IT EM OF CO AL M L CA S A COM E W BO LL RE P I X FO AL LIM TH A DEA EN B LS R SO M S TA OT OR O E LD RY W TLE IN S IN FO EP RM AR E. A AT TE IO LY N! -
STS CERTIFIED
C O M P A NY
FOOD SUPPLIER
PART OF ESSEX PROVISIONS
CHRISTMAS BOX DEALS 41/2 - 5kg Turkey Crown Boneless Wrapped in Bacon
41/2 - 5kg Turkey Crown Boneless Wrapped in Bacon 3kg Rolled Sirloin of Beef or Rib of Beef 2.5kg Rolled Top Rump of Beef 1-5 2kg Honey Ham or Gammon Bone in 1.5kg Gammon or Festive Honey Ham 1lb Sausage Meat Plain or Cumberland 2.5kg Boneless Rolled Loin of Pork 30 Pigs in Blankets ople e P 1lb Sausage Meat Plain or Cumberland 10-15 1kg Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese 0 20 Pigs in Blankets One Jar Cranberry Sauce 5.0 £13 One Jar Pickled Onions One Jar Pickled Onions in Balsamic Vinegar One Jar Mustard One Jar Red Cabbage ple 5 Peo One Jar Goose or Duck Fat One Jar Caramelised Onions 10-1 One Jar Goose or Duck Fat 20.00
£1
41/2 - 5kg Turkey Crown Boneless Wrapped in Bacon 2.21/2kg English Leg of Lamb 4.5kg Whole Gammon Smoked or Unsmoked 21/2kg Turkey Crown Boneless Wrapped in Bacon 1lb Sausage Meat Plain or Cumberland 11/2kg Boneless Loin of Pork 30 Pigs in Blankets 11/2kg Honey Roast Ham ple One Jar Cranberry Sauce 10 Pigs in Blankets 10-15 -6 Peo 4 P e ople One Jar Mint Sauce One Jar Cranberry One Jar Pickled Onions One Jar Pickled Onions One Jar Red Cabbage One Jar Goose or Duck Fat 1kg Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese One Jar Goose or Duck Fat
£68.00
£120.0
0
PRIZE WINNING FREE RANGE BRONZE TURKEYS WEEKS TURKEYS 2015 PRICES 3kg 4kg 5kg 6kg 7kg
(6.6-8.8lb) 11.90 per kg (8.8-11.0lb) 11.60 per kg (11.6-13.2lb) 10.90 per kg (13.2-15.4lb) 10.65 per kg (15.4-17.6lb) 9.65 per kg
8kg (17.6-19.9lb) 9.30 per kg 9kg (19.9-22.0lb) 9.05 per kg 10kg (22.0-24.4lb) 8.70 per kg 11kg (24.4lb+) 8.40 per kg
These turkeys will be placed in carry home boxes, wrapped in grease proof paper with a sprigg of rosemary, along with cooking and storage instructions and a pop up cooking timer.
01268 710899
info@essexprovisions.com | www.essexprovisions.com Laylands Farm | Sudbury Road | Billericay | Essex | CM11 1LA
ALL-NEW ALL-NEW CORSA CORSA FAST! AT AT THIS THIS PRICE PRICE THEY’RE THEY’RE GOING GOING AT THIS PRICE THEY’RE GOING
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£199 DEPOSIT £189 £199 DEPOSIT PER MONTH £199 £189 PER MONTH £199 Toomey Vauxhall Southend Toomey Toomey Vauxhall Vauxhall Southend Southend
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Official Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km). Vauxhall Corsa VXR Turbo 1.6i 210PS: Urban: 28.5 (9.9), Extraurban: (6.2), Combined: 37.7 (7.5). CO2Data. emissions: 174g/km.# *Offer subject to availability at Toomey and Southend only. Personal Contract Purchase. Finance status, Terms and Conditions Official45.6 Government Test Environmental Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) CO2Vauxhall emissions (g/km). Vauxhall Corsa VXRsubject Turboto1.6i 210PS: Urban: 28.5apply. (9.9),Applicants Extramust be 18 years or over. Finance by Vauxhall Finance, Box 6666, Cardiff, CF15 7YT.*Offer Customer deposit shown after deduction of anyVauxhall Vauxhallonly. and/Personal or Retailer contributions where applicable. Vauxhall Deposit onlyapply. available when subject to availability at Toomey Southend Contract Purchase. Finance subject to status, TermsContribution and Conditions Applicants urban: 45.6 (6.2), Combined: 37.7 (7.5). CO2PO emissions: 174g/km.# vehicle Finance. At the end of the there are three options: i)mpg Retain the vehicle: Pay the optional payment ownorthe vehicle, ii) Return thewhere vehicle, or iii) Replace: Part Deposit Exchange the28.5 vehicle, where equity Official Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures (litres/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km). Vauxhall Corsa VXRapplicable. Turbo 1.6i 210PS: Urban: (9.9), Extramust befinanced 18 yearsthrough or over.Vauxhall Finance by Vauxhall Finance, POagreement Box 6666, Cardiff, CF15 7YT. Customer deposit shown after deduction offinal any Vauxhalltoand/ Retailer contributions Vauxhall Contribution only available is available, subject to Combined: our fair wear and terms conditions, excess mileage charges apply. We introduce you to a limited number ofpayment finance providers, may the be received. Retailer for further details. Offers apply to urban: 45.6 (6.2), 37.7tear (7.5). CO2 174g/km.# *Offer subject to availability atvehicle: Toomey Southend Vauxhall Personal Contract Purchase. Finance subject status, TermsPart and Conditions apply. Applicants when vehicle financed through Vauxhall Finance. At and theemissions: end of the agreement there are three options: i)can Retain the Pay the optional finalonly. to own thecommission vehicle, ii) Return vehicle,to orSee iii) Replace: Exchange the vehicle, where
private Vauxhall and small businesses 1-24 unitsCardiff, (purchase only B2B supported All other customers are excluded. Prices correct atcommission timewhere of going to print. Offers available onContribution orders or registrations between must be 18 years orsubject over. Finance bywear Vauxhall POand Box 6666, CF15mileage 7YT.excluding Customer deposit shown after deduction ofaany Vauxhall and/ofor Retailer contributions applicable. Vauxhall Deposit only available when equity isindividuals, available, toPartners our fair andFinance, tear terms conditions, excess charges apply. We canunits). introduce you to limited number finance providers, may be received. See Retailer for further details. Offers apply 8 October and 15through December 2015. Whilstand every effort is to ensure the offer are accurate and upvehicle: to date,units). Toomey Vauxhall Southend the rightcorrect toii) remove and/or amend prices at anyPart time. vehicle financed Vauxhall Finance. Atsmall the end ofmade the agreement are details three i) Retain the Pay the final payment to own the vehicle, Return theofvehicle, orprint iii) Replace: Exchange the vehicle, where to private individuals, Vauxhall Partners businesses 1-24 unitsthere (purchase onlyoptions: excluding B2B supported Alloptional other customers arereserves excluded. Prices at time going to . Whilst every effort is made to ensure theequity offer is available, subject to our wear Toomey and tearVauxhall terms and conditions, excessthe mileage can introduce to a limited number of finance providers, commission may be received. See Retailer for further details. Offers apply to details are accurate and upfair to date, Southend reserves right tocharges removeapply. and/orWe amend prices at you any time.
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Santa’s grotto · Magical elves · Interactive fun German Christmas market · Kiddy rides intu.co.uk/lakeside © 2015 Intu Properties plc
... Around Towners to YOUR Rayleigh community magazine! This month we are celebrating Around Town Magazine’s 2nd anniversary edition! Here’s a few words from our contributors. Read on and enjoy!
Havens Hospices
We have used Around Town magazine on a number of occasions to promote our fundraising events. The response rate has always been really good giving us access to new donors and helping to increase our financial targets for Havens Hospices. The staff are always really friendly and a real pleasure to deal with.
Features 6 Mark Francois Political Update 11 Know Your Tradesmen Mr Eastwood New Roofs 13 Rayleigh Lions Club / Rotary Club of Rayleigh Mill Organisations ‘Around Town’ 16-17 Martin Lewis The Money Saving Expert
Sunday 8th November Remembrance Sunday
20 Nature Notes
Why Advertise?
EWT Volunteer Neil Sumner
The Revd Canon Mike Lodge
Congratulations ‘Around Town’ Wishing you a very Happy Second Birthday in Rayleigh as you continue your monthly free publication across the Town, which I know is greatly appreciated, especially from the comments I receive. Best wishes.
Southend Theatres
Happy 2nd birthday Around Town Magazines, with love from all of us at the Cliffs Pavilion and Palace Theatre. We look forward to celebrating many more anniversary’s with you.
From the Around Town Team
Dates to remember Saturday 7th November Rayleigh Lions Club Charity Firework Display
23 A View from the Church Rev. Mike Lodge 25 Around Town Sports Focuses on the Rugby
We hand deliver 15,000 copies every month to homes and businesses covering the whole of Rayleigh. This includes several thousand copies available from venues throughout the town and an online edition.
World Cup
To Advertise
30 On Your Plot
Contact our Sales Team details below.
Gardening Tips 31 Useful Numbers
Booking deadline for our December edition of Around Town is: Friday 13th Nov.
Copyright 2015. Around Town Rayleigh is an independent magazine and does not endorse the products or services that appear in the magazine. Opinions expressed in Around Town do not necessarily represent those of the editors of Around Town Magazines. Around Town Magazines are published by Black Square Print Media Ltd produced by Black Square Litho Ltd.
Around Town Magazines Graphic House, Radford Way, Billericay CM12 0DE
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MY DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE DECISION TO PASS THE WEST OF RAYLEIGH PLANNING APPLICATION
I was disappointed at the recent decision by Rochford District Council’s Development Control Committee to pass the revised planning application to build some 500 houses on the land North of London Road in West Rayleigh. I attended the Council’s Development Control meeting to discuss the original planning application when it was debated in January and spoke against the application both as the local MP and a resident living in the neighbouring area, mainly on the grounds that it did not provide sufficient guarantees of infrastructure.
However, I was not able to attend
on the site although final details
the meeting to discuss the revised
of the application will still have
application which took place on
to be decided when a further
30th September – yet my objections
detailed planning application is
to the original application both in
submitted,
writing and verbally at the meeting
later this year or early in 2016.
in January as well as to this revised
This
application are on record.
second opportunity to ensure that
should
probably
sometime
hopefully
give
infrastructure is more adequately The
passing
of
the
revised
guaranteed at that stage.
outline application now gives the developers, Countryside Properties, permission in principle to build
MARK FRANCOIS
Conservative Parliamentary MP for Rayleigh & Wickford
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CP Shutters
Custom Plantation Shutters Specialists Trading Standards Approved with a shop offering prices as low as the internet, free installation, seven years trading history with over 3000 Custom Plantation Shutters installed, offering a five year warranty on both product and workmanship, you can certainly Buy With Confidence, just as our many reviews say. Our shop is open Monday to Saturday 9am-5pm Sundays by appointment only.
Call the original Custom Plantation Shutters Shop CP Shutters for a free survey today!
01702 68 69 70 It really is EasyCP with CP Shutters www.cpshutters.co.uk Find us at 280 London Road, Westcliff, Essex SS0 7JG One of our staff can give you a free estimate on our made to measure interior shutters.
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Cloudy2Clear Windows – Service With A Smile!
It’s been a crazy few months for Cloudy2Clear Windows. The company which specialises in repairing windows which are steamed up, broken or damaged by replacing the panes – not the frames has grown rapidly as homeowners take advantage of their services. Managing Director Chris Miller feels that it’s all about service. ‘Our product is simple. If your double glazing is misted up we can replace the glass at a fraction of the cost of a new window, in any type of frame, and with a new 5 year guarantee. But it’s not just about saving
people money, although that obviously helps. Many tradespeople have struggled since last year and I honestly feel that during the good times a minority perhaps didn’t focus on customer care as much as they should have done. We make sure we turn up when we say we will, do the job the customer requires and leave their house as clean as a whistle. I often get comments back from customers on how they really didn’t expect that sort of service which, in a way, is very sad for the service industry as a whole.’ Cloudy2Clear service Rayleigh and Chris is finding that his approach
is a major factor in his success.‘The truth is that it’s not just the personal satisfaction that I get from doing a good job but also it makes good business sense. I get a huge amount of business from friends and family of people I’ve
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Mr Eastwood New Roofs Building & Roofing Services
Charlie Eastwood runs Mr Eastwood New Roofs, a company based in Southend that offers a variety of roofing services to customers in and around the area. From small repairs to entire new roof installations, Charlie and the team prides themselves on the dedication and personal touch they bring to each
job and the reliable service they are able to offer their customers. Charlie said ‘We understand the importance of supplying customers with an honest service. By adopting a personal approach, we focus on providing exceptional service from the initial meeting through to completion’. Charlie and the team are also able to offer roof tiling, chimney stack rebuilds, and
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roof & gutter cleaning. All their work is fully guaranteed and insured, and they offer free estimates & advice and a 14 day cooling off period, with no deposits required. Charlie said ‘Our team of skilled and qualified tradesman specialise in a variety of construction tasks. We understand the importance of completing our projects on time and on budget, whilst maintaining a high level of service’.
01277 658444 sales@aroundtownmagazines.co.uk
HANDYMAN DAVE For all your general property maintenance, call Dave! » » » » »
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11
The Lions Club of Rayleigh open Gates 5:30pm s at y start Displa pm 7:30
Firework Musical Spectacular! King Georges Playing Field Rayleigh
New for 2015 !!
Chil dre Food n rides stalls
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Tickets available in October from The RONA Partnership, HATTONS newsagents Also from the Lions Club of Rayleigh in the High Street on Saturday Nov 7th
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RAYLEIGH LIONS CLUB The Lions Club of Rayleigh will be presenting their annual firework display in King George’s Playing Field Rayleigh on Saturday 7th November. Event opens at 5.30pm with the display commencing at 7.30pm NEW for this year will be the introduction of musical and visual choreography in a stunning ‘Day and Night’ theme to the evening’s display. Through the combination of music (from ‘The Beatles’ to ‘The Black Eyed Peas’) and fireworks, the display will take the audience from a shimmering sunrise to the chimes of midnight. The compere for the evening will be radio presenter and entertainer Bridget Metcalfe with predisplay musical entertainment provided by local duo ‘Midnite Blu’ In addition there will be children’s swing boats and a roundabout. Catering this year includes burgers, hog roast, chestnuts, noodle bar and coffee stands Every penny raised is distributed by the Lions Club of Rayleigh to local good causes and various chosen charities.
ROTARY CLUB OF RAYLEIGH MILL In September we held our first Membership Evening since we introduced a new ‘Associate Member’ category. This type of membership is aimed at people who might want to be involved with a local Rotary Club but maybe are unable to support the regular meetings. It gives the opportunity for them to find out how they might fit in before making a full commitment. It certainly seems to be working, at the meeting we had two Associate members enrolled and a further five people who attended the presentation are considering joining the club. Early October was the time for the area district conference held this year in Bournemouth. For the second time in recent years a member of our club was the District Governor and the main presenter at the conference. It also involved other members of the club in the organisation and running of the event for the sixty clubs in our district. A trip on the Waverley from Southend Pier up to the pool of London was also arranged at the beginning of October and enjoyed by all the members. The club has just donated £1000 to ‘One brick at a time’, an organisation supported by Rotary to rebuild/refurbish a primary school in Rubona, Uganda. To see what else we do, just go to ‘Rotary Club of Rayleigh Mill’ on Facebook or Google. PLEASE MENTION AROUND TOWN MAGAZINE WHEN RESPONDING TO ADVERTS
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10
EssexMaintenanceApr14 07 April 2014 15:38:43
14
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Solar As summer’s rays have faded, the 550,000 Brits with solar panels will stay smiling. Solar panels aren’t just an environmental boon, they cut your electricity bills and pay you for generating energy. However, the amount you can earn from them will likely soon drop again, so if you’re mulling it, it’s worth deciding whether it’s right for you soon. Let me take you through it… How solar panels work “Solar power? Hang on, we don’t live in California!” may be your first thought. Yet it’s not about the heat, it’s about daylight, so they still generate some electricity on gloomy days – vital in a country with weather as dull as eating rice cakes while waiting in for a delivery. There are actually two types of panels: thermal which just heat the water, and photovoltaic (PV) which generate electricity, and it’s these that all the fuss is about, though you’ll usually need a reasonable sized, unshaded roof, facing south-ish. How solar panels make you money Financially, there are two reasons to do this: ● You save on electricity bills. The Energy Saving Trust (EST) estimates a typical family can knock around £100/year off their bills, as it cuts the amount of electricity you need to buy. This depends on system size, location, whether you’re at home during the day and other factors. ● You get paid for generating. You also get paid a ‘feed-in tariff’ for ALL the energy you generate. Crucially, that’s even if you’re the one using the energy, which once big home storage batteries become commonplace will be even better. The amount you get depends on your system’s size, but EST estimates typical payments of £500 a year (tax-free). In June the rate dropped from 13.3p/kWh to 12.9p/ kWh (in contrast, you pay 9p-13p/kWh for the electricity you use). Yet once panels are installed, the government has said the rate is fixed for 20 years and rises with inflation, so signing up sooner pays more.
Does buying solar panels still add up? Back in the day, solar panels were a no-brainer. When the Government launched the feed-in scheme, people typically got a gobsmacking £1,100+ per year in payments, not taking into account electricity savings. Then again, a typical system cost £12,000. Yet now while you earn less, it also costs far less with the price coming down to £5,000-£8,000. For a full detailed analysis and more help, go towww.mse.me/solar, but in a flash... Here’s some maths based on a typical house in Manchester with a typical 4kWp system: - Cost of panels: £6,500 - Annual generation payment: £515 - Annual bill savings: £120 - Total: £635 - Break even estimate: 10 years - Profit at 20 years: £6,200. So with savings rates so low, for someone with a bundle of cash these are a good option to look at. And for some they can pay back even sooner. The key need-to-knows To see whether solar panels are worth it for you and whether you can get them, there are some important need-to-knows: -You need a south-facing roof: Panels need to be on a south-ish facing roof, which isn’t usually shaded. -You need a grade D Energy Performance Certificate (EPC): An EPC rates a building on its energy efficiency from A - highly efficient - to G. If you haven’t got grade D or above you get a lower feed-in tariff making it not worth it for most. Go towww.gov.uk/find-an-energy-assessor to find an accredited assessor. -You can still switch supplier: Don’t think this locks you into your energy provider. Your energy supplier doesn’t need to be the same supplier as the one that pays your feed-in tariff, so you’re free to switch. And with many people already overpaying by £250 a year that’s definitely worth doing – do
a full comparison via mywww.cheapenergyclub. co.uk or any Ofgem.gov.uk confidence code site. -The further south you live, the more you can make: The Energy Saving Trust estimates that you could earn £720/year in London, £635 in Manchester and £595 in Edinburgh – as the south gets more daylight. To predict the likely return for your home use the calculator atwww. energysavingtrust.org.uk/solar. -Planning permission isn’t usually needed: The big exception is if you’ve a flat roof, your property’s listed or it’s in a conservation area – you may need to get approval from your council’s building team so check with your local authority. -Ensure your fitter’s a member of Microgeneration Certification Scheme.
the
You can check at: www.microgenerationcertification.org Aren’t they an eyesore? Will it impact the value of my house? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some people worry that ugly panels plastered all over their roof and the fact that you’re tied in to a contract that remains with the property once you’ve left could push the price of their house down or put off buyers. And the aesthetics are worth considering, though there are ways to fit panels more discretely. Equally, a more efficient home generating its own energy and paying a feed-in tariff could attract buyers. If you may one day sell the property, I wouldn’t let it put you off. If you’re selling soon, it’s unlikely to be worth doing as you won’t have time to recoup the amount you shell out and it’s unlikely to add a similar amount to your house value. Don’t some firms advertise free solar panels? Some companies offer to fit panels free – but do that and they keep the bigger feed-in tariff payments. You just get the £100ish electricity savings, though prices are predicted to rise massively over 20 years. The firms also maintain the panels and pay for insurance. Yet you may not be able to buy out your contract, so bear this in mind – especially if you’re likely to
move house – as this could be very unattractive to a future purchaser. I’ve full reviews of the free solar providers atwww.mse.me/freesolar. New tool to trick Amazon into giving you free delivery The giant e-retailer used to give free delivery on its goods (not its third party Marketplace sellers) if you spent £10, but in May it increased that to £20. Delivery costs anything from £1.50 to £6, but a new tool (developed by a very clever chap called Adam who used to work for me), SuperSaverDelivery. co.uk scours Amazon for filler items. For example, a £19.72 hairdryer comes with a £6.01 delivery charge so £25.74 total. But the tool shows how you can add a 33p Snickers bar so you’d only pay £20.05.
DON’T THINK THIS LOCKS YOU INTO YOUR ENERGY PROVIDER. Turn your smartphone into a free holiday sat-nav If it’s got GPS, you can convert it into a free sat-nav for 28 countries without using any pricey data overseas. Just download the maps before you go –Navmii.com is a free app for iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Windows Phone. Once you’ve downloaded it to your phone, it doesn’t need any internet data to find routes, search, or access its maps via GPS, as these are stored offline in your phone.
*New Venue for 2015* It’s more than just a Santa Run! Join us at Wat Tyler Country Park in Basildon and raise funds for Little Havens Hospice. 2k Reindeer Run - 11am 4.5k Santa Fun Run - 12.30pm Santa in his Grotto Much more! Book now at havenshospices.org.uk/santarun or call Cerena on 01702 221 669
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A Bewick’s Swan was seen at Slimbridge in Gloucestershire in early October, an unusually early arrival for a winter visitor, leading to speculation about a cold winter to come. Our visiting Bewick’s Swans come from western Siberia. According to Birds of Essex, 75% of them stay around the Ouse Washes, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. We do have a few that visit locally but numbers vary and if you want to see a Bewick’s Swan in Essex you are best looking during a cold winter and in the north east of the county. In the last two mild winters there have only been a few, lingering mainly around Abberton Reservoir, but in the colder winter of 2012 a herd (sic) of 11 visited Hanningfield and there were many more sightings in the cold winters in 2010. Bewick’s Swans have a yellow and black bill, which is the easiest way to distinguish them from our regular Mute Swans which have an orange bill and are larger. There is also the winter visiting Whooper Swan which has an orange bill and, to tell those from Berwick’s, I’d advise a field guide or the RSPB web site! A cold winter is good news not just for the avid coastal birdwatcher but also for those who like to see birds in their garden, local park or woodlands. One of the winter visitors that really started to arrive last month is the Redwing, a small thrush. They have a colourful orange flash under the wing and smart eye stripes, making them particularly attractive in winter sunshine. As winter progresses and their food supply of berries in the hedgerows is exhausted, they forage on grass fields or on the floors of woodlands. They get noisy too, whilst walking in the woods you may become aware of lots of whistles, warblings and chatterings so stop and look for them, moving through the trees and understorey. In really cold weather they may visit gardens, perhaps feeding on pyracantha berries. We have a good crop of berries this year, and this also leads to speculation about a cold winter. But is it really the case that nature anticipates this and provides extra for the wildlife? Probably not, as it is the conditions in the spring and summer months that affect the quantity of berries. If spring is seasonally normally and with no hard frosts to kill flower buds, and the summer is warm but not too dry, then the berries should be plentiful, which has been the pattern for the last 2 years.
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Those animals that cannot fly to warmer climes have evolved to hibernate through the winter. Bats, dormice and hedgehogs are fattening up and will start hibernating this month although I have accidentally disturbed a dormouse at this time and seen the occasional bat at dusk. Foxes don’t hibernate as many of you will know because it is at this time of year when they make their territorial noises prior to mating during the winter month. Their screams at night mean that many of us are not sleeping like a dormouse.
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We Will Remember Them… It’s said that the most complex computer in the world is the human brain. And when you consider its function, when we think about the mental capacity we have, you can appreciate why.We are able to recall information that is stored in what we call the back of our brain. It’s amazing, a miracle you might say, that we are able to draw from the many thousands upon thousands of pockets of data which we have there. It seems that we are able to recollect many facts and figures at a moment’s notice, or a little longer as we get older! Remembering is a very important part of our lives and remembrance is part of modern British life, culture and heritage. It becomes a particular feature of the public calendar each year when public, private, formal and informal Remembrance events take place throughout the UK.Especially this month,
on Remembrance Sunday, 8 November, and also on Armistice Day, 11 November at 11.00am, weparticularly commemorate all who gave their lives for others. The Royal British Legion is committed to helping everyone understand the importance of remembrance so that sacrifices are never forgotten.One way of doing this is the RBL Poppy Appeal, the poppy as the symbol of remembrance and hope. Wearing a poppy is a personal choice and reflects individual and personal memories. It is not compulsory but is greatly appreciated by those it helps; those currently serving in our Armed Forces, veterans, and their families and dependants. Let us always remember before God those who have died as a result of war, those whom we knew and whose memory we treasure, and all who have lived and died in the service of mankind.In the traditional words of Laurence Binyon, used on Remembrance Sunday ‘They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.’ And, of course, we will remember them because it is not only
an important part of our lives, it’s vitalthat we convey this remembering from generation to generation.This couldn’t be more poignant for us in the face of continuing conflict and hostilities across the world. Remembering impacts on all aspects of our lives, whether or not we are thinking about those who gave their lives for others, in the past or in the present. As we do so we can give thanks to God for them as we also look ahead to the Christian hope of life eternal; to live trusting in God and all of his promises, both in the future and in our lives today. We can be assured that God will remain faithful, and particularly if we remain faithful to God.In the words of Bob Dylan, ‘Though the earth may shake me, though my friends forsake me - I believe in you’ So, in these troubled and uncertain times, and as we remember all who have died and continue to die in the cause of peace, let us continue to believe in an unchanging God, a God who is sovereign, and a God who is faithful... Yours in the love of Jesus, The Revd Canon Mike Lodge Team Rector Parish of Rayleigh Parish Office 01268 742151 info@parishofrayleigh.org.uk www.parishofrayleigh.org.uk
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Rochford Hundred Rugby Club Rochford Hundred Rugby Club is a local rugby club formed by three local residents in 1962 and today showcases rugby across all ages, abilities and both genders covering over 20 teams. The 1st XV play in the RFU London 2 North East league and the club’s main focus is developing local players to as high a standard of rugby as it possibly can.
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RUGBY The Rugby World Cup will be remembered as a huge disappointment in the eyes of many throughout the country as the home nation failed to deliver after they promised so much. However, after shocks, thrills, spills, end to end matches and heartache should we be hailing England 2015 as the best RWC yet?! It started with that opening ceremony and England stepping up to the plate against a tough Fijian team, then soon after that we had lowly Japan shocking the Springboks, surely the performance of the tournament. Facebook and Twitter took note and you felt the tournament had captured a wider audience than just your die hard rugby fans. The elephant in the room is perhaps the England vs Wales match up. As other group games came and went with a certain predictability, the big nations were sweeping aside the lesser nations with the exception South Africa. A depleted Welsh side were written off, but this tournament seems to have been the story of the underdog and sure enough they pulled off an upset. However, there is no doubting the drama was something to behold for any sport fan, even if the result was not the right one for an Englishman. The decision in the dying moments to go for the win instead of kicking for the draw, the Welsh kicker and his somewhat bizarre but captivating ritual as he kicked from half way to give Wales the win, the World Cup received another huge boost in terms of worldwide acclaim, despite leaving the home nation fearing the worst. The underdog story continued... I must mention Romania, coming from behind against Canada, 15-0 down to win 15-17, a huge win in the context of Romanian Rugby and world cup history made, as they are the first team to recover from such
a deficit. Argentina round off the shock factor, but dispatching of 6 nation holders, Ireland, to put them into the Semi Finals, giving Los Pumas the chance of outperforming the Argentinian footballers and taking the trophy back to Buenos Aires. Of course the fact that England crashed out is bad for the tournament, every sporting event needs the home nation to turn up, the interest keeps flowing, viewing rating are through the roof, pubs are full, rugby clubs across the country are heaving, however the expectation coupled with the group of death seems like it was their downfall. Those who turned off their televisions the moment England crashed out would have missed an absolute treat. The lowest ranked home nation, Scotland, have flown the flag for Britain by entertaining in back to back matches. The games against Samoa and Australia were amazing adverts for the sport and the World Cup, both teams scoring above 30 points in each game. The purists have also had their games to feast on, the Australians displaying the beauty and art of defence while down to 13 men against a strong Welsh outfit. And finally the All Blacks flexing their muscle when it matters most in the knockout stages has set up an exciting climax to the tournament. Away from the on the pitch exploits, the atmosphere and attitude on show has once again ensured Rugby has once again shown up other sports, which I will not name. You can hear a pin drop as one of the sporting wonders of the world, “The Haka�, is just about to begin. The opposition and opposing fans alike stand still sometimes in ore and more importantly in respect of the New Zealand war cry. Not only is this upheld for the All Blacks, but as Tonga and Fiji complete their opening sequences, there is
always such grace in the way this is received. The RWC England 2015 has epitomised what a carnival and friendly atmosphere is all about, unlike my much beloved Football equivalent where the undertone of misplaced aggression and sore losers sometimes spills over into a very unsavoury situation. While we wait for another four years, I urge people to not think of the Rugby World Cup as a huge disappointment, but yet another example of this country being able to stage one of the biggest sporting events with aplomb as well as being fortunate enough to witness some of the breathtaking performances seen at a Rugby World Cup. The inquest into a sporting disappointment in this country is like no other, and sections of the press have already targeted their scapegoat, instead of perhaps doing what most true fans will do and accepting that the other teams in Wales and Australia had very good days. If we look at it objectively, have we seen the best Rugby World Cup ever? The final is yet to come, this could be the deciding factor.
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on your
PLOT Feeling Fruity
Few flavours compare with that of fruit freshly picked from the garden. Much of the fruit available in the shops (particularly the supermarkets) has been grown for it’s ability to travel well rather than it’s flavour and may have been picked well before it’s arrival on the shelf. If you fancy apples from your own tree, or a bowl of raspberries fresh from the garden, now is the time to act. Jobs for November:Start to harvest parsnips after the first frosts. Tidy up your greenhouse or polytunnel, wash out pots and seed trays before storing ready for the Spring Sow hardy peas or broad beans ready for an early crop next year. Use netting or chicken wire to protect your broccoli and cabbages from hungry pigeons. If you haven’t already done so, plant garlic and shallots. If your rhubarb is taking over, lift and divide the crowns before replanting.
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If you are anything like me you will spend ages drooling over pictures of bushes dripping with blackcurrants or gooseberries, trees laden with apples, or bowls full of luscious raspberries but struggle to get to grips with the realities of production on your own plot! Patience is a virtue that is definitely required for growing your own, and this is particularly so with fruit trees and bushes. I have to confess to having an inclination to move on with anything that requires more than a few months to give a decent crop, but with most fruit you just have to force yourself to take the long term view and now being the proud owner of a 2 year old gooseberry bush and raspberry canes I can assure you that the waiting is worthwhile! Think carefully about where you will grow your fruit. Trees require lots of space (but are a wonderfully attractive addition to your plot) while bushes may be incorporated in your borders, but will probably need some protection if you aren’t going to loose a lot of fruit to the birds. Late autumn is an ideal time to add fruit to your plot as trees and bushes will be entering their dormant period. It is important to buy healthy plants and to ensure that they are dormant as they will transplant more successfully. If you are ordering from a reputable mail order nursery they are likely to arrange delivery to coincide with the best time for planting. You should also get
instruction on how to plant and care for your new tree or bush. Trees such as apple or plum may be grafted onto a variety of different rootstocks - this sounds complicated but all you really need to know is what effect this will have on the final size of the tree. If you have limited space it is possible to buy dwarf varieties some of which can even be suitable for container growing. Pollination is also an important consideration, some varieties are self -fertile and do not need a pollinator, while others may require another variety planted close by to act as a pollinator. When planting your tree out it may benefit from staking and protection around the base. One ‘fruit’ that is a little different and very easy to grow is Rhubarb. Rhubarb is actually classified as a vegetable, but certainly tastes good used like a fruit in crumbles and pies. November is the perfect time to plant out dormant crowns. Although these can be bought from nurseries Rhubarb tends to spread well when established and needs to be divided every few years so it is often possible to obtain surplus crowns from friends or neighbours. Plant your crown with the buds just above the soil and water well the first year. Once the plants have become established you can look forward to harvesting a good crop of delicious pink stems from Spring onwards - very welcome as the first ‘fruit’ of the year.
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USEFUL NUMBERS
BIRTH, DEATH MARRIAGES REGISTRATION
01268 361350 POLICE Rayleigh Police Station HOSPITALS Brentwood Hospital Basildon Hospital Broomfield Hospital Essex Nuffield Hospital Queen’s Romford Southend Hospital Spire Hartswood Hospital HELPLINES Alcoholics Anonymous Childline DIAL Disability Helpline Drugline Essex In Focus (family disabilities support)
Narcotics Anonymous NHS non-emergency Parentline Samaritans S. Essex Rape and Incest Crisis Centre Victim Support Essex Women’s Refuge
01268 361351 0300 333 4444 CHEMISTS 01277 695000 0845 1553111 01245 443673 0800 688699 0845 1304204 01702 435555 01277 232525
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01702 546366
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• Daily living aids • Walking•aids and Zimmers • Walking sticks and( rollators • Bathing & Wetroom room adaptations Stairlifts Wheelchair && Powerchair Specialists Vouchers Accepted ) ) • Bathing & Wet ••Stairlifts Powerchair Specialists Vouchers Accepted • adaptations Daily living aids • Walking• Wheelchair aids and Zimmers • Walking sticks and(rollators ££££££ • Bathing & Wet room adaptations • Stairlifts • Wheelchair & Powerchair Specialists ( Vouchers Accepted ) • Full workshop facilitiesavailable available forrepairs repairs servicing •• Free Assessments &&Demonstration • Full facilities for && servicing FreeHome Home Assessments Demonstration • Bathing &workshop Wet room adaptations • Stairlifts • Wheelchair & Powerchair Specialists ( Vouchers Accepted ) • Full workshop• facilities availableon forrequest repairs•&New servicing • Free Home &Assessments & Demonstration Finance available batteries supplied fitted from £70 • Full workshop facilities availableonforrequest repairs•&New servicing • Free Home Assessments Demonstration • Finance available batteries supplied & fitted from&£70 • Finance available on request • New batteries supplied & fitted from £70 • Finance available on request01268 • New batteries suppliedCANVEY & fittedISLAND: from £70 01268 209444 BASILDON: 520233 SOUTHEND: 01702 417088
SOUTHEND: 01702 417088 THE VICTORIA CENTRE SOUTHEND: 01702 417088 THESOUTHEND-ON-SEA VICTORIA CENTRE SOUTHEND: 01702 417088 THE VICTORIA CENTRE SOUTHEND-ON-SEA SS2 5SP THE VICTORIA CENTRE SOUTHEND-ON-SEA SS2 5SP SOUTHEND-ON-SEA SS2 5SP SS2 5SP
BASILDON: 01268 520233 45-49 MARKET SQUARE BASILDON BASILDON: 01268 520233 45-49 MARKET SQUARE BASILDON BASILDON: 01268 SS14 1DE520233 45-49 MARKET SQUARE SS14 1DE BASILDON sales@lifestyleandmobility.co.uk 45-49 MARKET SQUARE BASILDON SS14 1DE sales@lifestyleandmobility.co.uk SS14 1DE sales@lifestyleandmobility.co.uk sales@lifestyleandmobility.co.uk
CANVEY ISLAND: 01268 209444 26 KNIGHTSWICK CENTRE CANVEY ISLAND: SHOPPING 01268 209444 26 KNIGHTSWICK SHOPPING CENTRE CANVEY ISLAND: 209444 SS8 01268 7AB 26 KNIGHTSWICKSS8 SHOPPING 7AB CENTRE 26www.lifestyleandmobility.co.uk KNIGHTSWICK CENTRE SS8SHOPPING 7AB www.lifestyleandmobility.co.uk SS8 7AB www.lifestyleandmobility.co.uk www.lifestyleandmobility.co.uk