Potton july 15

VILLAGER The

Issue 107 - July 2015

and Town

Life

LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS

Inside this issue Visit the

Villager Bookshop Luxury In Bath Win £25 in our Prize Crossword

Bringing Local Business to Local People

in Biggleswade, Sandy, Potton, Gamlingay and all surrounding villages 11,000 copies delivered to over 30 towns and villages every month To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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Contents The Birth of RAF Henlow

4

The Birth of RAF Henlow............................................................4 When Can I Take It Back?............................................................8 The Villager Book Shop.............................................................11 Albert Minor’s Mongolian Adventure.......................................12 Win a Family Ticket to Cruise on the John Bunyan....................15 Rio de Janeiro - Iconic Peaks.....................................................17 Abbotsley Feast Week & Festival of Flags.................................18 Where Am I?............................................................................20 Luxury in Bath..........................................................................22 Celebrating a Centenary of Girlguiding....................................25 Glorious Georgian....................................................................27 Biggleswade Ladies Circle Anniversary Celebrations................28 Potton Music Festival 2015.......................................................30 Sandy Town Council and Information Centre............................32 Macmillan Needs Your Help......................................................36 How to Cut the Cost of your Summer Holiday...........................38 Jump Aboard with the Alabama Hayriders...............................41 Employment Matters...............................................................42

Deadline for August Artwork is Wednesday 15th July

VILLAGER The

Issue 107 - July 2015

and Town

Life

LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS

Inside this issue Visit the

Villager Bookshop Luxury In Bath Win £25 in our Prize Crossword

Bringing Local Business to Local People

in Biggleswade, Sandy, Potton, Gamlingay and all surrounding villages 11,000 copies delivered to over 30 towns and villages every month To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

ur Yo EE FRcopy

Pocket Money..........................................................................45 Green Garden Park Ltd.............................................................48 Keeping Healthy in the Sun......................................................51 Rural Ramblings.......................................................................52 Ask Alan - Potton Vets..............................................................57 Animal Stories..........................................................................59 Bats Need Friends....................................................................60 Children’s Page.........................................................................63 Ford Mustang...........................................................................66 Seasonal Delights.....................................................................68 Beer of the Month....................................................................71 What’s On.................................................................................74 Puzzle Page..............................................................................80 Prize Crossword........................................................................86 Russell Grant’s Horoscopes.......................................................91 Book Review............................................................................92

Green Garden Park Ltd

48

Deadline for September Artwork is Thursday 23rd July

Editorial - Catherine Rose, Jonathan Vernon-Smith, Solange Hando, Tim Saunders, Katherine Sorrell, Carol H Scott, Ann Haldon, Susan Brookes-Morris, Pippa Greenwood, Geoff Wharton, Potton Vets, RSPCA, Andy Mydellton, James Baggott, Ted Bruning, Russell Grant and Bruce Edwards

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

Advertising Sales/Local Editorial

Disclaimer - All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith, however, Villager Publications Ltd can not take any responsibility for the content of the adverts, the services provided by the advertisers or any statements given in the editorial. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored without the express permission of the publisher.

Nigel Frost - 01767 261122 nigel@villagermag.com Photography arinahabich and Darren Harbar Photography

Design and Artwork - Design 9 Tel 07762 969460 To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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

4

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

6

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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7

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.

8

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Flying Proms at Shuttleworth

Saturday 15 August 2015 Enjoy the Shuttleworth Collection’s vintage aircraft displaying to a backdrop of classical music performed by the 50-piece National Symphony Orchestra. This year also features a trio of spitfires and a thrilling firework display finale.

www.shuttleworth.org/flyingproms Reg Charity No 307534 To Villager advertise TheFP.indd Villager Flyingin Proms 1 and Town Life please call 01767 261122

15/06/2015 12:34:329

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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.

Bedfordshire Through Time by Stephen Jeffrey-Poulter is published by Amberley Publishing and the latest in its successful ‘Through Time’ series, Stephen’s book contains delightful period photographs of the towns and villages in the county of Bedfordshire. The images have been sourced mainly from the Sandy Chrystal postcard collection held by Bedfordshire & Luton Archives Records Service and many are being published for the first time. Contrasting modern colour pictures provide an interesting insight into the many changes that have taken place over the decades.

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 Hertfordshire Through Time.

To order your copy of Bedfordshire Through Time, please contact The Villager Bookshop on 01767 261122 or email booksales@villagermag.com. Or 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 Bedfordshire Through Time

by Stephen Jeffrey-Poulter.

Name:



Publication: Paperback, 96 pages, September 2013 Price: £14.99 ISBN: 978-1-4456-1618-6 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 Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

11

Local News

Albert Minor’s Mongolian Adventure Readers may recall our January feature on Matt Givertz who is hoping to raise money for a wide selection of charities including SOS Children’s Villages and the Lotus Children’s Centre at Ulanbataar by travelling nearly 20,000 miles on a round trip to Mongolia with his ex-wife Helen in a reconditioned Morris Traveller affectionately named Albert.

D-Day (or Departure Day) was on 6th June and Matt and Sarah left a crowded Potton Market Square in Albert who was packed with supplies, including clothing for the children.

Preparing for the day, Matt, who lives with diabetes, said: “The main challenges have been to make sure we can take enough essential spares as well as the clothes kindly donated by the residents of Potton in addition to our camping gear, and some changes of clothes [for us] so we don’t smell too much, and my medication of which there’s quite a bit!”

To smooth the way to the M11 and beyond, they

were escorted by an entourage that included two Harley Davidson outriders, a Morris Minor Panda car, Carl Sturges in the Love Machine, Terry Woods in an MG, Paul Pibworth and Kevin Thompson in a Morris Minor and Councillor Adam Zerny in a TVR. The Panda car escorted them to the docks.

We look forward to Matt giving The Villager regular updates on his progress, Internet willing.

If you would like to support Matt in his challenge, please visit: http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/albertminor You can follow Albert Minor’s progress at: http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/ viewspots.jsp?glId=0FrTgnmmp03mqxSost0Wvo hcZRJxjFzuR

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N O I T I T E P M O C

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.

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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15

Have you considered

fostering?

At Children First Fostering Agency we are currently recruiting caring individuals who want to make a difference to a child or young person’s life.

In return you will receive professional ongoing training, 24 hour support, respite breaks and a generous fostering allowance.

If you are interested in fostering and have a spare room for a child, please contact us at:

www.cffa.co.uk 0808 178 1144 Text FOSTER14 to 88020 with your full name

16

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Travel

By Solange Hando

Rio de Janeiro ‘Iconic Peaks On the western shore of the Atlantic, Rio enjoys a superb location in a spectacular bay dotted with over 130 islands. Pristine sands meander around the coast, mountains rise all around and two mighty peaks compete for some of the most breathtaking views on the continent.

At the heart of the city, Corcovado, the ‘hunchback’ , soars 706 metres above the Tijuca rainforest, widely regarded as the world’s largest urban National Park. There are streams and waterfalls, wild life and tropical plants and a rack railway climbing through lush scenery, with barely a whisper, to the top of Corcovado. Stretching for 3.8km, it was inaugurated in 1884 by Emperor Pedro II. In the footsteps of Albert Einstein, Barack Obama and two Popes, 300,000 visitors come here every year to see the ‘Seventh Wonder’ of the modern world, accessed from the top station by 223 steps with unbeatable views, or lift and escalator.

Even when the peak is shrouded in mist, it’s well worth the climb for up on the platform, Christ the Redeemer greets you with a rare smile and arms outstretched, encompassing everyone in a divine blessing. Rising to 38 metres and built with reinforced concrete covered in soapstone, the statue was inaugurated in 1931, the work of celebrated French sculptor Paul Maximilien Landowski, in collaboration with Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa. Following a lightning strike, a massive restoration programme was undertaken in 2010, involving 100 workers and some 60,000 pieces of stone from the original quarry. Today, with his finely pleated gown and shoulder length hair, the Christ stands as good as

new, unperturbed by snap-happy visitors striking a similar pose, somewhat irreverently, at his feet.

But up there, on a clear day, the panorama is as stunning as the iconic statue. The city is at your feet, nestling in the valleys, stretching along glistening sands and around the lovely lagoon of Rodrigo de Freitas. The 13.3km bridge spans the vast Guanabara Bay and guarding the entrance, on the tip of a peninsula, is the dramatic Sugar Loaf mountain, so named for its shape in the heydays of the sugar trade. It’s just 396 metres high but for many visitors, it’s more impressive than the crowded Corcovado.

There’s no railway on the sheer rocky slopes of the Sugar Loaf but two cable cars. The first one takes you up to Morro da Urca, a 220m outcrop where you feel the views couldn’t possibly get any better. But those who dare, head for the final near-vertical ride to the top. Up there, it’s a true bird’s eye view, the marina glistening far below, the city snaking around the coast fringed with white sands, the lush mountains and rocky peaks and myriad islands sprinkled around the bay. The ocean breeze clears the air and forested trails you never knew were there invite you to stroll in the shade and spot tropical birds and butterflies. But in the late afternoon, the best place to be is on the open platform for one more unforgettable view of Rio in full daylight . Then comes the most magical moment of all, when the last rays of the sun sweep across this amazing ocean and mountainscape and just a stone’s throw away, the mighty Corcovado turns to gold as the Redeemer smiles on one of the most beautiful cities on earth.

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17

Local News

Abbotsley Feast Week & Festival of Flags Friday 17th July – Sunday 26th July 2015 The annual Feast Week in the village of Abbotsley returns on Friday 17th July and this year it will be a feast week with a difference. Abbotsley will be a village full of colour with flags decorating the villagers homes and gardens. The event always coincides with the celebration of the feast of St Margaret of Antioch, in whose honour the church is dedicated. The event commences on Friday 17th July with a Golf Day at Abbotsley Golf Club open to all and then continue with : • Village Fete on Saturday 18th on the playing field from 2–5pm, with games, stalls, side shows Bedfordshire Beekeepers, Stagecoach Dancers, bbq, bar & Pimms tent and more.

• Sunday 19th cream teas will be served at the Village Hall, a welcome refreshment after a walk around the village. Patronal Festival Service, St Margaret’s Church 6.30pm.

• A family sports evening Monday 20th on the playing field.

Communion Service St Margaret’s Church 6.30pm • Tuesday 21st Quiz at The Eight Bells 7.30pm.

• Kids Disco at the Village Hall Wednesday 22nd July 6pm • Thursday 23rd July Kids vs Adults Football on the playing field 6pm.Heartsease will be performing at The Eight Bells from 8pm.

A Barn Dance will take place on Saturday 25th at The Eight Bells at 7.30pm, with dancing to The Magog Band (tickets in advance, see contact details below).

The week’s festivities close on Sunday 26th with Jazz and an auction of promises 1pm at The Eight Bells, there are some fantastic lots of offer – all welcome.

Profits from Feast Week go to the upkeep of Abbotsley Village Hall. For further information about Feast Week events and tickets please contact Nick Martin 07814 194996, or see the village website www.abbotsley.org.uk Abbotsley Feast Week Raising Funds for Abbotsley Village Hall Registered Charity No.302626

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

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

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

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

This is ideal for any corporate or private event.

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

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

Please phone or email for details

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

Christmas Bookings Now Being Taken To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

19

Where AM I?

Do You Know?

1

2 3

Do you know where these pictures were taken?

May’s answer

May’s images were taken in Swiss Garden Our Where Am I photography is by Darren Harbar Photography.

Where Are we?

The Villager and Town Life magazine is delivered door to door throughout:

Abbotsley, Beeston, Broom, Caxton, Cockayne Hatley, Cople, Croydon, Dunton, Eltisley, Everton, Everton Heath, Eyeworth, Gamlingay, Haynes, Henlow, Ickwell Green, Ireland, Langford, Lower Caldecote, Moggerhanger, Northill, Old Warden, Potton, Shuttleworth, Southill, Stanford, Sutton, The Gransdens, Thorncote Green, Upper Caldecote, Waresley and Wrestlingworth

and can be found in most shops, pubs, garages in all of the above and more including Biggleswade and Sandy.

Booking your advertising space is easy just call Nigel on 01767 261122 or e-mail nigel@villagermag.com

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VILLAGER The

LOCAL NEWS •

LOCAL PEOPLE

Issue 106 - June

• LOCAL SERVICE

Inside this issu

Win Tickets

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S • LOCAL CHARITI

2015

Life

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e

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to see Parklife

Franklin’s

Cider

Win £25

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VILLAGER The

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Inside this issu

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Life

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History

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Travel

Luxury in Bath

By 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,

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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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Mary_Villager_ad_0415.qxp_Mary_Villager_ad_0415 26/05/2015 17:36 Page 1

An exhibition of original

Landscapes & Seascapes by artist and tutor

Mary Lucas Booth The Community Centre Brook End, Potton Bedfordshire SG19 2QS 18 July 2015 9 am–4 pm All profits will support the work of The St John’s Hospice, Moggerhanger

Mary holds painting classes at her Gamlingay studio for students of all levels – Monday and Wednesday 10 am–12 pm, Tuesday 1 pm–3 pm. Please call 01767 654920 or visit www.painting-for-your-pleasure.co.uk for details.

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The Royal Oak Freshly prepared food

Tuesday to Saturday lunch 12-2.30pm Tuesday to Saturday evening 6pm to 9pm Sunday lunch 12-4pm Biggleswade Road, Potton | 01767 261888 | www.theroyaloak-potton.co.uk Royal Oak (May).indd 24

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Local News

Celebrating a Centenary

of Girlguiding This year, Bedfordshire Girlguides marks a hundred years of existence.

The Guide Movement took root and arrived in Bedfordshire in 1915 with the formation of the 1st Luton Company. As a result, celebrations took place this month at Cardinal Newman School in the town when nearly two thousand girls and leaders from across the whole of Bedfordshire enjoyed a fun packed day at “the best birthday party ever”.

Following the erection of a circus big top, the girls took part in a host of action-packed activities including roller skating, zorbing and fencing.

Welcoming Deputy Lord Lieutenant Dr Nazia Khanum OBE, Bedfordshire High Sheriff Lady Erroll and Luton North MP Kelvin Hopkins MP to the commemorations, Bedfordshire Girlguiding County Commissioner Ann Crome described the celebrations as “an important milestone” and said that she was proud to be part of an organisation which has grown in numbers and flourished across

Bedfordshire, “empowering girls from all backgrounds by giving them their own space and changing their lives”.

Part of the Scouting movement, Girlguiding UK is a charity and is always looking for volunteers, so if you feel you could get involved with any of the Bedfordshire groups, they would love to hear from you.

Please call 0800 169 5901 or visit www. bedsguiding.org.uk/index.php/contact-us

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Our award winning magazines offer a unique local advertising platform. Printed on high quality paper we are still able to offer incredible prices along with a second-to-none service, professional advert design and a team just waiting to help you.

With over 15,500 copies being delivered door to door every month can your business wait any longer to be in The Villager?

“The response I have received this year is unprecedented to any other forms of media advertising I am currently engaged with!!

Steve Shackleton (First Glass Repairs)

Advertising in The Villager and Town Life could not be easier, for further information or to book your advertising space please call Nigel on 01767 261122 or e-mail nigel@villagermag.com or visit our website www.villagermag.com

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Interiors

Glorious Georgian

By Katherine Sorrell

You don’t have to live in a 250-year-old house to enjoy the timeless elegance of Georgian style.

Refined and uncluttered, its symmetry, proportion and classicism looks good in all kinds of homes.

It was the Georgians who made us modern? During the century or so following the ascent of George I in 1714, our towns and cities, and homes and gardens, were transformed and the inexorable rise of popular culture began. Perhaps it is part of a trend away from pared-down minimalism in favour of bolder colours, decorative surfaces and more intricate shapes, or perhaps it is simply the appeal of classic elegance – either way, it is not surprising that we find Georgian architecture and interiors, fascinating.

But what was Georgian style? According to V&A curator Julius Bryant: ‘The prevailing mood of the period is one of classical revival, of symmetry, order, balance, space and calm. The centrepiece of a room would be a fireplace with a prominent mantelpiece, and lovely floorboards, Turkish rugs, and furniture made from walnut and mahogany, with carved edges, stable and strong.’

This was the age of the master cabinet-maker: famous names such as Thomas Chippendale and George Hepplewhite. The general preference was for fine, small, light pieces made from rich woods, often featuring decorative gilding, marquetry or lacquer. As for fabrics, cottons and linens became extremely popular and a host of beautiful printed and woven patterns appeared, many of which are

still available, including chintzes featuring large, bright florals, bold stripes, Chinese scenes and the monochrome images of toile de Jouy. On walls, either wood panelling or block-printed wallpaper would be perfect, or paint colours from the many historic ranges on offer today. Georgian ‘common’ colours included off-white, stone, grey, cream and a wide range of earthy tones. Generally speaking, the stronger the colour, the more expensive it was to produce, so some people added touches of pea green, olive, lemon or pale blue, while the very well off employed brighter shades such as pink, orange, straw, deep green, ultramarine and Prussian blue.

At the start of the Georgian era homes were very poorly lit, but by the turn of the century gas and oil lighting was the latest thing for those who could afford it. This meant that decorative light fittings became fashionable. Period lighting can be tricky to get right; either seek out good reproductions or stick to simply, timeless modern fittings that won’t clash with other pieces.

In many older homes, panelled-wood shutters look just right at the windows, but otherwise simple curtains made from a suitable fabric work well. The later part of the Georgian period saw the introduction of French rod curtains that drew horizontally – the forerunners of our modern curtains.

Last of all, to really get things right, add one or two typical finishing touches such as classical busts or statues, romantic porcelain figures, lacquerwork screens, rococo silver and Wedgwood ceramics.

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Local News

Biggleswade Ladies Circle Anniversary Celebrations This year, Biggleswade Ladies Circle, which covers Biggleswade and the surrounding area and includes Langford and Henlow, is celebrating its 55th anniversary.

The Ladies Circle is a social group for women aged 18-45 which, through a varied programme of activities and events, offers friendship and fun at a local, national and international level.

The club normally meets twice a month and activities include visits to local attractions, pamper nights, archery, craft nights, weekends away, bingo, theatre trips, Safari suppers and much more! One of the benefits of being a member of circle is that you get to meet people from all walks of life and try things which you would probably never have done on your own. They also carry out fundraising, mainly for the Ladies Circle National President’s Charity of the Year, but also for local causes.

To celebrate their 55th anniversary, current members are hosting an afternoon tea in Biggleswade on September 19th.

They would like to invite as many past Chairs as possible to share memories of 55 years in the typical Circle way – over food and drink!

Were you, or anyone you know, the Chair of Biggleswade Ladies Circle? If so, the group would love to hear from you.

To get in touch, or if you are interested in joining Biggleswade Ladies Circle, email biggleswade. circle@gmail.com or call Alison on 01462 700016.

You can also like the Biggleswade Ladies Circle Facebook page where you will see details of all their forthcoming events.

Potton & District Club NEW MEMBERS WELCOME. Keeping LIVE MUSIC live! every week!

When you see this * an ENTRY FEE will apply

JULY

Saturday 4th July - Soul Reason Saturday 11th July - Woo & the Fuel (Dance Classics) Saturday 18th July - Iron Fist (loving Glam rock) Saturday 25th July - Back Beat (talented trio full of surprises)

AUGUST

Saturday 1st August - The Scallywags Friday 21st August - The Belltonics (Covers band) Saturday 29th August - Spareparts (experienced classic rock covers band, Quo, including the” fantastic four” days) Sunday 30th August (Bank Holiday) - Disco Inferno

DIARY DATES: COMING SOON! GENTLEMENS EVENING FRIDAY 9TH OCTOBER & LADIES EVENING FRIDAY 13TH NOVEMBER All information is provided in good faith, always check the web page pottonclub.co.uk for changes/updates.

Potton CIU Club, Charities Hall, Station Road, Potton Tel: 01767 261465 (Evenings) Website: www.pottonclub.co.uk 28

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Local News

Potton Music Festival 2015 24th-26th July

In the summer of 2002, in a small pub in East london, the six members of the Marais Ensemble met for what was expected to be the last time.

After several wonderful years of performing concerts together, from London’s Wigmore Hall to the far reaches of Scotland, it was time to bite the bullet; finding time for regular rehearsals, concerts and tours for six in-¬demand musicians, living in different cities, had unfortunately become impossible.

Our flute player Sarah had, however, recently moved to a small town in Bedfordshire. She had noticed that there were lots of interesting, community¬-minded people in town, but not very much instrumental music going on. Might it be possible for us to arrange a mini festival there next summer? We decided we had nothing to lose. The following summer, the first Potton Music Festival took place. Organising it almost got the better of us, but it was great fun. And experiencing the enthusiasm of our first Potton audiences was enough to persuade us to try once more the following year.

None of us ever imagined then that we’d now be looking forward to our 12th festival in July 2015!

This year’s concerts all have their special atmosphere. The rich sounds of wind octets in the opening concert in Cockayne Hatley on Friday 24th July makes for a wonderful start; it’s a great programme with pieces by Mozart and Beethoven as well as Janacek and the British composer

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Jonathan Dove. Saturday is always a marathon day, starting with a family concert entitled “Musical Magic” at 11am in Bourgoyne Middle School, an evening concert in St. Mary’s Church at 7.30pm, featuring some glorious Bach (flute sonata), the dramatic Brahms Clarinet Trio and Dvorak’s beautiful “Dumky” trio. The late night concert at 10.15pm, still in St. Mary’s, features an atmospheric programme of tango-¬inspired music. The festival rounds off with a relaxed concert at the new time of 11.30am in Sutton, tying up some of the threads from the previous concerts with music by Mozart, Debussy, and Argentina’s tango composer par excellence, Astor Piazzolla.

We do hope to see many of you there. The magic of this festival lies in the friendships we have all made and continue to strengthen each year, and in the joy of music¬-making on a smaller, intimate scale. It is the audience that makes the experience so special for us and we look forward to greeting old friends and creating new ones.

Do please join us if you can. We have a website : www.pottonmusicfestival.com which lists all of our programmes, venues and ticket prices. ticket prices. You can buy tickets online, at Cameron’s newsagents in Potton or on the door. There is the Golden Ticket option which represents great value for those who wish to attend 3 or more concerts.

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The idea of giving up tobacco products is something that the vast majority of smokers would love to accomplish. Not because they don’t enjoy smoking, but because they don’t want the health implications and the financial drain. I know this because I have smoked from a young age and could easily see 40 disappear in a day.

I tried most of the ‘traditional’ methods but failed at each attempt, because I wanted to give up for the wrong reasons.

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Vaping is very personal and my shop caters for all.

Some people do start vaping just to cut-down but the vast majority have no intention of ever smoking another tobacco product, and it works.

There are a lot of products on the market now due to its popularity and my shop has it covered. I will happily take time to explain the products, what’s in the juices and why I only use the top names in the industry which, along with my juices, are governed by a regulatory body.

Feel free to come down for some friendly advice and sample some of the 70+ flavours I stock.

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Local News

Sandy Town Council & Information Centre Sandy Information Centre holds a wide range of local attraction leaflets with ideas for days out and if you require a brochure relating to another part of the country we can order these for you. We also hold information about local transport and the latest train and bus timetables.

We have a large selection of local Walk leaflets to enable local people and Sandy’s many visitors to walk in this areas beautiful countryside.

We are agents for Safford’s so you we will be able to book for the many day excursions or holidays they undertake.

From the new Information Centre and Reception there will be access to the Roman Sandy Exhibition and if you have never visited this display it is well worth a visit.

The Information Centre will be undertaking local Guided Walks during the summer and local history Autumn/Winter Talks GUIDED WALKS The third Guided Walk for 2015 takes place on Tuesday, 21st July and is called THE TEMPSFORD WALK – Part II Last year local resident and historian, Mr Steve Cooney of Tempsford gave a guided walk of the Church End part of the village when we saw and heard about such places as Gannocks Castle, the parish church, the Millennium Garden and the Tempsford Museum and Archive.

Now Steve will take us around and speak about the interesting buildings on the Station Road part of the village. Buildings in this road date from all periods

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many dating from the seventeenth century.

Station Road was once a throbbing and vibrant community, with shops, pubs, butchers, drapers and blacksmiths etc. We will also visit Tempsford Hall, once the family seat of the Payne and Stuart families and the long lost Tempsford Railway Station which brought many military personnel and SOE agents to the nearby famous Tempsford Airfield, including the King and the Queen.

Meet at the entrance to Station Road (parking on the left hand side of the road) at 7pm.

The cost of the Guided Walk is £5.50 per person (payable on booking please).

This year’s fourth guided Walk is a ‘GUIDED WALK AROUND OLD WARDEN VILLAGE’ and this takes place on Thursday, 6th August.

There is a maximum of 20 on this walk due to the narrowness of the village road. If necessary we will hold a second tour in the afternoon.

Local historian Christine Hill will lead this new and very interesting walk around this delightful village where we will see and hear about its historic and picturesque buildings and its people. Old Warden stands amongst wooded countryside and is a good example of an estate village.

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33

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We will also visit the 12th century church of St Leonard whose interior is decorated with a substantial amount of carved woodwork collected from the Low Countries by Lord Ongley and installed in 1841/2.

We will meet in the car park of St Leonard’s Church, Old Warden, at 10.00am. The cost of the Guided Walk is £5.50 per person (payable on booking please).

The final walk of the year takes place on Thursday, 10th September and is called the ‘SANDY HEATH AND QUARRY WALK’. This Walk forms part of the Bedfordshire Walking Festival. From the Council Offices we will walk to The Lodge (RSPB) reserve and go along the picturesque ‘Firs Trail’ and exit the reserve at the RSPB Gatehouse. Crossing the road we will enter Sandy Heath cross the fields leading to Deepdale and enter the Sandy Heath Quarry, where mineral companies are working with the RSPB to restore the site to heathland. After seeing this wonderful site we will return via the Heath and the ‘Firs Trail’ to Sandy Meet at the offices of Sandy Town Council, 10 Cambridge Road, Sandy at 2.30pm.

Being part of the Walking Festival there is no charge for this Walk.

AUTUMN AND WINTER TALKS There will be three Talks this year and they will all be held in the Sandy Baptist Church Hall and the cost will be £5.50 per person.

In October there will be a Talk by David Fowler, who for the past two years has given Talks about Cardington and the Airship industry. This year he will give a Talk titled BEDFORDSHIRE HEROES. This will include the lives of Sir Joseph Paxton, the famous gardener and designer of the Crystal Palace who was born at Milton Bryan, Frederick Burnaby who was a famous army officer and traveller who once crossed the English Channel in a hot air balloon and who

was born in Bedford and Captain Sir William Peel, Sandy’s famous naval hero who was one of the first recipients of the Victoria Cross and builder of the Sandy to Potton railway. This Talk will take place on Tuesday, 6th October at 7.30pm In November Colin McCartney of Broom will give a Talk entitled CONCORDE- AN INSIDE STORY. Colin recounts his experiences while working on the design team of Concorde – the only Super Sonic Transport (SST) to be designed and go into worldwide service.

This Talk will take place on Monday, 2nd November at 7.30pm In December Bernard O’Connor returns to Sandy to give a new Talk called TRAINING TO BE A SECRET AGENT DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR. During this war several thousand secret agents of many nationalities, including over eighty women were infiltrated into occupied Europe on special operations. If you think you had (or still have) what it takes to be a special agent, Bernard will provide an illustrated talk on the training they received.

This Talk will take place on Monday, 7th December at 7.30pm If you require any further information regarding the Walks or Talks or the Information Centre please do not hesitate to contact us SANDY TOWN COUNCIL & INFORMATION CENTRE, 10 CAMBRIDGE ROAD, SANDY BEDFORDSHIRE SG19 1AX Tel 01767 681491 info@sandytowncouncil.gov.uk

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Opening times: Monday 9am – 2pm Wednesday 9am – 2pm Friday 9am – 2pm

Local News

Macmillan Needs your Help!

Macmillan Cancer Support is calling on local people in Biggleswade and the surrounding area who have time to spare, whether it is a little or a lot. The charity is looking to hear from anyone interested in helping out on either a regular or ad hoc basis. From organising a fundraising event with a group of friends or helping out at collections, they would love to hear from you.

Jessica Wilson, Fundraising Manager for Bedfordshire says: “Macmillan is such a worthwhile cause and people have a lot of fun volunteering for us in the community. It’s also a great chance to add skills to your CV. We would love to hear from anyone who has time spare to join us - even a couple of hours a year! ” The charity works to support local people who have been affected by cancer: from funding nurses

to providing financial, emotional, medical and practical help to patients and their families.

Around 2,800 people in Bedfordshire are diagnosed with cancer each year and Macmillan aims to be there to support the cancer patient and their friends and family too. Cancer can be an incredibly lonely experience and the charity ensures that no one faces cancer alone by aiming to be there for people who are affected by the illness. Volunteer support helps make this a reality is invaluable.

For more information please contact Jessica Wilson, Fundraising Manager on: 07474 920354 for an informal chat or email jewilson@macmillan. org.uk

Bedfordshire Foot Clinic Podiatry/Chiropody Yvonne Siudak

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Podiatrist / Chiropodist Private Podiatry / Chiropody Care in Sandy, Bedfordshire, UK A comprehensive service for all your Foot Care needs Hard Skin • Corns • Nail Cutting • Ingrown Toe Nails • Fungal Nail Infections • General Foot Care • Verrucae Treatment • Laser Treatment • Diabetic Assessments • Biomechanical Assessments

Full details of our specialist treatments are available, call Yvonne for an appointment:

Bedfordshire Foot Clinic - 2 Belfry Court, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 1JR

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E: yvonne@yourfootclinic.co.uk

Also Cambridge Foot Clinic Tel: 01223 358 431

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APampering ROM ATICS & Beauty Holistics Welcome to Aromatics – a haven of peace, pampering and relaxation in the heart of Potton.

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37

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

38

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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EBAY COLLECTIONS

40

Local & Reliable

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Local News

Jump aboard

with the Alabama Hayriders

Don’t miss the legendary swing band of the 60s and 70s, the Alabama Hayriders, who were featured in May’s magazine. With up and coming gigs all around the locality, they will be playing at a venue near you over the coming months.

The five-piece band recently reformed after 36 years apart so if you missed them the first time round when they were in their ‘hay day’, there is now a fresh opportunity to see some seasoned professional musicians at work while having a great time in the process. With their performance of some well-loved classic Nashville tunes, the band’s appeal is for all ages.

The Alabama Hayriders remains the same line up as in 1976 with John Lindsay on rhythm and vocals, Mick MacKay on lead guitar, Bryn Sharpe on base and vocals, John Davis on the pedal steel guitar and Terry Vials on drums. All ‘local lads’, John Lindsay hails from Hitchin, Mick from Dunstable,

Bryn from Hemel Hempstead, and both John Davis and Terry originally come from St Neots.

Catch them at the Langford fete which opens at 1pm on 4th July (Independence Day) and the following month at the Wrestlingworth Goodwill Day to raise money for local causes which takes place on 5th September where they will be performing at The Chequers, Wrestlingworth.

The group is always available for charity performances. Please enquire.

Telephone John Lindsay on 01462 701779 for further details of forthcoming appearances and ticket information.

Your local divorce & family law specialists Caring, confidential legal advice 3 Divorce and separation 3 Getting a fair financial settlement 3 Seeing your children after you split 3 Legal arrangements before you marry or live together

FREE telephone appointment 6 FREE downloadable guides available on our website

Call locally based divorce & family lawyer Abby Smith on 01480 270499 or email abby.smith@family-lawfirm.co.uk

Call locally based divorce & family solicitor Tamara Glanvill on 01767 660466 or email tamara.glanvill@family-lawfirm.co.uk

Local meetings arranged at a time and place to suit you www.family-lawfirm.co.uk

Woolley & Co is a member of the Law Society and authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Head office: Warwick Enterprise Park, Wellesbourne, Warwick, CV35 9EF

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41 04/12/2014 14:21

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,

42

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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ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS AND BUILDING DESIGN SERVICES

Ash Tree Financial Services Independent Financial Advisers For friendly and expert advice in your financial planning including: Mortgages and Home Insurance Life assurance Critical Illness Cover Income Protection Pensions and Income in Retirement Investments and Savings Contact Christopher Goodwin Ash Tree House, 48 Sutton Mill Road, Potton, SG19 2QB Tel: 01767 262760

goodwin@ashtree.uk.com www.ashtree.uk.com

Friendly, Independent, expert advice on your personal and

Independent Financial Adviser

Wayne Bacon DipFA MIFS CeRER

• Retirement Planning

Annuities • Open-Market-Options • Pensions

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For advice please call:

T: 01767 650 477 M: 07738 120 127 E: wayne.bacon@2plan.com

www.waynebacon.2plan.com 2plan wealth management Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

It is entered on the Financial Services Register (www.fca.org.uk) under reference 461598.

Registered office: 2plan Wealth Management Ltd. Bridgewater Place, Water Lane, Leeds, LS11 5BZ. Registered in England Number: 05998270 VAT Registered: 894679251

Professional and affordable architectural design services provided for all types of private residential building projects with all necessary council approvals obtained.

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

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Contact Stuart Harris: Tel: 01767 359 285 Mob: 07734 652 239

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Anstee Gorst

Chartered Certified Accountants

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Free Initial Consultation Phone: Antoinette Gorst ACCA or Sally Anstee FCCA 01767 650700 Ground Floor Offices, Unit 30, Green End, Gamlingay, Sandy, Beds, SG19 3LF Email: office@ansteegorst.co.uk Website: www.ansteegorst.co.uk

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DO YOU EVER WISH YOU HAD AN EXTRA PAIR OF HANDS? NO MONEY OR TIME TO EMPLOY THAT EXTRA PERSON! WHY NOT CALL ME!!

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Finance

Pocket Money

By Susan Brookes-Morris

The Annual 2014 Pocket Money Survey by the Halifax revealed that 8 to 15 year olds received an average amount of £6.35 per week. Whilst parents or guardians were the main givers, a third of those surveyed also received pocket money from grandparents. Thirteen year olds were the most likely age group to receive weekly amounts and boys received more on average than girls.

Only a third of children said they would save up for something expensive, most preferring to ask for it as a present. Other surveys such as those by Roosterbank suggest children as young as 3 are getting pocket money.

Whatever the amount, pocket money given in the right way can help children to learn the necessary skills and gain the confidence to handle money responsibly.

If you are having trouble deciding how much pocket money to give your children, think about what you expect them to pay for from that money.

You can involve your children in the decision process. Do you expect them to buy their own sweets and magazines with the money for

example, and would this mean that they ended up eating fewer sweets than you currently buy for them which may lead to healthier choices? Or would you prefer to buy this type of thing and money will be for ‘special extras’ only?

Commonly a basic payment plus bonus system is recommended. This includes a fixed amount which is given as long as children do certain expected things, perhaps keep their rooms tidy and do their homework for example. It is then ‘topped’ up by extra amounts if children do additional chores or achieve something significant .Of course you will need to make the possibilities appropriate to their age, and different chores can attract different bonuses depending on the time and effort required.

Many parents find that the use of a reward chart is helpful, particularly for younger children as it shows clearly the financial benefits of completing extra tasks.

Having regular conversations about what children are doing with their money, what they want to buy and why they want it is also important. This can help them understand the value of things much more clearly than when you pay for things for them because they have to decide whether to buy x or y. If you can bear it, it really is best to let them learn from their financial mistakes. Whilst many children will have a splurge when they first start receiving pocket money, as they get used to it they tend to become more careful about their choices. You can also help stimulate their thinking by talking about how you budget.

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45

Computer Supply & Repair Fast, friendly and local support for all your computer and technology needs.

Repairs, Upgrades, Custom Builds etc.

Virus and Spyware Removal, PC Health Checks, Software/Hardware Sales, Networking and Wireless

No Call Out Fee Why pay shop prices when you can have a faster, cheaper and more personal service to your door available? With work guaranteed and a No Fix, No Fee motto, why shop anywhere else for your Computer needs?

The Gadget Guy Phone: 01767 641680 Mobile: 07776 497004 Email: sales@thegadgetguy.co.uk Web: www.thegadgetguy.co.uk 46

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47

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

48

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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49

J.R. Bibby Turf Supplies Quality Turf with a Quality Service

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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

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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51

Gardening & Wildlife

The Joy of the Descriptive English Language

Rural Ramblings. By Geoff Wharton

Like most languages, English is full of strange and quirky phrases which are open to unforeseen interpretations if you happen not to be a native speaker. Imagine for example watching a gardening programme about growing biennials and the presenter happens to mention that they are best sown around this time because they take two growing seasons to flower. He mentions that foxgloves would make a lovely display for the following year. Of course we all instantly think of the tall pink or white spikes of flowers produced from these native or cultivated plants but think again how bizarre the English language would be seen if you were not acquainted with these plants - GLOVES, FOXES, seeds??? What is going on? Are they all mad?

Following on from this, I happened to be looking through the list of English names given to our native wild plants and some of them are so strange it makes you wonder how on earth someone in the dim distant past, obviously with a vivid imagination, managed to give them such weird names such as – Lady’s Bedstraw, Goldilocks Buttercup, Butcher’s Broom, Large Cuckoo Pint, Bloody Cranesbill (must be red!) Irish and not to be outdone, Mexican Fleabane, Enchanter’s Nightshade (must be dark), Stinking Goosefoot (must be smelly), Gallant Soldier (brown and green?), Hen and Chickens Houseleek(no idea what colour!) Honesty (I do know is purple or white but why this name??), Jack Go To Bed At Noon (what is this all about?), Juniper’s Distaff (sorry to admit my ignorance but I had to look up the flower colour of this one and of course it was yellow just as I had suspected). Now we come to the strange ones - Labrador Tea (why Labrador?), The Three–Cornered Leek (and I thought they were cylindrical), London Pride (beer smell?), Lords and Ladies (your guess is as good as mine), Micropus (is this for real?), Mind Your Own Business (excuse me, this is the name of a wild flower), the Man Orchid, and of course Lizard and Frog. Then we have The Ploughman’s Spikehard whatever that was and The Shaggy Soldier together with The Gallant Soldier.

We have a plant called Melancholy which is, believe it or not, a kind of thistle coloured vivid purple.

Venus’s Looking Glass is of course bright red and Wolfsbane is as expected bright yellow and finally that dreadful weed The Forking Larkspur - I have

52

heard many a good gardener cry out in desperation at the mere sight of a single individual!

The problem with local names is that they can vary from place to place and therefore the use of Latin or “scientific” names was introduced. However, most people prefer to keep to the names that are in common use.

Who, for example, would talk about their garden being full of nasty Capsella bursa-pastoris weeds when they were actually talking about Shepherd’s Purse which of course is supposed to be an accurate description of the purse used by the shepherd in olden times, not that I can personally vouch for the accuracy of this description, as I have never met a shepherd and would not be so bold as to ask to see his purse!

Whichever system is to be used, they are all amazing works of creativity!

Geoff Wharton Gardening Services Reliable, experienced, well qualified.

General and specialist garden work: Jungle clearing, Pruning, Hedge and grass cutting, Regular maintenance, Licensed waste disposal.

Full public liability cover.

Geoff Wharton - BSC honours Hort.Science Email:geoffwharton@hotmail.com

Tel: 01767 261727

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GILKS FENCING LTD

All Types of Fencing, Gates & Railings, SUPPLIED & INSTALLED

Call for a FREE Survey & Quotation Visit our Display Area at:

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Fencing Specialist Fully Insured Friendly Service FREE QUOTATIONS Specialise in all types of fencing  Gates  Security  Bollards  For all your fencing needs

Contact Rob Sale Tel - 01767 316901 Mob - 07927 748460

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GARDEN MACHINERY AND TRAILER CENTRE

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Appointed dealers for:

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SURECLEAN DRIVEWAY AND PATIO CLEANING SPECIALISTS ROOF MOSS REMOVAL AND GUTTER CLEANING We use a revolutionary industrial pressure rotary cleaning system to restore exterior hard surfaces to as new condition.

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Ask Alan Dear Alan. I was told that Matilda (my cat) needed dental treatment but I am worried about the anaesthetic as she is 13 years old. She is still eating and does not seem to have pain. Is it worth it? Carol

Dear Carol.

I haven’t seen Matilda’s mouth so it is impossible to comment but a few general principles apply: • Cats do not express pain as we do and will often mask their symptoms, so as not to show weakness, until their condition is quite advanced.

• Cats suffer from FORL (feline odontoclastic resorbtive lesions), which causes the enamel to be eaten away (often under the gumline). It is diagnosed with dental x-rays. This is a very painful condition and the only treatment is to extract the tooth.

• Long term inflammation such as gingivitis, release inflammatory proteins and bacteria into the bloodstream which can cause liver, kidney and heart disease.

Pets

• Modern anaesthetics are much safer and with preanaesthetic blood testing we can assess her health much better than before.

In general, dental disease is a painful condition with serious effects on many organs in the body and, if gingivitis is present, the benefits of cleaning the mouth outweigh the risks.

I hope this helps you make the right decision for Matilda.

Best wishes,

Alan

If you have any questions you would like answered, please email them to villager@pottonvets.co.uk For more information visit

www.pottonvets.co.uk or pop into the clinic in Potton Market Square.

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y chaps doggy day car p p Ha Offering your dog a safe fun e filled environment Est 14 yrs Open all day every day All operatives fully insured and qualified dog trainers.

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Can I go to the Paddocks for my Holiday please?

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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.”

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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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

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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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Professional Dog & Cat Grooming Hydro Massage Bathing Bespoke Dog & Cat Grooming Handstripping Specialists De-shedding Treatments Open Plan Grooming 38 Shortmead St Biggleswade www.hollywooddogs.co.uk 01767 600 212 Find us on Facebook

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Swimming Lessons A flexible day nursery for children from 6 weeks to 5 years with extensive and well resourced grounds. ur o y f f o Excellent links to s onth’ 1st m es the A1, St Neots and fe Sandy railway station.

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C a l l He ather on Tel: 01767 631053 Mob: 07885 516561

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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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A1

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We are the Mobile Motor Vehicle Technicians..

A1 Mobile Tech has a proven track record of effective problem solving and attention to detail and our goal is to meet and exceed the expectations of every customer.

We aim to please, we come to you and carry out main dealer level work at reasonable prices.

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BATTERIES - Supplied and fitted two and three year guarantee.

BRAKES - Discs Pads Shoes. Cylinders etc supplied and fitted.

CODE READING - Trace & rectify those alarming red dashboard warning lights.

TYRES - All makes inc. Budget Avon, Dunlop, Firestone, Goodyear, Michelin, Pirelli.

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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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“Read This ONLY If You Are A Homeowner In The Biggleswade Area” Your neighbour’s patio in Biggleswade has just be been professionally cleaned and now looks fantastic in time for summer relaxing and entertaining outdoors.

Get yours professionally cleaned and looking beautiful in time for you to relax and enjoy the warm outdoor weather.

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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

Food & Drink

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.

3 Windows 3 Doors 3 Conservatories 3 Orangeries 3 Bi folds 3 Repairs T: 01767 765440

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Julian Biggs Plumbing OCT Advert:Layout 1 10/09/201

DRIFTWOOD JOINERY LTD

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All aspects of plumbing & heating work Boilers - Servicing, Repairs, Installation Bathroom, showers and taps leaking taps to full installation

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Tel: 01767 627591 07950 705479

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Conservatories • Doors • Windows Staircases Handmade Kitchens Handmade Bedroom Furniture

Fully qualified and insured • All work guaranteed Free Quotations • Local, professional & reliable

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Electrician www.rooneyelectrical.co.uk

Do you find it difficult to get someone to come and do a small job?

Fault finding/repairs Extra lights and sockets New fuse boards Rewires P.A.T testing Landlord inspections Qualified electrician  Fully insured Reliable service  Tidy work Free quote  Satisfaction guaranteed

Call Nigel on: 01767 221088 / 07941295883

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Paul Kaiser Home 01767 222822 Mobile 07812 335860 Visit us on

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n O s ’ t Wha In July

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

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 1, 8 & 15 July Mums’ & Dads’ Coffee Break 9-10am Moggerhanger Church 2 & 16 July Biggleswade Cancer Support Group 1-3pm The Meeting Room, Biggleswade Baptist Church Sessions free – donations welcome An informal, confidential group for cancer patients, families and friends in the Biggleswade area. It is a place to meet with others and provide mutual support. The group meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month.

Tel: 07812 796581 Email: csgbiggleswade@gmail.com Facebook: Biggleswade Cancer Support Group 3 July Southill Lower School Fun Night 5-7pm Southill Playing Field, School Lane, Southill Free admission Family games and activities, Raffle, Face Painting, BBQ & Refreshments and more. Bring a picnic blanket and enjoy a fun family evening. Feel free to stay beyond 7pm.

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3 & 4 July Gamlingay Players proudly present ‘A Summer Festival’ 7.45pm Eco-Hub, Gamlingay Advance tickets Adults £8.50, Concessions £7, On the door Adults £9, Concessions £7.50 Gamlingay Players continue to celebrate their Golden Jubilee with a Summer Festival of one-act plays featuring ‘The Rats’ by Agatha Christie; ‘Basil the Rat’ from ‘Fawlty Towers’ by John Cleese and Connie Booth; ‘Look Away Now’, ‘Heart to Heart’, ‘Glassnost’, ‘Toasters’ from The ‘Alarms and Excursions’ by Michael Frayn. Come and enjoy a great summer’s evening’s entertainment! Tickets for unreserved seating available from the Eco-hub or on online. Licensed bar available from 7.15pm.

Web: www.gamlingayplayers.co.uk.

4 July Monthly sale 10am-1pm Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice, Moggerhanger Pick up a bargain each month from the Nearly New Shop. Opening times can be found on our website or call Caroline Carthy 01767 642433.

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 for further details 6, 13 & 20 July The Alma Singers 7.30-9.15pm Great Barford Methodist Church The Alma Singers are looking to expand their Choir and are inviting females (sopranos and altos) of any age to join. The choir has been established for 5 years and during that time have given concerts and helped to raise funds for many organisations and charities. This year the chosen charity is The Alzheimer’s Society. The choir is privileged to have the services of a professional Musical Director, Dominic Keating-Roberts, and piano accompanist.

Rehearsals take place on a Monday evening (term time).

Tel: Anne Lowe 01234 740980 for more details Email: anne-lowe1@hotmail.co.uk Web: www.alma-singers.co.uk

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 7 July Potton Ladies Club 7.30pm The Pavilion, Mill Lane, Potton Guests £4 inc. light refreshment Guest speaker is Tony Scannell (DC Roach from The Bill) “My Life in Pieces”. Raffle 50p per ticket.

10 July The Gresley Male Voice Choir from Derbyshire 7.15pm Trinity Methodist Church, Shortmead Street, Biggleswade Advance tickets £7, On the door £8 including light refreshments Opening Doors for the Community presents, by popular demand, a return visit by The Gresley Male Voice Choir from Derbyshire. Tickets available from Biggleswade Express, Shortmead Street, Biggleswade.

10 & 11 July Bizet’s Carmen in English - The Passion Flower Fri 7.30pm, Sat 2.30pm St Mary Magdalene Church, Dunton Adults £10, Under 16s £5 St Mary’s Singers Potton are performing “Passion Flower” - “The story of Carmen” to Bizet’s Music.

Soloists are Gina Abbatt as Carmen and Simon Marlowe as Don Jose, with a special Children’s Choir directed by Karen Beer. The many other solo characters are performed by members of the Choir, all in costume. The accompanist is Anne Wright and Conductor David Beer. Tickets are.available from Singers members, G. Tysoe & Son, Market Square, Potton. Tel: Shirley Tant 01767 316948 or Val Whiteley 01767 601877

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n O s ’ t Wha In July 11 July Gamlingay First School Summer Fete 11am-2pm Gamlingay First School, Green End, Gamlingay Many attractions including a bouncy castle, face painting, craft stalls, refreshments and arena events.

All proceeds raised will go towards supporting the First School.

18 July Everton Village Hall 10am-12 noon Everton Village Hall Cakes, coffee, produce, plants and raffle. All welcome; regulars and new comers... come and see how good it is! In aid of St Mary’s Parish Church, Everton.

11 July Potton Lower School Summer Fete 12 noon-3pm Potton Lower School Adults 50p, Children free Come along and enjoy all the fun of the Seaside.

Bouncy castle, craft activities, games, candy floss, ice creams, BBQ and Pimms. Fantastic raffle prizes.

Lots of fun for all the family.

20 July Gamlingay St Mary’s Church Ladies Guild Garden Party 7pm The Emplins (near to the Church) All ladies welcome, £3 for visitors Tel: 07749676426 for more details

12 July Annual Summer Fair Doors open 11am St Mary Magdalene Church, Dunton Free admission Stalls from Dunton community groups, games, children’s fancy dress competition, lunchtime concert from Dunton’s own ‘Singtastics’ and a BBQ provided by Dunton Lower School. Lots of fun for all the family so please come along and join us.

13 July Sandy Flower Club 7.30pm Conservative Bowls Club Pavilion (Rear of the Conservative Club, Bedford Rd) Visitors £5 payable on the door Floral Demonstration by Jane Ellis - Summer Serenades. The Flower Club meets on the second Monday in the month. New members are always welcome. Tel: Sue Alexander 01767 699729 for more information

21 July Gamlingay W I 7.30pm Gamlingay W I Hall Speak is Ms Amanda McPhail “Create a Plate”. A fun evening each creating their own plate.

23 July Potton History Society Meeting 7.30pm or 8pm The Community Centre, Brook End, Potton ‘Wrestlingworth Memories’. Wrestlingworth HS stalwart Ron Pickford reveals some of his personal knowledge about the stories and personalities of his parish. What went on in the past in our neighbouring village? Visitors and new members welcome. Light refreshments provided.

Web: www.pottonhistorysociety.com.

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28 July Knit & Natter 10am-12 noon Moggerhanger Church The group meets on the 4th Tuesday of the month.

29 July Summer Outing Summer outing in aid of The Sandy Branch of The Leprosy Mission to Houghton Hall and Gardens, West Norfolk. Houghton Hall was built by Britain’s first Prime Minister - Sir Robert Walpole - and the Gardens are a 2013 award winner. Full details from Colin Osborne, Branch Secretary Tel: 01767 682032.

1 August Annual Coffee Morning 10am-12 noon Colin & Diane Osborne, 2 Leeds Smith Drive, Sandy Admission £1 In aid of The Leprosy Mission. All welcome. Various stalls - Bring & Buy, Cakes, Plants, Books, etc..

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

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

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Multi Fuel

Stoves See our LIVE demo stoves

• Authorised Arada Retailer • Fireplaces updated & restyled • Range of wooden mantlepieces/surrounds • HETAS certified installation www.phestoves.com info@phestoves.com

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proactive heating & environmental services

Sales & Service: 07772 346 678 Showroom: 01223 207 993 UNITS 1&2, ROAD FARM, WENDY, ROYSTON SG8 0AA OPEN: MONDAY-FRIDAY 10-3pm | SATURDAY 10-4.30pm

We now supply wood and kindling!

Call now or visit our website

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Mark Dilley Electrical Part P Registered Company 22386 Extra sockets - Lighting Extensions - Re-wires Security Lighting - Showers Inspections No job too small Free estimates All work to BS7671 regulations City and Guilds qualified

Tel: 01767 261008 Mob: 07990 895430

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T&R Roofing Ltd

Family Business Est. 1985

• Felt Roofing Specialists (10 year & 15 year guarantee on high performance felts) • Tiling, Slating, Guttering • UPVC Facia/Soffits • Chimney Work

All NEW work guaranteed Fully insured for employer & Public Liability Call Tony Simpson for a FREE estimate on:

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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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L.S. ROOFING

Covering Pot Biggleswadteo,n, Gamlingay, surroundingSaandy and reas

The Right Choice

Over 27 Years Experience Domestic and Commercial Specialists in:

• Flat roofing • Leadwork • Roof repairs • Tiling • UPVC • Restoration work • Slating • Fascias • Full public liability • Guttering • Soffit & cladding cover Free estimates

Tel/Fax: 01767 261282 Mobile: 07710415470

s in Expert ic Histor d e & List s g buildin

Office: 2 Gamlingay Road, Beds SG19 2RQ L.S.Roofing is a division of Potton Roof Ltd To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122 L.S. Roofing 1/2 page.indd 1

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16/03/2015 15:38

J. Jenkins

Building Services Extensions New Build Renovations Garage Conversions Loft Conversions Kitchen Fitting Driveways and Patios

For all your building needs Call John on 01767 222219 or 07831 283296

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Email: chippyjenkins@gmail.com

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References available on request

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Clean and Tidy Housekeeping Services Bring you a professional and reliable service

Let us ask you one question, has life become too hectic? Maybe we can help....

Fully insured, highly professional, discreet, competitive rates.

For further information contact Rachel or Scott on:Tel: 01767 631755 Mob: 07804 187266 Email: cleanandtidygroup@gmail.com

D . S. LEWIS CARPENTRY & BUILDING • KITCHENS, BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS • FULL PROPERTY REFURBISHMENT • PROPERTY MAINTENANCE • FLAT PACK ASSEMBLY • GARAGE CONVERSIONS • GARDEN BUILDING ASSEMBLY • RESTORATION & NEWBUILD CARPENTRY

Commercial and Domestic

01480 473524 07967 184163

danlewis.carpentrybuilding@gmail.com Fully Insured Established 1990

• Supply & fit at competitive prices • Free home calls to estimate & advise • Friendly reliable service For all enquiries, please call or email: Tel: 01767 261622 Mob: 07947 732883 Email: dialporter01@tiscali.co.uk

01480 509 685 M: 07833 222 199 T:

E: pgscarpets@hotmail.co.uk To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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84

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

Easy

Hard

“How To Have The Wow Factor Quickly Brought To Your Home” Imagine how thrilled you would be to have your home’s carpets looking this great. Rejuvenated, beautifully clean, fresh, soft and comfortable under foot.

Employing Powerkleen’s thorough and exhaustive carpet cleaning process will ensure that dirt, grit, allergy causing pollen and pollutants will be extracted from the base of the pile.

Rest assured that your carpets and upholstery will be professionally cleaned and cared for by a local, experienced and industry trained technician (I.I.C.R.C) when you engage our services.

We pride ourselves on providing excellent service and value for money to our clients and achieving outstanding results.

So much so that we Guarantee our work. If for some reason you are not thrilled with the results that we achieve for you then we will re-clean free of charge.

If you are still not thrilled then we would refund your money and not accept your payment.

Before

Call Powerkleen NOW!!

To arrange your FREE consultation and quotation.

Tel 01767318391 or Mob 07765363459

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After 85

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:

86

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KEMP GARAGE DOORS SALES • INSTALLATION • REPAIRS • Family Run Business • 25 Years Experience • Up and Over • Sectional and Roller Doors www.kempgaragedoors.co.uk • Security Shutters

• Remote Control Door

SANDY • POTTON • All Major Brands

Supplied and Serviced

BIGGLESWADE • Call for a Free AND SURROUNDING AREAS

Quotation

• OAP Rates Available

01767 260165 Sandy

01480 210410 Eaton Socon To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

87

Country Stoves Quarter page MAY Advert:Layout 1 10/

CJ Property Maintenance Interior and Exterior Painting Gutter Cleaning & Repairs uPVC Fascia Board Cleaning Fencing, Gates and all Repairs Patios and all Garden Work Double Glazing & Repairs Concrete Bases, Paths & Steps Chimney & Wall Pointing Brick Work & Repairs Driveway Cleaning Broken Roof Tiles & Pots

All jobs undertaken

Free Estimates

Tel: 01767 680532 Mob: 0774 600 8188

COUNTRY STOVES & SWEEPS STOVE INSTALLATION CHIMNEY SWEEPING

• Wood burning & multi fuel stoves • HETAS certified installation • Chimney lining • Twin wall flue systems • Free survey & quotation • ICS Qualified chimney sweeps • Insurance certificates issued • Bird guards fitted • Local, professional & reliable

www.countrystovesandsweeps.co.uk

Tel: 01767 627591 07950 705479 Northill, Beds.

cjpainting@hotmail.co.uk 15 Years Experience

INSTITUTE of CHIMNEY SWEEPS

Sureclean DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING

• Spot stain and odour removal • Anti-stain protection • Leather suites cleaned and reconditioned • Tile and grout cleaning • The very latest equipment used • All work guaranteed • Fully insured • Local company

01767 400127 or 07870 338074 88

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89

ROOFLINE PRODUCTS INSTALLED

BY THE PROFESSIONALS

PVC-U soffits, fascia, guttering and cladding in flat and woodgrain effects and a choice of colour

10 year guarantee Very low maintenance Quality approved zinc-free plastics to eliminate rusting Seamless colour-matched products across the entire range For a free quotation please call Langford Windows

01462 701828

www.langfordwindows.com langfordwindows@hotmail.co.uk Langford Windows advert.indd 1

90

24/01/2014 14:19

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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.

GEMINI May 22nd - June 21st

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.

CANCER June 22nd - July 23rd

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.

LEO July 24th - August 23rd

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

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.

Please To advertise mention in The TheVillager Villagerand andTown TownLife Lifeplease when call responding 01767 261122 to adverts

91

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.”

92

Aerials and Satellites AERIALS & SATELLITES T/A Broadband Communications Established 1993

Aerials & Satellites • Digital Aerials Freesat & Satellite Installations Commercial IRS Systems All Work Guaranteed • CAI Approved C.1616 Based in Stotfold www.broadbandcommunications.co.uk

Tel: 01462 732 628 • Mob: 07860 436 217

Alterations

Comet Cleaning Services Commercial & Residential Cleaners • Commercial and Domestic Cleaners • Builders/Landlord Cleans • Experienced and Personal Service • Regular, Weekly/Spring Clean • Fully Insured/Ref's Available • No up front fee's/contracts

01767 631402 Mob: 07762 462866 Tel:

Email: comet.services@virgin.net

www.cometcleaningservices.co.uk

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Classifieds Paul Goodchild advert.pdf

Electricians

Chauffeur Cars

1

19/05/2015

PG ELECTRICAL For all your electrical work Fully qualified and insured No job too small All work guaranteed Call Paul on

01767 221363 07740 099195

Electricians

Decorating Services

DECORATING SERVICES

• Over 25 years experience • No job too big or too small • Free estimates T: 01767

222 028

M: 07887

618 832

email: topcoat@ntlworld.com Sellors and Lettors Bcard:Layout 1 10/10/2014 13:01 Page 1

Estate Agents

Domestic Repairs

Domestic Appliance Repairs Washing Machines • Cookers Fridges • Vacs • Dryers

Bill Tangye

Beds Tel By or appointment only - 4 Stratford Road, Sandy, Mob 01767 650750Tel: 07711 07802 393331 257105

Sellors and Lettors 19 High Street Biggleswade SG18 0JE Tel 01767 315666 Fax 01767 318747 Email sellors.lettors@btinternet.com

Garden Machinery Service/Repair

Domestic Repairs JB Domestic Guaranteed Repairs To: Washing Machines Tumble Dryers Electric Ovens/Cookers Dishwashers

Garden Machinery & Mowers Expert Service and Repair Collection & delivery available

No Call Out Charge!

Tel: 01767 680621 Mobile: 07778 891490

Unit 12a Whites Farm, Great North Road, Biggleswade SG18 9BE Tel: 01767 600085 Mob: 07593 553581

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93

Classifieds Garden Specialist

Painting Services

Hillier Garden Services All general garden maintenance jobs undertaken Over 20 years experience For all your gardening needs call Steve

01767 699252 07901 985123

Garden Specialist

S Classified advert.indd 1

Pet Services

14/04/2015 21:23

Local, honest, professional service

Plastering Services

Handy Man

Steve Swain

Plastering, Painting & Decorating Painting & Decorating Plastering, Pebble Dashing Rendering, Screeding Mob: 07887 861881 Tel: 01767 226404

Kitchen & Bathroom Fitter

Plastering Services

M. Philmore (Phil) - Kitchen and Bathroom Fitter Disabled showers supplied and fitted.

General plumbing.

57 Green Acres, Gamlingay, Beds. SG19 3LR Tel: 01767 650619 Mobile: 07870366414

94

bers

ham DaveteCring Plas

ng plasteri ects of All asp aken g undert our plasterin y 56 For all call Dave 9 6252 needs | 0797

01767

2

31602

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Classifieds Property Improvements

Private Car Hire

A professional property maintenance service

Property Improvements by

Gary Hare Carpentry • Kitchens • Bedrooms Decorating • Flooring Bathrooms •Tiling • and more...

Tel: 01767 651821 Mob: 07773 973420

Removals & Storage

Private Car Hire

Mats Cars Private Hire Potton Based

4+7 Seater Cars Available

Airport/Stations/Nights Out etc Local and Long Distance Tel: 01767 261871 Mob: 07983 218367 www.mats-cars.co.uk All major credit/debit cards accepted

Property Improvements

GB

GARY BERRIDGE Plasterer & General Maintenance Including UPVC Doors and Windows Tiling, Painting and Decorating Free Quotes

T: 01767 316485 M: 07582 485155 E: garyberridge@ymail.com

Property Improvements

removals, storage, archive and shipping • House and office moves • Large and small vehicles • Local/long distance and overseas removals • Containerised storage • Extremely high quality customer service Call for a no obligation quotation

01767 313230

enquiries@stephensremovals.com

Storage

Stephens Dinky ad_03.indd 1

3/12/12 11:45:18

K.D. Secure Container Storage 20’ x 8’ x 8’ containers Electronic Secure Locked & Gated Area Domestic and Commercial Storage Short and Long Term Rates

Please call Gamlingay 01767 650777

Window Cleaning

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95

Bedfordshire’s Premier Kitchen

& Bedroom Showroom Since 1974 We would like to welcome you to our new showroom at:

The Old White Horse, 1 High Street, Biggleswade SG18 0JE

Tel: 01767 314344 Email: dave@lolineinteriors.co.uk Web: lolineinteriors.co.uk