Aug/Sept 2020 FREE inbusinessmags.co.uk
BUCKINGHAM IN BUSINESS
Life in
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS
BUCKINGHAM The Independent Family Garage, You Can Trust with your safety
We have put in place social distancing measures to abide by government guidelines.
All of our technicians wear a facemask and gloves to keep everyone safe when working on your vehicle. We offer Free collection and delivery and our driver will sanitise your vehicle before and after as well as wearing a face mask and gloves at all times.
“Very friendly staff with excellent service. Not pushy and happy to provide advice based on your requirements.� - Kelly Hudson
Shop Local and support the community Like many local family businesses we also need your support, we are 26 local people with families to feed and mortgages to pay, please shop local whenever you can and support Buckingham.
4.7 Star Rating 01280 453046 | Service@buckinghamford.co.uk Ford Street, Buckingham, MK18 1AQ
Fully Fully qualified qualified 25 25 years years experience experience No No job job too too small small
Fully Fully insured insured Local Local tradesman tradesman All All building building work work undertaken undertaken
•• Brickwork Brickwork •• Stonework Stonework •• Garage Garage Conversions Conversions •• Kitchens Kitchens •• Bathrooms Bathrooms •• Tiling Tiling •• Patios Patios •• Landscaping Landscaping •• Fencing Fencing •• Roofing Roofing etc etc For For your your free free no no obligation obligation quotation quotation call: call: 01280 01280 423847 423847 or or 07701073720 07701073720 www.homefixbms.webeden.co.uk e: homefixbuilders@googlemail.com www.homefixbms.webeden.co.uk e: homefixbuilders@googlemail.com
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Welcome... Next issue
October 2020 Copy Date
15th Septebmer 2020 2020 issue
The aim of the monthly Life in Buckingham Magazine is to support businesses in order that the local community can flourish. After so long in Covid-19 lockdown, at last we’re starting to see the return of some more of the things we know and love, just in time for the school Summer holidays to get underway. Pubs, restaurants and theme parks are carefully reopening, along with those little shops and local businesses that add vibrance and delight to every high street. As we start to return to a new version of normal, keeping your loyalty local is so important, to make sure our towns and villages can thrive again. Those corner shops, local butchers and bakeries that worked long hours to keep us stocked up with essentials when we couldn’t venture far, deserve our ongoing support now restrictions have been eased. So - grab a cuppa and read on; whatever your home or garden needs, a look through these pages will help you find the local business that’s your perfect match. I hope you have a wonderful Summer. Until next time……
Mandy Mills x
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G&G AUTOS
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Cloudy2Clear, A Local Family Service With A Smile I think we can all agree that the sooner we see the back of 2020 and this dreadful Corona Virus the better. That said, there are also some heart warming positives that we can take out of this situation. It has often been said that we can only really get to know one another and realise what is truly important in times of crisis. I think few would argue that in this case what has proven to be important is local community spirit and family. When talking to Trevor & Wendy Skidmore the owners of Cloudy2Clear Northampton & Oxford it became clear that these
values have been held for over 13 years. Since buying the local franchise in 2006 they have remained true to their core values of supporting the local community whilst introducing their 2 sons Lloyd & Ross into the family business along with Dan, Mark & Jo as demand for their service has grown.
using our service. Unfortunately we might be going through something similar again soon and the public can rest assured that we will be there to help again”. For a free quotation please call 0800 61 21 118 or visit cloudy2clear.co.uk.
All C2C employees operate a strict social distancing policy.
The Cloudy2Clear service is a money saving one that only requires the glass to be replaced and not the whole window once the unit has failed. Wendy commented “we were able to assist our community through the last financial crisis in 2008 due to the savings that can be made when
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Love Your Home - Protect Your Windows - Save Money Email: inbusinessmags@gmail.com
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C h o o s i n g a Fa m i ly L aw ye r Few people consult a family lawyer before they need to do so and, for that reason, the process of choosing one to support and represent you at a difficult and stressful time can feel rather rushed. Many of our clients come to us through recommendation from a family member, friend or work colleague, but a significant number will look for a family lawyer through local publications, organisations or the internet. Divorce, separation and issues around children are often emotional, complex and can take time to resolve. This is why it is vital to choose a solicitor that you feel will provide you with the best level of service and support and one who understands your situation.
When choosing a family lawyer, we would recommend looking for one who can demonstrate experience and expertise of your specific circumstances, provide a clear indication of the likely costs involved in your matter, and be relied upon to communicate well and give regular updates on the progress of your case. Spratt Endicott Solicitors offer clients a fixed fee initial meeting at ÂŁ95 (including VAT) at any of our four offices in Banbury, Brackley, Bicester or Buckingham. For more information please contact Madeleine Harrington on 01869 222310 or email mharrington@se-law.co.uk
Email: inbusinessmags@gmail.com
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Age UK Bucks services and support We help older people throughout the county of Buckinghamshire to live independently * Informaon and Advice * Welfare benefits home visits * Befriending * Help-in-the-Home
* Garden Maintenance * Handyperson * Computer Training * Toenail Cung Service * Hairdressing at Home
Call 01296 431911 www.ageukbucks.org.uk
145 Meadowcroft, Aylesbury HP19 9HH Registered charity 1139423
Award winning outstanding care agency now taking on clients within Buckingham area
Care advice 01280 703204 10
To advertise at a price that’s right for you call 07899 757473
Dentistry as it should be Services available at the practice include General and preventative dentistry, chiropody, osteopathy and beauty spa
“Caring approach from Claydon Dental Tea m. Friendly, helpful staff with a professional attitude to patients.� Mrs D from Buckingha m
New patient consultation receive First Hygiene appointment complimentary with this advert
Call now to book an appointment with us 10 Chaloners Hill, Steeple Claydon, Buckingham MK18 2PE 01296 730260 info@claydondental.co.uk
www.claydondental.co.uk Email: inbusinessmags@gmail.com
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584690
Sudoku 7
9
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1
1 6
9
9
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5 6
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1
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3 8
2 1
8
8
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4 6
3
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2
9 4
3
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The floral show goes on As we slowly return to a ‘new normal’ our gardens have greatly benefitted from the extra care and attention we have given these past few months, however, the garden needs us more than ever, says Buckingham Garden Centre’s Chris Day. If the last few months has taught us anything, it simply has to be how we all should embrace our outdoor space and be at one with Mother Nature. As we enter mid-summer, our gardens really do start to come alive and provide an oasis for our bees, moths and butterflies. So, do look at the plants that are being a natural magnet to our colourful flying friends. It’s the large single pollen-rich blooms that will attract the honeybees, so avoiding some of the fussy double flowers isn’t such a bad thing. We find Agapanthus, Borage (pictured), Catmint, Foxgloves and Salvias are always popular with our own honeybees at the Garden Centre and these plants can be easily grown in your garden. This is a useful reminder that the many popular spring flowering beauties can be sown now and these include Wallflowers, Sweet William, Canterbury Bells, Winter hardy Pansies and Foxgloves. These and many others are bee friendly. They can be sown in rows in a vacant plot and thinned out to grow on, or sow into a seed tray and germinate in a greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill. You’ll need to prick out the seedlings and grow on in ‘cell trays’ before planting out in their flowering locations from late September onwards.
As well as the usual garden furniture sets, recliner seats and picnic chairs are great for seating those extra family guests when you are entertaining, or to throw in the back of the car if you are planning a picnic out. We have a great range of these chairs available in the Shop. When it comes to some al fresco dining do look out for our sets of delicious BBQ Rubs to embellish your BBQ dishes. Flavours include Mediterranean - made with Rosemary, Sage, Parsley, Bay Leaves and dried Olives- to get that authentic Mediterranean flavour. Also there are Caribbean Jerk, Argentinian Chimichurri, Louisan Cajun, Texan Steakhouse and Peri Peri Rubs in the gift set. The sets sell at £12.99. PLANT A POT One of the lockdown success stories has been the amazing ingenuity of the great British public to upcycle and recycle their household paraphernalia to create fantastic planters. Old wellington boots, chests of drawers, an old wheelbarrow, the only limit is your imagination. The quirkier the better in my opinion so embrace your creative genius, repurpose old objects and plant with panache! It’s getting late in the season for summer bedding, so opt for the new season winter hardy Pansies and Violas to inject colour or maybe some brightly coloured grasses, Lavender, Sedums or Marguerite Daisies for sheer simplicity. Look out for a new range of Tunisian urns in our pots department. These traditional handmade urns are available in a range of sizes and designs. We particularly like the cut-away design which would be perfect for showing off alpines, compact grasses and even hardy succulents or putting some form of lighting in to make a magical feature in your garden.
OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING If you’ve treated yourself to some new garden furniture or a BBQ then you’ll be getting the best from it just now. 18
To advertise at a price that’s right for you call 07899 757473
LAWNS Time to get them back into shape after this summer’s mixed bag of weather. Mow less frequently, and raise the height of the cut as the growth
rate of the grass slows down. This will help the lawn to withstand the last of the warm, dry weather (we hope!), and also keep it resistant to damage when walked on as the wet weather returns. You can harden your lawn up for winter by applying an autumn lawn feed, which is high in potassium, but do this after scarifying and aerating it. Do not give summer feeds that are high in nitrogen as this will only result in weak, soft growth, which will be prone to disease in the autumn weather. September is also an ideal time to create a new lawn either from sowing grass seed or laying turf. Make sure the area is completely clear of annual and perennial weeds before preparing the soil for seeding or laying turf. VEGGIES Sow Broad Beans (try ‘The Sutton’) and hardy Peas (try the varieties ‘Kelvedon Wonder’ (pictured) and ‘Meteor’) for early crops next year – cloche cover may be required for protection in winter. There is still time to sow
Spring Cabbages, Japanese Onions, Turnips for green tops, winter Lettuces, Spinach, Endive, Corn Salad, Land Cress and Baby Salad leaves. Harvest Pumpkins and Squashes and leave them in a sunny but dry location to allow their skins to harden, then store them in a cool, dry, dark place. Lift Potatoes, Carrots and Beetroot, but leave Parsnips until they have been frosted as the frost enhances their sweet flavour. Harvest Onions which are ready and bend over the leaves of others to help prevent seeding and help hasten ripening. Dig up remaining potatoes before slug damage potentially spoils them. Remove Tomato leaves to expose unripe fruit. Pick and store herbs and collect some seeds for next season where possible. Look out for the specially prepared potato tubers which are perfect for
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Email: inbusinessmags@gmail.com
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starting now in pots to provide some welcome Christmas new potatoes. Good early varieties available include ‘Arran Pilot’, ‘Charlotte’ and ‘Maris Peer’. Each variety comes in a pack of 9 tubers, with growing instructions, selling at £2.99. You can learn more about growing potatoes in pots at this link https://youtu.be/jYR8mjimOek QUICK REMINDERS Now is a good time to tackle our established hedge rows – both evergreens (including Box, Privet and Yew) as well as the likes of deciduous species, including popular natives like Quickthorn, Hornbeam and Blackthorn. Reducing the overall height as well as keeping the width within allocated bounds can be done now as any possible nesting birds have flown their nests. Whether you opt for mechanical hedge trimmers or hand shears, do make sure you keep your lines straight by reducing a small amount at a time to 10% DISCOUNT for over 70’s
get the best look. Newly planted hedges need more care and controlled pruning to help develop the overall framework of the hedge. Reducing back lanky growth by one-third to a half can help to encourage further basal and lateral development to follow. Incredibly, in late August we will start to see the spring bulbs arrive so, time to plan to get those Tulip, Crocus, Hyacinths and Daffodil bulbs early and ready to ensure a colourful springtime next year. The gardening trade have already announced their two 2021 Bulbs of the Year, so keep your eyes peeled for Allium ‘Graceful Beauty’ (Bulb of the Year, pictured) and Narcissi ‘Lotherio’ (Daffodil of the Year, pictured). Give your tomato plants even moisture and weekly feeding and then you can enjoy that succulent homegrown crop well into the autumn. Hanging baskets have looked amazing around the villages, however if you treat them properly to keep them looking good for as long as possible, you must keep the water flowing and provide a regular liquid tomato feed to help ensure that life isn’t over for them.
Vincent Landscapes of Buckingham est1990
www.vincent-landscapes.co.uk
Specialists in Landscape Design and Construction, from an idea to your Dream alfresco living space, where you work rest and play.
Freephone: 0800 695 1944 Mobile: 07788 513 780 Fully Qualified and Insured Tree Care and Grounds Maintenance Decades of Hedge Cutting Knowledge
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www.absolutetreecare.co.uk 20
To advertise at a price that’s right for you call 07899 757473
Many perennials such as Delphiniums, Lupins and Geums will have now flowered and these would benefit from a simple light trimming back as this may help encourage a second flush of flowers or at least a healthy flush of foliage later on. As for fruit trees those which produce a stone in their fruits (Apricots, Cherries, Damsons, Gages, Peaches, Plums and Nectarines) you have until the end of August to do any major pruning so avoiding the dreaded Silver Leaf disease (pictured). However, you’ll need to wait until after leaf fall if you want to tackle Apple and Pear pruning this season.
to maturity. The plants prefer bright spots in winter and shady spots in summer, not too hot and not too dry. The coloured stalks can be stir-fried or sautéed but remember, they can turn accompanying foods a lovely shade of pink! Try topping your chard with a splash of balsamic vinegar, a squirt of lemon juice or a dollop of crème fraiche. The young leaves can be eaten raw in salads or added to warm dishes just before serving.
CHILD’S PROJECT Why not encourage your little ones to grow some Ruby Chard plants? You can sow the seeds from now until mid-October and a good one to choose is ‘Bright Lights’ as it is very colourful, the seeds are large and easy for little fingers to handle and it takes only about 8-10 weeks to grow
Find us at yell.com
WIN A Buckingham Garden Centre Voucher worth £25! Tel: 01280 822133
We’ve two garden vouchers up for grabs which you can use in the Plants Department, Restaurant or in the Shop! To enter, simply answer the following question; What new product range in the shop features a Tortoise, a Sheep, an Hippopotamus or a Zebra? A: Drink coasters B: Paintings C: Foot stools Pop your answer A, B or C together with your name and address to: competition@buckingham-nurseries.co.uk or by post to: Buckingham Garden Centre, Tingewick Road, Buckingham, MK18 4AE.
www.buckinghamgardencentre.co.uk www.facebook.com/BuckinghamNurseries Open 7 Days a Week.
The closing date for entries is 30th September 2020.
Email: inbusinessmags@gmail.com
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Absolute Tree Care
Last year’s winter storms saw this windblown beech blocking the main fairway.
It Is always good to meet a man who Is happy In hIs work, and the enthusiasm which adam winch has for his life as an arborist is unmistakable. he describes his decision to change careers at the age of 30 as ‘an epiphany – a miracle moment’. and on having made the change back in 2000 and gone on to found his own business absolute tree Care in north and west oxfordshire, he can look back with no cause at all to regret that decision.
“I had always done other things that paid well, and they gave me the experience of working for myself,” Adam recalls. “I always managed to find my own way. I had been working in recycling, and among other things had run market stalls. At a time when work was very quiet, I did a garden makeover – and discovered that I had green fingers. I pondered whether I should make the move and train to be a tree surgeon, but kept thinking of all the reasons why not, rather than the reasons why I could do so. Then I became more positive and thought, why don’t I look into it and go back to college and see how I get on. “At last I knew what I really wanted to do with my life.” Once having made up his mind, he wasted no time in looking at how to get his new career underway. “I researched courses,” he relates, “and found a 10-week course at Merrist Wood College. It was very intensive, but very broad, including tree law and all the basics and mechanics of arboriculture. Being just a short course it fitted in very well with my own situation at the time, with three young children in the family.” Adam gained his City and Guilds qualification with distinction, and is full of praise for all the benefits that he gained from the course. “I think Merrist Wood is one of the best, if not the best college in the country,” he says. “Not a day goes by when I don’t go right back to the training I received there, and quotes come back to me of advice that I learnt. One is the importance of re-looking at a task: if it doesn’t feel right – such as in what way a tree should be felled – then it isn’t right. I have learned the value of stopping to re-address such a situation and look at the other options. It might be that it would be better to decide on bringing in a mobile crane because of the size of the job, even if that proves more expensive. “That initial training has also enabled me to train my own staff in aspects of their work – which shows how well I was taught,” he adds. “I repeat to the letter what they taught me and how they taught me.”
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Background image shows the large leylandii hedge, halfway through being reduced. The hedge was approx six metres wide.
On completing his course, Adam went to work for a tree surgeon locally, but it was not long before he came up against one of the already increasing realities of the world of business. Recession was beginning to have its effect on the national economy, and Adam was one of the staff the tree surgeon had to make redundant. However, another aspect of life in business, as well as in many other situations, is that every cloud can eventually reveal a silver lining. He and a colleague, who was made redundant with him, set up in business together, and that became the foundation of today’s Absolute Tree Care. “I started up with this other guy who was made redundant at the same time,” Adam relates. “We worked together for a time, but the economy in Ireland was, conversely, going through a boom spell, and as that was where he had come from he decided he would like to go back and take advantage of the business opportunities. I have been running the business on my own ever since.” Initially this was in Bodicote, near Banbury, and is now in Witney. “There was a time, early on, when I had three staff and an apprentice, but the economy was having an effect on a general scale. We were doing a lot of commercial grounds maintenance, which is the bread and butter for many companies such as mine – providing the regular income on which to build a business. “One by one contracts were axed, despite the fact that I had been working for these clients for a number of years. It was just what became of the changed circumstances, nationally.” One contract Adam was particularly sorry to lose was that looking after the grounds of an old people’s care home. “They used to say it made their day, seeing the young gardeners about the place, and that it put a smile on their faces,” he remembers. Sadly that lively Victorian red-brick house was levelled to the ground, and a new housing estate has been built on the site.
To advertise at a price that’s right for you call 07899 757473
Written by Robyn Sheppard 2010 Email: inbusinessmags@gmail.com
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9 + 35, 8k
9 + 35, 8k
Personal Lease from £298.99pm inc VAT
All prices based on 9 months initial rental and 8k miles per year. Other profiles are available – contact us for a personalised quote.
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01296 733 894 sales@srkleasing.co.uk Singleborough, Milton Keynes, England, MK17 0NX