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PRESTON & THE FYLDE COAST NOVEMBER - JANUARY 2013 EDITION 37

The

Hairy

Bikers

HOW TO LOVE FOOD AND LOSE WEIGHT

Jean Christophe -

Novelli

THE NATION’S FAVOURITE FRENCH CHEF

Russell Grant THE COMEBACK KID

www.50plusmagazine.co.uk THE LOCAL MAGAZINE

FOR THE OVER 50s

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Luxury apartments without compromise

Jones Homes have been designing and building luxury new homes for over 50 years. Carefully chosen locations are the hallmark of the company. If you want to retire in style then we have two superb locations, both offering the height of luxury. Ashton View in the centre of St. Annes on Sea overlooks Ashton Gardens and bowling greens with local shops and the train station nearby. Due to its popularity there are now only the last few apartments remaining for sale. Priory Gate in the much sought after village of Aughton is in a rural location with views across the countryside. Ideal for people who may wish to downsize without compromising quality, these elegantly appointed 2 bedroom luxury apartments are perfect.

ASHTON VIEW ST GEORGES ROAD, ST ANNES ON SEA FY8 2AW

PRIORY GATE AUGHTON PARK DRIVE, AUGHTON, NR ORMSKIRK L39 5RF

1 & 2 bedroom luxury retirement apartments from just £129,000

Elegantly appointed 2 bedroom luxury apartments, all with en-suites from only £169,950 (Special offer price for a limited period).

Show Apartment Open 7 days a week, 11am – 5.30pm

01253 721272

01695 581358

www.jones-homes.co.uk Prices correct at time of going to press. Photographs shown are for illustrative purposes only.

Luxury apartment living with Jones Homes With a reputation for building quality homes with exceptional design and a superior specification, Jones Homes is the developer of choice for homebuyers, particularly those downsizing. With decision to sell the family home made for a smaller property, one that is still spacious but easy to maintain and located in a desirable residential area, Jones Homes’ portfolio of luxury apartment living in the North West is second to none.

Priory Gate, Ormskirk Situated in this popular region of Lancashire, Priory Gate is a peaceful development comprising a selection of stylish two bedroom apartments. Surrounded by parkland and just a short walk from Ormskirk town centre, Priory Gate is a much sought-after development. Jones Homes recently opened a stunning showhome at Priory Gate, which perfectly portrays the properties available. Dressed in shades of plum and raspberry, coupled with creams and beiges, the show apartment showcases luxury living at its very best. The focal point of the apartment is the magnificent lounge, which features two stylish beige sofas adorned with raspberry and gold scatter cushions, a sumptuous velvet rug in deep plum and striking cream curtains with purple trim framing the patio doors and window. A contemporary kitchen with adjoining dining room offers an elegant space for entertaining. Styled in creams and rich gold, an opulent feel has been created. The master bedroom, with en suite facilities, is a relaxing retreat, featuring a double bed with fabulous floral headboard in pinks and lime green. Raspberry silk lamps and delicate jewel decorated lampshades ensure a cosy ambiance. The second bedroom also boasts a double bed with a chic deep pink headboard, while patterned plum cushions mixed with neutral throws capture a romantic feel.

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With prices starting from £169,950, Priory Gate has proved popular with downsizers looking for sophisticated and spacious homes in a desirable location with convenient amenities. For further information or to arrange a viewing of the show apartment please contact Priory Gate on 01695 581 358 (open seven days a week from 11am until 5.30pm). Alternatively visit www.jones-homes.co.uk.

Ashton View, Lytham St Annes For those looking specifically for a stylish apartment within a dedicated retirement development, Ashton View is simply stunning. With an enviable setting by the sea and surrounded by greenery from Ashton Gardens, Jones Homes’ managed retirement complex has proved immensely popular, so much so that only three properties remain. Time is running out with the final few homes including a two bedroom apartment, a one bedroom apartment and the show apartment, each built and ready to move in to. Offering everything a retired couple or individual could need from a property, the show apartment provides 743 sq ft of living space. A spacious hallway leads into an impressive sized openplan lounge and dining area, with French doors offering breathtaking views of the surrounding grounds. A separate kitchen serves the apartment, with attractive solid wood units and modern stainless steel appliances. The property also features two large double bedrooms and a contemporary bathroom. The show apartment is priced at £235,000 and comes fully furnished. The remaining properties include carpets, curtains and light fittings, with the one bedroom apartment priced just £129,000 and the two bedroom apartment priced only £199,950. For further information or to arrange a viewing of the show apartment, please call Ashton View on 01253 721272 (open seven days a week from 11am until 5.30pm). Alternatively, visit www.jones-homes.co.uk.

Getting your finances into shape Did you know that according to recent studies the average 50 year old is now often fitter and healthier than the average 25 year old? Whether you keep in shape by cycling, walking the dog or running around after the grandkids – it pays to take the time to get your finances fit too.

inside... TRAVEL & LEISURE

50 Plus Magazine asked the Financial Ombudsman Service – the free service with the power to sort out financial problems – for some handy tips to help you get your finances healthy.

6-7 Guild Hall & Charter Theatre Preston A ‘Whats On’ Guide.

Five steps to getting financially fit

10-11 Robinsons Holidays Affordable peace of mind.

1. Check your account regularly so you know exactly how much money you have coming in and going out. Keep a date of when payments are due to make sure you have funds available. Some payments, for example to catalogue companies debit your account every 28 days so your payment date will change each month. If you spot a payment that you don’t recognise talk to your bank - if you don’t need it, cancel it! 2. Shopping around can ensure you get the best rate for your car, home or travel insurance. But be careful to read the small print and check any exclusions that apply. Remember the cheaper policy may not be the best one for your needs. Check that you have given the business all the relevant details – like a list of vehicle modifications for your motor insurance or information on any pre-existing medical conditions for travel insurance. 3. Interest free deals on credit cards or loan agreements can be a great way to spread the cost if you’re thinking of treating yourself to a new three piece suit or car. But make sure you know when the interest free period ends as repayments after this date can be expensive. Remember – the interest free period may be conditional on you maintaining the minimum repayments so keep a date of how much you need to pay and when. 4. If you’re considering putting your money into some investments, take some time to think about how much risk you’re willing to take. While riskier investments could bring bigger rewards, these aren’t guaranteed. Don’t take a chance if you can’t afford to risk your capital. 5. Most importantly, don’t bury your head in the sand! If you have a money related problem let your bank or insurer know as soon as possible – they should be able to help. If you’re still unhappy, contact the ombudsman on 0300 123 9 123 or www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk

8-9 Malta A touch of England in the Med.

FOOD & DRINK 14-15 The Hairy Bikers... How to love food and lose weight. 16-17 Jean-Christophe Novelli Shares some Port Salut recipes with us.

INTERVIEW 30-31 Russell Grant... The Comeback Kid.

8-9

14-15 16-17

30-31

McGrath Media. Unit 6 | Moses Gate Workshops Gladys Street | Bolton | BL3 2QG. T: (01204) 796 494 | F: (01204) 791594 e: mcgrathadmin@btconnect.com

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HAVING A TWITTER with Graham Smith Things ain’t what they used to be The size of Waggon Wheels says a lot about the state of this country in my opinion. I was chatting, tweeting even, to a friend the other day and he set me thinking because he was dreadfully upset about his Penguin bar, almost in tears he was. They’re just not the same any more, and when I mentioned Waggon Wheels he almost had apoplexy. “They’re like tiddlywinks compared to when I was a lad,” he sobbed. I had to agree. I don’t have a sweet tooth often but I have noticed that since we joined the Common Market, or whatever we’re supposed to call it now, things have not been the same. Jelly babies have become positively embryonic, wine gums have become a third of the size they were when I was at school and when did you last see a whopping great tomato in a supermarket? You won’t, because the supermarkets now employ people to make sure all fruit and veg is of virtual uniformity and colour. The tomatoes have to stand to attention every morning while some sergeant major of an attendant inspects them and anything over a centimetre bigger than its neighbour is probably splatted with a swagger stick. If a banana curves at more than the prescribed EU definition it is fed to the local zoo, gooseberries have been ordered to the barbers if they are too hairy, the list is endless. I recall that Rileys toffee rolls were twice their size in my youth. We bought them in loose “quarters” then, that was sensible measurement, but now they’re shrunk wrapped in at least three layers of cellophane which is more designed to keep the flavour out than in. Mars bars are in serious danger of extinction if they get any smaller and gobstoppers simply can’t compete.

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So why are we a nation of increasingly obese people if everything is getting smaller? That’s easy. Every café now seems to be serving “mega all day breakfasts” with enormous helpings of greasy spoon material, pizzas are getting bigger and it seems to be the norm now to walk down the street eating large pastries, spitting crumbs everywhere and heeding no one because there is a piece of electrical equipment plugged into every bodily orifice. Give it five years and some of these kids won’t know what birdsong and traffic sound like.

There is one saving grace to it all though, if they are run over by a Waggon Wheel it won’t do much damage.

You must be joking What passes for humour today often leaves me cold. Winner of the top joke at the Edinburgh Fringe was Stewart Francis with the offering, “Know who gives kids a bad name? Posh and Becks.”

The Swansea tribe I have a fondness for quirky people and had to smile at the Swansea man who lives as an Apache Indian and was almost prosecuted for wanting to turn badger paws and eagle wings into a headress. Mangas Colaradas, 60, was due to stand trial for keeping protected wild animal parts but the Crown Prosecution dropped the case. He brought the bits back from Spain, where he lived in a tepee, to his three-bed semi in Swansea. He refused to reveal his real name and appeared in court wearing a ceremonial headdress, tassled suede jacket, moccasins and a snake’s head necklace. He said, “I wear this all the time, I’m not just some weekend Indian. I don’t put it on to show off, I put it on because I want to wear it.”

Geronimo! You tell ‘em Mangas.

Oh come on you can do better than that! What happened to the golden age which produced real comics such as Morecambe and Wise, Les Dawson and Dave Allen? They could not only deliver the stuff with immaculate timing but write it as well. Their actions and expressions were funny and they didn’t have to resort to the vernacular vulgarity so often seen at televised fringe events where the laughter is canned and the comic probably should be. Stewart Francis by the way is Canadian, which, if you’ve had a drink or two, sounds like comedian.

what’s

TUE 13 & WED 14 NOV

SAT 1 DEC

Local schools perform four different half hour plays each night

LARGER THAN LIVE Laughter, high-jinks and possibly a bit of cooking too!

FRI 16 NOV

SAT 8 DEC

SHAKESPEARE SCHOOLS FESTIVAL

THE HAIRY BIKERS

PAUL CARRACK

PRESTON ORPHEUS CHOIR

+ SUPPORT

A Festival For Christmas

FAIRTRADE TEA DANCE

WED 12 DEC

CAROLS AND CAPERS

TUE 20 NOV TUE 18 DEC TUE 8 JAN TUE 12 FEB

MADDY PRIOR & THE CARNIVAL BAND

Christmas music on renaissance and modern instruments.

WED 21 NOV

SUN 16 DEC

THE ONLY WAY IS EPIC TOUR The irrepressible Innkeeper is back

Jam packed with the greatest classic rock anthems

VAMPIRES ROCK

AL MURRAY

THUR 22 NOV

I’M SORRY I HAVEN’T A CLUE SOLD OUT

TED ROBBINS

(CBBC’S The Slammer, Pheonix Nights and BBC Radio Lancashire) as DAME

LEAH BRACKNELL

TROTT

(Emmerdale)

as THE

FAIRY

FRI 23 NOV

GORDON SMITH

BEYOND BELIEF 2012 Witness for yourself Gordon’s phenomenal psychic gift

SAT 24 NOV

RUNRIG

THE REWIRED TOUR Runrig return to the stage refreshed and re-invigorated, with a re-vamped show and set

SUN 25 NOV

THE SENSATIONAL 60S Featuring The Tremeloes, Herman’s Hermits, The Union Gap UK and The Ivy League

Box Office: 0845 344 2021

TOM MILNER

(Waterloo Road, Starlings)

as JACK

THE HARPER BROTHERS

(Back by popular demand, last year’s Ping and Pong)

WARREN DONNELLY (Shameless)

as FLESHCREEP

JODIE HAMBLET

TUES 4 to MON 31 DECEMBER 0844 844 7716 www.prestonguildhall.com www.prestonguildhall.com BOX OFFICE

MON 31 DEC

NEW YEAR’S EVE PROM Now in its 12th triumphant year. Welcome 2013 in style with a fantastic indoor firework finale

MON 7 JAN

NICHOLAS NICKLEBY

WED 6 & THUR 7 FEB

BEN AND HOLLY’S LITTLE KINGDOM

From the makers of Peppa Pig comes this BAFTA award winning television animation live on stage!

THUR 14 FEB

PATRICK MONAHAN

One of Dickens’ best loved stories and a unique insight into the author performed by his great great grandson Gerald Dickens

SHOOTING FROM THE LIP The ‘Show Me The Funny’ winner brings his trademark hyperactive and freewheeling charm

Royal Liverpool ROYAL LIVERPOOL Philharmonic PHILHARMONIC Orchestra Preston Concerts ORCHESTRA 2012/2013 Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony

MAGIC A KIND OF QUEEN

Preston Series 2012-2013_Layout 1 26/04/2012 16:54 Page 1

SUN 20 JAN

SUN 3 FEB

BRASS AT THE GUILD Vasily Petrenko Chief Conductor – Preston Guild Hall Box Office 0845 344 2026 www.prestonguildhall.com

Lancashire Contests organises a Brass Band Contest with a choice of set test pieces.

SAT 16 FEB

All of Queen’s greatest hits plus some you may not have heard for a while

SUN 17 FEB

ROYAL LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

“Magic are a brilliant band” Jacky Smith, Official Queen fan club secretary “A superb show” Jim Jenkins, Queen biographer

QUEENS GREATESTS HITS

LIVE

Romantic Classics

THUR 28 FEB

THE DRIFTERS

Featuring a host of timeless classics such as Saturday Night at the Movies, Under The Boardwalk, On Broadway and Up on the Roof

TUE 5 MAR

THE CIRCUS OF HORRORS

A whirlwind journey to 1927 Berlin, a decadent decade, the birth of the Cabaret & the home to The Devil Doll

SAT 9 MARCH

HALFWAY TO PARADISE

FRI 8 & SAT 9 FEB 2013 Box Office: 0845 344 2021

THE BILLY FURY STORY The story of a shy young boy from Liverpool who went on to become one of Britain’s best loved rock stars

WED 20 to SAT 23 MAR

PRESTON OPERA presents

LA TRAVIATA

Verdi’s masterpiece, the heart-rending tale of love between Alfredo, a gentleman of society, and Violetta, the ‘fallen woman’.

www.prestonguildhall.com

50 Plus Travel

sponsored by

MALTA Travel to a touch of England in the Med

By Peter Lynch Journalist, rail and wildlife specialist, contributor to Great Train Journeys of the World and Silver Travel Advisor

Malta is a fabulous Mediterranean destination especially if you dislike the hassle of foreign languages. Everyone speaks good to perfect English yet Malta retains all the charm of the Mediterranean.

bureaucrats have forced the withdrawal of the famous orange vintage Leyland and Bedford buses.

The universality of English is down to Malta being part of the British Empire from 1814 until 1964 but strangely it was not one of the Empires conquests. In the Napoleonic era Malta was between a rock and a hard place - at risk of being invaded by the French and the Russians. It opted for the protection of the British Empire and subsequently played a crucial role in defeating Rommel’s Afrika Korps in North Africa during WWII.

The Upper Barrakka Gardens provide a must-see harbour and city view and the Grand Master’s palace and armoury is a must. Don’t be put off by the plain exterior of St John cathedral; it belies a fabulous Baroque interior and a famous painting by Caravaggio.

It’s a tiny place, significantly smaller than the Isle of Wight, with a familiar yet foreign ambience. They have the highest density of catholic priests outside the Vatican City, produce and explode more fireworks per head than anywhere else on earth and eat an unbelievable number of rabbits. Of course, they drive on the left and something I love is how it’s kept some of the classic images from my childhood – old red telephone boxes, red post boxes and blue lights outside police stations. Sadly EU

The World Heritage listed capital of Valletta is Europe’s first planned city, laid out in a grid system of streets and alleyways. The Knights of St John built it on a peninsula as a defence against the Turks during the sixteenth century.

Valletta’s real charm is its ambience, so it’s important to sit in an outdoor cafe and soak up the palpable sense of history rather than just rushing around the sites –the perfect excuse for loafing. But all this is just recent history; Malta’s prehistoric megalithic temples are older than Stonehenge or the Pyramids. It’s a dream destination for historians and reads like a textbook of western civilisation, probably with more human history packed into its122 sq miles than anywhere else on earth. There are 23 prehistoric sites dating back 6,000 years including the impressive megalithic temples of Taraxien and Hagar Qim but the subterranean

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Valletta’s real charm is its ambience, so it’s important to sit in an outdoor cafe and soak up the palpable sense of history... on Malta en-route to Rome and his indelible legacy of Christianity is still evident in the islands 360 churches. The marks of Norman and Arab conflicts are everywhere on the island, culminating with the spectacular city of Valletta built by the Knights of St John in 1566. Malta’s history rolls on involving the Spanish Empire; Napoleon predictably turned up and of course the British. But its not history that makes Malta one of the UK’s favourite holiday destinations - it’s the glorious weather, the friendly people, the Mediterranean lifestyle and the convenience of English speakers. When Malta’s history, shopping and nightlife pall the 20-minute ferry across to Gozo is like moving to another country. It is Malta’s exclusive hideaway island with a pastoral ambience compared to Malta’s brasher tourist developments. Everything runs at a slower pace on Gozo.

hypogeum of Hal Saflieni is perhaps the most breathtaking. It is the only known underground prehistoric temple. Not much is known about these ancient temple builders or their mysterious parallel ‘cart tracts’ gouged into the limestone. They’ve been likened to a complex railway junction (Clapham Junction) because they criss-cross the landscape and some even disappear off the edge of the cliff - creating an endless source of myths and legends. Homer’s Odyssey tells of Ulysses being shipwrecked on the nearby island of Gozo where Calypso captivated him on his journey back from Troy to Ithaca in Greece. Then there are the Phoenicians from the Biblical cities of Tyre and Sidon who traded and settled Malta until ousted by the Roman’s. St Paul was also shipwrecked

The islands capital of Rabat was renamed Victoria in 1897 to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond jubilee but its still the beautiful quant town of alleyways, cafes and little shops it always was. The imposing walled citadel sheltered people from the marauding corsairs who plagued island communities throughout the Mediterranean. Gozo has its share of prehistoric monuments such as the Ggantija temple - supposedly built by giantesses and more mysterious ‘cart ruts’. The impressive Romanesque Basilica of Ta Pinu dominates the Gozitan skyline and has become a local shrine with a Lourdes-like status for miracle cures. Inside the walls are adorned with artificial limbs and other relics left by grateful pilgrims.

So don’t bother with a history book in Malta, just stroll around and let it all seep in, and between momentous historical events you’ll be able to find a perfect pasta and a decent pint of beer.

Silver Travel Advisor is a travel review, information and advice website exclusively for over 50’s, packed with articles, suggestions, tips and ideas. For free and independent travel advice as well as reviews about holidays, hotels, restaurants and days out, please visit www.silvertraveladvisor.com or email service@silvertraveladvisor.com. It’s free to register as a member of Silver Travel Advisor, and you could win a fabulous holiday prize.

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Affordable peace of mind ..... Holidays

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03 Feb

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Facilities at the Abbey Lawn Hotel include: Indoor Heated Pool/Outdoor Pool, Solarium, Sauna, Steam Room, Lounge, Gym, Large Conservatory, Sea View Rooms available*, Lift, Porterage.

10 Feb

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17 Feb

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24 Feb

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03 Mar

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10 Mar

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24 Mar

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29 Mar

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The Imperial Hotel, Eastbourne, Robinsons 3M An impressive Victorian building set amidst a beautiful tree lined boulevard. Facilities at the Imperial Hotel include: Two Residents’ Bars, Ballroom, TV & Complimentary Tea & Coffee in all Bedrooms, 2 x Lifts, Porterage.

The Ocean View Hotel, Shanklin, Robinsons 3M An elegant hotel commanding magnificent views across Sandown Bay, Golden Beaches and a quaint collection of shops. Facilities at the Ocean View Hotel include: Indoor Heated Pool, Spa, Indoor Bowling Green, Table Tennis, Snooker Room, Sea View Rooms available* Lift, Porterage.

Departures

31 Mar

£279 - -

03 Apr

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07 Apr

£199 £289

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04 May

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Supplements per person:

Abbey Lawn Hotel: Front View 7 days £13, 8 days £15, 5 days £10 Premier Room 7 days £45, 8 days £50, 5 days £30. Ocean View Hotel: *Sea View 7 days £13, 8 days £15, 5 days £10 Premier Room 7 days £45, 8 days £50, 5 days £30. Imperial Hotel: Premier Room 7 days £30, 8 days £35, 5 days £20.

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Park Garage, Great Harwood, Blackburn BB6 7SP.

Discover a new way to experience quality dental care When something is free, we sometimes don’t value it – even when it’s totally unique and utterly priceless. At the Douglas Lee Dental Practice we appreciate the value of something that is often taken for granted, a healthy, happy smile. Just as importantly we understand exactly what it takes to make your smile shine and how to keep it shining – regular dental examinations and good habits of daily oral hygiene combined with quality, modern treatment in relaxed friendly environment. Dougie has received advanced training in techniques such as dental implants, gentle-force and ‘invisible’ orthodontics, sedation and cosmetic dentistry. This allows the practice to offer a wide range of treatments that would normally require a referral elsewhere. It also means that several different techniques can be used to a patient’s advantage which can result in improved outcomes and shorter treatment times. Our goal is to provide comprehensive dental care with special attention to your individual needs in a timely and affordable way. We want to make your visits with us comfortable and pleasant, while providing you and your family with the finest dental care available.

Tooth Whitening l Cleansing and polishing l Comprehensive Dental Exams l Fillings l Sealants l Crowns l Cosmetic Dentistry l Porcelain Veneers l Periodontal Treatment l Dental Implants l Bridges l Partial Dentures and Dentures l Root Canals l Occlusal Splints or Night Guards l Athletic Mouth Guards l Sedation l Emergency Services l

BEFORE AFTER

1. TOOTH WHITENING This can be done in the surgery in an hour, or at home, taking a few applications. Once you have done the initial whitening treatment, why not top-up using a home kit with whitening gel while you are getting ready to go out...for that extra glow!

The Gentle Practice!

Fast and Fixed - a new approach to tooth loss People who have lost or are likely to lose all their teeth have been faced with little choice but to have removable dentures “false teeth”; that is until now.

ability to offer custom made, fixed, implant supported bridgework in a single day. And because there is only one surgical visit there is never a need for removable dentures at all! After three months, when the tissues are completely settled a definitive bridge is then constructed that should last for many years.

Douglas Lee (Dougie) a Lancashire dentist, is the UK pioneer for a technique that replaces a full set of teeth fixed onto dental implants in a single day.

How the Fast and Fixed system is different from traditional techniques:

Dougie says “The disadvantages of removable false teeth are well known to anyone unfortunate enough to need them. They rely on suction or adhesive to stay in place, they cause embarrassment to the wearer and they alter peoples’ speech and ability to eat well. At best they offer little over 10% of the strength and stability of healthy natural teeth.

BEFORE

Angled implants: Bone grafting and sinus lifts are avoided by angling the implants at the back of the mouth so they attach into strong bone further forwards.

For the last thirty years dental implants have been available. These are metal posts that are fitted in place of tooth roots. They can then be used to stabilise a denture with press-stud type attachments. Better still, with enough implants a full set of teeth can be replaced with a “fixed bridge”.

AFTER

For most of us the latter would be our preferred option. However, the traditional way to achieve this has several problems.

Fewer implants: Because the bridge is custom made and a perfect fit, as few as six upper implants and four lower implants are required to do the job predictably. Polymer science: Bridges usually are cast out of metal and porcelain and take days or weeks to make. With Fast and Fixed, the dental technician can make a beautiful custom bridge in an afternoon.

It is normal to wait months after extractions before fitting implants. In the meantime a full denture would be required anyway. There is often not enough bone for regular implants. This means having to have uncomfortable bone graft surgery first, whereby bone is taken from the chin, hip or skull and placed where it is required.

BEFORE

The costs can be truly eye-watering. It is commonly considered that between seven and ten implants in the upper jaw and six in the lower jaw are required for success. Add to that the cost of separate appointments for bone grafts, extractions and temporary dentures and we are looking at upwards of £25,000 for a single jaw to £35,000 for a whole mouth. Dougie continued “All this is established, predictable treatment and eventually achieves the desired result, but it takes time and costs a lot of money. It can easily take over twelve months start to finish. It may not even be possible to wear the temporary false teeth in the days after surgery – a situation that my patients found completely unacceptable.”

Dental extractions: Instead of waiting for sockets to heal after extraction like normal, any infection is highlighted with a dye and destroyed painlessly with a laser so the site is fit for implants immediately.

AFTER

Unsurprisingly, most of us are put off from going ahead with dental implants and either resign ourselves to full removable dentures or hobble along with our remaining, unsightly and untreatable teeth. The Fast and Fixed system was designed to address the above problems head on. It combines advances in surgical technique and dental engineering to give dentists the

In surgery CT Scanning: With his Cone Beam CT scanner Dougie can study and design the perfect, minimally invasive surgery for his patients before the treatment starts. With only one surgical visit, no need for temporary removable dentures, fewer implants and no separate bone grafts the Fast and Fixed method means patients have less pain, shorter treatment times and lower surgery costs. Dougie charges £9800.00 for the fast and fixed implants and bridge including consultation, the scan, all extractions and follow-up. The definitive bridge costs £3500.00 and is fitted within twelve months of surgery. “It’s still a lot of money but the improved quality of life it has brought my patients is immeasurable” They often tell me that choosing Fast and Fixed was the best decision they have ever made.

Call us on 01254 237517 Douglas Lee Dental Practice

Douglas A. Lee Associaties Ltd. 115 Whalley Road, Accrington, BB5 1BX. www.douglasleedental.co.uk

GDC 69445

THE HAIRY DIETERS HOW TO LOVE FOOD AND LOSE WEIGHT by Dave Myers and Si King Published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson on 2 August 2012 in trade paperback at £14.99, eBook £7.99 The Hairy Bikers are back this summer with a new book to accompany an exciting new 4 x 60 minute food odyssey on BBC Two starting on Thursday 2 August. Si King and Dave Myers have made their names cooking real food for real people, creating mouth-watering dishes big on flavour and calories and it’s taken its toll on their bodies. Now all of that has to stop, as they return to our screens with The Hairy Dieters: How To Love Food And Lose Weight. The problem is they’re not prepared to live on salads and compromise on taste. Loving the food they eat is a cornerstone of Si and Dave’s lives and they know they won’t succeed in shedding the pounds if the food they eat is dull and repetitive. The Hairy plan: to create some delicious healthy recipes to help them on their way and so persuade Britain to lose weight with them.

On their journey the boys join forces with the men and women of Britain to find ways of creating food that satisfies their lust for tasty cooking and answers the demands of the doctors and nutritionists who want them to make less of themselves. The boys hope that what starts with a mighty weigh-in will end in triumph, lessons learned and trousers taken in. The Bikers set out to discover how to enjoy the best great British food at home, creating new dishes and adapting some culinary treasures to make them and us fitter for life. THE HAIRY DIETERS: How to Love Food and Lose Weight includes a healthy eating plan with mouth-watering recipes for eating at home, eating out, and of course, entertaining. It is filled with all of the dishes that have made Si King and Dave Myers two of the nation’s favourite cooks. From perfect pies, curries, roast dinners and delicious desserts, the Hairy Dieters prove that cooking without the calories doesn’t have to compromise on taste.

THE HAIRY BIKERS’ BIG BOOK OF BAKING, published in March 2012 is currently this year’s biggest selling hardback non-fiction book. Other cookery books by the Hairy Bikers include: THE HAIRY BIKERS’ FOOD TOUR OF BRITAIN, MUMS KNOW BEST, THE HAIRY BIKERS’ 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS, MUMS STILL KNOW BEST, THE HAIRY BIKERS’ PERFECT PIES

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Spanish-style chicken bake This is a brilliant recipe and you’ll notice that there’s no additional fat needed – all the fat comes from the chorizo, and the tomatoes make it lovely and juicy. A low-fat fiesta of a dish.

370 calories per portion

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Put the onions, potatoes, garlic and tomatoes in a large roasting tin and season with sea salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Toss everything together lightly and roast for 20 minutes. While the vegetables are roasting, skin the chorizo and cut the meat into thin slices – 5mm is about right. Put the chicken thighs on a board and carefully slash each one 2 or 3 times with a knife. Season all over with black pepper. Mix the paprika and oregano together and set aside. Take the roasting tin out of the oven, scatter the chorizo over the veg and turn everything a couple of times. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and chorizo and sprinkle with the paprika and oregano. Season with a little salt and return to the oven for 20 minutes.

Serves 4 1 medium onion, cut into 8 wedges 1 medium red onion, cut into 8 wedges 500g new potatoes, quartered lengthways 8 whole garlic cloves, unpeeled 8 medium tomatoes, quartered 75g chorizo (preferably picante) 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika ½ tsp dried oregano 1 green pepper, deseeded and cut into strips flaked sea salt freshly ground black pepper

Take the tin out of the oven. Holding one corner carefully with an oven cloth, lift the tin a little so all the juices run to the opposite end, then spoon and drizzle the juices back over the chicken. Tuck the pepper strips loosely around the chicken and vegetables. Turn the oven up to 220°C/Fan 200°C/Gas 7. Put the tin back in the oven for another 20 minutes or until the peppers are just softened and the chicken is golden and crisp. As you eat, squeeze the garlic out of the skins and enjoy the deliciously soft and fragrant flesh. Just don’t kiss anyone afterwards!

COUNTING THE CALORIES IT’S WORKED FOR US AND IT CAN WORK FOR YOU We’ve found a way of eating ourselves slimmer and we want to share our discoveries with you. The secret is to make better choices and use little tricks to reduce your daily calorie count. Calorie counting might have fallen out of favour somewhat over recent years, replaced by all sorts of wacky dieting ideas, but it does work. We’re the living proof. We’ve lost pounds and inches! We’ve made all the recipes in this book as low in calories as possible while not compromising on the taste. And we’ve had a nutritionist check them out and do calorie counts for each one so you know exactly where you are. If you eat these, without cheating, you will lose weight — and you’ll love us for it. We have to confess we’ve never really thought too much about calories and the amount of food we were taking in but we know a lot more now. As many as a quarter of us Brits are obese and it’s not good for us, so it seems that many of us are taking in much more than we’re putting out. Our experts explained to us that in order to lose weight, you have to take in fewer calories so the body has to use its stores — makes sense doesn’t it?

T H E D I N N E R C LU B

Single? Age 35+ (no age limit) Join the UK’s premier club for the more discerning unattached person. Social events weekly include black tie balls, dinner dances, dining out in various restaurants from casual to fine dining, theatre, jazz nights, day at the races and holidays abroad.

Areas we cover include North-West, Cheshire, Lancs, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Wirral, North Wales , Yorks and many other areas.

We also welcome enquiries from anyone interested in hosting Dinner Club events. Not a dating agency.

Tel (01244) 548816 or 677030 www.thedinnerclubuk.com l

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THE NATION’S FAVOURITE FRENCH CHEF Jean-Christophe Novelli is a 5 out of 5 AA Rosette and Michelin award winning chef and he has been dubbed the “the nation’s favourite French chef ”. Exclusively for Port Salut, Jean-Christophe has created two French themed recipes and a series of tips for creating the perfect cheeseboard. “Port Salut is a classic French cheese which I have always enjoyed, so I was delighted to be asked to work with the brand. For the recipes I have used Port Salut to give traditional French dishes a new twist and I hope my cheeseboard tips will give your cheese course a whole new lease of life.”

CHAR GRILLED CHICKEN, LEEK, PORT SALUT AND BUTTON MUSHROOM FRICASSEE, WHOLE MEAL CROUTON INGREDIENTS 4 x skinned and boneless chicken supreme’s (cut into thin strips) 2 leeks, trimmed, washed and cut into thin slices 2 x spring onions (trimmed and chopped into thin roundels) 1 clove of garlic (peeled and crushed) 100g chestnut or button mushrooms (sliced) 100g grated Port Salut 50g breadcrumbs 50g grated Port Salut 75ml double cream 25g butter 1 bunch of chives (chopped) 4 slices of wholemeal bread (cut into fingers) 25ml olive oil 1/2 tsp dried herbs 1/2 glass white wine

METHOD 1. Heat a char grill skillet until very hot, brush the chicken strips with some of the oil and season with salt and pepper and your favourite spice, paprika is good as is cumin or garam marsala. 2. Quickly char grill the chicken pieces until well coloured and cooked through. Remove from the skillet and keep warm. 3. In a large saucepan melt the butter over a low heat. 4. Add the leek and spring onion and sweat until tender. 5. Add the garlic and the mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms are tender and softened. 6. Add the white wine and the cream and allow to boil 7. Add the 100g of Port Salut and continue to simmer until the cheese is melted and the sauce is thick. Add the chives. 8. Add the strips of chicken and stir in to coat with the sauce. 9. Place in an oven proof serving dish. 10. In a small mixing bowl combine the 50g of Port Salut with the breadcrumbs and scatter this over the top. 11. Bake in a pre heated oven until the crumbs are crisp and golden and the cheese has melted.

FOR THE WHOLEMEAL CROUTONS METHOD 1. Place the bread fingers on a baking tray. 2. Brush with olive oil & dried herbs and season with cracked pepper 3. Bake in a hot oven until crisp and golden brown. Serve on a side plate with the chicken and leek fricassee.

Jean-Christophe Novelli has produced these tips exclusively for Port Salut. Visit www.portsalut.co.uk for more info.

CRISPY GRANARY BRUSCHETTA, POACHED EGG, SPINACH AND A PORT SALUT GLAZE. INGREDIENTS 4 eggs (free range, large) 2-3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar 4 thick slices of ciabattas bread 25ml olive oil 1/2 tsp dried herbs 400g washed baby spinach leaves 100ml double cream 4 egg yolks 100g Port Salut (grated) 50g butter (optional) Sprinkle of ground nutmeg

CHEESEBOARD THEATRE TIPS 1. Add some flavoured texture to your cheeseboard by dropping plain bread in favour of a fruit & nut bread such as apricot & walnut or prune & hazelnut and serve it slightly stale, cut into thin wafer slices 2. Fruit and cheese are a classic combination but give your grapes some extra character by serving them frozen – simply wash a bunch of grapes and shake off any excess water, place on a plate and pop in the freezer, serve directly once frozen onto the cheeseboard giving a more interesting texture with extra bite

METHOD 1. Place the slices of ciabattas on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil and season with dried herbs, salt and pepper.

3. Add a simple twist on the traditional by pairing your cheese with fruit that has a sharp acidity such as: cherries, raspberries, gooseberries, redcurrants, nectarines and tangy plums – these work well frozen too

2. Place in a hot oven and bake until crisp and golden brown. 3. Place on four plates or a serving dish.

4. Turn your cheeseboard into a visual feast by serving long celery stems in a vase of ice water. Team with a small bowl of rock salt too for dipping

4. In a large sauce pan heat plenty of water to boiling point. 5. Add a couple of tablespoons of white wine vinegar and season to taste with salt. 6. Once boiling stir with a whisk to start a circular motion in the water and crack in the eggs one at a time, bring to the boil and immediately turn down to a simmer. Cook for 3-4 minutes if a soft egg is required, a little longer for a firmer egg and 5-7 minutes for a hard poached egg. 7. Keep the eggs warm in the water until needed. 8. In a sauce pan bring the cheese to the boil, reduce for a few minutes to thicken. Remove from the heat. 9. Stir in the Port Salut and the eggs, allow the cheese to melt 10. In a frying pan add half the butter if used and add the spinach cover with a tight fitting lid and bring to the boil allow the water from the spinach to cook the leaves and when soft and wilted strain to remove any excess water remaining. 11. Season with salt and pepper and spoon an equal amount onto each ciabatta bruschetta. 12. Top with an egg and mask with the cheese and cream mix. 13. Place under a hot grill until bubbling and golden brown.

5. Radishes are a tasty substitute to celery providing a peppery bite, leave a little stem on each on to hold on to and these can also be dipped in the rock salt 6. A fashionable alternative to the classic chutney is quince jelly – its sweet flavour will add a different dimension to your cheeseboard 7. Spice up your cheeseboard with a handful of sliced chillies or jalapenos, to give a flavoursome punch. This works particularly well with hard cheeses – these will complement the quince jelly too 8. Tantalise tastebuds with a rollercoaster ride of textures and flavours by adding olives and nuts to your cheeseboard 9. For an unexpected flavour, add some ground coffee beans to your board. A little sprinkle will give your cheeseboard a delicious edge 10. Use dried vine leaves, herb sprigs and edible flowers to add more drama, aroma and taste to your cheeseboard

14. Garnish with some snipped chives and serve.

THE AWARD WINNING BURY MARKET

For friendly service, fantastic produce and always great value. Full Market Days: Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Tel: 0161 253 6520

web: www.burymarket.com

email: burymarkets@bury.gov.uk

The Easiest Way to Eat Well at Home... MyChef is a family business founded over 15 years ago, we are still based in Blackpool but now provide 'meals at home' services from kitchens throughout the North West. Eating well is the single most important factor in maintaining good health. All MyChef meals and desserts are created using quality ingredients to the tastiest recipes and prepared to the very highest standards. Your meals will arrive cooked and ready to eat, complete with either vegetables and potatoes or rice or pasta. All our dishes are balanced, nutritious and full of flavour with carefully controlled levels of salt, sugar and fat. You can create your own 'A la Carte Menu' from over 220 different meals and desserts.You will always receive the meals you want on the days you want. You can also add a great value Tea Time Pack for only £1.90.

Only £4.90 per 2 course meal

This is your choice of a freshly made sandwich, a savoury snack, fruit and cake or dessert and is delivered with your hot meal.

The Meals You Want, When You Want Them! Our extensive menu has something for everyone. From traditional roasts, pies and stews to vegetarian options and more modern favourites such as chicken curry, roast duck and fillet of trout with prawns. If you have a sweet tooth there is a huge selection of desserts to tempt you. With over 15 years experience we have earned an excellent reputation not only for tasty and wholesome meals but also for the friendliness and reliability of our service. A helpful and caring driver, specially trained to provide you with dignity, respect and the very best service, will deliver your meals.

Giving You Peace of Mind With A 'Safe & Well Check' At MyChef we do more than just deliver great meals, we also provide a 'Safe & Well Check'

NO LONG-TERM Commitment or Contract

You can decide when you start and stop receiving your meals for whatever reason.

Telephone: 01253 305 200 Email: mychef@b-c-m.net

service to each and every one of our customers. Each day when your driver delivers your meals he or she will report back to the MyChef office team what time your food was delivered and that you are safe & well. With this information the MyChef office team will contact your next-of-kin or nominated person via email or text message to say that your meal has been delivered and that you are safe and well. We will also contact the appropriate person if, for whatever reason, the driver was unable to deliver your meal successfully. We can also provide you with a 'Safe and Well Check' as a stand alone service for only £2.50 per day.

It won't cost you anything to find out more about our services and we can arrange to visit you if necessary. If you would like to speak to someone now or are planning for the future, or you require information for a friend or relative, please do not hesitate to contact us.

“IF you can’t get it on BURY MARKET, you don’t need it,” as the saying goes. Bury Market, is located in the heart of the town centre next to the Millgate Shopping Centre. The Market is a shoppers’ mecca which offers a huge range of goods at great value-for-money prices. It’s a large, traditional market full of charisma, housed in a modern setting, or “a retail nirvana rich with exotic bargains, a fabled bazaar, a veritable souk of the North”, as Stuart Maconie said in his book Pies and Prejudice.

snap up the bargains. A visit really makes for a unique shopping experience and a great day out for all.

From exotic indulgences and special treats to day-today necessities, the choice and variety, all in one place, is unique in the region.

So why not join a coach trip, jump on a bus, Metrolink tram, East Lancashire Railway steam train, bicycle, or go on foot or in the car (parking is nearby, inexpensive and on one level) and make Bury Market your destination?

Bury Market has in fact been a phenomenon for more than 500 years. It has been at its current site since 1971, but the original charter to hold a weekly market dates back to 1440 when it was granted to Sir John Pilkington by King Henry VI. These days it offers no fewer than 50,000 product lines, sold at 370 stalls spread over 200,000 sq ft of well laidout space. No wonder thousands of satisfied shoppers flock here every week to soak up the atmosphere and

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With all these independent, local businesses in one handy location, visitors know they are dealing with knowledgeable traders who care about customers and understand personal service — something which can be found lacking at retail giants.

Bury Market is open for bargains galore every day, offering a protective and airy environment come rain or shine.

For more information, see www.burymarket.com or phone 0161 253 6520.

Luxury Coach holidays in Britain & Europe 2013 Here at Cosgrove's Tours we have carefully compiled a selection of holidays & short breaks to suit all ages and tastes. All our tours go direct from the Preston & Blackpool/ Poulton area and return direct.

Up Doo r to Doo r Pick g s uti n O rg a n is ed G rou p O Private Hire Ca ll fo r u p - to -d ate ex cu rs io n li st s 01772 460748 www.cosgroveafton.co.uk

592 Blackpool Road, Ashton PR2 1JA

DATE

TOUR

DAYS

PRICE

23rd Jan

London Shopper

2 Days

£99

18th Feb

Eastbourne

5 Days

£199

7th Mar

Paris / Bruges / 5* FLOATING HOTEL

5 Days

£359

15th Mar

St Malo Mini Cruise / Mont St Michel

3 Days

£99

25th Mar

Llandudno

5 Days

£295

22nd April

Oban / Scotland

5 Days

£245

10th May

Newquay / Scilly Isles

6 Days

£419

20th May

Torquay / ALL INCLUSIVE

5 Days

£299

27th May

Llandudno

5 Days

£319

6th June

Tiverton / Devon

6 Days

£425

19th June

Royal Ascot LADIES DAY

3 Days

£315

23rd June

Jersey BY AIR

8 Days

£599

Please call for our complete brochure of short breaks and holidays.

COSGROVE’S TOURS 01772 460748

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azine.pdf

Do you have the time and dedication to care? Every 22 minutes across the UK a child comes into care and needs a foster family. With at least 8’750 new foster families needed in 2012 alone, Alpha Plus facilitate the process… With more and more children needing foster placements and a chronic shortage of foster families, now is the time to care for those who need it most. There is a current shortfall of over 8,750 foster care families in the UK and Alpha Plus Fostering is looking to recruit more people from all walks of life to help to tackle this issue. Alpha Plus is an established fostering agency which has been providing carers for over 11 years. Rated as 1 30/04/2012 11:03 ‘Outstanding’ by OFSTED for the past 6 years, Alpha Plus is committed to providing high quality placements and improving the outcomes of ‘looked after children’. Natalie Beswick is the carer recruitment officer for Alpha Plus. She said: “Here at Alpha we pride ourselves on providing local children with the opportunity to be looked after in a safe, caring and stable family environment. We have an amazing team of foster carers and I just

know that there are other families in our communities just waiting to be found - families who can be part of making the difference to the lives of ‘looked after children”.

Am I suitable? Many people believe that they are not eligible to foster for various reasons, from age and marital status to sexual orientation. In fact, if you drive, have a spare room and the time and dedication to invest in a child’s life and their future then you could be just what the team at Alpha Plus is looking for.

How to get involved For further information or advice on becoming a foster carer, call Natalie on 0753 011 3170 or the recruitment line on 0808 178 4747. All Alpha Plus foster carers receive full training, which is offered up to diploma level, 24-hour support from qualified social workers, free membership to FosterTalk and generous tax free allowances of up to £460 per week.* *Subject to Status.

77983 125x190 Retired Magazine Jan 2012 Celebrating over 11 years as a fostering agency Rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted

Alpha Plus has a positive approach to foster carers of all ages. We are currently recruiting foster carers across Lancashire. We will provide: n Generous tax free allowances up to £460 per child per week* n 24/7 support n Excellent training up to Diploma level n Membership to Foster Talk *Subject to Status.

If you are interested in becoming a foster carer and you have a spare bedroom and the time to commit to a childs life and their future then please contact us on: 0808 178 4747 or visit www.alphaplusfostering.co.uk Part of NFA Partnerships Group

Animal Care has existed in various forms for over 34 years but as a registered charity since 1978. In 1987 Blea Tarn Kennels were brought and since then the many vol-unteers involved in the charity have helped improve the site so it is able to provide the best home until a forever home can be found for each and every animal. At any one time there can be up to 40 dogs/puppies, 70 cats/ kittens, 50 rabbits, rodents, ferrets and other species at the centre while permanent homes are found for them. The centre also has a brand new Wildlife Centre to look after wildlife that may need the interim care before it goes on to be released back into the wild. The charitable aims of the organisation are to help unwanted, stray and unloved animals and then to find them permanent homes with suitable owners. This in itself is becoming harder and harder as each year we have more and more abandoned and unwanted animals needing our help. At present we have 30+ dogs on either the waiting list or stuck at local dog pounds waiting to come in.

Animal Care

(Lancaster, Morecambe and District) Blea Tarn Road, Scotforth, Lancaster, LA2 ORD Telephone: 01524 65495 Fax: 01524 841819 Email: rehoming@animalcare-lancaster.co.uk www.animalcare-lancaster.co.uk Registered Charity No. 508819

What will your legacy be?

Animal Care

Christmas Fair

Leaving a gift in your Will ensures we can continue our work giving shelter to over 1,000 animals each year. We depend totally on the generosity of our supporters.

Sunday 9th December 2012 The Platform, Morecambe

11:30am to 3:30pm LOTS OF STALLS, BOOKS, CLOTHES, JEWELLERY AND HAND MADE CRAFTS ALSO REFRESHMENTS

GRAND CHRISTMAS RAFFLE TO BE DRAWN AT 3:00PM Come and find a bargain and also help your local animal rehoming centre!

ANIMAL CARE has a long history in the Lancaster & Morecambe area so by remembering us in your Will you are supporting a local charity in a lasting way. ANIMAL CARE is a small rehoming centre helping stray, unwanted and ill treated animals until caring new homes can be found for them.

Thousands of satisfied shoppers every year...

• Over 250 stalls indoor and outdoor • 80% under cover • 3 heated halls • Facilities for disabled people • Car and coach parking

NOW OPEN 4 DAYS A WEEK ALL YEAR ROUND

• Dogs allowed on lead

Plus all Bank Holiday Mondays.

TUESDAY / THURSDAY/ FRIDAY/ SATURDAY

Fleetwood Market, Victoria Street, Adelaide Street, Fleetwood FY7 6AB

Telephone: 01253 887651 www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

something for everyone ...

With over 40 shops and businesses including gift shops, traditional sweet shops, florists and jewellers, The Farmer's Market and Craft Centre, Heskin Hall Estate is a unique retail and leisure destination with something for everyone. Located in the picturesque village of Heskin, off the B5250, and just five minutes from junction 27 of the M6 close to Camelot Theme Park there is easy access for everyone. With free parking and free entry it's your perfect destination for a fabulous day out, The Two Birds licensed Tea Room provides an excellent opportunity for refreshments, offering a range of home made food, soups and daily specials, made from the finest locally sourced produce from within the centre. So why not grab a bite to eat and enjoy a special coffee or hot chocolate with brandy by the cosy wood-burner?

Opening Times Tues - Sat 10am - 5pm Sunday 10.30am - 4.30pm & Bank Holidays

FREE PARKING & ENTRY Finalist for Business Woman of the Year & Most Inspiring Business of the Year 2012 24

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Farmers Market & Craft Centre, Heskin Hall Estate, Heskin, Chorley PR7 5PA

Now Open - The Ladybird Lounge Arts & Crafts Studio with various classes available for all ages and a drop your children while you shop facility. The butcher’s shop presents a daily supply of locally-farmed meat, grass fed and reared on our own estate for true freshness. We offer the best joints and fillets, a hand -made range of traditional and a variety of sausages and burgers including the virtually fat-free Buffalo Burger a signature special plus daily prepared stir-fries and meal ideas.

Rolex, high class diamonds, plus various costume jewellery to suit all

We have a delectable deli with an excellent range of cheeses, cold meats and home cooked take home meals. You will also find a fantastic variety of locally grown fruit and vegetables at Sootys Fruit and veg, and a great florist and plant centre.

We now have:

Your shopping and leisure experience is enhanced by a full range of retailers, craft businesses, beauty therapies and the regionally renowned Hepplestone Fine Art Gallery.

Stressless Beauty salon t: 01257 450812 The Colour Room - Hair by Adele t: 01257 453542 Ladies clothing, purses, handbags and glove shops. The Loft - Gents clothing and gifts for men Hoggs of Fife Clothing Chorley’s Angels - various complementary therapies and gift shop Ollie’s Knits - beautiful hand knitted crafts t: 07970 192989

We have a limited number of units available for rent - please contact Sarah or Angela.

Local farmed fruit and vegetables Local farmed meat - water buffalo - low cholesterol, venison when available and lots of great cuts and Floor Farmers Market & Craft Centre ready prepared1st meals Heskin Deli - new deli all local products nes ay ra J & Lau Dolls s y b a othe B l C y Bab

Owners, Sarah and Angela look forward to welcoming you soon!

Blackpool M55

A59

Preston

a llip Phi raphy tog o h P

Blackburn

Burnley 6

Chorley Southport

M65

M61

it Un le ilab a v a ent for r

COME AND SEE OUR UNIQUE SHOPS AND GET GIFTS WITH A DIFFERENCE THIS CHRISTMAS.

n esig in D wellery u q Pur ade Je dm Han

are Squ g erty lothin b i L ies ies C Lad ccessor &A

he ooc & P dered s r i e o r tt Tro ue Emb Cards q Uni tures & c Pi

Wigan

Liverpool

Bolton M60

Manchester M6

M62

M60

Warrington

9 miles from Wigan

Situated only five minutes from junction 27 off the M6 and very close 12 miles from Preston to Bygone Times, Camelot, Park Hall and Heskin Hall, the Farmers Market & Craft12 Centre hold from regularSouthport events throughout the year. miles

18 miles from Bolton 24 miles from Blackburn Situated only five minutes from junction 27 off the M6 and very close to Bygone Times, Camelot, Park Hall and Heskin Hall, the Farmers Market & Craft Centre hold regular events throughout the year.

Telephone: 07599 831907 Email: info@heskinfarmersmarket.co.uk Owners, Sarah and Angela Look Forward To Welcoming 25 Various events throughout the year check our website: www.heskinfarmersmarket.co.uk www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

lies terf But cewear Dan

You Back Soon!

Th ne

PLANNING FOR

THE FUTURE Everyone should consider some basic legal planning to make sure that their families and loved ones are protected in case of future events which can affect anyone. Here we consider the “essentials” of making a Will, Lasting Power of Attorney and Gift of Property into Trust.

REASONS TO MAKE A WILL Making a Will is important, particularly when you realise that without a Will the Government will decide who will receive your money and possessions after you die. Unfortunately this can cause many difficulties for your surviving family and relatives at an already distressing time. By making a Will you can help alleviate additional pressures on your family. The myth that ‘my wife will receive everything anyway’ is not true. Your estate would be shared out in accordance with the ‘Statutory Legacy’ rules and your wife would receive the first £250,000 with the rest going into trust. This might not be enough to enable your wife to keep the matrimonial home. When it comes to ‘common law husband or wife’, there is no such thing. Only people who are legally married or have formed a civil partnership will be classed as husband, wife or civil partner and only they can enjoy the benefits of automatically inheriting part of their spouse’s estate. You would have to go to Court to claim part of the estate which will come with the usual costs and expenses. Children are another reason why it is important to make a Will. If something was to happen to you and your children were still minors or disabled, you can appoint Guardians to look after them. It is also important if you are married for a second time and have children from a previous relationship. If you were to die first and your estate was below the ‘Statutory Legacy’ your whole estate would pass to your second spouse and your children would have no absolute right to anything. If you are legally separated the ‘Statutory Legacy’ will still apply until the divorce is finalised so if you want your estate to pass to someone else then you must make a Will. 26

You should have your Will prepared by an experienced Lawyer who will make sure all the relevant points are covered especially if your Will is complicated and Tax Planning Advice may be required.

LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY Most people know they should have a Will, but have you considered what would happen if you were to become unable to manage your own affairs during your lifetime? Who would make difficult financial and personal decisions on your behalf? You can protect yourself by making a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). The LPA is a legal document in which you can appoint another person or persons as Attorney(s) to act on your behalf in relation to your financial affairs and/or personal welfare if you become unable to do so for yourself. The LPA was introduced under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and must be registered with the Court of Protection before it can be used. It is useful if you are ill or in hospital or residential care when it is difficult for you to look after your personal finances or welfare. There is one type of LPA dealing with your financial affairs i.e. managing your Bank Accounts and Investments and also selling your property if required. There is also an LPA dealing with your personal welfare i.e. issues relating to your personal care and where you should live and also giving or refusing consent to certain medical treatment. It is important to note that you can only make an LPA if you have sufficient mental capacity and this has to be confirmed by a Certificate Provider. In some cases it may be necessary to obtain a Doctor’s opinion if there is any doubt. It is also important to note that it does not take away your independence as one of the main principles of the Act is that capacity is decision specific and Attorneys should assist people to make their own decisions wherever possible. If you should lose capacity without having an LPA in place then it will be necessary for someone to apply to the Court of Protection for authority to deal with your affairs which can be a very slow and expensive process. An LPA is an important legal document which should be properly prepared and explained to you by an experienced Lawyer.

GIFT OF PROPERTY INTO TRUST Most people are concerned about the costs of long term residential care. Currently if your assets exceed £23,250 including the value of your property then you will be self funding and have to pay for the cost of your care yourself. The biggest concern for most people is that you may have to sell your property to pay for the care. However it is possible to avoid this by giving your property away during your lifetime, usually to your children. The gift however must be made in good time and not simply with the intention of avoiding future care fees otherwise it may be caught by the Local Authority’s anti-avoidance measures. You could simply make an outright gift to your children but as you will probably wish to continue to live in your property this could cause problems if you were to fall out with them or if they were to experience matrimonial problems or bankruptcy it could lead to someone else making a claim against their share of your property. Additionally, it could also cause problems for your children in owning a share of a second property and could give rise to possible Capital Gains Tax implications on the eventual sale of the property. We would therefore always recommend that a gift of property should be a gift into Trust which would protect you and your children from most of these potential difficulties. The Trust would provide for you to remain living in the property for as long as you wish on the basis that you continue to be responsible for all the outgoings as at present. The Trust can also provide for the property to be sold and a replacement property purchased for you to live in if you so wished. When you no longer live in the property for whatever reason, the trust would come to an end and the property could be sold with the proceeds divided between your children. In this way you would no longer be treated as the legal owner of the property if you were to be assessed for long-term care fees and also as you are occupying the property which is held in trust, this usually means that main residence exemption from Capital Gains Tax can be claimed although this is decided by the Revenue on a case by case basis.

Established 1937 We have been advising elderly clients and those approaching retirement for over 70 years.

For advice on: • • • • • •

Wills Lasting Powers of Attorney Deputies/Court of Protection Inheritance Tax Planning Probate/Letters of Administration Divorce, Children & Family Accidents

as well as Property Sales and Purchases; Contact one of our offices at: FLEETWOOD Mr Peter J Isaacs 32-38 North Albert Street, Fleetwood FY7 6AW Tel: 01253 873481 | Fax: 01253 772322 Email: p.j.isaacs@inghams-law.co.uk

CLEVELEYS

Mr Nick Williams

8 The Crescent, Cleveleys FY5 3LW Tel: 01253 824111 | Fax: 01253 827747 Email: nwilliams@inghams-law.co.uk

BISPHAM

Mr Richard J Statham

37 Red Bank Road, Bispham, BLACKPOOL FY2 9HX Tel: 01253 353308 | Fax: 01253 356380 Email: richard.statham@inghams-law.co.uk

BLACKPOOL

Mr Edward Statham

4-8 Leopold Grove, Blackpool FY1 4JR Tel: 01253 626642 | Fax: 01253 295590 Email: edward.statham@inghams-law.co.uk

POULTON

Mrs Helen Jackson

12 Queens Square, Poulton-le-Fylde FY6 7BN Tel: 01253 890545 | Fax: 01253 893171 Email: hjackson@inghams-law.co.uk

Obviously giving away your property is a major irrevocable decision which requires specialist legal advice.

Make sure you carry out your legal planning in good time with the benefit of specialist legal advice from a Lawyer who is experienced in such matters. www.inghams-law.co.uk

Expert legal advice in all areas of personal injury

C Turner

C Turner Solicitors is part of the nationwide Quality Solicitors group and is recognised as a leading specialist personal injury & family law firm. At the forefront of personal litigation our clients come to us from all area’s of the uk and we regularly visit them where this is necessary. Our aim is to provide expert legal advice in all areas of personal injury, particularly serious Brain injuries. We specialise and currently act for many clients in the following areas:

� Accidents at School

� Military Accidents

� Accidents at Work

� Motorcycle Accidents

� Accidents in Public Places

� Pedestrian Accidents

� Compensation for Victims

� Road Traffic Accidents

of Crimes of Violence

� Slips, Trips and Falls

� Cycle Accidents

� Spinal Injury

� Fatal Accidents

� Sports Related Injury

� Head Injuries

� Whiplash Injury

� Holiday and Travel

� Other types of Injury

Disasters

QualitySolicitors C Turner For whatever life brings... Oakfield House | 93 Preston New Road | Blackburn | Lancashire | BB2 6AY

Telephone 01254 688400 Email info@turnerlaw.co.uk Web www.qualitysolicitors.com/turnerlaw Whilst more serious injuries take time to reach settlement we will ensure that they secure the maximum compensation in the shortest possible time, to reduce the stress and worry experienced by you. We deliver exceptional levels of client service from our highly trained and experienced legal professionals. We have a strong history with 25 years experience in the personal injury marketplace and have achieved great success for many of our clients, claiming millions of pounds for them. As a means of underpinning Quality Solicitors C Turner commitment to providing a high quality service to clients the firm has achieved, the The Law Society’s practice management standard LEXCEL accreditation.

Funding your claim The first step towards making an accident compensation claim is often the scariest and hardest of all, especially if you worry about the cost of making a claim. To establish whether or not you have a claim and advice on the best way to progress the compensation claim we offer a completely free initial enquiry. Funding your claim will clearly be of major importance, and we endeavor to ensure that any cost to you, if any, is kept to a minimum. There a three main ways in which you may be able to arrange to payment of the legal costs; Legal Aid, Legal Expenses Insurance or a ‘No Win-No Fee’ agreement. Please contact us and we will discuss the best options for you.

RUSSELL GRANT: THE COMEBACK KID When Russell Grant first danced into the hearts of the viewing millions on “Strictly Come Dancing” last year his stars might well have predicted great success and a comeback of cosmic proportions. For arguably Britain’s favourite astrologer may not have won the series – well, let’s face it, his dancing was more entertainment than excellence – but the live audiences and those at home loved him. And for Russell this TV appearance provided a passport back to fame. Born in Middlesex, Russell was brought up in a council house by his set designer father Frank and secretary mother Joan who both worked at Pinewood Studios. His parents separated when he was 11 and he moved in with his maternal grandmother but, in spite of the upheaval, Russell has always said he had a happy childhood. He worked as a Butlins’ Redcoat and trained as an actor, appearing in a variety of shows. While working in Blackpool, Russell met his partner Doug Beaumont and the two have been together for almost 40 years. Although Russell first came to prominence in 1978 after he held an astrological reading for the Queen Mother which led to him being dubbed “Astrologer Royal”, his theatre, TV and film career was surprisingly comprehensive and successful.

It spanned more than 30 musicals and comedies, including work as varied as touring with “The King and I” to TV’s “On The Buses”, “Please Sir!” and “The Fenn Street Gang”. He’s been in “Tom Brown’s Schooldays” in the West End and was an effective panto dame in shows all over the country. However, TV beckoned and it was Russell’s fascination with astrology and his exuberant personality that brought him before the nation, first on Yorkshire TV and then on Granada TV where he was a regular onscreen explaining the daily horoscopes. From there he moved to breakfast TV with BBC’s “Breakfast Time” and later to TV-am as resident astrologer on “Good Morning.” A broadcasting natural and popular presenter, this role soon broadened to presenting other shows including celebrity quiz “Star Choice”. He later had his own six-episode series “Russell Grant’s All Star Show.” He worked for Channel 5 just after it was launched and directed and starred in “Russell Grant’s Postcards”, a collection of more than 100 five-minute travelogues produced by his own company Russell Grant World Productions. Russell worked solidly on a number of TV projects, with his astrology skills ever present, and he wrote a number of popular newspaper columns and horoscopes in regional newspapers throughout the country as well as in various magazines. Like many TV personalities, however, his star waned for a while. In 2006, he took part in the fourth series of “Celebrity Fit Club” and lost over three stone, but he later suffered from depression and his weight rocketed, this time to 26 stone.

INTERVIEW He became something of a recluse at the 30-acre Snowdonia estate that he shares with Doug but, being Russell Grant and a trouper, determined that the show must go on, he began losing weight – around 10 stone in two and a half years by disco dancing each day for half an hour! In 2011, an online group called “Get Russell on Strictly” finally persuaded TV executives to have him as a contestant on the show. In September last year, he burst onto our screens with his lovely professional dancing partner Flavia Cacace. Surprisingly light on his feet and with genuine rhythm, Russell sported a number of colourful and outrageous costumes and certainly won the day with viewers. In fact, they kept him in the knock-out programme until late November – in spite of much criticism from the judges, in particular the often acerbic Craig Revel Horwood. The abiding memory of Russell from the series, however, is of him being shot from a cannon as part of one particularly fun number! This great revival by the “comeback kid” caught the attention of the famous musical writer and producer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. He invited Russell to return to the West End stage – and the Palladium Theatre where he’d last performed 34 years before – and take part in a three-month stint replacing Michael Crawford as the “Wizard of Oz” in a new production. “I was worried as I was due to have an operation on my knee,” commented Russell. “I’m 61 now. At this age you know your limitations. But you also sense your mortality. So there was a two-way thing going on. I was trying to talk myself out of it, thinking ‘Can’t I just go back to Wales?’”

Fortunately, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Russell’s close friend Lulu convinced him the part was right for him, and a highly successful run followed which enhanced and revived Russell’s theatrical reputation once more. The production also brought him under the dancing wing of choreographer and dance teacher Arlene Phillips – “She even had me dancing the Charleston”, said Russell. Following his memorable appearance in the hit musical, Russell has been brought in as a guest star for a new tour of the show “Grease”, taking the role of Teen Angel at various venues including Newcastle, Llandudno, Southseas, Wimbledon, Dartford and for a one-week run in Manchester in October. He’s back working with Arlene Phillips, whom Russell insists is his “dance sister.” “Arlene brought out the very best in me working on ‘The Wizard of Oz’,” he stated. “So when she said I was right for Teen Angel and, if I took the part, she’d create the choreography, how could I resist!” The sparkly suit and no doubt mesmerising performances are bound to leave the audience hopelessly devoted to Mr Grant’s special charms again. And it’s one more dancing role which he now loves, as he explained: “Teen Angel has a Strictly twist and shimmy which captures the joy of dance I’ve been lucky enough to have discovered.”

As for the future, who knows? Russell hasn’t set himself any special showbiz boundaries and his fans are never surprised – just happy to see their favourite star once more ascending.

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You can also save 50% off Celebration Packages (RRP £279pp) at just £139pp including evening and weekend flights, 18 months to book, plus a Virgin Balloon Flights gift pack with cap, key ring, pen, pre-flight DVD, binoculars and an engraved Champagne flute.

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Terms & conditions Reader offer valid until December 15, 2012. Price is for one person including VAT at applicable rate and standard delivery and cannot be used with any other offer. Flying season is March to October. Passengers must be aged 7 or over and at least 4’6” tall. Passengers who are pregnant or have recently undergone major surgery are unable to fly. Virgin Balloon Flights reserves the right to withdraw the offers or amend these conditions at any time. Full conditions at www.virginballoonflights.co.uk/legalstuff

THE BEST PROPERTY DECISION YOU WILL MAKE Choosing the ideal retirement location can be challenging, particularly when trying to find that perfect property in an interesting location, which also offers long-term security, comfortable living and friendly neighbours. Girlings Retirement Rentals, the market leader in retirement renting, has a range of properties available to rent in Blackpool, Blundellsands and Morecambe and offers crystal clear benefits to renting a property in your retirement years. For the most part, tenancies are assured, which means you stay as long as you want and this provides great security and peace of mind. The added flexibility of renting means residents don’t have the burdens of home ownership and are free to move wherever they like, whether it’s closer to family and friends or to another part of the country. Mr and Mrs Dallaway, Girlings’ residents, comment: “The whole experience of moving, which can be very stressful, was made so easy…Within months of looking our house was sold and we were happily settled into our new apartment. We feel more secure financially having sold our house in order to rent. Girlings offered such flexibility in terms of location and encouraged us to choose an area first and then matched us with a suitable property.”

possible find peace of mind in a property ‘suitable for their needs’ in later life. The alternative to owning your own home is of course renting and for many people, this option provides flexibility as well as convenience. We offer attractive and flexible solutions that suit different peoples’ needs and budgets in retirement. We welcome the chance to discuss the choices with our existing and future customers.”

For more information please visit www.girlings.co.uk or contact the lettings team on 0800 525 184.

Girlings offer a range of new living options designed to meet the diverse needs of today’s older generation. These include: • Renting on an Assured (Lifelong) Tenancy – Girlings’ most popular option: renting with all the security of ownership without the capital outlay. • Renting on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy – available at a lower rent for a shorter period, with no commitment beyond the initial term.

“Without doubt the best property decision we have made!”

• Swift Home Sale – a new initiative to help homeowners move into their chosen retirement property if they are finding it difficult to sell their property in the current market. Whilst the credit crunch has seen a dramatic slump in house sales, savvy retirees may also consider letting out their larger, high-maintenance homes, either privately or through a social housing provider, to create an income which allows them to rent a manageable, purposebuilt, maintenance-free and energy-efficient retirement property, so they can get on and enjoy their lives. Peter Girling, Chairman of Girlings Retirement Rentals comments: “We know that deciding where and how to live in your retirement years is a big decision, which is why we are always looking at new ways to help as many people as

Discover the freedom renting in retirement can bring 55+? Did you know you can rent private retirement property on a Life Long Tenancy which gives you the right to remain living in the property for as long as you wish, with service charges and maintenance included in the rent?

0800 525 184 www.girlings.co.uk

Peace of Mind Independence Flexibility Choice

50 Plus Health