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Great Ashby

& Old Town Directory

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July 2015

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Contents The Birth of RAF Henlow

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The Birth of RAF Henlow...................................4 When Can I Take It Back?...................................8 The Villager Book Shop....................................11 Win a Ticket to Cruise on the John Bunyan......14 Fun Quiz..........................................................16 Luxury in Bath.................................................19 Why Floss?......................................................20 Bedwell Rangers.............................................23 How to Cut the Cost of Your Holiday................24 Employment Matters......................................26 Who’s For Ice Cream?.......................................29 Russell Grant’s Horoscopes..............................30 Editorial - Catherine Rose, Jonathan Vernon-Smith, Tim Saunders, Debbie Singh-Bhatti, Ann Haldon, Carol H Scott, Louise Addison, Russell Grant, Pippa Greenwood, Andy Mydellton, RSPCA, James Baggott, Ted Bruning and Bruce Edwards Advertising Sales - Victoria Tonkinson Tel: 01767 261122 E: vickie@villagermag.com

Green Garden Park Ltd....................................32 Keeping Healthy in the Sun.............................34 Bats Need Friends...........................................37 Animal Stories.................................................38 Children’s Page................................................41 Ford Mustang..................................................43 Seasonal Delights............................................44 Puzzle Page.....................................................48 Prize Crossword...............................................54 Beer of the Month...........................................56 What’s On........................................................58 Book Review...................................................61

Green Garden Park Ltd

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Publishers Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP Tel: 01767 261122 nigel@villagermag.com www.villagermag.com

Disclaimer - All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith, however, Villager Publications Ltd can not take any responsibilPhotography - Darren Harber ity for the content of the adverts, the services provided by the advertisers or any statements given in the editorial. No part of Design and Artwork this publication may be reproduced or stored without the express Design 9 Tel 07762 969460 To advertise in The Great Ashby and Old Town Directory please call 01767permission 261122of the publisher.

History

By Catherine Rose

The Birth of

RAF Henlow Henlow is first mentioned in the 11th century Domesday Book as Haneslau which loosely translated means ‘chicken or fowls hill’. It was one of the parishes within the Clifton Hundred that also included Arlesey, Campton, Chicksands, Clifton, Henlow, Holwell, Meppershall, Shillington, Stondon and Stotfold.

During the Middle Ages, there was a wide range of craft practised around the area such as sheep shearing, brickmaking and bowstring-making. But in 1603, the plague killed many of the villagers and it wasn’t until the 18th century that Henlow had regrown sufficiently to have its own millwright, woolcomber, rope and paper makers. In 1802, the Ivel Navigation (the old canal between Biggleswade and Shefford) began to serve the village.

Today Henlow is perhaps best known for its RAF base, now fast approaching its centenary. At the end of 1916, Brigadier General Tranchard, who was then commanding the Royal Flying Corps in France, convinced the Air Board to train more men in the rapid repair of aircraft and engines. The War Office subsequently set up regional training depots and Henlow was chosen for the eastern area. In 1917, 226 acres of farmland were bought, probably because the area was flat, free from water and relatively uninhabited with good communications.

One local resident, who was ten in 1917, recalled: “Large wheat fields were newly harvested when a sizeable civilian workforce of Irish labourers arrived.

Foundations were quickly constructed and buildings

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took shape, and from a sea of mud emerged Henlow Camp.”

Lieutenant Colonel Stapleton Cotton arrived with 40 airmen in May 1918 to start fitting out the workshops and in October 1918, around 100 American servicemen arrived.

However, with the end of the war, work was stopped and equipment was scrapped. One local resident recalled: “Aircraft were selling at 10 shillings for a small plane and double for a bomber….These fine machines, constructed by craftsmen, were dismantled and the high quality varnished wood used in building chicken houses and hay racks. Later, the aircraft left were burnt and buried.” The wood used for the aircraft was pickled in the giant ‘pickling factory’ on the site (now demolished) making it hard and weather resistant. Local farmers and gardeners therefore found the old airframes ideal for using as pig pens and plant trellises!

By 1920, a future policy for the RAF was emerging and as part of the general re-organisation, 161 further acres of Henlow land were purchased for aircraft flight testing. The unit’s name was changed to the Inland Area Aircraft Depot and the workshops re-organised. Production reached 15 engines and 10 aircraft per month.

One of the riggers working in the aircraft repair section remembered: “Aircraft would arrive at 186 shed having been flown in for a major overhaul.

There they would be stripped and the wooden airframe repaired and modified where necessary.

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The shell would then be pushed into 187 shed where engine fitters, blacksmiths and sheet metal workers would do their work. In 188 shed, the planes were fitted and rigging of the aircraft was completed after the final application of Irish linen and dope, prior to storage in shed 189 to await flight testing.”

The first recorded crash of a Henlow-based aircraft was on 3rd December 1921. A witness recalled: “The pilot was only slightly hurt when the aircraft, a Vickers Vimy, crashed on Henlow village. The fitter, Corporal Lawrence, who was flying as a passenger was killed.”

The work saw many types of plane come through Henlow’s sheds including Sopwith Snipes, Fairey Fawns, Gloster Grebes, Hawker Woodcocks, Flycatchers, Avro 504s, and Bristol Fighters amongst others. Many were modified and improved and turnaround was impressively quick.

One amusing anecdote tells the story of a Handley Page Hinaidi aircraft that had a public address system installed for broadcasts to ‘dissidents in the colonies’. During a flight test, Henlow residents were terrified by a voice from the clouds reciting the Ghost Scene from Macbeth.

In 1924, the first officers’ aeronautical engineering course at Henlow was inaugurated. Training was to continue for over 40 years. Following major changes in defence policy, two squadrons were based at Henlow, flying Sopwith 7F1 Snipes and later Gloster Gamecocks painted in black and white check.

Henlow was renamed the Home Aircraft Depot.

A Parachute Test Unit was also based there. Many of the experiments used dummies dropped from the underside of modified aircraft but live drops were also made, and there are impressive photographs of brave parachutists standing on a platform out on the wing and clinging to a strut during take-off or being yanked backwards through the air in close formation just after their jumps.

These men were all expert volunteers but sadly two of the most experienced, Corporal Arthur East, aged 25, and LAC Ernest ‘Brainy’ Dobbs, 26, were both killed - Arthur after his parachute failed to open and he crashed into high ground in a record-attempting

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jump at Biggin Hill and Brainy when he collided with 11,000 volt conductors carrying electricity from Willesden to Hendon while manning a balloon. It used to be said that Brainy’s ghost haunted 194 shed where he carried out his model parachute experiments, often tying his dog into a special harness and mini parachute to drop him from the roof.

Service life in the 1930s was tough. There was no hot water “except that fetched from the cookhouse in tin bowls” and the outside washrooms and toilets regularly froze in winter. In August 1932, Flying Officer Frank Whittle arrived for the Officers’ Engineering Course which he completed with flying colours, taking charge of the depot engine test bays.

He had first conceived the jet engine in 1928 and he used this time to develop his ideas, eventually moving to Cambridge University where his first jet engine was tested. He was later to praise the training he received at Henlow.

The pre-war years saw frantic expansion and reorganisation at Henlow as it became a training centre for airmen ahead of the hostilities. A Motor Transport Training School was also formed and by 1938, RAF Henlow had just under 5,500 personnel.

Twenty years after its birth, Henlow became a major player in winning the Second World War. A whole new chapter was to begin.

Acknowledgements: The History of Royal Air Force Henlow, first published by the Radio Engineering Unit, RAF Henlow, 1975; and Dave Thompson of the Signals Museum, RAF Henlow.

Photography: Darren Harbar Photography and Signals Museum, RAF Henlow

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Three Counties Radio

When can I

By Jonathan Vernon-Smith

take it back?

So, you go to a clothes shop, buy a shirt, get it home and decide that actually you’re not that keen on it after all. Simple! You can return it, yes? NOT NECESSARILY! Indeed one subject often up for discussion on my radio show on BBC 3 Counties Radio concerns the successful returning of goods to a retailer.

Let me make it very clear. If goods are FAULTY then of course you have the right to return them and depending on the length of time you have had them (usually only a few weeks), you should be entitled to your money back in full. If you’ve had the item for longer, then you can ask the retailer to either repair the item (if possible) or replace it. As I’ve said in previous articles, this applies long after the 12 month period, so don’t be fobbed off by cheeky shop assistants! Remember your statutory rights – all goods purchased must be a) fit for purpose b) of reasonable quality (depending on the amount spent on them) and c) should last for a reasonable amount of time (again depending on how much you have paid for the item).

Where you don’t automatically have the right to return items is when you simply change your mind.

Whilst many retailers operate a ‘good will’ returns policy and will happily take items back as long as they are in perfect condition, the law does not guarantee this. Always check the returns policy of the individual company before you make a purchase if you’re not 100% confident you’ll keep the item. Failure to do this could cause a very embarrassing scene in the shop and a may end up leaving with your tail firmly between your legs.

There is an exception to all of this though, and this exception is even more important now than ever before considering how many purchases are made online. When buying a new product from an internet or mail order company, you are covered by ‘distance selling regulations’. These dictate that because you haven’t had the opportunity to see the item you’re buying in the flesh (as it were), you have 7 working days, from receipt of the goods, to return them for a full refund. Always confirm that you are returning the items by email to obtain a date stamp and please note there are exceptions to this including CDs, DVDs, perishable goods and underwear etc.

Always check the sellers’ returns postage policy as if they don’t state who is liable for the p&p, then they automatically are!

It’s also worth noting (using the shirt example I described earlier) that if you are not given the opportunity to try clothes on in the shop (i.e. they don’t have a changing room), then you are also entitled to return goods simply because they don’t fit or you don’t like the colour after all. The best approach is that if you don’t know the returns policy in the shop, then ask before you buy.

Finally, always keep your receipts and if you don’t, remember that a bank statement or credit card bill should act as proof of purchase instead.

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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The Villager Book Shop

Bringing local authors and readers together The Villager Book Shop is aimed at promoting the work of local authors and filling the gap left by the closure of so many small independent bookshops. We hope to be able to eventually bring you a selection of interesting local books that you may not previously have been aware of to buy from the comfort of your armchair.

Hertfordshire Through Time by Stephen Jeffrey-Poulter is published by Amberley Publishing and one of its successful ‘Through Time’ series, Stephen’s book contains delightful period photographs of the towns and villages in the county of Hertfordshire. It was in Hertfordshire that the English surrendered to William the Conqueror in 1066 - a turning point in the story of the kingdom. In more recent years, the level of urban development in Hertfordshire has rocketed as commuting has become the norm. However, this led to the construction of the world’s first garden city - Letchworth - putting the county at the vanguard of revolutionary social development.

Hertfordshire has provided the setting for novels by Austen and Orwell, and more recently for blockbuster films such as Star Wars and Harry Potter, at the county’s famous Elstree and Leavesden studios.

Stephen is a local author who has previously written other titles for Amberley Publishing including Hoddesdon and Broxbourne Through Time, Hertford Through Time, Ware Through Time and Bedfordshire Through Time.

To order your copy of Hertfordshire Through Time, please contact The Villager Book Shop on 01767 261122 or email booksales@villagermag.com. Or you can fill out and return the form below to The Villager Book Shop, 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP. The book is priced at £14.99 plus just £1.00 postage and packing.

I would like to order a copy of Hertfordshire Through Time

by Stephen Jeffrey-Poulter.

Name:



Publication: Paperback, 96 pages, August 2013 Price: £14.99 ISBN: 978-1-4456-1617-9 Size: 235 x 165mm Rights: World, all languages

Address:

 I enclose a cheque/cash for £15.99 made payable to Villager Publications Ltd To advertise in The Great Ashby and Old Town Directory please call 01767 261122

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COMPETITION

Win a Family Ticket

for a Thursday or Sunday Cruise on the John Bunyan

Bedford’s Award Winning Community Boat Cruise on Bedford’s Great Ouse Get a different view of Bedford from the riverside. Take a cruise on the John Bunyan, Bedford’s Award Winning Community Boat.

There are options to suit all tastes from Thursday and Sunday Public Cruises, to Charter Hire cruises for your parties, special occasions, wedding cruises, group or work outings and school trips.

The John Bunyan Boat was launched in the summer of 2013 and by the start of the 2015 cruising season will have carried over 10,000 passengers along Bedford’s beautiful river.

The boat carries upto 50 passengers, or for school trips 60 children and 6 support staff. It is fully licensed and has catering and refreshments facilities.

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There is also an access lift and a toilet suitable for people with disabilities.

Tables and chairs can be set out to meet your requirements.

For more information visit the website: www.johnbunyanboat.org or phone 0330 1239 511 or e-mail: charters@johnbunyanboat.org Follow on Twitter @JohnBunyanBoat or Facebook: JohnBunyanBoat.

The Villager and Town Life has one family ticket to give away for a cruise on the John Bunyan Boat. To enter, simply email editor@villagermag.com with the heading ‘John Bunyan Cruise’ and include your name, address and telephone number.

A winner will be picked at random.

Closing Date: 15th July 2015

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Fun Quiz - Common Names 1. Which common name of a college at Oxford University and Cambridge University means “body of Christ” in Latin?

2. The title of which song by The Village People and The Pet Shop Boys was also the name of 1980s pop group?

3. Which county of Ireland is also the name of a detective from a series of novels by Ruth Rendell?

4. Also the name of a city in Italy, what is the name of David Cameron’s youngest daughter?

5. What is the common name of the drummers in Queen and Duran Duran?

6. What is the capital of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia and is also the name of a town in West Yorkshire?

7. Which moon of the planet Saturn is also the first name of one of the main characters from the TV sitcom Friends?

8. Which 1970 hit single for The Jackson Five is also the name of a pop group who had ten hit singles in the 1980s?

9. What girl’s name is also the name given to a female donkey?

10. What is the common name of a 1960s pop group and the nickname given to the difficult 11th, 12th and 13th holes at Augusta National Golf Club, home of the US Masters?

1. Corpus Christi 2. Go West 3. Wexford 4. Florence 5. Roger Taylor 6. Halifax 7. Phoebe 8. ABC 9. Jenny 10. Amen Corner

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Travel

Luxury inByBath Tim Saunders It was a significant birthday for my wife Caroline so when her parents kindly offered to look after our daughters for the night, I whisked her away.

Celebrities seeking a luxurious haven from the crowds go to The Queensberry: the award winning boutique hotel, originally a residential home for its namesake, the 8th Marquess of Queensberry.

As soon as we arrived, a valet took care of the car and luggage and from the moment we set foot in the restored Georgian property, we relaxed, attended to by the friendly staff.

Each room is individually designed and owners Laurence and Helen Beere have paid great attention to detail. Our sophisticated bedroom was in keeping with the period but there were also modern day features such as a flat screen television and Roberts DAB radio tuned in to Classic FM. With its acclaimed three AA rosette restaurant, The Olive Tree - recognised in the Good Hotel Guide - dining is an occasion. While savouring expertly crafted food, advice is on hand from staff on which wine compliments each dish. A crisp Jordanian white wine that I would not have considered was a perfect choice to accompany my crab lasagne.

Bath is the only city in the UK designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Renowned for its natural thermal waters, there are three hot springs in the city centre: the Cross Spring, Hetling Spring and King’s Spring, which supplies the Roman baths. We visited Thermae Bath Spa where you can swim in

them – just a 10 minute stroll from the hotel and described as “the only hot water spa in Britain”.

Magnificent architectural symmetries are another major attraction. At No. 1 Royal Crescent, housekeeper Glenys Hale provided insight into how the city was created. Three men were responsible for making Bath: Richard Beau Nash, a socialite; Ralph Allen, who quarried Bath stone; and John Wood, architect, whose success came through rich Londoners buying properties. The grand Royal Crescent terrace, a backdrop to many period dramas, was built like a theatre set with purchasers employing their own builders to finish off the interior.

These owners, who spent about £1,700 on each house in 1767, threw lavish dinner parties and promoted their wealth by the number of expensive beeswax candles they displayed; how much sugar was provided; and whether there was an £80 pineapple on the table!

The magnificent residences fell out of favour in the 1960s and when Glenys arrived in 1967, the buildings were black. Ship owner Bernard Cayzer bought No.1 Royal Crescent in 1968 for £11,000 and it was opened as a museum in 1970. It is now owned by the Bath Preservation Trust.

The Royal Crescent Hotel, in the middle of this curve of Georgian terrace houses, is the only property in the row to boast a large garden. Its Dower House serves the ‘Duke of York Afternoon Tea’ accompanied

by Tattinger champagne - a fantastic way to spend an afternoon with a loved one.

Needless to say Caroline was very pleased with her birthday treat.

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Health & Beauty

Why Floss?

You might clean your teeth religiously twice a day and feel that you are doing all you can to keep your gnashers looking and feeling clean and fresh, but if you fail to include flossing as part of your daily dental routine, you are only doing just over half the job.

Every tooth has five surfaces, and brushing only gets to three of them (the top/bottom, back and front). If you don’t floss, it leaves the two side surfaces unclean and potentially subject to disease.

Food and sticky bacteria, commonly known as plaque, lodge in the space between teeth. If left, plaque generates acid which can cause cavities,

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By Debbie Singh-Bhatti

irritate gums and eventually lead to gum disease.

Gum disease isn’t pretty. It eats away at gums and teeth and in advanced forms even attacks the bones that support the teeth and the lower third of the face.

Floss is the only thing that can get into the space between teeth to remove these harmful bacteria. If done before brushing, flossing can expose a larger area for the fluoride in the toothpaste to act upon.

The best way to care for your teeth is to combine plaque removal through flossing and brushing with chemical cleaning via toothpaste and mouth wash.

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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.

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monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday saturday sunday

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Local News

Leah Williamson with some of Bedwell’s two Under 9 teams

Bedwell Rangers F.C.

Presentation Day – 6th June 2015 Bedwell Rangers FC welcomed the parents and relatives of over 400 players to their Presentation Day on Saturday.

First up was a chance to reward 20 of the 3, 4 and 5 year old boys and girls who’ve attended the clubs popular Saturday morning soccer school for more than a year.

Next up were presentations to the players of the club’s 11 girls teams. With Bedwell Rangers being Advanced Club Associates of Arsenal Ladies FC., the club were thrilled to have England Under 19s star Leah Williamson to present trophies to the 150 girls present. Along with a packed hall, Leah was able to hear Chairman Gary Dempsey highlight the success of the last 12 months which has seen more girls than ever between the age of 6 to 17 playing for Bedwell Rangers and also release the news that the club will also be fielding a Ladies team in 2015/16.

The final award for the girls was the prestigious Bedwell Rangers Team of the Season Award which went to the Under 17 Dragons who won the HFGPL League and Shield double. Leah Williamson then made time to sign autographs and have photos taken with many of the players Bedwell Rangers are one of only a few clubs in Hertfordshire who provide football for children with disabilities and special needs and 11 children from the club’s thriving Inclusive section then stepped up to receive their awards Special Guest to present awards to the 250 players of Bedwell’s 19 boys teams was Arsenal’s Under

Nathan Tella spending time with players from the Under 8 squad 18s winger and former Bedwell Rangers player, Nathan Tella. Having recently completed playing in Europe for the Arsenal Academy, Nathan made time in his busy schedule to hand out awards to players in the junior boys section. The club welcomed Nathan back and were able to show photographs of his early days at the club.

Bedwell Rangers are always happy to hear from players and coaches interested in joining them, in particular girls who will be in school years 8 and 9 from September, and boys who will be in school years 11 and 12 as well as ladies aged 16 and above. More information can be found on the club website www.bedwellrangersfc.co.uk or e-mail bedwellrangers@outlook.com

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Finance

By Ann Haldon

How to Cut the Cost of Your

Summer Holiday From currency exchange to travel insurance and car hire, it’s possible to significantly cut the cost of holidaying abroad. Here are a few tips to shave a little off your holiday spend.

Credit cards The fees typically charged by credit card companies are: • Foreign exchange fee: generally 3% of the amount converted from sterling into a foreign currency.

• Cash withdrawal fee: between 2% and 3% of the amount withdrawn The availability of ‘specialist’ credit cards with no, or low fees, allows you to avoid these charges when you go on holiday.

The Halifax Clarity credit card is a good example. At the time of writing there’s no charge for spending abroad with this card, and no cash withdrawal fee. It’s accepted anywhere that displays the MasterCard symbol.

Interest will still be charged on cash withdrawals from the date you take the money out, however, until the day it’s repaid in full. Even this fee can be reduced if you’re prepared to pay off the balance via internet banking while you’re away, or if this isn’t an option, as soon as you get home.

Prepaid cards Prepaid cards are pre-loaded with money before you go. The balance gradually decreases as you spend, but can be topped up again as and when you need it. With these cards the exchange rate is always set by the card provider, and applied when

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the card is loaded rather than each time you use it.

This could work for or against you, depending on fluctuations in the foreign exchange market. If you’re thinking of purchasing one of these cards and the rate suddenly improves, you’ll be taking advantage of a strengthened Pound. Equally, you could lose out if the rate improves again later.

Holiday insurance Buying well in advance of your holiday is the best way to save money on holiday insurance.

• Whether you are planning to take more than one trip abroad during the year. If so, a multi-trip insurance policy would be the most costeffective.

• Where you are travelling - you’ll have to choose between worldwide or European insurance.

• If you’re likely to be participating in any risky sports such as scuba diving, the policy may be loaded with an extra charge.

Booking your travel insurance independently via the internet will generally work out cheaper than buying as an add on to flights or a package tour.

Alternatively, ‘packaged’ bank accounts sometimes include annual travel insurance in their monthly fee.

Hire car charges There are ways to save money on hiring a car: • Book early to get the best deals • Include car hire in your package deal • Organise your own Collision Damage Waiver add-on Many hire car operators adopt a ‘hard sell’ approach in relation to CDW when you pick the car up, as this is the way they make their profit - by selling addons to ‘basic’ insurance.

Airport parking As with car hire, booking early is the best way to save on airport parking. Even pre-booking on the day of the flight could save you a little money.

Turning up at the car park is guaranteed to be the most expensive.

The Money Saving Expert website is a good source of tips on where to find travel-related discounts and offers, including airport car parking. If you’re staying at an airport hotel the night before your flight, you may be able to book a package that includes the room plus parking for the duration of your holiday.

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Employment

Employment Matters Top Tips on How to Recruit and Select the Right Employee It’s common for employers to complain of difficulties in finding the right people, sometimes because they have never interviewed before or possibly don’t know who or what they are really looking for. Employees can be the greatest asset or a devastating liability and getting the right people is key to any company’s success so careful planning is essential.

Let’s use the example of a marketing assistant: • Think about what the purpose of the job is: To provide overall support in line with the marketing strategy, including marketing communications, branding, advertising, trade shows, online, promotional items, and all other sales and marketing activities.

• What is the job title: Marketing Assistant • Decide on the skills, knowledge and experience the successful job holder will need: - Knowledge and understanding of marketing communications, branding, and advertising highly desirable.

- Robust time management, planning and organisational skills with flexibility to work with competing deadlines.

- Recognised graphic design qualification and/or equivalent studio experience.

- Demonstrable skills in all basic elements of design - Accurate with critical attention to detail including grammar and spelling.

• Write an accurate and well informed job description and include measurable objectives: - Accurately maintain databases, update website content, send emails and general communications with inbound and outbound contacts to company protocols and deadlines - Act as contact for providing imagery on request,

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for internal and external clients and colleagues.

- Maintain image library and carry out regular photography sessions when necessary, including editing.

• Decide on a salary banding for the role: Circa £18,000 - £22,000 according to skills and experience.

• Devise relevant and fair interview questions: - Can you describe a time when you had to gain co-operation from other team members to get the result you wanted?

- What kind of communication methods have you used in previous roles to get the marketing message across?

- Please tell us what design packages you use and what you have used them for.

• Devise a fair scoring system to select the best candidate at the interview: - Ask all candidates the same questions and ensure a second person is present who takes written notes of the responses.

When sifting through CVs, look for evidence of the skills, experience and knowledge that you have specified. Write to suitably skilled candidates with an application form to complete and bring to the 1st interview with proof of right to work in the UK, plus originals of any specified qualifications.

Write and invite shortlisted candidates to attend for 2nd interview and devise a practical demonstration of skills for them to undertake. After scoring this, it should be clear who the successful applicant is.

Recruitment and selection is not a scientific process but you can improve your chances of getting the right person with the right skills by doing the right thing, in the right way, at the right time and with a clear justification for the choices you make.

Carol H Scott (HR and Business Consulting Ltd)

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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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Who’s for In 1984 President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month! Isn’t that a fab idea? I think the UK should definitely follow suit on this one.

Around 25% of all ice cream sold in the UK is vanilla. As a nation it seems we’re not terribly adventurous. Here are some more frozen facts: The earliest known reference to ice-cream in English was in 1672.

Approximately 15 billion litres of ice-cream are consumed worldwide every year - enough fill 5,000 Olympic swimming pools.

According to NASA, ice-cream is among the top three items most missed by astronauts on space missions: the others are pizza and fizzy drinks.

When Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield went into business as Ben & Jerry, they only chose icecream because bagel-making equipment was too expensive! Who knew?

There is actually a diet called ‘The Ice Cream Diet’... seriously! It was developed in Venice by an ice

Time of Year

By Louise Addison

Ice Cream?

cream store (no surprises there) and involves ‘cleansing’ your body and mind by eating five pints of raw coconut-based ice-cream a day for four straight days...I assume that’s if you don’t give yourself brain-freeze or a coronary first!

Happy Ice Cream Month!

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Russell Grant’s

Horoscopes

AQUARIUS January 21st - February 19th

Early July promises to be a very romantic time. The New Moon on the 16th is ideal for embarking on a fitness routine. A friend’s sarcasm is too much to bear on the 19th. You need to be honest.

PISCES February 20th - March 20th

The opening days of July are perfect for going on a shopping spree. Favourable publicity for a creative project arrives on or around the 8th.

An intellectually stimulating class will fill your time during the second half of July.

ARIES March 21st - April 20th

Fame, acclaim and rewards come your way in early July, thanks to a supportive Full Moon. Striking a healthy balance between home and work will be challenging mid-month.

TAURUS April 21st - May 21st

Early July is ideal for finding beautiful artwork and furniture for your home. A former lover may make their way back into your life in late July. Revisiting old times will be fun, but beware of renewing your commitment.

The early days of July are ideal for settling debts and obligations. The New Moon on the 16th is ideal for finding a better job, getting a raise, or finding another source of income.

Your creative talent will be emphasised in the early days of July. The Full Moon on the 2nd marks an exciting turning point in a relationship.

Be wary of subverting your needs for the sake of your partner. The New Moon on the 16th is perfect for changing your look.

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Your warmth, generosity and charm draw legions of admirers in the beginning of July. You have a sexy glow that is impossible to resist. Beware of getting involved in secret deals at mid-month, or your professional relationships will suffer.

VIRGO August 24th - September 23rd

Spending time on solitary pursuits will give July a wonderfully dreamy quality.

Take this time to catch up on your reading, commune with nature and connect with your spiritual side.

LIBRA September 24th - October 23rd

Your social life sparkles throughout early July. If you’re out of work, the New Moon on the 16th is an ideal time to find a prestigious position.

SCORPIO October 24th - November 22nd

You’ll be given a reward for a job well done in early July; get ready for your close up. The New Moon on the 16th brings an exciting opportunity to travel, study, or write.

SAGITTARIUS November 23rd - December 21st

GEMINI May 22nd - June 21st

CANCER June 22nd - July 23rd

LEO July 24th - August 23rd

A wonderful teaching or writing opportunity will fall in your lap at the beginning of July. The New Moon on the 16th is perfect for expanding your lovemaking repertoire. Ask your partner for suggestions.

CAPRICORN December 22nd - January 20th

The early days of July promise to be a delight to the senses. If you have a romantic partner, spend as much time locked in each other’s arms as possible.

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Because your home starts with your garden

Green Garden Park Ltd Green Garden Park Ltd is no ordinary garden centre.

It is an entirely new venture in the area supplying specialist trees and shrubs nationwide that will elevate your garden from the ordinary to something quite special.

Easily accessible north along the A1 just before Sandy and attached to the well-established Seddington Garden Centre, Green Garden Park Ltd has been set up by three business partners with a passion for gardening. It supplies unique, premium quality, mature trees and shrubs, all of which have been grown, trained and maintained by hand.

“Both my business partners are old friends who have experience in running garden centres abroad” explains Arax Nalbandjan, director. “As a successful business owner myself, together we decided to find a gap in the garden market. We chose to showcase premium quality trees and shrubs by providing a handpicked selection of products from specialist suppliers and the world’s leading horticulturists.

There is no one else in this area that does exactly what we do.”

The company’s crowning jewel is its luxury Masterpiece Collection consisting of intensively cultivated trees that can be up to 25 years old. Arax proudly describes them as “living art” with every tree the company sells being totally individual.

“So much creativity, skill and care go into these trees” says Arax.

“They are like a living sculpture.

People buy them as a statement

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centrepiece or to work within a larger landscape design.”

As if to perfectly illustrate this fact, Arax shows me another range they sell – one of their ‘logo’ trees where the foliage has been trained into the shape of the well-known Mercedes’ company emblem.

Green Garden Park’s main specialism is in Japanese Bonsai trees but not the miniature specimens most people associate them with. These Bonsai trees are large potted ‘statement’ trees with a big ‘wow factor’, pruned in what is known as cloud form (a traditional Japanese art, so called because the foliage resembles clumps of cloud settled around the branches).

All the company’s trees arrive in special ‘air pot’ containers for year round planting and each tree purchased comes with one-year free specialist maintenance that can then be extended at a reasonable price.

“So a customer does not need to worry about how to keep their tree healthy and looking beautiful” explains Arax.

For those with a more limited budget, Arax points out that although they provide premium exclusive trees, they also stock products that are accessible to everyone. “We have something to suit all types of gardener and budget here” she explains. “As well as those in our Masterpiece Collection, we have other species of smaller Bonsai that are not so expensive.”

Alongside their trees with

pedigree and visual impact, the company sells regular trees and shrubs, including mature acers, conifers, roses, hydrangeas and rhododendrons, with the rare bonus that a customer can purchase their chosen plants in any size and unlimited quantity.

Familiar species have been given a twist, such as the apple tree that has been trained to grow flat in what is known as the ‘espalier’ form so that it can be used as natural, attractive screening instead of a fence; or the large prunus that has been grown over many years into an umbrella shape. Other apple trees are also available that have been trained into a stunning ‘table top’ crown design – perfect for a ready-made living pergola.

The versatile Box shrub, which Arax describes as the most popular shrub in the UK, is hand-pruned for quality rather than by the more usual machine method. The results of the more intensive manual input are incredible. The foliage of Green Garden Park’s hand-pruned box is incredibly dense, vibrant and bursting with health, making my own machinepruned specimens suddenly seem rather sparse and anaemic.

You can buy shrubs and trees of almost any shape and size at Green Garden Park – it would seem that the only limit is your imagination. Trees and shrubs shaped like cones, balls, umbrellas, cylinders and pointed barley-twists are all available. Arax shows me their ‘wedding cake’ trees which are pruned into tiers, and arches where two trees are trained to make a living archway when placed together – a magnificent addition to any garden.

I also admire the ‘multi-stem’ trees. These are the most natural-looking but where the branches have actually been hand-trained to give a pleasing shape and symmetry.

By Catherine Rose

Unsurprisingly, due to the quality and limitless quantity of premium plants, Green Garden Park not only sells to the general public but works closely with landscape architects, garden designers and professional gardeners, advising and supplying them with a wide range of mature, premium quality trees and shrubs according to their specification.

The company is also well placed to meet the needs of hotels, restaurants, property developers, local authorities and corporate event organisers.

“We are a company for both professionals and private gardeners” says Arax.

Green Garden Park’s services include consultation, landscape design, delivery, planting, landscaping, irrigation design and maintenance. It also offers its customers a free garden design service which involves a meeting to discuss requirements, following which three separate designs are produced that the customer can either choose from or mix and match according to their needs.

Green Garden Park specialist garden centre is already open for business and can take orders. “We create something custom-made and have endless choices” Arax says. She finds that the on-site collaboration with Seddington Garden Centre works well as the two complement each other in what they sell.

“Our trees are suitable for any commercial exterior and there is a new tendency in the UK for people to spend more money on their gardens to complement their expensive houses. Luxurious gardens also add value to properties. At Green Garden Park, we believe your house should start with your garden, and with our products you can make it as stunning as your home.”

Green Garden Park Ltd Great North Road, Seddington, Sandy SG19 1NZ Tel: 01767 680393 or 07487 834419 www.greengardenpark.co.uk Facebook: Greengardenpark.uk

Photographs by Darren Harbar Photography

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Garden

By Pippa Greenwood

Keeping healthy This part of the summer is lovely. The veg plot will be in overdrive and there are some delicious fruits cropping too. But sometimes your beloved flower beds and borders, pots and planters can have a distinct mid-summer-flop. How can you keep them looking on top form for as long as possible?

Regular feeding is essential, particularly for anything growing in a container. Often crammed into a fairly small space and with compost whose fertiliser content is pretty well used up after a few weeks, by July plants in pots can be close to starving if you’ve not fed them regularly. I would still feed herbaceous perennials and annuals growing in open ground too, but don’t feed shrubs as these could be encouraged to put on new growth which will not be toughened up enough by the time winter comes. A tomato feed with a high potash level works well for anything that you grow primarily for the flowers.

Deadhead regularly, both the faded flowers and if necessary remove the flower stem too. A pair of sharp scissors makes for the quickest and neatest job. Do this as soon as the flower starts to deteriorate so that no energy whatsoever is used to form seed heads. Give perennials a trim using scissors or shears as soon as their flowering period is over. Follow it with a good feed and you can often encourage a second, later flush of flowers.

If plants have become a little too tall or there has been a lot of rainfall they can flop over, clogging up the lawn on borders next to the grass, and generally looking a real mess. Check that stakes and other supports are still doing their job and re-position them if necessary. You may even find that you need to add a bit of extra support or tie

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in the sun

in a few of the taller or more wayward stems – the foam-covered wire works really well for this.

At this time of year many flowers succumb to common diseases. This is how to deal with them: Powdery mildew: keep the plant well watered at the base but avoid wetting the leaves and spray with a fungicide Aphids: remove with a strong jet of water, introduce ladybirds or spray with an insecticide Leaf spots: just pick off the worst affected leaves Rusts: pick off the worst affected leaves, try to keep the foliage dry and spray with a suitable insecticide Caterpillars: pick off by hand or spray with a biological or chemical control Weeds compete for water, food and even light.

Pulling them out or hoeing them off when they are still fairly small is a much easier and more efficient way to deal with them than trying to pull out a massive, long-rooted triffid that has already done a lot of damage.

If the weather is dry, regular watering is essential.

To minimise water wastage and the risk of those delicate petals becoming scorched, only water in the evening or, if this is not possible, very early in the morning. A less frequent but thorough drenching is a lot more beneficial than very frequent but light waterings.

So, with a little extra TLC everything in the garden can still look gorgeous for a long while yet!

Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood. com ladybirds & other biocontrols, Nemaslug, SoftTie, weeders, pop-up crop covers, copper tape and lots more besides.

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For a free no-obligation site visit, please call Ian Clemson on

tel: 01462 757059 www.colourfenceherts.co.uk To advertise in The Great Ashby and Old Town Directory please call 01767 261122

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Wildlife

By Andy Mydellton

Bats Need Friends When I was a child, my mother told me about a shocking experience she had with a school friend one dusky evening in the 1920s.

They were playing out in the fields when bats emerged to feed. Somehow, one of them got caught in her friend’s long hair. The two horrified schoolgirls eventually overcame the task of freeing the entangled but harmless little bat. It must have been a rare event, and one that became etched in their young, impressionable minds.

Despite this, it is not true stories but the occult, witchcraft and superstition that have amalgamated to create the awful reputation for these enduring little creatures. Because I have an independent mind, my admiration is based on bats’ natural attributes.

Firstly, they are the world’s biggest group of flying mammals. Secondly, like most cetaceans (such as whales and dolphins) bats use echolocation to detect their prey. These mammals have evolved this natural ability because they are unable to see and locate their miniature prey with eyesight.

Bats use sonar in the same way that humans see things at night by using a torch. Producing sonic sounds from their nasal systems, they send out a blanket of sound waves into their intended flight path. When they locate something, they emit further signals to specify the object’s size and what type of prey it could be. The ‘echoing’ data is converted into pictures in the bats’ brain.

For over two and a half decades I have attracted many bat species into the wildlife garden, making bat roosting boxes from disused pallets sited securely under the eaves. As soon as they emerge

from their roost, bats are immediately at their usual flying height of about 12 to 20 feet.

By monitoring bats over the years, we have found different species share boxes at the same time, the most common being the pipistrelle. Gnats and other nocturnal delicacies congregate where the millstream forks from the river, and well into the summer nights, bats swoop down near me while I sit on the patio.

The pipistrelle is one of Britain’s smallest, most gregarious bats, measuring about one and a half inches long with a wingspan of eight and a half inches. Hibernating from October to March, throughout the summer months, they feed to prepare for mating, producing a single offspring after a gestation of 35 to 44 days.

While I can differentiate between bats such as pipistrelles and daubentons, I need help for more specific identification. An electronic bat detector listens to the bats’ sonar - inaudible to the human ear - and transforms it into a series of clicks that we can hear, like tuning into a radio station. To make identification of Britain’s 13 species, we must analyse the clicks as a sequence that some people liken to Morse code.

In the past, many people in the western world have been biased against bats. Today we are more educated and better informed but how many of us go out of our way to appreciate, find and enjoy such amazing creatures?

Andy Mydellton is CEO of the Foundation for Endangered Species (FES) & Wildlife Zone.

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Pets

American actor Groucho Marx, with his trademark moustache, glasses and cigar

Animal Stories Little Groucho is shunned because of his “moustache” Can you help this unwanted kitten and give him a purr-fect home? The public seems to be discriminating against him because of his moustache.

Little Groucho had been repeatedly rejected by would-be adopters because of his “unfortunate” facial fur.

“We need to persuade the public that there is nothing wrong with cats with moustaches,” said the RSPCA’s Bedfordshire North branch manager, Caroline Williams.

“Facial hair is really trendy at the moment.

Everywhere you look we see men sporting great big beards. We think Groucho is bang on trend and can’t understand why nobody wants him.”

Groucho was one of a litter of kittens born to a stray cat who was recently taken into the care of the RSPCA Bedfordshire North branch.

His foster carer, Sally Neal said: “He is an adorable kitten. He loves people and runs up eagerly to whoever comes to view him.

“But they take one look, make a comment about his markings and then choose one of his un-moustached siblings. You can see his little moustache droop with disappointment.”

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The branch sees similar discrimination almost daily with black cats and kittens.

Said Caroline: “We’re currently bottle feeding four tiny abandoned kittens that were handed into our Thurlow Street charity shop in a yellow plastic bucket.

“They’re all beautiful – but we know we will struggle to find them homes because they are black.”

RSPCA Beds volunteers are currently struggling to rehome many other cats and kittens.

Recently they removed 17 from one house, many of whom were sick or neglected.

We are appealing urgently for people to adopt, volunteer or donate – or all three. People can email adopt@rspcabedsnorth.org.uk, volunteer@bedsnorth.org.uk or donate@rspcabedsnorth.org.uk

ANIMAL STORIES is one of a series of articles brought to you by the RSPCA Bedfordshire North branch www.rspca-bedfordshirenorth.org.uk

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TYNEHILL Boarding Kennels and Cattery

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Chells Manor Pre-School and Nursery Open – Monday to Friday 9.15am – 12.15pm Lunch club available everyday 12.15pm – 1pm

Registration now open for September 2015 2, 3 and 4 year old funding available Please contact Jackie on 01438 748792 Email: chellsmanorpreschool@gmail.com Chells Manor Community Centre, 12 Emperors Gate, Stevenage

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 40

n d i hby e s Ba at As e Gr

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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

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Motoring

Ford Mustang

By James Baggott, editor of Car Dealer Magazine (CarDealerMag.co.uk) What is it? A large American hamburger, served up in a European baguette with double side of Across The Pond Cheese. There’s little doubt the Mustang has a cult following - that comes with a 50-year history and more movie appearances than Clint Eastwood (probably), but is that enough for it to win the battle against something like an Audi A5? The Blue Oval thinks it is and 2015’s allocation of 1,200 cars has already been sold.

What’s under the bonnet? Well, you can see the European influence here, because it’s not all about a V8 - there’s a 312bhp 2.3-litre four cylinder Ecoboost option too. We know that feels like sacrilege - and to be honest, it really is - but if you actually care about CO2 in a Mustang it produces 179g/km and if mpg keeps you up at night it’ll return 35.3mpg. That said, choosing the Ecoboost would be like opting for a salad in McDonald’s so instead the 415bhp V8 is the only choice. It’s thirsty at 20.9mpg and kills many, many trees with emissions of 299g/km, but this is a Mustang. It’ll hit 60mph in a shade under five seconds and go on to 155mph (limited). Oh, and it sounds good... the Ecoboost, not so much.

What’s the spec like? It’s not bad, but we can’t help feeling it lacks the glitz of rivals. But then this car is priced extremely competitively - the V8 is a fiver under £33k, which for a V8 is a relative bargain. Ford tells us 80 per cent of its customers ticked all the other options on the specification sheet which include comfy Recaro seats and upgraded Shaker audio system.

Any rivals? Ford insists the Mustang ‘has no rivals’. The first allocation has mostly been snapped up by enthusiasts who bought a Mustang because they’ve always wanted one. So what happens when those first adopters run out? Well, when pressed, Ford admitted German coupes such as the BMW 4 Series and Audi A5 would also be on the shopping lists for Mustang buyers. Stack the equivalent V8-engined offerings up against the Ford, though, and there’s an eye-watering difference in price.

What’s it like to drive? It’s big and feels it, with a long nose that we found hard to place comfortably on the road. The Ecoboost engine failed to impress, and we’d go as far to say that buying an Ecoboost should go down as a very bad life choice indeed. The V8 on the other hand sounds like a Mustang should and has the pace to match. The steering is a little light and the manual gearbox notchy, but they’re foibles you’ll probably put up with. The fastback is better looking and better to drive than the convertible too, so go for that.

The verdict We can see why it appeals to Mustang fans but beyond them we just can’t see who’ll buy it. How many buyers want an American muscle car? We’d hedge our bets and say not very many. The Mustang might work on the streets of San Francisco, but will it have the same effect on a wet Scarborough seafront? We’re unsure. The ace up its sleeve might just be the price - at £32,995 the V8 is a lot of car for the money. But that still wouldn’t make us buy one.

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Food and Drink

Seasonal Delights Veggie Bean Burgers

Makes 8 Ready in 40 minutes, plus chilling time Packed with flavour these burgers will be enjoyed by both meat-eaters and vegetarians. For a lovely nutty texture replace the sweetcorn with 100g chopped walnuts.

INGREDIENTS 3 tbsp olive oil 1 large red onion, peeled and finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped 1 carrot, peeled and grated 2 tsp chilli powder 2 x 400g cans mixed bean salad, drained and rinsed 100g canned sweetcorn, drained 100g fresh breadcrumbs 1 large egg 1 tbsp lime juice 4 tbsp fresh chopped coriander (or parsley) Toasted burger buns, baby spinach leaves and sliced tomatoes, to serve 1. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan and fry the chopped onion over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic, spring onions and carrots and fry,

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stirring, for a further 2-3 minutes. Stir in the chilli powder.

2. Tip all the beans into a large bowl and roughly mash with a fork. Stir in the onion mixture along with the remaining ingredients and mix well to combine. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Divide and shape the mixture into 8 burgers.

Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

4. Heat the rest of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and fry the burgers for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown (you may need to do this in two batches so add a little more oil, if needed).

Drain on kitchen paper then serve in toasted burgers buns with spinach leaves and sliced tomatoes.

TIP The uncooked burgers freeze well, just place on a lined baking tray and freeze until solid then pack away into freezer bags. To cook from frozen, place the burgers on a lined baking tray, brush lightly with oil and bake for 25-30 minutes at 200C, fan 180C, Gas 6 until golden and piping hot.

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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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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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WINDOW REPAIRS

Serving all of Herts - Based in Stevenage Specialising in replacing misted units

BEFORE AFTER email: info@jmlwindows.co.uk website: www.jmlwindows.co.uk 07977 911 926 / 01438 906300 • Misted/broken double glazed units • Sticking doors or windows adjusted • Broken/loose handles • Leaded or Georgian units replaced • Hinges for gapping windows • Leaks fixed • All types of locks replaced • Energy saving Planitherm glass • Cat/dog flaps in glass or panels • Door re-alignments Visit our website for over 30 customer reviews To advertise in The Great Ashby and Old Town Directory please call 01767 261122

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n i t l ham F e o J Plasterers

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

A FRIENDLY FAMILY FIRM. FREE QUOTATIONS

Tel. 07951 362335 / 07836 768670 Email: joeflinthamplasterers@googlemail.com

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“Quality is not expensive, it’s priceless”

Extensions, Refurbishments, Loft and Garage Conversions, Landscaping and General Building Internal and external work with many local references View our testimonials at www.hertfordshirebuilders.co.uk

Loft Conversions

Extensions Open Plan Living

Garage Conversions

Garden Rooms & Landscaping

Refurbishments

Architect drawings and planning applications catered for Estimates and ideas FREE

www.hertfordshirebuilders.co.uk Call Richard on 07818 061505 52

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June’s Crossword, Codeword and Suduko Solutions Last Month’s Crossword Winner Mrs Woodward from Alconbury

Easy

Hard

gas safe registered

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The Villager Prize Crossword

Prize

ÂŁ25

Across 1 Automatons (6) 4 Racket sport (6) 9 Female grandparent (7) 10 Two times (5) 11 Recorded sound (5) 12 Defrosting (7) 13 Not needed (11) 18 Spun by spiders (7) 20 Afterwards (5) 22 Monarch (5) 23 Copy (7) 24 Long for (6) 25 Concurred (6) Down 2 Insipid (5) 3 Immature frog (7) 5 Additional (5) 6 Louder (7)

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

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



1 Disorganised (6)

7 Toboggan (6) 8 Alliance (11) 14 Takes small bites (7) 15 Working out (7) 16 Frightened (6) 17 Buddy (6) 19 Mistake (5) 21 Torment (5)

Name: Tel: Address:

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Food & Drink

Beer of the Month

In the 16th century, the Bavarians passed a purity law which decreed that only malted barley, hops, and yeast could be used in brewing. It was likely an attempt to keep wheat in the bakery rather than the brewery, but it didn’t work.

Wheat beer – brewed with a mixture of wheat and malted barley – remained popular in Bavaria and northern Europe until the post-war period, when it started falling out of favour. It was seen as an old man’s beer and the fact that it was naturally cloudy didn’t help.

By the late 1970s it seemed that German wheat beer styles were in irreversible decline. Then a miracle happened. Students rediscovered it. It had retro chic, it was cheap and suddenly it was popular again.

In the Belgian town of Hoegaarden, which had once had several wheat beer breweries but by the 1960s had none, a young revivalist called Pierre Celis

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By Ted Bruning

started brewing it again and his version, too, took off.

Hoegaarden at 4.9% abv is a pale lemon colour and cloudy to the point of opacity. When Celis brewed it he added orange peel and coriander; now it belongs to the multinational brewer AmBev there’s little trace of them either on nose or palate. Instead it’s grassy and light-bodied, and with its low CO2 content and lack of hop bitterness it’s eminently quaffable.

Erdinger from Bavaria at 5% is equally pale and cloudy, somewhat spicier and with an almost salty dryness. Again, hop character and carbonation are low, and there’s a hint of bubblegum in the finish.

As mass-produced international brands both are short on wheat character; but either would make a splendid accompaniment to a summer barbecue.

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Premier

Property Maintenance Premier Property Maintenance is a multiple trade company operating in and around Hertfordshire and north London.

We are a well organized management team with a professional approach to Client Liaison, Supervision and Health and Safety.

We operate with a versatile in-house work force with various specialist trades, which results in our ability to provide our Client’s with an ‘all-trades’ service.

We pride ourselves on delivering a competitive quality service to new and existing Clients.

Premier Property Maintenance offers a comprehensive range of services including;  Fully managed bathroom and kitchen installation  Electrical and plumbing certificates for landlords  All aspects of electrical work covered by NIC installers  Plumbing and heating engineer  All aspects of carpentry work covered  Wall and floor tiling  Plastering and cornice work

 Painting and decorating including wallpaper  Roofing - slate and tiled  Brickwork  Laying of laminate and wooden flooring  Conservatory project manage and installation  Fully project managed garden landscaping  Window and conservatory cleaning

www.premierpm.co.uk info@premierpm.co.uk 01438 230943 / 07531 229067

Visit our beautiful

Bathroom Showroom ...With more than 50 displays of bathrooms, furniture & fittings Free in-house 3D design service Quality products from leading manufacturers Experienced staff offering impartial advice Free delivery within a 20 mile radius of our showroom

01438 725309

bathrooms@stevenageplumbing.co.uk www.stevenageplumbing.co.uk

Caxton House, Caxton Way, Stevenage, Herts. SG1 2XS To advertise in The Great Ashby and Old Town Directory please call 01767 261122

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n O s ’ t Wha In July 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 1 July The Battle of Loos by Colin Ellender 7pm for 7.30pm The Comrades Club, Godmanchester The Cambridgeshire branch of the Western Front Association is pleased to present a talk

by Colin Ellender. Non WFA members most welcome. A small donation is encouraged at the door to pay for the running of the branch.

Web: www.westernfrontassociation.com 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 July 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 4 July 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.

Web: www.rafsignalsmuseum.org.uk

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4 July The Alabama Hayriders Opening at 1pm Langford Fete Come and listen to the reunited legendary swing band of the 60s and 70s.

Tel: 01462 701779 6, 13, 20 & 27 July Branch Out Social Club for Single People 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 8 July Henlow Branch R N A 7.30pm Community Centre, The Gardens, Henlow The Henlow Branch of The Royal Naval Association meet on the second Wednesday of each month.

Tel: Les Dessent 01767 223212 9 July Where the Working Boats Went 7.30 for 8pm British Schools Museum, 41/42 Queen Street, Hitchin Tickets £8 Where the Working Boats Went - the Story of Britain’s Industrial Waterways in drama and song presented by “Life & Times”. Licensed Bar. Tel: Tickets Hitchin Festival Box Office 01462 453335 or British Schools Museum: 01462 420144 Website: www.britishschoolsmuseum.org.uk

11 July Arlesey Family Fun Day 12 noon til 5pm Arlesey Recreation Ground Stalls, arena displays, Dog show, games, refreshments and more. Fun for all the Family.

12 July Caldecote Church Events 12 noon-5pm Free admission Caldecote Church, SG7 5LE (near Newnham, Ashwell and Baldock) Exhibition of Quilts by Icknield Quilters inside the church from 12 noon-5pm.

2-5pm Chiltern West Gallery Quire will be outside the church performing the hymns, anthems and carols that were sung in English country churches in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Usual legendary refreshments. Ample parking. All proceeds to the restoration fund. Please note there are no toilet facilities.

Tel: 01462 742440 for further information Email: peter@peterrobbins.eclipse.co.uk Web: www.caldecotechurchfriends.org.uk 13 July Icknield Quilters 7.30pm for 7.45pm start Baldock Community Centre, Simpson Drive, Baldock SG7 6DH Cost £3 Sewing evening with strawberries and cream!

Bring your own portable sewing projects.

Visitors welcome.

Web: www.icknieldquilters.co.uk

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

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n O s ’ t Wha In July 18 July Toys & Games 10am-1pm British Schools Museum, 41/42 Queen Street, Hitchin Normal admission applies July’s drop-in activity session is Toys & Games.

This is the first Saturday of the holidays for most people so what better excuse to get out our replica games and toys. Find out how children played in the past, how you can make moving toys without electricity and, above all, have fun. Ideal for younger visitors and their adults but all are welcome.

Tel: 01462 420144 Website: www.britishschoolsmuseum.org.uk 18 July Venetian Masquerade 7 for 7.30pm £20 per person The Venetian theme will carry through the planned entertainment and supper. There are fabulous raffle prizes including a diamond handmade pendant by local Ashwell jeweller Keith Gordon and a flight for two in a Dragon Rapide over Cambridge, Newmarket and Ely courtesy of Classic Wings, Duxford and much more! So look out your posh frock or bow tie (gents), find a fetching mask and join in this very worthy cause! Organised by Ashwell’s Fight Against Cancer supporting research and clinical excellence and care in the field of the more underfunded cancers at Addenbrooke’s hospital, Cambridge. Tickets available from Rhubarb & Mustard, High Street, Ashwell.

Email: christinescholfield@hotmail.com.

22 July-24 November 100 Years of Learning With Ladybird Exhibition. British Schools Museum, 41/42 Queen Street, Hitchin Whether you are learning your A, B, Cs today, teaching your own children or seeking a nostalgic journey back to your own childhood, the museum’s extensive collection of Ladybird books will delight and entertain. Come and celebrate the centenary of these much-loved and iconic books at the museum where learning comes to life. Tel: 01462 420144 Website: www.britishschoolsmuseum.org.uk 24-26 July Time for Tea Herts Air Ambulance is calling on the tea and cake loving folk of Hitchin to hold their very own fundraising tea party in aid of their local Air Ambulance. Simply get your friends and family together over the weekend for Afternoon Tea. You can hold it at home, work, school or even at your local club; just ask each of your guests to make a donation to Herts Air Ambulance. Hosts can hold anything from a cream tea with scones and jam to a Ritz style High Tea with cucumber sandwiches!

You can buy cakes or bake your own its up to you! For some refreshing ideas visit HertsAirAmbulance.uk.com. Don’t miss out on the Tea Party of the year! Register now to receive your Afternoon Tea Host Pack and free gifts! Email AfternoonTea@EHAAT.uk.com or call 0345 2417 690.

26 July The Sunday Dance Club 7.30-10.30pm The Spirella Ballroom, Bridge Road, Letchworth Dance to our special ‘Guest Music Provider’.

Ballroom, Latin and Popular Sequence.

Ample free parking, sprung floor and licensed bar. Tel: David 01234 300179 30 July Lashings World XI Gates open 12.30pm, match 3pm Eversholt Cricket Club Entry by programme only £5 Eversholt Cricket Club welcomes back Lashings World XI for the fifth time. Previous matches have attracted over 2,000 spectators to our beautiful ground in Bedfordshire, raising thousands of pounds for Willen Hospice and Save the Children. In 2015, 10% of profits from the day will be donated to Prostate Cancer UK. Free parking is available.

Web: www.eversholtcricketclub.co.uk 5 September The Alabama Hayriders 12pm The Chequers, Wrestlingworth Wrestlingworth Goodwill Day to raise money for local causes. Come and listen to the reunited legendary swing band of the 60s and 70s.

Tel: 01462 701779 for further details

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

• High Quality Dry Cleaning • Latest State-Of-The-Art Machinery and Equipment • Highly Trained and Qualified Operators • Fully Compliant With European Environmental Legislation Dry Cleaning Two Piece Suits - from £9.50 Trousers - from £4.40 Jackets - from £5.95 Shirts - from £2.95 Knitwear - from £4.50 Dress (Plain) - from £6.00 Skirts - from £4.95

Price List

Alteration Shorten Trousers - from £9.00 Waist Take In/Out - from £11.00 Trouser Zip - from £9.50 Duvets Single (Polyester Filling) - from £12.50 Double (Polyester Filling) - from £15.00 King Size (Polyester Filling) - from £18.00

HERTFORD TV SERVICE Tel: 01992 552955 www.hertfordtvservice.co.uk

• • • • • • • • •

MEMBER

DIGITAL FREEVIEW AERIAL INSTALLATIONS EXTRA TV POINTS & SKY PLAYBACK AERIAL REPAIRS & STORM DAMAGE DAB/FM AERIALS & COMMUNAL TV SYSTEMS FREESAT HD, SKYHD & SKY+ HIDDEN DISH SPECIALISTS & FOREIGN SATELLITE PLASMA/LCD/LED TV, AUDIO & DVD REPAIRS TV WALL INSTALLATIONS & HIDDEN CABLES GOT SLOW BROADBAND? WE INSTALL TOOWAY SATELLITE BROADBAND WITH DOWNLOAD SPEEDS OF UP TO 20MBPS • CCTV INSTALLATIONS IN HD – WATCH ON YOUR IPAD/PHONE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD • WIFI ACCESS POINTS & DATA NETWORK DISTRIBUTION • SONOS HOME AUDIO SPECIALISTS

UNIT 1B, FOXHOLES AVENUE, HERTFORD SG13 7JG

LOCAL FAMILY BUSINESS ESTABLISHED FOR OVER 35 YEARS • ALL WORK FULLY GUARANTEED

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Books

Book Review

By Bruce Edwards The Wedding Cake Tree Melanie Hudson

Pub: Choc Lit p/b £7.99 ISBN: 978-1-781-89224-4 The loss of anyone near and dear will affect us in different ways and may, as a consequence, bring life-style changes we don’t initially appreciate.

Grace - seen sitting here, calmly poised in a cover-designer’s concept of ‘quiet reflection’ - has lost her beloved mother and the subsequent reading of the Will brings both opportunities and hurdles she’d not expected let alone understood. There’s an appetizingly new concept of a potential romance here, reluctantly taking the girl out of her fashionable photographer’s job and into a well-scripted journey back over her mother’s undiscovered former life, hidden away from her daughter’s pre-knowledge. Aware that her daughter would try and side-step the Will’s requirements as, in Grace’s eyes, it all seems inconsequential, her mother pre-designed a complicated series of challenges and provided her with a mentor to ensure they were carried out. Guess what, he’s a straightforward, efficient, knowledgeable and very likable male with problems of his own. A predictable ending? Maybe - but you’ve got to travel many miles and into fascinating places alongside the pair to appreciate exactly how it is achieved. This is a refreshingly different and believable lovely tale written without the treacly smoochiness so beloved of some chicklit authors. Don’t expect the girl to be too ‘easy’ - there’s a trace of good old-fashioned ethics here, thank goodness.

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.”

SHIRON

Domestic Appliances Repairs of

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

VAT Registered.

Specialist in Hotpoint, Indesit, Ariston, Creda and Whirlpool appliances.

Contact RONNIE Tel: 01438 720 304 Mobile: 07739 922493

Premier Painters and Decorators

Premier Painters and Decorators are a professional, punctual and hard working company delivering outstanding quality of work to our clients in and around Stevenage From wallpaper hanging, feature walls, coving and cornice work. We even clean facias, soffits and guttering. (PVC or Wood) If you would like to take advantage of our services, require a quote or advise please do not hesitate to contact us. Be assured when Premier quote a job there are NO HIDDEN EXTRAS. Private and commercial, exterior and interior painting services.

For a free quotation please contact Gary on Tel: 01438 230943 Mob: 07733 227961 Email: info@premierpd.co.uk

www.premierpd.co.uk

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Dot Electrical

CM ROOFING Family run business Est. 20 yrs

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

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• • • • • • • • • • •

Repairs & Re-roof Lead Specialists Slating & Tiling Guttering and Drainage Gutter Clearing Fascias & Soffits UPVC Wall Cladding Moss Removal Flat Roofing Single Ply/3 Layer Felt Liquid Plastics

We will beat any written quotation For more information & free estimate

01438 517166 / 07432 624335 chrismead.roofing@yahoo.co.uk www.cm-roofing.co.uk

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INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Your quick guide to everyone and everything in your directory...

Accounting , Mortgages and Financial Services HB Accounting Services..................................................... 27 Animals and Pets Dogzbody Grooming.......................................................... 39 It’s a Dog’s Life....................................................................... 40 Roebuck Veterinary............................................................ 39 Tyne Hill Boarding Kennels............................................... 39 Builders Abby Building Services....................................................... 52 Conserv-A-Tech..................................................................... 12 Joe Flintham Plasterer........................................................ 51 C M Roofing............................................................................ 62 Catering / Deli / Restaurant The Crown............................................................................... 64 Child Care Chells Manor Pre School.................................................... 40 Stevenage FC Football Academy.................................... 13 Cleaning CK Cleaning............................................................................ 62 Feel Clean................................................................................ 45 Great Ashby Dry Cleaners................................................. 60 Hales Group Ltd.................................................................... 46 Herts Oven Clean.................................................................. 45 Computer Services IT Solutions............................................................................. 25 Decorators and Handymen CB Decorators........................................................................ 56 Ian Dunklin............................................................................. 47 Joe Flintham Plasterer........................................................ 51 Paint FX.................................................................................... 47 Premier Paint.......................................................................... 61 Domestic Appliance Repair Shiron Domestic Appliances............................................ 61 Electrician Andy Ayes Electrics.............................................................. 51 Dot Electrical.......................................................................... 62 Garages, Motor Vehicles Autotech Car Services ........................................................ 42 Mercedes-Benz of Stevenage.............................................5 Gardening Services Ad Gardens Rooms.............................................................. 36 Colour Fence.......................................................................... 35

Health Beauty and Wellbeing Active 4 Less Stevenage........................................................2 Blades Barbers....................................................................... 22 Great Ashby Podiatry.......................................................... 21 In Essence Complimentary............................................... 21 Pauline Fitness Classes....................................................... 18 Salon42.................................................................................... 20 Stevenage Mobile Foot Health........................................ 17 The Unit Gym............................................................................7 You Little Beauty................................................................... 18 Home Furnishing A1 Carpet and Flooring...................................................... 10 Oakland Blinds...................................................................... 17 Black Thread Heart............................................................... 17 Wymondley Flooring.............................................................9 Home Maintenance / Improvement Arc + Be Kitchens.................................................................. 16 Barry Bolton Windows........................................................ 31 Homeworx.............................................................................. 47 JML Window Repair............................................................. 49 Locksmith Services.............................................................. 55 Premier Property Maintenance....................................... 57 C M Roofing............................................................................ 62 Plumbers, Bathroom & Kitchen Installations 1st 4 Plumbing Ltd............................................................... 51 Hoopers Plumbing & Heating.......................................... 50 Kitchen Ergonomics...............................................................1 Mark Hopkinson Gas........................................................... 50 Mark Kempster...................................................................... 57 Mr James Plumbing............................................................. 55 Pete The Plumber................................................................. 46 Steve Grainger Plumbing.................................................. 53 Stevenage Plumbing Centre............................................ 57 Photography Claudia Griffin Photography............................................. 27 Taxi Stevenage Airport Taxis..................................................... 42 Television, Aerial and Satellite Installation Cinescreen-AV Ltd................................................................ 25 Hertford TV Service Ltd...................................................... 60 Venues / Local Businesses / Clubs/ Take Away Multra Life............................................................................... 29 The Crown............................................................................... 64 Water Softener Acoline Softeners................................................................. 15

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