VILLAGER The
Issue 50 - June 2013
and Town
Life
LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS
Covering: Buckden • Brampton • Cambourne • Godmanchester The Hemingfords and all surrounding areas
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VILLAGER The
In this Issue
Issue 50 - June 2013
and Town
Life
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LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS
Life Along the Church Walk By Peter Ibbett
Covering: Buckden • Brampton • Cambourne • Godmanchester The Hemingfords and all surrounding areas
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ur Yo EE y FRco1 p
Advertising Sales Christa Hallam - Tel: 07868 369257 Christa@villagermag.com Additional Editorial Tony Larkins, Peter Ibbett, Fiona McLeman, Christine Donnelly, Pippa Greenwood and James Baggott Front Cover Photo: Danelle Mccollum 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
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.
Huntingdon to Benefit from £25M
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Prize Crossword £25 could be yours!
Apiary Open to Visitors...............................................................................8 Wildlife Wanderings................................................................................. 10 Camping on a Budget.............................................................................. 12 Huntingdon 10K Charity Run................................................................ 15 Supervising Food Safety......................................................................... 16 Legion Helping Maintain Homes......................................................... 18 Campaign to Protect Rural England................................................... 21 Kimbolton Country Fayre....................................................................... 23 Best BBQ Tools............................................................................................ 25 Doing it for the Kids.................................................................................. 27 The Longest Holiday................................................................................ 28 Pension Automation................................................................................ 31 Box Blight..................................................................................................... 35 Bugs and Beaties....................................................................................... 37 Animal Stories............................................................................................. 39 Children’s Page........................................................................................... 40 Range Rover Sport.................................................................................... 44 Puzzle Page.................................................................................................. 48 Seasonal Delights...................................................................................... 51 Flower of the Month................................................................................. 56 What’s On..................................................................................................... 58 Brickhill Book Bug Review...................................................................... 62 16,000 copies delivered free of charge to all homes in the following areas: Hinchingbrooke, Hinchingbrooke Park, Brampton, Buckden, Offord Cluny, Offord D’arcy, Godmanchester, Hemingford Abbots and Hemingford Grey, Cambourne, Chawston, Croxton, Duloe, Graveley, Great Paxton, Hail Weston, Honeydon, Little Barford, Little Paxton, Roxton, Southoe, Staploe, Tempsford, Toseland, Upper Staploe, Wintringham, Wyboston, Yelling. (Further bulk drops are made to local shops and busineses in Huntingdon, St Neots, Eaton Ford, Eaton Socon and Eynesbury)
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LIFE ALONG THE CHURCH WALK
BY PETER IBBETT
If you have the time this summer do visit St Mary’s Church in St. Neots and, if your legs can cope, do take the trip up the magnificent tower to take in the view. Try the end of June and enjoy the Flower Festival. One view from the top of the Tower (around 128 feet high) shows a view down Church Walk (Church Lane before 1890) which includes a row of cottages which had an interesting set of owners in the 1860’s. ‘Dutchman’ Sibley made his living with his costermonger’s cart (pulled by a donkey called Lady Flycatcher) selling Yarmouth Bloaters and local rabbits and collecting rag and bones and other scrap for resale at Cliff & Carter, scrap merchants (24 High Street). ‘Jonny’ Wooten owned a box mangle and on Tuesdays housewives would come with baskets of linen to be mangled at 2d a basket. He also had a red barrelled hand water cart which he filled from either the river or the Hen Brook and sold the soft water for washing purposes at 1d a ‘gate’ (2 pails worth). In long dry spells when water butts were empty he was in great demand due to the extreme hardness of local well water. He was described as a ‘happy and contented if poor man’. Thus it was at his wedding to Mary Ann Daysley in 1870 the local press described the ‘sumptuous wedding dejeuner of bread, cheese and tea’ reporting the embarrassed bridegroom’s apology for the ‘absence of more substantial viands from the fact of his having depended upon the promises of certain individuals, who at the last moment had been unaccountably seized with a loss of memory!’ ‘Crump’ Lovitt, also lived in the Church Lane cottages and had a night time job being the driver of the Kimbolton Mail setting off at 8pm in the evening to arrive back at 4am the next day! He occupied daylight hours as a fishmonger’s assistant. Also in the Cottage row was Mr Davison, a cabinet maker and upholsterer and Thomas Clarke who was a travelling butcher. If you have stories of the lives of your ancestors to add to those in Mr Tebutts’s ‘St. Neots’ do let St Neots Museum (or pjibbett@aoil.com) know and help enhance a forthcoming exhibition on Life in Edwardian St. Neots.
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HUNTINGDON TO BENEFIT FROM
£25m TOWN CENTRE DEVELOPMENT Huntingdonshire District Council has signed agreements with Churchmanor Estates Company (owners of Chequers Court) and Sainsbury’s to bring forward a £25m re-development of the town centre in the vicinity of Chequers Court. Significant improvements are set to be made to Huntingdon town centre as it has now been confirmed that Sainsbury’s has been granted planning permission for its new store in the area being developed to the west of the town. Huntingdonshire District Council now plans to use the town centre site to construct a multi-storey car park, and re-design the existing Sainsbury’s car park with a new exit on the ringroad. Once the Sainsbury’s store has moved to its new location, the current Sainsbury’s building will be converted into three new shop units. The development proposals also include the replacement of the Sainbury’s petrol station with a major new shop unit. The re-development will provide 110,000sq ft of new floorspace, equivalent to approximately 2.5 acres. This agreement also means that Churchmanor Estates will be able to take forward their re-development of the Chequers Court central area, to include the long awaited demolition of the rear section of the shopping centre and the re-development of the section formerly occupied by the Inland Revenue. This regeneration of Huntingdon is all part of the district council’s objective to ensure that, working with partners, the town thrives and is well placed to attract visitors and shoppers, with ample car parking and an excellent mix of retailers. The relocated Sainbury’s store will add a significant retail anchor for the town centre, and provide a convenient place to park with easy access from the new Huntingdon link road, which will link Ermine Street to Brampton Road. Meanwhile the existing town centre will also have additional modern flexible floorspace and accessible car parking. As with all the towns across the district, Huntingdon already benefits from being a historic market town, with many unique, interesting independent shops, and it is hoped that this next phase of regeneration will offer even greater benefits for residents and visitors. The additional space in the retail units also creates an opportunity for some new larger retailers to open stores. The agreement, which was signed on 10 May 2013, is the result of many years of planning and negotiations by all the parties involved. The work will now start on the building of the multistorey car park, which is due to be completed by
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December this year. Sainsbury’s then hopes to bring forward its newly located store following finalisation of various commercial agreements. Huntingdonshire District Council’s Managing Director, Malcolm Sharp, said: “This is a very significant day in the development of a vibrant and viable town centre for Huntingdon. These plans will ensure that Huntingdon and the surrounding area develop into one of the best places locally to visit, live, work and also to invest. I am delighted that the council has played a key part in this process, which has involved many years of debate and planning to bring it to this point. To continue to be successful, town centres need to adapt in order to survive in changing times to be places where people want to visit for retail and leisure. This is a growing area and all the signs are that this will continue for a number of years to come. Huntingdon town centre will be ready to capitalise on, and contribute to the growth for the benefit of all who live and work here.” Sainsbury’s Development Manager, Robert Oxley, said: “We are delighted to reach this key milestone in the regeneration of Huntingdon. This agreement is another step closer to improving the shopping experience for our customers with a larger, improved store and a wider range of products. We have always been excited by the opportunity to give something back to the Huntingdon community and are happy that now the agreement is signed, we can help facilitate the start of the town centre enhancements.” Stephen Clark, Managing Director of The Churchmanor Estates Company plc said: “We are pleased to be playing our part in bringing new investment to the town centre which has been galvanised by Huntingdonshire District Council’s investment in a new state of the art multi-storey car park. This will benefit the town well into the future. Our research shows that the design of the new scheme to include extra car parking will offer the type of facilities that modern retailers require to expand into Huntingdon.”
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APIARY OPEN TO VISITORS
AT HINCHINGBROOKE COUNTRY PARK Visitors to Hinchingbrooke Country Park can now watch bees at work in the park’s apiary as members of the Huntingdonshire Bee Keepers Association (HBKA) open the hives at 2pm every Sunday from now until early September. The apiary, which opened at the park in 2012, has increased its range of hives demonstrating many styles of beekeeping. The bees can be viewed in complete safety from a gallery that provides plenty of space and comfort, with room for buggies and wheelchairs. The HBKA beekeepers can talk to visitors as they work, and visitors can be really close to the bees without risk of being stung. The gallery and hive area was built by HBKA members and country park volunteers, with funding from an Awards for All grant from the National Lottery. Teenage students from the art club at Hinchingbrooke School painted a beerelated mural to decorate the rear wall. Huntingdonshire District Council’s Senior Ranger,
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Peter Hobbs, said: “The apiary had hundreds of visitors last year, despite the poor summer. This year we hope to attract many more. Honey bees play a very important role in our environment, and the apiary gives visitors a great opportunity to see how they work up close, but in the safety of a gallery.” Beekeepers are on hand every Sunday to open the hives and answer questions, but visitors are also welcome to watch the bees throughout the week. For further information, contact Hinchingbrooke Country Park on 01480 451568.
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WILDLIFE WANDERINGS
WILDLIFE TRAVEL, BY CHRISTINE DONNELLY Early summer is the best time to enjoy the wild flowers of our meadows and pastures as well as many butterflies. Although some areas have lost the wonderful flower displays of the past, there are still several places locally where they can be seen thanks to protection from the chemicals and overgrazing that can be associated with intensive agriculture. If we are lucky to have some fine weather in June, you may find time to take a walk in one of our grassland nature reserves or to join a local wildlife organisation for one of their walks. The Wildlife Trust has a variety of local events including a walk on Sunday 9th June at Portholme Meadow, near Huntingdon and on Saturday 29th June at Roman Road, Horseheath, Cambridge. Both events are organised by the Trust’s network of Local Groups and are open to everyone. More information can be found on www.wildlifebcn.org or 01954 713500. Membership of the Trust entitles you to regular newsletters with details of all of their events.
Cornflower, once common in England Our meadows can be ablaze with an amazing mixture of blue, yellow, white and pink flowers growing among the different types of grasses, many of which are attractive themselves when in full flower. Some of the plants you may see are several members of the daisy, pea and rose families including knapweeds, vetches and meadowsweet as well as geraniums and hay rattle, which is partly parasitic on grass rather than making its own food. The beautiful blue cornflower, another member of the daisy family, is rarely seen in England now but can still be seen in good numbers, along with lots of other grassland plants now scarce in the UK, if you travel to some of the areas in Europe that are still traditionally managed. Amongst the best places to visit in late spring are some of the greener Mediterranean islands such as Lesvos in Greece, but
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in June you need to go higher into the mountains where the flowering is later. Transylvania in Romania is a wonderful region famous for its ancient hay meadows and wild flowers as well as attractive villages and fascinating history, but no vampire bats anywhere near!
Hay meadow and haystack, Transylvania The UK is famous for its colonies of breeding seabirds, particularly in the north, where gannets, guillemots, fulmars and kittiwakes are amongst the species you can see. Perhaps the favourite for many people is the puffin, which nests in burrows on grassy slopes. Holidays on islands such as Mull and others in the Hebrides, the Orkneys or Shetland enable you to see the spectacle of hundreds of birds bringing food to their young and in some places, sea eagles can also be found.
Puffins, Isle of Mull More locally, there are many birds to be enjoyed over the summer. Watch out for the dramatic dives of terns as they fish in our lakes and rivers. Looking like a small, narrow-winged gull, they were once called ‘sea swallows’ due to their agile flying and forked tails. Travel, based at Cambourne, has been running holidays to many of these destinations and others worldwide, for 25 years. Contact them on 01954 713575 or check www.wildlife-travel.co.uk.
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UB
CL
W AT E
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WARTB TE
Y
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Stewartby Water Sports Club
S P O RT
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OPEN DAY SUNDAY 9TH JUNE FREE ENTRY
We are a friendly Water Sports Club which caters for a full range of Sailing, Water Skiing, Power Boating and Fishing. FREE Sailing Boat Experience FREE Echo Sounding Boat Trips Power Boat Display Water Skiing Demonstration Fishing Display Bouncy Castle Bar-B-Que and refreshments available
www.swsc.org.uk
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Camping on a Budget
SPECIAL REPORT
If the luxury of an overseas holiday is just not going to be affordable for you this year, you probably don’t want to spend a fortune in this country either. However it doesn’t mean you have to go without a break completely because camping can be great fun and very affordable. You can’t just put the TV on, there are no computer games for the children and your time is spent exploring forests and cooking outdoors. It makes for a wonderful family bonding experience completely unlike renting a holiday home, and is lots of fun if you can find a group of you to go. There’s a huge retail market around camping, and an hour on one of the many equipment websites could have you thinking that the whole event is going to be far too expensive, especially if you aren’t sure if you’ll do it more than once. It doesn’t have to cost the earth though. Firstly the tent. Take advantage of somebody else’s impulse buy by visiting secondhand sites to see what you can snap up - Ebay of course, but also Gumtree have plenty for sale. Sleeping bags might be necessary if you are hiking across the mountains, but chances are you’ll be driving to your camping site so take your own duvets and pillows with some old covers and that will be perfectly adequate. A night’s sleep on the hard ground isn’t comfortable though so you’ll need to find something to lie on. Cushions from outdoor chairs or a beach lilo will be good enough for children, but you might want to invest in an inflatable mattress for the adults. Other equipment such as a gas stove, water containers and plastic plates might be offered to
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you if you put a wanted advert on Gumtree or on Freecycle. And a polite plea to your friends could produce a surprising haul for you to borrow. You might not be able to look your glamorous best while camping and really, why would you? It’s time to get back to nature. However, it doesn’t mean you won’t want to clean up every day and proper toilet facilities are a must. Fortunately, these days all but the most rural sites will have a shower and toilet block. The internet will help you decide which site to go to. For example www.pitchup.com has 5000 UK and Ireland sites listed and it allows you to filter the features that are a ‘must’ for you and those that are a ‘nice to have’. For example you might want to visit a site that allows children and dogs (or doesn’t), has wifi access, or where there are cycling facilities nearby. Still not convinced? If you think this sounds like more hassle than it’s worth, you might want to consider ‘glamping’. It’s still sleeping in an open area surrounded by trees, but the living accommodation is provided for you. Many sites offer tipis, yurts, wooden huts or even a gypsy caravan. This is going to cost more of course but is still very affordable. For example a week in early July in a tipi in Mid Wales would cost £550 for two adults and two children. The bed and bedding for the adults is supplied as well as futons for the children. You are also given your own cooking and toilet facilities. Remember, you won’t be the only one looking for a cheap summer break, so go online and book your pitch now.
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SAFFORD’S COACHES 2013 DAY EXCURSIONS CELEBRATING 80 YEARS
2013 HOLIDAYS
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PLUS MANY MORE DESTINATIONS. RING FOR YOUR FREE COLOUR BROCHURE EXECUTIVE COACHES FOR PRIVATE HIRE & EXTENDED TOURS
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THUR 25 JULY SUN 28 JULY TUE 30 JULY WED 31 JULY THUR 1 AUGUST
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HIGHBURY FIELDS, GT.GRANSDEN, SANDY, BEDS. SG19 3AR TEL: 01767 677395 OR 677923 www.saffordscoaches.co.uk 14
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The 2013 Huntingdon 10k charity run
with added fun run & spectator village
For the last 3 years, the Stukeleys have played host to the Huntingdon 10k charity run, which has directly raised £14,000 for the race charities, and a staggering £50,000 overall, including the runners’ own sponsorship. Many of you in local villages have been involved in helping out and supporting the run, and the organisers( new fundraising group, Hullabaloo) would like to thank everyone for their help- and anticipate your help and support again this year! The route for this year starts and finishes on the Alconbury airfield, and the event will include up to 1000 runners for the 10k run as well as a 3k fun run and a spectator village, with activities such as bouncy castle, face painting and traditional games. This year we have a dog agility display, featuring dogs trained by Michelle of FetchIt dog training, and a healthy eating cooking demonstration and free tasting from Cook Italian! Charities and local groups can spread the word about their cause from a stall, and everyone from non runners to enthusiasts can have a great time! We need YOU to help us make it the biggest and best fun event EVER, and to raise as much as we can for local charities The event: This year the event will take place on the Alconbury Airfield, on Sunday 17th June (Fathers day). There will also be a race programme, with information about voluntary groups and charities who enter teams, sponsors and articles about keeping healthy and local interest. You can help by:
• Entering the 10k race or fun run, as an individual or part of a team • Offering your help to the race organisers as marshal or helper • Offering help with sponsorship if you know a company who might be interested(packages are available or talk to Hullabaloo) What have you got to lose? Enter now, and you will have an incentive to get fit (ter?), help Hullabaloo’s local charities, and all race entrants have the opportunity to get their own sponsors, either for Hullabaloo, or for their own chosen charity. Every penny raised by Hullabaloo from the race will go directly to local charity projects and every chosen charity will spend the funds to directly benefit local people . This year’s supported projects include providing entertainment for isolated elderly people attending the Alconbury Thursday club, helping local child victims of crime, supporting disabled children by providing a horse for riding for the disabled, providing art materials for adults with learning disabilities, and giving carers of people with multiple sclerosis a break. Full details of these projects, and of the race and spectator village are on the website: www. hunts10k.org.uk and see Hullaballo’s site www. hullabaloo-hunts.org.uk You can enter online until June 10. To volunteer call Bob Husltrom on 01480 451412 or email: racebob@hunts10k.org.uk. You can follow Bob on Twitter @RaceBobHunts10k and more race updates are on the Facebook page Hunts10k.
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SUPERVISING FOOD SAFETY
IN CATERING
Food hygiene legislation requires all food handlers to be trained in food hygiene matters. Anyone working in a supervisory position in the food industry is not only responsible, but also accountable for food safety in the business. It is vital that they are equipped with both the knowledge and confidence to do their job effectively. To assist in fulfilling these requirements, Huntingdonshire District Council is hosting a Level 3 Award in Supervising Food Safety in Catering. The course will be delivered by Blue Cloud Training who have delivered successful food hygiene training courses before on behalf of the council. The course will cover: • Ability to implement and supervise a food safety management system • Understanding food safety procedures • Understanding the concept of food hazards
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and the risk associated with them • Understanding the terminology with respect to supervising food safety • Understanding the techniques involved in controlling and monitoring food safety • Appreciating the risks linked to cross contamination • Understanding the role temperature has to play in the control of food safety • Appreciating the importance of supervising high standards of cleanliness in food premises The three day course will be held on Monday 23 September, Monday 30 September and Monday 7 October 2013 from 9am to 5pm at the Civic Suite, Pathfinder House, St Mary’s Street, Huntingdon. The cost is £299 per candidate which includes all course materials, exam fee and refreshments. Lunch is not provided. For further information and to reserve a place on the course, contact 01480 388302.
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Legion Helping Maintain the Homes
of the Armed Forces Community in Cambs
Having trouble with small household repairs or minor adaptations around your home? The Royal British Legion’s Poppy Calls service may be able to help. Poppy Calls offers a trusted, secure, high quality service which helps members of the Armed Forces community live independent lives and stay in their own homes longer in old age. The initiative is offered to beneficiaries who qualify for assistance from The Royal British Legion, which includes those who have served in the Armed Forces and their widows or dependents. In addition to the maintenance service provided by Poppy Calls – all staff are case worker trained and will assess a beneficiary’s needs to ensure they get the help and support they need. Cambridgeshire has a dedicated Poppy Calls Fitter, Sebastian Hayes, who has been employed with the Legion since May 2012. Sebastian said of the service: “I never feel better than when I’m fixing something, and the work the Poppy Calls service does means members of the Armed Forces community can live more independently for longer. It’s a very satisfying line of work to be in. “Fitters do more than just small jobs around the
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house. One day I could be putting up shelves and curtain rails and the next fitting smoke alarms and building a shed. It entirely depends on the kind of help and support the beneficiaries need.” The Legion’s National Poppy Calls Manager, Russell Rolph saids: “Over nine million people in the UK can call on the Legion’s support. Some of these people can find it difficult to keep up home maintenance over time or find they need adaptions following injury or illness to maintain the lifestyle they once did in their own homes, and that’s when Poppy Calls steps in.” In 2012, Legion Fitters assisted over 5,000 people across the country. To find out more about the service call 0800 032 0306.
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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 & completely spellbound? This is Cabaret, close up mix and mingle and table magic at it’s very best.
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
Magic Tuition Now Available - Phone For Details To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261 122
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Spring Specials Tasty Tuesdays and Thursdays English breakfast + 18 holes of golf for just ÂŁ25 Pre book 01480 474000 Sunday Lunch at The Mill Restaurant ÂŁ9.95 FootGolf Amazing fun for all the family at the Cromwell Club Golf Taster sessions, membership, pay & play 01480 408900 Abbotsley Golf Hotel Potton Road, St Neots www.abbotsley.com
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Campaign to Protect Rural England
CAMBRIDGESHIRE AND PETERBOROUGH Introducing the Campaign to Protect Rural England CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) is one of the longest established and most respected environmental groups in England. Your local CPRE Branch, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, was set up over 80 years ago – and we been speaking up for our countryside ever since. We want to protect it from the threat it faces, and to shape its future for the better. CPRE campaigns for a beautiful and living countryside. We work to influence how we plan our towns and cities to make them better places to live and work, to ensure the countryside is protected for all to enjoy for now and future generations. We have a tiny office in St. Ives and a part-time administrator, but our work is largely carried out by a small band of volunteers who are committed to protecting our landscapes and rural communities. Standing up for the countryside You may have read in the press about our concerns about the Government’s planning reforms which could leave parts of our countryside at greater threats of development. Nationally, we’ve worked to impress on MPs and Government Ministers what these reforms might lead to. In Cambridgeshire we are lucky to have diverse, evocative and beautiful countryside. However, very little of our countryside has the official designation which would protect it from
inappropriate development. W i t h Cambridgeshire being one of the fastest growing parts of England, the countryside on our doorstep is under threat! The dangers include massive new housing s c h e m e s , warehouses and wind farms. What you can do Maybe you would like to help us in our work. We desperately need more volunteers and funds. Joining us for just £3.00 a month would make a real difference. For more information contact our office on 01480 396698 or e-mail office@ cprecambs.org.uk. In future articles we will let you know more about the work we are doing in Cambridgeshire. Our countryside is precious – after all, “when it’s gone, it’s gone”!! Michael Monk Chairman CPRE Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
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Acupuncture
FOR WELL-BEING
Judy obtained her Licentiate in Acupuncture, and B.A (Hons) degree in Traditional Acupuncture, from the College of Traditional Acupuncture, Warwickshire. Judy is a passionate believer in the positive benefits, on both physical and emotional levels, that may be obtained from receiving acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture originated in China and other far eastern cultures where it still features in mainstream healthcare, both as a stand-alone therapy and in combination with conventional western medicine. Judy has been trained as a classical Five Element Acupuncturist; treatment is aimed at the root cause of your condition as well as your main symptoms. This approach helps with resolving your problem and enhancing your feelings of wellbeing. You may notice other niggling problems resolve as your main health complaint improves. Judy continues to pursue her belief in excellence of care for her patients in her role as a dedicated acupuncture practitioner, and is a member of the British Acupuncture Council. Please contact Judy for a free 20minute consultation to discuss how acupuncture treatment can help you.
Brampton Chiropractic Clinic 84 High Street, Brampton PE28 4TH DR NEIL BROE, DC and Assoc Registered with the General Chiropractic Council Members of the British Chiropractic Association Over 30 years experience A gentle but specific form of manipulation. Treating the cause of the problem ..... so often the answer • Back, Hip and Leg Pain • Headaches, Migraines • Cranial Therapy • Sinuses • Neck, Arm and Shoulder Pain • Muscle Ligament and Tendon Injuries • Paediatric Care
Judy Lenton B.A. (Hons) Lic,Ac. MBAcC
Traditional
located at
Headz Up 65 High Street Brampton Huntingdon Cambridgeshire PE28 4TQ
acupuncture for
telephone
01480 229029
health & wellbeing
mobile
07557 282617
info@judylentonacupuncture.co.uk or visit
www.judylentonacupuncture.co.uk
Massage for Health and Wellbeing Relax, unwind, help undo stress and tension with a qualified massage therapist
01480 436435
10% discount on initial visit www.brampton-chiropracticclinic.co.uk BUPA and PPP registered Also at: Manor Lodge, Barham Road, Buckworth PE28 5AQ Tel 01480 891539
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Ladies only Call Lynn on 07753 282587 Email: lynnbw@hotmail.co.uk
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The kimbolton country fayre
sunday 14th july 2013 AN INVITATION YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS: THE ANNUAL KIMBOLTON COUNTRY FAYRE AND CLASSIC CAR SPECTACULAR To be held in the beautiful 60 acre grounds of Kimbolton Castle. With over 800 classic cars on show; fairground attractions; main and secondary ring events; music; dancing; stall holders selling a wide range of tempting goods. Don’t worry if you forget your picnic, there is a large food court catering for all. Oh! Nearly forgot….of course there is a beer tent. The Fayre opens at 11.00 with the main show ring events starting at 12.00. Tickets cost £18 family (based on two adults and their children); adults £8; concession £5 (over 65’s and children)
Tell your friends about the Fayre and come and have a great day out – well behaved dogs welcome too. All the latest information about the attractions can be found on our website: www.kimboltoncountryfayre.com
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Absolutely ... Positively ... NO pressure to sell! We give you FREE VALUATIONS .... YOU DECIDE !
WE PAY
CASH Cambridge Coins and Jewellery Coins, Medals, Banknotes, Tokens, Postcards.
Anything GOLD any SILVER....even broken jewellery!
Buying and selling old Coins, Military Medals, Tokens, Banknotes and bullion ...as well as Jewellery.
52 High Street // Biggleswade // Beds // SG18 0LJ // (Opposite “The Codfather”) Open Wednesday to Saturday. 11am to 7pm
t: 01767 600 300 e: shop@cambridgecoins.co.uk 24
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Burn, baby, burn
The best tools for a great British bBQ What better way to celebrate the good weather than to go outside and burn things? Barbecue season is back, and as ever there are all kinds of gadgets promising to make cooking in the great outdoors even greater. If you don’t already have a barbecue you’re spoilt for choice: you can spend as little as £20 on a charcoal kettle barbecue, or as much as £5,999 on a “Grill Centre” that’s bigger than most people’s kitchens. If space is at a premium, it’s worth considering a portable one, such as Weber’s clever little Smokey Joe barbecue (£59.99) or one of its many imitators. Wherever men are showing off you’ll find firms offering gadgets to help them, and in outdoor cooking there are clever ideas such as the Grill Daddy Pro brush (about £14.99), which combines a typical grill brush with a steam cleaner to help shift tough burnt-on food and sterilise the grill racks. Alternatively, a quick scan of eBay uncovers plenty of motorised grill brushes for around £15 that promise to take the effort out of cleaning. If that isn’t manly enough, the terribly-named Looftlighter (£69.95) is a guaranteed hit, blasting hot air out of the nozzle at a terrifyingly hot 680 degrees to light barbecues, fires and anything else that happens to be nearby. If you’d rather not spend nearly £70 on a glorified lighter - or if you already own a blowtorch - there are still plenty of tempting accessories from chimney starters to help you get things burning (£14.99) to griddle pans, woks, basting brushes, add-on tables, digital thermometers, hot dog rollers (£12) and hamburger presses (£12). You can even get a beer can chicken roaster, which holds
a can of beer inside a chicken while you cook it (about £8). It sounds like a daft idea but it really does work - as does the digital thermometer fork (from £16), which can help you avoid poisoning all your friends by telling you whether the meat is cooked through or if it needs a bit longer. Alternatively, an oven-proof thermometer will do the job just fine for around £6, but make sure it’s rated for high temperatures: barbecues can be considerably hotter than the domestic ovens many thermometers are designed for. Poisoning isn’t the only thing to watch out for: whether you go for an all-singing, all-dancing portable barbecue, a disposable aluminium one or a free-standing kettle model, remember that barbecues produce carbon monoxide, which can be fatal - and they continue to produce it long after you’ve finished cooking. Never use a barbecue indoors or bring it inside when it’s still warm. We’re not sure whether a Himalayan Salt Plate counts as a gadget - it’s a block of salt - but it’s an interesting add-on: instead of cooking directly on the rack you put the plates on the grill and the food on the plates, cooking and seasoning simultaneously. Expect to pay around £9 for a single one, which should last for lots of barbecues and which doubles as a nifty serving plate. Last but not least, there are plenty of LED-powered barbecue lights, such as the three-headed Best of BBQ LED Grill Light. As much as we love our barbecues, we can’t help thinking that if you’re buying £40 accessories to barbecue in your own garden in the dark, you might be taking outdoor cooking a little bit too seriously.
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E FRE al i n t i In tatio l u s n Co Piecing together the life you want
I’m not perfect. There I said it. But have you ever felt that there are areas in your life holding you back from living to the full? Relationships, financial struggles, bereavement... just a few of the hurdles that can feel too high to jump. If you would like to break things down and lower a hurdle or two call Angie for a chat. Angie Dickinson Dip. Coaching & Mentoring International 07710185427
Dedicated support for clients in relationship breakdown:
• • • • •
Separation Financial Settlements Change of Name Prenuptial Agreements Mediation
• • • • •
Divorce Living together agreements Adoption Children issues Collaborative family law
Fiona McLeman Family Law is accredited by Resolution and the Solicitors Regulation Authority as a Specialist in Family Law. For a free initial consultation contact Fiona:
fiona@fmfamilylaw.co.uk, 07894095775, www.fmfamilylaw.co.uk Regus House, 1010 Cambourne Business Park, Cambourne CB23 6DP
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Doing it for the kids
FIONA McLeman
One of the most pressing concerns for any separating couple is how the children’s time is going to be managed. So many questions need answers and the children are bound to have their own anxieties and worries. Who will the children live with? How often will they see the other parent? Where will they live? Will the home have to be sold? Will they still go to the same school? Do Mummy and Daddy still love them? The family court strives for couples to sort out such arrangements without court intervention. The Court takes the view that the people best placed to work out what is best for the children are their parents. Indeed, when a couple get divorced, provided all the children’s arrangements are agreed, the Judge will simply issue a certificate confirming that the Court does not need to make any orders about the children. Most cases work out this way and life carries on as normal, albeit a new kind of ‘normal’ - different to the life the children had before when Mummy and Daddy were ‘together’ but not always for the worse, and sometimes much for the better. TV programmes such as Eastenders are not always accurate providers of legal information when they run a story line that concerns a family breakdown. One of the characters at the moment is worried about losing time with his daughter. Did you know that the phrase “I’m going for custody” is not something family lawyers use? That is because the word “custody” is no longer good legal terminology – the word was
replaced decades ago by the word “residence”. Did you know that the phrase “I’ve only got limited access” is also not accurate? The word “access” was also replaced years ago by the word “contact”. And there is more change to come as the law is being looked at again. Just as we are getting used to using the words “residence’ and ‘contact’ the new kid on the block in terms of legal terminology is “child arrangements order”. Not very user friendly or easy to slip off the tongue in day to day conversation but it is considered a more neutral explanation of the reality. The important thing for any separating couple to remember is that provided they put the interests of their children first and try as hard as they can to work together, without lawyers or courts, they should be able to get through these tough times and end up in a much happier place, most importantly being able to talk to each other in the future as their children grow older. They’ll be doing all that, for the kids.
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The longest holiday
by ARWYN BAILEY
Most of us shy away from considering our later years and what they might bring. There may be the joy of watching our family grow and develop with grandchildren, great nephews and nieces, but understandably we do not like the idea of becoming incapacitated. However, we should start thinking about what can be termed as the “longest holiday” of our lives sooner rather than later, as it is now clear that the government will not be funding the ongoing costs of any care that might be required. The reason for the government’s stance becomes clear when examining some of the facts. According to statistics from the Office for National Statistics, in 1992, 14.2% of the London populace were aged 65 or more. In areas where a large number of residents are retirees, such as within the county of East Dorset, this figure was running at a rate of over 24%. The average percentage of people within this grouping for the whole of the UK, in 1992, was 15.8%. By the year 2033, estimates show that this figure will have increased to 22.9%. As the state is not going to assist in any meaningful form regarding ongoing care needs, we need to consider the cost of buying care as this is also rising. For example, maintaining professional quality care in one’s own home is now running at around £13.68 per hour. This means that just two hours of care each day mounts up to around £200 each week. Furthermore, full time fees in a care home now average at just over £27,000 a year rising to over £38,000 for nursing home fees. These fees are just for a basic level of care. To have any form of “luxury” is an additional cost. Here are some tips that will enable you to start planning for the future. 1. Check your pensions, ensuring that you have current information for all of them. 2. If you have not done so already, you should complete a BR19 form and send it off for a State Pension assessment. The reason for this, particularly for women, is that it will be assumed that your NI contributions would have continued if you had not stopped work in order to care for your children. However, the benefits agencies will not know of this and your past situation unless you inform them.
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Taking this action will enhance your state pension benefits. 3. Realistically consider what your ISAs and other savings might be worth. Monitor your investments regularly with a professional adviser. 4. Think about when your mortgage will be repaid, along with any other commitments. Put income that you have released, when loans are repaid, towards ISAs and pensions for your future. 5. Start thinking of your house as a commodity that might have to be used to fund care needs in the future. 6. Consider a special form of trust to ring fence the equity of your house. This can protect your home from local authority means testing when you qualify for care. 7. Review your Wills and the position regarding inheritance tax. 8. Review whether your property is owned as Tenants In Common or under Joint Tenancy as this is important in this arena of planning (Scottish law varies in this regard). 9. Seek independent financial advice from an appropriately qualified professional, and appoint an adviser on a fee basis to advise you. We all hope that we will remain independent and fit and healthy, but this will not be the reality for some of us. The facts before us may not be favourable and planning for our longest holiday may take many years to achieve. Although our finances might be under pressure at this time, doing something now is going to be better than doing nothing.
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Anstee Gorst
Chartered Certified Accountants
- Accounts preparation for Sole traders, Partnerships and Limited Companies - Self assessment tax returns - Cash Flow Forecasting - Vat, Payroll & Bookkeeping - Business Start Up Free Initial Consultation Phone: Antoinette Gorst ACCA or Sally Anstee FCCA 01767 650700 Ground Floor Offices, Unit 30, Green End, Gamlingay, Sandy, Beds, SG19 3LF Email: office@ansteegorst.co.uk Website: www.ansteegorst.co.uk
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Pension
Automation So what do I mean by ‘Automation’? - It is not a spelling mistake for Auto Enrolment, which is the new Government directive to try and force everyone to save for retirement. Automation relates to existing pension plans that you may have taken out, where you were asked whether your attitude to risk was low, medium or high, before being placed in a “lifestyle” fund; which was designed to switch from equities to bonds, the closer you came to retirement. In the 1990’s bond prices were high – they are not now. Plus equities can be volatile. Consider, are you really going to retire when you said you would - can you afford to; losing just a couple of % on an annual return can have a 20% impact on the final income. Also be aware of automatic rebalancing, because this means continually reducing holdings in well performing funds, in favour of lesser performing ones. Structured timely rebalancing is good because it stops a portfolio increasing its risk profile. Even worse than lifestyle funds are many ‘with
Tony Larkins CFP APFS Managing Director / IFA Chartered and Certified Financial Planner
profit’ funds. These are the ones where you receive an annual statement and bonus notice. This month I reviewed a pension where the bonus had dropped to just 1.5% for the year, when for the same level of risk, our portfolio had grown by 14%. Why, because they can. Automation Most people do not change their bank account even though they know interest is poor; and most people don’t change or review their pensions or investments either. Most of us suffer from Automation. We receive the statement in the post… look at it… and file it. But a simple call to your IFA (independent financial adviser) will tell you if it is any good. Better still your IFA should contact you. You may have been in the right funds when you took out the plan, but don’t rely on automation… become proactive. You should always seek qualified advice from an IFA, preferably a Certified (CFP) or Chartered Financial PlannerCM (APFS). If you have a financial question, e-mail: tlarkins@beaconwealth.co.uk
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GARDEN MACHINERY AND TRAILER CENTRE
Personal customer service, collection and delivery available. Assessment of individual requirements. Full after sales backup and parts service. NEW Oregon, the world's only unique battery operated, self-sharpening s In stock. chain saw. Ride-on and pedestrian mowers, chainsaws, strimmers, hedge trimmers, cultivators, estate and equestrian equipment. Trailers - sales, hire, service. Accessories, oils, Aspen fuel, batteries, spares, security locks for garden/ horticultural machinery and trailers. horticultu
Appointed dealers for:
Main dealer for Briggs & Stratton, Honda, Kohler, Kawasaki & Mountfield engines.
Honeydon Road, Colmworth, Bedfordshire MK44 2LY
01234 376513 www.bri-ag.co.uk
Open Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 12pm
Unique Landscape We specialise in
Patios, Fencing, Clear Ups Turf Laying, Hedge Trimming Tree Cutting, Tree Felling, Planting, Pruning, Driveways, Printed concrete, Stencil Concrete, Decking ...and much more
Free Quotations Reliable Friendly Service Mob: 07717 760851 Office: 01480 434401
www.uniquedrivewaylandscapes.com
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Box Blight Box blights are caused by two fungal diseases known as Volutella buxi and Cylindrocladium buxicola. In combination these two fungal diseases form the most conspicuous problem to affect box (Buxus sempervirens). Volutella buxi results in browning of the leaves and dieback of branches leaving bare patches in hedges and topiary specimens. This fungi spreads in wet humid conditions. Pinkish spores appear on the undersides of leaves. Fallen leaves carry the disease over the winter. The other Box Blight, which is more serious, has been recognised within the UK and Ireland since the mid 1990s. The fungus Cylindrocladium buxicola produces symptoms similar to Volutella with defoliated plants the end result. The leaves develop dark brown spots which enlarge to affect leaf tissue. Patches of grayish fungal growth appear on the underside. Black streaks appear on the stems. The spores are capable of penetrating the leaf surface so wounding via pruning cuts is not necessary for infection. Cylindrocladium buxicola requires moist conditions to thrive. Live spores have been found in decomposing leaves, so any debris should never added to the compost heap. Control: • Good air circulation will reduce the humidity around the plants. • Avoid overhead watering to keep the foliage dry. • If blight is suspected any implements used to clip or prune should be disinfected before using on healthy material. Household bleach or methylated spirits are suitable agents. • During spring spray with a fungicide.
For more advice visit: www.bartlett.com or contact Bartlett Tree Experts on 01234 354 673 Visit us on Facebook at Bartlett Tree Experts – Bedford UK
Bartlett Tree Experts A Complete and Comprehensive Tree Careand Service since 1907 A Complete Comprehensive Tree Care Service Since 1907 For over 100 years, Bartlett Tree Experts has led both the science and services that make your landscape thrive. No matter the size or scope of your needs, our arborists bring a rare mix of groundbreaking research, global resources and a local service approach to every task at hand. Trees add so much value to our lives; Bartlett adds even more value to your trees.
Tree & Shrub Pruning | Planting | Tree Removal Hedge Cutting | Stump Grinding Woodland Management | Disease & Inseact Control For a free quote please contact your local arborist Tim Brown
0845 600 9000
cambridge@bartlettuk.com www.bartlett.com
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BUGS AND BEATIES
By PIPPA GREENWOOD Bugs and beasties are really thriving in this warmer weather, so just how should you deal with the most common problems you are likely to encounter at this time of year? Aphids Greenfly and blackfly, also known as aphids, can be a real menace as they suck sap from your plants and can transmit viruses at the same time. Aphids breed incredibly rapidly, so regular control is necessary. • Check plants regularly and either spray with a suitable insecticide or a soap or plant oil based insecticide • Use biological controls – they’re totally safe for all other creatures and of course leave no residues • Use a strong jet of water to blast the aphids off plants, but do a thorough job or else they will soon be back up and causing damage Caterpillars Caterpillars come in all shapes, sizes and colours, but can do a lot of damage as they munch their way through your plants and perhaps even into your vegetables. • Hand pick the pest where possible and either squash or place on the bird table. They’re easiest to spot at dusk or very early in the morning. • Spray with a suitable contact insecticide or better still use the Nemasys Caterpillar biological control. • Some caterpillars, in particular the Tortrix Moth produce quantities of fine webbing which they use to bind leaves or other plant parts together to create particularly safe shelters for themselves. It’s hard for a pesticide to actually reach them so hand picking or squashing is often the best answer. • Cover caterpillar-susceptible crops such as calabrese, broccoli and other brassicas with Envirofleece or Enviromesh. Woodlice Woodlice often cause a lot of concern, however these little creatures are rarely responsible as they simply do not have adequately strong mouthparts. They can cause damage to soft new growth or occasionally to soft-fleshed fruits such as strawberries but can’t tackle tougher plant growth. You may see them at the ‘scene of the
crime’ and presume that they have caused the initial damage but they have probably moved in to clean up a lot of the debris created by other creatures. Earwigs Earwigs can cause quite a bit of damage, particularly on the flowers of plants such as clematis and dahlias, where they nibble out large quantities of petal or occasionally leaf. Try trapping them using an inverted flowerpot on top of a bamboo cane. The bamboo cane and pot should be positioned amongst susceptible plants and the pot needs to be stuffed loosely full of hay, straw or similar material. The earwigs climb in there to hide and the pots can them simply be emptied out on a regular basis. Mildew Powdery mildew is also a problem at this time of year; it coats plant leaves, stems, buds and sometimes even petals with a white floury deposit. Sometimes the mildew can also prevent fruits from swelling normally, cause the leaves to become distorted and even fall early. Prompt action is essential and if you wish you can use a proprietary fungicide but check the label carefully for suitability. Keep the damage to a minimum in the first instance by ensuring that the plants are kept well watered. In addition try to ensure a good flow of air around the plants. A bit of careful pruning or weeding often helps too. Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood.com where you can sign up for Pippa’s free newsletter and receive a free ebook on organic gardening, and buy a great range of gardening products including Nemasys caterpillar, slug, ant and other biological controls, Enviromesh, Envirofleece and a hand-picked selection of garden products
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Lawn Care Experts we care for your lawn
Local family business
Care Programmes include
Lawn feed applications Moss and weed control Scarification and aeration
Lawn Renovations
Re-seeding, Re-turfing and Repairs
Free lawn analysis
01480 367 006
Treatments from £15 a a visit
www.brilliantlawns.co.uk
Brilliant Lawns Caring for your lawn
Can I go to the Paddocks for my Holiday please?
Paddocks Boarding Cattery Peaceful location. No dogs boarded. Spacious, individual, heated chalets with large covered runs. Inspection welcome. Boarding from £6.60/day. Rabbits/guinea pigs also boarded. 64 Meadow Road, Great Gransden
Telephone 01767 677 759 www.catterybedfordshire.co.uk Open all year.
The cattery for caring owners. Comfort and security for your pet. 38
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ANIMAL STORIES
It’s never too late for love….. Betty is an absolutely beautiful cat, who is over 10 years old, but actually seems much younger when you meet her. She is playful, friendly and has soft, silky fur. Unbelievably, last year, she was taken to a vet to be put to sleep. Did she have an illness? No. Has she got severe behavioural problems? No. Her crime was to be considered ‘old’ by her owners. The RSPCA Bedfordshire North Branch stepped in to care for this lovely cat. We knew re-homing her might be problematic because many people can be a bit ‘ageist’ when thinking about acquiring a new pet. The RSPCA Bedfordshire North Branch has a small team of volunteers dedicated to caring for abandoned animals and preparing them for rehoming. Betty was lucky enough to be given a foster home by 13 year-old Alice’s family. Alice says: “I loved having Betty living with us. She used to sleep in my bedroom and yowl when she was hungry which made me laugh. I was a bit sad when she left for her new home, but my Mum always told me it was going to happen and I’m glad that she’s so happy with her new owner. I think that I’m lucky as I get to care for loads of different cats. I’m proud that because of our family, there are a few more cats, like Betty, that have a happier life.” After four months with Alice – and over a year with the RSPCA – Betty was fortunate to be
offered a home by Jayne. She met Betty and instantly fell in love. So, it took a while, but lucky Betty has now got her perfect ending. And Alice’s family can now foster another cat in need – and there are many. If you think you can give a cat like Betty – or another animal ¬– a permanent, loving home please look on our website for information about how to adopt. We are also looking for more volunteer foster carers who want to make a difference to an animal’s life. ANIMAL STORIES is one of a series of articles brought to you by the RSPCA Bedfordshire North branch www.rspca-bedfordshirenorth.org.uk
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WOOD GREEN... DOG TRICK TRAINING FOR FAMILIES
ANIMAL FUN DAY Sunday 7th July, 10.00am – 4.00pm £2 Adults, children free, dogs welcome
Every Thursday in June 6.30 – 7.30pm £45 per family, restrictions apply A 4 week course exploring the building blocks of training and communicating with your dog. Booking essential for all activities as places are limited. Call 0844 248 8181 or email: handson@woodgreen.org.uk
We will also be joined on the day by: Fun dog show Ask the experts Pet toy making Get up close with the animals at feeding time
Shopping opportunities for you & your pets School for Dogs Bouncy castle
Shepreth Wildlife Park with some creepy crawlies South Wales Police horse & dog display – come and meet the police dogs and get a chance to visit the police horse box Hamerton Zoo and some of its residents Huntingdon Fire & Rescue – visit the fire engines & meet the crew
Animal rehoming Charity Shop Restaurant Pet & Gift Shop Children’s play area Children’s ‘hands on’ events Open 7 days a week 10.00am – 4.00pm Free entry
Call: 0844 248 8181 King’s Bush Farm, Visit: www.woodgreen.org.uk London Road, Godmanchester, Or Email: info@woodgreen.org.uk Cambridgeshire, PE29 2NH Registered Charity No. 298348.
The Animals Charity
WGAS Villager 131w x 93h Cambs.indd 1
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15/5/13 20:09:40
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Wondering what to do for childcare this school holiday? Then wonder no more!
“schools OUT” is a holiday club for children aged 4 – 12 years. Monday to Friday Book onlyed, ne what you hour... 8.00am – 6.00pm pay(mbyinth3ehrs) for more details contact us on:
01480 811180
e:info@schoolsout-cambs.co.uk Buckden Millennium Centre Burberry Road, Buckden Cambs. PE19 5UY
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New Range Rover Sport: The detail
by James Baggott
It was a case of double-oh-heaven for Land Rover at the New York Motor Show as it managed to steal the limelight for the launch of its new Range Rover Sport thanks to a rather special unveiling by none other than Daniel Craig. The Bond star helped the British manufacturer deliver the first car to the press launch in a live drive through the streets of Manhattan. The $1 million stunt saw sections of the city closed at rush hour and it had all the razzamatazz of the Oscars. One of Land Rover’s most important models, the Sport has notched up nearly 304,000 worldwide sales since it arrived in 2005. Now, following the successful births of the Evoque and Range Rover, it’s the racy middle brother’s time to shine. Based on the same aluminium platform as the Range Rover, but with 75 per cent of the parts changed, the Sport ushers in an Evoque-esque look, clever new technology, and some seriously impressive statistics. Powering the top-of-the-range model is a 5.0-litre supercharged V8, producing 503bhp and 625Nm of torque. With a tuned exhaust system, it sounds incredible as it powers its way to 60mph in five seconds. The popular SDV8 diesel unit also makes a welcome return. With 332bhp and a mighty 700Nm of torque, it can crack 60mph in 6.5 seconds. There are further diesel and petrol units to pick from, but of more interest is the hybrid which is set to arrive later this year and combines a 3.0-litre diesel engine with a 50kw battery, a big leap forward for the model. Improvements have been made across the board. The new Sport is 33% lighter than its predecessor (that’s the weight of six average adults), the body is 25% stiffer and on average it’s 24% more efficient.
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Clever new technology on the Range Rover Sport includes an iPhone and Android app that lets you connect with their car. It can guide you back to where you parked it, tell you how much fuel is left, file company car mileages via email and even alert you if it thinks it’s about to be nicked. The clever kit includes in-car wifi for up to eight devices, a tracking system to aid recovery and the ability to dial emergency services in the event of a crash and alert them of your location. A camera on the front of the car reads road signs as you pass them, displaying speed limits and over-taking restrictions on the dash. There’s also a head-up display that shows speed and navigation instructions. Parking scrapes can also be avoided with a warning system that tells you if a car is coming while reversing out of a bay and an alarm can tell you if you’re wading too deep in the water (a dip into anything over 850mm could result in big bills). Larger families will be pleased to hear there’s now a seven-seat option too. The seats are only really for kids, but electrically rise and lower from the flat floor. The tailgate gets power while the doors now have a soft-close option. Inside, the designers have worked hard to make it even more luxurious, with more metal on show and a higher, wraparound dash. The centre console is even chilled and fits a full bottle of champagne in it. There’s a 23-speaker stereo system and rear seat entertainment options too. Pricing, as you’d expect, is rather premium. The top-of-the-range supercharged V8 costs £81,550 with entry level models a “more affordable” £51,550. Time to visit the bank manager…because this is one highly desirable car.
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The Smart choice for body repairs
body shop Vehicle repairs * Express * Alloy wheel refurbishment Same day repair * Free estimates Insurance*claims * *
Call us now on: 01480 407969 / 07734 145062 9 Chester Road, Colmworth Business Park, Eaton Socon, St Neots, Cambs PE19 8YT
web: www.getsmartexpress.co.uk / email: info@getsmartexpress.co.uk
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15% DISCOUNT ON ALL WORK CARRIED OUT OVER £50 WITH THIS ADVERT
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CGF Painting & Decorating 01480 391460 07544 207577 cgfpainting@gmail.com
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CODEWORD
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ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
9 X 9 PUZZLE
How to play It’s simple! Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the digits 1 through to 9 with no repetition. Use your logic to solve the puzzle. Watch out! Sudoku is highly addictive.
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CD
Garage Door Problems?
Garage Doors All leading Makes of Doors Supplied, Fitted & Repaired Manual & Automatic Over 20 Years Experience
Phone Chris Day On:
07899 903973
01480 459 721
High Street, Brampton
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THE OUTSIDE KITCHEN Your vital ingredient to a perfect day
Our company was born from our own love of food and enjoyment in cooking it. We pride ourselves on giving an individual service to our customers, offering you menu ideas which can be themed to your day and at the same time listening to your needs and what you would like. 32 Levellers Lane, Eynesbury, St Neots Cambridgeshire Tel: 01480 213 212 Mob: 0785 0560812 Maxine.day@btopenworld.com http://www.theoutsidekitchen.com/
Oven Cleaning! - It’s a dirty job! Why do it yourself? We clean ovens using non-caustic, non-toxic products in your home. Ovens • Ranges • Hobs • Extractors Agas • Microwaves • Barbecues (May - Sept)
Bake yourself happy! Join our fun informal classes to learn baking cakes and artisan breads. Book online
www.birgitspatisserie.co.uk
Single Oven (all racks/pans inc)........................£35 Single Oven & Grill Oven (all racks/pans inc).....£45 Single Separate Grill Oven (racks/pans inc)......£15 Microwaves & Combination Ovens....................£20 Extractor Fan (free filter for next clean).............£12 Hob..................................................................£12 . . .
Agas and Ranges priced accordingly Oven Bulbs replaced for free in all jobs V.A.T free
Contact James on: 01767 260188 or Mobile: 07812 666081 email: ovenmen@live.co.uk You can also book at www.ovenmen.com
Tel 0844 3352802 50
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parent company est. 1998
SEASONAL DELIGHTS
FALAFEL, PEPPER & GOATS’ CHEESE SALAD
If you’re having veggie friends around for lunch or just fancy a meat-free supper for a change this colourful salad will fit the bill. Falafels are small Middle Eastern deep-fried patties made with cooked chick peas. You can buy them ready-made in most supermarkets or deli’s but they are really easy to make at home with just a can of chick peas and a few store cupboard ingredients. For an on-the-go salad pack into warmed pitta breads. INGREDIENTS 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped 4 tbsp freshly chopped parsley or coriander 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp chilli powder 2 tbsp plain flour Salt and freshly ground black pepper Oil for shallow frying 1 large red pepper, deseeded and thickly sliced 1 yellow pepper, deseeded and thickly sliced 2 tbsp olive oil 150g bag mixed salad leaves Half a small iceberg lettuce, roughly shredded 150g goats’ cheese, roughly crumbled FOR THE DRESSING 6 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp white wine vinegar ½ tsp Dijon mustard
Serves 4 Ready in 30 minutes 1 To make the falafel, place the chick peas, garlic, parsley or coriander, spices and flour in a food processor and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Process for about 1 minute until you have a fairly smooth mixture. Turn into a bowl then divide and shape the mixture into 12 small patties with clean wetted hands. 2 Shallow fry the patties in hot oil for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. 3 Meanwhile, place the sliced peppers on a foil-lined grill pan and drizzle over the olive oil. Grill for 3-4 minutes on each side until tender and lightly charred in places. 4 Toss together the salad leaves and shredded iceberg lettuce. Arrange on four plates with the grilled peppers. Halve the hot falafel then add to the salad and top with roughly crumbled goats’ cheese. 5 To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a screw-topped jar and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and serve immediately. Tip Add a handful of fruity black or green olives to the salad or sprinkle with some lightly toasted pine nuts to give an extra Mediterranean flavour.
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LESTER O’DRISCOLL CARPENTRY Door Hanging, Skirting, Flooring, Fitted Kitchens, Fencing, Decking, General Carpentry, Extensions
07842 195152 01480 811629 52
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The Villager Prize Crossword 1st Prize £25 Name:
Complete the crossword, fill in your details below, cut out this section and send to the address below before 19th June 2013 Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP Tel:
Address:
Last Month’s Crossword Winner. Congratulations to Mr J Clements from Potton For last month’s solution please visit www.villagermag.com Across 1 Seats (6) 4 Burst (6) 9 Reduce in length (7) 10 Moves rapidly (5) 11 After sunset (5) 12 Before (7) 13 Marvellously (11) 18 Cultivate (7) 20 Hurry (5) 22 Arrogant (5) 23 Terminates (7) 24 Sibling (6) 25 A sign (6) Down 1 Place for gambling (6) 2 In the midst of (5) 3 Turned (7) 5 Senior (5) 6 Incomplete (7) 7 Large arid area (6) 8 Halted (11) 14 Apparent (7) 15 Sad (7) 16 Adjusts (6) 17 Container (6) 19 Narrow shelf (5) 21 Rub hard (5)
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Flower of the Month (June)
Geranium versicolor We have started propagating some new uncommon plants. Armeria canescens from the eastern Mediterra-nean, this is a plant for the rock garden, and Sisyrinchium patagonicum, a beautiful plant from Chile. It has flowers like a Tiger Lily that are so unlike any Sisyrinchium that we have ever seen. But these are plants for the future and not for this month. One of our favourite plants at this time of year is Geranium vericolor and our choice as “Plant of the Month”. It is impossible to confuse with any other Geranium with its white trumpet-shaped flowers, net-veined in purple, covering a mound of mid-green leaves. Why is it not so popular with the garden centres? Well its flowers are not quite as showy as some Geraniums and it can easily be propagated by the average gardener. It represents great value for money. We love this vigorous, hardy, herbaceous perennial as you can plant it pretty much
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anywhere. We use it to under-plant shrubs in sun or semi-shade. Usually flowering in May (although not this year), this plant will provide a second flush of flowers and new foliage if you take the shears to it and cut it down to the ground. If you want a plant that scores a ten for reliability, needs no special care, with a long flowering season and will not cost you a fortune, Geranium vericolor is your plant and it is our “Plant of the Month”. Gareth Arscott www.buckdenperennialplants.webs.com
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TELEVISION MOBILE SERVICE ST NEOTS, ST IVES, HUNTINGDON AREA REPAIR TV,VCR, DVD, FREEVIEW DIGITAL BOXES TUNING & DEMONSTRATION OF EQUIPMENT DIGITAL LOFT AERIALS SUPPLIED & FITTED Extension Aerial Points DAY OR EVENING CALL OUTS 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE PHONE JOHN FABISZ FOR ESTIMATE
01480 495408 OR 07887887319
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what’S ON?
IN JUNE
1 June Craft Fair 9.30am-4pm St Ives Free Church Local people selling hand-made crafts at very reasonable prices. Held on the first Saturday of each month. Charity tombola and free entry. www.saintscrafters.blogspot.com 2 June Dean Dog Day 12.00 noon The Dalton Hall Playing Field, Upper Dean Entry fee £1 per class All dogs welcome. Classes for everyone. Lovely rosettes and goodies. Homemade refreshments available throughout the show. All entry fees to The Dogs Trust. Tel: Jo 01480 869486 for schedule or more details 2 June St Neots Astronomy Association 7.30pm The Visitors Centre Paxton Pits Nature Reserve, Little Paxton Images of the Universe by Paul Money. This will be a fun informative meeting with visual displays using pictures and videos of our Universe; looking deep into the depths of it. Everyone welcome. Web: www.snaa.co.uk Tel: David Roberts 01480 212960 Email: david@snaa.co.uk 4, 11, 18 & 25 June Bridge Club 7.30-9.30pm Roxton Village Hall Cost £3 Every Tuesday. Beginners welcome. Tel: 01767 448526 Web: www.greatbarfordbowlsclub.org.uk 5 June Little Paxton Gardening Club 8pm Little Paxton Village Hall Annual subscription £6. Meetings with speakers £1 and £2 for visitors. Refreshments included. Plants on sale. 7 June St Neots Library Knitting Group 1-3pm St Neots Library Do you like knitting? Ann Smith from Buckden Library will be joining us for a talk on knitting and setting up the St Neots Library Knitting Group. Please speak to Jan or Deryl at the Library for more details. 7 June Our Hospitality Doors open 7.30pm for 8pm start Corn Exchange, St Ives Tickets £5 Screen St Ives. (1923) Our Hospitality is set in the American Deep South where Willie (Keaton) unwittingly stumbles into a long-standing family feud and finds that his beloved’s father and brothers are far from hospitable when they realise who he is. Featuring jaw dropping stunts, this is a rom-com with a difference. 50 tickets available – first come, first served. Web: www.screenstives.org.uk 8 June Open Garden - Hunts Community Nursery 1.30-5pm Park Lane, Godmanchester Free admission Come and explore this 4 acre site which has a variety of garden and conservation areas. Weather permitting you can watch our beehives being opened at 2pm and 3pm. Teas and plants for sale.
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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 8 June Great Staughton Meet for Veteran Vintage & Classic Cars Participants to arrive 11.30am-12 midday Meet next to post Office & Blades Lawnmowers Free entry. Visitors to purchase £2.00 raffle ticket for food hampers and other prizes. All contributions to go to charity - Camtad and West Hunts Friendship Club. We will be lighting the gas lights on The Mistress (1912 Sunbeam) about 12.30pm. Tim the Hawk will be present with some of his raptors. Paul the Bee Man will be displaying some of his bees. Also Open Gardens at Old Vicarage with National Garden Scheme. £3.00 entry. Tea and cakes available. Plant sale. 4.30pm raffle at Blades Lawnmower. 9 June “High summer holds the earth...” A summer music concert 7.30pm St Peter’s Church, Offord Darcy Tickets £14 including pre-concert glass of bubbly on the lawn of The Manor House and refreshments in the interval Returning to Offord, we welcome back Morag McLaren, Theresa Goble, Michael Dore, Brian Parsons and new to Offord Darcy, pianist Nathan Martin. Well known artists from the opera, musical and concert stage, BBC Radio 2’s “Friday Night is music night” and London’s West End. Tickets sell out quickly. Free parking on the archery field adjacent to the Church and the Manor House. Tel: 01480 811126 Email: ticketoffice.stpeters@gmail.com 10 & 24 June Line dancing for Beginners 7-8pm Tilbrook Village Hall £2 per person, no partner necessary Please wear flat or low heeled shoes, NOT trainers or anything with rubber soles. Tel: Pauline or Terry 01480 861767 for more information 15 & 16 June Flower Festival ‘Celebrating Village Life’ 11am-4pm St James’ Church, Little Paxton Admission £2, Children free, Weekend passes £2 Refreshments, cakes, bookstall, plants, craft items, raffle. Tower Open 11 am to 2 pm each day. Community Hymn Singing on Sunday at 4 pm. Weekend passes available from Alison Rogers 01480 215607 17 June NSPCC Cambridge Dining Club 12.00 noon La Mimosa Restaurant, Cambridge £16.50 for 2-course meal and coffee Friendly Dining Club welcomes both men and women. Speaker will be author and presenter Liz Frazer. All funds raised go towards projects in this region to help support vulnerable children and young people. Tel: 01954 719745 Email: cfm.armstrong@gmail.com 19 June Land Drainage 7.30pm W.I. Headquarters, Walden Road, Huntingdon Non-members welcome - £1 donation appreciated Huntingdonshire Family History Society talk on Land Drainage by June Barton. Web: www.huntsfhs.org.uk
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what’S ON? IN JUNE
20 June Toy Sale 9am-1pm Huntingdon Nursery School, Ambury Road, Huntingdon Buy and sell good quality second hand toys and books Tel: 01480 375216 for more details
27 June St Neots & District Gardening Club 8pm St. Mary’s Church Hall, Brook Street, St. Neots Non-Members £2.50 which includes refreshments and a raffle ticket. Bulbs for every season by Hilary Thomas.
20 June Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet” 7.30pm Knot Garden, Buckden Towers, High Street, Buckden Tickets £12, Concessions £10 The Festival Players Theatre Company return to perform in the Knot Garden. Performance continues regardless of weather. Tel: 01480 810344
28 – 30 June Great Paxton Feast Weekend Holy Trinity Church 28 June - Wine & Cheese evening – 7.30pm Tickets £8 each Presentation by The Smiling Grape Company. Wine tasting, fun quiz and audience participation. Tickets: Jill Peters 01480 217559 29 June - Summer Flower Festival - 10.30am-4pm Stalls, light lunches and afternoon teas. 30 June- Church open - 2 to 4pm Teas served.
21 June Ladies Garden Party 7-9pm The Pym, Spring Hill, Little Staughton Tickets £10 including wine/soft drink on arrival and pudding Shopping event including Tracey Jane Fashion of Biggleswade and Heart Jewellery. In aid of Primrose Cancer Care Unit, Bedford and Kymbrook Pre-School, Keysoe. Entry by ticket only so book now to avoid disappointment. Tickets available from Rebecca Brightman, Rebecca Squirrell or Kymbrook Pre-School 01234 376100. Tel: Tickets: 01234 378839 Email: ladiesgardenparty@yahoo.com 22 June Pennyless 7.30pm St Mary’s Church, Buckden Tickets £10, Concessions £8 Pennyless - Folk music with three lively musicians. In aid of Buckden’s Living Stones & Church Funds. Tickets from Costcutter and Que Sera, Buckden. Tel: Ron Ingamells 01480 811608 for tickets or email: rjingamells@btinternet.com Tel: Ron Ingamells 01480 811608 for more info or email events@stmarysbuckden.org.uk 22 & 23 June Antiques Showroom Open Weekend 10am-4pm College Farmhouse Workshops, Chawston Lane, Chawston J Moore Restoration, Ralph Moss Antiques & Copperplate Maps. Come along to see fabulous antique furniture, glassware, pictures, maps, silver and collectables. Tea room open on both days. Web: www.jmooreantiques.co.uk 22 & 23 June The Porch Museum 2-5pm The Porch Museum, Queen Elizabeth School, Godmanchester Come and find out about what’s being dug up in Godmanchester. 25 June Hemingford Grey Flower Club 10am Reading Room, High Street, Hemingford Grey Admission £3, including refreshment Flower arranging demonstration by Tim Meakin.
28 June Flower Festival Concert ‘Friday Night Is Music Night’ 7.30pm St Mary’s Parish Church, St Neots Tickets £5 Featuring three choirs - Parish Church Choir, Riverside Theatre Group and Huntingdon Barber Shop Choir. 29 June Shepreth Village Hall Market 2-5pm Green behind the Village Hall Free admission Organised by a group of local small enterprises who want to put village shopping back into villages. Shepreth W.I. will be providing the refreshments or you could have a light lunch at our local cafe The Teacake just along the road. There will be a wide variety of stalls including Trach Chic, a Vintage clothing stall, a Village Blacksmith, local, fresh produce and plants, organic essential oils, Posh doggie treats, wicker baskets and apple juice, Indian Snacks, handmade crafts and lots more! Something for everyone, really worth a visit! Ample parking at the rear of the hall. 29 June Covington Barn Dance 6pm-midnight Bottom Farm, Covington Adults £15, Children (under 12) £6 Dancing to live music from ‘Knitters Jig’ with instruction from their Caller, Norma. Bring friends and family. Licensed Bar with Real Ale, Wine and Pimms. Raffle including many great prizes. Ticket includes Hog Roast with home-made salads followed by strawberries and cream. In aid of local charities including Covington Village Hall. Tel: Tickets: Carole 01480 869224 29 June Flower Festival Concert ‘Music for a Summer Evening’ 7.30pm St Mary’s Parish Church, St Neots Tickets £5 Featuring soloist Emily Compson; just returned from a tour in Budapest. Supported by Caroline Foster. Cheese & wine.
29 & 30 June Hemingford Abbots Flower Festival 12 noon-6pm £7.50 per day programme and £12.00 for weekend programme. Under 18s. 26 June The proceeds from this event will be put towards the Friends of the Queen Elizabeth School AGM maintenance and restoration of St Margaret’s Church, 6pm Queen Elizabeth School, Godmanchester Hemingford Abbots. Free parking. Web: www.hemingfordabbots.org.uk To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261 122 59
FLOORED By Ian
Your Local Reliable Electrician • Part P Electrician • Domestic/Commercial Installations • Inspection and Testing • Rewires, Newbuilds, Extensions, Consumer units • Free Estimates Contact Martin:
t: 01480
431 536 m: 07841 129 702
e: martin.wlf@googlemail.com 60
Your local supplier of fitted floors in carpet, vinyl, laminate or Karndean Free visits to estimate or advise. Best prices and quality with a friendly service. Enquiries to 01480 475486 or (Mobile) 07876 238308
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Contemporary and traditional kitchens...
Designed, Supplied and Fitted... to your individual requirements
For a friendly and professional service contact Ryan: 01480 861928 / 07725 216978 lifelongkitchens@mail.com www.lifelongkitchens.co.uk To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261 122
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everything matters
Panasonic
HD smart TV’s , HDD Recorders, Audio Systems, & Camera’s, trust our expertise & tradition of best after sales service
A.N.Audio 34 Huntingdon Street St. Neots
phone:- 01480 472071 e-mail sales@anaudio.co.uk Hours:- Monday-Friday 9am-6pm Tuesday 9am-1pm Saturday:- 9am-5.30 pm www.anaudio.co.uk
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BRICKHILL
BOOK BUG REVIEW The Goddess Chronicle by Natsuo Kirino Kamikuu and Namima are sisters, but while Kamikuu has been born to become the new Oracle of their island home and live a favoured life, Namima has been born to serve Izanami, the goddess of darkness and is expected to live in the graveyard with the dead. Unhappy with her lot, Namima rebels against her fate, but the consequences are disastrous, and she discovers that even in death she is expected to serve the dark goddess. Bitter from her death in childbirth and angry with her husband Izanagi for seeing her in her corrupted form, the goddess Izanami decides who will die, while Izanagi tries to make up for their deaths by fathering ever more children. Izanami thinks Namima will sympathise with her, but Namima is not finished with life and she will do anything to return to the island and see what has become of her daughter Yayoi. Natsuo Kirino combines the story of mortal Namima with the Japanese myth of Izanami and Izanagi, introducing us to the stories her culture tells about the creation of the world. We discover that while the stories may be very different from our own, the desire to explain life and death is universal. 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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Classifieds
72198 chas crowe BCards
14/3/11
Clock Repair Specialist
19:36
Page 1
Design Consultancy
H Visome its
Mistletoe Interiors Emma Rees 07885 135478 info@mistletoeinteriors.co.uk www.mistletoeinteriors.co.uk
LONGCASE CLOCK REPAIR SPECIALIST Church End, Ravensden, Bedford Tel: 01234 771704 & 07976 876234 Email: chas.crowe@btinternet.com British Horological Institute Associate Member
Decorating Services
Interior and exterior design consultancy, home staging, soft furnishings, lighting, accessories, paints, wallpaper Electricians
Frank Plater Electrical DECORATING SERVICES
• Over 25 years experience • No job too big or too small • Free estimates T: 01767
222 028
M: 07887
618 832
email: topcoat@ntlworld.com
Extra sockets - Lighting - Extensions - Re-wires Security Lighting - Showers - Inspections No job too small. Free estimates Established 13 years Tel: 01480 432154 Mob: 07976 797111 Pet Services
WALKIE’S
Your Local Friendly Dog Walker
Are you at work all day? Or just out for the day? Would like your dog walked?
Call Carol for further details on 07926 180923 (With full public liability insurance)
Plumbing & Heating
Classifieds To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261 122
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