Chorlton & Whalley Range
A thriving place to live, work, trade, play & shop
index
community
Jan 2013
View online at www.communityindex.co.uk Happy New Year!
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with this copy of Community Index
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Contents 6
On a Tricycle Made for Tea
Leon Horton visits Chorlton’s new Tea & Crumpet Emporium
20 23
10 16 19
The College in Whalley Range Andrew Simpson
January In Your Garden
Katherine Watson’s browsing through seed catalogues and having a good old sort out.
24 26
Book Reviews
What Chorlton Bookshop have been reading over the break...
32
Many Happy Returns
A solution to those unwanted presents...
Chorlton Traders News
Festive lights, toy appeal & looking forward to 2013...
Chorlton’s Secret Ferns
Dave Bishop uncovers mysterious & beautiful ferns
Make Yourself A...
Topsy Turvy Pot! Here’s one we made earlier...
Modern Foraging
How to spot poisonous items in the urban jungle!
Meet the team
Community
I NDEX
Publisher
Contributions
Contact Us
Community Index
Andrew Simpson, Carol Thompson, Roland Baskeyfield, Dave Bishop, Chorlton Bookshop, Danielle Lowy, Claire Law, Katherine Watson, Chorlton Traders, Leon Horton, Simon Whyatt
Tel: 0787 589 5604
Editor/Advertising Lesley Swann
lesley@communityindex.co.uk
Design Editor Joe Beech design@communityindex.co.uk
Advertising Joseph Wood joseph@communityindex.co.uk
lesley@communityindex.co.uk
Cover Photographs
Community Index 2nd Floor 583 Barlow Moor Rd Chorlton M21 8AE
Carol Thompson, Lesley Swann, & special thanks to JP & Brimelow
www.communityindex.co.uk
Advertising Deadline for the February Edition 15th January 2013
@communityindex
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Alexander Technique balance and poise ease of movement stillness strength in action voice
individual sessions, groups workshops
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6
On a Tricycle Made For Tea
Leon Horton
world. But not for him some beach destination: “I went to Sri Lanka, worked in refugee camps and visited the tea fields there.”
T
he drinking of tea has long been considered a British obsession, steeped in ritual and prescribed as a cure-all for whatever ails us. “I have measured out my life in coffee spoons” the poet T. S. Eliot wrote.
And that’s fine - for an American. But long after Mr Eliot’s fellow countrymen brewed up revolt and poured our libation of choice into Boston harbour, we Brits remain a nation of tea drinkers (according to statistics, we get through something like 60 billion cuppas a year). But I digress. Many of you early birds out there (whether dragging the kids to school or trudging into work at some ungodly hour) would no doubt be glad of an early morning pick-me-up. But with most cafes opening well after the school run or commute into town, that’s easier said than done, right? Well, not if you happen to be heading up Wilbraham
Road between 6.30 and 9.00 am. There’s a refreshing new business near Morrisons supermarket: the Tea and Crumpet Emporium.
“
the Tea and Crumpet
Emporium is actually a Dutch tricycle with a boiler built into the
”
front
But this is no ordinary establishment. Taking ‘mobile catering’ to new heights, the Tea and Crumpet Emporium is actually a Dutch tricycle with a boiler built into the front. Yup, that’s what I said... a Dutch tricycle... with a boiler... built into the front. What sort of crazy fellow would come up with such a thing? Oliver Storr, the man behind the wheels of this mini empire, is passionate about tea. After studying product design at Manchester University, he took a year out to travel the
Like I said, he’s passionate about his subject. But how did he hit upon the idea of a threewheeling samovar? “I was in Australia, working in sales and hating it. I realised then what I really loved was catering for people, returned to Manchester and just took it from there.” And bought a tricycle with a built-in boiler? “No, I built it myself – that’s when the product design really came in handy. The majority of the unit took about four to six months to build, designing as I went.” Offering a fine selection of teas (from award-winning Earl Grey to more exotic blends such as black mango, Guarana and Pu Erh), Olly also sells toasted crumpets - which he makes himself: “I wanted to create something artisan and not shop-bought, which let’s face it is pretty standard fare.” If his dedication and enthusiasm are anything to go by, it won’t be long before he’s toasting his own success. But don’t just take my word for it. If you visit Twitter: @TCrumpet or Olly’s facebook page at www.facebook.com/ TheTeaAndCrumpetEmporium you can request a free cuppa for the next time you’re passing. Hot tea and buttered crumpets on a cold and frosty morning? Now there’s something to get infused about...
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VillageSpecialist Dryin Bridal, cleaners Vintage & Silkwear
Est: 30 years
Celebrating 30 years in Chorlton... • Experts at Stain Removal • Ironing Services • Repairs & Alterations
Same Day Service Available Call: 0161 860 4451 or visit: www.villagedrycleaners.com
Special Offer
3 2 Garments Cleaned for the price of
“What can I say about Village Dry Cleaners? Just excellent! Amir, who owns the business, goes above and beyond what is expected and I can whole heartedly recommend his services.
• Curtain Cleaning £5 per kilo (subject to terms & conditions)
• Duvet Cleaning: Single £10 Double £15
Nikki Graeme Owner, The White Closet, Didsbury
See more reviews on www.qype.co.uk
OPEN
TIME
Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri 8.30-5.30pm Thurs (late night)
8.30-7.00pm
Saturday
8.30-4.00pm
LATE NIGHT OPENING
Thursdays till 7pm
38 Manchester Rd, Chorlton, M21 9PH
Tel: 0161 860 4451
to advertise call Lesley: 0787 589 5604 lesley@communityindex.co.uk
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Have you filled in your tax return for the 31st January deadline? Don’t panic! I’m here to help...
Angela McCormack ACCOUNTING SERVICES
www.mccormackaccounting.co.uk E: angela@mccormackaccounting.co.uk T: 0161 862 0465 M: 07894 912616
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www.treestation.co.uk 0161 231 3333
Local Ethical Tree Work & Firewood We are a unique social enterprise that provides high quality arboricultural services, including planting, pruning, emergency call-outs, dismantling and felling, along with tree safety surveys. Our service is professional and sensitive both to our clients’ needs and to environmental concerns. We are SAFEcontractor accredited. And what other tree surgeons regard as waste, we regard as opportunity – everything is used, to make truly local hardwood firewood; timber for joinery; mulch for local allotments; compost; and biomass woodchip. Firewood prices, including free local delivery: 1 Cubic Metre for £100 | 2 for £190 | 3 for £270
Greater Manchester TreeStation Ltd - A Society for the Benefit of the Community committed to combating climate change, FSA Mutuals registered number 31552R
9 At the Manchester Institute for Psychotherapy we run a Children & Adolescent department which provides a number of resources for supporting children and adolescents and their families.
Fed up with boom and bust when it comes to diet, health, weight?
We provide support for a number of areas where young people encounter difficulties and which at times might feel overwhelming for parents or carers.
This year, ditch the traditional January diet followed by February failure! Instead, look at changing the way you eat for the long term.
At present we facilitate groups, individual work and family therapy with issues such as :
I am a local, independent, nutritional adviser who can help with weight management, diabetes and digestive disorders. No magic pills or gimmicks— just step-by-step advice, information and practical support to eat well AND wisely, regain your health and vitality, and be the shape you want to be. Find out more at
Eating disorders • Bullying • Self harm • Trauma • Challenging Behaviour • Grief & Loss • Adoption Issues In addition, we provide courses for parents and professionals working with children. All are CPD certified. Please see our website childtherapyworld.com for more information on the therapists, Amanda, Stephanie & Karen and for details of our courses, or ring 0161 862 9456
www.foodwiser.net
Discover a healthier happier creative you in 2013 Authentic Yoga classes and workshops in Chorlton with Mick Timpson info@yogalifemanchester.com www.yogalifemanchester.org 07808 501765
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The College in Whalley Range
I
like this picture of the Independent Lancashire College in Whalley Range.
It had been here since 1843 and even before it was finished it was causing a stir amongst “the public and more especially by strangers, respecting this beautiful specimen of gothic architecture which is seen to great advantage from the roads leading westward out of Manchester.” It’s origins lay in the fact that Dissenters along with Catholics were still barred from entering the Universities, and lay professions. They could not marry in their own places of worship and had to rely on Anglican Churches for registering births and deaths. This had led to the establishment of an independent academy in Blackburn which was opened in 1816 to “educate young men of decided piety and competent talents for the Christian ministry.” By 1838 the academy was no longer adequate for this purpose and a new “collegiate building affording more extensive domiciliary accommodation,” was agreed upon which would be sited in Manchester.
A public subscription was launched to meet the cost of what was estimated would be £10,000. It says much for the strength of dissent in the North West that within two years the sum of £14,736 was raised which eventually exceeded £25,000. And with all such subscriptions the contributions ranged from the modest to the very substantial, so while Mr Joseph Taylor of Ashton handed over £2, George Hadfield from Manchester gave £2,100, Samuel Fletcher £1,300 and our own Samuel Brooks of Whalley House £1,550. Brooks however also benefited from selling the seven acre site for its construction for £3,650. The foundation stone was laid In September 1840 and the college opened in 1843. And so to my second picture which shows the grounds of the Independent College in Whalley Range and the year is 1934. Our picture is a postcard which “R” says “is a new view of
the college which I thought you might like to see. It gives rather a good view of the grounds I think.” He was writing to Mr and Mrs Nelson of Garston Old Road in Liverpool and he went on to say that he had “managed a good spot of work,” and was looking forward to “seeing something of a friend of mine who is preaching at Ormskirk on Sunday.” The original design was for a gothic style building with a tall tower and a principal front 261 feet in length including two professors’ houses at either end with cloisters in between serving as an arcade Buy Andrew’s in which the Book “The Story students of Chorlton-Cumcould take Hardy” or visit exercise in him online at wet weather. chorltonhistory. There blogspot.com/ were to
11 be three storeys surmounted by battlements about 40 feet high. “The arrangements in the interior of the College, forming a communication with different suites of rooms, are well designed and exceedingly simple; consisting of corridors running the extreme length of the front and of either wing. The lower story of the building
which is sufficiently high above the ground to ensure dryness is intended entirely for servants, and the corridor which connects the different offices runs along the main building. Entering the College by the broad flight of steps in the basement of the tower we come to the entrance hall on the second or main floor which is a lofty room about 36 feet by
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32 and open to the roof.” And I suppose this description would have been recognised by “R” as well as the countless other students who continued to study there until its closure in 1980. Andrew Simpson Pictures from the Lloyd Collection
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Chorlton Traders
MEETING
Thursday 31st Jan 5.30pm at Chorlton Library
chorlton@chorltontraders.co.uk
www.chorltontraders.co.uk
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JP & Brimelow Community Update
News Bulletin
JP & Brimelow are looking forward to another great year working with and supporting local community organisations. Back in March 2012 Eddie and JP completed the Wilmslow Half Marathon and raised £3,000 for their chosen charity St Annes Hospice. The Chorlton office has also sponsored Chorltonians AFC by providing a full kit for the first team.
Spotte d in Chorlto n!
Later in the year Eddie made a significant donation to Green Chorlton – through a bulk purchase of TAG! cards. Carol Thompson, (co-founder of TAG) said: “JP & Brimelow are playing a huge role in helping us to support other local Chorlton independent businesses. Working with such a far-sighted and imaginative company has been a real pleasure.” Looking forward to 2013, Eddie has plans to support Chorlton Book Festival and is also well on the way to making a real difference to the look and feel of Chorlton centre. If you’re considering a move in 2013 give Edward Ellis a call on 0161 882 2233
430 Barlow Moor Rd Chorlton M21 8AD @jpandbrimelow
SALES: 0161 882 2233 chorlton@jpbrimelow.co.uk
LETTINGS: 0161 882 2244 chorltonlettings@jpbrimelow.co.uk
Offices also in Didsbury 0161 448 0622 & Withington 0161 445 9700
www.jpbrimelow.co.uk
The Cream of Manchester Estat
If you’re considering a move, call JP & Brime and we’ll explain why we take some t
What’s your next move? What’s your next move? Whether you have a property to sell or to let, JP & Brimelow
at the top ofatheir game withto thesell skillsor andto expertise to help. Whetherare you have property let, JP & Brimelow Call the Chorlton office today to find out more. are at the top of their game with the skills and expertise to help. Call the Chorlton office today to find out more.
430 Barlow Moor Rd Chorlton M21 8AD @jpandbrimelow
SALES: 0161 882 2233 chorlton@jpbrimelow.co.uk
LETTINGS: 0161 882 2244 chorltonlettings@jpbrimelow.co.uk
Offices also in Didsbury 0161 448 0622 & Withington 0161 445 9700
www.jpbrimelow.co.uk
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N A Evans
Electrical Services
Family run, serving South Manchester for 25 yrs • • • • •
No job too large, no job too small. Quality above all Energy saving and eco friendly advice and installation Inspection and Testing, Installations, Maintenance and Repairs Weekend and out of hours work All work fully guaranteed and to relevant regulations
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www.shawcarpentryandjoinery.co.uk info@shawcarpentryandjoinery.co.uk
Tel: 07902 361364
Ben Bagshaw of Shaw Carpentry and Joinery is a qualified and insured carpenter with over 10 years experience in the residential refurbishment sector. Using like minded conscientious trades SCJ is able to offer a full range of home improvement services. Please view my web site for photos, reviews and feedback of recent projects and follow the links for more examples. No job too small, hourly rates apply. Please call for a quote.
The Chorlton Handyman City & Guilds multi skilled Tradesman Happy New Year to Community Index Readers and all my past, present and future customers! Carpentry • Joinery • Electrical • Plumbing Kitchens • Fencing • Built in Furniture • Decks Gates • Shelves • Locks • Hardware
call Nick
0777 852 3088
Domestic & Commercial Small works always welcome
Public Liability Insurance Environmentally Aware
“Community Index is a great local magazine. The advertising revenue pays for great community based features & as a regular advertiser it really works for me.” Nick
v
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January in your Garden A time to browse seed catalogues and have a good sort out in the shed!
J
anuary is the coldest, wettest and windiest month (after all those sprouts) and other than feeding the birds and pruning your apple trees, there are few garden jobs that would entice you out.
So January could be the ideal opportunity to sort through your gardening paraphernalia and get a bit organised for the year ahead. I wish I had a dedicated shed for dibbers and kneelers but having a small garden means my garage houses all my tools as well as over 500 plastic pots (which annoyingly can’t be recycled) and all manner of
horticultural detritus: half full seed packets, twisty ties, broken canes, 21 (random) hose attachments and any number of miscellaneous garden-related objects from well meaning friends. One popular present in recent years has been the Vert-deTerre, retro tin for SEEDS which sits next to the one for MATCHES and PEGS - usually empty, but bringing that bit of Country Living chic to my city kitchen. So I’ve decided to put it to purpose and order some seeds this month in preparation for the spring. The business of seeds is blooming, obviously literally but also in terms of the variety that are now available
Garden Design Planting Advice Consultation Service Project Managment
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to the discerning shopper. I am particularly interested in heritage and heirloom seeds and fancy myself in tweeds and worsted waistcoat dibbing in my Giant Bulgarian (leek) ready for a bumper crop. There are quite a few online companies now providing heirloom and heritage seeds including the long standing Chiltern seeds (www. chilternseeds.co.uk) and the Vegetable Seed Store (www. vegetableseedstore.co.uk). One of my favourites is Garden Organic – the working name of the Henry Doubleday research association, based at the Ryton gardens in Coventry - definitely worth a visit if you are in the area (www.gardenorganic.org. uk). This is the UK’s leading organic growing charity and has a huge seed library. At the quirky end of the seed business is Thomas Etty (www.thomasetty. co.uk) with the lovely tag line ‘Heritage seedsman and Bulb Merchant’ who not only has an extensive catalogue of heritage seeds but provides interesting timelines for certain crops – Red Orach for example has been in circulation since 1213 – and lists of flowering plants popular in different centuries.
Katherine Watson, Fat Grass Garden Designs
17 bop local productions very proudly present
an evening of the spoken word...
VOX LOCAL or
Hosted by
‘Four Poets and a Pasty’
Ian McMillan with
&
Mike Garry
Marvin Cheeseman Mark Mace Smith Friday 15 Feb 2013 with a lovely Pasty Supper & dj Phil Beckett
Chorlton Irish Club 7pm - 1am Tickets £15
(one of the most splendid events ever to take place in the environs of Chorlton)
www.boplocal.com
Stretford Office: 164 Barton Rd Stretford Manchester, M32 8DP Tel: 0161 865 9220 stretford@tradingplaces.co.uk
Chorlton Office: 571 Barlow Moor Rd Chorlton Manchester, M21 8AE Tel: 0161 860 0000 chorlton@tradingplaces.co.uk
Stockport Office: 410 Reddish Road Stockport SK5 7AA Tel: 0161 442 5033 stockport@tradingplaces.co.uk
Thinking of selling? We’ve got it covered! Trading Places have been selling houses in Stretford, Chorlton, Old Trafford and Whalley Range for 15 years. Over the last few years we have noticed more people than ever moving between the areas and have recently refurbished our Stretford office as well as opening in the heart of Chorlton.
Our Stretford office has a client base of first time buyers who either rent in the area or bought there as they couldn’t initially afford Chorlton.
Our Chorlton office has clients who want to downsize and become mortgage free whilst still being in touching distance of Chorlton town centre.
Therefore when it comes to selling, offering two offices for the price of one means nobody covers it better! If you are thinkng of selling or even changing agent please call us on
0161 860 0000 or 0161 865 9220 to arrange your free market appraisal!
www.tradingplaces.co.uk We would like to bring to your attention that if you have already instructed another Agent, we would advise you to check any Agreement you may have to ensure that you are not liable for more than one commission by instructing Trading Places as your Agents.
Book Reviews
Standing in Another Man’s Grave Ian Rankin
The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out Of The Window And Disappeared Jonas Jonasson
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from Chorlton Bookshop
The long wait is over, Rebus is back! If retirement was meant to mellow him then something has gone seriously wrong. Working for the cold cases unit with fellow retired police officers, Rebus is as anti-establishment as ever. Following a chance encounter with a grieving mother, Rebus sets his mind to solve yet another seemingly unsolvable case. With his usual tenacity Rebus refuses to take the hints when those above him simply want him to shut up and stop making waves. Bored with the cold cases Rebus is determined to take advantage of a recent change in age restrictions which may see him re-hired as a serving police officer. There is, however, one person
determined not to let that happen. With a crossover from another series of Ian Rankin books, Malcolm Fox is trying his best to destroy Rebus’ reputation once and for all. Years ago Rebus made the mistake of offending Fox over some minor put down. Now this hatred could be all that stands between Rebus returning to a life he knows or an almost certain early grave. Fans of Rebus will love this latest book and I challenge you to wait for the paperback next year! Hopefully Ian Rankin will feel it’s worth carrying on with the series and treat us to another Rebus story next year. Fingers crossed!
2012 has been a real treat for readers of fiction; this has been one of my highlights. Anyone who has visited Chorlton Bookshop in the last few weeks will have been subjected to my never ending praise for this book. Much as the title describes, the central character reaches his momentous 100th birthday and finds himself bored and miserable in an old people’s home. Uninspired to attend his upcoming birthday party he decides to climb out of his bedroom and escape. He finds himself at the local bus station, minding a large suitcase whilst its scary looking owner is in the bathroom. This is where the story takes a definite turn for the bizarre. Without knowing what the suitcase contains Allan decides
to take the first bus he can and steal the case. What follows is a crazy cross-country chase involving the police, elephants and misprinted bibles! Along the way we learn about Allan and his Forest Gump like life. Purely through chance and his unnatural love of all things explosive he has met some amazing historical figures including world leaders and terrorists. In recent years most of the Swedish fiction we’ve been treated to has been crime based. Although several quite horrific crimes do take place you don’t really mind as they all happen to bad people! This is a hilarious well written story which combines the best elements of Tom Sharpe and Jonathan Safran Foer.
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Many Happy Returns
D
id you receive any unwanted gifts at Christmas? Maybe there was something you wanted Santa to leave in your stocking that was forgotten when he took the mince pies. Well, worry not, because on Saturday 19th January at St John’s Primary School in Chorlton there will be a free swap shop event where you can hand in any unwanted items you have and give them a better home. You may even be able to pick up something you’ve been after for a while!
Happy Returns Swap Party is an opportunity for the community and neighbourhood to get together for a free, fun, family-friendly event where people take along stuff they no longer need and exchange it for things they would like.
Your trash is someone else’s treasure.
Initiated by Claire Law, a parent at St John’s and a Community Guardian in the Chorlton ward, the swap shop has been made possible by a CASH grant from Manchester City Council and the hard work of volunteers from St John’s PTA. In their annual Gold Star awards The National Confederation of PTAs recently acknowledged St John’s PTA for Working with the local community through events such as this. Swap shops are a sustainable and inexpensive way to get rid of any old children’s clothes and goods, books, toys, DVDs, dressing up costumes and sports equipment that are still in good condition but that you no longer need. The event on Saturday 19th January will be themed around recycling and sustainable living and will feature creative workshops, face-painting and free refreshments. The swap party also includes Operation Sunshine, an on-going initiative to collect
Call today to have your oven, hob, extractor or Aga professionally cleaned Ian Glancy Mob Tel: 07580 765765
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Everyone is invited to this party! Happy Returns Swap Party on Saturday 19th January 2013 from 2 to 4pm at St John’s Catholic Primary School, Chepstow Road, Chorlton. If you would like to be involved contact: happyreturns@thelaws.uk.com
to
Play
Learn
We clean your oven… so you don’t have to
redundant school uniforms and shoes. To date Chorlton families have donated over 3,000 items of clean, outgrown school uniforms for delivery to Kent and onward shipping to Africa.
Bass Guitar
email : beechjw@gmail.com
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Exchange your unwanted Xmas gifts, update your kid’s toy box, book, DVD and music collection – for free. Bring along Xmas cards, wrap, ribbons and batteries for recycling. Take part in creative workshops.
22--4pm, January 2010 2013 4pm,Saturday Saturday19th 30 January The Sports Hall St John’s Catholic Primary School, Chepstow Road, Chorlton (off Longford Road)
email: happyreturns@thelaws.uk.com to find out more
Responsible financial advice for a world of difference We’re still here! With more than 20 years of providing ethical financial advice in South Manchester the Gaeia name will be known to many of you. Despite moving from Didsbury to central Manchester we continue to look after many loyal clients in the area. Since our merger with Castlefield, we’re now part-owned by a charitable foundation, our employees and even our clients – unusual in financial services! Whether you are an individual, business, charity or not-for-profit organisation, Gaeia can provide a financial planning service which incorporates both your ethical values and your financial needs.
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Contact us at our new office: 0161 233 4550, 1 Portland Street, Manchester M1 3BE. Visit us at www.gaeia.com SGCOMINDX/101212
Gaeia is a trading name of Castlefield Gaeia Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Registered in England and Wales No. 04605261. Registered office 3 Brook Office Park, Folly Brook Road, Emersons Green, Bristol BS16 7FL
405388_Gaeia Chorley_Dids Index_93.5x137w_V2.indd 1
10/12/2012 14:21
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Domestic & Commercial Electricians For all general electrical work
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Acorn
Contact Tony Goss 0161 865 6657 07973 908 592
CHIMNEY SWEEPING SERVICES
Call John 0161 445 3650
NACS member
open fires, boilers Agas, multi-fuel stoves, birds nests removed
Gas Safe
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Chorlton Traders News Barclays and Christmas Toy Appeal Raffle
T
he first Chorlton Traders Christmas Raffle was held this year in Barclays, a fellow member of the Association. Manager Chris Goldstrawand and his team provided crucial support and refreshments with home baked cakes from Mary (and Chris’s wife) and generous Chorlton independent businesses donated raffle prizes. 1st prize was a painting of the Chorlton Lych gate by local artist Peter Topping, which was presented to the winner at the Chorlton Christmas Lights switch on. Local authors Andrew Simpson and Danielle Lowy (Rubbish
Chorlton Festive Lights
C
horlton Festive Lights on Thursday 6th December was a great success despite the weather! We were delighted to be joined by so many members of the community, not to mention local celebrities Emma Goswell and Chris Holliday of BBC Radio Manchester and Gaydio who had a big part to play at the crucial plunger-pushing moment! With a few last minute preparations in the form of erecting the Chorlton Traders banners and festive lights, with thanks to caretaker Graham and Savills, mince pies kindly donated by Booths, staging from Oswald Road Primary, the event proper
Revamped) also donated copies of their latest books.
Our nominated charity this year was Barlow Moor Community Association. Phil and Ruth lead a dedicated group working to help families and residents on the Merseybank Estate. The money raised from the raffle was used to buy Christmas toys for local disadvantaged children from Busy Bee Toyshop and Monkeypuzzle Toys. And saving the best for last - we sold £403 of raffle tickets on the day for our appeal AND Barclays generously match funded the amount we raised, so a fantastic £806 was raised in total! A huge thank you to everyone who supported us and bought tickets. Winners and prize donors
are listed on the Community Notice Board in Barclays. Carol, Lesley and Roland
got underway. We were treated to the sounds and vocals of Chorlton High Brass Band led by Chris and Les, not only did they showcase some of their best pieces, but also accompanied the community with the carol singing. Oswald Road Primary School Choir, led by Midge, delighted us with alternative variations to traditional carols and sang a number of rounds, together with the lanterns the school had made on the previous day. Post plunger and the Christmas tree being magically illuminated, our local library team together with some of our newest Chorlton Civic Society members took charge of the mulled wine and everyone helped themselves to food, whilst Father Christmas entertained the kids. Local businesses DeNada, 1847, Teahive and Barbakan generously brought all manner of foods that went down a storm.
Chorlton Traders
MEETING Thursday 31st January 5.30pm at Chorlton Library
chorlton@chorltontraders.co.uk
www.chorltontraders.co.uk
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Chorltons Secret Ferns
F
or almost as long as I can remember, I’ve been interested in British wild plants. But for a while the flowerless ferns were a bit of a mystery. The classic ‘shuttlecock’ ferns presented some initial identification problems. I painstakingly learned to distinguish between Male Fern, Broad Buckler Fern and Lady Fern. Then I discovered that there is also a species called Scaly Male Fern ... and telling it apart from ‘ordinary’ Male Fern was a bit of a challenge. Luckily all four of these species grow on Chorlton Ees – virtually on my doorstep – so I was able to get a lot of practice in sorting them out.
One day I was walking along the lane from Brookburn Road to Hardy Farm when I noticed that growing at the edge of the football field was a unique fern from the other species I’d been studying. This plant’s fronds had a distinctively intricate, spiky outline and I tentatively identified it as, reportedly extinct, Soft
Shield Fern. The news reached the attention of an expert on the flora of South Lancashire and her immediate reaction was sceptical. Nevertheless, she came to have a look and, well, Soft Shield Fern was declared “no longer extinct in Greater Manchester!” You can imagine what that did for my confidence levels! Incidentally, I’ve found several more specimens since – so either there were not enough local botanists recording local ferns, or Soft Shield Fern finds contemporary local conditions more amenable than those that existed in the past, and is sneaking back in.
Around this time I learned of a British species called Narrow Buckler Fern and wondered if I could find it locally, and distinguish it from the very common Broad Buckler Fern? The right habitat, i.e. damp woodland, exists on Chorlton Ees - so it should be there. Eventually, with a bit of careful searching (and some swearing), I found it. Its fronds are noticeably narrower than its Broad Buckler relative (no surprises there then!) but the crucial difference is that it doesn’t form a shuttlecock; it has a creeping rhizome and its fronds come out of the soil, seemingly at random, in a sort of loose cluster. In addition
it has pale, chaffy scales on its leaf stalk, whereas those on the leaf stalk of Broad Buckler Fern are darker with a black stripe down the middle.
“
So far I have found more than 20 species of fern in the Chorlton area and there are probably a few more yet to be found.
”
A remaining mystery is that the two related species grow together on the Ees and they should hybridise... but they don’t seem to - and I haven’t found the hybrid yet. One day I noticed some Narrow Buckler Ferns growing in a more open habitat and I searched the area for more. At one point, during this search, I noticed something unusual; sprouting out of the ground were lots of tiny, bright green leaves. Although I’d only ever seen pictures before, I knew instantly what I was looking at – another, very un-fernlike, species of fern called
Adderstongue. Each small plant is between 3 and 7cm tall and consists of a leaf-like blade which leans away from the vertical and from the base of which protrudes a vertical, stalk-like projection; this has horizontal slits in its top section from which spores are produced. It is a very primitive type of fern which is often considered to be an indicator species of unimproved grassland. I realised that I was looking at one of the last traces of the hay meadows that had once been such a common feature of the Mersey Valley. I now think that it’s likely that the colony of Adderstongue, that I found on that day, might very well be the same one that the great Manchester shoemaker botanist, Richard Buxton found in the first half of the 19th Century and recorded in
his Flora of 1849! Older brick walls, in the built-up parts of Chorlton, are also good places to look for ferns. Some of the shuttlecock species often appear in stunted form, as does a species called Hartstongue. When rooted in good soil, Hartstongue has long, glossy-green, strap-like leaves, but in walls it tends to be much reduced in size. More suited to the wall habitat is a quartet of species often found together: Wall Rue, Maidenhair Spleenwort, Black Spleenwort and Intermediate Polypody. So far I have found more than
es Chorlton!
20 species of fern in the Chorlton area and there are probably a few more yet to be found. If you are interested in wild ferns or growing ferns in the garden, you might consider joining The British Pteridological Society (www. nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/bps) There is now a Manchester & North Midlands group of the Society; contact Dr Yvonne Golding at: secretary@eBPS.co.uk. Dave Bishop
friendsofchorltonmeadows. blogspot.co.uk/
EVERY TUESDAY
11am at Longfords Gym Ryebank Rd CHORLTON
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Make yourself a Topsy Turvy Pot Bet you enjoyed unwrapping your Christmas presents! Double the fun by turning the wrapping paper into a useful and stylish Topsy Turvy pot. Danielle Lowy from Rubbish Revamped shows you how in an extract from the book, Festive Craft Projects with Recycled Materials. Metallic papers that can’t go in the paper recycling bin are especially nice for this project. You can also use junkmail, leaflets and magazines.
You will need • • • • •
Scissors Used wrapping paper Sticky tape PVA glue Paint brush
sheets of wrapping paper 1. Cut into strips about15-20cm deep
and as wide as available. Fold them into strips about 1.5 to 2cm deep.
the first strip into a 2. Wind tight spiral circle. Sticky
tape the end. Add lots more strips, taping them at the beginning and end. 8-10cm diameter is a good final size for your circle.
the tricky bit. Gently pull the circles up into 3. Here’s a tower shape. Make it topsy turvy or straight. Don’t
push beyond the depth of the strips or it will all unravel! If this starts to happen, push it back down into a circle and start again, taking it nice and slow.... Got the shape you want? Brush on undiluted PVA glue. Leave to dry and add two more layers to glue the rolls together and make the pot stronger - gives it a nice shine too!
Get the book:
Festive Craft Projects with Recycled Materials contains 20 illustrated step-by-step projects and is available from Rubbish Revamped at www.rubbishrevamped.org.uk for £5.00 (plus £1.20 postage).
Rubbish Revamped run recycled craft workshops for individuals and organisations. Contact Danielle at danielle@rubbishrevamped.org.uk or on 07910 270 789. Or visit the website to see what’s on at www.rubbishrevamped.org.uk
27
I Slimming World
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If you are a past or present member of Slimming World & looking for a flexible, self employed, part time role please call Anna 07977 493 313
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• rewires, repairs & alterations • fire and burglar alarm systems • inspection & testing inc. P.A.T.
Call Andrew on 07729 241 860 or visit www.amelectricalandalarm.co.uk
28 28 Festivals, Markets & Events Chorlton Players present Dick Whittington Thurs 17th, Fri 18th & Sat 19th Jan 7.30pm & Matinee 2pm on 19th. Tickets £4/£6 St Werburgh’s Hall, M21 0TL Chorlton Traders Meeting Thursday 31st January, 5.30pm www. chorltontraders. co.uk chorlton@ chorltontraders.co.uk Chorlton Library Manchester Street Market 3rd Saturday of the month outside Chorlton Library
Clubs, Societies & Groups Chorlton Aikido Club Wednesdays 7.30-9.30pm St Ninians, Wilbraham Rd www.lancashireaikikai.org 861 8456 Community Allotment & Apiary Scott Avenue Allotment 07973139068 07521500223 uk.groups.yahoo.com/ group/grow_for_it/ Chorlton Bridge Club Christine Blackburn Tel: 225 8854 www.bridge webs.com/chorlton Chorlton Civic Society Next meeting Tuesday 8th January 7.30pm Chorlton Library meeting room. Chair - Jenny Slee 0757 0879 091 www. chorltoncivicsociety. org.uk Chorlton Evening Townswomens Guild Meet every 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month at 7.30pm Chorlton Library. 0161 881 6354
Community Chorlton Good Neighbours 881 2925 goodneighbours@ btconnect.com Chorlton History Group meets on the 1st Thursday of the month at 1.30pm - 3pm at Chorlton Good Neighbours St Nininians Church, Egerton Rd South Chorlton Knits 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at Oddest Bar Chorlton Philosophy Group Meets every Tuesday at 7.30pm, upstairs at the Lloyds pub. All welcome sites.google.com/site/ chorltonphilosophygroup Chorlton Reading Group Once a month in the meeting room behind Chorlton library 7.30pm All welcome 881 1813 chorltonreadersgroup@ gmail.com Coffee and Craft Mornings at Chorlton Good Neighbours. Meet friends and have a coffee, with arts and crafts group. Thursday’s 10-11.30am Wilbraham St Ninian’s Church 881 2925 www.cgncg.org.uk Intergen Volunteer opportunities for Chorlton residents 55+ to work with local primary school children. Estelle Longmore 881 7693 or 07946761785 www.intergen.org.uk Friends of Alexandra Park 226 7525 www.friends ofalexandrapark.org.uk Friends of Chorlton Meadows 881 6276 www.friendsofchorlton meadows.blogspot.com
Friends of Longford Park info@folp.co.uk friendsoflongfordpark. org.uk Manchester Flower Lovers’ Guild St Werburghs Church Hall, Chorlton Anne 881 6591 flowersnorthwest.net Shakespeare House Community Centre Whalley Range M16 8NR, 823205 admin@r-squared.org.uk St. Clements Fellowship Contact Barbara Burns on 0161 881 5912 or Ida Bradshaw on 0161 861 7158 for information Whalley Range Cricket & Lawn Tennis Club every Friday indoor cricket nets :Years 5 & 6: 6.30-7.30; Years 7-10: 5.30-6.60: Seniors (16+): 7.30-8.30. £4 Springbridge Road, William Hulme Grammar School Whalley Range Forum JN8 Youth & Community Centre, 82 Cromwell Ave, M16 0BG 881 3744 info@ whalleyrange.org www. whalleyrange.org Whalley Range 4 Wildlife wr4wildlife@yahoo.co.uk www.wr4wildlife. wordpress.com 50+Social Group Arts/Walking/Holidays Lila, lilawaiz@tiscali. co.uk 2261214
Health & Fitness Pilates classes at Firswood Community Centre, Longford Park. Tues 8 - 9 pm, Wed 6.15 7.15 & 7.30 - 8.30 pm. Contact Danielle 07511 354 745 www. evolutionpilates.co.uk (Body Control Pilates trained).
I N D E X
Alexander Technique One-to-one sessions in Chorlton & Didsbury, group evening classes. Contact: Sue Fleming on 861 8848, 07796470163 www.alexandertechnique. co.uk 50+ Fitness Classes Every Tues morning 11am at Longfords Gym, Ryebank Rd Contact Earl 07725 199 940 www.50plus-fitness. co.uk The Yoga Rooms Thursday 10-11.15am Drop-in Yoga (all levels) Friday 10-11am Drop-in Pilates (all levels) Full Programme at www. theyogarooms.co.uk Pilates Classes Sarah 07776196504 www. energyflowfitness.co.uk
Arts & Crafts Alex Jerman Photography Photography & Camera Training, one to ones, workshops www. alexjermanphotography. com Battyandgorgeous www.battyandgorgeous. com Beetlefelt Craft Workshops Carol Mowl Tel: 881 6309 www.beetlefelt.co.uk Chorlton Sewing Club 1st Thursday of the month 7.30 - 9.30pm Chorlton Library chorltonsewing. wordpress.com Creative Recycling Gallery 40 Beech Rd M21 9EL craftscreativecourses. co.uk Drum & Percussion Group Playing Brazilian and
Community Cuban rhythms. Thursday evenings 7-9pm St. Margarets Church, Whalley Range Sue 226 4311 The Edge Theatre and Arts Centre Manchester Rd, Chorlton Tel: 282 9776 www.watersedgearts.com Making Miniatures Group 4th Monday of the month, 8pm Scout Hut, English Martyrs Church, Alexandra Rd South, M16 Contact Ann 07814 861 285 Ministry of Craft 07850 894 752 www. ministryofcraft.co.uk Rubbish Revamped www.rubbishrevamped. org.uk South Manchester Camera Club Club Meets Monday nights at 8pm Didsbury Methodist Church M20 5LR www.smcc.org.uk Sewing Courses at Pottery Corner, Beech Rd Basic Sewing Skills, Tues 7-9pm starts 14th Jan Contact Ruth Tel: 881 9861 ruthlazarus227@ btinternet.com
Music & Entertainment Bass Lessons Learn bass guitar beginners to professional. Learn to suit your style! Joe beechjw@gmail.com Vox Local or Four Poets and a Pasty! With Ian McMillan, Mike Garry, Marvin Cheeseman & Mark Mace Smith. Friday 15th February Tickets £15 via www. boplocal.com Irish Club, 17 High Lane, Chorlton
Chorlton Film Institute Cosmopolis Thurs 17th January. Doors Open 8.10pm Film starts 8.30pm Entrance £5 St Clements Church
Café Spirit Meets 2nd Monday of the month at Copperfields Café in Chorlton 7.30pm Lesley 882 0848 Email: cafespirit@live.com
Chorlton Folk Club Thursdays 9pm Ellesmere Rd Cricket Club
Chorlton Anxiety Group 226 3871
Chorlton Irish Club 17 High Lane, Chorlton M21 9DJ 0161 881 2898 www.chorltonirishclub. co.uk Folk Songs and Tunes at The Beech If you enjoy folk songs and tunes even older than the Beech. 1st & 3rd Wednesdays for Songs 2nd & 4th for Tunes. Beech Road, Chorlton, M21 9EG Guitar/Songwriting Lessons Dominic Kearne 07906 203388 www. dominickearne.com Home on the Range 25th January 9pm-1am £5 - This year have fun and dance with us! The Carlton Club, Whalley Range www.carltonclub.org.uk Manchester Sing Out Choir (Gospel Choir) If you enjoy singing - this is the place to be. Every Tuesday 7-9pm St Johns Centre, Old Trafford www. manchestersingoutchoir. org msochoir@live.co.uk
Therapy & Support Groups AJR Therapy Solution focused personal counselling Tel: 07557 678 121 www.ajr-therapy.co.uk
Manchester Institute for Psychotherapy 454 Barlow Moor Rd, Chorlton, M21 0BQ 0161 862 9456 www.mcpt. co.uk New Family Social UK charity for LGBT adopters, foster carers and their children. Meets every 2 months in south Manchester. newfamilysocial.co.uk Rainbow Families 07903 397 108 rainbowfamilies@ hotmail.com
Local Websites www.beechroadm21. co.uk www.chorlton.co.uk www.chorltoncivic. blogspot.com www.chorlton.fetch.it www.sochorlton. wordpress.com www.whalleyrange.org
Useful Numbers Chorlton Library 227 3700 Citizens Advice 0870 126 4094 Manchester City Council 234 5000
I N DE X Index LISTINGS are FREE for Voluntary & Community Groups and local charities. They are also free for our display advertisers offering courses/ classes or running events etc. BUSINESSES £15 per edition £75 for 6 mths £125 for 12 mths Max 40 words email: lesley@ communityindex. co.uk to book
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Modern Foraging
How to spot poisonous items in the urban jungle!
O
ver millions of years, humans developed the ability to identify which foods were nourishing and which foods would quickly make them sick, using a combination of sight, touch, smell and taste.
These skills have largely been lost, and though it is unlikely you’ll ever need them in the wild, the modern forager has to navigate an equally, if not more challenging environment – the supermarket!
Generally speaking, in the wild foods that are safe smell and taste good. Food that is bad, or rotten will look and smell awful, to the point of making us feel physically ill. Unfortunately, modern science has given manufacturers the ability to make anything look, taste and smell delicious, regardless of its contents, through the use of artificial flavours, colours and fillers. We therefore need a new set of rules by which to forage for our sustenance. The following are some top tips when hunting and gathering for your clan in the perilous aisles of the ubiquitous supermarket:
1. Food should come from a field, not a factory
If you cannot recognise the food as a bit of an animal or part of a plant, don’t eat it. Think roots or eyeballs, if it never had either, don’t touch it!
2 If it has a food label, it’s not food
I could go into a lengthy explanation of food labels, the misguided RDAs, how manufacturers manipulate the law with misleading ingredient names and portion sizes, but you’d soon find your label deciphering skills redundant, on realising that every product in the supermarket that has one isn’t actually food!
Even organic doesn’t guarantee quality meat – Organic beef could have been fed organic grains which still results in nutritionally inferior meat. When selecting Beef, make sure it’s grass-fed. Pork and Chicken should be free range. Often your best bet for naturally reared supermarket meat is hill grazed British Lamb (though often all you’ll find is New Zealand Lamb, the mind boggles!).
3 If it says “healthy” on the On your next supermarket label, its almost certainly very visit, it will quickly become apparent that despite its vast bad for you Sad, but true.
4 If the use by date is more than a week away, don’t touch it If fungus and bacteria won’t touch it, then you shouldn’t either!
5 Beware of vague claims on animal products
Happy eggs, traditionally reared, freedom foods and even free range mean little, other than the animal was spared the most debased level of cruelty.
size and typical range of 50,000 products, there is actually very little that can be considered food fit for human consumption!
This all raises the question, why go to the supermarket at all?
Supermarkets are supposed to save you time and money – get all your shopping in one place, at a low price. The truth is though, if you eat real food the supermarket may cost you more of both!
Time - Between queueing for the car park, navigating the
33 walking dead in the aisles to get to some real food hidden at the back (supermarkets always follow the same layout), before queueing at the checkout (giving you time to note the correlation between the health of the people with trolleys full of “food” and “health” products), and then queueing to get out of the car park, chances are you could have popped to Frosts, Out of the Blue, and Unicorn, had a friendly chat in each, and got some cooking tips to boot, in less time. Even if it does take you the same time, or slightly longer, it will certainly be a more pleasurable experience.
Money – Supermarkets are not
cheap. They create the illusion through “loss leaders”. Common items such as bread and milk, of which people register the prices, are sold at a loss. This
loss is recouped by huge markups on cheap food products. Actual food (i.e. meat, vegetables and fruit) are a pain for supermarkets, as they cost much more to produce, transport and store, and have short shelf lives. As a consequence, they are typically very expensive. This fact is hidden using confusing pricing strategies (pricing some items per lb, some per kg, some per 100g, others per item). Do you know how much you last paid for apples? By choosing local, fresh, seasonal produce, you cut down on production, transportation and storage costs, thereby saving money. If you can walk or cycle to a local store, you’ll save money on petrol, which could be a considerable saving. The money you do spend will
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go back into the local economy, rather than into the coffers of vast multi-conglomerates, and you’ll reduce your environmental footprint! So, if you do go down to the supermarket today, don’t forget to follow the rules, or even better, don’t go to the supermarket at all! Simon Whyatt is a personal trainer and nutritionist based in South Manchester, whose outdoor fitness classes in Chorlton Park www.primalfitnesss.co.uk are part of the TagPassItOn scheme. The original version of this article was first published on his blog: www.livenowthrivelater.co.uk
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Business Index Accountancy & Finance Angela McCormack Accounting Services
Gardens
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Gaeia
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Fat Grass Garden Designs
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Green Designs
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Gas Safe Engineer
Building & Maintenance Best Cellars
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Chorlton Gas
31
M & H Building Contractors
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Select Plumbing & Heating
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Handyman/woman
Chimney Sweep Acorn Chimney Sweeping Services
Chorlton Handyman
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Profresh Carpet Cleaners
5
15
PC Pal
Dry Cleaning
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Electrician
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7
AM Electrical & Alarm
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NA Evans Electrical Services
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Estate Agent JP & Brimelow
12-13
Trading Places
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Food & Drink Battery Park
34
Classic Cakes
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Nip & Tipple
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Furniture & Joinery Evolve Joinery
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Home On The Range
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Vox Local
17
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3
8 20
Painting & Decorating Carol Smith Home Improvement
27
HMC Painters & Decorators
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31
Robert Burns Decorator/ Joiner
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The House of Bystander
M Duffin
5 22
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Dom Kearne Guitar/ Songwriting
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Select Plumbing & Heating
Happy Returns Swap Party
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30
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Close Male Grooming
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