The Connection - August/September 2014 by Sarah Banks

The

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Aug/Sept 14 Issue 59

connecti connection on magazine Inside this issue... Over 70 local events in the Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s On pages! Outdoor concerts and music festivals! Recipe, book reviews and puzzles Creative activities for children

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Hello

Inside

We are approaching August and the school Summer holidays are upon us once more. Take a look at our What’s On pages and as usual there is something there for everyone. If you watched Glastonbury on the telly and fancy getting into the festival mood - well look no further as we have several little local festies to whet your appetite! Personally, I’m tempted to go and hear Bellowhead who are playing in Suffolk at the Folk East Festival of Folk Music and Food. See page 6 for more details. Also, I will be going along to the annual Polstead arts and crafts exhibition - there’s always something there which catches my eye - I never leave empty handed! If you are looking for things to do with the children, we have some lovely creative ideas on page 33.

10 - Recipe 12 - Book Reviews 14 - Country Mutters 18 - 22 - What’s On 26 - Walk 28 - 29 - Notice Board 32 - Codeword 33 - Activities for Children 36 - Sudoku 38 - Gardening 42 - Spot the difference 44 - Useful Numbers 46 - Index of Advertisers

Finally, I hope you all have a great Summer and we will see you again in the Autumn!

Sarah

Editor and Publisher: Sarah Banks Editorial Assistant: Amanda Findley Contributors: Amanda Findley, Derek Keeble , Tom Hughes and Pippa Greenwood 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:

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Next issue: October/November 2014 Publication date 18th September 2014

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Deadline date for new advertisers: 4th Sept Delivered to over 20 villages. www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk Deadline date for What’s On entries : 5th Sept See map on page 46

Good Day Sunshine

There’s something particularly appealing about the combination of live music and the great outdoors. You don’t have to travel too far to find a good selection of smaller festivals and concerts which should cater for all tastes. When there’s music and sunshine, thoughts of food and drink are not far away. Towards the end of summer, the Dedham Vale Vineyard in Boxted, near Colchester is hosting a Wine and Cider Festival with live music. Held over 2 days on 30th and 31st August, this is a lovely laid back event where you can relax in the beautiful waterside setting listening to live music with a glass of something lovely to hand. Venturing into the Suffolk countryside, the

Last Night of the Proms in Ringshall is

an evening concert on Saturday 2nd August featuring all the Proms favourites. There will be a BBQ and bar or you can bring your own picnic. Proceeds go to Macmillan, so you’ll be supporting a very good cause as well as indulging in a spot of flag-waving.

FolkEast Festival of Folk, Food & Music at Glemham Hall, Suﬀolk

15th-17th August . Headliners Bellowhead, Blowzabella & Blackbeard’s Tea Party amongst the very best folk, roots and acoustic artists taking to the stage. Bring yourself, your family, friends and sunshine! Adult weekend £106, Youth £60, children 10 and under free. www.folkeast.co.uk

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For something a bit more rousing, how about the splendidly titled ‘Brass on the Grass’ at Christchurch Park in Ipswich. These traditional Sunday afternoon brass band concerts are held throughout the summer and there are performances on 27th July, 3rd and 10th August. Take a picnic or just grab an ice cream and enjoy this typically British form of music. Free Bandstand concerts are also held in Colchester Castle Park on Sunday afternoons throughout August - take your pick of gospel, blues, folk or brass band music.

Jazz in the Meadow 1st August - Join Essex Wildlife Trust and

Infusion, a Jazz duo, for an evening of easy listening music out on the meadow at Abberton Reservoir. Bring your own chairs and picnic. From 6.30pm to 9pm; tickets £7.00 donation per person, booking essential please call 01206 738172.

Brightlingsea Free Music Festival

on 1st, 2nd and 3rd August. The festival aims to attract an audience of all ages and showcases a mixture of new established bands. The I Am Music Festival on Saturday 26th July at Colchester Castle Park features local and professional artists throughout the day. Wine and Cider Festival http://www. dedhamvalevineyard.com Brass in the Grass http://www.focp.org.uk Colchester Bandstand Concerts http://www. visitcolchester.com Last Night of the Proms in Ringshall http:// heartofsuff olk.co.uk/event/last-night-of-theheartofsuffolk.co.uk/event/last-night-of-theproms-in-ringshall/ FolkEast http://www.folkeast.co.uk Jazz in the Meadow http://www.wildlifetrusts. org/events/2014/08/01/jazz-meadow Brightlingsea Free Music Festival http://www. brightlingseamusicfest.co.uk/ I Amresponding Music Festival when to http://www.iamusic.org/ adverts festival-2014

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Making sure it’s right for you... Reputable providers like EACH Life are: CQC registered (www.cqc.org.uk) Involve you in the selection of PA’s Provide comprehensive induction and training. Recognise your life change by supporting you and your family to achieve a quality of life again. Whoever you choose, please be 100% confident that you understand the arrangements before signing any contract. This includes a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities; P.A’s employment status; agreeing rates for work, any set up/on-going management fees. Costs are comparable to nursing homes. Will you fund your own care, or are you eligible for attendance allowance, a direct payment or personal health budget from your local authority/NHS?

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Courgette Quiche Serves 6

Ready in 1 hour 20 minutes, plus chilling There’s an abundance of home grown courgettes in the shops at the moment – or you may have some growing in your garden. Make the most of them with this tasty quiche which can be served warm or cold.

Pastry:

To make the pastry, sift the flour into a large bowl. Add a pinch of salt and the cubed butter and rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

• 225g plain flour • 100g lightly salted butter, chilled and cubed • 1 medium egg yolk beaten

Add the egg yolk and 2-3 tbsp ice cold water and mix with a round bladed knife until the mixture begins to stick together, adding a little more water, if needed. Gather the mixture together with your hands and knead for just a few seconds on a lightly floured surface until just smooth. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up.

Filling:

• 1 tbsp olive oil • 3 courgettes, 1 sliced and 2 chopped • 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped • 75g mushrooms, thinly sliced • 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed • 3 medium eggs • 150ml milk • 100ml crème fraiche • 50g mature Cheddar cheese, finely grated • 1 tomato, thinly sliced • 2 tsp dried Italian mixed herbs

Roll out the chilled pastry and use to line a 20cm round metal flan tin. Prick the pastry base all over with a fork and chill the in the fridge for 15 minutes. Line the pastry case with baking paper and fill with baking beans then bake blind on the hot baking sheet for 10-15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and cook for a further 5 minutes until the pastry is pale golden. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan and fry the courgette slices for 1-2 minutes until just beginning to soften. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on kitchen paper. Add the rest of the oil to the pan and fry the shallots, mushrooms and garlic for 5 minutes then add the chopped courgettes and fry for a further 1-2 minutes, stirring until just softened.

Spoon the courgette and mushroom mixture into the pastry case. Beat together the eggs, milk, crème fraiche and Cheddar and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Slowly pour into the pastry case over the courgette mixture.

Arrange the fried courgette slices and tomato slices on top of the filling and sprinkle with the Italian mixed herbs. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the filling is set and golden. Serve warm or cold with salad.

TIP: Add a handful of

pine nuts when frying the shallots and mushrooms if liked or scatter some chopped walnuts over the filling before baking.

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Spice of Life - Juniper Juniper is a kind of pine tree and its berries have a pine-like flavour with a hint of turpentine. Don’t let this put you off using them in your cooking though, as the taste enhances other flavours. Ripe berries are black, slightly soft and moist and should be crushed before use. As the flavour is strong, use them sparingly. Juniper is added to curries and blends well with strong meats such as game. It reduces the fatty taste of duck, goose and pork and complements stewed apples. For generations, juniper berries have been renowned worldwide for their medicinal properties. Berries were added to alcohol and administered as a medicine for ailments such as kidney problems, stomach ailments and gout. In Dutch this health liqueur was called ‘junivere’. Around the mid-17th century, Dutch distillers created ‘jenever’, an alcoholic drink based on junivere. This evolved into gin. When you’re sipping your gin and tonic this summer, reflect that this cocktail originated as a remedy. In tropical British colonies, bitter quinine was dissolved in soda water as a preventative against malaria. Gin was added to make the quinine tonic water more palatable. It was considered healthy to drink one gin and tonic a day.

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Funny Girls

Barbara Streisand may have been the ‘Funny Girl’ of the silver screen, but some of these ladies have been making audiences laugh their Bridget Jones-style big pants off for years. We’ve put together a selection of books by funny women, for funny women, or just women in general…or men who want to talk about problems with hair in unwanted places, and how to walk in high heels.

Bonkers: My Life in Laughs Jennifer Saunders We couldn’t talk about Dawn French and then not include Jennifer Saunders’ memoir, Bonkers. A self-confessed procrastinator, Saunders seems to be under the impression it’s a bit of a miracle she’s achieved anything. There’s never been a life plan she says, more a sort of stumbling from one thing to the next, but it seems to be working for her. The book follows her haphazard working life alongside fellow ‘bluffer’ French and is full of their adventures together as well as those had whilst working on her own series such as Absolutely Fabulous. Then of course, there is her battle with cancer; again, not something she had planned for. She doesn’t shy away from talking about the tough times and it seems that laughter really could be the best medicine. How to be a Woman - Caitlin Moran Moran’s definitive guide to being female will tell every Miss, Mrs and Ms everything we’re supposed to be doing as we totter through life in toe-crushing heels , as well as raising all the questions we’re not supposed to ask, such as ‘do we really need to wax?’ and ‘should a sense of broodiness be in-built?’ It’s a laugh out loud book that will make you feel better about your old lady chin whiskers and your inability to get on a trampoline post kids. Billed as being ‘part memoir, part rant’ this is a laugh-out-loudfunny book that will reassure the ‘fairer sex’ and educate the male population, provided the blokes

can get past the chapters on puberty. Bossypants - Tina Fey Hollywood star Tina Fey has a unique ability to make us feel like she could be our best friend. In fact, she wouldn’t look out of place sat at your kitchen table, looking frazzled, glass of white wine in hand, telling you about her adventures into planning her daughter’s Peter Pan-themed birthday party. Bossypants follows Tina’s rise to fame from jobbing stand-up comic, to writing sketches for Saturday Night Live. The woman whose Sarah Palin impersonation is more wellknown than, well, Sarah Palin is funny, often painfully candid and incredibly self-deprecating, and you can’t help but love her for that. She gives the impression of being a woman on the edge; juggling an amazing career with her family life, and dropping a few balls along the way. Dear Fatty - Dawn French National treasure Dawn French has had an amazing career as a funny girl and this memoir is written as a series of letters to people who have influenced her life. Dear Fatty is a fantastic blend of honesty, poignancy and controversy, just like the comedy actress herself. As one half of the nation’s best-loved female comedy duo, French and Saunders, she and her partner in crime redefined the roles of women in entertainment. With their sideways look at life that started with performances in Comic Strip they’ve sent up pretty

much everyone in their hugely successful TV series. French tackles everything, from her career to her father’s death, and not forgetting a nation’s obsession with her size. A brilliant read. I Hate Everyone…Starting With Me - Joan Rivers The queen of controversy and the heeled assassin of the red carpet, no one is safe from the acidtongued Joan Rivers, including it seems, herself. The New York Times bestseller is a no holds barred rant about everything that gets on Joan’s nerves; nothing is sacred, especially not ugly children. Rivers has made a career out of making fun of people and this is a pretty hilarious rant. You might want to read it in small doses though, or face seeing the world through very jaded glasses That’s Another Story: The Autobiography - Julie Walters Beloved British star of both stage and screen, Julie Walters is as well remembered for belting out Abba’s classics as she is for her turn as Mrs Overall in Acorn Antiques. In her autobiography she chronicles her Irish Catholic upbringing in 1950s Birmingham, to her convent school, and her short-lived career as a nurse, before she turned to acting. West End performances, Oscar nominations and those Harry Potter films then followed over the next few decades. The book reads just as you would expect it be like to have a chat and a cuppa with Walters: open, friendly, entertaining and moving.

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Country Mutters

Mind how you go.....by Lady Muck

Having confessed to a friend that my life felt a bit like being trapped in a giant pinball machine, careering from one bruising encounter to another, she recommended I should look at the practice of mindfulness. Apparently, it’s all about clearing away your worries and stress by slowing down the pace and becoming aware of your thoughts, feelings and the world around you moment by moment. Sounds great, I thought - a fantastic excuse to ignore the nagging facts that the year is over half way through and I still haven’t written the novel, won the lottery, lost that extra weight or given a single thought to exactly what I propose to live on in old age. It all makes sense - never again will I find myself doing one thing while thinking about the next 15 things clamouring for my attention. I can ditch all my worries and live in the moment, savour the flavour of each sensation, clear my head of all negative thoughts and carve out a new life full of purpose, creativity and meaning. Not 2 hours later flaw I found myself at the dentists spotting the fl aw in my plan. The usual attempts at conversation began: Dentist: ‘Have you been on your holidays yet?’ Me: ‘Ar’. Dentist: ‘Where did you go?’ Me: ‘Arar’. Dentist: ‘Was it nice?’ Me: ‘Ar’. Duty done, the dentist returned to inflicting pain and I resumed the white knuckled hand clenching, attempting to dig holes into the chair with my fingernails while I stared dryeyed at the poster of the tropical island stapled to the ceiling above me, trying to transport

myself to that place of sun-soaked serenity and failing miserably. Here I was unwittingly practicing mindfulness while desperately trying not to. Instead of the usual mental chaos clouding my brain - the mountain of overdue tasks, the unending shopping lists, the indisputable necessity of being in 3 places at once - I had absolute clarity of vision. All the better to experience the exact pitch of every metallic whine, every exquisite thrill of nerve endings as the dentist seemingly drilled to somewhere just short of my eye socket while I hovered on the edge of an undignified undignified death by drowning in my own saliva. I tried distraction techniques, inwardly reciting my times tables in French, naming the tube stations along the Central line, counting Hugh Jackman’s abs - all in vain. I suppose that’s the pay off: off : in order to fully enjoy you have to fully suffer. suffer. If I applied this much concentration to a walk in the woods I might well gain more pleasure from the dappled light softly filtered filtered through verdant leaf, the vegetable life bursting from the fecund earth etc etc etc but I’m not sure my family would cope very well with my intensity of feeling. They have to leave the room when I cry at ‘One Born Every Minute’ as it is. Sitting rigid in that chair I decided I’d rather return to my blurred half life of snatched happiness, making do and pretending everything is all right really. ‘Everything OK?’ enquires the dentist. ‘Ar,’ I reply.

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Lights Out Monday 4th August 10.00 - 11.00pm ‘The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time.’ These words were spoken by Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Secretary in August 1914, as Britain’s ultimatum to Germany was about to expire. Lights Out is an invitation to everyone in the UK to turn off their lights from 10pm until 11pm, leaving on a single light or candle for this shared moment of reflection. In a dramatic nationwide event, the UK will plunge into darkness for an hour on 4th August 2014: upon this darkened canvas single lights will appear across the four nations, marking the hour that Britain entered the First World War 100 years ago. Lights Out is a headline project of 14-18 NOW, a cultural programme of new art works na-tionwide that forms part of the oﬃcial commemorations of the Centenary of the First World War. Many community groups and British Legion volunteers are taking part by organising candlelit gatherings at local war memorials. Some are researching the names listed on memorials. Some choir rehearsals that night will be done by candlelight, book groups may gather to explore WW1 poetry and literature by candlelight, artists will create artworks and display them by candlelight, concerts or other performances will take place by candlelight or by incorporating a single light display into the evening’s events. Could your organisation do something unique? For more information and to register your participation in Lights Out please visit http:// www.britishlegion.org.uk/remembrance/ ww1-centenary/lights-out

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Wormingford Community Education Centre WCEC held their Open Day at the end of June to

showcase their activities and to highlight upcoming workshops and events. Music was provided by Wormingford Community Choir, who performed a rousing concert of songs and readings from the First World War and WW2, complete with period costume. The members of Art Hub put on a wonderful exhibition and sale of art works, with a colourful display of various styles and subject matter. They have recently started a Life Drawing class once a month, which is proving very popular. Zoe Beevis welcomed children and their parents/carers to her Stay and Play room which runs every Monday morning in term time with lots of activities to enjoy and a beautiful outdoor space

to explore for pre school children. Laura Hopkins from Essex Wildlife Trust lead our regular Wild in Wormingford nature session, also Jane Crone and Ellie Mead from Travels in Time offered offered children’s archaeology workshops and Ben Findley ran stop frame animation sessions. Experienced coach Stuart Glister lead a workshop on Tai Chi and Jane Read was on hand with information about a new Pilates class starting in September. Dance teacher Mac Weir lead ‘have a go’ jiving sessions. Coming up we have felting workshops, Art Walkshops, Knit and Natter, a yoga class, digital photography and more. The day was well catered for with lashings of tea and scrumptious cakes. Many thanks to all who attended and our lovely providers who make WCEC a happy, vibrant place to be. For more information please visit http://www.wormingfordcec.org.uk/ or find us on facebook.

Come and explore East Anglian Railway Museum Open daily and fun for all the family

SUMMER EVENTS

Sunday 3 August - Step into the Forties

Let us transport you back to the 1940s. Soak up the vintage atmosphere with dancing, music, food and entertainment.

Saturday 23/24/25 August bank holiday special – Day out with Thomas Join Thomas and his friends for a brilliant day out.

Tuesday 9/10/11/12/13 September – 28th Chappel Beer Festival Food, music and a pint or two in our beautiful surroundings.

E a s t A n g l i a n R a i lway M u s eu m • S tat i o n Roa d • C h a p pe l C O 6 2 D S 01 2 0 6 2 4 2 5 2 4 • w w w. e a r m . c o. u k

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What’s On General

lovely gardens. Parking is available. Please contact Mrs. Freda King on 01206 211056 for further details.

At St Mary’s Church Ardleigh Friday 3rd October 12.00pm - 5.00pm, Saturday 4th October 10.00am - 5.00pm, Sunday 5th October 12.00pm - 4.00pm A wealth of floral arrangements on the theme of 100 years. Admission £2, children free.

Art Exhibitions

Flower and Harvest Festival

First World War Commemoration Service At All Saints Church, Little Cornard CO10 0PE Sunday 3rd August 4.00pm A service of Commemoration and Reconciliation on the Centenary of the start of the FirstWorldWar. The service will be followed by afternoon tea, all welcome to attend. For more information please call Brenda on 01787 227615.

Coggeshall Art Group Annual Open Exhibition At Hollington Bros. Church Street, Coggeshall Saturday 23rd - Monday 25th August Come, browse and buy with over 200 original art works to choose from. 50p entry for local charities. For more information please contact 01376 563113.

At theWaterside Gallery, Brightlingsea CO7 0FH ‘Completely Coastal 2’ Saturday 26th July Thursday 14th August

games and jewellery. Also a large raffle with many prizes donated by local companies. Easy parking near Institute hall. £1.50 entry includes tea or coffee and home made cake. All proceeds to Macmillan Cancer Support. For more information contact Margaret on 01376 572758 or Mary on 01376570083.

Contemporary Art & Craft Exhibition

Halstead Art Group Art Demos

For enquiries please contact Jane Howden on philip@cddltd.plus.com

At Ramsey College, Colne Road CO9 2HR Monday 29th September 7.00pm - 9.00pm Art demonstration by professional artist David Passfield, landscape watercolours. £5 entrance fee. All welcome to come along.

Coggeshall’s 27th Annual Flower Festival AtThe Parish Church of St Peter adVincula Saturday 23rd -Tuesday 26th August 10.00am - 5.00pm (11.30am 5.00pm on Sunday) A spectacular floral interpretation of the art and artefacts of St Peter’s church, with over 100 arrangements in 26 displays. Musical recitals will take place in the church during the weekend including a concert of music from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s by the Swing Express Big Band on Saturday at 7.30pm. There will also be a Songs of Praise style service on Sunday 24th August at 5.15 pm. Delicious home made cakes and light lunches will be available in the church and there will be a preserves and produce stall. Free entry although donations towards the upkeep of the church will be warmly welcomed. For further information please contact SueWilliams on 01376 562367 or email swrule@hotmail.com

Nayland Flower Show At NaylandVillage Hall, Church Lane CO6 4JH Saturday 2nd August 2.00pm - 5.00pm The 33rd annual show has 87 horticultural, culinary and craft classes to view, produce stall, raffle & refreshments, Nayland 2015 calendar on sale. Entry 50p. Schedules and more info on www.naylandhortsoc.org.uk

The Great Bentley Show

also be a performance by harmony singers. For more information please visit www.greatbentleyshow. co.uk/index.html

Fund Raising Weekend for 1st Lawford Scout Group & Urology Cancer Support Group Colchester Shuffle BoardTournament Friday 12th September 7.30 - 10.30pm Teams of 3 compete against each other with a prize for the winning team. Licenced bar. Adults £3, children 16 and under free. Michael BubleTribute Saturday 13th September 7.30pm - Midnight Featuring Johnny Mack, live band and real ale. Hot dogs, burgers and bacon rolls will be available during the evening. Adults £6 and children £1. Sunday Lunch 14th September 11.00am Steak and real ale pie, seasonal vegetables and apple crumble. The Bar will be open from 11.00am with lunch served at 1.00pm. £9 per person. Admission by ticket only. Please book your tickets in advance. All welcome. For more information or to book tickets for any of these events please phone 01206 393093 or 01206 395581.

At the village green, Great Bentley Saturday 30th August 1.30pm A traditional event for Step into the 1940’s all ages with lots of Great & Little AtThe East Anglian entertainment and activities Tey Church Railway Museum including a marquee Summer Fete full of competitions Sunday 3rd August AtWalcotts Hall, and exhibits, dog show, 10.00am - 4.30pm Macmillan Coffee Coggeshall Rd, Gt.Tey catering demonstration morning Come and experience the by Restaurant 43, hog Saturday 16th August, railway and life as it once roast with real local ale AtThe Labour Club, opened by Mr Graham was in this era. Learn about and wine, scout and guide High Street, Kelvedon Argyle at 2.00pm the station and explore catering tent, many good Friday 26th September re-enactments around the Enjoy refreshments, stalls, quality stalls, donkey rides, 10.00am 12.00pm site. The day will be packed raffles, swimming for raffle draw and lots of free full of activities including children, cakes, plants, Various stalls including parking. The Motley Crew 18 Please mention The Connection when responding to adverts unlimited rides on a train, be books, games and a tombola, good quality bricwill sing shanties and songs of the sea and there will a-brac, cakes, books, toys, a Driver for a Fiver and drive musical quartet in the

What’s On a train for just £5! *Over 18s only. Take a ride on Chappel miniature railway, walk around the display of classic vehicles and take a wander down our vintage street to mingle with our shop owners and locals! There will be music and singers during the day as well as a host of other exciting things going on. Visit our pop-up beer and cider bar, cool down at Miss Molly Moo’s retro ice cream van, get your hair done at our vintage hairdressers, purchase a bunch of beautiful seasonal English flowers, take part in our sports day and eat classic British fish and chips! Tickets are priced from £2.75 and under 4’s get in FREE! For further information call 01206 242524 or visit www.earm.co.uk.

25th Annual Book Fair At Holmwood House School, Chitts Hill. Colchester CO3 9ST (signed from exit 26 off A12) Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th October 9.30am - 4.00pm

Events at Marks Hall, Colchester Marks Hall Garden and Country Show A fun day out for the family, supporting local charities. Adults £8, under 15s free, advance purchase by groups of over 20 are £5 each.

Bat Walk Friday 1st August 8.30pm - 10.00pm Join local expert John Dobson for a walk around Marks Hall highlighting the different species of bats we have living in our bat hibernaculum. Booking essential, £10 per person.

Butterﬂies and Bees Walk Wednesday 6th August 10.30am Join local expertTed Benton from Colchester Natural History Society as he leads a walk to areas of interest, spotting all the different varieties of butterflies and bees which Marks Hall is home to. £10 per person.

Butterﬂy Trail Tuesday 12th August Sunday 17th August Marks Hall is home to a wide variety of butterflies; use our guide to track as many butterflies as you can. Trail is free, normal admission applies.

Hall, he will identify and gather as you explore, returning to the Barn to create interesting tasters from the ingredients he has collected. £10 per person. For more information please contact Louise Dover at events@markshall.org.uk or visit www.markshall.org. uk or call 01376 563796.

Drama and Dance

‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’ Outdoor Theatre AtThe Minories Galleries, High St, Colchester CO1 1UE Saturday 15th August 6.30pm - 8.30pm This production of Roald Dahl’s wonderful story ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’will be staged in the beautiful gardens, completely uncovered and outdoors. For more information please visit www.theminories.org. uk or call 01206 712237.

Productions at the Headgate Theatre, Colchester

Friday 15th August 7.30pm 35,000 books, games, jigsaws, cds and dvds will ‘The School for be on sale, freshly stocked Husbands’by Molière on both days. All proceeds DOT Productions presents Storyteller go to NSPCC and Childline. Molière’s commedia Wednesday 20th August dell’arte romp, or Rom Earls Colne 11.00am and 2.00pm Com in Corsets. Fun, Millennium witty and punctuated Join us as we take a Green Fun Day with political satire, this magical journey through production is a great Sunday 7th September the Arboretum with evening’s entertainment. local storyteller Mike 1.00pm - 4.00pm Tickets £12, £10 (conc) Dodsworth, enjoying tales Fun for all the family of adventure and exploring Wednesday 10th - Saturday including donkey rides, the surroundings. Normal 13th September 7.45pm bouncy castle, face painting, admission applies. ‘The Star Spangled Henna tattoos, treasure IncrEdible Walks Girl’by Neil Simon hunt, Splat the Rat and With Claudio Hole in theWall. Bring Comedy love triangle Bincoletto by HeadgateTheatre a picnic and enjoy the Productions. Tickets Saturday 13th September delights of this great open £10, £8 (conc) 10.30am space. Parking opposite www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk the green by courtesy of Join Claudio as he goes Tickets from the Headgate Colne Stoves. All welcome. berry foraging at Marks Theatre Box Office on

01206 366000 or www. headgatetheatre.co.uk

The Macmillan Crystal Ball in Aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. At Crowne Plaza Five Lakes Saturday 22nd November This glamorous black tie event includes a delicious three course meal, entertainment, dancing and auction in the Ballroom. The auction promises to be full of amazing items including holiday accommodation and other thrilling prizes! Please grab your friends, buy a table and come and help us raise lots of money for Macmillan whilst having lots of fun. Tables of ten cost £450 or £45 per head. For more information please contact 2014crystalball@ gmail.com or phone MrsWilliamson on 07768 765745

‘Alice in Wonderland’ At Marks Hall, Colchester Friday 29th August 6.00pm CambridgeTouringTheatre present a fantastic evening of entertainment, this year bringing the strange and wonderful world of Alice inWonderland to life. This is a fundraising event for Marks Hall Estate. Adult Advance £12/Gate £15, Concession Advance £9/ Gate £12, Family Advance £35/Gate £45,Workshop. £2.50, Under 3s free. For more information please contact Louise Dover at events@markshall.org.uk or visit www.markshall.org. uk or call 01376 563796.

What’s On continued 19 over page

What’s On Music Colchester Organ Society At Alderman Blaxill School, Paxman Avenue, Shrub End, Colchester On the first Friday of each month 7.45pm - 10.15pm Live keyboard concerts with music to suit all tastes, featuring top musicians from around the country. Friday 1st August AnnieThreadkell Friday 5th September - Steve Hubble £4 members, £6 non members. Refreshments and raffle. Ample parking inside school grounds. Free entry for two non members upon production of this advert. Contact Alan Pilgrim on 01787 269458 or email alanwpilgrim@tiscali. co.uk for further details.

Jazz Music Events at The Electric Palace, Harwich

Florilegium at St Mary’s Church, Stoke by Nayland Monday 25th August 10.30am TwentyWaies upon the Bels: Grounds and Rounds from Shakespeare’s Time at St Mary’s Church, Boxford Images of Love,War and Peace: Rembrandt and Schütz. An afternoon of events in collaboration with Gainsborough’s House, Sudbury Heinrich Schütz: Rembrandt in Music at St Peter’s, Sudbury 6.30pm Box Office: National Centre for Early Music (www.ncem. co.uk) or call 01904 651485

Roman River Festival 18th September - 5th October Over 100 of the UK’s most accomplished musicians will be playing 27 concerts from Baroque to jazz in various venues in and around Colchester. For more information please visit www.romanrivermusic. org.uk, call 01206 729356 or email info@ romanrivermusic.org.uk

online at www.leavenheath. org.uk or please call Lesley 01206 262505 or Ken 01206 263266 for tickets. Saturday 2nd August ‘LastVegas’(12A). Starring Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline. Three sixty-something friends take a break from their day-to-day lives to throw a bachelor party in LasVegas for their last remaining single pal. Saturday 6th September ‘The Monuments Men’(12A). Starring George Clooney and Matt Damon. An unlikelyWorldWar II platoon is tasked to rescue art masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their owners.

Things for Children Day out with Thomas

Archaeology Workshop AtWormingford Community Education Centre Sessions on Friday 29th August andTuesday 28th October 10.00am - 3.00pm Enjoy a day of archaeology accredited by the Children’s University, open to children between the ages of 8 and 12, cost £20 per child. For more information email Jane Crone or Ellie Mead travelsintime@live.com

Workshops at The Headgate Theatre, Colchester ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ Monday 4th - Friday 8th August 9.30am - 4.30pm Polka Dot MusicalWorkshop for 8 to 16 yr olds. This fiveday workshop will culminate in a free performance for an invited audience on the last day. Places are limited and will be allocated as money is received. Tickets £85. ShakespeareWorkshop Monday 25th - Friday 29th August 9.00am - 4.30pm Scenario Performing Arts present this fun course which will lead children through the world of William Shakespeare. Have the chance to bring Shakespeare to life. Lose yourself in a world that will make Shakespeare easy and fun. For ages 7 to 16 years. Tickets £80. For more information or to book a place please call 01206 366000 or visit www. headgatetheatre.co.uk

At East Anglian Railway Museum, Chappel Station, Colchester CO6 2DS Saturday 23rd Monday 25th August 10.00am - 4.30pm All aboard for a great day out Yoga and withThomas and his friends. Pilates Enjoy unlimited rides on See Pages 43 and 45 trains pulled byThomas,The TroublesomeTrucks, Daisy andToby and Henrietta! Cinema Meet the Fat Controller and Leavenheath Village climb aboard our miniature railway for non-stop fun. Hall Digital Cinema Be entertained with a Suffolk Villages At Leavenheath range of activities such Village Hall,Wrights Festival as story telling, colouring, Way, (signposted from Saturday 23rd August activity tables, dressing Events at Marks the High Road) 6.30pm up and stacks more. Hot Hall, Colchester Doors open 7.00pm and cold food available or Handel’s Messiah at St Mary’s Children’s AnimalTrail for 7.30pm start. bring your own and eat in Church, Stoke by Nayland Tuesday 29th July our picnic area. Advance Refreshments (wine, beer, Sunday 24th August - 3rd August booking adults - £12.50, soft drinks, tea and coffee) 6.30pm Child (2yrs -15yrs) £8.50. will be available before the Follow our animal trail Music from the European Under 2 year olds get in for film starts and during the through the Arboretum Courts:Telemann, free. For more information interval. Tickets £3.50 per collecting stamps as you Handel,Vivaldi, Leclair,Please mention please callresponding 01206 242524to adverts adult andThe £2 perConnection child. You go, see if you can find all 20 when the animals hidden in the can now reserve your seat Rebel & Marais or visit www.earm.co.uk. AtThe Electric Palace, King’s Quay, Harwich CO12 3ER Doors open 7.30 pm for 8.00pm - 10.30pm Thursday 21st August JanuaryThe Bohem Ragtime Jazz Band (from Hungary) Tickets £12.00 plus day membership. For more information please contact 07786 744789 or visit www.electricpalace.com

What’s On woods as you explore the different areas of the Arboretum. Trail is free, normal admission applies. Sandcastle Fun! Tuesday 5th August Sunday 10th August Discover our new sandpit which will be open for summer, see what you can build, post your creations to our Facebook page and see who gets the most likes! Activity is free, normal admission applies. Mad HattersTea Party Wednesday 27th August 3.00pm Join all the main characters from Alice inWonderland as we have our very own Mad HattersTea Party. Booking is essential. Admission £3.50. Normal admission applies. For more information please contact Louise Dover at events@markshall.org.uk or visit www.markshall.org. uk or call 01376 563796.

Talks and Workshops

Summer Workshops At theWaterside Gallery, Brightlingsea Thursday 28th August - Sunday 31st August A range of art & craft workshops for adults and children, demonstrations, art and crafts for sale. All enquiries to Nicky Sheales nickysheales@gmail.com orVikkiWalsh maekandoo@ yahoo.com

character of the artist’s so called‘late style’. Guest places are available at £5 to non-members. To book a place please email secretary@needfas.org.uk in advance of lecture. For full lecture information please visit www.needfas.org.uk

Digital Photography Course AtWormingford Community Education Centre,The Old School, Church Lane, Wormingford CO6 3AZ Tuesday 16th September 7.00pm - 9.00pm This is a basic practical course of 10 sessions in Digital Photography. Topics included are landscape, portraiture and nature photography, also camera settings, photo editing and more. There will be a maximum of 7 students. Sessions will cost £10 each or £60 for all 10, paid in advance. No previous experience is necessary or assumed. For more information, please contact Anthony on 01787 227331 or apjs121@googlemail. com.To reserve a place, please call Amanda on 01206 337338 or email wcec12@gmail.com.

West Bergholt Concert Band Open rehearsal

New Dance Fitness Class

Autumn Equinox ArtWalkshop

AtTheVenture Centre, Lawford Monday 8th September 7.30pm - 8.30pm Classes £5. For further details please call Debbie Millar on 01206 230806 or email debbie@ debbiemillar.co.uk

AtWormingford Community Education Centre,The Old School, Church Lane, Wormingford CO6 3AZ Saturday 20th September 10.30am - 1.30pm Do you like being outside in nature and currently paint or draw or would like to have a go? Come and join me for a relaxing informal workshop where we will be celebrating the start of Autumn with a focus on bringing texture into your work. £15 per person. Absolute beginners to practicing artists very welcome. Make a day of it - Sketch and Felt: come out sketching and paint some ideas in the morning and translate these into a felt picture in the afternoon with Craft Classes with Clare. £30 for both workshops (see entry below). To book and find out more, please email heather@heatherrachel. co.uk, call Heather Johnston on 07801 246113 or visit www.HeatherRachel.co.uk

Baby Massage (£25.00 for ﬁve sessions) Absolute Angels Montessori Nursery, Coggeshall. From birth – 6 months. Sept 26th plus 3rd, 10th 17th and 24th October at 10am. Massage is a lovely way for you to express your love and connect with your baby. Please contact Julie on 01376 562 000 to book your place.

Parenting courses Empowered Parenting Course Giving you and your child a head start. Five-week evening course starting October 6th, continuing on 13th, 20th plus 3rd and 10th November, 7pm – 9.30pm (£150 per couple) Contact Hannah on 01376 562 603.

At St Mary’s Church, West Bergholt Friday 19th September We’re a friendly, welcoming North East Essex and supportive group of Decorative and all ages and abilities, so if Absolute Angels Fine Arts lectures you’re interested in joining, Montessori Nursery, or know anyone who is, AtWeston Homes Coggeshall. this would be a perfect Community Stadium, opportunity to come along UnitedWay, Colchester and try us out! Even if you CO4 5 UP can’t make this date, we’d be Thursday 18th September delighted to see you at any 11.00am of our Friday rehearsals. For more information please Pictures of Nothing - Late visit www.wbcb.org. call J MWTurner by Nicola Graham on 01206 824157 or Moorby. This lecture will www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk discuss the origins and email Graham@wbcb.org.uk

First Steps in Felting - Flat Felt and Beads AtWormingford Community Education Centre,The Old School, Church Lane, Wormingford CO6 3AZ Saturday 20th September 2.00pm - 5.00pm You will be introduced to the exciting world of feltmaking, from selecting the glorious colours of fleece to the tactile process of wet-felting your first piece of flat felt. This can be framed as a picture or made into something of your choice. £18 including all materials. To book a place or for further

What’s On continued over page 21

What’s On information contact Clare on 01787 371654, email craftclasseswithclare@ hotmail.co.uk or www.facebook.com/ craftclasseswithclare

Painting In Borley Tuesday 19th August 10.30am - 4.30pm Sketching Landscape and Riverside with Karenza Jackson and Heather Rachel. Develop your sketches into paintings. £40 per person. Contact Karenza on 07760 304887 or Heather on 07801 246113 for more information and to book.

Events at Marks Hall, Colchester Fundraising Lecture: Arboretum Master Plan by Michael Lear At the Coach House, Marks Hall Tuesday 23rd September 7.00pm for 7.30pm Michael has been connected to Marks Hall for over 25 years having been involved in the initial Arboretum plan to now being aTrustee. Includes wine and canapés on the Coach House terrace before the lecture. Admission is £20 RHS and Marks Hall Members, £25 non members. WillowWorkshop Monday 15th September 11.00am - 4.00pm Join local expert Jo Hammond to make your very own Berry Basket. All the materials will be provided. The workshop will take place at the Barn, with refreshments and lunch included. This course is suitable for beginners or

those with some experience. Please note,Willow weaving is moderately hard work and does require a firm grip and the flexibility to bend over and squat down occasionally. This is a fundraising event for the trust. Admission is £40 per person. Please call to check availability.

Photography Workshop Saturday 2nd August or Saturday 27th September 10.30am - 4.30pm This introductory workshop is aimed at those new to photography or who need a reminder of the basics. Compact cameras and film cameras are just as welcome as DSLRs. As well as some ‘classroom’style learning, there will be practical work in the arboretum and/or the woodland walks around the Estate. Includes lunch at the Barn. Admission is £50 per person.

Community Dig Days Thursday 5th, Sunday 10th,Thursday 12th and Sunday 17th August 10.00am - 3.00pm Join us for a hands on day of archaeology with Colchester Archaeological Group, with practical training, guidance on digging, identifying finds and the opportunity to learn from the experts. We have a maximum capacity of 10 people per day, so please contact us to reserve your place. Free admission. For more information please contact Louise Dover at events@markshall.org.uk or visit www.markshall.org. uk or call 01376 563796.

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 We also welcome details of slimming groups, keep fit classes, language courses, farmers markets, boot sales and regular clubs, groups and societies.

Farmers markets

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

Lavenham Farmers Market AtTheVillage Hall, Lavenham Sunday 24th August and Sunday 28th September at 10.00am - 1.30pm Contact Justine Paul 07704 627973

Colchester Farmers Market The Arts Centre, Colchester Friday 1st August and Friday 5th September at 9.30am - 1.00pm Contact Rowley Castiglione 01206 367776

Wivenhoe Farmers Market Congregational Hall,Wivenhoe Saturday 16th August and Saturday 20th September at 9.00am - 12.00 Contact Rowly Castiglione 01206 367776

Brightlingsea Farmers Market At the Community Centre, Brightlingsea Saturday 23rd August and Saturday 27th September at 9.00am - 12.00

Contact 01206 302055

Sudbury Farmers Market At St Peters Church, Sudbury Friday 29th August and Friday 26th September at 9.30am - 2.00pm Contact Justine Paul 07704 627973

Hedingham Farmers’ Market AtThe Baptist Church, Swan Street, Sible Hedingham (next to the Sugar Loaves pub) Saturday 16th August and Saturday 20th September at 10.00am - 1.30pm Contact Roy Reece 07513 464567

Nayland Farmers Market At NaylandVillage Hall Saturday 9th August and Saturday 13th September at 10.00am - 1.30pm Contact DarylTurner 07780 258202

Long Melford Farmers Market At Long MelfordVillage Memorial Hall Saturday 16th August and Saturday 20th September at 10.00am - 1.00pm Contact DarylTurner 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: October/November - published 18th September

Deadline date for entries in the next issue 5th September 2014 www.facebook.com/TheConnectionMagazineColchester

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Walk on the Wild Side Liston Line

This walk devised by Derek Keeble begins in Rodbridge and ends in Long Melford. It is possible to walk the entire route (6 miles) or you could take a short bus ride at the beginning to give you a cross country route through Borley, Foxearth and Liston to Long Melford (5 miles). On the excellent website of The Foxearth and District Local History Society www.foxearth. org.uk/ there is an account of the harvest at Foxearth dated 19th September 1867, which relates the plight of the farm hands, of whom ’not a few were stricken down by the excessive heat and unable to pursue their work, while others were called away from their harvest toil, in the midst of their employment, and from among their companions in labour, to their final account.’ In other words, as the historians point out, the harvest was brought home at a cost in human lives and great suffering. The walk takes in some glorious countryside and should prove less arduous, heatwaves notwithstanding. Full details on our website at theconnectionmaga-zine.co.uk/category/ magazine-features/walks/

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Grief doesn’t have to be a lonely process We know how hard it can be to lose someone close to you, that’s why we are here to help if needed. East of England Co-op Funeral Services experienced counsellors, Evelyn Rutter and Rebecca Louis can provide support at a time when you need it most. Over the last 15 years Evelyn has ensured that hundreds of local people have not had to face the pain and grief of losing a loved one alone. She says: “It’s important to remember that everyone grieves in their own way and in their own time. It takes courage to ask for help, but it can also be the biggest step in the healing process.” Losing a loved one can cause a variety of emotions, ranging from numbness to extreme anger. For some it can feel like being on an emotional rollercoaster, not knowing how they are going to feel from one moment to the next. But there is no ‘normal’ way to react to loss and talking can help you to understand your own feelings.

Bereavement Support Groups While it’s natural to feel like no one could possibly understand what you’re going through, there will be others in the local community who are facing the same situation. Our free bereavement support groups bring these people together to share their own struggles, as well as providing professional support. Evelyn explains: “Each group gathering lasts between one-and-a-half to two hours and can be the opportunity to talk about raw emotions, reestablishing social lives and everything in between.

Everyone is different; some come along for a couple of meetings, while others attend regularly for several years.” East of England Co-op bereavement groups are open to all, as our ethos is to help and support the whole community.

One-to-one support We can also provide one-to-one support for anyone who may prefer to talk more privately. Personal support can work well alongside group sessions, or on its own in confidence. And, if we have taken care of the funeral service for your loved one, this service is free. Rebecca explains: “We can meet you in person, either at a place where you feel safe and comfortable, or at one of our many centres. Or we can arrange to talk to you on the phone, whatever works best for you. “We are not here to tell you what to do or to judge you. We are simply here to listen and ensure you don’t feel alone. We can talk through how you are feeling, explore ways to help you cope, and discuss ideas on how best to keep treasured memories alive, as and when the time is right for you. “Remember, while life will never be the same again, the grief and pain will eventually lessen and there will come a time when you are able to adapt and adjust.” For more information on bereavement support groups or for one-to-one bereavement support call Evelyn Rutter on 01206 797196 or email erutter@ eastofengland.coop or rlouis@eastofengland. coop . To find your nearest branch see: www.eastofengland.coop

www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk

Notice Board Poppy Picnics The Royal British Legion charity is urging friends and families to hold picnics throughout the summer to celebrate our Armed Forces community and raise money for the Legion’s vital work. The Royal British Legion’s Director of Fundraising Charles Byrne said: ‘You can bake, play games or offer prizes in exchange for a small contribution to donate to the Legion’s vital work. Even the smallest amount will make a real difference. We spend £1.4 million each week providing wide ranging, and practical support to Armed Forces families in need, including crisis grants, family breaks, and benefits and money advice.’ Free Poppy Picnic packs to help plan your event are available from Iceland stores. To register an event, order a Poppy Picnic pack and get inspiring picnic ideas, please visit www. poppypicnic.org.uk or call 07920 138798.

St Helena Hospice

St Helena Hospice is pleased to announce that they have opened a new retail outlet at 78-80 Culver Street East (opposite BHS) in Colchester. The shop will be selling a selection of goods including clothes, home ware, toys, bric-a-brac as well as a large wedding and occasions department set at the back of the store. It’s open Mondays to Saturdays, from 9.00am until 5.00pm. St Helena Hospice is looking

to recruit retail volunteers to work in any of their retail outlets including six in Colchester, two in Frinton-on-Sea and shops in Halstead, Clacton-on-Sea and Dovercourt. Volunteers can give as much or as little time as they can afford and St Helena Hospice really appreciates every minute of their time that people can give. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer for St Helena Hospice, please look at the current opportunities on the website www. sthelenahospice.org.uk/ volunteer

Link Line Circle of Friendship meetings at Venture Centre Lawford Coffee, biscuits, chats with occasional speakers, craft demonstrations, sing along or perhaps an outing. The next meetings will be 4th September and 9th October 2.00pm - 4.00pm in the Jubilee Room at the Venture Centre Lawford. For further information please contact Frank on 01206 272064.

The Great Bentley Show

A traditional event for all ages to be held on 30th August (please see What’s On pages for full entry). Why not try your hand at entering our competitions for vegetables, flowers, fruit, plants, Arts, baking, Children’s Section, photography and more? Exhibitors are reminded to

complete the entry form on line or in schedules available now at: DeliLicious Shop or Carpenters Farm or Fairfield, the Path, Great Bentley CO7 8PN. Please return to Fairfield by 8.00pm on 27th August. For more information please visit www.greatbentleyshow. co.uk/index.html

St Helena Hospice Cycle Ride

The annual St Helena Hospice Cycle Ride, which starts and finishes in Dedham, will take place on Sunday 28th September. Cyclists have a choice of two routes, either a 24 or 56 mile route through the beautiful landscape of Constable Country. Early Bird registration is £15 per adult and £10 per child and closes on 22nd September at 5pm. After this date you can sign up on the day of the event at a cost of £25 per adult and £15 per child. The registration fee covers administration, the event pack, refreshments and medals. The Hospice is also asking that all participants over the age of 16 raise a minimum sponsorship of £15 per person, which can be paid by participants or raised through sponsorship. Those who want to participate can register at www.sthelenahospice. org.uk/cycle14 or request a registration form from the events team at events@ sthelenahospice.org.uk or on 01206 791740.

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Regular Clubs and Societies Essex and Suffolk IVC

A social club for singles and couples meeting every month in Coggeshall. For more infor-mation contact Brad on 07587 004207.

Coggeshall Patient Participation Group

Ipswich High School for Girls aged 3-18

For patients interested in finding out more about Coggeshall surgery and contributing to the development of local health services. For more information call 01376 561840 or 01376 561943.

Kelvedon Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Institute

Various activities and outings. Meetings held every month at the Kelvedon Institute (except August). further information visit www.kelvedonwi. org.uk, follow us on Twit-ter @Kelvedon_WI, email contact@kelvedonwi.org.uk or call Joanna Puczkowski on 07855 369516.

Coggeshall Heritage Society

Regular talks, outings and meetings for anyone interested in the history and development of Coggeshall. For more information call the Membership Secretary Mr. R.Creswell on 01376 561570 or visit www.discoveringcoggeshall.co.uk

Whole School Open Morning

Saturday 4th October 2014, 9.30am-1pm

Sixth Form Open Evening

Wednesday 15th October 2014, 7pm For further information please contact our Registrar on 01473 201034 admissions@ihs.gdst.net | www.ipswichhighschool.co.uk Woolverstone, Suffolk IP9 1AZ Comprehensive coach service across Essex and Suffolk

Community First Responder Scheme

Great Tey, Chappel, Wakes Colne, White Colne and Earls Colne area. This is a plea to all villagers. We are a small group of volunteers that respond to emergency calls in our village area. Our aim is to provide assistance where required until the ambulance arrives on scene. All training is provided free of charge by the East of England Ambulance service and you can help for a couple of hours a week or more. At present we only have a few members and that means the equipment is not always available. If you feel you would like to become a community first responder, or you require more information, please contact 01787 223573 or email responderadmin@eastamb.nhs. uk Become a Community Responder and help save lives and make a difference in our area.

Magazine Distributors Needed Magazine distributors wanted for Aldham, Great Tey and Eight Ash Green. If you enjoy walking and want to earn some extra cash, please email: editor@ theconnectionmagazine.co.uk www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk for details.

And Another Thing by Tom Hughes I am getting married. This year. To a woman. Things are being set in motion, heads of steam are building, snowballs are rolling, rabbits are running. You get the picture. Sarah and I (or is it me and Sarah? I never know) met when we were old enough to know better, and fell in love anyway. But what started as a “bit of a do” has morphed into something much, much bigger. Where to start? Shoes, let’s start with the shoes. What is it about shoes and women? I have a pair of black shiny loafers for work. In fact I have three pairs. I also have a pair of brown slip-ons that I step into to go for the milk and the paper. The back of them are squashed down because sometimes I can’t be bothered putting them on properly if I’m say, just putting the bins out. The trainers I wear to go the gym are so tatty I think even the tramp in the precinct would turn his nose up at them. What I’m saying is that the look I strive for daily is shabby chic. Ok, just shabby then. But as I recently discovered, shoes for women are a completely different kettle of

battered cod altogether. If weddings send women funny, then wedding shoes send them to planet Giggly Girly. Because I wanted Sarah’s day to be special, I needed to make sure that everything was perfect from the ground up. So we toddle off into Manchester. Ok, so how difficult can it be? You can’t bloomin’ move for shoe shops. We wouldn’t be long surely? Sarah had a spring in her step as we marched determinedly past Clarks, Footlocker and all the other shoe wear emporiums that I have never seen the inside of. Then we stopped outside a posh looking outlet called Selfridges. After dodging the scary looking perfume sprayers prowling the make-up department, we arrived at the shoe concession, where we were suddenly surrounded by gorgeousness. Casually, I turned over one of the stilettoes. Oh, I thought to myself, that must be a European size….495. I put my glasses on – 495 quid!? The room started to spin. I looked up to see Sarah deep in

conversation with a handsome young man who was holding up a pair of sparkly shoes so delicate and strappy that they were almost invisible to the naked eye. Usually, if I see Sarah giggling and smiling with a good looking guy I get jealous. But when he stood up and did a little twirl of delight, I began to relax. I sat down next to a misty eyed Sarah who held up a shiny pink box and said, “Darling, these are the ones.” Do you remember the scene at the end of Pulp Fiction when Tim Roth opens the briefcase and a golden light shines out? A similar thing happened in Selfridges. The lid fell away and there they were, laying together like two perfect sparkly poodles. “Hello Tom, we are the Choo twins. My name is Jimmy and this is my brother - he’s called Jimmy Choo!” Sarah tried them on. She walked up and down, they did look amazing on her. “Can I have them, please?” “If it’s what you want darling, you can have them.” Sarah hugged me tight. She

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broke away, I saw tears in her eyes. The handsome guy who sold them to her looked like he was about to sob with joy. They were wrapped and taken to the till where I handed over my card. And then, as the pretty girl keyed in the price, I started crying too. Ok, that was that. The pain was just about bearable. I had survived. Or had I? Imagine a boxer against the ropes, his gum shield is out and the towel is on the canvas. Do the punches stop landing? Not a bit of it.

“Oh that? And how –“ “Three hundred quid.” “A bargain, I’ll take two.” “Don’t be funny.” My squashed down slip ons didn’t come with a matching flat cap. There isn’t a matching pair of gloves to go with my corduroy trousers. But maybe it’s just because I don’t do coordination. Not really what your bride wants to hear when she is planning a wedding, is it? To be honest, I always thought that me and fashion were strangers. That is until we

“Tom darling, this is the bag that goes with the shoes, isn’t it lovely?” “Where? Where is this bag?” “Here, here in my hand.” “Where in your hand?” “Over here, next to my thumb.”

left the shoe concession and went to choose my outfit. The fabulous gentleman in the menswear department could just see me in a slim fitting Hugo Boss. He picked out my suit, stood me in front of a full length mirror, turned to Sarah and went ‘ooh’. Sarah joined in, “Ooh Tom, that looks absolutely lovely on you, don’t you think?” “Do you know something Sarah? I think I could get used to this twirling business….”

Tom Hughes is a writer from the North of England. Befuddled and bemused by the modern world, Tom, when he has nothing better to do (which is most of the time) likes to commit his musings to paper. Follow Tom and Sarah’s wedding at groomsdaybook.com

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Codeword

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. 1

20 23

20 19

22 22

12 9

14 5

2 24

5 4

24 2

3 22

A N 10

9 9

24 22

14 16

6 9

11 19

2 14

6 3

15 18

14 10

Solution on page 42

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Mind Designs with Leonora Brooker

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Arty Activities for Children! Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plenty of arts and crafts activities coming up for children this summer both outdoors and indoors - perfect for any uncertain weather conditions! At Colchester Natural History Museum there are Wild Craft sessions on Thursdays during the summer holidays. These are drop in sessions where you can make creations inspired by the natural world such as snake puppets, cardboard critters or owl masks. You can also make a mask over the road at Hollytrees. On the 19th August there is a workshop where you can create masquerade masks for the Lady and Gentleman of the house. Sudbury Libraryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regular Sunday morning craft and story telling sessions are also a great way to get creative.

Firstsite and Colchester Arts Centre are offering Arts Award courses for different age groups where children can explore new art techniques and artist-led creative activities. Also at Firstsite there are regular group sessions for young people. YAP (Young Arty People) can take part in art activities and plan events. YAK (Young Art Kommunity) is for 15 - 25 year olds who create diverse art works to be enjoyed by all visitors. Heading outside to Abberton Visitor Centre you can enjoy a family Woodland Arts and Crafts session on 5th August. At Bridge Cottage, Flatford on 2nd August you can join artist Alison Stockmarr and make a book rest using collage and found objects. Perfect pastimes for the creatives and the foragers in your family!

Colchester Museums http://www.cimuseums.org.uk/ Firstsite http://www.firstsite.uk.net/page/3085/Whats-on Colchester Arts Centre http://www.colchesterartscentre.com/ Abberton Visitor Centre http://www.essexwt.org.uk/whats-on Bridge Cottage, Flatford www.nationaltrust.org.uk/flatford-bridge-cottage/things-to-seeand-do/events/

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Quick Crossword Across

1. 3. 9. 10. 11. 14. 16. 17. 18. 21. 22. 23. 24.

8 10

13 15

Down

1. 2. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 12.

In addition (4) Greets (8) Painful condition (7) Childminder (5) Developments (12) Appropriate (3) Braid hair (5) Winter sport (3) Purposefully (12) Time-piece (5) Distinctive (7) Moving very fast (8) Questions (4)

From the United States (8) 21 22 Tantrum (5) Used for seeing (3) Condensed (12) 23 24 Parts of an hour (7) Speaks (4) Solution on page 42 13. Two wheeled vehicles (8) 20. In debt (4) Talented (12) 15. Rigid support frame (7) 22. Male child (3) Delete (5) 19. Departs (5)

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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 4th September 2014

CPS

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Attention small businesses!

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Property and Garden Maintenance Colchester Workhorse Paul Richardson

Property

Brick & Block Work Rendering - Welding Punctures Mended Concreting - Fencing

3 Tonne mini-digger plus driver now available!

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Gardening Grass Cutting Tree Topping Hedge Cutting Small Garden Walls Fish Ponds Sand & Ballast Deliveries HGV Tractor Driving

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Podiatrist Podiatry & Chiropody Biomechanical gait analysis Custom made orthotics

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U N E R TA You have two minutes to find all the words of three or more letters that can be made from the letters above. Plurals are allowed, proper nouns are not. The 6 letter word will always be just a normal everyday word.

3 letters: 23 4 letters: 20 5 letters: 3 6 letters: 1 Solution on page 42

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Credit Crunch Gardening by Pippa Greenwood

If you feel that your garden has become an expensive hobby, check-out my top tips for Credit-Crunch Gardening. • Apply for an allotment. An allotment opens up a whole new opportunity to grow almost unlimited food at very little cost, get exercise without paying for the gym, and learn a lot from your neighbouring plot holders. • Gardeners are a very generous bunch, so don’t feel embarrassed to ask, friends, neighbours, or fellow allotmenteers for cuttings or seedlings of plants that you have admired. It is part of what gardening is all about. • Collect softish, deciduous leaves to make free soil improver. Just make a ‘cage’ from galvanised wire with posts at the corners or cram the leaves into bin liners and puncture a few holes. • Make the most of every bit of fruit and veg that your garden or allotment produces. Make jams, chutnies, jellies and of course bottle or freeze just about anything else. • Make your own wasp trap. Use a jam jar part filled with stale jam, mixed with water and topped with tin foil with a few holes in it made using a pencil. • Many local councils offer

•

really good value composters and compost bins. Better still, if you’re at all handy with the hammer and nails, create your own from old pallets or floor boards. Fill a flowerbed with colour by sowing it with hardy annual seeds – some can be collected from existing plants, others from packet seed, often at under £1 per packet. Ask your local pub to give you any stale beer from the driptrays and use it as slug bait. Use an old plastic beaker part filled with beer and placed so that the rim is about 1cm above soil level in a slug and snail prone area. Enjoy some wild food. Many garden plants are edible, and don’t forget the old favourites such as hedgerow blackberries - great for crumble, stewed with some apple or for making into bramble jelly. Many fruits sold in the supermarket come in smart, clear-plastic trays, which can be used as miniature seed trays, and most even come with a clear plastic top, the perfect mini propagator lid. Growing your own vegetables really can save you a packet. Right now you can order in seed for crops, and onion sets and garlic for crops early

next summer. Then early in the year start planting potatoes and sowing seed. • Look after your garden tools. Store them in a dry shed or garage, wipe over any metal parts with an oily rag to keep rust at bay and they’ll last years longer. • Invest in a few raspberry canes. This has to be the best money saving crop, as they are expensive in the shops. Once established autumn fruiting varieties yield heavy crops and can give you ‘posh’ fruit....for just pennies. • The garden furniture is probably the most costly item in your garden and statistics show it’s what gardeners spend most money on replacing. Remove washable seat-pads and cushions first, wash and dry these and then cover the furniture up or move it into a shed or garage if possible. Visit Pippa’s website www. pippagreenwood.com for a great range of gardening products including Pippa’s favourite weeder, Nemaslug, Nemasys caterpillar, slug, ant and other biological controls, Enviromesh & Envirofleece and lots more besides.

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An established Arborist & Tree Surgery Company based on the Essex/Suffolk borders FULLY INSURED AND N.P.T.C. QUALIFIED Tree Felling, Reductions, Pollarding, Thinning Crown Cleaning, Hedge Trimming, Logs For Sale Between Tom and Sam they have 15 years of experience Please call Sam Blackwell regarding any enquiries or for a free quote

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Inspiration for your garden Tutoring – home visits with a mix of discussion and practical learning, tailored to suit you Advice – visit and report to solve garden problems or offer inspiration and ideas Design - practical solutions and considered plant choice to make the most of your space “Alexese has some very inspirational ideas but also knows what works” Mrs R from Earls Colne www.gardendesignandadvice.co.uk alexesegardentutor@btinternet.com 07713 246028 Wakes Colne, Colchester

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Spot the DiďŹ&#x20AC;erence

There are ten differences - can you find them?

Puzzle Solutions Crossword solution Trial solution

Codeword solution

3 Letters ane ant are art ate ear eat era net nut ran rat ret rue run rut tan tar tau tea ten tun urn 4 Letters ante aunt

earn etna near neat rant rate rent rune runt tare tarn tear tern true tuna tune turn urea 5 Letters antre tuner urate 6 Letters nature

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Kula Life Studio, Easthorpe Colchester CO5 9HD

19.00-20.30 Yoga Foundations Course with Tory 19.30 - 21.00 Anusara Influenced Level 1 with Tory

9.30 - 11.00 Cross Train Yoga with Tory

Wednesday

12.15-13.15 Post natal/mum and baby yoga with Claire

11.00-12.00 Pre Natal Yoga with Claire

9.30- 11.00 Vinyasa Foundations with Sam

Thursday

10.00.11.30 Anusara Influenced Open with Tory

Friday

07720 285 660

18.00-19.00 Restorative Yoga with Claire

9.30 - 11.00 Vinyasa flow with Sam

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11.15 - 12.00 Meditation with Claire

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Monday

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Kula Life Yoga

Workshops and Community classes

Saturday

We are delighted to offer a full spectrum of classes to support and develop your practise. We also offer workshops, one to one and small group coaching. Please call us for information and booking.

The Autumn Session begins at Kula Life Studio September 1st.

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

Tel: 01206 710030

Tel: 01206 561234

Kelvedon St. Mary C of E Primary School

Stanway Surgery

Volunteering Opportunities

Tel: 01206 572372

Tel: 01206 505250

Tel: 01376 570411

The Pump House Surgery/Earls Colne

Al Anon Family Groups Helpline

Feering C of E Controlled Primary School

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

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

Chappel C of E School

Tel: 0207 403 0888

Police Contacts

St. John the Baptist C.E.V.A Primary School

Support Crimestoppers

Tel: 01787 269300

Tel: 0800 555 111

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

Tel: 01206 240251

Tel: 0844 477 9400

Copford C of E Primary School

Tel: 0800 1111

Cruse NSPCC

Aldham Village Hall Tel: 01206 212355 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: 01787 222296

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

Tel: 01206 210439

Tel: 0808 800 5000

Stanway Primary School

Missing Persons Helpline

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

Tel: 01206 210314 West Bergholt

Earls Colne Village Hall Bures Community Centre Tel: 01787 227278 Eight Ash Green Village Hall Tel: 01206 562860 Copford Village Hall Tel: 01206 211235

Eight Ash Green & Aldham

Victim Support

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

Airports

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

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

Doctors

Tel: 0800 111 999

Kelvedon and Feering Health Centre Tel: 01376 572906 Kelvedon Surgery Tel: 01376 574560 Coggeshall Surgery Tel: 01376 561242

Rail Enquiries Tel: 08457 484950 AA roadwatch Tel: 09003 401100 BT Faultline Tel: 0800 800 151

Tel: 01206 240355

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

Chappel and Wakes Colne Tel: 07771 622525

Gatwick Express Heathrow General Enquiries Tel: 0870 000 0123 Heathrow Express Tel: 0845 600 1515

Tel: 01206 323543

Please mention The Connection when responding to adverts

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

Tel: 01787 222435

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

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

Yoga Pilates Meditation Tai Chi & Chi Kung

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

www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk

Index of Advertisers Accountancy

16, 32, 35

Counselling

Alcohol store

Cleaning Services

Architect

Deli

Bathroom Fitter

Decorators

Beauty Therapist

Dental Clinic

Bereavement care

Bookkeeping

16, 32, 35

Electrician Estate Agent

26 25

Building Services

29, 26, 40

Florist

Bicycle Shop

Flooring

Carpet Cleaners

Funeral Directors

Caravan Storage

Garden Design

Care Support Services

Garden Tutor

Carpenter Childrens Nursery

40, 15

Garden Services

Hairdressers

Craft Centre

Computer Services

Heating

Heating Oil

Health Club

SUDBURY

River

Assington

Stour

A131

Stoke by Nayland

Bures

Pebmarsh

Riv er

HALSTEAD Coln e

Greenstead Green

Nayland

Dedham

Little Mount Horkesley Bures Wormingford Colne Engaine

Earls Colne

White Colne Wakes Colne Chappel

Great Tey

A131

Fordham River

Aldham

Colne

Stratford St Mary

Boxted

A12

Interior Design IT Specialist Joinery

4 26 15

Kitchen Fitters

Kitchenware shop

Lodge Accommodation 33 Oven Cleaning Oesteopathy

Pest Control

35, 36

Planning Services

Podiatrist

Public House

Property Maintenance 37 Plumber

35, 45

Railway Museum

Removals

School

Storage

11, 27

Swimming Pool

Travel Agent

Therapies

32, 15

Tree Surgeon

Window Repairs

Wedding Venue Yoga and Pilates

24 43, 45

West Bergholt A120

Eight Ash Green

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. Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedinanyretrievalsystemsortransmittedinanyform - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without the prior permission of the publisher

Dentist Direct Differences High quality long lasting mercury and metal free dentistry Advanced laser technology meaning more comfortable dental procedures with fewer drills and injections Convenient appointments early, lunchtime, late and weekends Easy, free parking Affordable private dentistry Innovative preventive dental treatments Dont just take our word for it...

“Thoroughly recommend Neel. I have followed him from his previous practice and would have travelled many miles to continue treatment with him.” W. Beazley January 2014 “It was a very unrushed and very caring treatment from the dentist, they are very sympathetic to your fears, I would recommend to all who are worried about dental treatment.” P. Barnard May 17th, 2013

New patient offer... New patient check-up including X-rays and hygienist appointment for £99 Plus a voucher for £50 off any further treatment! Please Quote Connection Expires 31st Oct 2014, subject to availability, pre-payment required terms and conditions apply.

Find out how we’re making fear of the dentist a thing of the past at www.dentistdirectcolchester.co.uk 01206 593 122 48

Please mention The Connection when responding to adverts

The Centre, Colchester Business Park, Essex, CO4 9QQ (next to mimosa)