Gang Show!

Gang Show is with us again and as everyone always says it’s come round quickly! Rehearsals are in full swing and with scenery to be made and costumes to be sorted it won’t be long till be are in the Carver on opening night. All the cast seemed to be having the time of their lives so we thought that we would go and ask a few questions to see how they are getting on and we have a couple of pictures too!

Question time with Dan White and Dennis Coe

Are you enjoying Gang Show?

Yes, it’s like fun, even better than eating cheesecake.

What’s the best thing about being in the show?

I love being in sketches they’re great fun and a real good laugh, I am hoping to be an actor when I am taller and follow in the footsteps of my role model Judy Dench.

What would be your ideal dinner at gang show?

“its fifteen minutes till pot noodle time” says Dan white so probably gotta be a pot noodle. They’re so full of noodley goodness, they’re great! Dan was later seen running to the hatch screaming “POT NOODLE!”.

Who’s your favourite adult cast member and why?

Steve I guess because I can’t think of any other, he is just so great that I forget who all the others are.

Are you looking forward to getting on stage?

Yes, it’s the best bit. I can’t wait for my mum and dad to see me on stage and if I am honest I just love the chance to wear make up in public (but don’t tell anyone).

Question time with Debbie Sprek

How do you feel the show is going?

It’s going really well at the moment, but we are getting a little behind at the moment mainly because Steve won’t stop faffing and it doesn’t help that costumes will be in next weekend taking over the hut at per usual.

What is your favourite item?

It’s got to be funfair the scenery is ace and I am looking forward to laughing at stage crew trying to get it on stage, it weighs a ton (cheers Bernard and Jupe!)

Who is your favourite stage crew member?

It got to be Ben he may be small but he is brimming with enthusiasm and has a real get up and go attitude, unlike the rest of them.

Question Time with the producers

How do you feel the show it going at the moment?

It’s not that bad, says Steve Spreckley, we have a way to go still but I can see true potential in the Gang. Not all the cast mind, there are few dodgy performers in the adult cast but we try to put them at the back that no one can see them.

What’s your favourite item?

Has to be dogs, any item that you can get a poo box on stage, classic! That’s a winner in my mind!

Who is your favourite cast member?

It’s a gang we don’t have favourites, “there are no stars in gang show” says Steve Spreckley

Has anything gone wrong so far?

Well joining was probably the biggest mistake we made says Jess Bray, Steve Spreckley added that it might be easier to ask what has gone right. Though reports have it that there has been a case of Mr Spreckley leaving all the words at home. When questioned Steve laughed and said it must be due to old age!

Bullock Smithy 2011

The Bullock Smithy Hike is a Long Distance walk that is organised by 3rd Hazel Grove Scout Group. Competitors have 24 hours, 12 noon on Saturday to 12 noon on Sunday to complete the ‘56 miles in the glorious Peak District’.

This year the Hike was taking place on the first full weekend in September (as is tradition), the 3rd and 4th, and Tommy Tognarelli, Adi Tognarelli, Andy Thorpe and Ollie Hibbs (me) had entered. Tommy, Adi and Andy had entered with the aim of not only beating Tommy and Adi’s record of 14 hours 25, but going sub 14!! I had a time of 19 hours 15 to beat, therefore sub 14 was a massive ask, but I’d give it a go.

Saturday morning, race day!

Adi, or designated driver picked us all up and we headed to Hazel Grove Scout Hut were we had to check in and have our kit ‘checked’. We were given a list and asked do you have these? The obvious answer, yes. No one wanted extra weight to carry for 56 miles. After ditching most of our maps except the one Tommy had with the split times to beat 14 hours, we headed to the start line in Devonshire Park, where we collected our tag cards that get clipped at each of the 14 checkpoints around the 56 mile course.

Waiting for the starting Anvil

At 12 o’clock the Bullock Smithy anvil was struck and we had started, we left the park at a run and were leading the Bullock Smithy!!

After about 15/20 minutes I knew I wasn’t going to maintain the pace that the other 3 were doing and had to stop running and start walking, costing them (apparently) 1.5 minutes, as good lucks were said amongst asking whether I had maps, which I didn’t as they got left in the car. I’d completed the course twice before so I had a pretty good idea of the route, plus there is always enough people to follow without needing a map.

The view from Bow Stones across to the Peak District

The route takes us through Lyme Park to Bow Stones via Poynton canal basin, at this point I was still jogging the downhill sections. However, coming to the first major uphill, Chinley Churn, my legs weren’t feeling too great and it was hard work getting to the checkpoint at the top of a long, quite steep climb. From here it’s across to Edale Cross up another fairly long climb but this steep the gradient wasn’t as steep.

Looking across to the Edale Cross Climb where the other 3 are (I think)

I passed through Edale Cross checkpoint and from there it was all downhill to Edale itself. At this checkpoint, there is the option of an interesting concoction of fruit salad and rice pudding, something I have never quite felt the need or urge to try! From Edale it’s over Hollins Cross and down into Castleton.

The view from Hollins Cross looking towards Castleton

This is the last photo I took as from this point on, my legs decided they did actually want to walk, where as before I was quite happy to wander along taking nice photos. From Castleton onwards it was all about the walking. From the checkpoint there was a group of about 10 that left for Cavedale and beyond that Peak Forest. This group stretched out on the climb out of Cavedale and I was left with a group made up of me and two two’s, Caroline and Steve and Brad and Liam. We were all has it happened aiming for a time of around 19 hours.

We were all very happy to reach Peak Forest in the daylight as last year the other 4 in my group had arrived just needing torches. We were even happier to get between Peak Forest and the half way point of Millers Dale, still without needing a torch. Now it was onto Chelmorton, otherwise known as ‘the doughnut one’, something all 5 of us had been looking forward too!! This year there was no caravan as in previous years but a collection of canvas, but there was still the jam doughnuts, so we were satisfied. Next stop Earl Sterndale and beyond that Bran Top and a hot dog.

At Earl Sterndale we were greeted with claps and cheers as I was the 100th person to make it to the checkpoint, this was a massive boost to our group as this confirmed that we were doing very well. We also enjoyed tracking people down and overtaking them, as there we had a couple of groups leaving as we arrived, it spurred us on, we wanted to overtake them. Which we did, passing two groups before reaching Bran Top. We also passed a wedding reception whilst the live band were playing teenage kicks, something we sing-a-long to! After a quick hot dog it was onto Cumberland Cottage.

The navigation between Bran Top and Cumberland has in the past caused problems, but not this year, all out navigation was being done off Steve’s GPS device, nicknamed the Oracle. He had the route programmed in and all we had to do was follow the little arrow as it moved along the blue line, too easy! Cumberland was a short stop where we briefly picked up another walker but he was soon dropped as he fell off the back of the group. We negotiated the notoriously bouldery and treacherous track from Cumberland to the road, then the route takes you round the edge of Macclesfield Forest and onto Walker Barn.

Walker Barn to the penultimate checkpoint of Whitley Green is a nice section, down through Rainow and then along a well worn path through fields and down into the top of Bollington, where we walk down the deserted streets except for us and another group of walkers (which we overtook). Onto the canal and two bridges later is the checkpoint. Next stop home and a full English breakfast!!

Middlewood Way is a large part of the final and it goes on and on and on and on! There are two options off Middlewood Way, the first is the recommended route along Towers Road and the A523 past five ways (Tommy, Adi and Andy went this way) or continue to Poynton Station and does the start of the 56 mile course backwards. We chose the second option. This is where Liam and Brad dropped of our group as Liam was struggling a bit (it was his first time). Now it was just a matter of dragging our aching legs and feet over the finish line at the Hazel Grove Scout Hut. Somehow Caroline and Steve managed  to run up the final drive way and I wasn’t far behind as we all finished with the same time. Brad and Liam finished about 15/20 minutes after us and joined us for breakfast.

One thing that had kept us going to the end was the promise of a beer at the end courtesy of Liam. This was a refreshing end to the walk. Cheers!

The 56 mile route

Finishing times:

Tommy Tognarelli – 14 hours 10 minutes

Adi Tognarelli – 14 hours 10 minutes

Andy Thorpe – 14 hours 10 minutes

Ollie Hibbs – 18 hours 7 minutes

We’ll see you next year 1st – 2nd September at a checkpoint near you!

Episode 8 : Explorer Hike

And so it was at high noon on a hot, sunny blue sky day that Acid, myself, Peachy and Hibbo found ourselves cowering in the shade of the scout hut porch. Read more »

Episode 7 : Explorer Mountain Biking

In this event the Marple Explorers make an extremely good fist of cycling 28 Kilometres. Mostly offroad in hot temperatures and including the category one climb : Col de Mount Famine, Hayfield. Read more »

Episode 6: Explorer Sailing

When you have bought a ticket to take part in the Toddbrook Sailing Show, I guarantee you will not be disappointed! A spectacle unfolds before your eyes, with instructor Richard Thorpe stealing all Headlines! Some liken him to Chef Ramsey, others to Willy Wonka, but amongst the comparisons, there is bound to be a grain of brilliance in there somewhere. Read more »

Episode 5 : Explorer Climbing tWO

The same but different. Climbing Episode 2, followed the predictable route of every other sequel that ever was : Retaining the general basis and format of the original, it was still tweaked with something different. Same location, same plot, new cast – think Hollywood remakes : Batman, Superman, X-men, etc… Read more »

Episode 4 : Explorer Expedition

Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!

Read more »

Episode 3 : Explorer Climbing

With a ying and a yang and a Buzz, buzz, buzz, a party of 7 set out for Windgather rocks and an afternoon either A) sunbathing in the countryside or B) attempting to climb up some nice rocky cliffs.

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Episode 2 : Explorer Rafting

Event two was a straightforward dogfight between old and young, pupils against masters, or 5 young Explorers versus the old guard of four 16 year olds plus Explorers!
Oh what drama ensued! Read more »

Episode 1 : Explorer Kayaking

The first event of Andy Togs’ week long marathon of activities for the splorers.

We all met at Scout HQ at 1pm and everyone then headed down to Roman Lakes to meet Roger (King of the Kayaks). Once kitted out with buoyancy aids, helmets, kayaks and paddles, we hit the water!

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