Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice Issue 104

FREE
Issue 104
13,000 QUALITY MAGAZINES DISTRIBUTED EACH ISSUE - NOW IN OUR 14thYEAR!
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle

3
Let The Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice take your business to 13,000 local homes. To advertise, call 01538 751629 or 07733 466 970.
W
e are slowly but surely coming out of
this Coronavirus nightmare as we
continue on the Prime Minister’s
Roadmap journey…
We all need to remain cautious and respect
the social distancing measures, always listening
to our esteemed scientists’ advice, whilst trying
to focus on getting our country’s economy back
on track.
As I write this article in the first week of May,
I am ready to take my second vaccine jab and at
this point I would like to sincerely thank each and
every one of the NHS staff and their volunteers
who have rolled out such an incredible
vaccination process.
Lots of people have said we were all fighting
a war against Coronavirus – that may be true, so
we should salute all those who have been
involved in the battle. I mentioned the NHS and
volunteers but we must also include those folk
were have kept the country going through the
pandemic – shop workers, postmen and women,
Civil Servants, bus and taxi drivers, builders
merchants, DIY businesses and not forgetting the
fantastic work of teachers who have given their
all through wonderful dedication in home and
school-based lessons…
There are so many I could mention but in due
course in future issues of The Voice, we will
thank you all for making our country ‘Great’
again…
When British people have their backs against
the wall, it is then we conjour up that special grit
and determination which has been so plain to see
over the past 14 months…
But, I say this, Coronavirus will have had a
deep impact on the mental health of our nation
and this is most definitely something which must
be addressed by Government for many years to
come.
I hope and pray the Roadmap continues
successfully and by June 21st most restrictions
will have been lifted on schedule and we can get
on with our lives…
The next Voice colour magazine is due to be
out from June 30th so let’s hope my next article
is a very positive one – and not about a new
variant hitting us again…
I hope you enjoy reading this issue of The
Voice.
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 30th June
News Deadline: 18th June
Advertising Deadline: 20th June
BOOK YOUR ADVERT FOR THE MAY 5TH VOICE NOW -
Email uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk or
Call 01538 751629
You can also contact us via social media:
@uttoxeter_voice UttoxeterVoice
UttoxeterVoice

4 If you are responding to an advertisement in The Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice, please let the advertiser know. Thank you for your support.
U
ttoxeter’s Opulence Beauty
Salon has been in the town for
over 13 years now, and while
this last year has certainly not been an
easy one, we have come back with even
more passion and determination to be
the best!
We have invested time and effort in
the salon to make sure it is looking it’s
best, and to ensure our treatments are
second to none.
We have always been proud to offer
top, luxury brands and now have even
more to offer!
From basic waxing and tinting to
advanced facials we offer a wide variety
of treatments to suit most clients needs.
We strive to offer our treatments to
the highest standard, providing luxury
and relaxation every time.
Please be reassured our client and
staff safety are top priority, and extra
precautions are in place to keep it a safe
environment for all.
We’d like to say huge thank you to all
our wonderful clients that are already
showing us so much support and we
can’t wait to welcome you back to the
salon!
Team Opulence x
Opulence - back with
even more passion

Everyone
lovesTheVoice
5
ADVERTISERS!! ENJOY THE
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS...
Superb hard copy A4 colour magazine and the internet!
Your advert goes into a massive 13,000 quality Voice
glossy magazines - plus it goes into our online
magazine for free!
Readers tell us they do not throw The Voice magazine
into the bin but retain it until the next issue arrives
through the letterbox around a month later!
This provides our advertisers with a very long
timescale in the public domain which is terrific value
for money!
Our online magazine can be read page by page oﬀ
Tablets, Mobile Phones and Computers. Go to
uttoxeterandcheadlevoice.co.uk and click on
Back Issues
Email uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk now and
place your advert in the next Uttoxeter & Cheadle
Voice colour magazine - no pre-payment required
which is another huge plus for our advertisers.
FREE
Issue 104
13,000 QUALITY MAGAZINES DISTRIBUTED EACH ISSUE - NOW IN OUR 14thYEAR!
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
01538 754 277
95-97 Tape Street, Cheadle, Staffordshire ST10 1ER
FREE DELIVERY AVAILABLE
New and Graded
Domestic Appliances.
Sales, Services and Repairs
RELIABLE & SPEEDY SERVICE
Why Choose Us?
Family Business
Over 30 years experience
Trained Engineers • Home Visits
Competitive Prices
ALL ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES
Cookers • Vacuums • Washers & Dryers
Fridges & Freezers
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
Book your advert for
the next June 30th
Voice magazine NOW!
We are offering
takeaways 7 days a
week 10am-3.30pm
until May 17th when
we hope to reopen
inside again
Telephone
01538 266288 To Order
Specialising in Teas, Italian Piacetto
Coffee and home baked scones
Welcoming families, ramblers, cyclists,
dog walkers and canal enthusiasts
Lots of outside seating available
Froghall Wharf, Foxt Road,
Churnet Valley ST10 2HJ
Situated 5 minutes from Cheadle &
15 minutes from Ashbourne on the A52
by the canal in Froghall Wharf.

Hettys Tea Shop at Froghall Wharf has won the Staffordshire Moorlands Tourism
Tastiest Treat in Lockdown Award. Owner Emma Atkinson said: “I just want to
thank all Hettys customers for their support through such difficult times. I also would
like to sincerely thank my staff at Team Hettys - you have been brilliant!”
We are looking for a caring, proactive, passionate,
and ambitious
with a valid PIN, to support us in creating the best person-
centred environment for our residents at our friendly and
established Residential and Nursing Home in Uttoxeter.
Full time nights - 37.5 Hours per week, working weekends
on rota.
Salary based on £17.00 an hour, Nursing PIN paid after
qualifying service, DBS paid, generous pension scheme, paid
breaks and further training.
AboutYou
As an experienced qualified nursing professional, who shows the
most up-to-date knowledge of clinical practices, you will be
able to demonstrate excellent leadership and communication
skills, be keen in developing yourself and others and able to
build good close relationships with residents and their families.
You will be driven and determined to deliver continuous
improvement, with an enthusiastic approach and the ability to
be highly responsive under pressure. It is also important that you
share our same family care values, be a team player and
committed to ensure the very best of care is delivered to our
wonderful residents.
Please contact for more information
Tel: 01889 562628 • Email: Stacey@kirk-house.co.uk
Kirk House Nursing Home, Uttoxeter ST14 8JE
Registered General Nurse (RGN)
• Local, friendly
tradesman with over
20 years experience
fitting
• Carpets & vinyl flooring
• Large choice of
samples brought to
your home for you to
view in comfort
• Floor levelling and door
trimming service
• Personal, hassle-free
service where you only
deal with myself, the
fitter, from start to
finish
Call or message
to arrange an
appointment
07932 668 745

7

I
nspired by his own grandfather’s
remarkable story, new Tean author
John D Smith has just published
his debut novel to critical acclaim.
The epic Principles and Passions
1896-1903 has been met with a
growing number of five-star reviews
from thrilled readers.
John’s gritty love story, which is set
amongst the steel mills of late 19th
century South Yorkshire, has been
described as ‘a brilliant book’, ‘a vivid
account of working-class life’, and ‘a
gripping tale of struggle’.
Principles and Passions 1896-1903
centres on the struggles and heroics of
Jack Prendergast, who rises from the
brutal shopfloor to lead calls for
widespread social
change.
And the majority of
John’s captivating novel
is based on his own
maternal grandfather’s
heroics.
He explained: “Jack
Prendergast was my
maternal grandfather and,
with poetic licence,
Principles and Passions
1896-1903 is based on his
life.
“He was a full-time
trade union officer, who
went on to become a
Labour councillor and
Mayor in South Yorkshire.
“As a boy, he walked
from Lincolnshire to
Rotherham aged 14 after
being thrown out of his
home.
“A bit of a Dick
Whittington story.”
“The book was always an
ambition – life got in the way!
Someone advised me to get on
and write and, although the
lockdowns have limited benefit, I used this as an
opportunity to do just that.”
Although the romantic aspects of Prendergast’s
life in Principles and Passions 1896-1903 are purely
fictional, the narrative is both compelling and
convincing.
His love-interest, Florence Davies, brings her own
story and adds to the sub-
plots which weave their
way throughout John’s
authoritative novel.
He explained:
“Florence is fictional albeit
my maternal
grandmother’s family did
move to Yorkshire from
Longton in Stoke-on-
Trent.
“When Jack meets
Florence Davies, he is
captivated by her.
“She is brave and resolute and dreams of a career
in nursing.
“But Florence is fleeing a terrible secret, and as
they are on the verge of beginning a life together her
brother, Thomas, is drawn into a disastrous plot
which threatens to shatter everything they have.”
Prior to his retirement, John enjoyed a successful
career in the food industry. Originally from South
Yorkshire, his working life took him to Windsor for
25 years before returning to the North. He and his
wife, Patricia moved to the Cheadle area in 2012,
initially living in Boundary before moving to Upper
Tean in 2017.
An enthusiastic golfer, he served on the
Committee of Blythe Bridge Golf Club for six years
and continues to enjoy the friendship and
participation within the Club.
They have a son Greg, still
living in the Windsor area
and their daughter, Laura
and two grandchildren, Lily
and Fearne, living locally
keeping them young and
occupied.
Since the release of
Principles and Passions
1896-1903 it has received a
string of five-star reviews.
“What a great read…
seriously couldn’t put it
down.”
“Great novel. Superb page
turner. Vivid account of
working- class life at the turn
of the 20th century. A must
read for anyone with an
interest in historic fiction.”
John has recently
published the second book in
the trilogy Conciliation and
Commitment 1903-1914, and
he is currently undertaking the
concluding third book.
For more details, visit
Amazon and search for John D
Smith (The Jack Prendergast
Novels), where the paperback
and Kindle formats of Principles
and Passions 1896-1903 and Conciliation and
Commitment 1903-1914 are both available.
Tean author
inspired by
grandfather
to write
novel
Tean’s John D. Smith

Charity Beard Shave
B
ill Stanley, a member of
St Giles Lodge in
Cheadle, has raised a
staggering £505.00. Before
lockdown 3, local hairdresser
and DMH Ambassador Duncan
Cowans shaved off Bill’s beard
in The Huntsman Cheadle. The
money raised has been divided
between The DMH, the Motor
Neurone Disease Association,
Cheadle Health Centre nurses
and the Cancer and Covid
wards at the UHNM.

11
Come and view our fantastic new
Lighting and Electrical display
Anything electrical or lighting - we can supply it!
Delivery Service available covering Staffordshire & Derbyshire
Free Deliveries • Competitive Prices
Opening Times: 7:00 - 5:00 Monday to Friday • 8:30 - 12:00 Saturday • Sundays - Closed
Tel: 01889 565999 • Email: sales@townelectrical.com
Unit 2 Matkat Park, Dovefields, Derby Road, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire ST14 8GA
Special Offer
Business Extra Plan
Call today to get all this for just £39* a month:
• 60GB of data
• Unlimited calls to UK landlines and UK mobiles
• Unlimited UK texts
• 200 minutes from UK to EU
•
• Free faulty replacement
Brookend House, Crakemarsh, Uttoxeter ST14 5BL
Tel 01889 591209
sales@vitalbusiness.co.uk
www.vitalbusiness.co.uk
Sim Only
Unlimited
mins/text
40GB
£18pm
New
iPhone 12
in Stock
The recurring price plan charge will be increased by RPI in March of each calendar year. Other prices may also go up during the plan. *All prices & charges quoted are plus VAT
Sim only
Unlimited
Data
£27pm

Uttoxeter
Rotarians support
vaccine roll-out
A
number of Rotarians and their spouses have been volunteering at the Pirelli
Stadium and Uttoxeter Racecourse since vaccinations began at the end of
December. They are carrying out support roles including greeting patients,
registration, marshalling and assisting the vaccinators. The Centre recently delivered
its 50,000th jab, making it one of the most productive in the country. Rotary’s Vice
President, Roy Smith, reports; “The organisation is excellent and the team has
developed strongly under the leadership of Kate and Howard Nash. It is rewarding
to be able to play a small part in such an important venture and to see the relief and
gratitude shown by all the recipients.”
Together the Rotary team have completed over 100 shifts of four or more hours
and remain committed to see the process completed. Rotarian Anita Thomas-Epple,
(pictured helping in a vaccine bay at Pirelli) who initiated the Club’s involvement
through her role as secretary of the Balance Street Practice patient participation
group, added;
“It has been a privilege and an honour to be part of such a wonderful volunteer
group supporting the medics with the vaccine roll-out at both Pirelli and the
Racecourse. My husband, Dave and I, started our Covid volunteering journey in
mid-December by hand-delivering the letters from Balance Street Practice to those
patients over 90 years who were vaccinated first. It was fabulous to see their
excitement and the hope of getting back to normal.”
Local practices are working together with Dr David Atherton from Balance Street
Practice. Uttoxeter Rotary responded to a request for volunteers to help.
Although Rotarians have been unable to meet as usual, weekly Zoom meetings
continue, as does the Club’s work to support local charities. Recently Uttoxeter
Rotary distributed nine cheques for £650 each to good causes including local food
banks and Hospices. President David Chapman concluded; “In these difficult times
we continue, with the support of the community, to raise funds and to take practical
action whenever possible to help with activities like this. We are busy planning and
hope that it will not be too long before we can resume a full programme of projects
aimed at further strengthening our community links.”
Uttoxeter Rotarian Anita Thomas-Epple pictured at the Pirelli Stadium vaccination hub.

A complete professional service
designed to your requirements
Free Quotations
Showroom at Nettlebank, Sandbach Road,
Burslem, Stoke on Trent ST6 2DR
Telephone 01782 827313
www.graniteworktopsstokeontrent.co.uk
GRANITE &
QUARTZ
WORKTOPS
N E T T L E BA N K
A
disused Bus Shelter in the centre of Doveridge
saw a team of Doveridge WI ladies (Sue Bloor,
Elizabeth Wills, Sue Cattermole, Frances Weller
and Ann Walker) spearhead and decorate it on Good
Friday as an Easter surprise for the village.
All decorations were made from recycled materials,
and it has received a lot of appreciative comments from
far and wide and, at time of writing, had reached over
10,000 people via social media.
The inventiveness and cleverness of some of the
items made - they need to be seen close up - was
amazing......
This was a good start to Doveridge WI’s Centenary
Year for which members have many plans but, as yet,
they are holding otheirbreath to see if they are able to
proceed with them.
Regular contact has been maintained with
members throughout the past year via email and zoom
(hard copies delivered to those not on line) as members
endeavoured to keep them amused with quizzes, bingo,
a variety of speakers and practical sessions. They have
received goody bags during the summer and at
Christmas, plus flowers and chocolates at Easter - just
to say we have not forgotten them. Lots of sewing and
knitting projects have been undertaken to benefit the
NHS with scrubs for front line workers, and blankets
and hats for Premature Baby Units. Hats and gloves
were also knitted for the Burton Hope - the charity
assisting the homeless.
Daily news bulletins have been issued keeping
members up to date with local news and services
available, also encompassing members news stories.
Doveridge bus shelter decoration

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
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
PLUMBER
WT Hagan
& Sons
32 Years Experience
No call out charge
Locally based
Call 07513 975664
or 01889 589264
Book your
Advert Now
for the next
June 30th
Voice colour
magazine!
Let’s Bounce
Back
Together!!
Give us a call on
01538 751629
or 07733 466 970
or Email:
uttoxetervoice@
hotmail.co.uk
Advert prices start
at only £25 and
can hit over
13,000 homes
biggest
best
The
and
the
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle

17

E
ach year Uttoxeter Rotary organises a lunch for
seniors in the area, who live alone, however
because of Covid-19 restrictions, Rotary had to
think about reaching everyone in a safe manner.
Rotarian Sue Brown felt it would be lovely to deliver an
Afternoon Tea hamper and it was decided that an
Easter Hamper would be fitting since the lockdown had
been eased prior to Easter. The community committee
set to work organising the event and on Thursday, 1st
April a small army of Uttoxeter Rotarians, some of
whom had been shielding themselves during the last
year, delivered over a 100 Easter hampers to very
grateful and excited recipients.
The delicious hampers were prepared by Dawnie’s
Delights Catering and consisted of a traditional cream
tea with scone, jam and cream, a selection of delicate
sandwiches and a delicious muffin which was topped
with a Rotary logo. To add an Easter twist chocolate
coins we added, especially as the hamper was delivered
on Maundy Thursday, a hot cross bun for Good Friday
breakfast and also a Lindt chocolate bunny for Easter
Day.
Pictured are some of the lucky recipients of the
treats - Mrs Beryl Holley, Mrs Lilian Deacon, Mr Stuart
Cornes and Mr Eric Coleman, who turns 100 in a few
weeks’ time. Mr Colman was delighted with his
hamper and insisted, “ Do send my sincere thanks to
the President and the Rotary Club of Uttoxeter for all
you do for us.” Also pictured are Rotarians, President
David Chapman who was present when Rotarians
collected their deliveries, Vice President Roy Smith,
Anita Thomas-Epple and Cliff Cotterill.
Rotarian Anita, who delivered a number of
hampers, reported “It was fun and very rewarding to
be able to do this as I know many of the people from
them being our guests at previous lunches we’ve
organised. It took a number of hours as it was the
perfect opportunity to have a good natter with
everyone, socially distanced, of course! After the year
we’ve all had it was terrific to spread a little spring
cheer.”
Rotarian John Gregory concluded, “In Rotary we
have a commitment to helping our community
whenever and wherever we can. We raise money to
help with local causes because we believe it will add to
the life of our town, but we also give of our time to try
to make a difference. In these difficult times when
normal activity is severely restricted, we are doing what
we can.
Rotary Delivers Easter Afternoon
Tea Hampers to Local Seniors

Call Emily on 01782 415649
or 07946 603936
We are operating by phone delivering
free to the door, we can also do
vouchers for birthday presents
throughout the year
QUALITY BEDS, ALWAYS LOW PRICES
FREE Local Delivery on Saturdays
Opening hours
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Friday and Saturday
9:30am till 4pm
Thursday and Sunday closed
F
ormer world darts
champion Phil Taylor hit
the bullseye at JCB recently
- by getting his Covid-19 vaccination.
Phil, 60 - winner of a record 16 World
Championships and the most successful darts player in
history - lined up for his jab at JCB’s digger factory in
Cheadle, so nurse Emma Junasziw could administer
the injection.
Part of the factory, which makes mini excavators,
has been turned into a medical facility to allow a team
of doctors to vaccinate up to 40,000 people against
Covid-19. The company teamed up with a group of
GPs in the Staffordshire Moorlands to transform the
plant into a vaccination hub in December.
Phil, of Werrington, Stoke-on-Trent, said: “I have
to say that I am mightily relieved to have had my jab.
Luckily, the nurse who did it had a perfect aim and I
didn’t feel a thing! I would encourage everyone to get
the vaccination. The more people who get it, the sooner
we can return to normal and start living our lives
again.”
The GP practices involved include Werrington, all
three Cheadle practices, Waterhouses, Alton and Tean.
Practice Manager Jessica Harding, of Well Street
Medical Centre in Cheadle, is part of the co-ordination
team leading the project on behalf of the practices.
She said: “Vaccinations are progressing well at our
JCB vaccination site and it’s great to be able to raise
awareness of the programme with Phil Taylor and to
highlight the fantastic work all our teams, and
particularly our volunteers, are doing.”
Bullseye for darts ace Phil as nurse
takes aim with covid jab
Taking aim… Darts ace Phil Taylor at the JCB factory in Cheadle recently for his Covid jab. Phil is pictured with
nurses Deepa Muthumanickam (left) and from Emma Junasziw.

S
taffordshire based Painsley Catholic Academy has
raised £120,000 for the global school feeding
charity, Mary’s Meals, an amount that beats any
other single donation from an academy. The
impressive donation is enough to feed almost 8,000
children for a whole school year through Mary’s Meals.
Back at the start of the academic year in September
2019, the 15 schools within The Painsley Catholic
Academy, pledged to raise £100,000 for their chosen
charity, Mary’s Meals, in a campaign they called 20:20
for Mary.
The aim was originally to meet this target by the
end of the school year in July 2020. Pupils and staff
undertook a massive range of events including cake
sales, sponsored silences, sponsored head-shaves, sky
dives, mountain climbs, bike rides, car washes and
porridge breakfasts.
Since then, Covid has pretty much changed
everything over the past 12 months. Plans have had to
be cancelled and put on hold and schools had to change
how they operate completely. Despite all the challenges
that the schools have faced, the students, staff and
parents have continued in their support of this charity,
finding ever more inventive ways of raising the cash
resulting in a fantastic outcome.
Mr Steve Bell, Chief Executive Officer of The
Painsley Catholic Academy commented, “Mary’s Meals
is a very popular charity with our pupils. It is a simple
charity and that is what we like. It costs just £15.90 to
feed a child with Mary’s Meals for an entire school year.
Research shows that children who eat Mary’s Meals:
have more energy, feel healthier and happier, find it
easier to concentrate and do better in school. The
school that we were raising funds for is Kafumphe
Primary School, Dowa, Malawi; one of the world’s
poorest countries where many families live through
farming, but struggle to grow enough food.”
Mr Bell continued, “Our pupils loved the thought
that by raising just £15.90, they would enable a child to
eat a nutritious meal every day and attend school for a
whole year. However, then the pandemic began. We
realised that asking for sponsored events was not
feasible, and on March 23rd 2020, our schools closed
their doors to most pupils. However, the children and
staff were adamant that they wanted to continue their
fundraising efforts. The deadline for the target was
extended until December 2020 with a view to raising
as much as we could. This determination was
underlined by the fact that the Kafumphe Primary
School also had to close and the pupils would
potentially not receive any food.”
During the pandemic, Mary’s Meals is providing
children with food at home, until it is safe for them to
return to the classroom. Parents and guardians collect
the food from a central distribution point – observing
all necessary hygiene and social distancing measures.
Soap is distributed along with handwashing guidance
to help support communities’ resilience to the virus.
Gillian McMahon, Director of Supporter
Engagement and Income at Mary’s Meals, said: “We
never cease to be amazed by the creative and
committed fundraising efforts of the pupils and schools
who support our work. The amount raised by Painsley
Catholic Academy is so impressive. We are immensely
grateful to everyone involved for their extraordinary
fundraising efforts. This will help to transform the lives
of children in Malawi so they receive nutritious meals,
supporting them to feel healthier and happier and
making it easier for them to concentrate in school. It’s
clear that raising these funds have also proved life-
changing in a different way for the pupils who took
part, really demonstrating that so many little acts of
kindness can make such a big difference. One of the
core values of Mary’s Meals is that the charity believes
in the innate goodness of people. There is no doubt
that the pupils of The Painsley Catholic Academy have
demonstrated this goodness.”
Mr Bell adds, “More important than the value of the
fundraising, are the values that the pupils have learned
along this difficult journey at this seemingly impossible
time. We must look after each other regardless of
where we live, our gender, our background, our colour,
our faith. We are one human race in this battle
together. The pupils, through their individual acts of
kindness, will collectively be providing 7862 children
with meals for a whole year.”
The celebrations of this achievement have had to be
low key due to the current restrictions. However, the
students who attend the schools within the academy,
and the wider communities who have all played a part
in the fundraising were delighted to receive a video
thank you message from Founder and Global Chief
Executive of Mary’s Meals, Magnus MacFarlane-
Barrow.
In this video, Magnus says, “I can’t thank you
enough for what you’ve done, your incredible 20:20 for
Mary campaign. You’ve ensured that the children at
Kafumphe Primary School can carry on eating, so on
their behalf, I thank you with all my heart.”
World record donation from
Painsley to Mary’s Meals
Above: Some of the children at Kafumphe Primary School.
Above right: Miss Bradley, a teacher from Painsley Catholic College in Cheadle undertook a commitment to lose a
massive 4 stone in weight so that she could take part in a sponsored skydive for Marys Meals, which she went on to
do in August from a height of 15,000 ft.
Right: Mr Steve Bell, CEO of The Painsley Catholic Academy presenting the cheque to Mary Tyers, a local Mary’s
Meals volunteer

23
I
nspired by our Catholic virtues of grateful
and generous the children of St Thomas’
Catholic Primary School in Tean have made
‘thank you’ cards, messages and poems to be
distributed to members of staff in numerous
departments at the North Staffs Hospital
(including Maternity, Opthalmology and ICU),
JCB Covid Vaccination Centre in Cheadle, Tean
Surgery and The Old Vicarage Care Home in
Tean. Parents have been extremely generous in
making donations towards gifts to produce some
amazing hampers. Morrisons in Cheadle have
fully supported us with the production of these
(even donating their own hamper), along with
B&M in Cheadle. The Ship Inn, Tean have also
provided boxes of delicious home baked goodies!
We have a number of parents who work for
the NHS and they have delivered the hampers for
us. We walked around to The Old Vicarage Care
Home with some of our Reception children to
personally deliver a hamper and the residents and
staff were very pleased to see us. The children
even had a sing-a-long with the residents!
We would like to thank our school
community for their generosity, Mrs Johnson at
The Ship Inn, Tean for providing home baked
goody boxes and B&M Cheadle for offering us a
discount on purchases for goody bags for junior
doctors working on the ICU. A big thank you to
Janet Calderhead, who is the Community
Champion at Morrisons in Cheadle. Janet has
worked alongside the school and offered us
discount on our purchases for the hampers as
well as making the hampers up for us.
NHS Hampers from St Thomas’s, Tean
By Julie Burnett

O
n a lovely warm summer evening in the 1950’s,
Bert Moult, originally employed as a railway
signalman by LMS (London, Midland &
Scottish), but now by British Rail, was on duty in the
signal box situated at Rocester Station.
It was Sunday evening, so Bert double checked the
time when the next train was due to enter his section
of the Churnet Valley line; this was over two hours
ahead. He decided to do something he had done
previously on a hot summer Sunday evening, & nipped
out to The Railway Hotel, for a quick pint.
Bert did not hear the telephone, in his deserted
signal box, ring, soon after he descended the steps down
from signal box to ground level & left the Station
grounds for the short walk down Station Road, to the
pub.
He was enjoying his pint & a chat at the bar of the
Railway when in rushed a fellow regular who went
straight to Bert and said “You’d better get back to the
signal box Bert, there’s a train blowing steam off at
Woodseat” to which Bert replied “Pull this it’s got bells
on, it’s only the summer mist off the lake” & continued
with his pint. Woodseat was about half a mile down the
track in the direction of Uttoxeter & between the
railway line & the Mansion was a small lake known
locally as “Squires Deep”.
A few minutes later an incredibly angry Engine
driver & his Fireman stormed into the bar went straight
to Bert, who was in his Railway uniform & demanded
to know why the Signal was on Stop & the Crossing
gates shut. Bert was so shocked at seeing these two that
he almost fainted & dropped his pint pot which
shattered on the tiled floor below.
The telephone call which Bert had missed was from
area control to inform him that due to work on the
track in Stoke, a Summer Special full of holiday makers
returning to Manchester, had been diverted to the
Churnet Valley line. In the 1950’s few people had their
own car & foreign holidays for the masses were still two
decades away, so most people holidayed in Britain &
the recently nationalised “British Railways” catered for
them with Seaside Specials at peak holiday times.
With Bert back in his Signal box, the signal changed
& the crossing gates closed to road traffic, the train was
able to continue its journey. It was a very red-faced Bert
who acknowledged the good-natured cheering &
waving of hundreds of passengers through the open
carriage windows as the train was gathering speed on
its journey back to Manchester.
It would have been just a few minutes later that the
passeners would all be thinking that the delay was
worthwhile, as they passed through the area of the
Churnet Valley line known as “Little Switzerland”, so
called due to its splendid scenery.
The pint that brought a train
to a standstill
by Bill Woodier
Rocester Station 1940
The last train passes the signal box Jan 1965
Bert Moult standing, with fellow signalman Harold Burnett Station Masters house & signal box 1950

27
For all your motoring needs
Utilising the latest paint technology and skills, we can repair damage at roughly half
the cost a conventional Bodyshop would charge.
Pop in for an estimate, no need to book - or WhatsApp the images through!
SMART Repairs
(Small Medium Area Repair Technology)
Derby Road, Uttoxeter Staffs ST14 8EG • T: 01889 563448 • W: www.angusmackinnon.co.uk
Whats App: 07496 099695 or email your images to bodyshop@angusmackinnon.co.uk
All paintwork, chips and
scratches rectified
Alloy wheels, curb damage
refurbished
Bumper scuffs and
scrapes re-finished
Car park dents
removed
Keele University has helped to produce a new book
which offers honest insights into living with multiple
sclerosis (MS) and which was written by people directly
affected by the condition.
Collected Stories: Living with Multiple Sclerosis has
been developed to provide a learning resource for
health professionals across the UK and was released
during National MS Awareness Week (19-25th April,
2021).
The book is one of the outputs from a research
project carried out by Keele University, St Giles Hospice
in Lichfield and members of the hospice’s MS support
groups.
The project began in 2018 and involved focus
groups and interviews designed to help understand the
experiences of people with MS in accessing hospice
care and support. It was conducted by Professor Sue
Read and Teaching Fellow Dr Sotirios Santatzoglou
from Keele University, Dr Emma Hodges from St Giles
Hospice and participants from the MS groups in
Lichfield and Sutton Coldfield.
Following the study, the research team were so
inspired by the experiences the group shared that they
spoke to participants about how they might want to
share their stories more widely.
Professor Read said: “I have been involved in the
production of books previously as a way of sharing
important life experiences and supporting healthcare
professionals to learn and reflect on their practice. The
group wanted to have their voices heard so they asked
us to support them. It was a pleasure to help them do
that as an outcome of the research.
“The book incorporates a wonderful, unique
collection of stories that provides powerful insights into
the impact that multiple sclerosis has on the individual,
their families and professional carers.
“We didn’t intend to pull together this collection of
stories from the beginning of the research project - it
simply evolved as stories often do in life. Little did we
know the work that it would entail, or the impact that
these stories would have on those people involved and
those listening to the stories.”
Contributors include people living with the
condition along with volunteers and staff at St Giles
Hospice. The book also features a foreword written by
community historian Professor Carl Chinn, who offers
a moving account of his childhood experience of living
with his own grandfather who was diagnosed with MS
in the 1950s.
The powerful testimonies in the book feature the
life stories of several people diagnosed with MS,
highlighting their different experiences, the
philosophies and coping mechanisms that have helped
them through the years and the actions of the wider
community that have helped or hindered their daily
lives. An exercise instructor working with the MS
groups at St Giles and a hospice member of staff have
also contributed to the collection, revealing how their
own preconceptions have been challenged by their
experiences and the insights they have gained as a
result.
Dr Emma Hodges (pictured), CEO of St Giles
Hospice, said: “Research is a small but important part
of our strategy at St Giles. We support a range of
national research studies and also design our own in
order to improve patient care and/or community
support for people with a terminal illness. In all of our
research we aim to proactively involve the people we
support.
“We are extremely grateful to members of the St
Giles MS groups who shared their stories with us and
wrote with such thoughtfulness, dignity and
compassion. We hope that their candour and wisdom
will help us to better understand their individual and
varied experiences of MS and to shape our services
more effectively to support their needs.
“We also hope that their insights will be useful to
professionals in the wider community as they learn
from the real MS experts – the people who are living
with the condition every day of their lives.”
For more details of the book or to buy a printed
copy or downloadable version, visit
www.stgileshospice.com/MS-book
All proceeds from the sale of Collected Stories:
Living with Multiple Sclerosis will support St Giles
Hospice and help fund vital care for local people and
families living with a terminal illness.
For more information about St Giles Hospice and
the expert care it provides, please visit
www.stgileshospice.com
New Keele University book highlights
experiences of living with multiple sclerosis

Let’s upcycle - Reduce - Reuse
Help the planet one project at a time
by Allison Maryon
H
i all. By the time you read this, we should
hopefully be another step out of lockdown.
Seeing people getting back to their new
normal. Not only are many people feeling lost, they
have actually lost ‘things’ too - friends and family, jobs,
livelihoods, confidence.
My parents are nervous about getting out and about
again, after so long.
For those returning to the grind, leaving the house
to go to work, instead of being at the kitchen or dining
room table, let’s think about our four legged friends.
Our last cat only had three legs but that is a whole
different story!
Our pets have had months with constant
companionship, treats on tap and someone to cuddle
up to during coffee and lunch breaks.
How do we help with the separation anxiety that
lies ahead as things start to return to the way they were.
Being left alone while we go out to earn a crust, visit
friends & family, go to the pub or out for a meal.
Snuffle Mats
Something to give to your pet as you leave the
house. It keeps them occupied and stimulated long
enough for them to not realise you have gone.
Recommended by the Dogs Trust, they are simple to
make with things that are readily available around the
home.
A quick search around my house for a base came
up with - A rubber door mat (a bit big for my needs), a
square metal basket (I wanted something flat) an oven
chip fryer basket (will try this another time as holes are
small so will be a bit more fiddly) or as I have just spied,
the sink drainer mat. Perfect for my particular needs.
Now we have the base sorted, we need to have
something to make the snuffle. Fleece is perfect or
again an old T-shirt would work too. A fleece cape that
has been lurking in the back of my wardrobe and a past
its best, fleece jumper to the rescue.
For this make you will need:
Your base - check
Your snuffle fabric - check
Sharp scissors - I sew, so that’s sorted - check
Yes that’s it. I could add a tape measure to the list
but I honestly don’t think the strips of fabric you will
be cutting all need to be exactly the same.
Something that is helpful, but not essential is a
pointy thing - a chopstick or something similar!
We start off by cutting our chosen fabric into strips.
About 1” x 6”/8” - as I mentioned previously this can
be an ëish’ measurement. Your pets don’t have rulers.
That isn’t where their interests lie. I only have to say
‘SNUFFLE’ and my house is in turmoil. Excitement all
round.
‘Once you have a good selection of strips it couldn’t
be easier.
“Using your ‘pointy thing’ (chopstick or similar)
feed/push the strips down from the top of the base.
Take it back up, through another hole close to where
you took it down. Tie a knot, a single knot will do and
that is it. Add the fabric to the whole of your base and
you are finished.
Now all you need to do is add a few treats to the mat
and let your pet get to work.
I can hear my pets minds going into overdrive.
Do have a go at this project. Your pets will be
forever grateful. Even if you don’t plan on going out it
is fun to just sit back and watch.
You can share a photo of your make on my
Instagram #allisonmaryondesigns.
If you sew, check out the Sewing Street YouTube
channel for a more transportable version. Handy for
caravans, trips and holidays.
Thank you for reading :) Allison
Selection of possible Snuffle Mat Bases Her own Snuffle Mat
F
ollowing the Government’s announcement confirming the reopening of non-essential retail
from Monday 12th April, East Staffordshire Borough Council is encouraging residents to ‘Stay
Local’ in its latest campaign to support businesses in the Borough.
The ‘Stay Local’ campaign, which features a range of local business owners, is designed to promote
Burton and Uttoxeter town centres, as well as other high streets and shopping areas across East
Staffordshire, whilst reminding residents to continue to shop safely.
Local businesses can download the ‘Stay Local’ resources from the Council’s website, to help
promote their business and demonstrate how they are adhering to safety guidance. The campaign
toolkit also features a range of assets for local residents to use to show their support.
This campaign is the latest of a number of initiatives put in place by the authority to help residents
stay safe during the Coronavirus pandemic, including town centre signage and the introduction of
Covid marshals.
For full details on the campaign and to download assets from the online toolkit, visit
www.eaststaffsbc.gov.uk/coronavirus/stay-local
Residents
encouraged to
‘Stay Local’as
retail reopens

29
Ginny’s Community Corner
by Ginny Gibson of Uttoxeter
Random Acts of Kindness
K
indness, an eight-letter word that the dictionary
defines as “the quality of being friendly,
generous, and considerate”, Mark Twain
(writer) said that “Kindness is a language which the
deaf can hear and the blind can see”. Garry Lineker was
quoted as saying “Every act of kindness is potent and
lingers long in the heart of the recipient”.
In November 2020, a group of people in Uttoxeter
and surrounding areas, created a Facebook page called
“Random acts of kindness”, their definition is,
“Kindness is magic” facebook.com/groups/
703704783905506/, which combines all of the
definitions above very nicely, I think.
When Katy Roe, Wendy Harrogate and Samantha
Leyland decided to set up the Random Acts of
Kindness (RAOK) Facebook page, their mission was to
help reduce waste and the environment by posting
unwanted items that were free to anyone viewing the
group.
Katy Roe said, “This group is about reducing waste
and helping each other in the community in whatever
way we can. Times have been tough for everyone and
that little gesture of kindness can help so much.”
I don’t use Facebook, (not technically minded
enough), but when
researching this
article, I went and had
a look, there are kids’
toys, school uniforms,
wardrobes, table and
chairs, chest of
drawers and books.
There is No SELLING
this is a giving post
and for me, what
better way to ensure
that things aren’t
wasted than by giving
them away, in
kindness.
Wendy Harrogate
explained that since
the page was set up
other kindness
projects have also
been able to take
place, “During the run up to Christmas, we asked the
community for nominations of deserving families,
children or adults. Oldfield’s Hall did a massive
collection of foodstuffs for us, so we ended up
providing food parcels and gifts to 78 families”. She
went on to tell me, “We have been able to hold 2
fundraising raffles for Mother’s Day Hampers and
again for Easter and were able to deliver 56 Easter
Hampers including 3 for terminal cancer patients and
2 young Carers. Our next project will be for Father’s
Day.”
The group are pleased to have been offered help by
Serco at HMP Dovegate. Staff donated their Christmas
Staff Gift Hampers which were distributed to local Care
Homes. At Easter the staff collected just over 150 Easter
eggs which once again were distributed to Care Homes
in Uttoxeter.
The group were aware that volunteers at the vaccine
centres needed kindness and they were able to deliver
a car boot full of hand creams/gels and individual
sachets of coffee and tea to Burton Albion Community
Trust for distribution to the Covid Vaccination Centre
volunteers.
Earlier this year, the group were nominated by
residents for the Trent and Dove Covid Hero
community project awards www.trentanddove.org/
residents/trent-dove-covid-hero-awards-2021/ and
out of 60 nominations, they won! Wendy commented,
“We were so honoured to have been nominated, but to
have won, makes us very proud and shows that
kindness has been recognised”
Kindness is not only celebrated locally, but also
nationwide with a Kindness Day UK kindnessuk.com/
on 13th November each year and their website
confirms that, “ It is a day to celebrate and promote
kindness in all its forms. World Kindness Day falls on
the same day and unites people in kindness globally.”
There are so many ways to show kindness, of course
it goes without saying, please post on the Random act
of kindness Facebook page, but why not try some the
things on the list below too that I found by putting Acts
of Kindness into Google:
1. Compliment at least 5 people in the next week. (Be
original)
2. Ask your school to have a kindness day, so they
become an official ‘Kind School’–
kindnessuk.com/schools/
3. Let the person in queue behind you go ahead of you
4. Help an elderly neighbour take out the trash or
mow their lawn.
5. Write your siblings a note about how much you
appreciate them.
6. Leave a thank you note in the mailbox addressed to
the postman/woman.
7. Send a card to someone serving in the military.
8. Hold the door open for someone.
9. Do a chore without being asked.
10. Give a chocolate bar to the bus driver.
11. Bake your favourite cookies for a neighbour.
12. Donate warm coats or blankets to the Uttoxeter
Heath Community Centre www.uhcc.co.uk/
contact/
13. If you are an allotment holder, donate your excess
fruit and vegetables to the Food Banks in the area.
14. Smile at everyone you see.
15. Do something kind for someone without getting
found out, if anyone knows of it, it will not count.
16. Post something on the Random acts of Kindness
Facebook page facebook.com/groups/7037047
83905506/
Finally, as we mourn the loss of Prince Philip, Duke
of Edinburgh, why not submit a condolence message
for the Queen, she needs kindness right now -
www.royal.uk/
W
e are now all in the happy situation that this
lockdown is about to ease. I am delighted to
be able to visit my daughter this Saturday.
Apart from on a screen, we haven’t seen one another
since August. This must resonate for so many of you.
We shall have to stay in her garden, both hoping that
the weather will be a little warmer though as sunny as
it has been over the last few days. For me, not being
able to see my friends and family has been the most
difficult aspect of the last months. I have missed seeing
my sister and brothers and their families and look
forward to our family picnic at the end of June.
A few years ago we made the decision to meet in
the same place (midway for my niece who lives in
Cheshire and my sister who lives in Devon and
accessible for the rest of us who live somewhere
between the two) on the last Saturday of June. We had
started to realise that happy events such as the next
wedding and christening were some years off and we
needed a definitive date and place to meet up. As with
so many events in 2020, last year’s picnic was cancelled.
I have been so lucky since March of last year sharing
my home on the hill as I do with my two legged and
four legged best friends, both of whom have allowed
me to walk. A lot. And to make me laugh. A lot. I have
read many, many books, some have been instantly
forgettable.
Others have stayed with me. I love crime stories but
my favourite books of last year’s lockdown and this
year’s lockdown are not crime based novels. My book
of 2020 was ‘Queenie’. It’s not an easy read and may not
be to everyone’s tastes. It’s quite graphic in parts and
the language can be quite ripe but it is heart breaking
and hilarious in equal parts. It gives an incredible
insight into the life of a young woman in modern day
London. My book of 2021 is ‘Where the Crawdads
Sing’. It has an incredible plot, with a murder thrown
in just for me, wonderful characters and an
environment that you can see because it is described so
beautifully. This must be the 21st century’s ‘To Kill a
Mockingbird’. Unlocking our confinement will open up
the world to us again.
I look forward to lots more walking and even more
reading but most of all to hugging those I love the most.
Keep well!
My Monthly Musings
by Cecily Cowans of Cheadle

Field Funeral Services
Ff
s
Dedicated to Dignity & PEACE
our family to yours
t: 01538 722665
Independent Family Funeral Directors
Field Funeral Services |37a High Street | Tean
Stoke on Trent | Staffordshire | ST10 4DY
www.facebook.com/fieldfuneralservices
fieldfuneralservice@hotmail.co.uk
Dan Knight - Tree Surgeon
All aspects of tree and hedge work covered
Call, text or email for a free quote
07857 486906 / danknightarb@gmail.com
DK Arb
As an independent agent we can
offer you experienced staff, a wealth
of local knowledge and commitment to
providing the highest level of service.
To arrange your FREE, no obligation lettings
appraisal please call:
01538 752232 / 07866 558376
Are you think of LETTING
your property?
www.djclettings.co.uk
deborah@djclettings.co.uk
Tenants
Waiting
Everyone
lovesTheVoice
Car
Boot
Sale
Sainsbury’s
Car Park,
Leek
Every Sunday from
7.00am - 12.30pm
£6.00 per car
To book please
telephone
07837
815542
Social distancing
rules apply

31
P
lanting community orchards is just one of the
ways the District Council is improving natural
spaces as part of its commitment to a greener
future – and the first five of a planned 30 orchards are
now in the ground.
Since adopting a Green Infrastructure Strategy in
2018, the Council has worked with Staffordshire
Wildlife Trust to map the area and prepare a delivery
plan which includes an ambitious list of around 60
potential projects.
Community orchards are amongst the first of these
projects to be delivered with five sites each to be
planted in Biddulph, Cheadle and Leek and a further
15 across the parishes.
The Council and its parks maintenance partner
AES have now planted five orchards in Leek and are
working with Town and Parish Councils and local
communities to identify the best sites in other areas.
When Covid restrictions allow, the intention is to
involve local people in planting the trees and taking
care of the orchards as they grow and mature.
Councillor Joe Porter, Cabinet Member for Climate
Change and Biodiversity, said: “Trees play such an
important role in our natural environments and our
efforts to control and manage climate change but,
equally importantly, they have such a positive impact
on our health and wellbeing and the enjoyment we get
from spending time outdoors in green spaces.
“Community orchards are a great way for us to
realise all these benefits with the additional bonus that
they are projects people in local communities can get
actively involved.
“The measures in place to control Covid, coupled
with the tree planting season, have meant that’s not
been possible with the
first five orchards in Leek
but we’ve got plans for 30
orchards across the
Moorlands so I’m looking
forward to being able to
work alongside volunteers
and groups when
restrictions allow it.
“The tree planting
season is fairly short so
I’m delighted that we’ve
already made a great start
with these five sites with
more to come in the next
few weeks and then again
at the end of the year.”
The five sites in Leek
are: Brough Park;
Woodcroft open space
(near Campbell Avenue);
open space off Fernwood Drive / rear of the Prince of
Wales pub; open space off Wetenhall Drive / Adams
Grove; and open space off Queens Drive / Horsecroft
Crescent next to Haregate Community Centre.
The orchards will each have between 15 and 40
trees. The trees for the first five orchards were bought
from a Moorlands nursery and the intention is to use
local suppliers for the remaining orchards as well.
Councillor Porter added: “I’m really pleased that
the trees for these first five orchards have come from a
local supplier and it’s our intention to continue to buy
the trees for the planned orchards from Moorlands
nurseries.
“Not only is this supporting local businesses but the
trees they provide will leave a lasting legacy and help
us to meet our aim of leaving our environment in a
better state than we inherited it.”
The Council is funding the five orchards in the
towns, which are being planted on Council land, and
is offering 50% of the costs of the remaining 15 with
Town and Parish Councils and community groups
making up the other half.
Interested councils and groups are asked to email
climatechangesmdc@staffsmoorland.gov.uk with their
ideas for possible orchard sites in their area.
Community orchards at root of
nature recovery
Councillor Joe Porter planting trees at the Haregate community orchard with Jamie
Pope from the Council’s parks maintenance partners Alliance Environmental
Services (AES).

P
opular TV star Matt Baker
deployed the might of a
JCB mini excavator during
a fly-on-the wall TV special about the rescue of his
family’s organic sheep farm.
Countryfile and former The One Show presenter
Matt headed back to his family farm near Durham
where he grew up to help keep it running after his mum
had a serious accident.
And with a list of repairs and renovations to
complete, JCB answered the father-of-two’s cry for help
and despatched a 1.8 tonne JCB 18Z-1 mini excavator
manufactured at JCB’s factory in Cheadle. Among the
tasks the JCB machine tackled were the creation of a
beach area for a woodland pond and pathway through
the middle of a planted mini orchard, as well as general
landscaping and maintenance.
Matt said: “The JCB mini excavator is a great little
machine and was really easy to use. It helped to punch
a big hole in the long list of jobs we had to do on my
family’s farm.”
Matt’s efforts behind the controls of the JCB mini
excavator featured on a new More4 series, Matt Baker:
Our Farm in the Dales.
Matt’s parents, Janice and Mike, live on an organic
sheep farm that dates back to the 1600s. Matt still plays
a very active role in running the farm, but when his
mum had an accident last summer he had to move his
wife Nicola and their two children north to run the
farm.
Matt added: “This is without doubt the most
personal TV show I’ve ever made. Filming on the farm
where I grew up with my whole family has been a
wonderful and unique experience.”
Returning to the remote farm, Matt was faced with
the challenge of keeping it running and helping his
mum overcome her accident injuries. Championing
traditional craft and heritage skills along the way, he
also called on the services of local experts and friends
to help out the family - and he even found the time to
save his Dad’s 1946 Dodge car that’s been left in a field
for 20 years.
TV star Matt Baker takes controls of
JCB mini for TV special

33
J
CB has secured one of the
biggest deals of the year for its
X-Series range of tracked
excavators after an investment by one of the Midlands’
leading civil engineering companies.
Chasetown Civil Engineering has bought 20 X-
Series machines - including 220X and 140X models -
as part of an investment in new machinery worth £3
million. The deal also includes the addition of JCB 3, 5
and 8-tonne compact excavator models to its fleet.
The order from the Burntwood, Staffordshire firm
was placed with Gunn JCB and the new machines join
an extensive fleet which delivers a range of civil
engineering services to housebuilders including:
infrastructure, roads, sewers, groundworks, earthworks
and excavation.
The company has also purchased a number of Leica
Geosystem MC1 3D excavator guidance systems along
with Leica surveying equipment aiding the operator to
accurately and efficiently achieve the planned design
when carrying out groundworks. All newly purchased
JCB excavators were specified machine control ready
with base kits fitted in the factory, giving the flexibility
to move units from one machine to another when
needed. The new system allows the engineering team
to remotely monitor and upload data to the machines,
negating the need for site visits and freeing up valuable
engineering time.
Chasetown Civil Engineering Managing Director,
Euan Grant said: “The X Series models are first class -
we are delighted with their performance. Our operators
love the smoothness of the controls, the strong
performance and the comfort of the cabs, all adding up
to a very efficient and productive excavator. The JCB
and Leica technology works seamlessly to give us what
we need.
“We are very keen to support British businesses,
particularly one so local to our own operations and
especially of course during such difficult times. With
depots convenient for our sites, Gunn JCB provides
excellent back-up too.”
Founded in 1974, family-owned Chasetown Civil
Engineering is a leading Midlands civils business
specialising in infrastructure, groundworks and related
building services with project values ranging between
£100,000 and £50m.
X marks the spot as JCB seals big
deal for excavators

T R E E S & L A N D S C A P E S
ALL ASPECTS
OF TREEWORK
UNDERTAKEN
tFully NPTC Qualified
tRFS cert arb
tReductions
tThins
tCrown Raising
tInspections
tSurveys
All aspects of gardening landscaping also undertaken:
tLawns tGarden Paths tPonds tFencing
tPatios tBorders tDecking tStonework
tAftercare Maintenance
tPest Diagnosis Control
tFells
tConifers
tTop Soil
tLandscaping Services
tLogs Available
From the smallest hedge to the largest tree,
tree surgery that doesn’t cost the Earth!
Fully Licensed Sprayer | Fully Insured
EXPERT ADVICE
FROM PASSIONATE
PROFESSIONALS
Call Rob: 01538 361 432
or 07900 995 139
Printed by SO Marketing - 01538 750 538 - www.somarketing.com
All work to BS3998 standard
EXPERT ADVICE
FROM PASSIONATE
PROFESSIONALS
All work to
BS3998 standard
Call Rob on 01538 421672
or 07900 995139
Email:
newlifetreesandlandscapes@gmail.com
EMERGENCY
CALL-OUTS
ALSO
AVAILABLE

Tean WI
A
nd so we continue our
Centenary Year. Our one
greatest wish is that we can all
meet very soon and return to some kind
of normality.
But before then we shall continue
with our Zoom meetings. We held our
March meeting on 2 March on Zoom.
We dealt with the business side of the
meeting first, which included a
discussion on our Subscriptions for the
coming year. Even though we are not
meeting normally there are still costs to
cover. The subscriptions were due in
December, but the National Association
have given us 3 months leeway. Our
speaker for the evening was Faith Powell
who spoke on ‘Behind the Scenes of TV
Quiz Shows’. She had appeared on Going
for Gold, Wipeout, The Chase, 15 to 1,
Tipping Point were just a few. But her
favourite was Going for Gold. A funny
entertaining speaker.
Our President Diane have been
working hard on completing our
Programme for this year, our Centenary
Year. We have a varied programme and
will continue to use Zoom until we are
allowed to meet face to face. We have
speakers on Garden Design, a sweet
shop owner, Cocktail Making, Cooking
Demonstration, to name a few. We have
an afternoon tea tour at local Heath
House later in the year, when we hope
COVID restrictions will have been
lifted.
Our fortnightly Craft Chat
afternoons are going very well. Most of
the ladies carry on with their craft work,
but one or two of us just like to sit
chat. We have a really relaxing hour. You
are welcome to join us at one of these
meetings – just contact us on the details
below.
For our Centenary Meeting in
January four of our Members had made
decorated a Birthday Cake. President
Sue delivered pieces of this cake to all
our Members, along with tea bags at the
beginning of March. On March 11th 15
of us had a Cake Chat meeting on
Zoom. It was a really good turnout. The
meeting started with everyone being
very quiet – eating the cake! The cake
was amazing. Then there was loads of
chat!
If you would like to join us and find
out about Tean WI, please look at our
facebook page, or contact us on
Whatsapp, or give President Sue a ring
on 01538723409 or Secretary Janet on
01538724112. We would love to hear
from you.
Dougie Mac
unites children
and adult
hospice services
D
ougie Mac are delighted to announce the amalgamation of local children’s
hospice Donna Louise Children’s Trust into Douglas Macmillan Hospice;
after initial plans were announced in March 2020.
Now operating as one hospice, Dougie Mac will offer a broad spectrum of
palliative and end of life care services for children and adults across Stoke-on-Trent
and North Staffordshire.
David Webster, Chief Executive at Dougie Mac said: “Our vision is that Dougie
Mac will provide care for all; a dynamic 21st century hospice for children, young
adults and adults across two sites; returning children’s services to round the clock
care, 7 days a week.
“The unification of children and adult services is a landmark achievement which
will ensure all patients and their families continue to receive exceptional care and
support for as long as they need it.”
Dougie Mac’s strong financial resilience means it is well placed to take on the
continuation of children’s services which will remain free of charge to all patients
and their families.
“With efficiencies in the non-clinical functions, our skilled leadership team and
continued support from our local community; we are confident in our ability to
secure the future of children’s services in our area.”
Dougie Mac supporters can be reassured that their pledged fundraising and
donations will not be diverted from adult services. All donated funds will continue
to be spent wisely in order to provide the very best care and reinforce the hospice’s
commitment to grow as a sustainable organisation.
“We are grateful to both organisation’s supporters for their loyalty to local hospice
care. Dougie Mac is poised and ready to build on our successes as a synergised and
united hospice.”

Misted units replaced, lock
and general repairs to doors,
patios and windows
Mark Capewell
Tel: 01889 578654
Mobile: 07802 277935
Email: mark.capewell@talktalk.net
Double Glazing
Services
See how
The Voice
can
publicise
your
business
Give us a call on
01538 751629
or 07733 466 970
or Email:
uttoxetervoice@
hotmail.co.uk
Advert prices start
at only £25 and
can hit over
13,000 homes
35
Let The Uttoxeter Cheadle Voice take your business to 13,000 local homes. To advertise, call 01538 751629 or 07733 466 970.
K
ingsmill’s Stoke Bakery is delighted
to be supporting its local community
by funding the training of a new
essential health worker for the area. Louise
Brown, 42, from Uttoxeter, currently works
at The Balance Street Practice as a healthcare
assistant and will train at Derby University
for the next two years to become a Level 4
Nursing Associate. The nursing associate
role is relatively new in the NHS, bridging
the gap between healthcare support workers
and registered nurses. Graduating in March
2023, the mother of two boys, aged 10 and
8, will attend university once a week
alongside regular on-the-job training and
placements.
Louise’s nursing associate training is the
first of its kind in the UK to be funded by a
collaboration between Health Education
England, the National Skills Academy for
Food Drink and British food and drink
companies. The scheme sees the companies’
own unused apprenticeship levy funds being
redirected to pay to train new NHS health
and social care workers.
New nursing associates like Louise will
help to deliver more services in local GP
surgeries, taking some of the load from
hospitals. Louise is the first of seven nursing
associates that will have their apprenticeship
training funded by the company through
this scheme - and the first on the national scheme to
start her training.
Talking about her training, Louise said “I feel so, so
lucky to be benefiting from this scheme which seems
to be such a clever way of moving existing funding
around the system so that we can get more nurses on
the ground. I had a place at uni some years ago and I
put it on the back burner as I wanted to be around
when the boys were little, but I actually feel even more
passionate about doing the training now. This last year
of working through Covid-19 has been really full-on,
but we’ve seen just how much people need the NHS –
whether that’s secondary care in hospitals or primary
care here in the community.
I’m so excited for all that’s ahead in my training and
am really grateful to Kingsmill for being a part of it.”
About the scheme, Tim Bright, General Manager at
the Kingsmill bakery in Stoke said “Supporting our
local community has always been at the absolute heart
of all we do, whether that’s directly through being a
good local employer, or indirectly by donating our
bakery goods to those who find themselves in need, so
having the opportunity to fund nurses to support and
benefit the health of those in our community was
always going to be an opportunity we would jump at.
We know Louise is a much needed and welcome
addition to the Balance Street team and we wish her the
very best in her training.”
Liz Sahu, Relationship Manager – Apprenticeships,
for Health Education England in the Midlands said,
“We are very grateful to Kingsmill for their support of
the NHS and particularly Balance Street Surgery,
enabling Louise to progress in her career and become
a Nurse Associate helping to support patient care at this
very challenging time. We wish her all the very best in
her training.”
Kingsmill’s Stoke Bakery funds nurse’s
training in its local community
Uttoxeter healthcare worker from Balance Street Practice to study nursing at Derby University thanks to Kingsmill funding
Louise Brown and Tim Bright, General Manager at the Kingsmill bakery in Stoke
All locksmith work undertaken from door
realignment to new locks and handles.
No call out charge.

My love of Life, Lorries and Coaches
by John Willmore, of Cheadle
So continuing, from the last part of my story in The
Voice...
By this time the seed had sprouted, so we could see
how I had done with the seed drill, there was one gap
in the middle so I must have lost the plot when pacing
up and down. By early September the corn was ready
for harvesting, this was the time I had to learn to bag
the corn as the harvester produced it.
The dust produced caused me to sneeze a lot and I
began to suffer with an allergy which stayed with me
for many years when getting close to corn dust. After
bagging the corn it was put on a shute, which then went
onto the ground. It was then my job to get the tractor
and trailer and pick up the bags from off the floor, they
were very heavy, there was a knack I was shown by
using your knee to push the bag up as you lifted. Older
readers will remember those days, as the corn needed
drying, when the trailer was loaded it was taken to Mr
Pearce’s farm to be put onto to the dryer, so they had
to be taken off the trailer and then put back on again.
Then after going back to Lower Manor Farm, the
bags were taken off the trailer and carried up the loft
steps on my back, all very hard work. These days the
corn is loaded straight into trailers and transferred to
hoppers by augers, how much better.
As you remember, I was always interested in lorries
and whilst working on the farm I was not disappointed
as the road running past was the main A50 so always
busy, my father often traversed past and would sound
his horn on going by which stirred emotions in me as
that is what I wished long term to do.
Remember my age at the time was fifteen, so I
thought my lorry driving days were a long way off. This
was not the case - let me explain - it was coming back
from the pictures on the bus one Saturday night, with
my old school friend John Clowes, of Tean. Also on the
bus was Alan Beaman who writes in The Voice and he
also came from Tean.
I asked John what employment he had embarked
on, his reply was I am driving lorries! After this sunk
in - he being the same age as me fifteen - he was asked
how and where in quick succession. His reply was that
he was driving lorries employed by Mr Glen Shenton
of Tean, working at the coal screens up at Cheadle
along Leek Road…
Oh dear, I did not sleep that night - the burning
question was how could I do the same. I spoke to my
father the next morning and he said he was to visit the
breakers yard Mr Shenton owned at the time,to get
some wheel trims to fit the twin steer Ford Trader that
he was driving at the time AEH 505C - I mentioned
in my last book up at Gorsty Hill in Tean. Now in 2020,
called Cor-Green I think, father said he would enquire
if he would consider myself to be one of his drivers…
I waited with baited breath until he returned.
Father came back just after lunch and I was waiting for
him, how did you go on, I said - his reply was, you have
an interview and driving test tomorrow night at 7-00
pm…
Monday was the longest day of my life up until
then, the result was I was offered employment and
started on the following week after handing in my
notice to Mr Walker, who by the way I still worked for
in my spare time after.
My first lorry was A Bedford S Type RJU 259
painted in maroon and grey fitted with a Perkins R6
diesel engine, - this lorry was difficult to start on cold
mornings, having to be towed to start and run. I did
not drive this lorry for long but more about this lorry
later…
See you next time in The Voice
36 If you are responding to an advertisement in The Uttoxeter Cheadle Voice, please let the advertiser know. Thank you for your support.

M
idlands Partnership NHS
Foundation Trust (MPFT) has
begun a Novavax Covid-19
vaccine crossover research study,
following the initial trial last year. The
Trust was selected to host the National
Institute for Health Research’s (NIHR)
regional site in the West Midlands to test
the safety and effectiveness of the
investigational vaccine in October 2020.
The crossover study, which
commenced at Cheadle hospital on 31
March, will run for a number of weeks
and will see 289 of the Novavax vaccine
study participants invited to return. The
returning participants will receive the
opposite of their original study
allocation (placebo or vaccine) therefore
ensuring that all trial participants
receive the active vaccine.
The study will continue to test the
effectiveness of the Novavax COVID-19
vaccine candidate and will be led by the
Trust’s highly skilled and experienced
Research and Innovation Department
who specialise in research and clinical
trials.
Liz Glaves, MPFT’s Research
Delivery Manager who is managing the
study said, “The study team are excited
that the crossover research study has
begun and we are pleased to have
welcomed back so many of the
volunteers who took part in the initial
Novavax Covid-19 vaccine study.
“My MPFT colleagues and I are
proud to be leading the crossover
research study locally, again with
support from our partners at the
National Institute of Health Research,
Clinical Research Network (CRN) West
Midlands, Keele University and
colleagues within Primary Care.”
CRN West Midlands’ Acting Clinical
Director Professor Matthew Brookes
added, “This important vaccine trial is
an excellent example of collaborative
working with partnership organisations
in our Network and we are pleased to
continue supporting this next phase.
Offering studies like this to our
population is important, in order to give
a wide and diverse access to participants
to allow them to become involved in
research studies.”
The vaccine study has sites across the
United Kingdom. The West Midlands
study based in Staffordshire recruited
over 500 suitable local volunteers.
Ruth Lambley-Burke, Head of
Research and Innovation at the Trust
said; “Clinical research continues to be
extremely important in the fight against
COVID-19 and we are pleased to
continue to play our role in the phase 3
Novavax clinical study in the West
Midlands.”
Picture shows Julie Machin and
Rachael Brown
Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
continues the fight against COVID-19
37
M
idlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
(MPFT) is delighted with the success of the
West Midlands Adult Eating Disorders
Provider Collaborative, which came into being a year
ago. This is already making a real difference to the care
of local people with an eating disorder; reducing length
of stay by 36 days, reducing distances travelled by 89
miles and delivering care closer to home.
The Collaborative, which is led by MPFT, is a new
way of working which offers a real opportunity to look
at how services can be delivered differently. Working
in partnership with other organisations means each can
benefit from the other’s specialist knowledge and
expertise and offer local people the best range of care
across the region. People who use the service and their
carers and families are also important members of the
Collaborative and have brought their expertise and
experience to developing the approach and designing
the clinical outcomes.
The West Midlands Eating Disorders Provider
Collaborative consists of five core partners together
with people who use the service, their family and carers
and other partner organisations. It provides adult
eating disorder services serving a population of 4.5
million covering the West Midlands.
Through working together, the partners in the
Collaborative have improved the quality and
consistency of service, including reducing the distance
many patients need to travel to receive care (the average
distance travelled by a patient has reduced from 117
miles to 28 miles).
Since the launch of the Collaborative, fewer patients
have needed to be admitted to hospital for care of their
eating disorder, improving patient satisfaction and
reducing disruption to their lives. We have successfully
avoided 17 patient admissions and delivered treatment
in a community setting which has been just as
successful. Those who have had to be admitted to
hospital have not had to travel outside of the West
Midlands, and have also stayed in hospital for a shorter
period of time (the average length of stay has reduced
from 126 days to 90 days).
Mel Watson, Provider Collaborative Programme
Director, MPFT, says “We are extremely proud of our
Collaborative and believe the shared clinical leadership
and partnership with the people using our services has
resulted in a positive impact on both the quality of
services and the patient experience. We now plan to
do more to identify and address local issues and further
develop the responsiveness of services.”
The partners in the Collaborative are; Midlands
Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; Birmingham
Solihull NHS Foundation Trust; Coventry
Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust; Priory
Healthcare and Elysium Healthcare.
The success of the Collaborative to date has already
been recognised with the project having been
shortlisted for a prestigious national HSJ Value Award.
West Midlands region eating disorders
service celebrates successful first year
Pictured are members of the team, l-r Mel Watson, Provider Collaborative Programme Director; Brandon John,
Clinical Liaison Practitioner, Dr Rob Dennis, Consultant Psychiatrist and Jordan Ashfield – Deputy Ward Manager

H
usband-and-wife agency
employees Julie and
Sean McReynolds are
jumping for joy - after being handed permanent JCB
contracts.
The couple, who live in Alton, both gave up
permanent jobs with other employers to take up agency
positions with JCB in 2018 – Julie at the World HQ in
Rocester and Sean at JCB Earthmovers in Cheadle.
Now their leap of faith has been rewarded as they are
among more than 300 shop floor agency employees
across JCB’s UK factories to be given permanent JCB
contracts.
Father-of-three Sean who had spent 20 years in
management roles with Boots and Marks Spencer,
said: “We both took a chance giving up permanent jobs
to take up agency positions with JCB but we knew it
was a great place to work because we have friends
employed here. Even though it was our decision to
become agency employees, it feels like a great big
weight has been lifted off our shoulders now to get a
JCB contract. The change has been brilliant for me and
getting a permanent contract is simply the icing on the
cake.”
Julie said: “It means such lot for us both to get
permanent contracts and our eldest son and his
girlfriend sent us a bottle of champagne when we got
the news, so we did manage a little celebration.”
JCB is giving more than 300 agency shop floor
agency employees permanent JCB contracts from April
and later this year will also give an additional 400
agency shop floor employees with more than a year’s
service permanent JCB contracts. The company is also
recruiting an additional 450 agency shop floor
employees at its factories in Staffordshire, Derbyshire
and Wrexham – on top of 400 it began hiring earlier
this year.
JCB GMB Works Convenor Jim Barwise said: “It is
fantastic news that so many colleagues have been given
permanent JCB contracts. It’s a massive morale booster
for everyone on the shop floor after a difficult 12
months.”
Champagne corks pop as Julie and
Sean celebrate job news
F
ollowing the successful completion of the
Gordon Banks Legend Walk last October, local
man and DMH Ambassador Duncan Cowans
and his team have raised a staggering total of
£11,295.61.
The walkers covered the 50 miles through the night
from Chesterfield (Gordon’s first club) to the bet 365
stadium in order to raise funds for the DMH. No target
was set but everyone involved has been amazed at the
generosity of people, particularly in these most difficult
of times for so many.
The Gordon Banks Legend Walk

39
A
lthough there has been no opportunity for rehearsals let
alone performances for Denstone Players due to the
pandemic, there has been activity in another area.
To ease the ever increasing problem of storage of props, scenery,
equipment and costumes Denstone Players successfully applied for
£1,000 funding from the East Staffs Borough Council, with support
from local councillor Steve Sankey to help the society purchase a
20’ storage container.
Permission was granted by the Denstone Village Hall
Committee if the container could be sited on the same spot as a
dilapidated shed used to store outdoor play equipment by the
Denstone Toddler Group.
Players members temporarily stored the play equipment in the
village hall. Then they dismantled and removed the shed in
readiness for the container delivery from Burton.
A successful joint application from Denstone Players and
Denstone Toddler Group to the County Council was made for a
further grant to help purchase a new storage shed for play
equipment. Players members erected and weatherproofed the shed
next to their container.
This was surely a great example of a variety of community
groups coming together to improve their provision. Denstone
Players now have more storage space, the Village Hall has got rid
of an unsightly shed and the Toddler Group has a brand new
storage facility which the local art group could decorate with
another of its imaginative murals.
Both the Borough and County Councils can be assured that
their grants have been well spent.
Looking ahead Denstone Players members are busy writing a
pantomime based loosely on the classic story of Pinnochio.
Hopefully, rehearsals can begin whenever allowed with a view to
performance early next year.
News from Denstone Players
Double Chocolate Cheesecake
with Patron
I
had to make something with
chocolate over Easter for my family.
They all love cheesecake, so I
decided to make my Double Chocolate
Cheesecake. I usually add a few
tablespoons of Tia Maria , but all I had
was a small bottle of Patron, which is a
coffee Liqueur. It is usually drank as a
shot, but worked very well with the
Cheesecake. All the family loved it and
it was polished off very quickly!!
Biscuit Base
85g melted butter
14 plain chocolate digestive finely
crushed
Cheesecake
3 x 300g full fat cream cheese, i.e.
philadelphia
200g golden caster sugar
4 tbsp cocoa, sifted
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp coffee liqueur (I used Patron
which comes in a handy minerature
bottle)
284ml soured cream
3 large free range eggs
100g dark chocolate
2-3 tbsp milk
To decorate
284ml double cream
Chocolate curls
Firstly heat oven to 160˚C Fan. Line
the base of a 25cm springfrom tin with
baking parchment. Mix the melted
butter and biscuit crumbs until well
blended and press firmly onto the base
of the tin. Bake this for 10 mins.
Turn your oven up to 220˚C Fan and
the make your cheesecake mix. Firstly
beat the cream cheese and sugar until
smooth and creamy, then whisk in the
sifted cocoa, vanilla extract, Coffee
liqueur, eggs, soured cream and half the
melted chocolate. Stir in a little milk into
the remaining chocolate to make a sauce
consistency, then set aside until you are
ready to decorate your cheesecake.
Butter the sides of the cake tin, then
pour in the cheese mixture and smooth
the top. Bake for 10 mins, then turn the
oven down to 90˚C for 25-30 mins. The
filling should be set, but with a wobble
in the centre. Turn off the oven, slightly
open the oven door and leave the
cheesecake to cool for 2 hours. Chill
until ready to serve.
To decorate your cheesecake,
carefully remove it from the tin and
remove from the base and lining paper.
Lightly whip the cream, then swirl on
top and drizzle with the remaining
chocolate sauce. To make chocolate
swirls, firmly run a potato peeler down
a block of chocolate. Serve your
cheesecake topped with your chocolate
curls.
Hope you enjoy this as much as we
did!
Karen’s Cake Corner
by Karen Hill

L
ooking like a modern-day blacksmith, with a
wood-burning stove centre-stage in his
workshop, Sam Ermolenko is surrounded by
motorcycle engines and parts.
The 60-year-old former speedway multiple world-
champion, forged a career in tuning, repairing and
rebuilding engines after retiring from the sport in 2006.
His business, Sam’s Dyno Centre, housed in an old RAF
communications building in Fauld, Staffordshire, is
booming.
“We have old-school skills and the machinery that
gives us the ability to fix older generation bikes. Most
bike shops won’t look at things over seven-years-old.
“The bikes I grew up with are now becoming
classics. Most of the ones we work on are at least thirty-
years-old.
“At 13-years-old I began working in my family’s
motorcycle shop in California. I then went racing for
27 years.
“I had to acquire the machinery, tools and know-
how to keep me at the top of my sport.
“We still use this machinery. We can actually fix
things and keep older bikes on the road. We have
modern Dyno testing equipment - we help to tune
modern street and race bikes too.
“I love all engines but my favourite is always a
winning one. I can feel how a motorcycle is set-up by
riding it by the seat-of-my pants and I can hear how its
engine is working by the sound of its roar”, explained
Sam.
Sam is extending his building and taking on more
specialist mechanics to cope with the surge in demand
to keep older motorcycles on the road.
Old school motorcycle engines
Photography by Rod Kirkpatrick
B
ritish digger maker JCB
has unveiled a brand new
machine to tackle a
national scourge - potholes.
The company has launched the PotholePro - a
machine that can repair a pothole in less than eight
minutes - four times quicker than standard methods
and at half the cost of current solutions.
It follows a vow from Chancellor Rishi Sunak last
November to invest £1.6bn to fix potholes in Britain
and ‘level-up’ uneven roads. Shock figures from the AA
reveal more than £11bn-worth of potholes need
repairing across the UK.
The machine’s development has been personally led
by JCB Chairman Lord Bamford. He said: “Potholes
really are the scourge of our nation. Our country is
quite rightly fixated on this dreadful problem and as a
British manufacturer I am fixated on finding a solution.
We simply cannot allow our road network to continue
to be blighted by potholes. JCB’s solution is simple and
cost effective and fixes potholes permanently, first time.
Once the machine has done its job all the contractor
then needs to do is just add tar.”
Tests with local authorities and contractors show
the JCB PotholePro can complete a pothole repair in
less than eight minutes – equivalent to 700 potholes per
month. With a 40km/h travel speed, the machine can
rapidly relocate between sites without additional
transport costs.
The machine has been in trials on roads in Stoke-
on-Trent for months and the city council has worked
with JCB over the last 12 months as innovation
partners to develop the PotholePro. In initial testing,
the machine completed 51 road repair jobs in 20 days,
which would have taken a team of up to six operatives
63 days to complete normally.
Councillor Daniel Jellyman, Stoke-on-Trent City
Council cabinet member for infrastructure,
regeneration and heritage, said he had seen a 700%
increase in productivity.
He said: “Potholes are a nuisance to motorists up
and down the country and we’ve worked closely with
JCB to come up with a solution to what is a national
problem. In a time when every penny and pound
counts for local authorities, we’re delighted to be at the
forefront of developing and trialling new technologies
and ways of working, especially ones which could save
residents money.”
AA President Edmund King OBE said: “The toll of
pothole damage on cars is already breathtaking.
However, as more people take up cycling due to
avoiding public transport in the pandemic and if e-
scooters are legalised, then sorting our poor road
surfaces becomes more important than ever. JCB has
taken the initiative to fix these problems, and we’re
excited to see its new PotholePro take to the streets.”
The PotholePro allows the contractor or local
authority to cut the defect, crop the edges and clean the
hole with one machine – mechanising jobs traditionally
done by pothole gangs and delivering up to a 50% cut
in daily costs. It is equipped with a 600mm wide planer
and integrated dust suppression system, enabling the
operator to plane a full carriageway from the kerb,
without repositioning. The machine also comes with a
sweeper/bucket and hydraulic cropping tool, allowing
a uniform hole to be prepared by the operator from the
comfort their cab.
Councils get a request to fix a pothole every 46
seconds and more than £8.1 million was paid out in
compensation to drivers last year for vehicle damage
caused by potholes.
JCB unveils new solution to tackle
UK pothole scourge

41
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 Longton in
1977 and sold over 6,000 copies in
North Staffordshire inside 6 months.
Povey’s People
by Radio Stoke’s Owd Grandad Piggott
L
evi Piggott was Owd
Grandad Piggott’s
brother. He was several
years younger than Owd
Grandad and the two hated
each other to say the least. Levi
had a criminal record as long as
his arm for many offences
involving robbery, drunkeness,
violence, theft and was well
known in Longton for all sorts
of villainy. He was barred out of
every pub in the area and
vowed that if he died before his
time, he would haunt his
brother to the end of his days.
Owd Grandad Piggott was a
saint compared to Levi. Levi lived in a shed somewhere
in Fenton and fortunately, the two rarely met up, but
when they did, anything could happen. Levi went
puddled in the end and died in a fit of violence in
Cheddleton hospital, but Owd Grandad Piggott never
forgot Levi’s last words to haunt him after he had gone.
Owd Grandad Piggott was never sure
about the supernatural and for a few
months after Levi’s demise, he was prone
to jumping violently at the slightest thing.
One night, some birds had built a nest in
the chimney and one of the baby chicks
had fallen out and was making a
commotion behind the fireplace. Owd
Grandad Piggott seized the poker and
brandished it…
‘Come ite an’ fight then!’, he growled.
The bird continued the commotion,
‘Come back to bed you stupid old
idiot!’ shouted grandma Piggott, ‘There’s
nobody there!’
‘You know what ay said’, persisted
Owd Grandad Piggott,’If thees a road
back - ay’ll find it’
It was a week later and I’d promised to take him
fishing with me. I was going for an evening session to
Sandon on the canal. I’d only get about two hours before
it went dark. A couple of hours with him was enough!
We fished until the light had faded to such an extent that
we could hardly see our floats and as we packed up, the
evening was silent save for a gentle breeze. I was looking
forward to a couple of pints in the Dog and Doublet pub
before he went home. Suddenly there was a heavy duty
snort followed by a heavy tread. The sound came from
behind the hedge. Owd Grandad Piggott nearly
swallowed his teeth. Further sounds of movement
confirmed that something - or someone was behind the
hedge.
‘Ah can ‘ear summat piddlin’...’ said Owd Grandad
Piggott. ‘Listen!’ Sure enough, there came the
unmistakeable sound of something, or someone
‘piddlin’.
‘It’s ‘im!’ , he grated. ‘It’s bloody Levi!’, he grabbed a
steel rod rest and stood ready.
‘Don’t be stupid!’ I snapped. ‘Levi’s dead and that’s
all there is to it!’
‘Ar tell thee it’s ‘im!’ I went to where the sounds were
coming from and looked through the hedge. Two black
and white cows gazed curiously back at me.
In the Dog and Doublet it took three pints of bitter
to calm him down, but on the way home, I could tell that
he was plotting something. The next day, he went to
Levi’s grave in St John’s churchyard armed with a
wooden post and a lump hammer. He stoved the post
into the ground at the head of the grave like somebody
possessed.
‘Gerrite o’ that gunga din!’, he snarled. ‘Plenty o’ dogs
goo past ‘ere’
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: Levi Piggott
...but Owd
Grandad Piggott
never forgot
Levi’s last words
to haunt him
after he had
gone...
Down on the Farm
by Angela Sargent
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare,
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long at sheep and cows.
T
hat is something that many people have done
during lockdown – taken note of nature and
discovered how calming it is for the soul!
Birdsong will be increasing in volume by now, as
nests are feathered, mates are found and fought over and
eggs are laid. Nests are found in all sorts of places at
times and not necessarily in the nesting box put up
especially for them – we found one at sheep level in the
back of a lambing pen and, unfortunately it didn’t
survive a hungry sheep.
Insects are abundant, particularly where there are
bodies of water or sweet- smelling blossom and they can
cause issues for all livestock farmers, whether you are a
dairy farm or otherwise. Insects can cause eye irritation
in cattle and fly strike on sheep (and we will be shearing
soon) so preventative measures have to be taken.
Ted has paid a visit to the vet to get his annual jabs
and MOT and passed with flying colours, even though
he got caught by a flying kick from a young steer on
turnout day. As a working dog and a crucial part of the
team, it is important he is kept in tip top condition and,
just as importantly, wormed regularly.
There is a serious parasite which dogs can carry (and
suffer ill health from) and can pass on to cattle (and vice
versa) causing abortion and illness- Neospora. That’s
why it’s important to pick up dog poop!
We are about at the end of lambing, having had a
hectic start, and our spring sown crops are in, but field
work isn’t finished as silage making begins, grass having
been fertilised and crops will be treated, if necessary (all
under strict regulation), for any pests and diseases
Large agricultural machines will be out on the roads,
travelling from farm to farm or field to field, filling the
narrow country lanes ad working late into the night at
times.
May15th is also the closing date for applications to
the government support scheme, which from this year,
is to reduce by varying amounts depending on the size
of the claim, with the intention being that the market
will respond and fill the gap, eventually. But if we are to
receive less then our inputs have to be less or more
efficient if production isn’t to suffer and it’s difficult to
see, in some cases, how this can be achieved.
Current high market prices don’t make up the
shortfall endured over many years, particularly in the
livestock sectors, but it will be nice for it to continue, if
it does.

Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice Issue 104

Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice Issue 104

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice Issue 104

Similar to Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice Issue 104 (17)

More from Noel Sergeant

More from Noel Sergeant (6)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (11)

Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice Issue 104