
125 Years!
By Jono Oates
............................
George Hotel in 1906
In June 1896, a group of Lichfield businessmen gathered at the
George Hotel and formed an association of tradesmen that
became the Lichfield Chamber of Trade and Commerce and, this
year, represents the 125th anniversary of one of Lichfield’s oldest
organisations. Today, the Lichfield Chamber of Trade and
Commerce is flourishing and in June 2021 they will gather, once
again, at The George Hotel to discuss the promotion, and support,
of all businesses across Lichfield.
The original title of the group was the Lichfield United Tradesmen
Association and it was formed to ensure that the views and interests of
all businesses were represented and believed that they would have a
stronger voice if they operated as a group rather than as individuals.
The first nominated President of the Association was Joseph Bamford,
an ironmonger, who owned an agricultural implement shop at 25 Market
Street. Joseph was a relative of Henry Bamford’s family firm which
eventually became the JCB diggers and farming vehicles company.
The Association’s first formal dinner was held in May 1901 at the
George Hotel. The membership at that time had risen to 40 and as well
as the dinner the members discussed the pressing issues of the day.
Councillor Fowler announced that he believed that ‘Lichfield tradesmen
gave their customers better value for their money as anybody of
tradesmen in any part of the country’. Councillor Andrews and Mr DH
Williams believed that with all its history and heritage attractions that
Lichfield should be making better progress and said that there should be
more villas, or semi-detached houses, at affordable rentals of £20 to £50
a year, to encourage more families to live in Lichfield.
The Association produced a yearly handbook during the 1900s,
promoting tourism in the city detailing its history and heritage and
including the best attractions to visit and places to stay, including the
George and Swan hotels.
By 1911 the Association had been renamed as the Lichfield Chamber
of Trade to bring it more up to date, and the President that year was
Joseph Deacon, a well-known and respected builder whose firm, JR
Deacon and Son, was responsible for hundreds of buildings across the
city.
More criticism was made at the annual dinner at The George in 1928,
this time for the train services between Lichfield and Birmingham. Mr MF
Coley pointed out that the train journeys from Lichfield to Birmingham
38
often took over an hour to complete,
compared to much quicker times to places that
were further away, and that this was not
acceptable.
As well as the annual dinner members also
enjoyed going on away-days to visit other
towns and cities around the country and in
June 1929 they had ideal weather when 30
members travelled by charabanc to Bewdley in
Worcestershire. After lunch they enjoyed
boating trips on the River Severn and a game
of bowls against members of the Bewdley
Bowling Club and returned to Lichfield by
11pm after a ‘most enjoyable day’s outing’.
The Chamber was, naturally, quieter during
World War Two but in January 1945 the annual
dinner was still held, at the Guildhall on Bore
Bamfords on Market Street
Joseph Deacon
President of Chamber of
Trade 1910-11
Street. The President was BT Redington and the members enjoyed
dancing to the musical delights of Art Hawksley’s band and they were also
entertained by the conjuring skills of ‘Cardevane’. A note of thanks was
given to the long-serving Secretary of the Chamber, John Brown, the
father of Lichfield historian and author Cuthbert Brown.
The Chamber added the words ‘and Commerce’ to the title in 1952 to
try and encourage more industrialists to join and they continued to
provide support and business training to the membership. In September
1963 members could attend a free demonstration and talk in the
Guildhall on ‘Modern Cash Registers and Small Accounting Machines’,
although it doesn’t state how many of them actually took up this
tempting opportunity!
During the 1980s the Chamber sponsored a shop window display
competition and in 1988 the winners were Salloways Jewellers on Bore
Street who produced, according to the Lichfield Mercury, a ‘sparkling
display’. Lichfield Needlework took the runners-up prize, while Crotchets
and Quavers were third, and Boots the Chemist took fourth place.
The Chamber’s Christmas Fayre event has been one of the most
popular festive events in Lichfield over the years and in December 1993
the fayre was opened by the Chamber’s President, Colin Ablitt, along with
Mayor Tony Thompson and his consort. A Lichfield Mystery play took
place in Bird Street while the Lichfield Symphony Studios led the carol
singing. An open-air carol service, accompanied by the Nether Stowe
School Band, took place in Levett’s Square and the Lichfield Morris Men
and the Beggars Oak clog dancing group also entertained the late-night
shoppers.
Today the Chamber still meets at the George Hotel, Covid-19
restrictions allowing, and they still organise the Chamber Christmas
Fayre, this year to be held on Sunday 21st November. The Chamber has
been supporting the businesses of Lichfield for 125 years – and long may
it continue to do so!
Sources: The British Newspaper Archive

The Lichfield Chamber
of Trade & Commerce
.....................................
The Lichfield Chamber of Trade & Commerce is an
independent, non-profit making organisation founded 125
years ago and is run by local business people for local
businesses. Its aims are to keep members informed on local issues
and initiatives, give support and to bring empowerment to
businesses within the City.
39

Bower Floats of the Past
............................
With this year's Greenhill Bower float procession sadly
cancelled due to Covid-19 regulations, we bring you a few
photographs of Bower floats of days gone by!
*All photographs courtesy of the St Mary’s Photographic Collection
1. Lichfield School of Art float
2. Wiltell Products float
3. Garratt’s Bakery float Five Gables Bore Street
4. The Young Ones and Cliff Richard!
5. Bower Queen’s float on Sandford Street
1 2
3 4
40
5

Calm after Covid?
Dr Louise Earley
............................
However the pandemic has affected your life, it is unlikely,
that you will not have been impacted somehow. Loss of
contact with family and friends, plans and anniversaries
spoilt, and the uncertainty of when will this all end, are a few of
the consequences. Sadly, for some, there have been greater
losses still, with bereavement and ill health. The pandemic has
upended many people’s expectations, and our inner sense of
certainty and safety has been challenged. Having been through so
much, as our thoughts turn to easing our way out of lockdown,
some of us may find that we are not springing back to our old selves in the way we
had hoped. You might even have mixed feelings about a return to the old normal?
If so, you are not alone. The pandemic has seen a huge increase in mental health
concerns across the life span for children and adults alike. Anxiety, low mood and other
mental health complaints are very common, in fact as common as physical health
problems, and thankfully now recognised as just as important! If you are feeling low,
irritable, worried, or at a loss and in need of support with a child who is struggling, then
an assessment to look at what has led to the difficulties might be helpful.
At Cura Psychology we understand the hardest step is often the first and reaching out
to get psychological support can be daunting, however we offer a relaxed and friendly
Lichfield based service where we listen to you and support you to reach the goals that
you are looking for and hopefully get that spring back in your step. To find out more about
Cura Psychology go to www.curapsychology.co.uk email curapsychology@gmail.com or
call 0121 8177058
41

Interior
Motive!
.....................
Now the shops and showrooms
are opening back up again it’s
the perfect excuse for a little
retail therapy. Why not treat your home
to a fresh new look? We’ve put together
a guide featuring some of our favourite
local retailers to get your creative juices
flowing!
Here at Fallow Deer Home Interiors we are
passionate about anything homely. Visit us in
store or browse our website where you will
find our carefully selected eclectic range of
home decor, soft furnishings and individual
pieces of furniture including many carefully
sourced and in-house handcrafted decorative
items and furniture.
Find out more at
www.fallowdeerhomeinteriors.co.uk
Beautiful windows and doors, such as these
from The Residence Collection featuring a
flush finish outside and decorative square
finish inside, can really enhance your home.
Available from Leamore Windows. Tel:
01922 473737.
www.leamorewindows.com
Irini quartz display with earthy tones, and
lots more choice, can now be found in the
new UK Stoneworx Burntwood showroom.
Enquire for prices. Find the showroom on the
Burntwood Industrial Estate or visit
www.ukstoneworx.co.uk for further details.
Offering an eclectic range of:
• Homeware
• Homely Gifts
• Soft Furnishings
• Carefully Sourced Handcrafted Pieces
• New & Refinished Furniture
• Furniture Refinishing Service Available
Visit us at The Willey Barn, Wolseley Craft Complex,
Stafford ST17 OXS
Open Thursday through to Sunday
www.fallowdeerhomeinteriors.co.uk
facebook Fallow Deer Home Interiors
instagram fallowdeer.homeinteriors
Contact us at fallowdeerhomeinteriors@gmail.com
The Galleria is a top-quality Wilton rug with
advanced construction and an exceptionally
high density pile, resulting in a beautifully
textured surface which really enhances this
modern floor covering. Priced at £250 for 1.6m
x 2.3m size. Available from Tatlow Carpets &
Flooring, Lichfield. Tel: 01543 264766.
www.tatlowcarpets.co.uk
Beautiful home accessories from natural
materials are perfect to keep you warm and
bring some style to your home. Pure Wool
Throws from £65, Rare Breed Sheepskins
from £75, and accessories from £10. Available
from Little Flock, The Plant Plot Garden
Centre, Stafford Road, Lichfield.
42
www.littleflock.co.uk
Apeer doors from The Window Centre start
from £1,499 and are triple-glazed, with an
energy efficiency rating of A. They come with a
10-year warranty, are made in the UK and can
be available on a 0% finance deal. Visit The
Window Centre at 60 Thornhill Road, Streetly,
Sutton Coldfield B74 3EN. Tel: 0121 411 9676.
www.windowcentre.co.uk
Quercus of Quonians (off Dam Street) is a
fabulous 'Aladdin's Cave' of delights. Antique,
vintage, and retro items for your home
interiors. Furniture, objets d'art, taxidermy,
glass, ceramics, collectables, vinyl, lighting and
more. Top quality items and pieces for upcycling
projects. Great prices! Great ideas! Open every
day. Browsers welcome.

By Margaret Harper
.....................................
WindowArt Interiors is an independent family business in the
centre of Lichfield city centre and has built a first-class
reputation over the last 20 years for the best in quality, service and
reliability.
It is very important to me that I am able to work with the customer to
incorporate their ideas whilst advising on the most suitable way to
achieve a fantastic end result, I thinks that is why we have so many repeat
and recommendations from customers. Also our bespoke new furniture
and re-covering means we can co-ordinate the whole room. We are very
much hands on and value attention to detail.
Our Interior Design service can incorporate not only soft furnishings
and blinds but also shutters, quality lighting, bespoke painted poles, rugs,
wallcovering, Automation for blinds, tracks, poles and much more. A home
visit and a mood board is part of the service, with samples and a detailed
quote provided.
Fitting is an integral part of achieving the best end result and dressing
the products in the right way from the start will reap benefits in the long
term, for that reason we always recommend our fitting service.
We are delighted that we have been trading to Lichfield customers for
so many years but distance being no object we travel with our customers
and have completed projects for customers nationwide.
Our fabrics come from the best designer houses and the selection is
astounding, covering all tastes from modern and contemporary through
to traditional. Using traditional methods any antique upholstery can be
transformed back to life. A large selection of leather is also available.
We have the largest collection of fabrics in Lichfield and are the longest
established interiors business in Lichfield, that is something we are very
proud of. With our made to measure products we have provided many
innovative solutions and can achieve a totally bespoke look for any
application.
So many new collections are coming in at the moment, it is an exciting
time! Come and see us or give us a call to discuss your requirements, we
guarantee you will not be disappointed with the service and quality you
receive.
43

44

Freshen up your soft
furnishings, from blinds,
curtains and shutters, to
awnings, wallpaper and
paint - we have it all and
more! With prices to fit all
budgets, professional fitting
and three-year guarantees
we have it covered. Look
no further than Interior
Choice. Our showroom is
in Lichfield and open 7
days a week by
appointment. Book online
at www.interiorchoice.net
or call 01543 406162.
Interior Choice is a Little
Green paint and wallpaper
stockist. From paint to fit
any purpose to the latest
ranges of wallpapers, Little
Greene is for people who
love their home and have
an interest in interior
design. Available at Interior
Choice Lichfield.
www.interiorchoice.net.
45

A City of
Flavours
When it comes to dining
out, Lichfield really does
have it all. There’s a huge
range of different cuisines and
cooking styles to choose from, such
as Thai, Mexican, Italian, Chinese,
Mediterranean, French, Asian,
English… and everything in
between that you could possibly
want. There’s also a varied range of
restaurant vibes in the city, with
chilled out dining, quick and easy
fast food, or something more along
the fine dining experience –
whichever you prefer, you’re still
spoilt for choice!
With pubs and restaurants open
once again and able to serve meals
both inside and out, we’ve put
together just some of our favourites
over the next few pages to whet
your appetite!

Tales of a Private Chef
By Simon Smith
.....................
When British Airways opened the
direct route from Birmingham to
Vienna I was asked to go to The
British Embassy there to provide a celebratory
function for 100 people. I was also asked to
provide a margarine sculpture of the
aeroplane used on the route as a centrepiece.
This would be driven out in a van that was
taking many other pieces of equipment.
The food was to be a celebration of English food and Central TV were
to send out a filming crew to cover the event. The food would be mini
versions of English dishes, such as Shepherd’s pie in mini new potatoes,
roast beef and Yorkshire pudding of course, faggots and peas, mini
breakfast and one or two others. The resident chef at the embassy was
not thrilled I was coming as he felt he should be doing the function
himself, so I wasn’t welcomed with open arms!
Once I had got to the embassy to do all my prep work the van arrived
from the UK. The driver asked me if I had anything valuable in there as
he had a puncture en route and the van had tipped over. I went to look
in the back to see the margarine sculpture pasted all over the roof of
the van!
The margarine sculpture in question!
The TV crew thought it would make a great piece if I plated up some
of the food to see if the Viennese would try it in the streets and give an
opinion. I was to wear a chef jacket and try and persuade them to take
a bite. It was -18 that day and I have never been so cold! Within 15
minutes all the food was frozen and unpalatable so the whole idea was
abandoned by the director, who was trussed up in her ski jacket, gloves
and hat! We had to wait another 15 minutes for the van to come and
pick us up.
Fortunately, after the gift of a bottle of wine, the chef became much
more helpful and assisted me with the function while I tried to put the
margarine sculpture back together. All finished well and there were no
more ‘plane crashes’ to be had!
Dining Out

Tastes of the Season
By Simon Smith
The Joy of Herbs
Herbs are one of the easiest things to grow in
a garden or pot on the windowsill. They have
so many uses: flavour, medicinal, floral
additions to a flower display, as well as flowers
in the garden.
So many garden centres stock them and also
supermarkets in pots as well as bags. You may
as well buy the ones in pots which can then
be planted once you have used the herbs you
need for cooking. Normally so much gets
wasted from a bag which is such a shame.
I also make my own herb oils which is very
easy and looks attractive on the plate. To do
this choose your preferred oil. Choose you
preferred herb and blanche in boiling water
for five seconds and then put straight into
iced water. Drain off and dry the excess
water. Put into a fast blender with the oil. The
amount of oil depends on what strength you
prefer. Blitz together and then strain through
a fine sieve. Do not force through as it will
turn bitter but rather leave for a couple of
hours. Store in the fridge for up to a week.
You can also add stems of herbs to a bottle of
oil to gently infuse and look good on the
shelf.
If you have an abundance of herbs during the
summer you can pick them, pop into an ice
tray, cover with water to freeze them and
then add you herb ice cube to dishes in the
winter.
If you are cooking with herbs as a garnish it’s
important to add them to the sauce at the
very last minute so that they stay green but
will still give you the same flavour as adding
them sooner.
Many of these herbs will give you beautiful
flowers for a short period of time. These are
great for garnishes and also added to
cocktails. Borage, for example, grows
profusely and will have blue and purple
flowers for most of the summer. These are
traditionally used for drinks made with Pimms.
Chives will give you a blue starburst flower
which are great to liven up a salad. Rosemary
and thyme give much smaller flowers, but they
are still great to sprinkle on a summer salad.
Herbs also make a great infusion and if you
have one of those glass teapots with a mesh
compartment in the middle they work really
well. Fill the compartment with fresh mint and
ginger, top with nearly boiled water and leave
for five minutes. Much better than using a
bought tea bag. Be careful with mint as the
flavour varies enormously between them. My
favourite is apple mint or spearmint. Although
you can get pineapple and chocolate mint I
don’t feel they work so well as an infusion.
All herbs have their preferred partner, such as
fish with dill, parsley or fennel; chicken with
tarragon; beef with thyme; lamb with
rosemary. These all work well together but
that is not to stop you playing with
combinations and seeing what works for you.
If you have just used the leaves of thyme or
rosemary, keep the stalks for making stock as
they will give a great boost to the flavour.
Even if you use a shop bought stock these will
give an added oomph to your sauce.
Salmon Fillet with Honey, Mustard
and Garden Herbs
(for 4 people)
4 x 200gm salmon fillets
1 x tbsp grain mustard
1 x tbsp runny honey of your choice
1 x cup finely chopped mixed herbs (I would
use parsley, dill, fennel and mint for this)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Mix
the honey and mustard and brush evenly on
the salmon fillets. Put onto a baking tray and
roast in the oven for 10 minutes or until firm
to the touch. Take out of the oven and dip the
top in the mixed herbs so you get an even
green carpet of herbs. Serve on a bed of
crushed Jersey Royal potatoes with a knob of
butter.
Simon Smith runs a catering business from his
production kitchen in Lichfield, providing bespoke private
dinners plus wedding, corporate and event catering.
Simon also undertakes cookery demonstrations around
the country and with local businesses such as Arthur
Price and Tippers. During the summer months Simon
works for private clients both on superyachts and in
villas in St Tropez and Europe. If you are looking for
catering or a day of cookery skills go to
www.simonsmith-chef.com
*Please take extra care when preparing and handling
hot foodstuffs. Go to www.food.gov.uk for further details.
**Please take extra care as bones may be in the fish.

On a rainy Thursday afternoon in May, our lovely editor Krissy and I enjoyed
a terrific late lunch at Larder in Lichfield.
We were warmly welcomed and promptly guided upstairs to a decadent seating
area. Whilst social distancing measures and the necessary restrictions remained in
place, the recent return of indoor dining meant that, alongside sublime dining the
room was filled with friendly chatter, creating a hospitable atmosphere. After
deliberating between a plethora of mouthwatering options that the menu had to
offer, we both decided to indulge in their five-course tasting menu, accompanied by a
glass of wine, of course.
To start with we were treated to freshly baked maple glazed wholemeal and oat
bread with chicken butter. It was divine! The generous portion enabled us both to
enjoy our first course of homemade bread with lashings of the flavoursome butter.
An equally tasty but lighter course of poached cod with chorizo jam, sweetcorn puree and charred leek followed.
Personally, this was my favourite and every mouthful was just bursting with flavour.
Our third course was Lichfield asparagus served with sun-dried tomato arancini, a fresh pea salad and mustard
vinaigrette. Again, every bite was delicious, the different
textures between the crisp arancini and mouth-watering
asparagus complemented each other perfectly.
The fourth course offered two options, either lamb
cannon which comprised of spiced lamb belly, apricot
puree, roasted chickpeas, curried cauliflower, yoghurt
and coriander; or poached lemon sole with seaweed,
confit apple puree, crab beignet, samphire, fennel, soya
and ginger dressing. In order to experience a full taste of
the menu we opted for one option each! The lamb was
succulent and melted in the mouth, whilst the fish was
seasoned to perfection, and both dishes were thoroughly
enjoyed as a result of the combination of flavours being
spot on!
Our final course was a vanilla sponge served with
caramelised peaches, basil mascarpone and filo pastry. It
is safe to say it was the perfect end to a delicious meal.
The dessert was light and refreshing, with the basal
cutting through the sweet stickiness of the peach and
bringing a savoury element – it was just enough to satisfy
that sweet craving after four exquisite courses.
Coupled with a high level of customer service and
care, all five courses were thoroughly enjoyable, making
Larder the perfect choice for any occasion. Larder also
offer vegetarian and vegan alternatives of its tasting
menu, alongside copious other tasty dishes, all of which
are made from locally-sourced ingredients.
I, for one, cannot wait to return and look forward to
tasting more of what the exciting menu has to offer.
To make a booking please visit
www.larderlichfield.com.
Take Five at Larder!
By Charlotte Benton
.......................
Dining Out

50
RAF Lichfield Battle of
Britian programme 1955
RAF Fradley dedication bench at
Lichfield Cathedral
On a Wing and a Prayer
By Jono Oates
............................
Three miles north of Lichfield, alongside the A38 heading
towards Burton-on-Trent stand several hangers close to the
village of Fradley, now used as storage facilities for
distribution companies, but they are one of the few remaining signs
of a very significant location during the dark days of the Battle of
Britain during World War Two – RAF Lichfield. Jono Oates finds out
more.
At the outbreak of World War Two, in 1939, a number of airfields
sprung up all around the country as the battle over the skies of Britain
started to take place, and the war in Europe escalated. Fradley was
chosen as one of the airfields and, with its central location in the heart
of the country and close to excellent road, and rail, networks, it was a
sensible location, although with no existing airfield in place it had to be
built from scratch.
Constructed on Fradley Common, the original runway was
constructed using turf and stones picked and laid by women from Fradley
village. This starter runway could not support the larger planes that soon
started arriving at the airfield and it was then concreted to provide three,
more stable, runways. The first plane to touch down on the new airfield
was piloted by, apparently, the well-known aviator Amy Johnson, who had
been the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia.
The airfield started to be used operationally in 1940. RAF unit No. 51
Maintenance Unit provided aircraft storage and preparation, No. 27
Operational Training Unit flew sorties out of Fradley from 1941 and No.
82 Maintenance Unit was an aircraft packing unit.
As well as RAF personnel, the airfield was staffed by a large number of
Australian air crew, as well as those from other Commonwealth
countries. From 1942 to 1943 bombing sorties from Fradley took place
over Germany and Fradley became one of the busiest airfields in the
country. In the latter years of the war ‘Nickel’ sorties took place, when
propaganda leaflets were dropped over the cities of Germany, rather than
bombs, encouraging them to surrender to the on-rushing Allied troops.
Several aircraft crashed in and around the airfield, either returning with
damaged planes following a sortie, caused by adverse weather conditions,
or by mechanical failure. On 18 September 1944 a Wellington bomber of
the 27 Operational Training Unit, crashed four miles outside Lichfield
when it failed to pull out of a dive. All five members of the Australian
RAAF crew perished in the accident.
After the war the airfield, known locally as Fradley Aerodrome, became
a disposal centre for war planes no longer needed and hundreds of WW2
Gravestone of Squadron Leader F Shaw at St Stephen’s
Church, Fradley
RAF and RAAF officers at RAF Fradley.
bombers were broken down and disposed of. Flights continued and in
February 1946, shortly after the war had finished, Flight Lieutenant Mark
Lacayo and his passenger, Leading Aircraftman Richard Dickens, were on
a test flight over the airfield when the plane failed to pull out of a spiral
turn and it crashed to the ground, killing both occupants. Lacayo was 46
years-old, had been a veteran of WW1 and had been a reservist during
WW2. He was living in Bird Street, Lichfield, at the time of the tragedy
and his name is commemorated on the memorial plaque at St Michael’s
Church on Greenhill.
Further tragedy was to strike at the aerodrome during the Battle of
Britain anniversary event, held on 18 September 1948, when a Mosquito
bomber, piloted by Flight Lieutenant Stanley Hedley and his passenger
Squadron Leader Frederick Everard Shaw, crashed after a number of
‘slow-rolls’ close to the ground. Hedley’s wife was one of the many
thousands of show visitors who witnessed the tragedy unfold.
The airfield closed in 1958 but houses were built for the RAF
personnel and Fradley, previously a small village with a handful of houses,
started to expand. Today the area is a mixture of residential estates and
business parks, and very few signs of the airfield and runway remain,
other than the storage hangers, as the old airfield buildings, control tower
and the protecting pill-boxes have all been demolished over the years.
The men who lost their lives around the airfield during the war have
not been forgotten at Fradley though, as their gravestones in the
churchyard are carefully maintained and a war memorial, situated
opposite St Stephen’s Church, was unveiled in 2001. There is also a
dedication bench to all of the hundreds of Australian RAAF personnel
who served at Fradley during WW2 on the front of Lichfield Cathedral.
One final remainder of the wartime experiences at Fradley does still
remain though – that of the ghost of the headless airman. Many RAF
personnel, and civilians, have seen the ghost around the area over the
years, and it is said to be grisly spectre of a rear-gunner who was
decapitated when he accidentally walked in front of the propellers of his
plane.
RAF Lichfield was one of most important airfields in World War Two
and, although very little of the original buildings remain, it’s contribution
to the war effort, and the dedication and sacrifice of the many hundreds
of air crew who were stationed there, should never be forgotten.
The British Newspaper Archive; www.aviationarchaeology.org.uk;
www.fradleyheritagegroup.co.uk; www.raflichfield.co.uk;
www.heritagegateway.org.uk; www.fradleyandstreethayparishcouncil.gov.uk;
www.aviation-safety.net.

Advertising Feature
Shimmer… on a 5k your way
Sparkle… at your own Solstice Party
Shine… a lantern for loved ones
Lichfield people are being invited to celebrate the arrival of
summer and support St Giles Hospice this month by stepping
out of their own front door to take part in Solstice Walk Your
Way.
The hospice’s biggest annual fundraiser is returning this year with a
special event based from home.
Fundraisers are being invited to walk 5k their way – either on
Saturday 19th or any other day in June – before celebrating with a
Solstice Party in their garden afterwards.
Chloe Herbert, Head of Fundraising at St Giles Hospice, said: “Our
Solstice Walk is our largest fundraising event of the year and always has
a really magical atmosphere – and we’re hoping to bring some of that
spirit back in 2021 now that people can get together in small groups
outside.
“Although we’d all love to get together again for our annual walk
through Lichfield, adapting the event is the most responsible thing to do
this year in the interest of everyone’s safety.
“We hope as many people as possible will get together to raise funds
for St Giles Hospice at a time when we have never needed our
community more. A lot of people raising a small amount can make a huge
difference to the care we’re able to provide.”
Everyone who signs up will receive a fundraising party pack, which is
filled with special things from biodegradable face glitter, to a lantern to
light up for the moment of reflection at sunset, party bunting, cake
toppers, 5k route maps, fundraising ideas and lots more.
One person taking part in Solstice Walk Your Way this year is
fundraiser Amy Foster, who will be wearing her fairy wings with her
eight-year-old daughter Ellanor.
Amy’s support became more personal in 2018 when her mother-inlaw
Sandra Foster was diagnosed with cancer. Sandra came to St Giles
as an inpatient in January 2019 for a couple of weeks, before being
discharged and dying at home, as was her wish, a couple of months later.
Amy, who was so inspired by Sandra’s care that she joined St Giles as
a Healthcare Assistant, said: “I'll be walking in memory of my mother-inlaw
Sandra. The care she was given was superb and we just want to give
back to St Giles some of the love we received."
For more information visit www.stgileshospice.com/solsticewalk
51

City VIEW
The Newsletter of Lichfield City Council - June 2021
Grants to local
organisations
Each year the City Council awards grants to support the invaluable work carried out by local voluntary groups,
societies and clubs operating in the City.
The City Council’s Grants Committee meets each February to consider applications and at its meeting in February
2021, the Committee recommended grants totalling £26,655. Applications for grants from 2022/23 funds will open
later in the year. Any group wishing for further information can either visit the City Council’s website or
email enquiries@lichfield.gov.uk.
Welcome to this issue of City View.
It has been some time since the City Council produced its
newsletter, but rest assured that whilst our offices have been
closed to the public the business of the Council has
continued uninterrupted. Like many of you, Members and
Officers had to quickly adapt to the virtual world of Zoom and
Teams. Reflecting on the last year and all the challenges it
brought our thoughts turn to all those who have suffered as a
result of the pandemic and hope that the future brings
renewed hope and serenity.
Now as we cautiously move towards the easing of
restrictions it feels like life is slowly returning to some degree
of normality and we can once again look forward to all those
traditional civic events that punctuate the year and make our
City such a vibrant place to live.
I am pleased to report that the local election on 7 May saw
Bob Harrison returned by a substantial majority as the
elected member for Stowe Ward. Many of you will know Bob
through his outstanding work with Lichfield Litter legends so
I am confident he will make an excellent Councillor and with
his wealth of experience on local issues be a valuable
addition to the Council as a whole.
Adhering to Covid -19 restrictions the Annual Meeting of the
Council was held on 17 May. where a new Mayor, Deputy
Mayor and Sheriff were appointed. I would like to thank the
retiring civic team for their tremendous work on behalf of the
City during their unprecedented year in Office; and wish the
new office holders every good wish for an interesting and
enjoyable year ahead.
The City Council is a large and active parish council and our
annual report summarising the work of the Council over the
past year was presented to the Annual Town (electors)
meeting on 26 May. This annual report gives a clear
overview of the range of services which the City Council
provides, from grounds maintenance to the markets and
community halls; the Guildhall and civic events like Sheriff’s
Ride; through to Christmas Lights, Twinning and of course
the Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum. Copies are
available from the City Council’s offices or can be
downloaded from our website.
52
Councillor Mark Warfield, Leader of the Council
Civic Team for 2021/22
The investiture of the new Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Sheriff took place at the Guildhall on Monday 17 May 2021.
The new Mayor of the City is Councillor Robert Yardley, proposed by Councillor Mark Warfield and seconded by
Councillor Mrs Janet Eagland. Councillor Miss Jayne Marks is Mayoress.
In accepting the office of Mayor for the forthcoming year, Councillor Yardley thanked his fellow councillors for their
support and stated that it was a great honour and privilege to be elected. He also paid tribute to the work of the
outgoing Mayor, Councillor Mrs Deborah Baker, and Sheriff, Dr Daryl Brown, who had together raised just over £9,000
for their chosen charities; Lichfield and Hatherton Canal Restoration Trust, St. Giles Hospice and Lichfield Voluntary
Transport for the Disabled during their year in office.
The new Deputy Mayor is Councillor Jamie Checkland, Councillor Checkland’s appointment was proposed by
Councillor Mrs Janet Eagland and seconded by Councillor Christopher Spruce. Mrs Stephanie Checkland is the
Deputy Mayoress.
Completing the new Civic Team is Mr Peter Hitchman who has now become Sheriff of the City, following a proposal
from Councillor Colin Greatorex that was seconded by Councillor Angela Lax. Mr Peter Hitchman is a well-known
Lichfeldian, a former City Councillor and current member of many city charities and committees.
The Mayor proudly announced his appointment of Army Cadet LCPL James Carter and Mayor’s Chaplain, Revd Ian
Hayter for his forthcoming year in office.
Following the investiture of the new Civic Team, the retiring Mayor, Mayor’s Consort and Sheriff were presented with
replica badges of office.
During their year in office the Mayor and Sheriff will jointly host five events to raise money for their nominated charities;
We Love Lichfield and Friends to Friends. Further information of these events will be published over the course of the
year on our website www.lichfield.gov.uk.
Lichfield's new civic team left to right. Mayor - Cllr Robert Yardley, Deputy Mayor - Cllr Jamie Checkland,
and Sheriff - Mr Peter Hitchman
If you would like to keep up to date with more of the City Council’s
activities, you can follow the City Council on Twitter @lichfield_cc.

City VIEW
Coming soon at
The Newsletter of Lichfield City Council
Markets in Lichfield
The Lichfield General Markets offer a wide selection of
goods and local produce from friendly and established
market traders and are held on Tuesdays, Fridays and
Saturdays.
the Samuel
Johnson
Birthplace
Museum
Producers Market
Currently all our markets are held in a Covid safe
environment with social distancing measures in place
for the public’s safety.
The Producers Market is held on the first
Sunday of the month from 10.00am –
4.00pm and offers a variety of local
produce and handcrafted gifts.
Throughout June and July Staffordshire County
Council will be on the Market Square on non-market Mobile Testing Unit
days offering free rapid COVID testing. Lateral flow
tests will also be on offer to the public along with demonstrations on how to complete the
tests at home.
The Market Square is also available for hire on a commercial or charitable basis on nonmarket
days.
For further details regarding any of the above or for information relating to Lichfield
Markets please contact the City Council’s Markets Officers. Tel: 01543 309853 or
e-mail: markets@lichfield.gov.uk
An exciting new Twinning project has started
between Lichfield’s Chadsmead Primary
Academy and Ecole Chatelain in Sainte Foyles-Lyon,
France.
Twenty-three children between the ages of 8
and 11 years old from Lichfield’s French Twin
Town have written to their English
counterparts to introduce themselves
individually with photos.
Two examples of the letters
sent from year 5 & 6 Pupils
at Chadsmead Academy
Twinning
General Markets
Some of the French School Children from
Lichfield’s Twin Town Sainte Foy-les Lyon
In return, years 5 and 6 from Chadsmead Academy sent
introductory cards to France with a drawn picture of
themselves.
Chadsmead’s foreign language lead Lisa Baines said:
“The children in Year 5/6 have really enjoyed writing to
their French counterparts. It has been a fun exchange
which has enhanced our children's understanding of
international relations.”
A new date for the previously
postponed official International
Ring Twinning event in Limburg has
been set by the Limburg Council for
Friday 29 April – Monday 2 May
2022. It is hoped that by then each of the three countries taking part will
have a successful vaccination programme in place and the Covid restrictions will have
eased sufficiently to allow the event to take place.
If you would like to be involved in the Cities Twinning activities or would like to become a
host family, please contact Twinning Officer, Gabriele Lasch-Burden.
Email: Gabriele.Lasch-Burden @lichfield.gov.uk
Visitors can once again enjoy a visit to the Samuel Johnson Birthplace
Museum.
The Grade I listed house adjacent to the Market Square is open for free of
charge, covid-secure visits seven days a week from 10.30 am – 4.30pm.
To help you to visit safely numbers are limited and a timed-entry system is in
place.
Find out more and book a visit at www.samueljohnsonbirthplace.org.uk or call
01543 264 972 for more information.
Some of the Museum’s popular events will return later in 2021, with safety
measures in place and restrictions permitting. These will include family craft
activities over the school summer holidays, a history event commemorating
Hester Thrale and celebrations for Johnson’s 312th Birthday on Saturday 18th
September.
Announcements will be made on the Museum’s website or you can follow the
Birthplace on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
We look forward to welcoming you back to Johnson’s Birthplace.
Open Daily 10.30am – 4.30pm.
Standard entry is Free of charge.
Call 01543 264 972 or email sjmuseum@lichfield.gov.uk for more
information or to book a visit.
Dates for your
diary…
Saturday 11 September Sheriff’s Ride
Ride Leaves the Guildhall (time tbc)
Saturday 18 September Dr Johnson Birthday Celebrations
11.50am Market Square
Sunday 14 November Remembrance Sunday
10.00am Cathedral Service, 10.50am Garden of Remembrance
Saturday 20 November Mayor & Sheriff’s Charity Dinner Dance
7.00pm Guildhall
Sunday 28 November Switch on Christmas Illuminations
5.00pm Market Square
For more information please contact Lucy Clarke on 01543 309852, or
email lucy.clarke@lichfield.gov.uk
* All events subject to Government guidelines regarding Covid-19 at the
time and may be subject to change.
53

City VIEW
The Newsletter of
Lichfield City Council
OUR WEBSITE:
www.lichfield.gov.uk
Have you visited the City Council’s website? It
offers a wealth of information about the work of
the City Council; including details of all Council
meetings and associated documents. In addition,
it contains useful information about the City, its
history, festivals and major events, and its many
unique customs and traditions.
The right
Council…
Lichfield City Council is the
‘parish’ authority for the City and is
the smallest of the three councils
serving the City area. Within the City
we deal with local matters such as
the markets, maintenance of open
spaces and churchyards, civic and
mayoral events, the Samuel Johnson
Birthplace Museum and public
lettings of the Guildhall.
Lichfield District Council (Tel:
01543 308000) is the larger local
authority dealing with such matters as
planning, environmental health,
refuse collection, housing, car
parking, arts and tourism, and leisure
services.
Staffordshire County Council (Tel:
0300 111 8000) is the responsible
authority for wider services such as
Education, Social Services and
Highways.
Public
Participation
City Council meetings are held in the Guildhall, Bore Street. Dates and times of meetings can be found on the
notice-board outside the Guildhall, and on the City Council's website at www.lichfield.gov.uk
Meetings are open to the public, with public participation sessions held
at full Council and at the Planning Committee(when called). Advance
notice needs to be given to the Council of the subject matter of each
question, and any person wishing to speak must contact the Council
Offices at Donegal House, Bore Street (next to the Guildhall) before
NOON on the day of the meeting.
Monday 14 June 2021 6.30pm COUNCIL
Monday 26 July 2021 6.30pm COUNCIL
Monday 20 September 2021 6.30pm COUNCIL
Monday 6 December 2021 6.30pm COUNCIL
54

55

39th Lichfield Festival to
Take Place!
............................
Eleven days of ballet, cabaret, symphony orchestras, steel pans,
family fun, chamber music, live cooking, story-telling, drama,
laugh-out-loud comedy can only mean one thing – Lichfield
Festival is back! Taking place between 8th-18th July, the annual
event brings thousands of visitors to the beautiful cathedral city
and is a cornerstone in the region’s cultural calendar.
Headline performers include vocalists Mica Paris, Eddi Reader, Liza
Pulman, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, vocal group I Fagiolini,
impressionist turned pianist Alistair McGowan, Grimethorpe Colliery
Band, comedian Justin Moorhouse, Yorkshire Shepherdess Amanda
Owen.
This year will see a range of diverse events include cabaret, flamenco,
steel pans, chamber music, live cooking, literary talks, family fun, comedy,
jazz and Young Artists series. There will also be music by Artists in
Residence Chloë Hanslip (violin), Danny Driver (piano), Jessica Walker
(writer/singer) and Joseph Atkins (composer/piano), as well as an Aspire!
Family Day outdoors.
Lichfield Festival 2021 runs from 8th-18th July. Tickets and details from
www.lichfieldfestival.org. Festival Box Office 01543 306271 (call-back
service).
Mica Paris
Win Tickets
to Chloë Hanslip & Danny
Driver Performance
............................
This year’s Artists in Residence, Chloë Hanslip and Danny
Driver, play the first of three duo concerts, each featuring a
major violin and piano sonata by Beethoven. The programme
also includes César Franck’s Sonata in A major, one of the finest
violin and piano works ever written.
Chloë Hanslip made her Proms debut at 14 and has performed at
major venues in the UK (Festival Hall, Wigmore Hall), Europe
(Musikverein, Paris Louvre, St Petersburg Hermitage), as well as the
Carnegie Hall, and Metropolitan Arts Space, Tokyo. She last played at the
Festival in 2016 as soloist in The Lark Ascending with BBCNOW.
Danny Driver is recognised internationally as an artist of
sophistication, insight and musical depth, with an enviably broad
repertoire encompassing works from Bach and Handel to Ligeti and
Adès. He was a Festival Artist in Residence in 2018, appearing with
BBCNOW as soloist in Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.2.
We’ve got a pair of tickets to give away to this event, courtesy of The
Lichfield Festival, which is taking place on Sunday 11th July at 8pm at St
Michael’s Church. To be in with a chance of winning this prize, simply
send us your details and correctly answer the following question.
How old was Chloë Hanslip when she
made her Proms debut?
a) 13
b) 14
c) 15
56
Metronomes Steel Orchestra
To enter, just send your name, contact details and answer to Festival
Competition at competitioncitylife@gmail.com or post your entry to
Citylife in Lichfield Ltd, PO Box 7126, Lichfield WS14 4JS by the closing
date of 23rd June 2021. One entry per household. Multiple entries will
be disqualified. No cash equivalent. Please note you must be 18 or over
to enter. All entrants’ information is processed in line with GDPR Data
Protection Regulations and our Privacy Policy (available at
citylifeinlichfieldltd.co.uk). Full t&cs on page 61.
Chloe Hanslip and Danny Driver

J HOWELL &
DAUGHTERS
FUNERAL DIRECTORS LICHFIELD
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We are proud to be Lichfield's longest established family run funeral directors offering a wide range of
choices to suit all requirements. Horse drawn hearse, non religious ceremonies, floral tributes and
memorials are but a few of the services we offer.
Pre-paid funeral plans are also available.
For a truly personal service please call
01543 255776
Private Chapel of Rest 116 Netherstowe,
Lichfield, Staffs. WS13 6TS
57

What’s On
........................
Lichfield Textile and Stitch Group is excited to be hosting a Zoom talk by
the renowned costume historian and author, Lucy Adlington (History
Wardrobe with Lucy).
Lucy will be speaking about "Opening the Wardrobe" - a cavalcade of
costume from the 1900s to the 1990s.
Date: Monday 21st June. Time: 7pm for a 7.30pm start.
All are welcome to this fabulous event. If you are not a member of LT&S
please contact anna.stanley@hotmail.co.uk for details.
Ruth Allen Exhibition
The Gallery at The Hub St. Mary’s
Lichfield in Line is an exhibition by Staffordshire artist Ruth Allen, featuring
her original line drawings of
Lichfield’s stunning architecture.
The exhibition runs until 13th June
and the Gallery is open Tues-Sat
9.30am-3pm. All of the artworks are
available to buy from The Hub and
further details are available on the
website at
www.thehubstmarys.co.uk.
Cathedral
Reopens with
Exhibition
........................
The doors of Lichfield Cathedral were opened
wide to the public once again on Monday 17th
May following the further easing of the lockdown
rules.
The Cathedral has been able to remain open for
worship and has played a major part locally in helping
with the Covid Vaccination programme - but in line
with other “indoor attractions” the building has had to
remain closed to those wishing visit as sightseers and
tourists.
The Cathedral has now reopened again, though
opening hours are reduced slightly in order to allow
for the extra work involved in keeping the Cathedral
Covid-secure. Visitors are asked to check the
Cathedral website (see below) before setting out for
the latest opening times, especially as on some days the
Cathedral will still be operating as a vaccination centre
and therefore not open to the public and therefore not
open to the public.
A full summer programme of events is being planned,
and visitors will be greeted by the first exhibition in a
‘summer of creativity, spirituality and science’. The
exhibition, entitled ‘Fantastic Books and Where to Find
Them’, will encourage visitors to explore ancient
books from the Cathedral’s own library. The ancient
texts will help visitors to see how our ancestors - the
forebears of those who created our Covid vaccine -
understood aspects of science and nature, including
astrology and medicine.
At the entrance to the Cathedral, a mobile catering
outlet will ensure the sale of hot and cold drinks and
snacks, providing sustenance for the visit and the
Cathedral’s regular pattern of three services/day will
continue both in person and on-line.
Opening Hours (subject to change. Visitors
encouraged to check cathedral website at
www.lichfield-cathedral.org).
Monday - Wednesday: 1.15pm-5.30pm
Thursday - Friday: closed for vaccination clinics
Saturday: 10am-5.30pm
Sunday: 12.30pm-5.30pm
Bank Holidays and School Holidays: 10pm-5.30pm
58

Advertising Feature
Kind Hearts Care & Support
..........................................................
We are excited to use Birdie which is a mobile app that, with consent,
gives families and caregivers real time information on how each care visit
went, whether there are any concerns, or simply just how the client is
that day. Many of our clients’ families have benefited from having that dayto-day
insight during the last year when, due to the pandemic, they have
not been able to be there as much as they would have liked.
We provide care and support services in Lichfield and Surrounding
Villages. Please contact us today for more information or to arrange a
free, no obligation assessment to discuss your individual needs.
Kind Hearts Care & Support was founded in 2013 by Clarissa
Brady and Susan Foster. Proud to be a small, local business we
were founded to be different. The founders of Kind Hearts
both have a background in care and so are experienced and
genuinely care for the people they are supporting.
Tel: 01543 520608
E-Mail: enquiries@kindheartscare.org
Kind Hearts Care & Support Ltd
Britannia Enterprise Park, Lichfield, WS14 9UY
Our philosophy is that all older people and vulnerable adults should have
the choice to stay in their own homes and we believe that with the right
help that is possible. So, we provide a service that is tailored to each
individual client to cater for their unique needs.
59

Lichfield - A Very
Welcoming Place!
By Lesley Bovington
........................
After what has been a long and hard year for us all, and
especially for our local communities, it is so exciting to be
talking about reopening our Places of Welcome - and even
welcoming new ones, too!
Places of Welcome in the Lichfield Diocese are set up and supported
by Transforming Communities Together, helping people and
communities to thrive and flourish (www.tctogether.org.uk).
There are over 70 Places of Welcome registered in Stoke on Trent
and Staffordshire, including 18 in Lichfield. At times of national
lockdown, they have been closed, but under “the rule of 6” and at other
points in our national and regional Covid-19 journey, many have found
ways of still supporting their local communities and keeping in touch
with group members.
Places of Welcome are informal, friendly and welcoming gatherings,
offered on a “drop in” basis, and anybody can come along. They provide
companionship and a free cuppa and a biscuit (or even a piece of
homemade cake!). Places of Welcome happen in the same place at the
same time each week, which means that some people will become
‘regulars’, but others may only come along once, a few times or on the
odd occasion. It’s a place to be as often as you like, and to be yourself.
There is no registration process (other than the collecting of
information for ‘track and trace’ when required under Covid-19
regulations).
Many of our Places of Welcome have made increased use of outdoor
spaces during the pandemic, and those with suitable outdoor spaces
have been leading the way in reopening their doors in the last few
weeks. St Anne’s Place of Welcome in Chasetown, near Lichfield, started
up again mid-April, hosting its “Space of Welcome” in the Burntwood Be
A Friend Tent in the grounds of the church.
In May, volunteers from the Lichfield Cares Good Neighbours
Scheme started their new Place of Welcome at Curborough
Community Centre in North Lichfield. This new group complements
the established Place of Welcome run there on Tuesdays by volunteers
from St Chad’s, which has also opened up again. These groups are using
the outdoor space at this versatile community centre and moving on to
offer both indoor and outdoor seating options, as the Covid regulations
allow.
All of our Places of Welcome are eager to reopen as soon as possible
but ensuring that they are fully compliant with Covid-19 requirements
and recommended best practice, in order to keep everyone safe. For
some, such as libraries and residential care homes, the requirement for
social distancing will make this impossible within the constraints of their
premises and other functions or activities that have to take place there,
at least for the foreseeable future.
There is no doubt that taking part in groups again, whilst very much
wanted, will make some of our local community members feel very
anxious, after months of being isolated in their homes. Transforming
Communities Together, with funding from Lichfield District Council, is
working with Support Staffordshire to offer a Buddying service,
whereby such individuals can be supported to attend their local Place
Place of Welcome at Curborough Community Centre
Lesley Bovington at St Anne's, Chasetown
of Welcome. We hope that this scheme will not only help people today
but can provide the evidence to support future funding applications to
offer this support elsewhere, too.
If you know someone from Lichfield District who would benefit,
please contact Clare Jolly clare.jolly@supportstaffordshire.org.uk or
Jess Ryan jessica.ryan@supportstaffordshire.org.uk. The Buddying
project has been paused during the pandemic and is now funded to the
end of August.
For more information about Places of Welcome in Lichfield, please
contact Lesley Bovington, Places of Welcome Facilitator, at
lesley.bovington@tctogether.org.uk or on 0770 4485 332. If you would
like to know where your nearest one is, you can find out at
www.placesofwelcome.org.uk.
60

Competition and Prize Draw Terms and Conditions
1.Entrants’ details will be held and processed in line with Citylife in Lichfield Ltd’s Privacy Policy, which in
turn adheres to GDPR Data Protection legislation. For a copy of our Privacy Policy please email
kristencitylife@gmail.com
2.By entering the prize draw/competition, you agree to the terms and conditions stated.
3.The closing date is stated on each individual prize draw or competition.
4.Entrants’ details will be securely held by Citylife in Lichfield Ltd in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Details will be held only until the closing date of the competition. After this date entrants’ details will be
securely destroyed/deleted. Winners’ contact details will be securely stored only until the winner has
been informed of their win/prize. After this details will be securely deleted/destroyed.
5.Entrants’ details will never be shared with any third party. The only exception to this is the name (and if
the prize is to be posted) address of Competition/Prize Draw winners that will be communicated to the
competition partner to allow winners to securely claim their prize, after which all details will be securely
destroyed. The initial and surname of winners will be printed in our magazines – no other details will be
published.
6.By entering the competition/prize draw, entrants agree to Citylife in Lichfield Ltd using or publishing
materials provided by the entrants (but not address or contact details apart from initial and surname) in
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61

A Tell-All Guide to Father’s Day
By Charlotte Benton
............................................................
Every year in the UK, the third Sunday of June is dedicated to
the important male figures in our lives, for it is on this day that
we celebrate and appreciate fathers and honour these special
role models in our lives. From humorous novelty “Best Dad” gifts
to luxury socks and slippers, there are so many ways that we can
celebrate dads, but how and when did this practice begin?
Unlike the traditional Christian holiday of Mothering Sunday, Father’s
Day displays a much more modern history. The first ever Father’s Day
was celebrated in America in 1908, when a church in West Virginia held
a special sermon to honour all fathers following a mining accident that
killed 362 men. However, this appeared to be a one-off event as the
following year the church did not seek to commemorate the holiday
again. The celebration held by the church community is now considered
to have been more of a memorial to the men, rather than an attempt to
initiate a national holiday.
Nevertheless, in 1909 an American lady called Sonora Smart Dodd, set
out to establish a national Father’s Day as an equivalent celebration to
the mainstream holiday that is Mother’s Day. The previous year, Dodd had
attended a Mother’s Day church sermon that prompted her to campaign
for equal recognition of fatherhood and, the following year, Washington
state celebrated its first Father’s Day, slowly sparking other states to
celebrate the holiday each year.
It wasn’t until 1972 that President Richard Nixon finally declared
Father’s Day a to be a national holiday in America, following advertisers
previously latching onto the idea in an attempt to promote troops during
World War II. Although Father’s Day is not a national holiday in the UK,
ever since the early 20th century we have followed in America’s
footsteps, annually celebrating father figures in June each year.
This year, Father’s Day will be celebrated on Sunday 20th June, with
dads and grandads around the UK being treated to cards and gifts, as well
as special visits from family members who they may not regularly see and
have possibly not seen at all during lockdown.
But what do you get the man in your life? The most popular Father’s
Day gift in the UK is surprisingly traditional - a tie! Other traditional gifts
include, socks, alcohol and a wallet. Of course, if you do choose to give
your Dad a wallet this Father’s Day be prepared for the long-standing
joke that his children are the reason that he has to open his wallet so
often! Meanwhile, alcohol is often considered the perfect gift to say
‘thanks for putting up with me,’ whilst you are able to illustrate that you
do, in fact, know your dad’s favourite tipple. However, for many, it is the
receiving of a handmade or specially chosen card that means the most.
As children we make a Father’s Day card at school, then as young adults
we often forget to buy a gift but remember at the last minute to pick up
a card. Whether it is sentimental or contains a funny joke, a card is a small
token of appreciation that is sure to make every Dad smile.
An opportunity that many families will relish this year is the chance to
celebrate Father’s Day by going to a pub or a restaurant, treating their
loved ones to a drink or meal. Not forgetting the obligatory breakfast in
bed that many dads will be treated to on Sunday morning!
You may be wondering how other countries celebrate this special day?
Whilst the UK, USA and Canada, all celebrate Father’s Day in June, other
countries choose to celebrate at different points in the year. Spain and
Italy for example, celebrate Father’s Day on March 19th due to this dates’
links to Roman Catholicism. Meanwhile in Thailand, the day is celebrated
on 5th December, which is the birthday of their late King Bhumibo. Seen
as the father of Thailand, the day seeks to commemorate Bhumibo as
well as fathers throughout the country.
However you choose to commemorate Father’s Day this year, whether
that be by gifting your dad a novelty “Best Dad in the World” mug,
enjoying a home-cooked Sunday dinner or heading to your local pub, be
sure to celebrate the ones you love. Oh, and don’t forget the card!
62

Something
for Dad
....................
Father’s Day is on 20th June
this year, but what do you
get the man who has
everything? We’ve put together a
guide of unique gift items from
some of our favourite local
retailers to give you some
inspiration.
Michael’s Menswear
There’s a superb selection of cufflinks to choose
from in a variety of different styles. Priced from
£19.95. Available from Michael’s Menswear Market
Street, Lichfield. Tel: 01543 262264.
Allen Brown
As Father’s Day approaches take a look at the
trendy selection of gent’s jewellery on offer.
Ranging from cufflinks and tie-pins to bangles
and necklaces. Pictured: Titanium cufflinks
with coloured details, priced at £128.
Available from Allen Brown Jewellery, Heart
of the Country Shopping Village, Swinfen.
www.allenbrownjewellery.co.uk
Michael’s Menswear
Every man loves a pair of socks and these stylish
Viyella creations, in a range of different styles,
patterns and colours, are sure to impress Dad!
Priced at £9.95. Available from Michael’s Menswear
Market Street, Lichfield. Tel: 01543 262264.
Tina’s Temptations
Tina's Temptations offers a range of
handmade treats for all occasions and special
Father’s Day cupcakes, brownies and treat
boxes are also available. Contact Tina on
07973380192 or via Facebook at
www.facebook.com/tinastemptationscakes.
City Jewellers
This Cross Townsend Rollerball Pen is not
simply practical, it’s also stylish too. The
perfect thing for Dad to help him complete
his crossword! Priced at £109 and available
from City Jewellers, Bore Street, Lichfield.
www.cityjewellers.co.uk
The Quirky Emporiumm
Formula 1 memorabilia is a sure-fire winner
for Dad this year and these mugs are ideal
for that morning cup of coffee. Priced at just
£6 each, they are available from The Quirky
Emporium, Overdale Farm, Colwich.
Tel: 07773 783336.
www.thequirkyemporium.com
Cakes of Wonderland
Now taking on orders for Father’s Day
Cupcakes and Afternoon Teas for collection
Saturday 19th June.
Afternoon Tea available for takeaway - £20,
serves 2. Includes: 2 x Large Deli Rolls,
Sausage Roll, Scotch Egg, Pickled Onions,
Father’s Day Cupcakes, Biscoff Blondie,
Bread Pudding/Shortbread Millionaire, Dairy
Milk Chocolate Bar.
Cupcakes 6 for £10 or 12 for £20.
Visit www.cakesofwonderlandlichfield.co.uk.
The Hand Crafted Party
Let your Dad or Grandad know that they
mean the world to you with this stunning
luxury Earth Bubble Balloon.
Priced at £28.
Now taking orders for Father’s Day.
Visit www.thehandcraftedparty.com for
more designs.
63

City Jewellers
If Dad likes a little bit of branded style, look no
further than this Emporio Armani Signature Leather
and Stainless Steel Bracelet, priced at £99. Available
from City Jewellers, Bore Street, Lichfield.
www.cityjewellers.co.uk
Tippers
DIY-enthusiasts will love this Makita
DLX2131JX1 drill set, which includes a combi
drill, impact driver, fast charger and 2 x 3.0Ah
batteries, all in a durable Makpak case. Priced at
£184 plus VAT, and available from
Tippers, Lichfield.
www.Tippers.com
MB Designs
These gorgeous local mugs by artist Mandy
Billington incorporate the beautiful buildings
of the city, including Lichfield Cathedral,
Dr Johnson’s Birthplace and the old clock.
Available in blue, pink and yellow. Priced at £12
each and available from MB Designs at
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MBDesignsEngland.
Tel: 07841 108207,
Email: m.b.designs@hotmail.com.
Paul Martyn
This superb quality Brunton Compass comes with
its own box and would make a special and different
gift for Dad. Priced at £39.95 and available from
Paul Martyn Furniture, Heart of the Country
Shopping Village, Swinfen.
www.paulmartynfurniture.co.uk
Lichfield Factory Specs
A great selection of stylish gent’s frames,
including Hugo Boss, Gucci and Ralph Lauren.
Designer frames and single vision lenses
starting from only £85 complete. Available
from Lichfield Factory Specs, Tamworth
Street, Lichfield. Tel: 01543 300625..
Tippers
All Dad’s love a lawnmower such as the
cordless Makita DLM380Z with 38cm cutting
width. Equipped with a single lever cutting
adjustment with six height settings for a
controlled finish. Priced at £139.99 plus VAT and
available from Tippers, Lichfield.
Tippers.com
64
Paul Martyn
Wooden Camper Van Letter Rack is something a
bit different. Priced at £12.99. Available from Paul
Martyn Furniture, Heart of the Country Shopping
Village, Swinfen.
www.paulmartynfurniture.co.uk
Lichfield Piano Centre
Give the gift of music this Mother’s Day with
a piano from the superb range of upright and
baby grand pianos available at Lichfield Piano
Centre, Curborough Hall Farm, Watery Lane.
www.lichfieldpianocentre.co.uk
Tippers
Get authentic and crisp Italian style pizzas
cooked to perfection, and hot off the barbecue,
with this Weber GBS Pizza Stone. The cordierite
stone reaches a high, even temperature so pizza
bases cook fast and remain crisp. Priced at
£58.79 and available from Paving Place.
www.pavingplace.co.uk

65

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