March Cambs 2012

VILLAGER The

Issue 36 - March 2012

and Town Life

ÂŁ25

Prize Crossword See Inside

Bringing local business to local people in and around Cambs.

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In this Issue

VILLAGER

Issue 36 - March 2012

The

and Town Life

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Peony Hair Design

£25

Prize Crossword See Inside

Bringing local business to local people in and around Cambs.

Little Paxton

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ur Yo EE y FRco1 p

Competition Page

Advertising Sales Christa Hallam - Tel: 07868 369257 Christa@villagermag.com Additional Editorial Tony Larkins, Peter Ibbett, Pippa Greenwood, Fiona McLeman, Solange Hando, Rita Williams-Hall, Katherine Sorrell, Ted Bruning and James Baggott Front Cover Photo: Barna Tanko 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.

Great Prize Up for Grabs

32 P&R Bathrooms Bedford

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Prize Crossword £25 could be yours!

St. David’s Day.......................................................................................................4 Anglia Ruskin Hosts NSPCC fashion Show..................................................6 Not Sure Who To Trust?.................................................................................... 10 St. Neots to Celebrate Diamond Jubilee................................................... 13 Sport Relief is Coming to Little Paxton...................................................... 16 Home Movies Reveal Bygone Days............................................................. 21 West End Wedding Dance.............................................................................. 24 Court? Last Resort?........................................................................................... 27 Losing Your Business By Not Saying Yes.................................................... 29 Lawn Care............................................................................................................. 35 Growing Peppers............................................................................................... 37 Motoring Review............................................................................................... 41 Children’s Page................................................................................................... 44 Seasonal Delights.............................................................................................. 46 Puzzle Page.......................................................................................................... 48 Water Softeners and Walk In Bathroom Solutions................................ 51 What’s On............................................................................................................. 58 Toad Spotters Wanted..................................................................................... 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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St David’s Day

1st MARCH

Stick a leek in your hatband, it’s St David’s Day! Maybe not as well-known as St Patrick’s Day or St George’s Day, but still a point in the rankings above St Andrew’s Day and hey, a party is a party, right?

Now, I was brought up Roman Catholic, and although the Holy Office (the PC name for the Inquisition) would hardly recognise me as a kosher Catholic now, it’s still hard to shake off some of the attitudes. And as both a Catholic and an ex-Catholic I have always found it ironically amusing that the Welsh – by and large, as even they would admit, nonconformist – had such a devotion to a saint. They don’t believe in canonisation, for a start, and they certainly don’t share the monastic tradition; and David (son of the Prince of Powys and the Princess of Menevia) was not only canonised (in 1160 by Pope Callixtus II) but was also the Abbot of a large, aristocratic, and wealthy monastery. So, not exactly a Baptist role-model, then.

Mind you, David himself would have had problems if interrogated by the Holy Office about his orthodoxy. He was born in about 500, just as the Saxons of Kent were being converted

by St Augustine, and died by tradition on 1st March 589 (hence, celebrated on 1st March).

By contemporary Roman standards his tonsure would have been all wrong, and he would have celebrated Easter on a date that would have horrified the Pope. In fact many of the tenets he would have adhered to were overturned by the Synod of Whitby in 664, when the old Celtic church pretty much capitulated to current Roman (and Saxon) practice. That makes him a heretic to just about everybody – contemporary Romans and subsequent nonconformists alike.

To think, the Welsh defenders of early Christian tradition were, by comparison with their johnnycome-lately Saxon oppressors, heretics. Ah well, that’s history for you. Full of ironies!

But these were ironies that wouldn’t go away.

Samuel Pepys, more than a millennium after David’s death, records that on 1st March there were annual street processions in honour of the

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Saint by dissenting London Welsh, aggressively opposed by protestant Anglicans; and in the 18th century Anglican London confectioners were satirising St David’s Day by producing gingerbread St David’s riding goats, known as “taffies” – hence our word “toffee”.

The ironies continue even into our own time.

St David’s stock, it is true, was not particularly high in the 19th and most of the 20th centuries when Wales was still largely Chapel. Only with the resurgence of less sharply denominational nationalism in the last 20 years has he been more widely adopted as a Welsh standard-bearer. In 2000 the Welsh Assembly voted to make 1st March a national holiday. In 2007, that notorious Catholic convert Tony Blair vetoed a bid to make it a Bank Holiday, despite 87% of the Welsh population being in favour.

So: a proto-Catholic tells the culturally nonconformist Welsh that their sort-of Catholic but by the standards of his own times heterodox patron saint doesn’t merit a celebratory nationalist day off. Chew on that as you wish. I would rather chew on laver bread, bara brith, and (if you can find it) proper Welsh mountain mutton (a single leg of which, in my childhood, easily fed a family of seven at Sunday lunchtime with leftovers for Monday’s cottage pie). Washed down with a few pints of Brain’s SA from Cardiff or (again, if you can find it) Gwynt y Draig cider from Gwent.

Or should that be Monmouthshire?

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QUE SERA

32 High Street, Buckden PE19 5XA More than just a gift shop

Silk scarves from India Cashmere from Mauritius Porcelain from South Africa Glass vases from California

Pearls from Tahiti China from Jersey

Trays from Sweden Musical boxes from France

children’s clothes, designer jewellery, paper products, leather goods all from the UK not forgetting our range of cards, Mother’s Day gifts and everyday indulgences

Shop the world

OPEN MONDAY – SATURDAY 10am to 5pm To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261 122

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Anglia Ruskin

to host NSPCC fashion show Local retailers and students rally round to celebrate 25th anniversary of ChildLine Anglia Ruskin University is hosting an NSPCC charity fashion show and auction in Cambridge on Wednesday, 7 March (7pm) to celebrate the 25th anniversary of ChildLine.

Organised by the NSPCC in conjunction with local fashion retailers Cuckoo and Le Reve, and students from Anglia Ruskin’s BA (Hons) Fashion Design course, all proceeds from the event will go to the charity.

Ellen Muirhead and Kate Armstrong, of NSPCC South Cambridgeshire, are excited to be working with the retailers and Anglia Ruskin students on this important fundraising initiative. They said: “It was appropriate that young people were going to be playing such a key role in the event, given that ChildLine helps support children and young people at risk in our region.”

The evening’s highlight, the catwalk show, will feature designs from Anglia Ruskin students, Cuckoo’s spring collection for women, lingerie and swimwear from Le Reve and bespoke hats by Abigail Crampton Millinery.

Tickets cost £20, which includes a free welcome drink and goodie bag, and there will be opportunities to buy before and after the catwalk show. The event will also feature a burlesque

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show, a special prize draw and a fashion auction overseen by Will Axon of Rowley Fine Art Auctioneers, who appears regularly on BBC TV’s Flog It! The evening, which is co-sponsored by Elms Cambridge BMW, also aims to highlight the invaluable work of the NSPCC and ChildLine.

“The past 25 years has been vital in terms of recognising that there is a need for children to access confidential support,” said Sue Minto, the Head of ChildLine, who will be speaking at the event. “Sadly, this is just as true today as it was 25 years ago – as we continue to take calls, emails and online counselling sessions from children in need of our help.

“However, with those children’s needs in mind, ChildLine is constantly developing to ensure children and young people can reach us in ways that suit them.”

Tickets can be booked by calling the Mumford Theatre box office on 0845 196 2320 or visiting www.anglia.ac.uk/mumfordtheatre Anyone unable to attend on 7 March but who would like to make a donation to the NSPCC, can visit www.nspcc.org.uk

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A fabulous Tudor house built in the 13th Century.

Sunday 25th March 2012 Two great fashion shows 12.30pm and 2.30pm featuring dresses from Gowns and Garters, Northampton and Thistle Brides, Elsworth.

Doors open 11am - 4pm • Free Admission • See over 30 local exhibitors.

Simply a Fair not to be missed!

More details visit

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Not sure who to trust?

safelocaltrades.com Statistics show that 9 out of 10 people rely on personal recommendations above any other means when it comes to getting someone in to carry our repairs, maintenance and improvements in our homes, gardens or business premises.

Most of them also believe that using a directory can be a lottery as you never know who you are going to get.

Other statistics show that most of us have had, or know someone who has experienced incidents with ‘cowboy’ tradesmen and 85% of us worry about the quality of workmanship prior to commissioning them.

Now you can feel safe in the knowledge that when you need a recommendation for a local, reputable and quality tradesman, a FREE and EASY one-stop-shop is at your fingertips.

Award-winning safelocaltrades.com is a local independent organisation that was created to protect consumers from cowboys and rogue traders by providing free and easy access to local reputable tradesmen across the PE POSTCODE district and surrounding areas. All members are CRB checked (they do not have a criminal record), highly recommended, vetted and approved, abide by a Service Charter and are rated on an on-going basis; giving you, the consumer, much needed peace of mind. www.safelocaltrades.com has been in operation for four years and is a tried and tested local service with over 50 different trade categories and over 3,500 customer reviews / recommendations online. safelocaltrades.com has made it their mission

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to find the honest reliable recommended tradesmen in your local area; only those who want to deliver an excellent service. The aim is to restore consumer confidence that not all are bad and to redeem any tarnished reputation that our local tradesmen have been branded with, due to unscrupulous cowboys.

The service covers the entire PE Postcode district, which is split into four geographical sectors, and caters for all property related services. Each sector has a maximum of five tradesmen per trade category.

For tradesmen who are proud of their work and always carry out a quality job, they should register their interest on the For Tradespeople tab of the website NOW as places are LIMITED. If you need a recommendation for a safe, approved local tradesperson then visit www. safelocaltrades.com or call free phone 0800 014 1832.

Safe Local Trades “Transforming how we source local tradesmen – for the benefit and safety of our communities”

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Karen F orte Bridal, Evening

& Occasionwear

Designers: • John Charles (as pictured) • Linea Raffaelli • Ann Balon • Michaela Louisa • Pronovias • Cabotine • Allison • Fee G • James Lakeland Sizes 6-26. Alteration service available Prices start from £120.

From January 2012 - Open Every Sunday

36 Old North Road, Bassingbourn, Cambs, SG8 5JL.

Tel: 01763 242790

On the Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire border

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Spring Crafts@Wood Green Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 March Wood Green Godmanchester Centre London Road nr. Godmanchester Cambridgeshire PE29 2NH

Designer Maker Arts

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open 10am - 4.30pm

and other accessories, handicrafts, hand made cards,

admission: £2.50 concession: £2 child 5 years and younger FREE

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weather, you can visit the indoor arena and sample and buy from our wide range of arts, craft and gift stalls where you might find anything from jewellery photography, candles, aromatherapy products, through to ceramics and wood turning. Food and drink might include wine, real-food as well as handmade chocolates and other confectionery

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St Neots to celebrate

Diamond Jubilee in Spectacular Style St Neots Town Council presents a spectacular weekend of celebrations for St Neots in honour of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Save these important dates now - 2nd & 3rd June - and join us for an action packed weekend of fun, games and entertainment for the whole family.

To give you an idea of what is on offer over the weekend we have put together a brief summary: Friday 1 June • Funfair – located in Regatta Meadow for the entire bank holiday weekend • CAMRA Real Ale (Campaign for Real Ale) will be open for sales from Friday – Monday in Regatta Meadow selling pilsner beers, ales, ciders, specialist wines and soft drinks.

• 70s & 80s Disco – taking place in the Priory Centre.

Tickets are available now; contact the Priory Centre for more information on 01480 388922 Saturday 2 June • Family Big Lunch – taking place in the Market Square from 12-3pm. Bring a picnic and come along for an afternoon of family games and entertainment. Attractions include: - Children’s entertainment/interactive characters - The Eynesbury Giant - Children’s funfair rides - Bouncy Castle - Picnic tables - Craft stalls - Face painting - Sports day style races - Old fashioned games and fete stalls • Air Show – renowned stunt pilot Mark Jefferies will perform a jaw dropping display over Regatta Meadow at 4pm – Not to be missed!

• Food, Drinks and Craft Stalls – Regatta Meadow • Display Arena – performances from local groups and clubs • Dog Show – enter your pooch now; prizes are available for most obedient, best trick, scruffiest, cutest in show and best in show so there is a chance of a prize for all.

• Raft Race – sign up now and get building those rafts. Prizes for fastest and best dressed raft.

• Sports Day Races – egg and spoon races, sack races, three legged races and a duck race (plastic ducks only) will be open for entries on the day (adult & junior races are on offer) • Rock On the River Concert – featuring live performances from 1pm-11pm from local bands.

There is something for everyone so bring the family along and soak up the atmospherCentre; tickets are available now. Contact the Priory

Centre to reserve your place – 01480 388922.

Sunday 3 June • Tug of War Competition – calling all pubs, clubs and groups to sign up now; teams of 6-8 are ideal.

• 3km Fun Run – Fancy a challenge? The race is taking place in Priory Park at 10am. Entries are being accepted now; this is an open race for juniors and adults.

• Churches Together Service – the churches of St Neots are coming together for a special open air Jubilee service in the Market Square at 11am.

• Pram & Beer Barrel Races – taking place in the Market Square all afternoon; sign up now for advance entries.

• Rock on the River Concert – the live music will continue into Sunday and we are very excited about our Queen Tribute band – Kings of Queen – headlining at 8pm.

• Fireworks & Riverboat Illuminations Procession – to top off the fantastic weekend the Queen Tribute concert will finish with a spectacular display by Kimbolton Fireworks as well as an Illuminated Boat Procession down the river.

Monday 4 June • CAMRA and the Funfair will remain onsite on to continue the entertainment for the remainder of the bank holiday weekend.

• St Neots Beacon – in recognition of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee St Neots Town Council will join the nationwide celebration by lighting our beacon in conjunction with the rest of the UK at 10.30pm in Regatta Meadow.

If you require further information about any of the above attractions you can visit the Town Council website: www.stneots-tc.gov.uk. All race entry forms are available now on the website.

Alternatively you can get in touch with the Town Centre Manager, Katie Hollingworth on 01480 388 912 or email Katie.hollingworth@stneots-tc. gov.uk Getting Involved with the St Neots Diamond Jubilee Event. We are still looking for some local performers, traders and volunteers so if you are interested in getting involved in the events in any capacity then please contact the Town Centre Manager. There are also several attractive sponsorship and advertising opportunities for local businesses.

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THE MERMAID ELLINGTON 01480 891450 BED AND BREAKFAST Lunch Served 7 Days Dinner Served 6 Evening (Not Sunday Evening) Home Cooked Food With Local Produce Sunday Roasts Quality Real Ales Wide Range of Wines ‘Takeaway’ Food Menu ‘Takeaway’ Draught Beers To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261 122

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Start limbering up!

Sport Relief is coming to Little Paxton Sport Relief is back – and it’s coming to Little Paxton! The town is set to host its FIRST EVER Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile on Sunday 25th March, and needs local people to come together and show their support by entering now at www. sportrelief.com. As one of the UK’s biggest fundraising events, Sport Relief brings the entire nation together to get active, raise cash and change lives – so it’s time to dust off those trainers and enter right now.

Setting off from Little Paxton Playing Field the Little Paxton Mile will pass through and take in the sights of Paxton Pits Nature Reserve and is set to be an incredible event. Entrants don’t have to be sporty to take part, but can choose to complete 1, 3 or 6 miles knowing that all the money raised will help to change the lives of people living unimaginably tough lives right here on our doorstep, across the rest of the UK and throughout some the world’s poorest countries.

Jenny Gellatly, Parish Clerk said: “The Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile in Little Paxton is here and it’s your time to shine. From teeny-tots with their mums and dads, to super sprinters up against the clock there’s something for everyone on the big day. This is the first Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile in Little Paxton and it’s set to be a great event.

So come on, pull your Sport Relief socks up, enter the Mile and do something amazing!”

Sport Relief has a unique history of dedicated people doing extraordinary things to rise to the challenge. Last September, David Walliams started Sport Relief off with an epic splash when he completed The BT Sport Relief Challenge: Walliams vs The Thames. Despite battling a nasty bacterial bug and bitingly cold water, David swam a staggering 140.54 miles and raised over £1million for Sport Relief. And that’s not all; there will be even more amazing celebrity challenges to get the whole nation geared up for the Sport Relief weekend!

The Sport Relief Weekend kicks off on Friday 23rd March when everyone gets active, has fun and raises cash at home, at work or at school; before settling down to watch a night of top Sport Relief TV on BBC One. There will be even more BBC radio, online and TV coverage throughout the weekend to keep you entertained. By the end of the weekend everyone will be raring to go, when

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the whole nation comes together to take part in the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile on Sunday 25th March.

To enter the Little Paxton Mile visit www. sportrelief.com.

For more information contact: Jenny Gellatly, Parish Clerk, Little Paxton Parish Council Tel 01480 470193 or email littlepaxton@ hotmail.com About Sport Relief - As the nation celebrates the biggest ever year of sport, the entire country can join in the fun with Sport Relief - 2012 from Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th March.

Over one million men, women and kids are expected to take part in the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile as they raise cash to change lives at home and across the world’s poorest countries.

And, with a whole weekend of top Sport Relief telly planned across the BBC, it’s set to be huge.

From David Walliams’ Thames swim to Eddie Izzard’s 43 marathons in 51 days, Sport Relief has a unique history of brave celebrities taking on gruelling physical challenges to raise cash and change lives. Sport Relief 2012 will be no exception with The BT Sport Relief challenges, a series of celebrity endurance feats.

Visit sportrelief.com to keep up with the latest news.

About Sainsbury’s - Sainsbury’s has over 950 stores nationwide and is the UK’s longest standing major food retailing chain, having opened its first store in 1869. Sainsbury’s has supported Comic Relief since 1999 and has raised nearly £60 million for the charity to date. In 2011, Sainsbury’s handed over a cheque for more than £10 million, which was the biggest donation ever received on the night of Red Nose Day. Sainsbury’s final donation to Comic Relief this year was a massive £11.4 million. For more information see www. sainsburys.co.uk/sportrelief.

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Peony Hair Design

LITTLE PAXTON

Here at Peony Hair Design we are hoping that as you read this spring has sprung and the worst of the winter weather is over. New York, Paris, Milan and London fashion week has happened and we are looking forward to the high streets interpretations of the summer’s hottest looks.

We are all good at, and excited by updating our wardrobes for the season ahead but what about updating your hair as well. Does your stylist deliver ideas to keep your style on trend? How about different ways to style your hair to keep it fresh?

Ice Cream Blondes are a big look for this summer and look great with bold prints or bright colour blocking. Gwen Stefani and Marilyn Monroe are iconic examples of this look. Shiny, polished amazing hair and never seen with roots. This can be a high maintenance look so you need to be prepared for monthly visits to the salon for root application of colour.

Applying weekly conditioning treatments at home and regular trims are also essential to keep the hair healthy.

If you are naturally fair but still feel a little enhancement is what you are looking for then look no further than Cameron Diaz for a little highlight inspiration. Work with a pre lightener or high lift tint to give that cool ice blonde image with a natural feel. This look is created by the colour being woven through your natural hair and can even look great with a bit of root so less maintenance is required. Your colour visits to the salon will be every three months with a cut and finish visit in between to keep those ends in tip top condition.

If roots are your thing - and the catwalks are awash with them - then this season’s dip dye look is what you need. Alexa Chung is the latest celeb to be sporting this look. It used to take a month of being a beach bum to get this look perfect, although that would be a fab way to spend the summer a trip to the salon to create it is far more achievable for most of us. Your hair will be left its natural colour at the root; the mid lengths lifted a slightly lighter colour and the ends lighter still. Very low maintenance, you will never get a regrowth and the colour will last until the lighter areas are cut out.

And lastly, the classic classy blonde of Jennifer Aniston, what’s not to love about this look. A mixture of warm blondes and caramel lights make this look wearable on most skin tones. A full head of highlights is needed for your first visit to create this look and then highlights through the top layers on subsequent visits after 12 to 16 weeks creating that classic sun kissed blonde. Healthy well-conditioned hair is vital to Jens look and so you should always stock up on the Redken home care that your stylist advises.

For your personal consultation with one of your fabulous stylists please call 01480 471300 to book an appointment. We are located just off the A1 at The Conservatory Village, Little Paxton, PE19 6EN. Free parking is available on site.

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ÂŁ20 Cut and Finish (normally from ÂŁ34)

Valid first visit only subject to availability.

Please mention The Villager at time of booking.

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

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

01480 436435

10% discount on initial visit www.chiropractorshuntingdon.co.uk www.brampton-chiropracticclinic.co.uk

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Home Movies Reveal Bygone Days

by peter ibbett

The recent cold snap reminded me that back in the 50’s and 60’s such events were the norm and the prospect of the year 2000 being the start of the next ice-age seemed not unreal as we huddled around the coal fire in the one heated room of the house.

One passion of the era that gripped many a head of household was that of the home movie. The chance to invest in a small cine camera and play the role of Hollywood Director was irresistible to many. As a young boy I looked forward to the annual Christmas film show by my Uncle with the fun of seeing scenes run backwards and trees exploding as a local farmer cleared land for cultivation by dynamiting them! Much of the home movie buff’s output was of family activities but from time to time local events featured which now form an invaluable source of material for local historians and for museums wishing to recreate the background to an era. This now elderly film can be preserved in a digital format for future generations to enjoy. St. Neots museum is beginning to accumulate local material and its Community Archive Group is planning to show selections as part of the forthcoming Golden Jubilee celebrations. The quality of home-movie material can be variable but the events captured can be the only source of information half a century on as the grainy ‘stills’ on this page show.

During a cold snap part of the common would be flooded enabling the fun of skating and the formation of ice-rink conga’s! Good Dunlop tyres

were needed on the A1 at Eaton Socon (no bypass in those days) when fast through traffic would overtake slow moving locals in spite of oncoming traffic!

(A procedure made much more difficult by the traffic calming measures in place on this part of the road today). The Regatta Meadow opposite to the Priory Centre was the scene of events on a larger scale than the town sees today with the display of a Royal Navy helicopter captured by our amateur film camera man with the buildings of the old brewery in the background. There must be many miles of old film with glimpses of local life tucked away in dusty drawers or cobweb ridden boxes in the loft. Please let the St Neots Community Archive group know via pjibbett@ aol.com or contact the museum if you know of any local film material or can contribute memories of the above events.

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SUNDAY 15 July 2012 A big thank you from The Rotary Club of Kimbolton Castle and Sporting Bears Motor Club because with your support, by visiting our 2011 Kimbolton Country Fayre, we were able to donate £15,500 to various childrens’ charities.

We look forward to seeing you again this year and the date for your diary is Sunday 15th July.

In the meantime, why not log on to our website www.kimboltoncountryfayre.com - you may be able to spot yourselves amongst the crowds

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Cambridge Hair

Specialists in mobile bridal hairdressing

01954 214428 07789 001156

www.cambridgehair.co.uk To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261 122

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WEST END WEDDING DANCE

www.westendweddingdance.com West End Wedding Dance has the vision to give your First Dance the Glitz and Glamour that your special day deserves.

The first dance is often over looked until someone asks what you are planning? It can prove to be a stressful aspect of your special day which most people put to the back of their minds. Maybe you will just go with the flow? But how about creating a first dance to be proud of. With your Professional choreographer you will learn new skills to wow your friends whilst taking centre stage in the biggest show of your life!

Our dance teachers are highly experienced having trained at the top stage schools with many having graced the West End stage in the hottest shows in London’s Theatre land. Tailor your theme to Mamma Mia! Grease, Dirty Dancing, Fame, Footloose and Flash Dance…This is your day and anything goes. All you need is an idea and the wish to see the surprise on friend’s faces as you take to the floor in style.

At West End Wedding Dance we aim to create a First Dance that is unique and individually choreographed for you and your special day– Stand out from the crowd…the spotlight is all yours!

Hen party Dance parties are all the rage, why not take the opportunity to learn from the best in the business and throw a Hen party with a real twist. West End Wedding Dance are specialists in creating a unique package to suit any age, ability and theme.

Strut your stuff, let your hair down and have the time of your life! Hand Jive with your Hens and be Footloose and Fancy Free. A great opportunity

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for special people in your life to bond, have fun and learn great moves to perform during the big event. You will be amazed how quickly you can learn a great routine and of course you will be the Dancing Queen.

West End Wedding Dance invite you to experience a taste of Show Biz! Begin your festivities on a high!

West End Wedding Dance is the brain child of Adelle Young co-director of West End Wendies Theatre School. Her theatre credits include a five year stint in Chicago, West End, We Will Rock You, Cats and Hollywood Blockbusters including X-Men First Class and Dark Shadows directed

by Tim Burton. Guest teachers have West End theatre credits in Dirty Dancing, Fame, Flash Dance, Footloose, Ghost, Grease, Hairspray, Les Miserables, Mamma Mia, Phantom of the Opera and Wicked.

Please call 01234 826072 or visit www. westendweddingdance.com for pictures, videos and further information. Follow us on twitter @ westendwendies and @westendweddings Images courtesy of www. adrianbullersphotography.com

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

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

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

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

This is ideal for any corporate or private event.

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

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

Please phone or email for details

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

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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

Sports Injuries Neck / Back Pain Rehab after Fractures or Surgery Video Gait Analysis Paediatric and Adolescent Musculoskeletal Conditions Women’s Health Physiotherapy Acupuncture

Physiotherapists Kate Abrahams MSc MCSP Cordelia Squire MSc MCSP Debbie Stuart MSc MCSP Georgia Sinfield BSc MCSP Podiatrist/Chiropodist Sue Walker DPodM SRCh MChS

Pilates Podiatry / Chiropody

Registered with all major health insurance companies

1 Oxford Building, School Lane, Colmworth, Bedfordshire MK44 2JZ T. 01234 378996

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E. info@woodfieldphysio.co.uk

www.woodfieldphysio.co.uk

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Court? Last resort!

Fiona McLeman Family Law Couples going through the process of divorce are encouraged to look at various processes to keep their issues away from Court. One such process is the ‘kitchen table’ approach. Couples could meet together, without lawyers present and come to an agreement with their spouse, having had their lawyers’ advice. This suits couples with a good level of communication and trust. Another process is Mediation. The couple attend family mediation with a skilled mediator who will support discussions and help them reach an agreement. The mediator acts as a neutral third party. They do not advise either of the couple or recommend a course of action but facilitates the discussions.

Lawyers do not attend the Mediation sessions but provide ongoing legal advice in the background. Mediation can be much more cost effective than going to Court. It suits couples who are able to communicate with each other, and where there is a level playing field. It may not suit couples where one party has a ‘stronger voice’ or where there is an unhealthy dynamic between the parties, or issues of trust.

Another process is Collaborative law. This involves a series of ‘4 way’ meetings between the couple and their respective collaboratively trained family lawyers. The meetings alternate

between the lawyer’s offices. A Participation Agreement is signed confirming that all parties will work together for the benefit of the whole family in order to reach an agreement. All parties agree that they will not involve the Court. In the unlikely event an agreement cannot be reached and one of the clients decides to involve the Court, they have to instruct a new lawyer to represent them.

Because of the additional costs and emotional turmoil associated with this, clients often find that they can work through apparent impasses to reach agreed solutions through the collaborative model. Collaborative law is seen as more cost effective than involving the Court, but it is not a quick fix. Where collaborative law or Mediation are not suitable, it is typical for lawyers to write to each other (or telephone) setting out proposals and negotiating towards a settlement. This can take time but is one way of working towards a resolution away from the Court. If all other options have been exhausted and the couple are unable to agree the terms of a settlement, either can make an application to the Court. This starts a court driven timetable with various procedural steps to be complied with. In the early stages, the court’s focus is on settlement and the Court actively encourages clients to agree matters and save costs. If that is not possible, the Court will make a final determination for the couple. The process is expensive and is likely to be emotionally damaging to the couple.

When so many other beneficial processes can be adopted, court is the last resort.

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ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS AND BUILDING DESIGN SERVICES Professional and affordable architectural design services provided for all types of private residential building projects including extensions, loft/garage conversions, garages and outbuildings through to new build dwellings with all necessary council approvals obtained.

For free estimates and advice, contact Jason Dixon on:01767 677540 or 07908 004816 e-mail: JTDixon101@aol.com No VAT payable for design and drawing services on residential projects Jason Dixon, 101 Meadow Road, Great Gransden, Sandy, SG19 3BB.

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Losing Your Business

by not saying YES

The Institute of Directors has recently carried out research into what action business owners have taken to protect their business.

• 95% said they had at least one key person • Nearly 50% had unprotected corporate debt • 39% expect their company would fold within 18 months on the death or Critical Illness of a Key Person • 33% had no share protection in place • More than 50% had no formal agreement to establish what happens on death or Critical Illness of the business owner • 70% of businesses had not reviewed their agreements in the last year Some years ago a Key Person and shareholder within my business became seriously ill. His absence from work for over 12 months put a strain on man power resources, mainly through my having to work considerably harder and longer hours.

Tony Larkins CFP APFS Managing Director/IFA Chartered and Certified Financial Planner

We did have financial protection so whilst finance was not the issue, other matters were.

As it turned out, he never returned to his role as key Person and Shareholder.

Illness and death affects companies in more ways than you imagine, so it is really important that business owners not only have an up to date disaster recovery plan but also have adequate financial protection in place.

A business with employees affects more than just one families’ financial future and closure or financial strain on the business will affect many lives.

As someone with first hand experiences I urge you to say YES to action without delay.

For more information email me at tlarkins@beaconwealth.co.uk Prevention is better than cure.

You should always seek qualified advice from an IFA, preferably a Certified (CFP) or Chartered Financial PlannerCM (APFS).

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If you run your own business, are currently selfemployed or have a tax return to complete, you may be paying too much tax.

We are offering a FREE meeting to discuss this further.You have nothing to lose by finding out how much you could be saving.

Call Richard McMorran on 01480 470755 or email stneots@rjmcmorran.co.uk Offices with ample parking in Eaton Socon and Godmanchester Visit our website at www.rjmcmorran.co.uk

Throughout life financial planning Better advice from your local friendly independent financial advisor

01480 477774 free initial consultation Fenice Court, Phoenix Park, Eaton Socon, St Neots, Cambridgeshire PE19 8EP Email: enquiries@premierplusltd.co.uk Web: www.premierplusltd.co.uk 30

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COMPETITION • COMPETITION WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO THE SPORTMAN’S DINNER AT THE BURGESS HALL, ST IVES

Just answer the following question to be in with a chance of winning.

Which club did Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock play football for? a) West Ham b) Inter Milan c) Real Madrid Please send your entries to the address below by Weds 14th March 2012.

Sportsman’s Dinner Competition Villager Publications Ltd, 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP The Winner will be drawn at random

COMPETITION • COMPETITION To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261 122

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P and R Bathrooms

www.pandrbathrooms.co.uk

While I am no expert in bathrooms, I can tell you, today I met a man who is – and he has the showroom to prove it. I was simply amazed at the P and R Bathrooms showroom – the largest I have ever been to but also the smartest, most beautifully presented and informative too – exactly the right place to find anew bathroom.

You see, the fact is that for most of us, seeing is believing, especially where larger, more important purchases are involved and the

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bathroom is certainly one of those. The average person will spend over one and a half years in the bathroom in their lifetime – double that for those of us who like a long lazy soak every night, so the décor, layout, style, comfort and ambiance of the ‘littlest room’ is very important. How very important it is then to really be able to see, touch and spend time in the bathroom you are considering before you make that final decision – and that is exactly what is on offer at family company, P and R Bathrooms.

‘Most people have more than one bathroom these days’ explains Paul Kynoch, the ‘P’ of P and R Bathrooms. ‘There is the en-suite, the guest bathroom, the family bathroom and the children’s bathroom. Some people have a downstairs cloakroom or a downstairs shower room perhaps – modern houses have many different options and it’s important to most people to make these rooms just as beautiful as the rest of their home.’

‘We offer a design service as well as the complete installation package – as much or as little as our

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customers need and we really listen to what they want as well as taking on board what will work in their home and with their personal tastes. The beauty of having been in this business for the years that we have is that we use only suppliers who have proved themselves, the ones with the best track record of quality products and service.

We insist on this because we insist that our customers are happy with their bathroom, and that has to be true, really honestly true, down the whole line – confident and happy designers, suppliers and installers result in delighted customers who come back to us time and again.

And that really is our experience. Our customers return. They know they can trust us to treat them fairly and competitively and be second to none on customer satisfaction. That’s what makes this a job I love.’

P and R Bathrooms can undertake the complete transformation of your bathroom, ensuring the plumbers, carpenters, electricians and installers are all of the highest standard with experience and workmanship that is unrivalled. ‘We don’t have to

provide the complete package, some people just want us to supply the bathroom, others want design and supply, but our customers who have trusted us with the whole package have all been thrilled with the results as well as the fact that they could just leave it all in our hands and there was no stress or added responsibility for them.’

If you are considering a new bathroom, whether it is a new suite, the fitting out of a whole new room or just a change of tiles, I couldn’t recommend P and R Bathrooms more thoroughly. Wander around their impressive showroom and you will know you are in the exactly the right place to find exactly the right bathroom for you.

P&R Bathrooms

9 Lurke Street, Bedford MK40 3HZ Tel: 0845 434 8401 Website: www.pandrbathrooms.co.uk Open 9:00am-5:00pm Mon - Fri 10:ooam-4:00pm Saturday To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261 122

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GARDEN BUSTERS LANDSCAPING AND TREE SERVICES Clear it, dismantle it, fell it, fence it, pave it, trim it...

Sort it!

Get Your Garden Busted Today Call Andy on 0756 150 7981 or email: getgardenbusted@gmail.com 34

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LAWN CARE

FOR MARCH 2012 Reader Offer

Moss Moss has been a real threat to lawns this year, and may be affecting your lawn. Apply a specific moss treatment now, or get ProLawnCare to spray with their special Moss Control Treatment.

Moss dies in front of your eyes. It is best to do it now before the spring starts, otherwise it will crowd out the grass and lead to a thin and sparse lawn.

Mowing Mow at last once a week now. Make sure mower has been serviced and blade replaced or sharpened.

Fertiliser This is the time to feed and weed (preferably in that order). The fertiliser is predominately Nitrogen in a slow release form, but it may also need Phosphate and Potassium as well as vital trace elements to promote a vibrant lawn.

Weed Control Once the weeds and grass are actively growing a selective herbicide to kill broad leaved weeds such as dandelions, daisies and clover within the grass can be applied.

Patio/Driveway Weed Control Weeds can look unsightly at this time of year in patios and driveways. We can spray a total weed killer to kill them and keep weed free for up to 6 months.

Book up for a Weed Control Treatment and we’ll apply the Spring Fertiliser FREE OF CHARGE. (Existing customers will receive an additional treatment free of charge too).

If you need Free Lawn Care Advice ask the Lawn Ranger on www.prolawncare.co.uk/askranger.asp Lawn fact: “58 m2 of lawn provides enough oxygen for one person for one day”

Actions required in Spring • Apply Moss Control Treatment • Mow Lawn At Least Once Per Week.

• Apply Spring Fertiliser To Produce Vibrant Green Lawn • Spray Weeds In Lawn With Selective Herbicide • Spray Drive/Path/Patios With Total Herbicide To Keep Weed Free For Summer Call Deborah or Richard : 01480 812393 e-mail - info@prolawncare.co.uk

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Growing Peppers

By Pippa Greenwood Growing your own peppers need not be a labour of love. In fact, it is not much more involved than growing tomatoes, so why not give it a try?

Pepper plants can be unbelievably pretty too, with fruits in a range of shapes and colour, generally on compact plants and preceded by small and very pretty white flowers.

Chilli and sweet, or bell, peppers can both be grown in a greenhouse border, in a sunny spot in the garden in warmer parts of the country, or on a sunny, sheltered spot on the patio. You’ll get the heavier, earlier crop if you grow the plants in a greenhouse or conservatory, but it is well worth growing them outside too, especially if you choose a spot close to a sunny wall for warmth.

Sweet peppers are very high in vitamin A and both red and green peppers are also very high in vitamin C. Chilli peppers also have a good supply of vitamins C and A and in addition, contain both beta-carotene and something called capsaicin which is believed to have a useful effect on blood cholesterol levels. So all in all, there should be no stopping you, especially when you remember that they also make great eating – raw, roasted, on the BBQ, in stir fries, stuffed...in pasta sauces.

The seeds are readily obtainable from many catalogues or garden centres but before you select what to grow, make sure you take into account the level of heat you’re likely to get with any chilli peppers you grow. Most seed packets and catalogues do make it very clear.

Sow the seeds between now and early April. I use a multi-purpose or a seed compost as either work well, but to get good germination you will need to provide a bit of extra warmth, ideally from a heated propagator positioned in a spot where it receives plenty of natural light. If you don’t have the time or facilities to raise your own from seed, you can always buy a few plants in a garden centre or send off for them. We offer two tasty varieties a miniature sweet pepper, and a chilli pepper as part of my ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ system, they are a regular favourite (see www.pippagreenwood.com for details) Grow the plants on in any good quality multipurpose compost, keep them a tiny bit drier than you would a tomato plant and feed regularly with a high-potash liquid feed (most readily available as a ‘tomato food’). This helps to keep the plants growing strongly and the potash will encourage

plenty of flowers and so fruits to form.

If you are going for plants in pots, choose a pot or planter that has good drainage, add broken pots for extra drainage, and make sure that the pot is 30cm (12in) or more in diameter. Once there is no danger of late frosts, ideally by early June when temperatures are also warming up, you can put the pots or plants outside in a sheltered, sunny spot.

Some sweet pepper plants can get quite tall and rather ungainly so be ready to give them a bit of extra support if necessary. A stout bamboo cane will usually do the trick, and tie the plant in loosely with twine, string or any other soft garden tie.

If you’re after the hottest possible heat from your chilli peppers, then you’ll find this comes from fruits that are totally ripe, and that that ultimate heat is most likely to be achieved from peppers grown on plants that are grown in warmer conditions. So, if your plants are going to be looking gorgeous on your patio over the summer, make sure you put them somewhere extra warm – perhaps a sunny porch or window sill for that last bit of ripening time in the autumn.

For sweet peppers, if you are growing them in patio pots in a sunny spot then you are likely to find that there are still some unripened fruits on the plants when temperatures start to fall at the end of summer and well into autumn. To increase the chances of these ripening and increasing to full size, move the pots to a warmer spot if possiblewhere they’ll get extra warmth and also plenty of natural light.

If you want chillies that look particularly good on the patio there are plenty to choose from.

‘Black Pearl’ is a hot chilli pepper with a distinct blackish tinge to the mature leaves and fruits that are black early on and mature darkest red. For classic chillis with bright red, finger shaped fruits try ‘Thai Dragon’.

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Available in these colours:

Get ‘Em Off! We all can have trouble removing boots or shoes that have been put through their paces. The Middleton Get ‘Em Off Boot Remover makes taking your boots off easy and elegant, especially if you have difficulty bending down.

Hand crafted at our Workshop in Britain from amazing Corian®, our boot remover is elegant and is designed for most shoe sizes and is very easy to clean.

T: 01767-317-773 E: info@middletonfurniture.co.uk www.middletonfurniture.co.uk

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Unique Landscape We specialise in

Patios, Fencing, Clear Ups Turf Laying, Hedge Trimming Tree Cutting, Tree Felling, Planting, Pruning, Driveways ...and much more

GILKS FENCING LTD Supplying of all types of gates and fencing to trade and public.

•Closeboard Fencing • TGV Gates • Trellis Made to Customers Design • Lap Panel Fencing • Railings • Chain Link • Knee Rail Fencing • Concrete Slotted Posts • Professional Installation Available

Free Quotations Reliable Friendly Service Mob 07717760851 Office: 01480 434401 e:sales@uniquelandscape.co.uk www.unique-landscape.co.uk

Unit 2, 1 Stockton End, Off Sunderland Road, Sandy, Beds SG19 1SB Tel: 01767 681746 Fax: 01767 681776 www.gilksfencing.co.uk Email: gilksfencing@hotmail.com

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 £6.00/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.

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CAR SOURCING SERVICE

Why pay more for your new 12 plate car?

Let us save you time and money without the hassle.

We can source the car you want and get you the best price.

Top discounts on all new cars UK Supplied Full Manufacturer’s Warranty Low cost finance Free Delivery 12 Months Road Tax Part Exchange Welcome Telephone 01480 498343 E-Mail: carsourcingservice@gmail.com

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Top 5 Cars of the Tokyo Motor Show

By James Baggott, editor of car dealer

This year’s Tokyo Motor Show was dominated by green technologies and wacky concepts – but among the madness there were some important model launches.

The show isn’t one of the biggest. Spread over four halls you can get around it easily in a day – unlike the blister-inducing mass of motors that is Europe’s biggest show in Frankfurt, Germany.

However, as the Japanese makers’ home event, it is absolutely packed with innovation. I spent two days scouring the halls and soaking up the culture, but eventually these five emerged as my picks of the show.

Toyota GT 86 It’s about time Toyota got interesting again and the GT 86 certainly floats our boat. Rumoured to cost around £28,000 when it goes on sale in the UK, the rear-wheel drive car features a 2.0-litre 197bhp unit and will hit 60mph in seven seconds. It certainly looked good on the stand and was a welcome break from the green concepts doing the rounds everywhere else.

Subaru BRZ Subaru has been having a hard time of it in the UK of late, so the BRZ comes as a much-needed breath of fresh air. Jointly developed with Toyota, it’s the sister car to the GT 86, and in the company’s famous corporate blue it looked fantastic.

The BRZ has slightly different body panels and interior to the Toyota. Just don’t mention the new, and very bland, Impreza also on display on the stand.

Nissan Juke Nismo The Juke has been crying out for a real sporty model and it looks like Nissan may finally answer our prayers thanks to its tuning arm Nismo. This is the first car that’s been given the Nismo treatment and although currently billed as a “concept” it’s highly likely we’ll see it on our roads soon. Exterior and interior tweaks will be matched with a breathed-on powerplant.

Mercedes F 125!

We’re not big fans of concepts that don’t mean anything, but Mercedes was quick to point out the F 125! showcases the future design direction of the next S-Class. The concept featured fuel cell technology which would give it a range of 1,000km, a lightweight body construction, gullwing doors and a cloud-based infotainment system. But ignore all that, it’s the looks that are most likely to shape future luxury barges from the firm.

Hino eZ Cargo Tucked away in the corner of the truck section of the show was this fantastic delivery van. Not only does it look superb, but it showcases EV technology and a clean uncluttered design that would make Apple proud. A spokesman for Hino told us it has a range of 50kms, can charge in six hours and hit 70kph. Trials will take place next year before a decision is made whether to put it into production.

We just hope the looks are carried over – it certainly beats a boring Transit.

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15% DISCOUNT ON ALL WORK CARRIED OUT OVER £50 WITH THIS ADVERT

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Simply Education are a local agency currently looking to recruit teachers for primary and secondary schools for daily, short term and long term vacancies for schools all over the Cambridgeshire area. Good rates of pay, mileage and food allowance given.

Please call either Emma or Ross for an immediate interview on: Peterborough 01733 490097 Cambridge 01223 597844

www.simplyeducation.co.uk

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SEASONAL DELIGHTS

Glazed Salmon Skewers & Sesame Noodles This is a great way to jazz up salmon – with a Japanese teriyaki sauce glaze served with sesame flavoured noodles. Soak the wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before threading on the strips of salmon to prevent them from burning under the hot grill.

Serves 4 Ready in 40 minutes plus 30 minutes marinating

Ingredients

4 x salmon fillets, skinned 6 tbsp teriyaki sauce 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 250g packet medium egg noodles 2 tsp sesame seed oil

1 tsp grated root ginger 6 salad onions, trimmed and thinly sliced 40g radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced 2 tbsp sesame seeds 30ml honey, warmed

Method

1. Slice each salmon fillet widthways into 2 strips and place the strips in a shallow dish. Mix together the teriyaki sauce and garlic and pour over the salmon. Cover and leave to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the grill to medium. Thread the strips of salmon onto 8 wooden skewers. Grill the salmon skewers for 3-4 minutes on each side until just cooked through.

3. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain well. Heat the sesame oil in a wok or large non-stick frying pan and add the ginger, spring onions, radishes and sesame seeds. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes then add the noodles and toss well to mix.

4. Just before serving, brush the salmon skewers with the warmed honey and grill for a further few minutes. Divide the sesame noodles between four serving bowls and top with the salmon skewers.

Top Tip - To save time buy a small jar of ready prepared ginger puree rather than buying fresh root ginger – once opened it will keep in the fridge for a few weeks and is great for adding an Oriental flavour to rice and stir fries.

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M MISTLETOE INTERIORS Mistletoe Interiors offers internal and external design, consultancy, sourcing and homestaging services.

Interior Design need not be expensive!

For more information please contact Emma Rees: Mobile: 07885 135478 info@mistletoeinteriors.co.uk Mistletoe House 20 Main Road, Stonely, Kimbolton Cambridgeshire PE19 5EH

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CODEWORD

1

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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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Please Life when when responding responding to toadverts adverts Please mention mention The Villager and Town Life

P.E. JAMES & SONS DOMESTIC PLUMBING, HEATING & GAS Small Repairs to Major Installations

Heating Problems & Installations

Showers, Pumps and Wet Rooms

New Boilers

Bathrooms and Ceramic Tiling

Solar Hot water

25 YEARS IN THE TRADE CITY & GUILDS CERTIFIED COVERING HERTS, BEDS, BUCKS & CAMBS CALL MR. JAMES NOW FOR A QUOTE 01767 317356 or 07816 586777

NO VAT!

Reg no. 193542

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Brown Building Garage 2

LESTER O’DRISCOLL CARPENTRY Door Hanging, Skirting, Flooring, Fitted Kitchens, Fencing, Decking, General Carpentry, Extensions

07842 195152 01480 811629

7/11/11

09:11

Page 2

Experienced local builder Reliable family run business

• Brickwork • Repointing • Patios • Refurbishments & Extensions • Plumbing • Tiling • Plastering • Carpentry • Kitchen/Bathroom installation • Driveways

All general household repairs No job too small • FREE ESTIMATES For more information or a quote please call

BROWN BUILDING & MAINTENANCE

☎

01480 830558 Mobile – 07599 754188

Email: brownbuilders52@yahoo.com www.brownsbuildingandroofing.co.uk

D M Specialist Joinery Based In Biggleswade

Mirrors made to order. Any size, shape and colour.

Contact sales at D M Specialist Joiners on 01767 317773 Also available in Philpot’s of Hitchin 50

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Water Softeners

AND Walk in Bathing solutions?

Hardwater (Limescale) causes problems in homes and for people with skin problems – blocked showers, ‘scummed up’ shower screens and scale stains in toilets and wash basins are hard to clean but Limescale is more of a problem where you can’t see it; reduced water flow through pipes, scaled up heating systems and boilers – and of course, higher heating bills & maintenance costs.

Mark Allen formed Ashwell Water in 2005 after his son’s Eczema benefited from the installation of a Water Softener. Itchy and Dry Skin is exaggerated by the harsh soaps, shampoos and cleaning products we use everyday, normally in significant amounts to combat the effects of hard water.

The most popular solution to the problem of hard water is to have a water softener installed in your home. They are simple to fit, easy to maintain and they will dramatically improve the quality of your domestic water supply.

Water Softeners reduce the amount of fuel and detergents that you consume. This is kinder on the environment, extends appliance life and reduces boiler problems / plumber call outs thus saving you money! Water Softeners can last twenty plus years and unlike most household appliances, they actually have a payback time – typically within four years.

“We experienced luxurious soft water on holiday, to find that our son’s skin improved dramatically, only to flair up again when we returned home again,” says Mark. “We’ve had many customers confirming that a water softener has noticeably helped. This combined with scale free showers, soft laundry, and significantly less cleaning required in bathrooms and kitchens make a water softener an essential appliance for your home.”

Water Softeners fit in to a standard kitchen cabinet or under most kitchen sinks and are tailored to today’s modern water demands and environment. Ashwell Water are an independent supplier, with the average unit costing around £730, with a lifespan of 20 years - this equates to approx. £50 per year (including running costs). Units come with a minimum of a

five year warranty.

Ashwell Water offer WALK IN BATHING solutions to address customers concerns with getting in to and out of their existing bath or shower. This customised service offers simple solutions (shower seats) through to premium quality baths / showers at a fraction of the cost of the big advertisers. Ashwell Water prices offer average savings of around £2000 with the supply and install of a complete bath / shower system – Contact Ashwell Water to arrange a free survey.

Ashwell Water offer independent advice and the best overall solutions / brands based around our customers needs, budget and environment. So there really is an alternative to hardwater and bathing safely, and comfortably in your home.

CONTACT: Freephone – 0800 634 3470 Email: info@ashwellwater.co.uk Web: www.ashwellwater.co.uk

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S B Driveways

Tel 01487 822993 / 07966 523239

For Block Paving New and Old Repaired and Relayed Patio Laying Service, Paths, Shed Bases and Fencing.

Plus Mini Digger Hire with Man Available Driveways Gravelled Also Tree Service Available New Lawns Laid All work carried out by Experienced Staff Recommendations and Portfolio of work available on request Free Estimates

KING ELECTRICAL QUALITY ELECTRICIAN Based in Buckden

Highly qualified and experienced in ALL electrical installation work.

Fully approved NICEIC Contractor, Part ‘P’ Domestic Installer. Insurance based warranty.

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VIP CLUB

www.b-b-a.com sponsors of

THE VILLAGER PRIZE CROSSWORD

1st Prize £25 Name:

Complete the crossword on the following page, fill in your details below, cut out this section and send to the address below before 16th March 2012 Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP

2nd Prize £15

Tel:

Address:

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Fill in your details on the previous page and send your completed entry for a chance to win a cash prize.

Notes:

Across

Down

1 Bewitched (7)

1 Crawl (5)

5 Trimmed (5)

2 Soaks up (7)

8 Loosens (5)

3 Sundry items (13)

9 Evil (7)

4 Split (6)

10 Vertical (13)

5 Book of facts (13)

11 Without trouble (6)

6 Guttural noise (5)

12 Teeth (6)

7 Arid regions (7)

15 Display (13)

11 Perpetual (7)

18 Detonate (7)

13 Shake briskly (7)

19 Business transactions (5)

14 To be present at (6)

20 Stairs (5)

16 Type of syrup (5)

21 Destroys hearing (7)

17 Facial features (5)

Congratulations to last month’s crossword winners: 1st Prize - Mrs. P James from Henlow 2nd Prize - Janet White from Bromham 54 54

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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

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what’S ON?

IN MARCH

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

3 March Craft Fair 9.30am-4pm St Ives Free Church Local people selling hand-made crafts. Held on the first Saturday of each month. Charity tombola and free entry. Visit www.saintscrafters.blogspot.com 3 March Switzerland and its mountain flowers 2.00pm The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade Cambs and Beds Hardy Plant Society talk by Peter Sheasby on Switzerland and its mountain flowers.

Visitors welcome to all meetings, a small charge applicable. Tel: Winifred 01234 721720 Web: www.hpscambsandbeds.co.uk 3 March 1st St Neots Scouts Fundraising Gig 7pm Prior Park Infants School, Almond Road, St Neots £5, Concessions £3 Concessions Three rock bands (Medication Time, The Fabulous Tartan Dressing Gowns and Scene Stealers) will provide lively entertainment and help 1st St Neots Scouts raise funds for a renovation of the Scout Hall. Everyone welcome. Tickets: Tony Sainsbury 01480 477430 or Jon Cossins 07887 832728 4 March Guided Walk 10am-2pm Hinchingbrooke Country Park, Huntingdon £2 per person, payable on the day Join the ranger for an informative tour of the park talking about the history, management and wildlife.

Meet by the café. Tel: 01480 451568 6 & 20 March Cromwell Video Camera Club Meeting 7pm for 7.30pm start The Reading Room, High Street, Hemingford Grey First and third Tuesday of the month. 6 March is the club AGM and 20 March is a competition with the subject night time.

7 March A Pond and Bog Garden 8pm Little Paxton Village Hall Members £1, Non-members £2 Little Paxton Gardening Club - Water Gardens from Graham Parnwell. A small friendly club meeting on the first Wednesday. We arrange talks and practical demonstrations on gardening and related subjects.

We also organise trips to places of interest to gardeners. New members are always welcome at

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our meetings. Annual membership is only £5 per person plus £1 per meeting.

9 March True Grit (15) Doors open 7.30pm, film starts 8pm £5 The Corn Exchange, St Ives Screen St Ives presents True Grit (15). This subtle, engrossing drama follows young Matty Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) as she tracks her father’s murderer with the questionable help of whiskey-swilling US Marshall Rooster Cogburn (Bridges). Screen St Ives is the community cinema in the heart of the town providing quality entertainment on the second Friday of every month. Tickets The Corn Exchange or book online at www.screenstives.org.uk.

10 March Wild Food Workshop 11am-10pm Huntingdonshire Community Nursery Adults £6, Accompanied children 7+ £3 Learn how to forage for wild food in the woods and hedges of Huntingdonshire’s Community Nursery.

Make and enjoy a serving of delicious soup packed with vitamins and minerals. Please book in advance on 01480 388910. For information 07748 623073.

10 & 11 March Craft Fair 10am-4pm Wood Green Animal Shelter, Godmanchester £2.50, Concessions £2, Children under 5 free Visit the indoor arena and sample and buy from our wide range of arts, craft and gift stalls where you might find anything from jewellery, handicrafts, handmade cards, candles, aromatherapy products, through to ceramics and wood turning.

14 March South Cambridgeshire HO Racing Club 7.00-11pm Yelling Village Hall Monthly meeting. We are a friendly club - you don’t have to own an HO car or controller to race, as there are club cars and controllers. First night is free. Email: anthonystacey@ntlworld.com 14 March The Secret Life of a Bee 7.30pm Brampton Mem. Hall, Thrapston Road, Brampton Members £2; Non-members £2.50 Presentation by Paul Howe, Chairman of Huntingdonshire Beekeepers Association for the past 6 years. Tel: George 01480 450809 Web: www.wildlifetrust-huntsareagroup.org.uk/

what’S ON? IN MARCH

16 March Quiz Night 8pm Buckden Towers, Buckden Entrance £4 including refreshments A lively event! Teams can be made up on the night.

Proceeds to restoration fund.

17 March-5 April Lambing Time 10.30am-5pm Wimpole Home Farm, near Arrington Normal Farm admission applies Head to Home Farm to meet the rare breed ewes and lambs and if you are lucky you may see a live birth. Tel: 01223 206000 Web: www.wimpole.org 20 March Flowering Arranging Demonstration 10 am Reading Room, Hemingford Grey £3 including tea/coffee Hemingford Grey Flower Club. Demonstration by Barbara Collins. Raffle. All welcome 21 March The World of the Nightingale 7.30pm Little Paxton Village Hall Tickets now available at £5 each, Children £2 An illustrated talk by Ray Matthews, Chairman of The Friends of Paxton Pits. Tickets from Little Paxton Post Office or Alison Rogers 01480 215607.

All proceeds to St James’ Church Building Project.

22 March The History of the National Trust 8pm St Mary’s Church Hall, Brook Street, St Neots Non-members £2.50 St Neots & District Gardening Club monthly meeting. Talk by Veronica Bennett. Tel: David Usher 01480 476671 Email: david.usher9@btinternet.com

and how to enter, will appear each week in the News & Crier.

29-31 March A Fête Worse than Death 7.30pm Commemoration Hall, Huntingdon Adults £9, Concessions and 4+ £7 Huntingdon Drama Club presents a new comedy thriller by Richard James. Tickets: 01480 454486 Web: www.huntingdondramaclub.org.uk 30 March Charity Bridge Day Coffee from 10am, play Begins 10.30am Includes two course lunch, afternoon cup of tea Hemingford Abbots Village Hall, High Street, Hemingford Abbots Prize giving and raffle at end of days playTickets £15.00 per person. Donation Bar available. Cheques made payable to “Hunts Branch of Parkinson’s UK”.

Please reply to: Paul Boothman. Buckley House, Thicket Road, Houghton CAMBS PE28 2BQ. (Please include a stamped addressed envelope).

Tel: 01480 466588 31 March Antique Fair 10am-5pm Entrance £3 Wood Green Animal Shelter, Godmanchester Around 200 stands. A wide range of antiques and collectables are available.

31 March Spring Craft Fair 2-4pm Burleigh Community Centre, St Ives Free entry A variety of stalls selling home produce and handmade products and gifts. Fundraiser for MAGPAS. Web: www.fdsj.co.uk

23 March Life on the Fens 8pm Queen Elizabeth School, Godmanchester £4 on the door including refreshments A talk on “Life on the Fens” by Peter Carter who has appeared on BBC TV will talk about following his family’s tradition of catching eels in the fens and other traditional crafts. Tel: 01480 436574

1 April Concert for Easter 6.30pm St Peter’s Church, Offord D’Arcy Tickets £8 including complimentary drink Music of Tallis and Byrd. Conductor Matthew Howes. Fundraising concert for the Restoration of the Stained Glass War Memorial. Tel: 01480 812899

24 March 10am-4pm St Neots & District Camera Club Annual Exhibition United Reformed Church, Moores Walk, St Neots In conjunction with the News & Crier Newspaper.

An open competition, with a number of prizes, and all entries will be displayed on the day. Full details,

3 April Withy Lanterns for Families 10am-12.30pm Hinchingbrooke Country Park, Huntingdon Create 3D sculptures from willow and tissue paper which can possibly be used as lanterns. This family event is suitable for children aged 7+. Please book in advance on 01480 388910.

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Exclusive Bespoke British Furniture T: 01767-317-773 E: info@middletonfurniture.co.uk www.middletonfurniture.co.uk

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Here at The Wildlife Trust, March is fast becoming our favourite month; we have dusted off our New Year blues and are excited to announce the launch of our Garden Watch survey for 2012.

We need local residents to start or renew their nature quests in their gardens, allotments or on their balconies to report to us the whereabouts of certain species throughout the year.

To kick start this year’s survey, we have chosen the common toad as the species to seek in March.

As March warms up, the courageous common toad will wake up from its winter slumber in its cool dark home and begin the perilous and daring journey to the nearest pond to find a mate. Once they arrive, often en masse, the males will warm up their voices to gently coo at the females to find a mate.

To find out more information on this fascinating creature and to submit a sighting, please visit the Garden Watch webpage www.wildlifebcn. org/gardenwatch.htm or call the Wildlife Trust on 01954 713500.

In 2011, we received thousands of new wildlife records which helped the Trust immensely in its work to map the distribution of species and their movements across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.

Later in the year we will be asking for records of butterflies, birds, mammals and spiders so keep an eye on the website for the latest news.

To find out more about the Trust please visit www.wildlifebcn.org

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