PROFESSIONAL and local skating sensations took to the ice for a fiery fashion show which raised hundreds of pounds for charity.

Nearly 200 visitors watched in awe as the Fire Ice show at Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre saw skaters jump, spin and spiral in the air to raise money for Farleigh Hospice.

The event was sponsored by Sainsbury's, in Springfield, and showcased key pieces from their autumn and winter range, including clothes designed by popular TV fashion guru Gok Wan.

Skaters arrived onto the ice to the sound of this year's popular tune Gangnam Style, and compere, Riverside's assistant manager, Stephen Meier, gave the audience a rundown of the clothes and prices.

As well as ice skating, there were performances from dancers from TV's Pineapple Dance Studios and an awe inspiring display from a fire eater.

Event organiser Val McDevitt said: "This is the first time that such an event has been held at the centre.

"I wanted to come up with a different way to raise money from the more traditional fundraising events.

" I am pleased with the show that we have been able to put together to raise a lot of money for this very worthwhile cause."

Val contacted Farleigh Hospice to ask them to be their chosen charity, and it was delighted.

Community fundraising assistant, Vanessa Adams, said: "It was an amazing event, and there was quite a few people there, the place was buzzing.

"The skaters had only been practising for three months, with some coming from as far as Norwich, and on the night was the first time it was all put together.

"There was so much support for Farleigh.

"They kept mentioning us throughout the evening and had collection buckets everywhere.

"Stephen Meier is quite a character and he was really good as a compere.

"The whole skaters' routine was really fantastic.

"It was just amazing how the whole thing came together – what a great idea.

"It was so colourful, Santa came out and they even had music from the 60s and a sketch dedicated to The Beatles.

"Even though I was selling programmes and raffle tickets at the front, I could tell the atmosphere was just amazing.

"The tickets were a bargain for the amount of work put in by everyone involved."

THIS week justice secretary Chris Grayling announced proposals to increase the upper limit of the small claims track from £1,000 to £5,000 in relation to, amongst other things raised, whiplash cases.

This is my open letter to him in response.

Dear Mr Grayling

I really hope that you are never involved in a road traffic accident where you may be injured.

I sincerely hope that, especially after April of next year, this does not happen to you in the light of your suggestions on the way such cases will be treated.

You see to begin with, if you suffered a whiplash injury, the chances are that you would be told that there is no such thing and even if there was that you would be one of those "horrible people" trying to profit from your injury by making a claim. Now if you did try to make a claim, the chances are that you would be labelled a "malingerer" or, even better, that you were making a fraudulent claim or, at the very least, an exaggerated one.

Being a hardy soul you may decide to carry on with your claim: after all you would be the innocent party in the accident. You did not ask to be hurt and of course that is why we all take out motor insurance which, as you know, is compulsory.

So what would you do? Well, you could not engage the help of a legal professional, (that quaint term "a solicitor") as you have decided in yourwisdom that personal injury claims for whiplash cases up to a value of £5,000 (a substantial majority of such cases) would be a small claim. This means that no solicitor would take on your case unless you paid them and furthermore they would not be able to recover any costs from the responsible party's insurer.

Not to worry as, after all, you, like the tens of thousands of other injured drivers or passengers who suffer a low-velocity neck or back injury, will no doubt be quite capable of sorting out matters directly with the insurers of the responsible party – you understand the law of tort, you know what to claim in respect of special damages, you understand the law of car hire or loss of use, and of course you are able to assess what your claim is worth.

Beyond that you know how to ensure that you are getting a fair deal from the insurer, that its offers to settle are reasonable and its "assistance" in resolving your unfortunate claim is in yours and not its best interests.

Maybe you will not be able to negotiate a settlement and being the new breed of lay lawyer that you will have created you will issue court proceedings and ask the court to help with your claim.

After all now that you have decided that your injury claim will be a small claim, the insurer will probably not deal with you until you have actually issued proceedings.

The courts of course will now be inundated with thousands of equally fair-minded people all wanting justice – listing your case may take a while – months, maybe even longer, and no doubt the court fees you will pay to ensure we have enough judges to hear all these cases will be worth it. Indeed, the court system could well be a recipe for music hall, with an unrepresented claimant up against an unrepresented defendant.

I know that you are persistent and having had your day in court you will expect your settlement cheque immediately – good luck.

Oh, one more thing. Remember to send your S-152 RTA letter to the insurers if you are unable to use the portal system, as if you do not there is no liability on any insurers to settle any claim.

Also, don't forget what to do if the person who caused your injury was not insured.

As I said at the start of this letter, drive carefully and let's hope others do too and as a result the thousands of car accidents and subsequent injuries that follow will be a thing of the past.

Then perhaps we can have an idyllic world, with no need for PI lawyers or indeed insurers.

YOU may have heard that the winter solstice on 21st December 2012 coincides with the completion of the 5,125-year "Great Cycle" of the Ancient Maya "Long Count" Calendar.

Many believe this signifies the end of the world.

People called "doomsday preppers" (mostly American I believe!) are stock piling tins of baked beans in preparation for an alien invasion or some other cosmic apocalypse. Although quite what they intend to do with said tinned foods if the world really is about to end, I don't know?

According to the conspiracy theorists most of us have been kept blissfully unaware of the "truth" and so are preoccupied with preparing for a Christmas which will apparently never materialise.

A multitude of wacky websites either whipping up what has become known as "doomsday phobia", or attempting to reassure people, have appeared.

Even NASA has made a statement.

In common with much of the stuff on the internet, the scare stories about 21/12/12 are presented as if they are fact, when in reality they are merely conjecture.

FEAR in this case maybe > False Evidence Appearing Real.

What is interesting about all this end of the world hullabaloo is what it illustrates about our attitudes towards events that are beyond our personal control.

Many people spend too much time worrying about things they have absolutely no way of controlling.

The result can often lead to a feeling of hopelessness and means they actually neglect doing anything to improve stuff that is within their power to change.

Rather than an apocalyptic, disaster movie-type scenario, the end of this cycle will naturally be followed by the start of a new one.

All endings have within them the seed of a new beginning. Some people herald this time as a fantastic new beginning, a period of spiritual awakening where more of us will become attuned to deeper more meaningful aspects of existence. Now surely that could only be a good thing.

As 2012 comes to a close and 2013 begins.... (So no, personally I don't think the world is about to end)... it's a great time to take stock and consider what you have achieved so far; where you are right now in life and where you want to be in the future?

If you start with where you are and with what you have, rather than focussing on what you lack or can't control, then you can harness your personal power to improve your life. This leads to happier, healthier experiences where you achieve more fulfilment.

We are encouraged to set goals, make New Year resolutions and decide on our desired outcomes.

But for some knowing what we actually want can be a real struggle. If this resonates with you, it's maybe because you are unsure of who you really are? The sometimes frantic pace of 21st century life, where we are constantly bombarded 24 / 7 means we've lost touch with our natural intuition or gut instincts.

We seek solutions from the outside world to solve problems that have their origin on the inside of us. The most common areas for concern for most people fall into three broad categories: Love & Relationships, Health & Wellbeing, Work & Finances.

Crucial to achieving happiness and success in these areas and beyond is a real knowledge of who you are and a healthy focus on what is within your control.

If you are interested in discovering more about how to make the most of life, if you would like to meet like minded people who are on a similar journey, and you would like to get a head start creating the future you want, then please just e-mail "21.12.12" to denise@hummingbirdeffect.com

Something very special is starting here in Essex in the New Year and you could be among the first to benefit from it.

WELL, the weather is telling us that winter has arrived. Whether it's a white Christmas we'll have to wait and see.

The cold weather didn't spoil the fun at Lighting Up Brentwood (Saturday, December 1). It really was a great event.

It was an honour to lead the candlelit procession up the High Street and to switch on the lights with Isabelle Champion, our Christmas card winner. I was also at the Ingatestone Victorian evening and was pleased to be at Shenfield's first lighting-up event. A thoroughly enjoyable few days all round. My thanks to everyone who helped to organise and run all these great events.

At this time of year I am particularly enjoying visiting care homes in the borough. I will also be visiting the emergency services to pass on our thanks for their service and hard work.

All my events and visits have reminded me what great communities we have and the sense of co-operation, support and partnership. I encourage you to consider how you can make a difference in 2013.

Christmas can be difficult for some, especially the homeless, bereaved and lonely, do please think of them.

May I wish you all a merry Christmas and a peaceful new year.

MALDON High Street was transformed into a winter wonderland as the town celebrated Christmas.

After abandoning the age-old Victorian evenings last year, the town decided to recreate a traditional festive feeling with hand-made gift stalls, a Santa's grotto and Carol singing.

Brian Farrington, one of the night's organisers, who also runs the town's mud race, said: "The event went really well considering it was the first time we had organised it.

"We wanted to bring a traditional Christmas feeling back to the town, the event was a real community effort.

"Lots of local organisations were involved and it seemed from the feedback we've received everyone had a great time."

Last year's "Making Maldon Magical" event received stark criticism, so the pressure was on to make this year's festivities extra special.

Mr Farrington added: "There was a little apprehension of how this year's event would be received but everyone did a fantastic job and it seemed to be received well."

Mary Powell, who runs Emporium in the High Street with husband Graham, said: "We were delighted with the event.

"There was a good number of shoppers and visitors, an excellent atmosphere, lots of lovely local stalls, and entertainment, including carol singing, and very good trade.

" I really hope that we can build upon this for next year."

ONE-hundred years ago Santa survived a daring parachute jump into Chelmsford, where he dished out free chocolate bars to children, while his hot air balloon crash-landed in Hatfield Peverel.

Freak winds meant the chocolate, destined for children in Hyde Park, London, as part of a Christmas publicity stunt, literally landed in Chelmsford instead.

It happened in a remote part of Sandon in 1912, the same year that the Titanic sank, Marconi opened his New Street factory in Chelmsford, explorer Scott was lost in the Antarctic and lots of heroes and eccentrics were pulling off all types of hair-raising stunts and experiments.

One such daredevil was Australian ballooning aeronaut Captain Taylor Penfold, who volunteered to jump out of a hot air balloon dressed as Santa.

The aim was a short flight from Battersea to distribute chocolate bars in Hyde Park on December 23, 1912, but the English winter weather had other ideas.

High winds blew the balloon across mid Essex until it reached Chelmsford, when Captain Penfold decided to take a leap of faith, landing in Grace's Walk where he was greeted by a handful of delighted children.

Penfold said at the time: "We were driven along at about 1,200ft at the rate of 45 miles an hour.

"I sat on the edge of the basket dressed as Santa Claus, and I watched for a chance to get away with the parachute.

"But there was no hope of doing so, as I would have been dashed against the buildings, while the other occupants of the balloon would have hardly had the chance of saving themselves.

"At 1,500ft we entered the clouds, and ballast was thrown out, and we jumped into the sunlight at about 2,000ft.

"Time after time we tried to get down. But as there was no lessening of the balloon's velocity we had to keep on. At Chelmsford, a distance of between 30 and 35 miles from our starting point, we got into the clear country, and this was the first chance we had of seeing earth after leaving Westminster.

"Still sitting on the edge of the basket, I was, at my own request, violently pushed off at a height of about 3,000ft.

"I dropped between 400 and 500 feet before the parachute opened. I then felt my speed slackening, and I managed to get my breath.

"When I left the basket the balloon, with decreased weight, bounded up to 10,000ft.

"I landed on the back of my head in a field at Little Baddow. I heard some voices, and two farmers came running across to my assistance."

Penfold's son Augustus said in 1913: "Undaunted, he distributed his chocolates among the children who, with their parents, came rushing to his assistance."

The occupants of the balloon continued and landed at Hatfield Peverel. They were dashed violently against a tree, which lacerated the pilot Frank Spencer's hand, while the other occupant, Sir Hubert Wilkins, a cinematographer, had one of his fingers almost torn off. The men were pulled along in the basket for about 200 yards.

IT WAS a case of "a-bray in a manger" in Brentwood as the Christmas build-up continued with a pair of donkeys and an undertaker dressed as the Virgin Mary.

Festive shoppers may have rubbed their eyes at the sight of Bella and Peggy the donkeys, strolling up the High Street last week.

But it was all part of a Nativity afternoon, organised by Bennetts Funeral Directors, which raised £210.06 for The Alzheimer's Society through their festive fundraising.

The Nativity party, which included Mary, Joseph, Wise Men, Shepherds and the star animals from the Hopefield Animal Sanctuary, swept through the town centre waving buckets along the way before settling down for a carol sing-a-long at Bennetts headquarters.

The Dawn Chorus Choir led the vocals in style as a group of around 60 guests, including the Mayor of Brentwood, Cllr Ann Coe, joined in a selection Yule Tide classics including Away In A Manger, Silent Night, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and, of course, Little Donkey.

The Bishop of Bradwell, the Rt Revd John Wraw, also attended to give a blessing.

Jane Bennett, who gave an immaculate performance as a shepherd, described the afternoon on Tuesday (December 11) as a "tremendous success".

"I was so grateful that people turned out in the bitter cold," she said. Everyone had a great time, and gave a rousing singing performance of carols.

"It's really got Christmas off to a fantastic start and I'm pleased. It was heartwarming to see so many children and young people donating to our charity when we were collecting the in the High Street.

"I want to thank everyone so much for their help, time and generosity and for joining in."

Dressed up as the Virgin Mary, was Lucienne Hunt, from Bennett's Billericay office.

THE postponement of Saturday's game with Eastleigh was 'an early Christmas present' says Billericay Town manager Craig Edwards.

The Blues were struggling badly with illness and injuries meaning Edwards was struggling to field a strong starting XI.

The likes of Alton Thelwell (hamstring), Paul Rodgers (thigh), Craig Edwards junior (foot) and Rob Swaine (illness) were all touch and go for the fixture with Chris Wild and Junior Luke both suspended.

"If there was ever a game I wanted calling off it was Saturday," said Edwards.

"We'd have gone down there with 16 players and six or seven of them would have been really struggling.

"It's an early Christmas present and a bit of a blessing in disguise for us."

After four consecutive losses Town bounced back last weekend before last with a 2-0 victory against Bath City.

Edwards's side will now be looking to keep up the winning momentum this Saturday when they take on mid-table Eastbourne Borough at New Lodge.

It had been hoped an arranged friendly with Basildon United on Monday night would give the players a valuable run out but that game also fell foul of the elements.

And Edwards has questioned the decision to call the game off: "They offered us a game and it's not rained since we received the offer and it's not going to rain and they've called it off saying the pitch is waterlogged, that's disappointing but there you go."

There are no injury worries ahead of the weekend in a game that's set to be Nathan McDonald's last before he returns to Braintree Town after a month's loan.

The goalkeeper has been in excellent form since joining but it's unsure at this stage whether or not he will be returning to New Lodge.

"He's been brilliant for us," added Edwards. "We'll have to see what happens on that one."

Naturally Edwards has one eye on the big Boxing Day derby against his former club Chelmsford City.

Edwards left the Clarets under a cloud in 2006 after being released from his contract following 17 months in charge.

"As soon as the fixture list came out it's a game I've been looking forward to," he said. "I'll never forget the fans and the send off the game me. Let's just say there are some people at that club that are on my Christmas card list and some that aren't."

Nathan Green is back at the club after a successful loan spell at Kingstonian.

"He'll be available for us throughout the Christmas period which is a big boost," added Edwards.

VOLUNTEERS at Chelmsford Prison's visitors' centre were thanked for their hard work at a Christmas party this week.

The centre, in the prison grounds in Springfield Road, is staffed by a team of 55 who ensure visitors are supplied with cups of tea and a sympathetic ear.

And the centre, which is the first port of call for people visiting their loved ones in the jail, is looking for more helpers to get involved.

Louise Duxbury, volunteer co-ordinator at the centre, said: "The Christmas party was really a way to say thank you to all of our volunteers.

"They do a fantastic job and the centre wouldn't be able to run without them."

And 37-year-old Louise, who started as a volunteer herself with the Ormiston Children & Families Trust, the charity responsible for running the centre, believes the volunteers play a significant role in easing any stresses that visitors may have.

She added: "It can sometimes be a really stressful and emotional time for people visiting their loved ones and the volunteers make the experience so much easier by just offering sympathy.

"The volunteers are really essential to the running of the centre, they help with the children's play area, run the tea bar and greet visitors as they arrive, making sure everything runs smoothly.

"The support they give to families affected by imprisonment is invaluable; keeping them connected and helping to reduce the children's emotional stress who visit as well."

And, at the party, each volunteer was presented with a Christmas card and box of chocolates to say thank you for their dedication.

Helen Lewis, 75, from Coggeshall, has been volunteering at HMP Chelmsford visitor centre for 15 years.

She said: "Because we all volunteer on different days we don't often have the chance to meet each other, so I was really looking forward to seeing everyone all together.

"They're such a nice, friendly bunch of people.

"I've been volunteering at Chelmsford for a long time, and the difference the staff and volunteers make to a family's visit is huge."

But the visitor centre is always keen for more volunteers to help out.

Louise added: "You must be over 18 to volunteer but really you must just enjoy being with people and be a good listener – we've a great team and everyone is so friendly.

"If anyone wants to volunteer, I'd ask them just to give me a call on 01245 552 452."

THESE pictures show police tackling a naked man running through Chelmsford's city centre.

When a member of the public called 999 to report a streaker walking down Broomfield Road, Chelmsford, five police cars were dispatched to the scene.

These photographs, taken by a member of the public, show the man, with a police officer hot on his heels, moments before he was tackled outside the Trinity Methodist Church, opposite the County Hotel in Rainsford Road, on Thursday.

An elderly member of the church told the Chronicle: "What a day to pick to run naked, it is so cold out there.

"He was lying on the street screaming 'The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit'."

Onlookers from the nearby building site, hotel, church and hairdresser's watched as police wrapped the man in a blanket before he was wheeled into an ambulance to be checked over.

Another gentleman said: "Today the Women's Fellowship group were in and they only meet on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.

"The group had to be kept back a bit whilst the police dealt with the man and put him in the ambulance."

Reverend Viv Gasteen was going through the church's CCTV footage with a police officer.

She said: "A man was taken ill outside the church, he collapsed and is poorly and has now gone to hospital for treatment.

"We were just available if somebody wanted help but the police had it all under control."

A spokesman from Essex Police added: "Police were called shortly before 3pm on Thursday, December 13, following reports that a naked man was walking along Broomfield Road.

"Officers arrived and spotted the man, who was sectioned under the Mental Health Act and taken to the nearby Linden Centre."

ONE of Chelmsford's biggest employers is to quit the city after 10 years to relocate to Witham.

Cofunds, a leading financial firm, were unable to find another building in the city to cater for their expanding workforce.

So the 600-strong firm, based in Dorset House on Duke Street, will move to their new home in Mayland House, Witham, late next year after they spend £10 million on refurbishing the 66,000 square foot property.

The deal is thought to be the biggest office letting in Essex for 10 years and the refurbishment is expected to be the largest of its kind outside of central London in 2013.

"It always sad to leave a place you've called home for so long," said Alastair Conway, Cofunds' sales and marketing director.

"But we've grown pretty rapidly over the last 10 years and we are pretty squashed at our existing site.

"We needed a site that could cope with the numbers of people we anticipate to have over the next 10 years.

"There was nothing we felt was viable for us as a business in Chelmsford and Mayland House fitted the bill."

The company, which looks after £46 billion for 800,000 investors, has said that they will maintain their links with the city through a graduate programme with Anglia Ruskin University.

They have signed a 15-year lease from March 2013 for Mayland House, which has 304 car parking spaces, from Braintree District Council.

The building was given to the council in June 2010 as part of a deal with March and McLennan when the firm surrendered its lease.

It remained empty until December 2011 and cost Braintree council tax payers more than half a million pounds in upkeep costs, before an insurance company took over a single floor, bringing with them 30 staff.

Councillor Graham Butland, leader of Braintree District Council, said: "This is great news for the district.

"Despite the current challenging market conditions, we have been able to negotiate what we are advised by our property agents is the biggest office letting in Essex for 10 years."

The deal takes the white elephant off the council's books and looks set to generate £450,000 a year for the local authority.

Martin Davis, Cofunds chief executive, said: "Our architects are working on some exciting designs for the extensive refurbishment of Mayland House and we see great potential for really putting our mark on the building to make it a home.

"We're very much looking forward to working with local businesses so we can really be a part of the Witham community."

WHAT the hell is going on with our rail links in and out of Chelmsford? How can a signal problem at Gidea Park still be a problem the next day?

Why was it not fixed properly in the first instance? Why, since the signals where "updated" five years ago, do they now apparently have more faults than ever before?

What are Greater Anglia doing to fix these signal problems? I could ask them, but what will the response be? Just more dribble and no facts

My wife is paying £4,300 a year to travel to London, while I pay nearly £1,600 to get to Brentwood. And we, like so many Chronicle readers are simply sick and tired of trying to make people listen to us about the horrific service we are expected to live with.

I have seen people in wheelchairs unable to get off trains, and they say "this is not the first time".

I had to alert someone at Liverpool Street to go down with the ramp, and waited to see how long it would take this guy. He took nearly six minutes to even get the ramp, so the poor chap on the train was left sat alone and probably embarrassed due to the amount of times he says this happens.

Do we want more people to use the trains and get off the roads, or not?

Due to the signal problems on Friday the 8.19am was cancelled and then three minutes later a Norwich train went straight through half-empty.

Why does Great Anglia not put on extra stops in these situations? After some digging, I think they do everything they can to make sure as many journeys fall in within the 30 minute delay deadline before they have to start paying compensation?

They would rather delay 20 people by 50 minutes, and pay the necessary compensation, so they can concentrate on getting 100 people on one train in before the 30 minute delay deadline, rather than make the extra stops and get everyone there within 35 minutes, as this would cost them more money?

What exactly has Greater Anglia done to make our lives better in the last 12 months since they took over from National Express East Anglia?

Will they claim the proposed £1million station improvements are thanks to them, despite this project being started by National Express?

Do they want us customers to say thank you for installing information points on the platform (which by the way I have never seen a member of staff stand in, as they sit in the heated offices instead) or are we meant to appreciate their train refurbishments?

A train is not refurbished by placing a sticky vinyl countryside scene on the door of a toilet, but by replacing faulty toilet roll dispensers, wash basins and locks, and train doors that get stuck and cause delays.

Making sure heating and air con works is general maintenance.

But why would a Dutch company care about a recession-hit Britain whose people are forced to adopt austerity measures? All they care about is profit.

One more thing. Regulators say a train does not count as "delayed" until it is more than 15 minutes late, so why only pay compensation for delays of 30 minutes or more?

If a train is late by 20 minutes, I then miss my connection at Shenfield, so I end up being more than 40 minutes late for work.

Why am I and my company not compensated for this time Greater Anglia's late-running trains cost me so often?

I have seen a lot about the Witham MP Priti Patel asking serious questions about the service we receive, but I have never seen Chelmsford MP and transport minister Simon Burns speaking about this subject.

Mr Burns, you are my MP and I have voted Conservative since I was old enough to vote. For God's sake, give me a reason to put an x next to your name!

Get on the phone and get something done. We rely on you to do what is right for your constituents, and this is one of the biggest topics among the people on the street.

Spend a week around Chelmsford station between 7am and 8am and hear what people are talking about.

I saw a pregnant woman stuck standing all the way to London this morning. No one could offer her a seat as she could barely fit in the door, let alone even see a seat. She, like all of us, should be able to rely on a service that has occasional problems, not occasional good services.

And remember, what ever Greater Anglia say is going to be manipulated by them. They claim only 20 per cent of trains were delayed this year. That is true, if you don't class a train as delayed until it is more than 15 minutes late.

I will try and tell my boss I am not officially late until it's more than 30 minutes, that way I can turn up at 20 past nine every day and technically still be on time!

Greater Anglia managing director Ruud Haket writes: We would like to apologise for the disruption suffered by many of our passengers last week and the obvious inconvenience it caused.

The main causes of the problems were track and signalling faults, along with some late-running freight trains. We are working with Network Rail (which manages and maintains the rail infrastructure) to prevent similar problems in the future.

Network Rail has undertaken a review into the causes of the signalling problems of last week and is taking steps to resolve them. It is also renewing overhead power lines between London and Chelmsford.

Although performance has been less consistent in recent weeks, overall mainline performance is at its highest level for over 12 years – almost 91 per cent of trains arrived within five minutes of their scheduled time.

In addition, in the space of just over ten months since the franchise began, we have:

Improved information and communication by equipping all our 1,600 frontline staff with Blackberry phones to ensure they are able to communicate more quickly

Deep cleaned our train fleet

Significantly reduced the amount of pre-planned disruptive weekend engineering work (including bus replacement services) on the main line in 2013 – from over 30 weekends a year for the past five years to just seven Sundays and two Saturdays in 2013.

Invested in new and more modern ticket machines

We will continue to work closely with Network Rail to deliver a better service for customers – in the short term by delivering the current service more consistently and to a higher standard, and in the long term by trying to secure the investment necessary to deliver a major upgrade.

Chelmsford MP Simon Burns writes: The reason I can't ask questions in the House like Priti is because I am the minister answering them, but I do frequently take up issues about the railways and problems constituents have had with the service with both Greater Anglia and the former franchise holder, National Express.

Furthermore, as a backbencher I pressed for years to improve the track and electrification, which is now being done.

Obviously, as the Minister I am determined to raise standards across the whole network. I must say, I still think the quality of the service is considerably better than when I used it every day 25 years ago.

Since then we have seen improved rolling stock, the renovation of the track, the replacement and improvement of the electrification of the overhead lines, the refurbishment of Chelmsford station, and journey times have been reduced.

I do, though, accept that there is a great deal more to be done because the service does need to improve further.

Also, until I became the minister for rail, I, along with a number of other regional MPs, have been working on a paper for the DfT to seek to ensure improvements to the line. That work is continuing.

THE Bishop of Chelmsford is reminding the people of Essex that this year's must-have Christmas gift is Jesus.

His statement comes after the diocese's controversial new campaign was launched which depicts Jesus as a toy doll with the slogan "Godbaby... He cries, He wees, He saves the world."

The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell, said: "Godbaby captures and confronts Christmas as commodity.

"It gives it a face which disturbs and engages us.

"And it makes us sit up and ask: where is Christmas really to be found?

"But most of all it challenges us to recognise that there is a real Godbaby, in amongst all the shopping and the glitz, Jesus who lavishes love on us that money can't buy. That is the essential 'must-have'."

The campaign is the brainchild of Churchads.net and the posters of the Jesus toy are popping up over the county.

But according to a poll run by the creators the majority of us don't actually like Godbaby, with 52 per cent saying they disliked the poster.

Francis Goodwin, from Churchads.net, said: "We asked some of the top advertising people in the business to help us break through all the commercialism to challenge people, inspire them and communicate the true message of Christmas to millions.

"The Godbaby image is designed to get people thinking and be a starter for conversations about Jesus and the Christian message, which is so easily forgotten amidst the frantic run-up to Christmas. "The whole aim is to communicate that 'Christmas Starts with Christ'."

The campaign will also see the Church of England promoting the traditional message in a more contemporary way by tweeting their Christmas sermons.

Follow Bishop Stephen on Twitter via @chelmsdio to read his Christmas day sermon tweet.

AFTER more than 90 years it was the end of an era for the Witham's Women's Institute.

The group, which was set up in 1919, met for the final time last Friday after a decision was taken last month to stop its monthly meetings.

For their final gathering at the Methodist church in Guithavon Street, the group treated themselves to a catered Christmas lunch and a traditional festive talk.

Eileen Irvine, a member for 10 years and the outgoing president, said: "We had a very good lunch for which we had caterers in so we could sit down and enjoy that. We celebrated in style."

Later in the afternoon, Barbara Faulkner gave a talk called Merry Christmas, where she explained the reasons behind traditions such as having candles on the Christmas tree.

And while some aspects of the meeting were in keeping with the group's usual monthly gathering, it was also a significant occasion.

"It was quite sad, particularly for some who have been members a lot longer than me," said Eileen.

"I think everybody realises that time goes on and that they have done their bit.

"For many, it was a case of age. We were an afternoon meeting and, of course, younger people are working and have families and children."

Sisters-in-law Phyllis and Freda Wheeler are the longest-standing members of the Witham Women's Institute, having joined in 1959.

Phyllis, 92, said: "We both needed something to do and our children were old enough to walk back from school on their own so we decided to join.

"We have had some very good times."

Freda, 87, added: "I think my son was nine or 10 at the time and he's 63 now!

"The group has changed a lot since we first joined. Membership started at three-and-sixpence – I have still got my card – but in January it would have gone up to £30.20 a year.

"We also used to do all of our own entertainment and held a summer show at the public hall but one year we had very few entries, so it stopped.

"And then we used to have a social meal in the evenings but a lot of us are getting on a bit now."

But despite the official WI label being removed from the group, members will continue to meet once a month as the Guithavon Ladies' Group.

"We will still have a competition each month," said Freda, who is also on the committee for Age UK and volunteers at the Witham luncheon club.

"I'm very privileged to have been able to do all these things. And it will only cost £20. We can knit or we can chat – it's going to be a lot easier to run."

CHRISTMAS dinner is probably the biggest family meal of the year. It takes a large amount of time and effort to organise and to prepare the food, so it can be overwhelming trying to choose the right wines to match.

I think that ultimately it comes down to personal preferences but there are few combinations that do not actually work. The old adage of white wine with white meat and fish, and red wine with red or dark meat, should be viewed more as a guideline rather than an unbreakable rule. So here are my suggestions for some wines that will go well with your Christmas meal.

Just as you can add a squeeze of lemon to smoked salmon to cut through the oiliness, then a glass of crisp white wine can complement many fish dishes. Also, if you want to celebrate in style then a glass of champagne is ideal.

One of my all time favourites is Duval-Leroy Fleur de Champagne NV premier Cru, which Waitrose have on offer at £15.99 a bottle, down from £31.99 from December 19 until January 2.

This Champagne is soft and balanced with those lovely toasty and citrus aromas and flavours that make Champagne special.

Or Marks & Spencer have their own label Louis Chaurey at half price from £30 to £15 until the end of December.

A hint of tropical fruit sits well alongside rich buttery and biscuit flavours.

If Champagne is not for you then try a bottle of Forrest Estate Sauvignon Blanc from Adnams (adnams.co.uk) which, at £9.99, is fantastic value. It is a classic New Zealand Sauvignon with racy acidity and subtle flavours of tropical fruits.

Marks & Spencer also have a Chablis premier Cru 2008 on offer down from £18 to £13. This is elegant and crisp with a touch of steely acidity and a lovely mineral character. Both of these would match perfectly with a seafood starter, or indeed for those who prefer white wine, throughout the whole meal.

To match a single wine with the main course is almost impossible. The white meat of the turkey typically calls for a white wine while the dark meat needs a red wine. The herbs and spices in the stuffing would go well with a rich spicy Rhone red but the slight bitterness from the Brussels sprouts can spoil many a red wine.

The best way is to choose a wine that can stand up to all those flavours – one that will not overpower but will complement the food and one that will not fade halfway but last until the very end of the meal.

Such a wine is Majestic's Lirac 2011 Domaine des Garrigues which is on offer for £7.99 per bottle (if you purchase two bottles). I love this unoaked red. It is full-bodied without being overpowering. It is full of red fruit juiciness and that lovely spiciness of southern Rhone red wines.

The Americans love to match their Thanksgiving meal with a Zinfandel and Waitrose have Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel on offer from £9.99 to £7.49 until January 2. This has incredible flavours of ripe dark fruit such as blackberries and ripe cherries with a touch of black pepper spice.

If you really want to push the boat out then go for a 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Juniper Estate, Margaret River at £19.50 from Adnams. This area of Western Australia is famous for making their wines more in the style of Europe rather than Australia. This wine has all the blackberry richness of cassis with some wonderful notes of dark cherries, plums and vanilla. Soft and well rounded, this has a lingering, fruity and warm finish. It really is a phenomenal wine.

Have a wonderful Christmas. Cheers!

JUBILANT pensioners are celebrating after a company made a Christmas donation of £15,000 to take the Chronicle's Surviving Winter Appeal total past £25,000.

Every penny raised by the appeal, organised by the Essex Community Foundation, goes towards hard-up pensioners struggling to heat their homes because of rising bills, and the charities that support them.

Tuesday's £15,000 donation from A Better Future – and more than £10,000 of donations from generous Chronicle readers – means more pensioners, like these celebrating Christmas at the Age Concern Day Centre in Chelmsford, will be kept warm and fed during the winter months.

Regular visitor Renee Gathercole, 89, said: "I started coming to the club when my husband Leslie died. When you live on your own you need somewhere to come and socialise with people and it's ever so friendly here."

Manager Freda Mountain said: "The money we receive from the Surviving Winter Appeal is invaluable to us as we do not get any government funding.

"It means we do not have to worry about heating bills."

A Better Future is a charity established by Central Essex Community Services, which provides NHS services to more than 370,000 people locally.

Financial director Philip Richards said: "We are delighted to support the appeal, which we believe will make a real difference to vulnerable and elderly people in Essex during the winter months.

"This should not be a time when they have to decide whether to heat or eat."

ESSEX Fire and Rescue has launched a new campaign urging revellers not to cook at home after a festive night out.

The service has been pushing its "grab a kebab with your cab" message to people around the county in a bid to curb the number of cooking fires usually experienced at this time of year.

Neil Fenwick, head of community safety for Essex Fire and Rescue, said: "The idea of the campaign is to highlight the issue of fire safety, especially around this time of year.

"At Christmas time a lot of people are out at Christmas events or work parties and it's common when people leave clubs or pubs to feel a little bit hungry, so when they get home they stick on the grill and start cooking.

"But after you've had a few drinks and are a little the worse for wear, you can easily get distracted or fall asleep and the next thing you know the kitchen is in flames."

The fire service decided to launch the campaign after noticing an increase in kitchen fires at Christmas time.

Mr Fenwick added: "The majority of fires in the home start in the kitchen and that's because people are cooking on a naked flame. So cooking is dangerous at the best of times. But add to that someone who is under the influence of alcohol and it is even more so.

"We all go out and have a few drinks, and we all feel hungry but it's about being safe.

"Don't even think about cooking at home – grab a kebab or a takeaway. Obviously we want people to eat healthily but we want them to remain safe.

"I remember one year a guy had put his grill on to cook burgers and fell asleep and his neighbours called us when they saw smoke and heard the alarm.

"That's another thing I can't stress enough – the importance of having a working fire alarm. They really do save lives and it's vital that everyone has a working alarm in their homes. We want people to have fun this Christmas but in a safe way."

To find out more about Essex Fire and Rescue Service follow them on Twitter @ECFRS or visit www.essex-fire.gov.uk

CRAIG EDWARDS says he 'can't wait' for the Boxing Day fixture against former employers Chelmsford City.

The Billericay Town boss returns to Melbourne Park for the first time since his acrimonious departure in 2006.

"I've had the game marked down in my calendar ever since the fixture list came out – I can't wait for it," he told the Chronicle.

It will be the first time the clubs have gone head-to-head for four years and Edwards knows his newly promoted side will be up against it.

"I think you'd have to say Chelmsford are massive favourites for the game," he said.

"You've just got to look at the resources they've got and the squad they've got. I think Glenn's (Pennyfather) doing a fantastic job there and they've had a fantastic run in the FA Cup."

Edwards arrived at City from Redbridge in January 2005 and kept the club in the Ryman League Premier Division before taking them to 10th place the following season.

Ironically he took charge of Chelmsford's first game back in the city – after a spell playing their home games at New Lodge – against Billericay Town.

He remains upset with the way he was dismissed after 17 months before Jeff King took over the reins. He said: "I did the best I could for Chelmsford. I came in when they were in trouble and I kept us competitive, even though I had to cut the wage bill in half.

"It didn't end well and I've not been happy about it since, I didn't feel I was treated with the respect I should have been."

Asked if he would shake Paul Hopkins', the then chairman, by the hand before the game, he said: "You're joking aren't you? No way, Absolutely not."

But he has nothing but praise for the Claret Army. "I'll never forget the send off I got from the fans," he added.

"I've got some great memories of my time there."

THE man who took on the X Factor and propelled Rage Against The Machine to Christmas No 1 is once again taking on Simon Cowell.

Jon Morter and his wife Tracy, of South Woodham Ferrers, stopped 2009 winner Joe McElderry from claiming the festive top spot after more than 800,000 Brits backed their online anti-X Factor campaign.

Now 38-year-old Jon, who was offered a job by Cowell after Rage Against The Machine's 1993 single, Killing In The Name, outsold his act's record, is trying to get the Hillsborough charity single to Christmas No 1.

The single He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother features an assortment of stars, including Paul McCartney and Robbie Williams, and will raise money for the families of the 96 Liverpool fans who died in the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.

"This year I was planning to sit back and watch everyone else have a go," said Jon, a social media expert.

But he was asked by the campaign, known as The Justice Collective, to use his internet savvy to propel the record, which is already tipped to beat the latest X Factor winner James Arthur, to the Christmas No 1 spot.

"I remember watching the Hillsborough tragedy and it had a big effect on me," he said.

"I was at an FA cup semi-final a year or two before that and I remember thinking 'it could have been me or someone I know'," he said.

The version of the Hollies' hit comes just months after a damning report into the handling of the crowd crush at Hillsborough, the home of Sheffield Wednesday, during an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

Former Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish, comedian John Bishop and Liverpool MP Steve Rotheram have all backed the campaign and Chancellor George Osborne has waived VAT on the single.

"It would be absolutely brilliant if we got the No 1 spot," said Jon, a father of three, who is plotting the campaign's digital strategy.

"It has a different feel to the 'Rage' campaign.

"We are not against the X Factor, we are trying to raise awareness, to put Hillsborough back on the news, and raise money to help some of the families with their legal costs."

But Jon admits that it would be "an added bonus" to beat Simon Cowell again.

His previous campaign raised £162,000 for homeless charity Shelter and persuaded Rage Against The Machine, who he still keeps in touch with, to play a free concert in Finsbury Park, north London.

"The campaign was founded in Essex, so it was a shame we couldn't do it at Hylands House," said Jon.

And after the dust settled on his achievements, both Jon and wife Tracy, who runs Tracy Morter Photography, were inundated with job offers – including one from Simon Cowell himself.

"He rang us up to say congratulations. Later he offered us a job but we couldn't take it – we'd spent so much time trying to beat him to the Christmas No 1 spot after all," said Jon.

The Christmas No 1 will be announced on Sunday.

LESS than 24 hours after 20 wrapped Christmas presents for children in intensive care were stolen from Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, 800 toys were sent from the people of Chelmsford.

Cliff and Linda Parker, from Springfield, run a Kleeneze catalogue business, and each year collect Christmas presents from 1,000 customers in the city.

They have delivered more than 5,000 toys and gifts to the children's hospital since 2005 and on Tuesday dropped off the 800 donations, stuffed into 18 boxes, from this year's collection.

The couple help Great Ormond Street because Cliff's 23-year-old son Oliver, who has cerebral palsy, was treated at the hospital when he was a baby.

"They were really good to us and really did a great job with Oliver," said Cliff, 46, a telecommunications account manager.

"They do such a great job for families up and down the country."

Every October the couple put a note in a catalogue sent out to their Chelmsford customers, asking them to buy a present for the children in Great Ormond Street, usually worth three or four pounds, and reward them by giving them a ten per cent discount on their normal purchase.

They then store the gifts in their spare bedroom before delivering them to the hospital a week before Christmas.

"They gave us the help in the early days and it's our way of giving something back to the hospital," said Cliff.

"The presents are only small but if it can help keep the patients, or their brothers and sisters, amused for a short while, then it's worth it."

The stolen gifts were taken between Friday and Monday from a private part in the hospital, Scotland Yard said.

A number of retailers and private donors have offered to replace the presents.

A Great Ormond Street Hospital spokesman said: "We have been overwhelmed by generous offers from individuals and companies to replace the missing items.

"These items have now been replaced by a long-term supporter.

"Thank you to everyone who has contacted us for their concern and kindness."

The hospital, which was set up in 1852, celebrated its 160th anniversary this year and treats more than 200,000 patients annually.

Its work was recognised in the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, when many of its patients and staff took part in a sequence paying tribute to the NHS.