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VILLAGER The

Now incorporating The Great Ashby and Old Town Directory

and Town

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April 2015

Life

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Contents Who put the Chocolate in Easter Eggs

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Preston Village.................................................................4 How to Find a Good Estate Agent.....................................8 Stevenage Male Voice Choir...........................................10 Who Put the Chocolate into Easter Eggs.........................13 Laos - Sailing on the Mekong.........................................14 The Future’s so Bright... I Gotta Wear Shades..................17 Fun Quiz.........................................................................19 Oystercatchers at Whitstable..........................................20 Music - The Food of Life..................................................23 Alternative Investments: Returns vs Risk........................26 Employment Matters.....................................................30 Writhing Reptiles...........................................................32 Going Potty for Summer Plants......................................34 Editorial - Catherine Rose, Jonathan Vernon-Smith, Debbie Singh-Bhatti, Solange Hando, Louise Addison, Tim Saunders, Nooshin Hassan, Carol H Scott, Andy Mydellton, Pippa Greenwood, Rachel Leverton, RSPCA, James Baggott, Ted Bruning, Russell Grant and Bruce Edwards Advertising Sales Victoria Tonkinson - 01767 261122 vickie@villagermag.com

Project Pleasure.............................................................36 Wordsearch....................................................................36 Animal Know-How.........................................................38 Revision Fun and Games................................................41 Drivers’ Cars....................................................................43 Win Tickets to see some Music Maestros........................45 Puzzle Page....................................................................48 Children’s Page...............................................................50 Beer of the Month..........................................................52 Prize Crossword..............................................................54 Russell Grant’s Horoscopes.............................................56 What’s On.......................................................................58 Book Review..................................................................63

Writhing Reptiles

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

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 Photography provided by the advertisers or any statements given in the Emma Porter, Philip Wray, Darren Harbar Photography, editorial. No part of this publication may be reproduced or Julian Claverley Catherineplease Rose call 01767 261122 stored without the express permission of the publisher.

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History

By Philip Wray

Temple Dinsley and Rose Garden

Preston Village

“The Social History of Rural England in a Nutshell” Although small in size, Preston has a rich historical heritage. Relaxing at Preston Village Green, Hertfordshire in 1913, Herbert Tompkins remarked: “This village contains the social history of rural England in a nutshell”.

The village lies between Hitchin and Luton and is perched high on a chalk ridge of the Chiltern Hills.

As a result, Preston has an appealing ambience of being airy and remote. Because the village’s name derives from the Old English word ‘prestune’, it likely existed before the Domesday survey of 1086.

This recorded the manor of Dinsley which included Preston.

In the early 13th century, the Knights Templar (protectors of pilgrims in the Holy Land and bankers) built a secluded house beside Preston village. Temple Dinsley was the location for many Templar gatherings and attracted a stream of notables including Henry III. Tales of Templar treasure and tunnels at Preston are legend.

Temple Dinsley was pulled down in about 1714

and a new mansion built which was home to the Ithell family. Controversially, in 1767, Martha Ithell left the house to her “faithful friend and steward” Thomas Harwood, who in two years was elevated socially from ‘labourer’ to ‘gentleman’ in the Hitchin Militia Lists. He in turn bequeathed Temple Dinsley to Joseph Darton. Village tongues wagged! Was Darton the secret son of spinster Martha and Harwood, or was he the latter’s nephew or cousin?

Just over a mile north-west of Preston was the manor and hamlet of Welei or Wayley. Domesday notes a considerable community there of about 70 tending 240 acres. Wayley was mentioned in several documents until 1342 after which there is an abrupt silence about the manor in historical archives. Was this settlement wiped out by the Black Death of 1349?

Whatever the reason, Wayley became yet another deserted and then lost village in Hertfordshire.

Where there were once the sounds of life and toil, now there is only birdsong. Beneath a tangle

Bunyan’s Dell 4

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Minsden Chapel of undergrowth lie artefacts and the footings of ancient homes. But an historical marker remains: Deadwoman’s Lane skirts Preston to the west and leads to Wayley Lane. It reputedly takes its name from plague victims who were buried at Wayley Close.

Another village near Preston also became deserted but in this case, a crumbling relic remains. St Mary’s Church at Hitchin had a chapel of ease at Minsden. In 1690, Minsden Chapel was described as “totally ruinated, stripped, uncovered, decayed”.

Elms could be glimpsed through holes in the roof and cooing doves witnessed weddings, yet the more the chapel fell into rack and ruin, the more couples wanted to marry there. That was until 1738/9 when a lump of masonry dashed the service book from the curate’s hand and further marriage services were banned.

Minsden Chapel has continued to collapse and today it is shrouded by superstition but enjoys a measure of protection. The ashes of Hitchin historian, Reginald Hine, are scattered here and he undertook “in all ghostly ways to protect and haunt its hallowed walls”. Despite this warning, Minsden Chapel can be freely visited.

A few hundred metres north of Preston is Wain Wood and a dell which will forever be associated with the Baptist preacher, John Bunyan (1628 – 1688). Hundreds of local folk would flock to Bunyan’s Dell, a natural amphitheatre, to hear Bunyan preach and lookouts were stationed to warn of the approach of officers of the law from Hitchin. Bunyan’s Dell is also publicly accessible today.

Traditionally, every village had its pub. The centre of Preston’s social life was the Red Lion which even in 1847 was described as “an old established public house”. Situated beside Preston Green, it was vibrant with songs and dancing when the annual sheep fair was held in late October.

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In recent years, as well as featuring in a TV episode of Foyles War, the Red Lion has enjoyed worldwide media attention as it was the first communityowned pub in Britain. In 1977, residents fought off an attempt to convert it into a steakhouse restaurant and raised £95K to buy their own pub.

Almost all 130 Preston householders took up their right to own shares and the episode is viewed as a template by other communities who wish to buy their own hostelry.

Strolling around Preston, you are struck by the pleasing uniformity of many of its houses. This is the Lutyens-effect. In 1908, Herbert and Violet Fenwick bought Temple Dinsley and employed the architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens (creator of London’s cenotaph and much of New Delhi) to design not only a major enlargement of the mansion, but also several new homes dotted around the village.

One project was a row of estate cottages at Chequers Lane. Hitchin Rural District Council bought a field because many of the tumbledown cottages at Preston were insanitary and earmarked the plot as a site for six houses. Herbert Fenwick intervened saying that at his own expense he would provide homes of a better type than the council could erect and at a rent no higher than the council would charge. 1-6 Chequers Cottages were duly designed by Lutyens and are acclaimed as illustrating how he “was able to turn the simplest of buildings into fine architecture”.

At Temple Dinsley, Lutyens also collaborated with Gertude Jekyll to produce a rose garden.

Acclaimed for its elegant brickwork, today, Temple Dinsley is home to the Princess Helena College.

The enduring legacy of the village has been captured in a new book, A History of Preston in Hertfordshire. It is an A4, hardback publication of 114 pages in full colour and with more than 300 photographs and maps. (For further details, see the Preston History website at http://www. prestonherts.co.uk)

Chequers Cottages

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Three Counties Radio

How to find a GOOD Estate Agent

By Jonathan Vernon-Smith

God love ‘em, they’re the people we love to hate. ESTATE AGENTS! I should make it clear at this point that a very dear member of my family is an estate agent, so I like to think I can approach this months’ article with a level of fairness for a much criticised profession. However, some of them really are AWFUL! The fundamental problem with the industry of estate agency is that you don’t actually need any qualifications to become one. Any wide boy with a gift of the gab can quickly carve out a career as an estate agent.

Depending on who they’re working for, and the influences around them they can quickly pick up some very nasty habits. I, like many people have been amazed at the ability of some estate agents to not only stretch the truth to encourage a deal to go through, but to lie through their teeth.

The responsibility for finding a good estate agent lies solely with the seller (vendor). It can be infuriating as a buyer when you find a property you love that is on the market with a dishonest, un-reliable and unprofessional estate agent. There’s nothing you can do about it. In fact, I have pulled out of property deals before due to the estate agent representing the vendor.

When you are selling your house, DO YOUR RESEARCH! Keep an eye on the market in the months leading up to the decision to put your property on. See which agents are selling houses/flats that are similar to yours. Ask your neighbours and friends in the area who have used an estate agent recently what their experience was like.

Only look at companies that are prominent in your local neighbourhood and preferably those that have staff with experience.

When you have a list of 3 or 4 reputable firms, get them all round to value your property. Be open and honest with them and inform them that you are speaking to a number of agents. Tell them that to secure your business you’ll be looking for them to do a deal on their commission. I personally NEVER pay more than 1% of the sale price to an estate agent (with todays house prices I think that’s quite enough!). Introducing a sliding scale of commission can also be a motivating factor for them to get you the best price for the property. Look at the pictures they take of other properties to make sure they either use a professional or have the ability to showcase a house or flat nicely. Try calling them and speaking to those who answer the phone. Do they sound friendly, approachable and bright?

Make sure that the contract is reasonably short. You don’t want to be tied to the same estate agent for the next 6 months if your property fails to sell.

Finally for sellers (and I speak from experience) DO NOT LEAVE YOUR KEYS WITH AN ESTATE AGENT. When selling my last property I made this mistake. In their desperation to get the sale to go through they took my buyer into my property without asking my permission first. Sadly I realised at that moment that my estate agent had failed to see my flat as my home, and could only focus on the commission they stood to make from selling it.

For the buyer, you have much less control. This can be an absolutely horrible position to be in. There are some things you can do to help the process though.

1. Use your own mortgage advisor. The estate agents will try everything they can to get you to use ‘their’ advisor. Don’t listen to a word of it. They are legally obliged to pass on any offer to their client, and cannot force you to use their chosen mortgage company.

2. Use your own solicitor. Again the agents will want you to use their conveyancing company.

This will probably be a large company that is more like a conveyancing factory acting on behalf of thousands and thousands of customers all over the country at any one time. Do you really think you’re going to get the best, impartial advice from them? Particularly when you consider they have a business relationship with the estate agent who doesn’t get paid unless the sale goes through.

3. Try to get the contact details of the vendor. If you can speak to the vendor directly you can ensure that the estate agent is passing on accurate information.

If you take all of my advice and still have a problem with an estate agent, please remember you can always contact me and my team at jvsshow@bbc.co.uk

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

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Local News

Stevenage Male Voice Choir Stevenage Male Voice Choir was formed in 1958 by employees of The English Electric Company ( later British Aircraft Corporation.

Since then it has helped to raise thousands of pounds for a variety of charities by performing about ten public concerts each year.

The choir has been proud to represent Stevenage both at home and abroad with successful tours of Eire, Malta and Gozo.

In 2008 the choir celebrated its Golden Jubilee with a week’s tour of Fontenaye and Chatelaillon-la-Plage in France and a joint concert with Stevenage Ladies’ Choir and Hitchin Symphony Orchestra, and in 2012 both choirs shared the stage with the classical harmony singing group “Blake” at the Arena, St. Albans.

Choir members also enjoy an active social life including top quality shows, river trips, summer picnics and an annual Christmas party.

With a repertoire ranging from popular songs and ballads, through songs from the shows and blues numbers to more classical pieces and Male Voice

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Choir standards, members gather for rehearsals every Friday evening at the Community Arts Centre, Roaring Meg, Stevenage, where there is always a warm welcome awaiting newcomers.

Resplendent in their formal green jackets and gold ties or in their casual yellow sweatshirts and green jumpers, the choir are always pleased to sing to assist good causes in their fund-raising activities.

The choir still has some dates available for 2015 and is already taking bookings for 2016.

For further information visit: www:smvc.org or e-mail: smvc.enquiries@gmail.com

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Time of Year

By Debbie Singh-Bhatti

Who put the chocolate into Easter Eggs?

Easter without chocolate eggs would be like Christmas without presents. Simply unthinkable!

And yet the tradition of giving chocolate at Easter is relatively recent, dating back 120 years or so to the late nineteenth century.

Easter is a Christian festival that commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Occurring in Spring, which is regarded as a time of renewal and birth by many faiths and cultures, the egg has been used as a symbol of birth and fertility since well before Christianity.

Originally painted bright colours to celebrate the sunlight of spring, decorating and colouring eggs became popular during the Middle Ages, when they were dyed red to symbolise the blood of Christ. Forbidden as a food during Lent, eggs were hardboiled, decorated and then given to children at Easter as good luck symbols.

In the eighteenth century, pasteboard or papier mache eggs with small gifts inside became

popular and by the nineteenth century these had evolved into cardboard eggs covered in silk, lace or velvet and fastened with ribbon. Faberge produced its first egg in 1883, and elaborate eggs made from silver and gold, ivory and porcelain - some inlaid with jewels - followed.

The first chocolate eggs were made in France and Germany in the early nineteenth century, not long after the first eating chocolate was invented (prior to this chocolate was enjoyed as a drink). But the chocolate couldn’t be moulded and early eggs were solid.

Chocolate eggs didn’t truly gain in popularity until Cadbury entered the market in 1875. Their early eggs were made from dark chocolate with a plain, smooth surface. Filled with dragees (small, hard sweets), they were decorated with chocolate piping and marzipan flowers. The range gradually increased until in 1893 Cadbury was producing 19 different lines, but it wasn’t

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until 1905 when the company introduced Cadbury Dairy Milk that the sales of Easter eggs really received a boost.

All-chocolate eggs did not immediately replace the novelty eggs of the Victorian era, however, and Cadbury continued to produce a fancy cardboard egg filled with chocolates until the early 1930s.

The first crème eggs appeared in 1923 as a forerunner to the Cadbury Creme Egg, launched in 1971. An instant hit, it has now become Cadbury’s most popular egg, with over 500 million being made every year, though shell eggs still form the largest sector of the Easter egg market.

So, we have Cadbury to thank for our modern day Easter egg, and in particular their invention of Dairy Milk. How ironic, then, that this year they should recently decide to replace the nation’s favourite chocolate on their most popular egg with an alternative! Will Easter ever be the same again?

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Travel

by Solange Hando

Laos - Sailing on the Mekong Revered as the ‘Mother of Waters’, the Mekong flows north to south across Laos where much of its course marks the border with Thailand. As in other countries, it’s a precious lifeline providing rich agricultural land and fishing as well as transport in remote areas. Up in the northern hills, the Mekong is at the heart of tribal legends, the mythical home of a ‘naga’ snake which must be appeased and thanked for its gift. But in the ancient capital of Luang Prabang, it’s a magnet for visitors dreaming of an unforgettable trip upstream on a long narrow boat.

With jungle-clad hills heaving along the banks like prehistoric creatures, rocks and islands, rapids, sand banks and treacherous shallows, it’s an adrenalin-filled journey, a test of endurance and faith for passengers and captain alike. It’s cold and eerie in the early morning mist but later, when the sun beats down on the river, no one minds the generous showers of spray sweeping under the rickety awning. This isn’t about comfort, just sheer excitement, with ‘no standing please’ but you can dip your hand in the water with no effort at all.

In the dry season, only the narrowest boats can sail up river, five people aside and pilot squatting Asian-style at the front.

Meanwhile birds flitter in the bushes, goats and buffaloes graze on the banks and here and there, wooden huts nestle under the palm trees with luminous patches of tapioca and maize tumbling down to the water. Women with babies on their back bob along sandy trails, men tend their fields, others fish or pan for gold. There are

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houseboats draped in laundry, tiny skiffs anchored with bamboo poles and clusters of pink blossom splashing colour in the greenery.

After two hours or so, the boat reaches the sacred Pak Ou caves cut into the limestone cliffs.

A floating platform leads to the shore then it’s a hot climb up the steps to see the first cave, crammed with thousands of Buddha images, and the second, higher up, 50 metres deep and tucked behind an old wooden portal. It’s best to carry a torch for you never know what could be lurking in the dark. They say that long ago the King and his Court used to row up river once a year on an overnight pilgrimage, leaving fresh offerings of Buddha images in the caves. So the tradition began, totalling some 4000 miniature statues to date, revered by pilgrims and saffron-robed monks but drawing the largest crowds during the Lao New Year. Yet, tourists who come this far spend little time inside the caves for they are soon lured back into the sunlight for superb views over the Mekong and its confluence with the Nam Ou. There’s a chance to visit the nearby tribal village, a colourful place where women weave on the doorstep and along the path, and every hut on stilts is draped with shawls and scarves no one can resist.

By early afternoon, day trippers return to Luang Prabang while the more adventurous continue their journey along the Nam Ou where bamboo and teak mingle their reflections in glistening waters turning from emerald to blue. Lofty flame trees rise above the jungle and sometimes you spot a herd of elephants brought down to the river for their daily bath by mahouts in conical hats.

Time seems to stand still.

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Time of Year

By Louise Addison

The Future’s So Bright…

I gotta wear shades!

Summer is just around the corner, and with it – hopefully – the sun. It’s a time to start thinking about eye protection.

I have a theory that sunspecs are the coolest accessories ever invented. They add instant glamour to any outfit; disguise tired eyes, and offer handy hangover relief when required. In addition, you don’t have to worry about whether they make your bum look big, and even a designer pair won’t break the bank.

Yet as useful as these qualities are they pale into insignificance beside sunspecs’ real function, which is to protect our eyes.

The sun’s UV rays can damage the delicate structures of the eye, such as the lens and the retina. This damage can lead to cataracts and macular degeneration in later life.

UV FACTS UV penetrates clouds so even when you can’t see the sun your eyes may still be damaged unless you protect them UV is most intense between 10am and 2pm.

Make sure that your eyes are protected during this time.

UV is more powerful at high altitude The effects of UV are amplified in reflective environments: snow, sand, water and concrete.

A wide-brimmed hat or baseball cap offers excellent eye protection screening around 50% of all UV. Any UV light you’re exposed to now can cause eye problems years down the line, such as macula degeneration (AMD) and cataract, Decisions, decisions!

Handy hints to help you choose.

All sunspecs must carry the CE mark to prove they filter 99-100% of all UV rays.

Wraparound styles offer the most protection but the large sunspecs favoured by WAGs and celebrities are also good.

Grey tints reduce brightness without distorting colour.

Brown and amber offer best protection from visible blue light and reduce haziness.

Green is good for contrast and a great all-rounder Rose is good for water-sports and offers good contrast for objects viewed against blue or green backgrounds.

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Fun Quiz - Double Acts 1. Which famous double act have been the only non-individual winners of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award?

2. Which double act represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in both 2011 and 2012?

3. Which famous double act became the first duo to have a posthumous hit single when they did so in 1975 with a song called Trail Of The Lonesome Pine?

4. Who is taller?... Ant or Dec? 5. In a 1996 episode of Only Fools And Horses, which double act did Del and Rodney dress up as to attend a party, but when their van broke down, had to run the rest of the way to get there and ended up scaring off thieves?

6. Which duo prevented the Oasis song Wonderwall from topping the UK singles chart in October 1995?

7. Which famous double act first appeared in a 1989 short film called A Grand Day Out? 8. In a series of Hanna-Barbera cartoons, who would a cat called Mr. Jinks be referring to when he would say “I hate those meeces to pieces”?

9. How are Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne known in the title of a 1994 comedy film?

10. Barry Elliott and Paul Elliott are best known together by what name?

Before

After

1. Torvill and Dean 2. Jedward 3. Laurel and Hardy 4. Ant 5. Batman And Robin 6. Robson and Jerome 7. Wallace and Gromit 8. Pixie and Dixie 9. Dumb and Dumber 10. The Chuckle Brothers

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18/03/2015 14:38 19

Travel

Oystercatchers

at Whitstable

By Tim Saunders

The oystercatcher is a bird associated with the coast since the 15th century, as we learn while staying at Oystercatchers, a delightful holiday home at Seasalter in Whitstable, Kent. Its primarily wooden structure is painted powder blue and reminds us of a Norwegian home.

This part of the world is famed for oysters and looking through the telescope in the sitting room it is easy to spot oystercatchers with their distinctive orange beaks and black bodies. They tend to visit quite early in the morning to do their fishing in groups with some returning nearer lunchtime for another forage.

Birdwatching is not something that I have previously done but sitting in a comfy chair in the warm on a bitter winter’s day I am drawn to the telescope, as are the children. It is quite unique to find a house where the beach is quite literally at the back door with views over to the Isle of Sheppey. The many windows make it a joy to just sit inside and watch the different weather patterns and the changes in light. In fact on our first day we do little else.

Just down the road is The Oyster Pearl Pub and Restaurant and when we do venture out we pop inside. I always like to try the local ale when travelling and in this neck of the woods Spitfire is the pint of choice, brewed

by Shepherd Neame, Britain’s oldest brewer, trading since 1698.

Seasalter is just a few miles from Faversham, a market town only 48 miles from London. In fact it is here that I pick up a local paper and see that they have written the pros and cons of the local area compared to the city. Many people live here and commute to London because the property prices are so much more affordable.

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At Whitstable, we walk along the harbour where there are arty fishermen’s huts that open between March and September and note that artist Michael Richardson has a gallery here. Michael is a plein air landscape painter working in oils and watercolours who has exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts.

Whitstable is home to a string of boutiques and visitors come from far and wide to purchase luxury gifts.

It is also easy to visit France from Kent, which is just as well because Michael does this frequently, finding it inspirational for his work.

“I am going to take four or five painters to quiet places in France so that they can work fairly intensively and uninterrupted for three to four days over this summer,” he reveals.

Kent has so much to offer a tourist and we have only really touched the surface but what we saw we liked very much indeed.

Call in at two National Trust properties on the way: Knole, which is undergoing a £20m refurbishment; and Chartwell, Sir Winston Churchill’s house in the 50th year since he died.

For more information visit: http://whitstablecottageholidays.co.uk/ oystercatchers/

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Music -

Well Being

By Nooshin Hassan

the Food of Life Music is such a powerful creation. The impact it can have on our frame of mind can be amazing. You’ve probably experienced this if you’ve felt down and then played your favourite songs - most of the time whatever was bothering you somehow seems more manageable than before. Music has a profound effect on your mood and how you deal with situations: it’s therapeutic and so easy to achieve!

I recently visited Ely Cathedral for a classical music concert and the experience was fantastic.

I refer to it as ‘the experience’ because in addition to taking in the pure, rich sounds of the string instruments and piano, something else happened too. I started to look around and really notice details of the magnificent building: the shapes of the multiple archways and the way the light was cast across the high walls. As the concert went on my mind turned to other thoughts, including fresh ideas for some projects I was

working on. In the midst of all this I was aware of feeling both serene and yet full of thoughts, and lyrics from a Beatles song floated into my head, matching my mood: “… waves of joy are drifting through my opened mind, possessing and caressing me…”.

My ‘opened mind’ was what I was experiencing - freed of the routine, the everyday; and through the power of music, being opened up to new thoughts and feelings. I looked at other people in the cathedral and wondered if they were experiencing the same.

Even if they weren’t, there was something else important going on here: we were united by this music. People from all walks of life had chosen to come out and experience this musical evening, and it had brought us all together.

The strength of music in bringing people together is clear. You only have to look at the long-running festivals to see that it is possible to unite lots

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of different people by allowing them to experience the joys of guitar riffs, drum beats or cheerful pop choruses. A friend of mine once recalled a time when he was in the army, out in the open with hundreds of other soldiers taking a short break in grueling training. A popular song was played over a tannoy system. Everyone started to sing along and as they did, the atmosphere became lighter and happier. Team morale was boosted thanks to the power of music.

It’s a wonder that we don’t make use of this gift more in life. How about a world where work pauses for a cheerful midmorning song? Who could fail to feel re-energised after a lap of The Conga around the office? Or what about an announcement to queues of people waiting in shops: “Ladies and gentlemen, we apologise for the delay… whilst you wait here’s some reggae…”

Whatever the occasion, there’s usually a song for it, so let’s all bring more music in to our lives, and let music bring us together.

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BLADES BARBERS ReDUCeD WAiTing Times nOW With seven team members at BLADes BARBeRs

DUE TO THE SUCCESS of the salon, Brendan, with 28 years of barbering experience, has come a long way having opened the salon in early 2009 initially on his own, he now has seven team members to accommodate customer demand for high quality gent’s hairdressing at Great Ashby in Stevenage.

REDUCED WAITING TIMES. Since opening the salon, Brendan has increased the size of his waiting area to provide extra seats, taken on additional highly qualified barbers and is now training a junior team member to the same high standard that customers have come to expect.

Opening Times

monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday saturday sunday

9am - 6pm 9am - 6pm 9am - 6pm 9am - 7pm 8am - 6pm 7.30am - 4pm Closed

BLADES BARBERS – is an upmarket salon charging local prices. It is situated in the perfect location at the Neighbourhood Centre in Great Ashby, with FREE AND PLENTIFUL PARKING making the whole experience easy and convenient.

price List -

no appointment necessary Wet Cut & Blow Dry

£8.50

Wash Cut & Blow dry

£12.50

Clipper Cuts

£6.50

senior Citizens

£6.00

Mon - Thurs 9am - 2pm, over 65 years

Children

£7.50

up to 11 years

Beard Trim Beard Trim

£3.00 £4.50

with cut throat shape up

Lines & patterns prices from

£1.00

Unit 1, st Francis House, Whitehorse Lane, great Ashby neighbourhood Centre, stevenage, sg1 6nH

Tel: 01438 317 482

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Relax & Renew

Beauty Studio

Voted Americas most wanted non-invasive beauty treatment Suitable for all skin types, the Venus Freeze is a comfortable warm treatment that's used as a non-surgical face lift, helping to improve lines, wrinkles, jowls & a double chin. On the body it will tighten loose skin, reduce cellulite & fat, resulting in a more defined youthful appearance.

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Finance

Alternative Investments:

Returns v Risk

The alternative investment market has grown considerably in recent years, as results of research by innovation charity, Nesta, in conjunction with the University of Cambridge, shows, “... [the UK market] has more than doubled in size year on year from £267 million in 2012 to £666 million in 2013 to £1.74 billion in 2014.”¹ Although generally considered more risky than mainstream products, alternative investments offer a broad choice, and depending on the product, potentially more control over your money.

Here are five ways to invest should you wish to try a non-traditional route: Peer-to-peer consumer lending This involves lending small amounts of money to individuals via dedicated peer-to-peer websites.

Higher interest rates provide motivation to invest when compared with banks and building societies, but peer-to-peer lending also carries with it greater dangers.

One such risk is the lack of protection from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, which normally guarantees savings up to a maximum of £85,000.

• An annual fee is common, which may be calculated as a percentage of interest earned, or of your total investment • You may be able to withdraw the money early, but there will probably be a fee for this too • Zopa, Funding Circle and Ratesetter are all key players in this market

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Equity-based crowdfunding Investors put money into one or more businesses either at the start-up or growth stage, in return for a stake in the company. Those companies seeking funding place their business plan and pitch online, plus details about their background and experience.

Lenders then search the website for what they regard to be good investment opportunities.

As an example, if a business is seeking £20,000 and this financial target is not reached by the end of the stated period, all monies are returned to the investors.

Transactions are processed online, in one of two different ways: • You deal directly with the company you are investing in, and your name goes on the shares – Crowdcube operate under this policy.

• The crowdfunding website processes the deal on behalf of multiple (sometimes thousands) investors, and holds the shares – this is Seedrs’ method of operating.

Fine wine There are three ways to buy into the wine market: • Established, reputable wine merchants: with the emphasis firmly on established and reputable merchants, you can buy ‘new vintage’ wine by the case, or ‘en primeur’ which means pre-bottled.

Buying ‘en primeur’ is less expensive, but riskier in the long run as the vintage has not yet been tested.

The wine industry has been the target of scammers in the past, which is why establishing the reputation of a wine merchant is paramount before making an investment.

The Wine Investment Association offers lots of advice and guidance, and was set up in response to the high level of fraud being experienced by investors.

• Wine funds: these allow you to spread the risk over a range of different grapes and vines, and you can simply sit back and allow a fund manager to make the selection. The Financial Conduct Authority has suggested that wine funds should only be marketed to experienced investors, however.

With this model it’s important to note that you are effectively trading on the wine market rather than owning the wine itself.

• Buying and selling wine: online wine trading

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Great Ashby Podiatry Clinic

General Chiropody and Diabetic Footcare Computerised Gait Analysis and Orthotic Therapy Qualified in Local Analgesia and Nail Surgery Sports Injuries and Musculoskeletal Conditions Treated Sports Massage Therapy and Swedish Massage Therapy

c

health professions council

Gary Webb MChS Podiatrist Tel: 01438 317738 45 Grasmere, Great Ashby

www.garywebbpodiatrist.co.uk www.podiatryandwellbeing.co.uk

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LOOKING FOR AN ACCOUNTANT AND A PROFESSIONAL ONE TO ONE SERVICE ?

We specialise in Small to Medium size Businesses, Sole Traders & Partnerships • Accounts • Tax Returns • Payroll • Vat For a free quotation and initial meeting call Chris Hughes 01438 362959 Email: chrishugheshb@btconnect.com

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platforms allow you to carry out your own buying and selling activities, read reviews on various wines, and check on the value of your portfolio.

Investing in wine is a risky business. Being an unregulated asset class means there is no protection for your investment from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, but it may be suitable for high net worth individuals or experienced investors.

Stamps Stamp collecting used to be regarded as a hobby, but it is now seen as an investment opportunity. If you want to build up your own collection, it’s rarity and quality that are the watchwords.

Knowing what is rare and of good quality is something that comes with experience built up over a number of years, however.

• Money Observer state that “anything under £500 is unlikely to be considered investment grade”² • This should be seen as a long-term investment of five to ten years Classic cars A new classic car fund was launched in May 2014 by private equity group, PHD Equity Partners. A minimum investment of £50,000 is required, and investors are able to drive their car(s) on certain days of the year.

It’s not only Ferraris that are of interest to investors - cars like the 1970s Ford Escort are also popular.

Many owners combine their love of classic cars with this investment opportunity, driving their pride and joy to meetings and other events.

The running costs of owning a classic car need to be factored in, but the simple fact that there are no complex electronics to deal with should keep some costs lower.

These ideas may have whetted your appetite for the alternative investment market, but they are just a small selection of the non-standard investments available. Collectibles, forestry, diamonds and gold provide other opportunities to invest, but as with all alternative investments they attract higher risks. www.nesta.org.uk/publications/understandingalternative-finance-uk-alternative-finance-industryreport-2014 www.moneyobserver.com/our-analysis/alternativeinvestments-stamps www.wineinvestmentassociation.org/ www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/diyinvesting/ article-2378031/How-invest-wine-avoid-pitfallsplonk.html www.which.co.uk/money/credit-cards-and-loans/ reviews-ns/peer-to-peer-lending-websites/peer-topeer-lending-explained/ www.whatinvestment.co.uk/financial-news/ funds/2463232/and39taxefficientand39-fund-toinvest-in-classic-cars-launched.thtml

WORDWHEEL

Word Ladder

Change one letter at a time (but not the position of any letter) to make a new word - and move from the word at the top of the ladder to the word at the bottom, using the exact number of rungs provided.

L A M B

Using only the letters in the Wordwheel, you have ten minutes to find as many words as possible, none of which may be plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. Each word must be of three letters or more, all must contain the central letter and letters can only be used once in every word. There is at least one word that uses all of the letters in the wheel.

TARGET Excellent: 24 or more words Good: 18 words Fair: 15 words

T ©Puzzlepress.co.uk

M G O A T

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A

O L

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Employment

Employment Matters Shared Parental Leave

How will it affect employers and employees?

Family-friendly leave entitlements are changing!

Shared Parental Leave (SPL) applies to parents of children who are due to be born/adopted on or after 5th April 2015 and will give parents more flexibility over when they take leave during the first year of their child’s life.

SPL is an ‘opt-in’ system so current maternity and adoption leave provisions apply unless parents choose to share it. Two weeks ordinary paternity leave will remain available to fathers/partners, but the option to take additional paternity leave has been removed.

SPL is available to families where both parents are employed and also where one parent is employed and the other is classed as ‘economically active’, which only requires a low level of earnings.

Employment rights during leave, in redundancy situations and on return are the same as during maternity leave.

How does it affect employers?

For employers, it will mean new policies, new

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forms, more administration and less certainty over when their employees will be in the office.

Employers who currently offer enhanced maternity pay schemes should consider treating SPL in the same way, or it could be considered sex discrimination to pay the partner less.

The parents decide how to divide up 50 weeks of SPL. They can request leave in one block or multiple blocks of complete weeks. If they ask for one block of leave, the employer has to agree.

If they ask for multiple blocks, the employer has two weeks to agree, propose an alternative or refuse. Requests to vary leave can be made but the employer may refuse that request. If the employer refuses a multiple leave request, the parent is allowed to take SPL in one block.

How does it affect employees?

The mother will still have to take the first two weeks of compulsory maternity leave.

The mother can choose to continue on maternity leave or serve a ‘curtailment notice’ giving her employer eight weeks’ notice of the end of her maternity leave. At the same time she has to serve a ‘notice of entitlement’ to prove that she is entitled to SPL along with an idea of when she would like to take her part of the SPL. The father/partner must also serve a notice of entitlement and intention to take SPL on his/her employer. These notices are very detailed and include declarations from each parent that they agree to the amount of leave that the other parent is taking.

Each parent has to provide their employer with details of the other parent’s employer with standard evidence of entitlement such as birth certificate/adoption papers.

Once parents have agreed plans to take leave, they serve another notice on their employers (a ‘period of leave notice’) at least eight weeks before the start of the first period of leave.

Hopefully it will all be straightforward in practice!

Carol H Scott HR and Business Consulting Ltd

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31

Wildlife

By Andy Mydellton

Writhing Reptiles Many people dislike snakes but few notice snakes in the countryside let alone in their gardens, probably because they don’t expect to see them.

Snakes evolved from lizards about 100 million years ago in the age of the dinosaurs and evolved to prey on small warm-blooded and nutritious mammals.

Despite being largely misunderstood since the Garden of Eden, most snakes are not poisonous and all species are only self-defensive. Biting people goes against their nature and snakes will only do this as a last resort.

I saw my first black male grasssnake in late autumn when I was leading a conservationist expedition in the West of England.

He was coiled up asleep in the morning sun which was quite a dangerous thing for him because carnivores such as foxes and birds of prey could have seen and eaten him.

The second time I saw a male grass-snake was in September at Millstream Fork. I literally crossed his path when he was side

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winding from the lawn across the York stone pathway towards the undergrowth. Magically, under a small green plant, he somehow managed to disappear. I was bemused as to how he could have escaped my close attention so quickly and easily. I carefully looked at three hidden stones that lay beneath the green cover; it seemed to me that the only way he could have vanished was by sliding under these stones and disappearing into subterranean tunnels.

My only sight of a female grasssnake was some years ago, also at Millstream Fork, curled up in the pond’s foliage. My chances of attracting them into the garden increased enormously when I gave them exactly what they wanted, which was safety, shelter and food. This included making hibernacuiums of old carpet and a small sheet of corrugated iron adding to the natural cover which I had planted and allowing all sorts of animals to hide and sleep safely in the garden.

Unlike the pencil thin black

male, about 20 centimetres long, the female is our largest reptile measuring over a metre in length, and has camouflaged colours of green and brown, similar to an army battlefield outfit. Neither the male nor female are venomous.

They mate in April, and later the female lays her eggs in leaf litter or rotting vegetation in plenty of time for the tiny hatchlings to grow enough to survive the cold and hardship of their first winter.

Despite their name, they like ponds and river edges where they hunt for amphibians, such as frogs, newts and toads. All of these inhabit Millstream Fork. Moreover, grass snakes never eat carrion only the live prey that they catch and kill themselves.

I have been fortunate to have seen grass-snakes twice at Millstream Fork but while I am grateful for this luck, I still wonder how many snakes I have missed.

Andy Mydellton is CEO of the Foundation for Endangered Species & Wildlife Zone. www.ffes.org.uk

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33

Garden

Going potty for summer plants

By Pippa Greenwood www.pippagreenwood.com I am a great fan of hanging baskets, window boxes and patio containers, but this year why not include some unusual containers and planters to bring a different look or even a bit of humour to your garden?

You can use almost anything as a planter. I have seen some really crazy plantings in disused hand basins, loo cisterns or even the lavatory itself! If you are using something like a hand basin which only has one plug hole in the bottom, make sure that you cover it with pieces of broken crock and then perhaps put an inch or two of course gravel in the bottom of the container before you put the compost in.

But there are plenty of other normal household objects which can be used. How about that old watering can that’s sprung a leak? Whether you have a traditional galvanised can or a more modern plastic one, you can have great fun planting it up with bedding, particularly if you choose something like trailing blue lobelia to come spurting out of the top and perhaps even the end.

Buckets too can look really good fun and if you have one which still has its handle firmly attached, then you could use it as a hanging basket.

Old footwear with can be turned into planting with real flair. If you use old gardening boots or a pair of shoes, you are unlikely to need to add extra drainage as they invariably drain well. But if you are going to recycle a pair of wellies, then you may need to punch a few holes. Again cascading plants can look particularly dramatic, but a bunch of bright red geraniums or the spiky hedgehog-like foliage of a bright green or variegated grass can look particularly eye-catching.

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See if there’s anything in your kitchen cupboards that could be recycled. An old saucepan, casserole pot or even a mixing bowl or jug can make an attractive planter. If the container is large and there are no drainage holes in it, then the other option is to plant it up as a mini bog garden and use moisture-loving plants in it such as hostas or pondside irises. Colanders or sieves also make interesting and unusual hanging baskets. You can simply plant one or two upright specimens in the centre of the colander and then use plenty of trailing plants around the edge and allow them to cascade down.

You could even create your own living tea set with an old sizeable teapot and some large mugs full of favourite summer bedding.

Larger items such as old wheelbarrows or chimney pots can often be bought very cheaply from a local salvage or junk yard. Something like a wheelbarrow gives a huge planting area and because it holds such a large volume of compost, it will also mean it will be less inclined to dry out.

All these containers can be treated in just the same way as a container that you have bought from the garden centre. As I mentioned drainage is of great importance, but when it comes to choosing a compost and the plants themselves, you need nothing any different from when you are planting up a more traditional container and believe me you can have a lot more fun!

Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood.com for ladybirds to control greenfly, Nemaslug, brilliant weeders, pop-up crop covers, copper tape and lots more besides.

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We don’t aim to save you pennies - just £’s Stunning new range of garden furniture, soft weave, mesh and bistro sets all at pre-season SALE prices

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Celebration & Wedding cakes made to order Special offer: Renshaws white newA1 covering sugarpaste only £3 per kilo Based at Seddington Nursery, Northbound (while stock lasts) between Biggleswade/Sandy SG19 1NZ Flower and modelling classes now being booked for April Tel: 01767 680 983 in our special built classroom.

Open 9.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m.

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Time of Year

Project Pleasure April is a great month for a garden project; one which can be achieved in a morning or an afternoon, and which improves a few square metres. You’ll feel you’ve achieved something wonderful and if you break the whole garden into a series of small projects it suddenly appears more manageable. Here are three to get you started.

Strawberry Pots - You don’t need a huge patch to enjoy growing strawberries. Plant a few in pots as a treat. Buy young, rich green plants which have been certified virus-free. Plant 3-4 in a 12 inch (30cm) clay pot. The crowns (where shoots meet roots) should be level with the compost surface.

Water them in and stand in the shelter of a house wall. If you have a greenhouse or a cold frame they will establish more quickly and fruit earlier. Pinch off any runners which form.

Grass - Lawns always look bedraggled after the winter. Remove dead grass by raking the surface with a wire toothed rake. Improve drainage on heavy soil by spiking it with a garden fork every 6

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By Rachel Leverton

inches (15cm) or so, to a depth of about 4 inches (10cm), giving the fork a good wiggle each time.

Sweep sharp sand into the holes with a broom.

Then mow the lawn with the blades set on high and remove the clippings. Two weeks later apply a combined weed killer and fertilizer. If you’re lucky it will rain within 24 hours. If not just water it in.

Mow weekly to keep the lawn thick and healthy.

Seating - Don’t forget an all weather seat so you can sit and contemplate all your hard work over a cup of tea or a nip of something stronger. Teak from renewable resources is fantastic but cast iron or aluminium is also good, though you’ll need a cushion to protect your posterior on cold days!

Position in a sunny area. Buy a few flowering daffodils, tulips and pansies and plant them in a pretty pot next to the bench, and sit back and enjoy.

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37

Pets

Animal Know-How Potentially dangerous little wrigglers Worms can cause suffering, illness and even death.

Also, some types of worms can be spread between pets and people and can cause diseases. Even healthy looking animals can carry worms, so it’s important to worm your pets regularly.

Many infected animals don’t show any outward signs, so it’s important to have a worm control programme in place as advised by your vet. But, if your animal is infected, you may see worms in faeces or vomit, or around your pet’s bottom. If you do see any worms on or near your animal, wrap them up in damp cotton wool and take them to the vet.

Other symptoms that your pet has worms are: weight loss, their fur becoming dry and coarse, increased appetite, weakness and diarrhoea. In severe cases, infected puppies and kittens can have a distended abdomen or ‘pot belly’.

To reduce the risk of worms, it is vital to maintain an effective worm control programme – with pets being wormed against roundworm from a young age, and adult pets being treated against roundworms and tapeworms. Also: • Prevent tapeworms by using a flea treatment regularly, as fleas can carry tapeworm eggs.

• Disinfect food and water bowls regularly.

Also ensure housing is regularly cleaned and disinfected. Only use a disinfectant that is safe

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for animals.

• Good pasture management is required for horses, ponies, donkeys and rabbits – to prevent them from eating the larvae and eggs of worms. This may involve removing droppings and rotating which areas your animal has access to.

• For rabbits, avoid collecting greens from areas where wild rabbits and rodents have been. If kept outside, place housing so that exposure to wild rabbits and rodents is minimised.

• Wash your hands thoroughly before you eat.

• Clean up after your pet and dispose of faeces carefully.

• Pregnant animals should only be wormed under the supervision of a vet.

As with most animal care – a little regular effort goes a long way to ensure you have a happy and healthy pet.

ANIMAL KNOW-HOW 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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It’s a D g’s Life Professional Dog Grooming Fully Insured. City and Guilds qualified.

Grooming Services: Nail Trimming and Ear Cleaning Bath and Blow Dry Full Groom Hand Stripping 1st Puppy Bath Free (up to 4 months) Health Check I have a variety of shampoos to suit individual needs.

A quick spray of cologne and your pet will come home smelling wonderful.

Other Services: Are there times when you need help with your pet?

Have you got an unusually long day away from home? Are you out all day?

I can help....dog walking or home visits to allow a toilet break or to give food.

Please call to discuss your requirements. I look forward to hearing from you.

Call Christina Valentine on 07717 077502

223 Cleveland Way, Great Ashby, Stevenage Herts SG1 6BX

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in y sedAshb a B at e Gr

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Revision

Magikats

Fun and Games Many parents are currently dreading the arrival of the exam period at school, knowing that they face some less than enjoyable fun and games. They know they are about to start an uphill struggle to help their children into good revision habits so they can deal with the challenges ahead. There is always a desperate need for “just one more drink”, one more must see TV programme to watch or one more level on the playstation to complete. The world is an exciting place for children and young adults so homework, revision and exams seem, at best, to be nothing more than stuff that just spoils their fun; at worst they are something that fills them with fear, anxiety and stress.

MagiKats Maths & English revision programmes are designed to overcome these difficulties by providing a fun and friendly environment for weekly revision workshops. With an additional five or ten minutes of daily activities prepared for working on at home, our programme will support the needs of all ages and abilities for whatever educational hurdles they are facing – SATS, GCSE, entrance exams or 11-plus.

Attending our weekly workshops provides children with a strong foundation for revision planning. With each child receiving their own individual programme we can support their needs, strengthen their abilities and instil in them the confidence and positivity to take on the challenges ahead. What is perhaps of more importance to students is the fact we make it fun while encouraging self-discipline.

MagiKats takes educating children seriously, which is why our revision programme is designed by educational professionals who know from experience that when learning is fun, learning is easy. Our stimulating approach contributes to your child enjoying their work and achieving a better understanding – learning in the way that works for them.

With dedication and passion we build a solid foundation for life-long independent learning through 1-2-1 support, activities, and group work where it is beneficial. With no more than six students per mentor, everyone gets the right level of support at the right moment. There is no grinding through endless worksheets or gazing at screens. Our students work with their tutors and peers to really nail their understanding. By inspiring children with a desire to learn we are confident you’ll agree that when it comes to revision fun and games, MagiKats is the expert.

If you would like to know more about how MagiKats can help and support your children with their 2015 revision needs – or any other educational support that may be required – please call 01438 238288, email stefanie.k@magikats.co.uk or visit our website at www.magikats.co.uk.

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Motoring

Drivers’ Cars

By James Baggott, editor of Car Dealer Magazine (CarDealerMag.co.uk) We’ve driven some fantastic cars in 2014 and below we’ve narrowed them down to our five favourites based on absolute, pure driving pleasure.

They are the maddest, baddest and most heart-racing cars we’ve driving this year and if you manage to get behind the wheel of any of this selection, you’re very lucky indeed.

Rolls-Royce Wraith More of a house than a car, and even costing more than some people’s at £219,480, the Rolls-Royce Wraith is a surreal machine. It’s carpeted with what looks to be real bear fur, features TWO umbrellas concealed in the bodywork, and can even hold its own on the road with its 624bhp outpacing almost anything as luxurious.

looks are equally stunning with sleek lines and striking curves. It clings to the road and can take on whatever corner you’re gutsy enough to throw it round – sometimes a little more sideways that you originally planned.

Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Gadget-lovers will be in heaven in the £119,835 S63 AMG. We could write a wish list of tech as long as our arms and the Mercedes would still have it and more. Inside you’ll find TVs, massage seats and it’s very own Wi-Fi, so you could drive off into the sunset and never be without your creature comforts.

Porsche Macan Turbo Porsche’s latest SUV might not be to everyone’s taste

looks-wise, but it’s still been gifted with its namesake’s driving pedigree. Those who want a luxury SUV will not be disappointed with the £67,423 Macan, which comfortably seats five, but it still drives like a sports car. It’s no wonder Porsche can’t build them quick enough.

Jaguar F-Type Probably the best car of the year, the F-Type is flawless. If you can get over the growl that Jaguar’s specially made exhaust makes and actually get it off your driveway, then you’ll find the way it handles is exceptional.

With these gorgeous looks, it seems to just be the £85,000 price tag that is wrong with this car. But then if you’re looking at that, it’s probably the wrong car for you in the first place!

BMW M4 The BMW M4 is incredible, speeding from 0-60mph in just four seconds with all the grace and power you would expect from the German marque.

The £56,650 car’s

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Stevenage airport taxiS

Stevenage Airport Taxis offer the most reliable and professional airport transfer service in and around the Stevenage area. We have several licensed vehicles that can cater for up to 8 passengers. We also provide a transport service for weddings, long distance journeys and any occasion day or night leisure trips.

Please visit our website for any bookings or quotations

www.stevenageairporttaxis.co.uk or call

01438 420420 Online Bookings • Credit Cards Accepted

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N O I T I T E P M O C Win Tickets to see some

Music Maestros!

The Bedford Corn Exchange is hosting two great music events this month. Country duo The Shires are returning to their home county for an evening of music straight out of Nashville. The pair hail from Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire (hence their name) and have been making waves on the music scene.

Their debut album ‘Brave’ is out now and they have featured on BBC’s One Show, Chris Evan’s Breakfast Show and Radio 2 with their recent single ‘Friday Night’ and their album being both the station’s single and album of the week.

Acoustic guitarist Ben Earle coupled with the beautiful vocals of Crissie Rhodes have swiftly soared to popularity and signed to Decca just before they made their official live London debut at the second annual Country 2 Country Festival in London’s 02 Arena after which they travelled to Nashville.

Bringing country music into mainstream popularity, the pair say: “We love American music, but we’re proudly British and intensely keen to add some real indigenous flavour to the pot – this is no twangy tribute act!”

There is also a big line up for the 2015 St George’s Day Ska Event which features original ‘rude boy’ Neville Staple formerly of The Specials and Fun Boy Three. His solo tour includes a selection of both bands’ back catalogue including ‘Gangsters’, ‘A Message to you Rudy’ and ‘Ghost Town’ as well as the

reworking of some Jamaican ska classics and some new solo material. His album ‘Ska Crazy’ was released in 2014 to rave reviews.

Special guests are Ruts DC, formerly punk band The Ruts that was founded in 1980 by guitarist Paul Fox, bassist John ‘Segs’ Jennings, drummer Dave Ruffy and the late vocalist Malcolm Owen.

Also headlining is popular festival circuit band New Groove Formation with their album ‘Summer in a Glass’ having been released last year. DJ Andy Attic from Club Ska Sound System will be there to entertain the main auditorium along with DJs Hammy and Geoff playing Northern and classic soul in the Howard Room 2 between bands and until 1am.

The Shires will be performing at The Bedford Corn Exchange on Monday 27th April 2015. Tickets (seated) are £12 in advance and doors open at 7.30pm. The St George’s Day Ska Event takes place on Saturday 25th April 2015 with doors opening at 7.30pm and tickets are £20 in advance. Buy online at www.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk or www. seetickets.com, call 01234 718112, or in person from the box office. Ska tickets are also available from www.wegottickets or in person from Planet Boutique, The Arcade, Bedford and Mario’s Hair Design, Kempston with no booking fee.

The Villager and Town Life has two pairs of tickets courtesy of The Pad Presents Ltd to give away for the St George’s Day Ska Event.

To enter, simply email editor@villagermag.com with the heading ‘Ska Competition Entry’ and include your name, address and telephone no.

A winner will be picked at random.

For more information visit www.thepadpresents.com

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SHIRON

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Washing Machines Tumble Dryers Dishwashers Electric Ovens Electric Cookers Microwaves Vacuum Cleaners and all domestic appliances.

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Margarete’s Memories

Whatever the occasion express your love with flowers Bespoke floral tributes made to order: Fresh or silk • Funerals • Weddings • Music Festivals • Proms • Table Displays Contact: Joanne Tel: 07920 147137 Email: margaretesgd@mail.com

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n i t l h F e o J Plasterersam

Female Plasterer specialising in: Plastering, Plasterboarding Rendering, Making Good, Painting

A FRIENDLY FAMILY FIRM. FREE QUOTATIONS

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ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Easy Suduko

Hard Suduko

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 puzzles.

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Food & Drink

Beer of the Month

by Ted Bruning Cider is always seen as a summer drink, and local Apple Days are always held in October, so why are we featuring it in May? Apple days celebrate not cider but the apple harvest and apples in general. But October is when the cidermaker’s year really begins. That’s when the main harvest and when the hard labour of milling and pressing gets under way in earnest.

Once it’s gone through its first fermentation, the fresh-pressed juice is sealed away for its long, cold, slow, maturation to emerge fresh and bright in May. That’s when the Big Apple Association holds the Cider & Perry Trials at Putley Village Hall in Herefordshire and when the Campaign for Real Ale hosts its national Cider & Perry Competition at Reading Beer Festival. The ciders entered in these competitions are the genuine farmhouse item – still, strong, and 100% fresh-pressed juice and not what you’d usually find in supermarkets. However

here are two that come close.

Chaplin & Cork’s Somerset Reserve is named after the two cidermakers at the Shepton Mallet Cider Mill. And it’s very good, with an overpowering aroma of freshly-picked apples, a palate that’s quite light for its alcohol content (6.8%), only lightly carbonated, and an authentic burst of tannin in the finish.

Henry Weston’s Vintage from Herefordshire is even stronger at 8.2%, so treat it with respect. The nose isn’t quite as pronounced, and the palate is sweeter, richer, rounder – creamy, even – while the finish is also quenchingly bitter.

Whilst neither of these is what an aficionado would call “traditional”, they’re both excellent in their own right.

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I D Decorating Painting & Decorating Services Painting – Interior & Exterior Decorating Coving No Job Too Big Or Too Small Fully Insured & Free Estimates Telephone: Ian Dunklin 0790 508 3799

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The Villager Prize Crossword

Prize

ÂŁ25

Across 1 Frenzied (7) 5 Horizontal (5) 8 Regularity (9) 9 Prohibit (3) 10 Severe (5) 12 Set free (7) 13 Protest (13) 15 Digit (7) 17 Used to sweeten (5) 19 Frozen water (3) 20 Small flower (9) 22 Examinations (5) 23 Longed for (7) Down 2 Beer (3) 3 Strengthen (7) 4 Praised (13) 5 Faithful (5)

Complete the crossword, fill in your details below, cut out this page and send to the address below before

17th April 2015 Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP



1 After fourth (5)

6 Shaking (9) 7 Portable light (7) 11 Recalls (9) 13 Repairs teeth (7) 14 Replies (7) 16 Formal garments (5) 18 Quick (5) 21 Automobile (3)

Name: Tel: Address:

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Russell Grant’s

Horoscopes

ARIES March 21st - April 20th

Attention and acclaim will come your way in early April and Easter will be a time of rebirth. The Lunar Eclipse on the 4th marks the end of a difficult relationship phase.

TAURUS April 21st - May 21st

Resist the urge to get drawn into an argument around the Easter holiday.

It’s time to put an end to a dysfunctional relationship.

GEMINI May 22nd - June 21st

LIBRA September 24th - October 23rd

The opening days of April prompt someone special to make a declaration of love.

This is an opportune time to get engaged or married, move in with your amour, or launch a business with an entrepreneur.

SCORPIO October 24th - November 22nd

The Lunar Eclipse on the 4th brings a satisfying end to a bureaucratic matter. A writing project will have to be revised in mid-April. Don’t be discouraged. The New Moon on the 18th is ideal for launching a health regime.

You’ll acquire some valuable information or skills at the start of April. A Lunar Eclipse on the 4th will be a time of profound emotional fulfilment. Don’t buy into any conspiracy theories near the 8th. The New Moon on the 18th puts you in contact with some dynamic pioneers.

SAGITTARIUS November 23rd - December 21st

CANCER June 22nd - July 23rd

CAPRICORN December 22nd - January 20th

The beginning of April is perfect for creative ventures. A Lunar Eclipse on the 4th marks a great time to sell a piece of land or break a lease. Easter could get stressful, thanks to tension between you and your partner.

LEO July 24th - August 23rd

Your star power opens doors for you, both personally and professionally, at the beginning of April. Easter could see a nagging health problem. Be ready to apply for a promotion.

VIRGO August 24th - September 23rd

Someone will seek your professional opinion in early April. Easter could get rather tense, thanks to a family argument over money. The New Moon on the 18th brings a windfall.

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Early April will prove a fulfilling time for you and the Lunar Eclipse on the 4th brings the successful culmination of a group project. If you’re in the market for love, you’ll meet someone who makes your pulse pound.

You’ll find a receptive audience for your ideas at the beginning of April. This is a great time to work on behalf of a charitable organisation.

AQUARIUS January 21st - February 19th

Relationships take on a cosy, comfortable aspect and the New Moon on 18th affords a great opportunity for networking. Your family will be a wonderful source of support during the second half of April.

PISCES February 20th - March 20th

The first days of April are ideal for salary negotiations. If you’ve been looking for work, you’ll get promising responses on or around the 8th. You will feel on top of the world when someone you respect singles you out for praise at the end of April.

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Guess what we’re having?

HALF PRICE SALE COME IN TO SEE THE SAVINGS YOU CAN MAKE SELECTED ITEMS ONLY

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Opening Hours: Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat, 9am - 5pm

why not visit our website: www.oaklandblinds.co.uk

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n O s ’ t Wha In April 17 February-7 July Jill Grey - Life & Legacy Exhibition See website for opening times British Schools Museum, 41/42 Queen Street, Hitchin, SG4 2TS Collector, Curator, Code Breaker, Correspondent and Campaigner, Jill’s story, told mainly in her own words, will amaze and inspire you.

A truly remarkable life - A truly remarkable legacy.

Tel: 01462 420144 Web: www.britishschoolsmuseum.co.uk 1 April North Herts Association of National Trust 7.30pm Christchurch, Bedford Road, Hitchin, SG5 1HF Non-members welcome £2 Talk is ‘Chicksands Priory’ given by Roger Ward.

Tel: Colette House 01462 815585 Web: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ nhertfordassoc 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 April Sapphire Social Club 8.30pm Meet in Hitchin This social club caters for the unattached aged 50+ with varied events during the month.

No joining fee for the first two months.

Tel: Joyce 07960 440417 or Ian 07900 890583 for information Web: www.sapphiresocialsinglesclub.co.uk

Deadline for What’s On entries is the 12th of the previous month.

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2, 11 & 12 April Binocular and Telescope Event 10am-4pm RSPB, The Lodge Nature Reserve, Sandy, Bedfordshire Free entry to the shop. Normal reserve entry fees apply if visiting the trails Impartial, friendly advice on choosing the best binoculars, telescopes and accessories to suit your needs. Take your time comparing the different models and have the chance to try them outdoors, to help you to make the right choice. Some of these open days are run with Viking Optical. Don’t worry if you can’t make these dates as our shop staff and volunteers are always happy to help you choose from the full range of RSPB binoculars and telescopes.

3, 4, 5, 6, 8 & 10 April Easter at The Lodge 11am-3pm RSPB, The Lodge Nature Reserve, Sandy Trail Sheet £2. Donations for nature activity welcome. Children’s Easter hunt trail and pop up nature activity weekend.

Follow the Easter Trail for a fun time on the reserve learning about nature as you go.

Collect a crème egg (or another reward) from the shop or Visitor Centre when you finish!

If the weather is fine, join in at the drop-in nature activity table.

4 April The Signals Museum 10am-4pm The Signals Museum at RAF Henlow is open to the public. Entry is free but official photo ID such as a driving licence, passport or over 60s Bus Pass is required to get an entry ticket from the Guardroom. See website for full information.

Web: www.rafsignalsmuseum.org.uk

5 April Wildlife of The Lodge - in Watercolour 11am-3pm RSPB, The Lodge Nature Reserve, Sandy Free event Local wildlife artist Steve Kershaw will be painting the birds and wildlife that he encounters on his regular walks around The Lodge reserve and gardens, and demonstrating his amazing art work. Find Steve at the Visitor Information Centre (held in fair weather only). Paintings for sale donations from sales to the RSPB. 6, 13, 20 & 27 April Branch Out Club 8.30-11pm Cromwell Bar, The Sun Hotel, Hitchin Branch Out is a medium-sized social club for single people and meets every Monday night. It was formed in 1995 to bring together single, divorced, widowed and separated people, aged 40 upwards, from the Herts, Beds and Bucks area, to socialise and enjoy one another’s company. The club organises regular events, such as dinners, discos, meals, parties, Sunday walks, theatre and concert visits, day and weekend trips and holidays.

Web: www.branch-out.org.uk 10 April Bedfordshire Family History Society Doors open 7.15pm Mark Rutherford School Drama Hall Wentworth Drive Bedford MK42 9RX Members free, Visitors £2 Illustrated talk is “Milestones and Turnpikes”.

Library and bookstall are available at meetings. Next meeting will be 1 May 2015. www.bfhs.org.uk

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n O s ’ t Wha In April 11 April Benslow Baroque Opera presents: Acis and Galatea 11.30am & 7pm Queen Mother Theatre, Hitchin Adults £15, £5 student Benslow Music’s annual Baroque Opera Project returns with Handel’s wonderful Acis and Galatea. This year, after three productions in various locations, we are returning to the Queen Mother Theatre, Hitchin which is the ideal venue for the production. An event not to be missed! Tel: Box Office 01462 455166 Email: info@benslowmusic.org Web: www.benslowmusic.org 12 April Garden Open at Radwell Mill 2-4.30pm Radwell, Baldock Adults £3, Seniors £2, under 14 free Tea, cakes, stalls and more.

12 April Charity Quiz 8pm The Five Bells, Henlow Village £2 per person Charity Quiz in aid of East Anglia Air Ambulance (helping Prince William!). Cash prizes and also spot prizes as well as a raffle.

Teams of up to 8 members.

Tel: John 01767 680974 for further info 13 April Icknield Quilters 7.30pm for 7.45pm start Baldock Community Centre, Simpson Drive, Baldock SG7 6DH Cost £3 A sewing evening learning how to make Fabric Postcards and the third block for a raffle quilt.

Web: www.icknieldquilters.co.uk

15 April Sandy Horticultural Association 7.30pm Sandy Village Hall Members £2.50, Visitors £3.50 Talk on local railways entitled ‘Steaming Ahead’ by Stephen Nakownneczny. Optional two course meal afterwards £7 per person.

Tel: 01767 680983/01767 681457 Web: www.sandyshow.org

26 April The Sunday Dance Club 7.30-10.30pm The Spirella Ballroom, Bridge Road, Letchworth, SG6 4ET End those Winter Blues, come to our Spring Dance! Ballroom, Latin and Popular Sequence.

Ample free parking, sprung floor and licensed bar.

Tel: David 01234 300179

19 April Biggleswade Antiques Fair 9.30am-4pm The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade Entrance £1.50 This antiques fair offers a diverse range of antiques and collectables so whether you are a professional dealer, an avid collector or just looking for something special, this monthly fair is the place to visit. Café serving breakfast, lunches and afternoon tea.

Tel: 01480 382432 or 07906 647346 Web: www.madisonevents.co.uk

2 May May Day Celebrations 10.30am-12.30pm British Schools Museum, 41/42 Queen Street, Hitchin Free admission Family Fun for the Bank Holiday. Maypole & Country Dancing, plus a visit by Offley Morris Men. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Tel: Contact 01462 420144 Web: www.britishschoolsmuseum.co.uk

19 April Birds 4 Beginners 10.30am-1pm RSPB, The Lodge Nature Reserve, Sandy, Bedfordshire Adults £6, RSPB Members £4, Children £3, RSPB Wildlife Explorers £2 Our ever popular walk. Discover how to identify the birds that you see on your walks and in your gardens, and how to get the best out of your optics. Booking highly recommended as numbers are limited.

6 May-30 September Luton Hoo Walled Garden 11am-3pm Luton Hoo, LU1 4LF Entry £5 including guided tour Open every Wednesday. Guided tour times: 11.30am, 12.30pm and 2pm. Purchase produce from the Garden Stall. Enjoy a light lunch in beautiful surroundings of homemade cakes, snacks and savouries. Please pre-book dedicated tours for more than 15 people.

Tel: 01582 721443 Web: www.lutonhooestate.co.uk

Deadline for What’s On entries is the 12th of the previous month.

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59

UNIT 5A, THE NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE, WHITEHORSE LANE, STEVENAGE SG1 6NH TEL: 01438 368024 EMAIL: greatashbydrycleaners@gmail.com

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Business gone slow?

Let us help!

Advertising in The Villager is easy. To find out more call Nigel on 01767 261122 or email nigel@villagermag.com

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Books

Book Review

By Bruce Edwards Poldark - Ross Poldark Winston Graham Pub: Pan p/b £7.99 ISBN: 9781447281528

Dot Electrical

Fast, Reliable, Fully Qualified Electricians 24 hour service, 7 days a week We offer a range of electrical services covering both domestic and industrial: Rewires, New installations, Garden lighting and power, Intruder alarms, CCTV, Security lighting, Fuse box upgrades Recessed lighting, Central heating systems Electric showers, Fault finding, Solar energy

Tel: 07854738740 / 07516 256241 Email: dot-electrical@hotmail.co.uk Web: www.dotelectrical.co.uk

Yes, Poldark has returned from his soldier life. There’s some déjà vu here, with echoes of the popular television run from way back, though a re-make of the old film this new television drama is definitely not, with all the might of modern production techniques. The first episode is behind us as this is written, with Elizabeth, a haughty yet vaguely conscience smitten former love of Poldark providing the necessary touch of glamour to an otherwise dark and somewhat chaotic episode. Poldark does well to keep his feelings in check, how he manages to achieve - virtually single handed - all the cleaning and patching up of a run-down estate is marvellous, let alone fight off overly-possessive relatives of the young dog-owning brat. . .

And, of course, once a TV saga like Poldark reappears, then so, inevitably, does the book. A novel of Cornwall from the late 1700’s, it opens up to public gaze the harshness of life, the summary justice and the scheming ways of the people of the parish, young and old (what’s new?). And it reveals red-haired Demelza; the young maid with an unconsciously magical charm beneath her naïve and grubby looks who captures Ross’s heart, and of whom we will know a good deal more anon.

We’re all suckers for nostalgia nowadays, it being an antidote for the speed and pressure of modern life, so the chance to descend once more into the screened ‘romance’ of the past can be therapeutic.

Reading these well-written stories again will also help, so if you can’t find an old dog-eared copy on the shelves, then go buy yourself a new one.

Suggestion and queries to: writerselect@gmail. com. We’re always happy to consider specific titles for review, though without obligation.

Can’t find a title? E-mail your details and we’ll try to help.”

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