Surrey 50 Plus magazine

WEST SURREY APRIL - JUNE 2012

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EDITION 23

Ruth

Madoc

TALKS ABOUT LIFE AFTER GLADYS PUGH

Inside

Rick Stein

LEISURE DISCOVER DUBROVNIK A TIMELESS BEAUTY Get your dentures direct from a qualified clinical dental technician

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2012 Summer Brochure out Now

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finest escorted holidays Grand Tour of Ireland Sat 8th September | 9 days

A superb tour seeing some of the best of Ireland, based in Galway and Dublin.

We see the spectacular scenery of Connemara, the Cliffs of Moher and Wicklow Mountains, enjoy a taste of Ireland’s rich heritage and experience the bustle of the vibrant capital.

Your Holiday Itinerary • • • • • • • • • • •

Caernarfon Dublin Clonmacnoise County Clare Kinvara Cliffs of Moher Connemara Clifden Kylemore Abbey Bunratty Castle Wicklow

Includes 8 nights dinner, bed & breakfast All coach travel Services of a tour director Home to Holiday service

Connemara

Various admissions

Cruising with Fred.Olsen: We have a selection of cruises with Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines.

Sailing aboard world-class vessels, these are excellent quality traditional cruises.

Cruising with Fred Olsen...

Canada’s Eastern Seaboard

We cross the Atlantic Ocean to explore the eastern seaboard of Canada. We visit the great cities of Quebec and Montreal. We explore the coastlines of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. Cruising aboard the Balmoral.

Wed 5th Sept | 29 Days You pay the same price as advertised by Fred.Olsen, but have the added benefit of a home pick up included

For a free brochure on all our fantastic cruises or further details call Anna our dedicated cruise advisor on 01372 731705

We offer a door to door service on all our holidays

Beautiful Lake Como

Normandy and the D-Day Beaches

Sat 26th May | 8 days

Mon 25th June | 5 days

A wonderful tour visiting this pretty lake, staying in a ground hotel with stunning views. We also visit two of the other beautiful Italian Lakes, Maggiore and Lugano.

Based in the city of Caen, we explore this beautiful area and include visits to Honfleur, Deauville, the Bayeux Tapestry and tour the D-Day Beaches.

Your Holiday Itinerary

Your Holiday Itinerary

• • • • • • • •

Karlsruhe Cadenabbia Lake Como Menaggio Bellagio Tremezzo Lake Maggiore Stresa

• •

Lugano Return to Karlsruhe

Includes 7 nights dinner, bed & breakfast All coach travel Services of a tour director Home to Holiday service Lake Como boat rides Various admissions

Highland Safari A fantastic new tour with an excursion on a four wheel drive vehicle, discovering awe-inspiring mountain scenery and maybe some elusive animals and birds. Staying at an historic hotel, we also visit two great animal parks.

Hilton Dunkeld House Hotel, Country house hotel set in a 280 acres estate, originally built for the 7th Duke of Atholl for his summer residence. The hotel enjoys a wealth of leisure facilities and a private stretch of the River Tay.

Sun 3rd June | 7 Days

• • • • • • • •

Caen Honfleur Deauville D-Day Beaches Arromanches Omaha St-Mere-Eglise Bayeux

Includes 4 nights dinner, bed & breakfast All coach travel Services of a tour director Home to Holiday service Various admissions

Fairytale Castles and the ‘Romantic Road’ A magical tour with a wonderful combination of the majestic Fairytale Castles of King Ludwig II, the Romantic Road, the stunning scenery of the Bavarian Alps and a visit to the Bavarian capital, Munich.

Staying at the Luitpoldpark Hotel, Fussen Elegant luxury hotel with spa facilities, located in the heart of Fussen, overlooking the central park.

Sat 1st September | 8 Days

Epsom Coaches, Roy Richmond Way, Epsom, Surrey KT19 9AF t: 01372 731705 or visit us online www.epsomcoaches.com

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Inside this issue ...

TRAVEL & LEISURE

30-31

6-7

2-3

Finest Escorted Holidays From Epsom Coaches

8-9

Dubrovnik A Timeless Beauty

10-11 Rainbow Leisure Centre A wide range of activities for 55 years and plus

12-13

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16-17 What Will you Grow this Year?

Gardening Tips 18

A step-by-step Guide To Composting

HEALTH 5 LeadOpinion Because your Opinion Matters

REGULARS 7

Graham Smith Twittering On

12-13 Calendar Girl Talks to 50 Plus about life after Gladys Pugh.

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Plumbers, builders, gardeners and more...

Planning on getting that much-needed work done on your house this spring?

Make sure you are using our Buy With Confidence scheme to find honest, fair and trustworthy traders, for any and every job.

Spring often marks the start of home improvements, but some residents are still being duped by rogue traders who can do little work for big sums of money.

Surrey County Council’s Buy With Confidence scheme brings together a huge range of businesses from across Surrey that are vetted and approved by your local Trading Standards team to ensure that they operate in a legal,

honest and fair way. Trading Standards visits each business to fully review its business practices, trading history and references to ensure traders are truly reliable.

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Looking for somebody you can trust to do a good job?

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Graham Smith has a Tweet But what is he twittering about?

There was the Swansea lady who decked out her living room ceiling with 1,700 Christmas baubles. She starts decorating at the end of September and doesn’t usually finish until Christmas Day! You couldn’t make it up could you?

Our beleaguered country can always throw up a laugh. Did you see the one about the internet dating sight which was auctioning a date with a busty Virgin Mary or a hunky Joseph!

Dogs are always good for a laugh too. A Chinese man, whose name I cannot possibly spell and you couldn’t say it if I did, has a four-year-old Pekingese dog which walks backwards on its hind legs for two kilometres a day. What is the point of that I ask and what does it do when it wants to spend a penny? The mind boggles.

When is it Christmas?

If it’s June when you read this don’t worry Christmas isn’t coming any time soon.

Astronomers have calculated that Christmas should be in June by charting the “Christmas Star” which the Bible says led the Three Wise Men to Jesus.

The have decided that the bright star pinpoints Jesus’ birthday as June 17th rather than December 25th.

Well that’s just going to upset a few turkey farmers and artificial snow manufacturers isn’t it?

Lost pussy causes a headache!

Those of us of a certain age will remember Mrs Slocombe of the BBC sitcom “Are You Being Served” having various problems with her pussy.

They were nothing compared to those of a small village where residents spent the best part of three days digging to rescue a cat whose meowing could be heard clearly. Everyone turned out to help and eventually the animal was found. A large orange plastic moggy with a tape recorded cry which was permanently switched on!

Stories like this warm my heart in troubled times. Half the population can’t afford a can of cat food but they will dig for three days to rescue what they thought was a genuine animal in distress.

He should have ducked!

An American duck hunter had to be taken to hospital after being shot in the buttocks by his dog!

And what a mess they’ve made of the carol service.

How can “snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even”, and what about the poor old beggar bringing in his winter fuel? There’s no holly and ivy, the shepherds can’t be watching their flocks because it’s still day light and I just cannot listen to Bing Crosby in June!

Which silly old goat with a white beard and a red suit is going to traipse reindeer and a sleigh about in 20 degrees of heat? I don’t eat sprouts in December so I’m surely not about to in June. “All is calm, all is bright”, well it will be in June, new legislation could mean it’s daylight until four in the morning so the poor little beggar will be throwing his swaddling clothes off and tipping the sheepdog out of the manger.

Why can’t they leave things as they are?

I’m dreaming of a White Easter. www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

The hunter was climbing out of his boat to place decoys in nearby marsh when his “excited” dog trod on a shotgun firing 27 pellets into his backside from ten feet.

The man managed to walk to a nearby road and call an ambulance and was not seriously injured.

He should have ducked.

7

Dubrovnik

Timeless

Beauty

Sitting proudly on the calm blue waters of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik is one of the world’s most magnificent fortified cities. Today a UNESCO world heritage site and Croatia’s most upmarket destination, it was once the capital of the wealthy seafaring Republic of Ragusa (1358-1808). During its Golden Age in the 16th century, it had one of the largest merchant naval fleets in the world.

Dubrovnik is clearly special. Lord Byron was not overstating the matter when he proclaimed Dubrovnik ‘the pearl of the Adriatic’. Magnificent curtains of walls surround marble streets and baroque buildings that exude a pearly light in the Adriatic sun. The main pedestrian thoroughfare, Placa, is a melange of cafés and shops with outstanding monuments at either end. Churches, monasteries and museums ornamented with finely carved stone recall an eventful history and a vibrant artistic tradition.

As the sun rises over the terracotta roofs the square awakens to the sound of barrow loads of fruit and vegetables bouncing over the stone cobbles. The ‘green market‘, as the locals call it, offers freshly picked produce as well as jars of homemade jams, pickles and spices. However, Dubrovnik shows her true magnificent colours during the winter months as well as the city looks wonderful “out of season.” True beauty is ageless and timeless.

Beyond the city is a heavenly landscape of beaches, wooded peninsulas and a sea strewn with lush islands.

Rector’s Palace: Right off Luza Square is the Rector’s Palace.

It was the seat of the Ragusan government, where the Rector lived and worked. After Napoleon’s army dissolved the Dubrovnik Republic the Rector’s position was reduced. The original palace was modelled after the Roman imperial palace, with some influences from Venetian palaces. In 1435 there was a gunpowder explosion that demolished the structure. It was rebuilt in a late-gothic style. There was another explosion in 1463, and a an earthquake in 1667 that severally damaged the city. What you see now is the final redo that took place 8

at the end of the 17 century. The central portico features beautiful archways and a second story mezzanine.

Pile Gate: This is the north gate into the city. It features a stone bridge with two gothic arches. If you exit towards the outside you can get to Tower Loverjenac. On entering, the outer draw bridge is met by an internal bridge that leads into the city. Some great shots are to be had with your camera from Pile Gate.

War Photo Limited: Dubrovnik’s sturdy fortifications have been put to the test several times during the centuries, most recently during the bloody break-up of Yugoslavia. This modern gallery is dedicated to stunning photojournalism from war zones around the world, and attempts to offer unbiased reporting with a human element.

Antuninska 6. www.warphotoltd.com. Daily 9am-9pm (JunSep); Tue-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 10am-2pm (May and Oct); closed (Nov-Apr). Entry is 30Kn. Dubrovnik Cable Car: The best views of Dubrovnik and the surrounding area are seen from the top of the Srd Hill where the Dubrovnik Cable Car was built back in 1969 and boasts the most beautiful panoramic view. On a clear day, you can see up to 60 km (37 miles)!

For this reason the neighbouring Fort Imperial was strategically built on this privileged spot way back in the early 19th century. http://dubrovnikcablecar.com.

The Dubrovnik Summer Festival (www.dubrovnik-festival.hr) runs from mid-Jul to mid-Aug, staging concerts, theatre and opera at various open-air venues in the old town. Pat line-ups have included the Warsaw Symphony Orchestra, Mexican tenor Ramon Vargas, and Australian-born British classical guitarist John Williams.

Nearby places worth visiting include the Renaissance gardens of Trsteno arboretum, the vineyards of Peljeac peninsular,

www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

the seaside resort of Cavtat, the tiny car-free Elafiti islands , the island of Mljet (one-third of which is a national park), and neighbouring Montenegro.

EATING/DRINKING There is a wide range of restaurants in the Old Town, mostly offering a very similar menu of local seafood and some meat dishes. The cuisine may not be very imaginative, but it is usually of good quality and very fresh.

Restaurants can be crudely separated into (slightly) cheaper tourist-trap haunts, and more expensive but first class gastronomic restaurants. There are a few pizzerias, mostly wood-fired and acceptable. The Kraš chocolate sold at stores is delicious too!

Note that in the off peak season of November to March nearly all the top-end restaurants close, leaving only a handful of desperate tourist trap enterprises operating and still charging high prices. You can however still eat well and best of all, discounts can be negotiated.

Dubrovnik cuisine is characteristically not very spicy and is famous for traditionalism. Many popular meals are characteristic of Dubrovnik such as zelena menestra (it is the name for many sorts of cabbages and other vegetables with meat), pasticada and the famous delicacy dubrovacka rozata.

The most popular alcohol in Croatia is homemade rakija. This is a very strong distilled tipple made from a variety of fruits.

Examples include sljivovica, made from plums, loza, made from grapes, and orahovica, made with walnuts. There are many excellent local wines from both the Peljesac Peninsula and Konavle and it is often less expensive than soft drinks.

However, be careful when purchasing wine from unlicensed dealers as it can sometimes be of low quality!

SLEEPING Hotels in Dubrovnik include two, three, four and five-star hotels.

Private rooms are a good option for those on a budget; the downside is that they may be far from the Old Town, so make sure to check the location. Owners letting out these rooms accost buses at the bus station, so you can ask around and even bargain a little.

DON’T LEAVE WITHOUT VISITING… Cafe Buza: This place is little known but definitely the find in Dubrovnik.

Indeed, you will have to wander down an alleyway along the main western wall where you’ll find a nondescript door. Enter it to find the most amazing bar you might ever enjoy a beer in. The cafe is built on the side of the rocky cliffs, hiding inside the Dubrovnik wall. Relax and enjoy the view as the dramatic wall rises above your head; or, as you are so near the small beach why not dip your toes in the water!

Fact file: Dubrovnik has an international airport, located approximately 20 km (12 miles) from Dubrovnik city centre.

There is no train to Dubrovnik. A narrow gauge line used to link Dubrovnik to Sarajevo but was closed in 1976; however, buses connect the airport with the Dubrovnik old main bus station in Gruž and Croatia Airlines even operates buses between the airport and the main bus station in Kantafig (takes approx. 45 minutes), which is 2.5 km northwest of the Old Town. Taxis from the airport to the centre will cost 220 kn.

The bus passes close to the Old Town en-route to the airport; you can board the bus at the stop on Petra Kresimira 4 just above the Old Town, by the lower cable car station. Make sure

www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

you wave furiously otherwise the driver may not stop!

The main bus station is in Kantafig, near Port Gruz and the Tudjman Bridge, 2.5 km northwest of the Old Town. Local bus 7 operates between this station and Babin kuk, and bus 1 serves the Old Town. On buses you pay a separate fee of 10 Kn to the driver for luggage, so keep some change handy.

Taxis in Dubrovnik are available around the clock and you can easily pick one up at one of the many taxi stops. The good news is that a taxi service will never cost you more than 100 Kn (approx. £11) in any direction within Dubrovnik city limits!

If you are planning to drive a car in Dubrovnik, be aware that lots of streets are one way. If in doubt, passersby will gladly direct you.

Dubrovnik is easy to cover on foot; in fact it will take the averagely fit person less than 1.5 hours to walk from the historical centre to the very end of Lapad peninsula.

Climate: The climate along the Dubrovnik Region is a typical Mediterranean one, with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. However, it is perhaps distinct from other Mediterranean climates because of the unusual winds and frequency of thunderstorms. The Bura wind blows cold gusts down the Adriatic coast between October and April. The air temperatures can slightly vary, depending on the area or region. Typically, in July and August daytime maximum temperatures reach 29°C (84°F), and at night drop to around 21°C (70°F). More comfortable perhaps, is the climate in Spring and Autumn when maximum temperatures are typically between 20°C (68°F) and 28°C (82°F).

Language: Croatian is the official language spoken in Dubrovnik. English is taught as a second language in schools however, and other international languages are also fluently spoken.

Currency: Kuna (Kn.) £1 British pound is worth approx. 8 Kuna. The word “Kuna” means “marten” in Croatian since it is based on the use of marten pelts as units of value in medieval trading.

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All under the guidance of our dedicated Club Wellness Lead and with a host of like minded people!

Call the centre now for a free day trial for you and a friend!

Call our Customer Service Team on 01372 727 277 to book a visit today The following activities are included in our Club Wellness Membership: • • • • • •

Inclusive access to the fitness centre during off peak times Inclusive personalised Fitness Induction Inclusive access to Group Exercise Classes at off peak times Inclusive access to Swimming at off peak times Inclusive access to 55+ badminton & bowls sessions No minimum contract

Off peak times: Monday-Friday 9:00am-17:00pm Saturday & Sunday 13:00pm-20:00pm Pop in or give us a call today 01372 727 277 *Terms and conditions apply, please speak to a Customer Service Advisor Registered Address: GLL (Greenwich Leisure Limited), Middlegate House, The Royal Arsenal, London SE18 6SX I.P.S. Registration No: 27793R Inland Revenue Charity No: XR43398

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Calendar Girl RUTH Madoc had just been having lunch with her five year-old grand-daughter in St Albans when she broke off from encouraging her to eat pizza for a chat with Angela Kelly about the theatre and life after Gladys Pugh.

“I’m in the South for two weeks with ‘Calendar Girls’,” she explains in those familiar warm, now-muted Welsh tones. “So I’m staying with the family here and love being out for lunch with Seren (Welsh for “star”) because this little girl and I have a real connection.”

After she graduated, Ruth – a talented singer and performer as well as an actress – spent three years with the “Black and White Minstrel Show” and various summer seasons with Lesley Crowther, Max Wall and Bruch Forsyth in the final days of provincial variety.

Ruth, now 68, has five grandchildren under the age of five (“hard work sometimes, although lovely”). Three of them live in Gibraltar and it’s plain that Ruth thoroughly enjoys being a grandma.

She became a theatrical favourite appearing in leading roles in musicals like “West Side Story and “Man of La Mancha” and appeared in both the stage and screen versions of “Under Milk Wood.”

It may be hard to see her in this role as, for many TV viewers, she remains fondly in the memory as the manhungry Maplins’ Yellowcoat and the mere mention of her name has usually restrained people shouting out “Hi-De-Hi!”.

After her high-profile success in “Hi-De-Hi!”, Ruth was in the stage version of the show which enjoyed

This wonderful portrayal in the enduringly popular BBC 1 comedy series revealed her comic talents to thousands at home. But her career, even by then, had already covered a startling variety of theatre.

Although Ruth is well known for her Welsh roots she was, in fact, born in Norwich because her parents consistently travelled around Britain. However, she spent much of her childhood with her maternal grandmother in Llansamlet in Swansea.

From the little mining village she made the unlikely but determined leap to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, guided in this by the man who became an early mentor, Sir Harry Secombe. “I was in East Yorkshire with my parents and the head of drama at school sent a tape of me to Harry Secombe’s agent with the intention of interesting Huw Weldon who used to have a BBC children’s talent programme called ‘All Your Own,’ she states.

Instead, the agent showed it to the famous singer and comedian, and he began helping the young Ruth, offering practical advice on her career.

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I N T E RV I E W huge success in Bournemouth, Blackpool and at the Victoria Palace in London.

career on programmes like “Some of these Days,” “Woman’s Hour” and “This Family Business.”

“I never felt, though, that I was going to be typecast

by Gladys,” she says. “I’d already done so much in the theatre I knew that I would go on to do many other, different roles.”

Other TV roles over the years have included guest appearances with Morecambe and Wise, Bob Monkhouse and Les Dawson. And, more recently, she was the mother of the infamous Daffyd (the only gay in the village) in the Bafta award-winning comedy series “Little Britain.”.

And indeed she did. She has been in a large number of stage productions including “A Taste of Honey” and “A Murder is Announced”, and in West End musicals like “Niteclub Confidential” and “Bless the Bride.”

Ruth had great personal success with her portrayal of the indomitable Mama Rose in the musical “Gypsy”, toured Japan and the Far East as Madame Giry in “Phantom of the Opera” and was a wonderful Mrs Bardell to Harry Secombe’s “Pickwick” at the Chichester Festival Theatre, Sadlers Wells Theatre and on an extended national tour.

She was also Dorothy Brock in the hit musical “42nd Street”, Miss Hannigan in “Annie”, and Maria in “Twelfth Night” at Regent’s Park Theatre in London.

Her film appearances vary from “Fiddler on the Roof” to “The Prince and the Pauper” and “Very Annie Mary”, and she has also enjoyed an extensive radio

Ruth has appeared in more than 30 pantomimes in every major city in the UK – as everything from principal boy in “Robin Hood” and “Dick Whittington” to Cinderella’s fairy godmother and the Wicked Queen in “Snow White.”

For the past 18 months, she has been touring in “Calendar Girls” as Marie – the WI protagonist who tries to stop the nude calendar – “and I love it!” she declares with a throaty laugh.

“I think I enjoy playing not so nice people because it’s more interesting. But I really love this play and Tim Firth (the writer) is so clever. While the humour is Northern it works on so many levels and is a great piece of writing.”

Ruth will remain in the production until May, 2012, when, she says, she and her manager husband John will go to Spain to visit their grandchildren.

She states that she “won’t do theatre after I’m 75” because she doesn’t want to spend time learning lines.

“I think when you get older there is a great pressure in learning lines. I’ve seen this happen to many other people, and I don’t want that,” she insists.

“I keep my mind sharp now by doing crosswords each day and, although I’ve got lines in ‘Calendar Girls’, I still learn pieces of poetry.”

Her only career regret is that she didn’t take the “Under Milk Wood” role she was offered at the National Theatre “because I was with Harry in ‘Pickwick’ and didn’t want to let him down.”

Ruth would, though, still love to play the part of Madam Horrible in the hit musical “Wicked!” which re-imagines the Land of Oz. And that inquiring, lively mind, she suspects, will continue until her deathbed. “I think my final words will probably be ‘Eureka!,” she laughs again.

Then it’s back to life as grandma, and that perennial dilemma of how to get small children to eat their lunch.

13

You’re unique.

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The vivid blue of cornfl owers goes well with marigolds for a later summer display.

What will you grow this year?

The beginning of the gardener’s year is always a challenge.

There are decisions to make. More vegetables or a new planting scheme? Minimum maintenance or a whole new layout? And what about the lawn?

buttercup and field daisies may need the use of a selective weed killer. Moss is another problem, and generally means the drainage is poor. Raking out the moss by hand, or with an electric scarifyer sometimes helps, as does spiking and incorporating sand, but if the moss persists, then you may need to get more professional advice.

Vegetables Even the smallest plot can provide a plentiful supply of salads. A newcomer on the scene includes Suttons multigreen lettuce, which has a short crown and no wastage.

Sow seeds little and often at fortnightly intervals from March to July, and you’re guaranteed a regular supply, and while you’re sowing your lettuce, find a space for a succession of plantings of radishes from March to September. Sew these in a cool position, and thin early. Water well in dry weather.

The Lawn Nothing sets off a well tended garden as effectively as a lush green lawn, or detracts from the effect if it’s patchy and sparse. Particularly at the start of the year, the lawn needs a lot of attention and unfortunately, it’s not always enough to mow regularly and feed correctly. Shaggy edges should be kept neatly clipped.

Worn areas lightly forked over and re-seeded, then covered with a fine layer of compost. Creeping

16

No salad is complete without the sharp refreshing taste of radishes

For variety in your salads, a welcome addition is spinach. Sow from March to mid April, thin early, and use these

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baby leaves in your mix. Rocket is another easily grown plant, to add that wonderful peppery taste to a green leaf mixture, spring onions give salad rolls an extra zing, and chives are a must with scrambled eggs.

Dahlias grow in almost any location, and on any soil, although, for best results, good drainage is essential. They can be obtained in almost any colour and any height, as singles, doubles, cactus or dwarf, and at the end of the year, the tubers can be lifted and stored for next year so they’re very economical to grow.

2011 was a bad year for tomatoes, so this year, take extra precautions by siting French marigolds in pots around them. Planting basil nearby also helps, as it’s natural repellent to flies.

Give a little egg-stra to your composting bin If you’re planning to eat lots of Easter eggs, did you know you can use the packaging for composting? Cardboard is a good counterbalance to kitchen waste and grass mowings. Simply scrunch it up before adding it to the mix as this will help keep air circulating in the bin. As for real eggs, you can also compost both the egg shells and the carton. Plus if you’re planning a house spring clean, bags full of vacuumed up dirt and dust is a perfect addition to your compost bin

Soft Fruit in pots We all love soft fruit, and I’ve just discovered a new range which have a more upright habit, so gooseberries and blackcurrants can be potted up and sited on the patio. Try blackcurrant Noiroma, which is a very sweet, large fruited variety, and gooseberry Lady Sun, an almost thornless yellow variety, both available from Suttons Seeds.

The Flower Garden Dahlias are making a big comeback.

Grown as part of the general planting scheme, the canny gardener knows that when perennials such as delphiniums and lupins are past their best, dahlias will be coming into their own, continuing to flower at full pitch until the first frost. The tall varieties can provide dramatic accents of colour at the back of the flower beds, and the smaller varieties add interest throughout the garden, and provide plenty of cut flowers for the house.

Taller dahlias need to be staked, so position these before planting the tubers, to avoid any accidental damage. I’ve found that although the large flowered pompom varieties look sensational, in a wet summer the flower heads retain too much rain and become too heavy for the stems, which bend under the weight. I generally go for the single flowering varieties, which also look more at home in a mixed herbaceous planting.

And finally, don’t forget the pleasure of growing flowers from seed. As soon as the soil has warmed up, rake over odd bare patches and scatter a mixture of marigolds and cornflowers. Surround the sown area with a drizzle of sand, to remind yourself of where they were planted, and be rewarded with a wonderful splash of colour later in the summer. This works in pots as well. Love in the Mist seeds scattered amongst the geraniums, candytuft in troughs, and nasturtiums amongst the tomatoes. All you need is a packet of seeds and a little imagination, and sometimes, the results are spectacular.

Gardening can be hard work, but consider the rewards. All those seeds producing food to eat, and beauty to enjoy. Is there anything that comes close?

Happy gardening.

✁

THE LOCAL MAGAZINE FOR THE OVER 50s

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17

Get composting Whether you’re a keen gardener or just want to choose the greenest, most natural way to deal with your food and garden waste, composting Involve your children too is the perfect solution.

Grass cuttings, dried leaves, twigs and vegetable peelings are just some of the ingredients that can go into a compost bin or heap to make peat-free compost – ideal to use in potting or planting in your garden or allotment.

Getting started is easy. All you need is a compost bin or a small space in the garden to create a heap. Then just follow our easy guide to creating your own supply of natural food for your garden.

Get composting today – for a greener tomorrow.

Why compost?

Compost is a natural, nutrient-rich food product for your garden. It will help improve soil structure and maintain moisture levels, while helping to suppress plant disease. It will have everything your plants need including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and will help buffer soils that are very acidic or alkaline.

Compost improves your soil’s condition and your plants and flowers will love it!

every school-aged child knows about reduce, reuse and recycle. Composting is a form of recycling you can do at home and reduces the amount of daily rubbish going into your kitchen bin.

Home-made compost is natural and peat-free, which means it’s good for the environment outside your garden too. It reduces the need to buy peat products, which have been commercially sourced and extracted from peat bogs, resulting in the release of the carbon stored in them.

Get started To find out more about

how to build yourself a compost heap, or to buy a bin, starting from only £15.00 visit www.surreywastepartnership.org.uk or call 0844 571 4444.

You’ll also find lots of other helpful tips and information there too.

Recipe for success Right ingredients GReeNS Tea bags Coffee grounds Vegetable peelings Fruit scraps Salad Grass cuttings Old flowers Dead plants

Wrong ingredients BROWNS Dried leaves, twigs Toilet/kitchen roll tubes Scrunched-up or shredded paper Vacuum bag contents Wood chippings, straw Crushed egg shells Cereal/egg boxes

www.surreycc.gov.uk

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Cooked food Meat and bones Fish Dairy products Diseased plants Dog mess or cat litter Nappies

A step-by-step guide 1. Find the right site. Ideally site your bin or heap on bare soil. If space is limited, put your bin on concrete, tarmac or patio slabs, but make sure there’s a layer of soil or existing compost on the bottom so garden creatures can colonise.

2. Add the right ingredients. You will need a mixture of green and browns. Fill your kitchen caddy with the right ingredients such as tea bags, taking care not to compost cooked food, meat or fish.

3. Fill it up. Regularly empty your kitchen caddy and your garden waste into your bin or heap. Remember, a 50/50 mix of greens and browns is the perfect recipe for good compost.

4. Wait a while. Keep adding to your bin or heap and after 9-12 months the ingredients you have put in should have turned into a crumbly dark brown, earthy smelling material inside the bottom part of the bin or heap.

5. Collect the compost. Simply lift the bin off the compost or open the hatch at the bottom and scoop out the fresh compost. Don’t worry if your compost looks a little lumpy with twigs and bits of eggshells – this is perfectly normal. If preferred, return any material not quite ready back into your bin or heap. If you have built your own, simply rake out the ready compost.

6. Use it. Watch your garden bloom.

Your compost can be used for all types of planting needs – mix with soil to replenish pots, dig in to enrich flowerbeds and vegetable patches, use as a mulch to help keep moisture in the soil or use it to feed your lawn.

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Making Surrey a better place

DID YOU KNOW? Marriage: An existing Will becomes void on marriage and needs redrafting.

Civil Partnerships: Same-sex couples in a Civil Partnership are now treated exactly the same as married couples.

CORNERSTONE WILLS

Common-law Partners: Commonlaw partners are treated exactly the same as unmarried couples and are not entitled to relief from inheritance tax on transfers between them and, unless there is a Will, could inherit nothing from each other.

For All Your Will, Probate & Estate Planning Needs

Step-Children: Unless legally adopted, step-children are not legally recognised and inherit nothing.

Jointly-held Assets: Jointly-held assets will pass automatically to the surviving joint tenant and then pass to their family.

Simultaneous Deaths: If you die together or within 28 days of each other the younger of the two of you is deemed to have died second and all jointly-held assets pass to the family of the younger.

If any of these matter to you then please call Cornerstone Wills

ABOUT US

Probate:

Cornerstone Wills has been responsible for the careful preparation of over five thousand Wills, Powers of Attorney and providing Estate Planning Advice.

Probate can be a difficult thing to deal with when you are already managing your family members’ affairs. Let us help you with this. We have fully trained Probate Specialists who can help in all aspects of Probate, to make this process simple and easy for you.

We are members of the Society of Will Writers and STEP and all of our Will-drafters are SWWEPP qualified and have passed the STEP Advanced Certificate in Will Preparation. We are founder members of the TAS network, a National network of expert Will writers.

We are ideally equipped to deal efficiently and cost-effectively with writing a Will and can give you expert Estate and Inheritance Tax Planning advice for you and your family.

Writing your Will doesn’t need to be a chore.

At Cornerstone Wills arranging a Will is easy. We will make it a quick, painless and cost effective experience.

Simply call us on the number below or send us an email and we’ll arrange for someone to visit you at home or work.

If you would like to arrange us to draft your Will or Power of Attorney or if you have any questions, please contact us:

Office: Kings Court, 91-93 High Street, Camberley GU15 3RN T: 01276 482850 E: info@cornerstonewills.co.uk

Are you paying too much Rent?

Would you like to know if you can get help to pay for your rent?

Are you paying too much Council Tax? Could you be one of 35% of people who are entitled to money off their Council Tax Bill but haven’t claimed it?

If you are worried about paying your Council Tax Bill, we can reduce your bill in the following situations: • If you live alone • If you are disabled and your property has been adapted because of this • If you are being cared for somewhere other than your main home • If the property we billed you for is a second home or is empty • There is also a 25% discount if the other residents aged over 18 or over are severely mentally impaired.

20

Housing and Council Tax Benefits For many people the benefits system is a daunting subject full of complicated rules and regulations, long claim forms and even longer lists of documents you might have to provide before your entitlement can be worked out.

As a result, every year millions of pounds worth of benefit is unclaimed by people who are entitled to it. According to the Government the retired are among the most likely not to make these claims, particularly those in their own home who may be able to get some help towards their Council Tax. Remember - welfare benefits such as Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit are legal rights - if you meet the rules you are entitled to them just the same as you are entitled to your retirement pension itself and other public services such as help with travel passes and having your dustbins emptied.

Many people do not know about these benefits, some others may think they will not be entitled because they have a retirement pension and a few savings.

If you are one of these people why not check it out - maybe you will not qualify for anything, but then again maybe you will.

What is Housing Benefit?

This is financial help towards paying your rent. A claim can me made by people who are paying rent and have savings of less than £16,000.

What is Council Tax Benefit/ Second Adult Rebate?

These are similar to Housing Benefit and can be claimed by most retired people who are responsible for paying Council Tax on the property where they live. Couples make one claim based on their joint income and savings.

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Second Adult Rebate can be claimed where you may not qualify for benefit based on your own circumstances and you do not live with a partner, but may have someone else living in your home who is on a low income, for example a grown up son or daughter.

• Mobility Allowance

Who can claim these benefits?

The first £10,000 of savings is ignored. If you have savings over £16,000 you will not be able to claim benefit unless you are in receipt of guaranteed Pension Credit.

You can claim Housing Benefit if you are a private tenant (that is, you pay rent to a private landlord, housing association, or you live in lodgings) or if you are a council tenant paying rent to the Council.

However, you cannot normally claim if you are living with a member of your immediate family and paying them rent.

Anyone who has to pay Council Tax can claim Council Tax Benefit.

How are these Benefits calculated?

The amount of help you can get depends on: • Your income and that of any partner • Your savings and that of any partner • The amount of rent and Council Tax you pay • Who else lives in your home • Your “needs allowance” (the amount the Government says you need to live on)

Is any income ignored?

• War Disablement /War Widows Pension • Attendance Allowance • Disability Living Allowance

• Some other items of income may be fully or partially ignored

What about savings?

Other people in your home?

If you have grown up children or other relatives living with you then in most cases the amount of benefit you get will be reduced by a fixed sum, depending on how much income the other people living in your home have.

These are called non-dependant deductions.

How can you claim?

A claim must be made on the correct form. You can get this form by directly contacting the council that sends you your Council Tax bill or by downloading one from their website. You can telephone 01737 276497 between the hours of 8:45am to 5:00pm and we will take your name and address and send you a form. Please mention Retired Magazine when you call.

Benefits Departments - working in partnership

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21

FO O D

&

DRI NK

Rick Stein's Mediterranean Escapes Recipes Rick Stein’s passion for fresh well-sourced food has taken him from continent to continent, across magnificent shorelines and to the very best produce the coast has to offer. Rick remarks “My greatest enthusiasm in life has been finding dishes that change my perception of cooking, that reveal a whole new vista of flavour combination. I think we all enjoy that.

I’m just someone with an enthusiasm for food and a curiosity that’s sent me sniffing around all over the place looking for lovely dishes in all corners of the globe” Taken from his book ‘Mediterranean Escapes’ (BBC Books, £20) here are three of Rick’s favourite recipes inspired by flavours of the Med.

SERVES 8-10 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving 1 large onion, chopped 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 large leek, cleaned and cut into similar-sized pieces 250g dried borlotti beans, soaked overnight 450g waxy potatoes, such as Charlotte, peeled and cut into 1- cm dice 250g peeled carrots, cut into 1-cm dice 2 celery sticks, cut into 1- cm dice 1 ripe beef tomato, skinned and chopped Leaves from 1 small rosemary sprig, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1.2kg smoked ham hock 250g green beans, trimmed and cut into 1- cm pieces 2 medium-sized courgettes, topped and tailed and cut into 1- cm dice 1/2 small cabbage (about 500g), core removed, thinly sliced 75g dried tagliatelle, broken into 5-cm pieces 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano A small handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper 22

Minestra: Corsican Vegetable Soup with Smoked Ham, Cabbage and Borlotti Beans Heat the oil in a really large pan, add the onion, garlic and leek, and cook gently for 3-4 minutes. Drain the soaked beans and add to the pan with the potatoes, carrots, celery, tomato, rosemary, dried oregano and 2 litres of water. Cut the ham hock in half lengthways to one side of the bone, add to the pan and press the pieces down well into the soup so they are totally submerged. Bring everything to a simmer and leave to cook, uncovered, for 1 hour.

Then add the green beans, courgettes, cabbage, tagliatelle pieces and fresh oregano and simmer for a further 15-20 minutes until the soup is thick. Remove the pieces of ham hock, pull the meat off the bone, and pull it into small chunks.

Discard the skin and bone. Stir the ham back into the soup with the parsley and approximately 500 ml more hot water to loosen it slightly and season with salt and pepper. Service in large warmed soup bowls, drizzled with a little more olive oil.

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SERVES 4 400g dried spaghetti 175-g piece smoked pancetta, rind removed 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped A handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped 3 large eggs, beaten 50g finely grated pecorino sardo maturo Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara: Pasta with Pecorino Sardo, Pancetta, Parsley and Eggs Bring 4.5 litres water to the boil in a large saucepan with 8 teaspoons salt. Add the spaghetti and cook for 9 minutes or until al dente.

Meanwhile, cut the pancetta into lardons (short little strips), about 6mm wide. Heat a large, deep frying pan over a mediumhigh heat, add the oil and the pancetta and allow it to fry until lightly golden. Add the garlic and parsley and cook for a few seconds, then remove from the heat and set to one side.

Drain the spaghetti well, tip into the frying pan with the pancetta, garlic and parsley, add the beaten eggs and half the grated pecorino cheese and toss together well. Season to taste with a little salt and black pepper. The heat from the spaghetti will be sufficient to partly cook the egg but still leave it moist and creamy. Take to the table and serve in warmed pasta bowls, sprinkled with the rest of the cheese.

SERVES 6-8 2 x 1-kg shoulders of lamb, each one cut into 3 large chunks through the bone (get your butcher to do this) 2kg waxy maincrop potatoes, such as Desiree, peeled and cut into 5-6cm chunks 1 head of garlic, outside papery skins removed, cut in half through the middle 1 tablespoon dried oregano, Greek if possible 3-6 fresh bay leaves 2 tablespoons fresh oregano or marjoram leaves 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling Juice of 2 large lemons Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Kleftiko: Slow-cooked Lamb with Garlic, Oregano, Lemon and Potatoes Preheat the oven to 1900C/Gas Mark 5. Combine the meat, potatoes and garlic in a large ovenproof casserole dish. Sprinkle with the dried and fresh herbs, olive oil, lemon juice, 100ml water, 2 teaspoons of salt and plenty of black pepper and mix together well, then nestle the pieces of meat down in among the potatoes. Drizzle with a little more oil.

Cover the casserole tightly with foil and a well-fitting lid and bake for 3 hours until the meat is falling off the bone. However, check after a couple of hours to make sure it doesn’t need a little more water.

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23

NEWS & EVENTS September Snowstorms!

Stay Active (Over 55s Club) 8 July 2011 to 8 July 2014

Sports Park, The University of Reading, Shinfield Road, RG6 6UR 9am to 12pm. £3.75 per session Contact Greg Goddard 0118 378 8799 g.goddard@reading.ac.uk Stay Active is a weekly session for the over 55’s. The Sports Park offers a morning of activities which will help you Stay Active and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Activities include: • Badminton/Table tennis • Squash/Racquetball • Tennis • Gentle fitness and yoga classes • Gym You will be able to enjoy all of these activities for just £3.75 per session. Plus enjoy a tea or coffee in our cafe Eat@SportsPark. There’s no need to register in advance, you can just turn up on the day.

Normally, as the nights get longer and cooler, our thoughts turn back to heating our homes properly. Due to the fact Sunflow heaters are made in Germany, demand from Russia, Northern Scandinavia and Eastern Europe is driven by hard frosts and September snowfalls. Sounds cold and it is. Therefore, in order not to miss out on warm weather installation, the time to prepare is now.

Do you want to continue with oil, lpg, gas or night storage heaters? Or, do you want to consider a different type of heating, one with a massive pedigree in Europe and rapidly growing in popularity in Britain. Sunflow radiators are slim, economical and extremely efficient. A real alternative with no maintenance and a full twelve year guarantee.

Built to suit your home, they can form an impressive energy management system that individually controls the temperature and timing of every room. Sunflow offers expertise to combat cold exposed locations so your living areas will never be uncomfortable, even if temperatures drop significantly.

Our surveyors are located where you are and will give you all the advice you need to plan a warm and comfortable future.

Our secret is simple, we do the mathematical equations that guarantee the heat you require in living areas. By calling now, you have time to obtain a quotation and book a summer/autumn installation.

For further details call Suzanne on 0800 158 8272.

CONSIDER GERMAN HEATING NOW - WARM WEATHER INSTALLATION Simple to install, Powerful, and no more servicing - EVER!

A lifetime of heating, amazingly efficient, fully controllable, slim and attractive.

Heating is a major purchase in our life. Not just the cost of buying a system but the cost of the energy to run it and, just as importantly, the costs to maintain it.

Maintenance - get rid of the maintenance costs all together. A Sunflow guarantee of 12 years will do the trick - nobody inspecting every year - with heating that has a life expectancy of 40 to 50 years! A Sunflow heater is well made and hand finished in Germany. So if you add maintenance and depreciation prevalent in other systems this could easily be a 30% reduction in costs in the first 12 years. That’s just the start!

Over 200 beautiful colours On feet, castors or wall mounted

Energy Management - often called modular heating, Sunflow German built electric heaters allow total control of heating costs.

Every room can be time and temperature controlled, far more accurately than any form of wet system. We have a range of controls from simple manual thermostats and timers, to switching on your heat from remote locations. Ask for advice. Whatever controls you choose you will be able to decide where and when to use energy.

A ReAl AlteRnAtive 24

to

Efficiency - the reason a Sunflow heater is incredibly efficient is the naturally occurring refractory clay core. Called chamotte, we embed a pure tungsten element into the clay and this combination allows us to heat large surface areas with a comparatively low electrical input, thus making our heaters very economic to run.

It all sounds very scientific but to the sceptical we offer a simple demonstration. (See our brochure).

Get your FREE brochure by calling our 24hr Brochure Line on: 0800 158 8270 or email: info@sunflowltd.co.uk

Questions?

Call Suzanne on 0800 158 8272

Hea ^t

oil/GAs HeAtinG - Ask About ouR ReplAcement seRvice www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

We are now in the run up to the 4th Caterham Festival. We are getting bigger each year with more events, more people attending them, and more people assisting at them.

Musical hero and rock-‘n’-roll icon Frankie Valli brings his live show to the UK after a 20 year break, in line with our own celebrations marking the Palace’s 20th Music Festival! We are honoured that Frankie makes his comeback for this very special occasion.

Again this year we will be holding:

Frankie’s eagerly awaited return to the UK will give fans a chance to hear many of the classic hits that the band had such great success with. Songs loved by all such as: ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, ‘Walk Like A Man’, ‘Beggin’’, ‘Rag Doll’, ‘Let’s Hang On’ and ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You’.

The International Food Festival on 10th June The Street Party on 3rd June De Fest on 26th and 27th May Open Caterham on the weekend 16th and 17th June And the Caterham Carnival will be on the 9th June This year is going to be very busy with European Football, the London Olympics and the Queens Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Most of the celebratory events for the Jubilee are on the 1st weekend in June and we will incorporate many of the events into the Festival, with the big lunch and flotilla happening at the Street Party, then the lighting of a beacon on the following day These events are only possible through the excellent work done by a small committee of volunteers. There are also many businesses, organisations and people in the area who have assisted us in many different ways and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all.

You may have seen in the local press that we are thinking about a soapbox derby on Church Hill? This is still at an early planning stage, if you have any comments, please contact feedback@caterham.co.uk If you would like to get involved with the Caterham Festival events or have any other suggestions, then please contact us on info@caterhamfestival.org

20th Anniversary Classical Gala & Fireworks Saturday 16 June 2012 Tickets £45, £50 Time 19:30 (Palace Gardens open at 17:30) Book Now The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra lays on a stunning classical gala to celebrate 20 years of Hampton Court Palace Festival. Conducted by Gavin Sutherland, the All Angels’ soprano Laura Wright joins operatic tenor James Edwards and violinist Clio Gould, leader of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. There will be a long interval so that festival-goers can enjoy their picnics and Champagne in the Palace Gardens as the sun sets. A fireworks display will provide a visual fanfare to round off this superb evening.

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons Saturday 23 June 2012 Tickets £60, £75 Time 21:00 (Palace Gardens open at 17:30) Book Now www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

As the sun sets on a midsummer’s night in June, enjoy a stunning evening in the company of the legendary Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.

If you have any queries please contact us at info@ pwrevents.com or 020 8241 9818.

Town Parade Saturday 23 June Time: 12pm Epsom Town Centre This year the Town Parade will be celebrating the local community in the year of the Borough’s 75th Anniversary and will be led by the 135 Independent Geographic Royal Engineers (V) squadron.

The proposed route will start at Upper High Street and incorporates Ashley Avenue, High Street, Waterloo Road, Chase Road and finishes in Rosebery Park where there will be entertainment and exhibitions.

The Armed Forces flag will also be raised in the Town Centre in honour of Armed Forces Day on 30 June.

Every summer, Guildford Summer Festival brings you music, art, theatre, walks and tours, sport, food and drink, dance, craft and much more to keep everyone entertained.

The 29th Guildford Summer Festival runs across Guildford borough from 1 June to 31 July 2012. This year’s brochure will also contain lots of information about events surrounding the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the. Many of your favourites will be returning this summer, including the Guildford Lions Raft Race as well as the Guildford Town Centre Cycle Races, theatre in the Castle Grounds, Guildford Festival Craft Fair, GuilFest, Walkfest, Electric Summer Film Festival, Yvonne Arnaud Art and so much more!

Contact us:Guildford Summer Festival Guildford House 155 High Street Guildford Surrey GU1 3AJ United Kingdom Telephone: 01483 444396 Fax: 01483 458563 Email: summerfestival@guildford.gov.uk 25

“Soni is Proud to Introduce Affordable Soni istoProud Missing Teeth Solutions the UK”to I

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social recluses. The things that they may have taken for granted before losing their teeth, for example, kissing, eating, smiling and laughing, suddenly become obstacles because they are conscious of opening their mouth. What many people don't realise is that losing teeth affects the shape of their face. Cheeks become sunken and the lips lose their fullness. Once we have placed dental implants, the face is restored to its original shape. The joy on the face of your patient when they see themselves in the mirror is a sight to behold.

for a diploma in dental implantology at the Royal College of Surgeons. In the last 14 years alone I have placed over 3000 dental implants.

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Q: Who benefits from dental implants?

I treat people in their 40s right through to their 80s. People who don't want to wear dentures because they feel that they are missing out on fully enjoying the taste and texture of food. I also treat many people of all ages who have had a sporting accident or suffered another trauma resulting in the loss of teeth.

Q: How long does it take to place an implant?

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Bid Those Gaps Farewell

Today, losing a tooth or indeed several doesn't mean that you have to either live with the gap or wear dentures.

Advancements within the field of dentistry are giving patients more choice. Dental implants offer a safe, permanent and aesthetically pleasing alternative to simply putting up with second best when it comes to one of your very best assets, your smile. In this interview, leading dental implantologist Mukesh Soni explains more.

R t SoniO You Always M ome First. e Thrive onG Great N I S ervice and Making S ental Implants to All. Evailable ETH e Pride Ourselves n our Personalised, EtoROne ne ! Service.

Q: What are dental implants?

Dental implants enable you to have one or more of your missing teeth replaced with permanent teeth that both look and feel like your own teeth. They are attached to small titanium screws that when placed in the jaw, act as anchors.

With dental implants it's possible to replace every single one of your teeth or just one. That's generally good news for people who have suffered a physical trauma where their teeth have borne the brunt of their injuries. It's not a painful process because 90% of our patients are sedated whilst we are placing their implants.

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27

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Help build a better health and social care service The Surrey Local Involvement Network (LINk) wants to hear about your experiences of health and social care services and your ideas for improvements or changes.

Get involved Join The Surrey LINk to help us: • Get attention for neglected issues or ideas • Influence those who make decisions about new or existing health and care services • Help the community speak with a stronger local voice

• Help services provide better care.

Find out more • Email: admin@surrey-link.org • Tel: 01483 447131 • Address: Astolat, Coniers Way, Burpham, Guildford GU4 7HL.

: www.thesurreylink.org 28

www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

Volunteers needed to help improve health and social care services in Surrey The Surrey Local Involvement Network (LINk) is looking for individuals and groups to become members and work with it to improve local health and social care services.

The Surrey LINk gives you the opportunity to influence local health and social care services. It has been set up to help make sure the people of Surrey get the health and social care services they need.

Cliff Bush OBE, Chair of The Surrey LINk said: “The more people who get involved in The Surrey LINk, the stronger and more influential it becomes.”

“I have been a cancer sufferer for many years and I have regularly used NHS oncology services. From my experiences I have tried to ensure the services are improved and innovative services are commissioned. I also receive services for my bone disorder which makes it difficult for me to walk and I have managed to keep on walking by having therapy. I am also in receipt of services from Surrey County Council to ensure that I can lead an active and positive life by being involved in the community. This is managed by me directly employing care assistants, who can personalise my services whatever time I need them.”

The Surrey LINk’s job is to find out what people like and dislike about local health and social care services and to work with the people who plan and run them to help make them better. This may involve talking directly to health and social care staff about a service that is not being offered, or suggesting ways that an existing service could be made better.

Membership of The Surrey LINk is open to both individuals and organisations or groups and there are four types of membership:

1) Active members Join one or more of The Surrey LINk groups and/or are involved in the development, work or activities of The Surrey LINk. Commit to at least an average of two hours a week on The Surrey LINk activities.

2) Supporters Wish to keep in contact with The Surrey LINk’s activities and/or occasionally participate in The Surrey LINk’s activities (perhaps for project work) but not to the extent of an active member.

3) Organisational members A member of a non-profit making, non-statutory organisation or group who wishes to be actively involved with The Surrey LINk and participate in The Surrey LINk’s project work allied to their organisational aims.

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4) Associate Members A non-profit making, non-statutory organisation that wishes to be associated with The Surrey LINk and be kept informed about The Surrey LINk’s activities and developments.

Members can get involved in a range of ways including: • Joining any of the local, hospital, specialist or project groups • Promoting patient and public involvement – telling

people about how they can become involved in

shaping the future of local health and social care services • Seeking views on health and social care services • Carrying out visits to local health and social care

providers - to ensure services are meeting the needs

of service users and carers • Commenting on changes to local services – so

providers understand the effect of any changes.

Margaret Jago, a retired headteacher living in Godalming, has been an active member of The Surrey LINk for many years and is now one of its Vice-Chairs.

Margaret explained why she joined The Surrey LINk: ‘I joined the organisation having been a carer for many years.

My husband was using the NHS services a great deal and I wanted to find a way to positively support and improve the services for others. Becoming an active member of The Surrey LINk, and more recently one of the ViceChairs, has given me an opportunity to meet a wide range of people and be involved in making a real difference to the services available in Surrey.’

Margaret is keen to stress that not everyone has to be as involved as she is: “It is easy to get involved and it is up to you how and when you participate. You can just comment on issues when The Surrey LINk contacts you or raise awareness of an issue. If you do want to get more involved you could join a group and help to find solutions - perhaps by meeting providers or being part of a working group.”

To find out more about becoming a member, contact The Surrey LINk: • Email: admin@surrey-link.org • Tel: 01483 447131 • Address: Astolat, Coniers Way, Burpham, Guildford GU4 7HL www.thesurreylink.org 29

Should men over the age of 50 get their prostate checked?

March was prostate cancer awareness month and all the publicity generated has resulted in lots of men over 50 getting themselves checked out, a so called MOT for men’s health.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and yet when men are diagnosed they often say it feels like it hit them from out of the blue. Prostate cancer gets more common as men get older, being rare in those aged less than 50 and with evidence of the disease in over 50% of men in their 70’s.

“It is worth getting checked out as most men with prostate cancer have no signs or symptoms and little awareness of the disease that still kills 10,000 men in the UK every year,” said Justin Collins a Consultant Urologist at BMI The Runnymede Hospital with a specialist interest in prostate cancer. “In most cases a simple blood test and an examination by an experienced clinician can allay anxieties and reassure”.

Not all prostate cancer requires treatment Although prostate cancer is commonly diagnosed, not all types of prostate cancer require treatment and a large proportion of men are best managed by keeping a close eye on them and their blood test results. This is often called active surveillance, meaning that if the cancer does become more aggressive there is still time to treat it safely.

In the UK, Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men: - 37,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year - 250,000 men are currently living with prostate cancer

However, a small proportion of prostate cancer is more aggressive at the time of diagnosis and these are the types of cancer that benefit from early diagnosis and treatment. Men that are more likely to be at risk may have a father or brother that has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Certain races are also more at risk such as Afro-Caribbean men.

- Afro-Carribean men are almost three times as likely to develop prostate cancer as white men of the same age.

So don’t put off getting your MOT done for another year, there is little to fear but unresolved anxiety and if you are one of the small number who have the more aggressive type of prostate cancer, then you will be better off acting sooner.

*Source The Prostate Cancer Charity

For the month of May, Justin Collins is providing free of charge prostate assessment checks for men aged over 50 worried about their risk of prostate cancer. The check will include a consultation, a PSA blood test with result on the same day, risk assessment and clinical examination.

To book your appointment please ring 0800 015 2200.

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www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

FREE PRostatE assEssmEnt Following Prostate awareness month in march, BmI the Runnymede Hospital is offering FREE prostate cancer assessments throughout may.

You will receive a consultation and an examination with a consultant urologist, Psa test and an explanation of your results.

Appointments must be booked in advance.

For further information or to book your FREE assessment, please call 0800 015 2200.

BMI The Runnymede Hospital Guildford Road, ottershaw, Chertsey, surrey Kt16 0RQ

www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

www.bmihealthcare.co.uk/runnymede

31 CDs03325

Why choose Dentures from a Clinical Dental Technician?

What is a Clinical Dental Technician?

A Clinical Dental Technician or CDT is a registered Dental Care Professional who is trained and qualified to offer a range of Denture Services – services that were previously only available through your Dentist.

As well as replacing any missing teeth, Partial Dentures also look after the future health of your mouth by preventing your remaining teeth from rotating, tilting and moving into positions that prove unsightly and awkward for eating and talking.

What qualifies a CDT to work on my Dentures?

Depending upon your individual needs and preferences, your CDT may recommend Chrome Cobalt dentures.

With many years experience working as Dental Technicians, CDTs have the advanced technical and clinical skills needed to carefully design and hand-craft every denture to the individual requirements of the patient.

Every Clinical credentials:

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Dental

Technician

has

following

Graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons Holds a Diploma in Clinical Dental Technology Is registered with the General Dental Council as a Dental Technician and CDT Has appropriate insurance to work with patients

Never seek Denture advice or treatment from someone who is not trained or qualified to practice as a Clinical Dental Technician or Dentist in the UK.

Complete Dentures If you are experiencing the total loss of all your natural teeth, a Clinical Dental Technician can help you.

As well as taking its toll on daily activities like eating, talking and even laughing, total tooth loss can impact heavily on self-esteem and quality of life. A CDT will create and fit the Complete Denture that replaces your missing teeth and adjacent tissue in your lower and upper jaws.

A CDT can help you find the Complete Dentures that will: l Help you to form sounds and bring new clarity to your speech l Feel more secure about eating the food you want l Countering sagging facial muscles and sunken features that can make you appear older (especially around your mouth, lips and cheeks)

Partial Dentures If one or several of your teeth are lost or missing, a CDT can help you restore your smile with a Partial Denture.

By replacing your individual missing teeth, Partial Dentures can give you back the look and function of a full set of healthy, natural teeth.

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Following your initial consultation, a Clinical Dental Technician will assess your mouth and develop a personal treatment plan. Working with a Dentist, they will identify any possible problems. In this way, your Denture will be designed correctly and for the longterm, and ensure that you receive the highest standards of care and the right treatment for you and your teeth.

Denture Relines If your dentures tilt, wobble or rub, a Clinical Dental Technician can reline your denture, making the small alterations that make a big difference to the way they fit and feel.

Please be aware that a Denture Reline will normally require that you leave your dentures with your Clinical Dental Technician so be prepared to be without them for a short period of time.

Denture Repairs If your Denture fractures or breaks, the CDT can mend your dentures as follows, making them wearable once more.

Repairing cracks or multiple fractures Repairing chipped false teeth l Repairing your Denture base l l

Over time, the shape of your mouth can change as part of the natural ageing process, as a result of the under use and lack of stimulus for your jawbone. If your Dentures break while you are wearing them, it is probably for one of the following reasons: l l

Poor fit as a result of bone resorbtion (shrinkage) Excessive force possibly due to tooth grinding

If you would like your new dentures to replicate all the favourable aspects of your existing Dentures, then a Clinical Dental Technician can help you. From copying exact tooth position and shape, to improving the way they fit with your mouth and gums – your Copy Dentures will be just like the Dentures you have now, only better.

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Get your dentures direct from a qualified clinical dental technician AD Laboratories is an established, homely prosthetics clinic, based in Woking, Surrey.

Roland Jones has, after already 20 years working as a dental technician graduated from the George Brown College in Canada and the UK’s Royal College of Surgeons and has become a Clinical Dental Technician.

At AD Laboratories we take referrals from local dentists as well as working direct with the public. By coming to AD Laboratories direct the patient is often able to get their dentures much faster and we are often able to help out in emergency denture requirements.

At AD Laboratories we listen to our customers and together create the denture that would best suit you. All our staff are dedicated to make you really feel at home! You only have to read our visitor’s book to see how grateful our customers have been so far; achieving results that people did not think where possible.

We often get told how nice it is to receive the old fashioned service...

Get your dentures direct from a qualified clinical dental technician Our Clinical Dental Technicians can now work DIRECTLY WITH THE PUBLIC making: l

Full Complete Dentures Relines Copy Dentures Denture Repairs

... to book for a FREE consultation, please call us on 01483 722994 l l l

FRIENDLY, EXPERIENCED AND PERSONAL SERVICE At AD Laboratories we have the advantage of being able to offer Get your dentures direct from a flexible appointment times to suit the individual.

We often get of toldWoking how nice it istown to receive the old fashioned qualified clinicalon dental technician We are located the outskirts centre on the service ... why not book yourself in for a FREE CONSULTATION? Guildford Roadcan (atnow the pedestrian crossing between OurA320 Clinical/ Dental Technicians work simply call: DIRECTLY WITH THE PUBLIC making: Hillview Road and York Road) l l l l

Guildford Road, Woking, WOKING Full Complete Dentures Surrey GU22 7QU. Relines Copy Dentures Denture Repairs We are located on the outskirts of Woking town centre and provide AMPLE CAR PARKING

01483 722994

A there Walk through Is there an an art art Sunrise ofthe in creating creating the Virginia best senior best senior Water - Some living & care? living & care?

Observations “Walking in to Sunrise is different to walking into most homes. Right in the centre of the village, next to the train station with the bustle of life nearby, it is open and very welcoming to visitors. As you approach the doors swing open and you walk straight in to be welcomed by the concierge. To the right is a bistro, music quietly playing, three ladies sitting chatting round a table enjoying tea, another going off to get tea from the bar and bring it back; a teenager with an older person at another table and staff members getting themselves a drink. A coach arrives back from a trip out to some town and the residents come in ones and twos and some come in to the bistro for a warming drink and afternoon cake. There is a sense of sociability, connectedness and independence.

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Over the other side of the hall way I see a carer kneeling next to a lady listening attentively to what she is saying. On a sofa nearby an older man is sitting quietly. There is an air of calm and yet a hum of activity and life.

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Beautiful surroundings Beautiful surroundings

Highly trained care staff

On another floor an instructor is gently leading a circle of residents in exercises to keep them flexible. Down the corridor I glimpse a dog basket – one of the residents has brought Sunrise: setting a new standard her dog with her. I bump into a resident who asks me the way to the poetry group that is Sunrise: setting•aExpert new standard • Beautiful landscaped care 24 hours a day about to meet ininteriors a lounge&downstairs.

•gardens Beautiful interiors & landscaped • Private • Expert careat24affordable hours a day suites Back to theentertainments, bistro – just past activities it is the light, attractive restaurant with a menu of delicious gardens • Daily daily rates • Private suites at affordable homeand food. I sampled some – it was first class and clearly food and the environment hobbies • made Daily entertainments, activities • Separate, daily rates specialised dementia for•eating ishobbies given much consideration. are welcome to come and eat there too.

Aand positive attitude promoting Familiescare • Separate, specialised dementia independence Growing olderand can presentpromoting many enormous• challenges. ones own home to Even value for senior •wellness A positive attitude carebetterLeaving go•toRestaurant awellness Care Home is a3big decision. in Even Virginia Water is working with skill, dining times a daySunrise couples! and independence • better value for senior imagination and commitment to support families and older people as they face aging.”

• Restaurant dining 3 times a day couples!

Highly trained care staff

In the Heart of the community Sunrise of Virginia Water Christchurch Road, Virginia Sunrise of Virginia Water Water, Surrey GU25 4BE

Christchurch Road, Virginia Water, Surrey GU25 4BE

01344 843777 01344 843777

www.sunrise-care.co.uk www.sunrise-care.co.uk

The high quality senior care alternative

Better than care at home!

Come in and find out why.

Senior care in a place you would love to live.

There aren’t many places where you can experience expert senior care and assistance - and you would be proud to call it “home”.

Highly trained care staff

Sunrise offers something different from traditional care homes. Our award-winning residences are beautiful inside and out. They are active, sociable and vibrant places with caring compassionate staff on hand to provide assistance as required. Sunrise care is so different that it is often described as revolutionary.

Don’t take our word for it. Just pay Sunrise Senior Living a visit and experience this new, uplifting senior care option for yourself.

Contact us today and we’ll arrange it with you.

Hobbies and entertainment

Sunrise: setting a new standard in senior living and care Daily entertainments, activities and hobbies

A positive attitude promoting wellness and independence

Beautiful interiors and landscaped gardens

Expert care 24 hrs a day

Restaurant-style dining 3 times a day

Separate, specialised dementia care

Private suites at affordable rates

Landscaped gardens

Sunrise of Virginia Water Christchurch Road, Virginia Water, Surrey GU25 4BE

01344 843777

www.sunrise-care.co.uk Quality dining experience

of Virginia Water

In the Heart of the community

Woking Homes Residential Care with a Railway Heritage Started as a Children’s Home (for fatherless children) in 1885 in Clapham, London. It was founded by the Canon Allen Edwards who was the Railway Chaplain and Vicar of All Saint’s Church Lambeth. In 1907 a plot of land was purchased in the country and the building was completed for the children to move into in 1909. At that time it was known as the London and South Western Servants Orphanage. We have changed our name several times and finally became “Woking Homes” in 1982. As time went on needs changed and children were being admitted from broken homes. However it always remained a Railway Charity.

All our rooms have ensuite facilities, a conservatory was added to our bar area in 1999, a swimming pool was built in 2000 providing hydrotheraphy for our residents, and we have continued to keep the buildings and grounds maintained to a very high standard.

In 1947 the Board of Management opened a home across the road caring for retired railway employees and their spouses. From that date until 1990 (when the children’s home closed) we continued caring for children and older people.

However, with all of these changes we have not lost sight of our roots and still remain a charity caring primarily for people with railway and other transport backgrounds. The residents' accommodation charges are subsidised from our investment income, which unfortunately has been effected by the drop in the stock market, but our high standards of care, catering and accommodation remain the same.

A major development took place from 1987 when the old Children’s Home was demolished and a new home for the elderly was built, and an existing building was totally refurbished.

Since that time we have continued to maintain and improve the standards.

At the beginning of August 2009 a redevelopment project commenced. Two wings of Grace Groom were demolished and rebuilt.

The rooms are larger than average, once again with ensuite facilities and plenty of light. The garden areas have been re-landscaped with accessibility for wheelchairs and plenty of seated areas.

Our staff are trained to the highest standards of care and we received an "Excellent" from the Care Quality Commission.

Watch this space for our next venture .... or send for our brochure

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Where the warmth of our welcome is matched only by the highest standards of care • Caring, professional staff • Excellent menu choices • Superb accommodation • All rooms en-suite • Indoor swimming pool, sauna and spa • Residents’ bar • Full programme of activities • Frequent outings We are a railway charity providing residential and respite care for former railway employees and their spouses.

You can find out more about our happy caring community and wonderful facilities on our website www.woking-homes.co.uk For a brochure or to arrange a visit please telephone: 01483 763558 Or write to: Woking Homes, Oriental Road, Woking, Surrey, GU22 7BE. Email: administration@woking-homes.co.uk

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90 years of Insulin

“Insulin is a wonderful thing and those who use it must respect it” 23 January 2012 marked the 90th anniversary of the first successful use of insulin, arguably one of the greatest medical advances of the twentieth century. Since then, millions of people worldwide have used insulin, usually in the form of injections, to regulate their blood glucose levels and stay alive.

Not long after the first insulin treatment began on a 14-year-old boy, in 1934 novelist HG Wells and his practitioner Dr RD Lawrence, both of whom had diabetes, set up the Diabetic Association aiming to make sure that everyone in the UK could gain access to insulin. This charity later became Diabetes UK. Today Diabetes UK is the leading charity for over 3.7 million people in the UK with diabetes – 2.9 million diagnosed and an estimated 850,000 who have diabetes but do not know it - their families, friends and healthcare professionals. The charity cares for, connects with and campaigns on behalf of all people affected by and at risk of diabetes.

Richard Lane 68, President of Diabetes UK, has been taking insulin for more than 35 years and has seen the technology in administering insulin advance in leaps and bounds: “I used to use glass syringes which would have to be boiled and their needles sharpened. A lot has changed since then and I now use a state-of-theart insulin pump and sensor. It provides me with a remarkable amount of information about my blood glucose levels, which is transmitted wirelessly from a sensor to the actual pump which feeds me insulin. Data can be downloaded onto a computer and a detailed profile of my condition is put together. This life-changing technology means I can now keep a closer eye on my diabetes and manage it well.”

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Richard says he feels “humble” to have access to this modern technology and is concerned that hundreds of people are denied insulin sensors and pumps and strongly believes that they should be available for all people if they are suitable.

Richard is very conscious that insulin keeps him alive and without it he wouldn’t be able to live the active life that he does: “Insulin is a wonderful thing and those of us who use it must respect it. We have to be aware of how to use it and how things could go wrong if we don’t treat our condition properly.”

In addition to self-managing diabetes, it is important that people with the condition are provided with the right care from their healthcare professionals. Diabetes UK has launched the 15 healthcare essentials initiative to identify the 15 care checks which all people with diabetes should have access to.

For more information, visit their website: www.diabetes.org.uk Read Richard Lane’s blog to see who he’s been sharing his experiences with across the world recently: http://blogs.diabetes.org.uk/?cat=241

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Live life your way

Online The Surrey Information Point (www. surreyinformationpoint.org.uk) is a free directory packed with information on services, activities, and organisations to support you, tips on benefit entitlement, help at home, health conditions and much more.

Telephone By dialling 0300 200 1005, callers can speak to an advisor who can help them find the information they need or provide contacts of people or organisations who can help.

Michael* contacted Adult Social

live life r u o y way

Care in June 2010 after picking up a leaflet in his local GP surgery.

He needed advice and support to help him care for his frail 98 year-old mother.

“The call I made to the helpline literally transformed mine and my mother’s life,” said Michael*. “Ever since they became involved everything has been so much easier for us.

“They provided us with occupational therapy equipment, which gave my mother greater mobility and helped her spend less time in her bed. I was also able to use vouchers I’d been

given to pay for someone to care for my mother whilst I went to the supermarket. This lifted an enormous weight from my mind; that mum was cared for and safe.”

In Person Run by disabled people for disabled people and carers, the Hubs in Epsom and Redhill high streets are a great source of information, advocacy and advice.

Recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease Lisa* was feeling distressed and lonely. She didn’t know what type of help or support she was entitled to, then one of her friends told her about the Epsom Hub. “I didn’t know what to expect, but when I got there everyone was so helpful,” said Lisa* “I knew I was entitled to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) but didn’t know how to apply for it.

The volunteers at the Hub were amazing. They helped me fill in the DLA form and put me in touch with other agencies, including the Adult Social Care Team.”

Make sure you know how you can find the help you need, when you need it and make the right choices for you or your family. For more information about the Live Life Your Way campaign visit www.surreycc.gov.uk/livelifeyourway

helping you make the right choices

www.surreycc.gov.uk Making Surrey a better place

*Names changed to protect contributors identities.

I

f you found yourself, or a relative or friend, needing some advice and support at home or to help you get around, would you know where to go for help?

If the answer’s no, you’re not alone.

A survey commissioned by Surrey County Council in January 2011, found that 72% of people asked were not aware that free information and advice on care related issues is available through the council and partner organisations*(Conducted by ICM on a sample of 1001 adults aged 18+).

Live Life Your Way is a campaign to raise awareness and advise residents of the different ways they can access reliable care, community and health information.

If you are having trouble hearing clearly, why not do something about it?

Hearcentres are able to test and examine your ears and prescribe the very latest technology hearing instruments. They can offer you an unrivalled service and the results can be life-changing! To find out more, why not call them or call in to one of their dedicated Hearing Centres in Reigate or Horsham. Hearcentres are a small group of established, local hearing centres manned by experienced hearing care professionals.

To improve your hearing, call Hearcentres on 01737 221196 (Reigate) or 01403 218700 (Horsham). Mention 50+ magazine and receive free batteries for a year!

Exclusive suppliers of

 Clinical Earcare (wax removal)  Comprehensive Ear Examinations and Hearing Tests  Complete range of the latest Hearing instruments  All makes and models supplied and serviced  Complete range of batteries and accessories  Hearing protection and communication products  Comprehensive aftercare and support service  Home visit service available across the area

Reigate Hearing Centre

Horsham Hearing Centre

(incorporating Ormerod Hearing)

(incorporating Ormerod Hearing)

5 Church Street Reigate Surrey RH2 0AA

22 Worthing Road Horsham West Sussex RH12 1SL

T: 01737 221196

T: 01403 218700