onionbagblog

Prior to my most recent Wiv Chat recording, Peter Hill and I had yet to cross paths. I had heard, and read plenty about this popular local figure, but somehow our Wivenhoe wanders had taken a different way.

Or possibly a different pub.

Time to put this right I though. With twenty-five years unpaid civic service on Wivenhoe Town Council, an interest in supporting young folk and a passion for online publishing - I just knew that Peter and I would find some common ground.

Peter likes to talk of how he has now taken a step back from local activity, after an unbroken quarter of a century serving as a Town Councillor. It sounds more like a life sentence than civic service.

But as we explored various ideas within the chat, it soon became clear that Peter is just as busy now as he was some five, ten or even fifteen years ago. I wanted to find out the motivation for this - Peter put it perfectly early on in the conversation when he stated:

“People change when they come to Wivenhoe.”

Quite.

I don’t think he meant in a metaphysical bodily transformation (but then again…) - more like you have to be something of a social hermit to not want to participate and experience the many levels of activities that Wivenhoe life has to offer.

Our dialogue starts in 1972 with Peter and his wife Bonnie moving to the town from Southend. Searching to find a social scene, Peter immediately started helping out with the Wivenhoe Scouts and Guides movement - a connection that still remains in place today.

This led to further connections, a formal introduction to Wivenhoe Town Council, an active part in promoting the Wivenhoe Carnival and perhaps Peter’s finest hyperlocal achievement, the setting up of the Wivenhoe Encyclopaedia.

“It’s all about meeting new and different people…”

Which is something that I am finding out for myself.

Having undergone some superb Radio Wivenhoe training the previous Saturday, this was my first attempt at taking up the advice of being more direct.

“You need a structure - you need to nag away and ask those tricky questions.”

Um, yeah, www-welll, tell me about blah blah blah…

I did ask Peter about the mystery Mr X, and the promise to pump £1m into the Broad Lane Trust, something that Peter was instrumental in establishing. I also approached head on the incredibly delicate issue of the St John’s Ambulance building and the rival community bid to Pru Green’s private planning application.

The famous phrase of “Wivenhoe is full” also cropped up - which I believe the origins can be traced back to Tom Roberts?

And then just as I was prepared to put on my serious Paxman persona - whaddya know: @murphie_kitten did a whoopsie.

Whoops.

We picked up the pieces (but not the litter tray) and tried to compose for the conclusion of the conversation. The bells of St Mary’s can be heard towards the end - a fitting finale to end an interview with a fella who has fought for Wivenhoe in the past, and continues to do so, even after officially taking a step aside.

Taking in the waifs and strays of Wivenhoe, cleaning up cat s***.

They really should erect a blue plaque above our home inscribed with this fine character reference.

Yeah, so @AnnaJCowen and I have a new lady / man in our lives. I don’t really do Facebook, but… it’s awkward.

I’m not sure if we’re sleeping with a boy or a girl, and to be honest, I haven’t had the time for a good look down below to identify exactly what is going off in the kitty gonad department.

But if you are missing a gorgeous white cat around Wivenhoe, s/he is with us right now.

The charming Pet Shop Girls are of course involved - aren’t they always. It was to the very good fortune of White Minstrel (copyright @wivenhoepets) that s/he wandered into the Business Centre early on Saturday morning.

Off all the bars in all the world and you have to place your pretty paws @WivenhoePets, etc. What exactly is wrong with the Black Buoy?

As you would expect, the charming Pet Shop Girls cared for White Minstrel for most of the day. S/he was VERY hungry, and then became rather tired.

It was at this point that @AnnaJCowen and I walked in - also very hungry and rather tired and emotional having attended the ACE opening of the Spanish Paintings exhibition (bloggage to follow, Comrades…)

The problem for the Pet Shop Girls is that they are overrun with cats already on the domestic front. Keeping White Minstrel in store, so to speak, would probably lead to a run on cat food in Wivenhoe. S/he does like a good feed.

Meanwhile, back at base and we are overrun with Murphie, the psychologically unstable little Madam of Wivenhoe, who is also rather adorable. I share my life with two females of this description.

We do have a rather large garden shed however, which offers a safe house overnight for White Minstrel. S/he is currently falling asleep in there, quite content, and with quite a full belly.

We would love to look after White Minstrel for a while longer, but s/he ‘aint ours. Plus little Murphie would be sectioned for the madhouse if another cat came into our home.

SO…

Are you missing a white cat? S/he’s is quite bulky, very friendly and yeah, very hungry. S/he is wearing a black collar with small studs around it. Some small bells are also attached.

Please call into Wivenhoe Pets if you are missing this cat, or if you know of anyone that it might belong to. You can also email me over here.

In the meantime - how exciting: a dual cat household, both of whom are blissfully unaware of each other. I wish human relationships could be like that.

Meowww…

Dogs being walked along Wivenhoe Quay, cats on every estuary street corner: hey - y’know what we need? Wivenhoe Pets, of course.

And so it was with great delight that my first proper pet ownership more or less coincided with the opening of Wivenhoe Pets down at the Business Centre towards the end of last year.

A cat is a cat is a cat - you feed them, they pooh. Everyone’s happy.

Um, not quite…

Andreya and Jane (for they are the *ahem* Pet Shop Girls) provide much more of a service than simply selling pet food. Both are highly skilled and have a professional background in pet care.

As well as a local delivery service, a cat care service if you are out of town, and even a growing garden business, it is the conversations and help that I value most when down at the Business Centre.

The Wivenhoe Pets Wall of Fame is a badge of honour to be included upon (Murphie, not me.) We’re in fine company as well, with one lovely neighbour also having representation, and I here talk of the other side *shhh* possibly about to take part in the pet action as well.

Matching up the Wall of Fame with the audio above made perfect pet sense. There is of course the special guest appearance of everyone’s favourite Station Cat towards the end. Andrea and Jane have been crucial here in ensuring that a genuine care in the community approach is now in place to look after Wendy and her needs.

You can contact Wivenhoe Pets on 01206 823 941, or via the Facebook page, or even on twitter @wivenhoepets. Pop in for a chat, explain your pet needs, and I’m sure you’ll be accommodated.

Meanwhile, the Facebook page updates with:

“MISSING BLACK CAT - missing since Thursday night 9th June - Lower Wivenhoe area. No tag, large, slim male, very friendly. Black with few white hairs under his neck. Any information please call 07833 256949″

NOT the adorable Naughty Boy, who sadly is back on his semi-permanent vacation in Frinton.

Meowww.

It’s been a while since I’ve been to Moving Image, Wivenhoe’s very own independent community cinema. Nothing sinister, simply the domestic responsibility of trying to re-house a very scared little cat, and the constant reassuring that the big bad cat at the bottom of the garden isn’t going to gobble her up.

There’s a film to be made out of that, donnchta know…

But anyway, come Saturday evening and we were Philip Road bound to give the beastly multiplexes of North Essex a run for their money.

Moving Image was screening The Kids Are Alright:

“Two children conceived by artificial insemination bring their birth father into their family life.”

Blimey.

The film itself was, um, alright, although I can’t but help think that the film title was conceived ahead of the plot. I was rather hoping for an early 70′s British film about yoof growing up in a bleak landscape, all soundtracked by The Who.

As for Philip Road?

Well… this was our first trip to the Centre during daylight hours. The good folk of Moving Image had put up various blackout cloths, reducing the glow of the late evening sun, but not quite pitch darkness.

It all added to something of a community feel - you could actually see who you were sitting next to, and y’know, should you feel that way inclined sitting on the back row of your local independent community cinema on a Saturday night, then at least you knew what you were letting yourself in for.

I was sitting next to @AnnaJCowen; I sat back and enjoyed the film.

Moving Image has put together yet another impressive season of films as we approach mid-summer: 127 Hours, Chico and Rita, Black Swan and Wimpy Kid.

Plus there’s some festival or other happening around these parts on the Whitsun Bank Holiday, with Moving Image partnering up once again with the wonderful Transition Town Wivenhoe and the Revolutionary Bicycle Powered Cinema at the KGV.

Speaking of which - TTW will be up at the University for the Green Fair this coming Wednesday:

“The Lakes at The University of Essex will be transformed into a giant outdoor cinema on 4th May to host a free, UK premier of Home, the internationally acclaimed film from Earth From the Air’s Yann Arthus-Bertrand. The Film will start at 8:30pm.

The event is a collaboration between the grass roots group Transition Town Wivenhoe, Essex University and the Student Union Environmental Committee.”

So yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve been to Moving Image, but the beastly multiplexes of North Essex have nothing on the Philip Road Centre, the KGV, the University Lakes etc.

It all started with a rather innocent post over on the Wivenhoe Forum (whaddya mean, blah blah blah… Oh - JUST JOIN!)

The appropriately named forum member fatcat started a thread, stating:

“We have a station cat.

I first noticed her about three years ago as she crossed the line, soon after she worked her way into the booking office and since then has become a permanent fixture with chair / blanket / scratching post / food / water. My enquires tell me that her owners have moved on and left her to her own devices.”

The conversation developed, as online dialogue often does; we have now come to the stage where Wendy Aid is in action; a fund has been set up by the very, very lovely Pet Shop Girls (TM) down at Wivenhoe Pets in the Business Centre, to make sure that our local station cat receives the correct medical attention.

The whole social history of everyone’s favourite station cat has now been re-told online. I was always aware of Wendy, if not in name, then certainly in presence. She personally greeted @AnnaJCowen and I during our many reckie’s into Wivenhoe, ahead of the Great Escape.

Wendy’s legendary welcomes have even stretched out across the Atlantic, with the wonderful “Wivenhoe vacation” couple from Rochester also pointing out the pleasure in being personally welcomed into the town with a purrr…

I always assumed (never assume!) that Wendy was owned by Network Rail, although probably not as some preposterous PPI initiative. It turns out that Wendy is no feline fiscal experiment in poxy Third Way politics.

Food, water, bedding and a scratch pole have all been provided by the decent #NXEA folk at Wivenhoe Station. But as I’m starting to find out back on the home front, a bowl of Whiskas a day doesn’t quite tell the story when it comes to the complexities of kitty cat love.

The Pet Shop Girls very kindly contributed the following to the Wivenhoe Forum:

“We were so sorry to hear about Wendy, we have had many a cuddle with her and she’s a truly gorgeous cat!

We would be more than happy to help Wendy, by having a collection pot for her at Wivenhoe Pets, I’m sure our customers would be more than happy to help her!”

Awww…

@tinysketchbook added a photo; Marika suggested some online adoption. fatcat had the cheek to suggest that Wendy could do with losing some weight.

Meowww!

The Colne Valley Veterinary Practice was consulted [cheers, fatcat] and a plan of action was put into place. A collection tin is now in place with the Pet Shop Girls.

Wivenhoe Pets also runs a rather wonderful loyalty scheme, where continued purchases receive a discount. I’ve got a £5 voucher, having bough a pussy palace for little Murphie. My £5 voucher is about to be cashed in to help our station cat.

Purrrfect (yeah, yeah, yeah…)

But cat collecting it seems is not enough for Wivenhoe’s very own cat celebre. Forum member charmaine added that Wendy is about to be immortalised in art:

“Her image is to be worked into a community rag rug picture to embellish our station. Would anybody like to learn to rag rug or contribute to this rag rug project?”

Blimey.

charmaine adds:

“By the way, Wendy was like a social worker down at the station during the snowy weather. I saw her climbing into the laps of freezing and hopeless travellers waiting for ghost trains, when so many were cancelled or late. She brought a purrr and smile to some very frozen worried faces.”

And so ends our tale of how a rather innocent post on the Wivenhoe Forum has resulted in #bigsociety (steady) plan to take care of a community cat. Being Wivenhoe and it is of course entirely appropriate that an artistic element has been added.

Meanwhile, @murphie_kitten is fast becoming not a charity case, but a bit of a head case.

Meowww…

Meowww.