Citylife in Rugeley and Cannock Chase September October 2021

More documents

Recommendations

Info

My Month in Parliament By Amanda Milling MP ........................ My work in Cannock Chase is always directed by what constituents contact me about most. Two issues regularly raised with me are the Chase Line and local policing and crime. Train users in Cannock Chase have faced more than their fair share of issues over the years. These have included trains being delayed, cancelled, or terminated early, as well as persistent incidents of antisocial behaviour (ASB) and fare-dodging. While many of these issues have been actioned for passengers, some problems have remained. This includes the last service from Birmingham New Street which is having a particularly frustrating impact on Rugeley residents. This train only goes as far as Hednesford, stopping short of Rugeley. As many of you will know, this means passengers are often forced to rely on lifts from family and friends, or taxi services, to get home. While I appreciate timetabling is an immensely complicated issue, Network Rail is responsible for this decision. I have written to the Chief Executive, Andrew Haines, to again reiterate the need for the last service of the day to reach Rugeley. I know how important tackling crime is to Rugeley residents. Whether it be antisocial behaviour, drug use, flytipping or speeding; all undermine our communities and even put peoples’ lives at risk. I recently spoke to the new Area Commander for Cannock Chase District, Chief Inspector Victoria Downing, following Chief Inspector Becky Hyde’s retirement. This was a fantastic opportunity to feed back some of the daily concerns raised with me by constituents. I also met with Emma Barnett, who is our new Temporary Chief Constable, responsible for the direction and control of Staffordshire Police. Both women come with a wealth of previous experience, and I know they will work hard to protect and improve our communities here in Cannock Chase. The Prime Minister recently announced his Beating Crime Plan, reaffirming our commitment to cutting crime. The plan includes measures to crack down on antisocial behaviour and drug abuse. It also includes a commitment that every local community will have a named officer on call who is able to see crime in context – to know if it is part of a pattern or a one-off. I am proud of what has been achieved by our local police force, especially given the extra pressure presented by the Coronavirus. By recruiting more police officers and implementing the Beating Crime Plan, we will continue to cut crime across the country. As always, if you have any issues you need my help with, please email me on amanda.milling.mp@parliament.uk, call 01543 877142 or visit www.amandamilling.com/contact. Wartime Brereton By the late Harry Thornton, member of the Landor (local history) Society ........................ The Castle Inn, Brereton People living locally during the 1939-45 war recall the late evening of 22nd October 1940 when one of three bombs dropped by a lone German aircraft exploded in the back garden of the old Castle Inn, blowing to pieces a henhouse, complete with hens, and a greenhouse owned by the landlord Alf Astbury. Mrs Elsie Richards, a daughter of Mr Astbury, still has a photograph of the family and their evacuee standing in the bomb crater, estimated to be about two metres deep and four metres wide. Surprisingly, only superficial damage was done, including a broken window at St Michael’s church school over the road and broken windows as far away as Market Street and Brook Square in Rugeley. Of the other two bombs, one exploded on the road leading to the one-time Leafields Cottages alongside the canal and the other near Rugeley’s old sewage works near the river Trent. Three other bombs fell on the night of 9th September 1940, one landed near Hob Hill, another put a crater in the Armitage Road between the Ash Tree Inn and Spode House which disrupted traffic, and the other fell in fields near Armitage Church. On the afternoon of Sunday 10th October 1943, a Spitfire plunged from the sky and tore into a field beyond the bottom end of Batesway. The pilot, who parachuted to safety and landed in the Trent Valley with only the loss of a flying boot, turned out to be Alex Henshaw, famous chief test pilot at the Castle Bromwich Spitfire Factory, who later recalled the incident in his book, Sigh for a Merlin, with pictures of the wreckage. He had climbed to 17,000 feet in Spitfire MJ190 to test it at full throttle in a power dive over Cannock Chase and was about to pull out of the dive when the engine began to shake uncontrollably and violently and was soon threatening to disintegrate. With streams of hot oil and coolant obscuring his view the pilot had no choice but to leave the aircraft. The jerk of his parachute opening caused him to lose the flying boot which landed on the Chase, but he landed on soft marshy ground near a farm where he was able to telephone for a car to take him to the scene of the wreckage and back to Castle Bromwich. Apparently, Alex Henshaw personally tested over 3000 aircraft, but only had to bail out twice. In addition, during WW2, the enemy action also took place in the area including a Messerschmitt ME110 machine gunned Aelfgar School and the Green Bus café; Longdon being bombed on 8th August 1940; bombs dropping in Armitage Road and the Hawkesyard area on 9th September 1940; and, on 9th October 1940, the English Electric Works at Stafford was bombed. Which involved a Brereton girl being injured. 16
My Weight Loss Story By Patricia Harrington It was in the car when I noticed my tummy touching the steering wheel. That’s when I looked at myself in the interior mirror and said enough is enough, I want to shine again and get my dreams back on track! We all love to go out for a meal and there is nothing worse than saying I can’t have this or, even worse, feeling guilty because you had a pudding! A diet will really turn me off if I have to deprive myself or eat set meals. That’s what I love about Sliming World food optimising, literally nothing is off the table, and you learn to form new healthier habits. If I had to pick a favourite meal it would be a roast dinner every time - my boyfriend loves it too! Slimming world has taught me how to shop for the right foods and how to cook my food, so I didn’t feel hungry or deprived. Our weekly meetings in group are a source of great strength and my consultant, Jeff, is extremely supportive and encourages me to be positive and stay motivated. Eight months in and I’ve reached the summit - I’ve lost five stone! That’s 70lbs - equivalent to 30 bags of sugar. I’ve lost eight inches off my waist, dropped five dress sizes and my fibromyalgia has improved. Losing weight has changed my life. Now is my time to shine, get out and enjoy life to the full once again! 17
Page 3 and 4: 3
Page 5 and 6: Etching Hill WI By Kathy Baxter ...
Page 7 and 8: SI Cannock & District By Trish Mell
Page 9 and 10: 9
Page 11 and 12: 11
Page 13 and 14: 13
Page 15: 15
Page 19 and 20: VACANCY Lichfield City Council ADMI
Page 21 and 22: Coton House Farm Located in Lichfie
Page 23 and 24: 23
Page 25 and 26: Bride and Bloom By Jo Howell ......
Page 27 and 28: Kate Bliss Hopes to Uncover Sparkli
Page 29 and 30: To Advertise please contact Steve B
Page 31 and 32: Rugeley WI By Margaret Bennett ....
Page 33 and 34: Opportunity for a Sales Executive C
Page 35: 35

Citylife in Rugeley and Cannock Chase September October 2021

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?