At long last the daffodils are out and we can enjoy the pleasantly warm sunshine of the past few days. After what felt like a long, hard winter this is a great relief. There’s been plenty of activity over the past few months with a series of new independent shops and businesses opening up in the town centre – here’s a couple worth a mention:

Tempranillo Bar – a corner of Spain on the cobbles of Macclesfield, this small and friendly bar & charcuteria is the place to go for a glass of fine wine, sherry or a platter of delicious ham and cheese. Watch out for tastings and events in the coming months

Commander Crow – the perfect place to unearth that quirky gift. A shop brimming with amusing, stylish, geeky, yet functional items for everyone you’ll ever buy for.

The choir have gone into hibernation for January and February to build up reserves following a very busy 2012 and also to give ourselves a chance to learn some new music. We will re-emerge like the daffodils on 1^st March, St David’s day for a concert at Henbury church hall.

One of the songs we are working on in rehearsals is Sloop John B, a song probably known by most people as recorded by The Beach Boys in the 1960s. But this song is a lot older, first appearing in print in a novel entitled “Pieces of Eight” by a Liverpool born author Richard Le Gallienne in 1917. This was based upon the true story of a boat whose crew was in the habit of getting very drunk when ashore and ended up being wrecked and sunk off Eleuthera in the Bahamas in about 1900. The first recording of the song was made in 1935 by an American folk singer Alan Lomax.

I don’t think we will be singing Sloop John B on 1^st March, but, we will be singing “Always on my mind”, “Bless this house”, “Gwahoddiad”, “Rhythm of life”  and “Never walk alone” to name but a few. Tickets are available from the concert secretary on 01625 613595 or email tickets@macclesfieldMVC.org.uk,

For those of you not familiar with male voice choirs, we sing in four parts, Bass, Baritone, Tenor 1 and Tenor 2. If we were a football team, the basses would play down the left wing, the skilful baritones down the right wing and the tippy-tappy tenor 1s and 2s would play inside right and inside left respectively.

Here comes the serious bit. Did you know how good singing is for you?  It exercises major muscle groups in the upper body, is an aerobic activity that improves the efficiency of your cardiovascular system and encourages you to take more oxygen into your body, leading to increased alertness. It also aids the development of motor control and coordination, and improves neurological functioning.Not only that it makes you feel good which leads to less physical problems and less stress. So if you know a gentleman out there who is a little stressed, who would like to improve his mental and physical well-being, send him along to Macclesfield Male Voice Choir and I guarantee it won’t be “the worst trip he’s ever been on”.

MMVC – Macclesfield Male Voice Choir. Have you heard of them, have you been to a concert? You should.

Sadly, many male voice choirs have folded and undoubtedly more will follow including those fantastic choirs from the valleys in South Wales. However, MMVC are bucking the trend, and, the membership at MMVC has been steadily increasing over the last few years. The current membership is 60 plus with more than 50 often appearing on stage at concerts, imagine how that sounds, a real wall of sound.

I have been a member of the choir for over 2 years now and I am thoroughly enjoying the experience, At times it reminds me of school days with the guys always joking and laughing at rehearsals, I guess boys never grow up! There is a world of different characters and life experiences within the choir that you would never expect to meet all at one place at the same time.

Each year the choir performs on average once a month and often performs away from Macclesfield. During my time, we have been to the Isle of Man and Scarborough and will hopefully organise a return trip to Canada in 2014 and a trip to Krakow later this year to coincide with the Christmas markets – snow, song and gluhwein, you can’t beat it! Apart from the previous expedition to Canada, the choir has also visited Ireland, Germany, Denmark and the Czech Republic.

Here comes the serious bit. Despite the growing numbers, the average age of the choir shall we say, is the other side of 50. So the task I have set myself is to get a few new members who may be under 50, if you are over 50 and want to join by all means please get in touch, the more the merrier. The reason I want younger members to join is to give the choir an even better chance of survival in the future. To be in the choir you don’t necessarily have to be able to read music and there will always be plenty of guys to help you out. So if you know someone who may fit the bill, give them a New Year challenge to join!

David, MMVC

Winter is undoubtedly here; as I peered out of the window last Thursday evening I was a little alarmed to notice that Jack Frost had already paid a visit and the canal was shimmering with ice. By morning the sheet of ice was thick enough for the ducks to practice their skating skills – a few lessons from the Strictly professionals wouldn’t go amiss here. The crisp, blue-skied days that followed filled me with boundless energy and I seized any opportunity to be outdoors – the patio has never been so well swept and the detritus of the summer veg patch has, at last, made its way to the green waste.

I love all the British seasons that we experience in the UK; spring with the first signs of life in the garden as the daffodils burst through the soil, summer for paddling in the sea and autumn for the rich depth of colours but, perhaps because I was a January baby, winter takes a special hold of me – the few busy weeks as Christmas approaches are filled with gatherings of friends, work colleagues and a chance to catch up with the family you don’t see too often, Christmas Carols transport me back to my school nativity, the decorations dusted off and the lights untangled to allow the Christmas Tree to sparkle. Then there’s the culinary prep. and of course a special bottle or two to open to accompany the Christmas feast. And yes, I’m always first up on Christmas morning to check if my stocking is filled – although this year my 18 month old nephew might just beat me to it…

Lisa

Bonfire Night is a key date in English history which commemorates the catching of Guy Fawkes in the cellars of the Houses of Parliament on November 5^th 1605. Found with several dozen barrels of gunpowder he was tried as a traitor and sentenced to death. The date is marked each year by bonfires being lit across the country with traditionally, an effigy of Guy Fawkes placed on top. Today the firework display, food stalls and fairground rides are often more dominant than the traditional bonfire with Guy and we once attended one event with no bonfire at all – just not the same and not to be repeated! There’s something magical about wrapping up in winter hats and gloves to go out in the dark and congregate round the piles collected over preceding weeks.

A few years back we spent a year in Valencia, Spain where fireworks mean an altogether different thing. To the Valencianos it’s not about pretty colours, displays and the ‘oohs and aahs’ of the crowd. Their focus is on noise and building this to an almighty crescendo that is the ‘mascleta’. You can’t escape the throbbing beat pulsating from the ground moving up through your body and echoing off nearby buildings as the pace builds – boom! The main opportunity to experience the mascleta is during the impressive fallas festival in early march – a truly fiery spectacle! Maybe one for Barnaby 2013?

As a relative newcomer to Macclesfield I found myself presented with a challenge recently when it came to undertaking a decorating project. Undaunted by small scale tasks, we’re of the generation who inherited at least some practical skills from our respective families, (in my case gained by playing the role of project assistant in exchange for a lift or additional pocket money) and therefore happily dive into the odd DIY project ourselves. Despite the heavy time commitment, we’ve always been pretty satisfied and proud of our amateur achievements – spending many hours admiring and showing off our handiwork to anyone who’d care to listen.

This latest job however presented numerous challenges that went way beyond our capabilities, so it was time to call in the experts… Hold on, our contacts are no longer just around the corner where do we start? Those plumbers, decorators, carpenters and carpet fitters are still where they once were but we no longer are.

And so began the process of seeking out recommendations and what a slick process it’s been. We started with the choosing of curtains & wallpaper (well, we had to start somewhere) and found help, advice and plenty of patience at hand via a Macclesfield-based company who in addition to measuring and supplying curtains & wallpaper recommended a decorator to hang the elegant rolls lying patiently in the cleared room. Decoration almost complete, we casually mentioned the need for a plumber. Said plumber duly arrived and delivered what was promised. Next followed the recommended carpet company who gave sound advice, a route to save money, and are booked to finish ‘project bedroom’ as soon as the roll arrives in-store.

Independent traders across the town it seems are working together via such networks / recommendations to help each other – there’s nothing in it for them directly but the hope that the favour will one day be passed the other way and their details shared when asked for experts in their trade. So, despite a couple of weeks of acting as ‘tea lady’ and suffering the cold from a constantly open front door, the room is almost complete and a contact book once again filled.  Thank you traders of Macclesfield!

Lisa

As autumn settles in, following a pretty dismal summer, it feels like we’re in for a long, hard few months of winter. There’s still a week or two before the clocks change, yet by 7pm most evenings the light is fading and so, the door’s locked, heating is on and the curtains are firmly drawn against the night. Aside from the cold I think I’d have done well as a hedgehog or other hibernating creature as the thought of curling up in a ball and waking up in spring is always tempting… But wait! As I pull together the events for the latest what’s on guide just look at all of the things I’d miss… From a lunchtime classical concert, to live music in the local pub. A singing workshop, to a jam bread and chutney demonstration. Maybe autumn’s not all that bad! So, instead of hiding under the duvet this autumn I’m making it my mission to be out and about attending concerts, visiting galleries, and donning my hiking boots to capture the glorious colours of autumn 2012 on my camera. I’m reliably informed that a miserable, wet, slug-infested summer leads to a glorious autumnal leaf display… Images to follow soon I promise!

BBC Food & Farming Awards

Is Macclesfield turning into a foodie town? It certainly seems that way with no less than two finalists from our town short-listed in the BBC’s Food & Farming Awards.

With illustrious judges including Angela Hartnett, Valentine Warner, Charles Campion and Victoria Moore the competition was stiff but two local contenders are still in the mix.

First is the fabulous Treacle Market which draws the crowds each and every month come rain or…rain. The variety of food (and of course other items) available is staggering and residents and visitors alike look forward to stuffing their hessian bags full of local veg, cheese, pies, cakes, fresh meat and beer. It’s a must do event in my calendar each month and plans to go away always avoid the last Sunday of the month!

The second short-listed entrant is Red Willow, the Macclesfield based brewery who produce a stunning range of beers all with a name ending in ‘less’. The dedicated husband and wife team supply their fine brews to many of the quality pubs around town (and indeed further afield) with their core range and seasonal specials there’s plenty of innovation in the brewery.

So, fingers crossed for both Treacle & Red Willow – two fabulous assets to the town.

Results will be announced on Radio 4’s The Food Programme on 30^th September. I’ll be tuning in before I go a Treacling…

Once again the Make it Macclesfield Breakfast welcomed a wide range of speakers on topics from transport and planning through to charity and branding. For those unable to attend here’s a brief overview:

The structure of the Make it Macclesfield Forum was explained and a call put out for new sub-group members and chairpersons of the various groups. Current groups include:

• Communication & Visitor Economy
• Town Centre regeneration
• Finance & Governance
• Silk Quarter Development
• Wider Economy
• Heritage & Culture
• Local Area Partnerships

If you’d like to join a group or find out more please get in touch via: whatson@makeitmacclesfield.co.uk

If you’re not able to commit to join a group but would still like to be involved, please do get in touch as there are a number of areas for which we’re keen to recruit volunteers – this could be reporting on local events, designing posters or researching activities. Again the address is: whatson@makeitmacclesfield.co.uk

Make it Macclesfield also explained next steps for the brand and highlighted sponsorship opportunities as the planned merger with Canalside Community Radio takes shape. If you’re keen to find out more about sponsorship packages please contact: Keith Townley on 01625 576689 or keith.townley@thethread.org.uk

Cheshire East Planning team explained that discussions are still underway on the Wilson Bowden Development – a full update is promised for the November meeting but CEC reaffirmed their commitment is to get any development right for Macclesfield.

Councillor Michael Jones explained that the Macclesfield Town Strategy is now open for comment and invited attendees to spread the word to ensure that any decisions taken about Macclesfield involved a large cross section of the community. Leaflets are available in the library and also online.

Councillor Ken Edwards also highlighted the governance review for Macclesfield which will ask the people of Macclesfield to decide if the establishment of one or more town/parish councils; area committees; neighbourhood management; residents associations or community forums are the preferred route for Macclesfield moving forward.

First Group’s Richard Parry offered reassurance to attendees regarding train frequency, prices and improvements to trains and stations as First take on the west coast mainline contract as of December. First is looking to set up a working group to ensure the needs of the Macclesfield commuter are met. More details as they are released.

Pete Pealing from Peaks & Plains Housing Trust offered an insight into the highly popular Wheels 2 Work scheme which offers a vital service to those who’ve recently found employment but would otherwise struggle to get there.

Fiona Beesley from East Cheshire Hospice shared details about forthcoming fundraising events including Cheshire Art Show & Hike the Hill,  detailing how to get involved to raise the £6,000 per day that this vital resource needs. www.eastcheshirehospice.org.uk

Amanda Fazelynia updated the group on the success of Love Local Life and how this has spread to other towns in Cheshire since its Macclesfield launch. Businesses / Individuals not yet signed up should do so via: www.lovelocallife.co.uk

The next Make it Macclesfield Breakfast takes place on Friday 23rd November, to reserve your place email: craig.wallace@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Continuing my quest to grow a little more each year I started the growing season way back in January with an order of seeds from moreveg.co.uk – a great tip I picked up from the team at Food4Macc as they cater for beginners such as I and allow small orders of a huge variety of seeds.

The veg bed was ably constructed to fit an awkward space and the digging over and green manure sowed. Confident that this would benefit my soil I then set to plant seeds in my newly acquired cold frame – this year was set to offer a real feast of broad beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, chillies, beetroot, spring onions and the delicately fragranced sweet peas which transport me back to my Granny’s house. In addition I’d already planted my seed potatoes and the garlic shoots were thriving after the cold spell of winter.

Patience is a skill of mine that ‘needs attention’ should we say but I find gardening is helping here. The daily checks for signs of life from regimented seed trays and gentle watering paid off and after a few (long) weeks seedlings emerged – thrilled? You’d have thought I’d won the lottery. Almost everything I planted had germinated. Brilliant I thought, and was already salivating at the broad beans and jamón I would savour later in the summer.

Sadly, things took a turn for the worse during the long wet summer that has been 2012… the snails gobbled up mountains of leaves and the rain caused my temporary greenhouse to morph into an unrecognisable shape on an almost daily basis which  damaged my tomato plants just at the point of setting trusses.

My crop, therefore was a little lacking but I have managed a couple of portions of the above mentioned Spanish beans with jamón, a delectable tomato salad, a fine crop of first early potatoes eaten within an hour of digging up so all in all not bad. My biggest success however was the garlic, from a couple of bulbs purchased at a foodie show last autumn I’ve produced a staggering 40 bulbs of garlic – small but very tasty I assure you.

Well, at least I’ve something to trade with my neighbour when he offers up handfuls of his delicious runner beans. As to next year, I think a greenhouse proper is on my Christmas list!

Lisa