Here & now Magazine

Here

m a g

Now a z i n e

Issue 16 Aire Valley

The Local Magazine for Local People

September ~ October 2009

Priceless

Bridal Feature see pages 20 to 25

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Body & Soul | Homes & Gardens | Life & Leisure | Sport & Motoring www.hereandnowmagazine.co.uk

Editor’s Message

E

ach time I sit down to write my editors message, I always think it will be a challenge. A challenge not to be repetitive, to stay positive about the economic climate, and how we can continue to support local businesses to keep their name out there and make sure they are a success story and not a victim of what is happening. This is why it is vital to support local businesses, keep your spending local; they need and want your business and there have possibly never been such bargains to be had!

Whether you are planning a wedding, home improvements, a last minute holiday, dining out or a little bit of ‘me time’, make sure you do it locally with people you know, can trust and who come highly recommended. At Here & now we do our best to experience as many of our advertisers services as possible, so that we can support and recommend them with confidence. Use them!

In this edition of Here & now we have even more fantastic competitions and offers, plus a pull out wedding feature and some great restaurant reviews. I am currently on the All About W8 weight loss programme, so watch this space for my progress!

We have personal stories about people in the area and lots of guidance and information to enhance your life. We hope you enjoy reading through the pages of this edition; the next one will be the Christmas edition! Make sure you book your advertising space early to make sure you don’t miss the boat on this popular issue.

Here and now Magazine...

It’s everywhere you want your business to be, and gets your business seen by thousands!

CONTENTS Body & Soul

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Easing the Pain of Relationship Breakdown Are you Ready to make that Change?

Lose Weight, Feel Great

Homes & Gardens 12-29 You can See Clearly with the Window Doctor Unmissable Summer Deals at Heritage View, Baildon SheBuild - What an Idea

Life & Leisure Kip McGrath

30-44

Food Fans Flock to Haworth Fine Food Festival The Perfect Christmas Gift

Wedding Pull Out

21-25

Distributed to selected homes in Gilstead, Eldwick, East Morton, Micklethwaite, Crossflatts, Keighley, Steeton, Silsden, Crosshills and Skipton and through Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons stores.

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Many thanks to our Contributors: Angela Riches, Celia Hickson, Bradford Markets, Kip McGrath, Shipley College, Andrew Milne0s and Helen Carter.

HERE & now! is produced by MAD Publications Ltd as a free local magazine. The Publishers cannot accept any liability for any advertisments in this publication.

HEAD OFFICE and SALES: Suites 1 & 7, Albion Mills, Greengates, Bradford BD10 9TQ

T:01274 420091

Please send in your letters to Angela Riches, Editor, HERE & now! Magazine, Suites 1 & 7, Albion Mills, Greengates, Bradford BD10 9TQ or send an email to editor@madpublications.co.uk

T: 01274 420091

* Please note that it is not possible to provide individual replies to all letters and emails.

All rights reserved, no part may be reproduced without prior written permission of the publishers.

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Body

Soul

To advertise in this section call 01274 420091

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steps towards

Easing the Pain of Relationship Breakdown

O

ver the years, local family law specialist Juliette Kinsey of Kinsey & Co Solicitors in Baildon has witnessed the devastating effects the trauma of relationship breakdown can have on the health and wellbeing of her clients. She believes that the impact of the breakdown of a relationship can be far-reaching and should not be underestimated.

As an accredited Resolution family law specialist, Juliette Kinsey believes that if separating couples try to take the five following steps, they can help reduce the impact of their separation on each other, their children and their family and friends. Whilst acknowledging that these steps will not alleviate every difficulty, Juliette does believe that much of the distress and anxiety that arises can be reduced.

1. Maintaining communication:

4. Seeking specialist family law advice:

It is vitally important that separating couples maintain a dialogue. Aggressive and unpleasant communication between couples only serves to close down the opportunity to resolve matters between themselves sensibly and sensitively.

Seeking sound, sensible legal advice is a must.

Choose your solicitor carefully. Ensure that your solicitor is a family law specialist and therefore able to advise you on all aspects of your relationship breakdown. Resolution (formerly the Solicitors Family Law Association) is an organisation made up of family lawyers who undertake to deal with family matters in a constructive and sensible way.

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Couples who maintain a constructive dialogue and resist the temptation to become personal and embittered, undoubtedly resolve their issues more quickly and sensitively than those who adopt a confrontational approach. Equally, the way a separating couple communicate with each other will have a long term impact on their ability to provide joint support for their children.

2. Telling the children:

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The way separating couples break the news to their children, that they are going to live apart, is very important in helping a child come to terms with the new family structure. Ideally, both parents should tell their children that the relationship has broken down and emphasise to the children that they are not to blame. Many children perceive that their parents have separated because they have been naughty or not worked hard at school and these misunderstandings can cause tremendous distress to children needlessly.

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Taking specialist family law advice should not be interpreted as an aggressive move but instead a sensible step towards resolving matters practically and constructively.

5. Taking time to heal: It is often said that bereavement, divorce and moving home can be the three most stressful events in a person’s life. A relationship breakdown can embody all three. For the majority of people, divorce and separation in itself is a grieving process for the breakdown of a relationship and can indeed involve the sale of a property or the purchase of a new one. Give yourself time to adapt to your new circumstances and allow yourself to grieve.

Decisions taken when you are not ready can have a detrimental effect on your long term future. You need to be confident and sure of your own wishes before taking any major decisions.

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3. Dealing with Financial matters:

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Maintaining financial stability during the breakdown of a relationship is vital. Such stability emotionally assists both parties in reaching agreement regarding finances and equally helps to ensure that both parties’ credit histories remain unaffected and bad debts do not accrue needlessly. If accounts and mortgages are in joint names, both parties will need to work together if mortgage providers and banks are to action their wishes.

If you are separating from your partner or spouse and wish to seek further advice on your position and how best to take matters forward please contact Juliette Kinsey of Kinsey & Co Solicitors in Baildon on 01274 589900 to make an appointment to see her.

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o t y d a e R u o ?

Are Y e g n a h C t a h T e k a M

S

tress is always with us – we even need some to get out of bed in the morning.

It can seem overwhelming, though, at times of increased pressure like the current ‘credit crunch’. Did you know that at least 90% of illness can be traced back to stress?

Let me introduce you to Sue. She wanted to pick up the leash from the hall table and take her dog out for a walk in the park. A combination of excess weight and its effects on her knee joints meant that Sue and the dog could only eye the leash longingly.

“I had never heard of health coaching but working with Jenny helped me to reduce the size of my portions of food, and more importantly

to begin to understand my eating habits.” Sue also identified a longstanding source of stress in her life: the high level of untidiness and disorder in her home. She started small, with her bedside cabinet, and liked the result so much that she wanted to tidy more.

The best-known stress responses are ‘fight, flight and freeze’, and Sue had been ‘frozen’ physically and emotionally. She described: “a feeling of hopelessness and despair which only seemed to be alleviated by food.” She was surprised by the profound results in her life and health by taking one small step after another.

Within four months, Sue had developed skills and tools to make her own decisions,

Profile: Jenny Cooper Born and raised in East Africa, Jenny has lived in West Yorkshire since 1972.

Jenny helps people to find and develop their own unique, creative ways to decrease their stress levels, improve their health and achieve more balance in their lives. She also writes a weekly column on stress and work/life balance for NHS247, and with nearly thirty years experience in health services, as a health coach, art psychotherapist, and nurse, Jenny has a wealth of experience to draw on.

Contact Jenny direct on: 0845 0519406 Please quote HN1 with all enquiries made after reading this feature.

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manage her moods, and take charge of her life (and weight).

And in case you are wondering, the dog got her walk in the park too!

As individuals, our sources and symptoms of stress may vary. It is important to address the physical, mental and emotional effects on your life and health. So healthcoaching starts where you are now, goes where you want to go, and my role is to support, encourage and keep you on track as you find your own solutions and take one step at a time to achieve them.

Are you ready to make some changes and improve your health?

SPRINGS Holistic & Beauty Spa

S

prings Holistic & Beauty Spa in Yeadon, is a haven of peace and tranquility, run by Faye Scarborough, a wonderfully accomplished holistic therapist, Faye specialises in the most wonderful treatments, sharing her knowledge and passion with her clients in peaceful, relaxing surroundings to make the whole experience enjoyable and beneficial.

Word has spread quickly and Faye is now offering a wider range of treatments such as reflexology, reiki, hot stone and therapeutic massage, Indian head massage and Hopi candling.

Faye explains: “Holistic means ‘whole’ - treating the person’s whole mind, body and soul.

Holistic therapies are totally natural and have been used as healing methods for thousands of years. In the current climate people are finding themselves more stressed than ever. The range of treatments I provide can help control the many symptoms that stress invokes.”

“People visit Springs Spa for a variety of reasons; to relieve tension of the mind and body and to rebalance their whole energy field.

Whatever the reason, we provide the personal touch, ensuring that time spent with us is time well spent!”

“The benefits of our holistic treatments can include unbroken sleep, a feeling of well-being and being able to better control those stressful feelings we all experience from time to time.”

To complement the holistic side of Springs Holistic & Beauty Spa, Faye also offers superb anti-aging and beauty treatments, using a range of organic skincare products. Faye has also introduced some fabulous wedding, beauty

and well-being packages for a perfect treat to be enjoyed alone or with friends. Not leaving out the younger ladies, ‘Girlie Giggles’ is the perfect solution for birthday girls and their friends. There is also a range of treatments for men.

Speaking with Faye, it is easy to see her passion is about total well-being, which means that at Springs Holistic and Beauty Spa you will receive the very best of inner and outer well-being, making you feel and look better than you have in years!

Are you stressed or irritable? Do you suffer from aches and pains? Are you often feeling tense, tired or run down? Or do you just want a bit of relaxation and a chance to unwind?

Having a holistic therapy treatment can assist with general health and well-being and also boost energy levels.

Faye says: “Our mission is to provide a journey of relaxation and sheer indulgence for every person who walks through the door.

Nothing less is accepted by myself or my team.”

Why not try Springs Holistic & Beauty Spa yourself and take advantage of this very generous Here & Now Readers’ Offer of 20% off all treatments. This offer is only valid on production of this advert and is limited to one treatment per person.

Call Faye on 0113 2506262 for more information or to book your treatment appointment. Make sure you mention the Here & Now Offer at the time of booking. You can also email Faye with any holistic queries or questions at faye_scarborough@hotmail.co.uk.

15 Town Street, The Steep, Yeadon, LS19 7EQ Tel: 0113 2506262

Testimonials ”I first started to visit Faye during a particularly stressful time in my life and the calmness of Faye and the surroundings at Springs provided me with my own little oasis where I could take myself away from everything for a little while and re-charge my batteries. I never go anywhere else now and tell everyone to visit Faye.”

Time spent with us is time well spent

Brenda Morvay of Guiseley.

“Springs is the best spa I have ever visited! I can have a relaxing holistic treatment, a spray tan, my makeup done all in one visit and come out looking and feeling like a completely new woman!”

Janice Foster of Yeadon.

“Don’t waste money going anywhere else, Faye is brilliant!”

Anna Moore of Apperley Bridge.

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Survey Shows Mental Health Needs of Bradford People

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new survey says that people with mental health needs in Bradford district should receive more care at home.

It was written by Bradford LINk, which gives people more say in how health and social care services are provided. The survey says that most people like to have care at home but they want to go to hospitals and care centres

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Asian women. The survey talks about ways of supporting the groups so that they can help people with mental health issues and carers.

Bradford LINk has given the survey to NHS Bradford and Airedale to help it to decide which services to pay for. It is also on the Bradford LINk website at www.bradfordlink. org.uk. You can ask for a printed copy by calling 01535 555258 or emailing info@bradfordlink.org.uk.

For more information, please contact project manager

Melvyn Newton Tel: 01535 665258 Mob: 07734 068094 Email: melvyn@bradfordlink.org.uk

MP Adds Bottle to Keighley’s Green Scheme

eighley MP, Ann Cryer is lending her support to a new scheme which supplies pre-used glass bottles and is helping to divert waste glass away from landfill sites.

Bottle Rescue is the brain-child of Ian Cowling, Head Brewer at Keighley’s Old Bear Brewery, who wanted to source more costefficient and environmentally-friendly bottles for his award-winning ales.

Ann heard about the scheme, which is believed to be the only one of its kind in the UK, and was happy to lend her support.

“Capacity at landfill sites is a very real issue so I’m delighted that Keighley’s Bottle Rescue scheme is helping to direct waste glass away from landfill, not just into re-cycling, but by finding ways to re-use glass bottles”, said Ann.

Supported by funding from Resource Efficiency Yorkshire, Ian invested in sterilising equipment and now supplies other breweries with sterilised, mint-condition, pre-used bottles.

He plans to extend the service to other bottle users.

Ian explained, “We collect empties from pubs and clubs while we are delivering beer. Once sterilised, we use some bottles ourselves, supply some to other breweries and any we can’t re-use are re-cycled”.

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when they begin treatment or have a crisis.

“Bradford LINk is here to help everyone to connect and make a difference,” said Project Manager Melvyn Newton. “The survey is one way that we can help people to make their voices heard and change things for the better.”

Bradford LINk talked to 100 people, including carers of people with mental health issues, south Asian women, and lesbian, gay and bisexual people. It also spoke to refugees and asylum seekers and homeless people.

They said that carers who looked after people with mental health issues for a long time should have more support and needed breaks.

A lot of people said that voluntary and community groups had helped them.

Some of these groups just worked with people with mental health issues. Others worked with people from the same background or with the same life experiences, like refugees or south

Anyone interested in finding out more can visit www.bottlerescue.co.uk.

LoseWeight Feel Great E

very bride wants to look beautiful on their wedding day and fitting into the perfect dress is a very important part of that.

But with all the time and effort it takes to plan and organise a wedding, it can be difficult to diet and before you know it there is just weeks to go until your big day.

Any brides-to-be in the Keighley area who are trying to lose weight and have begun to despair that they may never reach their goal in time should rest assured that they are not on their own.

Lynne Ingham, who runs the Keighley All About W8 consultancy, is on hand to help make their weight loss dreams come true. All About W8 gives rapid results, making it ideal for brides with no time to lose.

The diet works through nutritionally balanced Mealpaks, which are low calorie, low GI and low carb, combined with healthy foods from an “add a meal” approved list.

Lynne says: “The rapid results that the All About W8 programmes give are satisfying for all my clients, but particularly for the brides-to-be. Their wedding is one of the most treasured and special days of their life and looking and feeling great are so important to that. But even if they have left it late to slim

“I easily lost almost 2 stone in just nine weeks” down and fit into their perfect dress, the rapid results that All About W8 offers means that they may be able to shed the pounds in time.”

One wedding Belle who did just that is Jayne Harris, of Touched Therapies, in Bingley. Jayne had organised an idyllic beach wedding in Turkey to husband Jonathan. But to be able to fit into the beautiful size 12 dress

she planned to wear, Jayne needed to lose 2st quickly. The 46-year-old was easily able to do this in just nine weeks on the All About W8 diet.

Jayne says: “I had put on quite a bit of weight over the years and was almost 13 stone. I absolutely love my food and despite having a sound knowledge of nutrition, sometimes ate unhealthily. My weak will meant that I had been really struggling to lose the weight on my own and I told Lynne that I didn’t know whether I would be able to stick to a diet that involved meal replacements.

“But I found the Mealpaks really enjoyable and I easily lost almost 2 stone in just nine weeks. In fact I had to have my wedding dress taken in because my shape had changed so much. Being able to wear the dress as I married my dream man was the icing on the cake and it really made the day absolutely perfect.”

Jayne followed the All About W8 Regular programme; one of five designed to suit different lifestyles, with support from Lynne.

Lynne helps people from the

Keighley area who are following an All About W8 programme with classes and one-to-one mentoring at her base in Temple Chambers, Russell Street. And now people living in the Ilkley area can be supported in their weight loss journey by Lynne as she has expanded into the town, with an office in the Lower Ground Floor, 50/52 Skipton Road.

Lynne is also expanding her business by recruiting five agents to deliver the new W8 For Life programme by running classes in the local area. W8 For Life is a fantastic business opportunity that can be run part time.

Anyone in the Keighley or Ilkley areas who is interested in losing weight, or in becoming a W8 For Life consultant, can contact Lynne on: 0844 544 8323, or 07941 392460 For more information visit Lynne at www.allaboutw8.co.uk/keighley

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Homes

Gardens

To advertise in this section call 01274 420091

You Can See Clearly with

Windows Steamed Up, Broken Or Damaged?

Before

“We can fix any type of window problem whether it’s misty condensation, locks, handles or hinges on any type or size of glazing and we’ll only do the work that’s required – GUARANTEED! All our fitters are fully trained and qualified in our unique service and we’ll clear up afterwards so you won’t even know that we’ve been.”

The Window Doctor!

T

he Window Doctor, a local family business, has hit on a fantastic, costeffective remedy to those misted, damaged or discoloured double glazed windows and patio doors. For a fraction of the cost of total replacements, which most double glazing specialists will recommend, The Window Doctor can make them look as good as new. Repairing your existing mistedup double glazed sealed units can work out up to 50% cheaper than replacement units.

The Window Doctor explains: “The majority of double glazing companies are NOT interested in providing our service because the commission for a salesman on one window wouldn’t even pay for his petrol. They are only concerned with one thing: Selling you as many windows as they possibly can… Even if you don’t need them.”

Call The Window Doctor now on Tel: 01274 610524

And There’s More... Want To Save Money On Your Gas & Electricity Bills?

After

As Government Energywatch statistics show, electricity prices have risen by 60% and gas prices by an incredible 90% since 2003 and are set to rise even higher. You may have loft and cavity wall insulation but did you realise that you lose over 20% of your heat through your glass? After all, your windows are the largest gaps in the building. Double glazing inevitably needs work doing on it every so often - this is part of the upkeep of these units. Our team are experienced with all double glazing requirements and can solve all your problems.

Worried About Security?

The Window Doctor can secure all access areas, both doors and windows with locks and anti snap handles to give you piece of mind that your home or business premises is as safe and secure as possible and you can sleep soundly at night.

The Window Doctors’ service is invaluable!

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NO BULL! Here

Straight, honest advertising that hits the target

m a g

16

Now a z i n e

01274 420091 www.hereandnowmagazine.co.uk

S

heBuild is a company comprised exclusively of women!

The company is the brainchild of Jayne Barber of Bradford, a fully trained and qualified decorator, who told us: “Like most people, I have experienced trouble with contractors. It’s the same old story - they don’t turn up and when they do, they don’t do what you have agreed, they then try to charge you extra to put their mistakes right and make up a lot of other extras which you thought were included in the price anyway.

“Then its goodbye with your cheque, leaving a heap of rubbish, as clearing this, you find out, is also not in the price. Then away they go to find their next victim, sorry, customer!”

After working on a site alongside another female decorator, Jayne and her colleague found themselves constantly telling the other workmen off for untidy, slow or slapdash work and making them clear up after themselves.

Then the penny dropped. Jayne realised that women have a completely different outlook towards the work they do, so, decided to set up her own company, aiming to promote the use of tradeswomen.

This, of course, is a long term project, as it’s hard to find tradeswomen, so Jayne currently works with her brother, Keith, who also helped set up the company.

The company aims to change the very foundation of one of the last male-dominated traditional industries and appeals greatly to the modern agenda of diversity and equality.

Whether you need a room decorating, a bathroom or kitchen tilling, some walls plastering, light building works, garden clearing or maintaining …make sure you call SheBuild first and look forward to straight talk, honesty and a great night’s sleep!

“SheBuild undertook a full renovation of my house. The work was done to an exceptional high standard with a top quality, professional finish. They also cleaned as they went so there was minimum mess! I would happily recommend them to anyone.”

Mrs Popplewell of Gomersal.

“SheBuild is a great concept with women in construction. The attention to detail and work rate is second to none and it’s refreshing to have a company in your home who are respectful and offer advice and solutions, working within your budget and to schedule!”

Jo Briggs, Manchester

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Great People, Great Place Enrolling now!

Make a fresh start with us this year

Shipley College is a small, friendly place, where you will get the individual attention and support you deserve. Situated in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Saltaire it is a great place to study and easy to get to by bus or train. We offer lots of full-time courses and Apprenticeships for school leavers & adults. Or do you want to know more about our part-time courses? You could improve your job prospects or develop a new interest.

Full-time courses*

Could a full time course get you where you want to be?

Options include: Art & Design Business Children’s Care Learning & Development ICT Media & Games Development Health & Social Care Horticulture Sports inc Football Development Programme & Golf Academy Supported Learning for Young People Travel & Tourism Apprenticeships

Part-time courses*

Develop your skills and qualifications or learn something new.

Options include: Access to Higher Education Business & IT Children’s Care, Learning & Development Health & Social Care First Aid Horticulture, Gardening & Floristry Creative Arts Languages Keep Fit, Dancing & Singing Pilates, Tai Chi & Yoga

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Contact us for more information or to order a prospectus.

Exhibition Building, Exhibition Road, Saltaire, Shipley, BD18 3JW t: 01274 327222 e: enquiries@shipley.ac.uk w: www.shipley.ac.uk

A Day to

Remember L

isa Rhodes realised her dream earlier this year and opened a beautiful bridal boutique, Crystal Bridalwear in the heart of Baildon, stocking exquisite gowns by acclaimed designers Alfred Angelo, Sweetheart and Mon Cheri.

Lisa told us, “I recently got married myself and know how important it is to feel like a princess.

My aim is to find the perfect bridal dress and advice for every bride who visits my shop. Your wedding is a special day for everyone, family, friends and most importantly the bride, and here at Crystal Bridal I provide a relaxed, personal service when choosing bridal gowns, bridesmaid dresses, veils, shoes, tiaras and wedding accessories.”

Whether you are planning a traditional or contemporary wedding, Lisa at Crystal Bridal has a large selection of gowns to choose from to suit every budget and make your day perfect.

Lisa has provided us with her Top Countdown Tips leading up to your perfect wedding day.

For more information about Crystal Bridalwear call Lisa direct on Tel: 01274 588430 or visit www.crystalbridalwear.co.uk

Countdown Tips 1. Put all of your paperwork together in a file so that nothing is misplaced or lost.

2. Choose your wedding date and pick the venue. Consider the room size for the number of guests.

3. Visit Crystal Bridalwear to try the gowns until you find that perfect one. Then you can choose the colour and style of bridesmaid dresses to compliment your gown.

4. No wedding is complete without the correct lingerie, this can have a huge impact on how you look and feel on the day.

5. Turn your thoughts to flowers, wedding stationary and venue decoration. Invitations, favour boxes, order of service, balloons, and table and church decorations. These can all be taken care of by a wedding planner, you may be surprised at how cost effective this can be and how much time it will save you. Let them do the groundwork.

6. Decide who will take you to the wedding and reception venues.

7. Get personal recommendations for wedding photographers and video.

8. What about your Hen Party?

Is there a friend you can trust to organise something suitable?

9. Where are you going for your honeymoon? Somewhere romantic or do you want an adventure?

10. It’s time to decide on the rings – you will wear them forever!

11. Don’t forget the cake! There are so many wonderful designs available these days but again recommendation is always best if possible.

12. So everything is set for your big day, enjoy it ...and don’t forget to be a little late to the alter!

Crystal Bridalwear 2 Airedale House Northgate Baildon BD17 6JZ

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The brainchild of Jackie Collier is the ultimate ‘One Stop Shop’ for any bride

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ouquets provides a service completely unrivalled by most other florists by effectively offering a wedding coordinator service without the cost of paying for one!

Having a large number of things you will want for your wedding in one shop, one visit, one point of contact, makes things so much easier and quite often much more cost effective.

You also build a relationship of trust, knowing that Bouquets will know the exact colour choices and shades you want and will perfectly match everything including flowers, stationery, chair covers and sashes, candles, balloons, all venue decorations, vases and table linen to mention just a few!

At Bouquets in Saltaire there is even the luxury of a private lounge area where you can meet one of their wedding specialists in comfort and privacy, receiving a bespoke oneto-one service. This is where all of your ideas can be explored and Bouquets can show you many of their suggestions, to complement your own thoughts and make sure that your day will be the dream you deserve.

Jackie explained: “With two florist shops, one in Bingley and the flagship in Saltaire, plus a specialist team with a wealth of knowledge and experience, we can help you plan the most important day of your life with the minimum stress. Whether a bride is full of ideas or is looking for inspiration, we can turn dreams into reality whilst sticking to that all important budget!

“We welcome anyone to visit one of our Bouquets shops, although it’s advisable to call first and make an appointment so that you can be sure to receive individual attention to discuss your special day. We can also provide an out of hours appointment as we understand that it is not always easy to visit during working hours.”

Bouquets are renowned for matching the highest aspirations and making utterly jaw dropping impressions with their flowers and wedding services.

The creativity and detail used makes for those truly exceptional moments and memories.

Bouquets can help you with: • Flowers for the bridal party, church and venue • Stationery, both handmade and printed • Chair covers and table linen in a wide range of colours • Favours from personalised chocolates to perfumes in bespoke wrapping • Balloons for tables, floor standing arrangements and bride and groom air walkers which float around the room and ‘mingle’ with your guests • Table decor and accessories such as cameras, confetti, guest books and ice breakers • Gifts for the wedding party and special guests *Due to space wedding consultations can be held at Saltaire only although appointments can be made at Bingley to be seen at Saltaire.

Bouquets will be exhibiting at the following Wedding Fairs: 13th September 2009 The Guidepost Hotel, Bradford 20th September 2009 Bradford & Bingley Rugby Club Wagon Lane, Bingley 18th October 2009 The Great Victoria Hotel, Bradford (also at the Midland Hotel Bradford)

For further information or to book your free personal consultation* with a Bouquets wedding specialist at one of the Bouquets shops, contact:

Bouquets of Saltaire 28 Bingley Road Saltaire BD18 4RS Tel: 01274 594079 Web: www.bouquetsofsaltaire.co.uk www.abfab-weddings.co.uk Email: bouquets@btinternet.com

The perfect day

atHollins Hall A

t Hollins Hall, a Marriott Hotel & Country Club, we will make your wedding day a truly special one for both you and your guests. You are about to start a wonderful life together, so it is important that every second of this exciting day is a second to cherish, and that it is simply your perfect day.

Set in 200 acres of beautiful grounds, Hollins Hall combines the grandeur of a country retreat with all the benefits of a modern hotel.

At Hollins Hall our dedicated wedding co-ordinator will be with you every step of the way ensuring each detail is taken care of for your special day. They will get to know you on a personal level, noting your individual requirements and helping you with important decisions - such as colours and settings for the reception room, and arranging a food tasting with our Chef.

Your wedding co-ordinator can also recommend local florists, photographers and other wedding suppliers, and pass on their vast knowledge of wedding etiquette and useful tips.

To request a brochure or a show around please call our Wedding Co-ordinator on 01274 534275

Shoes for Every Occasion F

or the very best choice in exquisite shoes, boots and handbags in every shade imaginable, plus a superb range in accessories such as costume jewellery, watches, belts and pashminas, you just have to visit Tip Toes at White Cross in Guiseley. It have the most fantastic selection for any occasion and weddings especially.

Combining innovative style and quality with the kind of personal service that is hard to find these days, it is easy to see why Tip Toes is renowned throughout Yorkshire and has have enjoyed 21 years of success!

Joan Walshe took over Tip Toes in 1987, with many years experience as a top model she has an uncanny flair for knowing exactly what customers want. Joan’s experienced team members were carefully

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chosen and have been with Joan at Tip Toes for many of the 21 years and together they have built a reputation for being able to match any outfit with the perfect footwear, handbag and accessories.

Joan explained, “Our range of matching leather shoes, boots and bags are made from exactly the same leather, making the quality and shade consistent. Many shoes in our range are totally exclusive to Tip Toes as I often choose unusual colours which you cannot find anywhere else. We have a wide range of styles to suit every taste and budget which always reflect current fashion trends.”

For customers with a special occasion in mind, there is a private room with a full length mirror, so customers can try shoes on with their chosen outfit to make sure they

complement perfectly. The choice available means you are sure to find exactly what you need for a wedding, a ball, a cruise or any other special occasion.

The new autumn and winter collections are coming in every day as they are going out as quickly, so it’s a good idea to shop early to avoid disappointment. Sizes in footwear range from 3 to 8. Joan has an extensive mailing list which means that regular customers never miss out on new stock, or the twice yearly promotions which offer superb discounts.

Tip Toes is situated in a charming row of small independent shops, with a good size pull-in and parking area.

For style, quality, great value and the sheer fun of shopping – pop into Tip Toes!

The Beauty Specialist in Crosshills for

Perfect Wedding Beauty

Y

our wedding day is the one day when you want to look and feel absolutely amazing, you want everyone to look at you and think, “What a beautiful bride!”

It’s not always easy to find somewhere able to provide the broad range of treatments necessary to prepare you for such an important day; however we have found the perfect salon for you.

The Beauty Specialist at Crosshills is perfectly named. Owner Louisa Vendettuoli and her team of experts offer wonderfully relaxing holistic treatments to help you destress - you can then have a full body St. Tropez tan to give you a natural healthy look which can then be enhanced by expertly applied makeup from the Barbara Bort range, a longlasting natural range from Italy.

Let’s not forget the preparation of your skin, The Beauty Specialist team uses Dermalogica skin care products which includes a free face mapping consultation to identify the correct products for each personal skin type. This ensures that your skin will be in tip top condition and literally glow with health.

Your hands will also be a main focal point on your wedding day, as you will want to show off your

wedding ring to all of your guests, so make sure you have beautifully manicured hands. If your nails are in poor condition or you bite them, you may want to consider having NSI nail enhancements which will also look stunning throughout your honeymoon.

When it comes to your honeymoon, you will also want to be silky smooth in your beach and holiday clothes, so make sure you have perfectly waxed legs and bikini line and you will also want beautifully manicured feet to complete the overall look. The Beauty Specialist provides the full top-to-toe range of treatments you will require to make you ‘the perfect bride’.

A qualified and experienced therapist is waiting to answer any questions you may have regarding the comprehensive range of treatments available. Individual treatments, holiday and wedding packages - in fact any requirement is expertly taken care of at The Beauty Specialist.

Call today to find out more.

The Beauty Specialist, 4 Main Street, Crosshills, BD20 8TB Tel: 01535 634779

Memorable Honeymoons made perfect for you!

I

magine having your own personal travel advisor available at a time that suits you, taking care of any holiday requirements using the very latest travel technology.

Silsden based travel expert Alison Ender can do just that.

A Worldwide holidays expert and dedicated Honeymoon specialist, Alison has a wealth of travel industry experience. She prides herself in providing a top quality, personal service to all her clients and is available at a time that suits those with the busiest of lifestyles.

Alison runs her own travel business through Future Travel which is backed by The Cooperative Travel Group - one of the biggest, most established names within the industry. This support not only delivers great choice and value, but the added assurance you are booking with a reputable organisation. With access to the latest offers from all leading tour operators, all holidays are protected

by ABTA and ATOL, so full financial security is guaranteed.

Alison, who is a recognised

Kuoni Specialist Agent, says: “I love to travel and have built up great knowledge along the way. My first hand travel knowledge means that I can find the right holiday to suit the exact needs of my customers.” Having worked overseas in destinations including the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Caribbean, Europe and North Africa, Alison spent time travelling around Mauritius & Grenada earlier this year.

With a wealth of travel know-how, Alison is only too happy to share her knowledge with you and has compiled her very own destination guide to help couples find their perfect escape. What’s more, a Wedding gift service is also available where guests can contribute towards the cost of the Honeymoon.

If you would like to make an appointment to discuss the options available or sign up for Alison’s Honeymoon newsletter then get in touch today.

Simply call Alison on 01535 658617 or e-mail

alison.ender@futuretravel.co.uk

5 steps

to enjoying the perfect honeymoon…

1

Book early – for fantastic savings and additional benefits such as free upgrades as well as securing your preferred location, hotel and room type.

2 3

Match your honeymoon to you suit you both – decide exactly what you want from your escape…relaxing on the beach, a multi centre trip, activities and culture.

Think ahead – pre-book as much as you can, this way everything is organised ahead of your arrival.

4 5

Consider the climate – not all destinations have year round good weather, so be aware of the likely conditions for your time away.

Budget – you do not need to spend huge amounts to enjoy a memorable honeymoon.

All-inclusive packages offer excellent value…

Consider the spending money you may need.

25

W

ith over 18 years’ experience between them, the team at Bathrooms in Mind, based in Shipley, can offer the perfect bathroom for you.

Owner, Paul Sunderland, explains: “We are a small family-run business with a team of six. All are City and Guilds trained with a minimum of eight years’ experience each in their field - whether it be from wet rooms to small cloak rooms, we have the experience to make your bathroom work and be perfect for you, and we pride ourselves on offering a one-to-one service.”

As one delighted customer said: “It’s never too much trouble for the team at Bathrooms in Mind - if they can do it they will.”

The firm, which also boasts a new showroom near to completion in the centre of Shipley, is home to a large selection of natural stone tiles, in particular, Jerusalem stone, travertine, and marble, giving any bathroom the ‘Wow!’ factor’, and bringing you a warmer more welcoming bathroom.

A frequent misconception is that

26

under floor heating is only for the rich – but Bathrooms in Mind caters for all budgets and bathrooms. It is seeing more and more customers using under floor heating as a secondary heat source in their bathroom. In fact, the showroom in Shipley has the full lower floor heated this way so you can try before you buy!

Don’t worry if you have a very tight budget to work with in these times of recession, because Paul has just launched four different bathroom packages, ranging from £285 to £1,800, so you can transform your old bathroom into a clean, fresh and much more attractive room at a fraction of the usual cost.

Paul continues: “This I feel is a very good compromise when things are a little tight.

We also do general plumbing, and have a shower tray and bath repair service which saves replacing the bath.

“At Bathrooms in Mind, we feel that customer service is key, and we listen to what the customer wants, whether it is full installation or supply only, we will still go the extra mile.”

Feel Safe and Secure

M

ortgage Q was formed in April 2001, primarily to service the needs of homebuyers through the links the company had with a local firm of estate agents. When Managing Director Andrew Milnes sold that part of the business to the estate agents at the start of 2008, he was entering into uncharted waters.

Having the luxury of being introduced to hundreds of people every month who were looking for mortgages to buy houses, Andrew and his team had always been busy and were completing on over £100 million of mortgages a year.

Despite that success, Andrew felt that the firm had lost its personal approach - the very thing that had made it successful in the first instance. “This went against everything I had learnt as a financial advisor and I wanted to go back to knowing my client fully, being able to afford to spend time with them and understanding their circumstances and needs. This is something that is often missed when high volumes are completed”

So, in April 2008, Andrew moved into Aire Valley Park on Wagon Lane, Bingley with the intention of getting back to providing high quality personal service and advice for their existing clients only.

As quite often happens in business, things did not go as planned and Andrew soon found that he was attracting lots of new clients by his reputation for providing good quality advice. This has meant an increase in team numbers. Andrew has now added an advisor to his team and is still looking to recruit further.

“Whilst the move was a big decision, I could not be happier with how things have worked out. I think that over the last twelve months we have enhanced our reputation as the Aire Valley’s premier mortgage brokerage”

Whilst Andrew knew that the good times in the housing market could not last forever, not even he foresaw the near collapse of the whole British banking system and the

problems that this brought to his particular area of speciality - mortgages.

Always one to look for the positives, Andrew saw this as an opportunity and has enhanced the services on offer from Mortgage Q to try and help people through the tough times.

“As daft as it sounds, the problems people have had obtaining finance have proven to be good for me as more people are now seeking ‘quality’ advice and we believe we are in the driving seat to provide it. Further more, we have started, mainly in response to our client’s needs, to help with advice on things like debt management plans, mortgage arrears and problems with managing finances on a day-to-day basis. We have even started to help clients find cheaper utility packages.

Unlike many estate agency based mortgage advisors, my aim was never just to help people buy their house - I wanted to try and help them own it. With this in mind I feel a sense of duty to assist when things are not as good as they perhaps have been.”

Good planning is the key to this and Andrew urges people with problems to avoid the ‘ostrich’ syndrome.

Burying your head in the sand is the worst thing you can do, it’s often said that the hardest part of sorting out a problem is the first phone call and Andrew echoes this “Over the last twelve months, we have helped people who were on the verge of repossession and people who were just a day late with the mortgage. We have helped people with over £100,000 of unsecured debt and people who owed £25. Whatever the circumstances, it’s a worry and the first thing you need to do is take advice”.

For advice and assistance with mortgages, debt management or even utilities, call Andrew and his friendly team for a no-obligation informal chat.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Mortgage Q charge a fee of £199 for arranging your mortgage. In certain circumstances i.e. where a life or general insurance policy is taken, this fee will be waived.

Mortgage Q is a trading name of Mortgage Talk Limited, which is an appointed representative of Legal & General Partnership Services Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority for advising on and arranging mortgages and insurance Mortgage Talk Ltd. Registered in England No 3571948. Registered office: Moor Park House, Bawtry Road, Rotherham, S66 2BL

Testimonials This is the 3rd time I have used Mortgage Q and I must have recommended them to dozens of people, they tell it how it is and make it simple to understand.

Mr Frear, Keighley

Mortgage Q treated me like an individual and were always there when I needed to ask that silly question.

Mr Thompson, Bingley

I was scared to death I was going to loose my house buy Andrew took away the stress and managed to talk to my lender to arrange a payment plan I could afford.

Name Withheld, Crossflatts

Mortgage Q, 3 Aire Valley Park, Wagon Lane, Bingley BD16 1WA Tel: 0845 833 4666 call charges may vary

www.mortgageq.co.uk

27

NO BULL! Here

Straight, honest advertising that hits the target

m a g

Now a z i n e

01274 420091 www.hereandnowmagazine.co.uk

29

Life

Leisure

To advertise in this section call 01274 420091

WAYS TO HELP YOUR CHILD WITH MATHS 1) Make and play number board games. Create a mini version of ‘snakes and ladders’ which only goes to 20.

2) Cut up an old calendar. Use ones with large numbers. Cut out the numbers one to 20 – Have your child reorder them 3) Heads or tails game – Make a number track (line of one to ten) Use coloured counters and a coin. Each player puts a counter on ‘0’. Each player takes a turn to toss a coin. For ‘heads’ move forward two spaces.

For tails, move forward one space. First to ten wins!

KITCHEN MATHS 1) Put out enough biscuits for three people each having two each 2) Set the table with a knife, fork and a spoon – setting for six 3) Set the microwave timer for three minutes Give your kids a brighter future in maths.

Encourage and lead them into loads of simple everyday maths adventures which will start off confidently on the road to being marvellous ‘mathemagicians’.

Arafat Latif Kip McGrath Professional Tutoring Keighley

Tel: 01535 610222 31

This Show Knocked My Socks Off!

J

ust one of the reviews for Jungle Beat, this year’s amazing show performed by students from The May School of Dance and Theatre Arts in Crosshills. The show was performed at Bingley Arts Centre in July and here’s what some of the audience had to say:

“It was brilliant! I really enjoyed it and the fact that the first half of the show was loosely based on The Jungle Book, with the second half showcasing what skills the pupils had learned at the school. It was really interesting.” Terez Green of Bingley

“Fantastic! Full of pizzazz, this show knocked my socks off! From the really little cute children up to the bigger performers who were very professional and gave really powerful performances.” Helen Cox “Well what a great show it was this year, definitely the best by far. Mrs Goode should be really proud of her pupils. It was obvious that a lot of hard work had gone into it and it most definitely paid off. I can’t think of any reason why it would not have been enjoyed by all, the costumes were great and the whole atmosphere was amazing. Roll on the next one!” Joanne Saville of Crosshills Principle of The May School of Dance, Christine Goode, wanted to commend every one of her pupils, especially the principal characters, Katie Pickles (Bagheera), Bethany Cant (Mowgli), Jodie Varley (Balloo), Sophie Whitrick (Kaa), Hannah Marklew (Colonel Hathi), Abbigale Luccock (King Louis), Jasmine Holland (Sheer Khan) and Catherine Gregory (Buzzy), who were all outstanding, and James Jennings who did such an amazing job with the stage management.

If you, your children or anyone you know would like to awaken the performer inside you, there are some exciting new classes starting in September and Here & Now readers can have a FREE month trial for any class (excluding Tiddly Tots). Just cut out the voucher on this page and hand it in when you take your first class.

New Classes Theatre Craft -

Adult Tap -

Adult Jazz - Junior Drama - Senior Drama -

Friday 4pm to 4.45pm and Saturday 11.30am to 12.15pm Thursday 8.30pm to 9.15pm and Saturday 12.15pm to 1.00pm Friday 7pm to 7.45pm Tuesday 4.15pm to 5.15pm Tuesday 5.15pm to 6.15pm

Call The May School of Dance now on Tel: 01535 634433 for further information or to book your class.

32 Images courtesy of Craven Image Studios in Keighley

FREE 1 MONTH TRIAL ON ANY CLASS WITH THIS VOUCHER (excludes Tiddly Tots Classes)

Never Been? Why Not?!

T

his is the question we asked ourselves when we paid Zouk’s a visit. We do lots of restaurant reviews and quite a lot of Asian restaurant reviews at that, but Zouk’s was something a bit different, a bit special and very exciting!

Zouk Tea Bar and Grill is an awardwinning Halal Indian restaurant, located at the top of Leeds Road in Bradford and is run by Amjad Bashir, better known as Peter to his customers, and his sons Mudassar and Tayub, who have grown up sharing their father’s passion for good food. Together they have created a new generation restaurant, fusing authentic Lahore cuisine with healthy eating in a stylish, contemporary setting. Zouk is open for breakfast and stays open until late into the night, so you can drop in for breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper or just a drink or tasty dessert.

Parking is relatively easy as there are many side streets with off road parking and the sight of Zouk’s at night is really inviting, with its luminous exterior lighting and the restaurant and open kitchen clearly visible through the huge plate glass windows. Chefs wave and offer a friendly hello before you have even entered.

Once inside the greeting is immediate and as if we were old friends, and watching Tayub and his young team in action was fascinating, they worked the tables like old pro’s and had fun and banter with everyone. They are also incredibly knowledgeable about their extensive menu and happy to recommend and explain any dish.

To start with I chose Chicken Imlee, chicken pieces marinated in selaki herbs and

Z o u k Te a B a r & G r i l l 1312 Leeds Road Bradford BD3 8LF spices, barbecued to perfection and served with a delicious tamarind and plum sauce (£3.50). My husband Dave chose Chicken Liver, marinated with crushed chillies, cumin and lemon juice, cooked on a Tawa Asian griddle (£3.50). Of course, we tried each other’s and couldn’t decide which one we liked best, they are both completely different chicken dishes and both completely delicious, and the plates hardly needed washing!

For my main course I just had to go for the Lamb Nahari, tender pieces of lamb cooked slowly in its own juices to create a full flavour with selected herbs and spices enhanced by a thick, spicy sauce (£8.95). This sounded simply delicious and my goodness it was! Dave was far more adventurous and decided to try one of the many ‘unusual’ choices, Paya (sheep’s trotters), traditionally a breakfast dish, cooked slowly over many hours until the meat is so tender that it falls from the bone, the sauce is a rich, spicy broth which was particularly delicious (£6.95). We shared a garlic naan (£2.45), and a portion of vegetable rice (£2.45), and this was plenty.

After a rest, during which we had a good old chat with Tayub about the new Zouk Restaurant in Manchester that the family recently opened, and the many different themed and celebration events they host, we decided to share one of the fabulous puddings on

Te l : 0 1 2 7 4 2 5 8 0 2 5 E m a i l : i n f o @ z o u k t e a b a r. c o . u k W e b : w w w. z o u k t e a b a r. c o . u k offer. This was also a surprise as they have a resident French pastry chef who each day makes a selection of the most delicious desserts such as Mango or Strawberry Cheesecake, Hot Chocolate Roulade, Creme Brulee and a selection of tarts, we chose a huge strawberry fruit tart...should have got one each as we were fighting over the last few spoonfuls!

A couple of glasses of wine and 2 bottles of Cobra beer went well with the meal and we had such a good evening we were still sat there chatting at 10.30pm even though our table was booked for 7.30pm! It was a good buzzing, vibrant atmosphere and we didn’t want to leave, but you can be sure that we will be regular visitors to Zouk Tea Bar and Grill from now on. Hope to see you there!

Parking Welcome Atmosphere Food Value

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Practical Help and Support for your Business with BizFizz Dear BizFizz Coach I have been running my dog grooming business for a little while now and am doing OK, but I think my promotional material is a bit tired. I don’t have much money to invest in revamping my business cards, leaflets and price lists.

What can I do?

Dear BizFizz Coach I am really worried about my business finances.

I did reasonably well for the first six months of this year and, because I was getting orders, I took the opportunity to stock up at the wholesalers during one of their promotions.

This stock did not sell as well I had hoped and I am concerned I won’t be able to pay my rent and other business expenses. I have looked at what my competitors are charging and I am more expensive, although I was at the low end the market earlier this year. Help!

34

Y

our promotional material is sometimes the only thing your customers have to judge your business by, so anything that you use to advertise what you do needs to look as good as you can make it. This doesn’t need to cost a fortune Have a look around at what your competitors are using. Try and decide what you like about any advertising you see and why.

Nick the best bits - as long as you don’t copy anything exactly you should be OK.

Many print companies will design as well as print and can give you a new look quickly. If you have a clear idea of what you are looking for the design time can be massively reduced and therefore the design costs should drop too. Online print services give you the opportunity to design your own business cards etc, but beware you have to proof read what you produce. If you know spelling is not your strong point, get someone else to look over what you put together before you press the order button.

F

irst of all, talk to your landlord and explain what is happening before you get into rent arrears. You might not get a sympathetic ear, but it is better that they know your situation. Many business premises are standing empty and if you have been a decent tenant you might get a bit of support. Get into dialogue with anyone else who may be expecting payment soon too. If you can reschedule some of these payments, that could take a load off your mind.

Do you understand why this stock is not selling? Consumer habits have changed over the course of the recession and if you can get to grips with what is happening in your sector then this should prevent you getting into this sort of trouble again. If your competitors have started to charge less this could indicate that they are having similar problems getting sales. Can you lower your prices and start some special offers?

If you can remain positive and work creatively to attract customers through marketing yourself innovatively you could still sell this stock. How about working in partnership with someone selling compatible products or finding new and unusual ways to get to potential customers? Remember you have been successful in the recent past and can be again too, if you can use your networks and resources effectively.

If you are looking to put an advertising campaign together, the Internet can provide lots of help - www.beermat.biz and www. businessballs.com have lots of marketing tips, as does Chris Cardell (www.cardellmedia. com). Be aware that many of the sites offering marketing help have sponsored links and are American in origin and perhaps some of the strategies that work in the USA might not go down as well in Heckmondwike. Fiona Humberstone’s Marvellous Monthly Marketing Tips (www.marvellousmonthlymarketingtips. co.uk) is a quirky and fun site with lots of useful information presented in an accessible way.

If you prefer to use a local business and be able to speak or meet with someone offering a single point of contact, Printing.com offer a superb service for any essential stationary and marketing material and are a locally based business themselves, so perfectly placed to understand your requirements and target market. Tel: 01274 414112.

FREE business coaching Getting started Growing your enterprise Useful networking Overcoming barriers Practical help and support

Celia Hickson 07976 979287 celia.hickson@bizfizz.org.uk

FOCUSED ON YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS

Editorial on Page 39

WIN A ÂŁ50 Meal Name: .............................................................

Address: .......................................................... ........................................................................... ...........................................................................

Tel: ....................................................................

Please send all entries to: Nosh Brasserie @ 25 25 Newmarket Street, Skipton, BD23 2JE

Tel: 01756 793676

www.noshskipton.co.uk www.boutique25.co.uk

35

“I knew I would have great produce here to work with” Jean-Christophe Novelli

Food fans flock to Haworth as top chefs cook up a treat

T

36

he very first Haworth Fine Food Festival was held on the first weekend in August. The two-day event was held at Central Park, Haworth and included cooking demonstrations by celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli!

Jean-Christophe wowed the crowds with three cookery demonstrations on the Saturday, while on the Sunday there were free demonstrations throughout the day by local chefs from Weavers Restaurant in Haworth; Stephanie Moon, award-winning Executive Head Chef at Rudding Park; Somjai Sutthaso, Head Chef at Chino Thai restaurant, Bradford; and award-winning chef Robert Ramsden. There were also cookery and gardening demonstrations with children from Haworth Primary School.

In addition, there were 50 stalls under a giant marquee selling specialist quality produce from around Yorkshire to celebrate

Yorkshire Day on August 1st, with other stalls and entertainment in the park, as well as a unique medieval cookery marquee the following day.

Councillor Adrian Naylor, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, said: “There was so much on offer this weekend in Haworth for food fans. People were able to pick up some tips

from celebrity and award-wining chefs and taste and buy a wide variety of quality produce.”

All three of JeanChristophe’s demonstrations were

a complete sell-out as he delighted the crowd cooking up fantastic dishes such as braised chicken with red wine and chocolate and showed how to make the perfect caramel to accompany puddings - giving them that special finish!

Jean-Christophe proudly told his audience: “Yorkshire is a place I know very well because it is where my best friend, the best chef in the world, was born and grew up - Marco Pierre White. I knew I would have great produce here to work with.”

There was also a chance for audience members to join Jean-Christophe on stage and try out the techniques he was demonstrating, plus taste the wonderful dishes he was cooking.

This went down a treat with everyone, especially Beth Pugh and her Mum who both joined him on stage.

On the day there were personal book signings by Jean-Christophe and also a chance to win a day at his cookery school in Hertfordshire.

Here’s to another fabulous event in Haworth next year!

Anne Russell Florist

24 Main Street, Crosshills BD20 8TF

www.annerussellflorist.co.uk Bespoke

Handmade

Luxury

Christmas Welcome Rings For Your Door To Your Door!

Winter Friends

Winter Reds

Winter Ice

Anne and her expert team were commissioned to do all of the external christmas decorations for Aspreys of London, and Anne has now perfected the beautiful art of Christmas Welcome Rings in three wonderful themes: Traditional, Modern and Feeders.

Each is designed to the highest specification and is constructed by hand using exquisite decorations, such as silver baubles, icicles, hearts and stars, rich red Passion Roses, Sea Holly (Eryngium) and Hypericum Berries, orange slices with whole limes, cinnamon sticks and cones, spruce, conifer, ivy, holly and ruscus.

Each combination produces fabulous designs such as you see on this page.

I think my own personal favourite is the Feeder Welcome Ring called ‘Winter Friends’, made from strings of monkey nuts, fat balls and half coconuts. This is a decoration which also feeds the birds through winter and should last well into February so you can move the ring to a place in your garden after Christmas and continue to get many more weeks of enjoyment watching birds feed from it. This is a particularly well thought out gift for

any elderly or infirm friends and relatives, also for families with children who will have hours of pleasure watching nature being brought to their doorstep.

Anne introduced the Welcome Rings last year and was overwhelmed at their popularity, so this year four specific designs are available: Winter Reds, Winter Ice, Winter Spice and Winter Friends, and ordering has never been so easy.

You can order one of these fantastic door decorations by telephoning Anne and her team on: 01535 633900 or emailing: annerussellflorist@ googlemail.com, or you can call in and see all of the other wonderful gift items in stock, or order online through www.annerussellflorist.co.uk.

Each ring is approximately 18 inches

Winter Spice

H

ow many people do you have to buy for at Christmas - and no matter how you might rack your brains it gets harder every year because they seem to have everything they could want or need? Don’t you just wish there was a present you could find that is unique, exclusive, special and creates that ‘Wow Factor’?

Christmas Welcome Rings provide the answer to all of these things and much, much more - so special, in fact, that you will want to buy one for most of the people on your list, and, you will be putting yourself to the top of the list as it is also the perfect present to yourself!

Anne Russell Florist in Crosshills is renowned for festive floral designs, so much so that

in diameter and is long lasting in the cold winter air, making a beautiful, unique festive welcome to any home.

Rings are delivered nationwide in a beautiful bespoke gift box and the price of £50 per ring includes all postage and packing, so you can order as a gift and rest assured that it will be delivered in packaging to reflect the stunning present inside.

Please note that the last date for ordering these unique Welcome Rings is Saturday 12th December 2009. Rings will be delivered from Monday 30th November and the last day of delivery is Friday 18th December.

Note: The description of the Welcome Rings may vary slightly according to the availability of the seasonal materials.

For information on weekend floristry classes with Anne Russell, please call Anne direct on: Tel: 01535 633900 Email: annerussellflorist@googlemail.com

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75 Bingley Road Saltaire BD18 4SB Tel: 01274 583555

Now Stocking the Following Celebrity Brands: DeSigual

速

Kate Fearnley Kelly Ewing Chilli Pepper Couture

Jovonna Kuyichi

Chilli Pepper

Possibly the Best Restaurant in Skipton!

A

pproximately six years ago I met a lovely group of ladies through my job at the time - which was working for Marriott Hotels. I regularly accompanied groups of people from companies on familiarisation trips to a Marriott hotel, and it was while accompanying one particular group that I was lucky enough to strike up a once-in-a-lifetime friendship. This was to lead to all seven of us meeting up twice a year, each taking turns to organise and arrange these reunions in our respective parts of the country.

This time was my turn, and although we are all from different areas, backgrounds and of different ages, there are a number of things we all have in common, one of them being appreciation of really good food and, in particular, really good food in an exceptional restaurant!

Having hosted a couple of these reunions already, I wanted to take my friends somewhere easy to get to from their various locations, somewhere with lots to do and see and to end the day with a memorable meal. It didn’t take me long to decide on Skipton, I have family living there and I knew it would suit us all, plus I had heard so many good things about Nosh Restaurant that I wanted to try it for myself and I knew that our group would put it to the test!

WIN A £50 Meal

SEE COMPETITION ENTRY FORM ON PAGE 35

“...the attention to detail was faultless”

After a beautiful but tiring day walking along the canal and shopping, we had built up a healthy appetite so were looking forward to ending the day with a meal at Nosh, which is situated in Boutique 25 Hotel on Newmarket Street. Our table was booked for 8pm and the taxi driver who took us told us that Nosh was probably the best restaurant in Skipton! Our expectations were now very high.

As we entered Boutique 25, there was a real buzz about the place. Even though it was busy, the greeting was immediate and we were offered a pre-dinner drink in one of the seating areas or in the champagne and wine bar, 25 Below, located in the basement. We chose to go to our table to relax with drinks and to study the menus.

Boutique 25 is made up of really high ceilinged reception rooms, and we loved how they had turned each one into a part of the restaurant.

With three to four tables in each room, the feeling is very intimate, almost like you are experiencing private dining, and each table had the most amazing, huge candelabra centrepiece - the attention to detail was faultless.

We started with a selection of Nosh Bites to share as our starters. We chose Tempura Prawns with chilli lime mayonnaise (£5.50), Nosh Mixed Olives (£2.95), Duck Spring Rolls with

25 Newmarket Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 2JE Tel: 01756 793676 www.noshskipton.co.uk www.boutique25.co.uk Hoi Sin oriental sauce (£4.95) and Grilled Pitta with humus and tzatziki (£3.25)... all absolutely wonderful and we enjoyed the fact that we could share, tapas style.

For our main courses we had Seafood Thermador with scallops, prawns, salmon and haddock, glazed with cognac and a cheddar sauce (this was my choice as I love seafood and I had to fight everyone else off after tasting it!), another in the group chose Salmon Fishcake with a tartar coleslaw, two the Sesame Soy Chicken over stirfried oriental noodles, peanuts and pak choi and we also wanted to try the famous Nosh Pot, a beef casserole with root vegetables, mushrooms and cheese potatoes - but there was none left, it must be good! Certainly none of us were disappointed with our choices. All side orders are £2.75 each and, again, we chose to share - including handcut fat chips, wilted spinach and peas, cheese potatoes and braised cabbage and bacon.

All main courses come in small or large plate size, £5.95 or £10.95. We chose the large main course size and, I have to say, portions are on the healthy side so make sure you are hungry.

All ladies out for dinner... desserts are a must! Again we chose to share and had a selection of cheeses, sticky toffee pudding with caramel sauce and nutty ice cream (my favourite), mango and banana bavarois, passion fruit panna cotta with raspberries and basil syrup and coffees to finish. With a couple bottles of a recommended dry white and rich berry red wine, we had to admit the taxi driver was probably right!

In fact, not only is Nosh possibly the best restaurant in Skipton... it is definitely the best restaurant we have had a reunion meal at in the last six years! I am going back to try the Nosh Pot as soon as possible and my friends have asked to come to Skipton and Nosh again next time!

Parking Welcome Atmosphere Food Value

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es we all know that business is harder and we are all having to work in a more focused, structured and cost effective way than ever before, and this is why Women with Vision is now coming into its’ own! You will see by the many new members’ adverts in each edition of Here & Now Magazine that we are growing in numbers, and the main reason for this is that we believe we have the right mix of businesses, a focused yet fun agenda, and each member is truly doing business with or for the other members!

Meeting once a month means that we all have time to focus on our own businesses, and for those who make sure they attend Women with Vision

meetings regularly, they soon reap the rewards of many new business leads and incremental revenue.

The cost of joining Women with Vision is a mere £50 per year with a nominal charge each time we meet, to cover the venue and buffet. If you have not yet attended a meeting and you consider yourself to be a Woman with Vision, the next meeting is on Monday 21st September, email andgela@madpublications.co.uk for details and to book your place at the meeting.

Alternatively you can call: 01274 420091 for further details. Either way, make contact and find out more! This could be just what your business needs to survive the current climate!

Tel: 01274 420091 New Members’ Adverts

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BY HELEN CARTER

TheTension Mounts at Cougar Park

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ow it’s coming to the business end of the season, there’s real excitement in the air at Cougar Park.

All year the team has been working hard to secure an advantageous place in the Co-operative Championship One end-of-season play-off series and as I write these few words we’re running for either second or third place.

If the league table was to remain in this position, we would play who ever finished second away from home with the opportunity of going directly to the Grand Final at Warrington on Sunday, October 4 as winners. But we’d hope to improve on our current placing.

If we were to lose then we would still have a life left and we would be at home in the Qualifying Final with a second opportunity of reaching the Grand Final.

And the real prize for the Grand Finalists would be promotion to the Championship along with champions Dewsbury Rams.

It’s certainly tight at the top end of the Championship One table with the Cougars facing up to challenges from Oldham, York City Knights, Hunslet Hawks and Blackpool Panthers.

At least we’re where we want to be and up there with the leaders. Head Coach, Barry Eaton, and his players have worked hard to give us this opportunity and I hope it all pays off in the end.

One of the most interesting developments at the Cougars since my last contribution has been the ‘Sporting Chance’ campaign.

This initiative, which is being backed by Incommunities, the area’s biggest social landlords, is designed to address the problem issues of the young people in Keighley and District.

This scheme was born out of the club’s highly successful Street Academies which were staged earlier in the year. During those programmes, various problem areas were encountered and, thanks to the funding supplied by Incommunities, we’re now able to do something to help address those issues.

We have recruited one of our players, stand off Jon Presley, to act as the project’s youth worker.

‘Pres’ has taken a year out of his university studies to become a Social Worker to be involved in ‘Sporting Chance’ and he’s going to be a real asset to the work we’re planning to do.

‘Sporting Chance’ will be working alongside key partners such as the Police, Fire & Rescue and the Ambulance Service as well as the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council and other major community organisations.

One of the advantages that ‘Sporting Chance’ brings to the community is that youngsters will know that it is a sporting organisation they’re talking to and not one of the major establishment bodies. It may make it easier for them to start the conversation.

“...there’s real excitement in the air...”

We officially launched the ‘Sporting Chance’ at Cougar Park and we were honoured by the attendance of many representatives from the District Council, parish and town councils, education and the emergency services. It was an indication of the importance that is being attached to ‘Sporting Chance’ as a viable, socially responsible enterprise.

There was another big night out when SkySports cameras came to Cougar Park for the match against Dewsbury Rams on July 30.

We’ll draw a veil over the game as Cougars lost heavily on the night when the Rams secured the league title and automatic promotion to the Championship for 2010.

The Cougars have, however, received much praise for their quality staging of the match and the way in which they worked in co-operation with the SkySports production crew.

More than 1,700 people attended the game; the weather improved after a wet start to

the day, the pitch looked a real treat and the prematch entertainment was well received. Pity about the result, but that happens in sport!

As I write, we’ve secured eight of the current first-team squad for next year’s campaign.

That’s a major step forward as we believe that this team is not only performing well at the moment but has great potential for the future.

Among the players we’ve secured are our skipper James ‘Buster’ Feather, the division’s top try scorer, Jon Presley, and one of the division’s top points scorers, Danny Jones. We are also in the middle of talks with the other players in the squad.

There was a sense of relief around the club at the beginning of August when it was announced that the future of the sport had been guaranteed for the next 60 years by the signing of a new lease.

The existing deal with the United Cooperative, who owns the land on which Cougar Park stands, ran out this year and after detailed discussions including the RFL it was agreed that the RFL’s Facilities Trust would take out the lease and that the Cougars would become their tenants.

Our chairman, Neil Spencer, was delighted with the outcome as it gives the Cougars security of tenure for generations to come.

And, finally, a sad note. Our winger, Sam Gardner, has announced his retirement from Rugby League and although he is to play rugby union at one of his former clubs, Otley, we shall miss him here at Cougar Park.

Sam’s been a great asset to the Cougars during the last five years and we’d like to thank him for his contribution and wish him well for the future.

See you at the game!

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