Beds local 2014 (web) by debi1977

Your town, your business, your stories

Prize Crossword ÂŁ25 up for grabs Woodland Manor Read the review! Winter blues Stay happy this winter

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Issue 11 February 2014 20,000 copies delivered tocall Bedford and or the surrounding villages To advertise please 01767 261122 email christa@villagermag.com

In this issue 4 6 10 12 14 15 16 18 20 22 27

Be your own interior designer Jonathan Vernon-Smith – Knowing when to go to court Reclaim your space Alistair Burt – Flood watch Faces Sudoku Book review – Burial Rites Recipe – Red onion soup Woodland Manor Kitchen gadgets Car boot capers

30 33 35 38 42 47 48 51 54 58 60

What’s on Friends of Bedford hospital Beauty secrets South Africa Council news Motors – Kia Ray EV All change Prize crossword Banish Winter blues Tree and shrub inspection Directory

Read us online at www.beds-local.co.uk Editorial

Jonathan Vernon-Smith, Kate McLelland, Hannah Kent, Alistair Burt, Felicity Scott, Helen Taylor, Bedford Borough Council.

Editor

Front Cover Image 123rf.com

Disclaimer

Sue Metcalf 01234 708941

Advertising Director

Design and Artwork

Doug Dawson www.dougdawson.co.uk

Publishing and Marketing Nigel Frost Local Media Publishing Ltd 24 Market Square Potton SG19 2NP Tel: 01767 261122 nigel@villagermag.com

Christa Hallam Tel: 07868 369257 christa@villagermag.com

All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith, however, Villager Publications Ltd can not take and responsibility for the content of the adverts, the services provided by the advertisers or any statements given in the editorial. No part of the publication may be Totheadvertise please ofcall 261122 or email christa@villagermag.com 3 reproduced or stored without express permission the01767 publisher.

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n w o r u o Be y interior designer Whether you’re planning a room from scratch or freshening up an existing scheme, it can be hard to know where to start. Creating a successful space involves a complex blend of practical and aesthetic considerations. As well as the nitty gritty of wiring and plumbing, there’s wallpaper, paint colours and fabric to select, window treatments to decide on, storage to incorporate, furniture to choose and finishing touches to arrange. How can you ensure that you do it correctly? Never fear: it’s simply a question of taking things step by step, using a straightforward, logical approach. Careful planning is invaluable in helping firm up your ideas, work out your budget and timetable and, above all, avoid expensive mistakes. First comes space planning. Measure your room accurately and draw a plan to scale on graph paper, marking in windows, doors, fireplaces, fitted cupboards, pipes, radiators, plug sockets, light fittings and so on. Consider the room’s size and shape, and its architectural style. Will they affect the way in which you decorate? Are there special considerations, such as lack of space or light, or an important original feature? At this stage, consider whether it would be helpful to move a wall, pipe or radiator, enlarge a window, hang the door the other way around or add extra plug sockets or light switches. Perhaps you can conceal wiring or pipework, or build in some extra storage? Once you have gone through all the options – consulting a structural engineer if your changes are major ones – you can draw up a final plan. 4

Next, plan the positions of major items of furniture. On a separate sheet of graph paper, sketch the approximate shapes of your furnishings, as if you were looking at them from above, using the same scale as your room plan. Then simply cut them out, place them on your master plan and assess how well they fit in to the space, ensuring that you allow enough activity room between and around them. Think about who uses the room, when and how. Move your ‘furniture’ around as necessary and, eventually, the optimum arrangement will become apparent. To complement the floorplan and ensure that all the decorative elements of a room work together, professional designers create a ‘sample board’: a visual memo of all the different pieces that go towards making up the room. Before you start, you’ll need to find some images of your proposed furniture, flooring, lighting and accessories, as well as swatches of fabric, wallpaper and paint. Try to keep the samples in proportion to the size they’ll be in real life. You can also include real items (or parts of them) such as tie-backs and trims, rope or timber. Your sample board can be highly representative or more of a suggestion of general colours and styles. Then, take a large piece of neutral-coloured card as a base, and arrange the images or swatches on it. It helps if you place the samples roughly in accordance with where they will be in the room. With all the ingredients together, you’ll have a really effective overview of how colours, patterns, shapes and textures work together and can assess the overall effect.

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CONSUMER

KNOWING

WHEN TO GO

TO COURT! Thankfully most consumer disputes can be settled through effective and firm dialogue. If not, there are programmes such as mine that offer additional assistance for people who are finding it difficult to resolve their consumer complaint. However, some cases just cannot be resolved, no matter how hard one or both parties try. It is for these cases that the small claims court can be very helpful. This month, I will outline how to use the small claims court system to obtain the best results. Firstly, DO NOT RUSH TO COURT. In my experience, judges often look unfavourably at customers who are seen to take a company to court too quickly. It makes the consumer look

unreasonable which never bodes well. Therefore always try as hard as you can to resolve the complaint between yourselves first. Consider the small claims court your last resort and it is essential that you have kept a record of your conversations and correspondence. When you reach the conclusion that (within 6 years of the dispute and for amounts up to ÂŁ10,000) the company or tradesman is not prepared to resolve the problem, you must write a letter of intention. Make it clear in the letter that you have tried hard to offer them opportunities to resolve the problem and that you would like to offer them one final opportunity. Allow them one month from receipt of the letter to respond, and make it clear that if you do not hear from them, you will lodge papers with the small claims court. Send the letter recorded delivery and ensure they have received it and signed for it. If they still show no interest in resolving the dispute, then you have an important decision to make. Will you go through with your threat of court action or not? If you decide on the former, you must go into it with your eyes open. You can always lose as well as win, however it may not cost you as much as you may think. The fee is dependent on how much you are suing for, but this will be outlined when you proceed with the action.

Jonathan Vernon-Smith not only offers you his consumer advice here but you can listen to The JVS Show tackling your consumer problems every weekday morning from 9am.

CONSUMER If you are successful, the defendant will have to pay your costs as well as the amount you are claiming for. It is also worth noting that you do not need a lawyer to take someone to the small claims court. It’s relatively straight forward, and as long as you’ve been reasonable and sensible in your dealings with the company or tradesman, you stand a good chance of getting a favourable judgement. In many cases, mediation is offered as a way of agreeing a course of action. The result of this is not legally binding, and most often I would advise you to proceed with this where offered. It doesn’t prevent you progressing a case to a judge if unsuccessful. However, turning it down can made you look unreasonable. If things go your way, the judge will award in your favour and will request that the defendant pays you a sum of money (either the whole of the amount you’re seeking, or a proportion of it). They will be given instructions as to how to pay it, and if they fail to do so, you can instruct county court bailiffs to recover the money. You can also escalate the case to the high court for a further fee and instruct the high court enforcement officers to chase your money. Taking a company to court can be a daunting prospect, and I would always suggest obtaining advice from your local citizens advice bureau who will give you tailor-made advice on your specific case.

Good luck!

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Reclaim your living space for 2014 We all love the festive season, but it canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be denied that Christmas celebrations are a magnet for mess and clutter. For a short period of time, our living space seems to shrink under the sheer volume of seasonal items, including gifts (yours and theirs), food and drink, countless decorations â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and of course, that huge pile of washing up that never seems to diminish from morning to night. No wonder, then, that at New Year we take a certain pleasure in clearing out the festive junk we have accumulated, chucking out the tree and packing away the decorations in order to restore some domestic equilibrium. But why stop there? Traditionally the beginning of the year is a period when we want to embrace change, eliminating what has become outworn and unnecessary, so it makes sense to

tap into that New Year energy by using the first weeks of January to reclaim your living space. The psychological benefits are obvious: most of us feel better, calmer and more able to deal with daily stress when our home environment is well ordered, so why does it always seem so difficult to make a start when clearing out the things we no longer need? With the busy lives we all lead nowadays a certain amount of disorganisation is inevitable, but the tipping point comes when we find ourselves holding on to more possessions that we can reasonably manage. Recent medical research has helped scientists discover more about the processes at work in our brains when we contemplate a clear-out. Scientists at Yale University in America compared the results of tests carried out with a group of compulsive hoarders, patients suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and a control group of people

with ‘healthy’ responses. Surprisingly they discovered that compulsive hoarding, which was previously considered to be obsessivecompulsive behaviour, seems to be caused by faulty decision-making processes in the brain. Simply put, hoarders find it impossible to decide which possessions they should throw away and so they keep everything. Of course, putting up with a bit of clutter doesn’t automatically make you a hoarder, but if it’s been a while since you sorted through your stuff then a proper clear-out might feel like an impossible challenge. Here’s an easy, step-by-step guide to getting the job done: One step at a time. Don’t allow yourself to be overwhelmed by the prospect of reorganising your home; give yourself a set of different tasks and don’t start the next task until the last one is complete. For example, Task 1 could involve going through your kitchen cupboards, throwing away everything that’s past its sell-by date, Task 2 could be a thorough clear-out of your clothes drawers and wardrobes while Task 3 might call for a purge on your home filing system. Make a list and tick off the items one by one to give yourself a real sense of achievement.

Use the ‘three pile’ system. One pile to keep, one pile to donate or give to friends, one pile to throw away. If you have space in your house, put the ‘to keep’ pile in one room where it can lie undisturbed. At the end of the process you will be able to inspect your possessions in order to assess whether you have enough space in existing drawers and cupboards or whether need to buy additional storage. If some of your ‘to keep’ items have previously been hanging around, gathering dust, this is the ideal time to buy some attractive boxes or baskets that will store them all out of sight.

Cultivate a minimalist style. Ideas from Japan and Scandinavia have inspired British people to embrace simple, functional and beautiful interior design. The current fashion for open spaces, clean wooden floors and unfussy furniture means that streamlining your home is right on trend. If your rooms are full of pictures and ornaments it becomes hard to appreciate the merits of any single object, so identify a few items that you really cherish and make sure they are properly displayed. If you love all your decorative pieces equally, you can always rotate them throughout the year.

If you don’t want to put up shelves or buy more storage options, sometimes it’s just a matter of rethinking the way your house is organised. Moving a large item of furniture just a few inches can sometimes give a much more spacious feel to a room, so be creative and experiment. However you choose to reclaim your space, you’ll have a whole year to enjoy the results. Kate McLelland

DISTRIBUTORS REQUIRED

Make an audit of potential storage areas in your house. Are there any alcoves that could be filled with shelves? Is your loft being used to its full capacity? Do you have an under-used garden shed?

Are you honest, reliable and hard-working? Can you spare a few hours every month to deliver magazine? We have rounds available in Wootton and Goldington. Please ring Sue on 01234 708941 or email

ojpublications@hotmail.co.uk to find out more.

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MP COLUMN

MP keeps a watch on flooding

I think we might have watched with slightly less sympathy the video blogs of those up in Carlton and Harrold, who kindly filmed for us drivers who deliberately ignored warning signs and indeed physical barriers designed to keep them off the bridge there, believing that their 4x4s were immune from the effect of water levels that would deter drivers of lesser machines. We watched them drive onto the bridge then watched them reverse back again, as if the spirit of King Canute had taken revenge! But it has all been a good reminder that preparation is everything, and once again we are indebted locally to the Environment Agency at Brampton, and Director Geoff Brighty, and his colleagues for their work to protect this area, and for a first class information service advising of flood alerts and warnings easily available to us. We can go on the Agency’s easily navigable website to find whether there is any information for us in the Anglian region, or register to receive flood warnings by phone if we don’t have access to the internet by calling the Floodline on 0845 988 1188.

As the rains poured down, and the storms blew at the beginning of the year, I imagine a good number of us silently said, and not for the first time, ‘God bless Bedfordshire’! Whilst we have had the occasional flooding though exceptional events on the Great Ouse and Ivel (and I recall donning my wellingtons to deliver and place sandbags in Biggleswade in 2003) by and large Bedfordshire is a dry county. We watched with alarm and genuine sympathy the stunning film from coastal resorts which took the bulk of the gales, and felt deeply for those who suffer repeated flooding on the scale of those in Kent or Tewskesbury. 12

As I saw when I visited Brampton last year, there is an impressive amount of kit now transmitting information about levels of water, and where they might be building up which enables preventative action and warnings to be given quickly. On a wider front, the dramatic weather conditions viewed not only in the UK but elsewhere will keep alive the debate about climate change, and who or what may be responsible. It seems to me that greater amounts of carbon in the atmosphere leave serious questions to answer, and I think the science is proved. But whatever the arguments as to why, the fact that we are seeing different, more stormy and wetter weather more regularly means we need to be ready to take the defensive measures needed to ensure we do our best to help protect people and property from the misery flooding produces. Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP

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Sudoku EASY

HARD

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The Brickhill Book Bug reviews… Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

Hannah Kent’s first novel transports us to northern Iceland in 1829, both bleak and beautiful. A very different world to ours, where everyone lives off the land and winter starvation is a very real threat. As there are no prisons, Agnes Magnúsdottir has been sent to live out the final months of her life on the farm of district officer Jón Jónsson, who’s wife and daughters are horrified to have a convicted murderess living with them. Agnes has asked for a young priest, Tóti, to be her spiritual guide while she waits for her execution but he, and all those around her, struggle with her reputation while knowing very little about the circumstances of her crime. Slowly they discover that Agnes has lived on the farm at Kornsá before and, as she and the family work side by side through the harvest and long winter, Agnes begins to talk about her life and the events that have led to her conviction. As Tóti tries to prepare her for her fate they all begin to doubt that justice is being served. For more information about books and reading, visit the Virtual Library at www.bedford.gov.uk/libraries. The Book Bug has worked for the library service in Bedfordshire for over 20 years. She lives in Brickhill with far too many books!

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FOOD

RED ONION SOUP WITH MELTING GRUYERE CROUTONS After all the indulgence and expense of Christmas and the New Year, this hearty soup is the perfect antidote. Ideal for a warming winter lunch or supper it’s simple to make, tastes delicious and doesn’t cost a fortune.

Serves 4

Ready in 1½ hours 2 tbsp olive oil 15g butter 650g small red onions, peeled and thinly sliced 2 tsp brown sugar 1 tbsp flour 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard 1.2litres beef or vegetable stock Few sprigs fresh thyme, plus extra to garnish Salt and freshly ground black pepper 8 thin slices day old French bread 75g Gruyere cheese, grated

1 Heat the oil and butter in a large, deep heavybased saucepan until the butter is sizzling. Add all the sliced onions and cook very gently over a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. 2 Sprinkle over the sugar and cover and cook for a further 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and golden. 3 Stir in the flour and half the mustard and cook for 1 minute, then gradually stir in the stock. Add the thyme sprigs, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper (see Tip) and bring to the boil. 4 Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 3540 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust the seasoning to taste. 5 Lightly toast the slices of French bread on one side. Spread the untoasted sides with the rest of the mustard and top with the grated Gruyere cheese. Pop under a hot grill for 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. 6 Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and top each with two hot Gruyere croutons. Serve immediately garnished with thyme sprigs. TIP If you use stock made up from stock cubes taste the soup before adding any seasoning as some can be quite highly seasoned.

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FOOD

Woodland Manor Decorating the Christmas tree, Christmas carols and the shrieks of delight as children peel back the wrapping paper to reveal what they have always wanted. It seems like an age ago we were celebrating the festive season, seeing the New Year in and preparing for the inevitable, although necessary, return to work! Most of us tend to over-indulge in the food and drink department, but once back on an even keel we thought it was about time to re-introduce our popular restaurant review. Little did we know what an absolute delight we had in store for us as we prepared to visit Woodland Manor, situated in Green Lane, Clapham. An extremely popular venue for weddings and conferences, as well as a top class hotel just on the outskirts of Bedford, its reputation for fine dining, quality food and service has been well known for many years. Arriving early evening we were greeted at the reception and shown to our table by Libby who would be our waitress for the evening. The Restaurant is not huge which gives it a warm, cosy welcoming feel but large enough to seat a healthy number of people to give it a pleasant lively atmosphere.

crisp and the dressing worked really well with the fish. The parfait was smooth and rich, the chutney excellent and the crostini light and crispy (a few more of the crostini would have been perfect) the whole dish was delicious. Another selection from the starters was Parfait of Goats Cheese with herbs, marinated beetroot with balsamic glaze. Starters range in price from £5.00 to £8.00. On to the Mains and we plumped for – Roast Rump of Lamb, basil puree, chorizo and butter bean casserole with dauphinoise potato with a rosemary jus. Also Crispy Suckling Pig Belly, cream potato, leek and pancetta compote with a thyme scented jus. Served with a side of fresh vegetables. Presentation was superb, Head Chef Ivan obviously takes great pride in his ability and what he is able to accomplish with a plate of food. Not only is it a delight to look at but also to eat, the cube of belly pork was tasty indeed, the leek and pancetta compote fantastic, creamed potato lovely and all in all a super plate of food. The Lamb was perfectly cooked, the cube of Dauphinoise potatoes fantastic, thin layers of potatoes with cream, butter, onion and cheese, scrumptious and with the puree and casserole another winning dish.

Having been served drinks it was time to order our starters:- Citrus Cured Salmon with celeriac Remoulade & fennel salad and citrus dressing also Chicken Liver Parfait with red onion chutney & crostini bread.

Main courses are priced from £14.00 to £22.00 and another choice on the menu was – Seared Fillet of Sea Bass with crushed new potatoes and a citrus, tomato and cucumber salsa.

Both of these dishes were presented very well, the Salmon was light and refreshing, the salad

The evening seemed to fly by and waitress Libby was excellent making sure we had everything we

FOOD

– the tart smooth and tangy, the sorbet perfect, not too cold – the caramelised top to the Brulee just the right thickness and the creamy centre All the food at Woodland Manor is cooked to order sumptuous, both desserts not too heavy and a pleasing way to finish off a highly enjoyable meal. and only the freshest and finest ingredients are used, being locally sourced where possible. Desserts are priced from £5.00 to £7.00. To reflect, this was certainly a meal to remember, On to the Desserts and a fine way to finish off what was undoubtedly becoming one of the most right up there with the very best we have been pleasurable meals we have had the good fortune fortunate to sample over the years. Prices are not excessive for food of this quality, we feel it is great of eating. value for money and you don’t have to travel to the ends of the earth to sample the delights at Caramelised Citrus Tart with raspberry sorbet Woodland Manor. and Vanilla Crème Brulee – once again the arrangement on the plate was exceedingly good needed to ensure our visit was as enjoyable as possible.

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TECHNOLOGY

Love food, love a helping hand to prepare a romantic meal

Valentine’s Day is like Christmas for restaurants, but all too often their love-struck customers end up fobbed off with overpriced set menus and a distinct lack of atmosphere. If it’s true that the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach, wouldn’t it be better to wow your partner with something you’ve cooked up yourself? Best of all, you can use it as an excuse to splash out on some new kitchen gadgets too.

Philips Avance Table Grill We’re big fans of Joseph Joseph’s brightly coloured (and quite expensive) cooking gadgets, such as its foldable TriScale (£30), its Elevate raised utensils and its very useful Chop2Pot foldable chopping boards. If the price is a little high you’ll find shopping around online can save you a packet, and there are plenty of more affordable imitations too. Grating, chopping, blending, pureeing, julienning, mixing, do-everything Food processors are fantastic things, and while they can be pricey there are plenty of deals around: a quick bit of online research uncovers Kenwood’s FP736 for £89.99 instead of the £120 RRP, and multifunction blenders such as the Shef Collection for £17.99 instead of £49.99. If that’s still too much or you just don’t have room for all the attachments, electric choppers can be picked up for around £12.

Joseph Joseph TriScale 22

Some of our favourite gadgets are the simplest ones: Microplane graters were originally designed for woodworking but are fantastic for

gadgets –

TECHNOLOGY

parmesan and can be found for as little as £10, while mandoline slicers take the effort out of preparing fruit and veg. Expect to pay around £10 to £20 for a good one. If your partner’s a barbecue fan, don’t let the fact it’s still winter deter you: Philips’ Avance Table Grill promises all the taste of a smoky barbecue without having to leave the house. It looks like a chunky George Foreman grill and at £95 costs quite a bit more than one, but unlike some of George’s grills the plate is detachable and dishwasher safe and you can use its unique infusers to add smoke flavours (from real wood chips) or liquids such as marinades. Just make sure you put it near a cooker hood if you’re using it to smoke your food, or your romantic evening could end up involving the local fire brigade.

Screwpull corkscrew We’re keen on celebrity chefs here in Britain, and one of the biggest is Jamie Oliver – and he hasn’t been shy when it comes to lending his name to everything from tea towels to salad servers. He’s also put his name on Philips’ Homecooker, which promises “a completely fresh approach to cooking”. It’s a cross between a slow cooker and a food processor, and it chops, slices, shreds, grates, cooks, stirs, steams and keeps cooked food warm. The HomeCooker is a fairly frightening £250, and if you want one you’ll have to go to John Lewis. No romantic dinner would be complete without a nice bottle of wine, but if you’re worried about wrestling with a traditional corkscrew there are plenty of alternatives. Le Creuset’s Screwpulls make opening wine particularly easy, and while the larger models cost around £30 you can pick up plastic ones for around £11. They’re much easier to use than traditional corkscrews and less likely to damage the cork, although if you’d rather keep things old-school you can pick up a waiter’s friend corkscrew for as little as £2.45. Even good ones won’t cost much more than £10.

Jamie Oliver Homecooker

Ta-dah! Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been working hard behind the scenes to individually redecorate our bedrooms and now they are finished. Have a look through the images on our website or pop in if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like a quick tour. You can book online at www.coachhousepotton.co.uk Market square, Potton, 01767 260221

February Villager advert (final).indd 1

21/01/2014 14:37

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Car boot capers If Chinese philosophers ever need new pearls of wisdom, I’d like to suggest one of mine: When your garage is so full of tat that you can’t fit the car in, it’s time to do a car boot. I do have a tat filing system, of sorts, so it’s not difficult to find anything (if you can clamber over everything else). On one side, opposite the firewood pallet that we found dumped in a layby, is a salvaged cupboard unit, held together with an assortment of odd screws. In there live the boxes of books relegated from our shelves, an old beer tray from a charity shop and two binbags full of Anne’s castoffs – mainly shoes. We’ve always loved car boots. They’re really another form of recycling – turning unwanted goods into cash (and then buying other people’s flotsam). Car boots can also be a great place to pick up old and perfectly serviceable tools. For example, my much-loved £1 wrench was the only thing that could undo the old water pump so that we could replace the gasket and shaft head. When we parked up on site, people swarmed around our car as if we were in a zombie film (and I scare easily). Anne stepped out to force them back, but she was already doing deals before I’d lifted the last box of books from the boot. As car boot trader novices, we were surprised at how quickly some of our best stuff went, and even more surprised at how quickly it reappeared on other stalls at twice the price. Also, I lost count of how many times a cheery

conversation ended up being steered towards the phrase: ‘Any chance of a discount?’ And this was often for books going for £1 apiece. I’m not a massive fan of haggling, although I did manage some furtive bartering for veg. After a couple of bursts of brisk trade, business really tailed off. And when the same faces went past for a third time we decided to call it a day. Ironically, packing up brought all the hardcore bargain hunters out from the shadows. A new phrase became the norm: “How much for this – save you taking it home?” Frankly, I felt embarrassed for the books. Once we’d finally closed the boot, we did a circuit together. Now, by some strange alchemy, random objects acquired unexpected allure. How had I ever got by without a ceramic foot warmer or a DVD of Yes Minister? Anne left me to it and made a beeline for one of the plant stalls. By the time I caught up with her, she was hunting for specimens on some invisible list I’d not been privy to. Once she’d checked what was available and asked about growing conditions, I watched, in astonishment, as she ceased swapping pleasantries to ask, “Is there any discount for buying in bulk?” She always was a fast learner. Anything we didn’t sell on the day went to a charity shop. It turned out that the ceramic foot warmer leaked (don’t ask...), so it now sits in ignominy in the garden. The DVD was excellent. I’ve moved it to the garage, in the empty cupboard, just in case.

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EVENTS

2014 February

1 February 9am-2pm Bedford Crafts, Produce & A Cuppa! Church Lane Community Centre, Church Lane, Bedford First Saturday of the month. 1 February 8.00pm The King’s Men in Concert St Andrew’s Church, Kimbolton Road, Bedford, MK40 2PF Tickets in advance: Adults £8, Concessions £7, Students 16-21 £4, children free accompanied by an adult Tickets on the door: Adults £9, Concessions £8 Tel 01234 216881 www.standrewsbedford.org 2 February 10am-4.30pm Beacon Antiques Fair The Sharnbrook Hotel, Park Lane, Sharnbrook, MK44 1LX Admission: £2.00 This antiques fair offers a diverse range of quality antiques so whether you are a professional dealer, an avid collector or just looking for something special, this unique fair is the place to visit. Refreshments including tea, coffee, soft drinks and snacks served throughout the day. Tel: 01480 382432 2 February 10.30am Sunday Stroll The Forest Centre & Millennium Country Park, Forest of Marston Vale £1 payable on the day Come and join us in the Country Park for a gentle walk to hear how the Park was set up and a little about the surrounding area. The walk will keep to hard surfaced tracks in the Park which are mostly level but have short sections of gradient up

to 1:9. Booking not required. Meet at Reception. Walks last approximately 2 hours. Why not finish the morning off with lunch in the Forest Centre Restaurant? Tel: 01234 767037 for more details 2, 9, 16 & 23 February 10.30am Petanque Great Barford Bowls Club, School Lane/Woodpecker Close, Great Barford Cost £2 per session Tel: 01767 448526 www.greatbarfordbowlsclub. org.uk 3, 10, 17 & 24 February 7.30-8.30pm Dancing Stars Linedance Club Priory Methodist Church Newnham Avenue, Bedford MK41 9QJ Class Level: AB/Total/ Beginners. Tel: Stephen 07969 847553 Email: info@dancingstars. comuf.com http://dancingstars.comuf.com 5, 12, 19 & 26 February 7.30pm Whist Club Great Barford Bowls Club, School Lane/Woodpecker Close, Great Barford Cost £1.50 Every Wednesday. Beginners welcome. Tel: 01767 448526 www.greatbarfordbowlsclub. org.uk

6, 13, 20 & 27 February 6.30-7.30pm and 7.30-10pm Dancing Stars Linedance Club Kempston Hammers Social And Sports Club 134 High Street High Street Kempston MK42 7BN Class Level: AB/Total/Beginners Time: 6.30-7.30pm and Improver/Intermediate Time: 7.30-10pm. Tel: Stephen 07969 847553 Email: info@dancingstars. comuf.com http://dancingstars.comuf.com 8 February 10am-3pm Blunham Giant Book Sale Blunham Parish Church Come and browse and buy our huge selection of secondhand books, and a few new books. Enjoy refreshments – teas/coffee cakes & biscuits, homemade soup. All profits to Blunham Church Fabric Fun. 10 February 7.30-9.30pm Cercle Français 6 Rothsay Gardens, Bedford, MK40 3QB 10 Fév: Bertrand Duguesclin – Héro de la guerre de cent ans” (Guy Richeux). Parlez-vous français? Interested in speaking French or learning more about the French way of life? Cercle Français meetings are in French. Most 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month. Programme of talks and social evenings. Visitors and new members welcome. Tel: Frank 01234 720692 or Katharine 01234 888811

EVENTS 12 February 7.30pm Bedford Architectural Archaeological & Local History Society Putnoe Heights Church & Community Centre, MK41 8EB Members free, Visitors £2 Illustrated talk “The Art of William Morris” with Helen Elletson. Visitors welcome. Tel: 01234 365095 www.baalhs.org.uk 12 February 7.30pm Bedford Local Group of the Wildlife Trust Priory Park Visitors Centre, Barkers Lane, Bedford MK41 9DJ Voluntary contribution – £2 suggested Illustrated Talk by Peter Holden entitled ‘The Wildlife of a Bedfordshire Village’. All welcome. Tel: 01234 266057 www.wildlifebcn.org 15 February 10am-4.15pm Scrub Clearance Conservation Task The Forest Centre & Millennium Country Park, Forest of Marston Vale Join our Volunteers to do something for the environment, get some exercise and have fun. We carry out a variety of practical projects throughout the Vale. Wear old clothes and bring lunch if you want to stay all day. Tea and biscuits provided. Meet at the Forest Centre. Places are limited so please let us know if you wish to attend. Tel: 01234 762614 Email: stephen.gascoyne@ marstonvale.org 15th – 23rd February Skating Fun at Thurleigh – February Half Term Thurleigh Farm & Adventure Playground, Cross End, Thurleigh, MK44 2EE Ice Skating on an open air artificial ice rink with covered viewing and boot changing area. Unlimited skating sessions and enjoyment of the other farm & playground activities including arts & crafts, gardening plus

quad bikes, bungees & pony rides. £10 Children, £7.50 Adults, Toddlers £8. All inclusive entrance & skate hire. Tel: 01234 771597, visit www.thurleighfarmcentre.co.uk or like us on Facebook for more details. 17 February 10-10.45am, 11-11.45am, 1-1.45pm, 2-2.45pm Rainbow Fish The Forest Centre & Millennium Country Park, Forest of Marston Vale £3.50 per child Brighten up the end of winter with rainbow storytelling and make a bright and colourful window decoration. 25 children per session so booking is essential. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Tel: 01234 767037 Email anna.charles@ marstonvale.org 20 February 7.30pm Bedford RSPB Local Group Meeting A.R.A. Social Club, Manton Lane, Bedford Peter and Caroline Antram present ‘Penguins and Polar Bears. All very welcome. Tel: 01234 822035 www.rspb.org.uk/groups/ bedford 21 February 10-10.45am, 11-11.45am, 1-1.45pm, 2-2.45pm Mole’s Underground World The Forest Centre & Millennium Country Park, Forest of Marston Vale £3.50 per child Find out about these secretive creatures and make your own model of the mole’s underground world. 25 children per session so booking is essential. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Tel: 01234 767037 Email anna.charles@ marstonvale.org

26 February 7.30pm Charity Quiz Evening The White Horse Pub, Newnham Avenue, Bedford MK41 9PX Tickets £8 Friends of Bedford Hospital Charity Quiz Evening. Delicious Ploughman’s Supper included. Teams of 2-6 (average 4). Raffle with valuable prizes including a Woburn Family Passport. Tel: Tickets Felicity Scott 01234 359716 or The White Horse 01234 409306 26 February 8-10.30pm Organ Concert Addison Centre, Kempston Members £4, Non-Members £5 – Pay at door Bedford Organ and Keyboard Club Organ Concert with Matthew Bason. In aid of Funds for the Addison Centre Tel: 01234 344423 8 March 7.30pm Handbell Concert Biddenham Village Hall Tickets £10, Children under 16 £5 including refreshments Handbell Concert by Biddenham Handbell Ringers and The Barn Ringers with guest soloists from Kempston Concert Band. In aid of Macmillan Primrose Unit, Bedford. Tel: 01234 350644 8 March 7.30pm Concert with Matthew Wadsworth St Andrew’s Church, Kimbolton Road, Bedford, MK40 2PF Advance tickets: Adults £8, Concessions £7, Students 16-21 £4, children free accompanied by an adult On the door tickets: Adults £9, Concessions £8 Concert with Matthew Wadsworth – Lutenist. Tel 01234 216881 www.standrewsbedford.org

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Do you run a Sports or Social Club? If so please send us your details including the name of the club and what you do, where itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s held, what days, what age group you appeal to and contact information. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bowling, sailing, badminton, football, cricket or table tennis we want to hear about it and so do our readers. Email christa@villagermag.com by Friday 14th February to appear March issue.

COMMUNITY

The

friends of Bedford hospital

The Friends raise funds throughout every year to buy medical equipment and to improve patients’ experience. Join us (only £10 a year)! Email: info@ friendsofbedfordhospital.org, website: www.friendsofbedfordhospital.org or telephone 01234-716015. Readers of “Beds Local” generously donated books and bric-a-brac in response to the article about the Friends in April 2013. These kind donations have helped our Charity Stalls to earn hundreds of pounds for the Hospital. We are also deeply grateful to those who have given their time to help us, whether they can assist regularly or occasionally. Please support our Charity Quiz on Wednesday 26th February 2014 at 7.30pm! This includes a delicious Ploughman’s Supper and Hot Chips, and will be held at the White Horse Pub in Newnham Avenue, Bedford MK41 9PX (opposite the BP Garage). There will be a Raffle with valuable prizes. Quiz teams of 2 – 6 are welcome. Tickets are £8 from the White Horse on 01234-409306 or from me on 01234-359716.

We’re holding a Nearly-New Sale of Quality Clothes, Toys and Equipment for Babies and Pre-School Children on Saturday, 15th March 2014, 2 – 4pm at the Athletic Stadium, Barker’s Lane, Bedford MK41 9SB. Items for sale include bedding, children’s books and much more (some completely unused and still boxed). For more information, or to book a pitch please contact Melanie on 0755-2906157 or new2u2@hotmail.co.uk Further events being planned for 2014 include our popular annual Flower Arranging Demonstration, which in 2013 earned £947 for the Hospital. Our gifted and inspiring demonstrator was Keith Lilley from Greycourt Florists of Kempston. The pretty, lidless teapot shown in the photo had been donated to the Friends by a “Beds Local” reader in a box of bric-a-brac, and Keith used it to create this lovely and unusual arrangement. The Friends recently bought equipment for the Eye Surgery suite, and high-quality public seating for the Pharmacy waiting area and the Main Ward Block lift landings (£6,633 in all). Next we will furnish two comfortable day-rooms for elderly patients with medical needs, including patients suffering from Dementia (£16,000.) “Memory Walls”, with photos of Bedford when they were young, will help to engage the elderly patients in conversation. We gratefully accept bequests in people’s Wills or donations in memory of a loved one, and every penny we receive improves the service our Hospital gives to you and your family. Felicity Scott, Chairman

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BEAUTY

Professional Beauty Secrets:

Revealed

Ever wondered how models and actresses manage to look so gorgeous all the time? Well, here’s the low-down on those all important tips and tricks that are used by professionals all over the world.

cheekbones, down the centre of your nose and on your cupid’s bow. To finish, and to bring the entire look together, dust translucent powder over your entire face and add a touch of colour to the apples of your cheeks using a pink blusher.

Perfect Pout

Here’s how to achieve a red carpet pout.

Grab a neutral-coloured lip liner and begin lining just outside the Clever Contouring Kim Kardashian is known for her flawless make-up coloured part of your lips to create look which perfectly accentuates her features and a full effect. draws attention to her razor-sharp cheekbones. Define your cupid’s bow by drawing Skilled in the art of contouring, her make-up artist a ‘V’ in the centre curve of your top lip, bring the line round and down using soft cleverly uses cosmetics to emphasis particular feathery strokes. Line the curve of the parts of her face, which creates her striking bottom lip with the same light movements, trademark look. and soften by lightly blending with your finger. Here’s how you can get cheekbones which rival Kim’s: Firstly you’ll need to prime your skin. Choose the primer that’s right for you: green toned versions neutralise redness in the skin and mattifying primers eradicate shine. Smooth the product over your entire face, after applying a light moisturiser. Next, select two foundations in two different shades; the first should be one shade lighter than your natural skin tone and the other one shade darker. Apply the lighter foundation to the centre of your forehead, bring it down onto the middle of your nose, in a straight line (this will make your nose appear straighter and slimmer), apply under your eyes and to the tops of your cheekbones, then lastly to the centre of your chin. Sweep the darker shade under your cheekbones, along the outer sides of your nose, either side of the lighter colour, and on your temples and jaw line. Blend down onto your neck so that you don’t end up with a visible foundation line.

Choose a striking shade of red lipstick and carefully apply the colour within the line using a lip brush. Finally add a touch of shimmery clear lip-gloss to the centre of your lips to add instant fullness.

Lovely Lashes

Long, luscious eyelashes are a must for anyone in the spotlight. Most celebrities will be sporting high quality lash extensions, but you can still achieve an impressive look with just a few basic tools. Eyelash curlers are a must for every woman – they serve to immediately open-up eyes and add shape to lashes. Liquid liner is essential too; not only does it add definition, but it helps to create the look of a thick lash line, so always apply to your upper lashes before your mascara. Choose a quality mascara to lengthen and colour your lashes. Wipe the applicator before use and work the brush through your lashes using a quick side to side motion, ensuring that every area is covered.

Use a light-reflecting – not a glittery or overly shimmery – highlighter to make certain areas of your face really stand out. Apply the product under Helen Taylor the arch of your eyebrows, along the tops of your

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TRAVEL Such a lovely name seems far too humble for the magnificent southern coast of the Western Cape. Stretching for some 200 km along the Indian Ocean, from Mossel Bay to the Tsitsikamma National Park, this is a largely untamed African Garden of rugged shores and virgin beaches, lagoons and lakes, mountains, gorges, flowers and forests of conifer and red and yellow wood. Heather and fynbos bloom purple and gold along the paths and myriads of birds weave their nests in lush greenery. Half way between the Cape and Port Elizabeth, ‘Route 62’ reaches George, the main town, where pride of place goes to the superb transport museum gleaming with steam engines and vintage trains, including the royal carriage of George VI. The last steam train recently ceased operations though Friends hope it may reopen. At the moment, a ‘powervan’, a bus running on rail, carries excited visitors on the same scenic line laced with tunnels, viaducts and bridges, and up the dramatic Outeniqua mountains, named after the honey bees once buzzing on flower-covered

slopes. The range follows the coast, dropping steeply on the northern side where the arid lands of Little Karoo beckon with ostrich farms and a meagre shade. On this legendary Garden Route, luxuriant nature reserves flourish alongside a sprinkling of coastal resorts haunted by surf and sun seekers. Popular Plettenberg is a great place to watch dolphins and whales, especially in the southern winter, while at the heart of the National Lake Area, Knysna is famed for its festivals, oysters and colonies of seabirds. It’s an attractive place festooned in bottle brush and bougainvillea and down in the bay, honey-coloured rocks are battered by the waves. Along the coast, Mossel Bay hugs a fine crescent of white sands where Bartolomeu Dias, the first navigator to sail around the tip of Africa, landed in 1488. This little gem also claims the oldest ‘post office’, a tree, still standing, they say, where sailors of yore left messages before returning to sea. Created in 2009, the Garden Route National Park covers an amazing range of eco-systems from the Knysna Lake Area to the Tsitsikamma and Wilderness national parks. Framed by mountains and forests, fringed by pristine beaches, lakes and waterways, Wilderness has wetlands of

South Africa The Garden

international importance, meadows bursting with spring flowers and nature trails where you might spot myriad kingfishers and vervet monkeys. On the eastern edge of the Garden Route, you reach Tsitsikamma, a true paradise for nature lovers, both on land and sea where you can snorkel along underwater trails and explore the reefs. Meanwhile in the forest, baboons forage around as a dappled light filters through the lofty cathedral-like canopy. Yellowwoods draped in lichen reach up to 50 metres, mosses and ferns carpet the valley floor and crystal clear streams babble in the undergrowth. The woody scent of fynbos lingers in the air and there are sparkling waterfalls and lots of trails stretching across cliffs and rivers to Natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Valley. Hikes range from a short walk to the mouth of the Storms River and its vertiginous suspension bridge, to the 42 km long Otter trail along the coast, with a chance to swim and ford a river or two. But most exciting of all is a sudden flash of olive green in a nearby tree as a beautiful Knysna Lourie, one of the most elusive birds in the park, takes off in the canopy.

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COMMUNITY

Council

News Bedford Borough Council’s proposed 2014/15 budget puts people first, saving valuable services, freezing Council Tax and protecting the most vulnerable.

The draft budget for 2014/15 will be considered by the Council’s Executive on Wednesday 22nd January and includes £13.8m of required savings in the face of unprecedented Government cuts and rising demand. Once again, the budget freezes average Council Tax for households across the borough as well as directing savings away from front line services and supporting the most vulnerable people in the borough.

of libraries, leisure centres, children’s centres and we have maintained weekly bin collections, school crossing patrols and a strong rural bus network. “We are also ensuring we can continue to invest and improve the borough, including major investment in new school buildings as well as key infrastructure such as the missing link of the Bedford Western Bypass.” The largest saving is within workforce (£2.8m) which includes a reduced senior management structure. There is also a £2m saving achieved by pushing down inflationary costs on many budget areas. Highlights of the draft 2014/15 budget:

Freezing council tax – 4th year running Protecting services:

• Leisure centres and swimming pools saved • All Children’s Centres protected • No Library closures • Rural buses and evening urban and Sunday networks • Weekly bin collections maintained

Investing for the Future

The budget also looks to the future and ensures Bedford can continue to thrive and buck the national economic trend by delivering major investment in Bedford town centre, including the bus station regeneration scheme and the Mayor’s Free Parking Deal.

• Bunyan Centre saved and revamped • £5million to repair and maintain our roads and pavements • Substantial investment in our new and improved school buildings • Funding for missing link of the Bedford Western Bypass

Mayor of Bedford Borough, Dave Hodgson, said: “This draft budget reflects our ongoing efforts to save services and support vulnerable people, while keeping council tax down for hard-pressed local households.

Breathing Life into the Heart of Bedford

“We have targeted savings in Borough Hall, not out in the community, allowing us to propose another Council tax freeze while also investing in the future and breathing new life into the heart of Bedford. This includes the bus station regeneration project and more support for a revitalised town centre.” Cllr Michael Headley, Portfolio Holder for Finance, added: “We are continuing to protect front line services in the face of extraordinary funding pressures. There have been no closures 42

• Mayor’s Free Parking Deal offering 2 hours free parking every Saturday in Council-owned town centre car parks • New Bus Station • Town Centre Car Park charges frozen for the 4th year running

Protecting the most vulnerable • New Fostering fees and allowances, for those looking after children on behalf of us all • Increased funding for support for Looked after Children • More help for older people to support their quality of life outside of hospital, through the Better Care Fund • Paying the living wage to our staff

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MOTOR The knowledge Model: Kia Ray EV Price: N/A (car share scheme only) Engine: 50kw electric motor Power: 68bhp, 167Nm Max speed: 90mph 0-60mph: 15.9s Range: 125 miles Emissions: 0g/km

First drive:

Kia Ray EV Kia is entering the electric vehicle market in 2014 with an EV version of its Soul mini SUV. We headed to South Korea to try that car’s forerunner, the Ray EV, which is leading the charge for the brand’s electric future. We took it for a spin around the heaving city to see what we could learn about the Soul that will use an enhanced version of its tech.

likely to have Kia’s top spec with a clever sat nav system that will point out recharging locations and range, just like our Ray EV test car did. Kia did tell us the Soul will come with heated and cooling front and rear seats and a heated steering wheel. Slightly different bumpers and headlamps, and a charge point in the grille, will mark out the EV model from the rest of the Soul range.

What is it?

Any rivals?

Let’s clear this up from the start – the Ray is not, and will never be, available in the UK. But this car is pioneering the technology that will appear in the Soul EV in the UK in the winter of 2014. The Ray is a micro city car for the Korean market where some 67,000 have been sold. The EV version, though, is only available on a pilot car sharing scheme in Seoul where 180 of the tiny cars are available to 15,000 members for as little as £3 an hour. Kia has been using the scheme to gain data on its EV models that it has used to refine the mass production Soul version.

BMW are the latest entrants to this market with the i3, but electric car buyers can also choose from more established offerings from Nissan like the Leaf, or Renault’s Zoe. If you’re looking for something even more outrageous, then you could consider a Renault Twizy.

What’s under the bonnet? What’s more important is what’s under the seats. Hidden in the floor pan is a battery pack that’s coupled to an electric motor situated in the more traditional location under the bonnet. We won’t concentrate too much on what the Ray features, as much of this has been enhanced for the Soul. The Soul EV has a range of 125 miles, can be fully charged in five hours or topped up in just 25 minutes with a fast charger. Top speed is 90mph and it will hit 60mph in around 14 seconds.

What’s the spec like? That’s unclear at this point, but what we do know is that when the Soul EV arrives it will be the most expensive model in the range. That will mean it’s

What’s it like to drive? On clogged streets in South Korea’s capital, we found the brisk, smooth acceleration of the battery powered model a boon. The silent running makes for a relaxing drive and the added weight from the batteries was hard to spot. Regenerative braking was also impressive, if a little aggressive at slamming on the anchors at times.

The verdict We’re impressed with Kia’s first entry into the EV market. There’s currently no word on pricing for the Soul or whether buyers will be offered the car complete with batteries to buy outright, like Nissan, or rented the batteries and sold the car, like Renault. What was clear from our test drive, though, is that Kia has EV technology pretty much nailed and it’s ready to go. Fact in the likelihood the manufacturer’s competitive pricing will be brought into the equation, the Soul EV could be the shake up the segment needs.

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FINANCE

All Change These days, many of us are unfaithful – to our service providers, at least; happily flitting between mobile service providers, internet providers, energy companies and insurers to get the best deal. Yet according to the Independent Commission on Banking, on average we only change bank accounts every 26 years.

So why aren’t we all browsing comparison sites, checking out the best current accounts? Because we hate the hassle. How could we switch over all those outgoings and incomings? Say a direct debit gets ‘lost’ and we default on a bill? The Current Account Switch Guarantee Relax. Banks know it’s in their best interests to make it easy for you to swap your account to them; some even offer financial incentives. In September, seventeen banks joined the new Current Account Switch Guarantee scheme which should see your bank account transferred within seven days. It means once you’ve chosen a new bank, they take responsibility for the switch (including settling missed direct debits, incurred charges etc and informing everyone concerned). Just chose a switch date (allowing seven working days), then relax as your new bank transfers your incoming payments, outgoing payments and balance, and then closes your old account. Payments via your old account are automatically re-directed for 13 months to cover once-a-year payments. You don’t need to do a thing. www.simplerworld.co.uk has full details of the Switch Guarantee and the banks and building societies signed up so far. What it doesn’t have is information or comparisons on available accounts. So where can you find them? www.moneysupermarket.com/currentaccounts/ Use their handy dropdown filter menu or sidebar categories to search for accounts including ones with interest, overdrafts, cashback, or rewards – or from banks signed up to the 7 day Switch Guarantee. www.moneysavingexpert. 48

com/banking/compare-best-bank-accounts This site has detailed discussions and comparisons of the best buys in a number of categories, including the best ethical banks. www.which.co.uk/money/bank-accounts/ reviews-ns/bank-accounts/ Which? also advises on best bank accounts if you’re always in credit or need overdrafts. Fee-charging accounts are listed separately, so it’s worth considering them alongside other options. Sometimes paying a fee can be the best option, so before you search always: THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT FROM YOUR CURRENT ACCOUNT There’s a bewildering array of account types these days. Some modern current accounts (often described as ‘Offset Mortgages’ rather than current accounts) work in tandem with your savings or mortgage, allowing you to shift money from one to the other – reducing interest payments on your mortgage in good times, and providing a cheap ‘loan’ to cover unexpected calamities like boiler breakdowns. Then there’s cashback, airmiles, points, rewards, special deals on savings and mortgages from the same provider, breakdown cover, travel insurance... so think about which deal saves you the most in real terms, and how you want to operate your account (online, post, branch or all three?). Some great deals can be found outside the Big Four (Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC), so keep an open mind. Clydesdale Bank and Nationwide both offer good interest rates if you pay in a minimum of £1000 per month. First Direct isn’t currently offering in-credit interest, but does offer financial incentives for switching and a high interest linked savings account, plus a small free overdraft facility. It’s also won both Money Saving Expert and Which? customer service polls. So why not take a look? These deals probably won’t be around in 26 years...

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CLEANING SERVICES

PET SERVICES

GARDENING SERVICES

UPHOLSTERY

l a c o L d s r d o e w s B s o r c Prize FOOD & DRINK

ÂŁ25

Complete the crossword, fill in your details below, cut out this section and send to the address below before 16th February 2014. Prize Crossword, Beds Local, 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP Name: Tel: Address:

Last months winner was Mrs J M Matheson from Lower Stondon Across 1 European country (7) 5 Scour (5) 8 Inflamed (7) 9 Precise (5) 10 Strict (5) 11 Operating room (7) 12 Painter (6) 14 Lethal (6) 17 Non professional (7) 19 Likeness (5) 22 Edgy, anxious (5) 23 Revised (7) 24 Father (5) 25 Harnessed to ride (7) Down 1 Types of transport (5) 2 Not tight (5) 3 E.g. Crete, Rhodes (7) 4 Tiny (6) 5 Stage set (5) 6 Oven cooked (7) 7 Torch power cell (7) 12 Made suitable (7) 13 Coached (7) 15 Once lived (7) 16 Destroys (6) 18 Including all (5) 20 Fourth month (5) 21 Finished (5)

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HEALTH

Banish those

Winter Blues Often, you can cope with the start of winter. It may be dark, cold and wet, but the early months are full of celebrations to lift your spirits until the New Year and its ‘fresh start’. A few weeks later, your resolutions are in tatters. The days are still dark, meaning you drag yourself out of bed and then feel like the day is over by dinner time. You may be just fed up, but you could be suffering from ‘Winter Blues’. So here’s how to survive the winter.

Let There Be Light!

Lack of sunlight can increase melatonin levels (making you sleepy and lethargic) and reduce serotonin levels (affecting mood and appetite). It’s also thought to influence your ‘body clock’ (your circadian rhythm that controls body functions). So spend time outside. When indoors, try to work or relax near a window. A sunrise clock may help you wake up; they aim to bring your body out of sleep gently, by gradually increasing the light they emit.

Stay Warm

If your body is fighting to keep you warm, you’ll feel sluggish and struggle to concentrate. Keep yourself as warm as possible; wear layers and heat your home adequately. What about spending time somewhere else warm and cosy – a pub or library?

Eat and Drink Healthily

Warm, stodgy food and extra tea and coffee seem tempting when we’re chilly and low, but resist – think hot but healthy. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables of different colours and 54

choose low sugar, low fat alternatives to stodgy puddings. Healthy soups are a great winter warmer, as are fruit teas, orange juice with cinnamon, honey and lemon, or malted drinks made with skimmed milk or hot water (but beware versions loaded with fat and sugar).

Socialise

There’s scientific proof that the company of others, particularly if laughing and hugging is involved, is great for our wellbeing. So invite friends round, go visiting and attend sociable gatherings wherever possible.

Exercise

Exercise will warm you up, increase your immunity and alertness and make you feel good too. So bundle yourself up for a walk outdoors on brighter days, and find an indoor activity you enjoy – perhaps an exercise or dance DVD or video game. Whatever you do, your mind and body will feel better for it.

When you’re not just blue, but SAD

Over 2 million people in the UK suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), a more severe form of Winter Blues. SAD is at its worst from December to February when days are shortest, and causes either depression, or mood swings between depression and hyper-energy. Sometimes stress or trauma such as bereavement or a new baby seems to be a trigger, and it’s most prevalent in 18-30 year olds. If you are a sufferer, you can help yourself by: • Following the Winter Blues advice above • Trying a light box Therapeutic light boxes, available to buy or rent, produce light that’s at least ten times as intense as normal daylight. Rent one first to see if it works for you. • Seeing your GP They may suggest counselling or CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) or in some circumstances, antidepressants or a structured course of light therapy. For support and information, visit http://www. sada.org.uk/ (The Seasonal Affective Disorder Association (SADA)) or www.sad.org.uk/

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GARDENING

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GARDENING

Tree & Shrub Inspection As we come out of winter now is the time to have your trees inspected by a qualified Arborist. Over the winter trees have sustained a high level of stress mainly from severe weather conditions. High winds, heavy rain fall and extreme temperatures can have a detrimental effect on trees from both a structural and health point of view.

High Winds: This type of weather can cause several issues with both mature and young trees. An inspection can highlight any significant damage to a trees structural integrity which could lead to either a partial failure of the canopy or entire failure at either the root plate or main stem. If the tree is located near a public right of way or properties it is essential to ensure the tree is safe. Heavy Rainfall: Trees can suffer from water logging of the root system which can either “drown” the roots or create and unstable environment for the roots to develop in. If a tree doesn’t develop a suitable root system then water uptake will poor and the tree will eventually decline and die.

For more advice visit: www.bartlett.com or contact Bartlett Tree Experts (Bedford) on 01234 354 673 Visit us on Facebook at Bartlett Tree Experts – Bedford UK 58

Salt damage on Acer leaves Extreme temperatures: Cold temperatures can have several impacts on trees and shrubs. Frost can either wilt or scorch leaves, even of the hardiest evergreens which can lead to the specimen dying. Also, if the tree is located near a road or drive, salt damage can be fatal, especially if the tree is suffering from another issue at the same time.

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