A podcast by Lawford Parish Council. Our podcast, is all about the parish of Lawford & surrounding area. Lawford is a village in the Tendring district of northeast Essex with a population of circa 5000. Lawford is a very vibrant community with two primary schools, a secondary school, a church, a football club, lots of community groups etc etc In Lawford the podcast, we will look to keep those in the community and beyond up to speed with the local goings-on. The podcast will also shine a light on some of the amazing & interesting characters in our community.
Lawford 2024 - New Building, New Play Equipment, New Pathways & a Great Community Party
Lawford Parish Clerk Bridget Tighe & Chairperson Val Guglielmi discuss the parish's transformative 2024 updates, from upgraded playgrounds to community events, and lessons learned from challenges.
3 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT
Belinda Joslin on new horizons for Women in Boat Building
In todays podcast we chat with Belinda Joslin, Belinda is founder & director of a community interest company called Women in Boat Building. Belinda's has an incredible passion for boats, for boat building and above all for creating opportunities for women in the industry she loves. In this chat we coverBelinda's origin story, growing up in a sailing mad family in Ipswich where building and sailing boats was just "what we did"Belinda's experiences sailing on super yachts across the Atlanti...
7 Aug 2024TRANSCRIPT
Serial Entrepreneur Tom West - from serving pints to Silicone Stour start ups
Tom West is a serial entrepreneur & champion of our local community in the Stour Valley. Tom is the proprietor of several popular local pubs including The Red Lion in Manningtree & the Marlborough in Dedham (https://www.jollygoodpubs.co.uk/)while Tom is also the founder of an exciting start up called RentMy.com (https://www.rentmy.com/), in this episode we chat with Tom about
What was & what might have been when it came to his highly promising sporting career in both Football & Basketball
We chat about his move into the pub trade and how he has built a chain of hugely popular, community focused pubs
We pivot to his new internet business, RentMy.com (https://www.rentmy.com/) - which is best described as an Airbnb of everything - a platform where you can rent anything, from anyone, anywhere!
Tom gives some insights on the local & international start up communities he is involved in and coins the fabulous term Silicone Stour
We close with some passionate comments from Tom about the joy he takes from living in this beautiful part of the world and his passion for making the greater Manningtree area a brilliant community to live in and to do business in
16 Jun 2024TRANSCRIPT
David Webb - Hi-de-Hi! TV Stardom to Award Winning Documentary Maker
In this episode we had a wonderful chat with David Webb in which we covered
David's career highlight performing to 20 million people regularly as part of the cast of Hi-de-Hi! (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hi-de-Hi!)
Performing for the Queen at the Royal Variety Show (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Variety_Performance), rubbing shoulders with Vera Lynn (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vera_Lynn), Bruce Forsyth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Forsyth), Roy Castle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Castle) & many more
His move into broadcasting and award winning documentary making including his work documenting the travels of Suffolk explorer Bartholomew Gosnold (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartholomew_Gosnold)
David's love for Ipswich Town Football Club (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipswich_Town_F.C.) and the joy he got from working at the club
David's love for the local area and his passion projects producing films on Walton Backwaters, Mistley, Constable Country & more (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5Qfth24PpE)
David is incredibly fluid in conversation and incredibly passionate about embracing life, living it to the full. A real pleasure to spend time in his company. Thank you David.
23 Feb 2024TRANSCRIPT
Dean Smith - From China with Love to Fitness @ Summers Park
Dean Smith is a highly skilled fitness instructor and proprietor of Fitness@Summers Park, Lawford (https://fitnessatsummerspark.co.uk/). Dean has an infectious energy and has a life story to match. In this episode we explore
Dean's early life in Lawford, and the personal tragedy that acted as a catalyst for his wanderlust and his embrace of life thereafter
We travel with Dean from Spain, to Azerbaijan, from USA to China and lots more
We hear about the sliding doors moment that lead to Dean & his wife Grace meeting and the subsequent travails with the UK Home Office
Finally we hear about the experiences & motivation that lead to the creation of Fitness @Summers Park and how it serves the full community, including those with specific medical considerations
Dean is a tonic, would highly encourage you to have a listen and to pop along to Fitness@Summers Park
(https://fitnessatsummerspark.co.uk/)
10 Feb 2024TRANSCRIPT
Gipe Giddings - Child Refugee to Lawford life, the road less travelled
Today we chat with Gipe Giddings of "Yoga with Gipe (https://www.yogawithgipe.co.uk/ )". The conversation is wholly inspiring, with Gipes energy and enthusiasm for yoga & for life, shining through. We cover
Gipes origin story, starting life as a child refugee from Tanzania, where her father spent 11 years as a political prisoner
Gipes early years in dance & artistic design
Gipes route into yoga and specifically Iyengar Yoga, developing her stunning studio in Lawford and the gratification she gets from being both a teacher & a lifelong student
Gipe radiates a thirst for discovery, for experience, for taking joy from the little things as well as the large things
Its an absolutely brilliant chat and we would highly recommend taking a look at Gipe's website for more https://www.yogawithgipe.co.uk/ (https://www.yogawithgipe.co.uk/)
5 Dec 2023
The Manifest - Community Theatre in Manningtree & Around
We recently had a brilliant chat with Alison Baker & Jon Abbott of Manifest Theatre (https://www.manifesttheatre.co.uk/) in Manningtree. In keeping with Manningtree's moniker as England's smallest town, its also home to a bijou theatre which seats just under 100 people, yet packs a punch in terms of the variety & quality of performances delivered. In the chat we talk about
the history of the theatre and how it has evolved over time
we chat about its role in the heart of the community and how it supports everyone from toddlers to octogenarians
we hear about the recent sell out performance of Calendar Girls and the theatres exciting program for 2024
we hear about the warm welcome that everyone receives at Manifest be they performers, stage creators, directors or visitors
We would highly recommend taking a look at the their website (https://www.manifesttheatre.co.uk/) and in particular there brilliant newsletter (https://www.manifesttheatre.co.uk/Archived%20Newsletters/Newsletter%202023%20Oct.pdf) which tells you all about
1 Dec 2023
Acorn Village | Gold Standard of Care for Adults with Learning Disabilities
On this episode we ae joined by Kirsty Buxton from Acorn Village which is a fabulous facility in Mistley focused on supporting adults with learning disabilities. In this chat we cover
The history of Acorn Village and the passion that drove its formation
The services provided for both live in adults and for those in the community
The scale of Acorn Village - employing more than 170 people in our community
The volunteers who support the village and its residents
And we get some perspective on the various and novel ways that Acorn generates funds to support its activities
For more details on Acorn Village please visit the website https://www.acornvillages.com/ or drop Kirsty & Team a mail at info@acornvillages.com (mailto:info@acornvillages.com)
18 Nov 2023
Manningtree Credit Union - community based banking on our high street
In this episode we chat with Dagmar Grafton of Manningtree Credit Union which provides community based banking in our area. We learn
A little about Dagmar, including how she recently became a UK Citizen after 50 years of residency
That while the Credit Union provides banking services, with all the regulatory supervision of a bank it is a community based not for profit organisation
Credit Unions are member-owned financial co-operative, democratically controlled by its members, which offers convenient savings and low interest loans to its members.
That Manningtree Credit Union has a physical presence every Friday morning at the Hub (just next to the Mogul Restaurant) - all are welcome between 10am & 12 Noon
Lots more information on
https://www.colchestercreditunion.co.uk/ (https://www.colchestercreditunion.co.uk/)
https://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/community/credit-union (https://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/community/credit-union)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_union (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_union)
21 Oct 2023
Val Pretty - Manningtree Rotary, Frankenberg Partnership, U3A and so much more
In this brilliant chat with Valerie Pretty, Treasurer of the Manningtree Rotary (https://www.rotary-ribi.org/clubs/homepage.php?ClubID=1418), we learn about all the fun had & social good done by the Rotarians in our community. We chat about local projects such as new seating on Cox's Hill (part funded by Lawford Parish Council Grant), the refresh of the shelter on the Walls, the Rotary's role in tackling Polio elimination and lots lots more.
Val is a force of nature, involved in so much so we took the opportunity to talk about some of the other local groups Val is actively involved with including
- Manningtree & District/Frankenberg Partnership Association (https://www.mdfpa.org/)
- University of the Third Age (https://u3asites.org.uk/stourvalley/home)
- Stour Valley Flower Club (https://www.facebook.com/stourvalleyflowerarrangers/)
Note: Rotary Club is one of many local community groups that receive modest grant funding via Lawford Parish Council.
15 Sept 2023
Sophia's 100k Cycle Ride Sept 16th - Raising Awareness of Childhood Cancer
In this brief chat with Graeme Knott we talk about an inspirational 13 year old called Sophia who has come through treatment for 2 rare forms of cancer and is now working to raise awareness of childhood cancer.
On Sept 16th "Sophia's Challenge" will see cyclists depart from Little Bromley & Manningtree Train Station on a huge 100k cycle ride
The ride is motivated by Sophia to be part inspiration, part awareness raising and part fundraiser for "Lennox Cancer Fund (https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/sophiasbikeride)"
Sophia will be riding a tandem bike with Graeme who is a vastly experienced & highly skilled cyclist. We also get a chance to talk to Graeme briefly about his work on the elite world triathlon series https://superleaguetriathlon.com/ (https://superleaguetriathlon.com/) which features the likes of Jonny Brownlee (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonny_Brownlee)and other elite triathletes
The podcast is brief but we will have Graeme back on to talk about how Sophia's Challenge went and also to talk about lots of his other cycling stories including his Guinness World Record (https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/102059-fastest-journey-from-land%E2%80%99s-end-to-john-o%E2%80%99-groats-by-triplet-bicycle) triplet cycle from Lands End to John O'Groats
3 Jul 2023
The Tendring Show - 25,000 People Celebrating Country Living & Community in Lawford
The Tendring Show is the embodiment of local country living and community. The Tendring Show is held each year in early Jul in the village of Lawford attracting over 25,000 visitors in 2022. On todays episode we chat with David Brooks (Show Director) and Will King (Chairperson) - topics covered include
The history of the show (from 1899) and evolution of the show over time
The local volunteers that organise & run the show each year
COVID years & how the show bounced back to have a record year in 2022
The hopes for the future, continuing to entertain & inform the public while remaining a celebration of the Tendring Community
The show will take place on Saturday the 8th of Jul 2023 - for more details please visit https://www.tendringshow.co.uk/
5 Jun 2023
The indomitable Jenny Hudson, a pesky pheasant & the fabulous Lawford House Pool
Jenny & Richard Hudson have built & operate the fabulous Lawford House Pool (please take a look at the website https://www.lawfordhousepool.co.uk/ (https://www.lawfordhousepool.co.uk/) - its a truly beautiful building and setting). Lawford House Pool pool is specifically designed to be accessible for those with limited mobility - more context to come on that.
In this chat we cover
Jennys early life in Kenya and re-locating to the UK after the Mau Mau rebellion (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mau_Mau_rebellion)
Jennys career in the film industry which took her from Cannes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannes_Film_Festival) to the Wild Atlantic Way (https://www.thewildatlanticway.com/)
Jennys love of horses, which saw her produce leading contenders at Burley (https://burghley-horse.co.uk/)
Jennys 2015 accident (broke her neck, her back in multiple places & suffered a crushed spinal cord), how that experience has inspired here passion for physical rehabilitation for those with spinal injuries and ultimately led to the building of Lawford House Pool
Jenny is a tonic, she & Richard have created something very special in our village - hope you all enjoy listening to this one as much as I did recording it.
Additional Reference Material
The Hanging Gale (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hanging_Gale)
The McGann Brothers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_McGann)
Rooprai Trust (https://www.rstrust.com/)
Aspire (https://www.aspire.org.uk/)
Essex Air Ambulance (https://ehaat.org/)
28 May 2023
Lawford Housing Enterprise Trust - Local Homes for Local People
In this episode of Lawford we cover amazing not for profit organisations operating in our village. Namely the Lawford Housing Trust, The John Leach Educational Trust & The Cox & Hales Almshouses. We chat with Alan Coley, Chair of all 3 organisations as well as Val & Carlo Guglielmi who have been actively involved for a long period.
Lawford Housing Enterprise Trust: a 25 property trust supporting local people get on the housing ladder via a discounted rental structure with a savings plan built in
John Leach Educational Trust: supporting the education of Lawford children since the 1700's
COX AND HALES ALMSHOUSES: 3 properties in the village
The chat focused on the housing trust which is a truly unique offering providing homes for local residents with the ultimate aim of helping them get on the property ladder. We then chat about the very long serving John Leach Education Trust & The Alms Houses.
For Reference
More on Lawford Housing Enterprise Trust - https://www.lhet.org/
More on John Leach - https://www.essexarchivesonline.co.uk/Result_Details.aspx?DocID=967847
Charity Commission - John Leach https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/310766/charity-overview
More on the Alms Houses on Cox's Hill Lawford https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/213752
19 May 2023
Manningtree Mermaids & The Campaign SWIM - Safe Water In Manningtree
Manningtree Mermaids are an inspirational collection of year round swimmers. In this episode we chat about
Wild Swimming | The Physical & Mental Health Benefits
The history of the mermaids - a bright spark from the COVID Years
The groups parallel campaign for elevated water quality in Manningtree
The upcoming Beach Day on 27th of May - fun for all the family
Lots lots more.....
For more details on Manningtree Mermaids https://www.facebook.com/groups/346297944087285/
Bathing Water Status https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-64595307
29 Mar 2023
Edgar Arts - Fine Art & Tattooing in Lawford, Essex
On this episode we are delighted to chat with Luke Edgar or Edgar Arts. Topics covered include
Luke's unique art process of tattooing on metal
Luke's passion for body art and how he set out on his unique journey
Luke's studio in Summers Park, its foundation & evolution
As well as a quick chat about the changing role of art in the community
See Luke's incredible work on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/edgar._.arts), on edgartarts.co.uk (https://edgararts.co.uk/) or just drop an email and pop in
25 Feb 2023
Hilary Cook | Award winning headteacher at Highfields Primary School
In todays episode we chat with Hilary Cook, Headteacher of Highfields Primary School in Lawford. Some of the topics covered include
How Hilary went from a budding Opera star to finding her passion for education
How that passion has seen her & her staff transform Highfields School into one of only 3 North Essex Primary Schools recognised as outstanding
How Hilary herself has been recognised in the National Headteacher of the Year Awards
How the school is both its own community and yet deeply integrated with the broader community of villages around us (Lawford, Mistley, Manningtree & beyond)
And much much more
Show Notes
https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/114769
https://www.teachingawards.com/award-winner/hilary-cook/
21 Jan 2023
Caroline & John Hall - Environmentalists, Conservationists & more
On this episode we are delighted to chat with Caroline & John Hall. Topics covered include
Receiving an MBE for work in the field of conservation
The birth of PACE & the Earth Festival
Education at Oxford to working as an Essex "postie"
Falling in love in a spruce forest in Mid Wales
Swing dancing and the end game for Ardleigh sports hall floor
Lots, lots more....
Links for more information
https://www.pacemanningtree.org.uk (https://manningtreeearthfestival.org/)
https://manningtreeearthfestival.org (https://manningtreeearthfestival.org/)
13 Jan 2023
Val & Carlo Guglielmi - Anglo Italian Postmasters, Community Activists & Politicians
Thank you for tuning into the 1st of our longer form Lawford Parish Council Podcasts. The longer form podcasts aim to some of the amazing & interesting people who live in our community.
Today we meet the Guglielmi's - Val & Carlo are cornerstones of our village and our chat today covers
Their Origin Stories | from Ardleigh & Southern Italy respectively
Their years running the Honeycroft & other local post offices
Their local activism which ultimately led to the cut & thrust of political life
Correcting the King and lots more besides
Inside a recent episode
Lawford 2024 - New Building, New Play Equipment, New Pathways & a Great Community Party
Published 20 Dec 2024 · Transcript excerpt
[…] So, yeah, we like listening, we like people coming in, putting their views forward. Appreciation coming. Absolutely. Yeah. And another hot issue from 2024 was parking at Lawford Green School. Basically, some of the parents were really, really worried. The parents were just parking and obscuring the view so that you couldn't see a child crossing the road. It was becoming more and more dangerous. So, Kolo Gulliammi got together a partnership of people, including the North Essex parking partnership, organised a meeting, and from that meeting, the parish council funded red lines to prevent parking immediately outside the school. […]
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