Pauline – Treasurer, Marion – Secretary and Janet – a welcome visitor –  studying plans

The Association bustled into  PRE-START PREPARATIONS a few weeks ago determined to rush headlong towards D Day 28thJuly

First, a skip, the pre-requisite for any great, spectacular, much needed, and any other adjective you can come up with re: a make-over. It was a skip that actually  proved to be a self-emptying marvel. as  into it went things to be chucked, and by morning – it was, empty again. 

So Marion Taylor hopes someone is enjoying the large wall unit especially, which is to be replaced by a new one from Equans – thank you, thank you Equans. This will house: Policies and Precedures, fire records, manuals and service record checks. Faltec Europe of Sunderland are disposing of essential office furniture FOC to good causes and Lee has been enormously helpful. Marion, sharp as a tack, spied a TV that she snaffled too. Of course she did.. ‘It will look grand on CCA’s newly decorated wall… As  my grandma used to say “Shy bairns get nowt” Quite Marion. 

Books have been packed away, the bookcase has recycled from the skip. Crockery has been packed, though business is as usual for classes and groups and will remain so throughout the make-over. 

D-Dayat last: the centre was not short of helpers, groups are adapting to available accomodation. The committee is more than grateful to all and for the gift of biscuits.

‘The “Shake that Boogey “ladies are queuing to sign the photo release form for Frost Magazine,’ says Marion.’They take pride in their association  (but personally I think they want to appear in the Frost Magazine’  – BAD Marion says Margaret, but on flowed Marion reminding readers that: ‘Edition two of the digital magazine went viral 27^th July and we are very grateful to  renowned author Margaret Graham (who just happens to be the editor of the magazine) for her interest in our beloved community centre. Margaret has fond memories of her childhood days when visiting here and her mam Annie Newsome was a native so that makes Margaret a Brady Square lass at heart.’ Indeed it does. 

The make-over is beginning with the restoration of the doors, all 15 (without the swing doors and the front door). 

On inspection of the doors the lovely and wonderful lads thought it would be better to remove them and send them off to be dipped to remove all traces of the numerous coats of paint added over the years; no mess, no fumes and dust.  ‘No doors for a couple of days’ said Marion, ‘ but what the heck as long as the loo door stays where it is…’

‘After completion of an Asbestos check of the community room flooring,‘ Marion told Frost Magazine, ‘we can start to replace our present flooring, which at the moment is half carpet and half lino . This, however, is to be replaced with beautiful Oak LVT flooring (posh or what)

Next on the agenda will be the 31-metre corridor; no mean task.  The current brick-coloured tiles are dull and worn and it is believed they have been down quite some time (perhaps as old as the building) Come September there will be splendid Edwardian style black and white tyles, ‘Fit for a King. ‘ grinned Marion.

 There you have it – at last the Columbia Community Associations centre make-over is underway – hooray.

Next time Frost Magazine will be having a closer look at the Fat Quarters Sewing Group and their craft,. At last Frost Magazine can get to the bottom of their name. (if one might be indelicate)

Information: Columbia Community Association  Columbia uk Community Forum

Memories of Brady Square

Margaret Graham is the author of 30 books, + articles/short stories, a tutor of creative writing and has researched a TV documentary arising from A Canopy of Silence. She has a spepcial interest in military veterans, is patron of various charities and is Annie Newsome’s daughter (of which she is proudest).

Brady Square was my mother’s home and where I still visit, toddling around, remembering so much: Uncle Stan Newsome, Auntie Isobel and David …the stories, teasing, love, laughter. 

Nick, one recent owner, caught me peering through the gates and gave me a tour of the shop turned house, but first we walked past the guard-raptors, straining at their pole tethers!

My connection with Brady Square led me towards the unstoppable Marion Taylor, Secretary of the CCA Committee,who told me of the community’s amazing efforts to help during Covid, (read here )  But little Annie Newsome’s girl became Oliver Twist and wanted to know more – about what was happening now with CAA.

Marion took me back to the beginning: ‘The CCA building opened in 1939 and was used as the Unemployment Exchange until this moved in 1970s to premises in Washington Galleries. This is when the building became our  CCA centre.

‘The building was Council owned but for several years they have wanted the community to take over the lease. In 2021 a new committee was formed to discuss the way forward.

‘The council had undertaken a survey of the building and were prepared to spend £100,000 on the update. We as a committee felt we had to protect community assets. Failing to do so would result in the unthinkable, the sale of the building

Marion told me that most of the  council costings were for the structural renovations. So what about the inside? I wanted to know. ‘But before you tell me, surely these lovely doors aren’t to be changed?’ She assured me they weren’t, just tarted up, but those weren’t her words. They belong to little Annie Newsome’s girl, who is BAD.

Marion made clear that the renovations were discussed with their users, and potential users before applying for funding, bearing in mind they were catering for all members of the community.

Unstoppable, her enthusiasm knowing no bounds, Marion took off:

‘We wanted to build on the fact that our users enjoy the ambiance and homeliness of the centre, the kitchen is always available for that ever-welcome cuppa and our rooms are multifunctional. We have two large community rooms where various activities take place and you can have the choice of which area suits your needs; whether it is Didi dancing at 18 months or exercise sessions. We have bookings for team meetings, cultural creations, wildlife group, home schooling, and recently hosted a sign language course. Fat Quarters sewing group (named after the last material on the bail!) and The Forever Young Bingo Ladies are a regular weekly booking’

Oh, oh, when I saw the image Marion sent of the Bingo Ladies I was so thrilled, because I am also clearly forever young, as I have the same Stretchers shoes as two of the ladies, navy with bright pink laces. Never seen anyone else wearing them.  Marion said, ‘There you go, you can take the person out of Brady Square but you can’t take Brady Square out of the person.’

Marion continued the wonderfully long list of those using the CCA centre: weekend parties  as we can adequately house bouncy castles, discos and as an extra we have tables and chairs for the children to have their buffet. It’s wonderful, as like Topsy who ‘growed’, this often results in party guests booking their own parties. Let’s not forget Shake that Boogey who has increased her sessions to three times a week and the weekly physical exercise with Amazon steps.’ Marion added that this was: too energetic for the likes of me)

With hire charges at £10 an hour, though perhaps needing to rise to £15 in the current situation it’s still ‘as cheap as chips‘ in Marion’s words. It is too, in comparison with other community centre charges.  ‘CCA is advertised on social media’ Marion says, ‘and we hope everyone knows they are welcome to pop in at any time for tea and a chat.’

In addition it’s  clear the community spirit reinforced during Covid is still alive and kicking, as the CCA powerhouse needs donations of medical supplies and toiletries for Ukraine and spectacles for Camboldia. They liaise with the Polish Centre in Newcastle as to what help they can supply.

WIFI is to be installed soon when they will have a new computer hub either for educational purposes, becoming familiar with computers, accessing the internet or just to play games on the tables CAA will provide.

Even more good news is that refurbishment has begun and  Frost Magazine will be following the new and improved CCA every step of the way. During this period all users will be directed to alternative areas within the building including the Bingo Ladies  who can continue to flash those pink laces.

For information:   Columbia Community Forum  Columbia Community Association Facebook

Margaret Graham is editor of Frost Magazine, and the author of many novels under three names. She is also little Annie Newsome’s daughter and proud of it and her  connection to Brady Square.

As a Yorkshire lass myself I suppose I have a bias – but when Elspeth Biltoft, the founder of Rosebud Preserves talks of the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales, old-fashioned preserves recipes, traditional fruits like greengages, quince and rowanberry, and gathering so many elderflowers (only those at the peak of bloom are good enough) that your arms ache and your head is swimming with the perfume, I’m a captive audience.

With Elspeth’s passion for the best quality, wild-gathered and natural seasonal products, combined with Rosebud Preserves chef John Barley’s scientific and innovative approach to achieving perfect products, this partnership is a ‘recipe’ for success. Yorkshire born and bred (she recalls being carried on her father’s shoulders through the Dales as a child) Elspeth has also built collaborations with local farmers and small producers to get the very best of everything.

Her jams and jellies use simple balanced recipes, with no additives, preservatives or even pectin – setting is achieved from the fruit alone, skilful cooking and unrefined cane sugar, which adds a delicious hint of molasses. They make their own top quality vinegar for the preserves, the fruit and cider for the Bramley Apple And Cider Sauce are sourced from the monks at Ampleforth Abbey and they collaborate with The Spirit of Masham Distillery for their rather special Elderflower Gin Liquer. Just removing the cork releases the heady aroma of wild elderflower, transporting you to a shady spot under a hedgerow of elders in the Dales.

I was particularly excited to try the Greengage Fruit Cheese. The very firm jelly with the intense flavour of those old-fashioned plums is a new twist on the Spanish ‘membrillo’ (quince paste) and is just perfect with a good cheese. The allspice and cinnamon in the Spice Plum Chutney really took me back to my childhood and mum’s cooking, however their mince pies – Almond And Orange Mincemeat encased in amazing pastry from Two Dales Bakery of Reeth are a real step-up from traditional mince pies. The mincemeat is made without suet and the ground almond and orange provide an irresistible light sweetness.

So if you are in need of a treat or you’re looking for a special gift, do check out their individual jars and bottles but also the gift sets at https://rosebudpreserves.co.uk. The mince pies won’t be available until November, but you don’t need to wait to try the mincemeat – apparently it goes very well with ice cream.

By Dr K Thompson, award-winning author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q
http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

Joffe Books’ book of the week is BLUE MURDER, the first book in bestselling, multi-award-winning author Cath Staincliffe’s Detective Janine Lewis series, which inspired the hit ITV drama Blue Murder — out now for just 99p | 99c.

Janine Lewis is a single mum of three and Manchester’s newest detective chief inspector. Her cheating husband walked out the day she got promoted. Now she’s six months pregnant with his baby and in charge of her first murder case.

CLICK HERE TO BUY BLUE MURDER BY BESTSELLING AUTHOR CATH STAINCLIFFE FOR JUST 99P | 99C.

Don’t miss the first in Cath Staincliffe’s unforgettable, electrifying series of Manchester-set police procedurals, described as “a real knockout” by Ian Rankin, as “one of the best police procedurals I’ve read this year” by Ann Cleeves, and as “utterly gripping” by the Daily Telegraph. And to that, we can add Frost Magazine, it is all of these things.

Kidnap on the Moors by Priscilla Masters   OUT NOW — JUST 99P | 99C

A missing lawyer. A strangled nurse. A killer that DI Joanna Piercy must track down before they strike again.

“Pulled me in right from the start.” Ann Cleeves

Last week, I shared Minty’s journey as he honed his craft, abilities & skills. This week I share my own experiences.

We’d just sat down to our meeting yesterday when a woman  at the table next to us leaned over & asked Minty if he remembered doing a reading at her house with 4 other friends. Of course he did. She asked if he remembered telling them they’d have a baby in the family, a baby boy. Of course he did. She said, ‘My sister is having a baby & they just found out they were having a boy.’

And that’s what I love about these things – the little synchronicities that pop up just to remind you. She may have forgotten what Minty had told her if she hadn’t randomly bumped into him yesterday.

I asked Minty if he had any messages for me. ‘I’m not trying to get a freebie reading, I just think I can’t write about this without experiencing it.’

He asked for something of mine as he also practices Psychometry, known as token-object reading. It is a form of extrasensory perception characterized by making observations of someone by using an object close to the subject to channel these messages. I didn’t have any jewellery on, I don’t own a watch, all I had was my purse. He rubbed his hands over the purse & asked me if I had a big move planned, I was moving?

Er nope.

I tried to stay poker faced. Although I absolutely believed in his ability what he said didn’t really resonate & I didn’t want to give anything away, which is daft because I believe it is all energy, so my poker face ain’t going to defeat to the Universe, Quantum, energy. I was planning garden renovations; perhaps he sensed my higher energy  because I have been talking with a friend who is very green fingered about this as  a project over the summer.

‘You’re very green fingered & love having your hands in the soil.’

Er very much nope. It is one of those mindful activities I know has SO many positive health benefits but gardening to me is housework. But I have definitely been fantasizing about making my garden more zen.

He gave me some other pointers about things that will be resolved that do monopolise my energy & thoughts. I thought I had a much better handle on them. Minty asked why I had been feeling anxious.

‘ I didn’t think I had been.‘ I replied. 

I thought I’d been keeping those anxious thoughts at bay. But it was a timely reminder about watching the energy of those thoughts as there was obviously enough anxious energy whirling around for him to pick up on. But it also gave me some hope about things being resolved & maybe even sooner than I imagined.  And that’s the crux of it, I believe it’s all about belief & hope, trust & surrender. If one has hope, our vibrations are higher so  matches are going to be higher & things may well get resolved. If we trust & believe we are creating space for things to change.

I was a little sceptical as I returned home. The house thing was bugging me til I realised my dream is to buy the house we currently rent & because I  have started to see & believe in it as a reality I have been imagining, visualising what I’d do to the house should it happen. It will be a massive reno job, need under-pinning, the works. Dreams and imaginings, eh. That was the energy Minty picked up on: the dreams & imaginings leading to higher vibrations,

What I found equally interesting was that Minty steered away from obvious things like messages from my Dad, who died decades ago, or messages about my business. Instead they were subtle messages that were possibly easy to dismiss.  As I took some time to reflected on little things he’d said. I noticed how there was a grain of truth, a whisper of energy in everything Minty had picked up on. .

Minty said really all he does is give people hope. But that’s the power of hope: it can change your energy and therefore  your life. Hope is a huge gift.

If you’d like to contact Minty about readings, he works in person & remotely with people all over the world – that’s the great thing about energy, it’s not confined to this time & space!

Minty May – 07842 856552, facebook.com/mintystarot

Alex is based on the edge of the stunning Cotswolds & has been sharing her love for all things yoga & mindfulness for almost a decade, not just in the UK but also around the world. Her mission is to help everyone discover a more mindful way of living & to encourage them to embrace regular self-care practices for a happier & healthier way of being.

It’s all energy!

Minty is a medium & tarot card reader. When we first met he told me there was quite the underground spiritual community in Evesham. I had recently been questioning this. His comments gave me hope.

Strangely I started to meet more people who were on their own spiritual journey; they started walking into my classes & reaching out to me via email or Facebook more, people I had never heard of before. Many with wonderfully diverse but equally fascinating spiritual, cosmic  experiences or beliefs.

But I only realized  when I sat down to write this piece that the catalyst for these beautiful souls coming into my time & space was this conversation with Minty. He gave me hope & hope opened up the space for more people on a similar but different journey to me to come into my life.

When we met next he told me about his ability, how it was nurtured. We of course talked about energy because essentially his skill, his craft, his ability is to see & interpret energy. So is it a gift? Not as such.  Everyone can do it but it has been conditioned out of most of us by society & generations who have not honed their own abilities.

It was Minty’s Nan who recognised her own abilities in her 5 year old grandson. She saw him talking supposedly to himself, but could see that it was in fact to her brothers. So could  Minty really see the same? ‘Who are you talking to?’ she asked.

‘‘Uncle Tom & Uncle Fred.’

I forget their real names, that’s not important.  What is important is that they had both died before Minty was born. His Nan asked him what they looked like & he described them perfectly.  From then on Minty’s Nan nurtured & nourished Minty’s ability ,‘Although,’ he laughs, ‘I could never master tea leaves – much to her dismay!’

These skills she had learnt from her mum & her mum before her & so on for generations. Minty went on to explain that all he can do is see, perceive, hear, feel, smell, and sense energy.

And everything is energy. We are all energy. We exist in a very material world but quantum science supports the view that we are more energy than matter. We used to be more consciously aware, more intuitive & in tune with nature, more connected to our bodies, & as such our energy was higher & we would have found it easier to perceive energy.

But as I mentioned before, it has been conditioned out of us & this art is no longer available to us all. Minty likened it to art & drawing. Not all of us are artists but we can all pick up a pen.

Minty is an artist of intuition & energy.

Find out more next week as Minty gives me some insights.

If you’d like to contact Minty about readings, he works in person & remotely with people all over the world – that’s the great thing about energy, it’s not confined to this time & space!

Minty May – 07842 856552, facebook.com/mintystarot

Alex is based on the edge of the stunning Cotswolds & has been sharing her love for all things yoga & mindfulness for almost a decade, not just in the UK but also around the world. Her mission is to help everyone discover a more mindful way of living & to encourage them to embrace regular self-care practices for a happier & healthier way of being.

If you would like more information on how to practice mindfulness, meditation & yoga message her at alex(at)alexbannard(dot)com.

For free resources check out her Facebook group: Mindfulness & Yoga for Self-Care, here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MindfulnessYoga4Relationships

Alternatively please check out her website: alexbannard.com

Frost Magazine, as our readers will know, became particularly interested in the importance of community during Covid.

Thirsk’s wonderful community hub was highlighted as prescription deliveries, and every other form of help was provided. The small shops turned on a sixpence overnight, to make it easy for people to order, and out the vans would go. Bliss, a local cafe delivered meals, and always the neighbours… It was wonderful heartwarming evidence of community at work.

So, what about Thirsk’s sense of ‘community’ today, now the emergency is, we hope, over?  Again Frost Magazine has written of just one facet that continues, though there are many more. Thirsk has the Yarnbombers brightening our lives and raising money for causes various, latterly Ukraine. This gang of 100 knitters come in stealth overnight, and when we enter Thirsk the next day, the bollards, and assorted piller boxes and various town squares are dressed in a particular theme, see above, the Jubilee. Yes, the Queen’s foot is resting on the top tier of cakes, but heavens, after the year she’s had, why not?

Now let’s have a look at the response to Covid in other areas, and where better to look than at one of my absolutely favourite places; my mum’s birthplace, and home, and where I spent many of my childhood summer holidays – Brady Square in the pit village or perhaps town of Washington.  Washington in Tyne and Wear, is where George Washington’s ancesters were born and lived. (The Old Hall is well worth a visit – lovely tea room too)

Brady Square

My adored Uncle Stan and Auntie Isobel ran the family shop, called locally I think -memory is fickle – The Long Pull in Brady Square, featured above to the left of the white shop. A train ran through the square back in the day, just to the right of  Stan’s shop.  Uncle Stan had brown sauce on his breakfast fried bread and my sister and I were also allowed, and they took us, with David their son, to the seaside – oh, those endless beaches.  But on the downside we had to buy our sweets!  My mother was known as Little Annie Newsome in her childhood. She and Stan were orphaned when their da died when she was 11. Community was there for the bairns. Is it still?

Mum and Stan in hired clothes for an photographer’s photo following her mum’s death, probably for her da, who was still at 1WW war.

I was lucky enough to grab Marion Taylor’s arm, holding this powerhouse still for long enough to tell me how the community fared during Covid, and were faring now.

Marion is a native of Brady Square, Washington, and she tells me that:  ‘The local community did not waver during Covid and although people were house bound, we worked with a local business and delivered essential items over a five-week period of free food to over 400 houses a week. My husband along with other volunteers did the deliveries and I organised all the routes so we could cover the whole of Washington and not just Brady Square or Columbia as it is known today. Elderly people along the way were caring for each other and prepared to share a box of eggs or only accept a single apple so the lady next door could have one too. Although Covid was crippling it didn’t take away the community spirit and the need to care for each other.

Asked whether she had any special memories of that time, Marion didn’t hesitate: ‘Easter Sunday 2020 we delivered 3,000 Lindt chocolate bunnies to the elderly and house bound people of Washington. A team of volunteers worked from 8am until every bunny was delivered – a spectacular achievement which brought so much happiness to the people who couldn’t be with their families that day.

‘When the council eventually took over, we concentrated on delivering hand sanitizers and masks to the care homes throughout the North East, travelling as far as Morpeth to ensure people had the PPE they needed.

‘I created a facebook page “Polly’s Patter Page” and set various fun tasks and puzzles, inviting people to join in to help keep their minds active. We still have this page.’

So, obviously the next BIG question from Frost Magazine was: what now? Pollys Patter Page remains, but has the rest disappeared into the ether?

Heavens, I might as well have asked, have you sworn off gin?

‘Certainly not. To start with we have two Columbia pages where we share information, post photographs and advertise our events. These pages have contact numbers so people can contact any member of the committee if they need advice or help with anything.

‘Columbia uk Community Forum   and Columbia Community Association

‘We also have the Columbia Community Centre, and  our new committee used the facebook  pages to introduce ourselves to the community and invited them to visit the centre where we welcomed their input into what activities they would like and how we could move the centre forward. It was a case of bringing the people together after the social isolation they had experienced and make them feel part of the community again. Bit by bit we gained their confidence and their belief in what we wanted to achieve for the community.

‘Our Memories of Brady Square facebook page is  very popular, and is where we can reminisce and it’s great for the community to chat and see old photos of what it used to be like in Brady Square.’ 

So that was Little Annie Newsome’s daughter, Margaret, well and truly told! But wait: next week we will hear more about the Comlumbia Community Centre; its activities, and  fundraising to restore the building, the… No, that’s enough, read about it next week. I tell you what, though, my mum would be thrilled to bits to hear that community is alive and well in dear old Brady Square, now known as Columbia.

Columbia Community Association will be open Monday to Friday from 8am – 4pm from July 11th
This is to accommodate the residents who are having to vacate their properties during refurb.
Everyone is welcome to pop in.

Margaret Graham is editor of Frost Magazine, and an author of 28 novels and a couple of books on writing.

.She writes under her own name, and Milly Adams also Annie Clarke. Her latest as Annie Clarke is The Home Front Girls series (Arrow) set in a north east pit village. Her mum was amazed that her dilly daydream daughter managed to complete even one book yonks ago, and had to have a gin. www.facebook.com/margaretgraham4