Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice, Issue 122.pdf

FREE
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
Issue 122
A QUALITY MAGAZINE - NOW IN OUR 17th YEAR!

2 If you are responding to an advertisement in The Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice, please let the advertiser know. Thank you for your support.

3
Let The Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice take your business to local homes. To Advertise email uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk, phone 01538 751629 or 07733 466 970
W
hen is something going to be done
about the horrendous number of
potholes on our roads both locally
and nationally?
I have never seen so many deep potholes
which invariably damage tyres, wheels and
suspensions on our vehicles, leading to motorists
having to find the cash for repairs when we are
in the midst of a cost of living crisis…
Nothing seems to be done to fill in these
potholes properly because when the council do
repair them, within a few years they are back to
the original condition!
We have a World-leading local company in
JCB where engineers have developed a wonderful
Pothole Machine which can be a game-changer
in getting our roads back to top condition – but
many councils I assume are so cash-strapped that
they struggle to find resources to buy fleets of
these Pothole Machines…
However, I believe the Government are now
providing reallocated HS2 funding to many
councils who have published 2-year plans
detailing exactly which roads will be improved
and potholes fixed. We shall see if our local roads
will now be repaired and resurfaced by
Staffordshire County Council!!!
It has been a very sad time in local circles as
we recently lost two top notch characters in
Uttoxeter’s Barrie Wain and Cheadle’s Kevin
Rogers – both terrific footballers and wonderful
chaps.
Barrie was one of Uttoxeter’s finest centre
backs and Kevin was a brilliant player – both lost
to us during a short period of time…
I knew both men for over 40 years and I
enjoyed wonderful friendships with them and we
always had huge laughs when we met. Barrie had
his own ‘seat’ in Oldfields Club and every time I
went through the door of the club I used to look
across to his seat and there he was. I waved to
him and he waved back at me. I went to watch the
rugby the other Saturday and without thinking I
went through the door and looked across – to see
a vacant seat…RIP Barrie.
I played with and was managed by Kev, one
of the fittest men you could ever meet. He was
probably the only Manager who got me fit!! I can
hear readers say that must have been a very long
time ago!! RIP Kev
I hope you enjoy reading this issue of The
Voice colour magazine…
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
BOOK YOUR ADVERT NOW -
Email uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk or
Call 01538 751629
You can also contact us via social media:
@uttoxeter_voice UttoxeterVoice
UttoxeterVoice
HOW TO GET IN TOUCH
The Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice is wholly independent and
is published at 3 Spode Close, Cheadle, Staffs ST10 1DT
ADVERTISEMENT SALES
AND EDITORIAL
Tel: 01538 751629 or 07733 466 970
Email: uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk
NEXT ISSUE
The next Voice will be out 26th June
News Deadline: 7th June
Advertising Deadline: 14th June

We offer floor to ceiling services
& everything in-between
including, electrical, plumbing
and installation works.
We also offer supply only
to trade and public as well
as fitting.
In our showroom we stock
McAlpine products as well as
ultra adhesives starting from £12!
We also stock tile trims,
Vitra bliss showers, toilets &
much more.
Are you in need of a bathroom
or kitchen refurb?
Here at Uttoxeter Tile and
Bathroom we do free
no-obligations quotations and
3D cad drawings.
A local family run business with over 25 years experience, specialising in the
supply and installation of bathrooms, kitchens and tiles.
Check out our showroom today!
ALL WELCOME, DOORS OPEN FROM 7PM
EVERY LAST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH
FREE DRINK FOR PERFORMERS
The Coach House, Hales Hall, Oakamoor Road, Cheadle ST10 4QR
U
p and coming young snowboarder Alfie Sewell from Uttoxeter has received
a donation from the Uttoxeter Knights to help with his training costs. Alfie,
who is just 13, took up the sport when he was only four years old. He has
already enjoyed considerable success in the English and British Championships. His
aim is to represent Great Britain in international events and ultimately compete in
the Winter Olympics.
In presenting a cheque to Alfie, Knights chair Robert Hunt said: “We helped Alfie
previously and we are pleased to contribute once again. He is a great ambassador –
both for his chosen sport and for Uttoxeter. We wish him every success and will be
following his career with great interest.”
Uttoxeter Knights
continue to support Alfie

5
ADVERTISERS!! ENJOY THE
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS...
Superb hard copy A4 colour magazine and the internet!
Your advert goes into a our 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
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
Issue 122
A QUALITY MAGAZINE - NOW IN OUR 17th YEAR!
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
Book your advert now
for the next Voice
colour magazine!!
Out 26th June
Email: uttoxetervoice
@hotmail.co.uk
We are now open
Weekdays 10am-3.30pm
(closed Wednesdays)
Weekends 10am-4pm
We have lunchtime specials on offer
daily. Freshly baked scones and lots of
outdoor seating by the canal waterside -
our water huts are a favourite.
Afternoon Teas now available upstairs at
‘Madam Hettys’ on Saturdays and Sundays
(booking required). It’s Alice in Wonderland
themed and we have a nest to sit in as well
as a floating table experience.
Known for our homemade scones in a
variety of flavours and Hetty’s Homity Pie.
Welcoming families, ramblers, cyclists,
dog walkers and canal enthusiasts
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.

Anytime Lounge, 9 High Street, Uttoxeter ST14 7HN
Call 01889 592720 •Visit anytimeuttoxeter.com
Email hello@anytimeuttoxeter.com
ANYTIME lounge
ANYTIME lounge
Voucher: 20% off your total bill
QuoteVoice 20. Use as often as you want.
T&C’s apply
E A T D R I N K R E L A X
New Head Chef
Delicious New Menu
Stan raises more
money for the NSPCC
I
n May 2020 Stan’s owner, Sue Wardle, undertook a
walking marathon around her garden in Consall,
North Staffordshire, in aid of the NSPCC of which
Sue is the local branch chairman. The 26 mile 385 yard
distance was covered over a period of days and Stan, the
family dog, accompanied Sue all the way. That venture
raised over £2,500 in sponsorship.
Stan came from the City Dog’s Home in
Brookhouse Lane, Stoke on Trent. He was found
wandering the streets of Dudley and has lived with his owners, first in Consall and
now in Cheadle, for 5 years. He’s a proper mongrel, no fancy names and most people
think he is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier / Jack Russell cross with and uncertain mixture
of parenthood. That all changed at the end of last year when Sue and husband
Andrew were bought a dog DNA test as a present.
To make the process more interesting
Andrew organised a prize draw at his
local pub, The Baker’s Arms in the High
Street in Cheadle. For £1 an entry you
could estimate the percentages of
different breeds in Stan’s make up. The
winner would receive half of the money
raised, the balance going to the NSPCC.
A saliva test was sent to Embark
Laboratories in San Diego in the United
States. Around a month later the results
were revealed.
Stan, we now know, is 47% Russell-
type terrier, 35.3% Staffordshire Bull
Terrier, 11.1% American Bull Dog and
6.6% American Pitbull Terrier.
The quiz raised over £63. The winner,
Clare Weaver, works with children
herself and generously donated her
winnings back to the NSPCC so they will
now receive all the entry money.
Thanks Stan, you’ve done it again !!
Sue Wardle with son Joseph and Stan
after finishing the walking marathon.

7

TOP 3
ROOFING CONTRACTORS
2024
8 Bamford Grove, Uttoxeter ST14 5NS
Dougie Mac’s‘Make
a Will Month’
returns for 2024
D
ougie Mac's hugely popular Make a Will Month is returning this May.
During this campaign, which occurs in May and October, local solicitors
generously waive their usual fees to draft or amend a basic will in exchange
for a donation to the hospice.
Jill Bowler, Head of Individual Giving and Trusts, emphasises the significance of
legacy donations to Dougie Mac, “Numerous people in the community have already
selected us to be remembered in their wills. Leaving a legacy donation ensures we
have income we can rely on in the future, enabling the hospice to plan ahead, helping
to make sure our specialist care is available in the years to come.
"Though it may not be easy to think about, creating a Will gives you the
opportunity to decide what will happen to your property, finances, and possessions
after your passing. Whether you own a home, have experienced loss, or gone through
a recent separation, reviewing your exiting Will is also important. Without a Will,
the law dictates what happens to your assets. At Dougie Mac we understand that
taking care of your loved ones is a priority, which is why we are so grateful for every
gift we receive when someone has passed away.”
If you're considering leaving a gift to Dougie Mac in your Will, you can have
your basic Will drafted for free by a participating local solicitor. If you're uncertain
about what gift to include for Dougie Mac in the future but wish to support the
hospice now, you can make a donation to receive a Make a Will voucher and still
take part in the campaign.
Jill added, “No matter the gift you’re able to leave in your Will, whether it’s a
percentage of your estate or a financial donation, we are hugely grateful. This support
allows us to continue our work caring for adults, young adults and children in our
local community who need us. We’d also thank all local solicitors who support this
campaign, we couldn’t provide this service without them”
Full details of Dougie Mac’s Make a Will Month and how to take part are available
at: www.dougiemac.org.uk/gifts-in-wills
Supporters can also contact Dougie Mac’s Legacy Team on 01782 344308.

9

For no obligation, friendly, local advice call our team today
Leek: 01538 399199 Hanley: 01782 200000
Uttoxeter: 01889 598888 Eccleshall: 01785 339514
J
ames Oakden is a seven year old boy from
Uttoxeter who unfortunately suffers from multiple
caverernomas on the brain.
A cavernoma is a cluster of abnormal blood vessels
within the brain and for James cavernomas have caused
a number of distressing side effects which impact upon
his daily life, including seizures, a speech impediment
and balance issues.
Despite these awful setbacks James is a very
determined young man and strives to give of his best
in everything that he does particularly riding his bike.
During Christmas 2023 James was extremely
fortunate to visit Lapland to meet with Father
Christmas, the elves and all of Fathers Christmases
helpers. It was an absolutely fantastic time for him and
a Christmas never to be forgotten.
James’s visit to Lapland was made possible due to
the generosity and wonderful work of the UK ‘Make-
A-Wish Foundation’ who aims to create life changing
wishes for children with serious illnesses.
Over 60,000 children in the UK have been
diagnosed with critical conditions changing both their
lives and their families’ lives forever.
So blown away by his Lapland experience, James
now wants to challenge himself and to try to raise some
money to hopefully enable another child, or, children
to experience a wish coming true via the wonderful
work of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.’
James’s Snowdon Challenge
In the month of April ,James is aiming to walk to
the top of Snowdon in aid of the ‘Make A Wish
Foundation.’
He has set himself a target of trying to raise a total
of between £1 and £1,000. So far so good, with the good
news being in that so far James has received
sponsorship pledges of £265.
When asked about his Snowden challenge James
said he is really looking forward to the hike up
Snowdon so the money he raises from the hike can help
other children have an experience like he did.
James is now sharing his story in the hope that the
readers may possibly like to help him achieve his fund
raising target.
For anyone wishing to help, James does have a ‘Just
Giving’ page at the following link: shorturl.at/acjxT
Can Voice readers help James make
wishes come true?

Open 6 days a week: Mon-Fri 8.00-17.00, Sat: 8.00-12.00
Telephone 01538 750 737 or book online
www.cheadletestcentre.co.uk
CheadleTest Centre, BrookhouseWay, Brookhouse Ind. Est.,
Cheadle ST10 1SR
Open 6 days a week: Mon-Fri 8.00-17.00, Sat: 8.00-12.00
Telephone 01889 563 838 or book online
www.uttoxetertestcentre.co.uk
UttoxeterTest Centre, Smithfield Rd,
Uttoxeter ST14 7JB
• We’re now operating a booking
system, please visit our website or
give us a call
• Free re-tests - free annual
reminders
• Friendly staff - waiting/
viewing area
• If unfortunately your vehicle
fails, take it away to a
repairer of your choice.
Your Local MOT
Testing Centres
Independent Testing in Cheadle and Uttoxeter
Book your slot online • Free Re-Test

13

• Specialist in
carpet and vinyl
flooring
• Large choice of
samples brought
to your home for
you to view in
comfort
• Professional
fitting service
with 25 years of
experience
• Floor levelling
and door
trimming service
• Friendly, hassle-
free service
where you only
deal with myself,
the fitter, start to
finish
Call or message to arrange an
appointment
07932 668 745
Email: iansund@googlemail.com
Clowes
C O A C H H O L I D A Y S
26 - 30 May Tiverton (5 Days) £499
24 - 28 June Bournemouth (5 Days) £495
7 - 11 July Chatham (5 Days) £498
15 - 19 July Torquay (5 Days) £412
29 July - 2 August Ilfracombe (5 Days) £510
18 - 22 August South Shields (5 Days) £480
26 - 30 August Llandudno (5 Days) £425
8 - 14 September Clonakilty (Southern Ireland) (7 Days) £845
16 - 20 September Eastbourne (5 Days) £469
23 - 27 September Bournemouth (5 Days) £490
2 - 6 October Weymouth (5 Days) £399
7 - 11 October Morecambe (5 Days) £440
21 - 25 October Great Yarmouth (5 Days) £399
Door To Door Service At No Extra Cost
Emerson Cottage, Barrowmoor,
Blackshaw Moor Longnor
01538 300730 01298 83292
www.clowescoaches.co.uk
J
CB is inspiring the next
generation of female
engineers as apprentices
celebrate the life of pioneering Cheadle astronomer
Mary Adela Blagg with a special viewing of the
internationally acclaimed ‘Museum of the Moon’.
Female JCB apprentices were invited to ‘Cheadle
Moon’ celebrations at the town’s St Giles the Abbot
Church for a talk on the leading astronomer, whose
groundbreaking work mapping the moon saw her
become one of the first women admitted into the Royal
Astronomical Society. JCB donated £2,000 to help
bring the internationally renowned touring art
installation to Cheadle.
Erin Murphy, who is a fourth year JCB Engineering
Degree Apprentice, was one of 10 female apprentices
who took part in the visit. She said: “When I was
younger, I didn’t think engineering was for me because
I thought it was for ‘boys’. Luckily, I had some great
opportunities at school to see how many amazing
female role models there are. Being able to view the
exhibition and find out more about local lady Mary
Adela Blagg’s achievements was so inspirational.”
Born in 1858 Mary Blagg, who lived her entire life
in Cheadle and is buried in St Giles’ churchyard, is one
of the most pioneering female astronomers. Her work
mapping the moon saw a crater on the moon, Blagg
crater, named after her, and in March 2023, a planet
was named Maryblagg in her honour.
Cheadle Moon was organised by art company
OUTSIDE and at its centrepiece was a six-metre
diameter moon by artist Luke Jerram. Suspended from
the nave of the church the moon was internally lit and
features detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface
with surround sound musical compositions created by
award winning composer Dan Jones.
There are currently 80 female apprentices working
across engineering, manufacturing, business, and
future technologies at JCB. For more information visit
www.outsidearts.org.
JCB apprentices aim high with
unique visit to Cheadle Moon
Female apprentices from JCB admire the spectacular Museum of the Moon by Luke Jerram, part of the Cheadle
Moon exhibition at St Giles the Abbot Church. Rebecca Brooks, Mia Elliot, Georgia Pedley-Mackenzie, Olivia
Bagley, Lexie Pressdee and Erin Murphy. Front: Shaili Patel, Shannon Connell, Kira Patel

15
HIGH-QUALITY SURFACING
& GROUNDWORK SERVICES
Throughout Staffordshire and Cheshire, Stoke-On-Trent,
Buxton, Derbyshire, West Midlands and many more
surrounding areas
Services include:
• Tarmac surfacing for all surfaces, Trench Works,
• Driveways, Concreting, Slabbing, Resin Bound gravel
• Fencing, Excavations, artificial grass
• Hiab hire, Demolition and Drainage and much more
Safe contractor and Construction Line approved.
Our operatives are fully trained under the Construction Plant
Competence Scheme and Street works accredited.
Contact Nick 07817 860432 or Danielle 07429 428131
Email nick@nrbgroundworks.co.uk
Website www.nrb-groundworks.co.uk
All works completed
from the small to big jobs at
competitive prices.
Completed for Private, commercial,
and Industrial sectors.

A
fter the year-on-year success of “Party on the
Pitch”, Uttoxeter Lions Club are determined
that this year’s popular two-day beer, cider and
music festival at Oldfields Sports and Social Club on
the 7th and 8th June will be bigger and better than ever.
Party on the Pitch raises money for prostate cancer
tests for local men over 50 years of age and the Prostate
Screening Evening will take place in partnership with
the Graham Fulford Charitable Trust at the same venue
on Thursday 6th June from 6.00pm. Tests are available
to book from 1st May through an online booking
system: ulc.mypsatests.org.uk/
Unfortunately, the club will be unable to
accommodate walk ins so online bookings are
essential. A helpline is provided by the Graham Fulford
Trust on 01926 419959 should individuals have
problems with the booking process.
The testing programme will provide 400 free tests
for local men at a cost of £10,000 to Uttoxeter Lions
Club. It’s a commitment the club are happy to make
because they know it saves lives.
“Party on The Pitch” kicks off on Friday 7th June
with The Nuts, a Midlands-based rock and pop covers
duo that will certainly get the party off to a rousing and
energetic start.
Headliners for the Friday evening are Kings of Indie
Rock. Think Arctics, Foos, Oasis, Kings of Leon,
Killers, Blur and Kaiser Chiefs! These lads have
performed Indie classics for years to large crowds,
headlining at some of the biggest cover festivals in the
UK.
There is a great line up of musicians for Saturday
8th June including Trevor baBaJack Steger. Trevor’s
music is influenced by his passion for early rural Blues
and rhythmic African roots. His unique style of slide
guitar, harp playing, and song has earned him UK Blues
Act of the Year 2023 in the UK Blues Awards.
Rounding off the two-day festival will be a
performance from the highly acclaimed Queen tribute
band One Vision. This spectacular show features
amazing Freddie Mercury and Brian May lookalikes
and soundalikes. The band are accomplished musicians
whose attention to detail has given them a well-
deserved reputation on the party and tribute band
circuit.
John Fitchett, President of Uttoxeter Lions Club,
said “the club is delighted to bring this annual festival
to Uttoxeter once again. We are always indebted to our
sponsors, including RBA Wealth Management, who
along with the public help us to generate enough
revenue to fund our vital prostate cancer screening
evening for 400 local men. With test prices increasing
to £25 each the club is always happy to accept cash or
card donations to help fund this important
programme”.
Tickets for “Party on The Pitch” are available from
Eventbrite along with retail outlets around Uttoxeter
and local villages. Please see posters, the Uttoxeter
Lions Facebook Page and website for more details.
Lions ready to roar back in party mood
for Prostate Cancer Screening

Highwood Leisure Services is a family run business located in Staffordshire. We
pride ourselves on being able to offer all services for your leisure vehicle, including
security and entertainment upgrades, Habitation checks, fault finding, mechanical
service and repairs and paint correction. We offer a mobile service, along with a fully
serviced workshop.
W www.highwoodmotorhomes.co.uk
E info@highwoodleisure.co.uk
Flatts Farm, Highwood, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire ST14 8PR
Our Services
Habitation Checks
Servicing And Repairs
Diagnostics
Entertainment Upgrades
Camera Systems
Security Upgrades
Mobile Services Offered
Fully Serviced Workshop
Call Out
Resealing
Machine Polishing
MOTORHOME SERVICE & REPAIRS
There has never been a better time to explore the beautiful British countryside and beyond
into Europe, for the adventurous camper! Highwood Motorhomes has a fleet of vehicles,
providing our customers with space and modern luxury. Whether you are an experienced
tourer or an absolute beginner, our fully equipped and stylish motorhomes offer the highest
specification interiors and latest design features. Located in Staffordshire, the perfect
gateway to your adventure. Whether you are booking a romantic road trip for 2, a family
holiday or planning an epic 30 day European tour, we have a motorhome for you.
See our website for prices and more information
E highwoodmotorhomes@gmail.com
W www.highwoodmotorhomes.co.uk
E staffordshirevehiclehire@gmail.com
W www.staffordshirevehiclehire.com
SPECIALISTS IN MOTORHOME RENTALS
YOUR LOCAL VAN HIRE
WE BUY
MOTORHOMES
FOR CASH
Please contact
us for more details
We are based in Cheadle, Staffordshire offering you self drive
van hire fully insured!
Need a van to hire for a day or longer? Look no further than
Staffordshire Vehicle Hire!
We offer quick and affordable self-drive hire with exceptional
customer service!
Located in Cheadle, Staffordshire ST10 1UR we’re your go-to
choice for van hire in Staffordshire!
But wait there’s more…
We’ve got you covered with 24hr breakdown cover included as
standard on all our vans! Your peace of mind is our top priority.
M 07974 999990
T 01889 566456
T 01538 751714
M 07359 640377
T 01889 566456

66a High Street, Uttoxeter,
Staffordshire ST14 7JD
37-39 Compton, Ashbourne,
Derbyshire DE6 1BX
For 24 hour attention call
01889 564086 / 01335 345120
www.aslaterandsons.co.uk
www.facebook.com/a.slater&sons
Dedicating over 100 years service to
providing exceptional care for our families
Cheadle & District Animal Welfare Society • Reg Charity 1039350
New laws on microchipping
come into effect
B
y 10th June 2024
it will be a legal
requirement for
all cats from the age of
20 weeks to be
microchipped and
registered on a database.
Failure to do so could
result in a fine of £500.
Even if your cat is an
indoor cat it must be
microchipped.
The microchipping
of cats will help them to
be reunited with their
families should they get
lost, but it is most
important that the details on their chip is kept up to date. If you change your
phone number, email address or postal address you need to contact the microchip
company. Sometimes cats are brought in as strays and are microchipped but the
owners details are out of date so the cat cannot be reunited and ends up having to
be found a new home.
It is also important to get your cat neutered. Cat rescues up and down the
country are full of unwanted cats who started life as adorable little kittens, but the
people who wanted them as kittens no longer wanted them once they grew into
adult cats. Unneutered cats are also more likely to pick up and pass on some nasty
feline diseases for which there is no cure. If you need help with getting your cat
neutered please get in touch. We may be able to help.
Myrtle, the very shy cat, who was mentioned in the last edition of The Voice,
has been offered a home. We are so grateful to The Voice for its role in finding her
a new home. It is a great relief to have a happy ending. We still have many other
cats waiting for their forever homes. If you are interested in giving a loving home
to an adult cat please look on our website – cheadleanimalwelfare.org.uk or ring
01335 390369 or 01889 564045.
Daisy
Diana

21

Cheadle Flower Club
C
headle Flower Club’s March
meeting was a demonstration
by Eleanor Davis from
Oswestry with the title ‘Not just a
bunch of flowers’ based on a low
budget and using mainly
supermarket bought flowers.
Our Club Chairman Sheila Jones
welcomed members and visitors to
our meeting, everyone was thrilled
to see many new faces at our club.
Eleanor’s demonstration began
using a £5 bunch of white roses
placed between two pieces of oasis
covered and pinned with Laurel
leaves, creating a beautiful simple
display.
An Easter arrangement using a
hessian covered wooden base and
sisal covered recycled baked bean
tins containing a variety of spring
coloured tulips. An Easter bunny
centrally placed completed this stunning seasonal arrangement.
A glass candelabra with an attached wicker wreath used just pink Arum lilies in
the next arrangement, showing just how beautiful this can be with simply one type
of flower.
Next a tall black vase held just five Gerberas again demonstrating how stunning
and elegant arrangements can be using just one flower species.
A spring design of two homemade paper mache eggs held pussywillow, yellow
gerbera, lisianthus, hyacinth, daffodils, tulips and hellebores thus resulting in a
gorgeous display.
The grand finale was designed on a bowl covered with pink ribbon holding a
variety of pink flowers including chrysanthemums, lilies, carnations, viburnum and
pink roses giving a vibrant and beautiful array of colour.
Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful demonstration, Eleanor taught us
there is no need to spend a huge amount on flowers when stunning arrangements
can be created from very few flowers.
If you require information on how to join Cheadle Flower Club, contact
Chairman Sheila on 07974577572 or email sheilajones53@hotmail.com
Kate Kniveton MP
visits school to discuss
local SEND provision
K
ate Kniveton, Member of Parliament for Burton and Uttoxeter, visited St
Mary’s Church of England (A) First School in Uttoxeter to meet with staff
and pupils. The local MP met with Head Teacher, Jo Moult, and the School
Governor with specific responsibility for special educational needs and disabilities
(SEND), Jennifer Brassington. Ms Brassington had invited Ms Kniveton to tour the
school and its SEND hub as well as to discuss the provision of SEND services within
Staffordshire.
Since her election, Kate Kniveton has championed parents of children with
SEND, helping them to access the support their child needs and spoken in the House
of Commons for the need for quicker assessments for Education, Health and Care
Plans (EHCPs) to help fund support services.
The local MPs visit to St. Mary’s coincided with World Book Day, for which staff
and pupils had dressed up as their favourite book characters. Ms Kniveton praised
the pupils for their creative costumes.
Commenting, Kate Kniveton MP: “It was lovely to visit St Mary’s Church of
England First School and meet with staff and pupils as they engaged with World
Book Day.
“I am grateful to Ms Brassington for the invite to meet with her and Headteacher,
Jo Moult, to discuss SEND provision locally. The school is a real asset for local
children with SEND needs and the support they provide to both pupils and parents.
I will continue to do all I can to ensure that provision is increased locally and that
SEND children are able to access the assessments and support they need in a timely
manner.”
U
ttoxeter-based glass artist Joy Salt
of JOYSOFGLASS gets an exciting boost for
her business from Theo Paphitis.
Joy was incredibly proud to be personally presented
by Theo with her award, at the SBS Conference at the
ICC in Birmingham recently.
Business and retail entrepreneur and self-confessed
Shopkeeper, Theo re‐tweeted Joy Salt’s message to his
over 500,000 Twitter and Instagram followers and as a
result, joysofglass.co.uk has many more followers and
extra orders for her stained and fused glass products.
Her business is also profiled on the #SBS website
(www.theopaphitissbs.com) that is exclusive to all
Small Business Sunday winners.
Joy said, “I’m a small business, a glass artist,
working from home in my garden studio (aka garage)
doing what I love. Making stained glass suncatchers
and fused glass jewellery and small decorative pieces.
My name is Joy and glass is indeed my Joy ! I’ve been
making my glass since 2008 when I attended a stained
glass course at the WI Oxfordshire based, Denman
Collage as part of an Awards for all scheme from my
Leigh & District WI.
A hobby soon became an absolute passion and I can
be found at my glass work bench most days doing what
I love so much. Fortunately, over the years I have built
up a good online following for my glass and via my own
JOYSOFGLASS website and my online shops I have a
steady flow of lovely customers for my glass work. This
means I can always find the excuse to make more. I
have an extensive range of designs to hopefully ensure
I have something for everyone, every taste and every
occasion. I attend the occasional local event, craft and
Christmas fairs as it is so lovely to meet my customers
face to face but I mainly sell online.
On the British Crafthouse platform, which is
curated / handmade in Britain so restricted to the very
best of British, I have two shops:
thebritishcrafthouse.co.uk/shop/joysofglass/ for
stained glass and /thebritishcrafthouse.co.uk/
shop/joysofglass-FUSED/ for all my fused glass work.
It was Susan Bonnar, the founder of the British
Crafthouse who encouraged me to apply
for the SBS award and I am absolutely
delighted that she did and so very proud
to have won it.
I also have shops on Folksy and on
Buy Indie.
It is so wonderful to have support
from Theo and the SBS community to
raise my business profile and Theo has
recognised my passion for my work and
helped spread the word about what I do
to his following.”
Small business champion and Ryman
Stationery, Robert Dyas and Boux
Avenue Chairman, Theo Paphitis, said:
“We are thrilled to welcome new #SBS
members every week and highlight just
how important it is to support our small
businesses here in the UK. My vision is
that everyone who has ever won an #SBS
re-tweet from me becomes part of a
friendly club; like-minded individuals
who can share successes and learnings.
The website will also give a valuable
profile to the winners chosen and I
wish JOYSOFGLASS every success.”
Anyone looking for a re‐tweet from Theo should
tweet on Twitter or do an Instagram post to him about
their business on Sunday between 5 PM and 7.30 PM
and include the hashtag #SBS. Six lucky businesses are
re‐tweeted every Monday at 8 PM and then invited to
enter their profile on the new website, attend the
annual #SBS networking event and take advantage of
the networking opportunities.
Former TV Dragons Den Star Theo
brings sheer‘Joy’for glass artist

Materials in bulk bag or loose
Type 1 stone
Recycled concrete
Sharp sand
Fill sand
Ballast
Topsoil
2nd grade soil
Compost
Bark
Woodchip
Decorative aggregates
Cotswold gravel
Plum state
Golden gravel
Black ice gravel
Plant hire
Diggers from 1-15 tonne
Dumpers from 0.5-9 tonne
Crushers
Tractor and Trailer Hire
Woodchippers
Pedestrian and ride on
rollers
Plate wackers
Foot wackers
Stihl saws
Breakers
Mixers
Post knocker
T: 01889 622005
W: www.wngp.co.uk
Plant hire
and materials
supplier
WNGP Ltd operate as a fully
equipped plant hire and materials
company.
Supplying machinery and aggregates
to building sites and the general
public at a great and affordable price.
We are uttoxeter based and supply to
Staffordshire/Derbyshire areas.
Whatever it is you require, we will be
happy to help.
Please contact us on the details below.
Kingstone WI’s
March Meeting
C
hris Copp, Collections Manager at Staffordshire Archives & Heritage, was
warmly welcomed as the speaker at Kingstone WI’s March meeting. His talk
was to be on Rural Trades and Crafts very appropriate for a group of practical
ladies, many of whom had a farming background. The interest of the members of
his audience was sparked immediately as Chris set out a fascinating array of tools
and gadgets, most of which were completely strange and unrecognisable to them.
After introducing himself, the speaker described how the Collection would be
finding a new home in the exciting Staffordshire History Centre to be opened later
this year. This project would bring together three incredible collections, from the
Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service, the County Museum and the
William Salt Library, creating imaginative ways to connect Staffordshire people and
their stories.
And so, on to the display of the twenty weird and wonderful objects set out at
the front of the hall. Rather than sit and be talked at, the audience was involved from
the beginning in examining, handling and exploring each contraption. This took the
form of a light-hearted quiz, where individually or working in groups, the conclusion
for each implement’s use was recorded. Most people were familiar with the stone
hot-water bottle, a couple of farmer’s wives recognized the wooden carcass hanger,
used as a yoke to hang a pig on after it had been killed, but the complicated metal
thingamajig, which was revealed to be a pigeon ringer, defeated everyone! (I probably
shouldn’t have divulged all that in case anyone reading this is fortunate enough to
hear Chris’s talk at a later date!)
After appreciation was shown to Chris for such an entertaining and informative
part of the meeting, light refreshments were served as usual and members had the
opportunity to book for several excellent events coming up in the next couple of
months. These including SFWI’s Spring Event at the County Showground, with three
very appealing speakers, a members’ lunch in the Community Room, cooked by
Team Presidents Jean Gallimore and Val Laflin, and a Birthday Lunch at Marsh Farm
in May to celebrate Kingstone WI’s 106th birthday. A Members’ Afternoon Tea, with
a film, was a format that had proved to be extremely popular last year and members
were asked to suggest films they would like to see in the future.
For more information on Kingstone WI, please contact:
secretarykingstonewi@gmail.com. Visitors are always welcome
www.vestryuttoxeter.com
info@vestryuttoxeter.com • 01889 44 11 44
Springfield Road, Uttoxeter ST14 8JZ
£10GIFT VOUCHER
With your first visit!
T&Cs apply. See website for details.

25
My love of Life, Camping & Caravanning
by John Willmore of Cheadle
John continues his series of articles ‘My Love of Life,
Camping & Caravanning’ as he begins to get used to
a new life…
So, having our first touring caravanning holiday
under our belt, it had been a little stressful but we
survived the tow back from Rhyl in 1976…
So, 1977 was looming, so what would we do for that
year for a holiday?
Once again, Roy Beardmore came to our rescue by
letting us borrow his caravan again, but this time he
said pick it up and go where you want!
Barmouth was recommended to us and one at Taly-
Bont which was Mr Evans’ site. So we set off for there
– the journey was very pleasant but on arriving, the Site
Manager said they were full up!!
Oh dear what now! But the conversation had been
overheard by the site owner Mr Evans and he asked
where we had travelled from.
We explained we had travelled from Cheadle,
Stoke-on-Trent, and he instructed the Manager to find
us a pitch somewhere, which he did, in a very nice spot.
It was a lovely, sunny day but that night we had a
very bad storm, so bad that tents that were set up in a
field close-by blew away!! As it was, no-one was hurt
but it would spoil those folks’ holidays, very sad.
We were grateful for being in Roy’s caravan and we
were safe thank goodness…
But it continued to rain for the next three days, not
good for a beach holiday! So on the Wednesday we
decided to make our way back home, but on the
journey we stopped off at Bala Lake.
The sun came out again and we were sitting by the
water’s edge when a gentleman asked us how we were
doing. We replied ‘better now the sun is out.’ We
relayed to him what we had experienced at Taly Bont
and he invited us to go with him to a site he was
stopping at up the road.
So that’s what we did, being made very welcome by
all there. This was when we realised there is a real
community spirit amongst campers and caravanners.
We spent the rest of the holiday there and the sun
shone all week.
So that was our holiday taken care of in 1977, what
will 1978 bring forth?
More next time in the next issue of The Voice
colour magazine…
From the Mash Tun
by Graham Shenton
I
n my last piece I talked about the closure of the
Shrewsbury and Talbot in Uttoxeter. This got me
thinking about the closure of pubs in villages and
the impact that that can have on a rural community.
Just recently Marchington had a spell with none of it’s
pubs open. Thankfully the Dog and Partridge is open
again and serving decent ale and food. There’s also talk
of progress in re-opening the Bull’s Head. It’s not that
long ago that Marchington had 3 excellent boozers
including the Blacksmiths under the stewardship of one
Kenny Burns. With Mac at the Bull serving some of the
best Pedigree on the planet who would have thought
that within a generation there would be nowhere to buy
a pint albeit for a short time
Elsewhere in our rural communities’ things are not
so good. The Hare and Hounds in Stramshall looks as
though it has definitely served its last pint. For some
time it has been a curious mix of guest house, Tea
Rooms and ‘pop-up’ pub but now it’s up for sale as a
residential property. Gone for good then unless you
have three quarters of a million and a great deal of
courage. Similarly, the Blythe is also closed and up for
sale. Another pub famed for it’s ‘Lock-ins’ and more
latterly excellent carveries. Unlike the pubs in
Marchington the Hare and Hounds and Blythe were the
only pubs in their village and now the villagers will
have to travel further afield. Just imagine being
influenced to buy a property in a village by the
availability of a village pub only to find that a few years
down the line it closes. It’s already happened in
Scropton and there is currently not much sign of the
Vernon Arms re-opening in Sudbury. Let’s hope the
Vernon’s and Bull are open again ASAP!
The residents of Kingstone stood by and re-
financed their local and look what a huge success
community funding proved to be in that case. The
Shrew is a massive success story and deserves
continued support from the wider community and not
just the ‘locals’. Well-done the folk of Kingstone.
On a truly sad note we have heard of the passing of
Birdy, one half of the team that resurrected the Red
Lion at Checkley and reinstated it as the beating heart
of that village. Birdy and Sue have re-established the
Lion as a great boozer with great food and beer and lots
of ‘events’. As I understand it Birdy’s son and Sue will
continue to run the pub and they are certainly
deserving of everyone’s support. I have inserted into
this article a photo of Birdy and Sue being awarded the
CAMRA pub of the season award in 2022.
I noted last time that I had finished reading Peter
Vaughan’s autobiography and that I had deposited it in
the library/phone box at the top of Westlands road. I
was curious to see if anyone had ‘borrowed’ it and to
my great delight I went back up there a couple of weeks
ago and it was no longer there. Brilliant! In the
meantime, Jim Phillips has found Peter Vaughan’s
autograph and former Mayor Alan Chapman has
contacted me with some interesting gossip about the
Ohm (Vaughan’s original name) family’s time in
Uttoxeter. Now Alan was a fine Mayor of Uttoxeter, but
I think Jim Phillips would have made a better one!
The CAMRA away day in Bakewell on Saturday
March 16th was a huge success the highlight being a
long stay at the Thornbridge Brewery. Their most
famous beer is Jaipur which was Camra’s Champion
beer of Britain in the strong bitter category in 2008 and
2010. Their expansion on the back of the success of
Jaipur has been dramatic and their tap house in
Bakewell is well worth a visit. Larger groups need to
book in advance. Our next CAMRA trip is back to Leek
on 8th June. Anyone interested pop into the Night Inn
or the UBC. This is open to all and not just to CAMRA
members.
A few of us also revisited Tamworth recently and
spent a couple of hours in the Tamworth Tap. CAMRA
recently announced that the Tap was their National Pub
of the Year for the 2nd year running. That is a fantastic
accolade as only once before has a pub achieved this
honour, that pub being the Kelham Island Tavern in
Sheffield. So well done to George and his team. As the
weather improves (cannot remember where I read
that?) it’s a good time to visit the Tap which has a huge.
attractive beer garden overlooking Tamworth Castle
Finally, we have lost another old friend since the last
issue. Barrie Wain was without a doubt one of the finest
footballers produced by the town in the last century.
He actually passed away during the Cheltenham
Festival and it might have even been on a crib night.
Barrie had been in our party that visited Cheltenham
on the Wednesday of each year until recently. Like Bill
Shaw who passed last year he loved his football, horse
racing and Crib, a true all-rounder. RIP Barrie.
PS apologies to Philip Atkins OBE as I spelt his
name incorrectly in the last instalment. Feedback this
month from Mayors and County Councillors. Eat your
heart out Judith Chalmers.
Shent

T
he Uttoxeter Walking Club was formed in 1978 with an initial membership
of 12. Since then it has enjoyed a steady growth and today we have over 40
members. Initially the club organized walks in the local area including the
Derbyshire Peaks but it did not take long for a more adventurous programme to be
developed, including longer day trips and weekends.
There are a variety of walks on the programme Saturdays, Sundays and
occasionally weekdays. The walks vary from short 4- 6 miles over easy terrain,
moderate walks of about 8 – 10 miles or more strenuous high- level walks. Shorter
walks tend to be within a fifteen mile radius of Uttoxeter travelling further in to the
Peak district for the longer walks.
In 2022 we completed the Derwent Valley Heritage trail and are now about one
third of the way round the Peak District Boundary Walk.
The club operates a car share policy to reduce the number of vehicles on the road
and taking up valuable car park spaces. This also reduces costs to drivers and non-
drivers can access new areas.
The programme is flexible so all details of walks, meeting points, and start times
are published monthly on the website, and on posters in Uttoxeter library and
Waitrose.
A coach away day is organised each year.. In previous years coach trips have been
toStamford, the Lake District, North Wales, Malvern. Ludlow, Llangollen Haworth
and Ironbridge. In 2019 members enjoyed a day out to The Wrekin and Iron bridge
Gorge World Heritage Site. Occasionally we organise a weekend away, these have
included, Wales, Scotland (Ben Nevis) Yorkshire, Shropshire, Isle of Wight and the
Lake District.
2018 was the 40th anniversary of the Club – a social evening was organised so
members could bring memorabilia and reminisce and the inaugural walk was
repeated with some founder members joining in.
The club has an A.G.M for members to put forward their suggestions for how
the club should be managed and what activities they would like to organise.
Uttoxeter Walking Club are associate members of National Ramblers with all the
support that goes with that particularly insurance and including guidance for safety
on walks and keeping footpaths open by reporting damaged or closed footpaths.
Non members are welcome to attend one walk free to try us, before paying the
subscription, currently £10 per year. This is a great way of exploring the countryside,
appreciating everything in nature, sharing experiences with friends old and new and
walking in areas you may not visit individually, all age groups are welcome.
www.uttoxeterwalkingclub.co.uk
Uttoxeter Walking Club News…
Beaston Tor
Along the River Dove

27

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
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
Taps n Toilets
est. 2007
Popular
Deal
Sagittarius
Forme
Kitchen Tap.
RRP £130.
Supplied
and fitted
for £150.
SPECIALISTS IN TAP SUPPLY, FITTING AND
REPAIR. TOILET REPAIRS AND MORE.
Contact Andy on 07971 077283
Email: aslkpumbing@gmail.com
Ear wax
removal service
Tracy Slack
Ear Wax Removal Specialist
Home Visits Available
Call 07969 186504
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
Old Coins 4 Cash
Release cash in your old coins
• Pre-Decimal Coins • Proof Sets
• Silver and Gold Coins
• World Coins • Banknotes
• Hammered Coins
• Early Milled Coins
The easiest and fastest way to sell your
coins or banknotes - from single coins to
whole collections!
Tel: 07999 869897
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
If your home does
not receive a voice
magazine through
our massive door to
door distribution
service - you can
pick up a Voice
colour magazine
from the following
local important
outlets:
• Alton
Newsagents and
Post Office,
Smithy Bank,
Alton ST10 4AA
• The Uttoxeter
Shop, 40 Market
Place,
Uttoxeter ST14
8HP
• Uttoxeter Leisure
Centre
• Oldfields Sports
Club
• Doveridge Post
Office And Stores
• Doveridge Club
• Rocester Spar
Shop
• Rocester Premier
Shop
• Ashbourne Road
Post Office,
Cheadle
• Wardle Travel,
Cheadle
• Cheadle Post
Office On
Cheadle Car Park
• Blake Hall
Fisheries
• Denstone Hall
Farm Shop
• And Local Pubs
and Restaurants
Don’t miss out! Pick
up The Voice at any
of these outlets
now!!!
Dry Lining • Boarding • Skimming
Patching • Damp Proofing
Insurance Work Specialist • No job too small
Professional and reliable service
Contact Mark today for a free quotation
07583 879185
mwplastering92@hotmail.com
MW
PLASTERING
SMOOTHLY DOES IT

29
T
hroughout April and May, No 42 Interiors, 9 Market Place, Uttoxeter will be
hosting an exhibition of works by Staffordshire based wildlife sculptor Elliot
Channer. The Uttoxeter interior design showroom will be displaying around
ten of Elliot’s works as they return from being exhibited at the World Garden Expo
in Dubai.
Having studied at the City & Guilds of London Art School, Elliot has been a
professional wildlife sculptor since 2013, the main focus of his art being birds,
sculpted in clay and cast in bronze.
Focussing on capturing the elegance and movement of the subject with
instinctive mark making, Elliot’s work has been exhibited at numerous prestigious
venues, including The Chelsea Flower Show, Affordable Art Fairs and Berkshire Polo
Club. As well as galleries across the UK.
At No 42 Interiors 18th century showroom, Elliot’s work will sit alongside the
array of luxury furniture, lighting and soft furnishings that form the bespoke design
service offered by owner Catherine.
www.elliotchanner.co.uk
www.no42interiors.co.uk
Exhibition of sculpture by Elliot Channer
at No. 42 Interiors in Uttoxeter

New Corporate Plan
Adopted for the Year Ahead
F
ollowing a full Council meeting on Monday 18th March 2024, East
Staffordshire Borough Council has adopted a refreshed Corporate Plan, which
outlines how the Council will deliver and build upon its many services and
how it will support residents over the next 12 months.
The refreshed Corporate Plan illustrates the achievements from the past 12
months, and details how East Staffordshire Borough Council will continue to deliver
its corporate priorities over the forthcoming year.
The 2024/25 Corporate Plan outlines East Staffordshire Borough Council’s five
overarching corporate priorities:
• Improving Local Democracy
• Creating a Prosperous East Staffordshire
• Developing a Green New Deal for East Staffordshire
• Protecting Our Heritage
• Standing up for our Communities
A number of other objectives for 2024/25 are also set out, including the
regeneration of Uttoxeter, including both the former Co-op site and the Maltings
site, the Council’s commitment to tackling envirocrime, and many more. All of these
objectives can be found in detail in the Corporate Plan found on the Council’s
website.
Cllr Michael Fitzpatrick, Leader of the Council, said: “I am glad to see the
refreshed Corporate Plan be approved for the year ahead. This updated plan aims
to show our residents, partners and staff, the Council’s intentions during 2024/25.”
“The last year has seen the Council deliver a number of services with aims of
creating a prosperous East Staffordshire. This past year saw the Council commission
a ‘Cost of Living Advisor Service’ from the third sector to provide budgeting support
to struggling households, helping connect them to other existing community
services.”
“The Council has also undertaken a range of work towards ensuring the right to
food, including the provision of funding for free food providers and community
centres for the development of Community Kitchens. This initiative intends to find
a community led solution which helps to address nutrition and food poverty in local
areas.”
The newly adopted Corporate Plan can be viewed in full on the Council’s website.

31
Shutters and Blinds, manufactured and installed in the UK, 3 weeks lead time.
Call 01889 226287 to arrange your free survey and quotation.
www.blindsandshutters2u.com
Gillian 07928 556552
Tuesday 9.30am and 11am - St Mary’s Catholic Church
Hall, Balance Street, Uttoxeter ST14 8JB
Tuesday 5pm and 6.30pm - Windsor Park CE Middle
School, Springfield Road, Uttoxeter ST14 7JX
Jackie 07896 214458
Wednesday 5pm and 6.30pm - Greatwood Hall,
Hollington Road Tean ST10 4JY
Thursday 9.30am - Cheadle New Life Church
37 Tape Street, Cheadle ST10 1BG
Jayne 07939 987829
Saturday 8am and 9.30am - St Mary’s Catholic
Church Hall, Balance Street, Uttoxeter ST14 8JB
St Giles’Catholic Primary
School ranks among the
top 200 schools in the
country for multiplication
S
t Giles’
Catholic
Primary
School, in
Cheadle, has
received a letter of
congratulations
from the Minister
for Schools for it’s
outstanding results
with students
learning and
understanding
their times tables.
The school
averaged a score of
24.1 out of 25,
placing it in the
top 200 schools for
it’s results.
The letter, from Rt Hon Damian Hinds, MP, states, “Knowing times tables is
vital for school and day-to-day life. Recalling multiplication and division facts up
to 12x12 is important for progression in Maths… I would like both to congratulate
your staff and pupils for their hard work and to thank you for your leadership in
continuing to promote the important subject of mathematics.”
Mrs Gill Wretham, Executive Principal at St Giles’ said, “We are delighted to
have received this letter as recognition of our outstanding results. At St Giles’, we
always aim to make learning as engaging as possible and really try to bring all
elements of the curriculum to life.
To be in the top 200 schools with our multiplication checks is a wonderful
achievement. With approximately 16,780 primary schools in the country, this
places us firmly in the top 2%.”

01538 752232 / 07866 558376
www.djclettings.co.uk
deborah@djclettings.co.uk
The Perfect Choice for
Landlords and Tenants
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:
Tenants
Waiting
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
A warm welcome
awaits you at
Church Leigh
Post Office
Park Hall Lane, Church Leigh ST10 4PT
01889 502655
Serving the local
village community
A loving
tribute
GP GRAVESTONES & MEMORIALS
07790 957346
www.gpgravestones.com
WHEEL ‘N’ TYRESLTD
Performance Tyre Centre
WE FIT TYRES ON YOUR DRIVE
PUBLIC • BUSINESS • FARM CALL-OUTS
Unit A, Brookhouses Industrial
Estate, Cheadle ST10 1SR
01538 755100
BATTERIES • BRAKES
EXHAUSTS • TYRES
Personal Service and Advice
Uttoxeter
Lions Den
roars back
into action
U
ttoxeter Lions’ Den is
a fun event and
provides a great
opportunity for people to
promote their scheme or share
their project with others.
Following last year’s
successful event, and the
subsequent awards to local
worthy causes, The Den is
back to help a bigger and
wider audience. It provides
funds to support local good
causes and people most in
need. It is open to local
charities, groups and
individuals. All we ask is that
bids have a strong civic or
welfare component.
The Den has so far
supported a wide range or
organisations including:-
Schools, mental health teams,
The Town band, Care homes,
Scouts and many many more.
There are no specific
application criteria. Those
wishing to bid, please make
the application before 30th
July 2024.
The Support Request form
is available to download at the
website
www.uttoxeterlions.co.uk
Successful applicants will be
invited to attend the Lions’
Den.
Send any requests for
further information or
completed forms to email
lionsden@uttoxeterlions.
co.uk
LOOKING FOR A VENUE FOR
YOUR SPECIAL OCCASION?
Choose The Fully Refurbished Cheadle Cricket Club
Function Room!
• Located in a beautiful setting • Very Competitive Rates • Fully Licensed
PERFECT FOR
• Christenings • Birthday Parties • Funerals • Retirements • Group Meetings
• Anniversaries • Sports Presentation Evenings • Wedding Receptions
• Corporate Functions
BOOK YOUR SPECIAL OCCASION EVENT NOW!
For Enquiries and Bookings Telephone Lisa on 07974183285
Choose The Fully Refurbished CHEADLE CRICKET CLUB FUNCTION ROOM

Everyone
lovesTheVoice
33
C
hurnet Valley Voices is a brand-new
community choir for adults in the Staffordshire
Moorlands. The choir meets on Thursday
evenings from 7pm till 9pm at the Kingsley Holt
Centre, Churnet Valley Road, Kingsley Holt, ST10
2BQ.
The songs that are sung are extremely varied,
ranging from hits from the 1950s up to the present day.
Sessions are fun and informal, with no commitment,
no requirement to attend every week, no pressure, no
music to read or words to memorise. It is for adults of
all generations. Just bring yourself and your
enthusiasm. You don’t even have to be able to sing, as
our emphasis is on community, companionship and
fun.
Sessions cost £5 per person, which includes
refreshments, before and during the session.
The choir is led by Nick Jones, Nick is a Grade 8-
standard pianist and a qualified teacher (with over 26
years’ experience of teaching all subjects in mainstream
and special needs settings), he also has a qualification
in community mental health.
He explained ‘I have loved singing since the age of
3. Music, art and craft have always been a real passion
of mine and I have used these to work
with people of all ages, nationalities and
walks of life, as a form of therapy and
relaxation. I practice meditation and
mindfulness-thinking and use these to
promote positive mental health, not
only for myself, but also for those with
whom I work.’
Nick has sang in and led various
choirs for over 26 years in school,
college, cafe, community and church
settings and knows what a powerful
medium singing is for improving self
esteem and mental health.
Nick continued ‘I created ‘Churnet Valley Voices’
to promote enthusiasm, positive mental health and a
sense of community for people who can sing or lack
confidence in having an ability to sing. Although
winter isn’t the ideal time to begin a new venture, we
have been keen to get going and very much look
forward to welcoming new members as spring grows
ever closer and the warmer weather and lighter
evenings gradually arrive. Many new friendships have
already developed and flourish each week.’
Kingsley Holt Centre (ST10 2BQ) is ideally situated
for members from the local towns and villages and
beyond, with fantastic facilities and ample parking,
where a toasty-warm and very informal singing session
awaits anyone interested in joining us.
Still ‘Making your mind up?’ If you’re ‘In the mood
for dancing’, fancy coming ‘Downtown’ and think ‘I
believe’ I’d like to go to that, why not give it a try?
The Kingsley Holt Centre is a community owned
Centre in the village of Kingsley Holt providing a range
of activities and events for the local community. Visit
their website www.kingsleyholtcentre.co.uk or
Facebook page for more information on events and
activities at the Centre.
Churnet Valley Voices
The
Bungalow,
Wood Farm
Great Gate, Nr Tean,
Stoke on Trent
ST10 4HF
Sunday 9 June
11.30am - 5pm
Adults £5 Children free
Tea, coffee and cakes for sale inc
gluten and dairy free options.
More information at ngs.org.uk

John’s Jottings
by John Smith of Tean
Arriving at Normy
N
ormy – formally known as Normanton
Grammar School – was based in a small town
in West Yorkshire. The establishment, along
with the adjoining Girls High School, was the
predominant building in the town. Established in 1592
under the motto ‘Learn to be free’, it was an imposing
long dark building – some modern additions but
retaining much of its earlier development.
Despite living in a village, equidistant between
Barnsley and Wakefield, Normanton was the only
available Grammar School to our locality – obscure but
so be it…
Now to the dreaded 11+…
I was a member of the junior school ‘top class’ but
frankly a moderate performer at that level. There was
a family expectation that Normy was my destiny – no
pressure then…! Additionally, as the son of the village
police sergeant, moving to the local Secondary Modern
in the village would have proved a nightmare with a
number of older ‘local lads’ presenting a threat…
I failed miserably in the ‘mock’ exams, only
completing 26 of the arithmetic questions, albeit
performing well in the other two elements.
Dad was an acquaintance of my teacher and her
husband and arranged that I would be provided with a
series of test papers to improve my arithmetical speed
and capability. I later found that this facility was
provided to a small number of my school friends…
mmm… perhaps selectivity was not necessarily
unbiased?
It was sometime in July or August that the letter
arrived announcing that I had acquired a place at
Normanton GS. This was accompanied by an extensive
list of required uniform, sports kit and a series of strict
rules pertaining to expected discipline and behaviour.
Alongside an invite to attend an induction meeting
some weeks later.
I recall my father looking at said list and drawing a
sharp breath. Blazer, shirts, trousers, socks, school cap
and an equally long requirement for two sports shirts,
shorts and a ‘jock strap’. A naïve 11 year-old asked him
was that was for. ‘Protection’ was all he replied.
Mum, Dad and I attended the presentation and
were confronted with the Headmaster – John
Hamilton. My God, he was a fearsome beast, dressed
in cap and gown and explaining in no uncertain terms
his expectations of the incoming students. I later learnt
that he had been a war hero, leading a group of colonial
soldiers in Africa. I also began to understand that
Normy was still embracing many ‘old school’
approaches – all teachers in gowns and adhering to a
strong and unforgiving approach to discipline – not my
best approach to life at that time…
So we arrived at Day 1 equipped in new clothes and
cap carrying a shiny satchel on a long lead – soon to
learn that this needed to be shortened to fit the ‘pupil
code’.
At that time we travelled by train to the school (later
on coaches) and followed a stream of older boys for the
short walk through estates and alleyways.
Assembly followed and once again a tirade by
Hamilton on his expectations! We were sub-divided
into classes – I was in class 1A which initially impressed
my Dad until I explained that the allocation was
random and not capability.
And so commenced my first year… more of
‘Normy’ later…
Ginny’s Community Corner
by Ginny Gibson of Uttoxeter
A
n Art group and Bramshall Village Hall have
been linked together since 2001. Every
Wednesday between 9.30am – 12 noon a group
of like-minded people get together in the Village Hall
to create artistic projects and share tips and techniques
with each other.
Arthur Tindle, representing the Art Group, greeted
me with a warm welcome and told me about how it all
started and what the Group hopes to bring to its
members. “The Art Group was set up in 2001 by two
ladies – one of them is still a member. Other interested
ladies were found and eventually there were enough to
start the Group. Initially, it was purely for watercolour
painting, but now encompasses many other mediums.
The number of members gradually increased and there
are currently 25 members”. He added, “We are able to
share our varied techniques with each other, but not in
a class format, so there is no teacher. Instead, it all
happens in a friendly supportive atmosphere”.
However, Arthur mentioned that the Group do also,
occasionally, organise Workshops, when a professional
artist is invited to come and demonstrate their
techniques and guide members through an art project.
Looking around the room at the ladies and
gentlemen, all with their individual creative projects in
front of them, happily chatting away to each other and
exchanging ideas was an absolute joy. There is
something very special about being in a room where
artists are enjoying themselves and supporting each
other, Arthur encouraged me to talk to other members
about their experience of the group and they kindly
gave me the following comments:
“I joined because I was ill and painting helped me
recover, the group is brilliant”
“Lovely social group with a great deal of
encouragement for each other”
“Motivates me to keep doing art by being in the
group”
“Painted all my life from O Level, I’m now 86yrs old
and not going to stop
now, I joined in 2007 and
have enjoyed every
minute”
“Painting with like-
minded people each week
is inspiring”
“I’ve been coming
since 2004 as I live in the
village and they are a nice
group to belong too”
“It’s my dedicated
time to be creative, it’s the
only place I paint”
Walking around the
room I noticed the wide
range of projects that
were being tackled. It
was evident that
Members were using lots of different art styles and
techniques, so the skills that they could share with each
other was immense. They were using a vast array of art
materials including, watercolour, pastels, oils, acrylics,
graphite pencils and coloured pencils.
Each year The Group hold two art exhibitions, the
first is in Bramshall Village Hall and, this year, that will
take place on 29th – 30th June. The second exhibition
is in Lichfield’s Guildhall, on Bore Street, Lichfield on
26th October. Both exhibitions are advertised widely
to encourage visitors to come along and see the work
of the Art Group and, maybe, buy some of the artwork
on display.
On leaving the Parish Hall, I felt very grateful that
the original two ladies had set up such an inspiring Art
Group - it clearly brings boundless joy to its members.
To get in touch with the Group send an email to:
bramshallartgroup@btinternet.com or go to the
Bramshall Art Group’s Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/bramshall.artgroup/
Apology
T
he Voice failed to insert the correct
telephone number for The Repair Room in
Ginny’s Community Corner article in
Issue 121.
The Voice wholeheartedly apologies to Ginny,
The Repair Room and our readers for this error.
Here is the correct contact information:
The Repair Room is located in the Globe Eco
Centre, Old Mill, Church Street, Uttoxeter, ST14
8AG and their aim is “to reduce waste and
promote sustainability by extending the life of
items that might otherwise be thrown away.”
The contact details are: T: 01889 560 986
E: info@globefoundation.org.uk and they are
open for drop offs on Tues – Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm
or Sat 9:00am – 4:00pm, more details on their
website globefoundation.org.uk/repair-room/

35
All locksmith work undertaken from door
realignment to new locks and handles.
No call out charge.
MUCKY MUTTS
Qualified Dog
Groomers in Uttoxeter
Affordable friendly
service for
• Full Grooming
• De Shedding
• Bath Dry & Trim
• Nail Clipping
• Ears Cleaned
• Puppy cuts
For more information
please call
07785 374690
07960 486033
Please go to our website to see
our current funeral notices
www.jpkeatesandson.co.uk
Tel: 01538 752164
Director: Alan F. Sigley M.B.I.E. Dip FD
Bank House, 37 Bank Street Cheadle ST10 1NR
Company No. 9289748
Are you an ex Matelot,
Bootneck, Jenny, an Admiral,
Jimmy, Tankey, Bandy, Jack
Dusty, WAFU?
Fancy an evening ‘Swinging the
lamp’ and ‘Swopping dits’
Join us at the Bankhouse Hotel in Uttoxeter
every 2nd Wednesday of the month, 1930hrs
For details call Dave Emery on 01782 331730
or Mike Bell on 01889 563897
See how
The Voice
can
publicise
your
business
BookYour
Advert Now
for the June
26th issue
Give us a call on
01538 751629
or 07733 466 970
or Email:
uttoxetervoice@
hotmail.co.uk
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
biggest
best
The
and
the

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
If you are looking for somewhere to enjoy a
drink and meal and also admire the views, then
The Raddle Inn is the place for you!
If it’s a hearty meal our homemade cooking can
either be enjoyed in the bar area, conservatory or
our new Pods in the Beer Garden area.
Specials board changes daily
Quarry Bank, Hollington, near Alton Towers, ST10 4HQ
Telephone: 01889 507278
www.raddleinn.com
www.logcabin.co.uk
Pensioners Menu
Available 12-2pm
Monday To Saturday
3 Courses For £14.00
Or available separately
Starter £3.75,
Main Meal £7.50,
Dessert £3.75
Plant Hunters
Late middle aged and wrapped in purple, green and beige
They’ve parked and parted with their three pounds entrance fee
Reluctantly they join the queue and wait their turn
to poke around for plants that take their fancy
Now, shuffling along the line of stalls
Their noses blotched their rheumy eyes
Two swollen fingers point at plants they’ve never heard of
and how they love the artefacts and plastic garden ornaments
Cranesbills catch them unawares
How much are these? … What, each? Return them to the stand
And wander on past penstemons and pointy purple plants
To where the hostas hunker down and peep out of their pots
Ah here we are they chunter nudging through entanglements
Of withered men of certain age and women arm in arm
with their best friends or new home-owner newlyweds envisaging
their back yard gravel garden bordered out with bark chips
They stand there misty eyed momentarily unmoving
And salivating at the thought of steaming Sunday dinners
rush forward reaching for it drooling at the thought of
lamb bones, slathered up in great green jellied gobs of it
Mint
Contact Dean: deanbrindley@me.com
Sotto Voce
by Dean Brindley

37
Let The Uttoxeter Cheadle Voice take your business to local homes. To Advertise email uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk, phone 01538 751629 or 07733 466 970
O
n the 21st February we ladies of the Inner Wheel Club of
Uttoxeter held our Fellowship which was a Celebration of
our 79th Charter Anniversary. This was held this year, in
Denstone Village Hall, Nr Uttoxeter.
We invited all clubs in our District, our District Officers and
had a very good response, which resulted in us catering for
approximately 75 people.
Our guests included the Mayor of Uttoxeter, Helen Headech,
President Rotarian, David Rushton and Inner Wheel District
Chairman Wendy Barnard. Other members of Rotary and some of
our spouses also joined us. We served an afternoon tea of various
filled sandwiches and.delicious cakes while lots of chatter and
laughter ensued. It was a very joyous occasion.
A really interesting talk and Power Point presentation was given
by Mandy Ellis, titled “The Loyalist Royalists”. She and her family
and friends have travelled to London over many, many years to
attend almost every Royal Occasion, such as Weddings, funerals,
Trooping the Colour, our late Queen’s special Anniversaries and
her funeral,
They have camped on the pavements of The Mall, and
Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and anywhere they could
to get as close as possible to the Royal processions. Mandy
explained in detail with demonstrations by Dot and Margaret, as
to how the trips were planned and organised, because everything
they needed for the few days in London, living on the streets ,had
to be packed and carried and taken with them. It really was a work
of art. They are now planning for the next royal event.
We are now looking forward to next year when, amazingly,the
Inner Wheel Club of Uttoxeter will have been working to help
those in need, both at home and abroad for 80 years.
The Inner Wheel
Club of Uttoxeter
Fellowship
By Pat Wrathman
T
he crème-de-la-crème of Staffordshire tourism
and hospitality were crowned at this year’s Enjoy
Staffordshire Tourism and Good Food Awards,
held at The National Memorial Arboretum recently.
Over 300 guests saw a whole host of local
businesses collect awards, which included 3 titles for
East Staffordshire, with Hoar Cross Hall collecting
Hotel of the Year, The Duncombe Arms claiming Pub
of the Year and Nelson’s Distillery and Gin School
winning Experience of the Year.
There was also a special award for Outstanding
Contribution to Tourism in Staffordshire presented to
The Evans Family, owners of Denstone Hall Café
Farm Shop, near Uttoxeter, in recognition of their
unwavering commitment to protecting the
environment and supporting local food drink
producers.
Cllr Paul Walker, Cabinet Member for Tourism and
Cultural Development, said: “I was blown away by the
excellent quality of tourism and hospitality that was on
display at this year’s Enjoy Staffordshire Tourism and
Good Food Awards. All three of East Staffordshire’s
winners should be extremely proud of themselves and
this incredible achievement.”
Here’s the complete list of East Staffordshire
winners:
Ethical, Responsible Sustainable Tourism Award,
sponsored by Staffordshire University
• Hoar Cross Hall – Joint BRONZE
Experience of the Year, sponsored by Staffordshire
University
• Gin Still Experience, Nelson’s Distillery School
– GOLD
• Photography Workshop, Chappers Photography,
near Abbots Bromley – HIGHLY COMMENDED
Food Drink Retailer or Farm Shop of the Year
• Denstone Hall Farm Shop, near Uttoxeter –
SILVER
• Independent Restaurant of the Year, sponsored by
Stephensons Catering Supplies
• Hoar Cross Hall – Joint BRONZE
• Dovecliff Hall Hotel, near Burton upon Trent –
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Large Hotel of the Year, sponsored by Service Science
• Hoar Cross Hall – GOLD
New Tourism Business of the Year, sponsored by
Staffordshire County Council
• The Boat House Kitchen Bakery by Pom’s,
Barton Marina – SILVER
Pub of the Year
• The Duncombe Arms, Ellastone – GOLD
Small Hotel of the Year, sponsored by Stephensons
Catering Supplies
• Walnut House, The Duncombe Arms, Ellastone –
GOLD
• Dovecliff Hall Hotel, near Burton upon Trent –
SILVER
Tea Room Coffee Shop of the Year
• Denstone Hall Café, near Uttoxeter – Joint
BRONZE
Unsung Hero Award, sponsored by Newcastle
Stafford Colleges Group
• Lea Sherratt, Dovecliff Hall Hotel, near Burton
upon Trent – BRONZE
For a complete guide to all the winners, visit:
discovereaststaffordshire.com/tourism-award-
winners-announced-at-glittering-event/
East Staffordshire Businesses Celebrate Success
at County Tourism Good Food Awards

38 If you are responding to an advertisement in The Uttoxeter Cheadle Voice, please let the advertiser know. Thank you for your support.
The funeral service of James ‘Barrie’ Wain took place on Tuesday, 9th
April 2024, at St Mary’s Catholic Church, Uttoxeter at 11am, followed by a
committal at Stafford Crematorium.
B
arrie was one of Uttoxeter’s finest footballers back in the day and loved
most sports including crib and horse racing. He was also a wonderful
person, a tremendous family man and friend to so many people. He
served JCB for a magnificent 49 years where he was a dear colleague to many
of the workforce.
Father Michael led a service of thanksgiving and a celebration of Barrie’s
life. Hymns sung were “All Things Bright and Beautiful” and “Jerusalem”.
Music included “Visiting Hours” by Ed Sheeran and “Simply the Best” by
Tina Turner. Donations collected in Barrie’s memory will be forwarded to
Dove Valley, Uttoxeter First Responder. Donations can still be made as it is
hoped funds could be raised for a de-fib to be fitted at Davies Drive Shop via
Dove Valley, Uttoxeter Community Responder.
Family mourners
Lee Wain (son); Sarah Wain ( Daughter in Law) Calum and Millie Wain
(Grandchildren). Dean Wain (Son) Sally Wain (Daughter in Law) Jessica and
Ben Wain (Grandchildren). Dale Village rep Eliza Village (Great
Grandaughter). Rachel Hope (Daughter) Scott and George Hope
(Grandchildren). Louise Wain (Daughter) Jessica Bailey.
Bearers
Martin Wain (Nephew), Alan Wain (Nephew), Neil Wain (Nephew)
Ben Wain (Grandson), Dale Village
Attendees
Bob Barlow; Raymond and Marjorie Bloor; Darren Beech; Steven Beech
representing Sharon, Emily and George Beech; Lee Bagley; Billy Hayes;
Martin Buckingham representing Marian and Jake Nutt; Robin Allen
representing the family; Gordon and Ann Podmore; David and Jane Riley;
Samantha Williams representing Caroline and Michaela; Georgia Williams;
Barry and Mary Fenton; Neil Weatherer; Graham and Angela Burton; Robert
Matzner; David Tideswell; George and Jullian Line; David Dyche
representing Derek; Stephen Barber representing Kevin Evans; Laura and
Lucy Chell; Malcolm Barrett; Tony Elliott; Siome Baldwin; Robert and Sylvia
Harris; Rose West; Nick and Nicky Brough; John Charlesworth representing
Pat; Dave Lawless representing Karen; Karen and David Biddlecome; Paul
Biddlecome representing Samantha and family; Sue and Andrew Arrowsmith
representing Hannah and Isla; Ann and Tom Davies; Anthony Davies;
Malcolm and Marie Ball; Alan Collins; John Austin and family; Margaret and
Jim Godsafe representing the family; Mac and Ruth Avery representing
Charlie and Lynn Bloor; Paul Croft representing Tony Croft, Jim Hume and
Steve Mould; David Beech; Ian Kirk; David Davies representing Margaret;
Michael Johnson; Rob Elkes representing Roger Mellor; Phil and Ann Stubbs;
Peter Douglas representing The family; Ian Ash; Kevin and Christine
Colclough representing David; John Jackson; Scott Hope; Aidan Wain; Nigel
Titterton representing The Voice and Mick Harper; Dave and Lisa Wain
representing Sam and Natalie; Sylvia and Ramsay Colman; Shaun Coates;
Mark Cantlin; Katie Oakden; Graham Shelton representing Angela and Karl;
Carol and Paul Esplin representing Scott, Kyle and families; Lesley Tavernor;
Butch representing Peter Clewer; Gus; Stephen Talbot; Tom Chadfield
representing Susan; Trevor Hopkins representing Carol; Vin Bradley; Higgy
representing Sandra; Alan Wain representing Julia; Neil Wain; Eddie Gregory
representing Jan; Ann Hulme; Alan Short; Steve Hudson; Chris Bone; Ken
Coates; Bob Borsley; David Bostock; Louise Brown; Jim and Mandy Farrelly;
Ginny and Paul Gibson; Gordon Richardson representing GMB and
Oldfields Club; Eddie Finney; Stuart Macfarlane; David Hollins; Terry
Moore; Richard Alexander; Ray Woolley representing Mick Donnelley and
Brian Dodd; Martin and Polly Wain; Arthur and Margaret Heath; Mick Ede;
Barry Durose; Trish O’Connor; Dave Thompson-Smith; Linda Whieldon;
Clifford Oakden; Dianne Shaw; Simon Moseley; Tracey Macnamara; Sharon
Wain; Wayne Robert; Lewis and Kath Walker; Dave Foster; Mark Deaville
representing The Anchor.
All enquiries to Field Funeral Services (01538 722 665).
The Voice sincerely thank Field Funeral Services for this Funeral Report.
James‘Barrie’Wain
J
CB’s
Chairman
Anthony
Bamford has issued a rallying cry to
Staffordshire companies to do more
business with the digger maker.
He was speaking after meeting
former window cleaner turned
entrepreneur Andrew Simmill who set
up in business 34 years ago. Andrew
knocked on JCB’s door in 1990 seeking
to supply machined components. His
initiative paid off and his company,
Rayne Precision Engineering, has been
a supplier ever since, growing from a
one-man band to a company turning
over £14.5 million a year and employing
115 people.
Lord Bamford said today: “JCB is a
Staffordshire company and I would like
nothing more than to be doing business
with more firms in our home county.
There are many engineering firms out
there, big, and small, which could be
potential suppliers and we’d like them to
knock on our door.
“Rayne Precision Engineering
started out in a very small way, but
thanks to an ability to adapt to changing
needs and continual investment, they
have grown into a well-respected
company and a valued JCB supplier.”
Andrew, 63, whose business is based
in King Street, Fenton, said: “In JCB,
Staffordshire has a global company right
on its doorstep and my advice to any
business out there wanting to be a
supplier, is to give it a go. JCB will always
help you, like they helped Rayne, giving
us the opportunity to diversify into
different manufacturing processes and
helping the business grow.
“We have been challenged by JCB
over the years to do many different
things and supply different machined
parts and fabrications. At first, it’s
daunting, but we have always risen to
the challenge with JCB’s guidance, and
as a result, our business has expanded.
“When I was at school, the teachers
gave me no encouragement. I didn’t let
that put me off in life and as long as you
have a degree of common sense, that is
all you need. JCB has put its faith in me
and I always strive to give the best
service possible.
“If you look ahead to the next four or
five years there is an increasing need for
new infrastructure and JCB machines
will be required to deliver that growth.
There is a great opportunity for other
suppliers in Staffordshire to be part of
that growth. We are a local firm which
supplies a global company like JCB and
I am very proud of that.”
JCB boss’s
rallying cry to
Staffordshire
firms:“Let’s do
business”
Lord Bamford is congratulated on his 60 years’ service with JCB by Andrew Simmill,
founder of Fenton-based Rayne Precision Engineering.

39
Smelly’s Scrapbook…
by Gordon Richardson of Uttoxeter
T
he first time I ventured abroad was the glorious
summer of ‘76 which if you were of a similar age
was the most memorable ever. It’s so strange to
think that it’s getting on for 48 years ago.
I was working at the biscuit factory on nights which
was an education in itself. “Come and be a Night Owl
at Elkes,” the advert said, so we went - four mates for a
job with not a clue what lay in store for us. “When can
you start!!” And that was that. We rocked up, donned
our white overalls and started 7pm for a 12 hour shift.
That year it snowed on June 1st and the headlines
were snow stopped play for Derbyshires game at
Buxton. It then roasted us non stop until the first rain
in October. Brilliant.
When it’s too hot to go to bed during the day and
only so much Cat Steven’s and Pink Floyd you can
listen to we decided, Dunc Edwards and I, to see some
of the world.
We booked through the Youth Club system to
volunteer, working on the War Graves for three weeks
in Germany and believe it or not we were petrified and
even discussed camping somewhere and pretending
we’d been away.
The paperwork came and said they were looking
for hardworking, enthusiastic and interesting
youngsters to graft in Berlin, Hamelin, or in our case
Hamburg, Schleswig Holstein on an Italian site.
We knew absolutely nothing about the scheme or
where we were going to or letting ourselves into.
Oh, bring a musical instrument if you feel like it.
What-was that about!
We met at Stafford council offices like fish out of
water and guess what, some had instruments - we kept
well away from them!
Instead we migrated to another group who were
quite drunk already, wanting the toilet before the
journey to Harwich began.On the ferry we were told
who our fellow travellers were and sure enough we
latched onto the nutters from Biddulph and Kidsgrove
who worked mainly at pits like Chatterley Whitfield in
Stoke on their apprenticeship, to enhance their work
experience. How right they were.
We still loosely keep in contact after all these years
and actually played football together for a few seasons
at Elkes F C. after the holiday.
So off to Hamburg via the Hook of Holland and we
were on our own, clueless.But bizarrely showing the
name of our destination eventually got us to our camp,
for the next three weeks.
A very officious German airforce man said “You are
all late” and the others are all in town. “Town? It was
only a touch bigger than Uttoxeter.”
So don’t be late for the introduction campfire
tonight at Six.The Norwegians Germans Italians and
Belgiums are already here and have gone to relax in
such a such a zone, which we didn't know or where it
was.
You soon learn, and after a few days knew the city
like the back of our hands jumping on the local
transport not paying for any journey whatsoever.
We wandered down the Reeperbahn, dodging dog
poo, with our mouths wide open, where we saw
thingswe shouldn’t have, but that was how it was back
in the day in Red Light streets.
Still the holiday changed my life in more ways than
one and gave me a thirst for travel. Life with the
German Armed Forces was eventful and organised like
clock work, apart from one thing - which was they
couldn’t handle spontaneous actions of any kind or us
lads being helpful. It spooked them altogether. The
work parties on this massive Italian grave site
supposedly every morning was interspersed by days
out or football or swimming or travelling around the
north of Germany. We even stayed with a Bohemian
family on board a ship in the harbour which was
disastrous to say the least especially as our young fellow
camp mate spoke fluent German and translated back
to us some not so kind words about our drunkenness.
It’s the first time I’d ever seen porcelain pictures on
the graves; young soldiers with film star looks. They
had died as German allies ,German foes and prisoners
akin to the site at Cannock Chase.
These sites were manicured but wanted gimping up
which we smashed in record time leaving the
remaining time free.
One excursion was a visit to Bergen Belsen, the
notorious death camp where thousands met their
end.We were told to put on shirts and be reverent with
not a dry eye amongst us.
Life is oh so precious.
Much more recently Duncan and his flame from
Norway Merete married and live in Bergen in the
Scandinavian dream.
It may seem macabre but since this pilgrimage its
led me to visit Dachau and Auschwitz.
So from my initial dread I’ve become hooked on
travel and Albania beckons next month and it looks
beautiful.
Through football and latterly cards my friendship
with Barrie Wain blossomed and as a player he was
second to none and believe you me boney when
tackled. Barrie’s reply to that was that he wasn’t even
the best in his house with Tony taking that accolade.
At cards he frustrated the hell out of me with his
obtuse play but it worked for him and our team at
Oldfields and under his captaincy we proved very
successful.
He was quirky, cantankerous at times, but we loved
him dearly and it will be sad to see him join the other
dearly departed ex players on the photo display in the
corner.
See ya next edition.
Down on the Farm
by Angela Sargent
S
ummer is here, thank heaven. The situation with
farming is still up in the air. Since last October it
didn’t stop raining until last month. There were
times briefly when it looked like the weather was
drying up but then there would come another storm,
another couple of inches of rain and the fields were
sodden.
Farmers grabbed what chance they could to get
manure out, to get fertiliser on crops that were
surviving, or to re sow where the crops hadn’t survived.
And this hasn’t just been in this country. Drier weather
hopefully is on the forecast and maybe there will be a
harvest this year after all.
Sheep farmers have had to cope with schmallenberg
virus, which caused deformed And dead lambs- some
areas have been hit harder than others, depending on
where the wind swept the insects which carried the
virus.
But lambs are growing and cattle are out in the field,
silage is being made.
This season’s lambs will be checked regularly to
make sure that all is well and to Worm them for any
parasites they may pick up in the grass. As soon as they
are heavy enough and fit enough they will be sent to
market, having been tagged with the farm
identification number.
It’s not an easy process to bring in your sheep flock
with young lambs, to bunch them up in the pen and
then to sort the young lambs from the mothers and it’s
also very noisy. Enough wormer has to be purchased ,
but not too much as you don’t want any left standing
for too long, it needs all to be finished by the use by
date on the pack, otherwise the efficiency may be
diminished. It’s administered either by injection or by
drench [ this is like a gun that shoots A measured
amount down the throat and must be administered
carefully so as not cause injury.
Dairy cattle will be outside now grazing on the
rapidly growing grass. The dove valley was well known
for being an excellent milk producing area, but just
lately we’ve been losing, nationally, 3 dairy farms a
week- this is a result of high input costs, high energy
costs and high labour costs among other things. A
dairy farm or a livestock farm or an arable farm needs
to make profit like any other business does in order to
survive.
And of course it’s calving time. Farmers will be
busy checking the health and welfare of their cows due
to give birth and spending long hours maybe helping
to calve if a problem presents. If you’re out walking with
your dog and you come across a field of cows and
calves, please give them a wide berth, keeping your dog
on a lead, but if you feel threatened let the dog loose as
it can surely run faster than you can, for a cow’s instinct
is to protect its calf in the face of what she thinks is a
predator.
We will certainly be hearing songbirds as the dawn
chorus increases. From the tiny wren to the throaty
Blackbird, the cooing of the wood pigeon to the 2 tone
notes of a great tit, all will be looking for a mate.
Celandines, butter cups, daisies, eyebright and self
heal will be showing their colourful faces in pasture
fields and turning towards the sun.

If there is any‘must-
see’event this year,
it is this one
@uttoxeter_voice
search for Uttoxeter Voice
Send your articles, photographs, features, sports reports etc into
The Voice for insertion into our next issue.
The Voice is here to publicise what’s happening in our community
Get in touch now via email uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk or by
social media
Uttoxeter
Cheadle
Uttoxeter
Cheadle
U
ttoxeter Choral
Society’s next concert
in May is going to be
Mozart’s Requiem. What’s
unusual about that? For those
who have never heard this
choral work, it is probably one
of the very finest requiems ever
written. Mozart composed it in
the last few months of his life
and throughout time, scholars
and performers have been
astonished by the profound
beauty of the work. The
perfection and complexity of his
choral writing in the work is
extraordinary; it is ethereal and
magical, yet also breathtaking
and exhilarating. And such is
the excellence of the Lacrimosa
section that Verdi and Britten
both drew obvious, direct
parallels from it when they
composed their own requiems.
Uttoxeter’s own classical
choral group (of some 144
years!) will perform the
Requiem as a guest of the Priory
Church of St Mary’s in Tutbury.
The group was originally called
the Uttoxeter and Tutbury
Choral Union, so they see it as
is a welcome return, as always.
And this magnificent Norman
church has outstanding acoustic
qualities. It is also the first time
since 2017 the Choir will
perform with an orchestra.
Malcolm Partridge, a bass
with UCS described his
thoughts about singing the
piece: “…as the Requiem
begins, imagine walking into
the room where lying in front of
you, taking their last few breaths
is the person you love. As you
approach, the opening bars of
this wonderful music are heard
as their heart beat fades away and within a few
short seconds, the emerging sad but intensely
beautiful and privileged moment of witnessing
life's end emerges…” He considers that …“such
is the brilliance of this short orchestral opening,
it seems to offers us all in a single glorious
proclamation, not only the finality of physical
death but in the same moment, the revelation and
hope of passing from an earthly material being to
one of hope and spiritual comfort, and an
everlasting peace, ‘Requiem aeternum dona eis -
grant them eternal rest.’ ”
This is a ‘must-see’ event not just because of
this immensely profound (and
popular) work, but also because
UCS have partnered with the
excellent Orchestra of St John of
Bromsgrove and with four
brilliant singers from the Royal
Birmingham Conservatoire.
Polly Clarke (Soprano),
Charlotte Browne (Alto), Joe
Yates (Tenor) and Oliver Barker
(Bass). In an all Mozart
programme, there will also be a
movement from his Flute
Concerto No.1 performed by local virtuoso
flautist Eve Abram (also Conservatoire trained).
There will be the Alleluia from Exultate Jubilate,
his sublime Ave Verum Corpus and other
devotional pieces.
Conductor David Smith is both optimistic
and excited, he thinks it could be UCS’ best
concert in recent years, and expects a sell-out
performance given the programme, venue,
orchestra and soloists. Tickets are £15 (students
free) from UCS website.
www.uttoxeterchoralsociety.co.uk/concerts-
events/

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
T
he worst kid in our
street and possibly in
the whole of
Staffordshire was Simon
Knight - aka ‘Nitro’. He was a
boy of eleven years of age who
was absolutely fearless, always
in trouble and more or less
uncontrollable. Nitro’s problem
was that he was obsessed with
fire.
He had set fire to his cot
when he was an infant and it
had gone on from there. He
had little black eyes which gleamed avidly at the sight
of a flame and he could smell a bonfire from a hundred
yards. HIs parents were beside themselves as to what
to do but everything they tried came to nothing. They
allowed him to burn himself on a box of matches and
they invited his cousin Michael to come and play with
him. Michael was into computer games but Nitro took
him to the park and knuckled him, making him cry
and that was the end of that friendship. The real
problem occurred when Nitro started studying
chemistry at school. It took him less than a week to
learn how to make gunpowder and it took him less
than another week to learn how to make simple
fireworks and put the school caretaker’s shed into orbit.
The small boy was highly intelligent and a fast
learner which did nothing to thwart his obsession. He
was banned from buying matches, fireliighters or any
other combustibles, but Nitro was a
resourceful child and had no problem
sourcing his requisites. The local old
ladies were terrified of him, men couldn’t
catch him and his favourite pastime was
to approach a bus shelter, especially
when it contained a gaggle of
young’soppy girls’ and toss in a lighted
squib which proceeded to emit a loud
howl and tear around the bus shelter like
a demented demon, then spin around on
the floor in its death throes and explode
with a loud pop by which time the
terrified girls were a hundred metres
away screaming loudly.
Nitro would give a loud cackle and disappear into
the distance. As time went on, Nitro’s evil little mind
planned bigger things. He found himself a cache where
he could hide his explosives and hired the local kids as
‘mules’ to get his supplies and hatched a plan to make
a ‘biggie’ -something to make people remember him
by. His piece de resistance was a torpedo. He found a
piece of drainpipe and an empty catering size baked
beans can which he rammed a six inch nail through the
bottom. and created a warhead which he stuffed full of
explosive. He then stuffed more explosive and a length
of fuse into the rear end of the drainpipe and made a
plan of where to test it.
Nitro could kill two birds with one stone here with
a bit of luck. Jackson’s pond was the place to test his
torpedo! Every day around lunchtime, Old Clocker
walked his stupid little dog along the footpath past
Jackson’s pond. Nitro hated Old Clocker and the
feeling was mutual. Old Clocker had reported Nitro on
many occasions for messing about with explosives.
Now was Nitro’s opportunity to show Old Clocker what
a real explosion was like. He settled himself in a little
copse by the waters edge and withdrew the torpedo
from the hessian sacking in which it reposed and kept
a careful watch for the appearance of the miserable old
man.
He whiled away the time by making little crooning
noises as would a mother nursing an infant ready to
activate the torpedo as soon as Old Clocker
materialised. Then he appeared, shuffling along as his
little dog lifted a leg here and there, Nitro produced a
match and lit the fuse which ignited with a ‘phut’, then
it happened. There was a stifled splutter then a sudden
fierce roar as he slipped it into the water. and a gout of
flame shot out of the drainpipe and set fire to the seat
of his jeans. Nitro emitted a bellow of surprise and pain
and exited the copse like a cannonball as the torpedo
shot accoss the pond amid a cascade of bubbles.
Halfway across the pond, an old cooker poked out of
the water and the torpedo hit it squarely. There was a
titanic explosion causing half a dozen moorhens and
ducks to take to the air on a journey of indefineable
length, Old Clocker to have a bowel movement and his
terror stricken dog to flatten itself on the ground. Nitro
ran along the bank and plunged his burning backside
into the cooling waters of Jackson’s pond.
Half an hour later when the police arrived the scene
was once again one of peace and tranquility with no
visible sign of anything amiss. Nitro was well gone, the
torpedo had sunk without trace - the only sign of it
being the tattered remnants of a bean tin label. Despite
Old Clocker’s protestations, no further action was
taken and Nitro was left to carry on with his nefarious
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: Nitro
As time went on,
Nitro’s evil little
mind planned
bigger things.
W
hen the lights at the Staffordshire Federation of Women’s Institutes needed
updating, a kind gesture from a Staffordshire-based electrical company
was gratefully received.
Till Electrical Solutions arranged the necessary work and Luceco generously
donated 8 lights.
In true WI style, cakes were evident at the installation to celebrate. Helen Mancey,
Chairman of Staffordshire Federation of Women’s Institutes said, ‘This was a most
generous donation to us and we are grateful to Sarah Thompson from Luceco and
Jason Till for recognising the WI in Staffordshire on the eve of International Women’s
Day’.
Jason added, ‘It was our pleasure helping out today. The WI does such wonderful
kind work helping so many people …. And the cakes were just simply fabulous. It
was a pleasure meeting you all’.
For information of Staffordshire Federation of Women’s Institutes, visit sfwi.org
and follow them on Facebook.
Lucas of Till Electrical Solutions, Sarah Thompson of Luceco, Helen Mancey
Verity Connor, SFWI Trustees and Jason of Till Electrical Solutions
Shining a light more brightly at Staffs WI

The good old days
URGENTLY
REQUIRED
If you have any photos that you think
may be of interest to our readers of this
page, please feel free to post to
The Voice, 3 Spode Close, Cheadle
ST10 1DT, or email
uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk
Please describe the people or event
featured and approx year when the
picture was taken along with your name
and location so that we can give you the
recognition for supplying them.
Thank you.
Can you identify the faces and locations?
See Page 50 for some of the names to the faces.
1
3
2

5
4
6
Photo Credits: 1 3: The Voice. 2: Grahame Cope. 4: Tony Webster. 5: Phil Elks, Cheadle. 6: George Chell, Uttoxeter.
43

The Bet 365 Midlands Grand National
at Uttoxeter Racecourse 2024
Beauport, ridden by Jordan Nailor and trained
by Nigel Twiston-Davies, was victorious in the
2024 Bet 365 Midlands Grand National at
Uttoxeter Racecourse.

45
Alex Morris vs Shifnal Town sponsored by TFD Haydn Brown vs Wolves presented by Phil
Adams.
Aaron Ratcliffe vs Stone Old Alleynians
sponsored by Gordon Richardson
Jason Beardsley vs Whitchurch Allport sponsored
by Thorley Bros Agricultural
Charlie Goldstraw vs Romulus sponsored by WL
Groundworks
Tom Thorley vs Atherstone sponsored by ADA
Leadership
Uttoxeter Town FC
Man of the Match Awards
S
econd placed Uttoxeter Warriors title hopes
suffered a severe setback when they went down
6-4 to Weston Apollo despite a Joe Allen
maximum. The Burton Manor Defenders squad of Ian
Moore, Darren Ball, Varya Meredith and Cyril
Merriman took full advantage of the Warriors defeat
and that leaders Burton Manor Vikings had no fixture
to move from third place into a one point lead at the
top of the table.
To achieve this they beat Burton Manor Bandits
and Weston Voyagers 9-1 and 10-0 respectively. The
Bandits only success came from Will Ferry against
Varya Meredith.
Following the win against the Warriors Weston
Apollo went on to get the better of Weston Pioneers 8-
2 and move into fourth spot.
Over both games Graham Fairhall collected three
out of three, Bob Elliott and Robert Pugh four out of
six and Jim Kelly two out of three. Best for the
opposition was Lisa Brown with a pair.
31st March
I
n the top of the table clash in the Stafford Table
Tennis league Burton Manor Vikings
comprehensively defeated Burton Manor
Defenders 9-1 with Ian Moore avoiding the whitewash
for the Defenders with a single win.
Burton Manor Vikings went on to beat County
Officers Saints 10-0 and move back into top spot.
Overall both Colin Burgess and Gareth Dunn were
unbeaten while Alison Philips picked up five out of six.
Uttoxeter Warriors remain in the chase in third
after a 7-3 success against County Officers A. Paul
Lord, Brendan Sullivan and Peter Drew all scored a pair
each.
County Officers recovered from the loss to beat
Weston Pioneers 6-4. Chris Marshall and Grant
Duberry won the vital doubles 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 against
Lisa Brown and Clive Cropper. Overall in both matches
Chris Marshall was unbeaten while Lisa Brown was
best for the Pioneers with two wins.
County Officers Saints also lost 9-1 to the fourth
placed Weston Apollo team of Graham Fairhall Robert
Pugh and Jim Kelly. Nigel Cotton gained the Saints sole
success against Robert Pugh.
In the bottom of the table match Weston Voyagers
virtually made sure of avoiding bottom place with an
8-2 win against Uttoxeter Potters. George Wilkie and
Graham Brackstone both collected maximums.
The Voyagers did not fare so well against the
Burton Manor Bandits losing 9-1. Will Ferry and
Dennis Davies both posted trebles and Hazel Waters a
double losing only to George Wilkie.
7th April
A
s the Stafford Table Tennis league season draws
to an end three teams are still in with a chance
of the League title. Burton Manor Vikings lead
the way with a three point lead over Burton Manor
Defenders.
On the same points as the Defenders are the
Uttoxeter Warriors squad of Peter Drew, Dave Clark
and Dave Allen who defeated Uttoxeter Potters 10-0 in
their latest fixture.
The Handicap league is in a similar position with
three teams in contention. Leaders County Officers A,
Uttoxeter Potters and Weston Pioneers.
Uttoxeter Potters dealt a blow to the Officers
chances when they got the better of them with a 8-1
win. Pam Jones and Phillip Carminati both scored
maximums and Gerald Crookes assisted with a pair.
County Officers A recovered to complete their
fixtures and stay on top with a 7-2 success against
Uttoxeter Warriors. Chris Marshall collected a treble and
Fernando Elgarrista and Grant Duberry doubles. The
Officers must now and wait and see where they finish.
Weston Pioneers are also in the chase although
their hopes were dented when they lost 6-3 to Weston
Apollo. Graham Fairhall and Bob Elliott were both
unbeaten for the Apollo.
Stafford Table Tennis Association
By Dave Hollins

F
ollowing the very sad death of Roy ‘Razzer’
Astbury a few months ago, local football
expert Tony Elliott is taking up the
reins of The Voice All-time Soccer Hall of
Fame Team which was created for The
Voice 17 years ago by Razzer…
Razzer said he always wanted his
column to continue in The Voice and
I agreed to do so before his passing
last year.
It will be very interesting if
Tony selects ‘old favourites’ in
his forthcoming team
alongside players who
hadn’t yet made the
prestigious Hall of
Fame teams…
PAUL EDE
Rocester FC
One of the fittest players in
the area.
GRAHAM DIXON
Uttoxeter Amateurs FC
A great all-round footballer.
WAYNE JOHNSON
Cheadle United FC
Another good all-round defender.
Excellent in the air.
MICK WALKER
Bamfords FC
Powerful, quick, no-nonsense
full back.
DAVE BEVANS
Cheadle Town FC
Fast winger and a great crosser of
the ball. One of the fastest players
in the area.
PETE DIXON
Uttoxeter Allstars FC
Solid defender and a great tackler.
GRAHAM DARBY
Bamfords FC
Nimble midfield player who was
always on the go.
PAUL ESPLIN
Elkes FC
Terrific left foot, solid
all-round player.
MICK EDE
Uttoxeter Amateurs FC
Terrific workrate, Mick had a real eye for
a goal. Great clubman too.
BOB BASSETT
Rocester FC
One of the best strikers in the area.
A top goalscorer.
GEORGE LINE
Wheatsheaf Athletic
A first class keeper who always
commanded the penalty area.
We have inserted one football club each
player has performed for.
Obviously, many have played for several
clubs in their careers.
All-time local soccer Hall of Fame Team
by Tony Elliott
U
ttoxeter Rugby
Club legend Chris
Owen has delved
into his memory bank to
select his All-Time
Uttoxeter Rugby Club Hall
of Fame Team for The
Voice.
The teams in the Hall of
Fame series have been
selected from 1991-2010 to
reflect the memorable years
Chris played for Uttoxeter
Rugby Club.
However, a few current
players and older boys have
been researched and
selected too. This is Chris’s
own opinion, hopefully
giving rugby enthusiasts out
there something to talk
about. Remember, this is a
fun Hall of Fame Rugby
piece - so don’t take it too
seriously…
All-Time Uttoxeter Rugby Club
Hall of Fame Team
by Chris Owen
(Loose-head prop) Adam Tortoishell
Always gave a good solid platform at scrum time.
(Hooker) Steve Woolley
Powerful and never took a step back, always found
his man at lineout time.
(Tight-head prop) Gareth Davies
Great scrummager, the immovable object.
(Second Row) Steve Palmer
Great lineout jumper, got around the park like an
extra back row.
(Second Row) Tom Shooter
Always had a desire and appetite to perform
whether at lock or back row.
(Blind-side flanker) Tom Lampitt
A wonderful ball carrier, never shy of contact and
smashed the gain line.
(Open-side flanker) Miles Pilcher
Powerful engine on him, 100% from minute 1 to
minute 80.
(Number 8) Simon‘Bails’Bailey
True Legend of the club, played with power and
ferocity.The ball was always safe in hands like
shovels!!
(Scrum-half) Richard Oldham
Impressive service off either hand, master of the
box kick.
(Fly-half) Mat Edwards
Naturally gifted, great hands in quick play. Massive
boot on him.
(Wing) James‘Jimbob’Williams
Had a magnificent work rate, often popped up in
the midfield looking for work beyond his brief.
(Inside centre) Tony Ball
Strong in defence and always made metres to get
you on the front foot.
(Outside centre) Tom Sherratt
Tough courageous and resilient in defence or
attack.
(Wing) James Gill
Impeccable timing when on the attack.When
paired with immense pace always dependable for
points on the board.
(Full-back) Steve‘Chopper’Harris
The goalkeeper of rugby. Good in the air, strong in
the tackle, pretty quick too.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

47
A
nother football season draws towards a
conclusion with the big prizes up for grabs. The
Premiership is the most intriguing with Man
City, Liverpool and Arsenal all vying for the crown of
champions. Last year the same three clubs were all in
contention with City eventually winning the title for
the third year in succession.
This time it’s harder to predict. They’re all in good
form, Liverpool have done fantastically well
considering the number of injuries they have suffered
to key players. Can Klopp keep this team firing, well
they keep finding ways to win even when
understrength but I think they will eventually finish
third.
Man City will be most people’s favourites to finish
top but they have injuries as well, mainly in defensive
positions. I think City have more match winners than
the other two in Haaland, De Bruyne, Foden and
Alvares, not to mention Grealish, Doku and Silva, but
have a vulnerability at the back.
That’s why I’m tipping Arsenal to break City’s
stranglehold this season. They probably rely on Saka
and Odegaard too much but Havertz and Rice have
been top signings and improved the team and their
chances of winning the title. At the top end of the pitch
they have Jesus and Martinelli to compliment the other
strikers but it’s their defensive solidarity that makes me
edge their way.
Last week’s draw at Man City convinced me this
could be their year. Not the best of games to view but
tactically they were brilliant with their defensive
strategy limiting the home team to one shot on goal.
Yesterday (6th April), City won at Palace but were
forced to come from behind and conceded a second to
win 2-4, Arsenal won easily at Brighton 0 3 and
Liverpool visit Man Utd today.
Is the reason we are seeing so many goals scored in
the Premiership the quality of the attacking players or
the lack of quality in the defending?
Every week we are seeing strange scorelines. 4-3, 3-
2 scores are becoming commonplace at the very top.
Take last week’s game Chelsea v Man Utd, Chelsea
coming out on top with two late Cole Palmer goals in
added time after Utd had led 2 3 after coming back
from 0-2 down.
What a crazy game that was, not so much fantastic
attacking but sloppy, careless defending from both
teams. Mistake after mistake. Two poor challenges
from Man U defenders to gift Chelsea two penalties.
Lapse of concentration from a short corner in the last
minute to hand the game to Chelsea. A misplaced back
pass from Chelsea for Utd’s first goal, I rest my case.
Though I must mention Anthony’s pass with the
outside of his foot to Garnacho for Utd’s third goal was
class. Something we’ve seen far too little of since the
Brazilian was signed for 80 million.
Defensive frailties must also be a concern for the
England manager, Gareth Southgate, after the two
friendlies against Brazil and Belgium. Going into the
European Championships in Germany in July we have
a superb array of attacking talent in the England squad,
in fact it’s likely that some of the best English forwards
playing well in the Premiership this season may well
not be on the plane.
One of the interesting features of the two games was
the battle to understudy Harry Kane. Despite criticism
from the English press I thought Watkins from Villa
did quite well against Brazil. He missed a chance that
was much harder than it looked at first glance but led
the line and made intelligent runs. He threatens the
back of defences but maybe lacks the class to play at the
highest international level.
He’s different to Ivan Toney who does have that
class, he doesn’t run in behind defences but holds the
ball up there, enabling team mates to support and run
off him. His movements are good and he’s two footed.
Their goal scoring records are comparable but I’d take
Toney.
Providing they are fit when we travel, Saka, Foden,
Bellingham and Kane will be selected but after them.
there’s a conundrum.
Would you take Rashford on current form? no,
neither would I, though his record for England is very
good. Grealish? Maddison?
Bowen did himself a power of good v Belgium and
Gordon excelled v Brazil. Cole Palmer is having a super
season for Chelsea.
Plenty of options but a lot to be decided.
Defensively it’s not so certain. Walker, Stones,
Maguire and Shaw go if all are fit, though that’s far from
certain with Shaw. Chilwell is his replacement but he
didn’t cover himself in glory in either game. Trippier
has played both full back positions but has suffered
injuries and was far from his best earlier in the
seasonand responsible for a number of goals Newcastle
conceded. Gomez has played regularly for Liverpool
lately but he doesn’t convince me, I prefer Livramento
from Castle who can play both sides. Poor Lewis Dunk
probably played himself out of the squad with his
performance v Belgium, whereas Konsa from Villa
came on v Brazil at right back and played centre half v
Belgium and acquitted himself well for me.
There’s now only two more friendly games before
we go to the tournament and questions to be answered
and places even at this late stage available, if we can sort
out these problems and who partners Rice in midfield
we have the quality in attack to beat the best.
Stoke are slowly but surely pulling away from the
danger end of the championship. Three wins in March
and two draws (though both at home) have stabilised
the team and given them more than a fighting chance
of playing Championship football next season. That’s
still a slight on the club when the fans are toasting a
successful fight against relegation. Let’s hope this is only
the start of an upturn in fortunes for the club and we
can actually aim for a top half finish next season!
Congratulations to my old club Leek Town in
gaining promotion to the NPL Premier league. Just
reward for the players, long suffering supporters,
management and officials at the club.
All the best. Bake.
Bake’s Memoirs
by Neil Baker, local sporting legend
We lost a great guy and a real character on Friday, 5th April, in Kevin Rogers…
I
heard the sad news the following Monday when his wife Bev rang and told me he had passed on. I
hadn’t heard or seen him for a number of years as he hadn’t been well for a long time. He was living
in a care home in Rocester.
When I moved from Rocester to Cheadle, aged 10, in 1964, we lived in Churchill Road just five or
six doors away so you could say I knew him most of my life.
He was a couple of years older than me and whilst I went to Cheadle County Primary School before
moving on to Cheadle High School (believe it or not!), Kev went to MacKenzie School.
We would play football most nights when the light and weather allowed and under the street lights
when not.
He was one of the best, if not the best, that Cheadle has produced. He started out as a right footed
left back, a rarity, and not many players in those days could play on their ‘wrong’ side. He became a two
footed player in time and moved into midfield. He started out at Port Vale and when he left went to
Florence Colliery FC. He also played for Boltons and I think had a spell at Stallington Hall FC.
He had a spell at Cheadle Old Boys before going into coaching and management. He also played on
a Sunday. We were teammates at Cheadle Utd before he moved to Bulls Head in Leek, where I was
actually his manager!
After retiring from playing, he went on to manage various clubs. Correct me if I’m wrong but he
managed Ball Haye Green FC, Nat Villa FC in Leek. Cheadle OB and I think Cheadle Town for a spell.
He had varying degrees of success but was known as a real taskmaster! His teams, as was he, the fittest
team around. He was a fitness fanatic, ran miles and so did his players....and then some more! Most
players that played under him will tell you, they had never been as fit in their lives. They would also tell
you how much they enjoyed playing with and under him. Training was hard, but fun. It couldn’t be
anything else with him around!
Despite looking after himself and mainly choosing a glass of coke when out socialising, he did have
the odd pint of mild. It was the odd pint because after two he struggled to stand up!! He would also have
the odd fag, but only to do his famous impression of Freddie Frinton!!
I also worked with him at Thomas Boltons. I worked in the machine shop toolroom and Kev would
drive an autotruck up and down the factory. On his travels he would stop off all over the factory to talk
football! His visits were highly anticipated as he would have you in stitches.
There was never a dull moment when he was around, he had a nickname for almost everybody and
I think we’ve ‘all worked in the rain!!’
Anyone who knew or met Kev would have had their life enriched in some way. He was a good un in
every way, as I said at the beginning, a real character.
RIP mate, Bake.
@uttoxeter_voice search for Uttoxeter Voice search for Uttoxeter Voice
You can also read The Voice at www.uttoxeterandcheadlevoice.co.uk

Uttoxeter Rugby Club
Hill Webster have created a plaque for
Uttoxeter Rugby Club Man of the Match players
for every game they sponsor going forwards.
Philip and Jonty presented the inaugural plaque
to James Wright against Birmingham Solihull.
JCB sponsored Uttoxeter Rugby Club’s home
match against Coalville. On behalf of JCB, the
local rugby club’s John Gordon presented Ezra
Doughty-Thorpe with Man of the Match.
Tippers sponsored Uttoxeter Rugby Club’s match
against Walsall. Tippers Uttoxeter Branch
Manager Tim Cope selected Callum Shaw as Man
of the Match.
Uttoxeter Rugby Club 1sts Team Photograph after the final game
of this season at Oldfields Sports Club.
Uttoxeter Rugby Club Vets/2nds Team Photograph prior to the
1sts fixture.

49
The past, present and future
by Mick Harper
I
was extremely sad to hear that Barrie Wain has
passed away. In all my years in football
management, Barrie was the best player I had the
pleasure of seeing in a Wheatsheaf Athletic shirt. He
read the game perfectly and rarely put a foot wrong.
Why he never played in the football league is beyond
me, as he was superior to many footballers who did get
the chance. My deepest sympathy goes out to his family
and friends at their loss.
I was very pleased to see that my old mate Gordon
Richardson has joined the strong pool of Voice writers
that Nigel has put together. As David Beckham says in
the TV ad “Welcome to the team.”
I mentioned in a previous article the amazing
ability of teenage darts sensation Luke Littler. I have
watched most of his games when he has been on
television and he has beaten all of the top players, whilst
at the same time losing to a number of them. The best
performance I have seen him put up was when he beat
Michael van Gerwen 6-2 in a Premier League match,
van Gerwen averaged over 110 and to defeat someone
playing that well is no mean feat. So Littler has firmly
established himself amongst the top six players in the
world. The only thing I would criticise him for is his
lack of respect for some opponents. Against Peter
Wright and James Wade he has made the gesture of a
fisherman reeling in a fish after winning a key leg. He
needs to cut out these sort of antics otherwise he will
soon find that he’ll lose his popularity.
I’ve always been a collector of various items over
the years, from my childhood through to my dotage.
As a youngster I collected stamps and postcards,
followed by football programmes, which became my
main hobby. Just for a laugh I wrote to the Russian
President Nikita Krushev, care of the Kremlin, Moscow,
Russia. I asked him to send me some football
programmes from what was then the Soviet Union.
Believe it or not, about three months later I received a
package which contained four Russian football
programmes. There was a letter with them in Russian,
which I ought to have got translated but never did, and
over the years I have lost it, which is a shame.
When I was hard up in my teens, I sold my stamps
to a dealer on Derby’s indoor market. It was quite a
decent collection and I received a paltry sum in return.
My postcard collection I exchanged with a friend in
return for a good number of football programmes, so
that was a good deal for me as I was far more interested
in programmes. I concentrated on collecting Wolves
home and away programmes as well as internationals
when a Wolves player was in the team, and I continued
to collect for many years.
Around 40 years ago I started dealing in
programmes also. I had a stall outside of Wolves’
Molineux Stadium. I built up a strong customer base
and over time it became a nice little earner. I packed it
up in 2012 due to the fact that I was having mobility
problems and carrying heavy boxes of football
programmes was becoming too difficult to manage. Up
until that point I had continued to build up my own
personal collection, but I was not as interested in them
anymore as they were getting too expensive and were
looking to become more like magazines. I have still got
all of my stock from my dealing days and really ought
to get rid of them if I could get a suitable price.
I am now more interested in books about
Wolverhampton Wanderers and I try to get every new
one that is published, as well as looking out for books
from the past which I haven’t got. And I now have
around a hundred.
I also collect Wolves football mugs, of which there
are plenty about from the past and the
present. I only buy those that I like because
there are a large number that are a very
poor design, which I wouldn’t entertain.
Most of those I have got are nice to look at,
especially those depicting our greatest
players over the years like Billy Wright, John
Richards and Steve Bull.
When I was young I never collected
Wolves players’ autographs and I regret not
doing so because I would have had an
amazing amount had I done so. In 2005 I
began to collect them, making sure that
every time Wolves signed a new player I
would get their signature. Also whenever I
saw a player from the past, I would get them
to sign. By 2012 I had filled a number of
albums, putting a picture of the player
alongside the signature. I know that they’re
all authentic as at least 90% of them have
been signed in my presence, whilst the
remainer have been obtained for me by
people who I trust implicitly. As I don’t
attend matches anymore, the collection has
stagnated. But occasionally I will find out
where a former player lives and I will write
to them with a request for them to sign for
me.
Another hobby of sorts was that I liked
to watch Wolves teams play on different
grounds, whether it be first team, reserve or
youth. In 1987 I was among 13 people who
had our photo taken on the pitch at Bradford City
before Wolves played them in an FA Cup tie. All of us
had at that time completed the 92 grounds of clubs in
the football league, whilst watching Wolves. I never
saw, let alone received a copy of that photo, which is a
great shame as it would be a nice souvenir. In 2012 my
total number of grounds stood at 266 and I only knew
of one other Wolves supporter who had witnessed
Wolves games on more grounds than myself.
This time I am inducting footballer Gary Croft into
the District Hall of Fame. He is certainly the most
successful footballer to come out of Uttoxeter in my
lifetime. His father, the late Roger Croft, was a good
friend of mine and was an excellent local league left
back who played for me at Wheatsheaf Athletic. He
gave Gary plenty of encouragement when he was
growing up and, like his father, Gary was a
left back. After a trial period at Port Vale he
joined Grimsby Town. Gary played for
Grimsby for four years and in 1995 he
played four times for England’s under 21s
side. His debut match against Brazil was
also the debut match for a certain David
Beckham. Gary moved from Grimsby to
Blackburn Rovers and played in the
Premiership, where he stayed for around
three years. His next port of call was
Ipswich Town, where he spent three years,
and then he had a 7-game loan spell at
Wigan. The following three years were
spent at Cardiff City before he returned to
Grimsby Town, his first club, for two years.
He finished up with a season at Lincoln
City. In total in his career he played 431
games and scored 9 goals. I saw Gary play a
number of times against Wolves at
Molineux, and when he was at Grimsby, Ipswich and
Cardiff his dad took me and my daughters up to the
games and afterwards we would go into the players’
lounge. Roger treated many of his friends to days out
to watch Gary and he took great pride in doing so.
During his career, Gary built up a number of
properties, which after he lived in them he rented them
out. After he finished football he started up Croft’s
Estate Agents which now has three branches in the
Grimsby area, employing over 30 people. They are a
very well respected business and are extremely
successful. When Roger died in 2008, Gary got together
an exceptionally strong side of former teammates of his
and brought them to Uttoxeter to play Uttoxeter Town
past and present at Oldfields in memory of Roger.
Gary’s team was probably the best ever team to play in
Uttoxeter. Gary has kept up his links with Grimsby
Town as co-commentator on Radio Humberside for all
Grimsby games home and away. Gary is certainly a
worthy candidate for the Hall of Fame.
God save the King.
Regards to all,
Mick.

Uttoxeter Rugby Club Juniors pre-tag, U7 and U8’s train from 09:30 on Sunday mornings, the U9s and above train from 10:30
(Hot drinks and bacon sandwiches available). People should check the facebook page (@URFCJuniors) for any changes
due to weather or matches. We’re always looking for new players as well as any volunteers to help out.
The good old days
The Good Old Days photographs on pages 42-
43 have been identified as:
1 Alleyne’s High School’s Music
Department enjoyed a wonderful trip
to New York in 2009. The school choir
visited New York Washington,
singing in venues including the
Ground Zero Chapel!
2 Uttoxeter Road Runners Ladies in the
Cross Country event at Newcastle in
2009. Pictured are from left Lucy Webb
(white sleeves), Honor Cann (pink
sleeves), Sue Barron (no sleeves) and
Sue Hill (blue sleeves).
3 Trevor Kelsall’s George Formby
Ensemble entertained a large gathering
at Cheadle Guild Hall in 2010.
4 Team Photograph of Cheadle United
FC way back in 2010.
5 Pictured are a happy group of JCB
Quality Inspectors at the JCB Rocester
HQ in the mid-1980’s.
6 A photograph of The Uttoxeter
Cannoneers back in the day. Pictured is
Jim Prescott presenting a trophy to
Mark Tompkinson, Arnhem Captain.
Whatever Trade
you are in we
can fix a small
ad for you
Give us a call on 07733 466 970 or
Email: uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk
A Staffordshire Moorlands
football club is celebrating a
double win after two of its junior
teams secured sponsorship for smart new strips from
digger giant JCB.
Cheadle South Moorlands United girls Under 14s
and boys Under 7s teams took to the pitch at their
South Moorlands Leisure Centre base to unveil the new
kit after each received £500 from JCB, which has its
Earthmovers and Compact Products factories in the
town. For the Under 14s girls’ team, who play in the
Staffordshire Girls Under 14 Premier League, it marked
a milestone of playing in their first dedicated female-
fit kit.
Coach, Andy Little, whose daughter Natasha plays
in the 15-strong squad has seen the Year 8 and 9 girls
go from strength to strength. He said: “This is only the
team’s third season together and when we started half
of them had never played football before. The league is
now the most competitive it has been and is made up
of teams across Staffordshire - from Leek Town who
are furthest north to Lanehead, down in Walsall. We
are improving every year and are currently in third
place in the league and still in the Cup competition.
“The donation from JCB is a massive help and this
is the first time we have bought a female specific kit.
When parents have to fund everything, it can become
very expensive, so this sponsorship is very much
appreciated.”
Ben Jones who manages the boys Cheadle Reds
Under 7s team with Steve Evans is also seeing his squad
enjoy success in Tier 3 of the North Staffs Junior Youth
League. He said: “Since forming the team last year the
boys won the Wendy Jones Memorial Trophy, which
was a great success considering the age of the team and
gave the boys memories that will last a lifetime. JCB has
provided a platform for the boys to progress with their
footballing careers, making friends, meeting new
people, and providing them with social skills to develop
and apply in everyday life. Without the support and
funding provided by JCB, none of this would be
possible, so a massive thanks from Cheadle SMU and
the U7s Reds.”
For anyone interested in joining the teams, both
train and play home games at South Moorlands Leisure
Centre, Cheadle. The Under 14 girls train on Monday
nights and play on Saturday mornings, while the Under
7 boys train on Thursday nights and play on Sundays.
To find out more visit www.cheadlesmufc.co.uk/.
JCB funds new kit for young
Cheadle footballers…
South Moorlands United Under 7s boys and Under 14s girls take to the pitch in their new JBC sponsored kit.

51
Conditions of
Acceptance of
Advertising:
a. All adverts must comply with
the British Code of
Advertising Practice, The
Advertising Standards
Authority and current
legislation.
b. No guarantee can be given
that an advert will appear on
a specified date or in a
specified position, although
every effort will be made to
meet requests.
c. Whilst every care will be
taken, the publishers will not
be held liable for any loss
occasioned by failure of an
advert to appear, or any
misprint, error or omission.
Nor due to non publication
or delivery.
d. We cannot accept
responsibility for more than
one incorrect insertion.
Advertisers should contact
us immediately the first error
occurs.
e. Credit will only be issued for
that part of the advert that is
incorrect, unless it can be
agreed that all response was
affected.
f. The publishers reserve the
right to refuse, delete,
amend or cancel any advert
without explanation.
g. Whosoever places the advert
will be deemed to be
authorised to do so on
behalf of an advertiser and
that the advertiser has
obtained permission to
utilise any of the component
parts of that advert. The
publishers will not be liable
if this is not the case.
h. The Advertiser agrees to
reimburse the Publisher for
any costs, damages or other
charges resulting from any
legal action taken against
them as a result of
publishing the
advertisement as presented
to the Publisher.
Voice Small Ads
uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk • 01538 751629
Mini, Midi Large Skips
Mini Digger Hire
24-7 Service
Tel: 01889 566262
Mob: 07971 566 383
www.boultonsskiphire.co.uk
A Local
Family-Run
Business
For all your Plumbing
Heating needs
Contact Pete on
07971 641 168
info@pjhplumbers.co.uk
www.pjhplumbers.co.uk
Oddjob Property Maintenance
For all the odd jobs big jobs -
inside outside your home
Electrical, Plumbing, Joinery,
Tiling, Fencing, Bathrooms,
Kitchens Gardens
No job too small or too big
Contact Mitch Shirley on:
07860 670407
Tel 07743 649 586
www.tbs-stoke.co.uk
T.B.S.
• All aspects of Brickwork
• Groundwork
• Re-pointing
• Extensions Alterations
• Landscaping
• Plastering
• City
Guilds
Qualified
Thompson
Building Services
5cm x 1 column
This space
could be
yours for only
£50
L S
Decorating
Services
Commercial/Domestic
Internal/External
Restoration
Wallpapering
Sash Windows
Fully insured • Est 1991
Tel: 07582 809 759
MJH Garden
Property
Maintenance
Lawn Garden Maintenance,
Hedge Tree Trimming,
Scarifying Aeration,
Fencing Decking,
Guttering Roof Work,
Jet Washing, Painting.
Uttoxeter based • Fully insured
Call Mathew 07971 102321
Advertise in our
Small Ads Section!
5cms x 2 columns
(business card size) only £70
6cms x 2 £80
7 x 2 columns £90
8cms x 2 £100 etc...
email
uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk NOW!
No pre-payment required!
UTTOXETER
GRASS CUTTING
SERVICES
Domestic and
Commercial
Large and
small lawns
07943 003874

Call for a free quote 07817 221 986
Cavendish Road, Tean, Staffordshire
Your local specialists in driveway installations.
We cover tarmac, block paving, cobbles, slabs and now even
porcelain blocks and slabs to create the perfect driveway.
We also provide a supply lay service for companies who have prepared areas ready for tarmac.
We can collect lay the tarmac to your preferred spec and as always at the highest standards.
Please call for quotes and m2
rates.

Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice, Issue 122.pdf

More Related Content

Similar to Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice, Issue 122.pdf

More from Noel Sergeant

Recently uploaded

Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice, Issue 122.pdf