A YMCA volunteer will be running the London Marathon to raise money for the children and young people of Chelmsford.

Sarah Waud, 27, of Marconi Road, volunteers at the YMCA shop in the High Chelmer Shopping Centre and has decided to take on the gruelling challenge in order to help her community.

Sarah said: "I want to raise money for two causes. The first is a young carer's night off, it goes from 9 to 20 and just gives them a night off from looking after people.

"The other is a training scheme to help young people from difficult backgrounds get into work."

JENNIFER Green is running the London Marathon to raise money for the charity that gave her brother a new wheelchair. The 28-year-old from Coggeshall hopes to raise £2,000 for the Caudwell Children's charity after it donated a wheelchair to Richard, 21, two years ago.

"I've always wanted to run the London marathon and Caudwell Children's generosity to Richard has given me the inspiration," said Jennifer.

Richard, who has cerebral palsy, has a passion for wheelchair tennis, and due to the high capabilities of his wheelchair, has seen an improvement in his sporting performance.

"THIS is Kevin."

A wriggly albino ferret was held up; it peered inquisitively at me, bottle-brush tail swishing.

He was then put down and immediately started running, snuffling at my shoes and trouser legs.

In a shed behind a house in Moreton Road, Ongar, 59 others scamper to and fro. It was noisy and chaotic – fur and tails everywhere you looked.

It's a familiar scene for the founder of the Essex Ferret Welfare Society, Wendy Brett, 53.

"Each one has its own personality. They can be cheeky, cuddly or playful, and there are also ones with attitude," she said.

One jumped out of the open cage door and on to the floor.

"They're a lot like toddlers," said Ms Brett, who also works as a lollipop lady. "They like to cause mischief and have fun doing it."

The society, originally founded in 1980 to use ferrets to chase rabbits out of their warrens, is a big part of her life.

Now a place that re-homes the curious animals, each year the shed houses more than 200 ferrets brought in by the RSPCA, animal wardens, vets and worried owners.

"It's a lot of work and commitment – but satisfying to see a very ill ferret recover and be given a good home," added Ms Brett.

About 40 volunteers from all over the county support Ms Brett and her husband, Alan, in their task.

They visit beer festivals, schools, and fairs to show off the critters.

One volunteer, Hazel Chester, has owned ferrets for years.

"There's a lot of personality in such a small package, they can be fearless," she said, adding that she takes her ferrets out on specially designed leads for "meandering walks".

Ms Brett said: "One owner we knew had a ferret that used to lick people's ears. It's actually a compliment because ferrets are very sociable and groom each other – it's a way of looking after you."

Ferrets have their have their own foibles and are very much domesticated animals.

"If you see one in the street, for example, and it runs up to you, it's probably looking for help," Ms Brett said.

"If it runs up to you, it's tame – it might need reassuring.

"Talk to it, pick it up gently, stick it in your rucksack and bring it here."

Many of the society's ferrets have been maltreated. Ms Brett recalls two large ferrets in a box on her doorstep, abandoned; another was found in a closed box, terrified and covered in mud on the hard shoulder of the motorway.

She said: "It's all about education and common sense. Find out exactly what they are, they're different to cats and dogs.

"A lot of it is about changing the language we use. There's a lot of casual cruelty around nowadays."

"Changing the language helps. We say 'people belong to ferrets' and 'people care for them'."

This is all part of the practical re-education at the heart of what the society does, helping owners understand their pet's behaviour, building up confidence that helps both them and their cuddly creature.

Ms Brett smiled as she recounted when an owner rang her upset, stating that their ferret was having a fit, confused that it was jumping around and moving in circles.

She told the panicking owner: "It's playing."

Around Easter is the society's busiest time, due to ferrets escaping to mate – often producing litters of seven or eight kits.

"If you've got a ferret, we urge you to either get them neutered or spayed," said Ms Brett, who had her first ferret when she was 15.

Despite her passion for animals, however, she believes people must come first.

"A child versus an animal – it's the child, no question," she said.

For more information, call 01277 364115 or visit www.essexferret welfaresociety.org.uk

TWO brothers are going head to head in the marathon.

Terry Lee, 34, a DJ from Great Leighs, and Billy Hinken, 30, an insurance consultant from Chelmsford, are raising money and awareness for East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH).

The brothers will be running together, and sibling rivalry is coming to the fore as the day draws closer.

Billy said: "After sharing a bedroom with him for 15 years I don't like doing anything with him, apart from commiserating him on his inevitable defeats to me."

Terry added: "If he beats me I will never live it down. My mum said it's comparable to Mark Wright versus James 'Arg' Argent from TOWIE."

Terry said they wanted to help a local children's charity as "charity begins at home".

Billy added: "If people are willing to give me cash I'm willing to put my body on the line, a few hours of pain can't compare to what some families go through."

So far Terry has raised £65, but is hoping to raise £500 in total. Billy has also raised around £100 and is aiming to raise as much as he can.

When asked about training, Terry said: "I've been running through the mean streets of Great Leighs with kids and dogs chasing me like Rocky Balboa and jumping on the steps of the village hall."

A politician is appealing to the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi in a bid to help an Essex family fight a court ruling that left their brain-damaged daughter with just £35 to pay her £24,000 legal bill.

Maldon MP John Whittingdale wants justice for 34-year-old Natalie Creane, an expat who now suffers from severe brain injuries after being hit by a loose wardrobe panel in an Abu Dhabi hotel in 2008.

Mr Whittingdale, who met with Mrs Creane's parents Angie and Derick Smith from Cold Norton on Saturday before they flew out, said he would do everything he could to help.

"It's going to be terribly difficult – our ability to influence events is very limited," he said.

"I know the Foreign Office is aware and are doing what they can, while I will try to draw attention through the Abu Dhabi authorities, and even through the Sheikh."

The Sheikh and ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan, is known for having a good relationship with the UK.

He has twice welcomed the Queen to his country and from April 30 until May 1, the Sheikh will visit the UK on a state visit.

Mr Whittingdale added: "My powers are extremely limited; we have no say in what happens over there.

"When you are dealing with a foreign government it's very hard and the Abu Dhabi legal system is something of a mystery.

"Yet a personal appeal to the ruler may be the best approach."

In 2008, Mrs Creane, who moved to Dubai ten years ago, was enjoying a £150-a-night holiday with her fiancé, and now husband, Trevor at the Emirates Palace Hotel in the United Arab Emirates state.

While unpacking, she was struck by a 2.2kg panel after it fell from an 11-foot wardrobe.

By the time it hit her, it had gathered the force equal to "three house bricks" weighing 7.5kg.

Mrs Creane was immediately sick and lost consciousness, before hotel staff dragged her into the bathroom rather than calling an ambulance.

She sustained traumatic brain injuries and now suffers from post-traumatic epilepsy.

She has been in numerous chemically induced comas and has struggled to recover – yet the family say that hospital staff have been "fantastic" in the care and dedication afforded to their daughter .

On February 27, the hotel, Kempinski Hotels and ADNIC insurance were all found guilty of negligence.

As well as the £35 payout for legal costs, the family were also awarded £36,000 in compensation, although Natalie's parents say medical and flight bills total £170,000, while Mrs Creane has lost £500,000 in earnings.

Her mother, Mrs Smith, 63, said: "The hotel had no defence – their gross negligence caused this accident and has devastated all our lives and could possibly kill my daughter.

"We have begged them to help on numerous occasions and every single time they have ignored our pleas."

A WOMAN is running the marathon in memory of a 12-year-old boy who died after collapsing in a PE lesson.

Natalie Taylor-Neilson, 27, will take on the challenge in tribute to family friend Jay Waters, who died suddenly from heart muscle disease cardiomyopathy n 2009. The HR manager from South Woodham Ferrers is raising money for the Cardiomyopathy Association, a charity that provides information and support to affected families and helps educate the medical profession.

Natalie, who lived next door to Jay, said: "Running in Jay's memory to help others with this condition is an honour."

A GP who became the first to carry out operations in Ongar has hung up his stethoscope after more than three decades in the town.

Dr Ken Menon arrived at The Ongar Surgery in 1980 and, along with fellow GP Dr Ifthikar Qazi, soon started to conduct minor surgical procedures such as vasectomies and the removal of varicose veins.

His rationale behind this was to make surgery more convenient for patients by virtue of the fact that they would not need to travel to hospital.

He added: "If the patients could be operated on locally, we'd help the NHS by keeping the costs of referring patients down.

"Having been part of it, I'm proud in my small little way."

Dr Menon, who lives in Hook End, undertook his surgical training at St Margaret's Hospital in Epping and later in Chelmsford.

When he joined The Ongar Surgery it was located in Bansons Lane, although it subsequently moved to the High Street in 1987.

Reflecting on the numerous changes that have taken place in general practice over the course of his 33 year career, Dr Menon said: "Medical practice is in a permanent state of revolution and it's great to have been part of the change in the nature of general practice.

"Traditionally, medical roles were the preserve of hospitals – general practice is about bringing care from the hospitals into the communities – it has been a huge transition."

As for the patients he would no longer be seeing, he said: "It's extremely difficult and sad – I've known sometimes three or four generations of the same family. These are people who are not patients – they are friends.

"You work, shop, and your children grow up together.

"I've been into virtually every house in Ongar over the past 33 years and I know patients by their first names, they call me by my first name – I have professional but very close relationships with them.

"It's a large number of friends that I'm leaving professionally and I'm coming to terms with that."

Dr Menon's retirement was marked by a small party for staff held at the surgery.

He admitted he was sad to be leaving his job behind however he is looking forward to taking more time for his hobbies, which include gardening and reading modern history books.

The devoted doctor doesn't plan to cut all his medical ties though.

He plans to do one or two sessions a week to help out his previous practice, while the rest of the time he will be working for the West Essex Clinical Commissioning Group – the new body which covers 39 general practices in Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford.

Ongar practice manager Linda Glassock said her former colleague would be remembered fondly.

"He was a pleasure to work with," she said. "You couldn't have asked for a better boss.

"I think a lot of the patients will miss him and ever since they started finding out we have had lots of tributes to him."

A MUM of three is set to open a £1.5 million visitor centre at her vineyard – the only one of its kind in England.

After four years, Jane Mohan is finally ready to launch West Street Vineyard's own tourism centre in an attempt to bring the "New World" experience of wine to Essex.

The new centre in Coggeshall includes a wine school, 80-seat café, wine bar, conference facilities and a 90-seat south-facing terrace so guests can enjoy their drinks alfresco.

It is the only boutique micro-vineyard to have a wine-tasting centre on site, showcasing varieties from around the country.

Jane toyed with the idea of buying a vineyard in France, and almost did so, but had a change of heart and decided to stay in Essex.

"I worked on a vineyard in France when I was 17 years old, and my husband Stephen, who's 51, did the same in Germany," said ex-PR executive, Jane, 45.

"I decided to stay near to home in Essex. I was born here in Brentwood and it does not get more Essex than that.

"I used to drive past the vineyard every day when I dropped my children off at school.

"I would ring up the estate agents and ask how much it was and it was always an outrageous sum I could not afford. One day they asked me to make an offer, and the owners actually accepted my offer.

"I knew quite a bit about wine, but I had no idea about growing wine.

"We started with 800 vines, of a wine variety that no one had ever heard of.

"I had to take a course in Brighton to learn all I could about growing, then we had our first harvest, bottled it – and it was vile. We thought, 'What have we done?'

"I found out that vines are like women – if you don't nurture them, and give them manicures and pedicures when needed, then they're not at their best."

Currently West Street Vineyard makes a rosé and a white wine, and Jane and her staff have recently planted 3,500 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines for sparkling wine.

Overall, the vineyard tasting centre will hold 21 wines from East Anglia and 28 from across England and Wales, and they have also set up a wine school, led by Neil Bull, from Stebbing.

The new company has even managed to win the 2010 vintage bronze award-winning white and rosé.

Jane has travelled to New Zealand and South Africa where the vineyards are set in contemporary buildings, and serve food alongside the wines.

It was this set-up that inspired Jane to start a restaurant using local seasonal products.

Jane said: "The whole ethos of what we do is that there are lots of excellent English wines out there and we want as many people as possible to try them.

"The village has really got behind what we are doing.

"They call up and ask to help and are offered a glass of wine whilst they work.

"My kids, Jasper, who is 13, Alexander, 11, and Millie, 7, have been really helpful, too, labelling all the bottles – we want this to be about the community as much as it can."

Last year, the weather affected the crop and they lost 40 per cent of their grapes.

"Luckily our crop remained quite good – we were better off than some other parts of the country," added Jane.

"We are situated next to the river Blackwater, and having that water just keeps the frost away because the temperatures are warmer near to water.

"If you look at most vineyards, they are nearly almost always closer to the water."

The vineyard will be officially opened on St George's Day by Jane's mother and a former features editor of the Essex Chronicle, Josie Stevenson, who has been battling with ovarian cancer for three years after being told she had 12 weeks to live.

The theme is all things dedicated to St George's virtues of courage, chivalry and charity, including a knight in full armour on horseback, one hundred red roses and one hundred glasses of English sparkling wine.

In return, West Street Vineyard will ask for a donation to be given to the cancer research fund at Colchester Hospital, who have been caring for Jane's mum.

A TEAM of mums have been training day and night in all weathers to run the London Marathon for Farleigh Hospice.

Lorraine Pardoe, 36, Corrine Cullen, 36, and Dawn George, 41 are just three of 37 running for the Chelmsford based hospice.

Lorraine, a dispenser at Boots and mum-of-two, said that they all wanted to raise money for Farleigh Hospice as it is a local charity that does great work for young children and their families.

She particularly supports the "good counselling they offer for children who have lost their parents."

So far they have raised £3,085.54 for the charity and they are planning to raise even more money through a child's play event at Monkey Puzzle at Madison Heights in Maldon from 5pm to 7pm on April 26.

Lorraine described their progress in training as "brilliant", and they have just increased the distances they are running from 18 to 20 miles.

She added: "I feel nervous, it is quite overwhelming.

"Training is quite intense and with fundraising it becomes like a part-time job, especially as we have to fit it around our families."

Corrine Cullen, a customer services assistant at Tesco and mum-of-two, added: "When I'm running I think about what I'm going through is nothing compared to the families we're raising money for."

She said she has been helped by her supportive family, friends, and staff at both Mildmay Infant and Junior School who have organised fundraising events for the mums, including a Christmas concert.

Dawn George, a youth worker and mum-of-three, said: "My granddad died about 20 years ago, and my family have a high opinion of Farleigh from the care he got there.

"We have been overwhelmed by how many people have helped us."

MALDON & TIPTREE FC are getting ready to launch a new youth scheme at the club.

The club has linked up with PASS Soccer – which is run by Town midfielder Ollie Berquez and co-founder Lee Honeywood – and will be holding an open trial day this weekend.

The programme will combine education and football, and any player aged between 16 and 18 is welcome to attend the trial at the club's Wallace Binder Stadium at 11am on Saturday.

Berquez, who has represented a number of non-league clubs across the county in his career, has been involved with PASS for more than ten years and has seen plenty of success stories.

He told the Chronicle: "It's all ready to start from September.

"It's going to be a good scheme. Eddy's (Garty) an ambitious chairman, and he will look to bring players through.

"We're in our 11th year now so I think with the combination of the two we could really bring a good programme here.

"We've had over 75 kids sign for pro clubs and five of them have managed to play at youth level internationally.

"Earlier this month we had one of our boys, goalkeeper Dan Bentley, on the bench for Southend at Wembley.

"It's great for us to see kids progressing that well. We do know what we're talking about – if you've got a talent in football, you can progress."

Chelmsford City are already benefiting from a similar scheme run in conjunction with Chelmsford College.

And as well as providing potential new players for the club, Berquez insists it will be beneficial for the youngsters.

"It's similar to Chelmsford, but all the education is at the club," he added. "We want to bring players through and really progress them.

"With our links to pro sides they can go on further.

"But in the worst case they will do their A-Levels and if they don't have a career in football they might have a career coaching with us or even go on to university, so there's options.

"We can give opportunities, or it's a pathway to university or to stay in education."

Two of PASS's recent success stories will be in attendance on Saturday. George Cole and Elliott Wright are at Arsenal and Chelsea, having come through the PASS process.

On the field, it was a disappointing weekend for Maldon & Tiptree as their Ryman League Division One North title hopes were ended by a 2-0 loss at champions Grays.

Town will now focus on finishing second and therefore earning home advantage in the play-offs.

They host Tilbury on Saturday, before finishing the campaign at home to Brentwood next Thursday and away to Wroxham on April 27.

TWO brothers have now been charged with the murder of 35-year-old Liam Holden in Grays.

Ryan Wood, 21, of Godman Road, Grays, is due at Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday, April 22.
 
He was arrested on Thursday, April 18, charged with murder and appeared before magistrates in Basildon on Friday morning.

His brother Owen Wood, 23, also of Godman Way, has previously been charged with Mr Holden's murder and is next due in court on May 13.

Mr Holden died from head injuries in the early hours of March 10 after an assault near Morrisons supermarket.

A Man has been charged with causing death by careless driving following a fatal road crash in Purfleet.
The collision happened on the A1306 Arterial Road, near the junction with Watts Crescent and involved a white motorcycle, a silver Transit van and a green HGV parked in a lay-by.

The motorcyclist, 40-year-old David Dawe from Fyfield Road, Rainham, east London, died at the scene on October 28, 2012.  
The Transit driver, a 54-year-old man from Purfleet, has now been charged and bailed to appear at Basildon Magistrates Court on May 7.

A TALENTED dressage rider from Writtle put her skills to the test in two demonstrations at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships in Hartpury last week.

Bobby Hayler, 20, who is on the BEF's UK Sport funded World Class Development Programme, took part in a Pas de Deux (duet) with her father Paul on the Friday and Saturday evenings.

Performing to Toploader's Dancing in the Moonlight, Bobby rode Bob Garrett and Paul Hayler's Aldborough Rubenall.

"It was the most amazing experience," said Bobby. "The horses were great and seemed to lap up the atmosphere, and we had loads of positive feedback afterwards so it obviously went down well."

Bobby also took part in a master class with international dressage rider Richard Davison on both evenings, riding her Grand Prix horse, the 13-year-old gelding Luderitz.

The World Class Development Programme underpins World Class Performance and, together with the Equine Pathway, they comprise the Equestrian World Class Programme.

It incorporates the three Olympic sports of Dressage, Eventing, Showjumping and the Paralympic sport of Para-equestrian Dressage.

The aim of the programme is to have in place a sustainable system that can deliver more medals on the international stage now and in the future.

The programme has been funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, through Exchequer and National Lottery funds, via UK Sport since 1998.

POLICE presence at today's London Marathon has been increased in the wake of the atrocities in Boston.

The annual 26.2 mile race around the capital starts this morning (Sunday, April 21) in Blackheath, South East London.

Chief Superintendent Julia Pendry revealed on Friday that several hundred additional police officers have been drafted in to help patrol the event.

The 37,000 participants in London are expected to show solidarity with those affected by the Massachusetts attack.

There will a 30-second period of silence before the start - and runners are being encouraged to wear black ribbons.

Virgin London Marathon has pledged to donate £2 for every finisher in today's event to The One Fund Boston - set up to raise money for the victims of the explosions.

Members of the public coming to the capital are being asked to make sure that they keep their belongings with them to avoid triggering security alerts.

A 35-year-old man from Romford has been charged with dangerous driving and possession of cocaine after he was arrested in Southend this weekend. 

Jason Harvey of Heaton Avenue will appear at Southend Magistrates Court tomorrow morning (Monday April 22, 2013). 

Harvey was driving a car - believed stolen from Dagenham - which triggered a number plate recognition camera on the A127 near Progress Road at around 5.30am on Saturday April 20. 

Essex Police control room staff notified officers who located the black Peugeot 307 and arrested the driver and passenger in Marine Close, Leigh. 

A 31-year-old woman from East London has been charged with resisting arrest and has been bailed to appear at Southend Magistrates Court Wednesday May 8, 2013. 

A 29-YEAR-OLD man was seriously injured in a large fight in Broadway, Leigh-on-Sea, in the early hours of this morning (Sunday, April 21).

Police were alerted to the street fight around 1.15pm to find a number of people fighting.

The victim, from Benfleet, received a serious wound to his neck that required emergency treatment.

He was taken to hospital, treated and his condition is now described as stable, not life threatening.

Police stopped a car in the area shortly after the assault and arrested five men and one woman on suspicion of being involved in the incident and they are currently in police custody.  

They are: a 19 year old woman from Benfleet, a 22 year old man from London E7, a 23 year old man from Bexleyheath, a 23 year old man from London E13, a 22 year old man from Basildon and a 16 year old male student from Benfleet.

Police urgently want to hear from anyone who was in the Broadway area at the time and can provide any information. 

They are asked to contact Southend CID on 101.

POLICE are asking for any information following a burglary in Branksome Ave, Stanford-le-Hope between the evening of April 15 and the morning of April 16.

The garage was broken into and tools were taken, including 45 clip-on spanners and 20 clip-on screwdrivers which all have the initials AM engraved on them.

Anyone who is offered these items or has any information about the burglary is asked to contact PC James Clark at Grays police station on 101 or via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.