Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice Issue 63

Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
Uttoxeter
& Cheadle
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Cresswell, Saverley Green, Fulford and villages in between
Issue 63

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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
I
t was great to hear recently that two of
The Voice columnists Steve ‘Lank’ Lavin
and Dave Jones are recovering from
health scares!
I have spoken to both of them during the
past few weeks and I can report our pair of
much loved columnists are improving all the
time and are on the way to full recovery.
I always say we all take life for granted
and when something healthwise hits us we take a different
perspective on how fragile our existence really is. There is a common
thought that people should ‘live life to the full’ but sometimes taking
it steady now and again is the order of the day...
I am sure I can say on behalf of all Voice readers and of course
myself we send our sincere best wishes to Steve and Dave, two
fantastic blokes!
Whilst I was in Uttoxeter the other week I bumped into a dear
old friend Major David McAllister who was puffing on a cigarette
outside The Smithfield Hotel. We go back a very long way when
David was Clerk of the Course at Uttoxeter Racecourse and we both
enjoyed a few ‘snifters’ of whisky from time to time.
I vividly remember one particular evening race meeting when we
were having a chat. One of my friends rushed up to me whilst I was
in David’s office and alerted me that former World Snooker
Champion and ‘legendary hellraiser’ Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins was
causing quite a disturbance in the main bar!
I was the only journalist down at Uttoxeter Racecourse and it
appeared a real ‘scoop’ had presented itself to me!! I quickly bid
David farewell as I ran towards the bar (David came behind me but
he was never Usain Bolt)! Luckily I had a camera on me so I took
photographs of the disturbance and tried to interview Mr Higgins
who promptly attempted to remove my head from my torso...
Eventually it all quietened down and the snooker champ was
ushered away by his friends.
So here I was with a 'scoop!' - I quickly returned home and wrote
an article and sent it to 2 national daily newspapers.
I couldn’t wait until I got up the next morning and there it was
– Front Page news – my article had made the Front Page and there
it was, ‘virtually’ word for word! It was then that I noticed that the
reporter's name was not mine but one which was totally fictitious!
Needless to say, I didn’t contact the Nationals again!
I hope you enjoy reading this issue of The Voice colour magazine.
Nigel Titterton
Editor & Publisher
The Uttoxeter &
Cheadle Voice is wholly
independent and is
published at 3 Spode
Close, Cheadle, Staffs
ST10 1DT
15,000 copies are
distributed free to
homes and businesses
in Uttoxeter, Cheadle,
Ashbourne, Rocester,
Denstone, Bramshall,
Stramshall, Alton,
Oakamoor, Tean, Lower
Tean, Checkley, Leigh,
Church Leigh, Crakemarsh, Combridge, Kingsley, Mayfield, Draycott, Cresswell, Saverley
Green & Fulford and Doveridge areas.
Clients are welcome to view the printing matrix.
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4 If you are responding to an advertisement in The Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice, please let the advertiser know. Thank you for your support.
Uttoxeter Tile and Bathroom Ltd
7 The Square, Market Place, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire ST14 8HN
Tel: 01889 560111 Mob: 07929 201128
Email: uttoxetertileandbathroom@hotmail.co.uk
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U
ttoxeter born author Dan Weatherer
has released a new book. Neverlight,
released via Spectral Press, is Dan’s
third short story collection and his fourth
published book to date.
“I’m delighted with the publication of my
latest book. Spectral Press and a well
established and respected publisher of dark
fiction. I am pleased with how the book has
come together. The collection contains pieces
of short fiction, prose, and poetry that are all
based on the theme of influence. Though
many associate my work with horror, I aim
to show that I can write across a variety of
genres, this collection is a testament to that.”
Dan (36) of Meir Park is also beginning
to establish himself as a playwright. Recently
he was in London as a finalist for the
Blackshaw Theatre Showcase award. “My
play ‘Parents’ was well received by the
audience. It’s nice to see a piece
performed live as you can witness first
hand what works and what does not in a
scene. I was pleased to be awarded
second place which means that the piece
will go on to be produced as a radio
play. I also have pieces in the final of a
respected One Act Festival, but as all
entries are anonymous, I am not at
liberty to say which.”
Neverlight can be purchased online
via Amazon or direct from publishers
Tickety Boo Press/Spectral Press.
For more information about Dan
and his work visit
www.fatherdarkness.co.uk
Local author becoming
very influential
World Book Day at
Acorns Day Nursery, Tean

5Let The Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice take your business to 13,000 local homes. To advertise, call 01538 751629 or 0776 784 6937.
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Just seen your Voice facebook page in regards to the Northern Lights over Uttoxeter.
This is one of my images from the night of the 6th March, taken at around 9.30pm. We
stood on Uttoxeter’s Toothill Road, looking towards Doveridge and Rocester with the A50 in
the foreground.
The Aurora was very strong that night and the result was a great, intense band of colour
in the sky for a few short periods in the early evening.
Regards. Richard Holmes

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Putting our best foot forward
T
otal Foot Care Owners’ Helen Barber and
Emma Carnwel have proudly announced
the opening of a new Chiropody and
Podiatry Practise at 319 Uttoxeter Road, Blythe
Bridge (01782 390 918) as her business
continues to go from strength to strength!
Helen told The Voice: “We have been
working at our existing practise in Cheadle for
12 years now and are lucky enough to have
many patients who travel from Meir Park,
Blythe Bridge and Forsbrook. The obvious next
move was to open a Clinic which would be
handier for those patients.
Many people are unsure of the scope of
practise of a Chiropodist and Podiatrist... So
here goes...!
All three of us are State Registered
Chiropodists and Podiatrists, we have full Hcpc registration and DBS checks to work with
children and vulnerable adults. We complete our necessary continuing professional
development annually and have spent many years working for the NHS and privately.
We deal with all routine footcare from the removal of painful corns and callous, reduction
and resolution of unsightly thickened nails and removal of ingrowing toenails with the use
of anaesthetic if necessary.
We offer two tried and tested interventions to cure verrucae. The first is a series of
chemical treatments over a six week period. The resolution rate is 68%. The second is a new
treatment called ‘ dry needling’ and involves a local anaesthetic administered just behind the
ankle bone, followed by a small procedure to stimulate the body’s immune system and tackle
the virus. The resolution rate is 75%.
It is worth noting that people with diabetes have to be especially careful with their feet,
partly due to changes in blood flow and sensation. Diabetes is the most common cause of
non traumatic limb amputation and diabetic foot ulcers precede more than 80% of
amputations. The NICE guidelines recommend that diabetics see a Podiatrist at least every
12 months, and resolve any potential problems early.
Many people suffer with pain in the lower limb caused by a variety of reasons. Sometimes
it can be to do with the way you walk or run ‘biomechanics’.
We take a series of landmark measurements and an in depth case history in order to
prescribe functional foot Orthoses (insoles) some of which need to be bespoke following a
casting of the foot.
You can be assured of a professional, caring, friendly service. Please phone Dianne or
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S
ince April 2014, I have been privileged to
be a trustee of Cheadle Discovery Group, a
charity run by volunteers, which manages
the Cheadle Discovery and Visitor Centre.
Based in Lulworth House on Cheadle High
Street, we continue to promote the heritage of
Cheadle and the local area, and especially
Pugins Gem, St Giles RC church and the work
of the world famous Victorian architect,
Augustus W. N. Pugin.
I am passionate about the work of Pugin
and have enjoyed researching and designing
many of the Pugin exhibitions at the centre.
Our displays on St Giles Church, American
Gothic and Australian Gothic, have been
particularly well received by visitors from
around the globe. A former teacher, historian
and librarian, I have studied Pugin for many
years and am considered the authority on Pugin
by the Discovery Group.
This may come as some surprise to you
living in, Alton, Leigh, Cresswell, Cheadle,
Stone or Uttoxeter but it is a fact that the
greatest British architectural critic of the 20th
Century, Sir Niklaus Pevsner described our area
of North Staffordshire as Pugin-land.
So who was Pugin and where are these
buildings?
Pugin was an architect and design genius.
He was born in London in 1812. Pugin looked
back to an age of faith where gothic
architecture held sway in a world full of charity.
When he became a Catholic in 1835 many
contracts were closed to him, but there was a
silver lining.
The 16th Earl of Shrewsbury, John Talbot,
heard that Pugin was just the man to help him
build many of the Catholic churches in our area
and to help him complete Alton Towers. Pugin’s
new building and fabulous stained glass,
metalwork and sculpture made the Towers an
authentic gothic home.
Turning to Alton we have Pugin’s
reconstruction of the castle with a beautiful
chapel based on La
Sainte Chapelle, in
Paris. Pugin’s
chapel has a
wonderful roof of
polychromatic tiles
originally made by
Minton.
In the buildings
next door we have
Pugin, a practical
caring man. His
Church and
Hospital of St John
were designed as a
free schoolroom
and home for the
aged, in contrast to
the rigors of the
Victorian
workhouse.
At Cresswell we
have a church
celebrating its
200th anniversary
this year. Built in
1816, it is not a
Pugin church but it
has a lovely Pugin
window and a
churchyard cross and tombstones, to the same
designs Pugin used at Alton.
It is from here that the mission to Uttoxeter
took place and St Mary’s RC Church was built.
Opened in 1839, only ten years after dissenters
were allowed to build chapels it was a simple
one celled building in the Early English Gothic
style. It has since been greatly extended, but the
circular west window of Pugin is still visible
above the West narthex.
Moving to Leigh, we have the beautiful
Anglican parish church of All Saints which has
Pugin designed poppy headed choir stalls,
chancel screen, Minton tiles and East Window
made by William Wailes, Pugin’s glass maker
from 1842-1845.
In Stone Pugin
designed the small
but perfectly formed
Chapel of St Anne.
This brick chapel
built between 1843
and 1844, also
features a window
by Wailes.
At Cheadle Pugin
designed the most
spectacular church of
his whole career, St
Giles RC Church,
known as “Pugin’s
Gem”. It got this
name from a letter
written by the Earl
of Shrewsbury. No
expense was spared.
According to the
BBC critic, Simon
Jenkins, it is rated
18th in the list of
Britain’s thousand
best churches. Pugin
called it “Cheadle,
perfect Cheadle my
consolation in all
afflictions”. We also
have the Pugin designed school, convent and
priest’s house in the town.
To find out more about Pugin and his life,
please feel free to visit the Cheadle Discovery
Centre. It is open on Thursdays, Fridays and
Saturdays from 10.00 to 16.00. Amongst the
artefacts on display, you will find original
woodwork and brass work from the Houses of
Parliament designed by Pugin and drawings in
his own hand.
Also at the centre you will find rolling
exhibitions about the history, geography and
industry of Cheadle and surrounding area.
More information about the Discovery Centre
and its future activities, can be found on our
website: www.discovercheadle.co.uk
Discover Pugin-Land
By John M. Smith

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Enquiries for these classes or for any of our classes
to advanced standard at the Cheadle Studios to
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Just the
perfect day...
T
he day before the wedding it had been
arranged that the close female family
relatives would meet at the venue, The
Manor House Hotel, who were holding an
Ed Sheeran tribute night, ten of us enjoyed an
evening of food, wine, dance and song before
retiring to bed.
The following morning my two
daughters, sister and I rose to a beautiful
warm sunny day, after breakfast we were
joined by Hollie and Jess, the hairdresser and
beautician who worked their magic to
prepare us for the ceremony.
We were joined by Denise Wheat our
photographer who calmed us all down as she
moved around capturing the moments we
would all look back upon in later years.
My sister Jane assisted me getting dressed,
she had made the trip over from her home in
the USA to be present at the wedding.
The months of planning and preparation
were finally falling into place, our master of
ceremonies Frank, visited and provided a few
words of reassurance before escorting me to
meet my son and grandson , Dan my son was
giving me away, Charlie was page boy.
The wedding party, consisting of myself,
son, two daughters, niece and grandson
entered the ceremony room to the classical
sound track titled,“Gabriel’s Oboe”, a whole
world of emotions swept through the room
as I entered. I could feel the love and support
of our assembled families and friends as I
joined my future husband Gerry.
The ceremony was carried out by a
deputy Registrar Keith Jardine, it was a
lovely personal ceremony, conducted with
humour, compassion and dignity, he was a
true professional in all respects.
The formality of the wedding ceremony
was soon over, throughout the events of the
day our photographer Denise Wheat
continued to ensure our day would be
recorded, always in the background but
taking control when she needed to.
We had become Mr and Mrs Hogan, the
formal part of the day complete it was time
to meet our guests, enjoy the fabulous
wedding breakfast and speeches made by my
son and Gerry’s two sons, his best men.
After the speeches we were surprised to
receive a videoed good will message, from a
long standing friend who lives in Australia.
We were later joined by many other
friends and family for the evening
celebrations.
This was a special day for so many
reasons, we were fortunate to have fantastic
weather, a brilliant venue, with professional
assistance from so many, who ensured that
we all had a day to remember.
Bride and Groom: Vicki Buttress and Gerry Hogan
The Bride was given away by her son: Daniel Buttress
Maids of Honour : Bride’s Daughters,
Ruth Buttress, Kate Buttress-Carol
Best Men: Groom’s Sons, Andrew Hogan- Hughes,
Nigel Hogan
Usher: Groom’s son-in-law, Gareth Hogan-Hughes
Flower Girl: Bride’s Great Niece, Evie Grice
Pageboy: Bride’s Grandson, Charlie Peter Buttress
Ceremony: Manor House Hotel, Alsager Cheshire
Photography: Denise Wheat Photography
PHOTOGRAPHY
by Denise Wheat BA (Hons) LBIPP
Tel: 01538 723985
www.denisewheatphoto.co.uk

V
icki originated from Leek, but moved to
Blythe Bridge when she married Paul (her
late husband). She then spent 27 years
living in Cheadle. All their children attended
Bishop Rawle Primary School and then Painsley
High School.
Vicki nursed at Cheadle Hospital for many
years, before moving to the Opthalmology Unit at
The University Hospital of North Midlands, before
she retired 12 months ago.
Gerry and Vicki - They met in 2005, they had
both been previously married and both widowed,
Vicki in 2000 and Gerry in 2001. Their respective
husband and wife had both passed away due to
cancer. Gerry & Vicki were introduced by a
colleague of Vicki’s who was also Gerry’s sister in
law.
Gerry proposed to Vicki in 2012 whilst on
holiday in Gibraltar.
The wedding took place on the 4th October
2015 at the Manor House Hotel Alsager, ten years
to the day that they had met.
Gerry chose his two sons, Andy Hogan-Hughes
and Nigel Hogan to be his Best Men and Gareth
Hogan-Hughes was Usher
Vicki chose her daughters Ruth Buttress and
Kate Buttress-Carroll as her Bridesmaids and
Vicki’s great niece Evie Grice was Flower Girl.
Vicki’s Grandson Charlie Buttress was page boy
and her son Daniel Buttress gave her away.
Following the deaths of their husband and wife
Gerry and Vicki had both been supporters of the
Douglas MacMillan Hospice, they did not want
personal gifts, they invited their wedding guests to
make donations to the hospice in lieu of wedding
presents. A donation of £1311.32p was made to
the hospice.
They honeymooned in Marmaris Turkey.

Just the perfectday...

Photo for illustration only
7 Cross Street
(off the High Street),
Cheadle ST10 1NP
Tel 01538 755550
info@bcjosephine.co.uk
www.bcjosephine.co.uk
Opening Hours:
Monday 10am - 8.30pm,
Tuesday 10am - 4.30pm,
Wednesday Closed,
Thursday 10am - 4.30pm,
Friday 10am - 4.30pm,
Saturday 9.30am-5pm
You are Invited...
To book your wedding in The Voice’s hugely popular
‘Just The Perfect Day’ feature! email uttoxetervoice@hotmail.co.uk
now to reserve your space in the next issue.
It’s totally free and is a wonderful memory of your Big Day!

New beauty salon
now open
T: 01889 590204 | M: 07930 588142
E: holly@prepbeauty.co.uk
beauty at denstone hall
w w w. p r e p b e a u t y. c o . u k
Prep Beauty, Denstone Hall,
Main Road, Denstone, ST14 5HF
Prep Beauty is now open at the
award-winning Denstone Hall Farm Shop.
We offer a range of professional beauty services
in comfortable and relaxing surroundings.
Contact us for information or to arrange a viewing.
Moddershall Oaks Country Spa Retreat
Moddershall, Near Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 8TG
Sat Nav Postcode: ST15 8WF
01782 399000 | weddings@moddershalloaks.com
www.moddershalloaks.com
OUTDOOR WEDDINGS
Booking your wedding at Moddershall Oaks means you enjoy
exclusive use of our state of the art events venue,
as well as the new outdoor events space with views of
the lake on the edge of our private woodland.
This landscaped area is ideal for arrival or post-ceremony
drinks whilst making the most of our breath-taking
Staffordshire countryside location.
Say your vows outside at no extra charge.
This outdoor space leads to a handmade oak gazebo on
the water’s edge, licenced for outdoor ceremonies, so you
can tie the knot in the most unique location.
WEDDING OPEN DAYS
Sunday 24th April 2016 11am-4pm
Sunday 5th June 2016 11am-4pm

Lank’s Lore
By Steve ‘Lank’Lavin
Golden Memories from one of Uttoxeter’s Favourite Characters
A
few weeks ago I was walking past a local,
school during the children’s lunch hour and
was amazed at the lack of activities taking
place.
Most of the children were huddled in groups
playing about with their mobile phones and
sending each other text messages instead of
running round and getting themselves some
exercise, no wonder a lot of them are classed as
obese at a very young age.
I mentioned this to a work colleague of mine
who has young children at school and he informed
me that unlike when we were at school the
majority of the games that we used to enjoy are
now all but banned owing to ‘Elf & Safety
regulations. What a load of rubbish, why shouldn’t
kids of today be toughened up for the outside
world when they finally leave school like I was
when I was their age.
I used to love the school playground games
when I was a lad like every other kid did and even
though sometimes you would get a few knocks or
two it never really did you any harm, it just taught
you to be more careful in future and taught you a
lot of common sense which appears to be lacking
in some youngsters nowadays.
This subject led my work colleague and I
nostalging about some of the game that we used to
participte in.
Conkers. A very popular game. We used to go
conkering in the local woods (which were more
accessible than today) looking for a suitable
winning specimen and then going to work on it to
harden it up ready for competition, soaking it in
vinegar and various other concoctions and then
baking it in your mothers oven. After playing I
have gone home on many of an occasion with
knuckles like the incredible hulk where your
opponent was not very good at aiming his conker
at yours or he didn’t like you a lot because they
was a chance that his No.10 conker would get
beaten by your no. 15. (A term used for how many
times the conker had won a game).
Fagcards. Another game that was played
regularly on the school playground. In my early
school days in the 50’s a lot of your parents
smoked (unlike today where it is deeply frowned
upon, probably because more research over the
years has found it to be a great risk to yourself and
other peoples health) .The packets of cigarettes
they brought used to contain a Fag Card. Coupled
with cards avialable in various brands of packets
of tea, Brooke Bond (Monkey tea as it was called)
and Hornimans (A little bit more up market)
especially comes to my mind and the Ice Cream
Man (Ashmores) and his competitors (remember
the Ice Cream Supplier Wars!!) who used to stand
outside the school dishing them out when you
bought a lolly or cornet of them. Picture cards were
in abundance in these times. The various cards
came in sets and you could purchase an album to
collect them in, it was not only a great hobbie but
also very educational with all the various themes,
birds, animals, film stars, steam trains and
numerous others.
Because of this using them for a game became
very popular. We used to line them up against the
school buildings wall and then take it in turn to
knock them flat, the person who knocked the last
standing card down collected all the fallers up to
add to his collection, a great game.
Hopstotch & Skipping. Were other popular
games played but mainly by the female pupils.
These were more energetic and to me watching
their skills was amazing.
I can remember going to a mate of mines house
after school one day and the kids had assembled
to play hopscotch and had not got any chalk to
draw out the numbered court with on the road so
they had found a dog turd that had dried up and
turned white and they were using that as an
alternative!!
There were numerous other playground
activities that were popular, Marbles, Jacks, Dolly
Pegs, British Bulldog that’s without the usual
football matches which were played on the school
playground using your school blazer as goal posts
much to your mother’s disapproval, all of which
have now virtually disappeared.
When I was a lad we used to look forward to
winter with the snow and sheets of ice forming on
the school playground.
As soon as the ice appeared hoards of kids used
to congregate in line to take a run up to it and slide
down it ending up in a great heap at the end with
cuts and bruises and all their trouser backsides
ripped to shreds, nobody including the teachers
bothered about the dangers it was all part of
growing up.
All these games and activities gave you not only
an education and taught you common sense but
also, served as a good exercise programme.
‘Elf & Safety issues have quelled the majority
of the old school games and activities we were used
to.
Any sign of ice on the playground now and the
site would be instantly recognised as a health
hazard and cordoned off with barriers, that is if the
school has not already been closed down after
having a risk assessment of the situation. Playing
with conkers marbles, fag cards and the like, if they
were allowed at all, would mean that the
participants would have to wear goggles for
protection in case they got hit in the eye by flying
debris, poppy cock!
Skipping, no way, ropes are dangerous you
might trip up on one or decide to hog tie another
pupil with one or even hang your mate, perish the
thought, the list goes on and on.
Little Johnny nowadays unfortunately to me is
totally over protected which leaves him clueless to
survive in the real outside world without the
assistance of the so called do gooders, great shame.
I know that times have changed of the years but
are these modern trends all for the good, I don’t
think so
Till next time, all the best to you all,
Lank.
Playing with Conkers Playing with Marbles A Hopscotch Court
Taekwon-do
We train at The Parkwood Community
Leisure Centre In Cheadle on Tuesday Night
6.00pm to 6.30pm 4yrs to 6yrs
6.30pm to 7.30pm Junior/Beginers Grades
7.30pm to 8.30pm Senior/Advanced Grades
Call John on 07854 806581
www.nctkd.co.uk
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A JCB product that
revolutionised the handling
of loads on construction sites
and farms around the world
today passed a major
milestone – the production
of the 200,000th machine.
The JCB Loadall
telescopic handler was first
manufactured in 1977,
transforming lifting and
loading tasks on building
sites which until then had
been carried out by a small
team of men. On farms too
the purpose-built machine
boosted productivity,
stacking bales, loading muck
and shovelling grain,
replacing rudimentary
tractor mounted hydraulic
loaders.
The first JCB Loadall –
the JCB 520 model – was
produced at JCB’s World
HQ in Rocester,
Staffordshire, on October
3rd, 1977 and in the first full
year of production less than
300 machines were made by
just a handful of employees.
Today thousands of Loadalls roll off the
production line every year and the business
producing them employs around 800 people.
JCB Chairman Lord Bamford said: “From very
small beginnings, the JCB Loadall has become a
very important machine for JCB and for the
construction and agricultural industries.
Revolutionary is often a word that is over-used,
but in the case of the Loadall it is a perfect
description. The way loads are handled on building
sites and farms has never been the same since we
introduced the Loadall in 1977. The JCB team
involved in manufacturing and selling the Loadall
is to be congratulated on reaching the production
milestone of 200,000 machines.”
JCB employee Richard Jenkinson, aged 62, of,
Hilderstone, near Stone has worked for JCB for a
total of nearly 40 years and was involved in
manufacturing the axles for the very first Loadalls
in 1977. He still works for the business producing
them today as a Quality Engineer. He said: “I
cannot believe it is 39 years since we built the first
Loadall and that we have now manufactured the
200,000th machine. It’s an incredible achievement
and I am proud to have been involved since day
one.”
It took almost 30 years for JCB to sell the first
100,000 Loadalls but it has taken less than 10 for
the next 100,000 to be sold – testament to the
growing importance of the product and JCB’s
strength in this sector. Today JCB is world’s
number one producer of telescopic handlers.
When the original 520 model was launched it
offered users a rough terrain machine with reach
and performance way beyond the capabilities of
conventional rough terrain forklifts. Putting the
JCB machine out in front was its unique telescopic
boom which brought a new solution to the
problem of handling materials.
As the machine evolved, its use widened to all
areas of the construction sector and the concept
quickly spread to agriculture where it is used for a
vast variety of tasks from loading grain, stacking
bales and towing trailers. JCB today manufactures
a total of 90 different Loadall models, 88 of which
are manufactured at the World HQ for global
markets and two of which are made in India for
the domestic market.
One of the major the innovations over the past
39 years has been the introduction of a range of
machines with an engine on the side rather than in
the centre which enabled the boom to be lowered,
improving visibility for operators by 390 mm. In
2008 visibility improvements took another huge
leap forward with the introduction of the Hi-Viz
range which lowered the boom even further.
The torque lock system introduced on Loadalls
in 2001 was also a major milestone because it
meant machines could travel quicker on the road
and perform much better up hills – as well as
improving fuel consumption. The patented Smooth
Ride System gave a major boost to users because
it improved material retention in the bucket when
travelling over rough ground, boosting
productivity as well as improving operator
comfort.
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Revolutionary JCB product marks
huge production milestone
Loadall MD Ian Pratt (extreme left) and Loadall Operations Director Paul Grys (extreme right) join employees (l-r) Ian
Vickery, Cliff Ferrie, Mick Smith, Dave Bailey, Nick Miller, Paul Stockley and Richard Jenkinson in celebrating the
200,000th Loadall milestone.

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Caribbean bliss for lovely local folk!
It’s amazing who you bump into when you are on holiday on the other side
of the World! Mark and Derek Fower, Julie Crayton of Cheadle are pictured
with well known people from Tean and Werrington during a visit to a
Jamaican Rum Factory in the Caribbean recently.

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Take a drive out to one of the area’s most beautiful
‘olde worlde’ country inns and restaurants -
and savour a truly delicious experience!
Enjoy wonderful views overlooking Croxden Abbey
and the surrounding countryside.
Open every day, 12-10pm
Pensioners Specials
Monday to Saturday 12-2pm
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Sunday Lunches served all day
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Heated smoking area
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Enjoy a great meal atThe Raddle -
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Quarry Bank, Hollington, near Alton Towers
Telephone: 01889 507278
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Celebrating Easter
E
aster Sunday, Cheadle Methodist enjoyed a full English breakfast after
their early morning Holy Communion Service. Following the later
service people decorated a cross with flowers which was duly hung
outside the church. The church was decorated by ladies of the church ably
led by Carole Edwards and Fiona Farrington and included the Easter Gardens
made by the children of Chapel Street Nursery.
It was a very happy day.

C O N S T R U C T I O N S
Serving the community since 1976
MJ Barrett Constructions,Brookside Business Park,Brookside Road,
Uttoxeter,Staffordshire,ST14 8AT
www.mjbarrettconstructions.co.uk
Tel:01889 564 253 • Fax:01889 564 210
F
M J Barrett Constructions supply and erect all types of
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Every Thursday - Beckioke
Free Shot for every singer
Every Friday - DJ Jed
9pm-1am, free shot with every drink between 9pm-11pm
Every Saturday - Beckioke and Disco
1st Sunday of every Month from June
Open Mic Night
Stoke City games shown every weekend
Bar 19, 19 Bank Street,
Cheadle, Staffs ST10 1NR
Tel 01538 528062
or 07814 972326
for more enquiries

H
i there, I’m Amy Bradley and drawing really is my
favourite thing! I work from my gorgeous studio at
St.Mary’s House in Uttoxeter creating illustrations
for all kinds of projects such as; picture books, branding,
wedding stationery, educational projects and SO SO much
more…
Every month I will be giving you a sneak peek into what
I’ve been up to! I’m so excited!!
NEWS from the Studio…
Earlier this month I went to the annual gathering of the
‘2%ers’ held by the Art of Brilliance Team at Alton Towers
Hotel.
Yes I already know what you’re thinking: ‘Amy, what the
heck is a 2%er?’
Well let me tell you….
A 2%er refers to 2% of the population… It’s a scary
statistic that only 2% of the population CHOOSE to be
HAPPY. ‘So what, some of you may ask!’ Well I kinda think
it’s a big deal because it’s those 2%er’s who live life to the full,
make their dreams come true and live a full colour reality!
2%er’s tend to have the following characteristics: FULL
of confidence, have a spring in their step EVERYDAY, are
ENTHUSIASTIC, are FULL of energy, they LIGHT up a
room, age LESS, & live LONGER. (Why wouldn’t you want
to be one?!)
You wanna know the SECRET to being a 2%er?!
Well it takes EFFORT and you have to choose to be
HAPPY! Check out this cool infographic which I had the
pleasure of designing….
Unfortunately, as you can see it’s far easier to be like the
other 98% of the population, leading a BORING black &
white life! Even worse you could fall into the trap of
becoming a ‘Mood Hoover’ - a term that the Art of Brilliance
use for people who tend to light up a room when they LEAVE
the room; they lack energy, live a dull existence and they’ll
SUCK the life out of ya! (WARNING; avoid Mood Hoovers
at all costs!)
So… the idea behind the gathering was to recharge the
2%er’s and send them back into society ready & raring to go!
Wooohooo!!
As many of you may already know I do loads of work for
the Art of Brilliance and in preparation for the event I
supplied lots of illustrations for their NEW beyond brilliant
website which was put together by my amazing friend Carl
@ IncludeCreative! Check it out: www.artofbrilliance.co.uk.
I also designed slides for the presentation and it was
AMAZING seeing ‘The Brilliant Route Map’ I designed
scattered across the tables.
I had such a BRILLIANT day! It was jam-packed with a
real mix of speakers from the young to the wise (well older!)
whom had traveled far and wide, all from different walks of
life with the aim of enlightening the 2%ers with enthusiasm
& wisdom!
The speakers encouraged the crowd to play with lego,
build with spaghetti and to swap seats (clearly not a boring
bunch!!). I took the opportunity to mingle with the HAPPY
peeps, after all, the books I illustrate end up in their hands!
Having felt the energy BUZZING in the room I can’t wait
to start work on the next one :-) Watch this space….
Amy x
If you’d like to know more about Amy check out;
www.amybradley.co.uk or get in touch:
mail@amybradley.co.uk – 07870 752480. Enjoy!
Fun, colourful
illustrationsfor everyone!!

News from
Denstone Players
A well attended meeting of Denstone Players was held
last month in Denstone Village Hall.
It was reported that the Players’ highly successful
pantomime ‘Cinderella’ in February played to four
sell-out audiences.
Chairman, Dave Shooter commented:- ‘If ever
there was an example of amateur dramatics at its
most enjoyable level supported by true community
spirit, this production has to be it.
Positive advertising and publicity paved the way
for four excellent performances by a diverse and
talented cast. Scenery, props, make up, lighting and
sound effects were of outstanding quality. Four full
houses were fully catered for by a hard working Front
of House team.
The whole enterprise was driven by Gill Brown,
our excellent Director. She knew exactly what she
wanted and had the energy and stamina to see
through a production of the highest quality, one that
all participants can feel justifiably proud of.
In its 28 year history Denstone Players have never
performed to so many people during one
performance.’
The notional profit from Cinderella is £2,018.
A unanimous vote of thanks was offered to Gill
in recognition of her sterling efforts and achievement.
Stephen Leake was also unanimously thanked for
his sterling work designing and making the set,
extending the stage and
establishing the group’s storage
container.
It was agreed that February
half-term pantomimes should
continue, as there is no
significant impact on CATS
audiences in Cheadle.
A The Chairman informed
members that a joint calendar
with other local drama groups
had been established with
access provided for:
Marchington Amateur
Dramatic Society (MADS),
Cheadle Amateur Theatrical
Society (CATS), St Mary’s
Entertainers in Uttoxeter, The
Mulberry Players in Doveridge
and The Whodunit Players.
Treasurer, Lynn Shooter
reported a very healthy bank
balance of £3,465.20. She was
thanked for her hard work
compiling the accounts and
overseeing ticket sales for all
productions. Those who
donated raffle prizes were
similarly thanked.
It was agreed that
Denstone Players donate £500
to The Tom Boden Memorial
Sports Trust and £500 to the
Defibrillator Appeal fund.
The Village Hall
Committee will be asked if
there is anything the Players
could assist in buying.
A full years programme
was then agreed as follows-
‘Blithe Spirit’ by Noel Coward
directed by Marge Stanley for
performance on 7th, 8th and
9th July.
Two one act plays to be
performed on the 29th and
30th September and 1st
October. The next pantomime
on 23rd, 24th and 25th
February 2017.
Social Secretary, Sue Davies
reported on the support
offered by members to many
recent local Am Dram
productions including those
performed by CATS, MADS,
The Whodunit Players and
junior member Megan Ash’s
performance of ‘The Lion, the
Witch and the Wardrobe’ at
Painsley High School.
Sue said she is investigating
group visits to future amateur
and professional productions
and a members Christmas
meal. Sound and lighting
technician Pete Smith agreed to
offer the group’s surplus
lighting equipment for sale.
The AGM was agreed for
Sunday 22nd May at 6pm in
the Village Hall.
The meeting closed to
allow for the second showing
of the ‘Cinderella’ dvd
compiled by Dave Brown.
Many thanks,
Dave Shooter, Chairman,
Denstone Players
Ki
tchens by Paul Gabri
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Everyone
lovesTheVoice

Let The Voice Be With You
by Les Humphries of Rocester
W
ell Readers, they’ve gone! I refer of
course to the plague of starlings which
descended on Rocester over February
and March, which I mentioned in the last issue of
The Voice. They appeared in a huge flock which
grew larger and larger as the weeks went on, until
they numbered thousands and the sky went black
for an hour or so at dusk, as they weaved their
fantastic patterns, whilst at the same time
depositing little gifts from their feathery bottoms!
Then suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye when
the clocks went forward, they were gone, which no
doubt upset the ‘twitchers’. Yes we even had a
plague of them even more turning up after it was
shown on BBC News, but they were too late!
Thankfully their exit also saw a couple of days of
heavy rain which washed away most of the
evidence (of the starlings, not the twitchers). It’s
lovely not to have to go for a drive every evening
to avoid having to wash the car, I shan’t miss them
one little bit (the starlings and the twitchers!)
As part of the last generation to speak the Kings
English correctly (not sounding TH as F and
saying ‘like’ every other word) I am also bemused
at the use of the word Lunch to describe a midday
meal - allow me to explain. We used to have
Breakfast in the Morning, which has not changed,
then we had Dinner - my Mum didn’t give me
Lunch Money, to take to School she gave me
Dinner money and, in the Army, Dinner was
middayish if you had a proper meal, and in the
Evening you had Tea, or Tiffin as the old sweats
called it, which was a light snack, it only became
Dinner if you had a main meal. A snack of
Sandwiches or whatever in the middle of the day
WAS Lunch because then you had Dinner at night!
These days three course meals are referred to as
Lunch, which they certainly are not (I am not
confusing them with light lunches) but people
trying to be ‘posh’ refer to all midday meals as
Lunch, and even Pubs get it wrong when they refer
to themselves as serving Sunday Lunches. It’s
Dinner to me, and always will be, with pudding
following my main course, not sweet. I may be
common as muck, but I am what I am, and YOU
are what you eat!
On Friday the 11th of March, the Town of
Uttoxeter bade a sad farewell to it’s former Mayor,
Council Leader and stalwart Geoff Morrison, who
passed away aged 69 following an illness. Along
with fellow Standard Bearers from the Royal
British Legion, the Staffordshire Fire Service, and
Royal Naval Association, plus representatives from
the Army Cadet Force, I had the sad pleasure of
paying my own small part in a tribute to this well
respected pillar of the Community, when we
paraded our colours draped in black in front of the
funeral car as it drove slowly through the town he
loved to St. Mary’s Church. Hundreds of mourners
either lined the route or were in Church to pay
tribute to Geoff, where they found out there was
much more to the man than many of them knew.
Apart from being the Mayor, and long time
County and Borough Councellor, Geoff had also
held posts in the British Legion and Fire Service.
Probably best known as a photographer, he had
honed his skills in the Royal Air Force, where he
served 22 years, and some of the time had the
dubious task of taking pictures of people whom the
Security Forces wanted to keep an eye on! A risky
business at that time. I came into contact with
Geoff at various functions, including taking him on
a tour of JCB along with other dignitaries, and he
was a very easy person to get along with, even
though he was of a different political persuasion to
myself!
Mourners included Andrew Griffiths MP for
Burton on Trent, County Council Leader Philip
Atkins, and Borough Council Leader Richard
Grosvenor. The Service was conducted by the Rev.
Chris Brown, who then accompanied the Family to
Stafford Crematorium for Geoff’s final journey,
where Standards were dipped as the Last Post was
played by a member of the Uttoxeter Town Band.
Geoff, who leaves wife Pauline, three daughters,
and four grandchildren will be sadly missed by all
who knew him to be a genuine and honest man.
On the 2nd of April I finally found my way to
Oldfields to watch my beloved Uttoxeter Rugby
Team in their quest to win the League, and gain
promotion after a sad spell in the doldrums over
the previous season or two. The visitors were
Aldridge who are propping up the table, and they
were totally demolished by a Town side in rampant
form. In the first half they played some excellent
rugby, which brought a smile to coach Graham
McDonald’s craggy face. However a little lack of
discipline following the change round saw them
squander chances.
The Voice sponsored the match which
Uttoxeter won by 89 points to Nil with a try fest.
The Voice is again sponsoring the last match
against Barton Under Needwood, and by the time
this issue goes to press all will be decided. The
Annual Dinner will be held in Uttoxeter Town
Hall on the 14th of May.
The Churnet Valley Male Voice Choir are back
to rehearsing weekly on Tuesday Nights at the
Bishop Rawle School in Cheadle, and will have
performed at Tean Church when this issue goes to
press. We happily now have our conductor and
Musical Director Janet Downing back in harness,
even though she is not yet fully over her problems.
Although our pianist John Clark did a great job
in her absence, it is so much better when you have
your conductor out in front, particularly in
Concert.
I am going to sign off with a message from my
old mate Razzer, who accosted me in Uttoxeter in
the pouring rain, and asked me to state in my
column that the Labour Party never did anything
to harm the Steel or Coal industry. But I am sure
all my readers are already aware of that!
TTFN Les...
B
ill Badger and myself, recently had the
pleasure of escorting 72 year old Doug
Hamilton-Cox and his party through the JCB
Headquarters Factory at Rocester, part of which is
built over the old Uttoxeter Canal, and then along
the old Railway Line past the ruined Woodseat Hall
where the remnants of the Canal still survive as
Woodseat Lake. Doug who was a Boy Soldier at
around the same time as myself in the 50’s, has
been a digger driver all his life, including driving
JCB’s in the Army. The following account of Dougs
tireless work was kindly sent to me by Phillip Balf
of Uttoxeter who along with his wife and other
supporters accompanied us on the day. Thanks to
Bills knowledge as a local ‘native’ and his provision
of maps, we were able to walk as near as possible
to the Canals original route on the day.
Doug Hamilton-Cox (ex Royal Engineers) who
is walking the 2500 miles of the UK mainland
canals to raise money for Help for Heroes, came to
town on Wednesday March 30th to walk the length
of the old Uttoxeter Canal (which closed in about
1850) from Uttoxeter to Froghall Wharf, facilitated
by the Caldon and Uttoxeter Canal Trust,
Cheddleton Valley Railway and JCB.
The 29th of April saw Doug walking from the
Wharf area in Uttoxeter, all the way to Froghall
Wharf, along roads, public footpaths, Country
lanes and a disused part of the old Railway (With
appropriate permission), but missing out the line of
the old Canal in the vicinity of the JCB Factory at
Rocester.
The following day, to complete the missed
section of the walk, JCB kindly agreed to allow
Doug and his party under the supervision of Tour
Guides to follow it’s route (as closely as possible)
through the confines of the Factory Area
Walking to Help The Heroes

19 Chapel Street, Cheadle ST10 1DU
T: 01538 528787
E: emma@rcmrecruitment.co.uk W: www.rcmrecruitment.co.uk
RCM Recruitment Ltd
celebrates successful first year.
Ambitious expansion plans have been unveiled by
RCM Recruitment as it celebrates it’s first year in
business.
RCM Recruitment Ltd based on Chapel Street,
Cheadle, Staffordshire opened on April 8th 2015. Now
the business employs four people and is looking to
expand further this year due to continued success and
additional business since opening last year.
Ellia Hutchins is the latest member to join the
business. Ellia, from Hixon joined the business in
February this year as a Recruitment Resourcer and has
already become a valued member of the team.
RCM Recruitment Ltd are proud of their core values of
honesty, integrity and quality of service and believe this is
the reason for their continued success. Emma Tideswell,
Recruitment Director of RCM Recruitment has said they
are happy to be working with local businesses in the area
supporting their growth and success but also happy to
have further business with existing clients that Emma has
now worked with for a number of years. The
combination of the two has meant that in the last year
RCM Recruitment have achieved a lot and are now seen
as one of Cheadle’s successful and entrepreneurial
businesses.
RCM Recruitment are keen to hear from local
candidates looking for work and also businesses looking
for support in growing their team.
For more information on RCM Recruitment Ltd’s
services please contact a member of the recruitment
team on 01538 528787 or email
info@rcmrecruitment.co.uk. All current vacancies are
advertised on the website www.rcmrecruitment.co.uk.
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Chiropodist
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Checkley church bells
are now good for
another 200 years!
I
t’s celebration time at
Checkley Church with the
completion of a £100,000 bell
refurbishment project.
The old frame housing our six
bells, cast in 1761, was placed on
an oak frame produced from
Elizabethan ship’s timbers.
Following detailed discussions
with both English Heritage and
the Lichfield D.A.C., permission
was granted to replace the aged
frame, but the bells were capable
of refurbishment.
Thirty years in the planning
stages, the work was started in
November 2015, and finished by
April 2016.To commemorate
completion, a ‘Hallowing’ service
was held on March 7th where the
bells were both anointed with oil and water by the Bishop of Stafford.
The old frame remains in its original position, with a new steel unit
positioned directly underneath. This work was expertly undertaken by
Whitechapel Bell Foundry, the necessary monies were provided by local and
wider afield donations. This was a tremendous combined group effort,
ensuring that the ancient art if ringing will be preserved in Checkley for many
years to come!
Jane Titley, now living in London, is a direct descendent of Thomas Titley,
Churchwarden in 1761 whose name is inscribed on the Tenor bell, along with
Harry Hancock. It was absolutely wonderful that Jane was able to travel from
London to be present at our ‘Hallowing, service. Many thanks to all concerned
in any way!
Clive Smith – Checkley Church
A refurbished bell situated on the new
steel frame

Have I got news for you
by Uttoxeter’s Gary Hudson, Former BBC Chief News Reporter
Gary Hudson is a member of Uttoxeter
Lions Club, a former BBC Chief News
Reporter and a senior lecturer in Broadcast
Journalism at Staffordshire University.
Needles and pints – now it’s time for
the fun part
Loyal readers of this column (a big hello to
the Smith family of Oakover Close) will spot
a theme developing when I say it’s time to
sugar the pill, enjoy the silver lining to the
cloud, and savour the smooth that inevitably
comes with the rough.
By which I mean it’s almost time for the
Uttoxeter Beer and Cider Festival. It takes place at
Oldfields Sports and Social Club on Saturday, June
11th, with the region’s biggest open mic night the
evening before in the beer tent.
They’re two of my favourite days in the local
calendar. While they may not have the excitement
or indeed the potential to lose your shirt of the
Midlands Grand National, or the sheer variety of
entertainment of that other big do at the
racecourse, the Acoustic Festival, they are special
days for those us helping to run them.
The medicine which this particular spoonful of
sugar helps to go down is the free prostate cancer
screening at the racecourse, which Uttoxeter Lions
Club has been organising for the past three years.
At time of writing, I don’t know how many
people turned up on a Tuesday evening in mid-
April for the free blood tests, but I do know that
there is strong clinical evidence that at least 15 lives
locally have been saved over the last couple of
years because of the tests we offer to men over 50.
Without this early warning, they might otherwise
have died from the disease.
We’re going to need a bigger bar
Uttoxeter Lions Club is grateful to the
racecourse for providing the Hoops Bar, but I
suspect the time will come when we have to move
to one of the bigger spaces at the venue. Even more
men are taking advantage of the free tests every
year.
Those tests cost about 15 quid a head. That
money came from you if you’ve ever visited the
Beer Festival, and we will be doing the same with
the profits from the event this year.
We also have hundreds of pounds raised by
local musicians busking last summer at the Mercia
Marina at Willington just off the A50. That
initiative came from Karen Moore, who alongside
her professional life as a senior cancer nurse, plays
saxophone in a musical trio, calling themselves
Moore and Moore Beer. The name comes from
Karen and her husband David and their friend
John Beer.
I’m delighted to say they will be performing on
the evening of June 10th at Oldfields. The open mic
night from about 7.30pm is a sister event to the
Beer Festival - same venue, same beers and ciders,
and the added bonus that admission for performers
is free with a small cover charge for their
supporters and other guests. If you have a ticket to
the Beer Festival on the Saturday, admission to the
open mic is free anyway. So it makes sense to go to
both and get the best value for your money.
No judges, but a great showcase for
talent
Other local acts expected to do a turn
include Delta Echoes and Temple Hudson
(yeah, that’s me and my mate Mick), Rich
Holmes and Sanjiv Nandi. But the real joy is
that anyone can show up and perform, and
not just singer-guitarists: the completely wacky
and off-the-wall Trent Vale Poet has promised
to be there - and I forecast a few ukuleles and
more saxophones than is usually healthy in
polite society.
It’s not a talent contest. There are no Simon
Cowells sneering at your efforts, and everyone will
be made welcome. We’ve also learned from last
year when, although it was early June, it became a
little nippy late in the evening. Heating has been
arranged.
In fact, if everyone who has suggested they
might turn up does so – and I promise everyone
who does will get a chance to play – then we will
be looking at easily the biggest open mic event in
the whole of Staffordshire and Derbyshire, as far
as I’m aware. If you are an up-and-coming
performer, perhaps with your own music to sell or
looking for a gig, it’s a great showcase.
And it’s a great warm-up for the beer festival
on Saturday, when the musical entertainment steps
up a gear with performances from – among others
– local artist Jason Callear, who has a new album
out, and our fabulous headline act Upfront, who
would be guaranteed to bring the house down if it
were not for the fortunate fact that the whole event
takes place in a marquee.
Please support either or both events, whether
for the music, which ranges from rock to jazz, the
beer and cider, with thirty varieties on offer, or
simply to have a good time – the possibilities are
endless.
@uttoxeter_voice
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Uttoxeter
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Uttoxeter
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Jack’s nostalgic thoughts...
by Jack Hayhurst, of Alton
Former Painsley High School Woodwork Teacher
Personal Banking
L
ank’s Lore really rang a few bells in the last
edition of the Voice, didn’t it? May I also
share some personal banky experiences with
you?
A local Nat West held a modest savings account
for me, but when the interest went the way of all
interests I decided to draw it out to buy an Aston
Martin.... the Dinky Toy version.
“How do you want the money?” asked Pat at
the counter.
“Can you do an electronic transfer to my
account in HSBC?” I asked.
“Yes. We can. But the charge will be £20.”
This surprised me. We discussed the fact that
customers could do a transfer online at home for
free, but the bank needed £20 to do it.
“Well, can I just have the cash in my hand?” I
asked.
“No problem”, said Pat, who rustled the
folding stuff into an envelope whilst I put the
peanuts in my pocket.
“What are you going to do with it now?” she
asked.
So I told her that I was just going across the
road to pay it into my current account in HSBC.
Pat smiled. “You’ll be lucky “ she said, “ It
closed down in September.”
Never mind! We had a trip in the car, did the
shopping and paid it into HSBC Uttoxeter.
Whilst my friend Linda in HSBC (choral society
... nice voice) was putting my stake into the
computer, she said
“It has flagged-up that you have a savings
account that has not been used for some time, and
they don’t like it”
“Well” I replied, “It’s just there in case I want
to use it sometime. Anyway we don’t want to miss
the interest do we?”
Linda grinned. There was 50p in the account.
Anyway head-office didn’t like it .... so I asked
Linda to transfer the 50p and close the account.
She said “We can’t do that here. Do you ever
go to Longton?”
“Not if I can help it”.
“Well... phone this number” said Linda, passing
a slip of paper under the screen,“ and they will sort
it for you”.
Back home I transferred the 50p online, and
then forgot about it. Later that week, however, a
letter arrived. “You have a savings account that is
not being used etc etc”..... with a phone number.
So I rang it. Up comes the menu. If you need
the toilet press 1. Finally ...“For any other enquiry
press 22”.
Result: “We are experiencing a heavy volume
of calls. If you wish to hold, the delay is currently
15 minutes”.
Give up !
As Lank mentioned in his piece, the Co-op
Bank is closing in Uttoxeter. My wife has had her
hard-earned loot paid there for years, and she likes
to be able to go into a branch and talk to people.
Bakewell, Ashbourne and Cheadle branches of the
Co-op have all gone. She needs a local bank
account, so we decided to go into Uttoxeter
NatWest, because there are also handy branches in
Cheadle and Ashbourne.
NatWest in Uttoxeter has had a make-over: the
main counter, like a shrimp stall on Blackpool
south shore, is now in the middle of the room and
a new cash machine, a useful addition, adorns the
wall where the solid old mahogany counter used
to be. Two TV screens provide entertainment to
waiting customers, but the choice of films last week
was not prime-time viewing. The other thing I
don’t understand is that in HSBC the staff are
behind a bulletproof screen and customers speak
into a little microphone. Transactions are passed
through a scoop! Does this protect bank staff from
germs, bad breath or firearms?
Anyway we decided not to wait. It’s all
ongoing and part of life’s rich pattern.
Down on the Farm
by Angela Sargent
A
pril and spring is well and truly here and
we’ve nearly finished our second lambing
spell! Our first crop of lambs are growing
with the increased grass in the fields and our cattle
have been turned out to benefit from the pasture
too!
The birds are starting to sing loudly and
continually in the early mornings and they are
nesting in the nearby trees. The green woodpeckers
are yaffling in the spinneys and flocks of
yellowhammers skit along the hedges, while
sparrows argue and skirmish amongst them.
A flock of a couple of dozen lapwings rise and
fall above the fields and pigeons and jackdaws
wheel above the woods.
All in all a very busy time for animals as they
pair up or give birth to their young and we see
more young rabbits and if we’re lucky, leverets
The majority of our cattle will begin to give
birth, out in the fields and it’s always a pleasure to
see an addition to the numbers in a morning, up
and suckling! Of course, the cows are checked
more often when a calving is imminent and a close
eye kept once it has properly begun, there is no bed
until the safe delivery
The hedges and trees begin to open their leaves
to make the most of the lengthening days and
spring flowers are abundant- lots of whites and
yellows mixed with the blues and pinks of bluebells
and red campion and there is the mound of newly
turned soil, where the mole has left his mark.
Tractors roll up and down fields, rolling and
top dressing (fertilizing) the green sward and the
crops already in the ground will get their feeds too.
The application window for basic farm
payment has opened, with many farmers not
having received the last years and, coupled with
severely depressed prices in all the sectors of
agriculture it makes for a very uncertain time-
again we’re not on an equal footing with our
European counterparts.
This month also sees me try to complete a
round trip of approximately 300 miles in 3 days
on my bike, visiting all the East Midlands livestock
markets, in aid of RABI. Postponed from last year,
when my Auctioneer colleague broke his foot, it is
also timed to take place during Great British Beef
Week-21st-23rd April.
One thing I’ve noticed during training- why
does everyone drive down the middle of the road,
regardless of oncoming traffic?
Anyway, anyone wishing to join us for a leg of
our journey or sponsor us, please contact me or
our Justgiving.com/AuctionRingRide page
Angela Sargent
www.baldfields-farm.co.uk and follow us on
twitter (@bythebarn)and facebook(baldfields
farm) too!
You can now read The Voice at
www.uttoxeterandcheadlevoice.co.uk
You can also contact us via social media:
@uttoxeter_voice search for Uttoxeter Voice

Karen’s Cake Corner
by Karen Hill
Carrot And Pistachio Cake
A
nother big gathering of friends and
family, and I was requested to make a
Carrot Cake. I have such a delicious
recipe for Carrot Cake, but really wanted to
try something different. So with this recipe I
have used rapeseed oil which makes it very
moist and added pistachio nuts, sultanas and
lime zest. It was quite different from my
usual cake, but very delicious and everyone
loved it.
You will need:-
300g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
4 large free range eggs
275g light muscovado sugar
250ml light rapeseed oil
400g carrots, peeled and grated
100g roughly chopped pistachio nuts
100g sultanas
zest of 1 lime
For the Frosting -
150g softened unsalted butter
400g full fat cream cheese
200g greek yoghurt
350g icing sugar, sifted
Lime zest and chopped pistachio nuts to
decorate
Preheat the oven to 160C fan oven.
Whisk together the eggs, sugar and oil. Sift
the flour, baking powder and spices into the
egg mixture and mix thoroughly. Next fold
in the carrots, pistachios, sultanas and lime
zest (reserving a few pistachios to sprinkle on
the frosting). Divide the mixture evenly
between three greased and lined 20cm cake
tins. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or
until a skewer comes out clean.
Whilst the cakes are cooling, you can
make the frosting. Whisk the butter until
soft, then add the remaining ingredients.
When the cakes are completely cool, layer
the cakes with the frosting and then cover the
top and sides.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining
pistachio nuts.
I think this will be my new favourite
carrot cake. I have already been asked to
make another the next time my son comes to
stay.
Baby Sensory
by Laura Johnson
Babies in Springtime
A
s we head into Spring there are a wealth of
new experiences for children of all ages.
Your toddler may have been on their first
Easter Egg Hunt, whilst at school children may
have made an Easter bonnet, experienced their first
parade, or discovered something new about why
we celebrate Easter.
Spring can also be a wonderful time of year for
your baby. As the days get warmer and the
evenings grow longer, your baby has a lot to
experience in this new season. Why not explore
your garden together, as the flowers bloom there
will be a wealth of new smells to discover. From
fresh flowers to newly mown grass, and the
freshness just after an April shower, your baby’s
noses will surely be tantalised. Look out for busy
bees and beautiful butterflies, as they fly from
flower to flower, and listen to the birds singing in
the trees.
Taking a walk can be a wonderful experience
too, your little one will love to ride under a tree
canopy or listen to a group of ducks quacking on
the water in the park. Breathing in all of that fresh
air will really make a difference, as it contains lots
of negative ions it can really help with brain
function and improve your baby’s health. When
the sun breaks through the clouds the sunlight
which contains vitamin D, is essential for strong
bones and to help bodies fight infection.
At Baby Sensory our Easter and spring themed
classes are full of activities to introduce your baby
to the new season. We have smelled flowers, herbs
and hot cross buns, discovered butterflies and bees
in our Magic Garden and hopped and bounced just
like baby bunnies.
To help babies to learn we also sing action
songs, a great way to introduce your
baby not only to different gestures but
also to a huge range of words, which can
really help with their language
development. Songs such as ‘Round and
Round the Garden’, ‘Peter Rabbit’ and
‘Five Little Ducks’ are perfect for spring.
Don’t worry about how good your
singing voice sounds, your baby loves to
hear you sing.
Your baby may be too young to go
on an Easter Egg Hunt or jump in
muddy puddles in their wellington boots,
but there are still lots of activities they
can enjoy, Once your baby can sit up
unaided why not put together a treasure
basket of safe objects for your baby to
explore. This could include a toy egg, a
soft toy bunny rabbit, a plastic duck, a
shaker and even a spring themed book.
Treasure baskets can offer your baby an
opportunity to experience different
objects, exploring their shape, texture
and weight and help with their sense of
curiosity.
Spring is a fantastic season for all of
us as we break free from the winter
months, but for your baby it’s also a
period of real discovery. Enjoy!
You can find and book onto your nearest Baby
Sensory class by visiting www.babysesnroy.com or
contacting me on 07887 744876 or email
northstaffs@babysensory.co.uk.

Talking Pets
by Shoshannah McCarthy BVetMed (Hons) MRCVS
Shosh qualified from the
Royal Veterinary College in
London, and has been
working as a small animal
vet at Blue House
Veterinary Centre in
Biddulph since 2009. She
has a rescue cat named
Bagpuss.
Cats don’t need
kittens! Why
neutering is
misunderstood and
still so important
Last week I spent a day
working with the Cat
Population Control Group,
a collaboration between
several different charities
including Cats Protection,
the RSPCA, International
Cat Care and the PDSA,
amongst others. They
attended a major veterinary
conference in Birmingham
to speak with UK vets and
promote neutering kittens at
four months rather than six
months. I was there to help
them, because it’s a matter
that’s so important to me.
Here’s why...
Back in 2014, the
Veterinary Record published
the findings of a survey
about UK cat owners’ views
on neutering. I can only speak for myself, but I
found the results shocking.
Accidental litters are really common!
In the survey, 80% of kittens born were from
accidental litters - their owners had no intention of
breeding their cats. Given that 1 in 7 cats
relinquished to rehoming and rescue centres in the
UK come from unwanted litters, this figure is
alarming. It means that over 20,000 of the cats left
homeless each year were born by accident, and
now face an uncertain future.
If all female pet cats were neutered before they
become pregnant, we could save over 20,000 cats
per year in the UK.
Cats can become pregnant earlier than
many people think!
Most worrying to me was that more than a
quarter of cat owners surveyed thought that female
cats couldn’t become pregnant until they were a
year old. In fact, female cats can become pregnant
as young as four or five months of age - and
RSPCA figures have found that 1 in 7 litters are
born to mothers under six months of age!
For this reason, it’s so important that female
cats are not allowed outdoors until they have been
neutered, regardless of their age.
Brothers and sisters can still mate!
When choosing pet kittens, it’s common to
bring home a boy and a girl from the same litter.
The survey found that almost 40% of owners did
not know that brothers and sisters could still mate;
of course, they can (and do, once their hormones
hit). You should keep your kittens indoors, but if
they can still mate with each other if they are not
neutered in time.
Taking your kittens to be neutered at four
months old will avoid any possibility of accidents
later on.
Cats don’t need to have kittens to stay
healthy!
It’s a common misconception that female cats
should have one litter before they are neutered.
This is an old wives’ tale and is completely false,
but it’s a belief sadly held by almost one quarter of
the owners surveyed (with another quarter unsure
about whether or not they should).
I will categorically say now that there are NO
health benefits to a female cat if she has a litter of
kittens. On the contrary, it puts her at risk of
complications during pregnancy and birth, and
delaying neutering will increase her risk of
developing mammary tumours (breast cancer) later
in life. Mating with an unknown tomcat also puts
her at risk of contracting diseases such as feline
leukaemia and FIV (which can lead to feline AIDS).
As for the boys, they are at increased risk of
contracting leukaemia and FIV if they are allowed
to roam and mate. Injuries from other males and
even the female cats their encounter can result in
more abscesses and infections, and they are more
likely to roam (which puts them at risk of being hit
by cars or harmed by humans).
Cats don’t need to ‘experience’ having
kittens!
Female cats don’t need to experience having
babies for any psychological reason, either. Their
maternal instinct only kicks in after the kittens are
born, and when they are in heat their behaviour is
driven blindly by hormones - not a true desire to
have kittens.
It’s much kinder and safer to neuter a cat before
her hormones start to kick in.
Neutering is safe and inexpensive!
Vets across the UK neuter thousands of cats per
year, and the operation is quick and very safe. We
usually find that kittens are back on their feet with
their nose in the food bowl within half an hour of
waking up, and their overall recovery time is fast.
In fact, in my experience younger kittens
recover much better than older cats. Research has
also shown that younger kittens cope better with
the pain than older cats - so it pays to get it done
early, and they’ll bounce back quicker.
The average UK cost of castration (male
neutering) is £20-40, and is £30-60 for spaying
(female neutering). It varies a lot between practices,
so do check with your own vet.
If you need help with neutering costs, there is
lots of financial assistance available from certain
charities.
• In Stoke-on-Trent, the Hazel Blakeman Clinic
in Longton offers subsidised neutering.
Contact them for more information:
www.hazelblakemananimalclinic.co.uk/
• The RSPCA can offer financial assistance for
neutering in selected cases. To see if you are
eligible, try contacting the Burton-upon-Trent
branch to enquire:
www.rspca.org.uk/local/burton-on-trent-
branch/aboutus
• Cats Protection can provide financial
assistance for neutering in certain cases. Please
phone them to see if they can help with the
cost: www.cats.org.uk/what-we-
do/neutering/financial-assistance
• Blue Cross are currently supporting a £10
neutering scheme in Burton-upon-Trent.
Check their site for details:
www.bluecross.org.uk/burton-and-
scunthorpe-neutering-scheme
• If you are outside the Blue Cross catchment
area for Burton-upon-Trent, you may be
eligible for a £20 voucher towards neutering
costs elsewhere:
www.bluecross.org.uk/neutering-grant
Spread the word!
In summary, the kindest thing you can do for
your kitten is to make sure you have them neutered
at 4-5 months old, before they go outside and
certainly before they are old enough to become
pregnant. By doing this you’ll be keeping them safe
and healthy, and helping reduce the number of cats
who end up homeless every year.
Some vets are still suggesting waiting until 6
months to neuter cats. You can ask them if they
would be comfortable neutering your cat at four
months of age, as many will if asked. Alternatively,
check out the Kitten Neutering Database if you
want to find a practice near you who can neuter at
four months: http://www.cats.org.uk/what-we-
do/neutering/enr/menu-early-neutering
Even if your cats are neutered, please help by
spreading the word to friends and family who
welcome new kittens into their home. Together we
can all keep working to keep cats safe and reduce
the number of unwanted kittens ending up in
rescue.

Ginny’s Community Corner
by Ginny Gibson of Uttoxeter
T
his month I thought I would find an outdoor
community group to feature, after all we are
surrounded by wonderful countryside in the
Midlands. When I was growing up in London, we
only had access to parks, then we moved to the
Ashdown Forest near
Brighton and I discovered a
whole new world, away from
bricks, mortar and pavements
and after my initial fears of
huge outdoor spaces, my love
of the country side began.
Moving to Staffordshire from
Northamptonshire was
fantastic, as a new range of
places to explore opened up
and Staffordshire Wildlife
Trust has 27 such sites to visit.
Staffordshire Wildlife
Trust have been actively ensuring our natural
environment and open spaces are accessible to
everyone since August 1969. Their literature
explains that the Trust protects and enhances the
wild life and wild places of our county. They also
promote understanding and enjoyment and
involvement in the natural world.
Jon Owen, from the Trust explained the sites
that the Trust owns, leases or manages, covers over
3500 acres; including sites of European and
National importance. It also includes an area of
inland saltmarsh, which is incredibly important.
The lowland heathlands, the Staffordshire
Moorlands, the limestone valleys, plus an extensive
network of rivers, inland waterways and meres add
a further dimension to their site diversity.
The site that I like to visit is Wolseley Centre,
Wolseley Bridge, near Rugeley ST17 0WT.
where there are over 26 acres of grounds to
explore. We normally park in the car park,
pay a £1 for parking, which goes straight
back to the Trust as a fund raiser and then
start our walk in the sensory garden, by the
small lake. Depending on which time of
year you go, and I go in all seasons, you
will find lots of wild flowers, a swing
for the kids, great sculptures both on
the old walls, in the flower beds and in
the lake, I like the new willow woven
badger, which is very impressive. But I
adore the bird feeders station, where
you can stand or sit and see a huge range
of our feather friends, plus squirrels doing
gymnastics to get to the food.
The main walk is circular affair; you start by
the river where you can walk through it or over it,
depending on how brave you are. Then turn left
to the edge of the waterway, where the likes of
geese, swans and goosanders are all making use of
the nesting areas that have been created.
Follow the walk around and you get to the
main River Trent where a bench and some
climbing blocks are very nicely placed to take a
break and while away an hour with a picnic, if you
have been that organised. Continuing on the path,
brings you to the bird hide, which is fairly new and
gives you a covered place to sit with your camera
and wait for the perfect shot of your favourite bird.
Across the waterway is another lovely sculpture of
a heron that is a picture in its own right.
After leaving the hide you come to the walkway
that is built on stiles over the water; take time to
look for the fish sculptures on the railings, they
double up as musical instruments, so you can play
them and see if the Swans that live in the centre
island, like your tune.
The walkway brings you back to where you
started and if you haven’t bought your own picnic
then you will find a lovely café that will cater to
all your needs, great cakes and coffee to eat while
you are recovering from your walk. Plus there is a
helpdesk where you can join the Staffordshire
Wildlife Trust and buy a hedgehog house, bird
feeder or bird box, so your own garden
will be a haven for wildlife.
If you do join the Trust, then you will
be part of one of the eight local groups,
around 16,000 members, and over 40
corporate members, which are spread
across the whole of Staffordshire. Lots of
the members become volunteers to look
after and maintain the Trust’s sites, a
great way to keep fit, be part of the
community in Staffordshire and learn
new skills too.
Recently the Roaches site, just north
of Leek which is the gateway to
Staffordshire’s Peak District (postcode ST13 8UA
(nearest) has been doing some great work with
Peregrine Falcons. Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is
appealing for nature lovers to become part of its
2016 Peregrine Watch scheme. As part of ‘Peregrine
Watch’, the Trust is inviting local people to join our
wardens to look out for the bird on the Roaches
this spring. As well as recording sightings,
volunteers act as a point of contact
with visitors at the nature reserve near
Leek and pass on information on how
to best not disturb them. This year’s
Peregrine Watch has started and both of last year’s
breeding pair have already been spotted during the
past few weeks. Last year’s Peregrine Watch was a
huge success, and thanks to the work of the
volunteers, over 5000 people visited to see the rare
bird of prey. Three chicks also fledged, making a
total of 15 chicks fledged since 2007.
However, if you want to go and have a look at
an ancient tree, then our nearest one is Brankley
Pastures. 4 miles south-west of Burton-upon-Trent
near Yoxall Scotch Hill Barton-under-Needwood
Staffordshire DE13 8BN (nearest) or to find it,
A515 N 1.5 miles from Yoxall, Right to Scot Hill,
Left at the crossroads after 1.5 miles. Park on the
right after 0.25 miles. Grid Ref SK166 213.
Brankley Pastures has been a pasture dating back
to 1700 and has trees with gnarled trucks where
insects, birds, mammals and plants grow. If the
trees could talk I wonder what stories they would
be able to tell. Did Robin Hood and his merry men
pass by perhaps, or was Henry VIII ever around,
discussing which of his wives would be next to
meet their sorry end.
Or if you would prefer to know about river
maintenance, then the Stafford Brook is a great
example where is has been returned to a healthy
river. It was suffering from phosphate
pollution and therefore fish were suffering
and other manuals. The trust used woody
debris to form new pools, split channels,
debris dams, backwaters, gravel riffles,
chutes and silt benches. 33 root balls
weighing 35 tonnes were added to 500 metre
stretch of water, which helped to ensure that
habitat was more complex and the river has
now become a haven for wildlife once
again.
If your children haven’t been exposed to the
full diversity of nature and the wonders that are
outside of the house, then the Trust run classes
for school children and Nature Tots across the
county – find out more on the Trust’s website –
www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk where they might get
interested in the world that doesn’t just include
laptops, mobile phones or electronic games.
To contact the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, then
try the website
www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk
Or call 01889 880100
Or e-mail info@staffs-wildlife.org.uk
I am including a site map with this article, it’s
not recent, as the Trust is updating it currently, but
it gives you an idea of all the places you can visit,
hopefully it will ensure you can go out of the house
this summer into our countryside that is there for
everyone to enjoy
Oak Tree in Brankley Pastures

Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice Issue 63

Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice Issue 63

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Uttoxeter & Cheadle Voice Issue 63