Reading & West Berkshire 50 Plus Magazine

FROM FOOT ANKLE PAIN? HELPING YOU GET BACK TO WHAT YOU LOVE BEST JULY - SEPTEMBER 2017

READING BRACKNELL WOKINGHAM MAIDENHEAD & WINDSOR EDITION 42

Windsor Foot & Ankle Clinic is located at BMI The Princess Margaret Hospital

Tom Jones THE FAMOUS VOICE FROM THE VALLEYS!

James Martin's FRENCH ADVENTURE AS SEEN ON ITV

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TENNIS INJURIES - Cause, Prevention and Treatment Mr Richard Sinnerton, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, specialising in upper limb problems at BMI The Princess Margaret Hospital.

Professional tennis has never been more exciting for Britain with the success of Andy Murray at Wimbledon and the Olympics and GB winning the Davis cup. With this in mind, it’s surprising that associations such as the LTA are reporting that the number of the people playing tennis is in steep decline. But for those of you who do play, it’s important to know how you can minimise the risk of injury and enjoy the benefits for as long as possible, and where you should go if you do require treatment.

Playing any sport can carry risks, but the benefits of exercise far outweigh the risks in the promotion of general health and prevention of disease. Tennis injuries can have a dramatic effect on your ability to play, especially for those playing professionally, with each of the top ten male players having missed a tournament through a musculoskeletal injury in the last year alone. These injuries can also affect those playing in the lower ranks. They can be acute, i.e. twisting an ankle or knee, but most problems start gradually and become more troublesome over time. Often these types of injuries don’t settle, even with a period of rest. Injuries can occur if you have increased how often, or long, you play tennis or if you have been trying to out-hit a younger, stronger opponent for example. The symptoms

may not be bad enough to stop you playing, but continuing with any pain is not recommended. Any injury affecting your mobility on the court, or your ability to hit the ball, should be taken seriously and advice should be sought from a physiotherapist.

Get a sports physiotherapist to give you a full check-up. In most cases, this treatment will be all that is needed, but you should work with your physio to find out why your injury happened and look at ways of preventing recurrence.

Specialists in tennis injuries will assess your ‘tennis-swing’ and how your body is aligned during this. It could be that your flexibility, agility and core strength, both in the abdomen/back and particularly in the shoulder, forearm or wrist, needs to be improved. Specialist exercises can be effective in linking all elements of the tennis-swing, from your ankle up to your wrist and can help in working out where you require treatment. If your symptoms recur then it could be time to see an orthopaedic surgeon. If you are experiencing pain in a certain area, i.e. the hand or wrist, seeing a specialist hand therapist may also be advisable. It is possible you will need a scan, a steroid injection or, in some cases where there is structural

damage, for example a torn cartilage in the knee or tendinitis in the shoulder, you may need an operation.

I see increasing cases of shoulder pain as a result of coaches making big changes to a player’s game, in particular their serve. If you do want to make radical changes then I would recommend spending a few months working on shoulder core exercises, using your previous technique until you have mastered the control, movement and strength in the muscles supporting the shoulder blade and the deep muscles supporting the shoulder joint itself - the rotator cuff. This is called a ‘Score Programme’ (shoulder core) and if you want to improve your game I would recommend undergoing a similar scheme before you make any changes.

As with any sport you should use the right equipment; shoes designed for the surface you are playing on and a racquet of the right weight, grip size and string tension for you. Finally, ensure you always warm up before you start.

The one injury I very rarely see in tennis players? Tennis elbow!

For more information, please call 0800 533 5087

Serious about health.

Passionate about care.

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ORTHOPAEDICS

WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET BACK TO WHAT YOU LOVE BEST? Are you or your loved one suffering with a sporting injury, joint or back pain? Or do you just need some help to get back to fitness?

You don’t have to wait in pain. At BMI The Princess Margaret Hospital we offer fast access to diagnosis and treatment. With rapid on site investigation, experienced physiotherapists and specialist orthopaedic consultants we are here to help get you active again.

We work with all major insurance companies and have fixed price packages for patients wishing to pay for their own treatment.

To find out more call 0800 533 5087

Serious about health.

Passionate about care.

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Twittering on With Angela Kelly Celebrities?

Get them out of here!

goes with it – even if they were only in Emmerdale for three episodes.

Reality TV show “stars” – that’s just ordinary people who are basically show-offs – are now celebrities and have joined the acclaimed bunch we are supposed to look up to and copy.

The sad thing, of course, is that many younger people in particular do look up to these people, they do emulate them, wear what they wear, act as they act.

Don’t you find the word “celebrity” extremely over-used these days?

When I was younger, I’m sure that celebrity really meant something. It was someone with Sir or Lady in front of their name, a war hero like Douglas Bader or General Montgomery or an American film star who was so far away from our reality as to be living on another planet.

I really think we need to re-think our values on what we classify as a “celebrity” because we have definitely devalued the coinage. Personally, I don’t want to either look like or have the lifestyle of Kim Kardashian or even have the online followers of the so-called “social influencers” who also now qualify as celebrities.

People who appeared on TV were “entertainers”. Quite a different category. They were famous for being funny or being fine actors or for being an important presenter.

Sports people were famous for what they did and we admired them for it. If they got a honour as a result, that just added to their fame and our admiration. I don’t remember hearing the word “celebrity” much at all.

And if we simply reject that standard, the genuine celebrities – the really worthwhile people who have earned their fame in some amazing way – will start to surface and make that category great again.

Fast-forward to 2017 and you can’t move for so-called celebrities. Every actor or actress in a TV soap qualifies for the name and the natural respect that

Ask the expert not the internet We Brits apparently live in fear of the doctor’s waiting room or the dentist’s chair.

Nothing too surprising about that, I suppose, except that new research shows that we are definitely a fearful nation when it comes to our health and wellbeing.

For example, almost a quarter of Brits questioned feared the doctor’s waiting room and 34% confessed to a fear of the dentist’s chair. Perhaps the most unlikely statistic is that 17% admitted that visiting the optician’s made them nervous.

inside TRAVEL...

jennie bond visits south africa PAGES 6-7

TOM JONES NEW TOUR PAGES 8-9

BRINGING THE OUTSIDE IN...

TIME TO APPRECIATE THE GREAT OUTDOORS PAGES 12-16

JAMES MARTIN'S FRENCH ADVENTURE PAGES 20-22

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TWITTER The top fear-prompter was discovery of a previously unknown health problem; 69% felt frightened about that. Maybe that, along with 22% having had a previous bad experience, explains the statistic that 79% hesitate to seek medical advice.

The daft thing is that we know that seeing an expert makes sense. We know that we should go to the doctor, dentist or optician if there’s a niggling health worry yet we prolong the agony by ignoring it.

I’m always shocked, for example, by the number of women who miss their mammogram appointment when it’s just a simple procedure and it can pick up rogue cells so early. I know it’s not something you’d ever do for fun but it’s quick, uncomfortable rather than painful, and it can be a life-saver.

It would be interesting to see how we compare in this area with other countries. Are the French as frightened of the dentist? Do Germans hate eye-tests? How many Italians refuse to see a doctor when they have symptoms?

It’s probably just human nature to believe that if we don’t know the worst then it won’t happen. The crazy part of this is that, quite often, there’s nothing wrong and we’ve just been worrying needlessly.

Me? I always look up my ailments on the internet first and think about the doctor later. Well, you can’t be too careful with suspected dengue fever, can you?

Hands off old TV favourites I don’t mind re-makes of films but I’ve started to get very shirty about the re-creating of some of my favourite TV shows.

There is no way that modern producers should touch Dad’s Army or Porridge and yet they insist on fiddling with the format, bringing in a new cast and generally updating them.

No-one can ever play Captain Mainwaring like Arthur Lowe, in spite of actor Toby Jones having a good stab at it in the new film. Nor can anyone ever play Fletch in Porridge like Ronnie Barker. They set the tone, create the right humour – they are the programme.

The old American saying “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” definitely applies here. Hands off – just keep the re-runs going!

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50 Plus Travel

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Jennie Bond visits South Africa with African Sky Former BBC Royal Correspondent, Jennie Bond visits South Africa with African Sky. Standing on Olifants Bay, a remote beach on the south west tip of the African continent, we were thrilled to see two ostriches strut by, just a few yards away. I’d spent most of the day telling my husband, Jim, how these huge birds run wild on the Cape, but was beginning to doubt my own word.

And it was one of so many fabulous sights during our stay on the Cape.

The first was actually our hotel. It’s called The Last Word -- there are three of them in the Western Cape-- and they really are the definition of a luxury boutique hotel.

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We started on Long Beach (the name says it all) and our suite was magnificent. There was a real wow factor as we walked in and saw the huge glass doors folded back so that you look straight out onto the blue ocean and feel you are practically on the sandy beach.

On the other side of the bay, the dramatic Chapman’s Peak and its surrounding mountains look soft in the sea haze created from the cold Atlantic waters meeting the hot African sun.

Every evening, as we watched the sun go down, glass in hand, we were treated to a royal fly-past by parades of squawking Sacred Ibis.

Jim had never been to this part of the world before, and the last time I was here was with the Queen in 1995 when I was reporting for the BBC. But the years had blurred my memory of the sheer beauty and vastness of

TRAVEL South Africa. We marvelled at the landscapes as we drove around the Cape in our hired 4x4. The mountain passes, across Chapman’s Peak for example, are breath-taking. And the constant possibility of a baboon crossing your path.....as they did from time to time... was an added thrill.

After three blissful days at Long Beach, we headed to the wine country in the Franschhoek Valley. And suddenly it was Autumn in April. Not that the sun was any less searing, but the beautiful burnished colours of the vineyards and trees gave away the true season. And the mountains all around us made us feel we were in a Wild West movie.

Guarded by our ranger, Chris, rifle in hand, we were able to approach the cheetah on foot and get so close we could almost smell her.

We had just one last treat in store: a brief visit to the third The Last Word, this one in Constantia. It was, once again, the last word in luxury, carefully perfected by our softly spoken host, Tess, who exuded the same tranquillity as our surroundings.

Jennie travelled with African Sky. For more details, www.africaskysafari.com or call 01342 886404.

We were spoiled for choice when it came to wine tasting; vineyards tempt you every few hundred yards as you approach Franschhoek.

When we arrived at The Last Word at Franschhoek, it felt like home.

The same soft decor welcomed us into a spacious suite. And it proved to be equally indulgent. When we arrived back after a delicious dinner at Le Quartier Francais, our suite was romantically illuminated by candles, there was champagne on ice awaiting us, along with two tiny teacups of exquisite creme brûlée.

The final part of our trip was a real adventure. A three hour road trip took us to Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in the Little Karoo region.

This is a semi-desert reserve, the size of Singapore, where the big five roam free, but are not always easy to spot. We loved the thrill of the chase, bouncing over the rough terrain in our ranger’s big, open-sided truck. The game drives can take more than three hours and there are always wonderful surprises: a giraffe wandering along a track; a pale chanting goshawk perched on a post or the huge paw print of a white lion in the sand.

On our second evening drive we had a bonanza: rhinos and elephants foraging in a thicket, giraffes taking a sunset stroll and --best of all -- a female cheetah enjoying her Springbok kill.

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Tom Jones

The Famous Voice From The Valleys IT’S not unusual for singer Tom Jones to attract almost as much female attention in 2017 as he did when he first burst onto the British music scene in 1964.

The famous Voice from the Valleys, even at 76 and a grandfather, is still seen as the same Sex Bomb he ever was before, during and after his hit record of that name.

He may have built his reputation on belting out iconic hits of the past five or six decades with his powerful, raspy baritone but he long ago left behind the clinging leather trousers, shirt split to the waist to reveal his hairy chest and gleaming medallion.

Today, give or take the odd glint in the eye, he could be any well-preserved former bank manager or city gent – until he either speaks with that Welsh lilt in the background or, better, lets rip with a moving ballad that still has the power to shake the emotions.

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His singing career has been an important part of the British history of pop and he is still making the headlines, both as an entertainer and these days as a coach in BBC TV’s popular talent show The Voice. Even away from music, he can’t help the media taking note of everything he does, because the public still has a warm appetite for Tom Jones.

It’s a safe bet none of what came later could have been guessed by Thomas Jones Woodward as he grew up in the small mining town of Pontypridd in South Wales.

Like many Welshmen, he began singing at an early age in church and in the school choir. He left school at 16 and was married and having a son a year later. He brought in money for his family from an assortment of jobs including singing in pubs at night.

In 1963, he was singing with his own group in working men’s clubs when Gordon Mills, a performer who had branched out into songwriting and management, saw him perform. He became his manager, re-named him Tom Jones and got him a record contract.

His first record Chills and Fever failed to make an impression, but his second, It’s Not Unusual written by Gordon Mills, was a sensation – on both sides of the Atlantic.

The sexy singer with the swivelling hips and handsome looks could really sing – anything from pop and rock to R & B, show tunes, soul and gospel music. He followed up his first hit with a string of others and began a hugely successful career, selling more than 100 million records with 36 Top 40 hits in the UK and 19 in the United States.

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW Songs like What’s New Pussycat, Delilah, Green, Green Grass of Home, She’s a Lady and Kiss were what the public wanted to hear. Fans not only bought his records but flocked to his shows and mobbed him on a regular basis.

He won a Grammy as Best New Artist in 1965 but didn’t win a Brit Award until he took the title of Best Male Artist in 2000, then after a music career of more than 30 years.

He was always appreciated by his fans, however, and added many thousands more when, in 1967, he performed in Las Vegas for the first time. This began a relationship with America’s entertainment capital – and with the States itself which he later made his home - that has spanned the decades and brought him into contact with some of the most legendary names in showbiz.

continue singing to getting him through this dark time.

This Summer, he’s on the road again pleasing new audiences, this time on a Forest Tour of open-air venues which include Cartmel Racecourse in Cumbria, Delamere Forest in Cheshire and Cannock Chase Forest in Staffordshire.

His voice is as strong as ever and his shows are bound to not only impress with new songs but cover some of his best-known hits.

There’s no doubt his many established fans, plus the new ones who have come to appreciate Jones the Voice more recently, will turn up to enjoy the feelgood music and shared love of entertaining that Tom Jones always offers.

But then, that’s not unusual, either.

It was here Tom first met his own idol, Elvis Presley, and they became good friends right up until Elvis’s death in 1977.

Tom also had an internationally successful TV variety show entitled This is Tom Jones which reportedly earned him millions during the three years it ran. At the same time, he toured regularly – a major attraction with his hit records dominating the charts.

Over the years, he has changed his musical style as markedly as he has changed his sartorial trademark, in the last decade or so venturing again into gospel music. He has also recorded with various famous names including his good friend Robbie Williams.

Tom was awarded the OBE in 1999 and in 2006 was knighted by the Queen for his services to music. After receiving the knighthood, he stated: “It is fantastic. It was lovely to see the Queen again. I love seeing the Queen and I have always been a royalist.

“She has got a great smile and her whole face lights up when she smiles. I told her I have been in showbusiness 41 years successfully and she said to me that I had given a lot of people a lot of pleasure.”

“I come from a coal-mining, working-class background. My father was a coalminer. Today is just tremendous.”

While his reputation and undoubted talent have endured, his public profile was given a boost in 2012 when he became a coach on The Voice with will.i.am, Jessie J and Danny O’Donoghue. He mentored the first winner and impressed everyone with his down-to-earth humour and self-deprecating approach. He returned to later series, apart from one season, and established himself there as a knowledgeable and much-loved real celebrity.

When his wife Linda died last year after a short battle against cancer, Tom attributed his determination to

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HEALTH control blood sugar balance.” As well as, say, walking every day, light gardening or a visit to a gym.

If you have had hip, back or knee surgery, always follow your postoperative rehabilitation plan provided by your physiotherapist.

Going along to a sports centre for regular sessions or to a gym can also easily become an enjoyable social outing where you meet other like-minded people. Having a chat with someone else as you try out the gym’s rowing machine or bike is another positive side-effect of exercise, and there are always experts on hand to ensure you exercise correctly and for your fitness level.

Health and Fitness over 50 FITNESS and being over 50 may not always go together as we monitor the changes in our bodies as we get older and wonder where on earth all that natural movement went.

But, we can improve our fitness and move into a healthier phase of our lives by taking up some form of exercise – without pulling muscles or getting a strained back!

Activity levels after the age of 50 can improve life expectancy and increase the number of years spent disease and disability free.

Being active can help protect against heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some cancers, arthritis and osteoporosis. It can help you to maintain a good appetite, keep you mobile, help with joint stiffness and pain associated with arthritis, reduce the risk of falling and fracturing bones by strengthening muscles and can improve your mood and sense of well-being.

Exercise doesn’t have to be hard to achieve or expensive. Any cardiovascular activity – that’s one that gets you at least slightly out of breath – will help to keep your heart, lungs and blood vessels healthy.

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This could be brisk walking, perhaps taking the dog out for a walk, swimming, gardening, golf (no cart!), tennis, aerobics including water aerobics, cycling, dancing, yoga or pilates. It can even be washing the car, or mopping and vacuuming rooms at home.

Try to do these types of activity at least twice a week, and incorporate them into your regular routine. But what if you’ve had surgery or have an ongoing health problem?

If you have not exercised for a long time then you should approach it sensibly and cautiously, first asking a GP or health professional to give you the once-over and check you are fit and healthy with no underlying problems.

Undertaking exercise is probably the best decision you have made because it holds the answer to many of the all-toocommon health risks today. Improving your aerobic fitness will give you more energy, improving your circulatory system, relieving stress and improving sleep.

Exercise will also help to reduce high cholesterol, lower blood pressure and

Why exercise is so beneficial for everyone over 50: • Exercise helps older adults maintain or lose weight. As metabolism naturally slows with age, maintaining a healthy weight is a challenge. Exercise helps increase metabolism and builds muscle mass, helping to burn more calories.

When your body reaches a healthy weight, your overall wellness will improve.

• Exercise reduces the impact of illness and chronic disease. Among the many benefits of exercise for adults over 50 include improved immune function, better heart health and blood pressure, better bone density, and better digestive functioning. People who exercise also have a lowered risk of several chronic conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, osteoporosis, and colon cancer.

• Exercise enhances mobility, flexibility, and balance in older adults. Exercise improves your strength, flexibility and posture, which in turn will help with balance, coordination, and reducing the risk of falls. Strength training also helps ease the symptoms of chronic conditions such as arthritis.

• Exercise improves your sleep. Poor sleep is not an inevitable consequence of aging and quality sleep is important for your overall health. Exercise often improves sleep, helping you fall asleep more quickly and sleep more deeply.

• Exercise boosts mood and self-confidence. Endorphins produced by exercise can actually help you feel better and reduce feelings of sadness or depression. Being active and feeling strong naturally helps you feel more self-confident and sure of yourself.

• Exercise is good for the brain. Exercise benefits regular brain functions and can help keep the brain active, which can prevent memory loss, cognitive decline, and dementia. Exercise may even help slow the progression of brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Fit for life is a multi-activity programme which takes place at Bracknell Leisure Centre and offers a wide variety of fun sports and exercise sessions. These sessions are the perfect way to meet new people and socialise as well as to get fit and keep active.

Fit for Life “My instructor asked how flexible I was... I said I can’t make Tuesday or Thursday”

It’s no wonder they call this over 50’s programme “Fit for Life”, some customers have been going every week since 1974! Many also manage to squeeze in a coffee and a cake between activities (but don’t tell the fitness instructors that!).

Fit for Life sessions run Monday – Friday throughout the year (except bank holidays) with a range of activities on each day (timetable below), all for one great low price.

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Badminton Forest Spa Keep Fit Raquetball Short Mat Bowls

Price Adult Over 64’s

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Zumba/Dance Squash Swimming Table Tennis Yoga

Member £4.60 £3.20

Non-Member £6.70 £4.70

Various activities each day.

Price entitles you to participate in as many activities as you wish on the same day.

Bracknell Leisure Centre Bagshot Road, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 9SE Tel: 01344

454203

Email: blc.enquiries@bracknell-forest.gov.uk www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/bracknellleisurecentre

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HOME & GARDEN correctly to the recommended cutting height, re-using grass clippings in “grasscycling” that returns needed nutrients to the soil.

And if you don’t want to maintain a lawn and want a pristine one all the time, consider investing in an ARTIFICIAL LAWN. This technology has come on in tremendously and they can be made to fit any sized garden and look remarkably natural - they’re also pet-proof and childproof!

PATHS can create the illusion of space and small areas of greater interest. A winding path creates a more fluid design than a straight one; use materials that complement those used on the house for a toning, overall look that’s always smart.

Bringing The Outside Inside THIS is definitely the time of year that we throw off all our Winter worries and time spent indoors and start to appreciate the Great Outdoors that starts at our own back-door.

Let’s start with that LAWN if you’ve got one, or want one. Improve the one you’ve already got by aerating it, punching holes throughout to help give your grass a proper medium to grown in.

We Brits do love our gardens – be they undulating acres of greenery or a small back garden with room for a few pots and a sunbed. And as soon as the temperatures start to rise even a little, we throw open our doors and windows and get plenty of good fresh air into our lungs.

Water it deeply and less often, use natural lawn fertilizer and cut your grass

Now that more and more of us are investing in our homes to spend sparetime there relaxing, we are also investing more time and money in our gardens.

Everyone has their own definition of the Perfect Garden – be it minimalist with gravel paths, large pots and the occasional seated area to lush lawns with borders with flowers and shrubs bursting into life.

Certainly, this is the time to make the most of the garden you have to achieve just what you want from it – budget willing.

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Most people love sitting out in their garden so take a look at your PATIO and see if it provides a sun-trap. If it doesn’t, think about creating another elsewhere in your garden. Make your own decked area but don’t forget to treat it with stain and preserve products to protect it from sunlight, water damage and mould.

Use POTS and PLANTERS to make this area in particular somewhere really pleasant to spend time. Aim for a colour theme and use several shades of this one colour for a pleasing effect. Add large shrubs to pots to screen off areas, here and throughout your garden.

If you’re looking to “bring the outside in”, A CONSERVATORY may be your dream choice for giving you more space and offering a vista of light. It’s always a

good idea to look around at other homes first and perhaps go on recommendation when to find just the right supplier and installer.

One of the fundamental requirements and first requests made by people contemplating a conservatory or glazed garden room is that they wish to us it THROUGH THE YEAR, not solely a glazed room for grey Summer days.

Those familiar with well designed glazed sun rooms, may suggest they are not really suitable for that purpose.

However, the many thousands of people who have such buildings and find them to be by far their most popular and well used room, thoroughly wish to disagree!

Many enjoyable evenings are spent well into the early hours, comfortably enjoying the unique opportunity of dining and being entertained in a conservatory. The temperature outside was well below freezing and often snow on the ground.

Heating was of course required - but not much more than will be required within your home if the conservatory is designed and constructed to a suitably high specification.

If you’re pushed for space, and have considered moving to a larger home, think again. For a fraction of the cost of moving, you could install a conservatory. You’ve acquired a new room, full of light. A fabulous place to have your morning coffee and enjoy views into the garden. You can also reflect on the cheering thought that you’ve added around 15% to the value of your house.

FRENCH WINDOWS are a popular choice these days to modernise any room and add light and space to your home.

Many people are ditching old back-doors in favour of this modern addition to living that allows you easy access to the garden. There are all kinds of styles in durable materials that require minimum maintenance so it’s worth going to more than one company to compare styles, work and prices.

There is nothing more relaxing than the sound of water, is there? So it’s definitely worthwhile considering a WATER FEATURE, POND or FOUNTAIN. Even quite a modest budget means you can install a pond yourself with a pump and suitable plants, with fish, for a reasonable amount.

Of course, if you’re thinking bigger, there’s nothing quite like your own SWIMMING POOL in the garden to enhance your lifestyle – and make the neighbours green with envy.

Site it in the open air with its own cover for poorer weather or during the Winter, or give it its handsome, purpose-built home. It’s guaranteed to be a hit with the younger members of the family and offers readymade exercise and good health for all ages. Go to the British Swimming Pool Federation’s website on www.bspf.org.uk for useful help.

You might prefer a HOT TUB – still very popular as a way of relaxing outdoors with many people - and the beauty of a tub is that you can use it all year round. Visit the British and Irish Spa Hot Tub Association (BISHTA) at www.bishta.co.uk to get advice and ideas and to download a homeowners’ handbook.

Don’t forget to add a BARBECUE area to your garden if you want to spend quality time out there. If you prefer a mobile barbecue there are plenty to choose from, even brazier-type barbecues that heat the area, too.

In fact, as this is the British Summer that we’re talking about, treating yourself to some effective PATIO HEATERS could turn out to be the very best buy of all!

Or, installing BIFOLD DOORS can also be really worthwhile, especially if you’ve got a small kitchen you want to open up or if you love being close to your garden. They immediately bring so much light into your kitchen or dining area, they can be bespoke to suit your needs and create brilliant entertaining areas. And allowing everyone – especially children and pets – to wander in and out easily really makes for an easygoing lifestyle while genuinely appreciating your garden more, too.

PERGOLAS, GAZEBOS and ARBOURS come in all shapes and sizes to suit your individual garden and offer an often unusual attraction. They also give places to sit and enjoy the outdoors and the fruits of your labour!

GARDEN STUDIOS are particularly popular now as an extra room, an office or a playroom or gym. Prices are more competitive these days and there are more styles than ever.

Work out what fits into your garden space and available budget – they can be very basic or quite luxurious but they all offer a lovely feeling of being nearer to Nature.

Installing a garden studio gives you that extra room, without the big cost of an extension.

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Are you seeking Pension Advice Contemplating life in retirement may be a near or distant prospect. Either way, the need to plan for retirement is a reality for everybody, whatever their age, background or occupation.

Pension Wise is government's free and impartial guidance service designed to help you understand the choices you can make with your pension savings.

Pension Wise advisors meet with people to discuss their options for retirement and what they can do to make the most of their defined contribution (These are sometimes known as ‘money purchase’ pensions.

They can be personal pensions arranged by you or workplace pensions arranged by your employer) pension.

Donna Reid has worked for the service for nearly two years. Here are Donna’s four top tips on how to be Pension Wise:

1. Get to know your pension

Most people start to think about their pension when they get a letter from their pension provider six months before they’re due to retire. However Pension Wise is for here for anyone aged 50 and over, wanting to discover and understand the choices they could make five or ten years down the line.

My role is to help you understand what pensions are, what your options are, if there could be any taxes and charges as well as the importance of scams and knowing what to look out for. Pension Wise is a very useful first step in the retirement journey.

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Donna Reid Pension Wise Advisor

2. Friendly, impartial guidance: worth its weight in gold

I’ve always been in a customer-facing role as I enjoy meeting people, I want to learn about you and what you want to do with your savings so that I can do as much as possible to help you get there. If we can, Pension Wise guiders will do everything possible to explain an issue for somebody. But if it’s something much more complex we will help with a bit of guidance on what questions you may want to ask an approved financial adviser – don’t worry, we’ll point you to the Financial Conduct Authority who can help find you a trusted person to speak to.

It’s important to know that we will never tell you what to do or even recommend a particular product, but an appointment with me is free – that’s terrific value instantly! Our impartial service is staffed by experts who want to help you. But I also want to educate and help you understand that there could be taxes and charges to pay,

and that there are scammers out there trying to get hold of honest people’s savings.

3. Don’t be intimidated by the jargon

People are living longer and longer these days, so we want to help you as much as we can to make the best decisions for you – if you retire at 65 you’re likely to be living to your 90’s so making the right choice with your pension pot is absolutely key.

It’s really important to have something like Pension Wise around as lots of people are put off seeking financial advice, they can feel intimidated and embarrassed by how much they don’t know about pensions and that they feel they should.

4. Understand your options The first thing everyone asks me, inevitably, is “What can I do with my money?”

Despite being one of the most asked questions it’s also the one that provides the most varied response. No two situations are the same - some of you may even be able to take your pension earlier than others. But what does remain the same is that you will all have six options, these are:

· Leave your pension pot untouched - You don’t have to start taking money from your pension pot when you reach your ‘selected retirement age’. You can leave your money invested in your pot until you need it.

· Buy a guaranteed income for life (annuity) - You use your pot to buy an insurance policy that guarantees you an income for the rest of your life, no matter how long you live.

· Take an income from your pension pot that’s adjustable - Your pot is invested to give you a regular income.

You decide how much to take out and when, and how long you want it to last.

· Take your cash in chunks as and when you need it - You can take smaller sums of money from your pot until you run out. Your 25% tax-free amount isn’t paid in one lump sum, you get it over time.

· Cash the whole pot in - You can cash in your entire pot, the first 25% is tax free, the rest is taxable.

· A mixture of all the options above

You can book a free appointment with Pension Wise by calling 0800 138 3944 or visiting www.pensionwise.gov.uk

Would you help make a difference?

Our life expectancy has increased. It’s official. Research has shown that the average man of sixty-five today can expect to live to at least eighty-one, and a woman can expect to live beyond 84. Further research has shown that more than any other factor, the level of activity people maintain during their retirement is a key factor in their happiness and continuing good health during their retirement years.

Of course it’s good to take a special holiday on retirement, and because we have better health for longer, today’s retirees can enjoy their newfound leisure to the full. And of course it’s wonderful to be able to pursue your own special hobbies and interests, but looking beyond that, what about all those skills you developed during your working years. The teachers, the doctors, the cooks, the nurses, the plumbers and electricians. Will all that expertise now be put on the back burner, or can you continue to use them in a voluntary capacity, and help the broader community in the process.

Offering flexibility in volunteering is an important factor at Thames Hospice “we recognise that many retirees have busy lives so we try to offer opportunities to fit around their commitments so they can offer their expertise at a time that

suits them” explains Jennifer Bird, Head of Volunteering at Thames Hospice.

Everyone has something to offer as a volunteer, with a valuable contribution to make. From a retired person helping in a charity shop, an ex teacher sitting on the school’s governing body; a former nurse helping at a hospice; a former cook taking an active role in the local hospital’s snack bar, where relatives of patients take a break and much needed refreshment, and somebody, who maintains they has no skills whatever, walking the dog for an elderly neighbour. One single factor binds these people together. The feeling that life has been good to them, and they need to put something back.

Thinking of volunteering?

Volunteers are vital to the success of Thames Hospice and without their commitment, we would not be able to support as many local people as we do.

We have a fantastic team of volunteers of all ages, backgrounds and experiences and we would love you to join us.

A wide variety of roles are available in the Hospice in Windsor, in our shops across the Thames Valley and in the communities we serve.

Visit www.thameshospice.org.uk/volunteer Email volunteers@thameshospice.org.uk Call 01753 848940

Or drop into your local shop and sign up for a taster session.

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of another person. Anyone aged over two years can be eligible under this condition, including people over 65.

Who is eligible for a blue badge?

If you are disabled, you may be able to park in restricted areas under the blue badge scheme. The scheme is for drivers and passengers.

Pension Tracing Service tops one million searches as people claim forgotten savings

New figures show that the Government’s Pensions Tracing Service has now been used more than a million times, - helping people across the country track down their lost or forgotten pension pots.

Launched by the Department for Work and Pensions in May 2016, the Pensions Tracing Service is a free and comprehensive online database listing more than 320,000 pension scheme administrators.

It’s simple to use – just type in the name of your former employers, and you’ll automatically see the contact details for any listed workplace pension schemes you may have paid into.

When the service was launched, experts estimated unclaimed UK pension savings were worth £400 million. With people having 11 jobs on average over the course of their working lives, it’s easy to lose track.

For help on tracking down lost pension pots, contact the Pension Tracing Service today by visiting https://www. gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details for a simple, step-by-step process or calling 0345 6002 537, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (+44 (0)191 215 4491 from outside the UK; 0345 3000 169 by textphone).

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• you are applying on behalf of a child under three with a medical condition that requires them to be close to a vehicle for emergency medical treatment or transporting bulky medical equipment.

If you have any queries about whether you’re eligible for a blue badge, you can contact the national blue badge helpline on 0844 463 0215.

Who can get a blue badge?

How are you assessed?

Some people can get a blue badge automatically. This is called being eligible without further assessment. You fit into this group if one or more of the following applies to you:

If you are eligible subject to further assessment, your local authority will look at the evidence of your disability to decide whether you can have a blue badge.

• you are registered as blind/severely sight impaired

You may need to have an independent mobility assessment. If you have applied for or held a blue badge previously, your GP may have carried this out. Assessments may now be carried out by an independent mobility assessor. This is usually a medical professional such as an occupational therapist or physiotherapist, who has never treated you before.

• you receive the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement • you receive the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) • you receive the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and you scored at least 8 points in relation to the ‘moving around’ activity in the PIP assessment, or least 12 points in the mobility activity for planning and following journeys • you have been awarded a lump sum benefit from the Armed Forces Compensation scheme (tariffs 1 to 8).

You have also been certified as having a permanent and substantial disability which means you can’t walk or find walking very difficult • you receive a government grant towards your own vehicle.

If you were on higher rate mobility component of DLA, but you had to claim PIP instead and didn’t get enough points to be eligible for a blue badge, you can continue to use your badge until it expires.

If none of these apply to you, you may still be eligible. This is called being eligible subject to further assessment, and will apply to you if you meet one of these criteria: • you have a permanent or substantial disability which means you can’t walk or find walking very difficult • you are a driver and have severe upper limb disabilities • as a result of a mental disorder you are unable to follow the route of a familiar journey without the assistance

If your local authority wants you to have a mobility assessment, it will refer you to the assessor. You will not be charged for the assessment.

You may not be required to undergo an assessment if your council says it is very obvious that you are eligible or ineligible.

Blue Badge (disabled parking permits) Fraud: Disabled Parking Permits or Blue Badges are issued by your Local Authority to persons with a genuine need to access facilities and park within easy reach of these. However there are some people who are prepared to misuse or fraudulently acquire these badges.

The Investigation Team are committed to fighting fraudulent activity but need your help to do so!

If you suspect someone of committing Blue Badge fraud please contact us in confidence.

CALL 0118 937 2143 Email antifraud@reading.gov.uk Report via web pages http://www.reading.gov.uk/ internalaudit

BLOW THE HOUSING WHISTLE ON CHEATS

HOUSING BLOW THE

NRP REFEREE-RBC-A42.pdf 1 10/05/2012 13:28

CHEATS WHISTLE ON HOUSING CHEATS When somebody with a council or housing association home rents it out

without permission or obtains a home through providing false information, they

When somebody with a council or not fair. housing association home rents it out If you suspect someone of unlawfully sub-letting without permission or obtains a home call us on 0500 500 777 or through providing false information, report online www.reading.gov.uk/fraud Your report will be treated in the strictest confidence and can be given anonymously. they are guilty of housing fraud. They are using up valuable housing spaces and depriving families and vulnerable people on the waiting list. It’s not fair. are guilty of housing fraud. They are using up valuable housing spaces and

© CROWN COPYRIGHT 2009. Copyright in the content, design and typographical arrangement rests with the Crown.

© CROWN COPYRIGHT 2009. Copyright in the content, design and typographical arrangement rests with the Crown.

WHISTLE ON

depriving families and vulnerable people on the waiting list. It’s

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When somebody with a council or housing association home rents it out

without permission or obtains a home through providing false information, they are guilty of housing fraud. They are using up valuable housing spaces and depriving families and vulnerable people on the waiting list. It’s

not fair.

If you suspect someone of unlawfully sub-letting

0500 500 777 or report online www.reading.gov.uk/fraud call us on

Your report will be treated in the strictest confidence and can be given anonymously.

If you suspect someone of unlawfully sub-letting call us

When somebody with a council or housing association home rents it out

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Your report will be treated in the confidence andlist.can befair. given depriving strictest families and vulnerable people on the waiting It’s not anonymously.

If you suspect someone of unlawfully sub-letting without permission or obtains a home through providing false information, they are guilty of housing fraud. They are using up valuable housing spaces and

call us on

0500 500 777 or www.reading.gov.uk/fraud

report online

Your report will be treated in the strictest confidence and can be given anonymously.

We are committed to fighting fraudulent activity The Blue Badge (Disabled Parking) Scheme currently has around 2.5m badges issued Nationally, to eligible applicants.

Blue Badge fraud is estimated to cost the UK £46 million per year!

The Investigation Team are committed to fighting fraudulent activity but need your help to do so!

If you suspect someone of committing Blue Badge fraud please call us in confidence.

CALL: 0118 937 2143 Email: antifraud@reading.gov.uk Report via web pages: http://www.reading.gov.uk/internalaudit

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FOOD & DRINK

JAMES MARTIN’S FRENCH ADVENTURE

Whole John Dory with clams & courgettes

Also known as Saint Peter’s fish, after the patron saint of fishermen, John Dory is a beautiful fish.

This was the first dish I cooked on the show, and no sooner had I finished and walked away to wash my hands than some eager French people huddled around the pan and started to dive in. A vote of confidence, if ever I saw one!

INGREDIENTS SERVES 2 2 courgettes, thickly sliced 2 heritage tomatoes, thickly sliced 2 shallots, thinly sliced 1 x 1kg John Dory, gutted and fins removed 50ml olive oil 375ml dry white wine 15 basil leaves 300g clams, washed handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.

Arrange the courgettes and tomatoes over the base of a roasting tin. Slot the shallot slices in between the courgettes and tomatoes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Season the John Dory with salt and pepper, place on top of the vegetables and drizzle with half the olive oil. Pour the white wine over and scatter with the basil leaves. Cover tightly with foil and cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Carefully lift the foil and add the clams, then cover again and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes or until the clams open up (discard any that remain closed).

Remove from the oven, scatter over the parsley leaves and add a final drizzle of olive oil.

Braised Chicken with Red Wine Vinegar and Tarragon We ate so many lovely braised dishes in France that it was diªcult to choose just a few to go in the book, but this one made the cut: tarragon is such a classic French herb and the red wine vinegar really lifts the sauce.

INGREDIENTS SERVES 4 1–2 tablespoons olive oil 1 x 1.25–1.5kg chicken, jointed into 8 portions knob of butter 1 teaspoon tomato purée 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 50ml red wine vinegar 110ml white wine 500ml chicken stock 2 tomatoes, skinned 1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard 250ml whipping cream 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper For the mash 500g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 125ml double cream 125g unsalted butter, softened

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°C/gas mark 4.

Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof frying pan or flameproof casserole over medium to high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and fry to a good golden crisp all over.

Remove the chicken from the pan, then tip out the fat, wipe the pan clean, and add the butter. Stir in the tomato purée and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the vinegar and reduce until it has all but disappeared.

Add the wine and reduce by a third. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a simmer, then return the chicken to the pan, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, quarter the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds.

Cut the tomato flesh into small dice and set aside.

To make the mash, cook the potatoes in a saucepan of lightly salted water for 15 minutes until tender. Drain and pass through a potato ricer back into the saucepan and stir over low heat to dry out.

Gently warm the cream in a small saucepan until just boiling, then remove from the heat. Gradually beat a little butter and then a little of the cream into the mash. Keep adding and beating until the potato is soft and creamy, then season with salt and pepper to taste Remove the pan from the oven, lift out the chicken pieces and keep warm while you finish the sauce. Strain the sauce through a sieve into a clean saucepan and bring back to the boil. Whisk in the mustard and cream, then simmer to reduce and thicken slightly.

Check the seasoning, then add the diced tomato and tarragon.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve with the mash.

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Croque monsieur INGREDIENTS SERVES 4 8 thick slices white bread 100g Cheddar cheese, grated 4 thick slices ham 100g butter sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

The ultimate cheese and ham toastie... Simple. I love it.

For the béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.

Stir in the flour using a wooden spoon, then cook gently for 1 minute, still stirring. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Return the pan to the heat and continue to cook, stirring constantly with the wooden spoon, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from the heat and leave until cold.

To make the sandwiches, spread a layer of the béchamel sauce over one side of four slices of the bread, then top each one with cheese, ham and another slice of bread.

Melt the butter in a large, non-stick frying pan until foaming, fry the sandwiches, two at a time, for 2–3 minutes on each side. Serve with a sprinkle of sea salt.

JAMES MARTIN’S FRENCH ADVENTURE (Quadrille, £20.00) Photography: Peter Cassidy.

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For the béchamel sauce 25g butter 25g plain flour 300ml milk

The Skills by Monica Galetti Clam and chorizo risotto INGREDIENTS 1kg fresh clams, rinsed in running water for 2–3 minutes to remove any sand, and drained 200ml dry white wine 2 tbsp olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 2 spicy cooking chorizos, finely diced

1 fresh or dried bay leaf 300g carnaroli rice 1.5 litres chicken stock 50g Parmesan, grated 50g butter 2 tbsp chopped basil 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley Salt

Heat a large casserole dish on a high heat and add the clams to the hot dish.

Add half the wine quickly, cover with a lid and cook for 2 minutes, until the clams open.

Drain and set aside, reserving the cooking liquor.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan, add the onion and garlic and sweat for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the chorizo and bay leaf and cook for a few minutes. Add the rice and toast for 2 minutes, then add the remaining wine and turn up the heat to evaporate the liquid.

Add the reserved clam cooking liquor, then the chicken stock a ladleful at a time, stirring occasionally, until the rice is almost cooked, about 15 minutes. Evaporate the remaining liquid, then remove from the heat and beat in the Parmesan, butter and fresh herbs. Add the clams just to heat through. Taste and add salt if needed, then serve immediately.

Pineapple meringue pie SERVES 10–12 SWEET PASTRY 250g butter, softened 150g icing sugar 4 large egg yolks, plus 1 extra, mixed with a little water 500g plain flour Pinch of salt FILLING 1 small pineapple, peeled, cored and diced 260g egg yolks (about 13 eggs) 150ml pineapple juice

60g caster sugar 600ml whipping cream 1 tsp rapeseed oil ITALIAN MERINGUE 40ml water 175g caster sugar for the syrup, plus 25g for the egg whites 100g egg whites (about 2.

1/2 eggs)

For the sweet pastry, beat the butter and icing sugar together until pale, then beat in the egg yolks one at a time. Gradually mix in the flour and salt, then rest in the fridge for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 1800C/3500F/Gas 4.

Roll out the pastry and use to line a baking tin 21cm square and 6cm deep. Trim off the excess pastry and prick the base with a fork. Line with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 11–15 minutes, then remove the parchment and beans and continue to cook until golden, another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the extra yolk and water mixture. Place back in the oven for 1 minute, then remove and leave to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 1500C/3000F/Gas 2. For the filling, put the pineapple dice into a non-stick frying pan and roast over a medium heat until golden. Spread evenly over the cooked pastry case. Whisk the egg yolks, pineapple juice and sugar together in a bowl. Heat the cream to just warmed, then pour into the yolk mixture, whisking. Pour the filling into the cooked base over the pineapple and return to the oven for 50–55 minutes, until set. Leave to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make an Italian meringue with the water, sugar and egg whites and pipe on top of the pineapple filling. Glaze the meringue under a hot grill or with a blowtorch and serve cold or at room temperature The Skills by Monica Galetti (Quadrille, £20) Photography © Cristian Barnett For more recipes from Monica visit our website www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

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FINANCE other assets. What a financial plan does is provides you with direction and allows you to understand how one financial decision impacts on another.

What is cash-flow modelling?

Cashflow modelling is a valuable planning tool that visually shows your financial wellbeing. Armed with a detailed picture of your financial arrangements, it allows us to project forward, year by year, using assumed rates of growth, income, inflation, wage rises and interest rates. We can go further and create a series of ‘What If’ scenarios. These will enable you to make decisions about your future and together we can create a clear action plan to meet your goals.

The Lightbulb Moment In my article in the last edition of the 50 Plus Magazine, I talked about the benefits of financial planning and the important part cashflow modelling plays when creating a financial plan. Recently I was talking with a prospective client about his retirement plans and asked him to give some thought about what he wanted his future to look like. Not an onerous task, he later admitted, but one that he had just kept ‘putting off’. So, at our next meeting, I sat down with him and demonstrated the power of cashflow modelling - he called it his ‘Lightbulb Moment’. It dawned on him that his

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years of investing and saving were now going to bear fruit and enable him to have the retirement he wanted.

What is a financial plan?

In simple terms a financial plan answers 3 important questions: •

Where are you now?

•

Where do you want to get to?

• What do you need to do to get there?

We understand that you have worked hard to accumulate your wealth, whether in investments, pensions or

John Maynard-Keynes once said, “When the facts change, I change my mind, what do you do, sir?” and good cashflow modelling should apply the same principles. We understand that goalposts move, circumstances change and ‘life happens’. When these events happen, it is essential to re-visit the cashflow model to make sure that you are still on track. In most cases, this involves minor ‘tweaks’ to your plan – rather than wholesale changes.

What information do we need?

The first task is to put together a detailed summary of your existing arrangements, so that we understand your financial state of health. Secondly, we need to understand other facts that drive your financial planning needs.

We would ask you to think about: •

Your version of what a ‘good standard of living’ is?

•

What are your goals over the short, medium and long-term?

•

What is your current expenditure and what will it be in the future?

• What planning have you already done?

•

Any long-term care assumptions?

•

How would the death of a partner change your planning?

What are the benefits?

What Next?

If you would like to have your own ‘Lightbulb Moment’, or have any questions about your financial planning, feel free to get in touch.

Contact Robin Yeadon - DipPFS Director and Independent Financial Planner Benedict Charles Financial Planning

Simply put, cashflow modelling provides you with peace of mind by answering the following: •

What will my situation look like when I retire?

• What are the strengths and

weaknesses of my current situation?

•

What level of income could I draw without running out of money?

•

What would the situation look like if I needed to go into care?

•

How can I minimise my present and future tax liabilities?

By understanding your goals and what planning is in place we can create a solution that works for you.

Engagement is the key. The more involved in the process you are, the better you will understand your financial position.

What is a financial planner and why are we different?

At Benedict Charles, our focus is to understand your unique situation. We will work with you to develop and carry out financial planning solutions that will help you reach your goals. We offer a financial planning service for clients seeking a long-term relationship with their adviser. This starts with creating a bespoke financial planning report, which will form the foundation for future reviews. We will be there to support you through every stage of your financial journey.

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OUT AND ABOUT

Out & About

is a passionate story of intertwined love affairs, regret and longing centred on elegant actress Desirée Armfeldt, and her family and flirtations.

A guide to some amazing events in 2017 Sat 22 July 2017 12:00 – 22:30 BST

ON TRACK FOR SUMMER Music Festival celebrating the Summer of ‘67 by The Stage Managers Fifty years ago music fans celebrated the summer of peace and love with a festival at Balloon Meadow at Windsor Racecourse. On Saturday July 22nd the Racecourse is again host to a special day of music and psychedelia as we mark this glorious anniversary.

Headlining will be a mixed media extravaganza courtesy of the original Space Rockers and purveyors of Cosmic tunes the inimitable Hawkwind complete with dancers, circus troupe and light show. Artists from that historic bill of 50 years ago are returning: Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, and The Crazy

World of Arthur Brown featuring the god of hellfire himself. Cream played on that day , and now Pete Brown who wrote some of their greatest hits like Sunshine of Your Love will make sure that is specially remembered, Sonja Kristena from Curved Air will perform her band’s greatest hits and two of the summer’s best loved records: Sgt Pepper and Pet Sounds- will be premiered in their entirety by the Psychedelic Orchestra of Great Britain.

Royal Windsor Racecourse Maidenhead Rd, Windsor SL4 5JJ www.eventbrite.co.uk Thu 27 Jul 2017 - Sat 16 Sep 2017

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC Oozing with sophistication and wit, Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s A Little Night Music (based on Ingmar Bergman’s Smiles on a Summer Night)

When Desirée performs in the town of her former lover, old passions rekindle and during a weekend in the country, the entangled romances of four couples are laid bare. With the magic of music on a summer’s night, love’s joys and complications play out in three quarter time.

Filled with beautiful iconic numbers including Send in the Clowns and A Weekend in the Country, this awardwinning romantic musical by one of our greatest living composers will be performed by actor musicians for the first time on The Watermill’s stage.

Following the outstanding success of past productions, including the Tony award-winning Sweeney Todd which transferred to the West End and Broadway, The Watermill returns to Sondheim with director Paul Foster (Tell Me On A Sunday and Laurel and Hardy) and award-winning musical supervisor Sarah Travis (Sweeney Todd, Mack and Mabel and Pinafore Swing).

Bracknell Libraries ....

OPEN THE DOOR TO A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES Volunteering l Improve your health with our Stop Smoking Clinics l Tai Chi l Yoga and Meditation Sessions l Summer Reading Challenge l Activities to Entertain the Grandchildren l Experience a new hobby and meet others: Chess Club at Bracknell Library on Fridays 1.30 - 3.30pm l

WE OFFER SO MUCH MORE THAN BOOKS!!

Check out the new What’s on Guide at www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/librariesevents

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bracknell-forest.gov.uk/

libraries

The Watermill Theatre, Bagnor, Newbury, Berkshire RG20 8AE Administration: 01635 45834 Website: www.watermill.org.uk BOX OFFICE: 01635 46044

This popular Friday & Saturday Antiques & Collectors Fair continues its winning streak at Newbury Showground. With hundreds of stalls, selling thousands of beautiful antiques and collectables, there is something to delight everyone, and please every pocket.

29 Jul 2017 - 30 Jul 2017

Marvellous 2017 The end of an era: The irrepressible Steve Littlewood is to retire from performing and bid his alter ego, Freddie Mercury, a fond goodbye. Steve has entertained the Marvellous crowd for more years than we care to remember, each time bringing his uniquely tongue in cheek twist to the role of Queen’s dynamic frontman. Audiences have laughed with him, sung with him, cheered and screamed for him, and 2017 is sure to be a swan song performance to remember. Steve is part of the very fabric of Marvellous and will be greatly missed!

Dinton Pastures Country Park Davis Street, Hurst, Reading Berkshire RG10 0TH Tel: 0118 977 4358 4th August - 5th August 8:30am - 5pm

M E AT A XP SO GIC ERI TH U OF ENC IS TH T E SU HI HE TH M LL AT E M P R ER AR E ! K

NEWBURY ANTIQUES & COLLECTORS FAIR

• Friday 8.30am - 9.30am £10pp • Friday 9.30am - 5pm £5pp • Saturday 9am - 4pm £5pp Unfortunately we are unable to accept card payments at the gate on the day.

Accompanied under-16’s are admitted free. Discounts are available for group bookings. Free car parking Dogs are welcome ~ please keep on a short lead.

Newbury Showground, Priors Court, Hermitage, Berkshire RG18 9QZ Call: 01636 702326 Tue 8th Aug - Sat 12th Aug

BUGSY MALONE Windsor’s local community production!

Bugsy Malone is set in Chicago in the 1920’s and concerns the battle for criminal supremacy of rival gangs led

by Fat Sam and Dandy Dan. Into the mix steps aspiring boxing promoter

Bugsy Malone, who becomes involved with aspiring night club singer Blousey Brown and agrees to help Fat Sam turn the tables on his rival. The ‘weapons’ in this story are of course, splurge guns and in the finale just about everyone gets ‘splurged’ before getting up and realising they can all be friends after all.

With well-known songs such as ‘Bugsy Malone’, ‘Fat Sam’s Grand Slam’ and ‘Bad Guys’ plus exciting dance routines, this is a massively popular show for audiences of all ages to enjoy.

Show Times: Tue – Sat 7pm Thu, Sat, Sun 2.30pm Tickets from £13 Theatre Royal Windsor, Thames Street, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1PS Box Office: 01753 853 888

SOUTH HILL PARK PRESENTS

By Glyn Robbins · Adapted from the book by CS Lewis

For information and to book visit southhillpark.org.uk or call 01344 484123 Wilde Theatre and the park, South Hill Park, Bracknell RG12 7PA Picnics available to order online for the interval

@southhillpark

/southhillparkartscentre

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South Hill Park Trust Limited. A charitable company limited by guarantee

Fri 18 – Sun 20 & Thu 24 – Sun 27 Aug 12 noon and 4pm

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OUT AND ABOUT Bring along your extended family to witness the spectacular set, colourful costumes and enjoy a picnic outside during the interval.

Wellington Country Park, Odiham Rd, Riseley, Berkshire RG7 1SP www.berkshireeventsguide.co.uk

To be part of the magic, go to: http:// www.southhillpark.org.uk/events/thelion-the-witch-the-wardrobe/ Saturday August 26th 2017 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Handmade Craft and Gift Fair Mon 14th Aug - Sat 19th Aug

DREAMBOATS AND PETTICOATS Inspired by the smash hit multi-million selling albums Dreamboats and Petticoats One, Two, Three, Four and Five, the West End sell out sensation Dreamboats and Petticoats The Musical features some of the greatest hit songs of the Rock ‘n’ Roll era.

Show Times: Mon - Sat 8pm, Thu 2.30pm, Sat 4.45pm Ticket prices £16 - £32 Royal Specials £38 - £40

Honey&Rose are hosting a Handmade Craft and Gift Fair. Proceeds from the sale of the teas and coffees go to a charity SOBS. There will be an array of crafts and gifts and goodies with a small indoor play area for young children.

St. Nicolas Church Hall, West Mills Newbury, RG14 5HG www.berkshireeventsguide.co.uk Sunday August 27th 2017 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Labyrinth – Outdoor Cinema

Theatre Royal Windsor, Thames Street, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1PS Box Office: 01753 853 888

Enjoy an evening with the family with our Outdoor Cinema showing family film ‘Labyrinth’. A tribute to the late David Bowie.

Wednesday August 16th 2017 Friday August 25th 2017 9:30 am - 11:00 pm

Gates open from 7pm, with film starting at 8.30pm. Bar and BBQ will be available.

Stockfest 17 Stockfest is a community festival taking place in the village of Stockcross this summer. There are over 20 events to enjoy. Draw, listen, have a go, learn, sing.

The Sutton Hall, Church Road, Stockcross, Newbury RG20 8LN 18-27 August

Delight in the Magic of Narnia at South Hill Park With summer in full swing, South Hill Park is embracing the outdoors with a wonderful and whimsical production of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (performances 18-27 Aug). With the first half in the Wilde Theatre and the second outside in South Hill Park’s amphitheatre, the show embraces childlike curiosity and the enchanting world of Narnia.

Director Joe Malyan capitalised on the opportunity to set Narnia outside, rather than use the more traditional approach of the indoor theatre. This has resulted in a captivating and engaging performance, where the line between fantasy and reality can be as thin as a faun’s tail…

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Newbury Rugby Club, Monks Lane, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 7RW www.berkshireeventsguide.co.uk Saturday September 2nd 2017 - Sunday September 3rd 2017 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Refresh Festival Refresh is an outdoor health and fitness festival and the first of its kind in the Hampshire and Berkshire area where the health, well-being and fitness industry will collaborate all in one place providing a vast range of activities, workshops and product trials for all to experience.

Sun 3rd September

SONGS OF ROD STEWART FEATURING CREGAN & CO Starring Jim Cregan - one of the most influential guitarists in Rod Stewart’s original band The Faces. Jim co-wrote, co-produced, and musically directed for Rod for almost two decades!

Show Times 7.30pm Tickets from £16 Theatre Royal Windsor, Thames Street, Windsor,, Berkshire SL4 1PS Box Office: 01753 853 888 Saturday September 16th 2017 - Sunday September 17th 2017 8:00 am - 6:00 pm

The Royal County of Berkshire Show The Royal County of Berkshire Show is an annual agricultural show in Berkshire, The farming community’s much loved end-of-season Show. The Royal County of Berkshire Show is one of the area’s most anticipated events, taking place just outside Newbury and drawing crowds from far and wide.

Newbury Showground, Priors Court, Hermitage, Berkshire RG18 9QZ

The 2-day event will take place at Wellington Country Park and will be hosted by the inspirational and motivational, twice Olympic gold medallist, Dame Kelly Holmes DBE and is open to all levels of fitness, packed with a variety of activities and workshops for all to try.

Refresh will truly be a festival for all and a great day out for families. Dame Kelly Holmes will be running a children’s sports day and the main arena will showcase activities and demonstrations, plus there will be 8 zones to explore.

Sun 24th September

BUCKS FIZZ Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Jay Aston, original members of Bucks Fizz, have sold in excess of 15 million records

including ‘Making Your Mind Up’ and ‘The Land of Make Believe’ and have spent 219 weeks in the UK charts. See them live in Windsor!

raised over 25% in the first 24 hours! Our goal is to hit £8,000 in 4 weeks:

Show Times: 7.30pm Tickets from £16

http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ furry-tales/

Theatre Royal Windsor, Thames Street, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1PS Box Office: 01753 853 888 Friday 6 October 2017 from 6pm

Stray Over this October

Why Furry Tales is a great idea: 1. With dementia costing the UK in excess of £26 bn (Alzheimer’s Society) and loneliness as damaging to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day (Campaign to End Loneliness), there has never before been such a drastic need for innovative ways of engaging with elders.

Furry Tales

The event is open to all business sectors and will challenge teams to give up their warm beds and home comforts to spend a chilly October night sleeping under the stars at our iconic London centre.

Furry Tales is an innovative project that takes small, furry and feathery animals (guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens & ferrets) to meet isolated older adults facing disadvantage.

These creatures offer comfort physically and emotionally, and bring about much conversation, reminiscence and above all, laughter.

Each team of five people is challenged to fundraise £2,500 to take part in the event. We receive no government funding and money raised through this event will help us to continue to provide care for the thousands of lost, abandoned and unwanted animals that arrive at our gates every year.

Furry Tales offers a unique kind of support to hundreds of people living with dementia, varying mental and physical health conditions, hospital inpatients and those living in residential and nursing homes in London. Our grant funding runs out at the end of August 2017.

Stray Over is a brand new fundraising event for corporate teams to support the work of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.

https://www.battersea.org.uk/ support-us/events/stray-over

On 23rd June we launched a crowdfunding campaign, and

2. The number of people over 80 is expected to increase by 23% over the next decade and yet health and social care budgets continue to suffer.

3. Furry Tales provides an imaginative solution by drawing on the community’s existing resources to connect people and services to the natural world and, therefore, each other. We have a long successful history of working closely with care homes, day care centres, GPs and other NHS services, all of whom say there is a need for this service

Furry Tales, Stepney City Farm, London

South Hill Park Trust Limited. A charitable company limited by guarantee

South Hill Park Presents

By William Shakespeare Wed 26 – Sun 30 July 7.30pm Sat & Sun Matinees 2.30pm For information and to book visit southhillpark.org.uk or call 01344 484123

@southhillpark

/southhillparkartscentre

READER OFFER · £1 off all tickets for Wed 26 July performance · Online bookings only, not available by Box Office telephone Use this code at the online check out · AYLI50PLUS · This offer can not be used in conjunction with any other discount rates

SU AIR mm Th ER O EA PE TR n E

Amphitheatre, South Hill Park, Bracknell RG12 7PA

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OUT AND ABOUT Wed 11 Oct, 19:00 Date postponed from 18 June 2017 Advisory age: Under 14s must be accompanied by an adult

I Love Soulsville Tour Beverley Knight Following the release of last year’s acclaimed Top 10 album Soulsville, singer songwriter and actress Beverley Knight announces a new UK Tour for summer 2017. Following a string of sold out gigs in the spring of 2016, and having completed a 6 month run in the smash hit west end musical The Bodyguard in January, Beverley is taking to the road again in her own right in June 2017. She will play a broad set featuring hits from her stellar career, highlights from the Soulsville album as well as a few customary surprises that fans have come expect from her legendary live shows.

Ticket information £101 VIP Tickets* £37, £29.50, £21.50 Hexagon Theatre Queens Walk, Berkshire, Reading, Reading RG1 7UA Box office: 0118 960 6060 Sunday 15th October

The Big Splash Swimathon 2017 This great annual event, organised by the Lions Club of Windsor, is a fun team event for people of all ages. Swim for 55 minutes and do as many laps as you can whilst raising sponsorship for your local Hospice. Time: 8.00

Sun 29 Oct, 19:30

Live On Stage Des O'Connor and Jimmy Tarbuck Brought to you direct from the London Palladium, DES O’CONNOR joins JIMMY TARBUCK live on stage for this rare event!

Two legends of television, showbusiness and of the Royal Variety Performance come together, accompanied by music and video to reminisce and entertain at The Hexagon for one night only!

In October 2015, Des and Jimmy performed on stage together for the very first time in ‘Sunday Night at the London Palladium’ and the Guardian newspaper described this sell-out performance as ‘a night of theatrical history to be remembered for many years to come’.

Don’t miss this last chance to see Des and Jimmy together in what will also be a night of theatrical history, brought straight to Reading following their sell out show at the London Palladium Theatre.

Ticket information £30 Hexagon Theatre Queens Walk, Berkshire, Reading, Reading RG1 7UA Box office: 0118 960 6060

Ticket information £42 Max of 6 tickets per customer.

Hexagon Theatre Queens Walk, Berkshire, Reading, Reading RG1 7UA Box office: 0118 960 6060 Sunday 26 November 2017 at 10am

Santa Dash Price: Adult: £20, Children (16 yrs & under) £5 Early Bird offer: (Book by 30th September) Adult: £15, Children (16 yrs & under) FREE (with 1 paying adult) On the day: Adult: £30, Children (16 yrs & under) £10 You will be able to chosen from a 5k run or dash or 10k run. Sign up and you can expect to find lots of fun and festive cheer. Registration includes a Santa suit for adults, reindeer antlers for children and a medal at the finish line.

Salvation Army Christmas Carols 2017

Great Wall of China Trek

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Also featuring in the shows will be fan favourites Ruby Turner, Louise Marshall and Beth Rowley on vocals, along with the supreme Rhythm & Blues Orchestra with original Squeeze member Gilson Lavis on drums.

Sat 2 Dec, 18:30

28th October - 5th November 2017

Cost includes flights and full board.

For further details please call 01753 848963 or email us https://thameshospice.org.uk/chinatrek

Joining Jools on stage for the 2017 Autumn / Winter UK tour will be Grammy Award winner José Feliciano, one of the most prominent stars in Latin America and revered musicians in the world.

Swinley Forest, Bracknell For more information, email us or call 01753 842121. https://thameshospice.org.uk/santadash-bookings

Windsor Leisure Centre, Stovell Road, Windsor. amhttps://thameshospice.org.uk/ thebigsplash

Cost: £330 registration fee + £3,300 minimum sponsorship Meticulously built and restored over thousands of years, uncover the history of China as you walk the Great Wall. You will also have the opportunity to trek through wonderful remote countryside with views of green rolling hills, mountain peaks and this breath-taking Wonder of the World as your backdrop.

and will be hitting The Hexagon in November.

Fri 10 Nov, 19:30

Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra Harvey Goldsmith by arrangement with One Fifteen presents JOOLS HOLLAND AND HIS RHYTHM AND BLUES ORCHESTRA Musical virtuoso Jools Holland and his renowned Rhythm & Blues Orchestra have announced dates for their upcoming 2017 Autumn/Winter tour,

We are pleased to welcome as our Compere Captain Jo Moir from William Booth Training College. Jo mentored Paul O’Grady in the TV programme about the Salvation Army, last year.

All the usual performers include the Band. Songsters (choir) Young People.

Nativity and Timbrels.

Come along and join in this preChristmas concert that will contain many of your favourite carols.

Ticket information £12 Hexagon Theatre Queens Walk, Berkshire, Reading, Reading RG1 7UA Box office: 0118 960 6060

HEALTH hearing aids. Conductive hearing loss is typically the result of obstructions in the ear. Conductive hearing loss can usually be treated medically or surgically. And finally, you could have a combination of both sensorineural and conductive hearing loss.

Time to take action Hearing loss can happen at any time, at any age. Most people with hearing loss (65%) are actually younger than 65.

On average, people wait 7 years between first noticing their hearing loss and finally taking action. But the sooner you do something about it the better. Over time, reduced stimulation to your ears and brain can actually

Ask the experts at Mary Hare about hearing loss Mary Hare has been helping people

infections of the head or ear, aging and

with hearing difficulties for well over

reaction to drugs or cancer treatment.

a hundred years. So when it comes to getting advice about hearing loss,

There are 3 types of hearing loss.

there’s no one better to ask than the

Sensorineural hearing loss is the most

experts at Mary Hare Hearing Centre.

common type. It occurs when the inner ear nerves (and hair cells) are

The early signs of hearing loss

damaged and don’t properly transmit auditory signals to the brain. This type

Many of us don’t notice the early signs of hearing loss because we slowly adjust to the change. Some of the common signs of hearing loss include: •

Asking others to repeat themselves

•

Turning up the TV or radio to

volume levels others find loud

•

Having trouble understanding

conversation in noisy places

•

Feeling like other people mumble

or slur their words

•

Avoiding social situations that were

once enjoyable

There are several different causes. The main ones include excessive noise, infections, genetics, birth defects,

32 | WWW.50PLUSMAGAZINE.CO.UK

of hearing loss can be treated with

impair the brain’s ability to process sound and recognise speech. The more speech recognition deteriorates, the more difficult it is to recover. And when you can’t hear what’s going on around you, your mental sharpness suffers. The quicker you take action, the sooner you put a stop to the negative effects of hearing loss and begin to regain sharpness, confidence and control.

The truth about hearing aids Today’s hearing aids are smaller, more discreet and more stylish than ever before. Some sit behind the ear,

Choosing the right hearing aids

while others are completely invisible.

When you think about all the benefits of

They also include different levels of

better hearing, you’ll see all the positive

technology to suit your specific needs

opportunities that hearing aids can

Things to consider include; the nature

and budget. You can stream stereo

create to change your life.

and severity of your hearing loss, your

sound from TVs and radios directly to

lifestyle and the activities you regularly

some hearing aids and talk on your

While no hearing aid can restore your

take part in, your job, your eyesight and

phone hands-free, amongst other

hearing, they are designed to let you

dexterity and the size and shape of your

things.

hear soft sounds that you couldn’t

outer ear and inner ear canal.

hear before and prevent loud sounds Once you have a hearing aid, the

from becoming unbearable. They

Only highly trained hearing

chances are that your quality of life will

will also help to improve your ability

professionals, like the audiologists

greatly improve. Research on people

to understand speech, even in noisy

at Mary Hare Hearing Centre, can

with hearing loss and their families and

places like restaurants and shopping

determine the severity of your hearing

friends has shown that hearing aids

malls.

problem, whether or not you could

play a big part in a person’s social,

benefit from a hearing aid and which

emotional, psychological and physical

type would be best for you.

well-being. Treatment of hearing loss has been shown to improve: •

Communication in relationships

•

Intimacy and warmth in family

relationships •

Ease in communication

•

Sense of control over your life

•

Social participation

If you’d like to book a free initial hearing assessment call 01635 523 343 or email newburycentre@maryhare.org.uk 50% of Mary Hare Hearing Centre’s profits go towards the education of deaf children and young people at Mary Hare School.

Enjoy every minute this summer Book a free initial assessment with one of our hearing experts www.maryharehearingcentres.co.uk

Find us on

and

Weavers Walk, Newbury, RG14 1AL

01635 523 343

50% of our profits go to Mary Hare School for deaf children WWW.50PLUSMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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34 | WWW.50PLUSMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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