Bletchley Buzz 1 March 2016 spring edition by Bletchley Buzz

• Features • Puzzles • News • Events • Competitions • Reviews

Spring 2016

letchley BUZZ

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• Features • Puzzles • News • Events • Competitions • Reviews

letchley BUZZ

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Hello and welcome to the first edition of Bletchley Buzz.

Bletchley Buzz is your local magazine for Bletchley, Fenny Stratford, Newton Leys and Newton Longville

• Features • Puzzles • New s • Events • Competitions

letchley BUZZ

As a local , living in Bletchley, I have really enjoyed getting out to meet many of you that have contributed to this edition of the magazine. Isn’t it amazing, even when we live in an area for some time, we sometimes don't even know about local events that are taking place, local trades people and services, or the fantastic work for charity that is happening on our doorstep. I am excited at having the opportunity to share some of this through Bletchley Buzz.

BLETCHLEY, FENN

Y STRATFORD,

• Reviews

Spring 2016 GET THE LOCAL BUZ Z

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LONGVILLE, NEW Delivered free TON LEYS to 11,500 home s

I am already busy planning the next editions and looking forward to expanding the what's on guide and introducing more exciting features. It would be great to hear from you with any suggestions or ideas of what you would like to see in future editions. Please email or give me a call.

Owner Claire Pilsworth

Enjoy reading, good luck with the competitions and don’t forget to nominate someone special. Claire

Advertising: claire@bletchleybuzz.co.uk

ps.A special thanks to Andrena Carden-White who runs the sister magazine Bee Local

Telephone: 01908 464164

Nominate Someone Special see p age 3

We do our best to get things right but neither the publisher or contributors will take any liability for loss or damage by errors. The publisher does not officially endorse advertisements or the views held by contributors. No part of the publication can be published or reproduced either in print or online without permission

5 6 7 8 10 14 17 18 20 22

Work Tree Some Local News More Local News MK Food Awards Raising Awareness Rickley Park Update Crufts Tranform a Room Addicted to Fitbit In Your Garden

Spring Lamb The Black Stuff COMPETITION What’s On Tea Time Treat COMPETITION Essential Numbers Easter Bin Dates A SPECIAL PERSON

WIN TICKETS win tickets to see The Bodyguard, page 29

find us on Tell our advertisers you found them in Bletchley Buzzfacebook

for regular updates, events, facebook and twitter news go to:

23 24 25 26 28 29 30 31 31

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‘Be our guest’ for one hour, answer student questions about your job



 



relaxed, one-hour speed networking with students in Milton Keynes secondary schools (currently Lord Grey, The Hazeley Academy and Oakgrove) with other work guests, you answer student questions about your experiences of work anyone can do it, whatever job you do or have done no preparation needed, just turn up.

Your answers can spark light bulb moments that inspire young people’s career paths! Headline data since September 2016:

 

2000 students and 350 work guests have participated in 50 Career WorkOut sessions. Students experienced a 19% increase in 'confidence making choices about my future work options', 21% increase in 'confidence talking to adults I don't know' and 7% increase in 'commitment to learning and achieving'. 99% of guests 'enjoyed the session" and 99% 'now feel more positive about my work'. 100% teachers agreed 'the session helped students develop their employability skills'.

Companies, parents and individuals sign up now at www.worktree.org/events or call the Worktree Team on 01908 209940 for further details on how to get involved in this pioneering programme. Worktree is a small charity that has been based in Milton Keynes for 20 years. We have 20 years of delivering employability skills training to students of primary to secondary ages and adults returning to work.

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news Redway School Toy Round Up

The Lions Club of Bletchley are happy to collect any new or used toys and will deliver it to Redwood school in Milton Keynes. The toys will be used in the after school club activity and in day time classes. Please help us to collect all the toys in your homes not required ,and give it a second life and help another young person moving on in life. Rachel Farrow Assistant Head of Redway said “We can see how much pleasure it gives the pupils when we deliver the toys forthem to play with.” and the Lions who attended agree.

The Redway School is ‘an extra special’ special school within Milton Keynes.” Focusing on meeting the needs of all pupils, both collectively and individually. They are committed to providing an enjoyable, quality education for all our pupils within a friendly atmosphere where they can fulfil their potential, grow in confidence and most importantly be happy.

& glamour of 2015. We had not one, not two, but three(!) celebrities. And a world record-breaking strongman. And his world record-breaking mate. Well, stay tuned to our website because we’ll very shortly be announcing 2016’s entertainment & we think once again, we’ve pulled it out of the bag (if we do say so ourselves). Newport Pagnell Carnival In the meantime, shake a leg, News Roundup get your skates on & step on it Spring is in the air and not because entries for the parade, only does that mean lambs, classic & vintage car show, stalls chocolates and daffodils but & ‘big’ duck race are it also means that it’s time to all open. This year’s start getting excited for Newport parade theme is Pagnell’s Carnival! ‘Sporting Moments’ Taking place on 25 and 26 June so get your thinking 2016 you might be wondering caps on & start just how the Carnival Committee planning! are going to match the glitz And finally, calling all

The school is successfully encouraging every child to feel valued in an environment where all achievements, however small are recognised and celebrated.

05-11 year olds – we need your artistic talents. Enter the ‘Design the 2016 Newport Pagnell Carnival Programme Front Cover’ competition, to be in with a chance of having your artwork showcased on the must-have programme of the summer. Visit our website for full information. Visit www. newportpagnellcarnival.com for everything you need to know and more! Lots of love, The Carnival Committee

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Parent’s Lounge at MK Hospital

The Lions Club of Bletchley have been busy supporting the Children’s Wards in MK Hospital by making it easier for the children’s parents while waiting at their bedside, They have produced an Emergency Kit for parents who at short notice have had children staying in hospital, the kit contains such items as a flannel, tooth paste, toothbrush, comb, nail file, etc.

They also have renewed the crockery in the Children’s parent lounge to make it more comfortable if the parents have to stay for long periods of time or overnight. The Lions club of Bletchley have a long history of maintaining the parents room as they decorated it a few years ago and supplied the fridge and microwave and seating.

Rock Chorus Concert

What do 140 rockers, 30 big cats and one small dog have in common? Well, on April 16th, for the sixth year running, the 30 Lions in the Lions Club of Bletchley get together with some 140 singers from Rock Chorus to raise the roof and raise some money – and this year half of it is going to Medical Detection Dogs, with the other half going to the Lions Club Charity. The concerts started after a Lion was looking for a new fundraising venture and watched Rock Chorus perform at the 2009 West

Bletchley Carnival. An approach was made and over £10,000 later it’s still going from strength to strength with last year’s concert at The Venue MK, Walnut Tree, being virtually sold out. Rock Chorus is made up of five choirs dotted around the home counties that get together to sing the sort of songs that make your feet tap, your air guitars soar and your voices yearn for a mic. Along the way, they also help raise an awful lot of money for good causes and this year will be no exception. Medical Detection Dogs is a charity based just north of Milton Keynes doing exceptional work in the use of a dog’s amazing sense of smell in the detection of deceases like cancer. The training process is obviously long and expensive but the concert, which this year is sponsored by Marshall Amps and IKEA, should raise a significant

amount of money towards that process. The Lions Club of Bletchley, which organises the concert, is the local face of Lions Clubs International, the world’s largest community service organisation. The club has, for over 45 years, been committed to helping those less fortunate in society, whether individuals, organisations or Appeals. This help can be either by donation or by action, or in some cases both, as with the recent food collection at Tescos and Morrisons for the Food Cupboard, where 20 trolleys full of food and £500 in cash was gathered and passed on in time for Christmas. So, three wildly different groups together aiming to have a great nights entertainment for a really worthwhile cause. If you fancy joining them go to www.TheVenueMK.com or follow the links on www.lcbmk. co.uk. But come prepared to rock!

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MK Charity To Raise Awareness Of Under-Diagnosed Disease

Local charity, the British Thyroid Foundation (MK) is stepping up its drive to raise awareness of thyroid disease in and around Milton Keynes in 2016. Shockingly, this disease is currently one of the most under-diagnosed conditions in the UK, with one in 20 people suspected to have some type of thyroid disease. If left untreated, thyroid disease may put patients at risk for certain serious conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis and infertility, plus pregnant women have an increased risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery and developmental problems in their children. The good news is that once detected, this life-long condition can be managed with medication and for most, treatment provides them with a ‘new lease of life’. One local suffer, Georgia Jelley age 47 from Kingsmead said: “I had always been slim, but around 2003 I started to gain weight dramatically despite going to the gym and controlling my diet. I also started to feel unwell and not like myself, dropping things, feeling the cold, lacking concentration and my memory started to fail me even to the point where I would forget really important things like picking the children up from school! Firstly the doctor advised this

was stress through running my own business, but I just felt worse and worse. Eventually a friend advised me to get my thyroid checked though a simple blood test - I had no idea what my thyroid was! The test showed that I had an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), which meant that my thyroid gland was not producing enough thyroid hormone. I was told that my levels were so low had this been left untreated for much longer I could have died.” The diagnosis and medication provided has really improved Georgia’s life and she now joined a group of other volunteers at the British Thyroid Association MK to raise awareness of the condition to help suffers and their families. The charity holds regular information events and provides education and support by working closely with the local hospital consultants and healthcare professionals. Through her work with the charity, Georgia is using her PR and Marketing background to really drive awareness of thyroid disease in and around Milton Keynes in 2016 so others do not suffer as long as she did. If you are interested in finding out more, The British Thyroid Foundation (MK) is holding its next information event at 10.30am on Saturday 5 March at The Sports Pavilion, Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA. A special yoga session for thyroid sufferers is also being held at Sweat Studios, 2 Rillaton Walk, The HUB, Milton Keynes MK9 1BW at 11am

on Thursday 31 March 2016. This yoga session will last 60 minutes and will give people the chance to meet other sufferers and find out more about the charity. More information for both events can be found on the Thyroid MK (Milton Keynes Group) Facebook group or website:www.thyroidmk.co.uk

YOGA CLASS THURSDAY 31ST MARCH 10AM – 11AM SWEAT STUDIOS IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE BTF ARE HOLDING A CLASS ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE WITH THYROID DISEASE., ALL WELCOME. PROCEEDS TO THE BRITISH THYROID FOUNDATION(MK) LOCAL SUPPORT GROUP WHICH PROVIDES SUPPORT AND HELP TO LOCAL PEOPLE WITH THYROID CONDITIONS. YOGA HAS GREAT BENEFITS FOR PEOPLE SUFFERING WITH THYROID DISEASE AND IS A GREAT ALL ROUND STRESS RELIEVER. COME ALONG TO FIND OUT HOW GREAT IT CAN BE AND HOW IT CAN HELP YOU. THE CLASS WILL BE HELD AT SWEAT STUDIOS, THE HUB, 2 RILLATON WALK, MILTON KEYNES.MK9 2FZ LIMITED AVAILABILITY £9.00 ON THE DAY, £7.00 EARLYBIRD PRICE. TO BOOK PLEASE CALL GEORGIA ON 07590 558765 OR EMAIL: georgiajelley@outlook.com

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S U M M E R F E T E Rickley Park Primary School Rickley Lane

Admission 50p per person Donated to Henry Allen Trust

Bletchley MK3 6EW

Friends of Rickley Park are currently busy organising their first Summer Fete taking place on Saturday 25th June 2016. It is an exciting event that they hope will bring the school community together. All money that is raised will Bungee Trampoline be invested back into the Zorbing children that & attend theMouse Mickey Minnie school to fund additional Ice Cream Van educational school trips Beat the Goalie and activities to assist them Carousel with their learning.

Saturday 25th June 2016 12pm - 4pm

S U M M E F E T E

they would like to see at the summer fete. Leading on from this the “Over the last 9 months, 'Henry Allen Trust' is the the Friends of Rickley schools chosen charity, by Park have worked parents, carers, and the tirelessly to provide children that attend Rickley exciting activities for Park Primary School. our children beyond All monies raised via the theSponge curriculum and to the Teacher Titanic Slide Rickley Park admission price on the gate raise funds to provide Giant Buzzer Tea Cup Ride School onPrimary the day, willStalls be donated evento more exciting Donated Henry Allen Trust Craft Rickley Lane Good Time within Cafe the to the charity , to show opportunities Inﬂatables that Bletchley we support the work curriculum – with and 4 this is Play Zone BBQ theyMK3 are doing. Henry Allen another great example of 6EWPainting Trampolines and Slide Face Trust will also have a stall that! I can’t wait!” Performance from Pulse Dance Studio and other demonstrations, plus loads more fun activities at the 50p event.per ssionFriends 50p per Admission Admission 50p per person Rickleyperson Park Rickleyperson Park Saturday Saturday of Rickley - Glenn Booth, Primary School Park Primary School ated to HenryIfAllen Trust Donated to Henry Allen Trust Donated to Henry Allen Trust 25th 25th you are interested a stall you please contact are liasing with the schoolin booking We hope can come Headteacher Rickley Lane Rickley Lane friendofrickleypark@gmail.com June 2016 June 2016 For the attention of Michelle Sharp (Chairperson) or Lorraine Bosworth (Vice Chairperson) council , Bletchley who are totally along and show your Bletchley 12pm - 4pmfor what is going to 12pm - 4pm involvedMK3 by ensuring they support 6EW MK3 6EW have got valuable input be a fantastic event. from their peers about what

S RU M 50p per E R M person M M ES RU M M EAdmission E T E F E T E F E T E

Bungee Trampoline

Titanic Slide

Mickey & Minnie Mouse

Craft Stalls

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S U M M E R F E T E Rickley Park Primary School Rickley Lane

Admission 50p per person Donated to Henry Allen Trust

Bletchley MK3 6EW

Saturday 25th June 2016 12pm - 4pm

R Saturday 25th June 2016 12pm - 4pm Bungee Trampoline Zorbing Mickey & Minnie Mouse Ice Cream Van Beat the Goalie Carousel

Titanic Slide Giant Buzzer Craft Stalls InďŹ&#x201A;atables BBQ Face Painting

Sponge the Teacher Tea Cup Ride Good Time Cafe Play Zone with 4 Trampolines and Slide

Performance from Pulse Dance Studio and other demonstrations, plus loads more fun activities If you are interested in booking a stall please contact friendofrickleypark@gmail.com For the attention of Michelle Sharp (Chairperson) or Lorraine Bosworth (Vice Chairperson) www.bletchleybuzz.co.uk

What happens to my recycling? Tour the Milton Keynes Recycling Factory

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Come and look around the Milton Keynes Recycling Factory, learn what can be recycled and find out what it is made into. Visits include a talk, video of the machinery in action and a tour out into the factory to view the recycling being sorted by the machines and staff from the safety of a raised walkway. Tours available include free public tours, school trips, community group and childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s craft sessions. Booking is essential for all tours via the website. 16M15249

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Crufts Crufts, the world’s largest dog show takes place between 10 and 13 March at the NEC Birmingham.

The first of the ‘Crufts’ Dog events took place in 1891 at the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington. It was the brainchild of Charles Cruft, hence the name. After college, Charles worked for the well known dog food company Spratts, initially as an office boy and later as a travelling salesman across Europe. In 1878 he was asked by French dog-breeders to promote the canine section of the Paris Exhibition. Back in England, he managed the Allied Terrier Club Show at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster in 1886. He launched Crufts five years later. When Charles died in 1938, his wife Emma took over the running of the Show. She handed the mantle to the Kennel Club in 1948. The first event had 2,437 entries representing 36 breeds. This year’s show will see over 22,000 dogs competing from around 43 countries. The event is truly international since quarantine laws were lifted in the year 2000. The ultimate accolade, Best in Show has been contested

for 87 years, and won by 43 different breeds. The most frequent champion breed with seven wins is the cocker spaniel, followed by the Irish Setter and Welsh Terrier which have each taken four titles. The first ever winner was a greyhound and the 2015 winner was a five-yearold Russian Scottish Terrier called Knopa. Winners receive a replica silver trophy and a small cash prize, but it is the prestige and future stud-money that are the real attraction. In addition to the Best in Show and Best in Breed awards, there are now many other competitions including Scruffs - for crossbreeds. Visitors can also enjoy the spectacle of activities such as fast-paced flyball, skillful agility and heelwork to music. In many of the competitions there are junior as well as adult classes. Attendees also look forward to seeing famous names such as celebrity vets and TV personalities known for their love of dogs.

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There is a wealth of shopping opportunities with over 400 exhibition stands. And for those thinking of purchasing a dog the Discover Dogs section features examples, advice and information from owners of around 200 breeds. Over the last decade £138,000 has been raised from dog exhibitors for the Kennel Club’s charitable trust which distributes money to dog re-homing, assistance dog charities, and funds research into the understanding and prevention of dog diseases. Huge eﬀorts are now made to ensure all dogs in the Show are healthy following previous concerns about welfare. Crufts is a great day out, and for dog-lovers it’s not to be missed! By Susan Brookes-Morris

Transform any room in 1 day

Nearly all of us have at

least one room in our house that is feeling a bit tired and uninspired. In one day you can transform any room with very little effort and just a bit of thought. First pick your room and then find a bold colour that will pop out from the rest of the room. Here we are showing orange but try visiting http://www.tigercolor.com/ color-lab/color-theory/colortheory-intro.htm to find out more about colours that work together.

Then decide where you are using your colour. If you are going bold pick a feature wall, if you want to be more subtle paint a cupboard, table or shelves. A pot of paint can work wonders and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t break the bank but you can also do the same with some striking wallpaper.

Now add as many accessories as you like. It can be very effective to pick up the colour in just one or two pieces or go as wild as you like. Choosing items of different texture works well too. Even the tiniest object will jump out to the eye if it matches your chosen colour. Items pictured: from Dunelms

Remember if you are painting furniture or an object use a suitable primer to ensure the paint adheres well. There mug 99p is a primer for practically all surfaces. Your DIY centre can advise you.

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Totally Addicted to

FITBIT Tempted? Head to: www.fitbit.com By Kate Duggan

Want to make sure you’re completing your 10,000 steps a day, or looking to improve your training? An activity tracker can help. The FitBit is probably the best known brand on the market, with several models to choose from: The entry level Zip, at around £50, tracks your steps, distance walked and calories burned. “So it’s a fancy pedometer then?” I hear you ask. Well, yes, basically, but it’s more responsive and you can sync it to your computer or smartphone to see your activity presented as a graph. This makes it much easier to monitor your activity levels over time and track you progress. The Zip also acts as a watch, and there are various other extras, such as the ability to log your food intake.

like a watch. There are some differences in what they offer – Flex doesn’t have a clock, for example. Charge is similar to Flex, in that you wear it like a watch, but it comes with some added extras, such as a clock. If your phone is nearby and it rings, the caller ID will come up on the Charge display. It also has a better battery life, of up to 10 days. Charge HR is designed for people who work out regularly, as it can recognise different exercises, and has an automatic heart-rate monitor to help maximise your training.

Top of the range is Surge, at around £200. It’s been designed for people who are really serious about their sports performance, and want to monitor every Feel like you’re getting your full aspect of their eight hours of sleep, but still training. For feel tired? You might want to instance, you opt for One or Flex, which track can track the your sleep as well as your activ- route you’re ity. They also have silent alarms, running using to wake you up, but not your GPS. You can partner. One clips onto your also control venue clothing, while Flex is worn music and

read texts that come through to your smartphone. So which one to go for? Well Zip is a great choice if you just want to check whether you’re walking those recommended 10,000 steps a day. If you cycle, run, or enjoy another sport, you’ll want to opt for a more advanced model. Now, a warning… It is possible to get ever so slightly obsessed with the FitBit. You can easily find yourself checking it hundreds of times a day, which can distract you from real life, and you can find yourself pushing ever harder, unnecessarily. On the positive side, it does encourage you to increase your activity levels and build up your fitness. Like so much in life, the key is moderation.

tbc in next edition

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• Business start up guidance •Statutory accounts and audit • Tax planning and compliance • Cash-flow planning and forecasting • Succession planning • Vat and Payroll For a free initial consultation contact us on 01908 277577 or email@sherwoodsaccountants.co.uk

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I have one word for you...Lilies. I always thought they were tricky to grow, and so they proved, mainly because my garden doubles as a slug sanctuary! Then I had an epiphany. It dawned on me that if I grew them in pots, slug prevention would be easier, plus I didn’t run the risk of slicing through the fat, scaly bulbs or tender shoots with my hoe while enthusiastically weeding my plot. Even better, it means you can grow them even if you only have a balcony. There are loads of varieties in the garden centres right now. Three bulbs fit nicely into an 8inch / 20cm pot and five fit into a ten inch / 25cm pot. I’ve found terracotta pots best because they provide enough weight to prevent these tall plants tipping over. Lilies need an open planting mixture which drains well so I use a mixture of potting compost plus a soil-less multi-purpose compost. The bulb tips should be a couple of inches below the compost.

March

Keep in a sheltered spot and water when the surface of the compost looks dry. Once the buds have formed, feed weekly with dilute tomato food until late summer. When the blooms fade, cut the stems down and place in a sheltered spot. Each spring, scrape away a couple of inches of compost and add fresh mixture, then repeat the instructions above. Treated like this your lilies will reward you for three or four years before they need re-potting. There are a plethora of colours and scents available, so there is a lily for everyone. Try them. I guarantee you’ll be as in love with lilies as I am. By Rachel Leverton

garden Jobs for the garden

The first day of spring this year is officially March 20th . Trees are blossoming and daffodils are in bloom. The garden has woken up from its winter sleep and is full of promise.But promise is not enough. A beautiful garden does not happen by chance. So what are the top jobs for March gardeners? • Pruning features large! Hard-prune those late flowering shrubs like Buddleia, Leycesteria and Lavateria, but only if the risk of heavy frost is past. • Spring-flowering plants such as Forsythia and Winter Honeysuckle should be pruned immediately the flowers fade. • If you haven’t already pruned your bush roses, now is the time. Leave about an inch of last year’s growth to encourage bushiness and lots of flowers. Shrub roses don’t need such radical treatment but would benefit from losing a third of their old, thick, woody stems. • Lift congested clumps of snowdrops while they still have leaves showing. • Finally, stay on top of the weeds. If you leave them, weeding quickly becomes an insurmountable chore. Ok, we’ve dispensed with the hard work, now it’s time to look ahead.

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Roast Lamb with a taste of spring

add a home grown twist to your roast

Roast lamb has long been a traditional food

served up at Easter and, in my opinion, you can't really beat the combination of lamb, rosemary and garlic. I often prepare a piece of lamb by inserting slices of a garlic clove into stabbed cuts in the meat, then poke rosemary leaves into the hole too before smothering in mustard and roasting. However, at this time of year it is possible to forage wild garlic (or ransoms) in certain woodlands where the ground is chalky.

come sign of the new season. I try to celebrate these lovely flavours in my Easter roast lamb celebratory meal. Accompany the lamb with roast potatoes or you could seek out the first of the Jersey Royal new

If you can't find wild garlic and are growing your own garlic in the garden then the fresh new leafy growth on the garlic plants makes an excellent substitute. You need to harvest only 4 or 5 of these leaves so you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t overly damage the plants. Garlic chives are another alternative that works well should you be growing that in your herb garden. Back in the kitchen, finely chop the leaves then mix them into mustard powder and add a little water to form a thick paste. Smear this green garlic mustard over the surface of the raw meat. Season with salt and pepper then roast at 180Â°C, gas 4 for the appropriate amount of time depending on the size of your piece of meat. Spring is a tricky month for seasonal British ingredients. Generally, gardeners are busy sowing seeds and enjoying the first welcome signs of spring and there is relatively little ready to harvest. However, the last of the overwintering vegetables such as leeks and parsnips are still available and there are a few key fresh ingredients that take centre stage as a wel-

potatoes in the shops. Leeks, purple sprouting broccoli, parsnips and asparagus are all good choices of seasonal vegetables. And for dessert, something with rhubarb... crumble or fool maybe. A finishing touch of a pot or vase of spring flowers on the table and you're all set of a spectacular celebration of British springtime. For more seasonal recipes and ideas visit my blog at http://jammycowmk.blogspot.co.uk/

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A Drop of the Black Stuff March 17th is St Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day - a celebration of all things Irish - and people around Ireland and throughout the world will commemorate it with a pint or two of Guinness, Ireland's unofficial national intoxicant, with more than a 25% share of the beer market. Arthur Guinness founded the brewery that makes the famous drink. Born in 1725 in County Kildare, Arthur inherited ÂŁ100 at the age of 27 from his godfather, and three years later he set up business as a brewer. In 1759 he signed a 9,000 year lease on a disused brewery in St James Gate, Dublin where he began brewing porter and ale. Porter is a dark, well-hopped beer made from brown malt. Its history is closely intertwined with that of stout, a term which originally referred to a beer's strength but which now refers to the drink's body and colour. Today's Guinness is a dry stout available in a number of variants and strengths, including Guinness Draught, Guinness Original/Extra Stout, Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, Guinness Special Export Stout and Guinness Bitter. It is nicknamed 'the black stuff' on account of its dark colour, although it is actually a very dark shade of ruby! Now brewed in 60 countries and available in over 120, the first Guinness export was to England in 1769, and by 1824 it had become a worldwide brand. Sales soared from 350,000 barrels in 1868 to over a million eighteen years later. However, by

the 1970s sales were in decline and the company decided to make Guinness Extra Stout 'more drinkable', resulting in a brand re-launch in 1981 with pale malt being used for the first time. Contemporary Guinness Draught and Extra Light Stout are weaker than their 19th Century counterpart, with Foreign Extra Stout and Special Export being closer to the original in character. Modern Guinness has a burnt flavour and is famous for its smoothness and thick, creamy head. The production of Guinness continues to change with the times. In November last year the company announced plans to make their beer suitable for vegetarians and vegans by the end of 2016, through the introduction of a new filtration process that will avoid the need to use isinglass from fish bladders. Claims have been made in the past that Guinness can benefit the heart by helping to prevent harmful deposit build-up on artery walls. It has also been described as a 'meal in a glass', and at 198 calories per pint, has slightly fewer calories than skimmed milk, orange juice and most other light beers. So, I wish you a happy St Patrick's Day, filled with friends, fun, smiles and a drop of the black stuff. By Debbie Singh-Bhatti

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WIN A £20 VOUCHER! We are giving away 2 x £20 vouchers for the award-winning Smoke Shack. They recently launched their amazing new menu which you can view by going on www.smoke-shack.co.uk!

In order to win, simply answer the following question:

Which of our 9 burgers is named after the town of Stony Stratford? A. The Swan & Eagle Burger B. The Cock & Bull Burger C. The Billy Burger Please email your answer, and your address, to buzz@bletchleybuzz.co.uk by the closing deadline of 24th March 2016 with the subject “Smoke Shack Competition”.

some of our menu items • Finest quality locally sourced steaks, • Three choices of fries meats & produce • Delicious house–made desserts • Burgers from the ﬁnest cuts • Kids menu, vegetarian dishes • Tender 7–hour smoked ribs & dietary options available • Signature recipe hot dogs www.bletchleybuzz.co.uk

TERMS: Two winners will be chosen at random and sent a £20 voucher for use in any Smoke Shack restaurant. Winners will be notified by 30th March 2016. Bletchley Buzz accepts no liability for delivery of prizes. Prizes are not redeemable for cash. This competition is not open to staff, stakeholders or anyone associated with Smoke Shack.

What’s On

Tell Bletchley Buzz about your local event

it is now popular in many countries across the world (I’ll be dancing in France, Germany and Japan this year).

So, what is Scottish Country Dancing? Burns Night is behind us, St Andrews Night is yet to come and Hogmanay will round the year off. One thing they all have in common is a chance to enjoy Scottish Ceilidh or Country Dancing. So, what is Scottish Country Dancing (SCD)? It’s a modern form of the country dances popular since the 18th Century. Thousands more dances have been devised since then and

Most of the time dances are done in sets of eight people facing each other in two lines. The dances are made up of standard formaInterested in Joining a tions and can be slow elegant Darts team? strathspeys or fast and lively reels and jigs. A local team are currently looking Teamwork is the order of the for new members. Spaces availday, with a great deal of laughter able in their Mixed league team along the way. who play on a Tuesday night and Wednesday evenings you will the Ladies league on a Wednesfind a small but enthusiastic day night. group of us dancing at Shenley Home Games are played at Brook End Hall from 8-10pm. For the grand sum of £3 a ses- Bletchley's Working Mens Club, with away games played at varision you’d be very welcome to join us - don’t worry if you ous venues around Milton Keynes. haven’t done it before, you’ll be Please call Gary for further inforshown. mation or to register interest on www.thistleclub.co.uk 07821 795431

STAMP FAIR - MILTON KEYNES PHILATELIC SOCIETY Saturday 2nd April 2016, 10am - 4pm Methodist Hall, Queensway, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK2 2HB Stamp Dealers and Members will be selling stamps and coins as well as the former Bletchley Park Post Office with their limited edition special covers. Refreshments will be available - everything from homemade cakes and your choice of sandwich to bacon rolls and cherry pie! Interested in joining the “Stamp Club” ... this is a great opportunity to meet many of our members. Come along and have a chat, we are a friendly group. We look forward to welcoming you. For further information on the Stamp Fair, or joining the Stamp Club, please contact Karen Goodger on 01908 521220 or visit www.miltonkeynesphilatelicsociety.co.uk.

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visit www.bletchleybuzz.co.uk for our online calendar we post event updates on Facebook too and supporters: The Webber Independent School, Dawsongroup, ICR Leasing, Jeanius Consulting, mkfm, MVad, Results Base and The Parks Trust.”

NSPCC MK Half Marathon & 10K Bigger and Better for 2016!!

Back for its 18th year, the NSPCC Milton Keynes Half Marathon has become a key event in the MK sporting calendar – and for 2016 there are some exciting developments. This year, we are holding the event on Sunday 25 September, making it literally ‘cooler’; plus we’ve added the option of a 10K run – giving the chance for more people to take part and help raise vital funds for the NSPCC.

Both races will start together and run over our new course, which is almost entirely traffic-free on the MK Redways; taking in some of the very best sights of Milton Keynes, including the Grand Union Canal, woodland and Campbell Park. We are also excited to announce the launch our new very own dedicated website: www.mkhalfmarathon.org, where you can

find all the information you need about our event, including details about the fabulous new route and training tips. Additionally, you can find us on Twitter @nspcc_mkhalf, and Facebook ‘NSPCC MK Half Marathon’ - – so you can keep up-to-date with all the news as it happens and let us know how your preparations are going! Our event is unique to Milton Keynes in that it is the only half marathon solely organised to benefit charity. The event is run entirely by volunteers, and all the money raised will go to help support the work of the NSPCC Schools Service, helping children to understand the types of abuse and how to protect themselves. Clive Gear, Chair NSPCC Milton Keynes Half Marathon Committee, said: “We are very excited about this year’s changes and look forward to welcoming more runners to the event. I would like to say a special thank you to all our volunteers who work all year to put on this wonderful day. Additionally, we are extremely grateful to our hosts, sponsors

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Sat 12th March Emily’s Star Easter Gift and Craft Fair 10am - 2pm Tattenhoe Pavillion, MK4 3EQ. Licensed Bar, refreshments Saf’s Kitchen and Urban Griller, Children’s play area and onsite parking Sat 19th & Sun 20th March Frosts Eggcellent Treat Saturday 19th March & Sunday 20th March Anytime between 10am and 4pm The activity starts with a bunny hunt around the garden centre followed by some Eggcellent fun! Children can get creative by decorating their very own chocolate Easter egg with a selection on yummy sweeties, perfect to take home for an Easter treat. Children will finish the activity by decorating their own Easter egg magnet followed by a glass of squash. £5.99 per Child

Recipe A lovely tea-time treat Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 6070 minutes

Ingredients 225g plain flour 2 level tsp baking powder 80g softened or spreadable butter 1 large egg (beaten) 110g caster sugar 4 medium bananas (peeled) 50g walnuts (chopped) Zest 1 lemon Demerara sugar for sprinkling

Banana and Walnut Loaf Method Preheat oven to 180C / gas 4. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin. • Mash three bananas to a pulp and chop the fourth. • Sift the flour and baking powder together into a separate bowl. • Add the butter, egg and caster sugar. Using a mixer mix everything together for a minute or two. • Add the mashed and chopped bananas and briefly whisk them into the mixture. • Fold in the chopped walnuts and lemon zest. • Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin • Sprinkle with Demerara sugar. Place in the pre-heated oven so that the top of the tin is in the centre. Bake for 60-70 minutes until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes then turn out on to a cooling rack. This cake is good served warm with crème fraiche, cold, or even toasted.

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WIN TICKETS

WIN two tickets to see The Bodyguard, the award-winning musical based on the blockbuster film at Milton Keynes Theatre on Friday 22nd April 2016.

Q. Which music artist provides the soundtrack to the film The Bodyguard? A. Madonna B. Whitney Houston C. Beverley Knight. To enter please email the correct answer to buzz@bletchleybuzz.co.uk with the subject "Bodyguard" or post your answer together with your name and address to :2 Tunny End, Bletchley , MK3 6GZ attention of Bletchley Buzz BodyGuard Competition. Terms and conditions apply: Prize is valid on 22th April 2016 only. Prize is only as stated and cannot be transferred or exchanged. No cash alternative will be oďŹ&#x20AC;ered. Entrants must ensure they are available on the date of the prize. Competition closes 24th March. Winners will be selected randomly and notiďŹ ed by post or email by 30th March 2016.

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A&E

Stoke Mandeville Hospital Mandeville Road, Aylesbury, HP21 8AL 01296 315000

Luton & Dunstable Hospital

Lewsey Road, Luton, LU4 0DZ 0845 127 0127

Milton Keynes Hospital

H8 Standing Way, Eaglestone, Milton Keynes,MK6 5LD 01908 660033 Milton Keynes Urgent Care Centre 24/7 walk in service for patients with urgent medical problems Milton Keynes Hospital, Standing Way, Eaglestone MK6 5NG Walk in or ring the NHS 111 service

Non- Emergency Number Call: 111

Emergency Number Call: 999

Doctors

Bedford Street Surgery 01908 658850 4 Bedford Street, Bletchley, MK2 2TX Drayton Road Surgery 01908 371481 20 Drayton Road, Bletchley, MK2 3EJ Red House Surgery 01908 375111

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Essential Numbers 241 Queensway, Bletchley, MK2 2EH

Queensway 01908 373 135

Water Eaton Health Centre 01908 371318 Fern Grove, Bletchley, MK2 3HN

Council

Westfield Road Surgery 01908 377103 11 Westfield Road, Bletchley, MK2 2DJ

Milton Keynes Council Telephone: 01908 691691 Minicom: 01908 252727 Our out of hours emergency telephone: 01908 226699 E-mail: info@milton-keynes. gov.uk

Whaddon Medical Centre 01908 373058 25 Witham Court, Tweed Drive, Bletchley MK3 7QU

 Pharmacy

* open sundays (call to check)

Cox & Robinson 13 Melrose Avenue 01908 372651 Lloyds Pharmacy 127-129 Queensway 01908 373 674 Queensway Late Night Pharmacy, Elizabeth Square, 01908 631699 Tesco Instore Pharmacy Watling Street 01908 854 247 P&I Smith Ltd 206 Whaddon Way 01908 372 161 Boots Store 1 The Concourse, Brunel Centre 01908 372 888 Cox & Robinson, 239

Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council 01908 649469

Police

Bletchley Police Station Sherwood Drive, Bletchley, MK3 6TP Call 101 - (always call 999 in an emergency) Monday: 0900 - 1700 Tuesday: 0900 - 1700 Wednesday: 0900 - 1700 Thursday: 0900 - 1700 Friday: 0900 - 1700 Saturday: Closed Sunday: Close

Iain Stewart Tel: 01908 686830 / Fax: 01908 686831 Email: iain.stewart.mp@ parliament.uk Web: www.ias4mks.com Library Bletchley Library 01908 372797

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NOMINATE SOMEONE SPECIAL

Nominate someone to receive our beautiful Bletchley Buzz cupcake bouquet, designed and made specifically for us by the very talented Julie Lomas of JL Cakes Is there someone you know who deserves to receive this delicious gift? Please write and tell us why they are so special and they will be in with a great chance to be surprised. It could be your mum or daughter, a supportive friend or colleague, or someone / team who has gone above and beyond to help. We'd love to hear about them. Please email your nominations to buzz@bletchleybuzz.co.uk or write to: Bletchley Buzz Flowers, 2 Tunny End BletchleyMK3 6GZ All nominations must be received by 24th March.

Easter Bin Collections Normal Day

Easter Collection Day

Friday 25th March Monday 28th March Tuesday 29th March Wednesday 30th March Thursday 31st March Friday 1st April

Saturday 26th March Tuesday 29th March Wednesday 30th March Thursday 31st March Friday 1st April Saturday 2nd April

Normal collections resume 4th April

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Tel: 01908 631676 Mob: 07791 802848 Email: info@homefixmk.co.uk 32

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