Barton_Feb_13

VILLAGER The

Issue 2 - February 2013

and Town

Life

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

£25

Prize Crossword See Inside

Bringing Local Business to local people in Barton, Harlington, Ampthill, Flitwick, Westoning, Pulloxhill and all surrounding villages

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VILLAGER The

In this Issue

Issue 2 - February 2013

and Town

Life

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

10

£25

Prize Crossword See Inside

Barton’s Lost Aerodrome Part 2 Bringing Local Business to local people in Barton, Harlington, Ampthill, Flitwick, Westoning, Pulloxhill and all surrounding villages

28

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Advertising Sales Mary Williams mary@villagermag.com Tel:- 07549 661441 Additional Editorial Debbie Singh-Bhatti, Alex Brown, Helen Taylor and James Baggott

Prize Crossword £25 could be yours!

Love in the 21st Century...............................................4 Your Family’s Past............................................................6 Gung Hei Fat Choi!..........................................................9 Find the Perfect Hair Colour......................................13 Tablets...............................................................................14

Front Cover Photo: J D Grant

Land Rover Freelander................................................19

Design and Artwork Design 9 - Tel 07762 969460 Publishers Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square Potton, Beds SG19 2NP Tel: 01767 261122 Email:nigel@villagermag.com

Children’s Page...............................................................21 Seasonal Delights..........................................................22 Puzzle Page......................................................................24 What’s On.........................................................................26 Fun Quiz............................................................................27 The Food of Love...........................................................30

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.

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3

Love in the 21st Century

By Debbie Singh-Bhatti Most couples meet in mundane ways that allow them to get to know each other over time through school, friends, work or hobbies for example - but if none of these methods is working for you, have you considered modern technology to help you find Mr or Miss Right?!

The internet offers dating sites (sometimes free of charge, but often with a monthly subscription) where your profile, containing a photo and other biographical details, as well as a description of the kind of person you are hoping to meet, is made available for others to see. If someone is interested in you, they can contact you by email and start a conversation to find out if you would both like to take the relationship further.

There are risks involved in this type of dating – so don’t give out personal identifying information and never fall for sob stories from poor men in faraway places who need you to give them money.

When meeting, make it somewhere public and busy and consider taking a friend along, and use a cheap pay-as-you-go phone to make it easier to get rid of unwelcome admirers!

Speed dating involves an even number of single men and women meeting in a room set out with tables. Each person is given a numbered badge and a card containing the names of all

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the people they will date that night. The ‘couple’ numbered 1 sits at table 1 and spends around 5 minutes chatting, with the man moving on to the next table at the sound of a bell. At the end of the evening, every woman will have met every man and all will have marked their cards with the names of people they would like to meet again.

If there is a match (i.e. woman A likes man B and vice versa), the dating service will provide them with contact information.

A speed dating session takes around two hours and you can expect to meet between ten and fifteen people. The cost is around £20, normally paid in advance through a speed dating website.

The dinner date is a variation on the speed date, where 4-8 men and women meet at a restaurant to chat over dinner and get to know one another better. These smaller, more intimate, groups often work better than speed dates as there are others present to help keep the conversation flowing, so it feels less pressurised. At the end of the meal, if you have connected with someone at the table, the host will help you exchange contact information.

Modern dating methods may not be the ideal way to meet a new partner, but they do at least open up a world of possibilities!

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5

Taking a trip

TO YOUR FAMILY’s PAST When Elaine Thomas booked a week’s holiday in a remote cottage in Yorkshire, she had no idea that she was about to solve a mystery.

After several years spent researching her family history, Elaine - who lives in Kent - had discovered that her ancestors were land-owning farmers from the Richmond district of Yorkshire. She was eager to see where they had lived and died so she chose a pretty cottage in the hamlet of Easby as an ideal base from which to explore the area.

Elaine had focused her research on a branch of the Dixon family, tracing the line back to the year 1695, and she was now intent on filling any gaps in her knowledge. She had been unable to find out where her great, great, great grandparents were buried but thanks to an extraordinary coincidence she discovered the answer lay only a short stroll away. A book left out on display in the village church gave the exact location of their graves in the churchyard.

Elaine will never know what – or who - led to this uncanny revelation but she believes that luck and instinct can play a pivotal role in family research.

Her interest in the subject began as a child, when her grandmother told her stories about relatives.

“Once grandma died, I found I was the only person in the family with that knowledge. I wanted to know more, so I sent off for my grandma’s birth certificate. Although I’m not very good with the internet I looked up www.ancestry.co.uk and signed up for two weeks’ free trial.”

Elaine was determined to follow the female line of her family although she knew it would be difficult because the surnames would not be consistent. Unable to progress beyond her great, great grandmother Mary, she worked on a hunch

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inspired by the census.

“One of her children had the Christian name ‘Dixon’ and I thought that was unusual,” says Elaine. “I’d read in a magazine that mothers often christened children with their maiden names so the name would stay in the family.”

When she entered ‘Mary Dixon’ into an online search, she was rewarded with information that enabled her to trace her roots back to the 17th century.

Elaine’s top tips for starting your own research are to talk to older members of your family and write down every detail, then start to work backwards by requesting copies of birth, marriage and death certificates from the appropriate local records offices.

Valuable information can be obtained from ancestry search magazines and websites such as www.ancestry.co.uk and www.findagrave.com.

She has also found the staff at records offices particularly helpful.

The message boards of online networks such as www.curiousfox.com can be useful but Elaine warns that where the search concerns a common surname, names should be double checked against the census or other official records in order to ensure that the person in question belongs to the right family.

Tracking down family records can be challenging, but for Elaine it has opened up a wealth of new opportunities.

“If I hadn’t done this I would never have used a computer. I’ve also found that my interest in ancestry has given me wider interest in history.

I can honestly say it has opened up a whole new life for me.”

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The Unforgettable Close Up and Cabaret Magic of Steve Dean Immerse yourselves and guests in the close up magic of Steve Dean or enjoy a Cabaret Show that includes mentalism and much more.

Have you ever witnessed unexplainable events or illusions so convincing that they leave you fascinated and completely spellbound?

This is Cabaret, close up mix and mingle and table magic at it’s very best.

Not only enter the unbelievable world of close up professional magic that is second to none, you can now see a cabaret show that will leave you gasping, your guests enthralled and audience participation that is not only professional but will cause laughter throughout and will be something to remember for a very long time.

This is ideal for any corporate or private event.

Steve is a master of his craft and a member of the prestigious Magic Circle. He has had many letters of thanks and testimonials from people from all walks of life. From a small dinner party to performing on a British Cruise Liner this sort of entertainment is second to none and will give your guests unusual and fantastic entertainment that they can get involved in and will talk about for months to come.

(Steve is a member of Equity with full public liability insurance).

Please phone or email for details

07719 261147 • 01767 260671 www.stevedeanmagic.co.uk email: stevedeanmagic@aol.com

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Gung Hei Fat Choi!

Celebrate Chinese New Year on 10 Feb 2013 Chinese New Year is the biggest celebration of the year for Chinese people around the world.

In China, the festival is marked by a three-day public holiday.

Also called the Spring Festival, it is a special time for families to get together, and millions of people travel home from their places of work or study.

Chinese people prepare for the New Year celebrations by cleaning their houses from top to bottom. The idea is to clear away any bad luck and make way for good luck in the year ahead. People also buy new clothes and have their hair cut. They decorate their homes with red and gold paper decorations and lights. Red

is a lucky colour in China, while gold represents wealth. Debts must be paid off before the end of the year, otherwise it is said that you will be short of money in the following year. People also bring plants and fruit trees into their homes, especially kumquat plants and peach blossom.

On New Year’s Eve, families gather together for a celebratory feast. They eat sticky rice dumplings to bring good luck and happiness.

It is a time to be thankful for the year that is ending and to remember family members who have died. At midnight, the doors and windows of the house are opened to let the old year out and firecrackers are set off.

The next day, friends and families exchange gifts of food, flowers and sweets. Children are given money in red paper envelopes.

There are fireworks and elaborate lion and dragon dances featuring beautifully coloured costumes and puppets. People try to forget grudges and wish peace and happiness to everyone.

The date of the New Year is calculated using the lunar calendar and can fall any time between late January and the middle of February. A complete cycle of the lunar calendar lasts 60 years and consists of five cycles of 12 years. Each of the 12 years is named after a different animal – rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Legend has it that Buddha asked all the animals on earth to join him for a party.

Only 12 turned up, and as a reward, he named a year after each one in the order they arrived.

Each animal has certain characteristics which people born in that year are said to share.

2013 will be the Year of the Snake. People born in this year are said to be romantic, wise and charming. They are good at making and saving money, but can be stingy. Famous snakes include Audrey Hepburn, Bob Dylan and Brad Pitt!

By Alex Brown

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9

Barton’s lost Aerodrome - Part 2

A tale of a missing airfield!

The Luton Buzzard first took the air the in the summer of 1936 and stories tell of how the problematical Anzani engine failed numerous times once depositing bot plane and pilot in the hedge.

It is worth remembering that at this time the airfield was comparatively small with a maximum runway of under 1650 feet (500m) and so work was undertaken to pipe streams, fill ditches and remove hedges opening up the airfield to accommodate a maximum possible runway of 2145 feet (650m).

Over the winter of 1935 the Luton Aircraft Company had built not one but 3 new hangers with a respectable 14400 sq/ft (1338 sq/m) total footprint which although heavily modified still

stand nestled amongst the modern industrial buildings on the Barton Industrial Estate.

The Luton Buzzard suffered a rather fearsome fate when the new hangers caught fire destroying materials and damaging the stored aircraft sufficiently enough to require a rebuild.. the first cruel fate that seams to have followed its short life!

Rebuilt at the companies new factory called the ‘Phoenix Works’ at Denham Uxbridge the Luton Buzzard was forced to make a crash landing at Heston Aerodrome London whilst taking part in the Royal Flying Gala of 1936, suffering a broken fuselage, left abandoned in the corner of the workshop it’s fate was sealed when ironically the ‘Phoenix Works’ was burnt to the ground by accidental fire early in WW2.

Not all was lost in the first hanger fire that engulfed the Barton workshops, Luton Aircraft Companies real phoenix was to emerge in the form of the Luton Minor, another curious amalgamation of tried and tested design and a lot of experimentation!

Barton & District History Group www.bartonleclay.org/history Telephone: 07837 873514

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Find the PERFECT Hair Colour

By Helen Taylor

They say that blondes have more fun, but whatever your hair colour you’re sure to look and feel fabulous if you find the shade that’s right for you.

We all love to try out something different once in a while and there’s no better way to create a fresh look than with a change to your hair colour.

A new hue can take years off your age, emphasise your best features and leave your complexion looking radiant.

It’s crucial to get it right though, because if you pick the wrong colour you can be left with an unflattering and disappointing result.

Your hair is undoubtedly your best accessory, so it’s crucial to think carefully before doing anything drastic or making a hasty change.

Here’s our guide to what to consider before you reach for the hair dye.

Start with Your Skin Tone Whether you fancy being a blonde, brunette or redhead, it’s important to identify whether your natural complexion is warm or cool. This determines what colour base you should look for when you pick your shade.

To find out which category you fall into, try this simple test: Stand in front of a mirror in natural light with no make-up on. Hold a white garment by your face, then do the same with a cream coloured one.

Decide which looks better with your colouring, does the white enhance your eyes and skin? If so, you’re cool. If the cream looks best, then you’re warm.

Consider your jewellery; does gold suit you better than silver? If so, your skin tone is warm. If silver looks stunning, then you’re cool.

Cool Colours If your skin colouring is cool, you should choose an ash, mink or even platinum blonde shade if you fancy a blonde hue.

Brunette colours with an ashy base work best with cool skins. Think coffee coloured browns, medium brown with ashy highlights or even black.

Stick to burgundy, mahogany and purple based reds - they will look fabulous with your skin.

Warm Colours If you have warm colouring, then you’ll look great with golden blonde colours and caramel

highlights.

For brunettes, choose chestnut or golden browns with warm tones for a stunning look.

If you fancy standing out from the crowd with vibrant red locks, go for copper and auburn shades. Any red with a golden or orange base colour works well.

Have a Good Hair Day We’ve all had our fair share of hair disasters over the years and one of the main causes is changing our hair colour at home.

If you plan on going more than two shades lighter or darker than your natural hair colour, then it really is essential that you visit a salon to have your hair done professionally.

Remember that many colours bought for home use won’t necessarily look the same on your hair as they do on the box. If you have been dying your hair a dark shade for a long time there may be a build-up of colour on the lengths that could leave you with uneven results.

Blonde hues are very fashionable at the moment but lightening dark hair can be damaging. Invest in a good conditioner and have a toner standing by in case your at-home highlights turn out looking brassy.

Red hair colours are great but they have a tendency to fade quickly, so be prepared to find the time and money to regularly spend on your colour.

Image: Paul Mitchell

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13

Little wonders

How tablets can be cheap and cheerful Tablets are wonderful things, but they can be pricey: while £400 isn’t much compared to the price of a high-end laptop, it’s still £400. But you don’t need to spend that much to find a perfectly good tablet: in fact, there are good ones for as little as £99.

The £99 tablet is Amazon’s Kindle Fire, which dropped from £129 to £99 in November (if it’s gone back up again, don’t worry - you can be sure the price will fall again very soon). While it isn’t exactly state of the art it’s still a perfectly decent tablet for watching videos, playing Angry Birds, using Facebook and so on.

If you fancy something a little more powerful but not much more expensive, Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD is very good too. It boasts a much better screen, which is superb for video, and comes with more storage, faster Wi-Fi wireless networking and a faster processor. Prices start at just £159 for the 16GB model.

Before you spend £159, though, check out Google’s offering, the Nexus 7. Like the Kindle Fire it’s just £159 for the 16GB model, and as it’s Google’s own device it’s a proper Android tablet without the customisation that some manufacturers add to the operating system. Once again it’s a seven-inch device with a powerful processor, integrated Wi-Fi wireless networking and good battery life.

There are two other £159 tablets to consider: the Kobo Arc and the Nook HD. The former comes from Kobo, Amazon’s main rival in the e-reading sector, and it’s aimed primarily at e-book readers who fancy the odd video, song or bit of web

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browsing, while the latter is by US bookselling giant Barnes & Noble and hopes to carve a niche offering electronic magazines as well as apps.

Technically speaking they’re very good - the Nook HD in particular has a wonderful screen, is very light and easy to use - but tablets rise and fall on the strength of their content libraries and Amazon has the edge in that department. If you want a tablet that has lots of stuff to choose from and which is very easy to use, the Kindle Fire HD will look very attractive; if you’re more techy and want something you can fiddle with too, Google’s Nexus is more likely to appeal.

You can’t mention tablets without mentioning Apple, and while Apple also has a cheap tablet we’re talking cheap in Apple terms: the iPad mini starts at £269, which is significantly more than other seven-ish-inch tablets - although it’s a good bit less than a full-sized iPad. Apple claims it’s “every inch an iPad”, and that’s a fair claim: it’s essentially an iPad 2 crammed into a smaller case, so it runs existing iPad apps quite happily. It has more available tablet apps than any other small tablet, it has a slightly bigger screen - it’s 7.9 inches rather than the rivals’ 7 inches, which doesn’t sound much but makes a big difference when you’re using it - and to our eyes it’s much betterlooking and better-engineered than any rival.

Is the iPad mini worth the extra cash? If you want a premium tablet, you’re using other Apple products or you’ve already amassed a stack of iOS apps then yes. If not, you may well find that a smaller rival will be just as much fun for considerably less cash.

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Land Rover Freelander

BY JAMES BAGGOTT

Land Rover has given its perennial premium compact SUV a nip and tuck for 2013 – but is it enough to keep buyers interested in the offroader? We take it for a spin in the icy wilds of snow-blown Canada.

What is it?

Land Rover’s perennial compact SUV given a little wipe over with the flannel to freshen it up. The changes aren’t huge inside or out, but they’re enough to give it a new lease of life. The talking points on the outside are some smart new headlights, new rear tail-lights that look like dumpy red snowmen, and a more striking grille. Inside it’s had more attention with an Evoque-ess makeover.

What’s under the bonnet?

There are two diesel units which are both 2.2 litres in size but with different power outputs, 147 bhp and 187 bhp, they both offer four-wheel drive. There’s also a 150PS version in two-wheel drive form, but quite why you’d opt for that we have no idea apart from its lower CO2 emissions.

We tried a brilliant 2.0-litre petrol engine too on our road test in Canada, but sadly this won’t be coming to the UK. In fact, it was actually our pick of the bunch.

What’s the kit like?

It’s on the inside where the manufacturer has really gone to work. The centre console is new and the old Terrain Response dial has been swapped for buttons from the Evoque. A new instrument cluster has been installed which has a five inch display that offers the important details. It now has keyless go, a brilliant hitch assist that helps drivers line up their tow bar and clever voice activation. There are three new colours to choose from paint wise and the stereo system provided by Meridian is nothing short of extravagant.

Any rivals?

There are lots, and that’s the problem. Audi Q5, BMW X3, Volvo XC60 and VW Tiguan all represent very talented and capable alternatives to the rugged Brit. All are newer than the Freelander and are tough competition to the Land Rover.

Is it any good?

If you were hoping for a whole new car, you’ll be sorely disappointed. This revision is a nip and tuck at best bringing its styling into line with the other, newer models in the range. However there’s no denying that the Freelander is extremely capable off-road – some of the terrain we tackled on the launch was positively frightening and it sailed right through it.

What’s our verdict?

The revisions inside bring the Freelander up to date, but we had rather hoped they’d have done more with the exterior. The new lights are striking, but nowhere near as bold as its sister cars which is a shame, however its capability off road can’t be doubted and despite its age we still think it’s a rugged alternative to some often rather boring Germanic offerings. It’s worth a look for the pony-pulling set.

The Knowledge Model: Land Rover Freelander Price: £39,805 Engine: 2.2 litre, diesel Power: 187 bhp, 420Nm Max speed: 118 mph 0-60mph: 8.7s MPG (comb’d): 40.4 Emissions: 185g/km

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DO YOU WANT TO HOST AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FOR BRIGHT WORLD GUARDIANSHIPS? Bright World Guardianships Ltd is an AEGIS Accredited, UK wide guardianship organisation and takes care of international children studying at UK boarding schools.

We are looking for families to host our students for some weekends and half terms during the academic year when their school is closed but they are too far from home to return to their Mum and Dad. Please get in touch if you are interested.

‘hosting an international student has been a rewarding experience.

It has given a valuable income as well as being a fun and cultural experience’

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SEASONAL DELIGHTS

SATAY VEGETABLE SKEWERS WITH SPRING ONION NOODLES If you are short on time but still want a flavoursome supper then try these delicious vegetable kebabs with a lovely spicy peanut sauce. For non-veggie kebabs replace the aubergine with cubes of lean pork or chicken fillet and cook for 15-20 minutes until the meat is cooked through and lightly charred.

Serves 4 Ready in 30 minutes INGREDIENTS 100g crunchy peanut butter 25g creamed coconut, chopped 1/2 tsp chilli powder 1 garlic clove peeled and crushed 4 tbsp soy sauce 3 small peppers (red, green and yellow), deseeded and cut into 2.5cm pieces 4 thick slices of aubergine 1 large red onion, peeled and cut into slim wedges 3 tbsp sesame oil 4 nests fine egg noodles 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

1 Place the peanut butter, coconut, chilli powder and garlic in a small pan with 180ml water. Heat gently, stirring all the time, for 2-3 minutes until the coconut has dissolved and the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in half the soy sauce.

Thin down with a little more water to get a pouring consistency, if necessary.

2 Par-boil the peppers in a pan of boiling water for 2 minutes, drain well and pat dry with kitchen paper. Cut the aubergine slices into quarters. Thread the peppers and aubergine onto 8 pre-soaked wooden skewers with the onion wedges.

3 Preheat a cast-iron griddle pan until almost smoking. Whisk 2 tbsp of the oil and 22

remaining soy sauce together and brush all over the vegetable kebabs. Cook the kebabs on the hot griddle pan for 6-8 minutes, turning frequently until tender and lightly charred.

4 Meanwhile, cook the noodles in a large pan of boiling water for 3-4 minutes until just tender. Drain well and toss together with the rest of the sesame oil and the spring onions. Serve the kebabs on the noodles and drizzle over the satay sauce.

Tip If you don’t have a griddle pan cook the kebabs under a pre-heated grill or use a heavy-based shallow frying pan and add a little oil.

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parent company est. 1998

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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 FEBRUARY

1 February Coull String Quartet 8pm Benslow Music, Hitchin Tickets £10 (free for all 8-25 year olds) Works by Haydn, Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky.

Tickets available from David’s Music Letchworth and Hitchin Town Centre Initiative.

Tel: 01462 459446 Email: info@benslowmusic.org Web: www.benslowmusic.org 2 February The Signals Museum 10am-4pm The Signals Museum at RAF Henlow is open to the public. Entry is free but official photo ID such as a driving licence, passport or over 60s Bus Pass is required to get an entry permit from the Guardroom. See website for full information.

Web: www.rafsignalsmuseum.org.uk 2 February Soul Man - Arlesey Town Football Club Tickets £5 Arlesey Town Football Club presents ‘Soul Man’.

Tickets available from Lesley at the Club or for more information call Lesley on 07717 462393.

16 February Jumble Sale 2pm St Mary’s Church Hall, Stotfold Friends of St. Mary’s Jumble Sale. Please contact Chris Webster on 01462 834108 if you wish to have items collected or for times when it is possible to bring jumble to the hall. Raffle and refreshments.

Proceeds for church restoration.

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 26

19 February-24 November The British Schools Museum 41/42 Queen Street, Hitchin The Museum is open for public visits from Tuesdays 10am-4pm, Saturdays 10am-1pm and Sundays 2-5pm. Also open on Wednesdays, during the School Summer holidays - see website for information. The first Sunday of each month features a Victorian lesson experience beginning at 2.30 and 3.30 pm. Clean your fingernails, brush your hair and sample the joys of a Victorian lesson under the strict tutelage of the School-ma’am.

Tel: 01462 420144 Web: www.britishschoolsmuseum.co.uk 19 Feb-2 June Exhibition: ‘Crucible of Fire’ Sir Henry Bessemer Tues 10am-4pm, Sat 10am-1pm, Sun 2-5pm The British Schools Museum, 41/42 Queen Street, Hitchin Celebrating the bicentenary of the birth of the local hero who had a global impact. Learn about his remarkable life. Marvel at the scope of his work and see how his ingenuity changed the world. Tel: 01462 420144 Web:www.hitchinbritishschools.co.uk 20 February Dancing for Fun 10am-12 noon The British Schools Museum, 41/42 Queen Street, Hitchin £3 per child including light refreshments.

Come and enjoy Maypole Dancing and English Country Dancing for children 6+ and Singing Games for younger ones. Children must be accompanied by an adult and numbers are limited, so please book in advance.

Tel: 01462 420144 Web:www.hitchinbritishschools.co.uk 23 February Indoor Car Boot/Table Top sale 10am-1pm St Mary’s Church Hall, Stotfold Friends of St. Mary’s event. Please contact Chris Webster on 01462 834108 for availability of tables.

Proceeds for church restoration.

26 February Wedding Fayre 5-9pm Mount Pleasant Golf Club, Lower Stondon Free entry. Complimentary refreshments.

Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts

what’S ON? IN FEBRUARY

26 February Bingham String Quartet 8pm Benslow Music, Hitchin Tickets £10 (free for all 8-25 year olds) Works by Mozart, Janacek and Schonberg.

Bingham String Quartet with Jonathan Barritt (viola) and Alice Neary (cello). Tickets available from David’s Music Letchworth and Hitchin Town Centre Initiative. Tel: 01462 459446 Email: info@benslowmusic.org Web: www.benslowmusic.org

2 March Quiz St Mary’s Church Hall, Stotfold Tickets £5 including light supper Quiz organised by Friends of St. Mary’s Church.

Teams of 4-6. Our popular Quiz master, Lyn Hayes, will be asking the questions. Soft drinks/ tea & coffee will be on sale but please bring your own choice of alcoholic drinks. Book early to avoid disappointment. Proceeds for church restoration.

Tickets Tel: Roger Billson 01462 730103

1st March 7.30pm Archives – Safeguarding your Heritage Talk by Martin Deacon BLARS Flitton Church Hall.

Tickets adult £7, under 16 £5.

Advance booking recommended.

Tickets from Michael Brown 01525 716230

16 March Ska Music Night Arlesey Town Football Club Tickets £5 Arlesey Town Football Club presents a Ska Music Night – a tribute to Madness and The Specials, A Special Kinda Madness featuring Ska band “The Iconics”. Tickets available from Lesley at the Club or for more information call Lesley on 07717 462393.

Fun Quiz - Love and Kisses 1. Who is the Greek goddess of love?

2. What is the name of the bridge in Venice where, according to legend, lovers will be granted eternal love if they kiss on a gondola at sunset underneath it?

3. Which famous 1913 play has a title that is the name of a sculptor from Greek mythology who fell in love with his statue?

4. “Thus, with a kiss, I die” are the last words of which Shakespearean character?

5. Which American city is sometimes referred to as “the city of brotherly love” as its name was derived from Greek words meaning “love” and “brother”?

6. Which pop group released their debut album Kissing To Be Clever in 1982?

7. According to the first line of the Sinead O’Connor hit single Nothing Compares 2 U, it had been how many days and how many hours “since you let your love away”?

8. Which disease is sometimes referred to as the kissing disease?

9. Which Queen did Judi Dench portray in the film Shakespeare In Love?

10. According to legend, what would you receive if you kissed the Blarney Stone?

1. Aphrodite 2. The Bridge of Sighs 3. Pygmalion 4. Romeo (from Romeo and Juliet) 5. Philadelphia 6. Culture Club 7. 7 hours and 15 days 8. Glandular Fever 9. Elizabeth I 10. The gift of the gab

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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 15th February 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 - Mrs P Stephens from Cambourne and 2nd prize - Mr Tom Newton from Letchworth For last month’s solution please visit www.villagermag.com Across 1 Hint (4) 3 Contrary (8) 9 Error (7) 10 Frolic (5) 11 Eager (12) 13 Informal (6) 15 Titbit (6) 17 Alphabetical reference books (12) 20 Propose (5) 21 Produces lava (7) 22 Vacations (8) 23 Wagers (4) Down 1 Business (8) 2 Distressed (5) 4 Lyrical (6) 5 From time to time (12) 6 Suggests (7) 7 Acquire (4) 8 Produced (12) 12 Flowers (8) 14 Talented (7) 16 Carry (6) 18 Picture (5) 19 Weapon (4)

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The food of love

By Alex Brown

They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, so why not experiment with some tempting titbits this Valentine’s Day? In Japan feeling flirty can become – quite literally – a matter of life or death! Puffer fish is considered to be a great delicacy and an aphrodisiac, but it contains a poisonous gland that is deadly and must be removed before eating!

A safer seafood option is the oyster. A favourite with the Romans some oysters are able to change sex repeatedly and so are said to give you the ability to experience the male and female sides of love.

For a sophisticated saucy snack you can’t go wrong with asparagus. Served with hollandaise sauce and washed down with champagne it’s sure to pep things up.

And do you know where the term ‘honeymoon’ comes from? In Medieval times newlyweds drank mead – a fermented drink made with honey – to

sweeten their marriage.

But I reckon the ultimate palate pleaser has got to be chocolate. Described by the Aztecs as ‘nourishment of the Gods’, it contains both a relaxing sedative that lowers inhibitions and a stimulant to perk you up. Even better is the news that it is more effective when combined with that other antioxidant, red wine – but don’t have too much, or your suitor may become a snorer!

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Gallery 1066

proudly presents Canada’s leading modern impressionist artist -

Danielle O’Connor Akiyama Sunday 17th March 2pm - 4pm Please join us at this exciting show and meet the artist as she unveils her powerful new collection of original oil paintings and canvas editions.

To reserve your place please contact the gallery tel : 01462 622233 or info@gallery1066fineart.com www.gallery1066fineart.com

Willow Mews 6a Hitchin Street Baldock Herts SG7 6AE