Alconbury January 2013

VILLAGER The

Issue 10 - January 2013

and Town

Life

LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS

Inside this issue...

Alconbury Pre-School Rated outstanding by Ofsted

Plus

Your chance to WIN £25 in our prize crossword

Discover

a new hobby in the New Year ur Yo EE y FRco1 p

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VILLAGER The

In this Issue

Issue 10 - January 2013

and Town

Life

LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS

9

Inside this issue...

Alconbury Pre-School

Alconbury Pre-School

Rated outstanding by Ofsted

Plus

OFSTED Outstanding

Your chance to WIN £25 in our prize crossword

Discover

a new hobby in the New Year

12

ur Yo EE y FRco1 p

Michael Kay

Advertising Sales Christa Hallam - Tel: 07868 369257

Breath Taling Detail

Christa@villagermag.com

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Additional Editorial Pippa Greenwood, Alex Brown Tony Larkins and

Prize Crossword £25 could be yours!

Solange Hando

New Year, New Hobby.............................................................4

Front Cover Photo: www.artisticportraits.co.uk

Recovering from a Financial Hangover.............................6 How Fair is That?..................................................................... 15

Design and Artwork Design 9 - Tel 07762 969460

Wrap Up for Winter................................................................ 19 Seasonal Delights................................................................... 20

Publishers Villager Publications Ltd

Puzzle Page............................................................................... 24

24 Market Square

What’s On.................................................................................. 27

Potton, Beds SG19 2NP

Cape Town................................................................................ 30

Tel: 01767 261122 Email:nigel@villagermag.com

VILLAGER The

and Town Life

Disclaimer

All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith, however, Villager Publications Ltd can not take any responsibility for the content of the adverts, the services provided by the advertisers or any statements given in the editorial. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored without the express permission of the publisher.

8,000 copies delivered free of charge to all homes in the following areas: Abbots Ripton, Alconbury, Alconbury Weston, Barham, Broughton, Brington, Buckworth, Bythorn, Catworth, Coppingford, Covington, Easton, Ellington, Grafham, Great Staughton, Hail Weston, Hargrave, Keysoe, Keyston, Kimbolton, Kings Ripton, Leighton Bromswold, Little Staughton, Lower Dean, Melchbourne, Molesworth, Old Weston, Perry, Pertenhall, Riseley, Shelton, Spaldwick, Stonley, Stow Longa, Swineshead, The Stukeleys, Tillbrook, Upper Dean, Upton, Woolley, Yelden.

(We also have over 150 distribution points, including pubs, garages, most shops, post offices, Supermarket Chains in all of the above as well as in Huntingdon, Lt Staughton, Grafham Water Visitor Centre’s and Kimbolton.)

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New year, new hobby

BY Alex Brown

Eat healthily, start exercising, get more sleep…

As you list your usual New Year resolutions, why not add in something fun for once? January is the perfect time to lift your spirits out of a winter slump by starting a new hobby, and there have never been so many activities to try.

To narrow down your choice, think about what you’d like to add your life. Do you want to meet more people? Be more active? Learn a skill? Get creative? You may want to develop something that you are already interested in, or try something completely new.

Look around to find out what’s going on. Your adult education centre and library will be able to help, and you’ll find information in cafés, newsagents, community centres and local magazines.

If you were inspired by the 2012 Olympics, you could try a new sport or exercise class, but getting fit doesn’t have to mean sport. Why not follow the Strictly contestants and sample the benefits of ballroom dancing or Zumba, or simply aim to get out more and enjoy the countryside?

Geocaching is an exciting new outdoor activity that the whole family can enjoy. It’s essentially

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a high-tech treasure hunt. Another new trend is roller derby – a fast-paced contact sport where teams race to lap the opposition as they skate around the track.

If you fancy using your mind more than your body, you could learn a new language in preparation for a foreign holiday perhaps. Or build on an existing interest by joining a photography class or book group.

Music can reduce stress and improve your mood, so why not dust off that instrument you haven’t touched for years and join an amateur orchestra?

Choirs are increasingly popular and you’re sure to find a range of musical styles available.

Crafts have had a real boost lately, with knitting and sewing groups setting up all over the country. Jewellery and card-making are also satisfying. You can get started quite cheaply and pick up the basics quickly. The bonus is that you get to keep the end result, or give it as a gift. You also have the potential to earn money by selling your creations.

Increased access to computers means that we can get involved in a whole host of new communities without even leaving the house.

Many of us enjoy researching our family trees and finding the facts behind our memories. It’s also easy to use social networks to track down old school friends and colleagues that we’ve lost touch with.

And if none of these is for you, how about foraging, meditation, wine-tasting, linedancing, magic tricks, bee-keeping, historical re-enactments, home baking…the list really is endless!

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YOUR FIVE STEP GUIDE

TO RECOVERING FROM A FINANCIAL HANGOVER So again we find ourselves starting the New Year on the financial back foot, following overindulgence at Christmas. While this dilemma may seem inescapable, it is certainly not without remedy. Here’s how to begin your New Year with a proactive monetary success story rather than spending Q1 worried about cash flow. This is your five-step guide to recovering from a Christmas financial hangover.

1. Personal Preparation Start by deciding whether you’re going to use a paper notepad or software. Some people prefer pen and paper, but software for personal finance management or even just a spreadsheet will give you an efficient way to keep track of your funds using an intuitive interface.

Next, you need to bolster your conviction to rectify the situation. If you’ve had good intentions in the past to tackle your finances but found yourself falling by the wayside, you’ll understand the importance of this step. A process touted by many world-renowned business coaches is to take a notepad and create two columns. On one side, put the positive things which will come from organising your money, and on the other list the downsides of what will happen and how failure will feel. This process can transform your intentions from whimsical fancy into serious conviction.

2. Assessing Your Situation Before addressing the problem at hand, you need to understand what the damage is. This means coming to terms with exactly how much you spent and involves delving into the nitty-gritty of your naughtiness, a psychologically repelling task that is tempting to avoid.

If you haven’t had your credit card statement in yet, sit down with a notepad or a spreadsheet and tally up what you spent on Christmas presents. After this, do a rough calculation of what was spent on other factors such as food, drink and travel. You can always phone your card company and ask for the current balance if you’ve lost track.

3. Laying Down Your Targets Next, make a comprehensive list of every single essential outgoing for the month including an allowance for food. Once you know what this figure is, subtract it from your income and you will

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know exactly how much is left to divide between your card bill/overdraft and other spending for the coming months.

4. Breaking Your Targets Down Breaking targets down into milestones is another strategy adopted by many renowned business coaches. Once you have your monthly budget, you can then break down your weekly, or even daily spending allowance. If you stick to these targets, you cannot fail and by the end of your plan, you will inevitably be free from your Christmas financial woes. Be as detailed as possible in your planning, accounting for any and all expenditures.

5. Other Steps to Take It’s common when struggling to get on top of finances to avoid contacting organisations to whom money is owed, such as credit card or utility bill companies. Ironically, communication can gain a great deal of leeway here. If necessary, phone up and inform them you’re unable to pay the bill this month but you can pay extra at the end of February. They will often be more than happy to accommodate, allowing you get on with your day-to-day life, conscience unburdened from money issues.

If you continue to struggle to make ends meet, there are companies out there to help. Both CCCS (http://www.cccs.co.uk) and Payplan (http:// www.payplan.com/) are organisations set up to offer free advice and also debt management plans for those in need. Best of luck.

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ALCONBURY COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL

OFSTED OUTSTANDING Alconbury Community Pre-School is a small committee run Pre-School , located in the village of Alconbury near Huntingdon, welcoming children from all areas from the age of two and a half until they start primary school.

We offer a child led curriculum allowing flexibility to follow the children’s individual interests supported by a keyworker. By offering developmentally appropriate activities we aim to help the children progress through the recently revised Early Years Foundation Stage, whilst having fun and friendship with children and adults.

Join us for an American pancake breakfast on the first Saturday of every month, from 10:00 to 11:30. Bookings encouraged.

We also serve brunch every Sunday from 10:30 to 12:00.

The Pre-School is currently open from Monday to Thursday from 9am until 3pm, with morning and afternoon sessions and a lunch club. Children are invited to stay for the whole day or any combination they choose.

In March this year we were delighted to be judged Outstanding in our Ofsted inspection, a wonderful achievement which we are very proud of.

If you would like to know more about the Pre-School please telephone 01480 896006 or look at our website www. alconburycommunitypreschool.org.

Beverley & Will have taken over The Three Compasses, Upper Dean.

Will is American and brings an American flair to a traditional pub.

The Three Compasses now features; » Real ales with regular guest ales » Selection of quality wines » Takeaway food available TUE – SAT » Takeaway wine and beer service » Top up your mobile phone » Functions catered for » Meeting area

Test your brain in our monthly pub quiz, held on the first Tuesday of every month.

Our lunch menu is available to take away as is our dinner menu.

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MICHAEL KAY

BREATH TAKING DETAIL

The detail in Michael Kay’s work is breath taking. Fine pen and ink drawings, occasionally coloured with pencil crayons, they represent perfect moments: one split second of a huge tiger’s lazy stare; that instant of hesitation before the hare runs over a bright, snowy field; the loyal gaze of a Dalmatian; the lope of a racehorse, shining and eager on frosted downs; a beautiful, ancient house reflected in the wide, slow mirror of the Ouse. The richness and depth of his talent ensures that there could never be enough time even to simply stand and stare at Michael’s work.

Michael Kay has been drawing ever since he can remember. Born in Cambridge in 1956, he moved

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to Norfolk at the age of 10 where the county’s vast collection of medieval churches combined with his natural love of history and architecture motivated him to capture some of his surroundings on paper.

Intrigued by fine detail and reproducing every nuance, every line of light and shade, Michael concentrated on perfecting his ability to draw buildings, widening out later to include subjects from nature and the wide skies, wild birds and unique habitats that surrounded him. At sixteen he was excited to receive a place at the Great Yarmouth College of Art and Design where he remained a student between 1972 and 1976, honing and developing his interests and skills.

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During the subsequent years Michael Kay has been commissioned via his London agent to produce specific images on behalf of numerous clients. These have included six of the historic colleges found in Cambridge.

These beautiful images were then reproduced onto tablemats. Another special commission was a series of animal and bird drawings for the children’s comic entitled ‘Acorn Green’ and another favourite of Michael’s was a picture of a hotel in Lewes, Sussex, part of the Best Western Hotels group. This image was later featured in an article in the Sunday Telegraph magazine.

Michael’s chosen subjects remain the same as his first fascinations: buildings, animals, birds and pets and now also include scenes of aviation. Working closely with photographs taken either by himself or supplied by the client, he takes precise measurements that are then scaled up on the paper and outlined in pencil. These lines, along with the fine detail for which he is renowned, are then defined using pen and ink. Admirers of his work remain astounded by the accuracy and how much detail he is able to incorporate using such everyday media. ‘Everyone says the same things when they see my work,’ Michael laughs: ‘ “How long did that take you?” followed closely by “It looks as real as a photograph.”’

Michael returned to Cambridgeshire in 1995 with his employer at the time. He has since married and now lives in Eaton Socon, near to St. Neots. Having been made redundant last year from a company for whom he had worked for 16 years, Michael has decided to return to his art as a means of earning a living.

Most recently Michael’s work has been growing in popularity once more. A local networking group – Business Networking Cambridgeshire, have been very interested in creating opportunities for Michael to showcase his talent. This group has been specifically

formed in order to bring together local companies and help them to make connections and work more unitedly for the good of the community. Through his involvement, Michael and his remarkable work have been featured in the St. Neot’s Town Crier newspaper.

As a result of this article Michael was contacted by the Reverend Dr Paul Andrews, vicar of St. Mary’s church St. Neots, regarding a stunning picture of the church that Michael had recently completed. Copies of this image have now been made available for sale to the public. They can be purchased directly from Michael or at the church where a percentage of the profits will be donated towards church funds.

In addition to the sale of prints of his previous works, Michael is now able to accept commissions to produce a unique drawing of your home, or another place of special interest or personal significance to you. In addition to the works shown on these pages, you are also welcome to see many other examples of Michael’s work on his facebook page (http://www.facebook. com/pages/Michael-Kay-Artist-and-Photographer).

If you are interested in speaking to Michael about his work or commissioning your own Michael Kay original, then he is happy for you to be in touch. As one of our county’s most talented artists, Michael is able to capture all the detail of the moment in an entirely unique, beautiful way which can be treasured for generations to come.

MICHAEL KAY

Telephone 01480 531601 or 07546 408999 Email: mkay_artist@hotmail.co.uk To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261 122

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Brampton Chiropractic Clinic 84 High Street, Brampton PE28 4TH DR NEIL BROE, DC and Assoc Registered with the General Chiropractic Council Members of the British Chiropractic Association Over 30 years experience A gentle but specific form of manipulation.

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How Fair

Is That?

If you are currently saving into a pension then, like most people, you are probably aware that if you die before taking the benefits, the whole fund will usually be paid out tax free to your chosen beneficiary.

But what happens if you reach pension age, start taking the pension income and then die?

The answer is, it depends.

At the time of arranging the annuity, you are given various options, including securing a spouses pension for a certain percentage of your own. This option, although usually taken, reduces the initial pension you receive.

A guaranteed payment period is also usually arranged so that benefits are paid out for at least 5 years. But, even then, if your spouse predeceases you, the rest of the fund would be kept by the pension company.

Although sometimes only offered for funds over £100k, there is an alternative.

You could take about 85% of the normal pension offered and then have this same level paid to your spouse for as long as they out live you.

The balance of the fund (or all of it if they predecease

Tony Larkins CFP APFS Group Managing Director / IFA Chartered and Certified Financial Planner Beacon Financial Limited & Beacon Wealth Management Limited

you, less tax) could then be paid to your estate.

Sound too good to be true? It’s not, but pension companies won’t usually tell you about this option and many financial advisers do not fully understand the concept. If you have saved for many years for income during your retirement, you certainly didn’t do this so that the pension company could keep most of your fund.

If you have a reasonable sized pension fund, I advise you to speak to a pension specialist. Also, the way you invest prior to taking benefits can be equally important.

Although far more limiting, there are different options available for smaller pension funds.

How fair is it that a pension company charges fees throughout the term of your plan and then keeps the fund when you die?

You should always seek qualified advice from an IFA, preferably a Certified (CFP) or Chartered Financial PlannerCM (APFS). If you have a financial question e-mail: tlarkins@beaconwealth.co.uk

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Wrap up

for winter Winter is upon us and even if you think that it can’t become any colder, it’s time to face facts because the lowest temperatures are likely yet to come. Most plants in British gardens are good and hardy, but when conditions become particularly miserable even these may suffer. So whether your garden is already covered in snow and ice, or simply suffering from a slight frosting, it’s time to make sure that it’s wrapped up warm.

Plants in containers are particularly vulnerable to winter damage as their roots are not protected beneath the soil but instead are relatively exposed with only the container and a layer of compost to protect them. This leaves the roots in serious danger so, if the garden soil is not frozen solid, plunge any pot that can be plunged. If it’s too heavy to move then wrap it up well in several layers of bubble wrap polythene or old curtains – it may not look pretty but it’ll do the job.

Most shrubs and trees in your garden will be ‘hardy’ in the UK, able to withstand all but the most harsh weather but if very harsh weather is forecast or there has been a spell of mild weather which may have encouraged the plant to produce some soft, new growth, then drape a double layer of horticultural fleece over the top growth of the plants and anchor it well.

A double fleece layer can of course be used on plants in beds and borders too. Make sure you weigh down the edges of the fleece well with bricks, or use metal pegs at intervals along its length. Larger individual plants in borders can be given good, individual protection if you use four sturdy canes to create a framework, wrap with netting or chicken wire and fill the central space around the plant with dry bracken, straw or leaves.

Many wall shrubs, for example the pineapple broom, are grown in this relatively warm and sheltered spot because they aren’t the hardiest of plants. To dramatically reduce any risk of cold damage you can make a similar ‘cage’ of mesh around these and again fill it with dry material so that the plant inside remains snug. It is essential with any such protection that you don’t use materials that cannot ‘breathe’ or else it may become damp inside and the plants will start to deteriorate.

Evergreens in containers and in open ground may

suffer from drought as well as foliage or stem growth – during the cold weather they continue to need a fair amount of water and if this is frozen solid in the soil, they soon suffer. Deep mulch applied to the soil surface on the root area before the ground becomes frosted will help immensely.

During milder spells, if the soil is dry, give them a drink too.

Although most fruit trees such as apples, pears, cherries and plums are definitely hardy, they are also prone to damage. Although quite tough, the newly opened blossom and the buds themselves may be damaged, with late frosts being most harmful because the buds are further developed.

A fleece cover will help here too. If you live in a particularly cold part of the country and are planting new fruit plants buy them from a local specialist nursery who know local conditions, and try to buy late flowering varieties where possible.

If your garden is inclined to be a bit windswept, it may be worth investing in some fleecy jackets for your favourite shrubs. These are made from fleece and are like massive bags, complete with a drawstring at the open end. Just pop them over the plant and tighten the drawstring. Alternatively use a double layer of ordinary fleece, such as the type we offer on my website, wrap it around and cut to size before clipping or tying in place.

Outdoor taps and pipework are likely to need protection too, and if left open to the elements could result in burst pipes and expensive bills. I suggest turning outside taps off at the mains, but if this isn’t feasible or logical, do make sure any exposed pipework is properly insulated. Your local builder’s merchant or DIY store is worth a visit for this job - well insulated pipes and garden taps could save you a fortune.

Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood. com for some great gift ideas and items for your garden, including signed copies of Pippa’s books, hand-made terracotta herb planters and wall plaques, cloches, pop-up plant cloches, raised bed kits, ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ Gift Cards, heated propagators and lots more!

You can also sign up for Pippa’s newsletter and receive a free e-book on organic gardening.

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SEASONAL DELIGHTS CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE

If you have a bowlful of nuts left over from Christmas then why not make this classic American favourite with a British twist – simply replace half the pecan nuts with walnuts, hazelnuts and Brazil nuts. Serve with a dollop of thick Greek yoghurt or whipped cream.

Serves 8 Ready in 1½ hours plus chilling INGREDIENTS For the pastry: 225g plain flour 100g butter, diced 1 medium egg, beaten with 2tbsp cold water For the filling: 100g dark chocolate, broken into pieces 50g butter, diced 75g golden syrup 4 tbsp maple syrup 75g caster sugar 4 medium eggs, beaten 175g pecan nuts (or a mixture of pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts and Brazil nuts) 1 To make the pastry, sift the flour into a bowl and add the diced butter. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Stir in the egg and water and mix to a crumbly dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth.

Wrap and chill the pastry for 20 minutes.

2 Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface and use to line a 25cm round deep metal pie tin (or a loose-based fluted flan tin). Crimp the pastry edge with your fingers and prick the base all over with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes.

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3 Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and place a baking sheet in the oven to heat.

To make the filling, melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Remove from the heat and stir in the golden syrup, maple syrup and sugar then whisk in the beaten eggs.

Chop half the nuts and stir into the mixture.

4 Gently pour the mixture into the pastry case and sprinkle over the rest of the nuts (roughly chopping the hazelnuts and Brazil nuts, if using). Slide the pie tin onto the preheated baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and bake for a further 2530 minutes until the filling has set and the pastry is crisp and golden. Serve warm or cold.

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Huntingdon Farmers’ Market Seasonal Fayre

Fortnightly on Fridays Market Square, Huntingdon 8am - 2pm

January 11th & 25th February 8th & 22nd March 8th & 22nd Plus Saturday 30th March 6

Fresh, Local Produce

Email: farmersmarkets@huntingdonshire.gov.uk Tel: 01480 388388 Website: www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/markets @huntsfarmersmkt

Huntingdon Farmers Market

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Best prices and quality with a friendly service.

Enquiries to 01480 475486 or (Mobile) 07876 238308

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CODEWORD

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ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

9 X 9 PUZZLE

How to play It’s simple! Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the digits 1 through to 9 with no repetition.

Use your logic to solve the puzzle.

Watch out! Sudoku is highly addictive.

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what’S ON?

IN JANUARY

5 January Hardy Plant Society Talk 2pm The Wetherley Centre, Biggleswade Small charge for visitors Cambs and Beds Hardy Plant Society present a talk by Mike Brown on ‘All in a garden green-the features you may find in an historic garden’ Mike is an ex Head Gardener and College Lecturer, who designed the medieval gardens at Prebendal Manor, Northants. He is also a consultant for other projects. All welcome. Tel: Winifred 01234 721720 Web: www.hpscambsandbeds.co.uk 5 & 6 January Antique & Collectors Fair Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 9am-4pm Wood Green Animal Shelter, Godmanchester Adults & Concessions £3.50, Children Free, Online price Adults & Concessions £2.50 Whether you are a professional dealer, an avid collector looking to complete a cherished collection, or an enthusiast searching for the ‘once in a lifetime’ treasure, the fair offers a diverse range of antiques and collectables.

Web: www.aztecevents.co.uk 8 January Cromwell Video Camera Club 7pm for 7.30pm start Reading Room, High Street, Hemingford Grey Cromwell Video Camera Club Committee Meeting.

9 January 100 Years of the Wildlife Trusts 7.30pm Brampton Memorial Hall, Thrapston Road, Brampton Suggested donation: Members £2, Non Members £2.50 The history of the Wildlife Trusts is the topic of this month’s meeting of the Huntingdonshire Local Group.

Brian Eversham presents a DVD exploring the development of the WLT from the early 20th century when Charles Rothschild recognized the danger to Wood Walton Fen, to the establishment of nature reserves at the end of WWII, and later the development of the national body and the local Trusts, to today’s Living Landscapes report that aims to restore nature and enable wildlife to extend its range in the UK. Anyone interested in wildlife is most welcome to attend. Tel: Phil 01487 822835 Email: Philip@philandruth.plus.com Web: www.wildlifetrust-huntsareagroup.org.uk 12 January Charity Soul Night 7pm-2am Priory Centre, St Neots Advance tickets £7, On the door £8 Charity Soul Night in aid of Life After Debt.

Tel: 01487 830219 13 & 20 January Giant Indoor Car Boot Sale 7am traders, 9am-1pm buyers Wood Green Animal Shelter, Godmanchester £6 pitch fee and tables for hire for £3 Giant indoor car boot sale. Pre book only.

Tel: For further information 01480 832812

Entries into our What’s On sections are free. If you have an event you would like us to publicise please email the details to whatson@villagermag.com 15 January Working in your Garden 7.30pm Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton Admission £6 including light refreshments Kimbolton Flower Club. Fritz De Zutter will be speaking on ‘Working in your Garden’ followed by ‘question Time’.

Please join us and bring along your queries. Visitors welcome.

16 January Non Conformity of The Fens 7.30-9pm WI Headquarters, Walden Road, Huntingdon Huntingdonshire Family History Society presents Brian Jones talking about Non Conformity of The Fens. Nonmembers welcome – £1 donation at the door appreciated.

Tel: Caroline Kesseler 01480 390476 Email: secretary@huntsfhs.org.uk Web: www.huntsfhs.org.uk 19 January The Opera Dudes – Licensed to Trill!

7.30pm Little Gransden Village Hall Tickets £8/£7 Another amazing and very funny show in conjunction with Arts in Cambs on Tour - some impressive singing too!

Tel: S Sullivan 01767 677906 Email: ssulledit@aol.com 20 January Wildlife Trust Walk 10.30am Brampton Wood Wildlife Trust Huntingdonshire Local Group walk through Brampton Wood led by Warden, George Cottam, and local botanist, Lynne Farrell. Please meet in the car park, grid reference TL185 697.

22 January Cromwell Video Camera Club 7pm for 7.30pm start Reading Room, High Street, Hemingford Grey Showing of the film made in October 2012. General public welcome to see the result.

25-27 January Sleeping Beauty Friday 7.30pm, Saturday 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sunday 7.30pm Stuart Memorial Hall, Tempsford Adults £7, Child (under 16) £5, Family (2+2) £20 Come and see Love triumph over Evil in the classic fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty. The Kingfisher Players, NODA Pantomime Award Winners, will keep you entertained with comedy and songs in their performances of Chris Lane’s adaptation of this classic story.

Tickets available from High Street Crafts, Sandy or Steve Ward on 01767 691982 or Kingfisher Players website.

Web: www.kingfisherplayers.co.uk 26 January Burns Night Celebrations 7pm till late Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton £15 per ticket including Hog Roast Enjoy the fantastic sounds of “Moondance” Full Ceilidh (Scottish band) with Caller. Full Bar.

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Ty Interiors Prize Crossword

1st Prize £25 Name:

Sponsored by Ty Interiors, The Olde Watermill Shopping Village, Faldo Road, Barton Le Clay, MK45 4RF

Complete the crossword, fill in your details below, cut out this section and send to the address below before 18th January 2013.

Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP Tel:

Address:

Please enter me into the prize draw to be drawn at end of 3 months for £1000 off a fully fitted kitchen. T&C’s apply. (Please tick) Last Month’s Crossword Winners. Congratulations to: 1st prize - Mr P Chells from Great Barford and 2nd prize - Heather Grant from Sandy For last month’s solution please visit www.villagermag.com Across 1 Argument (7) 5 Engine (5) 8 Certain (9) 9 Rodent (3) 10 Nightclub (5) 12 Oblivious (7) 13 Musical backing (13) 15 Operating room (7) 17 Edition (5) 19 Ocean (3) 20 Young adults (9) 22 Fashion (5) 23 Weekday (7) Down 1 Chopped up (5) 2 Male child (3) 3 Alike (7) 4 Incentive (13) 5 TV, radio (5) 6 Intimidates (9) 7 Draw back (7) 11 Personal Assistant (9) 13 Painters (7) 14 Copy (7) 16 Heading (5) 18 Thesis (5) 21 Finish (3)

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Cape Town

BY SOLANGE HANDO Draped like a silver necklace around the green slopes of Signal Hill, Cape Town, the ‘Mother City’, is an intriguing mix of pastel-coloured walls, red roofs and mighty skyscrapers lapped by the Atlantic surf.

Dutch and British settlers left a fair heritage, from the star-shaped castle of Good Hope to the Houses of Parliament, the Anglican Cathedral, once the diocese of Desmund Tutu, and the Company’s Gardens. The modern town has tree-lined avenues and upmarket stores but in the midst of it all are quaint colonial buildings and colourful alleyways, especially in the Malay district, a favourite location for film producers and still home to descendants of Asian slaves.

Seapoint is a leisurely place to picnic on the lawns, stroll on the promenade to enjoy the ocean breeze or gaze at fur seals basking on the rocks.

Meanwhile beyond the lively Greenmarket at the heart of town, the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront bustles from morning to night. There are fishing boats along the quay, English pubs and al fresco restaurants, Zulu dancers, Jazz musicians and people of all ages having a good time. It’s a great place to sample fresh seafood or a mega ice cream, hunt for the finest African craft or sail around the harbour feeling at home as you gaze at the bright red Victorian clock tower. A dainty pedestrian bridge swings now and then to let the boats go through and Table Mountain looks down on the scene in quiet splendour.

Silhouetted against the blue sky or lost in the mist at over 1000 metres, the mountain has a mind of its own so it’s best to check the forecast and

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choose a good day to head for the top. Some visitors walk up the steep trails, three hours or so by the easiest route, most queue for the cable car to be whizzed up to the summit in just six minutes. The platform revolves so everyone has a turn to look at the view, more vertiginous as you climb until you near the top, hanging just metres from the sheer cliff face.

Up there, the panorama takes your breath away, from the glistening city and harbour to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held in captivity, now a sanctuary for seabirds and penguins, from the verdant Devil’s Peak and Lion’s Head to the Cape peninsula and the Twelve Apostles stretching into the ocean. Myriad footpaths crisscross the vast rocky plateau, sprinkled with 1500 species of plants, among them flowering protea and golden fynbos. There are Cape canaries and orange sunbirds, goat antelopes and elands, baboons and rock hyraxes, resembling oversized guinea pigs, who have wisely set up home near the coffee shop.

Suddenly the fog horn blows, sending everyone rushing back to the cable car. Mist rolls across the mountain tops, the temperature drops, the view disappears and you can’t see the edge of the cliff. It’s a relief to head back down into the sunshine where the ocean rolls as far as you can see and the beat of African drums and dancers echoes along the waterfront. Table Mountain has vanished like a dream but on the eastern slopes of the National Park, the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens release their most exotic fragrance in the setting sun.

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