Connection Magazine - April/May 2015

The

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April/May 15 Issue 63

connection magazine Inside this issue...

Home and interiors - inspired by the Orient Grow Your Own - tips from Pippa Greenwood Book reviews Lawn maintenance What’s On

WIN £25!

Also...

Easter Recipes Alternative investment ideas Chappel Millennium Green Art Competition

Plus...

Learning the art of flower flower arranging!

The Connection is delivered free to homes in Aldham, Fordham, Great Tey, Chappel, Wakes Colne, White Colne, Colne Engaine, Countess Cross, Pebmarsh, Earls Colne, Bures St Mary, Bures Hamlet, Mount Bures , Wormingford, West Bergholt, Eight Ash Green, Copford, Braiswick, Lexden, Coggeshall, Kelvedon and Feering. Also available in Halstead, Sudbury, Assington, Stoke by Nayland, Nayland, and Waitrose in Colchester.

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Reaching the heart of the community!

1

Purpose built for babies from 3 months, Baby Pippins is set in idyllic orchards and staffed by a qualiďŹ ed, caring team. At two years our babies progress to Pippins, our accredited Montessori nursery.

01787 228 567 or visit www.pippinsnursery.co.uk 2

Pippins White’s Farm Bures Road White Colne Colchester CO6 2QF

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Hello

Inside

As I sit here composing this letter it feels good to see the sun out knowing that Spring is here! With the nice weather coming you might like to start thinking about your garden - perhaps growing some vegetables? Pippa Greenwood gives us some tips on page 34. Or if you are in the creative mood you may like to enter the art competition featured on page 32 or even try your hand at flower arranging? On page 25 you will find details on courses and workshops run by Jades Flower Design.

4 - Homes and Interiors 6 - Country Mutters 8 - Notice Board 10,16 and 28 - Recipes 20 - 23 - What’s On 25 - Jades Flower Design 32 - Art Competition 34 - Grown Your Own 36 - Finance 40 - Book Reviews 44 - Useful Numbers 46 - Index

Can you believe it - we are now in our 10th year of publishing!

Are you happy with the Connection dropping through your letterbox? What do you like - or not like for that matter - let us know, we'd love to hear from you!

Finally, with the warm weather coming you might be interested in helping us deliver this little gem. We have distribution vacancies coming up in quite a few areas. More details in Notice Board on page 8.

Have a lovely Easter holiday everyone and I’ll see you again soon!

Sarah

Editor and Publisher: Sarah Banks Editorial Assistant: Amanda Findley Contributors: Amanda Findley, Pippa Greenwood, Katherine Sorrell, Ann Haldon, Alison Runham and James Baggott.

Advertising and Editorial: 01787 210701 / 07527 489847 Email: editor@theconnectionmagazine.co.uk Address: Applegarth, Whitestreet Green, Boxford, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 5JL

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval systems or transmitted in any form - electronic, mechanical , photocopying, recording or otherwise - without the prior permission of the publisher.

Please get in touch if you want to advertise your business.

Call me on:

01787 210701 or email:

editor@theconnectionmagazine.co.uk

Competition winner

£25 cash sudoku winner - Miss Williams from Lexden.

Front Cover: Flower arrangement by Beverley Nichols from Jades Flower Design.

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Next issue: June/July 2015 Publication date 21st May 2015

Deadline date for advertising: 8th May Deadline date for What’s On entries : 8th May

Delivered to over 20 villages See map on page 46

Home & Interiors Inspired by the Orient

Furnishings and accessories from the Far East seemed wonderfully exotic when they first arrived here centuries ago. Now silk and lacquer, blue-and-white china and bamboo have become a highlight of our interiors, says Katherine Sorrell.

Exciting, mysterious, irresistible… rumours of the treasures of the East encouraged 16th century Western explorers to push back the boundaries of the known world, but it was not until the late 17th century that the English East India Company secured its trading post in Taiwan and began to trade regularly with China.

Tea was the first import of significance, and raw silk, too; while buying and displaying costly furnishings from afar – especially lacquer and

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By Katherine Sorrell

porcelain, neither of which English manufacturers knew how to produce at the time – became a way for the higher echelons of society to show off their wealth and importance.

The ‘Chinese room’ was a feature of many a stately home, from Chatsworth to the Prince Regent’s Royal Pavilion in Brighton, the latter an extraordinary Oriental-style palace, crammed with objects and furniture from China. As time went on, not only did Chinese factories begin to fuse European and native styles to suit their buyers’ tastes, but also English designers and craftspeople began to imitate Oriental designs. Thomas Chippendale was one wellknown example, employing latticework and lacquer in his influential furniture pattern books.

And then came another enormous shift in style when, in 1854, Japan resumed trade with the West after a break of more than two centuries. Europe was flooded with imports: everything from bronzes and silks to kimonos, lacquers, fans and woodblock prints (the latter a huge influence on Impressionist painting and the Art Nouveau movement).

Christopher Dresser was the first European designer to visit Japan after 1854, and both his book on the country’s art, design and architecture and his own designs for textiles, wall coverings, ceramics, glassware and metalware helped perpetuate the fashion for Japonisme at the end of the 19th century.

The fashion for Eastern objects and designs had taken firm hold, and eventually percolated down from the piles of the aristocracy to reach ordinary people’s homes. Take the almost ubiquitous Willow Pattern, for example (see box), which has been found in households up and down the country since the early 19th century. And who these days does not own a piece of blue and white porcelain, a ginger jar, a Chinese rug, a ‘coolie’ style lampshade or a rattan side table, for example? Oriental-inspired fabrics, wallpapers, furniture and accessories can be used to make a statement in any room, or can blend gently into an eclectic interior, while the colours – rich, warm red, gorgeous blues, yellows and greens, touches of black and highlight of gold – are highly appealing and can be employed as subtle touches or all-over schemes. Whether it be a precious, hand-made antique, an item specially mass-produced for the European market or a Western item that has been influenced

by Oriental designs, we love to incorporate beautiful pieces that demonstrate the craftsmanship, the materials and the styles that have become symbolic of Eastern cultures… just like the aristocrats of the 17th and 18th centuries. Fashions may come and go, but Oriental style has become a timeless staple.

Image - Chinese Butterfly cabinet in teal lacquer, with gold leaf, £375, 4Living, tel 0800 7565199; www.4living.co.uk.

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Willow Pattern China As imported Chinese porcelain increased in popularity, the potteries of Staffordshire were desperate to compete. At first, they emulated the style with hand-painted ware, but in the late 18th century, they finally devised a means of copying Chinese hand-painting efficiently and cheaply. The new process was called underglaze transfer printing, and was probably first used to print Chinese landscape patterns onto porcelain by a maker called Caughley. He was soon followed by Minton, and the process was perfected, in 1784, by Josiah Spode I. Spode made Willow Pattern, and other Chinese designs, the trademark of his company.

It is thought that Willow Pattern was developed from a Chinese pattern called Mandarin – the romantic legend that it was based on the story of two lovers chased by a rich mandarin across a bridge and then transformed into doves probably being a publicity stunt that was developed decades later. Early Willow Pattern plates were hexagonal, printed with dark blues on a ‘pearlware’ body; as time went on the blue became paler and the plates circular. By 1830, the pattern was so popular that there were about 200 producers of it in England, including all the great names of British pottery. Willow was not always in blue – other colours, such as red, purple, black and green, have featured, sometimes gilding has been added and, especially in the 1920s and 30s, multi-coloured Willow Pattern, known as Gaudy Willow, had its share of popularity. The design did not remain static, either. In the 20th century the borders were often changed or eliminated, and the central pattern simplified.

Whatever the difference in its details, and whoever it was made by, however, Willow Pattern has been eternally popular – even, perhaps, the most commonly used pattern in history.

Image above - Willow pattern vintage-style tin, ÂŁ10, Berry Red, www.berryred.co.uk

SARA ANTON

I N T E R I O R S t: 01206 210222

m: 07900 908788

www.saraantoninteriors.co.uk

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5

Country Mutters Old Hat

by Lady Muck

I am perusing a leaflet advertising a vintage fair, with lovely photographs of tea sets, antimacassars and perfume bottles, when on closer inspection I see pictures of clothes that look vaguely familiar.

I realize I own many similar examples meaning that half my wardrobe is now considered vintage!

OK some of it is 20, well all right, 30 years old but the 1980’s – vintage? In my mind I thought the 1960’s was the cut off point for that. Before the ‘60s, it was all pointy bras, matching gloves and hats, twin sets – you know – old stuff. Then the ‘60s happened, jeans and were invented and speaking sartorially, nothing fundamental has changed since then. Not for me anyway.

So it comes as a shock to read that crocheted granny square waistcoats are now cute and ‘so retro.’ As are leg warmers and ra-ra skirts and rolling up the sleeves of your jacket. But not shell suits, obviously. They always were and ever shall be just naff.

Undeterred, I try on my electric blue slub silk jacket. The shoulder pads briefly prevent me walking through a doorway to get to the mirror to see how I look, and I wonder what the tangle of lace strips in the pocket are before remembering I used them to tie back my shaggy perm à la Madonna. That does take me back a bit. But not that far back. For some of us the Thatcher years are not some distant bad dream but a waking nightmare that never really went away.

If you go further back into the Jurassic age, or the ‘70s as it used to be called, it seems that everything

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that we owned is now an antique. The rusty bucket Dad used to take the ashes outside in is now ‘shabby chic’. People will pay real money for a Dansette, a potato masher, knitting patterns for tank tops - even a rolled up copy of the Beano is collectible.

And it’s getting worse – my boys look back in scorn at gaming gadgets a mere 5 years old. Technology moves so fast that for them the idea of using something that was made over a year ago is the equivalent of asking them to carve runes on a rock. You scrimp and save to buy the latest computer only to find 20 minutes after you bought it that it’s just been upgraded, your ‘new’ model is now effectively obsolete, £200 cheaper and to add insult to injury the brand new Flash Bang operating system has just rendered all your software useless.

Try telling the youth of today you used to lie in the bath in your new jeans to shrink them to fit and that Mick Jagger wore outfits that tight before lycra had been invented and they’ll look at you like I probably looked at my Grandma when she told me about how she used to set her hair with sugar water or drew fake stocking seams onto her bare legs. Grandma was vintage. I am just not quite young anymore.

Anyway, I’m off to make some tea in my vintage teapot before settling down on my vintage sofa under a vintage blanket to watch some vintage drama on my vintage tele. New is so yesterday.

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Notice Board

Essex IVC

We are a social and events group for adults, offering the chance to have fun and meet new friends.

Among our many activities are pub nights, sports, dancing, walking, eating out, playing Scrabble or cards, seeing films or plays and many other events.

The club is open to all those with a lively mind and sociable attitude. For more information, call the membership secretary on 07891 927046, visit www.essexivc. org.uk or e-mail info@essexivc. org.uk

Sudbury and District Art Club

We meet every Friday at 7.30 pm in St Gregory’s Church Hall, Prince St, Sudbury for two hours of painting or drawing. In the summer months we also go out drawing on a Wednesday evening at 6.30 pm. We have occasional demonstrations and outings. New members are always welcome. For more information please contact 01787 311210.

NSPCC Book Fair

The NSPCC Book Fair at Holmwood House School takes place on October 24th and 25th this year and our collection points are now open for donations of books and jigsaws. These are located at Co-op supermarkets at Butt Hill Road Clacton and Peartree Road (Fiveways) Colchester. Also at Barnplants Turkey Cock Lane Stanway; Hearts Delight Nursery Lawford; Tom’s farm shop Tiptree and Stonefield Farm Shop Inworth. Once again Boydens Estate Agents are collecting at all their offices in Colchester, Braintree, Frinton, Kelvedon and Sudbury and John V Story in Clacton.

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As always, we greatly appreciate your support to raise money to help vulnerable, abused and neglected children throughout U.K.

Parkinson’s UK

The Colchester branch meets on the first Wednesday of every month (except January and August) at 2.30pm at Christ Church, Ireton Rd, Colchester CO3 3AT. Meetings are informal and very friendly. If you are newly diagnosed or have been living with the condition for a long time, come and join us and see what we have to offer – a monthly newsletter, branch meetings, outings, theatre trips, Movement with Music class, Positively Parkinson’s Group, friendship, support and more. For further information please contact Gill Salt, Information and Support Worker on 0844 225 3616.

Table Top Sale

Great & Little Tey Church Social Committee are organising a May Table Top Sale on Saturday 9th May 2.00pm - 4.00pm in the Village Hall. We hope to encourage a good cross section of people to the event as we will promoting this in the surrounding villages and Benefice. If you are interested in hiring a table for £10 please let us know as soon as possible on 210417 or email normatregoing@hotmail.com or Jane on 211481, email john. richardson195@btinternet.com

interested in taking part are invited to register online as soon as possible.

The tour will be the hospice’s flagship challenge for its 30th anniversary year.

Taking place in October this year, 3-2-1 Cycle will see riders leaving from the hospice’s Inpatient Unit, Myland Hall in Colchester, and cycling to Brussels via Harwich, the Hook of Holland and Amsterdam. The tour will consist of four days of cycling, plus a day’s return journey by train.

On the route, riders will pass through beautiful English, Dutch and Belgian countryside and villages, as well as seeing historic cities and landmarks.

To find out more or sign up to the event visit sthelenahospice.org. uk/321.

1st Leavenheath Scout Group

We are urgently looking for enthusiastic Leaders and Assistants to help with our Scout and Beaver Sections. We meet at Leavenheath Village Hall on Monday 4.45pm – 6.10pm for Beavers, Tuesday 6.20pm – 7.40pm for Cubs, Tuesday 7.45pm – 9.00pm for Scouts and alternate Fridays 8.30pm – 10.00pm for Explorers.

Please call Wendy Weston on 01206 263292 or John Edwards on 07775 978423 or email wendyweston@ btinternet.com for more information.

Fundraising Cycle Ride for Action Duchenne

Alison Byrne from Alison Byrne Health & Beauty Clinic, Lexden is cycling from Lands End to John O’ Groats. Starting on 25th July, she will be cycling 100 3-2-1 Cycle – can you miles per day with a team of 30 others go the distance for local to raise money for vital support people? and research for Action Duchenne, There are still some places left a charity which supports sufferers to join the exclusive team of with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

100 riders for 3-2-1 Cycle, a This disease affects one in 2500 male five-day continental road tour births. Life is shortened and most through three countries in aid suffered will only live to their early Please mention The Connection when responding to adverts of St Helena Hospice. Cyclists 20’s.

Clubs and Societies Essex and Suffolk IVC Contact Brad on 07587 004207.

Coggeshall Patient Participation Group Contact 01376 561840 or 01376 561943.

Kelvedon Women’s Institute Contact www.kelvedonwi.org.uk, email contact@kelvedonwi.org.uk or call Joanna Puczkowski on 07855 369516.

Coggeshall Heritage Society Contact Mr. R.Creswell on 01376 561570 or visit www.discoveringcoggeshall.co.uk

Specialising in advanced electrolysis and anti-ageing treatments

Circle of Friendship Contact Gwen on 07949 496723.

If you would like to support a local business woman in her challenge then please go to www.justgiving/AlisonByrne1 or text 70070 and quote ANHG63.

St Helena Hospice Midnight Walk: Make like a princess

Chappel Open Art Competition See page 32 for full details.

Magazine Distributors Needed!

We are looking for adult, mobile distributors for the following areas; Aldham, Great Tey, Eight Ash Green, Halstead Road and Fordham Heath. Please register your interest by emailing me at; editor@theconnectionmagazine.co.uk

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This year’s Midnight Walk will take place on Saturday 23rd May. Ladies are encouraged to take up the dress code of trainers and tiaras to walk approximately 7 miles starting and finishing at Colchester United’s Weston Homes stadium.

Marking the hospice’s 30th anniversary, Midnight Walk 2015 is bigger and better than ever. The minimum age has been reduced to 11 years to allow younger daughters to take part and there is a new start time of 10.30pm. Registration can be made at www.sthelenahospice.org.uk/midnightwalk15 or by calling 01206 931468. Registration forms will be available at any hospice shop or on site in Colchester and Clacton. The entry fee is £15 and final registration closes at noon on Friday 22nd May or when 1,000 walkers have registered, whichever comes first.

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Recipe for Easter

Cake and Bake Hot Cross Buns Home-made hot cross buns are easy to make so why not give them a go? Serve warm from the oven, split and spread with orange flavoured butter for the ultimate Easter treat!

Ingredients: • 500g strong white plain flour, plus extra for dusting • ½ tsp salt • 2 tsp ground mixed spice • 55g caster sugar • 1 x 7g sachet easy blend or fast action dried yeast • 300ml milk • 55g butter, cubed • 1 large egg • 150g dried mixed fruit

for the crosses and glaze • 3 tbsp plain flour • 1-2 tbsp warmed golden syrup or honey

Serves 12 10

1. Sift the flour into a large bowl and stir in the salt, mixed spice, sugar and dried yeast. Make a well in the middle.

2. Bring the milk almost to the boil in a small pan then stir in the butter until melted. Leave the liquid to cool until it’s just hand hot.

Pour the liquid into the well with the beaten egg and mix with a round- bladed knife to make a soft and slightly sticky dough.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding a little more flour if the dough is too sticky.

4. Place the dough in a clean, lightly greased bowl and cover with oiled cling film. Leave the bowl in a warm place for about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the dried fruit. Divide and shape the dough into 12 even-sized buns and place on a large greased baking sheet, leaving about 2cm space around each bun.

6. Cover loosely with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place until the buns have risen by at least half again and are almost touching each other. This will take about 45 minutes to an hour.

Preheat the oven to 220C, 200C fan, Gas Mark 7.

7. For the crosses, place the flour in a bowl and gradually add enough cold water (about 2 tbsp) to make a thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle and pipe crosses on each of the buns. Bake the buns in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until risen and golden brown. Leave on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooking rack. Brush with the warmed golden syrup or honey while the buns are still warm.

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Special Constables lead the way in community policing

Special Constables in Colchester led the way with their own operation during February.

A weekend was dedicated to Operation Society, where volunteer officers worked along their fulltime colleagues on a range of duties which included carrying out warrants at various addresses.

The warrants were of a wide variety, from misuse of drugs to nonpayment of fines.

126 warrants were carried out throughout the weekend by the Special Constabulary, which led to 10 arrests in the north of the county alone.

A total of 146 duties and 1,080 hours were committed by the 124

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AFTER

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officers that took part in the operation.

Chief Officer Leon Dias said: “We have had a fantastic presence from Special Constables throughout the whole weekend, and it has been great to work alongside our full time colleagues.

“The operation highlights the effect volunteers have on community policing and how rewarding it is that you are helping in keeping your community safe”.

Are you interested in joining our Special Constabulary? Find out more on www.essex.police.uk/ specials.

Officers involved in Berechurch Action Day

Colchester Police officers took to the streets of Berechurch on Tuesday 10th February as part of the Safer Colchester Partnership’s Day of Action.

The main issues for concern that residents had were their highways, parking, dog fouling, speeding and littering.

The scheme allows authorities and agencies across Colchester to join forces and use the day to engage residents on key issues affecting their community, as well as tackling issues head-on through a range of activities.

Police officers were accompanied by pupils from Cherry Tree School in conducting a vehicle speed watch, and residents were able to call in at a mobile police station throughout the day.

Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) were on hand with Colchester Borough Council Zone Wardens in conducting litter and dog fouling patrols in the area, as well as engaging with residents and offering advice.

The Safer Colchester Partnership includes Colchester Borough Council, Essex County Council and Essex Fire and Rescue, amongst many others.

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ADVERTISEMENT

Cloudy2Clear Windows – Service With A Smile!

It’s been a crazy few months for Cloudy2Clear Windows.

The company which specialises in repairing windows which are steamed up, broken or damaged by replacing the panes – not the frames has grown rapidly as homeowners take advantage of their services.

Managing Director Andy Kerridge feels that it’s all about service. ‘Our product is simple. If your double glazing is misted up we can replace the glass at a fraction of the cost of a new window, in any type of frame, and with a new 10 year guarantee. But it’s not just about saving people

money, although that obviously helps. Many tradespeople have struggled since last year and I honestly feel that during the good times a minority perhaps didn’t focus on customer care as much as they should have done. We make sure we turn up when we say we will, do the job the customer requires and leave their house as clean as a whistle. I often get comments back from customers on how they really didn’t expect that sort of service which, in a way, is very sad for the service industry as a whole.’

Cloudy2Clear service the Colchester, Braintree, Halstead and Sudbury

areas & Andy is finding that his approach is a major factor in his success. ‘The truth is that it’s not just the personal satisfaction that I get from doing a good job but also it makes good business sense. I get a huge amount of business from friends

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and family of people I’ve done work for, which just goes to show how much a little bit of effort is appreciated.’

So, if your windows are steamed up, broken or damaged give Andy a call for a free quotation on 0800 61 21 118 and he’ll be happy to help!

13

The Grass Is Greener...or is it?

By Annie Wilson You don’t need to be a weatherman (or woman) to know that the UK isn’t blessed with the most desirable of climates.

Our weather is unreliable and generally takes the middle ground in terms of heat, cold, sun, cloud, rain and snow.

There’s not enough of any to be worthy of note, except on the odd few days when it veers to an extreme - so unusual it makes headline news.

Still, every cloud has a silver lining…literally! This temperate climate means we can have gorgeous gardens during the summer without having the worry of hosepipe bans and scorching heatwaves. For most, the cornerstone of outdoor living is the lawn – the canvas for horticultural artistry. Even if you aren’t green fingered, it is likely that more of your garden will be given over to lawn than any other single feature.

Unfortunately, if your grass looks more grazing meadow than bowling green, a beautiful space will elude you until it’s sorted.

But where do you start, and what do you need?

Analysis

Is your soil chalk, clay or sand?

Do you have a problem with any particular types of weeds and pests. Are there any bare patches and what’s causing

14

them (e.g. pets)? Is the lawn type suitable for purpose – the finest blades aren’t going to stand up to footie with the kids.

Equipment

If your lawnmower hasn’t had any maintenance in years, the blades are blunt, and the blade height is difficult to adjust, you need to choose between a service or a new model. But lawns also need scarification (removing moss and other debris) and aeration (small holes in the ground to allow air, water and nutrients to circulate) and both of these require specific tools.

Products

Plenty of water of course, but no garden reaches its full potential without products to feed the growth and kill the weeds.

These are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased at most DIY stores and garden centres.

However, if you don’t know what you are doing, you can waste money or worse do damage; many a garden has been scorched by an over enthusiastic application of fertilizer.

Time

Oh yes, that elusive element, lack of which is the enemy of any outdoor plans. If you can’t be consistent with your

maintenance, it’s hardly worth starting. It’s all very well being enthusiastic in March and April, but if you’ve lost interest by July, both time and money will be wasted.

The Professionals

Feeling enthused? Or overwhelmed and resigned to golden yellow thatch instead of a glorious green sward?

It is possible with research, time, dedication and money to achieve great results taking the DIY route. But in reality it’s a job many just don’t enjoy doing and consequently the professional lawn treatment market has rocketed over the last few years.

Most people do still like to mow their own lawns (although many even outsource that these days), but buying and storing expensive equipment and carrying out lawn work, is a job better left to those that do it all the time .

With treatments starting at from around £19 a visit (4 - 6 visits a year), you could spend more on the fuel taking you to and from the garden centre.

Green Way Colchester are a professional Lawn Treatment Specialist.

They can be contacted on: 01206 704 705

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15

Recipe

Greek Vegetable Bake Serves 4

Ready in 1 hour 10 minutes

This hearty veggie dish makes a great family midweek meal. Serve with a crisp green salad or some crunchy home-made coleslaw.

Ingredients: • 2 large potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced • 1 large aubergine, trimmed and sliced • 3 tbsp olive oil 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed • 150ml vegetable stock • 1 tsp dried oregano • 2 tsp tomato puree • 300g thick Greek yogurt • 2 medium eggs, beaten • 1 tbsp cornflour • ¼ tsp grated nutmeg • 1 large tomato, sliced • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the aubergine slices in a shallow bowl and drizzle over 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Heat a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat.

Cook the aubergine slices for 1-2 minutes on each side until tender and just golden. Remove and set aside.

Add the rest of the oil to the pan and gently fry the garlic for 1 minute. Whisk in the vegetable stock, oregano and tomato puree and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat. Preheat the oven to 190C, 170C fan, Gas Mark 5.

Layer the potato and aubergine slices in a large ovenproof dish (at least 8cm deep). Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper between each layer. Pour the stock mixture over the vegetables.

Place the yogurt, eggs and cornflour in a bowl Sprinkle with some and beat together until smooth. Add the nutmeg freshly grated Parmesan cheese and season lightly. Spoon the mixture over the or thin slices of mozzarella layered vegetables and top with the tomato cheese before baking to make slices. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 Please mention The Connection when responding to adverts this dish even tastier! minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.

Tip:

16

Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the sliced potatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes until almost tender. Drain well and refresh under cold running water. Set aside.

Chiropractic clinic wins National Quality Awards Clinic Principal Susan Godwin and the team; Inga Hurren & Daniel Piper are pictured receiving the awards at a ceremony in London on 28th January from the Chair of the Royal College’s Health Policy Unit, Dr Mark Gurden and the Chair of the Royal College’s Lay Partnership Group, Mr Hew Helps.

they visit us for advice and treatment. Our aim is to continually improve our levels of service and we always welcome feedback from our patients to help us achieve this.”

Clinic Principal Susan Godwin said: “We are proud to say that the award of the Clinical Management Quality Mark recognises this clinic’s commitment to operating in a professionally managed environment where we constantly strive to improve our level of service.”

“The award of the Patient Partnership Quality Mark recognises this clinic’s commitment to meeting the expectations our patients have when

Dr Susan Godwin, Dr Inga Hurren, Dr Daniel Piper receiving the CMQM award from Dr Mark Gurden

Unit 17, Wakes Hall Business Centre, Wakes Colne, Colchester CO6 2DY

Tel: 01787 222435

www.bodyworks-chiropractic.co.uk enquiries@bodyworks-chiropractic.co.uk

Restoring Health, Mobility, Strength & Flexibility McTimoney Chiropractic Nutritional Therapy Massage Therapies Acupuncture

Meditation Reflexology Yoga, Pilates Tai Chi & Chi Kung

(NHS, Bupa, AXA PPP, Simply Health, etc)

www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk

17

Puzzle

Solution on page 42

Codeword

9

Each letter in this puzzle is represented by a different number between 1 and 26.

The codes for three letters are shown. Once you have filled these throughout the grid you can start guessing words and reveal other letters. As you find the letters enter them in the box below.

19 17

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Please mention The Connection when responding to adverts

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19 9

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17

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19

What’s On General

Bures Open Gardens Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st May 1.00pm – 6.00pm Celebrating 30 years of Open Gardens.

Plant sales, cake stall, art in the church.

Little Horkesley Spring Fair At Little Horkesley Village Hall Saturday 25th April.

Doors open 2.00pm Bumper bric a brac, cakes, plants, raffle and refreshments.

Entrance 20p.

Bowls Open Day At Keepers Green, Braiswick, Colchester (next to Colchester Golf Club) Saturday 9th May from 12.00 midday.

Woods Bowls Club welcomes anyone wishing to give bowls a try for exercise and social activity. Free qualified tuition and tea and biscuits. All you need is a pair of flat shoes. Just turn up or contact John Vaughan 01787 227848.

Table Top Sale At Great Tey Village Hall Saturday 9th May 2.00pm - 4.00pm A variety of stalls, cakes, refreshments and raffle.

Tables are £10 to hire.

Please contact Jane Richardson on 01206 211481 or email: john. richardson195@btinternet. com for more details.

Kitty Kat Rescue Table Top Sale At the Venture Centre Lawford Sundays 29th March, 12th April and 26th April 2.00pm – 4.00pm.

Tables cost £6.50. Please phone 07816529877 to book your table.

Events at Acorn Village

from BBC’s ‘Flog it’ & ‘Antiques Road Trip’ will value your treasures. £2 per item valued.

Friday 15th May 7.00pm Quiz Night. A night of fun and laughter.

Please bring drinks and nibbles, tickets £3.50.

Flower Festival Flower Festival and display of beautiful quilts in our ancient church of All Saints at Little Cornard (CO10 0PE) From 11am till 4pm on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th May. There will be refreshments available, Ploughman’s lunches, scrumptious cakes and sausage rolls.. Also we have a plant sale, book stall and raffle.

all the family, bric-a-brac, household goods, books, toys, etc. Admission 20p.

Car parking behind hall.

All proceeds to charity.

For more information please contact Tina Bentley on 01787 221805.

Simply events Spring Craft Fair At the Venture Centre, Lawford Saturday 18th April 10.00am – 4.00pm 30 handmade craft stalls full of inspirational crafts and gifts including textiles, handmade soaps, jewellery, glass and ceramics, handmade cards, art and photography.

Teas, homemade cakes and light lunches available from our tearoom. Free entry.

Purple Feather At Acorn Village, Events MBS Clacton Road, Mistley, Holistic Fair Essex, CO11 2NJ Chappel and At the Venture Wakes Colne In support of Acorn Village Centre, Lawford. charity for adults with Open Gardens learning disabilities. For Saturday 4th April Sunday 7th June more information please 10.00am – 4.00pm 11.00am - 5.30pm call 01206 394124.

Many stalls and therapies About 12 beautiful Thursday 9th April to try out such as gardens open with 1.30pm – 4.00pm Reflexology, Indian Head refreshments in a Massage, Reiki, Rahanni Mad Hatters Tea Party lovely garden setting. healing, Metamorphic with egg painting, Admission £4 per person Technique, Crystal healing cake decorating, face by programme from and Facial massage painting and party food Chappel Church (children from as little as £5. Also for just £5 a head. free). Plant stalls. For Tarot, Clairvoyant, Palm, Dedham Arts Friday 10th April Astrology or Numerology more information please 2.00pm – 4.00pm Group Spring readings available. Hot contact 01206 210 799 or Easter Egg Treasure Hunt Exhibition 2015 or cold food and drinks email richdcb@aol.com and more Easter Activities. available all day. Attend At Littlegarth Studio, Nayland as many free workshops Wednesday 9th and High Street Dedham Church Fete as you like during the Thursday 10th April Saturday 23rd May day. Supporting The 10.00am – 7.00pm At Nayland Playing Field to Monday 25th May Robin Cancer Trust.

Thursday and 10.00am Monday 25th May 10.00am - 5.00pm – 4.00pm Friday.

Good Quality 2.00pm – 4.00pm Come and see lively, Big Book Bash with bags Rummage Sale Tradtional stalls and colourful and varied of pre-packed books for £1 At St Francis of Assisi sideshows. Childrens painting by enthusiastic or 50p for all other books Church Hall, Colchester and adults sports, tug local artists. Free Saturday 18th April Road, Halstead of war, jazz band, classic admission. For further Antiques Valuation Day Saturday 11th April vehicle display. Adults £2, information about 10.00am – 1.00pm 9.30am - 11.30am. concessions £1, children our group please visit 20 Please mention The Connection when responding to adverts 50p. Proceeds to St James our website at www.

Mark Stacey, Marc Winters Lots of bargains including and Michael Bowles good quality clothing for dedhamartsgroup.co.uk Church fabric fund.

What’s On St Matthews Spring Fayre At Leavenheath Village Hall Saturday 18th April 10.00am – 2.00pm Lots of stalls, raffle, Guess the name, cakes, bric a brac, books, refreshments in aid of the church.

Little Acorns Spiritual Friends Monday 6th April.

Doors open 7.00pm for 7.30pm - 9.00pm.

At Venture Centre 2000, Bromley Road, Lawford CO11 2JG Demonstration of Mediumship including Sentience (please bring a piece of jewellery with you) by June Piper. admission £3.50.

Spiritual Healing available. Meetings are open to all. For more information please visit www.venturecentre2000.co.uk.

Halstead Food and Craft Fayre At Market Hill, Halstead Saturday 18th April and Saturday 16th May 9.00am – 2.00pm A wide range of quality food produce and crafts by local artisans. Street entertainment in the High Street. 2 hours free parking at Solar supermarket. For more information please visit www.visithalstead.co.uk

by Bevington and Sons will be played by Tom Cogan and there will be readings by local actors.

Tickets £7.50, under 16’s free. Refreshments will be available after the concert. All proceeds from this concert will go towards the upkeep of the church and churchyard.

For more information and to buy tickets please call Jane Lloyd on 01206 240167, Teresa Morris on 01206 241878 or Mike and Gill Poole on 01206 240512.

An evening of Live Music with Pros & Conz At The Labour Club, Kelvedon.

Saturday 18th April 8pm – 11pm 50’s, 60’s & 70’s covers plus new songs. Bar and raffle in aid of Kelvedon Dance Studio. Tickets £5 on the door, or in advance from Andrea Wash on 01376 571718 or David Irwin on 01376 572869.

Colchester Organ Society

Contact Alan Pilgrim on 01787 269458 or email alanwpilgrim@tiscali. co.uk for further details.

Sudbury Symphony Orchestra At St Peters, Market Hill, Sudbury

to 1940s Show Tunes.

Presented in aid of St Helena Hospice.

Tickets from the West Cliff Theatre Box Office on 01255 433344.

Piano Concert by David Owen Norris At Lavenham Village Hall

Saturday 28th March 7.30 pm

Sunday 29th March 6.00pm

Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Piano concerto with Jill Morton and Beethoven’s 4th Symphony. Jill will be playing on one of the heaviest and largest grand pianos ever seen in Sudbury. Prices: Adult £12, Under 18s £2. Tickets are available from Compact Music, North Street, Sudbury or from 52 Friars Street, Sudbury CO10 2AG (send cheque payable to Sudbury Symphony Orchestra and SAE); and by email from: tickets@ sudburysymphonyorchestra. com. Also from the Tourist Information Centre and the website: www. sudburysymphonyorchestra. com. A limited number of tickets will be available on the door.

David Owen Norris is one of Britain’s most versatile and enterprising pianists. He will play a grand pianoforte by John Broadwood & Sons, 1828 with a programme of music of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and Mendelssohn. Tickets: £18 (reserved), £12 (unreserved), with halfprice tickets available to full-time students. Box office via the National Centre for Early Music on 01904 651485 or via www.ncem.co.uk

At Alderman Blaxill School, Paxman Avenue, Shrub End, Colchester ‘We’ll Meet On the first Friday Again’ Charity of each month Concert by West 7.45pm - 10.15pm Bergholt Concert Live keyboard concerts Band and the with music to suit all tastes, featuring Cavender Singers top musicians from At Clacton’s West Music around the country.

Cliff Theatre A Celebration of Friday 3rd April Sunday 22nd Words and Music Martin Atterbury.

March 3.00pm At St. Mary’s Old Friday 1st May An entertaining afternoon Church, Hall Road, West Michael McAneny.

Bergholt CO6 3DU of music from WW2 and £4 members, £6 non the 1940s, including Saturday 9th members. Refreshments White Cliffs of Dover, May 6.00pm and raffle. Ample Dambusters, Spitfire parking inside school Presented by The Prelude and We’ll Meet grounds. Free entry for Friends of St Mary’s Old www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk Again, plus music from two non members upon Church. The Victorian hand pumped organ the Big Bands through production of this advert.

‘Songs from the Jazz Age’ At Nayland Village Hall Sunday 29th March 7.30pm Nayland Choir celebrates the music of George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and friends. The songs will be accompanied by appropriate prose by the likes of Dorothy Parker. Licensed bar from 7.00pm. Tickets are £10 with under 16s free, from Nayland Post Office. For more information please call 01206 242319.

What’s On continued 21 over page

What’s On Drama and Dance ‘Death By Fatal Murder’ by The Orpen Players

At The Orpen Memorial Hall, West Bergholt.

Thursday 14th, Friday 15th and Saturday 16th May 8.00pm.

Doors open 30 minutes before performance.

The third in the‘Inspector Pratt’trilogy of spoofs of the Agatha Christie ‘whodunnit’genre by Peter Gordon and directed

by Colin Downer.

Inspector Pratt’s record of crime detection at Bagshot House is not enviable.

In his two previous visits the body count mounted disastrously as he looked on, helpless and hopeless. Now he’s back and, as usual, chaos reigns supreme! Tickets: £6 Thursday, £7 Friday and Saturday and are available online at www. orpenplayers.co.uk by calling Roger Milne 01206 241048 or from Ash’s Store, West Bergholt from 2nd May. Tickets on the door subject to availability. Supper & Show in conjunction with The Treble Tile of West Bergholt - £20 buys you a show ticket and supper from special menu - for details and booking contact The Treble Tile 01206 241712 www.thetrebletile.co.uk

The Mad Catter’s Tea Party.

Music from Jupiter Ray, a photobooth, games and prizes. Fancy dress is essential – think Alice in Wonderland meets Animal Rescue, think Steampunk fashion, think The Mad Hatter, think big, think bold, think bright. And don’t forget your top hat!

Tickets available from www.colchesterartscentre.com or call 01206 500900. All proceeds go to Poppy’s Place Animal Rescue to help them look after the animals in their care, both future and present.

Cinema

Leavenheath Village Hall Digital Cinema

Saturday 2nd May ‘Jersey Boys’(15).

Starring John Lloyd Young and Erich Bergen. The story of four young men from the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey who came together to form the iconic 1960s rock group The Four Seasons.

Easter Activities

Easter Services At The United Reformed Church, High Street, Kelvedon Friday 3rd April 10.00am ‘Good Friday Reflection’, a short reflective service for Easter led

by Rev Ken Thom.

Sunday 5th April 10.30am ‘Easter Sunday Celebration’, led by Trevor Andrews.

Everyone welcome.

toddlers, an Easter Quiz/ Trail for older children and also egg & spoon races.

For more information please call 01206 330784.

Things for Children Cave painting

At The Natural History Museum, Colchester Tuesday 7th April. Dropin sessions between 10.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 3.30pm.

Try some cave painting just like our long-ago ancestors, using sandpaper and chalk. £2 per person.

For more information please call 01206 282941.

Archaeology Workshops

At Leavenheath Village At Wormingford Hall, Wrights Way, Community Education (signposted from Centre, The Old the High Road) School, Church Lane, Wormingford CO6 3AZ Doors open 7.00pm Easter Bunny for 7.30pm start.

Thursday 2nd April and Tea Party Wednesday 27th May Refreshments (wine, beer, At Tymperleys 10.00am - 3.00pm. soft drinks, tea and coffee) Restaurant/Tearoom Travels in Time will be available before the Saturday 4th, Sunday Archaeology offer courses film starts and during the 5th and Monday 6th for 8-12 year olds. Find interval. Tickets £3.50 per April 3.30pm - 5.00pm out what an archaeologist adult and £2 per child. You Come along to and join the does through practical can now reserve activities including metal Easter Bunny for Afternoon your seat online at detecting, test pitting Tea. The afternoon will www.leavenheath.org.uk and finds analysis. Cost end with an Easter Egg or please call Lesley 01206 £20 per child. For more hunt and egg & spoon 262505 or Ken 01206 information contact Jane races. Fancy dress optional.

263266 for tickets.

Crone or Ellie Mead at Adults and children £10 Saturday 4th April‘The travlesintime@live.com each. Suitable for children Imitation Game’(12A) under 12. All children must Clay sundials Starring Bendict be accompanied by an At Hollytrees Museum Cumberbatch, Keira Adult. For further details Knightly and Matthew Wednesday 1st April please call 01206 765034 or The Mad Goode. Based on the real visit www.tymperleys.co.uk and Thursday 2nd April.

Catter’s Ball Sessions at 10.30am, life story of legendary Easter at Layer At Colchester Arts Centre 11.30am, 12.30pm, cryptanalyst Alan Turing, Marney Tower Saturday 25th April 2.00pm and 3.00pm. the film portrays the nailSunday 5th and 7:30pm – 12.00 Midnight biting race against time To celebrate the clock Monday 6th April

by Turing and his brilliant Poppys Place Animal collection in Hollytrees 11.00am - 5.00pm team of code-breakers Rescue celebrate their first and the coming of the sun, at Britain’s top-secret Bring the family to bottle birthday with an exclusive make your own sundial out Government Code and feed the lambs, feeding charity ball. An evening of clay, so you can tell the Cypher School at Bletchley on the hour throughout full of magic, live music, time just like our ancestors.

22 Please mention The Connection when responding to adverts Park, during the darkest the afternoon, there will performances, canapés £3 per person. Booking and cocktails as you enter days of World War 2. be an Easter Egg hunt for required on 01206 282941.

What’s On Talks and Workshops

North East Essex Decorative and Fine Arts lectures At Centennial Suite, Weston Homes Community Stadium, United Way, Colchester CO4 5UP Thursday 16th April 8.00pm Hilary Williams Rembrandt: Family, Faces and Friends This lecture focuses on Rembrandt’s life in Amsterdam and how it revolved around his family, students, friends and the wide group of wealthy patrons who were drawn from religious, bourgeois and mercantile circles, illustrating the richness and diversity of life in the city in its golden age.

Thursday 21st May 8.00pm Valerie Woodgate - Art and the Great War Valerie will show an examination of the way in which artists, with direct experience of the horror and brutality of trench warfare, attempted to depict the conflict in the face of strict official censorship, and how each side responded to the aftermath of the war.

Guest places are available to non-members. For information on prices and to book a place please email secretary@needfas. org.uk in advance of

lecture. For full lecture information please visit www.needfas.org.uk

Talks at Wormingford Community Education Centre At Wormingford Community Education Centre, Church Road, Wormingford, Colchester, CO6 3AZ Friday 27th March Bures to Wormingford: a Prehistoric Ritual Landscape presented

by Anna Moore and Ellie Mead Evidence that man used the Middle Stour Valley for ceremonial activity as long ago as 3570BC has been discovered through aerial photography. We examine the cropmarks in the fields between Bures and Wormingford to reveal the many monuments that once stood here.

Talks start at 7.30pm, so please come along from 7pm and enjoy a drink and a chat beforehand.

We ask for a donation of £4 per person towards running costs. Wine and nibbles are offered for a small donation. If you are interested in attending, please phone Amanda on 01206 337338 or email us on wcec12@gmail.com.

Farmers markets

Please note that some dates may be liable to change so for more information contact individual markets for details.

Feature your not for profit, village, community or charity events FREE OF CHARGE in our What’s On pages by emailing your listing to info@theconnectionmagazine.co.uk

Lavenham Farmers Market

Sudbury Farmers Market

At The Village Hall, Lavenham

At St Peters Church, Sudbury Friday 24th April and Friday 29th May at 9.30am - 2.00pm Contact Justine Paul 07704 627973

Sunday 26th April and Sunday 24th May at 10.00am - 1.30pm Contact Justine Paul 07704 627973

Colchester Farmers Market The Arts Centre, Colchester Friday 3rd April and Friday 1st May at 9.30am - 12.30pm Contact Rowley Castiglione 01206 367776

Wivenhoe Farmers Market Congregational Hall, Wivenhoe Saturday 18th April and Saturday 16th May at 9.00am - 12.00 Contact Rowly Castiglione 01206 367776

Brightlingsea Farmers Market At the Community Centre, Brightlingsea Saturday 25th April and Saturday 23rd May at 9.00am - 12.00 Contact 01206 302055

Hedingham Farmers’ Market At The Baptist Church, Swan Street, Sible Hedingham (next to the Sugar Loaves pub) Saturday 18th April and Saturday 16th May at 10.00am - 1.30pm Contact Roy Reece 07513 464567

Nayland Farmers Market At Nayland Village Hall Saturday 11th April and Saturday 9th May at 9.30am - 1.00pm Contact Justine Paul 07704 627973

Long Melford Farmers Market At Long Melford Village Memorial Hall Saturday 18th April and Saturday 16th May at 10.00am - 1.00pm Contact Daryl Turner 07780 258202

The Connection has listed all the events in What’s On in good faith. We cannot accept responsibility for inaccuracies, changes to events or cancellations. It might be advisable to check with venues before attendance.

Next issue: June/July - published 21st May 2015

Deadline date for entries in the next issue 8th May 2015

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Spotlight on Jades Flower Design Workshops and Courses We talk to business owner Beverley Nichols about her floristry workshops and courses.

Who are the courses aimed at?

The courses are aimed at anyone interested in floristry and flower arranging. We cover basic designs through to more intricate floristry. There are fun half day courses for groups or individuals where you can learn how to turn your simple supermarket flowers into interesting designs through to a 6 weeks professional course for those wishing to start their own small business. There are also bespoke days which can be tailored for hen parties or team building. We have held several workshops for hens and its great fun – we can even supply bubbly and chocolates! The workshops are great for team building and we can have managers and juniors working together on designs enabling them to share ideas and experiences. We also have a series of Christmas courses which will cover door wreaths, garlands, and table decorations to decorate your home for the festive season.

design. It brought out the creative side of everyone – to the surprise of many!

Where do you run your workshops?

The workshops and courses are held at our studio in the beautiful Essex countryside, just outside Coggeshall. Our studio is purpose built and houses all of our hire equipment and lots of materials to inspire the students. There is always an abundance of tea and coffee on hand and of courses cakes! Full day courses will also include a light lunch.

Are your workshops aimed at serious professionals or can creative amateurs attend?

There are workshops and courses that will suit complete beginners and serious professionals. I myself started my career on a short intensive course which was the perfect basis to start my floristry training. I gained enough How long do they last? knowledge on this course to The workshops and courses start my own business and it range from 3 hours through to a 6 inspired me to develop my skills week intensive course. There are further. full taster days for wedding and funeral flowers and these include How long have you been Church flowers, venue flowers, teaching your floristry skills? and traditional and contemporary I have been teaching for designs. There is a taster day for several years on a one to one wedding flowers where we will basis and to groups. I often cover handtied bouquets and have students who come into wiring techniques. On all courses our company to gain work we will discuss basic design experience and I enjoy teaching principles, buying and lots of them and watching them grow. other tips. We can always design I also taught floristry for local a bespoke course for any clients – government adult education whether its a one to one learning which I found extremely experience or any type of group. interesting and fulfilling. I We once held a Christmas party thoroughly enjoy teaching evening for a local company and love passing my skills onto where all the employees made others. their own Christmas door wreath. Tuesday March 24 – 10.00 – 3.00 pm Spring Flowers Wednesday 1 April – 10.00 – 1.00 – Easter Table Decoration It was such fun and everyone Tuesday, 7 April - 9.00 – 4.00 pm - Wedding Floristry – Taster Day went home with a beautiful Many more on the website. For more details visit: www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk www.jadesflowers.co.uk Tel: 01376 563111

25

Photo: Steve Round

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Recipe for Easter

Cake and Bake Chocolate Fondant Puddings These divine puds have a wonderful molten chocolate centre which oozes out as you cut into them. Take care not to overcook them and serve immediately otherwise the liquid centres will start to set. Serve with a dollop of tangy crème fraiche or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate indulgence!

Ingredients: • 100g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing • 100g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling • 100g good quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces • 2 large eggs • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 20g plain flour • Mint sprigs, to decorate • Few strawberries and chocolate shavings, to serve

Serves 4 Ready in 35 mins 28

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6. Lightly grease 4 x 175ml capacity individual pudding basins with the extra softened butter and sprinkle with the extra caster sugar.

Place on a baking tray.

2. Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and leave until melted.

Remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Leave to cool for about 5 minutes.

3. Place the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and flour in a bowl and, using a hand-held electric whisk, beat together until smooth and creamy. Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture and pour into the prepared pudding basins.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the puddings are risen, puffy and just set on the outside- they should have a slight wobble and still be runny inside.

5. Leave for a few seconds then turn the puddings out onto serving plates. Decorate with mint sprigs and serve with the strawberries and chocolate shavings.

TIP

If you don’t have individual pudding basins then use small ovenproof ramekin dishes instead.

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Art Competition Chappel Millennium Green is holding an open art competition to be judged and presented at their village fete in July. The theme will be the landscape, wildlife and human involvement with The Millennium Green. Opened in 2000, Chappel Millennium Green is a haven for play, picnics, wildlife and quiet reflection.

Set against the backdrop of the famous Chappel Viaduct there are over 8 hectares of beautiful scenery well used by the local community, so there should be plenty of inspiration for budding artists.

appear in the village calendar for 2016. Entry fees: £2 adult, £1 teenager, children free.

Prizes include free 200 Club subscriptions, art materials, winners plaque and enlarged or framed copies of entries. Entry forms are available from Wakes Colne Post Office Stores or by post from Tony Langley, 4 Swan Grove, Chappel, Colchester CO6 2DU. For further information please call 01787 220339.

Entries are invited in 3 categories: painting, drawing and photography, with 4 age groups: adults 18+, teenagers 13 -17, children 8 – under 13 and children under 8. All entries need to be previously unpublished works. Winning works will

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33

Gardening

Grow Your Own

by Pippa Greenwood I’m a great fan of home grown vegetables, particularly as growing my own allows me to choose to eat only organically grown fruit and vegetables, which are free from chemical pesticides. Even if you only have a tiny patio garden or backyard, you can brighten up your supper table with some good looking vegetables, home grown in containers.

It is important to use large containers. Smaller ones may look fine but most vegetables need an evenly moist compost around their roots at all times, and so a larger volume of compost is much easier to look after. They will need to be positioned in a sunny spot as vegetables won’t crop well in a gloomy position.

Growing bags will do but they don’t exactly look good. In addition, they often seem to contain pretty poor compost and, when it comes to keeping growing bags adequately watered, they are nothing short of a nightmare. Large flower pots or planters are the best bet, and you can use terracotta, plastic or glazed pots. Make sure that the containers are well supplied with drainage holes, and that you have a layer of broken pots on top.

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I suggest using either a standard multi-purpose or a multi-purpose compost mixed with a loam based compost – both produce good crops and are fairly easy to maintain. You can incorporate some controlled release fertiliser granules or feed regularly with a liquid feed.

There are lots of different vegetables that can be grown in containers but sometimes getting the right variety can make all the difference to how well they perform. Check labels or seed catalogues as those particularly well suited to life in a pot are described as so. If you like home grown beans you can use any variety of dwarf French bean, or if you prefer, a runner. The miniature runner, ‘Hestia’, has pretty red and white flowers and doesn’t need a support to climb.

Cucumbers can be grown in pots; choose a variety such as ‘Patio Pick’ which should manage to crop well despite its small size.

Provided you have a large and deep container then courgettes are also worth a try, and do remember to keep them well fed.

If you like hot pepper and have a sheltered, warm spot then try the crazy looking, heavy cropping ‘Medusa’ or the pretty but hot ‘Etna’.

Salad crops can all be grown in

a growing bag or other container, and are guaranteed to look good.

For some really wacky colour try growing the rich-red stemmed Ruby Chard or ‘Bright Lights’ chard with stems in pink, orange, red, yellow and white.

When it comes to maintenance, remember that anything growing in a pot needs more TLC as its roots will not be able to tap into the further reaches of the soil to find moisture and nutrients.

Plenty of food and water is a must, and I tend to use a high potash liquid tomato feed, which works a treat. To keep your pots free from slug and snail attacks, try using sticky-backed copper tape stuck in a complete ring around the top of the pot or planter.

Once everything is growing well and cropping, don’t forget to pick patio veg regularly if you want the plants to keep cropping.

Visit Pippa’s website www. pippagreenwood. com for ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ veg growing system, biological controls, fleece, copper tape and lots more besides.

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National Gardening Week 13th – 19th April Founded by the Royal Horticultural Society, National Gardening Week helps more people celebrate, enjoy, learn about and conserve their gardens, green spaces and local environments.

This year marks the first ever National Open Gardens day. On 17th April gardens and green spaces all over the country will be open to the public for free. Our nearest RHS garden is Hyde Hall near Chelmsford and you can enjoy a free day out in a garden which is an oasis of peace and tranquility and boasts a mix of horticultural styles. Walk across the lawns, go for a stroll through the woodland and get inspiration from the garden that is bursting with bulbs, blooms and blossom.

Also at Hyde Hall, James Wong, RHS Ambassador, ethnobotanist and television presenter will be presenting a free talk about his new book, ‘Grow for Flavour’. The Talk & Tea event will take place on 13th April from 2.30pm –4.00pm and will

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include the talk, a cup of tea and also the opportunity to buy his book and have it signed. Please book a ticket by calling 020 317 65830 as places are limited. Later in the week on 18th and 19th April there is a weekend of demonstrations and talks, where you can chat to the experts, pick up tips and stock up on plants from the Essex Plant Heritage Spring Fair. Wildlife groups will be in attendance with children’s activities and there is a falconry display with an opportunity to hold a bird of prey.

Closer to home, the National Gardening week website has a range of ideas for things to do in the garden. For children there are games and quizzes, ideas to encourage wildlfe in the garden and planting tips and advice to make the most of your garden, however large or small.

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35

Finance Alternative Investments: Returns v Risk

The alternative investment market has grown considerably in recent years, as results of research by innovation charity, Nesta, in conjunction with the University of Cambridge, shows, “... [the UK market] has more than doubled in size year on year from £267 million in 2012 to £666 million in 2013 to £1.74 billion in 2014.”¹ Here are five ways to invest should you wish to try a nontraditional route: Peer-to-peer consumer lending This involves lending small amounts of money to individuals via dedicated peer-to-peer websites. Higher interest rates provide motivation to invest when compared with banks and building societies, but peer-topeer lending also carries with it greater dangers.

One such risk is the lack of protection from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, which normally guarantees savings up to a maximum of £85,000.

Equity-based crowdfunding Investors put money into one or more businesses either at the start-up or growth stage, in return for a stake in the

company. Those companies seeking funding place their business plan and pitch online, plus details about their background and experience.

Transactions are processed online, in one of two different ways: • You deal directly with the company you are investing in, and your name goes on the shares – Crowdcube operate under this policy.

• The crowdfunding website processes the deal on behalf of multiple (sometimes thousands) investors, and holds the shares – this is Seedrs’ method of operating.

Fine wine There are three ways to buy into the wine market: • Established, reputable wine merchants: with the emphasis firmly on established and reputable merchants, you can buy ‘new vintage’ wine by the case, or ‘en primeur’ which means pre-bottled. Buying ‘en primeur’ is less expensive, but riskier in the long run as the vintage has not yet been tested.

• Wine funds: these allow you to spread the risk over a range of different grapes and vines, and you can simply sit back and allow a fund manager to make the selection. With this model it’s important to note that you are effectively trading on the wine market rather than owning the wine itself.

• Buying and selling wine: online wine trading platforms allow

By Ann Haldon

you to carry out your own buying and selling activities, read reviews on various wines, and check on the value of your portfolio.

Stamps Stamp collecting used to be regarded as a hobby, but it is now seen as an investment opportunity. If you want to build up your own collection, it’s rarity and quality that are the watchwords.

Knowing what is rare and of good quality is something that comes with experience built up over a number of years, however.

Classic cars A new classic car fund was launched in May 2014 by private equity group, PHD Equity Partners. A minimum investment of £50,000 is required, and investors are able to drive their car(s) on certain days of the year.

It’s not only Ferraris that are of interest to investors - cars like the 1970s Ford Escort are also popular. Many owners combine their love of classic cars with this investment opportunity, driving their pride and joy to meetings and other events.

These ideas may have whetted your appetite for the alternative investment market, but they are just a small selection of the nonstandard investments available.

Collectibles, forestry, diamonds and gold provide other opportunities to invest, but as with all alternative investments they attract higher risks.

�www.nesta.org.uk/publications/understanding-alternative-finance-uk-alternative-finance-industry-report-2014 www.moneyobserver.com/our-analysis/alternative-investments-stamps www.wineinvestmentassociation.org/ www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/diyinvesting/article-2378031/How-invest-wine-avoid-pitfalls-plonk.html www.which.co.uk/money/credit-cards-and-loans/reviews-ns/peer-to-peer-lending-websites/peer-to-peer-lending-explained/ www.whatinvestment.co.uk/financial-news/funds/2463232/and39taxefficientand39-fund-to-invest-in-classic-cars-launched.thtml

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37

Sudoku Competition

How to play

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3 x 3 box contains the digits 1 to 9, with no repetition!

That’s all there is to it.

You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic - there’s no maths involved and no adding up.

WIN £25 Fill in and cut out and send to: Sarah Banks, The Connection, Applegarth, Whitestreet Green Boxford, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 5JL The first correct entry out of the hat will win the prize.

Closing date 8th May 2015

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39

Book reviews

Practically Magic

April is the time for being fooled and there’s nothing like a bit of magic to turn you into an unwitting mark.

With their wizardry and secret societies, magicians have been holding us spellbound for years. The illusions are permeating the pages and here are some novels where a touch of trickery has ensured a pageturner.

Practical Magic - Alice Hoffman When the whole town’s been against you for two hundred years, you might want to think about moving. The generations of Owens women though, who get the blame for everything that goes wrong in the town, seem to revel in the powers of witchcraft the locals think they wield. All that is, except for sisters Gillian and Sally, who want nothing more than to break the cycle and escape, one way or another. But having magic running through your veins is a hard thing to pull against, and time and time again they are drawn back to each other.

The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern Le Cirque des Rêves (The Circus of Dreams) only comes alive between dusk and dawn, disappearing from view as the sunlight emerges. Set in Victorian London this is a real treat of a novel, touched by fairytale and sure to hold you spellbound. You never quite know when or where the circus is going to appear, as if from nowhere, with its ice gardens and cloud maze and whirling, twirling acrobats of the night. A few know the secret of the circus and have formed their own magic circle, so to speak. It’s a wonderful, slightly surreal and other-worldly experience wrapped up in a book.

One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcí¬a Márquez This acclaimed novel tells the story of José Arcadio Bunedia, founding

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father of Macondo - a city of mirrors that first appears to him in his dreams. José, along with his wife and cousin leave Riohacha in Colombia and set off in search of a better life and the utopia that is Macondo, and the story chronicles the rise and subsequent fall of this mythical land. The novel covers every conceivable facet of human life, love and death with the search for peace and truth being the ultimate goal. It’s an incredible novel from a Nobel Prize-winning writer.

The Tempest - William Shakespeare On a remote island, the former Duke of Milan, Prospero uses his powers of sorcery to wreak havoc and right wrongs. Shakespeare’s beloved tale begins with a violent and thrashing storm at sea, conjured up by Prospero in order to shipwreck his usurping brother, Antonio along with the conniving King Alonso on his desert island.

Prospero and his teenage daughter, Miranda have spent the last twelve years on the island, with only a cheeky spirit Ariel and a savage creature called Caliban for company. There’s love at first sight, a spirit, a monster and finally, redemption. Fantastic.

Like Water for Chocolate Laura Esquivel They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach and that’s certainly the case when you’ve got a secret ingredient

of magic to throw into the mix.

The story is set in Mexico at the turn of the century and focuses on the De La Garza family. Tita, as the youngest member of the all-female household, must abide

by Mexican tradition and look after their mother until she dies. She is forbidden to marry but falls in love with Pedro and her seduction takes the form of her magical dishes. But, the path of true love never did run smooth and he marries her sister instead. Of course, the story doesn’t quite end there.

World Book Night World Book Night is an annual celebration of reading and books taking place on 23rd April.

Similar to World Book Day which encourages children to read more, this scheme aims to inspire adults to take up reading and celebrate the difference that reading makes to their lives. Volunteers give out free books to people in their communities who don’t read regularly but anyone who is passionate about reading and keen to share the pleasure of a good read can take part by giving a book of their own to a friend, a neighbour or a complete stranger.

If you’d like some suggestions to re-acquaint yourself with reading, there is a specially chosen list of 20 books on the website http:// worldbooknight.org/

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Quick Crossword Across 1. Small tunnel (6) 4. Rubbed out (6) 9. Stretchy (7) 10. Young females (5) 11. Type of music (5) 12. External (7) 13. Translated (11) 18. Window covering (7) 20. Nip (5) 22. Smell (5) 23. Passion (7) 24. Female relation (6) 25. Harsh (6) Down 1. Combines (6) 2. Highways (5) 3. Result (7) 5. Correct (5) 6. Outlive (7) 7. Bowls (6) 8. Escorted (11)

Solution on page 42 1

2

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5

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8 9

10

11

12

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16 18

17 19

22

20

21

23

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14. Becomes thinner (7) 15. Blow up (7) 16. Reverberates (6)

17. Alter (6) 19. Consent (5) 21. Innocent (5)

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Spot the Difference

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Useful Numbers Local Schools St. Peter’s C of E Primary School Tel: 01376 561328 Honywood Community Science School Tel: 01376 561231 Kelvedon St. Mary C of E Primary School Tel: 01376 570411 Feering C of E Controlled Primary School

West Bergholt Surgery

Rivers/Floodline

Tel: 01206 241137

Tel: 0845 988 1188

Marks Tey Surgery

Citizens Advice Bureau

Tel: 01206 213513

Tel: 0870 126 4065

Tollgate Health Centre

Samaritans/Colchester

Tel: 01206 710030

Tel: 01206 561234

Stanway Surgery

Volunteering Opportunities

Tel: 01206 572372

Tel: 01206 505250

The Pump House Surgery/Earls Colne

Al Anon Family Groups Helpline

Tel: 01787 222022

Tel: 01376 570296

Drs Hayhow & Barker/Bures

Earls Colne Primary School and Nursery

Tel: 01787 227529

Tel: 01787 222205

Tel: 01787 227529

Colne Engaine C of E (Aided) Primary School Tel: 01787 222717 Bures C.E V.C Primary School Tel: 01787 227446 Chappel C of E School Tel: 01787 222296 St. John the Baptist C.E.V.A Primary School

Branch Surgery, Hardwick House Group Practice Tel: 01787 310000 Dr Baldwin & Partners, Nayland Surgery Tel: 01206 262202

Support Crimestoppers

Tel: 01787 269300 Great Tey C.E Controlled Primary School

ChildLine

Tel: 01206 210415

Samaritans

Fordham All Saints C of E Primary School

Tel: 08457 90 90 90

Copford C of E Primary School

Police Contacts

Tel: 0800 1111

Cruse Tel: 0844 477 9400 NSPCC

Aldham Village Hall Tel: 01206 240682 Mount Bures Tel: 01787 228055 Bures Community Centre Tel: 01787 227278 Nayland Tel: 0774 895 3175 Dedham Assembly Rooms Tel: 01206 323921 Stoke by Nayland

Essex Police (non-emergency calls to all stations and departments)

Tel: 01206 262943

Tel: 0300 333 4444

Tel: 01787 227631

Ministry Of Defence Police Tel: 01206 782917

Councils Colchester Borough Council

Tel: 0800 555 111

Tel: 01206 240251

Tel: 0207 403 0888

Village Halls

Tel: 01206 282222 Braintree District Council Tel: 01376 552525 Kelvedon Parish Council Tel: 01376 570285 Feering Parish Council Tel: 01376 572882 Coggeshall Parish Council Tel: 01376 562346 Stanway Parish Council

Wormingford Little Horkesley Tel: 01206 271841 Leavenheath Tel: 01206 263301 Assington Tel: 01787 211162 Stanway Village Hall Tel: 01206 545062 Feering Community Centre Tel: 01376 572467 Marks Tey Village Hall Tel: 01206 213250 White Colne Village Hall Tel: 01787 221919 Colne Engaine Village Hall

Tel: 01206 542221

Tel: 01787 223668

Tel: 0500 700 700

Post Offices

Tel: 01787 224370

National Debtline

Fiveways Post Office

Tel: 0808 808 4000

Tel: 01206 330451

Tel: 01206 574849

National Domestic Violence Helpline

Marks Tey

Holy Trinity C.E. Primary School

Tel: 0808 2000 247

Eight Ash Green & Aldham

Victim Support

West Bergholt

Tel: 01206 240880

Tel: 0845 30 30 900

Soaring High Montessori Coggeshall

Inland Revenue

Fordham Village Store and Post Office

Tel: 01376 564392

Tel: 0845 010 9000

Tel: 01206 240391

RSPCA

Earls Colne Post Office

Tel: 0870 55 55 999

Tel: 01787 222258

Stansted General Enquiries

AA Breakdown

Wakes Colne Post Office

Tel: 0870 000 0303

Tel: 0800 887 766

Tel: 01787 222449

Stansted Express

Floodline

Bures Post Office

Tel: 0845 850 0150

Tel: 0845 9881188

Tel: 01787 227252

Gatwick General Enquiries

Transco emergency service

Stoke by Nayland Park Street Stores and Post Office

Tel: 0870 000 2468

Tel: 01206 262335

Tel: 0845 850 1530

Tel: 01206 210439 Stanway Primary School Tel: 01206 574819 St. Mary’s Lower School Tel: 01206 211242 Stanway Fiveways Primary School

Stoke by Nayland C.E. V.C.P School Tel: 01206 262418 Nayland Community Primary School Tel: 01206 262348

Doctors Kelvedon and Feering Health Centre Tel: 01376 572906 Kelvedon Surgery Tel: 01376 574560

Tel: 0808 800 5000 Missing Persons Helpline

Tel: 0800 111 999 Rail Enquiries Tel: 08457 484950 AA roadwatch Tel: 09003 401100

Tel: 01206 210314 Tel: 01206 240355

Nayland Post Office Tel: 01206 262210 Stratford St Mary Post Office Tel: 01206 322150

Earls Colne Village Hall Bures Community Centre Tel: 01787 227278 Eight Ash Green Village Hall Tel: 01206 562860 Copford Village Hall Tel: 01206 211235 Chappel and Wakes Colne Tel: 07771 622525

Airports

Gatwick Express Heathrow General Enquiries Tel: 0870 000 0123 Heathrow Express

Tel: 0845 600 1515 44 Surgery Please mention The Connection when to adverts Coggeshall Dedhamresponding Post Office Tel: 0800 800 151 Tel: 01376 561242

BT Faultline

Tel: 01206 323543

The

Connection Magazine

We can deliver yers and leaets to 1000 - 12,000 homes and businesses in our distribution area.

For more details call 01787 210701 or email: editor@theconnectionmagazine.co.uk

www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk

45

Index of Advertisers 24

Kitchen Fitters

11

Lawn Treatment

15

Lawn Mower Repairs

35

31, 33

Dental Clinic

48

Architect

32

Designer Radiators

37

Bathroom Fitter

38

Dog Washing Service

39

Beauty Therapist

9

Electrician

41

Bookkeeping

33

Florist

11, 25

Building Services

12, 29

Flooring

33

Osteopathy

Caravan Storage

39

27, 29

17

43 26

Oven Cleaning

Chiropractor Childrens Nursery

Funeral Directors Garage Repairs

Pest Control

31, 39

2, 18

Garden Design

35

Physiotherapy

19

Chocolate Parties

11

Garden Cabins

15

Planning Services

32

Craft Centre

43

Garden Services

35, 39

Probate Services

30, 47

Computer Services Counselling

33

Gift Shop

7

43

Home Improvements

12

Cleaning Services

27, 39

Hairdressers

Decorators

31, 41

Interior Design IT Specialist

River

Bures

HALSTEAD Coln e

Greenstead Green

Nayland

19

7

5, 7 33

Removals

29

Storage

29, 39

Earls Colne

White Colne Wakes Colne Chappel

Great Tey

A131

Fordham River

Aldham

Colne

Stratford St Mary Dedham

Little Mount Horkesley Bures Wormingford Colne Engaine

Boxted

A12

West Bergholt A120

Eight Ash Green

Property Maintenance 35 27, 31

Stoke by Nayland

Pebmarsh

19

Plumber

Assington

Stour

A131

Lodge Accommodation 24

Restaurant

SUDBURY

Riv er

Joinery

Accountancy

Swimming Pool

43

Treatment rooms

42

Therapies

43

Tree Surgeon

37

Tutoring

31

Used Cars

39

Water Solutions

24

Window Repairs

13

Will Writing

47

COLCHESTER Copford

A120

Coggeshall Feering Kelvedon

Lexden A12

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Magazines delivered to selected homes in these areas

www.facebook.com/TheConnectionMagazineColchester Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that data in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause.

The Connection does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval systems or transmitted in any form - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without the prior permission of the publisher

Willwriting & Probate Services Did you know: You can protect your property from being sold to pay for your Care Home fees.

Did you know: That the 40% inheritance tax is voluntary and you can legally take steps to mitigate the tax?

Members of The Society of Will Writers, The Heir Hunters Association and approved Probate Supplier for the Forces Pension Society

If you need help or advice please call us on 01376 349366 or freephone 0800 612 6105 You can also email us at enquiries@iwc窶人td.co.uk

IWC

www.iwc-ltd.co.uk

www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk

47

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Find out how we’re making fear of the dentist a thing of the past at 48 Please mention The Connection www.hellodental.co.uk • 01206 593122 when responding to adverts The Centre, Colchester Business Park, Essex, CO4 9QQ (next to mimosa)