Citylife in Lichfield April 2022

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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 -
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
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.
Competition Winners
Congratulations to T Wootton of Hixon who wins a Sunday
Roast for two people and a bottle of prosecco at The Cock Inn
at Hanbury!
Well done!
Inside...
6 Local News
What's been happening in the area
23 Cabin of Content
Rebecca Hill enjoys a facial at Reflexions
28 The History of Beacon Park
Jono Oates takes us back in time
34 The Lichfield Greenhill Bower
The Bower is set to be a fun-filled
event this year
42 Burntwood Newsletter
Burntwood Town Council's newsletter
..................................
From the Editor…
Hello and welcome to the April issue of the magazine where
we’re celebrating springtime!
A sure sign that warmer days are yet to come, the grass is
getting greener and more lush, with daffodils and crocuses
poking their heads out to enjoy the sunshine too!
In this issue, we’ve got lots to keep you entertained. The usual
local news section is bursting with what’s been going on in and
around Lichfield, plus our local historian Jono takes us on a trip
down memory lane, with features focusing on Beacon Park and
a couple of historic city centre properties.
There’s a couple of wonderful Easter recipes this month, from
celebrity chef Simon Smith and expert baker, Ruth Redgate, plus
our dining section showcases just a few of the delicious
restaurants which can be found locally.
So why not take the opportunity to sit in the garden, pop your
feet up and have a read in the sunshine?!
Krissy

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LOCAL NEWS
6
March Winner!
Well done to D Turnell, the winner of a C-
Secure wallet from L'uomo on Tamworth
Street. Pictured is the lucky recipient collecting
his prize! Congratulations!
......................................................................................
New Director for
Swim House
Swim House is delighted to announce Sarah
Collings as its new Director of Swimming.
A former European, Commonwealth and
European Masters swimmer, Sarah represented
Great Britain achieving much success, gaining
vital experience with which she uses today to
help the next generation of talent reach their
potential.
Since retiring from competition, Collings has
been appointed to numerous sporting director
and mentoring roles in which she works to
develop opportunities for children to
participate, excel and forge careers in sport.
Swim House is dedicated to educating young
people in swimming, teaching them how to be
safe in water, and become competent
swimmers. With the decline of public funding
for facilities across the entire UK, it is proud to
offer its much-needed services.
Once swimmers are safe, competent, and happy,
Swim House is then able to support their
dreams of becoming the medallists of the
future.
.......................................................................................
Tennis Award for
Beacon Park
Beacon Park Tennis has recently been awarded
the Staffordshire Communities and Parks of the
Year award for 2022 by the Lawn Tennis
Association (LTA).
Since reopening in August 2020, the facility has
welcomed thousands of tennis and netball
players from the local community, including the
recent revival of its free tennis sessions.
The Sunday sessions, led by qualified tennis
coaches, welcome players of all abilities, with all
equipment being supplied.
Due to the postponement of the official
opening celebration, there will be an open day
taking place which is yet to be confirmed.
Visit https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/BeaconPark/
to find out more or book.
.......................................................................................
Comedy Comes to
The Hub
Over the next few
months, The Hub
at St Mary’s will be
b r i n g i n g
Lichfeldians a host
of excellent
comedy evenings
featuring awardwinning
acts,
i n c l u d i n g
favourites from TV
and the Edinburgh
Fringe.
The Alter Comedy
Jessica Fostekew headlines
at The Alter Comedy Club
Club’s opening
line-up on 30th March includes ‘Live at The
Apollo’ favourite Tez Iylas, Musical Comedy
Award winner Katie Pritchard, Liverpool
Comedian of the year Callum Oakley, and will
be headlined by Edinburgh comedy award
nominee, Jessica Fostekew (of Motherland,
Cuckoo, QI, and The Guilty Feminist).
The best of UK comedy served up in a candlelit,
cabaret-style setting in the glorious
surroundings of The Hub. What’s not to love?!
Tickets for the shows at £12 are available online
www.thehubstmarys.co.uk along with full
listings for each event.
.......................................................................................
Rotary Award for
Litter Legend
Lichfield St Chad Rotary has awarded its annual
Community Award to Bob Harrison for his
work with the Lichfield Litter Legends.
Lichfield Litter Legends is a litter action group
based in the city with the ultimate aim to make
the city and the surrounding areas litter free.
The group is also expanding its educational
project by talking to more children about the
issues associated with littering.
The photo shows Bob Harrison (left) receiving
an engraved silver salver from David Cooke of
Lichfield St Chad Rotary. For further
information about the Rotary club visit
Facebook page
www.Facebook.com/LichfieldStChad or call
01543 409702.
Opportunity for a
Sales Executive
Citylife in Lichfield Ltd
We currently have an opportunity
for a Sales Executive to work on our
two magazines – Citylife in Lichfield
and Citylife in Rugeley & Cannock
Chase. You must be self-motivated and
comfortable speaking to clients on the
phone as well as face-to-face. The
post is commission only and a car is
essential.
For further information and a full
job description, please email
helencitylife@gmail.com

Advertising Feature
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7

LOCAL NEWS
Burntwood Firm
Scoops National Award
Burntwood-based JB Caravan and Trailer
Services was recently awarded the accolade of
Mobile Workshop of the Year 2021 by the
Approved Workshop Scheme (AWS).
The business, which is operated by a husbandand-wife
team, has been running for 11 years,
providing servicing for caravans, motorhomes
and trailers for individuals and businesses in and
around the area.
The awards ceremony took place on 22nd
February at the Caravan, Camping and
Motorhome Show at the NEC, with the main
criteria of the award being the workshop’s
ability to uphold the scheme’s trusted ethos by
demonstrating continues scheme compliance.
.......................................................................................
Cars in the Park 2022
The 25th Cars in the Park event will take place
in Beacon Park on the first weekend in July.
Having grown from eight cars and a few stalls,
the show is now one of the largest and most
successful classic car meetings in the West
Midlands and sees cars and owners visiting
from all over Britain.
With an expected 1,000 cars on display, this
year’s events will include a classic car auction
on Sunday July 3rd by Richard Winterton
Auctioneers; a competition to judge the best
cars; the ever-popular BMX display; and a birds
of prey show, along with many food and
merchandise stalls.
Cars in the Park is organised by Lichfield St
Chad Rotary, in association with the Stan
Bowley Trust, and with assistance from many
other bodies such as the Lichfield Police cadets,
the Naval cadets, Lichfield Round Table, and
other local Rotary members.
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Entry is free although a donation is suggested.
Car parking is £5 per car.
Visit www.carsinthepark.com for further
information.
.....................................................................................
LHCRT’s £260k Boost
Falkland Road, photo by David Hodgkinson copy
The Lichfield Canal restoration project has
received a massive boost with the award of
£260,000 funding from Lichfield District
Council's Community Infrastructure Levy.
This will allow Lichfield and Hatherton Canals
Restoration Trust (LHCRT) to build an 870-
metre extension of the public footpath and
partial dry canal channel alongside Falkland
Road, creating a traffic-free community
greenway link between Birmingham Road and
the very popular Heritage Towpath Trail at
Fosseway Heath.
The path will be available to pedestrians and
cyclists and of particular benefit to residents of
the new Taylor Wimpey Friary Meadow and
Bower Park developments, providing a green
corridor supporting the sustainable
development of Lichfield District.
.......................................................................................
Epic Cycle Challenge
for Hospice
An intrepid Staffordshire fundraiser will take on
the ultimate challenge this spring by cycling
around the entire coastline of England, Scotland
and Wales to support St Giles Hospice.
Retired Steve Munro (61) will be taking on his
epic 14-week journey – which will see him ride
5,266 miles – to fulfil a dream and thank
hospice staff for caring for his brother-in-law at
the end of his life in 2020.
Steve plans to raise funds in memory of Tim by
cycling between 50-70 miles each day, six days a
week, starting from his home in Uttoxeter. He
will ride until he reaches the sea in north Wales
before travelling anticlockwise around the
coastline until he returns to where he started.
Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/stephenmunro6
to support Steve’s journey.
.......................................................................................
LHCRT’s New
Company Secretary
Lichfield and
Hatherton Canals
Restoration Trust
(LHCRT) has
announced the
appointment of a
new company
secretary.
Colin Booker spent
his working life with
HMRC, formerly
HM Customs and Colin Booker
Excise. He is a
qualified management accountant and worked
in the Criminal Investigations Division of
Customs and HMRC. He was employed as a
forensic accountant, directly involved in
analysing and presenting primarily financial
evidence in support of prosecution cases.
He is now retired from full time paid
employment but is keen to assist LHCRT
where he can. Though not a boater himself, he
would love to see a canal in water passing
through Lichfield with all the benefits that that
brings.
.......................................................................................
To Advertise call:-
Steve Brown 07740 166497
stevebrowncitylife@gmail.com
Rebecca Hill 07970 513144
rebeccahillcitylife@gmail.com
Please mention
Citylife when
responding to
advertisers

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LOCAL NEWS
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A Clean Sweep for
Nether Stowe
The schools and judges
Nether Stowe School in Lichfield celebrated on
11th March as it won the Best Team award in
the Michael Fabricant-Arthur Price of England
Schools Speaking Competition, as well as pupil
Bradon Clark, also from Nether Stowe,
clinching the prestigious title of Best Overall
Speaker.
The competition, held in the City’s Guildhall,
had all the pomp of the House of Commons
with sword and mace bearers, and saw four
schools participating, including The Lichfield
Cathedral School, Friary School, King Edward
VI, and Nether Stowe.
The judges were Simon Price of Arthur Price of
England, the Mayor and Sheriff of Lichfield (Cllr
Robert Yardley and Peter Hitchman), and Keith
Eagland representing Lichfield Rotary St Chad
who provided and operated the timing
equipment.
Whilst the standard of all four schools was
incredibly high and the judges had a difficult final
decision, it was Nether Stowe who shone
through and was awarded engraved cups for
the winners and the school.
.....................................................................................
LDC Shortlisted for
National Award
Lichfield District Council’s Ecology team is
celebrating after its collective work on an
innovative environmental project was
recognised in the LGC Awards 2022.
The annual awards recognise outstanding
achievements in local government and Lichfield
District Council’s entry ‘Lichfield District
Nature Recovery – more, bigger, better and
connected habitats’, has been shortlisted in the
Environmental Services category.
Lichfield district is home to highly valued
habitats including heath, woodland, grassland,
rivers and wetland and the authority, which has
long-championed the preservation of valuable
habitats for future generations, is being
recognised for its work in reversing loss of
biodiversity.
The Ecology Team has developed a model
which identifies priority areas for habitat
creation and restoration, allocates officer time
effectively and measures the biodiversity impact
of a development.
The LGC Awards will be held at the Grosvenor
House Hotel in London’s Park Lane in July.
.....................................................................................
Volunteers’ Helping
Hand for Bats
Lichfield Canal
restoration
volunteers have
always been a bit
‘batty’ about the
wildlife frequenting
the canal route.
Now they know
how many different
species of bats use
the Tamworth Road
section as a buffet,
thanks to the Owen (right) & his Dad, Garry
efforts of a Duke of (photo by Paul Marshall)
Edinburgh award
student.
Having chosen the project as his voluntary
subject for the DoE award, 14-year-old Owen
Smith discovered seven different species of the
flying mammal during his survey, carried out
from April to October 2021.
Walking the kilometre and a half A38 to
London Road stretch with his bat detector,
usually from 7pm-10pm but sometimes later,
Owen, noted that the most frequent visitor was
the Common Pipistrelle, with Myotis, Soprano
Pipistrelle, Brown Long-eared, Whiskered,
Daubentons and Noctule also making
appearances.
Chase Ecology have provided and installed five
Woodstone small-chamber bat boxes to
persuade the commuting mammals to roost
along this section of the canal as they come out
of hibernation.
.......................................................................................
Local Auctioneer
Sponsors Ghana Trip
A YMCA support worker is travelling all the
way from Burton to Africa as part of a
John Widdowson with Lee Henchliffe
& Richard Winterton
volunteer project to help children in Ghana.
Lee Henchliffe, 46, will be part of a team of 15
representing Burton Albion Community Trust
(BACT) on a 10-day expedition, the fifth such
trip undertaken in partnership with African
Adventures. The team will travel to the Volta
region, which sits in the eastern part of Ghana,
between April 9th-19th.
The trip – which aims to raise funds for BACT,
support partner projects in Ghana and
providing local people here with a life-changing
experience – has been on hold for due years
due to the Covid pandemic.
During the visit, volunteers will be teaching in
schools and helping a three-year project to
build a community library. The trip will also help
raise funds for African children who cannot
access clean drinking water or food each day or
go to school.
Lee’s place has been sponsored by Richard
Winterton Auctioneers, based at The Lichfield
Auction Centre at Fradley Park.
.......................................................................................
New WI Group
Forming
There has been
m u c h
excitement in
Armitage with
Handsacre over
the past few
weeks about
the proposed formation of a new Women’s
Institute. Meetings have been held, discussions
have been had and lots of ideas have been
exchanged. Finally on Wednesday 2nd March a
WI taster evening was held so that the ladies of
Armitage with Handsacre could get a feel of
what the Women’s Institute is all about.
The first official meeting will be held at
Armitage with Handsacre Village Hall,
Shropshire Brook Road, Armitage WS15 4UZ
on Wednesday 6th April 2022 at 8pm. At this
meeting the new WI will be given a name and a
committee will be elected amidst lots of tea
and cake!

11

LOCAL NEWS
Trefoil Guild
Celebrates with
Donation
their gardens to visitors, church leaders are
planning flower festivals in the two churches,
and many of the local community groups are
looking forward to taking part.
Keith is available via email at email at
solvac@btinternet.com for anyone wanting to
know more about the festival.
.....................................................................................
Hospice Hits
£20m Mark
manage their own
situations. Members
feel they belong and
find recognition and
acceptance.
The Home Instead
Lichfield Memory
Café takes place
every Thursday
from 10am-12
noon at The Guild
Hall, Bore Street,
Lichfield. Contact Karen Wilkinson on 01543
625002 or
karen.wilkinson@homeinstead.co.uk for more
information.
.......................................................................................
Historic Prison
Opens Again
Lichfield Trefoil Guild turned 50 years of age on
3rd March 2022 but rather than receiving any
birthday presents the Guild’s members instead
decided to give a present to a local charity.
The Guild, which is part of Girlguiding, chose to
give £50 to the Pathway Hope Centre in
Lichfield because it admires the charity’s work
as a domestic and sexual abuse service and a
special cheque presentation took place on
Monday 28th February.
Lichfield Trefoil Guild further intends to
celebrate its 50th anniversary throughout the
whole of 2022 by welcoming 50 new members
to share in its fun and friendship and is
particularly interested to trace any descendents
of the founder members who were at that first
meeting on 3rd March 1972.
.......................................................................................
Shenstone Village
Festival 2022
‘Forward in Faith’ was the message from Keith
Jones, Chairman of the Shenstone Village
Festival Co-ordinating Committee, at its first
meeting since the start of the Covid-19
pandemic.
The festival traditionally takes place biennially in
the south Staffordshire village, however the
festival scheduled for 2021 was cancelled
because of the virus outbreak, therefore the coordinating
committee has set about making
plans to hold the popular event this year on the
weekend of 1st-3rd July.
In the hope that there are no restrictions and
that the weather is kind, Mr Jones announced
that organisers were already at work making
arrangements for their contributions to the
festival. Several villagers have pledged to open
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Trefoil Presentation to Pathway
(l-r) Belinda Owen, Alison Jerram & Fay Steele
St Giles Hospice is celebrating a very special
anniversary as it marks 25 years since the first
draw of its popular weekly lottery.
In the quarter of a century since the first
winner was announced on 28th February 1997,
the lottery has raised an amazing £20 million to
support the hospice’s care for patients, and
their families, who are living with a terminal
illness.
For just £1, players have a chance to win a
weekly jackpot of £1,000 and up to £20,000 in
the rollover draw.
Over the past 25 years the St Giles Hospice
Lottery has held more than 1,300 draws and
sold more than 35 million lottery tickets.
There have been more than 250,000 individual
prize winners, including 20 lucky players who
have won a larger jackpot since the rollover
was introduced in 2017.
Visit www.stgileshospice.com/lottery for more
information.
.......................................................................................
Lichfield Memory Café
A Memory Cafe is a place where individuals
with memory loss and their caregivers can get
together in a safe, supportive and engaging
environment. It is somewhere people can
interact, laugh, cry, share concerns and talk
openly about their problems without feeling
embarrassed or misunderstood, no-one is
there to judge them. The cafe encourages
friendship, provides emotional support and
reduces the isolation often felt by people with
memory loss. The cafe provides the
opportunity to meet regularly with others in
similar circumstances. By talking and finding out
how others deal with things people can better
From Saturday 2nd April, Lichfield’s historic
Guildhall Prison Cells will be opening for
visitors once again.
The site, which has housed a prison since 1548,
has a fascinating history that spans across the
centuries. Visitors will be able to explore four
of the remaining cells and a small display which
includes memorabilia from the police station
which once existed there. The Cells also tell the
stories of the people who were imprisoned,
including Edward Wightman, who was the last
person to be burned at the stake for heresy in
England.
The Cells will be open every Saturday from
10am-4pm until September and entry is free.
If you would like to find out more about
volunteering at the Old Guildhall Prison Cells,
please contact Penny Taylor, Museum Support
Officer, on 01543 264 972, by email to
sjmuseum@lichfield.gov.uk, or stop by at the
Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum on the
corner of the Market Square (reception open
10:30am-4.30pm daily).
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

13

Your Garden in April
By Byron Lewis
‘Spring has sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the
Birdies is…!’
Yes spring is pretty much here, and with it the start of the gardening
season. There’s lots to do in the garden from giving the lawn the first cut
of the year, to planting seeds, bulbs and almost everything else!
Easy seeds include hardy annuals – these can be sown now directly
outside into borders that have been dug over and levelled. Try classics
such as cornflower, nigella and godetia for a riot of colour later in the
summer. These are good choices to get the kids involved in gardening, as
they don’t require too much work – just watch out for the birds which
can peck the seedlings.
Solid spring favourite shrubs include camellias, magnolias and
rhododendrons, all with fantastic coloured blooms ranging from pink
and red to white and purple. If you’ve not got much space in the garden,
consider using them in large pots on the patio – be sure to use the
correct compost. These are all acid lovers, so plant into ericaceous
compost for glossy leaves and better blooms.
With the predicted rise in food prices there’s never been a better time
to start growing your own. Potatoes, garlic, onions and a whole host of
vegetable seedlings are now available in the garden centre, so if you
caught the gardening bug during the pandemic and dabbled with growing
your own food, you can carry on in 2022 - your food will be fresher and
taste better too! More tender veg, such as runner beans, are best left
until the worst of the frost and wind is over, and hold fire on putting
tomato plants outside until May (they are fine in greenhouses and
conservatories though).
If your spring bulbs are almost over, remember not to chop off the leaves
- you can cut the flower stalks down, but allow leaves to die back
naturally, putting food back into the bulb for next spring. We recommend
adding a few handfuls of bonemeal around your bulb clumps too, to
enhance flowering in the future. Bedding plants will shortly be ready to
take their place but don't be tempted to plant too early - it only takes a
night with a sharp frost to kill them off!
Byron Lewis runs Lichfield Garden Centre at
Curborough Countryside Centre,
Lichfield. Tel: 01543 254306. Visit
www.lichfieldgardencentre.co.uk or find the centre on
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
14

15

What’s that
Wildlife?
By Nicola Lynes
Spring has certainly sprung in the Trent Valley and surrounding
areas – you may have been lucky enough to get out and about to
see daffodils, snowdrops, pussy willow, birds with nesting material,
frog spawn and many more natural indicators that spring is here.
If you enjoy spotting the signs of nature in your daily life, did you know
that by sharing information about the wildlife you see, you can help
towards conservation and the protection of biodiversity and nature in
your area? The more conservation organisations (for example,
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, RSPB, Environment Agency, British Trust for
Ornithology, Staffordshire Mammal Group) know about the wildlife
present in an area, the better they can work to protect that area for its
wild inhabitants.
Sharing your wildlife sightings is very easy, and we are encouraging
everyone to try sharing a wildlife sighting in 2022!
Firstly, you need to know four pieces of information about your wildlife
sighting:
1. WHAT wildlife did you see? (eg blackbird, cuckoo, 7 spot ladybird)
2. WHERE did you see it? (eg postcode, grid reference, street name)
3. WHEN did you see it? (date)
4. WHO saw it? (your name)
Once you have these four pieces of information, you can submit it.
There are a number of ways you can do this, depending on your
preference:
• Email an organisation – you can practise by emailing your sightings to
Transforming the Trent Valley: tttv@staffs-wildlife.org.uk
• Through a dedicated website – for example Staffordshire Ecological
Records (www.staffs-ecology.org.uk)
Blue tit (by John Bridges)
• Through a recording website – try iRecord (www.irecord.org.uk) or
iNaturalist (www.inaturalist.org)
• Via a dedicated recording scheme – for example the RHS Cellar Slug
Hunt
Once you have shared your sightings, the information will be used in
larger databases and analysis. It can help us understand how population
sizes are changing, and how the geographical spread of species changes
over time.
Transforming the Trent Valley has lots of events and activities to help
you learn about the wildlife that you see and to help you begin making
records. For more information, see our website
www.thetrentvalley.org.uk and listen to the podcast series about wildlife
recording, or join our Trent Talks on Zoom. The work we are doing in all
areas of the Trent Valley is to enhance priority habitats to enable better
conditions for all wildlife, which will then increase biodiversity. We are
kindly funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to help us with this
interesting and vital work to support our local biodiversity.
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
16

17

It’s Coming Home!
By Charlotte Benton
The Commonwealth Games, and hopefully a multitude of
medal-winning performances, are coming to Birmingham this
year.
First held in 1930, the Commonwealth Games unites members of the
Commonwealth of nations every four years in an exuberant celebration
of sport and human performance. From its humble beginnings, originally
comprising 11 countries and 400 athletes, today the games are a global
spectacle bringing together 6,600 sports men and women from 72
nations and territories.
This summer, between Thursday 28th July and Monday 8th August, the
Commonwealth Games will be on our home turf as Birmingham
becomes the heart of the games.
In fact, the games are taking place at venues all across the West
Midlands and further afield, including venues such as our very own
outstanding beauty spot - Cannock Chase!
So, there is no time to waste, in just a few short months our local
community will host athletes from across the Commonwealth in this
international sporting extravaganza.
Showcasing exactly what our region has to offer, The Games’
mountain biking event will take place around the trails and tracks of
Cannock Chase. This off-road event is on Wednesday 3rd August and will
see athletes exhibit their athleticism, balance and bravery as they
navigate the paths of our local forestry in a quest for gold!
Spectators will be able to look on from the sidelines of the race as
the athletes climb the tortuous hills of our terrain, displaying their
greatest feats of effort and endurance before beginning an exhilarating
descent to the finish line.
But it is not only Cannock Chase that will be home to such inspiring
and invigorating displays of talent. Sutton Park will play host to the
Virtual Deer
Protection Expanded
Deer are at their
most active
during dawn and
dusk, so their activity
coincides with times
when the roads are at
their busiest, through
the morning and
evening rush hours.
Cemex (Rugeley) has
recently funded an
expansion to the Cannock
Chase Deer Safety
Project. This latest
technology of virtual road
fencing also works to deter deer away from the roads.
It's believed there's a deer population in the UK of more than two
million and recent research shows around 75,000 are involved in vehicle
collisions each year, with 10,000 being killed instantly. Deer collisions on
18
multifaceted event that is triathlon and para triathlon, where athletes
will swim, bike and run in the vicinity of the 2,400-acre nature reserve
and its roads. Meanwhile, a brand-new aquatics facility has been built in
Sandwell to host both the swimming and diving events throughout the
games.
A total of 19 sports and eight para sports will take place during the
games, across a host of venues including the Alexander Stadium, the
NEC complex and Arena Birmingham, as well as numerous other
locations across the West Midlands and beyond, inclusive of Lee Valley
Velopark, the indoor cycling centre, which was purpose-built for the
London Olympics in 2012.
There is no denying that this is our chance to experience a sporting
show with a long-lasting legacy right on our doorstep! Previous games
have seen historical sporting events such as the ‘Miracle Mile’ as Sir
Roger Bannister and John Landy became the first people to break the
four-minute mile in Vancouver at the 1954 games, meanwhile our very
own Nicola Adams became the first gold medal winner in the flyweight
division of women’s boxing during Glasgow’s 2014 Games.
So, what are you waiting for? Visit www.birmingham2022.com to find
out how to get involved with this sporting spectacle, to purchase event
tickets or simply to learn more about it!
Cannock Chase and surrounding areas range between 140 and 160
annually.
Rob Taylor, Chase Ranger who runs the Cannock Chase Deer Safety
Project, said: “We have seen some positive results from the deer
deterrent trials but warn drives to still to take extra care by sticking
to the advisory 40mph speed limit whilst travelling across the Chase.”
Temporary deer warning signs have been put up and signage alerting
drivers of potential black spots for deer collisions, but deer can jump
out onto the road at any time of the day and anywhere, so stay vigilant.

19

Lichfield Camera Club
2.
1.
3.
4.
5.
6.
In the latest merit competition, judge Paddy
Ruske praised the high quality of prints
submitted by members.
The Advanced Colour section was won by Sue
Freeman with her dynamic image of the rare big
cat in 1. “Snow Leopard.” Other images from the
Advanced Colour competition included the
ethereal 2. Surf at Sunset by Graham Slight and
3.“lotus Lily” by David Causer.
The winner of the Beginners/Intermediate
Colour competition was 4. Ivan Shaw with his
amazing, muted colours in the rocks of his
“White Crab” image taken in Dominica. Other
images from the Beginners/Intermediate Colour
competition included 5. “Bowing to Red” by
Catherine Nicholls and this imposing modern
architectural image 6. “Shapes” by Ann Wright.
In the Advanced Monochrome competition,
there was more success for Sue Freeman with
her tranquil landscape, 7. “Calm Reflections,”
taking first place. The Beginners/Intermediate
Monochrome competition was won by Annette
Keatley with her atmospheric, sepia image, 8.
“Ancient Woods.”
Lichfield Camera Club welcomes
photographers of all ages and
abilities. www.lichfieldcameraclub.org
7. 8.
20

Here at Just Granite Ltd, we pride ourselves on being the experts for any worktop needs you may have.
Be it a beautiful bespoke and unique kitchen worktop, a bar, bathroom or even a barbecue area, we have
an extensive in-house range ready to be chosen by you! We stock a varied range, in a variety of materials,
such as our own competitively priced quartz, granite, marble and porcelain, as well as all the top brands
from around the world.
There really is no reason to go anywhere else!
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:
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 22nd April 2022 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 50.
21

22

Cabin of Content
By Rebecca Hill
Reflexions Reflex Therapies,
located at The Plant Plot Garden
Village on the Stafford Road in
Lichfield, is a wooden cabin
providing a range of wellbeing and
holistic therapies for the mind, body
and soul.
Wearing comfortable, loose
clothing, I went along to experience
a Dien Chan Zone Face Reflexology
taster. Deb, the owner, made me feel
immediately welcome on my arrival
an as the cabin was lovely and warm
inside, with soft lighting and relaxing
music, it instantly made me feel relaxed and at ease.
Deb has been providing holistic treatments for 12 years and has been
in the beauty industry for 26 years, so I felt very comfortable in the
knowledge that I was in expert hands.
I was asked to lie down on the raised couch and lie on the Hydro
Therm cushions of water which contained warm, but not hot water
(apparently set to body temperature). Feeling even more relaxed than I
had previously, I eagerly anticipated the treatment that Deb had in store
for me.
Relaxing reflexology refers to a range of techniques used on the skin,
hands, face, ears and feet to send a signal to the brain which, in turn,
sends a message to the organ or the area affected by the problematic
symptom. By working on the skin it works on a more profound inner
response to healing.
DCZ (Dien Chan Zone) is a multi-reflexology treatment using
reflexes found on the face and is so much more than just a facial massage.
With a light and delicate touch, Deb used a small facial tool to
stimulate my skin’s surface, which I was told would increase blood
circulation and naturally restore balance to my body. The whole
experience lasted 30 mins, and I definitely felt refreshed afterwards!
The Dien Chan Zone Face Reflexology, and other holistic therapy
treatment tasters, start from just £20. Other treatments available at the
cabin include Reiki, Chakra Balancing, Foot Reflexology to name but a
few. Debs has been located at the garden centre since 2019 and has now
moved into her new larger wellbeing cabin. OPEN DAY SATURDAY
2ND APRIL10-4pm offering Taster Treatments.
The new cabin is open from 2nd April and will be open
full time during the week. Bookings can be made by
calling 07595 486535.
23

Printers & Dance Instructors
34 & 36 Market Street
Next door to the birthplace of Lichfield’s
most famous son, Samuel Johnson, stands a
large building that was once home to a
dance instructor, a grocers and a furnisher’s store.
More appropriately it was also home to a business
that had a strong link to Samuel, as Jono Oates
explains.
Numbers 34-36 on Market Street, Lichfield, were once
two separate properties that were merged together in
the 1960s, for business reasons. In the late 1880s
Thomas Mason ran two businesses from his premises at
number 34 Market Street. On the ground floor he
operated as a florist and seed merchant, but on the
upper floor he provided dance classes for the people of
Lichfield. Marson lived in a small cottage on Bakers Lane,
now the location of the Three Spires Shopping Centre,
and he was a very talented dance instructor and
musician. He taught his pupils, who were mainly the sons
and daughters of the many farmers that operated in and
around Lichfield at that time, the ‘modern’ dances of the
day – the polka, mazurka, waltz and the lancers. He
instructed the dancers as well as providing the music, so Frank Meacham Wedding to
he twirled round the dance floor while playing the violin Frances Bridgeman 1926
and calling out his instructions to his young pupils as he danced amongst them.
From the 1920s to the 1960s number 34 was Melia’s Grocers. They were a national chain,
with over 60 stores around the country, and who eventually amalgamated with the Home and
Colonial Stores group. In May 1927 you could buy the finest cut of side bacon at 1 shilling per
pound (5p in today’s money), Cheshire Brawn at 8d per pound, and Rangoon (Lima) Beans at
1 ½ d per pound. After Melia’s moved to 3 Bird Street in 1965, number 34 Market Street
merged with number 36 to become the Stones Home Furnishers store.
For many years, and generations, number 36 Market Street was run by a family of printers,
the Meacham’s. Frederick Wilder Meacham was born in 1833 and his father, James, had been a
Lichfield printer, having established the City Printing Works in 1832, the year before Frederick
was born. In 1861 James handed the business over to Frederick, who moved it to 36 Market
Street. Frederick’s business was, originally, very successful, but increased competition from
other printers in the city, such as Lomax and Eggington and Brown, brought a downturn in his
fortunes. In January 1892 he was summoned to the Walsall Bankruptcy Court with a financial
deficit of £129 7s and 10d – approximately £11,000 in today’s money. The business, however,
survived and when Frederick died in 1906 the running of the printing works was continued by
Ada Meacham, one of his daughters, who lived at 43 Trent Valley Road with her now-widowed
mother. By 1939 Ada was 72, living at 57 Trent Valley Road, where two of her near-neighbours
were well-known Lichfield butchers, Henry Hall of Conduit Street, and Frank Fellows of
Tamworth Street.
In the middle of the 1920s Frederick’s young grandson, Frank, joined the business to
continue the family name. In 1926 he took part in a double Lichfield society wedding when he
married Frances Bridgeman, a granddaughter of noted Lichfield sculptor Robert Bridgeman,
and Loyal Procter Averill, son of Lichfield chemist Cecil Averill of Tamworth Street, married
Frances’s sister Lucy Bridgeman in a service at St Mary’s Church on the Market Square. Frank’s
new wife, Frances, had received the Distinguished Service Bar, the ‘Land Girl’s Victoria Cross’,
in 1918 when she had stopped a runaway motorised tractor on a steep hill, while her sister
had also served in the war, as a photographer in the Flying Air Corps.
Meacham’s provided many different types of printing services such as parish newsletters,
flyers and posters, and were also stationers, providing envelopes, writing pads, pens, gifts and
seasonal cards, always having an impressive window display of Christmas cards and gifts each
December.
Stones Furnishers 34-36 Market Street 1970s
Meacham's front window 1931
Meacham's Priniting Works to the right of the
Samuel Johnson Museum
In June 1965 Frank Meacham, after 45 years’
service as a printer and stationer, retired to his home
at The Timbers, on Cross In Hand Lane. His wellearned
retirement was short-lived unfortunately, as
he died suddenly just two months later, in August
1965.
Meacham’s were a four-generation of printers in
Lichfield and it is appropriate that 34-36 Market
Street is now the Bureau Bar and Brasserie, whose
name has links both to the printing works of
Frederick and Frank Meacham, and to that of Samuel
Johnson, the creator of the Dictionary of the English
Language.
Sources: The British Newspaper Archive; Trades of a City
by J.P. Gallagher
24

Spring into Action
By Lauren Hirst
As spring is in the air, our thoughts turn to spending more
time outdoors. Things are warming up, the grass is greener,
days longer and it’s the time for new beginnings - a perfect
time to bring a new dog into your life. Go ahead, put a spring into
your step with a new best friend by your side.
Having a dog can help you be healthier, relax, boost your energy levels
and improve your overall sense of wellbeing. Most of all you’ll be making
a real difference to by giving a homeless dog a chance of being loved.
Before you tiptoe through the tulips with your new furry friend,
having a dog is a huge commitment so think carefully before deciding to
welcome a new dog into your family. Even if you are working from
home, do you have enough time to devote to settling in a new dog? A
newly homed dog, especially one who has never lived in a house before,
will need lots of attention and may well disrupt your Zoom meetings. If
you work upstairs and the dog is downstairs, how will you cope with
possible separation anxiety?
Now that things are getting back to normal, do you really want to be
tied down with the responsibility of owning a dog? Where will he or
she go if you plan a long-awaited trip aboard or night out? Kennels or
home boarders add a fair bit to the cost of your holiday.
Do you like a tidy house and garden? Will you cope with the
inevitable mess that a dog makes like muddy paw prints, toilet training,
digging holes in your flower beds, and splatter up the walls?
However, nobody loves you like your dog. If you decide that you do
have a space in your heart and home for a new dog, please think if a
retired racing greyhound may be the breed for you. No, they don’t need
lots of exercise; yes, they are supposed to be that skinny; no, they don’t
wear muzzles because they are vicious, in fact they are loving, gentle
natured dogs; yes, they can live with small dogs and some with cats; and
yes, they actually do need to wear those cute coats as they really feel
the cold!
Adopting one dog won’t change the world but the world will surely
change for that one dog (and for you, too). Visit our website at
www.greyhoundtrusthallgreen to see all the dogs looking for their
forever families, like 6-year-old Lulu – how can you resist those ears?
25

In With The Old!
By Richard Winterton
An all-time
classic - this
1960s G Plan
model 6250
wingback
armchair sold
for £150.
This mid-C20th
Beautility teak
sideboard makes a
stylish statement in
the home today.
As well as being a smart way of securing something unique,
auctions are also an environmentally savvy choice.
Furniture is a great example.
A friend’s daughter was getting ready to start at university last year and
needed to furnish her digs.
But brand-new flatpacks were immediately ruled out – the only option
for her was good quality, second-hand teak furniture.
Why? Because something made from scratch inevitably has more of an
environmental impact that simply reusing what’s already in existence.
As the auction world revolves around recycling in one way or another,
so buying and selling under the hammer is the original eco-friendly option.
But it’s not just about carbon footprint.
Mid-20th century teak is once again bang on trend and you can secure
originals in great condition at auction.
From Victorian dressers to designer dining suites, modern light oak to
mahogany, vintage vinyl sofas and leather Chesterfields to 18th century
stools, marble-topped tables to metalwork chairs, the quality and quantity
never ceases to amaze us.
Anything from antique to quality modern reproductions can be found in
the saleroom alongside other practical equipment such as desks, office
chairs and filing cabinets and more unusual vintage items.
There’s also plenty of scope for upcycling too, reusing resources and
breathing new life into distressed items through restoration and
renovation.
It’s an interior designer’s dream – and you can sleep soundly knowing
you’ve done your bit for the planet, too!
Watches and jewellery are commonly recycled – whether as heirlooms,
vintage accessories or even for scrap value – but the green principle
applies equally to everything we handle.
We don’t cherry-pick. Our estate clearance specialists check everything
inside and outside a property, including all outbuildings and sheds as well
as cellars and attics. That’s why you can access a fantastic range of tools,
garden items and household electricals at our auctions alongside the
antiques and collectables.
We sell white goods of all shapes and sizes, often in superb condition,
including fridges, freezers, tumble driers and washing machines, and other
electricals such as televisions, gaming stations, record players and hi-fi
systems, vacuum cleaners and pressure washers.
Everything’s PAT tested, too.
You could bag a nearly new Samsung, LG or Sony TV for just £100 at
auction – that’s an environmentally friendly bonus worth switching on to!
To book an appointment for a free valuation of anything from jewellery and
watches to pictures, furniture and all types of antiques and collectables, contact
The Lichfield Auction Centre, Wood End Lane, Fradley Park, on 01543 251081
or email to office@richardwinterton.co.uk. Visit www.richardwinterton.co.uk.

Park Life
Just a few hundred metres from the centre of Lichfield lies nearly 70 acres of
recreational grounds, green space and woodlands called Beacon Park. Jono Oates
tells us how the majority of the land was a gift to the people of Lichfield by one of its
greatest benefactors who wanted to ensure that they had somewhere they could stroll
and enjoy the great outdoors.
In 1859 the Free Library and Museum was opened on the junction of Bird Street and Beacon
Street and, along with it, the Museum Gardens. Since medieval times the area where the
Gardens were laid out was water, and not lawned gardens. There was a large pool, extending
under the bridge on Bird Street with Minster Pool on the other side, known as the Bishop’s
Pool, or, more colloquially, as the Swan Moggs. Swans nested along the waters of the pool and
the names Swan Road, Swan Mews and the Swan Hotel still provide a link with the past today.
The Victorians loved to have areas where they could perambulate and the Bishop’s Pool was
drained and then landscaped with lawns, paths and ornaments, creating the Museum Gardens
in 1859. Later, statues were erected in the Gardens, King Edward VII was unveiled in 1908, a
gift to the city from sculptor Robert Bridgeman, and then the statue of Captain Edward John
Smith, Commander of the RMS Titanic, in 1914. A statue of Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of
Charles Darwin, sculpted by artist Peter Walker, was unveiled in 2012, which stands by the
walls of the former Library.
The land beyond the Museum Gardens was known as the Recreational Grounds and it led
in to the grounds of the estate of Beacon House, or Beacon Place. The land was surrounded
by four lodges and Beacon House was a large, late Georgian property, built for George Hand
in the early 1800s.
By the 1820s Beacon Place was owned by Lichfield solicitor Richard Hinckley. He married
widow Ellen-Jane Acard, who had been widowed twice. Her first husband was William
Robinson, a prebendary at Lichfield Cathedral, and when he died, she married Hugh Acard.
After he also passed away, she married for the third, and final, time to Richard Hinckley. The
Hinckley’s provided the funds to build Christ Church, in Leomansley Woods, on the edge of
the estate, in 1847, along with the funds to build the church vicarage and a school on
Christchurch Lane.
Richard and Ellen-Jane Hinckley were significant benefactors for Lichfield and another
owner of Beacon Place was Colonel William Swinfen-Broun and his wife Laura. Swinfen-Broun
owned the Swinfen Hall estate, just outside Lichfield, as well as owning Beacon Place, and when
his wife Laura died in August 1932, she left land at Beacon Place to the city of Lichfield. In
December 1943 Colonel Swinfen-Broun transferred 12 acres of land to Lichfield City
Corporation, so that it could be used by the people of Lichfield for recreational purposes. He
also gifted £200 to be used to provide fencing around the park. The official opening of Beacon
Park, as it is known now, was held on Saturday 8 April 1948, and opened by the Mayor of
Lichfield, Alderman Robert Nevil. Entrance to the park was free, and a match was held on the
newly installed miniature golf course. Just two months later, on the 8th June 1948, Colonel
Swinfen-Broun passed away, at the age of 90.
Beacon Place was used a Territorial Army HQ after the war but then lay empty and
abandoned for many years and became a victim to vandalism. It was demolished in 1964 and
a small housing development now stands where the former grand family home once
overlooked the landscaped grounds. After Beacon Place was demolished the remaining areas
of its land were transferred across to the council, creating the 70 acres of Beacon Park that
are still present today.
A stone memorial was erected to the memory of Colonel Swinfen-Broun in October 1972,
and officially unveiled by the Mayor of Lichfield, John Wilson. The ceremony was attended by
Sydney Riley, who had worked as a chauffeur to the Swinfen-Broun’s in 1915 and described
them as being very kind and ‘always thinking of other people before themselves’. The memorial
stone stands outside the park pavilion, by the boating lake.
Today Beacon Park provides the same recreational area for the people of Lichfield, and
beyond, as it has done since the late 1940s, with woodside walks, a mini-golf course, a boating
lake, a play area for the children and a lakeside bistro café. However, none of these facilities
would have been available had it not been for the generosity of one of Lichfield’s greatest
benefactors – Colonel Michael Swinfen-Broun.
Memorial to Colonel Swinfen-Broun in Beacon Park
Hand coloured postcard of the
Museum Gardens 1948
Beacon House in Beacon Park 1890s
Sources: The British Newspaper Archive;
www.lichfieldhistoricparks.co.uk; Lichfield Lore website;
www.swinfenhallhotel.co.uk
28

Dining Out - A City of Flavours

Great Value at
The Bureau
By Jono Oates
In February we visited the Bureau Bar to sample their
budget-friendly three-course-meal offer so when we
saw that they were continuing the offer throughout
March we could not wait to rush down there for
another bargain banquet!
So, once again, myself and my dining partner, Helen, eagerly
surveyed the set fixed-price menu, which changes weekly.
This time I chose Quiche Lorraine for my starter, followed
by a Vegetarian Bolognese for main, and Cheesecake of the
Day for my dessert. Helen opted for the Filloumi Parcels
with sweet chilli jam for her starter, and for main course
Creamy, Smoky Fish Pot followed by Fruit Tart for dessert.
Helen knew how much I had enjoyed the Filloumi Parcels
from our last visit and she was not disappointed - delicately
fried crispy parcels wrapped around strips of halloumi, and
drizzled with chilli jam, she said it was the perfect starter! I
also enjoyed my slice of Quiche Lorraine, which was rich
and creamy, containing small cubes of ham, and served with
a light, fresh salad garnish.
On to the main course and my Vegetarian Bolognese, made
with Quorn instead of minced beef, was delicious, with a
generous helping of linguine pasta and a sprinkling of fresh
basil, one of my favourite herbs, all topped with slivers of
Parmesan cheese. Helen said her Fish Pot was very
comforting, a bowl filled with chunks of smoky white fish,
topped with mature cheddar cheese, double cream and
breadcrumbs on a bed of spinach, then oven-baked – with a
side bowl of frites and a baguette slice, it was definitely a
hearty meal!
Dining Out - A City of Flavours

Now, did we still have room for desserts… why, yes, of
course! My cherry cheesecake was superb, very light with
a crumbly crushed biscuit base and was so easy to eat, I
was definitely in cheesecake heaven! Helen’s fruit tart was
filled with strawberry and raspberry slices and was a
sweet, and moreish, way to complete her lunch.
The offer is accompanied by a choice of house wines for
just £8 a bottle. Once again, we chose the Sauvignon Blanc,
which was crisp and full-flavoured, and was the perfect
accompaniment for our meals.
We’re delighted that The Bureau will be continuing this
fantastic offer of two courses for £10, and three for just
£12 – myself and Helen strongly recommend that you
book as soon as possible!
The Bureau Bar is at 34-36 Market Street
Lichfield. Terms and conditions apply,
offer is available from 12 noon to close
Monday to Thursday and 5pm to close on
Sunday. For more information and to book
ring 01543 258246.
Dining Out - A City of Flavours

Hot Cross Buns
By Ruth Redgate
Well. it had to be Hot Cross
Buns for this edition didn’t it?
Traditionally eaten on Good
Friday, the cross symbolises
Christ being crucified and the
spices represent the embalming
of his body afterwards. Despite
being available in most shops
from Christmas, we only offer
these at markets after
Mothering Sunday and until
Easter Sunday - they’re perfect
served toasted with lashings of
butter.
Ingredients
Juice of one orange
Milk*
1 egg
440g White Bread Flour
½ tbs cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp salt
50g caster sugar
50g butter
20g yeast
140g mixed dried fruit 140g
*You need 210g in total of liquid so add the milk to the juice of the
orange
For the Cross
Equal parts of plain flour and water - about 75g of each is sufficient,
mixed together to form a paste.
For the Glaze
Milk
22g caster sugar
Method
1. Mix the yeast with the orange juice/milk until it has ‘dissolved’
using a whisk/spoon then add the egg and mix again.
2. Place all remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl and pour the
milk/yeast mixture in.
4. Mix using your hand until it comes together.
5. Tip the rough dough on to the table and using the heel of your
hand knead until a smooth dough forms, usually around 10 mins. It
is difficult to get a full windows pane effect with this dough due to
the fruit.
6. Cover the dough and leave to rise for about two hours or until
doubled in size.
7. Tip the dough out of the bowl onto a floured surface and fold
using the plating action (left corner into the middle, right corner
into the middle, the next left side into the middle, right side into the
middle).
8. Divide the dough into 12 portions and roll into balls
9. Place on a baking tray, cover (clean tea towel/bowl) and leave to
rise for about an hour
10. Heat oven to 180°C and place a container in the bottom with
water.
11. Just before placing in the oven, pipe a cross onto each bun using
a piping bag.
11. Place in the oven for 15 mins, remove water and bake for a
further 10 mins or until golden brown and when tapped the bottom
sounds hollow.
12. When you remove the bread from the oven bush generously
with the glaze (sugar dissolved in milk – best done in the microwave)
and leave to cool.
Ruth Redgate is the owner of Hunnypot Cottage Bakery. Visit
www.hunnypotcottagebakery.co.uk for more information.
Dining Out - A City of Flavours

33

The Lichfield
Greenhill Bower 2022
This year, the Lichfield Greenhill Bower will take place on Saturday 4th June to
coincide with the Queen’s Jubilee! After a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-
19 pandemic, the Bower is back with a bang and promises to be more fun
packed than ever!
The day begins with the crowning of the new Bower Queen, by the Mayor of the City,
who will sit atop the float along with her deputy and helpers. The procession will then
wind its way through the streets of Lichfield to the cheers of jubilant onlookers.
The ever-popular Pat Collins funfair will be in the town and also in Beacon Park, with
rides and attractions for the whole family to enjoy.
Taking place in the main arena in Beacon Park will be The Stannage International Stunt
Team performing death-defying feats to excite and amaze, such as motorbike stunts, ramp
jumping, trick riding and high falls on fire!
Team leader Mark Stannage started his professional career in 1984 at the tender age of
14, now with over 30 years’ experience specialising in car, motorbike, fire and high fall
stunts, performing some of the most spectacular stunts ever seen on film or TV.
Then there’s the Lamb’s National featuring a herd of hardy sheep known for their ability
who will take on the racecourse, navigating their way over a series of jump! Each in their
individual colours, an amusing commentary will follow this event which is truly one for all
the family to enjoy!
Something for everyone is the Paws in the Park Dog Show, promising lots of classes and
events for your four-legged friends to get involved in, such as agility and flyball, with lots of
prizes to be won throughout the day!
There’ll be stalls selling food and drink, retailers offering their wares and so much more
to see and do. So come and join in the fun at the 2022 Lichfield Greenhill Bower!
*Early Bird wristbands are available, priced at £2.50, from Michael’s
Menswear, Market Street, Lichfield.
34

Lichfield Stands
with Ukraine
Three weeks on
from the start of
the conflict in
Ukraine, Lichfield
Cathedral and other
landmarks in the city lit
up their buildings as a
sign of support on
Thursday 17th March.
Lichfield Cathedral,
since the first
announcement of the
conflict, has been hosting
a weekly time of prayer
and reflection for
Ukraine on Thursdays at
12 noon. A dedicated
prayer for peace with
space to light candles is
permanently set up in the
cathedral for anyone wishing to pray and reflect on the
situation in Ukraine. The Ukraine flag was raised on the
flagpole outside of the cathedral on Saturday 12th March
as a visible sign of support for Ukraine.
On Thursday 17th March from 6:30pm to 9:30pm,
Lichfield Cathedral lit the outside of the cathedral in the
colours of the Ukrainian flag as a mark of solidarity. At
6:45pm a single bell tolled for 15 minutes, sounding out
across the city.
Other buildings in the city which were also lit up
included St Mary’s Church in Market Square, the Garrick
Theatre, Lichfield District Council offices, the Friary
Clock Tower and Angel Croft.
Lichfield Cathedral would like to thank Darwin
Electrical Services and Event Rigging for their support in
lighting up the cathedral.
35

Tastes of the Season
By Simon Smith
Sweet Easter Treats!
At last spring has sprung and
the sunshine warms our bones.
At Easter the foodstuff at the
top of everyone’s list is
chocolate. You can sometimes
find it hidden under trees in a
garden but, more often than not,
in shops too! There are a number
of sweet treats being developed
for this time of year and
everyone has a favourite. When
I’m cooking with it I prefer a 70%
chocolate and I use the Callibaut
brand. Nutella is a well know domestic spread but is also great when
melted and used in a sauce or folded into a custard base.
This year I’m doing a chocolate pudding using Easter ingredients, hot
cross buns, chocolate and cinnamon. This would be a great dish to get
the children helping with, not just the eating but the prep work as well.
April is the prime season for English asparagus which is always a
treat. There are plenty of places where it’s grown locally and you can
guarantee the freshness. You can always peel the hard end of the stalk if
you want to be able to eat further down. Generally you cut off the
hard root but you can bend the asparagus spears until they snap. The
root end can be turned into soup by boiling with some peeled white
potatoes and chicken stock and then whizzed in a food processor once
the potatoes are cooked. Pass through a sieve to remove the lumps.
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.simonsmithchef.com
*Please take extra care when preparing and handling hot foodstuffs. Go to
www.food.gov.uk for further details.
36
Cinnamon and Chocolate Bread & Butter Pudding
6 x hot cross buns
600ml double cream
8 x egg yolks
120gms dark chocolate, grated
120gms melted Nutella
160gms caster sugar
1tsp cinnamon
120gms softened butter
1 x tub vanilla custard
Camp coffee essence
Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C. Mix the caster sugar and cinnamon in a
dry bowl and set aside. Slice the hot cross buns in half and spread with
butter. Sprinkle evenly with the caster sugar and cinnamon. Mix the
double cream with the egg yolks and melted Nutella and whisk
together. Brush the bottom and sides of a baking dish with butter and
lay on one layer of the buns. Sprinkle with the chocolate and pour over
some of the cream mix. Repeat with another layer and top off with the
hot cross buns, cross side up. Put this dish into a larger dish half full of
hot water and cover with tin foil.
Cook in the oven for 40 minutes or until the custard mix is set. This
will depend on how deep you have made it. Mix the tub of vanilla
custard with enough camp coffee essence to give you your preferred
strength of coffee. Warm and serve on the side of the bread and butter
pudding.

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
37

WIN a Brookside Nursery Starter Kit
including Plants (Worth £75)
Spring brings forth a spurt of
spring energy into the garden,
with the welcome sight of
bright yellow daffodils and
multi-coloured hyacinths
bursting into flower. With the
changing of the season comes
extended daylight hours and
warmer weather bringing a
promise of long summer days ahead.
The growing season is definitely upon us so what better time to
win yourself some new gardening kit and be inspired to get into
the garden.
Brookside Nursery is located in the tranquil village of Hints, just
five miles from Lichfield, and has recently reopened its popular
plant retail nursery for the new summer season.
This year, as we celebrate the Queens Platinum Jubilee, Brookside
Nursery predict that the patriotic colours of red, white and blue
will feature highly in summer bedding and hanging basket displays,
so now is the time to start planning for a riot of colour and scent
in your garden.
New Kindness
Foundation
Launched
Sebbie Hall, a teenager
from Lichfield, has done
a random act of
kindness every day for
almost two years to make
people smile and has raised a
massive £44,000 to help
isolated young people. Now,
Sebbie is now launching his
own charity bear and
Kindness Foundation.
The Sebbie Hall Kindness
Foundation will support
projects from organisations
and community groups across
Sebbie Hall
the region, whose focus is to
provide much-needed activities
that prevent loneliness in young people who are vulnerable due to
disability.
We’ve teamed up with Brookside Nursery to offer one lucky
winner a Brookside Nursery Gardening Starter Kit! To be in with
a chance of winning this fantastic prize, simply correctly answer
the following question and send it with your details.
What colours are Brookside Nursery
predicting will be popular with gardeners
this summer?
A) Black and White
B) Red, White and Blue
C) Orange and Yellow
To enter, send your name, contact details & answer to Brookside Comp at
competitioncitylife@gmail.com or to Citylife in Lichfield Ltd, PO Box 7126,
Lichfield WS14 4JS by closing date of 21st April 2022. One entry per
household. Multiple entries disqualified. No cash equivalent. Entrants 18 or over.
All information in line with GDPR Data Protection Regulations & Privacy Policy
(available at citylifeinlichfieldltd.co.uk). Full t&cs on page 50.
Sebbie was invited The
Duchess of Cambridge to
represent Staffordshire and
the West Midlands at The
Royal Carol concert at
Westminster Abbey.
The Sebbie Bear is designed
to teach and promote
kindness, coming with a warm
heart inside and a postcard for
the recipient of the Bear to
send on to anyone who is
lonely or just forward a
message of kindness to a
random stranger.
The Sebbie Bear is a super sweet chocolate bear with curly brown fur,
matching brown eyes and a heart of gold - literally! Sebbie comes as a
kit to include instructions, super-soft eco stuffing, a yellow gold Kindness
heart and a Kindness card ready for you to personalise either with a
Kindness challenge or to pass on a message of kindness. Each postcard
carries a QR code which can be scanned for information about Sebbie
and his acts of kindness.
10% of all proceeds from the Sebbie Bear will be donated to The
Sebbie Hall Foundation, helping to support young people throughout
the UK isolated due to disability, disadvantage or mental health issues.
During March, April and May, The Sebbie Hall Foundation will give all
proceeds from the sales of the Sebbie Bear to the Disaster Emergency
Committee Red Criss Save the Children Ukraine Appeal.
See more about The Sebbie Foundation and the Sebbie Bear:
www.bemybear.com/sebbie.html
38

39

The Month in
Pictures
We take a look at the events
and activities over the last
month, bringing you a roundup
of the city in pictures...
Simon Price (left) with winners from Nether
Stowe and Michael Fabricant (right)
Runners at the start of the Fradley 10K
Lichfield Producers Monthly
Sunday Market
Presentation of a Johnsonian cartoon to the
Samuel Johnson Museum by the Lichfield
Samuel Johnson Society
Opening Day at Frosts Photo Centre at Tudor
Row Shops Lichfield
Fancy Dress runners at the Lichfield
Pancake Race
Official opening of Cakes of Wonderland,
Bore Street Lichfield
Lichfield Tuesday Market on Market Square
40
Enthusiastic runners take park in the
weekly free to enter ParkRun event,
held at Beacon Park
Mayor of Lichfield opens the Shrovetide Fair
First three men in the Fradley 10k race
(photo credit Doug D'Aubrey)

Box Office Extends
Opening Hours
The box office at the
Lichfield Garrick is
pleased to be
extending its opening
times.
Patrons will now be
able to contact the box
office five days a week,
on Tuesdays to Saturdays By Pamela Raith Photography
between 10am-2pm, for
both in-person and over
the phone transactions. It is also open one hour prior to
a performance.
If you wish to make a reservation, the theatre has also
introduced a brand new Text to Reserve service. You can
text 07591 013985 to place a reservation (please note
that calls to this number will not be answered) and
someone will contact you as soon as possible with
confirmation. Reservations will then be held for a
maximum of seven days before they are automatically
released, so please call or visit the box office to pay for
your reservation at your earliest convenience.
The theatre would like to thank everyone for their
patience and support while they opened on reduced
hours.
Hanson’s
Auctioneers
Hanson’s Auctioneers has launched new
valuation events at its Bishton Hall
Staffordshire premises. Every Tuesday 10am-
3pm Melissa is conducting Jewellery, Gold and Silver
Valuations, and every Saturday 9am-1pm is Antiques,
Toys, Railwayana and Retro.
Mark Holder, Bishton Hall Manager, said: “We are proud
to reopen following a dreadful pandemic last year, now
restrictions are over we feel the time is right to open our
doors and see what wonderful items can be entered into
sale.
“We hold monthly auctions here at Bishton Hall, with
over 900 lots of Antiques, Collectables, Toys, Jewellery and
Fine Art. You never know what will walk through the door,
it’s a different item each day!”
Hanson’s Auctioneers is also conducting FREE home
visits Monday to Friday for those larger items and bigger
collections – covering all surrounding areas of Staffordshire.
Charles Hanson, together with his team of specialist
valuers, will value on site at your home, or you can visit
Mark Holder at Bishton Hall Monday to Saturday.
Email Mark at mholder@hansonsauctioneers.co.uk or
call 01889 882397.
41

Burntwood Town View
Newsletter
The Newsletter of Burntwood Town Council - April 2022
Welcome to the first in a regular
series of Newsletters for City Life,
delivered in Burntwood.
Who’s who at Burntwood Town Council.
42
Full list of Cllrs
Chair -
Cllr Di Evans
Leader -
Cllr Sue
Woodward
Deputy
Leader -
Darren Ennis
Chief Officer
and Town Clerk
- Steve Lightfoot
Staff Team - Jayne Minor, Deputy Clerk,
Carole Payne, Admin Officer, Mark Jones,
Caretaker, Joe Bartram, Cemetery Assistant.
Cllr Sharon Banevicius
Email: sharon.banevicius@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
CHASE TERRACE
Cllr Robert Birch
Email: rob.birch@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
Vice-Chair of the Council
Chair of the Planning and Development
Committee
BONEY HAY AND CENTRAL
Cllr Beverly Bishop
Email: bev.bishop@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
Phone: 01543 673764
BONEY HAY AND CENTRAL
Cllr Bernard Brown
Long term leave under special dispensation
SUMMERFIELD AND ALL SAINT
Cllr Andrew Bullock
Email: andy.bullock@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
Phone: 07814607082
Chair of the Planning Advisory Group
CHASETOWN
Cllr Kathy Coe MBE
Email: kathy.coe@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
SUMMERFIELD AND ALL SAINTS
Cllr Darren Ennis Email:
darren.ennis@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
Deputy Leader of the Council
Chair of the Community and Partnerships
Committee
Vice-Chair of the Policy and Resources
Committee
CHASETOWN
Cllr Laura Ennis
Email: laura.ennis@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
SUMMERFIELD AND ALL SAINTS
Cllr Diane Evans
Email: diane.evans@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
Chair of the Council
BONEY HAY AND CENTRAL
Cllr Paul Flanagan
Email: paul.flanagan@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
CHASE TERRACE
Cllr Carolyn Gittings
Email: carolyn.gittings@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
Vice-Chair of the Planning and Development
Committee
CHASETOWN
Vice-Chair of the Planning and Development
Committee CHASETOWN
Cllr Nicola Greensill
Email: nicola.greensill@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
GORSTEY LEY
Cllr Wai-Lee Ho
Email: wai-lee.ho@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
Deputy Leader of the Opposition Group
HIGHFIELD
Cllr Elaine Kirkham
Email: elaine.kirkham@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
Phone: 07887770061
HUNSLET
Cllr Steven Gerald Norman
Email: steven.norman@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
Phone: 01543 304711
Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee
Chair of the Neighbourhood Plan Task and
Finish Group
CHASE TERRACE
Cllr Marisha Place
Email: marisha.place@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
SUMMERFIELD AND ALL SAINTS
Cllr Robin Place
Email: robin.place@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
Leader of the Opposition Group
BONEY HAY AND CENTRAL
Cllr Samuel Tapper
Email: samuel.tapper@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
HUNSLET
Cllr Paul Taylor
Email: paul.taylor@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
Phone: 07973956163
SUMMERFIELD AND ALL SAINTS
Cllr Bradley Westwood
Email: brad.westwood@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
Vice-Chair of the Community and
Partnerships Committee
Vice-Chair of the Planning Advisory Group
BONEY HAY AND CENTRAL
Cllr Keith Willis-Croft
Email: keith.willis-croft@burntwoodtc.gov.uk
GORSTEY LEY
Cllr Susan Woodward
Email: susan.woodward@burntwoodtc.gov.uk
Phone: 01543 304711
Phone: 07779473961
Leader of the Council
Chair of the Policy and Resources
Committee
CHASE TERRACE

Your Local Councils
Burntwood Town Council is your local council. It is a parish council,
and the smallest of the three councils that cover your town. We are based
at the Old Mining College in Chasetown, and there are 22 Councillors
that sit on the Council. We run the Town’s cemetery, we hold the annual
Wakes Festival, and the newly established Markets at Sankey’s Corner.
Your council comments on (but cannot approve or turn down) planning
applications, works with other authorities to improve the town (such as
getting potholes mended), maintains some bus shelters, organises
community events all year round. Councillors are your representatives
and your voice!
Lichfield District Council (LDC), based in Frog Lane, Lichfield, is
the larger local authority that deals with matters across the whole of the
District, as well as the City, including Burntwood, Hammerwich, and the
other villages in the rural areas. LDC are responsible for refuse collection,
planning matters, car parks, arts and tourism, environment health, housing
and leisure services such as parks.
Staffordshire County Council is the largest authority, and they
look after the Highways (including potholes!) Education, Social Services,
and Libraries.
Ukraine Events
A the time of writing tragic
events in Ukraine are unfolding
and have been on many people’s
minds. Local people have been
approaching the Town Council
to ask what they can do to
support people in Ukraine, and
much effort has been made to
collect money, and items. On
Saturday 12 March people gathered in Chasetown Memorial Park to
show support and listen to the story a resident of the Town who is a
Ukrainian national and has family facing danger and hardship in Kharkeiv.
Markets
Last years markets proved to be very popular, and the Council has
decided to bring them back again for 2022! We are pleased to confirm
that they will be held on the Second Sunday of every month until
October between 9:30-2pm at Sankey’s Corner. Contact Jayne on
Jayne.minor@burntwood-tc.gov.uk for more information
Burntwood Jubilee
Wakes Festival
The Wakes are back! Bigger and better to celebrate Her Majesty The
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Stalls, rides, and entertainment will be on at
Burntwood Leisure Centre on 4 June and it is free and all are welcome!
Keep in touch with developments on the Burntwood Wakes Facebook
Page.
Burntwood Town Council
The Old Mining College Centre | Queen Street | Burntwood WS7 4QH
Telephone | 01543 677166 Email info@burntwood-tc.gov.uk
Website | www.burntwood-tc.gov.uk
Burntwood Town View Newsletter
Dementia Friendly
Community
Burntwood is striving hard to
become more welcoming and
aware of the struggles that
people living with dementia
(and their families face) on a
daily basis, The Town Council is
part of a group of interested
people looking at practical ways
for working with businesses,
shops, schools, and community
groups in the town to become
more dementia aware and friendly. Dementia can affect anyone at any
time in their lives and it is estimated that over 500 people in Burntwood
may be living with Dementia.
Burntwood Library has been hosting an exhibition, “Dementia Friendly
Burntwood – through my eyes”, telling the story of living with Dementia
from the point of view of local people. The Exhibition will be on display
at various locations throughout the summer – check the Burntwood
Dementia Friendly Facebook page for more details - @BurntwoodDFC
FULL COUNCIL
Wednesday 11 May 2022
Wednesday 20 July 2022
Wednesday 14 September 2022
Wednesday 16 November 2022
Thursdays 12 January 2023
Wednesday 15 March 2023
Wednesday 24 May 2023
PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Thursday 12 May 2022
Tuesday 14 June 2022
Monday 11 July 2022
Tuesday 16 August 2022
Tuesday 13 September 2022
Wednesday 12 October 2022
Tuesday 15 November 2022
Wednesday 14 December 2022
Tuesday 17 January 2023
Wednesday 15 February 2023
Tuesday 21 March 2023
Wednesday 12 April 2023
COMMUNITY & PARTNERSHIPS COMMITTEE
Wednesday 22 June 2022
Wednesday 17 August 2022
Wednesday 19 October 2022
Friday 09 December 2022
Wednesday 08 February 2023
Wednesday 05 April 2023
POLICY & RESOURCES COMMITTEE
Wednesday 08 June 2022
Wednesday 10 August 2022
Thursday 13 October 2022
Thursday 01 December 2022
Thursday 09 February 2023
Tuesday 11 April 2023
OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
Monday 13 June 2022
Monday 10 October 2022
Monday 13 February 2023

In the Spotlight…
Jono Oates
This month, we chat to local historian and socialite Jono
Oates (who also happens to be our feature writer!) about his
zest for life and his love for the city!
• To begin with, could you tell us a little bit about yourself.
For example, are you a Lichfield man born and bred? If not,
when did you move to the area?
I was born about as far away from Lichfield as you could get! I was
born in the small village of Upper Hutt, just outside Wellington, in New
Zealand. My father had a temporary job with Dunlop Tyres out there
and I was born just before they returned to the UK. My grandparents
lived on Court Drive, Shenstone, so I have known Lichfield all my life. I
have lived in Lichfield for the last 18 years though and definitely
consider myself to be a Lichfeldian!
• Can you tell us the services/products you provide?
I am an independent tour guide and provide walking history tours
around Lichfield. I love telling the history of Lichfield. We have been
around the city for nearly 1,300 years so every single street is packed
with history! I also provide history talks to groups, such as WI groups,
Probus groups, church or local interest groups. I have to say that I love
a bit of dressing-up, so often carry out my tours or talks dressed as
Georgian or Victorian Jono!
• And what does your job entail on a daily/weekly basis?
Well, each day of the week is always different, which is what I really
love. I could be hosting a tour, placing social media posts on Facebook,
helping a visitor round the city with directions, or researching a wellknown
Lichfield citizen on the ancestry websites, or via the national
newspaper archives – variety is the spice of life as they say!
• Prior to your current role, did you have a lot of
involvement with the city?
Yes, I worked as a Tourism Officer, then Groups Officer (welcoming
coach groups to the city) with Visit Lichfield, the tourism department at
Lichfield District Council. That is what inspired me to set off on my own,
six years ago, as an independent tourism provider. During my time at the
council, I became really interested in the history and heritage of the city
and also met lots of contacts, many of whom I am still in touch with, and
who have helped me with my new venture.
• How did the Covid pandemic affect your industry?
It was a very hard time for me as, obviously, I could not carry out any
walking tours and talks for most of the duration of the lockdowns. But
I’m a positive person, and many business owners were in a much worse
situation than myself, so I threw myself in to my research and caught-up
on reading some of the many Lichfield history books in my collection!
I also went on my ‘allowed’ daily walks and took photographs as I went,
which I then posted on my Facebook page, so that those people who
were confined to their homes could see the ‘great outdoors’. I know
from some of the lovely comments that people really appreciated it
which made me feel I was doing my ‘bit’ to help the local community
during a national crisis.
• What skills do you think help with your role?
My love, and passion, for the city always shines through really clearly
in my walks and talks, and my customers often tell me they caught-up
in my enthusiasm! I have a real skill in being able to remember lots of
44
small details about my history topics, without having to refer to written
notes, which people are often amazed by. To be honest I have no idea
where this skill came from as I could not remember any mathematical
algorithms or scientific equations when I was at school – my teachers
despaired of me!
• And finally, what does Lichfield mean to you?
I live just outside the city centre and walk down to Lichfield almost
every day of the week – as soon as I can see the three spires of Lichfield
Cathedral, my heart skips a beat and an extra spring comes to my step
– every time, without fail. Lichfield is small and compact, and the layout
of the streets has remained pretty-much unchanged since the 12th
century, which is just incredible, so much history and heritage in such a
small area. Although it has city status it still has, to me, a lovely village
community feel to it. I have travelled across the world, and have lived all
around the country, but I am very proud to now call Lichfield my home
and to be a Lichfeldian. I am Jono and I am ‘Mr Lichfield’ – what could
be a better job title?!

45

What’s On
Promote your event in our What’s On guide and reach over
16,000 homes and businesses for only £20 for businesses and
£10 for charities. Entries must be 50 words maximum. To book
contact Rebecca Hill 07970 513144
rebeccahillcitylife@gmail.com
Please clearly mark your email ‘What’s On Lichfield'.
Tuesday 5th April
City of Lichfield Probus
Tony Taylor MBE provides ‘An Introduction to the Erasmus Darwin
Museum.’
Venue: St Matthew’s Social Club, Burntwood, WS7 9EP
Time: 12.30pm
Contact: pat.peters2014@gmail.com/peter.hitchman44@gmail.com or
07971113505.
Every Saturday
Guildhall Prison Cells
Lichfield Guildhall has housed a prison since
1548 and now visitors can explore the
remaining cells once again! Includes a
memorabilia exhibition.
Venue: Lichfield Guildhall
Time: 10am-4pm
Price: Free
Thursday 21st April
Annual Charity Luncheon
The City of Lichfield Probus Club’s Annual Charity Luncheon for the
Sheriff’s and Mayor’s charities. Featuring guitarist Tommy T, this event is
country, Beatles and 1960s themed.
Venue: St Matthew’s Social Club, Burntwood, WS7 9EP
Time: 12 noon for 12.30pm
Contact: pat.peters2014@gmail.com/peter.hitchman44@gmail.com or
07971113505.
Sat 7th May & Sun 8th May
Lichfield Society of Artists
Spring Exhibition 2022
Time: Sat 10.30am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm
Venue: Lichfield Guildhall
Spring
Interiors
46
Spring is most definitely on its way so
now is the perfect time to get the duster
out, open the windows wide, and give
your house some much needed TLC! Our
interior guide is filled with some of our
favourite local retailers and stylists, to
bring you some fabulous inspiration for
your home.
Just Bathrooms & Panels
A modern classic design, with stylish matt tap and
a wall hung unit, this would be perfect in an
ensuite shower room. Available from Just
Bathrooms & Panels, an independent supplier of
bathroom suites, showers, flooring and decorative
panels. Local deliveries are free of charge. Tel:
01889 576669.
www.justpanels.co.uk
Just Granite
A well-established family run business based in
Penkridge, Just Granite specialises in granite,
quartz and solid surface worktops and vanity
tops. Tel: 01785 711096.
www.justgranite.ltd.uk

47

UK Stoneworx
This gorgeous white shimmer quartz two-piece
kitchen worktops, hob run, and a sink run,
including 100mm upstands, backsplash and
draining grooves, is just £1,200 - made bespoke
and including templating and installation. Available
from Stoneworx. Tel: 01543 742272. Mobile:
07552 090278. www.ukstoneworx.co.uk
Framework
Spring Sale Now On
Find out all that’s new in art and framing,
including a new range of EDGE sculpture, at
Framework, 13 Tamworth St, Lichfield.
Tel: 01543 264777.
www.theonlineartshop.com
www.theonlinesculptureshop.com
www.framework-gallery.co.uk
www.aviation-art-world.com
Window Centre
Versatile, aesthetically pleasing and practical…
Unlike any other door, these bi-folds provide a
completely uninterrupted view when open, and
the flexibility to enjoy your indoor and outdoor
space as one. Get in touch with the team at
Window Centre on 0121 411 9676 or visit the
website. www.windowcentre.co.uk
Tippers
This Victoria & Albert Roxburgh Bath is longer than
the traditional Victorian slipper bath, featuring both
lion’s paw and modern feet options. The Roxburgh is
available in a range of colours to suit your bathroom.
Available from Tippers.
www.Tippers.com
Lichfield Piano Centre
There’s nothing quite like a piano to bring a
touch of class to your home, such as this new
beautiful white piano, which comes with a fiveyear
guarantee. Available from Lichfield Piano
Centre, Curborough Hall Farm, Watery Lane,
Lichfield, WS13 8ES. Tel: 01543 419550 and
mobile: 07956 411701.
Interior Choice
The Little Greene Company paint and papers are
now available exclusively from Interior Choice
Lichfield. Browse the colour families in the
showroom and purchase your 60ml sample pots
which are held in stock, alternatively, call in for a
free colour card. Order in store or on the new
Little Greene webshop for direct delivery to
your door. Look for Little Greene on the
www.interiorchoice.net website.
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Paul Martyn Furniture
Holker Chair available in Harris Tweed and
leather. Large selection of other chairs available
across five showrooms, along with a range of
interior accessories and made to measure
services. Available from Paul Martyn Furniture,
Heart of the Country Shopping Village, Swinfen,
WS14 9QR. Tel: 01543 481592.
www.paulmartynfurniture.co.uk
Tatlow Carpets & Flooring
Cowhide rugs are now in stock – come in
various sizes and colours… every single one is
unique! Priced from £250 to £400, with 30% off
in the sale, running until 30th April. Find Tatlow’s
on Facebook: @Tatlowcarpets, Instagram:
@Tatlowcarpets, and TikTok: @Tatlowcarpets.
Email: sales@tatlowcarpets.co.uk to
find out more!
Style Our Home
A Scandinavian inspired design with unique inlay
chevron detailing. Comprising oak and rustic oak
veneers, the Milano side table is finished with a
special lacquer to maintain the natural feel of the
wood grain and knots.
Priced at £223.
www.styleourhome.com

WIN a Voucher
Worth £75 with Interior Choice!
Spring is here so why not update your home with new soft
furnishings from Interior Choice in Lichfield?
Interior Choice is one of the largest suppliers of soft furnishings in
the area from leading brands in curtains, blinds, shutters, wallpaper
and, exclusively to Lichfield, the Little Greene Paint Company, as
well as Luxaflex blinds, shutters and garden awnings. The company
also carries more than 8,000 samples, as well Little Greene tester
pots and paint cards, from its large and welcoming showroom,
with free parking and by appointment only, situated at 1st Floor,
Sure Store, Eastern Avenue, Lichfield WS14 9AY.
Interior Choice is British Blind & Shutter Association accredited
and offers a professional fitting service with a three-year
guarantee.
Whatever your budget is, Interior Choice is sure to have the
product for you. Book in online at www.Interiorchoice.net or call
01543 406162. Alternatively, find the firm on Facebook or
Instagram.
For April, we have teamed up with Interior Choice to offer two
lucky readers the chance to win a voucher worth £75! To enter,
simply correctly answer the following question and send it along
with your details:
Which products does Interior Choice offer?
a) Curtains
b) Blinds
c) Shutters
d) Wallpaper and Paint
e) Little Green Paint and Paper
f) All of the above
To enter, send your name, contact details & answer to Interior Choice Comp
at competitioncitylife@gmail.com or to Citylife in Lichfield Ltd, PO Box 7126,
Lichfield WS14 4JS by closing date of 21st April 2022. One entry per
household. Multiple entries disqualified. No cash equivalent. Entrants 18 or over.
All information in line with GDPR Data Protection Regulations & Privacy Policy
(available at citylifeinlichfieldltd.co.uk). Full t&cs on page 50.
20% offselected line spring sale
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CLASSIFIED
To Advertise In
Citylife Call:-
Steve Brown 07740 166497
stevebrowncitylife@gmail.com
Rebecca Hill 07970 513144
rebeccahillcitylife@gmail.com
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 any of their publications and online.
7.Citylife in Lichfield Ltd accepts no responsibility for any breach of copyright or breach of any other legislation entailed
by entrants in their creation or submission of materials.
8.Only one entry per prize draw/competition, per reader.
9.Except in the case of cash prizes, no cash equivalent will be offered and the prize is non-transferable.
10.All prizes are subject to availability and the prize suppliers' terms and conditions.
11.No purchase necessary.
12.Prize draws and competitions are only open to UK residents aged 18 years or over (unless otherwise stated).
13.Competitions and prize draws may not be entered by any employee of individual associated with any employee,
agent or third party of Citylife in Lichfield Ltd.
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14.Winners will be selected at random in the case of applicable prize draws and competitions, or by an independent
judge in the case of photographic/art competitions from all entries received.
15.Winners will be notified by Citylife in Lichfield up to 28 days after the closing date of the competition/prize draw by the
contact details provided by the entrant. Winners have 28 days to respond if contact cannot be made initially. If no
response is forthcoming after 28 days, Citylife in Lichfield reserves the right to redraw the competition and select a new
winner.
16.A list of the surnames and county of residence of the winners will be available by writing to Citylife in Lichfield Ltd no
earlier than six weeks after the competition closing date.
17.When the prize draw/competition winner has been selected, this decision is final and no correspondence will be
entered into.
18.Citylife in Lichfield Ltd accepts no responsibility for the prize being lost, damaged or delayed in transit. When the prize
is provided by a third party, Citylife in Lichfield Ltd accepts no responsibility for any change to the prize, or for the quality
of the prize provided.
19.Competitions may be amended or withdrawn at any time.
20.By entering the competition or prize draw, you agree to having your name, (photograph, where stated) and city or
county of residence published in any of Citylife in Lichfield’s publications and online.
21.Unless otherwise stated, the promoter is Citylife in Lichfield Ltd, PO Box 7126, Lichfield, WS14 4JS.
22. Citylife in Lichfield Ltd do not express any warranty or endorsement of any competition prize, information, service or
product provided in connection with a competition by printing or otherwise publicising any competition.
23.To the full extent of the law, Citylife in Lichfield Ltd shall not be liable for any loss, claim, punitive, indirect, incidental or
consequential damages of any kind incurred as a result of entering this prize draw or competition.
24.By submitting photos, text or artworks as part of competition/prize draw entries you agree that you own these photos
text or artworks, that it is your original work to which you own all rights to distribute, and that your entry is accurate, moral
and legal.

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