Dudley Council is encouraging Sedgley residents to get into the party spirit
Dudley Council is encouraging Sedgley residents to join in the celebrations and host a street party for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee this June.
And, to make sure it’s a day to remember, the council is joining in the spirit and waiving the standard legal fee required to close the road when people host a street party on Sunday 3 or Monday 4 June.
Any street can host a party except those on major traffic or bus routes. The parties are best suited to quieter roads, side streets or cul-de-sacs.
Residents wishing to host a party need to get the agreement of everyone on their street and are recommended to set up their own committee to make the arrangements.
Communities
They must put barriers in place and nominate their own stewards to staff the barriers. These must be stewarded at all times and a rota system in advised to allow everyone to join in the fun. It is also recommended that communities take out public liability insurance.
Councillor Patrick Harley, cabinet member for transportation, says:
“There were 14 street parties held in the borough for the Royal Wedding last year, showing just how keen local people are to join in these special celebrations.
“I’m glad we’ve been able to waive the legal fee for road closures again and I hope that it encourages even more local people to celebrate this summer.”
For more information or to apply for a street party road closure call 01384 815453. You can also apply online at www.dudley.gov.uk and searching under online forms for ‘street party’.
The council will be hosting a range of Diamond Jubilee events and activities and will be confirming these later in the year.
Local residents will get the opportunity to share their sporting memories this Thursday, January 12, when Sedgley Local History Society kicks off this Olympic year with a series of informative meetings.
Members and visitors are invited to come along to the event at St. Andrew’s Church, Bilston Street, Sedgley and share their memories of sporting events and personalities connected with the Black Country and further afield. The meeting starts at 7.30pm and everyone is invited to bring along artefacts, photographs, posters and memorabilia or just tell stories about the world of sport.
Colourful
George Blackham, PR officer for the society, says: “These open evenings usually turn up rarely seen items from family collections as well as providing a chance to hear colourful tales with a Black Country flavour. Start the New Year by sharing your memories and ‘treasures’ at this friendly gathering. Take the chance to relive local rivalries and recall names and venues – the field is wide open.”
The Dudley borough has produced many sporting heroes, including Dudley’s football legend Duncan Edwards, Netherton’s champion jumper Joe Darby and Kidderminster-born tennis star Dorothy Round. There are also many other sporting legends associated with the rest of the Black Country.
In addition to tales of sporting prowess on the night, there will be notes on London’s three Olympic Games and an opportunity to test your knowledge of obscure local sporting links.
Visitors are invited to come along – the cost of admission is just £1.
George adds: “On behalf of Sedgley Local History Society, we’d live to extend our best wishes to everyone in the borough for 2012 – an exceptional year for sport.
“Pop along to the meeting on Thursday. You can be a ‘spectator’ and watch or take part as a ‘player’.”
Cotwall End Primary School pupil Eliza Lewis counts down to Christmas at Dudley Zoo
Staff at Dudley Zoological Gardens are coping with a busy festive season this year at the 40-acre site, helped along the way by Eliza Lewis, a pupil at Cotwall End Primary School, Sedgley.
Eliza, from Castle Hill, Dudley, was one of many young visitors to the zoo this festive season, who have all enjoyed a fun-packed day out full of Christmas cheer.
Santa’s Grotto, hosted in the grounds of the 11th century Dudley Castle, started on December 5 and runs through to Christmas Eve.
DZG’s Magical Winter Wonderland package includes zoo admission, a magical train ride, a visit to Santa in his grotto, a surprise gift and a fun-filled Christmas show.
Reindeer
Head of media and communications, Jill Hitchman, says: “We’ve got lots of festive fun planned across the site and Santa’s reindeer have been training in the courtyard for weeks in readiness for their busiest night of the year.”
She adds: “We’ve also taken on seasonal staff to cope with the usual festive rush to buy animal adoptions and Keeper For a Day packages which make fantastic gifts for all ages, and sales of our calendar are going well, too.”
The theme for 2012’s calendar is Baby Love, complete with images of a wide range of rare and endangered species born at DZG in the past 12 months – a bumper year for new arrivals.
Jill adds: “We’re all looking forward to a great Christmas time and exciting 2012. Next year is DZG’s 75th anniversary and we’ve lots of exciting new projects planned to mark our big birthday.”
For full details or to book Santa’s Grotto or a zoo experience visit www.dudleyzoo.or.uk or call 01384 215313.
Staff and customers at the Clifton have been raising money throughout the year for children's cancer charity, CLIC Sargent
Magic, movies, comedy, grottos and fancy dress – there’s something for the whole family this Christmas at one of Sedgley’s most popular pubs.
And, as well as having fun, visitors to JD Wetherspoon pub, the Clifton, this festive season, will be raising vital funds for leading children’s cancer charity, CLIC Sargent.
Suzanne Nickl, who is organising this year’s event, says: “Our previous efforts to raise money for CLIC Sargent have been a huge success, so we wanted to build on that and promote the excellent work carried out by this charity, while providing a great range of entertainment for customers of all ages. We want everyone to join in, have fun and help raise funds for a very worthy cause.”
The packed programme of events gets underway on Monday, December 19 at 2pm, when a children’s entertainer will put smiles on the faces of youngsters and their families.
This is followed at 7pm by a movie marathon, where customers can relax with their favourite food and drink while enjoying a great selection of films including some festive favourites.
Garden grotto
On Tuesday, December 20, from 2pm, youngsters can get into the festive spirit by making their own tree decorations, while at 5pm, the Clifton’s garden grotto will be unveiled, featuring a stall selling hot roasted chestnuts and jacket potatoes.
Wednesday, December 21, sees a packed programme of events beginning with a special Christmas party for youngsters at 2pm, where there will be tasty treats and party games aplenty.
This is followed at 6pm by an incredible display of trickery from Sedgley-based magician Colin Tighe, while at 8pm, budding comedians are invited to take the spotlight for the Clifton Christmas comedian open mic event. Anyone interested in entering can see a member of staff for details on how to apply.
Thursday, December 22, may be the shortest day on the calendar, but there’s still plenty of time for youngsters to make their own Christmas cards and post their letters to Santa from 2pm till 4pm.
As the big day draws near, Santa will be opening his grotto on Friday, December 23. At this event, which runs from 2pm until 4pm, youngsters will not only be able to meet the big man himself, they’ll also receive a gift for every donation to CLIC Sargent.
Pyjama party
From 7pm, it’s time for grown-ups to enter into the spirit of the season, with the Clifton’s Friday festive pyjama party. Despite encouraging everyone to arrive dressed in their nightwear, Suzanne and her team promise this will be anything but a sleepy occasion, with festive shots on offer for £1 and all monies raised going to CLIC. The first 10 people to arrive in fancy dress will also get a free jelly shot to help them get into the party mood.
On Saturday, December 24, grown-ups can enter into a little seasonal sauciness with the Clifton’s sexy Santa Saturday event. Customers are encouraged to come along and sparkle in their best party outfits, while enjoying festive shots for £1. As with the pyjama party, the first 10 people dressed up will receive a free jelly shot and all money raised will be going to CLIC Sargent.
Registered charity CLIC Sargent is dedicated to helping children with cancer and their families. Every day, 10 families are told their child has the disease and, as the UK’s leading children’s cancer charity, CLIC Sargent is the only organisation to offer them all round care and support. Visit their website for more information.
Visit the Clifton’s Facebook page for more information on the pub’s forthcoming events. Suzanne has also set up a page, Christmas CLIC Week at the Clifton, dedicated to the fun-packed programme of events taking place in the run up to the big day.
Sedgley's real ale lovers are spoilt for choice this winter with a selection of seasonal specials
On a dark winter’s night, there’s nothing better than to take a trip to the local pub, grab a seat by the fire and enjoy one of the fine seasonal ales produced by Sedgley’s excellent breweries.
And, with Camra’s Dudley Winter Ales Fayre launching next Thursday, it seems only appropriate that we at Sedgleyscene re-acquaint ourselves with some of the finest brews this region has to offer.
Firstly, it’s down to the Beacon Hotel, home to the Sarah Hughes Brewery and its fine selection of regular beers, Surprise, Pale Amber and the infamous Ruby Mild.
While this unique pub with its Victorian tower brewery may have attracted controversy of late due to a seemingly unpopular ban on dogs, one thing that has remained constant is the quality of its beer.
And its winter special, Snowflake, is no exception. Available from next Thursday, November 24, this well-rounded, rich ale is guaranteed to keep out the cold.
But, don’t be fooled by its delicate-sounding name – weighing in at a hefty 8 per cent ABV, this barley wine-style concoction packs an almighty punch and is wisely served by Alex Marchant and her team in half-pint glasses.
Having a blast
Down in Woodsetton, the brewers at Holden’s have been putting the finishing touches to their festive special ale, named – appropriately enough – Christmas Blaster.
This golden ale, which is a more manageable 4.8 per cent ABV, is described by the popular Black Country brewery as: “Challenger hops and Optic malt suffuse to create winter sunshine in a glass. With a lively and assertive hop character and a dominant malty sweetness throughout this premium beer results in a moreish malty aftertaste. Will certainly blow away the cobwebs!”
Sample Holden's ales at the Bull's Head in Bilston Street
Christmas Blaster also takes its name from local history. In days of yore, “time off” was a rare luxury. The Sabbath was strictly adhered to – but this was a time for sober religious reflection not joviality – and holidays were few and far between. Christmas holidays consisted of Christmas day and (for some) Boxing Day.
However, nothing stood in the way of efficiency, and a blast furnace needed to be cared for and kept up to temperature no matter what day of the year, for if it cooled it would need to be dismantled and re-fired – a long and costly process. As a result, a skeleton workforce was always in attendance and if they were unfortunate enough to have to work on the 25th December, the poor souls were jokingly referred to as Christmas Blasters.
Sedgley drinkers can sample this winter wonder at the Bull’s Head in Bilston Street.
Winter’s t-ale
Over in Lower Gornal, the boys at Black Country Ales have been mashing merrily to create their seasonal offering, English Winter. With an ABV of 5.5 per cent, this stronger than usual brew is described as: “A well-balanced brown ale with a complex character of fine Marris Otter malt and choice Fuggles and Goldings hops.”
But be warned – this beer is dangerously moreish.
Prepare to get bitten by Black Widow, the seasonal ale at Ma Pardoe's
Slighty further afield, in Netherton, lies another traditional gem of the Black Country. The Old Swan, or Ma Pardoe’s as it’s more commonly known, is a unique, quirky pub full of character and serving a range of excellent real ales brewed in its Victorian tower brewery.
And, as the winter chill really starts to bite, landlord Tim Newey and his team are almost ready to launch their seasonal special, the aptly named Black Widow.
This incredibly dark tipple, which has a venomous ABV of 6.7 per cent, is a wonderfully balanced ale which shares some characteristics with the previously mentioned Dark Ruby Mild available at the Beacon Hotel.
Once again this winter, Sedgley’s suppers are spoilt for choice, with a winter ale to appeal to all tastes. It’s time to wrap up warm, take a trip to one of the region’s fine historic pubs and enjoy the taste of tradition.
The Camra Dudley Winter Ales Fayre is held at Dudley Concert Hall and begins on Thursday, November 24, at 5.30pm and continues from 12 noon on Friday and Saturday. There will be more than 70 real ales available, along with cider, wine and foreign bottled beers. Hot and cold food is available and there will be live entertainment. Entry on Thursday and Friday is £3, or £1 for Camra members.
The Lewis family, l-r, 12-year-old Harry, a pupil at Ellowes School, mum Lesley and six-year-old Eliza who goes to Cotwall End Primary School, Sedgley. Picture courtesy of Daniel Graves Photography Show.
Dudley Zoo was the venue for some spooky goings-on this Hallowe’en, with many Sedgley residents paying the popular tourist attraction a visit and getting into the spirit.
Six-year-old Eliza Lewis, a pupil at Cotwall End Primary School, was among the many youngsters who took part in a series of activities organised by the zoo for half term Hallowe’en fun.
Among the new arrivals at Dudley Zoo were a witch’s favourite – three giant smooth-sided toads (Bufo guttatus) – which are among the largest in the world.
Presenter, Langan Turner, says: “Toads have a fascinating history; they were traditional companions for witches in the Middle Ages when their proud owners dressed them in silk ribbons and silver bells, and on a literary note there is Paddock the toad in Macbeth, and Trevor, the pet toad owned by Neville Longbottom, in the Harry Potter stories.”
He added: “This species is found in the rainforests of South America and able to reach a body length of 25cm, so they are very much bigger than the common toads in the UK and rather more handsome.”
The new arrivals have been named Porthos, Athos and Aramis.
Hallowe’en half-term events included themed talks and feeds, ending with a Hocus Pocus evening on Monday, October 31.
For adults, there’s still a chance to join the spooks of Dudley Castle with this year’s Carnival of Darkness, due to an extra date being added on Friday, November 4. The carnival is suitable for 16-years and over and will run from 8pm to midnight, with last admissions at 9pm.
To book tickets visit www.dudleyzoo.org.uk or call 01384 215313 for more details.
Keeper Stacey Ball uses the donated pumpkins as enrichment for the some of the site’s 30 free roaming lemurs
Pumpkin fun for lemurs
Local residents wondering what to do with all those specially carved pumpkins might also be interested to learn that these make ideal treats for the zoo’s lemurs, which have been enjoying Hallowe’en treats, thanks to kind supporters who donated pumpkins aplenty.
CEO, Peter Suddock, says: “Lots of people who attended Hallowe’en events throughout half term brought in pumpkins as enrichment for the animals, and most sections from small primates to pandas have been enjoying the gifts.”
Across the site keepers have been filling the hollowed-out vegetables with fruit and treats for the animals to seek out and encouraging them to use the decorative skin as a toy.
Councillor Joan Williams and Baggeridge Country Park manager Steve Gallis with some of the 'magic' potions made on the day
Baggeridge Country Park was the venue for some ghastly Halloween potions and witches’ brews this week, when a group of young people braved the wind and rain to learn about the medicinal uses and folklore of herbs.
The event was one of a series of activities held at the park in Gospel End Road, Sedgley, during half term, which aim to get local people involved with nature and the stunning countryside available on their doorstep. Other activities included making broomsticks from scratch using the natural materials available in abundance.
Park manager, Steve Gallis, says: “It was great to find that, despite it being a wet and pretty miserable afternoon, eight young people turned up for potions class. We looked at the ‘magical’ medical uses and folklore of wild herbs and brewed up some bubbling potions – nobody minded about the rain!
“The potions class involved the use of a variety of fun ‘ingredients’ such as badger dribble, slug bile, dragons blood and unicorn tears – all completely made up for effect with coloured water mixed with bicarbonate of soda which, when mixed with the ‘magic’ ingredient (vinegar), gives a very impressive bubbling potion.
“Before mixing our witches’ brews, we had a look at a range of plants and the folklore and medicinal uses. We looked at willow, the bark of which was used to cure headache – not surprising really, as it contains salicylic acid, which is basically Aspirin.
“Other plants, such as like Yew, are really quite poisonous, although this now has a modern medicinal use as the poison Taxine, which has been used as the basis for the cancer drug Taxol.
“The tree which is supposed to protect against poisoning is the oak – apparently a concoction of its bark protects you against poison. There may be some truth in this, as it would contain a lot of tannin which would probably stop the stomach from absorbing anything – never mind poison!
“We also looked at mugwort, which was believed to protect against magic spells. Another nice little tale about this plant says that if you bury a piece of coal under the mugwort, leave it a month then dig it up by the light of the full moon and then place it under your pillow, then that night you will dream of the person you are going to marry!
“A lot of people know St John’s wort, as it is widely used as a natural anti- depressant and was known back in the 1600’s as a ‘cure for the melancholy’.
“It also has an interesting bit of folklore about helping women who have difficulty getting pregnant. The tale suggests dancing naked around the St John’s wort plant. I can’t remember whether it was supposed to be by moonlight or at dawn, but either way, you can see how it might be effective!”
Steve is a mine of information and this event was no doubt helped by his regular informative updates on the country park’s Facebook page, which has shown how social media can become and invaluable tool for engaging the local community.
Since setting up the page earlier this year, Steve has seen increased interest in Baggeridge and its stunning landscape, which is home to a wide variety of wildlife.
Subscribers regularly upload photos of the park in all its glory, revealing the
He says: “Some people don’t realise they’ve got all this wonderful nature on their doorstep. The Facebook page is a great way of publicising it and getting them involved.”
Formally the Baggeridge Colliery and part of the original Himley Estate of the Earls of Dudley, the site has now been transformed into 150 acres of attractive country park.
Baggeridge has numerous facilities for outdoor pursuits including the exciting new Aerial Ropes course. The quality of the park and its range of events has resulted in Baggeridge winning a national Green Flag award for the 13th year in a row.
Is this the ghost of Turls Hill bridleway? Image is copyrighted by Derarfni.
With the shadow of Halloween looming large, it’s time to delve into local history and uncover some ghostly tales and strange goings-on in Sedgley. And, fittingly for a village steeped in history, there is no shortage of spine-chilling stories and eye-witness accounts of apparitions….
The amazing photograph shown above seems to show a spectral figure emerging from the darkness on Turls Hill bridleway – a route which local historians believe dates back to before 1600 and has been the scene of several ghastly incidents.
Local photographer Mike, who posted this image on his Flickr page under his username, Derarfni, says: “It all started about 10 years ago, after hearing local stories and reading an article about the ‘Turls Hill Ghost’.
“We went down for a laugh, just with simple a ‘point and shoot’ digital camera and came back and noticed peculiar occurrences in the photos.
This became a bit of an obsession and we ended up spending many nights, taking photos – which amounted to many thousands, mostly pictures of nothing, but occasionally, say 1 in a 1,000, we had something unexplainable.”
Maybe it’s not so surprising Mike and his friends captured something unexplainable on camera. Turls Hill bridleway is said to be haunted by a veiled lady and her two suicidal sons, who shot themselves in the adjoining quarry on separate occasions. Also, a steelworks owner, who once lived in Turls Hill House, at the top of the lane which was also known as The Belgians (now demolished), apparently went bankrupt, building a wall around his estate and eventually shooting himself in the quarry.
Pubs are notorious sites for hauntings, so it comes as no surprise to discover that not all the spirits at Sedgley’s Beacon Hotel, home of the Sarah Hughes brewery, come in bottles.
Sedgley's Beacon Hotel has been the site of numerous strange happenings
Andrew, a former manager of the Beacon Hotel, tells this story:
“In the summer of 1994 when I was managing the Beacon I often used to stay overnight for security. I usually slept in the sitting room. In that room is a painting of Sarah Hughes in which the eyes seem to follow you around the room. I suppose you never sleep properly when you are on protection duty, and one night something awoke me.
“My alarm clock showed 3am. Opening my eyes, I took a quick glance around the room. In the corner by the door to the passage stood a figure. After a couple of seconds I realised they had not broken into the pub or the alarms would be shrieking.
“I don’t know how long I looked at the figure. It was a man in his 50s wearing Wellington boots, dark trousers and a grey or white shirt with an old-fashioned Grandad-style collar and a waistcoat. I have always thought that ghosts were transparent, but he looked quite solid. Suddenly grasping what I was seeing, my heart raced and I shut my eyes tight. When I looked again a few seconds later the figure had vanished. I told my father about the night visitor and described what he was wearing. He said it sounded like the father of the present owner who always liked to go about in old-fashioned clothes.”
Paul, another former manager of the Beacon, claims he has seen Sarah Hughes herself. He says: “She was walking across the smoke room and through a wall where there is now a conservatory. Fifty years ago there was a door at this point.
“If you stand in the corridor near the main server and listen carefully, you might hear bumps and bangs from upstairs and the noise of someone standing on a loose floorboard, though those rooms are used only for storage. Many regular customers claim to have heard the noises.”
Paul’s story is backed up by the fact that one of the book’s authors, Andrew Homer, heard similar noises when researching. He explains: “At first I took no notice of the sounds, though they were quite loud. It sounded as though someone was moving heavy barrels about upstairs.
“Later the same evening, a casual remark to Aidan, the barman, revealed the story and confirmed there had definitely been no living person upstairs at the time.”
Ghost stories also feature prominently in Gornal’s history, including a particularly shocking incident for a caretaker’s assistant at Ellowes Hall School – now a sports college.
This excerpt from local community website, Yampy, explains further:
“About 12 years ago, Clive Brookes, the school caretaker, left his assistant Phil to lock up the school on the 6pm-10pm shift. Clive is pretty certain that it was a Thursday and there was nothing on at school that evening. Phil had already worked at the school for around six months and so was used to the procedure.
“Before going home, (the caretaker’s house is on-site), Clive had taken a floor ‘buffer’ to Phil and asked him to take it down a flight of stairs to the cupboard where it was kept. As Phil started to wheel the buffer down the stairs, something attracted his attention down the corridor, so he lifted the buffer back to the top of the stairs.
“He went to check everything out and walked through some glass double-doors, down to the end of the corridor. The staffroom door was locked. He went back to the floor buffer.
“As he started down the stairs again, he ended up dropping the buffer down the stairs as a “bloke in overalls walked straight through the double doors and straight through the staff room door.”
“Phil rushed to the caretaker’s bungalow, and Clive says that, although he was a big fellow, he was extremely scared. It was a long time before he locked up alone again! ”
And, over at Upper Gornal Conservative Club, there have been several reports of a monk in a gown, which has apparently been seen by several people in the bar and cellar.
Do you have a ghost story to tell? Get in touch with us – we’d love to hear from you.
Fireworks can be stressful for dogs, but thankfully, Dogs Trust is here to help
At this time of year, many families look forward to spectacular firework displays, crackling bonfires and sizzling sparklers as they celebrate Diwali and remember, remember the fifth of November.
However, the celebrations can often be a nightmare for pet owners as they struggle to keep their four-legged friends calm amid the booms, bangs and whizzes of fireworks being let off in their neighbourhoods.
Thankfully, canine welfare charity, Dogs Trust, has the answer, with a handy assortment of free resources available on a new website set up specifically for this time of year.
The site, http://www.dogsandfireworks.com/ , features a wide range of advice to help keep canines calm and ensure everyone has a restful night.
Dogs Trust experts, Karen, Muriel and Debbie, have designed the guide using the best advice and tips available to make sure that fireworks become non-threatening, fear of fireworks becomes avoidable and best of all, fireworks become an enjoyable part of everyone’s lives.
The site features a free MP3 of fireworks noise, which dog owners can use to train their pet to associate fireworks noise with fun. It can be played directly from a computer, exported to an MP3 player or burned onto a CD.
Alternatively, pet owners can play the website’s video to help familiarise their dog with the sights and sounds of fireworks.
Although these resources are free, Dogs Trust asks for a small donation if possible to help them continue their vital work.
The Epic Events organisers behind tonight's Battle of the Bands event
The walls of Sedgley’s Dormston Mill Theatre will be shaking tonight with the sounds of some of the region’s most promising musical talent.
However, rather than this event being organised by teachers at the school, it’s all thanks to the hard work of 12 business students, who have orchestrated the Battle of the Bands concert right from the outset.
“As part of our studies, we had to set up our business, Epic Events, in order to learn how to organise events and ultimately, put on tonight’s show,” explains Alex Baugh, 16, who, together with other 15-year-old students has put a massive amount of effort over the last two months into making sure things run smoothly on the night.
“I’ve learned a great deal through helping organise this,” he explains, “including sourcing the bands and promoting the event. We spoke to bands who were playing the Rock The Castle event to see if they’d be interested in performing. Two weeks ago, we began to panic when we hadn’t sold any tickets, so after several meetings, decided to drop the ticket price. Now, we’ve sold 150 tickets already and are hoping to sell another 100 tonight.”
Bands playing tonight include two whose members all attend Dormston School, 80s-influenced Kixxer and Uncensored. The others, Crossfire, The Fading Lights, Rescue Party, The Upper Hand, Vague Process, Everyday Hero and hip hop act, Young & Reckless, all attend schools elsewhere in the Black Country.
The winners of tonight’s event, which begins at 7.30pm, will go through to a regional final to be held at Dormston Mill Theatre next Friday, September 30. If they succeed there, the winning group will then progress to a national final to be held at the o2 Arena in London on Tuesday, October 25.
The Battle of the Bands event is part of a programme organised by registered charity Blastbeat, which offers an award-winning, fun and exciting, music and multimedia business programme to teenagers around the country to teach social entrepreneurial skills, promote young musicians, and support youth communities on a local and national level.
Sedgleyscene 