Around Town Magazine Upminster July Edition 2016

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CONTENTS 08

08 Angela Watkinson Political Update

12 The Pension Doctor

By Charlie Reading

16 Around Town Sports EURO 2016

22 Martin Lewis

Money Saving Expert

26 What’s On

When and Where...

14

Edition 16

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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.

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Angela Watkinsons

Member of Parliament For Upminster & Hornchurch

I am dismayed that the country has made the historically significant decision to leave the EU, albeit by a small margin of 52/48, although Havering voters

were more decisive at 70/30.

The immediate outcome was a dramatic fall in the value of the pound and the stock market and our international credit rating dropped to negative.

The prime minister decided to resign and a new one must be appointed by September. A motion of no confidence has also be put against the leader of the opposition. This degree of turbulence is very damaging to confidence in our economy and inward investment but we must hope that the dust will settle and we may all work together and move forward in the best interests of our country.

Many people have been alarmed by the outcome and have written to me, and signed a petition seeking a second referendum,

some who voted remain and others who voted leave but wish they hadn’t. Unfortunately, in a democracy the will of the majority holds sway, no matter by how slender a margin.

In the middle of the referendum campaign, the murder of MP Jo Cox shocked the nation and made us realise how terrorism can take us by surprise is so many unexpected forms, no matter what security precautions we take.

I felt sorry for our astronaut, Tim Peake, whose dramatic return to earth was eclipsed by the news of the murder of Jo Cox and the referendum campaign. He is a brave, talented man and I hope his achievement will be properly recognised.

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The

Pension Doctor

By Charlie Reading

The Best Income Strategy As you approach your retirement, you can use several strategies to boost your income. Most people make their way through their working life with little strategic planning for their retirement. They collect a series of different pensions and investments, each of which seem sensible at the time but often don’t take into account where they already are or where they are going. To be able to plan your retirement from a financial perspective, you first need to understand what is important to you. Only once you know what is important to you in the future can you ensure your finances can deliver exactly that.

The Wedding Car of Your Finances Most people move companies several times during their working life. Each one of these companies will probably give you a different pension, so by the time you get closer to retirement, you will have collected a diverse array of different schemes to your name, which you will drag behind you like a wedding car does cans and streamers. Even those of you who run your own businesses will often have the same as a result of previous jobs, previous financial advisers or encounters with your bank.

Some of the older pensions you might collect may have some quirky guarantees and features that you will want to keep. Guaranteed annuity rates, for example, are usually really valuable, so you’d want to keep most pensions that employ them. Many will offer to pay you an income of 10% or more of the capital when you get to retirement. You don’t want to let go of this feature.

Some pensions will have minimum growth guarantees which might be valuable too.

The important thing to do is to check. Ask the provider if you have these guarantees, and if not, you know you aren’t giving up valuable benefits by transferring.

Charges are important to assess, but only when assessed with the likely difference in growth can they be quantified. Whilst past performance is no guide to the future, over a five-year time frame or possibly longer, it can be a useful guide. Better, however, is to anticipate what a particular portfolio is likely to deliver in the future.

When it comes to charges, some of these older pensions do not make clear how much money they take off from likely future growth. The biggest culprits are ‘With Profit’ funds, where the company does not indicate the charges and often doesn’t tell you the underlying fund performance unless you do some serious probing.

This theory would also work if you could take your money out unaffected. However, the company can impose a penalty at any level the moment you want to take your money out. This situation is known as a ‘Market Value Adjustment’; if the fund administrators want to impose a 50% penalty on your money, they can. Avoid the smoke and mirrors of the ‘With Profit’ life company funds. It is much better to select an investment level of risk that is appropriate for you than to leave it all in the hands of a company whose sole purpose is to make money for shareholders!

Paying For No Advice Another question to ask when looking at in these older schemes is, ‘Are you still paying commission to some adviser you haven’t seen for years?’

If you are not getting an ongoing service from an adviser, then you should no longer be paying them. You should only be paying for advice and a service if you are getting it, and if you were promised an ongoing service that you aren’t getting, you should put a stop to it.

Consolidate For Clarity There are some important considerations to take into account with your old trail of pensions that you drag behind you like the cans behind a wedding car. My recommendation is that you seek the advice of an Independent Financial Planner with advanced pension qualifications because there can be other aspects of pensions that would affect this advice.

Either way, assuming you don’t give up valuable benefits or increase the charges more Eliminate Smoke and Mirrors than the likely investment improvement, There are a whole variety of ways that older-style it is a good financial planning exercise pensions can charge you. There can be initial charges, to consolidate your pensions into one exit charges, different units where higher charges are centralised solution. This allows you to imposed on some but not others, ongoing charges, manage your pension with much greater charges, flat charges and switching charges, to Bestadmin Income Strategy flexibility and clarity. name but a few. As you can see, it can be complicated to compare the charges of one pension to another.

That’s why you, or a Financial to simplify ou approach your retirement, youAdviser, can useneed several strategies Charlie Reading was recently rated by the Sunday Telegraph as one of the process. First look at the effect the charges have on oost your income.

Most people make their way through your money by picking a set growth rate (for example,theirthe UK’s top financial planners. To read more about how to positively king life strategic planning their retirement.

5%)with andlittle seeing what you end upfor with at age 65 from They both schemes. ct a series of different pensions and investments, each of impact your wealth, health and happiness in retirement, h seem sensible at the time but often don’t take into account download your FREE copy of We look at a critical yield when comparing the two re they alreadyWhat are orthis where they are going.

Toatbewhether able to Charlie’s book, ‘The Dream schemes. means is that we look Retirement: How to Secure Your money in an alternative has toyou grow at need a youryour retirement from a financialscheme perspective, first Money and Retire Happy’ by visiting higher rate or a lower rate to achieve the same amount nderstand what is important to you. Only once you know what www.dream-retirement.com of funds.

ension Doctor

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EURO 2016 Not a crime of passion!

I say we sum up England’s performance up how an old Nan would. “Dear, oh dear. Oh well, life goes on, want a cup of tea!?”

But instead, of course every football fan becomes a preacher of hate toward everything to do with English Football. Every facebook status has something funny (kind of like those statuses) or something scathing about how footballers have no passion, are paid too much and aren’t trying.

However, I have to disagree with everyone who says it is a question of passion or effort. Those who know what it is like to get a taste of semi professional or professional football knows that effort and passion cannot come into question. Professional sports people would be competitive playing a game of Monopoly on Boxing day with the family, so to think they would not feel passionate and would not put in the effort is laughable.

Some people will say that Paul Ince and Terry Butcher played with more passion than a Jack Wilshere or a Wayne Rooney. Passion is something that cannot be measured and most certainly can be questioned, so why bother using it as an argument. It is impossible for professional players not to feel passionate, millions of fans across the nation cheering in unison making a town in a France feel like a home game in Wembley.

The other “p” word is a different story and it separates the world class players from the good players. Pressure has not been something that England players have been able to handle for years. Players will have bad games and that comes down to ability, however games like the Iceland game is completely down to pressure.

Going 2-1 down so quickly, every minute that ticked by made every player scared of want to making a mistake. The natural act of controlling the ball became a chore and something that every player was having to concentrate on and therefore making routine mishaps.

A 5 yard pass became difficult, so they stopped trying the harder passes and stopped trying to penetrate.

It was a on-going spiral and it was not pretty!

However, the media will have their jobs to do, and that job is to sell papers and what the people want is blood and to see the England team grovel. A huge mistake, but an inevitable one. These players are young, they aren’t going anywhere and no footballer was left at home that would have made a difference to this infamous crop of players. So crucifying them makes no logical sense. A bigger problem though, is that International football is now under threat more so than ever, as it is no longer the pinnacle of football.

The World Cup still has the appeal, but even the Euros and the South American Copa America is struggling to hold people’s attention, so by crucifying the players are we simply pushing them away from the International game?! Jack Wilshere, Delle Alli, etc will all go back to their clubs earning a crazy amount of money every week playing in the best league and in the best European competitions. Is playing for England attractive knowing what has happened since the team crashed out!?

If we want the England players to lose their passion, we are going the right way about it! It is very easy to retire from international football nowadays, perhaps younger retirements will happen. We have already seen the world’s best retiring in Lionel Messi and I expect these “people” (let’s not forget they are just people) may choose the easier life of club football.

Put the spotlight on your local sports team, contact Zaki Hasan, via email, zaki@aroundtownmagazines.co.uk

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In return you will receive professional ongoing training, 24 hour support, respite breaks and a generous tax free allowance.

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MARRIAGE TAX Are you married or in a civil partnership?

If so, is one of you a non-taxpayer, and the other paying basic 20% tax?

If you’ve just answered yes, then you’re one of 4.1million couples due a free £212 a year, but the likelihood is you’re in the 80% who haven’t claimed it, so I’m going to tell you how.

This is all about marriage tax allowance, a tax-break introduced in April 2015. I was stunned to find out how few people know about it, and am starting to make a breakthrough.

To inspire you, here’s just a few of the scores of recent tweets I’ve got on it.

TingTing: @MartinSLewis THANK YOU! Just signed up for marriageallowance, £212 in our pocket. DO IT PEEPS ... it’s quick and simple to do!

Matty: @MartinSLewis Thank you for letting us know about the Marriage Tax Allowance. Only took 2 minutes to complete and £212 saved per year.

Q. Who can get it? You must be married or civil partners. If you’ve lived together for 20 years and have four kids and a dog, you are not eligible.

This is a bit of social engineering by the government to have a reward for marriage in the tax system.

One of you must be a non-taxpayer, i.e., usually earning less than £10,600, and the other needs to pay tax at the basic 20% rate, which is currently for those who earn under £42,385. You

both must be under 80 (then there’s another tax break).

Don’t overcomplicate this. Many people ask if they count as a nontaxpayer as “I’m a volunteer”, “I only work part time”, “I don’t work”. Stop it. Are you a UK resident who doesn’t pay income tax? If you are, you count – simple as that.

Q. How does it work? The nontaxpayer can transfer £1,060 of their personal allowance – that’s the amount you can earn tax-free – to their partner.

Imagine Tyrone earns £10,000 at a garage, and is a non-taxpayer. He can arrange for £1,060 of his tax-free allowance to be transferred to his wife Fizz. So that’s £1,060 of earnings she would’ve paid tax on at 20% that’s now tax free. As 20% of £1,060 is £212, that’s your gain.

ONLY TOOK 2 MINUTES TO COMPLETE AND £212 SAVED PER YEAR. Q. How do you claim it? It’s a really simple process. The non-taxpayer should just go towww.gov.uk/marriageallowance or call 0300 200 3300. You’ll need your national insurance numbers and some basic ID. Let me stress again though, it’s the NON TAXPAYER who must sign up – people do it the

other way round and then wonder why they’re rejected.

Q. Do I get it every year? Yes, it’s done via a change in your tax code that remains, so it’s £212 a year gain every year and once you’ve applied it’s done automatically. If your circumstances change, you need to call up and tell them.

Q. Can I backdate the claim? Yes, you can backdate for four years, but it only started on 6 April 2015 so of course you can’t go back further than that.

Q. What if either or both of us are self-employed? It doesn’t matter. As long as you fulfil the eligibility criteria above, you can apply. The only difference is if the recipient partner is in self-assessment, it will reduce their self-assessment bill.

Q. What if I’m a non-taxpayer who doesn’t have £1,060 to pass across?

It still works, it’s just a bit more complex if the non-taxpayer is earning just under the £10,600 threshold. This is because you have to transfer £1,060 of your allowance to take advantage – nothing more, nothing less.

martin L E W IS Money Saving Expert

So let’s do another example. Suppose Fred is a basic rate taxpayer married to Wilma who earns £10,000 a year, so she’s only got £600 left of her tax free allowance. She can still move £1,060 to Fred, so he gains £212 on that amount.

That lowers her allowance to £9,540, but she earns £10,000 so she’ll pay basic 20% tax on the £440 – meaning she is £88 worse off. Overall, though they’re still up over £100.

If you don’t get the maths, don’t worry, you’re always collectively up by doing this, so if you’re a non-taxpayer, even close to the limit it’s still worth applying.

Martin Lewis is the Founder & Editor in Chief of Money Saving Expert. To join the 10 million people who get his Martin’s Money Tips weekly email, go to www.moneysavingexpert.com/ latesttip

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Baby Natal Developmental Baby Massage & Sensory Play Suitable from birth, 5 week courses, specially designed to support your baby’s, development, remaining baby-led & flexible.

Stage One (birth—14 weeks) developmental baby massage and gentle movement to support your baby through their ‘fourth trimester’.

Stage Two (14 weeks—8 months) playful and sensory rich, alongside baby massage we also enjoy song, Makaton sign and traditional rhymes.

Contact: yournatalway@outlook. com or 07738572554 Buying & Selling Children’s Clothes & Toys Children outgrow clothes and toys quickly, and replacing them with new items can be costly. Swapseez UK is a venture that will pay you for toys and clothes and provide bargains on nearly-new items as your children move into the next size or developmental stage.

Sales events are run at Cranham Community Centre on Mondays during term time, from 9:00-12:00.

For more information, visit the website: www.swapseezuk.com or email us at: swapseezuk@hotmail.com Chelmsford & District Welsh Society Membership is open to anyone with Welsh origins or connections, or to anyone with an appreciation of Welsh heritage and traditions.

Visitors and guests are warmly welcomed to attend our meetings.

The Society’s monthly meeting is held in St Cedd’s Hall, Cathedral Chapter House, Chelmsford, CM1 1NX, and is usually on the fourth Thursday of every month.

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The next meeting is on Thursday 22nd September at 7.30pm. All new members are welcome, come along to our meeting for a fun and sociable evening.

For more details please contact Gwenno on 07724144432 www.chelmsfordwelsh.org.uk www.facebook.com/ chelmsfordwelsh Essex Outdoor Cinema Essex Outdoor Cinema is returning to Upminster this summer at the Upminster Windmill on the 30th July (The Theory of Everything) and 3rd September (Top Gun).

Please join us for an alternative cinema experience under the stars.

Please go to our website (www. essexoutdoorcinema.com) for ticket details and further information. We can also be found on Facebook and Twitter @essexcinema.

Euromedical Ambulance Service A volunteer led charity serving Upminster and Havering providing first aid cover at sporting,social and school events with weekly training sessions leading to recognised first aid qualifications for members.

Meetings are held at the Rush Green Community Assn Social Club.

For more information contact Melvyn Gallagher 01708 224167 or e – mail magallagher@mgnet. freeserve.co.uk Friends Of Upminster Mini Golf Course We are a recently formed group with the aims of promoting the Mini Golf Course in Hall Lane, Upminster and working in partnership with Havering Council to improve amenities and to encourage people of all ages to participate at the course. Find us on Facebook.

Why not come and give it a go.

Equipment is supplied and the

course suits all abilities from novices to experienced golfers looking to improve their short game.

More information on the Councils website: www.havering.gov.uk/Pages/ ServiceChild/Hall-Lane-golf-course.

Heartfelt Yoga For Adults In Upminster Yoga is great to help physical fitness developing flexibility, strength, posture, co-ordination as well help you to relax and be calmer.

ALL LEVELS ADULT YOGA CLASSES; weekly 90 minute class at 8pm on Tuesday or Wednesday at The Old Chapel. Bring a mat and blanket£7 per session.

For further information about all classes please call Vikki on 07976 589133 or email heartfeltyoga@ outlook.com or visit the website www.heartfeltyoga.co.uk MOTR® Core, Cardio & Strength Training Neil Carpenter brings the MOTR® fitness machine from the US for prebooked ‘drop-in’ classes on Monday evenings in Cranham (maximum 8 to a class for close supervision). The MOTR® and its resistance bands will challenge your strength, core stability, stamina, control and agility in a full body athletic workout that will burn fat, tone and condition your body like no other workout.

This is a fast paced class so you must be injury free with a basic level of fitness. Flexible online booking is ideal for those with unpredictable schedules.

Want to try out the MOTR® for free?

Book a free class via our website www.upminstersportsmassage.co.uk or email us for further information upminstersportsmassage@gmail. com

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MummyNatal with Your Natal Way MummyNatal antenatal classes supporting mums-to-be to tune into what their birth experience is, focusing simply on the present moment and finding confidence and acceptance.

Weekly classes include mindful meditation exercises, breathing practice, birth ball exercise, exercises for encouraging baby into optimum position for birth, managing intense sensation exercises, birth physiology and birth choices education.

Classes at The Sanctuary, Upminster, Tuesday 8-9pm – yournatalway@ outlook.com 07738572554 NEW Meditation course & NEW beginner yoga course in Upminster booking now.

• Meditation course for beginners.

Four week course starts in September on Monday evenings 8pm (1 hour) held in my tranquil garden studio. The course costs £40. Only being taught in small groups so spaces are very limited so booking early is essential

aimed at people with disabilities and their carers. The meetings are accessible, informal and fun where Jesus is worshipped through Bible teaching, singing, prayer and fellowship with others.

We provide a safe environment and loving support for adults with disabilities and their carers.

For more information contact the Oasis Team on 01708 223551, 07714 853545 or the Church Office on 01708 224851.

Pilates for a Healthier Spine Experienced Sports & Remedial Massage Therapists Charlene & Neil Carpenter teach traditional Pilates in private sessions and also to small groups in Upminster & Cranham.

Improve the mobility of your spine & joints, increase strength, stamina & muscle elasticity, improve balance, co-ordination & enhance the way you look, feel & move. Levels: Beginners, Improvers, Intermediate, Men Only, Post Natal, and Gentle Pilates for Seniors. Group classes are Tues-Fri mornings and Mon-Thurs evenings.

• Adult yoga course for beginners. A new 8 week course start September on Tuesday evenings 6.30pm (1 hour), the Old Chapel. The course will cost £48. Spaces are limited so booking is essential.

For further information or to book a course or trial class please visit www. upminstersportsmassage.co.uk or call Charlene on 07411 826721, or email upminstersportsmassage@ gmail.com

For further information about all classes please call Vikki on 07976 589133 or email heartfeltyoga@ outlook.com

Tennis 4 All Hylands is delighted to engage with the JW Tennis Academy (JWTA) offering tennis lessons from mini tennis tots to squad level. All abilities welcome 4 -18 years old. A great way to help children improve their co-ordination, balance and listening skills in a fun and social environment.

Also available, Cardio Tennis and Tennis Xpress for adult beginners.

OASIS - A ‘disability-friendly’ meeting for adults On the second Sunday of each month, from 3.00 to 4.30 pm, we have our ‘disability-friendly’ meeting at Cranham Baptist Church, Severn Drive, Upminster, RM14 1SN. A traditional Sunday Service is not for everyone! Oasis meetings are

For more details please visit: www.hylandstennis.co.uk or contact us at hylandsclub@gmail.com

Thames Chase Forest Centre The Thames Chase Trust is grateful for the support in helping to secure the maximum grant from Tesco’s ‘Bags of Help’ fund to be used to refurbish the tree nursery at the Forest Centre.

During the summer the nursery will be redesigned, rebuilt and a potting shed added ready for autumn seed planting with children and families. We are now looking for extra volunteers to help build the beds and look after the nursery, so if you would like to help develop a nursery for supplying native trees to plant throughout the Forest contact the Forest Centre. More details can be found on the website www.thameschase. org.uk or at the centre.

Upminster Park Towns Women’s Guild We are a friendly group of Ladies enjoying a chat over tea and biscuits listening to a good speaker or entertainer. Going on outings/ theatre trips and promoting friendship and well being.

We meet at St.Lawrence Church, Derham Hall, Upminster on the fourth Wednesday each month at 1.45 - 4 pm. For more information contact Deborah Pryor 01708 226127 or Anne Monk 01708 226305 or simply come along.

Upminster Wine and Social We are a fun group of people with an interest in wine appreciation and enjoying many social events.

We hold meetings every month with a variety of speakers and a wine tasting.

Meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month at 8.00 o’clock in the Cranham Social Hall, Front Lane, Cranham. For more information contact Maureen Jasper on 01708 223956, or simply come along on the night. You would be made most welcome.

If you would like to promote your club or event then please email a maximum of 70 words to:

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