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www.cheltenhamstandard.co.uk 22 JANUARY 2015 ISSUE 27 Your discerning local weekly newspaper
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PLAYBOY MODEL FALSELY CLAIMS £44,000 DISABILITY A LOCAL glamour model has been spared an immediate jail sentence after falsely claiming various benefits including disability allowance whilst performing in a Playboy film. Julia Martinez, 43, from Cheltenham, pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud after claiming she was too ill to work. Bristol Crown Court heard how she made several false representations and even changed her name and sending money to Spain to avoid being caught. Martinez’s income support claims amounted to £27,908.67, her disability claim to £14,112 and her council tax relief claim to £2,178.63, totalling £44,199.30. George Threlfall, prosecuting, said that Martinez loved money, whether earned or received through benefits, with some of her claims going back to 2008. He said: “Her diary is a fascinating insight into someone who was clearly obsessed by money, making it both honestly and dishonestly. She said the benefit system was fair game.’’ “Miss Martinez has done her best to
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cover her tracks.’’ He went on to say, “She works as a model or as a photographer. She had her own businesses, one of which was called Shoot the Bride.’’ “We also seized a DVD. It was clear she had acted in a Playboy DVD.” He went on to tell the court how she wrote that she was very lucky, owned her own house, was slim and attractive, had a lovely dog and a benefit system that allows me to live comfortably. Mitigating, Rob Lancaster said how his client had a history of mental health and was trying to get away TURN TO PAGE TWO >
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CHELTENHAM STANDARD 22 JANUARY 2015
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New custody suite for Gloucestershire opened by the former cabinet minister Jonathan Aitken COMPASS House, which enters service later, is capable of housing 50 detainees. Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl said Mr Aitken was chosen because of his capacity as a former prisoner. Mr Aitken was jailed in 1999 after admitting perjury following the collapse of his libel case against The Guardian and World in Action. The former Conservative served almost seven months of an 18-month sentence for perjury and perverting the course of justice. At the opening ceremony, he said he was “really impressed” by the facilities and described them as “the finest police cells in the country.” Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl said
Model makes false claim CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
Compass House is “a quite tremendous building.” The multi-million pound suite will replace cells in Gloucester and Cheltenham. He said he invited Mr Aitken to open the facility because “with his intimate knowledge and understanding of the crim-
inal justice system I hope his presence will send an important message to offenders and anyone thinking of offending.” The £12.4m complex replaces ageing cells in Gloucester and Cheltenham which were described as “long overdue” for replacement.
Don’t miss out on your right to vote RESIDENTS of Cheltenham borough who have not yet registered to vote are being encouraged to do so. National Voter Registration Day takes place on 5 February 2015 as part of a nationwide week of action to encourage and inspire people to come out and register to vote. In line with the campaign, and with the general election taking place this May, the borough council is urging its residents to get involved by registering to vote. They can do this online at www.registertovote.com or contact the elections team for a registration form. In the next couple of weeks, every household in the borough will receive a letter asking them to check that their registration details held on the electoral register are correct. If they are not correct, residents are advised as to how they can update their details so that they are entitled to vote. The national campaign also
aims to tackle the lack of engagement in politics which is common across the UK particularly among those aged 18-24, as less than 25% of that age bracket turned-out to vote in the 2010 General Election.
National Voter Registration Day proved to be a success last year, with around 35,000 people in the UK registering to vote in just one day. Andrew North, electoral registration officer said: ‘’We fully support this national campaign
which highlights the importance of voting. It’s so important that people make sure they are registered to vote before they go along to the polling station on voting day. You can register your details quickly online and the form takes about five minutes to complete. Registering your details by post is also easy – just contact the borough council’s elections office to do this. ‘’Once registered, residents can exercise their democratic right to vote for the candidates that they wish to represent them in government. Don’t forget – if you are not on the register, you cannot vote.’’ Further information about voter registration will be contained in the letters going to residents and in the meantime, people can visit our website: www.cheltenham.gov.uk/elections, call the elections team on 01242 264132 or call in to the Municipal Offices for more information.
from an abusive and horrid past. He said: “Miss Martinez has suffered serious depression since her 20’s, long before she made her first claim’’ He added: “The fact is that she was someone trying to get away from benefits, not live a life on them.” She suffered abuse as a child. She is a lady who has always sought the help of others to improve herself.” Martinez admitted one count of making false representations when claiming income support and one count of failing to update the DWP on her change of situation. She also pleaded guilty to one count of falsely claiming disability allowance and two counts of claiming she was entitled to council tax relief. Judge William Hart sentenced her to a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. Martinez may have to pay a fine, but that will be dealt with in June.
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New water pipes for Upton St Leonards “WE’RE working to make sure our customers’ water supply is always there when they need it, that’s why we’re replacing more than a kilometre of water pipes in Upton St Leonards,” said Jonathan Tait, programme manager for Severn Trent Water. That was the word from the water company, which started to replace £275,000 worth of pipes earlier this month. Work is currently underway in Woodland Green and will continue on to Ash Grove, Staites Orchard, Churchfield Road and Upton Lane over the coming months. Mr Tait explains: “Some of our water pipes in Upton St Leonards have grown old and become brittle meaning they can crack or burst. By laying brand new pipes, we’ll be helping to prevent the disruption and inconvenience that can be caused by a burst water pipe, which may cut off the water supply and stop taps and toilets working in the area. “We’re working in Woodland Green until mid-April, and we’ll be replacing the water pipes in Ash Grove throughout February. The good news is that we don’t have to
Police pursuit ends in crash GLOUCESTERSHIRE Road Police have tweeted dramatic photos of a car that crashed on Gloucester Road after a pursuit. Police said that the car “made off” from them at around midnight on Monday January 19 and after a short chase crashed at a petrol station. Police further commented saying that the driver had been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and drink driving and that all three occupants of the car were taken to hospital but were not seriously injured. They also said a large lock knife was seized.
close either road, but we’ll have to put temporary traffic lights in place. We’ll also be working in Staites Orchard, Churchfield Road and Upton Lane throughout April and May, and for the safety of road users and our workers, we will have to close Churchfield Road and Upton Lane.
“We’ve planned this work carefully to help minimise disruption, we’re also using new engineering techniques to get this work completed as quickly as possible. We’ve already been in touch with the local community, so residents know what we’re doing and how to get in touch if they need our help.”
Gardners Lane Primary School broken into twice POLICE were called out last Sunday evening January 18 2015 to a burglary that occurred between about 9 - 9.45 pm at Gardeners Lane Primary School, Gardeners Lane. The building was made secure but police were called again when it was unfortunately burgled for a second time on Monday January 19 between about 2 - 2:20am. Windows and a door were smashed during the incidents. The only item that appears to have been taken was a camera. As a result the school did not open on Monday of this week.
The company expects that all of the new pipes will be in use in early June. Together with its contract partner, Amey, Severn Trent Water will be happy to help with any questions or listen to suggestions. Customers can Amey’s 24 hour customer service centre on 0800 521 660.
TFIELD A E R G Farm Shop It is believed it was the same offenders who returned. It is possible they crossed neighbouring gardens. Anyone who believes they saw or heard something is asked to call police on 101 quoting Incidents 393 of 18 Jan and 21 of 19 Jan 2015.
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Bath Road lane changes underway CONES were put in place on Monday of this week as an integral part of Bath Road safety measures by collapsing two lanes down to one. The stretch, between the High Street and just after the junction with Bath Parade, is now subject to a three-week trial by Gloucestershire County Council. The benefits are three-fold, said Andrew Hieron, design team leader for Amey. He said: “We think it will give us the opportunity not only to sort out the congestion and air quality, but may also address the safety issues.” Two people were killed on the road in September 2013. It is hoped that a new push-button pedes-
trian crossing will aid safety. The traffic lights at Vernon Place, by the Kukui nightclub have now been turned off and the pedestrian crossing put in its place. “Early indications are positive,” Mr Hieron said. “The traffic was quite busy and we turned the traffic lights off and within five minutes everything was flowing as we’d hoped. “We were always confident this would work in off-peak times but perhaps in peak times it will be a different story.” During the trial traffic speed, volume and queue-length will be monitored on Bath Road and the surrounding roads such as College Road and Bath Street.
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CHELTENHAM STANDARD 22 JANUARY 2015
RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch gets off to a flying start
Nominate your hero for the Cheltenham Medal of Honour
RESIDENTS at Care UK’s Sandfields care home in Cheltenham have their binoculars at the ready and their bird feeders filled as they prepare to take part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch this Saturday January 24 from 11am to 3pm. Known as the largest wildlife survey in the world, the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch encourages people throughout the UK to take a closer look at the nature on their doorsteps by counting the different birds which visit their garden in any one hour over the last weekend of January, as well as recording any non-bird species such as badgers and hedgehogs. Following the birdwatch, staff and residents at Sandfields will be teaming up with Cheltenham Bird Club to create a bird friendly habitat in the home’s garden to attract more wildlife. Home manager, Ruth Baggs, explained why Sandfields is one of several Care UK care homes taking part in this year’s RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. “Connecting with our outdoor space and taking the time to observe birds and wildlife can be extremely beneficial for residents, particularly for those who are living with dementia. “The quiet, calming nature of bird watching can help lower anxiety, while the colourful sights and distinctive sounds of our feathered friends provide plenty of sensory stimulation. Bird watching can also be a valuable reminiscence activity, with the appearance of certain species and the sounds of bird song evoking memories and helps residents recall their love of nature.’’
She also added, “Sitting and watching the birds come and go quickly becomes an enjoyable shared interest for residents which can help combat any feelings of isolation, while practical tasks such as helping to clean and fill bird feeders can also be very fulfilling.’’ Family carers can get advice and support on how to incorporate practical activities such as bird watching into their daily routines by visiting www.careuk.com and requesting or downloading copies of Care UK’s two free guides: ‘As Easy as ABC’ – a guide to activity based care – and ‘Listen, Talk, Connect’ – which helps overcome the challenges of connecting and communicating with loved ones
Chalk hits back at Lib Dem “smears” PROSPECTIVE Conserva- MP Alex Chalk tive MP, Alex Chalk, has accused Cheltenham’s Liberal Democrats of “playing the man, not the ball” by focussing on his background. The Tory hopeful highlighted local literature distributed on behalf of local Lib Dems which claims Mr Chalk is not local to Cheltenham. Mr Chalk, who was until recently a practising barrister, wants to set the record straight. He said: ‘’I grew up locally, in Foxcote, by the Kilkenny pub. Cheltenham is my home town. I live on Gloucester Road by the station, with my wife and two daughters, the youngest of which was born at GRH last year. Lots of people build a career and then return to their roots. This is a silly and rather transparent attempt by the Lib Dem MP to distract attention away from the issues that really matter.’’ The Liberal Democrats have focussed in their literature on his stint as a councillor in
West London. Mr Chalk responded: ‘‘I have always been very clear about the years I spent as a councillor in London. It was a great experience in the most successful city on earth, and would be something I could draw on to be a more effective MP if I were elected. It’s also sad that the Lib Dems are being hypocritical here. Martin Horwood was himself a councillor on the Vale of White Horse Council in Oxfordshire for four years. He also stood for Parliament away from Cheltenham, first in Oxford and then London, before winning in Cheltenham.” ‘’Our Lib Dem MP should stop trying to pull the wool over people’s eyes and start discussing the real issues of substance. Whether it is immigration, the state of our town centre, parking charges, how we get the best deal for Cheltenham on healthcare, or protecting our green spaces, we owe it to the people of Cheltenham to have a grown-up debate.’’
NOMINATIONS are now open for the 2015 Cheltenham Medal of Honour. The medal recognises the worthwhile voluntary contribution that some of the borough’s local residents have made to their communities. The nominations are considered by an independent panel and all information is treated on a confidential basis. The award is presented during the Inauguration of the Mayor ceremony which will be held in June. David Richards won the award last year for services to the community. Cllr Simon Wheeler, mayor, says: “Nominating your local hero for this medal is a great way to say thank you publicly for the hard and valuable work they have done. I’d like to urge our residents to think about people they know that deserve this award, and send in their nominations right away.” For more information on the scheme and a nomination form, contact Jennie Ingram, Cheltenham Medal of Honour Committee, Municipal Offices, Promenade, Cheltenham GL50 9SA, or call 01242 264108. The closing date for nominations is Friday 20 March 2015. who are living with dementia. For more information on Sandfields call Ruth Baggs on 01242 258800 or email ruth.baggs@careuk.com For more information on which Care UK homes are taking part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, www.careuk.com/birdwatch.
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22 JANUARY 2015 CHELTENHAM STANDARD
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Cheltenham CAMRA present £350 to Sue Ryder Hospice MEMBERS of Cheltenham CAMRA visited the Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, to present the proceeds of their Christmas charity fundraising singalong held at the Sandford Park Alehouse in December. Customers made generous donations to request to hear and sing their favourite carols, traditional pub songs, modern classics and favourite songs. Led by Grenville Hillman on piano, and ably supported by a ukulele band, the music and raffle raised £355.73 - plus US $6! Veronica Emary, Chair of Cheltenham CAMRA, said: "Sue Ryder's Leckhampton Court Hospice is the only inpatient unit in the county. Together with the day hospice, the hospice at home and the family support service, Leckhampton Court is a great local resource we should all be proud of. The Hospice treated two of our loyal and
committed past members with amazing care and consideration, so this is our way of saying thank you. “CAMRA members, pub regulars and visitors all had a great time at the singalong, where they enjoyed fantastic beer and mince pies, whilst raising money for a good local cause.” Receiving the cheque (and dollars) Head of Fundraising Kelvin Green said: “I would like to thank Cheltenham CAMRA. Our running costs are substantial. 1.5 million of the 2.5 million pounds we require every year needs to come from charitable sources, so we are grateful for all fundraising. When people have fun raising money, then that’s even better. We can even use the US$6, or any currency, as it all goes towards our work.” Picture to right: Veronica Emary (Cheltenham CAMRA Chair), Kelvin Green (Sue Ryder) and Emiel Ramakers (CAMRA).
Dog attacks sheep in Bishops Cleeve GLOUCESTERSHIRE Police are appealing for information regarding a suspected dog attack on several sheep in the Stoke Road area of Bishops Cleeve. Sometime last Sunday 18 and Monday 19 January two sheep were badly injured in a field close to Malvern View Business Park, Bishops Cleeve. They received several bites to
their necks and were in lamb at the time. This is the second time in a month that sheep have been injured in the area. If any member of the public was in the area at the time and witnessed any dog behaving aggressively can they please ring Gloucestershire Police on 101 quoting Incident Number 94 of 19th January 2015.
AgonyAunt Kimberley Wall SOMETIMES in life it can feel as if we are continuously running the wrong way up a downward escalator. And sometimes we can choose to temporarily give up the uphill struggle – but then we realise all that happens is that we sink to the bottom and need to start all over again next time. Other times we can put all our efforts into running faster or try and take two steps at a time but this can be very draining and there is no guarantee we will make it to the top (maybe there isn’t an actual ‘destination’ to reach). So what do we do? I think sometimes it is easy for us to subconsciously accept the situation we are in and just try to make the best of it when really we need to challenge the very path we’re walking on. For example; do you ever find yourself wondering how you end up back at the same place emotionally? You may have changed jobs, houses or even relationships but find that you are facing a similar dilemma to the one you were originally quarrelling with; just in a new place or with a different person? This may be because while we challenge the external factors (such as how fast we’re running or, in real life, wonder whether if we had a bigger house it wouldn’t look so cluttered) we aren’t putting the
work into changing the internal drives and beliefs that are the cause of repeated patterns. Again for example, say we managed to get that bigger house and it did in fact look less cluttered for a few months, if we haven’t had a clear out or challenged our noisy/busy ways, in the end we will simply have a bigger space to cover in additional mess! I think this was particularly illustrated in the film I went to watch in the cinema over the weekend; Wild. It’s based on the true story of a lady, Cheryl Strayed, who went on a solitary hike for 3 months after finding that her demons were becoming too big to manage after a particular incident finally pushed her over her emotional edge. This seems very common in life where we continue to struggle up that exhausting escalator until one last event finally causes our energy to completely run out – and we fall over. Well in Wild, Cheryl recognises that an intervention is needed to finally face the underlying causes of the way she has felt throughout her life. She experiences painful flashbacks, challenges her usual ways of thinking and pushes herself to the limits knowing that without this change – her life will continue in the way it is heading. Not all of us can just take 3 months off out our lives to go on a hike next time we realise we need some clarification (“yeah, bye kids – don’t drive
Dad/Nan/Aunty too mad”) and neither would we all want to (next time I feel lonely I will remember how brave Cheryl was camping in the desert at night time and reassess my definition of being ‘alone’) but what we can do is recognise when we need to reassess the subconscious patterns or thoughts in our lives which are actually the cause of the escalator moving downwards. It can be hard work to really challenge these factors which direct the flow of our path but so beneficial; this could turn the escalator into a staircase in which we move at our own pace, but one which isn’t taking us back to the starting point over and over. For you the beginning of this process may be a much needed vacation, counselling with a partner if it is your relationship that seems to be going around in conflict circles, a hike, starting a new hobby, learning how to meditate or beginning a course of therapy on your own. Whatever you choose will depend on your personality and unique situation. If you would like to make an appointment with a Relate Gloucestershire and Swindon counsellor (charges apply) please contact us on 01242 523215.
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CHELTENHAM STANDARD 22 JANUARY 2015
COMPETITION WIN A BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE! Simply tell us in which establishment in Cheltenham this photo was taken? A. All Bar One B. Hotel du Vin C. The Montpellier Wine Bar Answers by email to editor@cheltenhan standard.co.uk First correct randomly picked answer wins a bottle of Champagne Closing date for entries Wednesday 29th January 2015 Illustration purposes only
Town centre road layout changes take the next step LAST week a Traffic Regulation Committee meeting held at the Town Hall considered changes to the town centre road layout. Committee members agreed with plans to change the town centre inner ring road and to trial restrictions to Boots Corner. The recommendations aim to improve traffic flow and make the town centre more attractive. The CTP is a Cheltenham Borough Council scheme but as the traffic authority, Gloucestershire County Council is responsible for the traffic regulation orders which are necessary to change the town centre road layout. One of the main elements of the plan surrounds changes to Boots Corner, which will be restricted to general traffic but remain open to buses, taxis and bicycles. The committee agreed to trial these restrictions for 10 months, and agreed permanent changes to the inner ring road including opening Albion Street, Oriel Road and Imperial Square to two-way traffic. Cheltenham Borough Council will now consider the recommendations of the committee on January 26, with the final decision being made by Gloucestershire County Council in February. If given the green-light and final design work is completed, changes to the inner
ring road could be made later this year with the Boots Corner trial following afterwards. Two periods of consultation were held to allow people to have their say on the proposals. The first was held between March 28 and April 28, with the second held between October 30 and November 22 after considerations following the first consultation. Cllr Vernon Smith, cabinet member for highways at Gloucestershire County Council said: “The Traffic Regulation Committee decision is the latest step in the Cheltenham Transport Plan process, and we now await feedback from Cheltenham Borough Council’s full council discussions a week on Monday.” For more information on the Cheltenham Transport Plan visit http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/ctptro
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THE SIMMONDS FILE Christina Simmonds – Ukip Cheltenham Parliamentary candidate for 2015 HOW does one get into the mindset of our Local Authority? They are privileged to serve one of the loveliest towns in the country, yet allow an eyesore to be created in the middle of it. The North Place Carpark development, by no means universally popular, has it would appear, fallen apart before it is even off the ground. Given the prominence of the site, it is simply not good enough for Cheltenham Borough Council to confirm that they had “received full payment for the site” and go on to say “they didn’t know what would happen to the site” now that Morrisons have pulled out. Why not? The redevelopment of a site so strategically important to the prosperity of the town should have had a contingency plan, particularly as it seems a very large dependence on success was related to Morrisons, a retailer known to be experiencing difficulties. The contract presumably did not provide
for the possibility that one or more of the partners in this plan might withdraw, and if so, what responsibility the developer carries, if any, in this case? Clearly it would have been better for Cheltenham if the developer, knowing that the Morrisons deal was on the skids, had delayed the site clearance and allowed shoppers to use the much-needed parking space until other plans were made. In UKIP we believe that all major development issues should be subject to local referenda. Had that be done in this case I suspect the residents of Cheltenham would have shown more concern for the detail and “worst case” scenario before rushing to contract. The subsequent problems now manifest themselves in a site which is neither use nor ornament to the people of Cheltenham. It’s not right, it’s not fair and it’s not common sense. Christina Simmonds www.ukipcheltenham.org.uk chairman@ukipcheltenham.org.uk.
Chez Roux restaurant gets off to a flying start SWISH New hotel No. 38 The Park hosted a sumptuous gastronomic event for Cheltenham Racecourse to celebrate the opening of Chez Roux at this year’s Festival in March. Canapés specially prepared by the Roux team were on offer to give a taste of what’s to come during The Cheltenham Festival.
Enigma notebook could fetch fortune at New York auction A notebook belonging to the man known as the father of the computing age is expected to fetch at least £600,000 at auction THE most ardent fans of last year’s blockbuster The Imitation Game will now be able to own a notebook that once belonged to the film’s subject Alan Turning. However they will Alan Turning have to part with an expected £600,000 to get their hands on it. The notebook, which probably dates back to 1942, is thought to be from the period of Turing’s life which inspired the plot of the Oscar-nominated The Imitation Game. Benedict Cumberbatch played Turing who led a team of cryptanalysts to break the German enigma codes from his workshop at Bletchley Park during WW2 which was the forerunner of GCHQ here in Cheltenham. Turing’s code breaking activity shortened the war by up to four years, saving as many as 14m lives according to some academics. While Turing should have been hailed as a hero, seven years after the end of the war he was arrested and convicted of gross indecency for homosexual activity. He was
not pardoned until 2013. To avoid going to jail, Turing underwent chemical castration, the effects of which led him to commit suicide in 1954. “The notebook is probably the most extensive manuscript that exists in Turing’s hand,” Cassandra Hatton, senior specialist in fine books and manuscripts and the history of science at Bonhams said. “To be able to look in and see his thought processes is extremely important, you see the types of things in mathematics that really bothered him, what he thought needed to be worked on.” The notebook containing 56 pages of handwritten notes was among papers that Turing left in his will to his friend and fellow mathematician Robin Gandy. Years later Gandy deposited them at the archive of King’s College, Cambridge, but kept this notebook. Alan Turing’s notebook will be auctioned in New York on April 13 at Bonhams.
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CHELTENHAM STANDARD 22 JANUARY 2015
BUSINESS Editor’sDESK
T
he snows nearly arrived this week, but not quite. Mind you, it still didn’t stop the local council from scaremongering everybody about the potential for havoc and chaos. Residents were warned that there may be disruption to household rubbish collections. I.e. we won’t be turning up to collect your rubbish. Apparently the ‘binmen’ or household waste operatives can’t come out to do their work in anything resembling more than a sprinkling of the white stuff. It’s a nonsense. It’s the Health and Safety Police at it again. Some of my neighbours went into mild shock by stock piling garbage in an attempt to stave off any mouldering problems that might rear their ugly head in terms of rubbish collection. The Canadians don’t muck about. In the City of Mount Pearl they simply state on their website, ‘The City will cancel garbage collection on days where winter storms will affect the ability of residents to place the carts for collection or in incidents where the carts will hinder the clearing of roads by City equipment. Residents are asked to check the City website or listen to local radio stations for notices of garbage cancellation’. You’ll note there’s no mention of the actual bin collections being cancelled due to the non-appearance of the actual men or equipment turning up due to snow. And of course we have the annual nonsense of local schools being closed due to snow in case ‘wee Jonny’ slips in the playground due to some snow. I went to school every day in the snow. I’ve got news for the schools. Kids love snow. It’s all very easy for the local education authority to close schools, giving the staff the day off, but what about the hard-pressed parents who either have to lose a day’s wages or pay for child care? It might be a good idea for the local education authority to think this through a bit more and perhaps offer to pay the child care costs if they decide to close a school due to some snow. Hell will freeze over first I’m sure. Will it ever be the case that the Health and Safety mob or the council will call a halt to either school activities or rubbish collection if we get a really hot day in the summer? Might be that the household waste operative may need to be issued with council shorts, flip flops and sun cream together with an endless supply of bottled water? Hope not. Can’t ever remember them cancelling a rubbish collection due to the bin men having to cope with a tan. It’s just a bit of snow. Sort it out and let’s not have any more prevaricating over some snowflakes.
Got a comment? Please contact us at editor@cheltenhamstandard.co.uk Cheltenham Standard is published weekly by Cheltenham Standard Ltd is registered at Suite 104, Eagle Tower, Montpellier Drive, Cheltenham, GL50 1TA. Reproduction of any material, in whole or in part, is strictly forbidden without the prior written consent of the publishers. All material is sent at the owner’s risk and whilst every care is taken, heltenham Standard Ltd will not accept liability for loss or damage. Dates, information and prices quoted are believed to be correct at time of going to press but are subject to change and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. Neither the editor nor publisher accepts responsibility for any material submitted, whether photographic or otherwise. All rights reserved. ISSN no. 2055-2092. Terms and conditions at www.cheltenhamstandard.co.uk
Superdry feel the warmth of winter THE Superdry brand bounced back from its autumn blues this week after a strong Christmas which was driven by online revenues and the arrival of much colder weather. Cheltenham-based SuperGroup, which operates 96 stores and 64 concessions in the UK, said like-for-like sales lifted 12.4 percent in the 11 weeks to January 10, albeit against softer comparatives. It said total sales increased by 17.8 percent during the period as cold weather from Boxing Day onwards boosted outerwear and knitwear sales that had hit a difficult time during the UK’s mild autumn. The business recently saw half-profits fall by nearly a third but now expects to meet revised full-year profit targets
of between £60 million and £65million. Shares jumped almost 11% earlier in the week, offering a boost to former Co-op chief executive Euan Sutherland (pictured) who joined the business in October before launching a wide-scale review of its operations. A former rising star on the stock market, the company has been no stranger to profit warnings. Last May, it warned that its profit would be at the lower end of expectations because of heavy discounting by rivals which was compounded by a late Easter and a lack of spring stock. Mr Sutherland said: “I am pleased to report a very strong set of results over the peak trading period. “Our up-
graded infrastructure was tested to the full by Black Friday and in the busy lead-up to Christmas and has proven to be resilient and effective. A record performance from e-commerce combined with strong store operations led to what became a truly multi-channel Christmas.” Many customers chose to shop online with growing confidence in the group’s delivery promise, resulting in a record trading period from the e-commerce platform.” Mr Sutherland replaced Julian Dunkerton, who co-founded the group from a market stall in Cheltenham, and moved to the newly-created role of product and brand director.
Pitman Training Cheltenham launch exciting new diplomas Today (22nd) Pitman Training Cheltenham are launching a number of exciting new diplomas to help local businesses to provide quality training and up to date skills to their staff” commented Centre Manager, Kath Daws. She continued, “We are very excited about our new diplomas and awards that will provide up to date and innovative skills to everyone who wants them. We are delighted that the President of Cheltenham Chamber of
Commerce, Martin Quantock, has agreed to come and publically launch these diplomas and awards for us.” “These new diplomas and awards will ensure that our students and local businesses can access the most up to date training” commented Training Manager, Kevin Daws “These include the new Adobe Creative Cloud Award and the new Graphic Design Diploma which complements our Event Management Diploma and Social Media
for Business Diploma and Award. The new awards and diplomas span a wide range of skills from IT Technical to Creative and from book-keeping to Microsoft Office Specialist.” The NEW Awards and Diplomas will be officially launched by Martin Quantock, President of Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce at 11.00am on Thursday 22nd January at Pitman Training Cheltenham, 27 Rodney Road, Cheltenham, GL50 1HX.
22 JANUARY 2015 CHELTENHAM STANDARD
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BUSINESS PHOTOGRAPHY BY GEORGIE PHAIR
Closing the gap… Local recruitment consultants Adjacency Recruitment TWO years ago founders Joe Graham and fellow Director Miles Greenslade were fused together by a mutual client who felt their combined knowledge and strengths would make a colossus of a consultancy. Both had come from differing professional backgrounds; Joe Graham is a chartered accountant and Miles Greenslade came from a sales and marketing background before they commenced their careers in recruitment almost 20-years-ago. Joe Graham says: “We believed our skills sets and recruitment experience was a great match and that it was going to be a success from day one.’’ Miles Greenslade says: “We knew very early on what we wanted from each other to make the business a success. It was always going to be about common values and complimentary experiences; a core that would determine the shape and future of the business.’’ Joe Graham comments: “Our core values are at the very heart of the business and in a sense provides our USP when it comes to both candidates and clients alike.’’ The consultancy now provides search, selection and interim management recruit-
ment services to a wide range of clients; sourcing exceptional talent from their existing network of candidates, advertised selection and direct headhunting, all of which are underpinned by networking and referral gathering that leaves no gaps. They also garner their resources to enable them to deliver Finance, Sales & Marketing, Human Resources, Operations and General Management remits from support staff to Board level appointments. Adjacency is the regions fastest growing, independent recruitment company and has a clearly defined strategy and business plan to be the supplier of choice for all Gloucestershire businesses. Existing clients cover a broad spectrum of sectors including Manufacturing, Professional Services, Financial Services, Energy, FMCG, Logistics, Retail, Technology & Telecoms, Public Sector, Communications and Media. Contact Joe or Miles on 01242 226971; they welcome the opportunity to present the story thus far and ascertain how they can make your talent search less onerous.
Why not advertise your business in the Cheltenham Standard?
CALL 01242 257019
County’s biggest business show on a roll OVER 100 Gloucestershire business and organisations have signed up to date to be part of Gloucestershire’s biggest business show. Organisers of the Gloucestershire Business Show, taking place at The Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse on 13 – 14 May, are expecting in excess of 3,000 visitors over the two days. The celebration of Gloucestershire business will provide a diverse programme of inspirational talks, panel discussions, debates and workshops across seven stages. Centred on 11 themes developed in partnership with local businesses, nearly 100 talks and seminars have been agreed, with new speakers and events being added every week. A unique Entrepreneurs’ Bazaar is another feature of the show, where enterprising individuals and start-up companies can share information about their services and products. Delegates will also be able to chew over topical subjects at business breakfasts and have the opportunity to sign up to a charity Gala Dinner on the 13th May. Cotteswold Dairies, Cloud Tamers, Willans Solicitors, Robert Hitchen Homes, the Growth Hub, Business West and the National Star College are amongst those who have already signed up. Cheltenham-based Business Kitchen is one of the event’s sponsors. The company will be running The Laptop Kitchen at the show and holding seminars and workshops as well
as one-to-one consultations. Co-founder of the Business Kitchen, Nigel Knowlman said, “As a showcase for county businesses we naturally want to show our support and make sure that the first event is a great success.
“We are delighted to be involved and have the opportunity to present how the Business Kitchen can support small and mediumsized businesses through its unique monthly workshops that help business owners develop the skills they need to run a
successful company.” Gloucestershire Business Show Director, Antonia Coles said: “We are the first to host such a large scale event for Gloucestershire, tailored for Gloucestershire’s business community. From the large corporate organisations to not-for-profit organisations and small start-ups, there will be something for everyone.’’ Co-Director Pete Allison added, “We are delighted to have so many organisations signed up to exhibit and deliver sessions at the event, and to have the support of the county’s local authorities and professional organisations such as Business West, the Chartered Institute of Marketing, the Institute of Directors and the Association of Gloucestershire Chambers and Business Groups.’’ Businesses and organisations that would like to find out about sponsorship opportunities or exhibiting can get in touch by emailing hello@business-shows.co.uk or visiting www.gloucestershire-businessshows.co.uk Tickets to the show cost £20 including VAT and booking fee for entry to both days’ events. Online booking will open in February but early expressions of interest can be sent to hello@business-shows.co.uk
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CHELTENHAM STANDARD 22 JANUARY 2015
Ageing population ‘one of top three challenges facing the UK’ THE country’s ageing population is seen to be one of the top three challenges facing UK society over the next 20 years, falling just behind healthcare and immigration¹. Meanwhile, four fifths (79%) of adults think the ageing population will present a large challenge for the UK. That’s according to a new YouGov poll commissioned by Independent Age, the older people’s charity. Other key findings include: • A third of all adults are concerned about someone aged over 65. • Among this group, physical health (63%), mobility levels (48%) and loneliness and isolation (46%) are the greatest concerns that people have about their friends and relatives aged over 65. • If a person lives alone, the greatest concern of their friends and relatives is that they will feel lonely and isolated (66%). The poll questioned 2,421 UK adults to explore the support needs among over 65s in the UK, and the role of charities and voluntary sector organisations in supporting older people. The survey was commissioned as part of 2030 Vision, a national consultation run by Independent Age about how to make the UK the best country to grow older in. The survey also revealed that over a third
(37%) of over 65s are concerned about their current overall health. Over a quarter (28%) of over 65s are concerned about their current financial situation. Almost a fifth (18%) of over 65s are concerned about the amount of social contact they have with others – rising to 26% among those aged over 85. Janet Morrison, Chief Executive of Independent Age, said, “It’s important that
people have recognised the country’s ageing population as one of the most important issues facing our society and acknowledge it is one that will only continue to grow over the next two decades. These findings suggest that as a nation there is a need to form a coherent approach to ageing and older age to ensure it is not experienced with fear, but positivity and optimism.”
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HEALTH&LIFESTYLE
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Complimentary 1:1 Appointments with Mr Warr Saturday 24th January from 10am (at the hospital) Mr. Warr MBBS, MD, FRCS (Plast) is consultant plastic surgeon working at Nuffield Health Cheltenham Hospital. Having trained in Paris and London his particular cosmetic interests lie in nose reshaping, breast surgery and body contouring. An expert in tailoring treatments to the needs of his patients, he is renowned for his attention to detail.
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STIFF, achy joints are often associated with old age, but joint problems aren't the exclusive domain of pensioners. In fact, far from it - a number of my friends in their 20s and early 30s have consulted physios for symptoms involving their joints, or occasionally turn up sporting support bandages for a troublesome knee or wrist. A new survey by joint health supplement Regenovex backs this up, revealing that almost 29% of the 2,000 respondents started experiencing joint problems in their 30s, while another 29% first had the pains in their 40s. More than one in six (16%) said symptoms started in their 20s. We are more likely to experience joint pain and stiffness in older age, largely due to the accumulation of wear and tear over the years, resulting in osteoarthritis. Genetics can play a part, and so too can injury, and things like being overweight or obese - which is increasingly affecting younger and younger age groups. Joint problems may be an indication of underlying health problems too, like rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases, so any unusual pains, loss of movement and inflamed hot and red - joints should be checked out by a doctor. “We are seeing increasing numbers of younger adults presenting with joint troubles. What is more worrying, is that it appears younger people are coming to seek physiotherapy treatment for arthritic joints,” says physiotherapist Tim Allardyce. “Two of the most common conditions
are degenerative disc disease [DDD], typically a condition you might see in your 60s, but now particularly common in your mid-20s. DDD is a degeneration of the discs in the spine - the cushion that sits between the vertebrae - and a common cause of back pain. When it comes to joint injuries, sports and degeneration are typical causes. Though not always the case, joint problems can often get worse if not treated properly - and quickly. “Seek advice straight away,” says Allardyce. “Go to see your GP, or your local physiotherapist or osteopath and get your symptoms checked. In many cases, just a simple workplace adjustment or a few exercises can cure the problem. But sometimes, treatment is needed to correct dysfunction [injury] in the body. Not all joint problems can be cured, Allardyce points out, like arthritis. “Once damage has been done to a joint, this damage may be irreversible. “However, there is still a lot that can be done to help the area, for example, by reducing load on the joint,” he says. “This can be done by improving biomechanics of the joint and the other joints around it. “Stretching muscles next to the joint and improving posture can also significantly improve typically incurable conditions.” With joints, prevention and maintenance is better than cure, but research suggests that some people experiencing sore, inflamed joints may benefit from increasing their omega-3 intake.
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2 Rotunda Terrace, Cheltenham, GL51 1SW Inspired by various locations around the globe, Soho Bar brings together contemporary style, state of the art light and sound systems for any occasion. On Thursday 29th January it welcomes back live music from BBC’s The Voice Finalist Vince Freeman and a special guest. General manager and National Benedictine Cocktail Competition finalist Tom Noori says “This year we’re bringing more events and great music with our new tapas style food. From The Pub/Bar perspective most of all, a bar offering a wide choice for Cheltenham with a cocktail menu the team and I have designed: both traditional and innovative, including cocktails of our own” Along with their weekly events and offerings, upstairs is a champagne bar in association with Lauren Perrier Champagne holding up to 60ppl for free hire.
The home of good food, Real Ales, Live Music and Live Sports in the heart of Cheltenham Come in for a warm friendly Scottish welcome Follow us on facebook for regular offers and updates.
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Poetry in a glass This weekend is Burns Night. A great excuse to pop to the local pub for a wee dram IF YOU’RE planning to roll out the tartan carpet on January 25 to mark the birth date of Robert Burns, Scotland’s most famous poet, here are some single malt whiskies to pipe in a classic Burns night menu... For a snifter to launch that Sunday evening of poetry and ditties, a whiff of stardom surrounds Arran Malt Robert Burns Single Malt (£29.99, 70cl, www.arranwhisky.com). The official Burns whisky and named after ‘The Bard’, who was born just across the water from Arran in Ayrshire, on the west coast of Scotland, it’s certainly in tune with a celebratory supper. Smooth and delicate with floral notes and a deliciously creamy mouthfeel, it’s rounded off by sweet, nutty fruits, vanilla and spice on the finish. There are plenty of mellow malts to tap into and serve with cock-a-leekie soup or smoked haddock chowder. Try Singleton Spey Cascade Single Malt Whisky, Speyside (£34.50, 70cl Waitrose) which has been finished in bourbon and sherry casks for an additional flavour note that’s easy on the palate. Smooth, sweet and appealing with well-rounded flavours punctuated by subtle apple notes and sweet spice, it will appeal to a broad range of drinkers. According to Ewan Lacey, general manager of the International Wine and Spirit Competition, there’s a movement away from whiskies which are categorised by how old they are, and a movement towards the style the whisky follows, like Highland Park Dark Origins (£64.95, 70cl, www.thewhiskyexchange.com) to make it easier for consumers to find something they like. With the focus on character rather than age, Dark Origins takes its name from the distillery’s founder. This new expression uses twice as many first fill sherry casks than the classic Highland Park 12 Year Old to create the rich mahogany colour and richer palate with sherried spice and signature sweet smoke. So you see, there’s something for everyone and perhaps a different way to inspire a rousing rendition of Auld Lang Syne. A number of local pubs in and around town will be hosting Burns Suppers this weekend and many of them will be offering a tincture of the ‘strong stuff’. So why not take a jaunt out for a wee dram?
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TELEVISION Your one-stop guide to the best terrestrial tv over the weekend
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CHELTENHAM STANDARD 22 JANUARY 2015
CULTURE EDUCATING RITA
Benefit night for Hollie Gazzard Trust
Wednesday 21st – Saturday 24th January 2015 Kings Theatre, Gloucester. Evenings 7.30pm. Matinee Sat 2pm spread our wings and take more projects out of Cheltenham and reach out to all sections of the community, giving more people an opportunity to enjoy quality productions. “We felt the theme of the play would lend itself perfectly for a benefit show in aid of the Hollie Gazzard Trust and we hope it is well supported.” Nick Gazzard, chairman of The Hollie Gazzard Trust said: “We are delighted that the play is Educating Rita. It shows the drive and ambition of a hairdresser to better herself and change her life. Hollie had the same drive and ambition and that is why the play is so fitting as a tribute to Hollie.”
A SHOW which sold out during its run at the Everyman Studio Theatre before Christmas is being performed in Gloucester next week, ending on Saturday with a special benefit night for the Hollie Gazzard Trust. Willy Russell’s modern classic, Educating Rita, presented by the Everyman’s professional theatre company opens at the Kings Theatre next Wednesday. Directed by Paul Milton, Educating Rita tells the story of hairdresser Rita (played by Dani Carbery) who feels that life has passed her by. She wants an education. But does Open University lecturer Frank (Mark Carey) have anything to teach her? Educating Rita is a hilarious, and often moving, story of a woman’s determination to change her life. Paul Milton, the Everyman’s creative director said: “We are keen to
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Art and theology experts present special lecture series at The Wilson A SPECIAL lecture series, presented by experts in the fields of fine art and theology will run throughout the still small voice: British biblical art in a secular age (1850 -2014) exhibition currently at The Wilson, Cheltenham’s art gallery and museum, part of The Cheltenham Trust. The exhibition will be on display until May 3 2015. ‘Still small voice’’ is an exciting and high profile exhibition of major 20th century British artists from an internationally held private collection. It offers visitors the opportunity to view around 30 works by 14 of the 20th century’s most impressive artists; and to consider why and in what context the work was produced; and how it communicates and relates to the human experience. The first lecture in the series, ‘Painting the Bible: European Artists as Biblical Interpreters’ will be at 5.30pm on January 28 2015 and will be presented by Professor Philip Esler, Portland Chair in New Testament Studies at the University of Gloucestershire. Professor Esler (pictured) specialises in the interpretation of biblical texts using social-scientific ideas and
perspectives to open up new lines of enquiry and to help understand the results. The talk on January 28 will consider the notion that while study of the iconography of Western paintings on biblical subjects is long established, in recent years a new interest has developed: the extent to which the creators of these works were themselves sensitive interpreters of biblical texts. In the presentation, the focus will be on two paintings which illustrate the capacity of the artist to engage with biblical texts in fruitful new ways within the social, religious, intellectual and artistic contexts in which they lived and worked. Still small voice: British biblical art in a secular age (1850 -2014) will be located in the second and third floor exhibition galleries of The Wilson and entry is free. Tickets to each lecture in the series are priced at £7 (£5 concession). Tickets are available from The Wilson in advance or on the door. During the exhibition, The Wilson is open at 9.30am – 5.15pm every day except Easter Sunday.
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CULTURE
THE LIVE LINE UPS THIS week Cheltenham hosts a couple of the most talented musicians in the country in Lilly Winwood and Chantel McGregor. This is an opportunity to catch two singer-songwriters in relatively intimate surroundings before they no doubt go on to greater things. On Thursday 22nd January Lilly Winwood headlines a night of acoustic music at The Frog & Fiddle. The daughter of two-time Grammy award winning musician Steve Winwood, Lilly's sound has a distinct Southern American flavour. Although brought up in Cheltenham, Lilly moved back to her birthplace of Nashville, Tennessee in 2010 to further her music career. Her influences include Cheryl Crow, John Mayer and of course her own father, who can boast of number one hits such as 'Keep On Running' with The Spencer Davis Group. Supporting her on the night are fellow acoustic acts Dan Hartland and Harry Harris. Originally from Birmingham, Dan Hartland is a regular on the local live music scene and in 2014 he released his Americana influenced debut album 'Young Man's Game.' Harry Harris was recently included on Buzzfeed's '34 Brilliant British Singer-Songwriters to Discover' and this gig is part of an extensive tour to promote his new album 'Songs About Other People.' Tickets cost £4 in advance. For more information visit http://chunderground.tumblr.com/
On Sunday 25th January Chantel McGregor performs at the Tithe Barn in Bishop's Cleeve. The 200 seat auditorium is a Grade II listed Tudor building and regularly hosts live music - recent acts include Beverley Craven, Midge Ure and Cara Dillon. Hailed as one of the UK's most exciting artists, Chantel McGregor was named Guitarist of the Year at the British Blues Awards in both 2013 and 2014. Currently finalising the recording of a new album, this concert in
Cheltenham marks the first night of her 2015 tour. Championed by the likes of Chris Evans, Chantel McGregor has been receiving plenty of airplay with her Jimi Hendrix influenced guitar sound. Tickets cost £16 in advance. For more information visit http://www.cleeveconcerts.com/ For more local music news visit Behind The Scene Gloucestershire www.facebook.com/behindthesceneglos
The Supreme Fabulettes THE Supreme Fabulettes, London’s critically acclaimed all-male female close harmony vocal group, will be celebrating their debut Cotswolds performance at Gloucestershire’s leading entertainment venue, Cheltenham Town Hall, on Friday 20 February 2015. Their live show, which is touring the UK, has earned them five star rave reviews and a No.1 Critics Choice award by Time Out. The Supreme Fabulettes - Miss Vicki Vivacious, Miss Portia De Fosse, Miss Silver Summers and Miss Vanilla Lush - have been highly praised for combining slick choreography, amazing vocal harmonies, stunning couture outfits and signature Gleestyle song mashups that blend number one hits with current chart toppers. Audiences can expect to hear hits such as ‘I’m Every Woman’, ‘Baby Love’, ‘Rolling in the Deep’ and many more. The fast-moving production boasts an impressive A-List creative team, including director William Baker, musical directors Steve Anderson, John Themis; Terry Ronald, writer and vocal arranger to Girls Aloud and Danni Minogue, with costume design by Stevie Stewart of famed world-tours such a Britney’s Circus Tour, and choreography by Ashley Wallen. Tickets for The Supreme Fabulettes are £20.50 and are available to book from Cheltenham Town Hall Box Office in person, via 0844 576 2210 or at Cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk
TO CATCH A RABBIT By Helen Cadbury Book REVIEW By EVE SEYMOUR WHEN a dead Chinese prostitute is discovered, fresh-faced Sean Denton, Doncaster’s youngest community support officer, is summoned to the scene. ‘Proper’ copper DCI King, a boorish individual with a burning dislike of what he describes as ‘Plastic Percy’s,’ soon rains on Denton’s parade. Denton, who has a habit of snapping the photographs of the deceased on his mobile phone, remains undeterred, which is just as well as the body count soon rises due to a particularly potent form of heroin. While Denton is doing his best and acting with his heart on his sleeve, Karen Friedman is fretting about her missing brother, Phil. Juggling husband and family commitments, Friedman works with refugees seeking asylum. Her area of expertise brings
her into direct contact with human trafficking. Could it be that there’s a connection between Denton’s dead and her missing brother? It’s tricky for a writer to be original in police procedurals. The reader automatically expects the appearance of a pathologist, a crime scene examiner, determined and lazy coppers and conversation about cause of death and timelines. Cadbury’s talent lies in the fact that, while she pays respect to the genre, she elevates it into a narrative that is mostly satisfying, realistic and honest. The British adore underdogs and in Sean Denton, Cadbury creates a character we are rooting for from the first moment DCI King sticks his size tens on Denton’s patch. The aggro between ‘real’ officers and those drafted in to be vital ‘eyes and ears’ is beautifully revealing. Where Cadbury scores in her debut novel is her portrayal of the gnawing obsession that grips people
when their loved ones go missing. She says something important and often forgotten: crime challenges and often changes irrevocably those on the periphery. As in all good stories, Sean Denton, our hero, saves the day, and uses a rather unusual mode of transport. However the action sequence in the denouement is observed through the eyes of another character and doesn’t pack as much punch as it might. Taking down the villain is also rushed and written in retrospect, yet the story is redeemed through a satisfying twist in the final pages. ‘To Catch A Rabbit’ is published by Allison and Busby. Eve Seymour is a freelance writing coach and the author of seven crime fiction novels. Beautiful Losers will be published by US publisher Midnight Ink early 2016. To see more details of her work visit www.evseymour.co.uk
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CHELTENHAM STANDARD 22 JANUARY 2015
QUIRKY NEWS 94 PHONES FOUND ON SMUGGLER A SMUGGLER has been detained in China with 94 iPhone handsets taped to his body. The man’s unusual posture as he walked caught the attention of customs officers in the city of Shenzhen as he tried to cross into China from Hong Kong on Sunday night, China’s state media reported. Reports indicate he looked as though he was weighed down with something heavy, despite only holding two plastic bags. When the airport-style metal detector sounded as he passed through he was stopped and searched. Images released by Chinese officials revealed he had taped the unboxed phones to his body and legs. The stash
SOMETHING A BIT DIFFERENT...
A selection of the strangest stories from around the globe
contained iPhone 6, 6+ and the older iPhone 5 handsets. iPhones are, on average, £80 cheaper in Hong Kong than they are in mainland China. High demand from Chinese consumers contributes to smuggling. Ironically, all iPhones are made in factories on the Chinese mainland, including one plant near the port where the seizure was made. The border between Hong Kong and mainland China is a notorious smuggling route. Electrical and luxury goods are often cheaper in Hong Kong than on the mainland. Baby formula is also often smuggled because of ongoing fears on the mainland about the safety of Chinese-made formula.
Balls for beer AN Icelandic microbrewery has reportedly launched a new beer flavoured with smoked whales’ testicles. The Stedji brewery’s Hvalur 2 beer is being sold for a limited period to mark the Icelandic midwinter month of Thorri, the Visir website reports. The testicles of fin whales - an endangered species - are cured “according to an old, Icelandic tradition” before being salted and smoked, with one being used per brewing. “We want to create a true Thorri atmosphere, and therefore we decided to use smoked testicles from fin whales for flavouring the beer,” says Dagbjartur Ariliusson, a
co-owner of the brewery. “We put a lot of effort into this and it’s a long process.” In 2013, Iceland resumed commercial fin whaling after a two-year suspension. Most of its whale meat is exported to Japan. The Stedji brewery angered conservationists in 2014 by making a beer which contained other whale parts, including bones and intestines. The product was temporarily banned by public health authorities, but later sold out in alcohol shops. This time around, all the permissions are already in place, the brewery says.
VENTING SPLEEN… Local man about town, Tom Thurlow lets loose
T
HIS WEEK marks a great week for feminism. It’s a week where in the name of equality lots of women lost other women their jobs. The Sun newspaper halted the publication of naked breasts in its ‘Page 3’ feature due to mounting pressure from leftwing nut jobs and fat, ugly birds across the nation. And it’s quite likely this will be a permanent move for the paper’s owner Rupert Murdoch in a bid to lose the ‘white van man’ image and position it as a mainstream family read; you know, appeal to the dumb parents that force their family to watch X Factor, shop at ASDA, you get the drift. I can totally understand the business behind the decision. It’ll be much more lucrative for The Sun to tread on egg shells and keep the family market sweet, which will bring in more lucrative advertisers (just as it does for someone like ITV).
What I take issue with is the backward thinking mentality of FEMINISTS who we live amongst and who’s relentless campaigning will have been the cause for this and undoubtedly, the unwanted mollycoddling to come. These monsters throw their weight around on a sleepless cycle and will whine on any non-issue they can get their hands on. They’ll actually moan so much about how hard they have it, that very little housework is getting done. Feminists don’t represent women or equality anymore. Once upon a time they served a purpose. They stood up to historic prejudices of voting laws, work opportunities, even their right to birth control. These women were standing up for what was/is plainly
fair and put themselves, bravely, in the face of danger throughout history to get it put right. Modern-day feminists are nothing on the courageous heroines of our past. They have no cause to fight for, they’re just bored women. If feminism is now about telling women what jobs they CAN’T DO I’d say these modern day ‘fems’
have done a pretty good job of destroying a movement that worked so hard doing the total opposite. The suffragettes would be turning in their graves if they could see these women strip others of freewill and the right to work in a job of their choosing. It’s an insult that they spew out their warped interpretation of right and wrong under the banner of feminism. I’ve decided these undesirable women (and men) aren’t feminists at all. If we let their political correctness ideology come through and be heard, then we will almost certainly stunt our right for choice we’ve worked so hard to enjoy in
the West. Bottom line is - if a woman wants to accept £50 to show her nips, perform a sexual act on video, or feather dust the entire picture rail running through my bedroom in just her panties, then all power to her! The contract of employment (in the last instance) is between the lady and myself and it certainly does not need interference from some aging, undesirable woman who’s got a chip on her shoulder because I didn’t like the sound of her from the telephone interview. But for all the modern day feminists out there, today is a day of VICTORY. Celebrate with a glass of wine at a posh establishment (may I suggest 131 The Prom?) Do me a favour though and wear something revealing; low cut?
Get more of Tom’s insights by following him on Twitter @thurlow
The views, opinions and positions expressed by the authors and those providing comments on these articles are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of The Cheltenham Standard
22 JANUARY 2015 CHELTENHAM STANDARD
17
I have drugs T shirt arrest
CoffeeBreak
A US man wearing a T-shirt bearing the logo ‘I have drugs’ has been arrested for possession of drugs. John Balmer was spotted wearing the top – which read: ‘Who needs drugs? No, seriously, I have drugs’ at a supermarket in Hudson, Florida. A Pasco County Sheriff’s deputy allegedly saw him attempt to pass a plastic bag to another customer in the checkout queue. When that person didn’t take the bag, police said Balmer walked to another register where he allegedly placed the bag on the ground. The 50-year-old was taken into custody after the deputies found crystal meth and marijuana in the bag.
Your Weekly HOROSCOPES ARIES (March 20 – April 18): You enjoy a good battle of the wits. It’s how you test others’ intellectual strengths, but remember that not all people share your sparring attitude. TAURUS (April 19 – May 19): Each of the next three months will be more challenging than the one before, but in the end, you’ll be standing on higher ground. GEMINI (May 20 – June 20): The powers-that-be are trying to rectify a mistake. This is good news since you were terribly wronged. A decision is reversed in your favor.
No to snow A TOP Saudi Arabian cleric has created controversy by issuing a religious edict forbidding the building of snowmen. Sheikh Mohammed Saleh al-Munajjid was asked on a religious website if it was permissible for fathers to build snowmen for their children after a snowstorm in the country. He replied: “It is not permitted to make a statue out of snow, even by way of play and fun.” Munajjid argued that to build a snowman was to create an image of a human being, an action considered sinful under the kingdom’s strict interpretation of Sunni Islam. “God has given people space to make whatever they want which does not have a soul, including trees, ships, fruits, buildings and so on,” he wrote in his ruling. That provoked swift responses from
StandOKU!
CANCER (June 21 – July 21): You like being close, but feelings of rivalry are prevalent too. This happens when dealing with a true equal. LEO (July 22 – Aug 21): Today’s spontaneous outpouring of praise is almost embarrassing – but you’ll still like it.
Twitter users writing in Arabic and identifying themselves with Arab names. “They are afraid for their faith of everything... sick minds,” one Twitter user wrote. Another posted a photo of a man in formal Arab garb holding the arm of a “snow bride” wearing a bra and lipstick: “The reason for the ban is fear of sedition,” he wrote. Snow has covered upland areas of Tabuk province near Saudi Arabia’s border with Jordan for the third consecutive year as cold weather swept across the Middle East.
1
2
3
4
Word Ladder Convert the word at the top of the ladder into the word at the bottom of it, using only the four steps in between. Every word must be a valid five letter word.
5
6
7
Difficulty rating: Moderate
5 4
9 2
8 5 1 9 4 2 7 2 8
8
6 5 9 4 5
9 4 5 9 8 6 2 3 1 2 6 7 3
TARGET
S R E I O T C V F
10 11 12 13
14
6 7
Make as many words of four letters or more as you can. Each word must contain the center letter and each letter must only be used once. Target: 20 words good; 35 very good; 40+ excellent.
9
15
16 17
18
19 20
21
22
23
Last week’s solutions (15th January 2015): Across: 1 Church-goers; 9 Upbraid; 10 Phial; 11 Total; 12 Nankeen; 13 Errata; 15 Corset; 18 Magnate; 20 Throb; 22 Romeo; 23 Immense; 24 Inelegantly. Down: 2 Habit; 3 Reallot; 4 Hiding; 5 Orpen; 6 Raiders; 7 Furthermore; 8 Plane-tables; 14 Regimen; 16 Ottoman; 17 Meting; 19 Atoll; 21 Renal.
VIRGO (Aug 22 – Sept 21): You’d love to cut a certain someone out of the equation but remember that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This includes pains-inthe-derriere. LIBRA (Sept 22 – Oct 22): It’s never too late for New Year’s resolutions – especially when today’s New Moon offers an opportunity to make a fresh go of it with a loved one or friend. SCORPIO (Oct 23 – Nov 21): One little change at home is all it takes to prompt a complete overhaul. Six months from now you’ll experience a rise in both emotional and property values. SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 20): Be pleasant – especially to those who don’t deserve it. Changes in the pecking order at work will result in friends being out and rivals being in.
CAPRICORN (Dec 21 – Jan 18): You’ve no choice but to move ahead with a project. You’re winging it on a hope and a prayer. Others have achieved victory with less. AQUARIUS (Jan 19 – Feb 17): Today’s New Moon symbolizes a fresh start. Don’t worry if it’s shaky at first. You’ll get your footing as you go along. PISCES (Feb 18 – March 19): You can’t confront and you can’t ignore, so what do you do about a certain problem? Let it teach you. Aggravation can be consciousness-raising.
GROWS
READS
SEEDS
CHATS
CRYPTIC Crossword ACROSS 1. Two doctors needed for unruly crowds (4) 3. Confessed and was allowed in (8) 8. He put two and two together and didn’t go under (4) 9. Old-fashioned, having had more boy-girl meetings (8) 11. Without any land for no good reason? (12) 13. Disposition of aunt changes again (6) 14. Waste time producing sweet (6) 17. Leave in mind for one section (12) 20. Director who is owed money... (8) 21. ... is a bit of a temperamental sort, too (4) 22. Handed in notice without complaining (8) 23. Novice in pretty rough conditions (4)
DOWN 1. Coping although the chap’s growing old (8) 2. Confirm wild animal escaped (4,3) 4. Somehow be loud twice (6) 5. Enticed sir into being unwary (10) 6. Full amount of small drink as a loss leader (5) 7. Extinct bird makes the party – twice! (4) 10. Getting bigger by the addition of folds? (10) 12. You and I will have trouble getting rich (4-2-2) 15. Corpulent friend followed with deadly result (7) 16. Made great efforts to get voters out (6) 18. Makes the odds less rough? (5) 19. Race round tree (4)
18
CHELTENHAM STANDARD 22 JANUARY 2015
PROPERTY&HOME
PROPERTY ADVICE
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22
CHELTENHAM STANDARD 22 JANUARY 2015
EDUCATION
Wednesday 11th February 7.00pm
Sixth th Form orm information informa ation Evening ening
Come C ome aand nd ssee ee how how w wee hhelp elp o our ur sstudents tudents rreach each ttheir heir ffull ull potential potential at at o our ur Sixth Wednesday 11th February Sixth FForm orm IInformation nformation EEvening, vening, W ednesday 1 1th F ebruary 7.00pm. 7.00pm. FFor or m ore iinformation nformation pplease lease contact contact the t he R egistrar Sharon Sharon Bird Bird on on more Registrar 01452 337337 01452 3 37337 or or registrar@thekingsschool.co.uk registrar@thekingsscho h ol.co.uk
Sixth Form Information Evening at King’s FOR parents and pupils seeking the best tuition and environment during the Sixth Form years, The King’s School, Gloucester fulfils that dream. With a dedicated Sixth Form Centre, small class sizes, outstanding pastoral care, and a celebrated range of extra-curricular activities, King’s offers a vibrant culture of endeavour and scholarship that has flourished since the School was founded in 1541. We are justly proud of what our students achieve during their time in Sixth Form, with year-on-year well over 90% achieving a place at their first choice University. Students entering King’s Sixth Form have access to a wide variety of courses, with classes kept deliberately small to allow
students to participate fully and adopt an adventurous approach to their own learning. Students are encouraged to extend their academic horizons through our established Academic Enrichment Programme and additional courses, such as Critical Thinking. A strong academic tradition and a focus on University preparation makes the Sixth Form at King’s the perfect environment for ambitious individuals to thrive. On Wednesday 11th February we invite prospective pupils and their parents to join us from 7pm, for our Sixth Form Information Evening, to see the wealth of opportunities on offer to King’s Sixth Formers.
UCAS reveal gender gaps NEARLY 58,000 more women entered university this academic year than men, according to new figures that suggest the academic achievement gap between the sexes is growing. Some 285,100 women were accepted on to higher education courses last autumn compared with just 227,300 men, says the admissions body UCAS in analysis of university admissions in 2014-15. Women also achieve higher marks while at university, according to data published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency last week. The latest UCAS information, which
shows a record 512,000 people were accepted into higher education last year, also details which subjects are mostly likely to be dominated by men or women. Male students strongly outnumber female ones on engineering and computer science courses, with 20,300 more men doing engineering and 17,300 more on computer courses. However, there are more women than men in about two-thirds of subjects, in which they outnumber men by a total of 107,500. These include subjects allied to medicine and education, where four in five students are women.
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Application-Form/ In 2014 we achieved our best results yet, 98% A* - E. All Sixth Form students are supplied with a laptop to enable their independent learning. Ofsted graded All Saints’ Academy as good in our November 2014 report. “The Sixth Form curriculum meets students’ needs exceptionally well to prepare them for their next steps in education, training or employment. They are given excellent guidance to make sure that they are on the best course for them. Students’ achievement in vocational subjects is outstanding.” Ofsted 2014
22 JANUARY 2015 CHELTENHAM STANDARD
23
EDUCATION
Fit for school, fit for life IF THE words ‘Land Rover Discovery’ make you leap for joy, grab your warmest coat and set course for an adventure. The direct funding scheme for school sport is going to be extended for a further five years. Each year primary schools will continue to receive £8,000, plus £5 per pupil. As well as promoting good health, Mr Cameron at the time said, school sport has an important role in building “confidence and a sense of achievement.” The funding - the Primary PE and Sport Premium - provides money directly to primary school head teachers, carrying on the sporting legacy of the Olympics. There have also been repeated warnings about childhood obesity and lack of exercise. The funding is meant to improve sports lessons, such as paying for specialist coaching, equipment or to help
after-school clubs. It was announced last year as a two-year initiative to run until 2015-16, but Mr Cameron has said he wants to keep this funding for another five years - beyond the general election. “Sport is so important because it encourages children to be active, lead a healthy lifestyle, make friends and, of course, have fun,” Mr Cameron said. “But quality school sport has benefits that spread right across the curriculum and beyond - it develops confidence and a sense of achievement, it teaches young people how to rise to a challenge, and nurtures the character and skills that will help them get on and succeed in life.” Sports presenter Clare Balding said that sport could also help academic results in school. “As well as increasing fitness, it has been shown to help concentration as well as being a key factor in appreciating team work
and a healthy lifestyle,” she said. Olympic champion Mo Farah said sports could make an important difference to young lives. “The help I got at school was a key part of how I got to where I am today and so it can make a big difference,” he said. The funding announcement was also welcomed by representatives of football, rugby, tennis and cricket. Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said annual funding of about £9,000 per school would not “add up to a great deal” for schools without a dedicated PE teacher. There have been repeated calls to improve school sport, with Ofsted warning last year that there was too little strenuous exercise in PE lessons. The cross-party Education Select Committee also reported at the time that many schools lacked the facilities needed for youngsters to get involved in sport.
Free school meal demands increase SOME schools across England are struggling to cope with the increased demands of providing free school meals to all infants, despite the government’s latest efforts to provide funding to upgrade inadequate facilities. The Department for Education announced this week the maintained schools that had been successful in their bids for extra funding for new facilities. But information gathered under freedom of information requests shows that parts of the country failed to receive any additional funding, while other schools are facing disruption from overstretched equipment or premises as a result of the universal infant free school meals policy. The DfE said the latest funding round of £20m was aimed primarily at providing facilities for the schools that were having to serve cold or packed lunches. The failed bids include schools that are using local village halls for serving lunches, schools where facilities for special needs pupils are being taken up with food preparation, and others where classroom time and lessons are being interrupted by the need for longer lunchtimes to fit pupils in. In several cases, school halls are being used for the extended lunchtimes, cutting into drama or PE lessons. Offering free school meals for infants was a policy championed by the Liberal Democrats in government. A Lib Dem source said: “Universal free school meals has been a success in the overwhelming majority of schools, and we secured this additional funding to help the very small number still only able to serve cold food. No school who showed they were in that position was turned down. “Local authorities have also received a huge amount of capital funding this year, with more on the way, to maintain and improve schools. They are free to prioritise this however they like.” The bids also reveal the patchy nature of the national situation. Birmingham city council – the country’s largest local authority – submitted bids worth around £3m in total, but not a single school was successful. Wiltshire received approval for just three out of its 33 bids, while Gloucestershire was luckier, winning funding for five of its six bids.
24
CHELTENHAM STANDARD 22 JANUARY 2015
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22 JANUARY 2015 CHELTENHAM STANDARD
25
TheVIBE A snapshot of student life in Cheltenham
WE’RE BACK! And with a vengeance…. ONCE again, we garish students have returned to Cheltenham once more. With fridges full and a fresh juicy student loan we are ready to rumble! After the ‘refreshers’ week, a haze of alcohol and bad choices it’s time for yet another library crunch time session, with consequential breakdowns and serious questions as to why one took such a flipping hard degree? At this point we all wish we hadn’t all ‘accidentally forgot’ to set an alarm or at least not been quite so hungover for every lecture. There is nothing worse than being fifty words into a three thousand-word essay and already
having run out of things to write about. Now we all know when it comes to resolutions, a large majority of us can’t stick with them, even if we start with the best intentions. For students it seems to be even more difficult. NO more hungover Domino’s we say, NO more leaving essays till the last minute we say. Before we know it, we’re in the library, chunder bag in hand after a hard night at Moo Moos and Terry (of course most students know the name of their Domino’s delivery man) is on his way with 40 portions of pepperoni dough balls. Of course we cannot stereotype all students in such a manner, many are ambitious, organized
Battle of BOOTS
THE dust is settling on the Battle of Boots Corner but the war is far from over. The Cheltenham Transport Plan, which outlines fundamental changes to the way traffic moves around our town was recommended for approval following a seven hour meeting of the County Council’s Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) Committee. However, the TRO Committee said that the most controversial part of the plans, the partial pedestrianisation of Boots Corner should be trialled rather than made permanent immediately. This trial should take place over a 10 month period as part of an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order, to assess the impact of displaced traffic around the town. Residents concerned about the impact of traffic displaced from Boots Corner have asked for this part of the plan to be trialled before being implemented. There are a number of concerns about the Cheltenham Transport Plan, some but not all relate to the partial closure of Boots Corner. Publicised by supporters as a ‘pedestrianisation’ scheme at Boots, there will actually still be 1,000 vehicles moving through the area as a result of the plans. There is concern about the suggestions
and wrinkle their noses at Terry and his dough balls. But If I had a pound for every disgruntled youth I’ve seen, sitting in the library two hours before deadline, scratching their head like a baboon with a chocolate bar, I could probably buy a house. It comes with the territory, “it’s alright I’m a student,” we’re old
enough to be allowed out unsupervised, but young enough to have no idea what we want, a lethal combination. The worst part about January is we’re already half way through that year of university, and for those of us in our final year, it really is almost over. No more excuses. By the beginning of June, it’ll be time for
Soapbox By COUNCILLOR KLARA SUDBURY that buses will travel straight across the front of Boots where many people congregate. The impact on the safety of pedestrians is also a concern. Many of the objections relate to the impact of displaced traffic onto residential roads such as College Road, St Luke’s Road, Fairview Road, St Paul’s Road, Ambrose Street, and Montpellier Terrace. The Headteacher of St Gregory’s School spoke eloquently at the TRO Committee meeting about the worries the school has on the impact on the road safety of the pupils of the school. Traffic modelling shows a huge increase in displaced traffic on roads near to the school including St James’s Square. A representative of Gloucestershire Police also raised concerns about the impact of the Cheltenham Transport Plan on the safety of cyclists at various locations. Whilst opponents of the plans by and large welcomed the recommendation to trial the Boots Corner element, it remains very disappointing that County Council highways officers have failed to develop a comprehensive scheme of measures to protect town centre residents from increased congestion and pollution. The Transport Plan goes to Cheltenham
Borough Council on 26th January at 6pm, for the council to comment on the recommendations of the TRO Committee with the final decision being taken by the Cabinet of the County Council on February 4th. Elsewhere plans to implement an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order to enable the trial of a one-way system on Exmouth Street, Hermitage Street, Francis Street and Naunton Crescent finally appear to be coming to fruition. I have supported it financially through
us all to have our first day in the real world, with no “I’m in fulltime education,” to fall back on. So you know what, to hell with all those resolutions, if you want to get Domino’s three times in a week, for final year students now’s your chance. There’s no way we will be able to keep up that behaviour in the ‘real world’.
PHOTO: JAMES TANDY
BY FRANCESCA COBY
my Highways Local budget, but the proposals have been driven by the residents themselves, who have worked tirelessly collecting signatures on a petition and speaking with their neighbours. As with most things in life I sense not everyone will be happy but at last there is now a chance to see once and for all if a one-way scheme will help or make traffic issues worse in the area. If it works out and helps residents that would be great, if not it will not be made permanent and will go back to how it is now.
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22 JANUARY 2015 CHELTENHAM STANDARD
27
MOTORING MOTORING REVIEW
ALL ABOARD FOR AN ADVENTURE
IF THE words 'Land Rover Discovery' make you leap for joy, grab your warmest coat and set course for an adventure. This Discovery Sport is the first step towards a new family of Discovery-badged family cars. It shares a lot of its undergarments with the Range Rover Evoque, but it's longer, with a remarkably clever new rear suspension arrangement that allows you to fit seven people into an SUV measuring less
than 4.6 metres long - about the same as the three-door BMW i8 electric sports car. If it didn't helpfully say 'Discovery' on the bonnet, you'd have a hard time telling it apart from the Evoque from the front. And with the bigger windows and the completely different rear end, It doesn't look cheap, and the Discovery name adds some off-road prestige. In fact, the more you look at it the more sweetly it seems to balance the rugged Discovery looks with
the modern, street-savvy boldness of the baby Range Rover. There are seven seats. Seven! It's not as cramped as you'd suppose in the back, either, thanks to expensive new rear suspension technology that removes the top links and leaves much more space in the cabin. The middle row slides forward to create more legroom at the back, while leaving enough habitat for adults in the front five seats.
The seven-seat car comes with a spacesaver spare wheel, but the five-seat option Land Rover launching at the same time will hold a full-size spare beneath the boot. Two-feet-deep water is reduced to a mere inconvenience, the Terrain Response system helps manage everything from tarmac to mud, gravel, grass, snow, ruts and sand, and the new touch-screen works with gloves - although only the kind designed for touch-screens. Despite its advancing years, the slightly agricultural 2.2-litre diesel engine still does a good job when paired with the ninespeed automatic gearbox. The ZF unit works seamlessly and flatters the rest of the car. Comfortable seats are important in this part of the market but the Sport ticks that box Value is relative. If you want a lifestylebiased compact family SUV that can tow, can seat seven and can handle even the toughest off-roading that any normal person is likely to throw at it, this really is in a class of one. It's more expensive than an Evoque though. This is a tall car that can seat seven in comfort, with the latest technology for everyone and up to seven USB ports for charging devices. But it's not a leviathan SUV, it won't rub people up the wrong way and offers more practicality and capability than anything else on the market for the same money.
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FESTIVAL TRIALS DAY 24th JANUARY 2015
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22 JANUARY 2015 CHELTENHAM STANDARD
29
SPORT
Local Sport
NORTH DELIVER PERFECT RESPONSE TO SEE OFF DUNLOP RUGBY UNION
Cheltenham North 30 Dunlop 5
New Year off to such a great start for Hucclecote teams NETBALL
HUCCLECOTE Netball Club started 2015 with a bang, recording a number of notable victories throughout the club. The Premier team, who suffered a surprise three goal defeat to Worcester Reds in their first encounter, put the record straight with a 22 goal victory at Worcester University. Hucclecote stormed into a 20-5 lead in the first quarter and although Worcester rallied, Hucclecote continued to dominate finishing 57-35. These valuable five points elevates Hucclecote into fourth place in Premier Division One. Both Regional squads secured maximum points too. Hucclecote Stars playing in Devon against Galmington fought a competitive match to win 49 goals to 45. Hucclecote Comets, playing Pinehurst from Swindon, similarly placed mid-table, were evenly matched initially.
However during the second half, Comets began to play with confidence and pulled away to secure an emphatic win 59-42. In the local league both Hurricanes and Lightning had comfortable wins. Hurricanes versus Randwick was a 43-21 scoreline and Lightning versus Cheltenham Ladies (48-25). Hucclecote Storm and Tornadoes did not fare so well. Storm slipped to a 10 goal loss against Randwick B going down 43-33. Hucclecote Tornadoes in Division Two had a tough, physical encounter with Barnett Waddingham which this young team found hard to cope with. However a seven goal loss, 4033 was a valiant effort. Hucclecote Panthers playing in the South West England Under-16s Regional League hosted Cornwall Saints on their return match and beat them with a convincing scoreline of 50 goals to 24. This keeps them at the top of this league with an unbeaten record.
CHELTENHAM North responded to last week’s bitterly disappointing result with possibly the best 40 minutes of rugby they’ve played all season. It heralded a dramatic five try hammering of high flying Dunlop, and reversing the large defeat inflicted on them by their visitors earlier in the season. Right from the kick-off they put their opponents under pressure, retaining the ball and cleverly changing the point of attack and were rewarded with a early penalty kicked by Charlie McKegney. There was no respite for Dunlop from the restart as wave after wave of attacks kept them on the back foot before Nathan Wakefield capped a good all round game both in set piece and loose by crossing for a fine try. Then a Paul Scott break was rounded off by Sam Allen and the North were 13 points up in 20
minutes. Dunlop’s tackling was solid but such was the North’s superiority that breaks continued to come: Danny Thomas, who, as always, was superb in attack and defence, broke from a scrum and fed the mercurial Rich Hance to race in under the posts. Scott picked up a yellow card from an altercation following a late tackle, but even playing against 14 men the visitors couldn’t get into the game. They were conceding a lot of penalties and eventually, just before half-time, the referee lost patience and carded their hooker for persistent offending at the breakdown. Ian Parker came very close to scoring as did Chris Wright on the other wing but somehow Dunlop managed to hang on without further score. Half-time couldn’t come quickly enough for the visitors with the score 20 points to nil. They used the time to regroup and came out in the second half with a resolute, but somewhat re-
stricted, game plan: keep hold of the ball at all costs. The North were possibly guilty of easing off the throttle a bit after half time but it was also Dunlop’s determination to stop the rot that changed the whole structure and tempo of the game. They retained the ball for long periods of time but, because they concentrated their point of attack close to the breakdown, the North were able to defend against it. Everyone played their part with Dan Hewitt and Hance putting in huge hits. In terms of territory and possession Dunlop dominated the second half but in terms of points scored, the home side won that as well. From turnover ball Ali Jones put in a deft kick for Wright to collect and race 40 yards to score. Dunlop came back and, after sustained pressure on the North line, finally managed to barge their way over. The North had the final word when McKegney, emulating Ali Jones, put in a beautifully weighted kick for Wright to gather and scamper home.
Cheltenham’s Kane is second fittest man in continent FITNESS
WILL Kane was deemed second fittest man in Europe this weekend at The Athlete Games in Manchester. The huge competition was open to all CrossFitters in Europe, with the top 100 men and top 100 women qualifying for the live event held at The Phones 4 U Arena in Manchester this weekend. The Athlete Games is one of the biggest and best competitions in Europe and the workouts reflected this. The movements tested lots of skill sets and ranged from legless rope climbs to max weight deadlifts. Kane was sitting in 12th position on Saturday night, so came back fighting on Sunday and managed to claw his way back up the leaderboard to fourth place going into the final event. He then stormed the final and ended up in second position overall. CrossFit Cheltenham had three other athletes competing at the
event alongside Will. Steve Bunn finished 10th in the over 35 category, David Shorunke was ranked 18th after the first day but had to pull out of the competition on the second day due to injury, and Jamie Verden placed 58th overall. The CrossFit Open, which leads into The CrossFit Games, starts in March and Will is hoping to rank high enough to get through to the European Regionals, and then on to the Games in California in June. CrossFit Cheltenham currently offer free taster sessions and then
your first month free during January and February, so go along to try a class and see what it is all about. The gym caters for all abilities and ages and has a great community. To book a free taster class, please call Steve on 07811332381. CrossFit Cheltenham can be found at Unit 39, Cheltenham Trade Park, Central Way, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL51 8LX. www.crossfitcheltenham.co.uk
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CHELTENHAM STANDARD 22 JANUARY 2015
SPORT Blaklion aiming to build on International triumph over three miles HORSE RACING
PROMISING novice Blaklion could step back up to three miles for the £60,000 Grade Two galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle (3.35pm, 12 entries) at Cheltenham on Saturday. The Nigel Twiston-Daviestrained six-year-old was the impressive 11-length winner of the Grade Two Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle when tackling three miles for the first time at Cheltenham during The International on December 13. He was last seen out when beaten a length and a half into third by Parlour Games in the Grade One Challow Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs at Newbury on December 29. Blaklion is also entered in the £30,000 Grade Two Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle (3.00pm, 21 entries) over an extended two and a half miles at Cheltenham, but would have to shoulder a 7lb penalty in that contest for his Grade Two victory in December on Saturday. Twiston-Davies said today: “There is a good chance Blaklion will run at the weekend. He is in
the Cleeve and the Neptune race at Cheltenham and we have also put him in up at Doncaster. “He has come out of Newbury fine and is in really good form. He had to make his own running at Newbury and just got outsped at the finish. What we want is an end to end gallop over three miles and hopefully he will be brilliant again. “I need to go through the entries and speak to the owners before deciding what we do, but we will have a look at the Cleeve.” There are 11 other entries for galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle, headed by Beat That (Nicky Henderson) who won two Grade One contests in the spring and made an encouraging return to action at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. The seven-year-old is a 12/1 shot for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at The Festival. Saphir Du Rheu (Paul Nicholls) and Holywell (Jonjo O’Neill) are set to return to hurdles after failing to complete over fences last time out, while Ireland’s champion trainer Willie Mullins could travel Grade One scorers Briar Hill and Zaidpour. Other notables include 2013 victor Reve De Sivola (Nick Williams), 2014 second At Fishers Cross (Rebecca Curtis), Cole Harden (Warren Greatrex) and Un Temps Pour Tout (David Pipe). A seven-race card gets underway with the £30,000 JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial (12.40pm) over two miles and a furlong. Peace And Co (Nicky Henderson) tops the 16
Value At Risk ready for challenge HORSE RACING CONTINUED FROM BACK PAGE
erbys Champion Bumper at The Festival. He rounded off the campaign with third to Shaneshill in the Champion Bumper at Punchestown in April. Value At Risk joined Warwickshire handler Dan Skelton in November and galloped on relentlessly to gain a 22-length victory on his hurdling debut at Newbury on December 17. The son of Kayf Tara is prominent in the ante-post for markets for the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle and the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at The Festival in March. Skelton reported: “Value At Risk’s preparation has gone very smoothly and, since Newbury, it has always been the plan to take
him to Cheltenham next Saturday. “Obviously, the weather is looking very wet but we are really looking forward to running him. “I thought he would win at Newbury but I did not expect him to do it as impressively as he did. We had left a lot to work on because we have got next year in the back of our minds. “He will have an entry in both the Neptune and Albert Bartlett at The Festival, but he is very much a horse for the future.” Skelton is also planning to run Zarib, who took a juvenile hurdle on the same Newbury card as Value At Risk, in the opening £30,000 Grade Two JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial over two miles and a furlong. The son of Azamour was a 56,000 euros purchase at Goffs in October after winning one of his
Local Sport entries after a stunning British debut in a Grade Two at Doncaster on December 13, when he routed his opponents by 16 lengths. The four-year-old’s owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede are also responsible for Bristol De Mai (Nigel Twiston-Davies), who impressed on his British debut when taking the Grade One Finale Hurdle at Chepstow by six lengths. Twiston-Davies said: “Bristol De Mai is in at Cheltenham but the owners also have Peace And Co in there. “If Peace And Co doesn’t run, then Bristol will, but otherwise we will wait for the Victor Ludorum at Haydock.” As well as Peace And Co, Nicky Henderson is likely to run Bivouac who is also unbeaten in Britain after decisive victories at Sandown Park and Kempton Park, while Dan Skelton is planning to saddle eyecatching Newbury scorer Zarib. There are three competitive handicaps, headlined by the £50,000 Grade Three Freebets.com Trophy (2.25pm, 16 entries) over two miles and five furlongs. The winner will be rewarded with a £50,000 bonus if they can go on and win any race at The Festival. Completing the handicap action is the £25,000 Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase (1.15pm, 24 entries) and the concluding £25,000 Steel Plate And Sections Handicap Hurdle (4.10pm, 21 entries), which was won last year by subsequent Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle victor Lac Fontana.
eight starts on the Flat for Michael Halford. Skelton said: “Zarib won nicely at Newbury and will run in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial. “The runner-up from Newbury has been beaten subsequently, so it doesn’t give the form a great look but Zarib travelled extremely well. “I think his jumping has improved since and I am looking forward to getting him out again.”
Kings Reserves unable to stop leaders Northway marching to another victory CHELTENHAM LEAGUE FOOTBALL
Northway Kings Reserves
4 2
TOP of the table Northway secured another three points against Kings Reserves, who were in fourth place in Division Four of the Cheltenham League. Kings came under early pressure and it was Beasley, making a return to full time football for Northway, who opened the door for them to take the lead. Kings failed to clear a ball into the box and it fell to Beasley who turned to hit a shot which was blocked, but it went across and was prodded home for 1-0. Northway needed the help of a controversial penalty decision on 36 minutes to go further ahead at 2-0.
With the second half only nine minutes old, Kings were back in the game when a cross from Febery found Pete Maddox on the left and his low shot made it 2-1. On 56 minutes, Northway were awarded a corner and the Kings defence were unable to stop a header which whistled into the net to make it 3-1. Some tactical changes worked when on 58 minutes, substitute Beedy Hussain went close when his shot was well saved by Andrews. A minute later, Hussain’s shot came back off the crossbar, but Northway broke free to make it 4-1 on 60 minutes. With the match going into added time Kings did get a consolation goal, when Febery put a cross into the Northway box and it found its way into the back of the net.
Hartpury footballers preparing for Italian job FOOTBALL
AS THE ECFA 2014 Champions League winners, Hartpury’s junior elite team have been invited to represent England Colleges FA in the Roma Caput Mundi – the International Juvenile Amateur Tournament – in Rome from March 8-13. They will compete against seven other teams that are either full Under18s international teams or international amateur teams. Those teams are Romania, Albania, Greece, the Italian National Amateur team, a Lazio representative team, Russia and San Marino. “Participation in this tournament is by invitation only from the Italian Football Federation and it is a tremendous honour for Hartpury to be invited to play as the English Colleges national team,” said Paul Tassell, Hartpury junior football programme manager.
ABOUT FESTIVAL TRIALS DAY... Festival Trials Day is the last opportunity for horses to gain valuable experience around Cheltenham ahead of The Festival in March. The seven-race card features four Grade Two contests - the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial, the BetBright Chase, the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle and the Galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle. After racing, there is another Brightwells bloodstock sale. Gates open at 10.30am with the first race at 12.40pm and the last race due off at 4.10pm.
Hartpury junior football programme manager Paul Tassell
“It is a fantastic opportunity for the boys to represent their country and will be an incredible experience for them competing against such high quality international opposition. It will be a massive boost to their development.” Hartpury junior football team claimed a 4-3 win over Gateshead with an extra-time winner in the English Colleges FA National Championship play-off final at Stoke City’s Britannia Stadium last season. Earning them the accolade of being the best footballing college in the United Kingdom, it was the fifth time Hartpury have won the competition in seven years. They also finished top of the ECFA Premier League, while the centre-half duo of Danny Haile and Josh Poole were called up to, and captained, the England Colleges squad. The current junior elite team are riding high at the top of their group in the ECFA Premier League.
22 JANUARY 2015 CHELTENHAM STANDARD
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SPORT
Local Football
FOOTBALL
AMBITIOUS young coach Pete Haynes is already making a big impact in the academy at Cheltenham Town. The 20-year-old former Sir Thomas Rich’s Grammar School pupil started work as the Robins’ lead foundation phase coach this season, overseeing the eight to 11 age groups. He also assists head of youth Russell Milton with the Under-18s side and played a major role in the club achieving category three academy status under the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP), the new youth development scheme initiated by the Premier League. A talented footballer himself, Haynes was on the books of Cheltenham as a player from 12 to 16 before a pelvis injury put paid to his hopes of making it as a professional. He now has his sights set on a successful career in coaching, having already gained an impressive amount of experience for someone so young. “When I realised I wasn’t going to make it
as a pro, Cheltenham Town looked after me and helped me stay involved in football coaching during my A-levels,” Haynes said. “It has progressed into a full-time position and it’s now my job to bring on the eights to 11s, making sure the coaches are working within the syllabus. “I also assist with the professional phase, working closely with Russ and the Under-18s. “Another part of my role is to implement the BTEC Under-18 development programme, which is a squad of 20 furthering their education and playing in a development league. “I am a very ambitious person and I want to push on, but at the moment I am thoroughly enjoying my time here, working across different age groups and phases. “Ultimately I would love to be more involved in Under-21s, reserves and first teams, but I am still learning the game. Seeing the younger boys progress week in, week out is fantastic.” As well as his work at Cheltenham, UEFA B qualified coach Haynes travelled to Rwanda
on behalf of the Football Association last year. Working with young leaders, coaches and players, he used football as the catalyst to help break down the social divide. “By using football as an educational tool to build leadership, communication and team work skills, the aim was to support the development of the country and use football as the platform to help the country grow socially,” he said. Several academy graduates are now involved in first team boss Paul Buckle’s plans and Haynes believes Cheltenham Town’s aim should be to field a team in League Two packed with homegrown players. “The more players in the first team the better, that’s our ideal,” he said. “We want to have five or six who have come through the system, that’s what we are striving for and it’s great to see players like Joe Hanks, Zack Kotwica, Harry Williams, Bobbie Dale and James Bowen signing pro deals. “There is great work being done at the club and hopefully we’ll continue to see the fruits of that in the coming years.”
PHOTO: THOUSAND WORD MEDIA
Coaching prospect Haynes on the right road to success with Robins Pete Haynes
Cheltenham League round-up CHELTENHAM LEAGUE FOOTBALL
THE weather had a devastating effect on last weekend’s local league programme with only nine fixtures surviving in the six divisions of the Cheltenham League, sponsored by Bristol Street Motors Cheltenham Ford. The mid-table clash in Division One between Gala Wilton Reserves and Hanley Swan saw Wilton win by the odd goal in five, moving up to fourth in the process. Wilton will be looking to build on the win this weekend when they host leaders FC Lakeside. Whaddon United, who sit a point behind Lakeside with a game in hand, face fourth placed Churchdown Panthers. Panthers, who were early title contenders, have gone off the boil in recent weeks and while a victory will give them a tremendous boost it is Lakeside’s title hopes that will benefit the most rather than their own. Kings AFC who currently prop up the table play the team directly above them this weekend, Newton FC. Victory for Kings could close the gap to two points and they still have two games in hand on their opponents. The big game in Division Two did survive the weather and FC Barometrics Reserves will be glad it
did as they beat leaders Cheltenham Civil Service Reserves 5-2, completing the league double over their local rivals. With just three points separating the top three, third placed Staunton and Corse look favourites for the title with four games in hand on the top team. At the bottom Northleach Town are 11 points behind Shurdington Rovers. While they still have 15 league games to play it will take a tremendous upturn in fortune if they are to avoid bottom spot. It is as you were in Division Three where no games were played last weekend. Welland top the table and they will be confident of taking three points on Saturday when they face Charlton Rovers Reserves who are one place off the foot of the table. Leckhampton Rovers will be hoping to keep up the pressure on the leaders when they face fifth placed Gala Wilton III. Any slip up at this stage will hand a massive advantage to Welland. With seven defeats from seven games Shurdington Rovers Reserves will be hoping their luck changes. Nine points adrift at the foot of the table they need points and quickly if they are to avoid the bottom spot. Northway increased their lead at the top of Division Four with a 4-2 victory over Kings AFC Reserves.
The win leaves them six points ahead of Apperley although they have played two games more. At the bottom, a 4-2 win for Winchcombe Town Reserves means Tewkesbury Town Reserves are now 10 points behind their nearest rivals. They face Bourton Rovers III on Saturday and are desperate to start closing the gap. The big game in Division Five this weekend sees Cheltenham Civil
Service IV travel to Lakeside Reserves. The teams shared the points earlier in the season and the winner could top the table come 4pm on Saturday depending on other results. With Fintan Reserves sharing the points with Cheltenham United following a 1-1 draw, Malvern Vale remain the only team with a 100 percent record in Division Six after
their 11-2 hammering of Cheltenham Saracens III. The two dropped points for United saw Regency Town take full advantage in the late kick-off. Their 5-1 win over Apperley Reserves saw them move into second in the table. Fintan will be looking to get back to winning ways on Saturday and with a game against bottom club Andoversford III they will be favourites to do so.
Cheltenham Football League, sponsored by Bristol Street Motors Ford Cheltenham
PLAYER PROFILE OF THE WEEK This week we feature Steve Henley, goalkeeper and club secretary of Dowty Dynamos. The club boasts an illustrious history, formed in 1947 under the name of Alstone Dynamos FC, following the visit to England of the Russian side Moscow Dynamos after the Second World War when they played challenge matches against Arsenal, Chelsea, Cardiff City and Glasgow Rangers. The club also took its crest from
that of the Russian side. After reaching the County League in 1991 the club played three years at that level but a series of relegations saw them back in the Cheltenham League by the 1996-97 season. Whiles the proceeding years have seen some ups and downs, the club has entered a period of stability and have proved to be a successful cup team in the last few seasons under the stewardship of Paul Harmer.
Name: Steve Henley Nickname: Endo Position: Goalkeeper Previous clubs: Bassalona FC Most memorable game: Minor Cup Final 2013 win over Hesters Way United after extra-time. Worst game: County Cup 2013 loss on penalties to The Village. Toughest opponents: Newlands Athletic Best club player: Four way split – Luke Lewis, Tom Jeffries, Adam Ryman and Lee Surman Team Supported: Manchester United. Favourite player: Peter Schmeichel.
32
CHELTENHAM STANDARD 22 JANUARY 2015
SPORT
Cheltenham Town 1
Morecambe 1
PHOTO: THOUSAND WORD MEDIA
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Cheltenham Town’s Jack Dunn slots away a penalty to give the Robins an early lead
Robins must learn to kill teams off now, demands boss Buckle P
AUL Buckle was left to rue missed chances early in the second half as Cheltenham Town missed the opportunity to register their first home win of his reign against Morecambe. Liverpool loan youngster Jack Dunn gave the Robins a deserved lead from the penalty spot in the first half, converting in the 18th minute after Lee Vaughan was tripped by Shaun Beeley in the box. Cheltenham went on to waste several clear chances to extend their lead before Morecambe took control, levelling from a penalty of their own as it finished 1-1 at Whaddon Road. Padraig Amond beat Trevor Carson from 12 yards in the 83rd minute after a handball by Vaughan, with Carson having kept out an earlier penalty from Jamie Devitt following a trip by Craig
Braham-Barrett. “I went from thinking we were going to win it by two or three goals at the start of the second half, when we had some unbelievable chances, to then thinking we were going to throw it away,” Buckle said. “It definitely was a strange game in terms of chances and we have to be pleased with the point in the end. “I think there was a really big moment at the start of the second half when we had two or three really good chances and if we had gone 20 up it would have been a game changer. “We’ve not been two goals up in a game since I came here and it’s been a nervy season, so while it was 1-0 we were hanging on and we need to learn how to put games to bed when we have the chance.” Buckle praised Dunn for his per-
formance up front alongside teenager Harry Williams. Dunn, 20, was one of three Liverpool youngsters making his home debut for the Robins, with latest loan addition Jake Gray from Crystal Palace, named among the substitutes. “I thought Jack Dunn was dangerous throughout and he had really good chances, creating as many as I’ve seen in a game since I’ve been here,” Buckle said. “In the end when you don’t put them away, a team like Morecambe who have been together for a long time is going to come back and have a go at you and they did that. “We’ve got to be pleased with a point and we won’t be going straight to easy wins, it’s going to be really tough and we’re going to have to dig in.”
CHELTENHAM TOWN (3-5-2): Carson; Lloyd Jones, Taylor (c), Brown; Vaughan, Ferdinand, Williams (Hanks 52), Stewart, Braham-Barrett (Bowen 81); Dunn, Sterling-James (Gornell 90). Subs not used: Deaman, Kotwica, Gray, Reynolds. MORECAMBE (3-5-2): Arestidou; Edwards, Hughes (c), Parrish; McGowan (Mullin 59), Drummond, Devitt, Kenyon, Beeley; Amond, Redshaw (Sampson 88). Subs not used: Sampson, Goodall, Fleming, Doyle, Bondswell, Lee Jones. REFEREE: T Robinson ATTENDANCE: 2,122 (36 away). Cheltenham play Buckle’s former club Luton Town at home on Saturday (3pm).
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