Ashbylife mar14 emag by Ashby Life

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this issue 94 Ashby Life Editor Liz Roberts Telephone 01530 417739 Email enquiries Advertising/Accounts info@ashbylife.co.uk Website/What’s On admin@ashbylife.co.uk

A Spring Clean for the whole of Ashby! Yes, that’s what is planned for this month – a great big tidy up for the whole town! Read more about it, and how you can get involved on page 68. Also inside this issue we bring you our annual list of ‘Useful Numbers’ on page 106. We check these numbers each year and try to include all the ones that we think readers may find useful to have near the phone but if you have any suggestions for changes or new numbers to include next year then do let us know. Finally, a reminder that the longer days will soon be here – hooray! Don’t forget to put your clocks forward 1 hour at 1am on 30th March for British Summertime.

Liz Roberts

Web www.ashbylife.co.uk Facebook www.facebook.com/ ashbylife Twitter @AshbyLife Address Ashby Life Ltd Castle House South Street Ashby de la Zouch LE65 1BR Front Cover Image by Lesley Hextall Photography

Ashby Life is an independent publication. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior permission of the editor. The use of this magazine for canvassing or direct marketing is strictly prohibited. Information is included on the What’s On and Community Board pages subject to space being available. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, Ashby Life cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions or endorse companies, products or services appearing in this magazine.

Contents 08 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 52 54 58 62 66 68 70 74 78 82 84 88 92 98 102 106 108 110

This Month Community Board

Christadelphian Church Book Reviews On the Beat Seasonal Recipes Ashby Health Centre Ashby Town Council Ashby Museum News Storytime In Your Home All About You Behind the Scenes In Your Garden Puzzle Page It’s Local Out and About Young Ashby Money Matters Prize Competition Just 4 Fun Venture Theatre News A Walk in the Forest Going Places What’s On Ashby Library News Useful Numbers Puzzle Solutions Business Directory

If you would like to advertise in Ashby Life It’s a fantastic way to target potential customers and great value for money

See our website or call Liz on 01530 417739 for details Next issue is April and deadline for copy is Friday 14th March. Please note advertising space is limited, pre-booking is recommended 4

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this month FROM the day you have a baby or adopt a child, your life changes forever. People tell you this when you’re pregnant, but it’s only when it happens that you really understand what they mean. Suddenly there’s someone who depends on you entirely. Every decision you make from now on will be based on their needs or desires.

Make your Mother’s Day In the UK, it is a mixture of a Christian tradition, and the celebration of motherhood that began in the USA in the early 20th century. During the 16th century, people in service would return to their home or ‘mother’ church on the fourth Sunday in Lent – Mothering Sunday.

Mother’s Day gives us the perfect opportunity to say thank you to our mums for everything they have done and still do for us. The founder of Mother’s Day in the US, Anna Jarvis, eventually regretted campaigning to get the day recognised because it became so commercialised. She hated the fact that people would buy a card with a printed message rather than writing a letter. Mother’s Day is celebrated all around the world, usually in March or in May.

Being a mother can be the best of jobs and the worst of jobs. For every heart-warming moment of pride and loveliness, there’s a blazing row or slammed door (but hopefully with a hug and a sorry afterwards).

It’s lovely to buy or make a card and give flowers and chocolates. You can also do something special to show you care – maybe take on a job that she hates or treat her to a day of pampering.

Mums have to take on every role in the family – carer, teacher, agony aunt, sergeant major, personal assistant, taxi driver… And it doesn’t stop when the children leave home.

But this year, why not go beyond the message in the card and write a few personal lines of your own to tell your mother how much you love her. Make sure she knows that she really is the best mum in the world (like mine).

Now approaching 40, I still rely on my mum for advice, friendship, help with childcare, emergency loans and the occasional kick up the backside to get things done. It’s only as you get older, especially if you have children of your own, that you realise how your parents felt as you grew up – why they made you do your homework, go to bed, stop fighting with your brother, eat properly, save money and above all, be careful!

by Alex Albrighton

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community board See p38

Ivanhoe Way Challenge

(supporting Wishes 4 Kids) Registration is now open for the 37 mile challenge walk which takes place in June. This year there will also be the option of the ‘Half’ Challenge for those who wish to cover a shorter distance. Call 07751 259489 or visit www.ivanhoechallenge.co.uk.

New Craft Group A new group is looking for crafty people to join them on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at The Vine in Ashby de la Zouch from 7pm till 9pm. Come along and sew, knit, crochet or develop your skills in a relaxed atmosphere. Please bring your own project with you. The cost is just the price of a cup of tea or coffee. The first meeting is on Tuesday 11th March. For further information contact Jilly on 07891 861378.

Ashby Open Gardens 2014 (supporting Cancer Research) This year Ashby Open Gardens takes place on June 7th and 8th. If you have an interesting garden, size not critical, and would like to show it off to others, please join them on either or both of these dates. For more information, call Jan on 01530 413225.

Ashby Arts Festival Photographic Competition

Grand Central Chorus The chorus are looking for potential new members to come along to any of their weekly rehearsals on Wednesday evenings at 7.15pm at Harrington School, Derby Road, Long Eaton, NG10 4BJ. For full details visit www.grandcentralchorus.com or follow them on Twitter @GrandCentralMen.

Ashby de la Zouch Fake Festival Early Bird tickets are now available for this See p49 year’s Fake Festival, which takes place on 7th June. Those buying a ticket will automatically qualify for a free ticket to the 3 day Big Fake Festival at Thoresby Park in September too. See www.fake festivals.co.uk.

Ashby Rotary Club’s Santa Run A huge thank you from the three Ashby Rotary Club’s to everyone who contributed to make this event so worthwhile. A record £16,200 was raised for charity.

Tara Kadampa Meditation Classes

The 2014 Ashby Arts Festival will be starting on the 17th May, so you’ve only got a few weeks to get out that gear, dust it off and get snapping! There are prizes, to the value of £100 for the winner, sponsored by Dean & Smedley, and anyone except professional photographers can enter. Look at www.ashbyartsfestival.co.uk to find out how to submit your entries. Happy Snapping!

Relaxing meditation and practical advice to help us in our daily life at Legion House, South Street, Ashby, LE65 1BQ. Classes on Thursdays 27th February, 6th March, 13th March, 20th March, 27th March, 3rd April, from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. There is no need to book - just turn up. Seating is on chairs. Classes cost £5. For further information contact 01283 732338 or email meditate@tarakmc.org. Web site http://www.tarakmc.org/.

Blackfordby War Memorial

Social Volleyball Sessions at Hermitage

Although not common knowledge, the village of Blackfordby has a hidden War Memorial. With the centenary of the start of the First World War approaching the Memorial Clock Committee feels that this is an appropriate time for Blackfordby to have a traditional memorial to provide a more tangible point for observation of Remembrance Day. A project is in place for the purchase and installation of a suitable memorial which will probably be sited on Main Street near to the Methodist Chapel. Anyone wishing to donate to the project should contact Derek Feltwell, Chairman of the Memorial Clock Committee on 01283 215580.

Turn-up-and-play social volleyball sessions take place most Sunday evenings at Hermitage Leisure Centre from 7pm till 8.30pm, all abilities are welcome. If you would like go along, email pwalker@stonehill.leics.sch, look on Facebook or simply turn up! Cost is £3 per session, £2 for juniors. Next sessions are on the 2nd and 23rd March.

Friends of the Ashby Bath Grounds This is a new group seeking to work and campaign to protect and improve the Bath Grounds in Ashby de la Zouch as a free, public access park and recreational facility

for the benefit of the whole community. If you are interested in knowing more then please contact Clare Birch by email bathgroundsfriends@gmail.com, call Chris Smith on 07850 053243 or check out their Facebook Page.

Ashby de la Zouch Town Council Calendar of Meetings There is a meeting of the Town Council and Councillor Surgery on 3rd March. To arrange an appointment for the Surgery call 01530 416961 or email info@ashby towncouncil.org.uk. The Planning and Transportation Committee & Licensing Committee meet on 24th March. Members of the public are welcome to attend and there is a slot for public questions. All meetings take place at Legion House, South Street and start at 6.30pm.

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www.ashbychurch.co.uk

Show me a penny

s one tax year drawers to an end and a new one begins experts will emerge to help us understand changes in allowances and tax codes, to scrutinise pay slips and fill out the correct forms. It is a complex business and despite the charming people at HMRC (they really are!), very few of us enjoy paying taxes. This has always been the case. Some 2000 years ago Jesus faced a tricky question on the subject from individuals trying to catch him out and land him in trouble, asking if it was 'right’ to pay tax to their Roman rulers of the day. In response, Jesus asked to be shown a penny. As Jesus held it up he asked the audience whose picture was on the coin. “Caesar” they shouted. Jesus suggested they ought to give Caesar what was his and to God what was due to Him. So, no tax codes, forms or guidance on avoidance, but still perhaps the greatest piece of tax advice in

Editorial by Ashby Christadelphian Church, Union Passage, Ashby

www.ashbychurch.co.uk

history. In effect Jesus was pointing out the need to have the right perspective on this, letting earthly rulers sort out the pennies while you give thought as to what you owe to God. The real challenge is to reflect on what God has given you in the last year; all that food, a measure of health, time experiencing the wonders of His creation and of course the love and sacrifice of His son. When we add up such blessings (and thousands more besides), perhaps it might lead us to consider how we might try to pay Him? Why not take a look at the image on the next coin you spend to remind you to worry less about the pennies going to the Queen's government and commit to finding out what God wants from you? Alternatively you could try avoidance, but with God that is not so easy! Useful passage to look up: Matthew ch22 v15-22.

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book reviews

March on... Now the weather’s improving and spring has almost sprung, it’s time to head outside and explore the great outdoors. OK, so this might be taking the month of March a tad literally, but how about taking it literary? Here are some of our top tips for great reads about epic journeys.

A Walk in the Woods... Bill Bryson Far from being a stroll among the bluebells, the Appalachian Trail is a two thousand mile route that goes right the way along the East Coast of North America, from Georgia to Maine. Bill Bryson’s hilarious account of all the things that will kill you along the way will have you longing for a bit of adventure. This is a trek that’s a journey into the wild. Some don’t make it alive. Rest assured, if the bears don’t get you then the poison ivy will.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry... Rachel Joyce

This is an extraordinary story that begins with the most ordinary of objects: a letter. Harold Fry receives a letter from old flame and dear friend Queenie, who is now in a hospice and facing her mortality. Harold writes her a reply but then on a whim, decides he must walk the 600 miles to hand deliver it to her, leaving his wife upstairs doing the housework. It’s such an amazing and heart-warming story. Will Harold reach Queenie in time?

Walking Home: A Poet’s Journey ...

Simon Armitage

Most walkers complete the Pennine Way by going South to North but Simon Armitage decided it would be more poetic if he did it the other way around. He made the 256 mile journey from Kirk Yetholm on the Scottish border to his native Yorkshire, and the village where he was born. True to form, Armitage decided not to look like he was on a Duke of Edinburgh expedition but to wander as a lonely troubadour, penniless on the Pennine Way and give poetry readings in village halls, churches and pubs. It’s packed with Northern soul and would be best enjoyed with a pint of stout in a pub.

WALKING ...

Henry David Thoreau

According to Thoreau, in order to find happiness, we just need to spend more time outdoors. More specifically, not only do we need to constantly reconnect with nature but we need to be moving and discovering and taking long afternoon walks. As a writer he took inspiration from his surroundings and revelled in the wild and the free. Here he did his greatest thinking and he remains a hero among environmentalists and fans of American literature alike.

The HoBBIT...

J R R Tolkien

From the sanctuary of his hobbit-hole, Bilbo Baggins is plucked by the wizard Gandalf and taken off on an extraordinary and most unexpected journey, deep into Middle Earth. The world’s most reluctant hero must help raid the treasures of Smaug the Magnificent, a dangerous dragon. Written for Tolkien’s own grandchildren, it’s the prelude to The Lord of the Rings and a fantastic odyssey into the unknown.

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on the beat

Hello everyone... WHAT should you do if a workman turns up unexpectedly at your door? It is always advisable to use a chain or peephole before answering the door to anyone that you do not know. If there is a person claiming to be from the gas/ electricity/water company then they will have official identification. If they are genuine they will have no problems with you looking at it and telephoning the company to verify it. Look the telephone number up yourself; do not use a telephone number they give you as you cannot be sure that it is genuine. If you have any doubts whatsoever then do not let them in, it is better to be safe than sorry. You can always then telephone the company and make an arrangement for another day. If it is a person who wants to carry out some work on your garden/drive/roof and they make a cold call to your house then be very wary. Before having any major works done on the house you need at least two or three quotes from different reputable companies.

If the person gives you a price that is too good to be true then it will be. Be careful there have been cases of people carrying out the job and then demanding more money. There are also cases of the workman offering to drive the person down to the bank to get the money, which is often at a massively inflated price. Some people who offer to carry out such tasks are genuine but there are those that are not and will take advantage of people, mainly the vulnerable and the elderly. It is advisable not to allow any workmen to carry out any tasks in your home unless they have been personally recommended to you. If the person keeps contacting you about the work then be very careful as reputable companies tend to be very busy and do not need to chase work. Local council building control can advise on building contractors on an ‘approved list’. Also Trading Standards can advise on other contractors (eg. burglar alarm installers). Trade associations often have list of ‘registered’ businesses. Plus ask the ‘workman’ at the door for a card, website address and names and addresses of local premises where he/she has undertaken work (and contact one or two of them to verify personally). Have a look at the Home Office website for more help and advice, or contact Consumer Direct on: 08454 040506.

PC 1667 MARK ARJOO telephone: 101 voicemail ID: 1667 email: mark.arjoo@leicestershire.pnn.police.uk

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seasonal recipes Layers of light and crispy filo pastry wrapped around a sweet fruit filling makes a delicious pud that tastes just as good warm as cold. Serve with tangy crème fraiche, thick Greek yogurt or vanilla custard.

Apricot & Apple Strudel

6 Serves in Ready s 60 min

es 2 Serv y in d Rea ins 30 m

A super-speedy supper

Teriyake Chicken

with Spring Onions YOU WILL NEED

YOU WILL NEED • 2 large cooking apples • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon • 85g no-need-to-soak dried apricots, chopped • 50g fresh white breadcrumbs • 1 tsp ground mixed spice • 7 tbsp Demerara sugar • 6 large sheets filo pastry (approx 200g)

• • • • • • •

2 chicken breasts 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tsp sesame oil 2 tsp clear honey 1 tbsp soy sauce Juice of one lime Handful of spring onions chopped into ¾ inch / 2cm pieces • 2 tsp sesame seeds

• 50g unsalted butter, melted • Icing sugar, for dusting

GET STARTED

1 Heat the vegetable oil in a medium frying pan.

1 Preheat the oven to 1900C/3750F/Gas Mark 5. Peel, core and finely chop the apples and place in a bowl with the lemon zest, apricots, breadcrumbs, mixed spice and 3 tbsp of the Demerara sugar. Mix well.. 2 Place 2 sheets of the filo pastry, slightly overlapping, on a large greased baking tray. Brush them liberally with some of the melted butter then arrange 2 more sheets on top. Brush with more butter and top with the last 2 sheets. 3 Spoon the apple mixture along one long pastry edge, leaving a 3cm border. Sprinkle over another 3 tbsp of Demerara sugar. Fold in the two short ends of the pastry then roll up loosely from one long side to enclose the filling, making sure the seal is underneath. Brush the pastry all over with any remaining melted butter and sprinkle over the rest of the Demerara sugar. 4 Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden. Check after 25 minutes and cover loosely with foil if the pastry begins to go too brown. Serve warm or cold dusted with icing sugar.

2 Chop the chicken breasts into bitesize chunks and stir fry them for 2-3 minutes. 3 Stir in ½ tsp sesame oil, the honey and soy sauce, and cook until the chicken caramelises. 4 Add in the chopped spring onions and stir fry until they begin to colour. 5 Add the lime juice to the chicken. Stir well. Remove the pan from the heat, stirring or tossing all the time. 6 Drizzle the remaining sesame oil over the chicken and spring onion mixture, then sprinkle over the sesame seeds. 7 Serve the teriyaki chicken on a bed of noodles or rice.

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ashby health centre

MONTHLY UPDATE Patient Participation Group (PPG) Annual General Meeting (AGM) All patients are invited to our PPG AGM which is taking place at 6pm on Wednesday 5th March at the health centre. If you’re planning to attend please let us know by emailing us at info@ashbyhealthcentre.org.uk or by telephoning or popping in to the surgery and letting us know at reception because we need to have an idea of numbers. It is expected to last about half-an-hour.

Electronic Prescriptions I am pleased to be able to let our patients know that we now have electronic prescriptions turned on. This means that you can nominate a pharmacy to receive your prescriptions electronically. When you do this you won’t get a prescription from the doctor any more, a message will go electronically to the pharmacy and they make up your medicines from that. However we are finding that it sometimes takes longer for prescriptions to reach the chemist this way than if you walk there! So please give it half-an-hour or so after seeing the doctor before going to collect your

medicines. Hopefully in time the delays will be sorted but it should definitely prevent some of the missing prescriptions which occur from time to time. If you would like to take advantage of this new service, please speak to your usual pharmacy and they can set it up for you. Please note that switching to this service does not in any way give the pharmacist access to your records, they get a message on their system showing what the doctor has prescribed for you, but have no access to your medical records held by us.

Docmail We are starting to send out some of our letters via a mailing service called Docmail. The letters we send this way will mainly be invites to attend clinics and not any kind of more personal medical information. This service is fully secure to ISO 27001 international security standards and so your details will not be passed onto any other company. However if you would prefer us not to send you information this way please let us know and we will make a note on your records. If you do receive one of these letters from us please do not confuse it with a mail circular as it may look very similar. It will also have “If unable to deliver please return to: PO Box 1933, Radstock, BA3 4YF” on the back.

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ashby town council

Oyez, Oyez, Oyez!

The townʼs very own Crier

reat news for those who have patiently waited for the new Skate Park – this facility, situated close to Hood Park Leisure Centre, is now open for use and already it is proving popular. There is still some landscaping to finish off as this cannot be completed until the weather improves. Once this has been done we are planning to hold an official opening, including professional skaters and music. A date to be announced. The 2013 Christmas event, which featured the Food Gusto Food and Drink fair, live reindeer, children’s rides, craft fairs, music and other entertainment proved very popular with the attractions for the children helping to draw a good number of people to the town centre. We plan to build on the success for the 2014 event when we would hope to make it a larger event. We’ll bring you more news on this later in the year. Recently added to our list of events for the year is ‘Italia in Piazza’, the real Italian Food Market which will take place this month, on Saturday 29th March. The market features a range of stalls offering traditional Italian food and drink and will run from 10am to 4pm in Brook Street. Do pop along to browse the stalls and enjoy a taste of something different. We also have a French Market planned for Saturday 3rd May so look out for more news on that nearer the time.

Also taking place this month is the ‘Big Clean Up’. This is on Saturday 15th March when a litter pick throughout the town, including the bypass, is being arranged. Anyone can volunteer – litter pickers, bags and safety vests will be provided, under 16’s should be accompanied by a responsible adult. The event is being held in conjunction with the NWLDC Street Action Team, Ashby Town Council and the Keep Britain Tidy Campaign. More details can be found at www.ashbysbigtidyup.org.uk. To help promote town events we now have the services of an official Town Crier for Ashby de la Zouch. Anthony Church (pictured) is a member of the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers and has experience going back over 20 years as both a Town Crier and Toastmaster. He was in attendance, adding colour and interest, at the Ashby Christmas event in Market Street and will be appearing at a further 6 events over the course of 2014. Anthony’s services can also be hired by businesses or individuals who wish to promote a special event or shop opening, please contact Ashby Town Council (contact details below) if you would like to know more. We are now into the year of the 100th anniversary of World War I and many of you will already have heard or seen some of the various programmes that are running nationally to commemorate this. We are in consultation with local organisations about ways in which Ashby can commemorate the 100th anniversary and ideas, including a memorial service and/or concert, have been put forward but we would still would welcome any suggestions that residents may have for particular projects to commemorate this anniversary. Please contact us at Legion House to make your ideas known (phone number and website are given below). The War Memorial Committee in Blackfordby is planning a new memorial which will be sited in the open space in the centre of Blackfordby, allowing access for all. We are supporting them through the process of planning and raising funds - anyone wishing to comment on these plans should contact us and we will pass the comments on to the Blackfordby War Memorial Committee. The new town website is now well underway and we are hoping for a launch by the end of March. The site will be a hub of information that encompasses community, business, sport, health, leisure and commercial information. It is hoped that this will be a valuable source of online information both for those who live in and around Ashby de la Zouch and also for visitors to the town and businesses. A planning application is being submitted for new facilities at Weston Park. The application, which is being made by 4th Ashby Scout Group on behalf of Ashby Town Council, is for a new Centre to be built at the park to provide new headquarters for the 4th Ashby Scouts, and would include a pavilion and kitchen facilities that could be suitable for a wide variety of uses. These facilities would then be available to hire by groups or individuals and it is envisaged that this would complement the rooms currently available at Legion House to provide a Centre for the whole community.

DATES FOR TOWN COUNCIL MEETINGS are published on the Community Board pages of Ashby Life each month. The public are welcome to attend and there is always a slot for public questions. Find out more about your Town Council by visiting the offices at South Street, Ashby de la Zouch, calling 01530 416961 or via the website at: www.ashbytowncouncil.org.uk

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ashby museum news

rom March we will be running a six week course ‘Discovering Leicestershire Archaeology’. The Lectures will be given by Peter Liddle, former county archaeologist for Leicestershire, and take place on six consecutive Tuesday afternoons from 2pm to 4pm at the Museum, beginning on March 4th. The course details are as follows:March 4th Early Prehistoric Leicestershire March 11th Late Bronze Age and Iron Age Leicestershire March 18th Roman Leicestershire March 25th Early and Middle Anglo-Saxon Leicestershire April 1st

Viking and Early Medieval Leicestershire

April 8th

Later Medieval Leicestershire

Book for the series, or come to individual lectures at £6 each, at the Museum 01530 560090. Alternatively contact Peter Liddle on 01162 214508 or email peter.liddle51 @gmail.com.

The Kids’ Club on Saturday March 1st has the theme ‘Young Archaeologist’ and runs from 1pm to 4 pm. The following month Kids’ Club takes place on Saturday April 5th and the subject is ‘Romans’. Our next temporary exhibition, Ibstock Life, will be running from 1st March to 30th April. This includes images of the people and the village, the history of the colliery and map plus a piece about Roman Ibstock and Sense Valley. There is also a display of the archaeological finds from the Parish.

FRIENDS OF ASHBY MUSEUM There are two events coming up in March: Firstly, Derbyshire Police Choir, supported

by Manor House School Choir at Manor House School, South Street, Ashby. LE65 1BR. This is on 14th March at 7.45pm. Doors open at 7pm. Tickets are £5 and available from Ashby Museum. On 26th March at 10.30am we have a Coffee Morning at the Museum: ‘My life as a WREN’ with Valerie Gale-Cox. Admission is £3 with refreshments included.

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storytime

PARMA

VIOLETS “Can you be trusted to mind the café while I nip next door?” Aunt Carol asked solemnly as though she was leaving Becky in charge of the country. It was a big responsibility, and this was only Becky’s third day. The lunchtime rush was over, and there had been no customers for nearly an hour. While Becky was grateful to Carol for giving her a holiday job, she found that buttering cobs was not as easy as they made it look on television. She suspected Carol wasn’t convinced she had what it took to be a success in catering.

because she’d read a sign in the window. “Roland’s not a pet,” the man replied, browsing the menu. “He’s a guide dog, and they’re perfectly welco-

me everywhere.” “But you’re not blind,” Becky said, a little embarrassed.

“Of course everyone immediately thinks of guide dogs for the blind.” He closed the menu as though he found nothing appetising within it. “Roland’s an allergy guide dog. Have you heard of that?”

“I don’t think there’s any in the tea,” Becky said hopefully. The man frowned, “Can you guarantee it?” She shook her head. “In that case, it’s a good job I have Roland here.” He pulled Roland out of his jacket and sat him in his lap. He was a funny looking dog, with short legs, a pointy nose and a long body. “What type of dog is he?” Becky asked. “He’s an allergy dog, we’ve been through this.” The man waved his hand dismissively. “Be quick with the tea dear, I’ve a plane to catch.” Becky hurried back behind the counter. Something didn’t feel right about the man and his allergy dog. She hoped he would drink up and go before her aunt returned. After all, the nearest airport was a two hour drive.

“Whatever you do,” Carol warned her, “don’t let that rat chap in.” Which seemed both a strange and reasonable request.

She was not in luck. Carol bustled into the café carrying a box of crisps.

Left alone, Becky practised folding napkins until she heard the café door open. An elderly gentleman, smartly dressed, sat down at the table by the window. Becky took a deep breath, picked up her order pad and walked briskly over to him. “What can I get you, sir?” she asked. He was wearing a jacket which appeared to be wriggling. A small furry nose popped up between the lapels. Becky nearly dropped her pencil. “Oh, don’t worry about him,” the man said. “He’s fine.” “Pets aren’t allowed in the café,” Becky said nervously. She was almost certain this was true

no idea they were also a cooking ingredient.

“Any customers?” she asked. “Not really,” Becky lied as she overflowed the teacup.

Becky confessed she had not. “I am allergic to parma violets,” the man continued confidentially. “Roland has to sniff my food to confirm it’s safe to eat.” “Allergic to parma violets?” Becky repeated blankly. “Dangerously.” The man nodded sagely and tapped the menu. “Can you recommend anything that doesn’t include parma violets?” Becky was confused. Parma violets were little purple sweets - she had

“So who’s that for?” Carol asked dubiously. “The gentleman over there.” Carol turned round and almost exploded. “Not you again,” she screamed. “Get that rat out of here!” The man scooped up Roland protectively. “He’s not a rat,” he said indignantly. “He’s a ferret, and they’re very clever animals.” “He sniffs parma violets,” Becky added to explain the situation. And with that, her fate in the world of catering was sealed.

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by Jackie Brewster

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in your home

Fire Prevention â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Top Tips Editorial by Louise Addison

BE A CAREFUL COOK - Nearly half of all home fires are cookingrelated. Never leave cooking unattended and keep anything that can catch fire away from the stove-top. BE SPACE HEATER SAVVY - Space heaters can easily ignite nearby household items. Keep all space heaters at least three feet (1m) from curtains or furniture. Turn heaters off before leaving a room or going to sleep. Never leave pets or children unsupervised with a space heater; in addition to the risk of fire, heaters pose a danger of burns. CHECK ELECTRICAL CORDS - Faulty, cracked or deteriorating electrical cords can cause an electrical fire. Check all your electrical cords for fraying or other signs of wear, and replace or repair any damage. Don't run extension cords across doorways or under carpeting, and don't overload circuits. Plug only one high-wattage appliance into a socket at a time. GO EASY ON THE CANDLES - Candlelight is romantic and beautiful, but can be dangerous. Use sturdy candleholders which won't topple. Never place candles near anything flammable, like curtains, and never leave them unattended. Consider using battery-operated candles, like LED versions. They flicker and sometimes even smell like the real thing! TEST YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS - Test smoke detectors and check batteries at least twice a year, when the clocks go forward or backward is a good time. Install an alarm inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every floor in your house, including the basement if you have one.

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all about you

The Power of Play RECENTLY, on a cold February day, we met up with some friends and their children on a beach. We ran amok, played tag and whooped, built a huge communal sandcastle and returned home cold, damp, sandy and happier than we’d been for quite a while.

! W O W

We’d given in to play and we felt much better for it. Our society tends to dismiss play for adults. At worst it’s seen as an unproductive, guilty pleasure. Adults are supposed to be serious and let’s face it, between work and ferrying children around to various activities there’s little time for play. When we do play, it often tends to be competitive (tennis, squash, golf), and this is particularly true for men. But research suggests that playing is just as important for adults as for children. It makes us happy, helps with problem-solving, improves our creativity and strengthens our relationships.

And play means different things to different people. My friend Rita knits and crochets for pleasure, I write, walk my dog and take photographs, my husband water-skis, and our neighbour restores old mopeds. You can benefit from play even if you don’t have much spare time. The research suggests we only need a little bit of daily play to boost our productivity and happiness.

The author and psychiatrist Stuart Brown, has spent decades studying the power of play in prisoners, business people, artists and Nobel Prize winners among others. He’s reviewed over 6,000 ‘play histories’ case studies that explore the role of play in each person’s childhood and adulthood.

If you don’t think you know how to play, write your own ‘play history’ down on paper. What did you do as a child that excited you? Did you engage in those activities alone or with others? Did you play with trains? Did you draw? Did you build dens? How might you recreate that today?

He found that lack of play was as important as other factors in predicting criminal behaviour among murderers in Texas prisons. He also found that playing together helped couples connect on an emotional level, and that play could even help strangers to bond and also act as a healing tool.

Surround yourself with playful people. We wouldn’t have had such fun on the beach that day if our friends had been po-faced and serious. The fact that we were all up for running around and playing was important. The best playful people are children. Spend time with them and experience the magic of play through their eyes.

But what is play? How do we define it? Brown calls play a ‘state of being,’ ‘purposeless, fun and pleasurable.’ For the most part, the focus is on the actual experience, not on accomplishing a goal.

Co ol!

Finally, any time you think play is a waste of time; remind yourself that it offers some serious benefits for both you and those around you.

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behind the scenes Find out a bit more about some of the people who live and work within the local area – each month we will be interviewing someone from an organisation or business in Ashby or the surrounding areas. This month...

Richard Bebbington An ex-mayor of our town and also, along with partner Angela, co-founder of the Ivanhoe Way Challenge – an annual event which raises funds for Wishes4Kids. What inspired you to take up charity work and what do you love about it? In 2007 we cycled from Lands’ End to John O’Groats. We wanted to use the cycle ride to raise money for a local charity and discovered Wishes4Kids – once involved we fell in love with them. The Ivanhoe Way Challenge came about because we wanted to be able to offer continuing support to Wishes4Kids. We both love walking and the outdoors so a local, long distance challenge was a natural choice. What do you like best about Ashby? The community spirit is wonderful and the Jubilee street party really brought that out. Ashby also has a good central location in the country making it easier to travel to other places. If you didn’t live in this area where would you live and why? Cornwall - for the coastal paths and local ale.

What is your favourite local restaurant? Wong Kwei on Bath Street – lovely food and great service. Where do you like to go for a day or evening out? Cycling at Hicks Lodge is my favourite day out, I love the scenery there and the café is great too. In the evening I enjoy a pint by the fire in my local, The Plough. What is your favourite local shop and why? Both Shellbrook Toys and Coxons Butchers bring back great childhood memories. I believe it is really important to support businesses such as your local butcher. What is the best thing that has happened to you recently? Completing our Home2Rome challenge last year. Angela and I took 21 days to cycle the 1,400 miles from Ashby to Rome – you can read more about that and our other challenges at www.ivanhoechallenge.co.uk.

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in your garden RHS Show Garden Medalist, Francesca Sinclair, looks at how to make the most of your garden and garden jobs for this time of year. Francesca offers a full garden design service - find out more at www.francescasinclair.co.uk

Spring and daffodils LOVELY bright blocks of daffodils herald spring and promise warmer and brighter days. Hurray! We recall Wordswoth’s famous words ‘a host of golden daffodils’ and throughout the land yellow framed borders and flowery lawns cheer us on. Daffodils come in a variety of colours and are available as cut flowers but you may even have grown your own if you planted the bulbs last autumn or in previous years. Each spring they just keep coming back with very little need of human intervention. These flower bulbs are quick to naturalise and are useful in a garden because they tend to deter animal pests such as rabbits, deer and rodents due to the toxic crystals that they produce. These welcome flowers are classified in twelve different divisions according to their shape height, number of flowers per stem and origin. Colours are definitely not just yellow but range

through from perfect white or acid yellow to peach. Displays at RHS shows such as Gardeners World at the NEC and Chelsea or Hampton Court flower shows usually have specialist growers with outstanding displays often set against a black back drop and they are utterly show stopping. There is also a daffodil society which is 116 years old, (daffodilsociety. com) but these flowers have been recorded as being in gardens since 300BC. They were found in a variety of different habitats across Europe and North Africa, with Spain boasting the largest variety, naturalising in many conditions from woodlands to rocky terrain. The Latin name for the genus commonly called daffodils is Narcissi. This is from a classical Greek name. According to Greek mythology a beautiful Greek youth called Narcissus was so in love with his own reflection that he

THINGS TO BE GETTING ON WITH... 1 2 3 4 5

Plant shallots, onion sets and early potatoes Cut back perennials and ornamental grasses which have been left tall over winter Divide large clumps of perennials Keep dead heading pansies Deal with weeds as they come through

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

never looked up from his own image in the stream and so was turned into a flower. The down turned head of many of the varieties was said to mimic the boys bowed head. Once a daffodil flower has faded, dead head it for tidiness but don’t cut back the leaves to the ground - leave them so the goodness will go back down into the bulb and only cut back the leaves after a good few weeks. Spring has encouraged you back into the gardens so staying with the theme of flowering bulbs, get going with summer flowering bulbs. Consider choosing Alliums, Canna, Dahlias, Eremurus, Gladiolus or Lillium (Lilies) for colourful centre pieces to a scheme or even make combinations to get a succession of flowers over the season. Co-ordinate your colours, perhaps a single monochrome scheme or a vibrant mix, whatever is your favourite.

Francesca Email info@francescasinclair.co.uk Photograph courtesy of Gillian Day

For heavy clay soils work in some organic matter Apply mild spring fertiliser to borders Plan and plant seed beds Sweet peas can be grown outside now Mow lawns if needed Open vents on greenhouses on warmer days Turn off pond heaters

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puzzle page

DOWN

1 Advises (8) 2 Serious (5) 4 Stowed away (3) 5 Lock picks (8,4) 6 Loyal (7) 7 Story (4) 8 Eats its own kind (12) 12 Doomed (5) 13 Alcoholic appetiser (8) 15 Twice as much (7) 19 South American dance (5) 20 Hold tightly (4) 22 Type of snake (3)

QUICK CROSSWORD

SUDOKU 62

Solutions on page 108

ACROSS

1 Money (4) 3 Used in board game (5,3) 9 Scold severely (7) 10 Electronic post (5) 11 Young cabbage plants (6,6) 14 To allow (3) 16 Type of drum (5) 17 Joint (3) 18 Seen in a rink (6-6) 21 Violent disturbances (5) 22 Stabbing weapon (7) 23 Supporting column (8) 24 Popular sport (4)

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3 x 3 box contains the digits 1 through 9, with no repetition. That’s all there is to it. You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic - there’s no maths involved and no adding up. It’s fun, it’s challenging, it’s additive! Solutions to all puzzles can be found on page 108.

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it’s local

Meaty treats from the Midlands TV chefs are always encouraging us to try experimenting with new flavours and products but frustratingly many of them seem to have access to foods that may not be quite as easy to source here in the Midlands. For those of us who like to try and eat seasonally, using locally sourced produce, it is often a question of first looking to find what is available and then finding a recipe to suit, rather than the other way around. It is always a lot of fun when you suddenly find access to something you’ve not been able to get before! Ashby Farmers Market has recently been joined by two new producers, each offering something a little bit different in the meat line: Suzanne and Andrew from Stud Farm Meats are fourth generation farmers and self-confessed foodies from nearby Shenton. They raise traditionally reared lamb, beef and pork which is hung and butchered on-site and also produce their own artisan charcuterie, bringing a taste of the Mediterranean to the Midlands! Charcuterie dates back to the Roman Empire as a method of preserving meat and can produce some

fantastic flavours. Suzanne and Andrew are passionate about producing the finest charcuterie, packed with flavour, so if you fancy trying a bit of local Salami, Bresaola or Air Dried Lamb then pop along to the Farmers Market to browse their produce. Peak Buffalo farm a herd of 350 Water Buffalo near Baslow, close to the Chatsworth Estate. These wonderful animals are reared in around 1,000 acres of grassland and are farmed in conjunction with an RSPB scheme called ‘Operation Lapwing’. The Buffalo work well with the scheme as they create wallows to bath in which in turn help to create the ideal environment for wading birds such as Lapwings, Curlews and Plovers. Water Buffalo meat is considered to have a richer, fuller flavour than beef and is high in protein and calcium. You’ll find both these producers and more at the next Ashby Farmers’ Market on Saturday 15th March at Manor House School, South Street from 9am to 2pm.

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out and about March is the time for spring cleaning and this year you can help to Spring clean our whole town!

Ashby’s BIG tidy up FOR the last 3 years local business, Ashby Carpets, have organised a community litter pick in the areas around Smisby Road and Willowbrook Close. This year they have joined up with the NWLDC Street Action Team, Ashby Town Council and the Keep Britain Tidy ‘Big Tidy Up’ Campaign to organise a litter pick that covers the whole town. The area that we can tidy will be dependent on the number of volunteers and already the Rotary Club of Ashby Castle has come up with adult only teams to tackle Ashby bypass and other main routes in the town. Anyone can volunteer, but under 16’s do need to be accompanied by a responsible adult. Bags, litter pickers and safety vests will be provided and volunteers will be organised into groups under the guidance of Team Leaders.

SATURDAY 15TH MARCH, 2 - 4.30PM

This is a chance to enjoy an afternoon outdoors and make a real difference to our town. The Tidy Up will take place on Saturday 15th March from 2pm to 4.30pm and will be followed by refreshments at Hood Park Leisure Centre for volunteers. To find out more or to register your interest in volunteering go to www.ashbysbigtidyup.org.uk.

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young ashby

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money matters

Have you forgotten your tax return? Self-assessment season has just finished, which means that many small businesses and accountants are breathing a sigh of relief after getting their tax returns successfully filed on time. But although HMRC says more than 10 million people filed their tax returns by the January 31st deadline this year, there are still hundreds of thousands who have failed to complete theirs on time. And if you’re one of them, you may now be getting worried about what’s going to happen to you and what action you should take next. Here's how you can still get your tax return completed even after the deadline has passed, and suggests some steps you can take to avoid making the same mistake again in the future.

Examples of other reasonable excuses would include computer breakdown as you try to file (of either your system or HMRC’s), your records being destroyed in a fire or flood so near to the deadline that you can’t recreate them, or receiving your online activation code late despite applying for it in plenty of time. Relying on your accountant to fill in and submit your form for you, though, is not a reasonable excuse, as HMRC still hold you responsible for your own tax affairs even if you have engaged an accountant. Also, taxpayers who persistently file and pay late are more likely to attract unwelcome attention from HMRC in the form of visits from inspectors, as HMRC may suspect your records are not up to scratch. If that turns out to be the case, they can also levy penalties for this, on top of the ones imposed for filing and paying your tax late.

Don’t panic! Firstly, remember that filing your tax return a few days late will earn you nothing worse than a PENALTIES FOR MISSING THE TAX RETURN DEADLINE £100 fine from HMRC. You won’t be arrested, or face a visit from a tax inspector, just because Length of delay Penalty you will have to pay you’ve missed the deadline! But don’t get lulled into a false sense of security. Remember that the longer you take to submit your Self Assessment tax return after the January 31st deadline, the more fines you will incur - so that initial £100 penalty may start getting larger! If you haven’t paid your tax yet, then they will charge you interest if you pay late, but penalties on late payment of tax don’t kick in until 1st May 2014 – 3 months after the deadline. See the helpful chart.

1 day late

A penalty of £100. This applies even if you have no tax to pay or have paid the tax you owe.

3 months late

£10 for each following day - up to a 90 day maximum of £900. This is as well as the fixed penalty above.

6 months late

£300 or 5% of the tax due, whichever is the higher. This is as well as the penalties above.

12 months late

£300 or 5% of the tax due, whichever is the higher. In serious cases you may be asked to pay up to 100% of the tax due instead. As well as the above.

Have you got a reasonable excuse? There may be a very good reason why you haven’t filed your tax return on time, such as a serious illness, or a death in your immediate family. HMRC call this a 'reasonable excuse' for filing late, and you should tell them what has happened as soon as possible. Don’t wait until they send you a penalty notice. Fill in and submit a claim form to let them know.

Put systems in place for next year Make sure this doesn’t happen again, by starting to collect your tax return paperwork as soon as you can after 5th April 2014. Have a box file to keep documentation for each tax year, such as interest certificates from your bank, dividend vouchers showing money received on shares, and so forth.

For more information or to see how Baldwins can help your business please contact Lisa Emery on 01530 416688 or email Lisa.emery@baldwinandco.co.uk 74

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prize competition WIN £25 IN OUR PRIZE COMPETITION

We’ve hidden a copy of our logo within one of the advertisements in the magazine – just tell us the name of the company whose advert it is hidden in and you could be in with a chance of winning £25. Send your answer to us at: Competition, Ashby Life, Castle House, South Street, Ashby de la Zouch, LE65 1BR.

Name Address Postcode Email address The logo is hidden in the advert for on page (If you don’t want to cut out the entry form you can send the answer on a postcard) or enter by email to: competition@ashbylife.co.uk.

CONGRATULATIONS to Jan/Feb competition winner, Mrs L Walpole, who correctly found the hidden logo in the advert for RAY PITTAM ENGINEERS on page 64. Entries close on Friday 14th March. The winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries. The winner will be notified and a cheque for £25 sent within 14 days of the closing date, the winners name will also be printed in the following edition of Ashby Life. Multiple or automated entries are not allowed. We will not pass your details to any third party. We may use your details to send you marketing emails from Ashby Life in the future – if you would prefer that we did not, please tick the box below.

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just 4 fun

Solutions on page 108

CODEWORD Each letter in this puzzle is represented by a number between 1 and 26. The codes for three letters are shown. As you find the letters enter them in the box below.

Solutions on page 108

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venture theatre news Welcome to our new column bringing you the latest news from The Venture Theatre and Ashby Dramatic Society

A Fish Out of Water THE next production will be ‘A Fish Out of Water’, a comedy by Derek Benfield. Set in the Italian Riviera, it revolves around everything that can possibly go wrong on a package holiday. It looks set to provide the audience with a hilarious evening so don't miss it. This runs from 1st to 3rd May and 7th to 10th May. Tickets are available at Ashby TIC on North Street; you can reserve and even pay for tickets by phone by calling 01530 411767. There are plenty of things going on at the theatre so why not consider becoming a member? You may want to try acting but there are also lots of other things to join in with: Lighting and sound, costumes and props, set building, serving behind the bar or front of house. Prospective new members are always welcome to join us on club nights, every Monday (not Bank Holidays) from 8.30pm. There is more to the Venture Theatre than the plays too. We have a regular jazz club night, usually once a month and occasionally visiting companies and other events. We also hire out costumes and you can even hire the theatre! See our website for details www.ashbyventuretheatre.org.uk. As this little article is set to become a regular feature in Ashby Life you will be able to learn more about what goes on at the theatre in the coming months.

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a walk in the forest Gresley Wood & Albert Village Lake I’m always on the lookout for walks on hard paths at this time of year as everything gets so muddy! This walk fits the bill perfectly and takes about 45 minutes – if you fancy a slightly longer walk then just turn right instead of left around the lake where marked * and follow the circular path before heading for the easily visible houses of Island Close after you’ve gone about three quarters of the way round the lake **. There is always a good selection of water birds on Albert Village lake and it has a real ‘seaside’ feel that is perfect for blowing away the cobwebs at this time of year. Sadly the area was littered with bags left by dog walkers in places – there are no longer any dog bins around is this particular area so if you are walking with a dog then do please take any waste from you four-legged friend with you. You will find a litter bin in the car park at the start/finish of the walk.

Leaving Ashby by Kilwardby Street, proceed straight on to Moira. Shortly after passing Moira Post Office on your left, take the turning right, signed Albert Village and Swadlincote. Proceed past the turning for Conkers main entrance and keep straight on towards Albert Village. After entering the 30mph limit in Albert Village, take the first turning left, by the Mushroom Hall public house. Continue for approximately 400 yds, passing the school on your left and then turn right into the car park just past the children's play area.

Leave the car park by the tarmac path that runs between the basketball court and the children’s play area. After a very short way this path bears right towards houses, leave it here taking the narrow gravel path(1) that runs along between the playing field on your left and allotments on your right. At the end of the playing field the path widens as it is joined by another path coming in from the left. Keep straight on along this wide path and it will lead you between some large stones before bearing left and reaching a sign indicating that you are now in Gresley Wood(2). Immediately after passing the sign turn right and keep on this path which is quite open on either side, with marshy areas off to the left. This will take you straight through to the far end of Gresley Wood and when you come to the back of the sign marking this you’ll reach a junction – turn left here. This path goes slightly uphill before ending when it reaches the road.

Cross straight over the road to the car park opposite you and go through the green metal barriers onto the path ahead, passing signboards for the Conkers Circuit(3). This good, wide path will bear slightly left and then right – where it starts to bear right there is a path leading off to your left between two large rocks(4). Take this path and follow it as it curves around before dropping down to join the hard path that goes all the way around Albert Village Lake.

The walk turns left * following around with the lake on your right until you come to a fork where you need to bear left to walk up towards the houses. At the top of the hill keep straight on, passing a post marking Conkers Circuit(5), to emerge onto the end of Island Close **. Walk down Island Close and cross straight over the road at the bottom. The car park where you started is now just a short distance along on your right (there is a gap allowing you to walk alongside the playing fields or you can return along the pavement). All walks are checked shortly before publication but please be aware that paths may change over time and with the seasons.

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going places

JUST YOU, the single traveller specialist EVERYONE loves a holiday and at this time of year when we’re all fed up with chilly winds, damp days and dark nights there is nothing more fun than planning a relaxing break. There is however, one group of travellers that can sometimes find sourcing the perfect holiday a little tricky. Those who choose to holiday alone can be faced with a variety of decisions to make: Do they want to explore as part of a group or more independently? Can they have a bit of flexibility to do their own thing while still enjoying some group excursions? Are they likely to meet up with others who may have shared interests? Will the cost rocket because of the need for a single room? Villair Travel, on Bath Street Corner in Ashby, tell us a little more about Just You – a company that specialises in holidays for those who prefer to travel solo and offers everything from a short break in London to a leisurely few weeks exploring exotic destinations: If you want to travel as an individual, yet you enjoy the company of others, Just You could be just what you’re looking for. Whether you’re single or simply want to do your own thing, Just You holidays are aimed specifically at solo travellers, with enough flexibility to really make the holiday your own. If you like being part of a structured tour, you can choose to stick with the group, but there’s always the option to explore independently. Each holiday includes a range of excursions that you’re welcome to join, as well as a selection of optional excursions - so you can tailor your holiday even more. Browse the Just You brochure and you’ll find a hugely diverse selection of holidays. Whether you fancy soaking up the culture on a city break, enjoying unforgettable experiences on a tour, taking time to relax on a peaceful escape or adventuring to a less explored part of the world, there’s bound to be something to suit you. You can stay close to home with a UK break, or you could venture further afield, enjoying an Ultimate Polar Bear Adventure in Churchill or an exciting tour in Australia. Every Just You holiday includes carefully chosen itineraries, good accommodation in a great location, experienced Tour Managers and Local Guides, and a room of your own with no single supplement to pay. Flights, overseas transfers and hotel porterage are all included too – so with everything taken care of, you can sit back and enjoy your holiday. Call in to Villair Travel at 1 Bath Street Corner, Ashby to find out more or call them on 01530 413055.

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what’s on... March into April 1st March

8th March

Ashby Museum Kids’ Club – ‘Young Archaeologists’ at Ashby Museum, North Street, Ashby from 1pm to 2pm. Free entry.

Wedding Fayre – at The Beeches, Burton Road, Ashby. 11am to 4pm, free entry.

1st & 2nd March

The Ashby 20 Road Race – Starting on Upper Packington Road at 10am. The runners then cover a two lap course, around to Swepstone, Heather then back towards Packington via Normanton La Health. The first runners will be heading back towards the Bath Grounds around 12 midday. Spectators are welcome to support this local event that attracts runners from all over the country. See www.ashby20.co.uk.

Robots Live - Return to Hermitage Leisure Centre. Tickets are available from Hermitage or Hood Park Leisure Centres, online at www.robotslive.co.uk or by calling 0844 870 000. Show times are Saturday 6pm and Sunday 12pm and 3.30pm.

2nd March Century Theatre at Snibston – ‘The Counterfeit Sixties’, a showcase of all the great bands of this unforgettable era, all recreated in this stunning show at 7.30pm. Tickets £14 advance, £16 on the door. Call 01530 278444.

6th March Ashby Castle WI – Janet Barwood demonstrates how to make beautiful gift boxes for a special present. Congregational Church, Kilwardby Street at 2pm. There is a small fee for visitors and refreshments are available. For more info ring Lesley on 01530 455957. Bradgate Flower Club - “Amazing Places” with guest demonstrator Linda Smith. Newtown Linford Village Hall (LE6 0AE) at 7.30pm. Visitors are welcome, a charge of £5 is made. Details from Lilian Coleman on 0116 2363191. Friends of the Burton Wurlitzer – A concert of theatre organ music. Free to everybody who lives in either a residential home, or in warden aided accommodation. The rest of the public are welcome but a donation is asked for (recommended £4). 2pm at Burton Town Hall (doors open 1.30). Organist Arthur Tipper. For more details call 01283 430035 or 07727 407849 or email secretary@friends-ofthe-burton-wurlitzer.org.uk.

9th March

10th March Charnwood Flower Guild - 'Brighter days are coming', demonstration by Barbara Collins. 7.30pm at the Adult School, Bridge Road, Coalville, LE67 3PW. Visitors welcome, cost £5. Ashby History Society - Talk on Richard III by Richard Buckley, lead archaeologist on the discovery of the burial place and subsequent finding of Richard III. Meeting 7.30pm at Methodist Church Rooms, Burton Road, Ashby de la Zouch. Visitors welcome £2. For further details call 01530 415654.

11th March Civic Society Ashby – ‘Fig leaves, Furs, Frocks and Frills’. A fascinating talk on fashion and costume through the ages by Mary Tuckey, 8pm at Legion House, South St, Ashby. Visitors welcome, cost £2. Refreshments available. Contact Susanne Tandy 01530 415654.

7pm to 9pm. Please bring your own project. Contact Jilly 07891 861378.

12th March Ashby Wine Circle - Tasting of unusual wines presented by Ralph Forbes at 7.30pm, Brown Court, Atkinson Road, Westfields, Ashby De La Zouch, LE65 2LZ. For more details contact Ralph Forbes on 01530 224030. Ashby Travel Club – A talk on ‘Burma’ by Mrs M Bryan. Meet at Pithiviers Room of the Ivanhoe College, Ashby at 7.30pm (prompt). All are welcome to join for all or any of the meetings. There is no joining fee or annual subscription, just go along on the night for a good evening out. For more information contact Mr J Shaw on 01530 413441.

14th March Century Theatre at Snibston – ‘The Lindisfarne Story’. A celebration of the Tyneside group's music and achievements with former front man Billy Mitchell and founder member Ray Laidlaw. Starts 7.30pm. Tickets: £15. Tel 01530 278444.

15th March Ashby Farmers Market – 9am to 2pm at Manor House South Street. Bringing you the finest foods from the region and specialist stalls. Free parking. Ashby’s Big Tidy Up - Community litter pick throughout Ashby. Anyone can volunteer, no experience necessary, 2pm till 4.30pm. Full details can be found at www.ashbysbigtidyup.org.uk or call Marie at Ashby Carpets 01530 560233. Ashby Ukulele Orchestra concert at St Helens Church, Ashby at 7.30pm. Proceeds shared between St Helens Church and Burton Breast Care Unit. Tickets available from: alanbetteridge. com, 01530 416952 or Mary Danaher 01530 836122.

7th March

Ashby Writers’ Club – Manuscript evening, members’ own work. 7.30pm to 9.30pm, Congregational Church, Kilwardby Street, Ashby. Visitors are welcome at a nominal fee of £4 per speaker meeting. £3 per comp/ manuscript meeting (includes tea/coffee).

Century Theatre at Snibston – ‘Le Weekend’ (15). Comedy/drama starring Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan and Jeff Goldblum. Commences 7.30pm. Tickets £3.50 pay on the door. Tel: 01530 278444.

National Trust Group - Skittles evening and hot supper. A fun evening, suitable for all ages. For further information please ring 01530 563003.

Jazz night with Mike Lovell's 6 in a bar classic jazz band. The Venture Theatre, Ashby Dramatic Society. Tickets £9 from Ashby TIC. Starts 8pm. See ashbyventuretheatre.org.uk.

Craft Group – all welcome to join this new group, meeting at The Vine, Ashby

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what’s on... March into April continued 16th March Wedding Fayre at The Lyric Rooms, Lower Church Street, Ashby. 11am to 3pm, free entry.

17th March The Zouch Acoustic Folk Music Club meet at The Belper Arms in Newton Burgoland from 8pm. Sing a song, read a poem, tell a short story or relax and listen, all welcome. For more details contact Brian on 01530 416251.

19th March Ashby Spa WI - What do Magistrates do? A talk by Ros Marsh. Manor House School, South Street at 7.30pm. You don’t have to be a member to attend the meeting – charge of £3 for visitors. For further details please email ashby. spa@googlemail.com. Ashby Film Nights – ‘Le Weekend’ (15) at The Lyric Rooms, Ashby de la Zouch, LE65 1AB. Film starts at 7.30pm, doors and bar open at 7pm, tickets £5 - available on the door. More details: ashbyfilmnights.wordpress.com.

21st March NW Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust – ‘More than meets the eye’, the Wildlife of Grace Dieu. Meetings take place at Ashby Methodist Chapel, Burton Road, Ashby De La Zouch. Entry £2. For more details call David Maltby on 01530 222934 or Jim Footitt on 01530 262389.

22nd March Grand Central Chorus Spring Concert An exciting mix of musical styles including barbershop singing from Grand Central Chorus and a medley of latest hits from the students of Castle Rock School. 7pm at Holy Trinity Church, Ashby de la Zouch. Tickets are £8 and include refreshments. For advance tickets contact 01530 456793 or 07954 659318. Race night – Ashby Hastings Rotary Club. At Packington Memorial Hall, Ashby. First race 7pm. Hot pot supper included. Raising funds for ‘Kids Out’ and local charities. Entrance fee £10. Bar available. For tickets please call Paul Bertenshaw 01530 560807.

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Ballroom and Sequence dancing at Blackfordby Village Hall, music by Phil Brown. 8pm to 11pm. Admission £3. Bar, refreshments and raffle. For more details phone 01283 213481 or 01283 819447. CAP Money course A one-day CAP Money course in The Coffee Lounge at Ashby Baptist Church, Brook Street from 10am to 3.30pm. This is a ‘lite’ version of the normal 3session course for those who would like to find out more about managing their finances and balancing their income and spend. Free of charge with access to on-line help and workbook. Sign up or enquire by text or phone to 07790 542041 or email capmoney@capmnf. org.uk. CAP Money is part of Christians Against Poverty, a confidential debt counselling, job club and money management charity.

25th March Ashby U3A - Sandy Leong on ‘Hey Diddle Diddle’, history of the nursery rhyme. At the Congregational Church, Kilwardby Street, Ashby, 2pm. All welcome, visitors £1. Bring friends and neighbours, meet U3A members and find out more. Ashby Writers’ Club – Composition, prose: 300 words (+/-5) on theme of infatuation from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, Congregational Church, Kilwardby Street, Ashby. Visitors are welcome at a nominal fee of £4 per speaker meeting. £3 per comp/manuscript meeting (includes tea/coffee).

27th March Timebanking – a modern day exchange system that can help you get jobs done without money. Find out more at Stephenson College, Coalville 6pm until 8pm. If you wish to reserve a place, get in touch with Julie Summerton via email to julie. summerton@nw leicestershire.gov.uk or 01530 454541

28th March Century Theatre at Snibston – ‘Talon’, the acoustic collection. A selection of their favourite contemporary acoustic classics. Starts 7.30pm. Tickets £15 advance, £16 on the door. Tel: 01530 278444.

29th March Taste and enjoy samples of a new recipe book – A fun evening for all the family organised by CAP at Ashby Baptist Church 6pm to 9pm. Submit a recipe in advance and bring a sample along or just come to the evening and enjoy food, games and quiz. Tickets from capmoney@capmnf.org.uk or phone/text 07790 542041. No ticket charge but donations for the work of CAP debt, money and job club Christian charity.

30th March Century Theatre at Snibston – ‘Freddy Dare & The Ginger Robber’. Live professional touring drama featuring theatre, film, great music and a dazzling script. An ideal show for Mother's Day, with a boy's love for his mother at its heart. Supported by Centre Stage. Starts 7.30pm. Tickets £8 advance, £10 on the door. Tel: 01530 278444.

3rd April Ashby Castle WI – Donna Smith from Vanilla Funk Salon on how to keep your hair smooth and shiny. Congregational Church, Kilwardby St. at 2pm. There is a small fee for visitors and refreshments are available. For more info ring Lesley on 01530 455957.

5th April Concordia Choir – A concert performance, 7.30pm at the Holy Trinity Church. For tickets please call 01530 417943.

Did you know it’s free to put community information on this page? Email the details and contact number to admin@ ashbylife.co.uk. Deadline for submissions for the Community Board or What’s On pages of the April 2014 issue is Friday 14th March. Information is published subject to space being available. Ashby Life cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions or endorse companies, products or services appearing in the magazine.

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ashby library news

e will make you feel at home in Ashby Library. Join for free to use the computers and borrow books, DVDs and talking books. Pop in and say hello! OUR REGULAR EVENTS: ‘Wriggly Readers’ and ‘Story and Rhymetime’ for children aged 0 -5 years and their parents and carers. Join us for stories and songs every Friday morning 10.30am – 11am.

The friendly ‘Knit and Stitch’ group meet every Monday 2pm – 4pm. Bring your project and come for a chat. ‘Tiny Talk’ baby signing classes take place every Thursday 9.30am – 10.30am and are £5 per session. Pre-booking essential. The unusual and popular ukulele playing group meets every Wednesday 10.00am – 11.30am. £5 per session. Creative Writing Group will take place every Tuesday 2pm – 4pm. The first session will be on 14th Jan. Contact Helen Johnson for more details on 01530 414247. Come and practice Hatha Yoga every Tuesday 7pm – 9pm. Contact British Wheel of Yoga qualified instructor Lorna Kirk for more details on 01530 416135.

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ALSO AT THE LIBRARY... JUST FOR THIS MONTH: Lunch Time Talks: Life in the Trenches in WWI Fri 7th March 12.30pm to 1.30pm £2.50 library members £3 non-members Returning by popular demand, historian Nick Marshall will explore what it was like to live in the trenches of WWI through artifacts and pictures. For more information or to book please contact Ashby Library on

0116 3055917 Book early as spaces are limited

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useful numbers LOCAL & EMERGENCY NUMBERS EMERGENCY

LEISURE

Emergency Services. . . . . . 999 Police. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Crimestoppers . . . . . . . . . . 0800 555 111 Fire & Rescue. . . . . . . . . . . 0116 287 2241 Water - STWA. . . . . . . . . . . 0800 783 4444 Electricity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0800 056 8090 Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0800 111 999 Floodline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0845 988 1188

Tourist Information . . . . . . 01530 411767 Hood Park Leis Centre . . . . 01530 412181 Hermitage Leis Centre . . . . 01530 811215 Measham Leis Centre . . . . 01530 274061 Ashby Library. . . . . . . . . . . 0116 305 5917 Ashby Museum . . . . . . . . . 01530 560090 Venture Theatre . . . . . . . . . 01530 560649 Conkers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01283 216633 Snibston Discovery . . . . . . 01530 278444 Cineworld (Burton) . . . . . . 0871 200 2000

LOCAL COMMUNITY N W Leics Council. . . . . . . 01530 454545 Andrew Bridgen (Local MP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01530 417736 Ashby Town Council . . . . . . 01530 416961 Leicestershire County Council 0116 232 3232 Social Services. . . . . . . . . . 01530 275200

HEALTH CARE Ashby Health Centre . . . . . 01530 414131 Dr Shepherdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Surgery. . . . 01530 417415 Leics Royal Infirmary . . . . . 0300 303 1573 Leics General Hospital . . . . 0300 303 1573 Glenfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0300 303 1573 Queens Hosp Burton . . . . . 01283 566333 Coalville Comm Hosp . . . . 01530 467400 NHS Direct. . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 NHS Walk In Centres Swadlincote/Loughborough, call NHS Direct for information

TRANSPORT Traveline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0871 200 2233 National Rail Enq . . . . . . . . 0845 748 4950 Passport Office . . . . . . . . . 0300 222 0000 East Midlands Airport . . . . 0871 919 9000 Birmingham Airport . . . . . 0871 222 0072

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EDUCATION Stephensons College . . . . . 01530 836136 Burton College. . . . . . . . . . 01283 494400 Loughborough College . . . . 01509 215831 Ashby School . . . . . . . . . . . 01530 413748 Ivanhoe College . . . . . . . . . 01530 412756 Manor House School . . . . . 01530 412932 Ashby Hilltop School . . . . . 01530 415736 Ashby CE Primary (Burton Road) . . . . . . . . . . 01530 412243 Packington Primary . . . . . . 01530 412425 Woodcote School . . . . . . . . 01530 417007 Ashby Willesley School. . . . 01530 413654

HELPLINES N W Leics Citizens Advice . 0844 499 2375 Consumer Direct . . . . . . . . 0845 404 0506 Childline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0800 1111 NSPCC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0808 800 5000 RSPCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0300 1234 999 Macmillan Cancer . . . . . . . 0808 808 0000 Alcoholics Anon . . . . . . . . . 0845 7697 555 Samaritans . . . . . . . . . . . . 08457 909090

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PUZZLE SOLUTIONS - CROSSWORD - SUDOKU - CODEWORD & MORE... HONEYCOMB

STEP ON IT - Wakes, Wades, Sides, Hides, Hikes, Bikes.

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business directory Accountants & Payroll Ashby Payroll Bureau 46 Baldwins 75 Haines Watts 9 JAWS Accountancy Services Ltd 27 RDG Accounting 19 Aerials & Satellite AB Aerials & Satellites 50 Architects A G Dezign 65 Arts, Crafts, Gifts, Jewellery, Toys Diamond Awl 97 Indivijilly Wrapped 50 Ferrers Centre for Arts and Crafts 85 Knittiquip 23 Souk de la Zouch 19 Builders Coe Construction 78 Keith Armston Building Contractors 96 Business Services Bernard Noble 61 Lion Court Conference Centre 5 Carpenters & Joiners Ashby Oak 104 Derek Verey 47 S S Joinery 35 Carpets & Interiors Abbotts Oak Blinds and Curtains 31 Agadon 3 Ashby Carpets 80 Ashby Stoves 95 Botanic Blinds 38 Boundary Carpets and Floorings 30 Fairweathers Carpets 17 The Bed Shop 53 Toons 10 Wendy's Courtyard Interiors 91 Cleaning, Ironing, Laundry Services Breedon Carpet Care 63 Deanclean 23 Extreme Clean 38 Karen’s Ovengleam 13 Safeclean 43 Spotless Cleaning 50 The Bee’s Knees 77 Toni's Ironing Angels 87 Clothing Alivie Children’s Wear 65 Heart of the Country 67 Just for You 43 The Shoe Box 84 Country Stores/ General Stores Hallmark Tractors 104 Ivanhoe Countrystore 89 Domestic Appliances Contracool 103 Contract & Domestic Services 83 Ray Pittam Engineers 96 Driving Schools Bardon School of Motoring 78 RDT School of Motoring 15 Electricians A & J Bartlett Ltd 91 Bright Sparks 11 D & B Electrical 13 M J Electrical Contractors 86 Estate Agents John German 42

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Events/Event Services Ashby de la Zouch Fake Festival Ashby Methodist Church Foxtail Lily Wedding Fayre Funhouse Comedy G & M Bouncy Castles Italian Food Market Ivanhoe Way Challenge The Beeches Wedding Fayre Financial Services Bleathwood Squirrel Financial Advice Ltd Food & Groceries Ashby Farmers Market Scaddows Farm Shop Smithards Bakery Funeral Directors A E Grice Funeral Directors Furniture Repairs & Restoration Ancient & Modern Garden Artisan of Ashby Ltd Bonington Tree Services Broadleaf Landscapes Charnwood Tree Services Eden Tree Care F G Gardens Francesca Sinclair & Associates GDR Landscapes Green Thumb (Ashby) Lush Landscape and Garden Design Mowing Places and Garden Care Roughly Refined Garden Service Stone Drives & Landscapes The Water Gardener Hair & Beauty Verity’s Nail Creations Healthcare Allround Homecare Services Ashby Chiropody/Podiatry Clinic Ashby Dental Ashby Osteopathic Clinic Bathe Safely Candor Care Ltd Dr Jin Future Minds Juliet Brooke Chiropody Postlethwaite Podiatry Prestige Nursing ProPhysio Ashby Silver Oaks Residential Care Home Swadlincote Chiropractic Clinic Traditional Acupuncture IT Services Ashby Web Design The PC Clinic UK Bits Kitchens & Bathrooms Ashby Tile & Bathrooms Astley Kitchen Makeovers Holme Tree Kitchens Provencale Kitchens Tiles 4 Less Victory Kitchens Locksmiths Hazlewood Locksmiths The Lockie

49 69 79 39 29 37 38 71 26 87 31 63 18 79 107 11 11 48 15 25 84 27 15 59 96 6 65 72 97 77 94 95 87 6 61 76 43 23 91 99 101 64 90 33 97 46 29 13 2 29 103 72 22 66 68 51

Motor Services A D Car Cosmetics 104 Caravan Support Services 102 Castle Garage (Ashby) Ltd 14 Chips Away 81 Mobile Automotive 79 Music, Dance & Drama Joseph Southgate 99 Painters & Decorators Ace Decorating 32 Holywell Painting & Decorating 103 John Clark 79 Pet Services Ash Farm Boarding Kennels 47 Pet Food for Thought 19 Smisby Dog Grooming 63 The Glenthorne Veterinary Group 111 Woodward Veterinary Practice 107 Plasterers A C Ellison Plastering and Tiling 103 Matt Charles Plastering Services 107 R & H Plastering 99 TCL Plastering & Property Maint. 32 Plumbers & Gas Services Adrian Dunstan Plumbing & Heating 95 Batemans Plumbing 73 CCA Gas Plumbing 34 David Blundy (Plumber) 97 James Pepper Property Solutions 101 S D Hill (Plumbers) 7 Therm Heating 83 Property Repairs & Maintenance Ashby Glass 21 Ashbyhandyman.co.uk 47 Cloudy 2 Clear 55 D H Phillips (Flat Roofing) 87 Handyman Maintenance 41 James Beckett 15 James Pepper Property Solutions 27 Roof Tech 99 Window Mate 31 Pubs, Restaurants & Take Aways La Spezia Pizzeria 80 La Zouch Restaurant 6 The Blue Bell 61 The Courtyard Café 45 The Lyric Rooms 40 The Mews Restaurant 24 The Vine 60 Wong Kwei 105 Zamani's 56/57 Recruitment A + A Recruitment 34 Schools and Tuition Manor House School 34 Slimming Services Lighter Life 54 Solicitors Crane & Walton 83 Simpson Jones Solicitors 77 Sports & Fitness Breedon Priory Health Club Ltd 112 Fitness Republic 90 Marlborough Rovers Football Club 109 Pure Movement Yoga 50 Travel & Holidays Ashby Wells House 80 Villair Travel 93

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