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A creak of the old letterbox, a scared (and crazed) cat runs for cover and whaddya know - it’s only the latest copy of the esteemed Brightlingsea and Wivenhoe Chronicle.

Blimey.

As I’m now an adopted son of *shhh* Brightlingsea, then I feel that I ought to bang on about all the fine news stories that the good Scoop Scarpenter has been seeking out concerning our friends at the other end of the B1207.

But bugger to that. An evening with WTC was sufficient for the finer detail this week. Apologies to m’Brightlingsea bro’s and sisters - I’m skipping straight to the heart of the matter and making the most of the Wivenhoe half of Scoop’s news patch.

Which in reality means thumbing through to p.7 and The Hub - a Welcoming Venue for Young People:

“An awareness evening was held recently at the Hub, formally the Wivenhoe Youth Centre, highlighting the diverse amenities available at this venue for young people.”

Hurrah!

“Amenities at the centre include a coffee bar, floodlit basketball and football, pool, darts, DJ mixing desk, air hockey, 32 inch TV screen and two laptops.”

The Hub is indeed a major success story for Wivenhoe. Any volunteers would be warmly welcomed…

You wait for one Wivenhoe story in the Chronicle, and then just as an extra slice of birthday cake settles you down in the rocking chair (seriously) for the afternoon, along come two on the same page.

p.7 continues with: Town Meets Gown:

“The Mayor and Mayoress of Wivenhoe, Brian and Jan Sinclair, accompanied by Dilly Meyer, International Academy Skills Centre Manager at the University of Essex, welcomed 30 students and 40 local residents to a social evening at the William Loveless Hall [where else...]“

My Mayor has done a great deal for the Town and Gown delicate balancing act during his period of civic service. He somehow pulled off the rather remarkable negotiating skills of giving a stern telling off to the Estate Manager regarding the Knowledge Gateway road closure farce, yet still managed to end up passing on the goodwill of the town towards the University..

Similarly in persuading the ‘youthful high spirits’ of some students out on the Wivenhoe Run to apologise to local publicans and residents, before welcoming them back into Wivenhoe for more booze.

Blimey.

Councillor Steve Ford writes on p.10 more about the 20mph Zones in Wivenhoe:

“The majority of people in Wivenhoe know that a 20mph speed zone is going to be introduced in the area below the railway bridge. What many people do not know is that Colchester Borough Council has agreed, in principle, to look at the introduction of 20mph zones in all residential areas.”

Tellingly, the Cllr concluded by adding:

“Extensive consultation and engagement with the community of Colchester needs time and some monies, which in this present economic climate, is not yet available.”

Here’s hoping that when the wonga is finally freed up, whatever administration is currently sitting at the Town Hall won’t forget to carry out the consultation.

There’s little argument against 20′s plenty (although a guarded effort was attempted to derail it at Monday’s WTC meeting.) It makes sense in lower Wivenhoe, with only Station Road being a possible problem area to enforce.

A brief mention of the AGM of the Workers Education Association on 4th April at the Methodist Hall, as well as a heads up for WivSoc’s riverbank clean up at 10am on the 10th then follows.

And then we’re into the Wivenhoe arty territory, which holds far more editorial entertainment. Helen Chambers‘ review of Jack and the Beanstalk is bang on the money, when stating:

“Brian Ford’s script was very witty and clever, and I admired Matt Linley’s direction. Sarah Rout, as Silly Billy, gave a flawless performance. Hazel Humphreys (Jack) has stand-up comedy credentials.”

Talking of seamless comedy timing: Wivenhoe’s Very Own Comedy Club adds on p.13:

“Wil Hodgson will be performing at Wivenhoe’s very own comedy club, the Funny Farm. The club night will be held on 31st March at the Cricket Club.”

Oklahoma! gets a brief plug, as does the Colne Community College Choir’s concert at the Congregational Hall on the 2nd April. Local artist Annie Bielecka exhibition at the Red Lion Bookshop in Colchester also gets a mention.

Which all leaves us with the snappy Chronicle headline on p.15 of: New Facial Aesthetics Centre is Officially Opened by Town’s Mayor.

Cripes.

“A new local business, the Wivenhoe Faceplace, was officially opened by the Mayor of Wivenhoe. The new venture is a facial aesthetics centre, specialising in rejuvenating anti-wrinkle injections, dermal fillers, lip enhancements and tooth whitening.”

I couldn’t possibly comment on the potential for customers within Wivenhoe. I can pass comment however on Mr Mayor’s fine stance in supporting the business. As explained to WTC on Monday evening:

“Faceplace very kindly donated a £200 voucher for the Mayor’s Charity Auction. I am happy to support any business that helps to raise money locally.”

Hear, hear.

Must dash - time to moisturise.

The Brightlingsea and Wivenhoe Chronicle is distributed free amongst local households. Additional copies are 25p from local newsagents.

You may prefer the photographic evidence in the blog post below, but for me, the official heralding that spring has arrived around these estuary parts is the publishing of the spring edition of Wivenhoe News.

Hurrah!

Town and Uni Clash Over Proposed Road is the lead story. With a byline of *ahem* Jason Cobb (blimey!) the news piece documents the recent lively Nottage meeting about @Uni_of_Essex’s Knowledge Gateway, and the traffic disruption is will cause those travelling in from the Tendring Peninsula.

The front page is shared with a photo of a very dashing young man about town. Workers of Wivenhoe features the rather charming Mark Andras and his local building business. I hear the good man builds rather decent kitchen extensions…

The Editorial lead describes the recent Environment Agency work as:

“Napalm-like treatment of the sea wall.”

Peter Kennedy pens a moving piece on page 3 all about the recent floods suffered by our Wivenhoe namesakes centred on Wivenhoe Dam in Australia. For all the recent CO7 woes regarding the vandalism by the Environment Agency, such devastation Down Under brings home the message about the importance of protection.

Back down to local matters, and if you want to define Wivenhoe, then ‘sitting somewhere between Theydon Bois and Hatfield Peverel‘ would suffice. Not geographically correct of course, but fine work with Wivenhoe News being sandwiched between the two locations, in proudly picking up the silver place in the 2010 Essex Community Magazine Awards.

In anticipation of Lifeboat Week (6th - 11th June,) Jane Hughes writes about The First Lifeboat: Henry Greathead’s Original. The as ever excellent Arts News wraps up Christmas Presence, the Denis Wirth-Miller retrospective at the Minories, recent events up at The Lakeside (“…no longer as austere and drab“) Moving Image (hurrah!) Jardine (hurrah! hurrah!) and even the Hub (hurrah! hurrah! hur… oh - you get the idea.)

David Williams reviews a selection of CD’s that are available at Wivenhoe Bookshop, and then there is a brief para all about the rather bizarre arrival of Sinterklaas down at the Quay in December (which incidentally I have deliberately chosen not to blog about. Having been asked why by a number of sources, then I will add the diplomatic answer of finding it all rather surreal for 2010.)

Moving on…

Nottage News reports on the buildings update for our fine nautical place of heritage. The Film Club is mentioned, as well as looking ahead to the annual Summer Exhibition.

Ian Valentine then updates on the state of the local bell ringers.

Blimey.

Anyone living in lower Wivenhoe will no doubt testify that the men and women of bells are indeed in fine form, what with the weekly Wednesday evening rehearsals, and the peeling out of a quick chorus shortly before 10am on a Sunday morning.

Ding dong. Get in there.

Restoring the Royal British Legion reports on the good news of a planning application and possible listed status having been submitted. A decision is due later in March.

The fine work of the locally based ADP Theatre receives a positive write up on page 12, as well as reviews of recent events at St Mary’s, such as the Cavendish Consort and The Odd Tale of Odstock.

The wonderful Wivenhoe panto gets the star treatment overleaf (“Energetic! Hilarious! Charismatic!“) as well as a quick plug for Oklahoma being performed by the Wivenhoe Gilbert & Sullivan Society from 15th - 19th March at the Loveless Hall.

Plans for the May Fair are mentioned on page 14, as well as a call for ideas and inspiration for the fascinating Off the Rails project down at The Station. The brilliant Bookshop updates on the forthcoming Philosophers course, the Reading Group (now staged within the splendour of Jardine) and the branching out of the Bookshop to stage intimate live music. All accounts suggest that Fiona Harman’s Drum performance was the perfect start to this recent venture.

Wivenhoe in Bloom and Open Gardens take a green-fingered approach overleaf. With spring finally having settled in these parts, the time is almost here to proudly show us what you’ve got. Anyone interest in a half-seeded lawn?

Wivenhoe Allotments ponder the woe of the extreme winter, whilst the fine Richard Allen, Wivenhoe’s Bird Watcher Supreme, writes of his good fortune during the cold snap in being able to spot fifteen waxwings down by the Colne - and the exact location for this rather rare appearance? Um… in the bushes that have now been bulldozed by the Environmental Agency.

Whoops.

Coppicing with the Wivenhoe Woods Working Party is explained, as well as a fascinating write up of the fungi forage that took place in Wivenhoe Wood during the autumn.

The centre page diary events are as packed as ever (and soon to be shamelessly added to the Wivenhoe Forum diary…)

Early 80′s events centred on Wivenhoe Port, and in particular, a plausible tale of smuggling and intervention by the Belgium Old Bill, are written with the perfect prose from Bill Ellis on page 22.

The Circumnavigation of St Barba of Mersea by Peter Goldsmith continues the maritime theme. The ace Transition Town Wivenhoe provide an update, alongside the equally ace Wivenhoe Pets (Murphie settling in rather well, thank you very much.) Some online bore then bangs on about the Wivenhoe Forum (whaddya mean, you *still* haven’t joined, blah blah blah…)

The View From the High Street with Tom Roberts looks back on past Wivenhoe winters, making comparisons with the snow of 2010, and explaining rather helpfully some of the urban myths about clearing the snow away yourself.

Bernard Jenkin MP uses his column to try and explain the abolition of PCT’s, as well as pressing the case for a cleaner Colne. Mr Mayor Brian Sinclair explains WTC matters, covering the closure of the police station, Cook’s Shipyard progress (slow…) the new Medical Centre (stationary) and the continuation of the closure of Queens Road.

LibDem Colchester Borough Councillor Mark Cory (Wivenhoe Cross ward) uses his column as an election launch ahead of voting this May. Meanwhile Labour’s Councillor Steve Ford adds his views on the closure of Clingoe Hill and the Knowledge Gateway. Plus any local Cllr column wouldn’t complete without the mention of potholes.

Essex County Councillor Julie Young keeps up the familiar local themes - Knowledge Gateway, Queens Road, potholes - as well as the ongoing debate about making Station Road a 20mph zone.

Speaking of our friends up at the University, the Essex Book Festival, the recent Ofsted report on the Nursery and the Town and Gown Dinner conclude events centred around Boundary Road and beyond.

Obituaries are provided for David Adams and Gerry Oliver.

News From Our Schools uplifts the mood, with ample enthusiasm for our young folk. Millfields School has a Young Reporters theme, encouraging pupils to pen pieces all about recent news around the school community. The recent performance by a selection of Millfields pupils at a prestigious concert at the O2 is rightfully celebrated.

Broomgrove are equally enthusiastic about the community ethos of both the Junior and Infant school. News of the Colne Community School May Fair (15th May) is also mentioned.

WivSoc reports back on recent committee meetings, mainly covering planning, as well as a call to arms for more active local involvement. The incredibly community spirited Ellie Gornall writes about The Hub, Wivenhoe’s fantastic facility for young folk around the town.

Emma Cameron’s Vivid Gaze exhibition at Jardine is reviewed, as well as Guy Taplin’s recent retrospective as the Messum’s. “Wivenhoe’s alchemist of driftwood” is a fine working title for one to trade under.

Finally and Flying the Flag for Wivenhoe Folk Club reports on the successful move of the fine folkies up the road to The Flag for the monthly music sessions.

Wivenhoe News is sold at the Co-op, Crossways, the Post Office, Bryans Newsagents and the lovely Wivenhoe Bookshop.

The copy deadline for the next issue of Wivenhoe News is 1st May.

On yer bike was very much the message given to Wivenhoe locals last month when the Estate Management team from the University tried to explain the confusion that the new Knowledge Gateway is going to create.

Clingoe Hill is clogged up. It ‘aint gonna get any better with a new feeder road being built. The serious suggestion for folk commuting out of the Tendring Peninsula was one of pedal power. Fine in theory, but you need the infrastructure to convert people to two wheels.

Which *possibly* is where Keep Colchester Cycling comes in.

Coming from the good folk that brought you Keep Colchester Cool, the Colchester Free Festival and pretty much all that is good in the live music scene around Sunny Colch, keepcolchestercycling.co.uk is being launched to simultaneously showcase Colchester, and encourage people to enjoy the town from a free to hire bike:

“The Colchester cycling community has donated the bicycles. They are made available for use by members of the public who do not own the bicycles, but can pay a fully refundable deposit to hire them for personal use.

Every Keep Colchester Cycling bike will come with a lock, a safety pack and set of cycle maps, including discount vouchers for venues along the different routes.”

It is a fascinating project, combining transport practicalities with social art. As well as getting from A to B, it is hoped that users will use social media to document their ride, and open up the culture of cycling to others.

The project is being rolled out by asking for memories about your first bike. It’s all about creating a buzz about bicycling, and proving that the purest form of transport can open up new lifestyle possibilities. I’ve blogged my little bit over here.

More locally and a similar scheme is already informally in place down at Cansdale Ross & Co. Frustrated by the pace of an officially sanctioned Wivenhoe bike hire scheme, the lovely Nigel and Lisa simply put a couple of bikes on the racks outside the grocers for locals to use.

This bottom up approach to transport is incredibly effective. Keep Colchester Cycling aren’t quite sure where the project will take them - this is a deliberate approach, as well as being half the fun. You start the wheels rolling, and then see what possibilities come your way.

Wivenhoe itself is incredibly accessible by bicycle, both from the outside and within. You need something quite sturdy for the Trail; mudguards are essential.

I tend to walk around Wivenhoe doing my various bits of local business during the day, but anything north of the Cross sees a cycle trip. The notorious Wivenhoe parking woes aren’t a factor, and I’m free to pretty much allow my day to unfold wherever my travels may take me.

So yeah - if you’re clogged up on Clingoe Hill over the coming months, think seriously about Keep Colchester Cycling. I appreciate that it’s not for everyone - young families, work materials, suited ‘n booted - all of these aren’t exactly bicycle friendly.

But it’s got to be better than banging your head against the dashboard as you crawl down Clingoe Hill.

Chapeau!

Slightly off the pace with this one, but blimey - it’s only The Wivenhoe Society Newsletter, Winter 2011.

Hurrah!

You wait a whole month for one esteemed local publication packed full of intrigue and developments, and then along come three all at once. The Chronicle, the Town Council Newsletter and now WivSoc.

What I like about Wivenhoe and the #hyperlocal media within is that there is broadly a consensus. Sure, issues such as the clogged up Clingoe Hill are going to divide (or even unite) but The Chronicle, the Town Council and WivSoc are concerned with the same positive agenda, and offering similar pragmatic solutions.

But first of all - how about a picture showing some men waving handkerchiefs and skipping around Black Buoy Hill?

Blimey.

The front pic for WivSoc this Winter features the wonderful Boxing Day Morris Men of Colchester, entertaining the boozers of the Black Buoy. Or maybe it was the other way round?

Moving on, and the Message from the Chair - the good Tom Roberts - reads as a call to arms for more local support of WivSoc:

“Our committee is much smaller than it should be. In short, we need more of our large membership to volunteer to help run the Society or it will cease to function.”

A good starting point would be to attend the AGM at The Nottage on 30th March. Get a feel for the fine work being undertaken, and then think about what you have to offer Wivenhoe, rather than what Wivenhoe can offer you as some great world leader no doubt once said.

The Chair’s introduction piece then addresses planning. The proposal to build one 3-bedroom, three 4-bedroom and four 5-bedroom houses at Ten Acres takes on a rational approach. The WivSoc view is one of pragmatism, recognising:

“Your average developer would have applied for - and probably got - permission to build a far greater number of homes on the site, but this plan is very sensitive to the site and minimises the loss of trees.”

A “great disappointment” is observed at the plan to build nine houses on the patch of grass in front of the undertakers (cripes) on Rectory Road, with the “bland design” being noted.

Tellingly (and wisely) the Chair concludes:

“It is odd that we can increase the population fourfold, with all that implies in vastly increased council tax revenue, yet when it is finally acknowledged that a new health centre is needed, the funding is not there to buy residential land for it, so it has to go on agricultural land on the edge of the town!”

Jane Black that adds her considerable experience in where and how to comment upon planning applications within Wivenhoe. Your first port of call should be over here… Similar advice was recently given in the Town Council Newsletter.

The excellent Annual Wine Tasting evening, held at the Congregational Hall last November, is then given a write up by the good Dave Harrison. Memories are slightly hazy; there’s logic in documenting your life online, dontcha know…

The WivSoc Post-Christmas Party also gets a short piece (perhaps *too* small, given the grand nature of the evening at the Loveless Hall.) Many thanks to Jean Coverley for the excellent food, as well as showing good editorial judgement in not publishing a picture of some dodgy bloke wearing a pair of braces.

The Uni_of_Essex Knowledge Gateway is then given over to some background reading, with the piece being written before the rather ‘lively’ local meeting down at The Nottage. I hear a whisper that the meeting has made the front page of the next issue of Wivenhoe News (um, blessed by local media, aren’t we?)

Councillor Robert Needham has penned a moving piece all about Wivenhoe’s Men of Trafalgar. This is a wonderful piece of local research, and is certainly worthy of a read [happy to re-publish online, if an electronic copy comes my way...]

Looking Forward to Spring Flowers is all about, um, looking forward to spring flowers. Hurrah! Aren’t we all?

“Wivenhoe in Bloom have successfully planted over 3,000 crocuses in the greensward on either side of Rosabelle Avenue and by the bus stop on the High Street, as well as 500 scilla in the boats outside the William Loveless Hall, on the corner of De Vere Lane and other sites in the village.”

Cripes.

Better luck with the budding than I have had with my 70 dodgy daffodil bulbs from B & Q.

The ace Off the Rails writes a piece on p.8, all about the Vintage Mobile Cinema Bus at the station on 6th February. If you’re reading this whilst the online ink is still fresh, then you may just make the cinematic spectacular.

The Parish Paths Partnership updates with news of recent work, including finance woes from both local and national government, and speculation that this project would be just perfect for the #bigsociety.

Some young charlatan around town waffles on overleaf, all about Introducing the Wivenhoe Forum.

Oh Lordy.

We’ve just past the fifty-membership mark. If you sign up over here, then I promise to think seriously about taking part in the Boxing Day Morris Dancing come next Christmas.

The good folk of Transition Town Wivenhoe report back from the excellent work currently in progress to obtain a twenty-five year lease for the Station Master’s House from Network Rail. The Town Council puts in a call for ideas to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and then that lot over at the Brightlingsea Society also get a big up.

And finally…

Save the most important until last: Membership of the Wivenhoe Society is £8 for a family or couple (love the idea of encouraging courting…) or £5 for a single person. Reduced rates of £6 and £3 for those without an income.

It’s not all about membership and joining however. This is just the first step to having an active role in the way local issues are handled around Wivenhoe. The social scene is rather wonderful as well.

Disclaimer: I am a member of the Wivenhoe Society, although not a committee member. All views expressed within this blog post are mine alone, and not that of the committee, or the Society in general.

Midweek downtown, and so it must be a Committee Meeting with the good folk of the Wivenhoe Society. Except I’m not a committee member. No worries - a very kind invite to come along as an interested observer, and there I was, sitting around the top table at The Nottage and noting how the inner workings of WivSoc rotate.

Truth be told and there wasn’t a great deal of gossip. Actually, there wasn’t any gossip - just a small (ish) but passionate committee of locals, talking through current developments within the town, and trying to come up with solutions or suggestions.

Once again I found myself at the heart of the #bigsociety; once again those involved were thankfully operating apolitically, and all for the love of the community in which they live. The #bigsociety has always been around us. It’s such a shame that those who understand it the least have now hijacked this concept of community.

But anyway - The Nottage on a Wednesday night.

Each time I enter the hallowed walls of the Nottage and I have nothing but complete homage. This is a building where the history doesn’t just drip off the walls - it comes out and greets you, reminding you of the proud history of shipbuilding within Wivenhoe.

The WivSoc Committee took up position on the top table, accompanied by the constant (but reassuring) bang bang of the boat building down below. Come eight in the evening and the industrial back beats were joined by the sweet sound of the Wednesday evening bell ringers practise session.

Only in Wivenhoe…

It was rather wonderful to be invited to observe how WivSoc operates. Essentially this is an organisation that at the heart of its constitution has the aim to keep a watchful and supportive eye over the town.

We started off with some feedback from Councillor Needham, coming out of the Wivenhoe Town Council meeting that took place the previous Monday. I’m finding that something of a familiar theme is the opening / closing of Queens Road, which once was an issue that our good Councillor friends have been thinking about much of late.

Cllr Needham reported back on a recent site visit with the developers for Cook’s Shipyard. Although traffic was encountered around East Street and Alma Street, the conclusion from WTC, and the developers, is that there is no scope to re-open Queens Road.

Moving swiftly on…

The feedback from Cllr Needham also included various cost saving measures, as no doubt faced by local councils throughout the land. The current one-to-one escort of SEN pupils within Wivenhoe en route to school is looking at being reduced. Colchester Borough Council is also carrying out an audit of the sums involved in keeping the Philip Road Centre a going concern.

Potholes meanwhile are something of a political hot potato. Wivenhoe seems to fare no better, or no worse, than most areas following the December freeze. Station Road was identified as being something of a problem area. There is also a part of Park Road where potholes now appear to be the norm. Essex County Council is currently putting together a strategy to repair these.

The much talked about dedicated cycleway to the University has also been keeping our good councillors busy of late. This has now become a competitive process, with the budget to put this in place continuing to head northwards - £600k is the latest figure, with the bulk of the bill arising from compensation from the farmer over the land, as well as re-routing utility services.

The budget suggestion is to simply upgrade the public footpath across the field that currently takes you towards the University. By pure coincidence, @AnnaJCowen and I walked across this at the weekend. We were puffing and panting midway through the field. I don’t think my Moulton would cope with the steep incline.

CBC Cllr Steve Ford has been working to help the elderly folk at Britannia Court that have recently had heating problems. A positive outcome appears to have been reached, with CBC agreeing to offer help with the payment of bills.

The final update from Cllr Needham to WivSoc centred on the Speed Catch training sessions. This is an initiative that is being sponsored by WTC, to try and keep Wivenhoe a safe place for all to commute within. Elmstead Road has been identified as one location. WTC is currently on the look out for other areas that might benefit.

Something of a busy night for Cllr Needham, who then had to disappear for further local civic meetings. Someone should make that man the Mayor one day, donctha know…

WivSoc continued apace, with a very healthy Treasurer’s report. The balance books are looking so good, that a rather generous donation to Wivenhoe in Bloom is being considered. I felt it not appropriate to ask for a grant to help re-seed by back lawn.

Updates from our fine Secretary followed. WivSoc has heard from our friends up the road at The University, trying to once again generate local interest and participation in the Knowledge Gateway meeting scheduled to take place on Friday 28th, 7pm at The Nottage.

Yep - that’s right: just as the weekend has kicked in, and with a bottle of bolly on the go and Eastenders soon to start, the University couldn’t have chosen a more inconsiderate time to tell Wivenhoe folk of how the planned feeder route into Clinghoe Hill is going to cause even further congestion.

Not quite in Knowledge Gateway territory, but the clearing of Ferry Marsh is an issue that WivSoc has also been busy corresponding with various organisations. Concern was raised that the Environment Agency has made something of a mess of Ferry Marsh with the recent structural work to the sea wall.

WivSoc has been reassured by the Agency that this is only the first part of the planned work. Now that the landscape has been cleared, the plan if for the walkway to be resurfaced, and for the natural habitat to be encouraged to grow once again.

And relax…

But not for long - here comes Planning.

Oh Lordy.

Surprise was raised that nothing official has surfaced as yet regarding the proposed re-development of Rowhedge Wharf. One to keep a friendly local eye out for. Alterations are also apparently in place for the Royal British Legion. Few details are available, but WivSoc was broadly supportive of any help that the building needed.

And finally we came to the Station Master’s House, and the input from the highly energetic Transition Town Wivenhoe. Once again, the view from WivSoc was one of support and enthusiasm. The momentum of the group was recognised as one that can only be good for the town. Plans were made to partner TTW, and to encourage the members to participate in WivSoc’s Open Gardens event.

And that was about your lot. As an interested (and invited) observer, I thought it only good etiquette to observe how booze then follows these meetings along the Quay at the British Legion.

WivSoc is an ever-evolving organisation, and can only really reflect the views of those in the community that decide to join and participate. If you have any issues or suggestions as to how to make Wivenhoe an even better place to live or work, then joining WivSoc has to be the way ahead.

#bigsociety and booze?

Blimey.