Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice

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Issue 99
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Local Housing Market Report
by George Brandrick
COVID-19 and the Impact on the Local
Housing Market
A
s I sit writing this report, I look around the local
Market Place and see closed shops, people with
masked faces, covered hands and overhear an
occasional argument about social distancing; a far cry
from my last quarterly report pre-COVID-19. Business
owners and everyday people alike, have had to undergo
drastic changes since the lifting of lockdown. Measures
which seem primitive, albeit an absolute requirement.
Six months ago, you would look at the image
attached and think my colleague probably has bad
breath. This is just one of the measures we as a business
have had to adapt to, to minimise the risk at people’s
properties. On property viewings, masks, gloves, and
hand sanitiser are as common as a toilet, oven or fridge.
Our staff’s vehicles must be fully stocked with full PPE
gear to wipe down door handles or furniture after
viewings; on a plus side, the inside of my car is cleaner
than it has ever been. We have taken extra safe measures
in our offices, with a core workforce operating from a
central “hub” and our High Street offices being available
for visitations by appointment only. As every business
owner will know, adapting to change is pivotal,
especially when in the middle of a pandemic. These
changes are now considered the new norm to a lot of
business’s. I’m sure we’ve all had a fair share of our
morning “Zoom meetings”. All of us want to get back to
the way things used to be, however, this virus has
provided business’s an opportunity to create new ways
of operation, whilst trying to maintain the same or
better results as before.
Ultimately, the High Street will suffer most of the
consequences, with people more likely to browse and
food shop online. The same applies to the housing
market; to my surprise we managed to secure on a sale
on a bungalow in Stramshall during lockdown, as a
buyer “virtually viewed” this particular property online;
something I only imagined would happen in a London
based market. The lockdown created a bottleneck effect.
As lockdown eased, we were faced with a task of
recouping three months’ worth of lost property sales; a
feat which we thankfully overcame within four weeks of
reopening. We expect this surge to continue, but it will
come with some downfalls. Redundancies and job losses
have unfortunately been commonplace. This is where
we rely on our government to provide extra support
when needed.
Governmental changes such as the stamp duty
holiday, a renewed Green Deal and an easement on
planning permission laws have resulted in an initial
surge of new property and making buying a home more
affordable. These changes should keep the local housing
market stable during these difficult times ahead.
People are the key component for every business. It’s
vital for the future that we continue to support local
business more than ever and invest in the services they
have to offer, in order for our local community to thrive.
3Let The Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice take your business to 13,000 local homes. To advertise, call 01538 751629 or 07733 466 970.
W
elcome
back to
The
Voice dear readers –
it seems an age
since I spoke to you
in the last Voice
colour magazine we
printed way back in March...
In my article in that March issue I wrote to
you saying ‘This Coronavirus could get nasty so
let’s heed the Government’s warnings’ but little
did I know how serious the virus would become
around the whole of the World.
Yes, we have been hit very hard in the UK and
we are certainly not out of the woods yet – but I
am proud of the way the British people have
conducted themselves through ‘Lockdown’ as we
adhered to Government restrictions and
guidelines in a way none of us have ever done
before.
In our local community I have witnessed
many, many acts of kindness and extraordinary
activities, as people connected with family, friends
and neighbours looked after each other in true
British spirit. I have been humbled by the
wonderful workers at the NHS, supermarkets,
shops, refuse collectors, teachers, Civil Servants,
delivery drivers, farmers, butchers etc – the list is
endless, but on behalf of everyone, we thank all of
you from the bottom of our hearts...
We will get through this Covid 19 virus, there
will be a vaccine, we will all return to our ‘normal’
lives, local sport will return, clubs and WI’s will
meet again – but please take this virus seriously –
it is there waiting to pounce at the slightest
moment we let our guard down...
So carry on social distancing, wash your
hands, wear your face masks when entering
shops, keep an eye on folk all around you – keep
doing the right thing when Government tells us
to do so...
I made a bold decision to restart production
of The Voice colour magazine for this August 6th
issue. I did not know if local businesses were in a
position to place adverts, how could we create a
magazine when over the past few months nothing
has happened regarding local events and sport!
But I decided to gamble and I must say I have
been overwhelmed by the magnificent response
from businesses who have placed an unbelievable
amount of advertising in this August Voice – I am
truly amazed and grateful for their support but as
many advertisers have told me “we want to place
our adverts in The Voice because the magazine
attracts lots of customers to our businesses!
Because everyone loves to read The Voice.”
Which brings me around to a very, very
Special Voice colour magazine next month – The
September issue will be our 100th edition!!!
When I launched The Voice 13 years ago I never
cast a thought that we would reach the big 100 – it
is truly amazing!
Let’s hope we can create a bumper issue and
all our local businesses want to place adverts in
our 100th Voice – without our fantastic
advertisers and readers The Voice would never
have been able to reach such a milestone...
So I send my warmest, sincere thanks to each
and every one of you...
I hope you enjoy reading this bounce-back
issue of The Voice colour magazine.
Speak to you soon
Nigel Titterton, Editor & Publisher
Dear Reader,
Publisher and Editor: Nigel Titterton
The Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice is published by Community Voice
Publications Ltd
Telephone 01538 751629 e-mail uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk
The views expressed in this publication are those of our contributors and are not
necessarily those of the publishers, nor indeed their responsibility.
All Rights Reserved.
Copyright Community Voice Publications Ltd.
Designed and Produced by noel@sergeantdesign.com
HOW TO GET IN TOUCH
The Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice is wholly independent and
is published at 3 Spode Close, Cheadle, Staffs ST10 1DT
13,000 copies are distributed free to homes and
businesses in Uttoxeter, Cheadle, Rocester, Denstone,
Bramshall, Stramshall, Alton, Oakamoor, Tean, Lower
Tean, Checkley, Leigh, Church Leigh, Crakemarsh,
Combridge, Kingsley, Draycott, Cresswell, Saverley Green
& Fulford, Doveridge and Abbots Bromley, Sudbury,
Kingstone, Marchington, Ellastone and Hollington.
Clients are welcome to view the printing matrix.
ADVERTISEMENT SALES
AND EDITORIAL
Tel: 01538 751629 or 07733 466 970
Email: uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk
NEXT ISSUE
The next Voice will be
out September 16th
News Deadline: September 6th
Advertising Deadline: September 7th
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4 If you are responding to an advertisement in The Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice, please let the advertiser know. Thank you for your support.

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Issue 99
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Uttoxeter
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T
he Club’s recently appointed President David
Chapman reports; “The Club was rocked by the
tragic death of our President, David Reeves, but
we have been determined to redouble our work in his
memory.”
Club meetings have continued on ‘Zoom’ with
speakers joining them from as far away as South Africa.
Attendance has been at a high level and all have enjoyed
developing a new form of getting together whilst
maintaining good humour and a clear
focus on responding to the challenges
faced by the Uttoxeter community.
President David adds; “We quickly
re-evaluated our priorities and
redirected all the available funds to
support local activities and
organisations struggling under
lockdown. In May and June we made
over £6000 available and continue to
look for ways in which we can make a
difference.”
The Club has supported Donna
Louise and St Giles Hospices, local food
banks, the Air Ambulance, the Gateway
Club and Thomas Alleyne’s High
School in their project making face
shields for the NHS.
The Club and its members face new
challenges in raising funds as public
activities have all been cancelled.
However, Rotarians have taken part in
a ‘Relay Marathon’ with members collecting sponsors
for their daily walks. Vice President Roy Smith, who
has led the project reports; “We have been using
vegetables as our relay batons which have created
interest and good humour! We have all completed our
miles separately with social distancing observed and
have managed to raise over £1,100 to help replenish our
charity funds.” Uttoxeter Rotary also relaunched its
annual quiz which has raised significant further funds.
President David concludes; “We will be continuing to
play our part in the life of the town and hope that it will
not be too long before we can meet the public and enjoy
the wonderful support that they always give us.”
Pictures supplied by Roy Smith. President Dave passing
his pepper ‘baton’ to Roy Smith and Neil Allen in
receipt of his ‘leek’ baton!
Uttoxeter Rotary has continued in
its efforts to support the local
community in these difficult times

D
og owners are being urged to
bin the bags after they’ve picked
up after their pets.
The call comes from members of the
Cabinet at Staffordshire Moorlands
District Council following an increase in
the number of bags being left on streets
and paths across the area.
Councillor Mike Bowen, Cabinet
Member for Communities, said: “We all
want to enjoy streets and public areas
that are free of dog mess and I’m pleased
to say that most dog owners do behave
responsibly and do the right thing by
cleaning up after their pet.
“But just bagging up the waste is not
enough – the bags need to be put in
public bins or to be taken home for
disposal. Leaving them lying around, or
even worse, hanging them in trees and
hedges in our beautiful country lanes,
means people are still at risk of stepping
on, or coming into contact, with them
which is not just unpleasant it’s
potentially harmful.
“We’re urging people who are doing
this to think about the impact their
actions are having on other people and
their local community and to just take
the final step of disposing of the bags
properly.”
And Cabinet Member for the
Environment, Councillor Sav Scalise,
echoed those sentiments adding: “I have
certainly noticed an increase in the
amount of bagged dog waste being left
lying around in recent weeks and
months.
“There is no more excuse for this
than there is for leaving it unbagged – it
still means that our teams have to come
and clear mess that someone else has left
and it is not acceptable.
“Our teams are working hard to
continue to provide the essential
services we all rely on, and to support
our district as we ease out of lockdown,
and we’re calling on dog owners to play
their part by binning the bags and not
creating additional – and avoidable –
work for our cleaning crews.”
Anyone caught not picking up after
their dog can be fined £100 and the
Council will take legal action if the fine
is not paid.
Dog fouling can be reported by
completing a short form on our website
www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk
Dog owners urged
to‘bin the bags’

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T
he man who has steered
the UK’s first ever
engineering academy to
success over its first decade has retired - with tributes
ringing in his ears.
Jim Wade became the first Principal of the JCB
Academy in 2009, implementing the vision of JCB
Chairman Lord Bamford to create a school dedicated
to producing the engineers and business leaders of the
future. When he joined, building work at the £22
million school in Rocester, was only just getting under
way. The following year, he was on hand to welcome
the first 120 students through the doors of a unique
establishment, which has gone on to be recognised
nationally for its achievements.
Jim retired having played a major role in the
education of around 2,500 young people at an academy
which has been oversubscribed every single year since
it opened in a Grade II listed Arkwright Mill dating
from 1781.
Jim said: “The most satisfying aspect of the past
decade is that so many of our learners have gone on to
fulfil roles in engineering leadership, which is exactly
what we set out to achieve with the JCB Academy. They
have already begun to make an impression on the
world, whether that is by starting their own company,
going to work for the UK Space Agency or re-designing
body parts through bio-medical engineering degrees
or working on the next generation of engines for JCB
and Rolls-Royce. It has been so satisfying to see
learners come to us and get the opportunity to ‘re-set’
themselves and find a new direction in life by having a
practical bias to their educational experience. None of
these achievements would have been possible without
the tremendous JCB Academy team.”
The JCB Academy was the brainchild of Lord
Bamford, who in his 45 years as Chairman of JCB, has
championed the cause of British manufacturing. In the
years before the Academy opened, he voiced fears over
the decline in manufacturing and the shortage of young
people with engineering skills emerging from the
education system.
Anthony Bamford said: “The idea for the JCB
Academy was conceived in 2006 out of deep concern
that we needed the right calibre of young people to
ensure we continued to be a nation of makers and
innovators. Over the past 10 years Jim Wade has done
an absolutely tremendous job translating my vision into
reality and has made a vast contribution to developing
the engineers and business leaders of the future. In
doing so, he has helped transform the lives of
thousands of young people, which is a legacy he should
be immensely proud of.”
Chair of Governors Max Jeffery said: “Jim has been
the cornerstone of the JCB Academy’s success and he
has developed and led a great team utterly focused on
the success of young people. He has worked tirelessly
and pioneered a new way of educating young people.
We wish him all the very best for the future.”
The JCB Academy was the first school of its kind in
the UK for the education of 13 to 19-year-olds with a
core focus on engineering. It was equipped with more
than £1 million worth modern engineering equipment
to help pupils turn their design ideas into reality. It
included the only plasma cutter – a machine tool
commonly used in industry – to be based in a UK
school. The engineering tasks completed by pupils are
set by The JCB Academy’s partners who include JCB,
Rolls-Royce, Toyota, Network Rail, Bentley and
National Grid.
As well as educating around 2,500 students, the JCB
Academy has expanded to provide training for around
600 apprentices since 2013.
When Essex-born father-of-two Jim completed his
degree in 1982, he initially embarked on a career in
banking. After two years he decided on a change in
direction and became a teacher. He later joined the JCB
Academy from South Molton Community College in
Devon where he had been Principal.
In retirement he is moving from Uttoxeter to
Somerset, where he is building a house. Jim added: “If
I have made a difference to young people’s lives then
that is the most precious thing that I will take into
retirement and hopefully that is what I have done at the
JCB Academy and throughout my career.”
Farewell from Jim after decade of
success at JCB Academy
Striding off into retirement - JCB Academy Principal Jim Wade pictured today with students Roan Price, 14 and
Harry Eaton, 14.

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Our next
Issue is
going to
be very
special!
Out
September
16th
Be a part of it and
call us to place
your
advertisement
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or Email:
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@ hotmail.co.uk

Lank’s Lore
By Steve ‘Lank’ Lavin
Golden Memories from one of Uttoxeter’s Favourite Characters
I
t’s good to be back after a break of 5 months and I
hope that we can continue on as before entertaining
you with my monthly musings without any more
forced restrictions and I offer my full condolences to
anyone who has suffered a tragic personal loss of a
friend or relative in this terrible ordeal.
Well, what can I say about the last few months of
this coronavirus ordeal.
It certainly is a trying time for everyone. I can
honestly say without a doubt that all through my
lifetime I have come across certain elements that have
upset my daily life but nothing like this.
I am not going to bore you with how it has affected
people in different ways over the last months but I am
sure that everyone will be glad to see the back of it.
During the 3 months of lockdown everything
virtually came to a complete halt with people advised
to stay at home. Pubs all closed along with shops that
did not sell essential items. Public transport cut to a
skeleton service so a lot of people were unable to travel
to work even if they were lucky enough to and they
were not furloughed.
You were not allowed to meet friends or family, all
sporting events were cancelled along with other
restrictions which made life very difficult.
You don’t realise at the time exactly what everyday
pleasures you have been taking for granted until they
are taken away from you.
I know that a lot of the restrictions are now being
lifted as the virus is finally waning but life as we new it
is far from getting back to normal again.
Social distancing even though it has been relaxed is
still in force. Some businesses are still not allowed to
operate. Sporting events are gradually coming back but
no gatherings of crowds is allowed.
At the time of writing this column the government
have introduced another rule making the wearing of
face masks compulsory when you visit a shop or face a
fine of £100.
This will be another burden for the shop keeper to
enforce as if he hasn’t had a rough time of restrictions
in the past he has had to contend with.
The government who have had the almighty task of
trying to tackle the economic impact the virus has
caused are still unsure on how to get things moving
safely again with all the unknown factors the virus
presents them with.
I think one of the main ones is Joe Public not
adhering to the guidelines they publish. Lets be fair, the
government are following the instructions from the
country’s top scientists who understand the virus more
and make suggestions which are eventually passed on
to the general public to make everyone safe
Then what, social distancing measures are put in
place to allow people to come out of their homes for
none essential purposes for the first time in weeks and
as soon as the sun shines they travel to the beach and
pack together like sardines, complete madness!
I feel sorry for the government who are only trying
to get life back to something like normal again to be
faced with the public’s idiocy.
They certainly have got a huge challenge ahead of
them but a lot of their guidelines they issue to me are
very contradictory not only for those running a
business but also for the layman to understand.
One example is the reopening of public houses,
which has absolutely crippled the hospitality industry
since they were forced to shut is a move in the right
direction, but without a lot of restrictions. Even though
these restrictions are probably for everyone’s safety, in
my opinion it will be the death knell for a lot of them.
The pub as we once knew it is no longer a pleasant
place to visit and a lot of people are staying away which
obviously for the publican makes them unviable to
carry on trading with not being able to keep their heads
above water. We shall have to see what happens in the
future, but it doesn’t look good at the moment.
I was talking to a friend of mine who is a publican
and he was trying to explain the guidelines he had been
issued with. To him and to me a lot of them and they
were quite extensive, were very confusing. One
example he said that the game of darts, which is a big
attraction for his customers could take place as long as
the players used a set of their own darts, no problem
there as most players use their own anyway, but
customers cannot stand up in his pub they must sit
down, how can anyone play a game of darts whilst
sitting down for Pete’s sake. The mind boggles!
There are many more examples of these confusing
regulations attached to all kinds of businesses I’m sure
which I will not go into now as I am sure you have all
come across something that doesn’t quite make sense
anyway.
What gets me though is although probably some of
the rules and regulations appear to be somewhat
haphazard it must be very hard for them to relax these
measures completely and get life back to normal with
not quite knowing what they are up against.
I just hope that these unfortunate measures and
restrictions work and we do not get another serious
outbreak in the coming winter months which would
put the dampers on our daily lives.
This of course is up to the individual to act in the
proper manner and adhere to the governments
instructions until a suitable vaccine is found to combat
this nasty virus.
Anyway, please keep safe everybody and keep your
fingers crossed that life soon gets back to normal again.
Till next time
Lank
Uttoxeter High Street pictured at 3 p.m. on a Wednesday afternoon, usually a hive of activity. Very eerie indeed.
One of Uttoxeter’s shopping precincts deserted and
going into disrepair during the lockdown.

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Uttoxeter school funds fitness fun following
donation from David Wilson Homes
A
donation of vouchers from David Wilson
Homes for a raffle has helped fund new gym
equipment (pictured left) for a high school
in Uttoxeter.
Thomas Alleyne’s High School on Dove Bank
received the funding from the leading homebuilder,
who is currently building properties nearby at its
Sorrell Close development, Bentley Fields.
The five star developer donated £100 worth of
vouchers to the school, which were one of the main
prizes at its raffle late last year. The monies from the
purchase of tickets helped fundraise for equipment
in the new gym.
Helen Lyon, member of the Thomas Alleyne’s
PTA, said: “We were delighted when David Wilson
Homes reached out and offered to provide us with
these vouchers for our raffle.
“It’s important for developers who build within
the area to form lasting relationships with the
surrounding communities and support
organisations in any way that they can.
“We would like to say a big thank you to David
Wilson Homes for this kind donation, and we look
forward to seeing how the development progresses.”
Steve Barton, Senior Sales Manager at David
Wilson Homes, said: “We were thrilled to donate
vouchers for Thomas Alleyne’s High School raffle,
and help them in funding new gym equipment.
“We are committed to creating a positive impact
on the surrounding areas in which we build, and are
pleased to have been able to contribute to the
school’s development.”
David Wilson Homes’ developments are now
open on an appointment only basis, for more
information about any David Wilson Homes
developments in the area, visit the website at
www.dwh.co.uk or call the sales line on 033 3355
8474.
A detailed set of working practices and
protocols has been developed by Barratt so that its
construction sites can operate safely and in line with
the latest guidance from Government, Public
Health Authorities and the Construction
Leadership Council.
Our
September
Issue is going
to be very
special!

Just the
perfect day...
Last Wedding in Staffordshire before
Covid19 struck!
T
he whole wedding process was amazing
from start to finish! I absolutely LOVED
IT! I don’t know what I would have done
without my trusty Pinterest, and bridesmaids.
Alastair and I are also extremely grateful for the
support we received from all our suppliers, family
and friends too, over this unprecedented period.
The stress of a wedding can be overwhelming for
some, and eighteen months ago, when we viewed
and booked our wedding venue, The Ashes
Barns, Corona virus was definitely not on the
wish list, as I’m sure it isn’t for you either. We
encountered many sleepless nights, unsure as to
whether our special day would be cancelled; even
the night before, we were uncertain about the day
ahead. However, we were one of the lucky
couples, who were able to enjoy our special day
on the 20th March 2020 - a day we will never
forget.
My make up artist Sophie Ede, and
hairdresser Charlotte Bennett, did a fabulous job,
keeping the bridal party calm and relaxed as we
got ready. All Covid 19 worries were temporarily
erased from my mind. As we approached our
beautiful venue, the sun finally made an
appearance, assuring me that this was going to be
a special day!
My wish for all the happy couples out there,
whose weddings have been cancelled or
postponed, is that no matter what is going on
during this difficult time, when your NEW
wedding date arrives, it will have been worth the
extra wait! We wish you all the best of luck, and
hope that the wait is nearly over for most of you.
Bride and Groom - Sophie Riley from Alsager, Alastair Carroll
from Checkley
Bride’s Parents - David Riley, Jane Riley
Groom’s Parents - Malcolm Carroll, Sally-Ann Carroll
Best man - Will Brooks
Bridesmaids - Lauran Waddington, Emily Carroll
Venue - The Ashes Barns, Endon
Photography - Cris Lowis Photography

Just the perfectday...

Unit 3, Churnet Valley Court, Dovefields Industrial Estate, Uttoxeter ST14 8HU
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 8am-5pm Saturday 8.30am-12 Noon
Telephone 01889 569043
The only Stihl
Dealer in the area

U
ttoxeter company RBA Wealth Management
has thanked staff and clients after coronavirus
lockdown saw the temporary closure of their
High Street offices.
The retirement planning and savings experts have
successfully worked through lockdown having quickly
switched their 19-strong team to home working
following the Government’s call to close shops and
offices in March.
RBA say they have continued to trade successfully
throughout lockdown and are now planning a careful
return to their historic Charles House base in the heart
of Uttoxeter.
The company had to postpone its flagship charity
fundraiser, a golf day for clients and business friends,
but plan to host the event in October at the prestigious
JCB Golf and Country Club, in Rocester.
Andrew Hackney, a Director at the company, said:
“Having been based in our office at Charles House for
the past 20 years, I found out from the Government on
the 23rd March that we would need to close for the
forseeable future. This, of course, didn’t mean that work
stopped and we acted swiftly to ensure staff were able
to work at home and that we were able to both
communicate well within the team and continue to give
the highest standard of advice for our clients.
“I am proud of how our staff adapted and have
worked from home with enthusiasm. They showed a
will to overcome teething troubles and, with the
exception of the odd technical glitch, we achieved an
almost seamless transition.
“We’ve all had to adapt to video conferencing and
embrace formats such as Microsoft Teams for meetings,
using video conferences to communicate with clients
and internally with each other.
“Every client was called as lockdown began and we
have continued to keep in regular contact. It was a
major cultural change for our business but we believe
we have adapted successfully and client feedback has
been good.”
Alongside the work interactions, the RBA
management team has also ensured staff morale
remains high by using video conferencing to host social
events.
Explained Andrew: “Office life of course involves
social interaction and friendships are formed. We didn’t
want lockdown to fracture the excellent team spirit we
have at RBA, so we have opened up our video channels
for social interaction, including the very popular Friday
afternoon quizzes with a soft drink, a beer or glass of
wine in what we call The Isolation Inn.”
Fellow Director Angela Fountain said the RBA team
were making plans to return to Uttoxeter High Street.
“We are determined to get the return right as the safety
of office visitors and staff must be the highest priority,”
said Angela. “Therefore, we’re planning behind the
scenes for a return to Charles House in September as
this gives us breathing space to monitor how the UK
and our local area emerges from lockdown and gives us
time to plan carefully for social distancing and every
possible precautions.
“Despite our successful transition to home working,
I have missed the High Street. We see RBA as part of
the town centre community and we want to be back on
the High Street supporting the local economy once
again.
“We are also aware that lockdown has hit charities
hard. Unfortunately, our annual fundraiser with the
Uttoxeter Lions Club was a victim to the pandemic and
we also had to postpone our annual golf day, which is
the highlight of the RBA social and fundraising
calendar.
“Arrangements are now moving forward to host the
event at the JCB Golf and Country Club on 16 October
where we will be hoping to raise thousands of pounds
for charities.”
To find out more about RBA Wealth Management,
please go online to www.rbawealthmanagement.co.uk
RBA Wealth Management Ltd is an Appointed
Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place
Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and
regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the
purpose of advising solely on the group’s wealth
management products and services, more details of
which are set out on the group’s website
www.sjp.co.uk/products. The titles ‘Partner’ and
‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe
St. James’s Place representatives.
A D V E R T O R I A L
A return to the High Street

Open 7 days a week: Mon-Fri 8.00-17.30, Sat/Sun: 8.00-12.00
Telephone 01538 750 737 or book online www.cheadletestcentre.co.uk
We want your car to PASS!!
CheadleTest Centre, Brookhouse Way, Brookhouse Ind. Est., Cheadle ST10 1SR
Independent M.O.T. Testing in Cheadle
No associated workshop relying on
the failure work to fill it’s ramps
FACT!
• We’re now operating a booking system,
please visit our website or give us a call
• Free courtesy cars
• Free re-tests - free annual reminders
• Friendly staff - waiting/viewing area
• If unfortunately your vehicle fails, take it
away to a repairer of your choice.

QUALITY LOCAL MEAT, BEEF,
LAMB, PORK & POULTRY
All meat home killed with complete farm to fork assurance.
Personal & Friendly Service Guaranteed
YOU CAN TRUST
100% BRITISH MEAT
2 Market Street, Uttoxeter
Tel (01889) 565870
Roycroft Farm, Bramshall
Tel (01889) 563353
All Welcome
We are open Monday to Saturday 12-all day and Sunday 12-7pm
Food served: Monday to Saturday 12-2.30pm, 5.30-8.30pm.
Sunday 12-4pm.
Families, muddy boots and dogs all welcome.
Eat Out To Help Out
Up to £10 off in August anytime
Monday to Wednesday.
This covers all food and non-alcoholic drinks.
Everyone gets the discount - including children.
And you can come back as many times as you like.
Now serving Afternoon Teas
Monday - Saturday, 2pm-4.30pm
Pre order only please allow 48 hours notice.
The Shrewsbury Arms
Uttoxeter Road, Kingstone ST14 8QH
To reserve a table please call 01889 500181
www.shrewsburyarmskingstone.co.uk
T R E E S & L A N D S C A P E S
ALL ASPECTS
OF TREEWORK
UNDERTAKEN
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All aspects of gardening & landscaping also undertaken:
Lawns Garden Paths Ponds Fencing
Patios Borders Decking Stonework
Aftercare & Maintenance
Pest Diagnosis & Control
Fells
Conifers
Top Soil
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Logs Available
From the smallest hedge to the largest tree,
tree surgery that doesn’t cost the Earth!
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Call Rob: 01538 361 432
or 07900 995 139
Printed by SO Marketing - 01538 750 538 - www.somarketing.comAll work to BS3998 standard
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Email:
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EMERGENCY
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- www.somarketing.comA

Ginny’s Community Corner
by Ginny Gibson of Uttoxeter
M
y apologies for the delay in writing my next
article, as you will have read from my last
article, I have been grieving the loss of my
dear friend and I couldn’t get into the writing zone,
what ever that means, plus the fact because we don’t
have deadlines due to the coronavirus lockdown, I have
become a bit slack, I like a deadline, it focuses the mind.
In the last few days, I have been aware that I haven’t
given myself the pleasure of writing but tonight, as my
hubby watches the football season starting again, I
realised I could come upstairs and write.
My theme this month is Thank You. They are a
simple two words that we are taught as children to say
to people, but I have often thought that Thank You is
too short a phrase to actually convey the meaning
behind the words, so I looked it up in the thesaurus and
guess what, Thank, thankful, thankfulness have one
common meaning, gratitude or grateful.
Now grateful is one of my favourite words, as some
of you know, I write a gratitude list each morning, it is
a discipline that I learnt over 29yrs ago and it changed
my life, far from seeing the misery plus doom and
gloom in the world, which if left unchecked, is my
natural state of mind, by writing 12 things each
morning that I am grateful for, I turn my mood around
and have a day looking for the good, even in times of
sadness.
So, I thought I would write about the things that I
have been grateful for in lockdown.
1. I am grateful to everyone for staying in and keeping
us all safe from the virus, it showed a really great
sense of community, as I wrote about in my
previous article. I am also grateful for the people
who didn’t obey the lockdown rules, because they
taught me that it is none of my business what other
people do, not to judge other, a lesson that I will
continue to learn for the rest of my life.
2. I am grateful to the millions of people who have
been caring for the sick, isolated and elderly in the
community. We have a neighbour who has been
delivering hot meals to the elderly since March, day
in day out, she is there with her two colleagues,
cooking wholesome meals and then driving round
to deliver them. While another neighbour has been
going to the hospital each day to ensure that the sick
have someone with them to support them, I would
imagine she has been scared, but has the courage to
go anyway. There are the millions of people who
have signed up to make telephone calls to the
isolated so that they still feel a sense of connectivity.
Careline calling in Ashbourne has been continuing
to support our local residents and have helped so
many with the loneliness that comes with not going
out. There number is 01335 210353 if you want to
receive a call.
3. I am extremely grateful to the people who work in
the shops, they have been ensuring that the shelves
restocked with food, and toilet roll, sorry I couldn’t
resist mentioning the famous toilet roll episode,
they have been leaving their families and going into
work so that we can all have food and supplies to
keep going. I am particular thankful to Pets at
Home staff, especially to Peggy, you know who you
are, for ensuring that my two dogs don’t go hungry.
www.petsathome.com/ they have a scheme where
they are supporting all the animal charities with
food, because those charities have not been getting
donations, so were in grave need, so thank you to
them for their service to our animal friends.
Locally they have been supporting Cheadle
Dogs and Cats home - www.cheadleanimalwelfare.
org.uk/rehoming-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/
who are still rehoming dogs and cats through the
lockdown.
4. I am grateful for the vets in Uttoxeter, who have
been looking after one of my lovely dogs, who
developed diabetes in lockdown and without their
continuing care would not have survived. Both the
vets and the reception staff are amazing.
www.glenthornevets.co.uk/
5. I am grateful to both Strawberry Garden centre and
the fruit and vegetable shop by Asda, who have
both delivered plants and soil to me, I would have
gone mad without being able to garden, both
establishments offer the best service and brilliant
quality plants and soil.
6. I am grateful that I have been able to work from
home, I have been doing it for 5yrs now and
normally it is just me and the dogs, but because my
hubby is working from home, we now have a great
routine, we have breakfast together, then go to our
respective work areas of the house, then have lunch
together and I then have my MS snooze and we
meet again at 6pm when he finishes for the day. It
has brought us closer together and we are both very
grateful for the time together that we have been able
to have. I am aware this is not the case for everyone
and so I am also grateful for the domestic abuse
helpline, who are ensuring that women and men in
trouble have a safe place to call and a way out, if
they decide to leave. 24-hour National Domestic
Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247
7. I am grateful for all the cooking programmes on
TV, it has meant that we are cooking some great
meals, my favourite is the 5 ingredient cook book,
it simple and cheap and really tasty, we have even
lost weight, because we aren’t eating all the snack
stuff that we used too. I am also grateful to Mario’s
Italian Café, 36 Bridge Street, Uttoxeter, 01889
569977 for re-starting up their take away service,
when you want to have a really good meal, they are
the ones to call. The Italian profiteroles are out of
this world!
8. I am grateful for the funeral companies that are now
filming the service, so that you can be there,
without actually being there. A friend of mines
father died, Alec Joyce, he was buried in Lewes,
Sussex, clearly I couldn’t go to pay my respects, but
I could watch the grave side service they held for
him and be with Sophie, his daughter via zoom.
9. I am soooooo grateful to Zoom, it’s a company I
didn’t even know existed in February but now I use
it all the time. Ruby Wax has been running her
Frazzled Café on it and load of people are
connecting and supporting each other via video
link. www.frazzledcafe.org/virtual.
Zoom have made one of their packages FREE,
so that there are Quizzes being set up, families are
having get together evenings and people are really
understanding that video calls/meetings are
invaluable. I went to a festival on zoom which was
incredible, all the artists were in their own homes
and I could enjoy great music while looking for
ideas for interior design by seeing where they lived.
Business have found Zoom or Microsoft Teams to
be invaluable during lockdown, my hubby is
holding meetings with colleagues all over the UK
to enable their business to keep going.
zoom.us/signin
10. I am extremely grateful for the foodbanks that have
kept people going throughout these hard times, the
Renew church, Uttoxeter has continued to accept
donations and provide food renewchurch.co.uk/
food-bank/ - they get people who are referred from
different organisations in the area as well as
working with Fairshare, an organisation that
provides a link to our local Tesco store allowing the
foodbank to receive surplus fresh food. Their food
bank is supported by other local churches, schools,
businesses and individuals.
11. I am grateful for having lovely people in my life, I
won’t embarrass them by giving their full names but
just by listing them: Avril, Angela, Ken, Barbara,
Peggy, Tina, Russell, Maralyn, Marjie, Lynn,
Dominque, Cat, Nick, Sandra, Kerry, Tony, Bill,
Audrey, Dick, Margaret, Colin, John, Stan, Matt,
Jeff, Karen, Joya, Sophie, Jayne and Paddy, these are
the people, along with my wonderful patient hubby,
who have ensured the lockdown and the possibility
of isolation has not happened for me. Of course, it
goes without saying I am grateful to Nigel for
continuing the Voice Magazine and to all of you
who read it and advertise in it, so that we can
continue to serve the community.
12. Finally, I am grateful for being taught the discipline
of gratitude, 29yrs ago I was advised to try writing
a gratitude list for 90 days, one day at a time. I was
told that if I didn’t feel any different after the 90
days, then my misery would be refunded in full. I
have never looked back, why not try it?
A
s shops, businesses, leisure facilities and visitor
attractions across the Moorlands welcome
people back following the Coronavirus
lockdown, the Council is offering its support with free
parking throughout August.
Drivers will be able to enjoy three hours of free
parking on Staffordshire Moorlands District Council’s
car parks across the district. This is in addition to the
free parking scheme which is already in place before
9.30am and after 3.30pm.
In order for the Council to be able to monitor use
of the car parks drivers will still need to display a ticket
– ticket machines will issue a three-hour ticket for
which there will be no charge.
Leader of the Council, and Cabinet member for
regeneration and finance, Councillor Sybil Ralphs, said:
“The key to a strong recovery is for people to shop
locally and support their local businesses. We want to
support our towns and villages as they start to welcome
people back and we’re pleased to be able to do that with
this offer of additional free parking.
“We have worked with partners to ensure the
appropriate safety measures are in place – including
enhanced hygiene regimes and signage in the car parks
– to ensure people can have the confidence to use them.
“But I would remind everybody that that virus has
not gone away and it remains as important as ever that
we all keep the required distance away from others,
cleanse our hands regularly and wear face coverings in
shops which is now a requirement.
Find out more about where the Council’s car parks
are, and other parking information, at
www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/article/505/Parking
Free parking in August is just the ticket!

T
he current “in” food supplement seems to be
CBD oil, with an estimated 6 million or more of
us in the UK having taken CBD in the last year.
Local science graduate, Joe Wardle, from Consall, has
a Bsc in Biomedical Science, which he followed with a
Masters by Research at Manchester Metropolitan
University. Joe’s research, which involved the many
aspects of cannabinoids and their possible potential,
has led him to think very carefully about the available
information about CBD oil and the associated products
that can be bought online or in local shops. He realises
that the general public may be very confused about the
information that can be found on social media and
hopes that he can help to correct any misconceptions
about CBD oil and its uses.
He explains, “ Throughout my research degree at
university, I had to try to understand and learn about
the many aspects of cannabinoids and their medicinal
potential, as reported in the most recent scientific
journals. After finishing my studies, I was amazed to
see the variety of products claiming to contain CBD
and some of the unfounded medical claims that were
being made for those products.
He began to do research into the matter and found
that “In recent tests, it has been found that some
products bought off the shelf or on the internet, contain
less CBD than they advertise (and in some cases no
CBD was detected at all!), and quite a few others
contain above the legal limit for THC (the psychotropic
compound responsible for the ‘high’ of Cannabis
sativa) or CBN which are both illegal compounds. Joe
believed that using the extensive knowledge he
acquired about the science of cannabinoids and his
own investigations into the laws of the CBD industry,
he could create unique oils that would be completely
legal and contain exactly what they are supposed to.
Joe feels that with careful research to find a trusted
supplier, the public can avoid misunderstanding and a
waste of hard-earned cash. He spent months
investigating manufacturers of CBD oil as he needed
to find products that were organically grown and
compliant with UK laws, which proved to be far harder
than expected as some manufacturers ignore the UK
law of 0% THC and CBN. He finally settled on a good
supplier who could accommodate his unique
formulations.
Joe was also asked to join The Cannaman podcast
with a fellow cannabinoid research graduate aimed at
educating CBD users on the industry and the law, as
well as highlighting the new research being undertaken
in the field. They feel that the public should be
educated as people can spend a lot of money for a
product that may be no more than falsely labelled
hemp seed oil. That podcast can be found on most
podcast platforms.
Finally Joe emphasises: “No-one is legally allowed
to make medical claims for CBD as it is a health food
supplement and not a medicine, but anecdotal evidence
from CBD users implies that regular doses of CBD
could help with many different health issues. Everyone’s
body is different, and the dose needed may fluctuate
from person to person. It can seem very complicated,
but I would encourage the public to find a trusted
supplier whose products have been fully tested and
certified to comply with the law”
Joe has created a website
www.HempiricalCBD.co.uk and would be pleased to
try and answer any questions about this natural
product.
Confused about CBD?

Church Street, Uttoxeter ST14 8AA
Tel 01889 564216
tyreways@uttoxeter.ndo.co.uk
Uttoxeter’s Premier
Tyre Centre
Right service
Right advice
Right choice
Right price
• Tyres
• Exhausts
• Batteries
• Brakes and
Shock Service
• Agricultural Tyres
• Wheel Alignment
CARLTON UPHOLSTERY
RE-UPHOLSTERY & REPAIRS • EST 1979
Three-Piece Suites • Odd Chairs & Sofas
Headboards • Bedroom Furniture • Re-Springing
Replacement Seat • Foam Cushions/Fibre
Repairs to Upholstery
Antique Restoration also Undertaken
For a FREE Estimate call Carlton Upholstery on
01538 756274 or 07976 794811
Carlton Upholstery, 1 Rawle Close, Rectory Fields,
Cheadle, Staffs ST10 1UX
T
he situation we are all experiencing at this time has
been a huge learning curve for us all. Nothing in
our lifetime has affected us, globally and locally, like
Covid-19 has. But we in Tean WI will carry on!!
Our President Sue decided that we would ‘carry on’ and
support our Members. So, using Zoom, internet, email,
Facebook we have done just that.
We usually meet on the first Tuesday of the month in
Tean. Looking back at the minutes of our last meeting, 3
March, there was so much planned – County Meetings at
the County Showground, Staffordshire County Show, our
own Produce Show (should have been in September),
celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and monthly meetings
with our local WIs. Our summer outing, trips out, lunches
and dinners booked. But, oh, its all cancelled. President
Sue asked us all to keep in touch with everyone. It took a
while for us all to acknowledge that a huge lifechanging
event had happened, and acknowledging that this could
change our lives for ever. It didn’t take long for our very
resourceful President Sue to rally the troops.
Within just a few weeks Diane, Janet, Dorothy and
Marian had organised the making of personal protective
clothing, along with masks and funeral bags. Many WIs
were involved and you can see this on Facebook.
As the social distancing relaxed, several of our
Members met up for a coffee and a chat in each others
gardens – social distancing of course. A bit of normality.
If you are interested in what we have been doing, and
what we have planned please check our Tean WI Facebook
page, and the Staffordshire Federation and the National
Federation of Womens Institutes on Facebook. You will
find that we as Members have lots to do and can participate
even if we are still in lockdown, and social distancing.
We have used Zoom Conferencing to keep in touch
with our Members. We have had 2 Committee Meetings,
and are holding our 2nd WI Meeting tonight, a flower
arranging demonstration. We have played bingo and card
games, hunt the items – things beginning with T.E.A.N. -
and have come up with a plan for future speakers on
Zoom. We hope to reinstate regular meetings as soon as
possible.
Before lockdown we were holding monthly Craft
Meetings. These were held in Members homes. Members
and guests brought their own particular craft, or help was
given for craft work which was being created towards our
celebrations for Tean WI’s Centenary celebrations next
year. We have decided to reinstate these meetings, starting
at the end of July, to be held in Member’s gardens with
social distancing. Fingers crossed for good weather. If the
weather is really good, we may take a trip to Tean Rec! So
look out for the Crafty Ladies if you are passing.
Yes, 2021 is the 100th Anniversary of the inauguration
of Tean WI. Hopefully we shall be able to celebrate with
our friends from other WIs and our families. The
Committee are busy putting together plans to include
fascinating speakers, interactive fun evenings and
hopefully a gastronomic trip around the world! I leave you
to work that one out! Watch this space for more
information.
And, finally, I should like to give huge thanks to Tean
WI for all the help they have given to the village during
these bizarre times. If anyone still needs assistance please
do not hesitate to call one of the telephone numbers below.
We shall be pleased to help.
If you would like to find out more information about
Tean WI please get in touch with our President Sue on
01538723409 or Secretary Janet on 01538 724112.
We look forward to hearing from you. And hope to see
you soon, whether face to face or on Zoom.
Tean WI in Covid-19 lockdown and
social distancing
Our next
Issue is
going to
be very
special!
Out
September
16th
Be a part of it and
call us to place
your
advertisement
01538 751629 /
07733 466 970
or Email:
uttoxetervoice
@ hotmail.co.uk

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A
former Royal Marine Commando who has
beaten serious illness, personal tragedy and
business highs and lows has vowed not to allow
Coronavirus to halt his latest business venture. Ian
North, from Barlaston, has survived a brain tumour, a
serious assault and much more but has always come
back fighting.
Ian, aged 58, has seen Zero Dry Time, the carpet
and furniture cleaning business he runs alongside his
wife Jayne, disrupted by the current pandemic, but he
is now visiting customers again in June.
“Life has been eventful but through it all I have
always been resilient and I won’t let a pandemic stop
me growing Zero Dry Time,” said Ian. “The timing of
the lockdown has not been kind, as we had spent 2019
building up work, following my recovery from a brain
tumour.
“Zero Dry Time has emerged from lockdown and
is now taking bookings. We have ensured that we have
taken all safety actions necessary to open up to
customers again.
“Together with Jayne and my former Royal Marine
friend and colleague Mervyn, I’ll be visiting homes and
businesses again. We will be wearing PPE and taking
full social-distancing precautions.”
Ian took on the Zero Dry Time franchise for Stoke-
on-Trent South, Stafford and Uttoxeter in 2015 and
built the business up so well that he was named
Franchisee of the Year, before illness struck him hard.
He explained: “I have suffered headaches dating
back many years. While I can’t conclusively pinpoint
the reasons for the headaches, I sustained a serious
head injury while in the Marines and this led to my
medical discharge from the service in 1983.
“More than 30 years later, I went to hospital for a
CT scan and a mass was found in my brain. This led to
a series of operations where I had my skull cut away.
The surgeon and staff at Royal Stoke were fantastic but
my recovery inevitably took time and I had to take time
away from work.
“Having taken on the Zero Dry Time franchise for
Stoke-on-Trent South, Stafford and Uttoxeter in 2015
and built up the business, I had to put everything on
hold, only getting up and running again in 2019 thanks
to Jayne and Mervyn taking some of the workload off
my shoulders.
lan, who grew up in Stafford, has had a rollercoaster
of a career and suffered much personal tragedy. His
first wife died of breast cancer and, after eventually
finding happiness again with Jayne, she was also
diagnosed with the disease, before fortunately pulling
through.
“I joined the Marines straight from school, aged 16,
and was extremely proud to serve. Sadly, the head
injury meant I had to rejoin civilian life seven years
later and I returned to Stafford, eventually securing a
role as a fireman at GEC,” said Ian. “My wife’s cancer
changed my life again and I had to leave work. I was
devastated and also needed to be at home with my
young family.”
Life took a new turn when Ian, a highly skilled
silversmith, set up a new business making jewellery.
He made a great success of the business until cancer
struck his family once again. Having met and married
Jayne, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and Ian
again decided to put work on hold.
Following many months of chemotherapy and
radiotherapy, Jayne pulled through and, seeking a new
challenge, the couple took on the challenge of a charity
trek to Costa Rica, raising £50,000 for breast cancer
care.
“Jayne was amazing, she had just nine months to
get fit and ready for a 100-mile, gruelling trek, but she’s
full of determination and was up to the challenge,”
added Ian.
Returning to England, Ian and Jayne embarked on
a new venture, running a successful outdoor events
business before deciding to take another career break
following the extremely wet summer of 2014.
But Ian’s determination to work was still there and
a visit to the Franchise Show led to a new career with
Zero Dry Time.
Explained Ian: “I drew up a shortlist of franchise
options and was most impressed with Zero Dry Time.
I found the ethos of the owners to be fantastic and I
could see they had built a franchise model that helped
people make a successful career.
“It proved to be the right choice and over five years
later, despite the trauma of major surgery, we have a
blossoming business. Coronavirus has been a set-back
as it hasn’t been possible to visit customers’ homes or
offices since early March. Like most people, Jayne and
I have stayed at home for the past 10 weeks, but we’re
now raring to go again.
“I am a determined man and through amazing care
at Royal Stoke, my devoted wife Jane and the support
of the Royal Marines Association, I beat my brain
tumour, so I’m not allowing a pandemic to defeat me.
We have bided our time as we didn’t want to jump
straight back into work when the PM announced that
lockdown would be eased.
“Our customers trust us to go into their homes and
we see that as a privilege. We owe it to them to ensure
safety is the number one priority once work resumes.”
Zero Dry Time operates across the UK through a
network of franchisees. The company offers holistic,
environmental friendly cleaning solutions, from
trained, professional cleaners, using non-toxic products
that are safe for pets, children and the environment.
The company has developed a quick-drying, odour-
free cleaning formula which guarantees a deep clean
for carpets, leather and fabric.
Businessman and former
Commando Ian is on manoeuvres
again with ambitious plans to
beat the coronavirus slowdown
Jayne and Ian North

Former Royal Marines Commando goes from
rolling in the muck to driving out the muck
A former Royal Marines Commando has changed his uniform and now drives
out dirt and grime as opposed to rolling in it. Ian North, 55 years old, a local lad
from Barlaston, has seen a niche in the market and is plugging it with Zero Dry
Time Ltd, a carpet and upholstery cleaning system that leaves no residue, does
not need water and no soggy‘dog’smell.
“The lessons I learnt whilst serving in the Royal Marines have stood me in good
stead” said Ian. “Never leaving an area until the job is done and done right has
proved invaluable in completing a task. If there is a stain on your sofa or carpet
that can be removed, I’ll continue to remove it until it’s been completely
eliminated, something I learnt years ago in training. I can remove stains that no
one else can.”
Domestic &
Commercial
All Zero Dry
Time work is
sanitised and
Covid secure
Mob: 07943 201954 • Email: ian.north@zerodrytime.com

Our next Issue
is going to be
very special!
Out September 16th
Be a part of it and call us to
place your advertisement
01538 751629 / 07733 466 970
or Email: uttoxetervoice@
hotmail.co.uk

Story edited & prepared for “The voice” by Bill
Woodier 2020. I came across this while searching on-
line for information for another article & the Editor
agrees it is ideal for publication in The Voice.
Bill Woodier
Part 3
T
here were lots of interesting shops in Uttoxeter in
those days. Brisbournes, Ormes, Wilks, Wadhams
were all good drapery shops. There was a
bakehouse at the bottom of Smithfield Road owned by
the Parker family. There was a fish and chip shop and two
little bakery shops in the High Street, one owned by the
Misses Turvey which was popular for its College Cake
and the other by Misses Marsh and Sandham which made
lovely homemade bread and cakes.
In a row of shops across the bottom of Market Place
Miss Heath had a high-class drapers shop and Mr Wood
had a high class grocer’s which sold wonderful home-
made gingerbread. He eventually moved to the High
Street where the old electricity shop had been. Mr
Deaville had a grocery shop in Carter Street and later
moved to Windsor Road, it is now run by Mr Madan. Mr
McCann had a photographic shop up from the Town Hall
where the Lunn Poly Travel Agency shop is now. There
was Byatts the grocers, Pakemans, also grocers, in Market
Place and Sam Elkes had his café and cake shop at the
corner of High Street and Carter Street. There was also a
room there for meetings called the Hadden Room. When
the biscuit business expanded they moved to Elkes Biscuit
Factory on the Ashbourne Road. Mrs Byattt was the
landlady at the Royal Oak pub in the High Street. At the
top of Bridge Street was a little watch and repair shop run
by Mr Woolley. I had a watch from him for my 21st
birthday. It’s still going. Mrs Potter had a very nice shop
at the top of Bridge Street. The Wheatsheaf pub was
owned by Mrs Barker, Bob Barker’s gran. Mr Ernest
Mellor had a chemist shop in the Market Place. His eldest
daughter Janet was an optician. He had two other
daughters Margaret and Gwyneth. There were two Penny
Bazaars in the High Street. Mrs Becks had a sweet shop
where Woolworths now is. Mr Fox had a garage where
the carpet shop is in Smithfield Road. Chells had a
butcher’s shop where the Orange Mobile phone shop is.
There were two fresh fish shops in town. Now there are
none. There was a pawn shop in the town owned by Mr
Bowler. On Mondays people took their Sunday Best, the
clothes they only wore on Sundays, and pawned them and
on Saturday fetched them back again. Mr Vernon
Cotterill, nicknamed the Mad Butcher, is a real character
and knows a lot about Uttoxeter during the past 45 years.
He had a butcher’s shop in the High Street for many years.
Previously he worked for Deaville’s Butchers. His wife
Nurse Cotterill, nee Jefferey, was District Nurse for years
with Nurse Bell.
There have been many changes in the town since I
was a child in the 1920s. Wednesdays were always busy
in Uttoxeter as it was Market Day and all the farmers for
miles around came to town with their wives. There were
no lorries or tractors with trailers to bring in the cattle so
they were herded along the roads to the cattle market at
the Smithfield Market as it was called at the back of the
Town Hall. There was always panic on those days as the
cattle were arriving or leaving the Smithfield Market and
high panic when the bull gates were opened. Everyone
rushed to the nearest house for shelter. We had many
shop windows broken when the bulls saw their own
reflection in the glass fronts and charged at what they
believed were rival bulls.
On the first Wednesday of the year a special market
called the Gayboy Market or Gawbies’ Fair was held in
Uttoxeter. Farmhands and servant girls looking for work
would gather in the Market Square and local farmers
would choose suitable workers from those gathered.
Usually they were contracted for a year and only paid at
the end of the year but would have free board and lodging
at the farm or house where they were employed. It was
also called a Servants’ Market and there would be a fun
fair with swings and various stalls. There was a Damson
Market in Balance Street it would be full of horses and
carts from surrounding farms and villages with damsons
for sale.
Memories of Uttoxeter (1919-1990)
As told to Jim Foley
Queen Street late 1960’sThe busy scene on Balance Street on Fruit Market Day

J
CB has
developed the
construction
industry’s first ever hydrogen powered
excavator as it continues to lead the
sector on zero and low carbon
technologies, the company announced
recently.
The 20-tonne 220X excavator
powered by a hydrogen fuel cell has
been undergoing rigorous testing at
JCB’s quarry proving grounds for more
than 12 months. The exciting
development means JCB is the first
construction equipment company in the
world to unveil a working prototype of
an excavator powered by hydrogen.
JCB Chairman Lord Bamford said:
“The development of the first hydrogen
fuelled excavator is very exciting as we
strive towards a zero carbon world. In
the coming months, JCB will continue
to develop and refine this technology
with advanced testing of our prototype
machine and we will continue to be at
the forefront of technologies designed to
build a zero carbon future.”
Lord Bamford’s son Jo Bamford
spent 14 years at JCB before moving into
the hydrogen sector, setting up Ryse
Hydrogen and then buying Northern
Ireland bus giant Wrightbus. He has won
contracts to supply the world’s first
hydrogen double-decker to cities such as
London and Aberdeen.
Jo added: “I truly believe hydrogen is
the UK’s best opportunity to build a
world-leading industry which creates
UK jobs, cuts emissions and is the envy
of the globe.”
Power for JCB’s prototype excavator
is generated by reacting hydrogen with
oxygen in a fuel cell to create the energy
needed to run electric motors. The only
emission from the exhaust is water.
The development comes after JCB
made manufacturing history last year by
going into full production with the
construction industry’s first fully electric
mini excavator, the 19C-1E. JCB has also
extended electric technology to its
innovative Teletruk telescopic forklift
range with the launch of an electric
model, the JCB 30-19E.
Through constant innovation and
design improvements, JCB has also been
leading the way on clean diesel
technology to meet Stage V EU
emissions regulations and has almost
eradicated the most harmful emissions
from its latest range of diesel engines.
Nitrous Oxide (NOx) is down 97%, soot
particulates down by 98% and Carbon
Dioxide (CO2) emissions down by
almost half.
JCB leads the
way with first
hydrogen
fuelled
excavator
The prototype 20-tonne JCB 220X excavator powered by a hydrogen fuel cell.
The Post Bar & Lounge brings a new and unique drinking experience to
the traditional historic market town of Uttoxeter. Our independent venue,
situated on the High Street, is split over two floors, established on the
12th December 2019 and depicts a modern and contemporary feel.
We welcome you in on the ground floor with bi-folding windows at the
entrance and the bar towards the back. The lounge is situated on the
first floor under an all-seeing sky lantern with access to our new
rooftop terrace.
We have a wide range of drinks on offer including draught beers, ciders,
cask ales, wines, gins, spirits and classic cocktails as well as our very
own signature cocktails.
Opening Hours: Monday: Closed. Tuesday - Thursday: 17:00 - 23:00.
Friday - Saturday: 14:00 - 00:30. Sunday: 14:00 - 23:00
Phone: 01889 564453
Email: info@thepostuttoxeter.co.uk
@thepostuttoxeter @thepost_uttoxeter
A NEW EXPERIENCE

Down on the Farm
by Angela Sargent
I
n August farmers are busy harvesting what seems
to be a variable crop- some fields have done well,
some not yielded as much .Large machinery will be
moving about the lanes and its sometimes slower than
you’d like- please be patient. It cannot always pull in
safely to allow you to pass or needs room to turn in to
the field gate.
We’ve tried a few different crops over the years,
such as Triticale(grain), Field beans(similar to Broad
beans) and Peas. Peas contain 15% recommended
vitamin C intake in just one serving, more fibre than a
slice of wholemeal bread and low in fat and sugar, but
high in protein and folic acid. Although grown mostly
for human consumption further east, we used peas as
a protein food for our livestock and the resulting straw
was much loved by goats in particular.
I can’t believe, reading last years August barn, when
talking about the aim of agriculture to be net zero by
2040, I wrote the biggest impact would be the taking
away of cars and planes and how this would never
happen!
How wrong I was, as we saw industry and transport
brought to a halt, more or less, by Covid-19. Suddenly
the air was much cleaner and views seemed much
sharper and more birdsong could be heard, with
wildlife being seen in towns, cities and villages where
it hadn’t previously.
And, yet, farming continued pretty much as it
always had!
I read and see all the time about how swapping red
meat and dairy for alternatives, is better for the planet.
But things like that are never quite as straightforward,
are they? For example, the carbon footprint of UK beef
production is estimated at 18.2kg CO2 compared to
global average of 46kg CO2.
For instance, Avocados are not as innocent as we
would like to believe - mostly grown in South and
Central America, leading to the removal of rainforest
and using copious amounts of agrochemicals and water
(and also the involvement of drug cartels), they have to
travel here (5500miles) using temperature controlled
storage facilities. Disease in the crop/shortages leading
to price rises mean the local population cannot afford
to buy them. Serious environmental consequences
from buying habits and misinformation.
In our wild bird seed plot we can see Red clover
flowering, also a member of the pea family, much loved
by Bees and white clovers cover the grass fields, helping
the soil retain nitrogen whilst providing nutritious
grazing for our animals.
The lambs are being weighed and wormed and an
eye kept on them for flies- which love warm, humid
weather - we have had some late born lambs (last
month) and we think it is a result of the inclement
weather we had last autumn and winter putting the
ewes off breeding.
Snails and slugs also love humid and warm weather
and one of their predators is the Hedgehog. Not seen
so often but is mainly active at dusk and moves and
feeds quite noisily. Our dogs find them a little bit
intimidating, especially after having a nose prickled.
Many meet a sticky end on our roads but are also
predated on by badgers, which can unroll and eat using
their sharp claws. Where predator control is practised
it has been shown that hedgehog numbers improve.
Part 8 - which concludes this story
H
ere’s a little more information about Wing
Commander Swanborough, the full article is
available on GCHQ’s website. This shows not
only the achievements of “Swanny” as he was known,
but also the significance of the work carried out at RAF
Cheadle, and its satellite stations, including Marston
Montgomery, during WW2.
“When most people think of the stars of Signals
Intelligence history, they think of the men and women
at Bletchley Park who worked during the Second
World War to crack enemy codes and provide Britain
with vital intelligence. They will think of Alan Turing
or Dilly Knox. William Green Swanborough is a lesser-
known name, but one who set the scene for those who
came after him and was in his own way one of the most
important figures in British Signals Intelligence.
He moved the Signals Intelligence operation to RAF
Cheadle in 1937 and commanded the station
throughout the war, overseeing its massive expansion
and the growth of a series of satellite stations. He was
promoted Wing Commander in 1943.
After the War RAF Cheadle remained as the Air
Ministry’s main civilian collection site until 1964, when
all the service ministries’ civilian interception sites
became part of GCHQ.
Swanborough left the Air
Ministry and became the
first GCHQ civilian
officer in charge of the
station at Cheadle in
January 1964. He retired
shortly afterwards that
same year with a record
period of 37 years in
charge of a station. He
died in 1979, aged 80 and
left behind a legacy that
included laying some of
the foundations for British Signals Intelligence.”
We who worked at CSOS Cheadle felt privileged to
work in such a wonderful building & grounds. The
photos show a little of both as it was in 1995 in the run
up to closure at the end of May that year.
From Rocester Garage to
Air Ministry Cheadle...
by Bill Woodier, formerly of Rocester, now living in Cheadle
@uttoxeter_voice
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Uttoxeter
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Owd Grandad Piggott
Go to the new website
www.owdgrandadpiggott.co.uk
and download tracks from the original
Owd Grandad Piggott LP record which
was recorded live by Alan Povey in
The George and Dragon pub in Long-
ton in 1977 and sold over 6,000 copies
in North Staffordshire inside 6 months.
Povey’s People
by Radio Stoke’s Owd Grandad Piggott
This new bloke started coming
in Tummy Dawkins’s pub. His
name was Stewie Ingle but it didn’t
take him long to get the nickname
of ‘Tapper’. The reason was that he
had a white stick signifying that he
was blind and he used to tap...
tap… tap his way into the bar at
around half past eight at night and
stay until closing when he used to
tap his way home again. He was a
friendly approachable bloke, sixty
odd, with a lived in face and a pair
of dark glasses. My mate, Nostrils
Moffitt came to idolise him.
In his younger days, he had
been heavily into motor bikes and
had once owned a Vincent black
shadow - Nostrils Moffitt’s dream
bike.
A week or so after Tapper had
rocked up, ale started going
missing. Nothing mega to start
with, just the odd pint off the shelf
near the dart board. When there are a dozen or so pints
on there, getting them mixed up and sorting them isn’t
difficult as long as there are the right amount of glasses,
but when a pint goes missing, problems
can occur. One night, a pint went missing
and a fight broke out between Billy
Drummond and Gummy Webster and
Tummy Dawkins became concerned.
‘This is no bloody good!’ he said that
night within the earshot of Owd Grandad
Piggott. ‘An ale thlef in yer pub’s no joke…
’ Owd Grandad Piggott took him to one
side.
‘Ar much is it woth if ar ketch ‘im fer
thee?’ he murmered
‘Ah’ll give thee free ale fer a day’ said
Tummy Dawkins.
‘Meck it a week!’
‘Yer mun bugger off!’ growled the
landlord. ‘Scurrilous owd sod’
‘Owrate - Just one day then’
‘Ow day?’
‘Ow day!’
The next day at lunchtime, Owd
Grandad Piggott slithered into Tummy
Dawkins’s pub and he and the landlord
hatched a plan.
The next night which was a Saturday was the night
which Sid Ellis came in and played the piano. Sid was
a popular bloke and more people than usual came into
the bar, the area around the piano being a popular
gathering place. Pint pots adorning the top of the piano
on a Saturday night was commonplace. One of the pint
pots, set slightly apart from the rest was being carefully
watched.
‘It’s gone!’
‘Eh?’
‘The pot - it’s gone….’ Despite the close
surveyllance, the spiked pint had been taken, suddenly
whisked away by some nefarious hand unseen by the
watchers. All to do now was wait and watch!
It took fifteen minutes for it to happen. Quite
unexpectedly, a sudden eruption occurred from the
corner of the bar where Tapper Ingle quietly quaffed
his pint. I had never seen steam come out of someone’s
ears before - or indeed the end of a white walking stick
but that’s what happened. Tapper Ingle’s eyes suddenly
shot out like organ stops, he grabbed his stick and shot
out of the pub like a bullet from a gun. The piano
stopped playing and the whole of the bar fell silent.
Nostrils Moffitt said;
‘Bloody hell, I’ve never seen anybody move so fast!
What was in that pint pot??’
‘Washing soda and angustura bitters - topped up
with Tummy Dawkins’s best.’ Owd Grandad Piggott
told him. ‘Mix that lot up an’ theyst got a rate
prescription… it ow reacts ‘gether dust say.dust say…
way used soak bread in it an’ put it in th’pantry… Keeps
the mice away.
That was the last we saw of Tapper Ingle. Word had
it that a similar thing had happened at The Congress a
couple of months earlier but that time retribution had
been a bit more severe.
Each month Radio Stoke’s Owd Grandad Piggott (Alan Povey) will write a unique insight into our local life and its
many characters. His infectious, humorous slant on people provides a different and unusual mix which hopefully
will bring a warm smile to the faces of our readers.
This month: Tapper Ingle
...but when a
pint goes
missing,
problems can
occur. One
night, a pint
went missing
and a fight
broke out...
You can also read The Voice on our
newly updated website
www.uttoxeterandcheadlevoice.co.uk
You can also contact us via social media:
@uttoxeter_voice search for Uttoxeter Voice
Book your advert now for the September 100th Issue
email: uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk

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Staffordshire ST11 9NR

Can you identify the faces and locations?
See Page 50 for some of the names to the faces.
1
2
The good old days
URGENTLY
REQUIRED
If you have any photos that you think
may be of interest to our readers of this
page please feel free to drop them in to
Lavins printers in High Street, Uttoxeter
who will scan them while you wait and
let you have them straight back or email
them in jpg format to them at:
lavinprinters@btconnect.com
Please describe the people or event
featured and approx year when the
picture was taken along with your name
and location so that we can give you the
recognition for supplying them.
Thank you.
3

Photo Credits - 1: Chris Plant, Cheadle. 2 & 4: Mick Smith, Rocester. 3 & 5: Margaret Prince, Cheadle.
4
5

Banoffee Cupcakes
F
inally, the sun has been making an
appearance this summer. We love
to sit in the garden and eat al
fresco, but there has been very little
opportunity so far this year.
So I promised myself, the next sunny
day when all the family are visiting, I
would make my daughters favourite,
Banoffee Cupcakes. A combination of
her love for cupcakes and my Banoffee
pies. They are very quick and simple to
make, and I always keep a jar of dulche
de leche in the cupboard for such an
occasion. Dulche de leche is a delicious
caramel like sauce. Look in the baking
section of good supermarkets.
Cake
125g unsalted butter
125g caster sugar
3 eggs
3 tbsp milk
250g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 ripe mashed bananas
Topping
1 jar dulche de leche
300ml double/whipping cream
50g dark chocolate
Preheat your oven to 170˚C fan/
190˚C and arrange approx. 16 muffin
cases in 2 muffin tins.
Cream together the sugar and butter
until pale and fluffy. Gradually mix in
the eggs, one at a time, then add the
milk. Next add the flour, baking powder
and ground cinnamon. Finally add the
mashed bananas. Divide the mixture
into the muffin cases. I usually make
about 16, filling the cases two thirds full.
Place in the oven, and bake for
approximately 25 minutes until risen
and golden. Leave to cool.
When the cupcakes are completely
cool, spoon a good heaped teaspoon of
dulche de leche over the top of each
cake. I sometimes use Marks & Spencer’s
“Salted Caramel Sauce”, which is
delicious. Next whip the double cream
and cover the cakes with a large
spoonful. Finally, I melt the chocolate in
the microwave for approximately 1 min
40 secs. Using a teaspoon, drizzle the
chocolate over the top of the cream.
I hope you love these as much as my
daughter Daisy does.
Karen’s Cake Corner
by Karen Hill
Let The Voice Be With You
by Les Humphries of Rocester
W
ell Readers, it’s wonderful to be back in print
again after being online since April, due to
the Corona Virus, and of course you still
have the online option if you wish as well.
I know the majority of us have played by the rules
and stuck to our isolation, but of course there have been
the exceptions, with idiots going out in force, holding
demo’s, street parties and flooding to the beach at the
first opportunity without a thought about spreading
their germs. However, the editor has asked me to stay
off my soap box, and to look at the positive
Well there’s not a lot to write about having been in
isolation for so long (still am) and had little excitement
apart from “What’s on Netflix” or “What’s for dinner
tonight?” which drives Sandra mad, but she’s conjured
up some wonderful dishes and we’ve eaten like kings.
So I’ve been here, putting on weight until I look like
Orson Welles, can’t fasten my trousers, and with my
shirts hiding my paunch to such a degree that I look as
if I’m wearing a maternity smock with them dangling
over my trousers (my shirts that is!) Somebody did ask
me if I was expecting, and I said yes and I don’t even
know who the mother is! Sandra did find an item of
clothing that still fitted, it was a chiffon scarf!
We, or rather Sandra, order shopping online now
that the idiots have stopped buying all the bog rolls etc,
and our lovely granddaughter Stacey shops for us every
Friday, as she has all through the pandemic, now just
getting the bits and bobs we’ve forgotten.
We did venture on our first sortie into town on the
11th of July to go to the chemist to get my viagra
because I was fed up with rolling out of bed (joke),
seriously to get any medication we needed. We both
wore our masks, which gave us a communication
programme due to Sandra’s hearing impediment, she
couldn’t hear a word I was saying. Also my ruddy specs
steamed up until I couldn’t see where I was going, and
I dare not wipe them for fear of putting germs on them.
One laugh I did have was when I spoke to an old chum
from JCB - “Hi Chris” I shouted, to which he replied
“Who the f*** are you?”
Uttoxeter Rugby Club are into pre-season training,
but at time of writing no physical stuff yet such as
scrummaging. After the Club’s promotion to Division
2, make no mistake, it’s going to be a hard slog next
season, it’s a huge step up for a little club like Uttoxeter,
so the lads will need a lot of belief. With Nigel Hall
moving on after his excellent work over the past two
seasons, coaching will now be in the hands of Jordan
Hales assisted by Donald Hayes, the latter returning
after a short time elsewhere. Donald’s vast experience,
combined with Jordan’s coaching ability should put the
club into even better shape. Donald’s eldest boy Tom
switched from fly half to Lock for the town side last
Season, and what a revelation! We also welcome back
outside half Lewis Bain, which will be a terrific addition
to an already talented back division.
Other than Nigel Hall, the same officials will be in
place for another season. Paul Bain (father of Lewis)
will continue as President’ having been a mainstay of
the club for a number of years, during which he has
formed an excellent bond with Chairman Nigel
Titterton, who is of course also the Editor of this great
magazine. He has also been a pal of mine for more
years than I care to remember (even though he muzzles
me quite a lot!) I won’t go through all the other officials,
except to mention skipper Jake Cabrera, who will be in
charge ON the pitch. The first match will be played
against Crewe at Oldfields whenever that may be!
The Denstone Players had obviously to cancel all
their plans for this Year, but it is hoped that they may
be able to put on a Variety Show sometime in the New
Year, Covid permitting of course.
Likewise the Royal British Legion had to put all
their plans for VE Day etc; on the back burner. What
will happen about poppy selling this year, let alone
Remembrance Sunday in November?
All of St. Michael’s Church functions in Rocester, as
well as All Saints in Denstone, have been lost this year.
Fetes, Summer Fairs, Carnivals all lost sadly. Sunday
Services from Rocester can still be joined in with, live
on facebook, but the Church is now open for
attendance if you so wish. I attended last Sunday, and
all precautions have been taken. Masks are optional,
but everyone is well separated. It makes for a strange
atmosphere, but it is nice to see all your old friends
again.
I’ll close by paying tribute to our wonderful
frontliners in the NHS, thank you all so much, and to
Captain Tom - well done Sir Tom you deserve it.
TTFN - Les...

H
arriet Bebbington, aged 16, of Marchington,
and Max Wainwright, 13, of Cheadle, got their
thinking caps on to raise vital funds for their
much-loved swimming club, Cheadle & District ASC.
They came up with a plan to cycle every day for 7
days. Harriet decided she would bike 100 miles per day
and Max 75 miles per day in the hope they could raise
as much money as possible.
Due to Covid 19 the club has come into financial
difficulties and they wanted to roll up their sleeves and
do something about it
The event took place around Cheadle, Uttoxeter
and local cycle paths. It was an unassisted ride where
both children repaired any punctures themselves and
they have also been welcomed by John at Uttoxeter
Cycle Centre for him to help with any bigger issues at
his shop which were greatly received. John serviced and
repaired Harriet and Max’s bikes for the preparation
of the gruelling ride. John knows the pair well over the
summer as they have both been biking a lot of miles
and worn tyres breaks etc out which John has fixed.
Harriet has swam at Cheadle Swimming Club from
the age of 7 years. Last year she made it to British
Nationals on the 200m breastroke and English
nationals for 200m butterfly. Harriet also broke 3
records at Staffordshire County Championships on
200m breastroke before the pools closed. She would
have gone again this year to British Nationals if it wasn’t
for Covid 19 which was a massive shame but she plans
on picking up where she left off and will resume as
soon as pools are safe to open. Harriet trains between
8 and 9 times per week so is no stranger to hard work.
Max started competitive swimming late at just 18
months ago. In that small time he has achieved a lot.
Max is ranked 2nd in the County for 100m breastroke
and 12th in the region also ranked 4th in the 50 m
breastroke. Max had also achieved regional times but
due to Covid 19 he could not go as it was cancelled.
Max trains 6 times per week and has his target set much
higher on his return to the pool.
Harriet said of the ride “ it was a huge challenge but
I’m used to being focused and disciplined. I was happy
that I have my training partner Max with me as we
work very well together”
Max said “the ride was tough but we have trained
hard since the pools closed in March with cycling,
running and strength training!
Head coach Andrew Stone says “They are
determined, gutsy and always work hard in training”
Chairman Simon Barfoot said “they did the
unthinkable for the club they love”
If you would like to donate to Harriet and Max
please go to www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/kerry-
bebbington
2 swimmers 2 bikes! 1 mission
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