Citylife in Rugeley and Cannock Chase July August 2021

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Before and After...
..........................
R
ugeley's iconic cooling towers came down on Sunday
6th June, changing the landscape of the town forever.
Local resident, Simon Wilberforce, sent us these before
and after images of the power station site.
3

Welcome to
CITYLIFE
Welcome to CITYLIFE in Rugeley & Cannock Chase, a
monthly magazine bringing you our pick of the area’s news,
events and stories. Each month CITYLIFE in Rugeley &
Cannock Chase is delivered to businesses and homes in
Rugeley, Cannock Chase, Heath Hayes, Ravenhill,
Etchinghill, Slitting Mill, Armitage, Handsacre, Colton,
Hamstall Ridware, completely free of charge; bringing
you the best that the area 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 region? We want to hear from you!
CITYLIFE Contacts
Editor - Kristen Lackajis 07885 380632
kristencitylife@gmail.com
Features - Jono Oates 07785 757201 jonocitylife@gmail.com
Advertising -
Steve Brown 07740 166497 stevebrowncitylife@gmail.com
Rebecca Hill 07970 513144 rebeccahillcitylife@gmail.com
Production -
Helen Smith 07967 154187 helencitylife@gmail.com
Inside...
8 A Window on the Past
Brereton Carnival through the ages
.............................
22 The Day the Steam Ran Out
A look back at the history of Rugeley's
iconic cooling towers
.............................
30 Tastes of the Season
Simon Smith is cooking with herbs
this month
.............................
Citylife In Lichfield Ltd
PO Box 7126 LICHFIELD WS14 4JS
CITYLIFE in Lichfield and CITYLIFE in Rugeley and
Cannock Chase magazines are not connected to any other
publication or publisher, and are wholly owned by CITYLIFE
in Lichfield Ltd.
Citylife In Lichfield
@citylifelichfield
@lichfieldcity
www.citylifeinlichfieldltd.co.uk
Citylife in Lichfield Ltd does not endorse any business or organisation
appearing in these pages, and the publication of any advertisement,
editorial, event listing or advertising editorial does not constitute an
endorsement by Citylife in Lichfield Ltd.
Your Local Magazine

SI Cannock
& District
By Trish Mellor
........................
Membeship coffee at June's
Cannock and District Soroptimists were delighted
to take advantage of the easing of lockdown and
meet together in the garden of Soroptimist June
Bould to mark Membership Month and enjoy coffee,
cake and friendship. Everyone enjoyed the chance to
actually talk to each other face-to-face at long last!
Newest member Jill Mason, one of the club's longer
serving members Carole Holdcroft (a member for 34
years), and Club President Jackie Prince, all spoke of their
reasons for joining Soroptimist International and what it
is that they enjoy about their membership. They each said
that they had been drawn by what Cannock & District
Soroptimists actually do, certainly the things they do to
help locally but also the work nationally and
internationally to enable, educate and empower women
and girls. Each of them likes to help others and recognises
the strength of people working together to channel that
help. But the thing that then keeps their interest and
enthusiasm alive is the friendship and the experiences.
President Jackie thanked Membership Chair June for
hosting such a fabulous morning; she complimented
everyone on what they have done over the last year
during several lockdowns and said how much she's
looking forward to them all working together in the
coming year, as they prove that "it's what you do that
counts".
Anyone interested in coming along to one of the
meetings either on zoom or, soon we hope, at The Barns
in Cannock, email soropscannock@gmail.com.
Further details about Soroptimists and the work they
do can be found on the club’s website
www.sigbi.org/cannock-and-district, the Facebook page
www.facebook.com/SICannock, on twitter @sicannock
or on Instagram @sicannock.
5

LOCAL NEWS
Local Voluntary Groups
get Queen’s Award
Seven voluntary groups from across
Staffordshire have been honoured with Her
Majesty the Queen’s Award for Voluntary
Service.
The honour recognises outstanding voluntary
contributions in local communities and has an
equivalent status for voluntary groups as the
MBE has for individuals.
Groups recognised in this year’s awards include:
• Changes Tamworth
• The Fun Club Hub, Burntwood
• Marchington Village Shop
• Spark CIO, Burntwood
• Staffordshire Narrow Gauge Railway,
Amerton, Stafford
• Walk Ministries, Tunstall
• Whittington and Fisherwick Good Neighbour
Scheme
In the coming months, the seven groups will
receive their certificate signed by Her Majesty
The Queen along with an exclusive
commemorative crystal presented by the Lord-
Lieutenant of Staffordshire, Mr Ian Dudson CBE
KStJ who is Her Majesty's representative for
the County.
Representatives from the groups will also
receive an invitation to attend a Royal Garden
Party at Buckingham Palace. To date 105 groups
from Staffordshire have now received this
annual Award since it was created by Her
Majesty in 2002.
For details of all this year’s Award winners and
information on how to nominate a group visit
https://qavs.direct.gov.uk/ where a nomination
form can be completed and submitted online.
Nominations for 2022 need to be submitted by
15th September 2021.
...........................................
Rugeley Company
Supports Local
Hospice
A caring local company selling health foods,
vitamins and supplements across the UK is
donating vital funds to support St Giles Hospice
thanks to the generosity of its customers.
6
(From left) Zipvit Operations Manager Sarah
Dinshaw, St Giles Hospice Regional Fundraising
Manager Samantha Storey and Zipvit Sales &
Marketing Director Ben Mackay.
Zipvit has donated £20,751 to the hospice,
which supports patients and their families living
with a terminal illness.
Zipvit, based on Towers Business Park in
Rugeley, raised the money through donations
made by customers who ordered online using
the company’s website over the past year.
Online shoppers who spend more than £35 are
given the choice between selecting a free gift
for themselves or giving a donation to charity.
Sarah Dinshaw, Operations Manager at Zipvit,
said: “We are thrilled to have been able to raise
these funds for such an important local cause in
the last 12 months.
“I would like to thank our customers for
selecting the charitable donation as their gift
when shopping with Zipvit.”
For more information about St Giles Hospice
visit www.stgileshospice.com. To find out more
about Zipvit, visit www.zipvit.co.uk.
...........................................
Dementia Action Week
Cannock Soroptimists supported Dementia
Action Week on 17th-23rd May by featuring
real life stories from those who care for people
with dementia on its website and social media.
Some gave their story as a family carer, a spouse
or a son/daughter, others talked about their
caring role within a professional setting. All
were extremely powerful, written from the
heart and the Soroptimists were grateful to all
participants for having the courage to write
about such personal and emotive matters.
Each of the seven participants involved were
featured, one per day during the week, on the
club’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and all
were featured for the whole week and beyond
on the club’s website.
Cannock Soroptimists and friends have also
provided hundreds of crafted forget-me-nots,
joining with the Cannock Town Centre
Dementia Friends group, to help raise
awareness of Dementia.
It is acknowledged that caring for someone
with dementia can be stressful and exhausting
but there is help and support available at the
Dementia Connect Line at the Alzheimer's
Society on 0333 150 3456.
...........................................
Funds Allocated for
Chase Trails
Cllr Adrienne Fitzgerald, Portfolio Holder for
Heritage & Leisure
Cannock Chase Council has allocated funding
towards the Commonwealth Games’ mountain
biking event taking place at Cannock Chase
Forest next summer.
At its meeting in June, the Cabinet allocated
£50,000 of funding made available in September
2020.
The bulk of the funding (£40,000) will be
allocated to upgrade the interpretation and
waymarking for the Cannock Chase Heritage
Trail, an existing 10-mile trail for cyclists and
walkers that links together the main towns of
Cannock, Hednesford and Rugeley and takes in
Brindley Heath and Birches Valley.
Around £8,000 will go on creating local
volunteering opportunities. These will be in
addition to the 13,000 volunteers currently
being recruited as part of the Birmingham 2022
Commonwealth Collective volunteering
programme.
This leaves £2,000 which would be allocated
towards hosting Roadshows in the District.
These are designed to explain what the
Commonwealth Games will bring to host
venues and what they can offer.

National Miners’
Memorial Update
.........................
The
National
Miners’ Memorial
being built at the
National Memorial
Arboretum (NMA) is
now well under way
once again!
Mike and Trish
Mellor, and Len and
Jackie Prince of Chase
Arts for Public Spaces
(CHAPS), visit the
NMA regularly to keep
up with progress and
hold regular site
meetings with Andy
Ansell and Paul
Johnson of the NMA;
Mark Walker of A
Walker & Sons, who
are building the
Derbyshire Stone
memorial, and artist
Andy DeComyn,
responsible for the 25
bronze plaques which
will be fixed to the
memorial. It is
expected that the
memorial will be
completed in July.
It is important that,
once completed, the
memorial receives a
fitting service of
(l-r) Artist Andy DeComyn with
stonemason Mark Walker, and Mike
Mellor and Len Prince of CHAPS
Pin badge
Print No 2, Mother and
Daughter
dedication which,
Covid guidelines
permitting, allows all those who wish to attend to be
present. To that end CHAPS is now in the process of raising
the funds to enable them to hold a suitable dedication
service which will include a Brass Band and a Male Voice
Choir.
Funds are being raised through the sale of
commemorative pins which are £5 each and limited edition
prints at £25 each. The prints are from the drawings used
by artist Andy DeComyn to make the bronze plaques and
were completed by his wife Francesca. There are just 25
prints of each drawing, each one signed and numbered by
the artist; they come complete with a pale grey mount and
a leaflet with information about the drawing and the
memorial, finished size is 8” x 10” so that they fit into a
standard frame.
You can find out more about CHAPS and the National
Miners’ Memorial at www.chaseartsforpublicspaces.co.uk
or www.facebook.com/ChaseArtsForPublicSpaces.
For more information or to order pins or prints email
info@chaseartsforpublicspaces.co.uk or phone 07583
655199.
7

A Window on the Past
Brereton Carnival
In June 1977 the whole country celebrated the Queen's Silver
Jubilee. Brereton residents formed a committee to organise the
village's festivities and Brereton Carnival was born. The venture
was so successful that it was decided to make the Carnival an
annual event. It had made an unexpected profit which was divided
amongst local charities.
After a break of many years BRACE (Brereton and Ravenhill
Association for Community Events) revived the Carnival. An innovation
was a theme for each year - A Day at the Movies, Fantasy, Heroes and
Villains, and Bringing Books to Life, to name a few.
1. Gaynor Hyson, the 1980 Brereton Carnival Queen. Her Maids of
Honour were Marie Finn and Maxine McDowell.
3. Brereton Carnival celebrated its 10th anniversary in 1986, when
the procession was led by the Carnival Princess Rebecca Stoddard and
her two Maids of Honour Amanda Burgess and Julie Smith
4. Brereton Carnival was revived in 2013 by the Brereton and
Ravenhill Association for Community Events and was held annually for
the next six years.
The last Carnival was in 2019.
2
2. In 1984 the Carnival Committee organised a competition amongst
local junior schools to design the front cover of the Carnival
Programme. The winner was 11-year-old Tonya Fisher from Hob Hill
School.
1
The Landor (local history) Society is a
focus for those who wish to learn more
about the history of Rugeley and its
surrounding parishes. It was founded in
1953 and was named in honour of
Walter Noble Landor, local and county
historian, who became the Society’s
first President. More information is
available at www.landorlocalhistorysociety-rugeley.btck.co.uk
3
4a
4b
8

9

All Smiles as Local
Business Reopens!
.........................
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.

11

12
Summer In
The City!
...............................
By Ben Winterton
Summer is in full swing, venues are
opening up again and we are delighted
to be back offering valuations and
auction advice in the heart of
Lichfield!
From the start of July, Richard
Winterton Auctioneers returns to
The Hub at St Mary’s in the city
centre, above the library in the Market
Square, and it is going to be fantastic
meeting people once again and
hearing all about their treasures and
trinkets.
I’ll be at The Hub between 10am-
12.30pm on Tuesdays offering advice
on watches, jewellery, silver and
antiques and people can also take the
opportunity to securely drop off
general consignments for auction with
me.
Catching up with the team at The
Hub, executive director Louise
Fleming said: “We are delighted to
have Richard Winterton Auctioneers
back at The Hub as we know a great
many people in the community love
attending the venue to get their
treasure valued!
“Richard has been a wonderful
sponsor and supporter since The Hub
opened and we are grateful he
continues to support our work.
“As we get back into the swing of
This British Military Omega
RAF pilot’s watch, dating
back to 1953, sold at
auction recently for £2,000.
things our coffee shop is now open and makes a great ‘waiting room’
while you are waiting for Ben to take a look at your (hopefully) valuable
heirlooms.
“We look forward to seeing you soon.”
I couldn’t agree more!
With our streamlined, Covid-secure processes, it’s never been easier
to put your items quickly and efficiently through auction and, as our
results over the past year have shown, demand is stronger than ever.
We’ve introduced new fortnightly Two Day Antiques & Home Sales
online 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.
Appointments can now be booked to view auction lots (just call us on
01543 251081) and each sale has its own digital catalogue online – visit
www.richardwinterton.co.uk/auction-dates.
We are currently gearing up to auction a spectacular collection of
watches and jewellery on Monday, July 5.
From left: Watch and jewellery specialist Ben Winterton, The Hub
executive director Louise Fleming and auctioneer Richard Winterton.
Watch specialist Ben Winterton will be offering advice at The Hub in
the heart of Lichfield from 10am-12.30pm on Tuesdays.
Rolex watches through the years plus Omega, Hamilton and Jaeger-
LeCoultre timepieces all feature.
And there is some incredibly impressive gem set jewellery, including a
2.50ct pear cut diamond pendant.
It’s going to be a sale to remember – in fact we’re expecting it to be
one of the highlights of the year for our jewellery department!
What better time to get free professional advice and discover that
hidden gem?
Summer’s in full swing so let’s bring a little more sunshine by shining a
light on your hidden treasures – see you at The Hub!
Starting July 6, Ben Winterton will be at The Hub in Lichfield city
centre between 10am-12.30pm on Tuesdays offering drop-in advice.
Email ben@richardwinterton.co.uk or call 01543 251081.
Free quotations for house clearances, probate services and in-person
valuations at The Lichfield Auction Centre can be booked on 01543
251081 or by email to office@richardwinterton.co.uk – free home visits
for bulky items or large collections are also available to arrange.
Visit www.richardwinterton.co.uk.

13

Advertising Feature
Wildfire Folk are Back!
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.
Etching Hill WI
By Kathy Baxter
...............................................................
For our Zoom meeting on Wednesday 9th June, we had James
Haddow the ‘Taxi Driver Poet’ who gave a brilliant talk on the
entertainment of his passengers through verse, as he drove
them around Nottinghamshire and Derby. James has had a longtime
love of words and verse and has been writing and reciting
poetry for more than 16 years. He even created a special poem for
the WI.
We were all highly entertained by his light-hearted and personal
poetry. The vote of thanks was given by Ann Ingleby.
It is time to dust off the summer dresses for our 75th birthday party.
This is to be at the Chetwynd Arms Upper Longdon on Wednesday
14th July and promises to be an exciting day, hopefully the weather will
be kind to us.
Our social calendar is opening with future events to include a
charitable coffee morning for the 27th October and a provisional
booking at Beau Desert Golf Club for the Christmas meal on
Wednesday 1st December.
Our social time was organised by Ann who gave us an animal quiz this
time.
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 14th July when our
speaker for the evening will be Vicky Farmer giving a talk on ‘A Day in
the Life of a Quiz Show Contestant’.
Further information for Etchinghill WI can be found on Twitter,
Instagram or Facebook.
14

15

Free Summer School
.....................
Hart School is
proud to
have been at
the heart of Rugeley
for decades, and
now, to further
support its
community, it’s
launching a free
summer school.
Based on a “We are
Rugeley” theme, the
Summer School, from
August 2-6, will
support the transition of Year 6 pupils and feature fun and
engaging activities, including a Go Ape trip.
Principal Miss Rachael Sandham said: “Due to Covid
restrictions, Year 6 children haven’t had as much time in
the classroom, or the chance to take part in many
enrichment opportunities ordinarily offered by their
primaries.
“Our summer school is aimed at addressing these
elements and empowering pupils with the skills, confidence
and knowledge to support a smooth transition into Year 7.
“We’ll also provide tips to help settle in smoothly so
new pupils can hit the ground running in September 2021,
making a fabulous start to their Hart School career.”
Visit www.hartschool.org.uk for more.
16

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.
17

A Landscape Vision for the
Future of the Washlands
By Victoria Bunter
.........................
The Washlands is an extensive piece of natural land that follows the
river through to the heart of Burton-upon-Trent. Recently, a new
shared Landscape Vision has been launched for the Washlands,
headed by East Staffordshire Borough Council and in partnership with
the Environment Agency, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and other public
and private sector partners.
Transforming the Trent Valley is excited to announce that a range of habitat
enhancements have now been designed though our Living Floodplains project
which will make this vision into a reality.
The vision, informed by consultation with key stakeholders and the local
community, addresses how to best balance the regular flooding of the area
with the need for public access and recreation, whilst promoting nature
conservation and a more environmentally sustainable approach to green space
management.
This work will be completed in two phases over 2021 and 2022. Phase 1 is
the delivery of projects within the central part of the Burton Washlands,
primarily on East Staffordshire Borough Council Landholding. These are a mix
of wetland, river, grassland and woodland enhancements. Some of the
highlights include:
• Creating wildlife ponds in areas where stagnant water collects after
flooding. These ponds will have diverse vegetation and will support a host of
aquatic wildlife. Deepening the pools will also have the effect of collecting
water improving access across the floodplains during wetter periods.
• Addressing water flow in vegetated channels such as the Silverway. We will
look to lower the nettle-covered banks encouraging a more species rich
aquatic flora during periods of high flow, whilst maintaining flow during drier
seasons, ensuring water flow in the channel year-round.
• Reprofiling strategic
sections of the riverbanks by
changing the slope. This will
replicate how the river
would have looked before it
was artificially modified. By
doing this we will create new
habitats by varying the width
of the river, exposing gravels,
and creating areas of
shallower water. These new
Water standing on fields for long periods
after flooding.
habitats will support young fish and aquatic insects in the shallows as
well as invertebrates specifically associated with exposed river
gravels.
• Bringing in local wildflowers to the meadow areas supporting
pollinators and bringing attractive colour to the fields outside of the
amenity areas.
We would like to thank the various user groups of Burton
Washlands who have provided important local knowledge on the
project area and fed into the design phase for this project. This will
be a fantastic example of creating a landscape which can provide
both support for wildlife and enjoyment for people in the same
space.
We would like to thank our funders and partners including the
Environment Agency, National Lottery Heritage Fund and East
Staffordshire Borough Council.
‘The Washlands Vision’ sets out the landscape scale proposals for
the area and can be viewed at www.eaststaffsbc.gov.uk/washlandsproject.
Unused meadow areas which would benefit
from wildflower introduction.
Nettle banks alongside the Silverway.
Riverbanks that would benefit from reprofiling
to create a shallower beach profile.
18

Rugeley &
District Lions
Club
By Peter Fielding
........................
Now that lockdown is being slowly lifted Rugeley &
District Lions Club is beginning to get back to normal
in line with government restrictions.
We are pleased to announce that our presentation of
Mary Queen of Scots, by Lesley Smith of Tutbury Castle,
which was originally scheduled for due on 21st April,
has now been arranged for Tuesday 7th September at St
Augustine’s Church. Tickets cost £10 to include a glass
of wine or soft drink. Over 18s only.
Those who bought tickets for last year’s postponed
presentation can use them for this event.
If you have any questions or want more details about
Rugeley & District Lions Club please contact us on
email randdlions@hotmail.com or via Facebook.
19

Win VIP Tickets to the
Staffs County Show
The Staffordshire County Show will be held on Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th August.
Despite the change of date, the event will have all the attractions visitors expect from one
of the County’s premier events. The Show offers something for visitors of all ages.
A packed Main Ring programme includes a range of attractions from the breath-taking
Bolddog Lings to show jumping and the Grand Parade of Livestock. In the Country Pursuits
Arena visitors can watch the birds of prey display, the ferret roadshow or sit back and learn
all about pigs with the Hogg Show. Around the Showground there will be demonstrations
of traditional rural crafts such as thatching and drystone walling. However, at the heart of
the Show is livestock with over 1,000 cattle, sheep, pigs and goats and over 1,500 horses
and ponies.
There are a number of competitions and shows, including the Sheep Shearing Competition,
Farriery Competition, the Fur and Feather Show and the Bees and Honey Show with its
working hive. Children of all ages are especially well catered for with a children’s farm, an
exotic animal display, donkey rides and fairground rides. Shopaholics will be able to browse
over four hundred trade stands selling everything from cars to hot tubs. In addition there
is a food hall with a further fifty stands selling a range of mouth-watering local produce.
For more information and to purchase tickets visit www.staffscountyshowground.co.uk.
We’ve got a pair of VIP tickets to give away, including free admission to the
show with access to the Member’s Pavilion and a two-course lunch with a
glass of wine. To enter, simply answer the question below and send your
details to us!
On which road is the County Showground located?
a) Western Road
b) Stafford Road
c) Lichfield Road
To enter, just send your name, contact details and answer to The Staffordshire County Show
Competition, at competitioncitylife@gmail.com or post your entry to Citylife in Lichfield Ltd, PO Box 7126, Lichfield WS14 4JS by the competition closing date of
9th August. One entry per household. Multiple entries will be disqualified. Winners will not be offered a 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 34.
Cannock &
District Men’s
Probus
By Peter Arnold
.........................
Returning to live meetings, Cannock & District Men’s Probus Club held
its AGM on Mon 24th May. Derek Gallear was elected Chairman and in
his opening address he expressed thanks to both the outgoing Chairman,
Michael Cardy, and his predecessor Patrick Garnett. A guest speaker
rounded off the morning with a chuckle by sharing “odd odes”.
During Lockdown, the Club has thrived via weekly Zoom meetings.
Particular thanks were given to Patrick Garnet, who set up Zoom, and to
Barry Dowell, our technical Guru. Their sterling efforts made these
meetings the highlight of the week for members. An established meeting
format evolved, opening with a short discussion of newspaper headlines,
followed by a thought for the day, then the main presentation before
closing with a lively magazine section.
Michael Cardy, Derek Gallear & Patrick Garnett
Initially the presentations were given by members and included being
transported to Innsbruck via flight simulator, learning about the Falkirk
Wheel, and sailing around the world single-handedly. These shared
experiences enabled members to get to know each other better while
gaining new skills in using Zoom. In recent months, most speakers were
external and talks included human trafficking, the construction of the
Trans-Siberian Railway and the dangers experienced in fleeing the
Japanese invasion of Burma - to name just a few.
Meeting are held fortnightly on Monday evenings. If you would
like to join us, please contact Barry Dowell, Secretary, on 01543
503320 or email bg.dowell@icloud.com.
20

Whats on
July/August
........................
Free Countryside Course
Free countryside course with animals, plants
and creativity for people recovering from mental ill
health. Courses are for Staffordshire residents.
Support with transport available. No prior
knowledge required but must be willing to commit
to 27 hours of the course. For more information
contact Carol on 07814 237211/email:
umra.cic@gmail.com
........................
Artisan Market
Brook Square, Rugeley.
First Saturday of Every
Month.
Next date: 3rd July.
21

The Day the Steam
Ran Out
By Jono Oates
............................
On Sunday 6th June 2021 at 11.15am the skyline around
Rugeley was changed forever, as the four cooling towers of
the Rugeley Power Station were reduced to a pile of rubble
in just a few seconds, ending a 60-year tenure as one of the most
iconic, and historic, images of Rugeley.
Construction of the power station, a joint venture between the
Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) and the National Coal
Board, started in 1956 with full production expected within five years,
and the building cost was an estimated £30,000,000. The first station
became known as Power Station A and had five cooling towers,
generating power via the supply of coal from the nearby Lea Hall Colliery,
and used the first, and only, dry tower in the country, aiming to eliminate
water loss. It was followed by the Rugeley B Station in 1972.
Work on the new station was disrupted several times by accidents
involving the construction workers. In April 1959 scaffolder Francis
Duggan fell a staggering 210 foot inside one of the cooling towers and,
amazingly, despite the height of his fall, Francis survived, sustaining two
broken ankles and a broken spine, and received treatment at Stoke
Mandeville Hospital. A few months later, in September of the same year,
fellow scaffolder Kenneth Glover fell 30 foot and also survived.
In December 1958 the Lichfield Mercury reported that the power
station would have the biggest cooling tower in the world and that the
towers were so large that you could even fit Lichfield Cathedral into
them! The site employed a large number of staff and construction
workers and on 31st May June 1959 thieves broke in to the site in the
early hours of the morning. They ransacked every office and succeeded
in stealing a safe from the one of the offices, containing £500 in cash.
Rugeley A was officially opened on 1st October 1963 by Lord Robens,
Chairman of the National Coal Board, and Sir Christopher Hinton, the
first Chairman of the CEGB. Lord Robens said he believed that the
power station would have a huge impact on the national and local
economy, and that he believed that production at the Lea Hall Colliery
would increase from the current 1.5 million tons of coal a year to two
million tons. The following weekend hundreds of people attended an
Open Day at the station, and the climax of the day was a dance in the
evening when the newly-crowned Electricity Queen was announced as
18-year-old Mrs Kathleen Morgan, wife of an electrician at the plant.
Production at the station almost came to a complete halt in October
22
1966 when a cracked 12-inch water main pipe, 30-foot underground at
Queensway, meant that water supplies to the station, Lea Hall Colliery
and many houses in the area were severely disrupted. Supplies of water
were only maintained by fleets of county and auxiliary fire engines who
pumped water from a ‘borrow’ pit to the A Station.
The station continued to be a popular visitor attraction and in 1970
over 2,000 people visited it, shown round by trained guides, many of
them were the wives or girlfriends of workers at the station. The station
also had many football, and sporting, teams and Rugeley Power Station
football team destroyed rivals Houghton 10-0 at home as they went top
of the Mid Staffs Division League Three in December 1974. Houghton
must have been fed up of playing the station as they were also despatched
5-1 in the reverse away fixture two months later!
The generosity of the workers at the station was shown in October
1982 when they raised funds to provide a specially designed intensive
care bed, suitable for both the X-ray department and the operating
theatre, costing £1,830. The bed was put to use immediately after the
handing-over ceremony at the Staffordshire General Infirmary and it was
later transferred to the Stafford District General Hospital which had just
recently opened.
In September 1986 the CEGB declared an Open House event on
twenty of its power stations around the country, including Rugeley.
Nearly 17,000 visitors came to join in ‘behind the scenes’ tours at the A
and B plants, when they were told that each cooling tower cooled 7,000
million gallons of water every year and that between them Rugeley A and
B were capable of producing 1,500 megawatts of electricity – enough to
power electricity for 1.5 million people.
The Rugeley A station was closed in 1995 and in September of that
year hundreds of spectators gathered to watch the final two, of the
original five, cooling towers be demolished by a controlled explosion,
mirroring the demolition of June this year. The explosion had to be
carefully managed due to the close proximity of major overhead power
lines, the closest of which was just 20 feet away.
The closure of the Rugeley B power station was announced in
February 2016 and it closed on 8 June 2016. Over the last five years
various buildings and towers on the site have been demolished,
culminating in the demolition of the remaining four cooling towers on 6
June this year.
For the last 60 years local and visitors alike have known when they
were approaching the town by spotting the cooling towers as they
dominated the skyline from every direction. Plans are now in hand to
develop the site but, whatever is built there, it will not have the same
majestic, dominating and, at times brooding, presence of the grand old
towers of Rugeley A and B.
Sources:
The British Newspaper Archive
Courtesy of ENGIE

Now open 7 days
a week
23

Pawfect 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!
David is the owner of four-year-old
Bengal, Oscar
Georgie Beagle is owned by Dominique
Mr Kong is owned by Jack (he's so fluffy!)
This is 15-year-old Sooty, owned by Chris and
Lorraine. In this photo, Sotty was at a talk
given by a Bletchley Park engineer on the
Enigma Code Breaking Machine, before
lockdown, of course!
K9 ACRES LTD
A rural safe haven for your dog! K9 acres is a large
purpose-built secure dog field facility, based in
Longdon, available for private individual hire. With
two dedicated fields, 'Country' and 'Meadow',
there’s no better way for your four-legged friend to
enjoy the countryside!
To find out more, or to book, visit
www.k9acres.co.uk or call 07968 550006.
Looking for Homes
24
Up for adoption is Sunny. She is approximately 12-
18 months old and comes from Romania. She is fully
vaccinated, microchipped, spayed and has a full pet
passport as well. Timid and shy when she first meets
you, but a very sweet natured girl. She gets on well
with other dogs and has never lived with children.
Nancy is also looking for a forever home. She is
very affectionate and loving, and would make a
superb companion for someone who is patient and
understanding. She is fully house trained and travels
well in the car. Would suit a household with no
children.
To find out more, contact Rugeley Welfare for
Dogs on 07900 090993 or 07971 817 877.
Nancy
Sunny

My Month in
Parliament
By Amanda Milling MP
........................
Last weekend we saw the
iconic cooling towers of
Rugeley demolished.
For some of you they were
where you worked. For me
they’ve always been my sign
that I’m back home.
There is no doubt this is an
end of an era as the last link
to our area’s mining history is
removed from the landscape.
Whilst many of us will miss those towers that
represent our industrial heritage and for so long
dominated the landscape we must also look
forward.
In the month of the G7, an event that brings
leaders from across the globe together to discuss
how we can protect our planet for future
generations, this is Cannock Chase’s contribution
to that mission.
Not only will this site become home to
thousands of people and will have sustainability at
its core with low carbon homes.
Rugeley will be central to a project to design a
new zero carbon smart local energy system for
the town. This project which will show how such
a system can reduce carbon and energy costs for
local residents.
In November we will be hosting COP26 to
highlight climate change, the environment and net
zero are a global issue.
I’m proud that right here in Cannock Chase
we’ll be playing our part and accelerating the
United Kingdom’s path to a greener future.
Also this site will have space for new
employment opportunities – bringing jobs and
investment to our area. And ensure the next
generation get the skills they need at a new John
Taylor MAT through school.
The demolition of the cooling towers marks
the end of an era, we now need to look forward
to new opportunities for Rugeley.
As always, if you have any issues you need my
help with, please email me at
amanda.milling.mp@parliament.uk, call 01543
877142 or visit
www.amandamilling.com/contact.
25

Cyber Awareness at C&D
Ladies Probus
By Alison Cardy
...............................................................
The saying ‘You can’t keep a good woman down’ remains true
for Ladies in Cannock and District Probus Club who
currently meet on Zoom until pandemic restrictions are
behind us. We enjoyed a most interesting, enlightening talk from
speaker Kate Dempsey, Cyber Protect Officer, from Staffordshire
Police Cyber Crime Team to raise Cyber Awareness.
We were warned it could be a ‘dry’ subject but Kate’s Presentation
answered many everyday questions of internet use. She opened by
reminding us of the quote in Skyfall, when James Bond was told by Q: "I
can do more damage on my laptop sitting in my pyjamas before my first
cup of Earl Grey than you can do in a year in the field.” Bond may not
have liked being told this but today this is true and whatever age,
background or experience we have, we can all be affected by Cyber
Crime. We were advised that, like fire needs combustibles, oxygen and
fuel, similarly it takes three areas for the criminals to be successful.
WHO (a victim can be anyone); LOCATION (laptop or any device);
OFFENDER (anywhere in the world from a bedroom to organised
groups). Motivation can be money; fame and kudos for status of crime;
control; hacktivism; a business for competitive gain or political, at state
and military level, but the biggest asset gained is data.
Kate brought our attention to the three ways to obtain our sensitive
Information:
PHISHING (emails) - Usually an attempt to take credit card details or
upload malware which could close you out of computer. Often emails
look like they come from the bank or Home Office and if you respond,
they harvest your financial information. We were taught to Pause and
Take Five. Don’t panic and never respond to emails if they look
suspicious. Do not ‘unsubscribe’ either as that tells the criminals, who
are calling randomly, that it is a ‘live’ line.
TEXT MESSAGES - When distracted in our busy lives we may not feel
they offer a threat if sent from a bank, Post Office or delivery company
but in asking you to log in to the criminals ‘unsecured’ link, they have
access to your data.
VISHING (voice contact - phone calls) - Automatic phone calls may
be from what seems like a genuine ‘trusted’ organisation often
purporting to be the Police or HMRC asking for National Insurance
numbers; Amazon or Post Office; Health Provider or Police personnel.
To convince you, they often suggest you use a spoof phone number for
you to check. However, if there has been a data breech from a major
company, your Information can be circulated years later, to other
criminal groups and using your personal information, such as your name,
they are very convincing. Don’t be afraid to simply put the phone
down!
Alongside raising our awareness of Cyber Crime we were given tips
to help protect us, such as: creating a strong password using three
random words; saving passwords in your browser; using 2-factor
authentication; updating devices; and backup data.
Anyone who thinks they’ve been victim of fraud or cybercrime can
report it to Action Fraud 0300 123 2040,
And if money is at risk, it is important to inform your bank. A
suspicious or fraudulent text message can be reported by forwarding to
7726.
Members wished they had known these details earlier to enable them
to protect themselves. The vote of thanks was given before Chairman
Anne Bumford dealt with Club business, finishing with a ‘thought for
today.’
Should anyone wish to join Cannock and District Ladies Probus, to
share friendship, if you are recently retired or simply looking for a new
group of friends, you may join on Zoom as a guest initially until the ‘new’
normal arrives. We normally meet on the first Thursday of each month
at The Chase Golf Club at 12 noon, where a meal and fellowship is
shared, with speakers on interesting topics. New members are always
welcome: annual membership is £16 and a two-course lunch is £17. For
more information contact Barbara on 01889 882 166 or Anne on 01922
418 037.
26

Sniffing Out Treasures with the "Truffle Pig" of Rare Books
When asked how he unearths so many hidden treasures for
auction, book specialist Jim Spencer says: "I'm like a trained
sniffer dog or truffle pig. I plough through every old box of bits, get
to the back of every shelf, check the corners of every dusty drawer,
until something emerges like a speck of gold. Then I go down the
rabbit hole of research, hoping to bring it to life for collectors."
In the last few weeks alone, Jim has made numerous exciting
discoveries. In a box of old books, he found a small order of service for a
funeral - that of Sir John Everett Millais PRA (1829-1896), painter and
founding member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. "Just think of St
Paul's Cathedral on 20 August 1896," said Jim. "Someone clutching this
little book, watching the pallbearers, among them Sir Henry Irving and
William Holman Hunt, it's spine-tingling history."
He loves scrapbooks and always checks every page. In a scrapbook
album compiled by WP Granville, electrical engineer, he spotted two
autographed letters signed by Sir George Simpson, meteorologist for
Captain Scott's Antarctic Terra Nova Expedition, 1910-1913, as well as
two photographs of Simpson conducting experiments with a balloon
during the expedition. "This is really important," said Jim. "Collectors will
be scrapping over this one - no pun intended!" The scrapbook is guided
at £1,000-2,000, but Jim suspects a bidding battle will see it race away for
more. "I read Cherry-Garrard's Worst Journey in the World a few years
ago, and it's remarkable what these people went through. This is a little
slice of that expedition."
Jim discovered a single leaf printed in 1484 by William Caxton - the
By Charles Hanson
........................
person who introduced printing in
England. "This is from Disticha de
moribus, and it's a tangible piece of
our printing history." This single leaf
of text is guided at £300-500.
Jim has a soft spot for the comedic
or bizarre and was pleased to dig
out a small manuscript book
recording the theatrical exploits of
John Cole (1792-1848), disastrous
bookseller, publisher and antiquary.
"Cole was an eccentric character
who seemed to avoid success
A letter and photographs depicting
Simpson conducting experiments
whenever possible. This curious book records in meticulous detail the
series of completely mundane events leading to Cole performing a
soliloquy on stage in Northampton. Why he thought it necessary to
devote an entire book to the history of this insignificant performance is
anyone's guess - but I love him for it."
Jim is always keen to hear about antiquarian books, modern firsts,
manuscripts, maps, prints and ephemera. He offers free valuations by
appointment every Monday at Bishton Hall, Staffordshire, and catalogues
a quarterly specialist Library Auction. For more information, or to arrange
a free valuation, please contact Jim Spencer, Associate Director and Head
of Books & Works on Paper, Hansons Auctioneers at
jspencer@hansonsauctioneers.co.uk or call 07807 563 472.
27

28

Rugeley WI
By Margaret Bennett
.........................
Rugeley WI committee have been in touch with
their members on a regular basis since their monthly
meetings were put on hold during the Covid crisis. A
quick visit or a telephone call, just to make sure
everyone is ok, has been greatly appreciated by
members.
Members who are computer literate have been
joining in the Wednesday afternoon Zoom meetings
hosted by Barbara Coppard or Wendy Holland.
Participants have been having a weekly quiz which
has produced a lot of fun and laughter from
members with comments such as “Well, I didn’t
know that” or “I must brush up on my geography!”
It was decided by the Committee that, as
restrictions are easing, an afternoon tea at Marsh
Farm can be arranged for Wednesday 7th July.
Members of the Rugeley WI have been contacted
about arrangements and are looking forward to the
event.
The WI Centenary planter outside Rugeley Library
has been re-done with summer plants by Barbara
Johnson and Wendy Holland and will give a lot of
pleasure to people passing by.
It is hoped that, restrictions permitting, our regular
meetings be resumed during the summer period but
members will be contacted when this happens.
Rugeley WI meets every last Wednesday in the
month at St Paul’s Community Hall at 7:30pm. For
information, contact Ann on 01889 570875 or
Barbara on 01889 804889.
29

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.
30

Advertising Feature
About Thespian Arts
Our Mission
...................................................................
With a collective 148 years of experience in
performing arts, our team understands how to
get the best out of our young performers.
Our students join us to have fun, make friends, learn new skills,
and develop not only as a performer, but as a person.
We are a Community Interest Company that believes in
offering every young person the opportunity to benefit from the
arts. We are often opening new branches, growing our list of
classes and services to further meet the needs and wants of our
community.
Our members are offered lots of on-stage experiences at
popular public events, and at theatres across the West Midlands.
We believe that the best place for our members to learn about
being on the stage - is on the stage.
Thespian Arts are one big family, and we pride ourselves on the
standard of our classes, sessions, and performances.
31

Ronald David Cooper
By Cyril Cooper of The Landor
.....................
(local history) Society
Iwas recently given access to ‘The War Diary of English Electric’
and was amazed at the amount of material EE produced on their
various sites during WW2 and their rapid turn round of orders.
Not least the number of tanks they produced at Stafford and tested
on Cannock Chase.
In their Roll of Honour, I found the name of my Uncle, Ron Cooper. I
was unaware that he’d worked at EE and if he did, would have expected
him to be in a reserved occupation. However, he either volunteered or
was conscripted into the Army in 1943.
He was born at Bay Cottage in Colwich on 19th September 1924 to
George Henry Cooper and Florence (nee Wetton). His service career
started in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment but at some stage was
transferred or attached to the 20th Royal Fusiliers and The Royal Welch
Regiment before ending up with The Border Regiment.
He was a member of the Signals Platoon and his letters tell of hard
training at The Battle Training School in Yorkshire including house-tohouse
training in the bombed-out areas of Hull (sad to be using the
remains of someone’s home to hone your battle skills).
A Rugeley
Awakening!
By Hilary Goodreid
........................
It’s been a long time since we’ve seen our High Streets buzzing
with the chatter of shoppers, stopping to browse market stalls,
grab some food ‘alfresco’ and listen to the chilled vibes of acoustic
guitars. Rugeley is no exception, but on Monday 31st May, the
town held its first Artisan Market, and for a few sun-filled hours you
may have wondered if ‘Lockdown I & II’ were figments of your
imagination.
The Artisan Market is to become a regular visitor to Brook Square in
Rugeley, visiting on the first Saturday of each month, with many more
stalls lined up for the next event on Saturday 3rd July. Whether you’re
a local crafts person, make tempting delights in your kitchen at home or
make your own beautiful clothes, and are looking for a way to increase
your profile, drop an email to market organisers Sketts, on
info@sketts.co.uk and they will give you all of the latest information.
Many of the stall holders sold out of stock at the first event, so it’s
definitely worth getting involved.
With Rugeley starting to come back to life, The Town Council have
several events planned for the Summer, with the long awaited ‘Virtual’
He was finally with the 2nd Batt.
Border Regiment in India when at midday
on June 5th 1944 part of a working party
was injured and later died when a round
from a 2in. mortar which was being
ranged fell short. The round fell 200 yards
short of target and killed seven and
injured twelve. Three of the killed and five
of the wounded were pioneers who were
helping the section to dig in.
He is buried in The Imphal War Cemetery in Eastern India, Plot 1, Row
F, Grave 8. He is remembered on the plaque in the Lych Gate of St
Michaels and All Angels Church in Colwich and is also recorded in The
Memorial Book in the Regimental Chapel in Carlisle Cathedral.
Ron had two
brothers who also
served in the Army,
both returned safely.
I was only 11 years
old when Ron went
to war so did not
know him well, but I
find it ironic that he
was a Signaller and
so was I.
More ‘plane
crashes’ to be had!
Fringe Festival, which was
postponed from May 2020, being
shared via their social media
accounts and sent to the town’s
pubs, to show between the Euro’s!
This will happen over the course of
the weekend of 25th, 26th and 27th
June. Thanks to Heritage Lottery
Funding, the artists were each
filmed on stage in the Rugeley Rose
Theatre. The footage has been
edited into a fabulous film by Brave
New Beast Film company, who were
blown away by the local talent. If
you’re planning to be home that
weekend, position your TV so that it’s facing the garden, pop a few beers
and some Pinot in the cooler, and soak up some excellent
entertainment.
To round up the long anticipated school holidays, there will be the first
Rugeley Festival of Food & Film, held on St. Augustine’s field, on Sunday
29th August and Bank Holiday Monday 30th August. The two-day event
will enable you to buy day tickets for each day, for back-to-back Big
Screen films and our own Fringe Festival footage, and feature street food
stalls from our local restaurants. The Rugeley Rugby Club will be running
the bar with Tickets are due to go on sale very soon, so keep an eye on
Rugeley Town Council’s website for more information. Bring your picnic
blanket or camping chairs, and come and soak up the atmosphere – and
the excellent refreshments!
Keep up to date with what’s happening in Rugeley by visiting
www.rugeleytowncouncil.gov.uk.
32

J HOWELL &
DAUGHTERS
FUNERAL DIRECTORS LICHFIELD
LICHFIELD’S LONGEST ESTABLISHED INDEPENDENT,
FAMILY RUN FUNERAL DIRECTORS.
SECOND GENERATION BUSINESS HERE TO ASSIST YOU
AND YOUR FAMILY.
24 hours a day
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
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