Didsbury
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Jan 2013
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www.bestcellarsnw.co.uk Best Cellars North West • Unit 128 • 792 Wilmslow Rd • Didsbury • Manchester • M20 6UG
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Contents 4 7 9 12 15
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Didsbury People
The Tooth, the Whole Tooth... Didsbury Dentist Nicola Owen answers your questions on all things dental
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How you can get involved. Unless you’re chicken...
Didsbury Dinners Recipe
20 This month, Vegetable Soup & Garlic Bread Modern Foraging
to spot poisonous items 22 How in the urban jungle!
Book Reviews By John Townsend
Feeling Tired & Sluggish? Our top tips for ridding yourself of the post-Christmas hangover
The Community Index Your one-stop guide to all things local
26
January In Your Garden
Our local gardening expert is planting seeds to welcome in the new year
Make Your Own...
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Topsy Turvy Pot from your used wrapping paper!
Meet the team Publisher
Contributions
Community Index
Nicola Owen, Katherine Watson, Healthy Spirit, Deborah Grace, Didsbury Dinners, Danielle Lowy, John Townsend, Simon Whyatt
Lesley Swann lesley@communityindex.co.uk
Design Editor Joe Beech design@communityindex.co.uk
Advertising Peter Gidman peter@communityindex.co.uk
Turn to page 29 to find out how
Didsbury Arts Festival
This month we catch up with home-grown lacrosse champion Jake Weddell
Editor/Advertising
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Cover Photographs Carol Thompson, Phil Portus & special thanks to JP & Brimelow
@communityindex
Community
I NDEX
Deadline for February Edition 15th January 2013
Contact Us Tel: 0787 589 5604 lesley@communityindex.co.uk
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Didsbury People
Deborah Grace
Eighteen-year-old lacrosse champion, Jake Weddell, won the title ‘Sports Achiever of the Year’ in the prestigious Manchester Sports Awards 2012.
The former Parrs Wood High School student plays for Manchester Wacs Lacrosse Club and also represented the England U19s at the U19 World Championships held in Finland in July. Jake will face further challenges when he moves to the US later this month to take up a place playing lacrosse at Onongada Community College, Syracuse, NY.
How did you come to start playing lacrosse?
Both sides of my family are heavily involved with lacrosse, so I have been around the sport for as long as I can remember. The first match I played was in 2008, and after that I was hooked.
What is it you enjoy most about the game?
I think the best thing is the performance – having the chance to be a bit flashy and show off a little bit! But I enjoy everything about lacrosse; I’ve never stopped enjoying it and I think that’s what has allowed me to be In the position I am now.
How do you manage to stay on top of your game?
Well I do a lot of training by myself, where I work on things like shot technique, speed and strength, but most of the time I’m training and playing four to five times a week so that’s probably enough!
What are you looking forward to about moving to the US? I am looking forward to everything about it. It is
something I’ve wanted to do since I started playing the sport and it’s a massive opportunity for me. I’m excited to start competing at a much higher level of intensity and competition.
Who, or what, will you miss most about living in Didsbury?
I think I’m going to miss a lot about living in Didsbury. New York will be a massive change and probably a huge culture shock after life in Didsbury. I’ll miss how compact everything is here and how the majority of my friends and family live just a bus ride away.
Do you have any advice for other young sportsmen/ women just starting out?
I think the most important thing is to make sure you’re enjoying whatever sport you play. If you don’t, then you’ll be going into training with the wrong attitude and won’t be getting the most out of the sessions.
Is there anyone who has been a particular source of inspiration to you?
Recently all my inspiration has
come from one of my oldest friends and teammates who I played with since I started lacrosse. He also went through the England process with me and was expected to make the team as a goalkeeper. But unfortunately, he passed away just a few months before we left for Finland. As you can guess, this had a huge effect on me, both on and off the field. It made me realise how lucky I was to have made it as far as I had through the process and allowed me to put things into perspective. It gave me the extra boost I needed to succeed and I would honestly question whether or not I’d be in the position I am now had this not have happened.
How do you like to spend your time when you’re not playing lacrosse?
Well at the moment, lacrosse isn’t giving me too much free time to enjoy. But another hobby of mine is photography; so when the opportunity arises I’m keen to take some pictures – mostly around Didsbury and particularly down by the Mersey. I also enjoy going into town with my friends when I get the chance.
Come and see what’s new in Didsbury's favourite toy shop. We have lots of new and exciting toys and gifts: • A fun range of value pocket money toys; • Great selection of toys for older kids including: Lego, Djeco art and craft sets, board games and science kits; • Lots of toys for under a tenner - making us the ideal place to pick up your party presents;
• A wide selection of cards and giftwrap. Visit our website to check out our range or buy online - we deliver across the UK.
2 Albert Hill Street . Didsbury . Manchester . M20 6RF Tel: 0161 445 1097 . Email: info@giddygoattoys.co.uk www.giddygoattoys.co.uk @giddygoattoys
/giddygoattoys
TOYS · BO OKS · GAMES · GI FTS
• Traditional wooden toddler toys as well as fantastic games, puzzles and books for younger children; and
Nicola Owen and her team have been offering quality dental care at The Dental Health Centre for over 20 years in Didsbury village. • New patients welcome. • Cosmetic and routine dental treatment. • Emergencies usually seen same day, even when patients are not registered at the practice. • Special care for nervous patients. • Please contact reception to book your appointment.
Also introducing our NEW Dental Phobia Centre HTo finally overcome your dental fear HSpecial care offered Nicola Owen and her team have successfully managed phobic patients for many years
1b School Lane, Didsbury, Manchester, M20 6RD t: 0161 445 5459, e: contact@didsburydentalhealth.com w: www.didsburydentalhealth.com
Dental Bites Trauma to teeth; what should I do if I knock a tooth out by trauma?
If the tooth wasn’t loose to start with i.e. the gums and teeth are healthy and strong, if it isn’t split or badly damaged it can be re-implanted into the socket. The root surface is covered with a layer of living cells, and these are needed to re-attach the tooth to the bone. When a tooth gets knocked out, it is vital that this is performed within an hour of the tooth falling out to give the best chance of survival. Don’t scrub or bleach the tooth, wash it gently in running water but not boiling water, and place
SJE.Together.Winter 2012 Covers2_Layout 1 22/11/2012 11:25 Page 3
it in milk to preserve the living cells. Get to your dentist as soon as possible. The tooth can then be re-fitted into its socket in the correct position, and splinted to the adjacent teeth for a few days until the attachment Nicola Owen and her team have been offering quality has become stronger. dental care at The Dental Health Centre for over 20 years in Didsbury village.
• New patients welcome. Nicola Owen is principal • Cosmetic and routine dental treatment. dentist at The Dental Health• Emergencies usually seen same day, even when patients are registered at the practice. Centre in Didsbury, which • not Special care for nervous patients. • Please contact reception to book your appointment. she established over 20 yrs ago. Also introducing our NEW Dental Phobia Centre To contact Nicola, email HTo finally overcome your dental fear HSpecial care offered Nicola Owen and her team have successfully managed contact@didsburydentalhealth.com phobic patients for many years or call 0161 445 5459
Alexander Technique individual sessions and groups
Sue Fleming MSTAT www.alexanderteaching.co.uk ☎ 07796470163 Burton Road Clinic Didsbury Chequers Road Chorlton
new 10 week introductory course 8 January, Fallowfield
Pauline Leng
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MSTAT
www.alexandertechniquemanchester.net
☎ 07821470349 Didsbury Holistic Centre and Lidgate Grove Didsbury
1b School Lane, Didsbury, Manchester, M20 6RD t: 0161 445 5459, e: contact@didsburydentalhealth.com w: www.didsburydentalhealth.com
Village Physio & Sports Injury Clinic • • • • • •
Physiotherapy Sports Massage Massage in Pregnancy Core Strengthening Podiatry Ergonomic Assessments
3 Warburton Street, Didsbury Village, Manchester M20 6WA 0161 448 7844 didsburyphysio@btinternet.com www.didsburyphysio.co.uk
Book Reviews
ex-Edinburgh cop, Fin Mcleod. Peter May skilfully weaves his plots, past and present, to grip and surprise the reader in this second novel in his Lewis trilogy.
The Lewis Man Peter May
A chance discovery of a long-dead murder victim in a Hebridean peat bog marks both an unravelling of the past and a new beginning for
The characters are richly drawn: an old man dimly glimpsing his hidden past through a mist of dementia; his daughter haunted by life’s disappointments; an alcoholic soap actor with a past of her own; an ex-wild boy now an iron-hard minister and a teenage couple desperate to make a future for themselves and their child against all the odds. Then there is Fin himself, rootless and drifting back to his childhood home after divorce and his child’s death. an outsider is likely to prove fatal. Cocky, sarcastic and deeply cynical, Gunther is no saint, but somehow always ends up on the side of the angels.
If the Dead Rise Not Philip Kerr
Meet Bernie Gunther, a Berlin cop who loses his job when the Nazis come to power but still manages to survive - just - in a world where the party is everything and to be
This is the sixth outing for Bernie out of nine to date. The action begins in 1934 when the Nazis are consolidating their hold on power using the planned Berlin Olympics to showcase their new regime. They must persuade the Americans to participate despite Germany’s burgeoning anti-Semitism. Asked to solve a murder in a luxurious hotel, Bernie untangles a web of greed and corruption with the spectre of summary arrest and the concentration camp never far away. Fast forward to 1954 and a mob-dominated Cuba every bit
9 Reviews by John Townsend But the real, emotional heart of the novel lies in the islands themselves. Battered by storm and sea, they have a cold, wild beauty. They are harsh and unforgiving and they breed a special hardness in the people who struggle to scratch a living there. It is a landscape where the past is always present with abandoned crofts and longgone industries, and where small communities still cling to family ties and religious certainties. May is a gifted story teller with a real feel for his characters and the environment they inhabit. The action is pacey and never predictable. Recommended reading for adults on a cold winter’s night! as corrupt as Nazi Germany. On the run from alleged war crimes, Bernie has assumed a new identity and wants to make a new life for himself. But a chance meeting with a former lover plunges him back to his Berlin past and some business left unfinished. The action is pacey and there are plenty of plot twists to keep the reader gripped. The characters are richly drawn. But it is Kerr’s powerful evocation of violent tyrannies – their cruelty, their pity and even sometimes their humour – that makes his books so special.
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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.
• Ethical savings & investment advice • Prudent pensions & retirement planning • Income protection & health insurance • Ethical financial advice for businesses • Investment management for Charities and not-for-profit organisations
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
Lawyers for your business • • • •
Partnership and LLP Matters Company Matters Shareholder Disputes Mergers and Sales
• • • •
Trading Terms and Conditions Professional and Regulatory Employment Issues Directors' Rights and Duties
Come and talk to us Adrian Anderson on 0161 832 6131 or email adrian.anderson@ralli.co.uk www.ralli.co.uk www.rallipartnership.law.co.uk
The Shaman and the Peruvian Mystical Arts
T
he Peruvian mystical arts are as varied and as beautiful as its landscapes and its peoples. Neil Brocklehurst PhD has trained with some of the world‘s foremost authorities on the Inkan mystical traditions in the High Andes and with powerful jungle shaman who use indigenous plant medicines as healers and teachers.
With a background in health services research and public health nursing, Neil now devotes his time to a different
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form of healing. In the Andes the people of the Q‘ero nation, direct descendents of the Inka, are known as “masters of living energy”. Their cosmology and practices are extraordinary in terms of their simplicity and effectiveness. Starting in January 2013, Neil is offering a series of evening seminars in which he will share his considerable knowledge of this deeply spiritual nation and their traditions and practices.
practices of the contemporary shaman.
From February 2013 Neil is also running full day workshops on Sundays for those who have an interest in the some of the traditional (and more modern)
All events will take place at the Old Parsonage, Didsbury. See below for details or visit: www.peruvianenergyhealing. com
These workshops are both informative and experiential and are aimed at people who are willing to leave, at least for a few hours, the “known” world and to journey to other less known worlds with the support of an initiated shaman healer, power animals and spirit guides.
Evening Seminars on Inka Mysticism
Sunday Workshops on Shamanism
Fundamentals of Inka Mysticism Monday 7th January, 7-9pm
Personal Power and Psychic Protection Sunday, 24th February, 10am to 4.30pm
The Seven Levels of Power Monday 21st January, 7-9pm
Archetypes and the Hero‘s Journey Sunday, 24th March, 10am to 4.30pm
Right Path of Mystery Monday 4th February, 7-9pm
Guided Journeying and Power Animals Sunday, 28th April, 10am to 4.30pm
The Bands of Power Monday 18th February, 7-9pm
Death Rites and Spirit Flight Sunday, 2nd June, 10am to 4.30pm
Love, Birth and Death Monday 4th March, 7-9pm Left Path of Magic Monday 18th March, 7-9pm
All seminars are held at The Old Parsonage, Stenner Lane, Didsbury, Manchester M20 2RQ. To book a place, phone 0161 434 6784 (Healthy Spirit, Didsbury)
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Feeling Tired & Sluggish After the Festivities?
I
f you have over indulged recently on sugary and rich foods and alchohol you might benefit by starting the new year by revitalising and cleansing your system.
This can be achieved by cutting out certain everyday foods and drinks that can put stress on the body for a short period of time. To get the best results we recommend avoiding the following foods while detoxing: •
Wheat
•
Sugar
•
Caffeine
•
Alcohol
•
Red Meat
•
Dairy
During your detox eat plenty of live food including vegetables and fruit and receive your
Events at HealthySpirit Toning and Mantra Chanting Saturdays 5th Jan, 9th Feb, 30th Mar 11.00am-12.00pm £6 per session
Laughing Yoga
Saturdays 12th Jan, 16th Feb, 16th Mar 11am-12.00pm Free (donations accepted)
Singing and Music Therapy Saturdays 12th Jan, 23rd Feb, 23rd Mar 12.15pm-1.15pm £15 per session
protein from nuts, fish and white meat. Bulk up your diet with lentils, pulses, beans and wholegrain brown rice, wheat free pastas and jacket potatoes. It is also really important that you drink plenty of pure, clean water as it rehydrates the skin and helps the body to eliminate toxins. Aim to drink at least 1 litre of water a day and keep warm by sipping herbal teas throughout the day. There are plenty of cleansing teas on the market now but anything with dandelion, green tea, fennel or nettle will help to purify the body. Detoxing can sometimes be a shock to the system and you can often feel groggy during the first few days so try and choose a time when demands are not being made of you, get plenty of rest and have
lots of early nights. Our body does a lot of repair work while sleeping so it is a vital component of staying healthy. Supporting the body during this process can be aided enormously by taking herbal supplements while you are detoxing e.g. milk thistle and dandelion are herbs that are known for supporting the liver and kidneys and taking cereal grasses such as spirulina and barley grass which will provide the body with an abundance of nutrients including chlorophyll helping to alkalise the body. These products and other cleansing foods and supplements are available at your local, independent health food shop Healthyspirit, 37 Barlow Moor Road. Call in and speak to one of our qualified nutritionists who can give you one to one advice.
Spiritual Healing
CranioSacral Clinic
Saturdays 12th & 19th Jan, 2nd & 23rd Feb, 2nd & 23rd Mar 2-3pm Free (donations accepted)
Circle Dancing
Saturdays 5th Jan, 9th Feb 30th Mar 1.00pm-2.00pm £6 per session
Lemurian Healing Meditation Saturdays 26th Jan, 9th Feb, 16th Mar 2pm-4pm £6
Saturdays 19th Jan, 2nd Mar Available by appointment Free (donations accepted)
Kundalini Yoga
Every Monday 11.00am-12.30pm Every Wednesday 1.30am-1.00pm £8 per session
Infinite Chi Kung
Every Wednesday 10am-11am £6 per session
Meditation classes
Every Tuesday 11am-12.00pm Every Wednesday 7.30pm-9.30pm Free (donations accepted)
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ECHO Vapour
Electronic Cigarette Healthier Option
SERVING BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT SERVING BODY, MIND AND SERVING BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT SPIRIT Healthyspirit is a health and spiritual shop Healthyspirit is health and shop Healthyspirit is a ahealing health centre. and spiritual spiritual shop with a holistic We offer: with a holistic healing centre. We offer:
DIETARY Wholefoods DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS dietary supplements SUPPLEMENTS FLOWER ESSENCES FLOWER flowerESSENCES essences FLOWER ESSENCES HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES homoeopathic remedies HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES BOOKS BOOKS books BOOKS CDS (MEDITATION (MEDITATION AND AND MUSIC) MUSIC) CDS cds(MEDITATION (meditation & MUSIC) CRYSTALS & GIFTSAND CDS CRYSTALS music) & GIFTS WORKSHOPS CRYSTALS & GIFTS WORKSHOPS crystals & gifts WORKSHOPS
HOLISTIC TREATMENTS HOLISTIC TREATMENTS holistic treatments TREATMENTS MEDITATION CLASSES MEDITATION CLASSES meditation classes MEDITATION CLASSES SPIRITUAL SPIRITUAL HEALING HEALING spiritual healing & & GUIDANCE SPIRITUAL HEALING guidance & GUIDANCE DRU YOGA YOGA DRU KUNDALINI YOGA DEEKSHA BLESSING DRU YOGABLESSING DEEKSHA CHI KUNG ATTUNEMENTS DEEKSHA BLESSING ATTUNEMENTS attunements ATTUNEMENTS workshops HOLISTIC
Visit our website for more Information or buy online:
Visit our website for more Information or buy online: Visit our website for more Information or buy online: WWW.HEALTHY-SPIRIT.COM
WWW.HEALTHY-SPIRIT.COM FREE POST AND PACKAGING WITH FIRST ORDER WWW.HEALTHY-SPIRIT.COM AND RECEIVE A £5 VOUCHER TO BE USED ON FREE POST AND PACKAGING WITH FIRST ORDER NEXT PURCHASE OVER FREE AND WITH FIRST ORDER ANDPOST RECEIVE APACKAGING £5 VOUCHER TO£25.00 BE USED ON AND RECEIVE A £5 VOUCHER TO£25.00 BE USED ON NEXT OVER OR CALL IN ANDPURCHASE CHAT WITH OUR FRIENDLY STAFF AT: PURCHASE OVERDIDSBURY, £25.00 37NEXT BARLOW MOOR ROAD,
MANCHESTER M20 6TW. TEL:FRIENDLY 0161 434 6784 OR CALL IN AND CHAT WITH OUR STAFF AT: OROPEN CALL37 INBARLOW AND CHAT WITHROAD, OUR STAFF AT: MONDAY-SATURDAY fromFRIENDLY 09.30am-5.00pm MOOR DIDSBURY, 37 BARLOW MOOR ROAD, DIDSBURY, MANCHESTER M20 6TW. TEL: 0161 434 6784 MANCHESTER M20 6TW.from TEL: 0161 434 6784 OPEN MONDAY-SATURDAY 09.30am-5.00pm OPEN MONDAY-SATURDAY from 09.30am-5.00pm
224 Fog Lane, Didsbury M20 6EL 0161 434 1624
Are you a smoker? Thinking of giving up or just looking for a healthier way to smoke? Well, why not call in and give an E-cig a try? Suppliers of E-cigs, E-liquids, and all your accessories! Starter kits, batteries,Viva Novas, atomizers & spare parts, cases, etc...
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Namaste Nepal TANDOORI, NEPALESE & INDIAN CUISINE
FINE DINING
TAKE AWAY SERVICE
CHRISTMAS LUNCH ONLY £7.50*
*Christmas Lunch - 1st - 31st December 12pm - 2:30pm
BOOK YOUR TABLE TODAY :
0161 445 9060 07958 643 096
OPENING HOURS : Sun - Thur 5pm - 12am Fri & Sat 5pm - 1am
Home Delivery (3 mile radius) 10% DISCOUNT FOR COLLECTION Visit our website to view our full menu www.namaste-nepal.co.uk facebook.com/thenamastenepal 164-166 Burton Road • West Didsbury • Manchester • M20 1LH
TEL: 0161 445 9060 or 0161 448 8353 Email: info@ namaste-nepal.co.uk
Fosters Didsbury voted one of the
TOP TEN FISH & CHIP RESTAURANTS in the whole of the UK Eat in and take out available 812 Wilmslow Rd Didsbury Village
0161 445 4430 @fostersfish
www.fostersfishandchips.com
Community Index is delivered to 20,000 Letterboxes leaflet delivery £35 per 1000 (min order) Special offer : 10,000 leaflets ONLY £290 Looking for cost-effective and reliable leaflet distribution?
Leftover boxes of leaflets? Don’t let them go to waste, get them working for you!
Contact : lesley@communityindex.co.uk | 0787 589 5604
Community Clubs, Societies & Groups Acting For Fun Central Didsbury 431 4794 Didsbury Amateur Dramatics www.celestaplayers.co.uk Didsbury Civic Society www.didsburycivicsociety. org.uk Didsbury Cricket Club www.didsburyccsports. co.uk Didsbury Dinners http://didsburydinners. wordpress.com For general enquiries/ Community growing group: didsburydinners@ yahoo.co.uk Community cooking group: community. cooking@yahoo.co.uk Didsbury Good Neighbours Every Tuesday, 1011.45am coffee morning. Didsbury Sure Start Centre, Didsbury Park 07749 504298 www.didsburygood neighbours.com Didsbury Ladies Probis Club Meets on alternate Monday afternoons in East Didsbury. Please call Joan Woodall 0161 434 2532 for more information Didsbury Village East Residents Association www.dvera.co.uk Didsbury Village Women’s Institute www.didsburyvillagewi. co.uk Manchester Flower Lovers’ Guild First Monday of the month for flower demonstrations.
Refreshments at 7.15 for 7.30 start. Visitors welcome £5 St Werburghs Church Hall, Chorlton M21 0TJ Anne 881 6591, collierann@btintnet.com flowersnorthwest.net Friends of Didsbury Park www.friendsofdidsbury park.co.uk Friends of Fletcher Moss Park Alan Hill 215 0971 awhill@globalnet.co.uk Friends of Marie Louise Gardens www.marielouisegardens. org.uk South Manchester Camera Club www.smcc.org.uk Didsbury Over 50s Group 247 2323 South Manchester U3A Meet on the 1st Tuesday of the month at 2pm, Emmanuel Church. Contact Edna 434 2509 South Manchester Dance School 107 Clyde Road West Didsbury, 445 5308 West Didsbury Bookgroup Meets every four weeks at 7.30pm. Lively mixed group of all ages. Call 445 4483 leaving your name, address & landline West Didsbury Residents Association Pam Siddons 445 5406 www.westdidsbury.org.uk
Arts & Crafts The Classroom on School Lane Learn new a new craft 24 School Lane www.classroomschool lane.com
Wendy Levy Art Gallery 17 Warburton Street Didsbury, 446 4880
Music & Entertainment Jazz Tuesdays at 8.45pm at the Slug and Lettuce, 651 Wilmslow Rd, Didsbury. creativespaceinfo. blogspot.com Pub Quiz Dog and Partridge Every Monday 9.30 Cash Jackpot 667 Wilmslow Road Tel: 0871 951 1000 Stax of Soul Wednesdays 9.30pm-12 Thursdays DJ Pip Rolfe Weekend warm up till 1am One Lounge Bar 1 Lapwing lane www.oneloungebar.co.uk 448 0101 Therapy at Sanctuary Bar Thursday night DJ 7–midnight every week. 653 Wilmslow Road
Social & Support Groups Didsbury Social Group didsburysocial@live.co.uk www.didsburysocial. jigsy.com Social Circle Social and activity group. Walks, meals, weekends away, quiz nights, live music, dancing, theatre, comedy Tel: 0161 434 0098, or 07767 686 177 www. social-circle.co.uk New Family Social UK charity for LGBT adopters, foster carers and their children. Meets every two months in south Manchester. newfamilysocial.co.uk email: nwdevelopment@ newfamilysocial.co.uk
I N D E X15 Useful Numbers Didsbury Library 227 3755 Environment on Call 954 9000 Mersey Valley Countryside Warden Service 905 1100 Manchester City Council 234 5000
East Didsbury Councillors Andrew Simcock cllr.a.simcock@ manchester.gov.uk Andrew Taylor cllr.a.taylor@manchester. gov.uk Bridie Adams cllr.b.adams@manchester. gov.uk
West Didsbury Councillors Mark Clayton cllr.m.clayton@ manchester.gov.uk Carl Ollerhead cllr.c.ollerhead@ manchester.gov.uk David Ellison cllr.d.ellison@manchester. gov.uk
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News Bulletin JP & Brimelow - Withington Lettings Specialists Located just a couple of miles from Didsbury Village, with excellent access to Manchester City Centre and the airport, Withington is a great place for first time buyers and young professionals in search of their perfect pad. Established in the area for more than 15 years, the Withington lettings team has an in-depth knowledge of the local rental market. Whilst undoubtedly popular with students, the area also appeals to post-graduates and young professionals looking for a cheaper alternative to city centre living. Whether you’re looking for somewher to live or have a property to let in Withington, call the team to find out how they can help you! The Team at JP & Brimelow Withington
420 Wilmslow Rd, Withington, M20 3BW
Call the Team on: 0161 434 6169 The Withington team is focused on using the latest technology to ensure a targeted approach to marketing. Making use of not only the major online property portals, including Rightmove, the team uses both Twitter and it’s own dedicated iPhone app, which allows tennants to identify their perfect property match whilst on the go. Call the Team on: 0161 434 6169 DIDSBURY LETTINGS 721 Wilmslow Rd Didsbury M20 6WF @jpandbrimelow
LETTINGS: 0161 445 2300 lettings@jpbrimelow.co.uk
Offices also in: Chorlton 0161 882 2244 Withington 0161 434 6169
chorltonlettings@jpbrimelow.co.uk withingtonlettings@jpbrimelow.co.uk
www.jpandbrimelow.co.uk
What’s your next move? What’s your next move? Whether you have a property to to sell or to & Brimelow Whether you have a property sell orlet,toJPlet, JP & Brimelow are at the top of their game with the skills and expertise to help. are at the top ofCall their game with and expertise to help. the Withington office the todayskills to find out more. Call the Withington office today to find out more.
What’s your next move?
GRAB YOUR FREE BAG Whether you have a property to sell or to let, JP & Brimelow are at the top of their game with the skills and expertise to help. Call the Withington office today to find out more.
We’re passionate about M20. So much so, we’ve emblazoned our appreciation for all things Didsbury on our very own eco-bags. So, come into our office today and grab yourself a bag, for FREE! Use it for your Cheddar from the Cheese Hamlet, or your Angus Beef from Axons...Go on show your love for M20!
DIDSBURY SALES 748a Wilmslow Rd Didsbury M20 2DW @jpandbrimelow
SALES: 0161 448 0622 Offices also in: didsbury@jpbrimelow.co.uk Chorlton 0161 882 2233 Withington 0161 445 9700
chorlton@jpbrimelow.co.uk withington@jpbrimelow.co.uk
www.jpandbrimelow.co.uk
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Harriet & Dee 8 & 9 Warburton Street, Didsbury, M20 6WA www.harrietanddee.co.uk | www.harrietanddeegifts.co.uk
01613382500
GUITAR/SONGWRITING LESSONS • Learn songs, styles or grades • Fun and informal • I travel to you • Lessons start from £11 • 5 years+ teaching adults and children • Fully CRB checked
Gift cards available Call: 07906 203388 domkearne@gmail.com www.dominickearne.com
19
Didsbury Arts Festival Needs You!
D
idsbury Arts Festival organisers are looking for fresh recruits to boost their team as the event continues to go from strength to strength.
is also being sought to work with the festival director in liaising with sponsors and local stakeholders and in organising the festival programme.
Now festival organisers are looking for people to join their small, but dedicated, team and to take on roles in a variety of areas, including fundraising, marketing and event and artist co-ordination. They would particularly like to hear from anyone interested in managing the festival’s visual arts programme and writers programme. An assistant festival director
Organised by a group of enthusiastic local residents, the aim of DAF is to celebrate the arts and the wealth of talent, diversity and the vibrant community that make Didsbury so special.
Since its launch in 2009, the area’s annual arts showcase has become a firm fixture on the local calendar. This year’s DAF Diamond Weekend, held in September, saw 3,000 festival goers flocking to Didsbury’s bars, churches and other venues to enjoy a four-day celebration of local talent. DAF 2013 will take place from 22nd to 30th June.
Maria Stripling, DAF Director, said: ‘The kind of person we are seeking for this role would need to have a huge interest in the arts, be very community-minded and have the time available to dedicate to DAF. They would need to enjoy working as a team and, of course, to appreciate the benefits that the arts can bring to people of all ages and backgrounds.’
Anyone wishing to discuss ways in which they would like to get involved should contact DAF Director, Maria Stripling, at: info@didsburyartsfestival.org
Acorn
CHIMNEY SWEEPING SERVICES
Call John 0161 445 3650
NACS member
open fires, boilers Agas, multi-fuel stoves, birds nests removed www.acornchimneysweepingservices.co.uk
Photo by Phil Portus ©
or call her on: 07501 465 510 www.didsburyartsfestival.org
20
Vegetable soup and garlic bread You will need :
450g/1lb carrots 2 leeks 1 onion 4 celery sticks 2 courgettes 3 potatoes 1 small swede 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 1½ pints (850ml) vegetable stock Handful of chopped coriander Salt and pepper to taste
Recipe by : Lorraine Tolland, Cook, Early Years Nursery School, Didsbury
Recipe reproduced from Didsbury Dinners: The Low-Carbon Community Cookbook, with kind permission from the editor Amanda Woodvine.
Didsbury Dinners is an
80-page A4 glossy paperback packed full of recipes from local residents and groups. Buy your copy for just £6.99 from The Albert Club and Didsbury Civic Society. All proceeds from the sale of the book will go towards promoting local food sustainability. didsburydinners@yahoo.co.uk
1 French stick (baguette) 2 cloves garlic, crushed mixed with 250ml / 9 fl oz olive oil For the soup : 1. Chop all vegetables. 2. Sauté them in the oil with the garlic until soft. 3. Add vegetable stock, coriander and seasoning. 4. Simmer for half an hour. 5. Liquidise. For the garlic bread : 1. Cut bread in half, length ways. 2. Spread with the garlic oil. 3. Wrap in ovenproof foil and bake in oven at 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4 for 15 minutes. 4. Serve with soup.
“The soup and garlic bread were made for the children at Early Years Nursery School. All the vegetables were grown at their vegetable plot in the nursery grounds.”
NEW
Kid’s pa
rties
IN THE WORLD P O H S T E E W S THE BEST ! Y A Y o t comes
DIDSBURY
ught’ our first store, ‘a Sweet Tho After phenomenal success in sbury. We cater for whatever is delighted to be opening in Did ion as providing the largest select your taste buds desire. As well your favorite traditional & retro of pick & mix in the UK and all vice for party bags, wedding sweets, we offer a bespoke ser ditional Sweet Cart available for favors & gifts. We also have tra , guests with sweets at Weddings hire - perfect for indulging your Parties or Corporate events. We are happy to discuss any individual requirements So call in for a chat!
tthought.co.uk enquiries@aswee 812b Wilmslow Road Didsbury Manchester M20 6UH
Sh
7575 0 4 4 1 ught.co.uk op: 016 www.asweettho
Please visit our sister store too on ack lane, bramhall.
22
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!
3 If it says “healthy” on the label, its almost certainly very 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.
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!). On your next supermarket visit, it will quickly become apparent that despite its vast 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
23 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 mark-ups 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
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
The Didsbury 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
25
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
Our wide selection of Wedding Cakes and Special Occasion Cakes are designed and hand crafted to suit all tastes from traditional to modern.
Top quality cakes for all occasions
wedding cakes • birthday cakes christening cakes • fancies • gateaux • cupcakes 35 Gorton Road, Reddish, Stockport, SK5 6AZ 0161 442 7581 new store 30 Copson Street, Withington, M20 3HB 0161 312 1412
www.classiccakes.org
26
January in your Garden Our local gardening expert plants some seeds to bring in the new year
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 to the discerning shopper. I am particularly interested in heritage and heirloom seeds and fancy myself in tweeds and worsted waistcoat dibbing in
Garden Design Planting Advice Consultation Service Project Managment
07989968841 www.fatgrass.co.uk
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
27
£10 discount with this advert
Rooms For Hire
The Old Parsonage Stenner Lane, Didsbury
Photo © David Leitch
Re-opened in September 2012, after extensive repairs and refurbishment, as a community hub, is now available for lettings. A variety of rooms are available for hire accommodating from 8 to 60 people. Didsbury Parsonage Trust
Tel: Steve or Christine 0161 445 7661
Suitable for: • exhibitions • meetings • courses • workshops
• talks • seminars • Wedding & party enquiries welcome.
Offices to Rent Two well appointed offices available on the first floor
info@didsburyparsonagetrust.org.uk
28
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
Competition a.
b.
c.
win
29
£25 d.
cash
This month we’re giving one lucky reader the chance to win £25 in cash if they can identify where these 4 Didsbury traders work. Just email us your answers to win@communityindex.co.uk or send a postcard to Community Index, 34 Manchester Road, Chorlton, Manchester M21 9PH by January 30th. The winner will be picked at random from the entries that correctly identify the most shopkeepers and will be announced in the March edition of Community Index.
Have you filled in your tax return for the 31st January deadline? Next Didsbury Traders meeting is Wednesday 23rd Jan at 6pm in Fletcher Moss Pub, 1 Williams St, Didsbury Village. If would like to join please contact Carol info@didsburytraders.co.uk Membership fees are £25 for independents and £75 for larger chains and companies.
twitter @didsburytraders
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
We clean your oven… so you don’t have to Call today to have your oven, hob, extractor or Aga professionally cleaned Ian Glancy Mob Tel: 07580 765765
www.ovenwizards.com
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19
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29
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5
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24
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