#Stevenage June 2019

# STEVENAGE Text

The unique digital magazine for Stevenage promoted by social media

June 2019

Book your tickets for Todd in the Hole From Friday July 19 t o Sunday July 21 you can enjoy t he amazing Todd in t he Hole fest ival in Todd's Green near St evenage A t ime for good friends t o meet up and enjoy good fun, good food and good drink t here is also some great music and ent ert ainment across t he weekend.

So click on t he link on t his page and be sure of your t icket s for Todd in t he Hole.

Click h er e t o book you r Todd t ick et s

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Secure WIFI zone launched St evenage is t he lat est t own t o t ake t he online safet y of it s visit ors and resident s seriously, by having it s new t own cent re wi-fi services cert ified

by Friendly W iFi. The ?Friendly W iFi?logo will assure wi-fi users t hat t he free service, which launched on Monday 6 May, has reached an indust ry-st andard level of cont ent filt ering and t hat access t o pornography and child abuse websit es, videos and images is blocked.

St evenage Borough Council has been working wit h local wi-fi provider West End W iFi t o ensure a service is inst alled t hat will provide easy access t o informat ion about t he t own and special offers and be able t o get t he most out of t he innovat ive ShopAppy sit e which promot es independent ret ail in t he t own.

W hilst int eract ion and services are t he key part of t he int roduct ion of wi-fi t o t he t own, St evenage Council want ed t o make sure t hat it was safe and comfort able for all t o use and t herefore want ed t o obt ain t he Friendly W iFi cert ificat ion t o show

users t hat it is t aking posit ive st eps t o keep t hem safe online.

Mike Davies, consult ant at Friendly W iFi said: ?We are proud t o be working wit h St evenage Council who have ensured t hat t he Friendly W iFi cert ificat ion was included in t heir planning and part of t he roll out of t he new wi-fi services t o t he t own. We are seeing a growing number of t owns and cit ies who want t o keep everyone safe online when using t heir services. As connect ivit y plays such a big part of everyone?s lives, whilst shopping, eat ing and drinking, St evenage?s commit ment t o cert ificat ion recognises t he import ance of safet y online. As an ?Approved Provider?of Safe W iFi solut ions, West End W iFi work hard t o make sure t hat adequat e filt ering solut ions are made available t o all of t heir client s.?

To use t he free wi-fi, simply choose _SBCW iFi on your phone or t ablet ?s wi-fi set t ings and regist er t hrough t he log-in page.

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Pop Up make Prom appeal The St evenage based Pop Up Uniform Shop are once again aft er your help!

They st ill need uniforms coming in especially secondary schools as t hey are almost out of most of t he secondary schools and now have a wait ing list .

However aft er seeing a very inspiring art icle t he ot her day t hey are now looking t o help young ladies and lads wit h t heir Proms.

They bot h know from personal experience how expensive Prom out fit s can be and for some parent s t his cost is not possible and t he children are missing out , so t hey are now looking int o t he possibilit y of running pop up Prom shops alongside t he uniform shops.

This will be based on t he same crit eria as t hey do now and yet again t hey wish t o help as many young people as possible.

They may have missed out on t his years Proms but are hoping t hey could be set up and ready for next year.

They know it is a massive ask on t op of what you guys do already but t hey would be looking for donat ions of dresses suit able for Proms as well as suit s for t he lads. They want t o make dreams come t rue and so many kids don?t go t o t heir school Proms due t o t he cost which is such a shame.

They have already been offered 2 beaut iful dresses even before going public wit h it , and are now looking t o see if t hey can make t his a realit y.

Please message t hrough t he pop up uniform shop on Facebook if you could and would be willing t o help out wit h t his new idea. ht t ps:// www.facebook.com/ Pop-up-uniformshop-1085787468261217/

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Fu n dr aisin g gr ou p f or Alzh eim er 's Stevenage resident Amelia Woolgar and eight of her friends and family members have set up a new fundraising group to help raise vital funds for Alzheimer?s Research UK. The Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Fundraising Group will be running various events throughout the next few months across the county to help raise funds for dementia research.

Amelia decided she wanted to do something to help people with dementia after losing one of the most important people in her life, her Grandma Bunty, to Alzheimer?s disease.

Amelia knew she wanted to help in any way that she could.

After bravely completing a skydive to raise funds for Alzheimer?s Research UK, she came up with the idea of setting up a fundraising group, hoping to convince some friends and family members to join up too and help her in the fight against dementia. Eight of Amelia?s friends and family responded to Amelia?s call for support and jumped at the chance to get involved with the fundraising group and make a difference.

Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ARUKSTEVENAGE/.

The members of the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Fundraising Group are hoping that the fundraising group?s work will resonate with people all over Hertfordshire.

There are currently over 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK. Amelia said: ?We are hoping to raise a lot of money, but also raise awareness. The more people we can get on board with the group, the better. We have all sorts of fundraisers planned, from quizzes, bake sales and even a ball with a silent auction. We are thinking big, so we can make a big impact. We will be at Stevenage Day on 9 June 2019 too!?

Lindsay Gray, Regional Fundraising Officer at Alzheimer?s Research UK, said: ?We would like to say a huge thanks to everyone at the Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Fundraising Group for taking on this incredible initiative and for joining the fightback against dementia.

The members of the group, Amelia Woolgar, Isy Otto, Jodie Hughes, Emily Jarvis, Nicola Price, Greg Spinks, Stuart Woolgar, Julia Bennison and Aidan Price have been meeting for the last few months to plan their first fundraisers.

?Our mission is to bring about the first life-changing treatment for dementia by 2025. We can?t do this without the amazing work of our fundraising groups all over the country.

The group launched in March 2019 and is already organising exciting activities. Their next event is a Race Night on Friday 26 July 2019 at Letchworth Rugby Club.

More information and tickets are available on their

?We are delighted to have a new fundraising group in Hertfordshire, and we hope that the community will get involved and more people will sign up to help raise vital funds for dementia research.?

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Winners, Oh yes they are!

The Gordon Craig Theatre achieved national recognition for its pantomime production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Great British Pantomime Awards held recently in London.

Managed by Stevenage Leisure Ltd (SLL) in partnership with SBC, the 505 seat Gordon Craig Theatre was presented with the Pantomime of the Year (under 750 seats) Award for its 2018 Jordan Productions show. Hannah Jane Fox, who played the panto?s baddie, was also named Best Female Villain of the year.

The Great British Pantomime Awards celebrates the Pantomime Industry.

Judges are selected from a range of backgrounds including industry professionals, theatre academics, media and communication professionals and members of the public.

Ian Morton, SLL?s Managing Director, said: ?We?re delighted that the Gordon Craig Theatre has received such prestigious recognition for the pantomime. It?s a fantastic achievement for the whole team and Jordan Productions and showcases the hard work put in

throughout the year. Congratulations also to Hannah Jane Fox who fought off stiff competition such as Dawn French and Sue Pollard to land her award.?

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What's on in

#Stevenage Summer isfinally here and there are host of events to look forward.

STEVENAGE 10K Spon sor ed by #St even age

Inside this month's#Stevenage Magazine we are delighted to preview the superb Todd in the Hole festival which takes place in July. Follow our links to get your tickets.

June isalso the month of Stevenage Day and of course it's a great time for the entire community to gather together and enjoy all the best that thistown has to offer. !!

Tick et s f or Todd Fest ival special

if you have a story you think that we should tell then don't forget to contact usat the addresses below.

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Digital allowspeople to read about you on the go - on their mobiles for instance, and they are also just a click away.

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Labour retain control of Borough Council after local election results Speaking after the Stevenage Borough Council results leader Sharon Taylor said: "Can I say a huge thank you to the people of Stevenage for once again showing their confidence in our Labour council. Last year we set out our four year manifesto with 110 pledges to the people of our town. I am pleased to tell you that 69 of those pledges have already been delivered and 30 part-delivered. There is so much more to come as we continue to be ambitious for the town we serve.

During 2019/20 our Labour council will; -

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Consider the planning application for the major development of the SG1 area at the heart of our Town Centre and opening the Visitor Centre to communicate with residents about the development.

Re-design & rebuild our Town Square and delivering flexible working space there to create the new economy and footfall it needs Deliver 50 new council homes already agreed

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through planning and submitting planning for 60 more. Starting work on our new scheme at Kenilworth Close to include state of the art Independent Living for older residents and the more vulnerable members of our community Our Co-operative Neighbourhood Management programme will deliver a dedicated team for each neighbourhood to include environment, housing and community team members alongside our neighbourhood wardens.

Our Healthy Stevenage work will support and promote rehabilitation, preventative health, and healthy living intiatives like park run and our cycling festival We will finalise our Transport and Living Streets strategy to ensure we take a co-ordinated approach to deliver sustainable transport, tackle neighbourhood parking

Bandley Hill:

Longmeadow:

Andrew David Anderson (Lib Dem) 227

Nigel Robert Bye (Lib Dem) 217

Adrian Richard Brown (Labour) 674

Alexander Michael Farquharson (Conservat ive) 682

Nicholas Rohan Foster (Conservative) 574

Chris Webb (Labour) 608

Bedwell:

Manor:

Liz Harringt on (Labour) 813

James David Corrigan (Conservative) 264

Nicholas John Leech (Conservative) 356

Robin Garet h Parker (Lib Dem) 1,484

Nick MacMillan (Lib Dem) 119

David Stanley Wood (Labour) 214

Victoria Louise Snelling (Green) 213

Mart ins Wood:

Chells:

Jill Brinkworth (Lib Dem) 524

St ephen John Boot h (Lib Dem) 766

Teresa Lynn Callaghan (Labour) 526

David Peter Ingarfill (Green) 149

Bret Ray Facey (Conservative) 401

Pam Stuart (Labour) 446

Old Town:

Matthew Paul Wyatt (Conservative) 282

James Robert Phillip Fraser (Conservative) 845

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issues and restore our streets to the people and communities that live in them.

Our cultural action plan will start to use the power of arts, music and creativity to accelerate the regeneration of our town.

We will develop our programme of action to play our part in tackling climate change and set up a people?s assembly to monitor progress on this important issue Our new recycling containers will be rolled out across the town following their successful pilot in three of our wards. We hope this will encourage more recycling in Stevenage.

Develop the plans for our new bus station which will include all the facilities and digital information that residents have told us they want to see.

That we continue to deliver against a backdrop of enduring funding cuts of over ÂŁ5 million a year, remember we get no government grant funding at all from this year, so that we continue to be able to deliver over 120 services to Stevenage people for just ÂŁ187* a year is remarkable value for money.

We manage our money well in Stevenage, that is why we are able to continue to deliver for the people of the town in spite of the shameful cutting of local funding by central government. That is why the people of Stevenage have put their trust in Labour once again for the 48th year in a row to put their priorities first,

Text to deliver value for money and to be as ambitious for our town as they are.

It is a great pleasure for me to welcome all our returning and new councillors. I hope they will find their time on the council as rewarding, interesting and exciting as I have found the last 22 years. I would also like to thank those who stepped down this year or who were not re-elected. You have all served our community and our town and we are grateful to you.

May I thank Matt Partridge, our Returning Officer who was undertaking his first election as our Returning Officer at the local elections (a baptism of fire to have local elections immediately followed by an unexpected European Parliamentary election), and the whole team at the Borough Council for their excellent and efficient organisation and management of the election process. It is most important that we all have confidence in a fair and efficient democratic process and thanks to the professionalism of our team here, that is never in any doubt.

Can I also thank Stevenage Police for their activity in relation to election day, their unobtrusive but reliable presence is reassuring for voters, activists and candidates and is sadly even more essential these days as there are those who seek to make the process divisive and bitter. Our local policing ensures the process is peaceful and inclusive.

May I also thank those who often get forgotten and that is the political activists who are the backbone of

George Eric Pinder (Lib Dem) 187

Michael Andrew Malocco (Green) 201

Loraine Graziella Rossat i (Labour) 881

Sarah Jane Mead (Labour) 580

Elizabeth Genevieve Sturges (Green) 312

St Nicholas:

Pin Green:

Claire Lesley Parris (Labour) 787

Naomi Ruth Collins (Green) 228

Daniel Peter Charles Snell (Lib Dem) 250

Andy Facey (Conservative) 454

Mandi Tandi (Conservative) 642

Ross London (Lib Dem) 122

Symonds Green:

Jeannet t e Audrey Thomas (Labour) 606

Michael Downing (Labour) 639

Roebuck:

Clive Hearmon (Lib Dem) 145

Paul Matthew Barber (Lib Dem) 174

Richard David Warr (Green) 173

John Gardner (Labour) 698

Alexandra Marianne Young (Conservative) 509

Martin John Malocco (Green) 185

Woodfield:

Janet Marie Munro (Conservative) 537

Neil Geoffrey Brinkworth (Lib Dem) 320

Shephall:

Jim Callaghan (Labour) 388

Celia Gwendolyn Lawrence (Conservative) 368

Graham Edward Lawrence (Conservat ive) 624

Charles Galton Darwin Littleton (Lib Dem) 99

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our democracy. Leafletting and door-knocking is not glamorous or high profile, but it is an essential part of ensuring our residents have the information they need to make their vital decision in the ballot box.

Our Labour council will continue to serve the residents of the town, to be ambitious for its development and to work hard to support our community and deliver on the promises we have made to you. Thank you again for your confidence in us to serve you.

Robin Parker, leader of the LibDem group said: "The recent elections on 2 May, for Stevenage Borough Council, resulted in the majority Labour group

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gaining 2 seats from the Conservatives (Old Town and Bandley Hill) and losing one to the Liberal Democrats (Chells). The Lib Dems also very narrowly (by 2 votes) did not quite succeed in gaining Martins Wood from Labour. Of course only one third of the seats are contested in each year (except every fourth year when it is ?all out?HCC elections) so it is very rare to get dramatic changes in seat numbers at one election.

Speaking for the Lib Dems, we were very pleased that Stephen Booth gained a further seat for us in Chells, giving us 2 out of the 3 seats in that ward, and very sad that our excellent devoted candidate Jill Brinkworth failed by only 2 votes to gain another seat for us in Martins Wood. In Manor Ward, where the

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Lib Dems have held all 3 seats since the ward was created, I was gratified that the voters still have faith in me after over 35 years as their councillor, and returned me yet again with a record breaking 76% share of the vote.

So in reality SBC business will, to all outward appearances, continue largely unaffected, since the Labour majority will still have a monopoly of the decision making Executive, and a big majority on the Planning and Development Committee. All other councillors are essentially able only to take part in Scrutiny, either via the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) or the two Select Committees ? all of which in any case still have a huge Labour majority.

It seems wrong to me that the Vice Chairs (who get the right to attend relevant briefings and to chair meetings in the absence of the chair) are simply handed over by Labour to the second largest party (Conservatives) ? who take them all without consultation with the Lib Dems, instead of sharing them in proportion to the various party strengths ? which would be the fair way, and what I did when, in recent years, I was leader of the second largest party.

As a result of the Lib Dems increased numbers on SBC, the OSC will have two Lib Dem opposition members on it now and, since every Executive decision, plus a number of other issues, are looked at

by OSC, it will be possible for there to be more thorough and wider scrutiny by us. There are also now two Lib Dems on the Planning and Development Committee, which is very welcome.

The major financial issue facing SBC remains in essence the same as it has been since 2007, when changes to the rules by central government, meant that we lost (over a few years) a source of income, into the general fund from the housing account. In addition, central government has since 2010 made huge cuts in the Revenue Support Grant that SBC used to receive. From April 2019, SBC now gets no such grant. As for Business Rates, although SBC have to collect all of them, we have no say whatsoever in their level (that is fixed by central government) and we have to give about 93% of them back to central government. For many years, Council Tax has either been frozen or rises subject to a 1.99% or 2.99% cap.

We do not yet know what caps the government will impose on us for 20/21, which makes our longer term financial planning difficult.

Of course, drastic measures were needed in 2010.

The country could not have continued borrowing an extra ÂŁ5,000 every single second, 24 hours a day, which is what the situation was when Labour were

Text removed from office! Therefore, some ?austerity?was essential ? but it is certainly true that local government suffered far more than other areas of government spending. And that is why, across the UK, there is a funding crisis in many areas of local authority spending. No government has yet got to grips with a fair funding mechanism for its support to local authorities.

At SBC, for at least 12 years, there has been a little known group called the Leader?s Financial Security Group (LFSG). It is not listed on any public meetings schedule, and operates quietly in the background. But it has been essential to the stability and viability of SBC finances. The brain child of a former Chief Officer, it meets perhaps a dozen times a year and has about 7 members, one from each opposition group and the rest from the majority Labour group. Its lengthy meetings are taken up essentially scrutinising each line of the budget, interviewing the officers responsible for each service area, then making savings (or, rarely growth item) recommendations to the Executive, who consider them and often incorporate them in the following February?s budget. There is often surprising agreement amongst the all party membership for the recommendations. It is interesting what can be achieved in the privacy of these low key discussions.

In April 2019 , the financial position of SBC was brought under close investigation, when the local Conservatives published leaflets town wide, alleging that SBC has millions of pounds unspent. Those of us who (years ago) had bothered to investigate the (less than clear) published information from SBC, knew this was nonsense. The Lib Dem opposition would never have allowed such a situation to go unchallenged.

Since the Tories fake news has been blown apart, they have been strangely quiet about it!

The other major issue of Town Centre Regeneration (TCR) is now happening, although please remember that it is a 20 year plan, and so there are no quick fixes.

The essential private financial backing seems to be holding up. For this reason, the Lib Dem group have supported the current version of TCR. Whilst it did not impede TCR, the Stevenage MP?s outrageous move in getting his government to call in the new Local Plan, and hold it for 497 days, for no significant reason, did endanger planning decisions elsewhere in the borough. The Lib Dems did have some reservations about some of the Local Plan, but we expressed these years ago when the Plan was in its consultative phases, and will continue to comment when necessary on individual planning applications .

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Appeal to help save cinema The organiser of a community cinema has urged local people to support the venture before it is forced to close.

"Unless there is a significant increase in sales (currently at Zero) our next film will have to be pulled. This is sad, as my motivation to screen films to low audiences and at great expense to myself is dwindling. I had plans to create a film season from September, but this is in serious jeopardy.," says Simon Mortimer.

Commenting on the aims of the cinema, Simon Mortimer said: "At no point am I trying to be the local mutliplex, I aim to screen films that you may have missed, may not have even heard of but happy to take the risk based on my programming skills.

We always receive positive feedback about our events, but bums on seats keep this going.

"I desperately want to keep film local, our motto after all is putting film at the heart of the Community.

"I hate the phrase use it or lose it, but that's the bare facts unfortunately. Please come join us on Saturday 15th June at 7.30pm."

Artist filmmaker Shireen Seno's second feature NERVOUS TRANSLATION (PG) is screening at Stevenage Community Arts Centre on Saturday 15th June at 7.30pm All tickets just ÂŁ5 or ÂŁ4 if bought online. https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/herts-and-beds -cinema-club/nervous-translation-stevenage -festival/e-vyxjjp Set in the Philippines, Seno's film tells the 1980s-set story of Yael, a lonely child trying to understand the changing world and attitudes around her as her country rises from decades of dictatorship into the uncertainty of capitalism.

It features a captivating performance from young actor Jana Agoncillo, turning the coming-of-age genre on its head to create a unique child?s-eye view of a society in turmoil. ?Indelibly Lovely?SIGHT & SOUND ?Intriguingly and lovingly detailed? .beautifully composed.? ???

PETER BRADSHAW, THE GUARDIAN ?Striking, scintillating? An intelligent, and idiosyncratic film that lands on the skin, then lingers in the mind?? ? ? ?

LITTLE WHITE LIES ?Deep, delicate tone piece? immersive first person filmmaking? ????

TOTAL FILM

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AvaCare celebrates success at Natural and Organic Products awards AvaCare Baby Mult i-Vit amin Drops Finalist at t he Nat ural & Organic Product s Europe Awards In April 2019 AvaCare attended the Natural & Organic Products Europe show in Excel and became a finalist in for Best New Food Supplement in 2019. ?With stiff competition amongst some amazing brands and new products our Baby Multi-Vitamin Drops made the last four products out of nearly a thousand products ? it?s something we?re really proud of, especially when it was our first attempt?. Says co-director Relton Herron who?s a tenant at the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst.

Contrary to popular belief, it?s not the number of vitamins in a product that make it better, it?s having the right formulation, high quality ingredients and less of the junk. And that?s what AvaCare does: it is our aim to create products that work, are affordable and are good for you. We only make products that we?re excited to give to our own families. ?As three dads disappointed at the quality of products available for our young children and babies, we decided to do something about it. Instead of settling for what was available, we decided to set up AvaCare.?

With this in mind, AvaCare?s Baby Multi-Vitamin & Mineral Drops have been designed specifically for babies. The formulation has been created by us ? we?re a team that combines over 50 years?experience in healthcare, pharmacy, homeopathy and nutrition.

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We only use the optimal vitamins & minerals your baby needs Our formulation is based on the World Health Organisation and UK Department of Health guidelines Suitable for vegans Allergen free AvaCare Ltd, Bioscience Catalyst, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Herts SG1 2FX Company Registration Number: 10126940 | VAT Number: 293 0524 08 Free from artificial colours, sweeteners and flavours Not tested on animals Free from peanut oil, alcohol, lactose, fat, salt

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or yeast Pesticide free No GM ingredients Simple dosage ? just 1ml per day Easy to read labelling Availabilit y: In store at Revital shops across the UK since March 2019 Online at https://www.revital.co.uk & www.mollymojo.co.uk Retail price: ÂŁ7.49 Images available from: relton@avacare.co.uk Product samples available on request AvaCare website: www.avacare.co.uk Product s coming soon or already available:

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Vitamin C Effervescent Tablets Child Multi-Vitamin & Mineral Syrup + Omega 3 Energy C+C - Creatine + Carnitine Effervescent Tablets Trying to Conceive

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#Stevenage magazine

Local students are set to show off their scientific and tech wizardry 3,500 youngst ers t o prove t hey have 'East ern promise' at STEM event St udent s from secondary schools around t he East of England will be making a beeline for The Universit y of Hert fordshire on t he 4t h July, wit h many hoping t o beat off compet it ion when t hey show t heir Science, Technology, Engineering & Mat hemat ics (STEM) project s at The Big Bang Fair East ern.

sound from Science Made Simple, and also a chance t o explore space wit h Sirius Ast ronomy and discover t he science of cells and DNA. And t hat ?s just t he st art ! There will be many ot her present at ions and STEM-relat ed act ivit ies t hroughout t he campus, wit h regular shows in t he Universit y?s own planet arium.

The winners at The Big Bang Fair East ern, which t akes place at The Universit y of Hert fordshire's College Lane campus, will win cash prizes of ÂŁ200 t o be split bet ween t he st udent s and t heir school/ STEM Club. They may also be nominat ed t o at t end t he UK Young Scient ist s & Young Engineers Compet it ion at The Big Bang Fair in Birmingham in March 2020. The Big Bang Compet it ion is an annual cont est designed t o recognise and reward young people's achievement s in all areas of science, t echnology, engineering and mat hs (STEM), as well as helping t hem build skills and confidence in project -based work.

They'll also get t o meet some of t he region's biggest science, t echnology, engineering and mat hemat ics employers, including Roche, Just Eat , MBDA, Rayt heon, GSK, Mit subishi Elect ric, Morrisons Ut ilit y Services and many more.

At t he event , t here will be ?music t o t he ears?of t he 3,500 st udent s present , t hanks t o a show about

Helen Spencer, from event organiser SETPOINT Hert fordshire, said: ?The UK needs many more scient ist s and engineers if we are t o remain a powerhouse in t his sect or. Event s like t he Big Bang Fair are crucial t o at t ract ing young people t o work in hugely rewarding science, t echnology, engineering and mat hemat ics careers ? we celebrat e t heir achievement s, inspire t hem and open doors on how t hese subject s are applied in t he workplace.?

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A l arge number of vol unt eers, hel pers and Just Be a Chil d charit y members hel ped t o l oad a cont ainer f ul l of books and ot her it ems bound f or Kenya in a record 2 hours and 7 minut es recent l y.

A t ot al of 42 peopl e were on hand t o undert ake t he l oading which wil l see t he del ivery of much needed it ems and t he creat ion of a l ibrary in t he count ry.

St evenage Mayor Simon Spel l er was al so on hand t o hel p what is one of his chosen charit ies f or his mayoral t erm of 2019-20.

Wit h pl ans t o devel op t hier own warehouse f or st orage in Sept ember, t he chairt y woul d l ove t o hear f rom anyone keen t o of f er any hel p of support .

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Vital charity container loaded in record time

l og on t o www.just beachil d.co.uk f or f urt her inf ormat ion.

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Sign up now for the first ever Stevenage Striders 10k event

You would have to go back to 1995 to find the last time a 10K road race was offered to all members of the public. In more recent years we have had the Race for Life for ladies. This gave us the germ of the idea to launch the Stevenage 10K and coupled with encouragement fro Councillor Simon Speller and Sport Stevenage we set the date, 15/9/2019.

the parks. It seemed so apt to use Hampson Park as our park for the start and finish. The park is named after Tom Hampson who won the gold medal in the 800 metres at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics in 1932, setting a world record in the process. In 1954 he moved to Stevenage and worked for the development corporation.

We wanted to focus on a race route in Stevenage that would be safe for runners but at the same time celebrate areas of the town that many enjoy but often, unfortunately, take for granted -

The race route leaves Hampson Park before entering and passing through a circuit of the north end of Fairlands Valley near the totem pole maze and bridge and then through King George V Park,

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millennium gardens, the war memorial, high street and pretty Avenue. It utilises the towns famous cycleway network.

The Stevenage 10K has been set up to encourage the local population to get their running shoes on, take part in this community event and take on the course! For many, this builds on to their regular running of the ever popular Stevenage 5K ParkRun. Whilst there will be members of local running clubs taking part, the expectation is that the majority of participants will be keen runners

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who are not part of a running club.

Stevenage Striders are organising the event and are very grateful to the support they have received from the main sponsors and supporters - Wagstaffs accountants, ASK Physio, odyssey sports club, Mather Marshall Knebworth and Stevenage Community Trust. The latter have been a regular supporter of Stevenage Supporters throughout the period since the club was launched in 2013.

The race is limited to 400 entries in its inaugural year but it is expected to grow each year. Part of the proceeds from the race will be donated to the two elected charities for 2019 - TRACKS autism and Stevenage and Community Trust.

The money raised for charity will be a key theme for the race and is expected to grow year on year as the race grows.

Runners in the race receive a finishers t shirt and bespoke medal.

There will also be a free cake stall for runners, with donations also being taken for TRACKS autism.

Runners can also expect spot prizes.

Trophies will be awarded to the first three men ad ladies, as well as those winning their age category. The race starts and runners will be set off by the mayor of Stevenage. http://stevenagestridersrc.org.uk

Organising race committee Marc Hagland, Lisa Liversidge, Phil Deaves and Chris Leigh.

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360 Play is passionat e about get t ing back t o basics and giving children and t heir families t he chance t o enjoy act ive, creat ive and engaging play. Aft er school children need t he chance t o unwind aft er concent rat ing in t he classroom all day and 360 Play provides a safe and secure environment where t hey can do t hat what ever t he weat her.

Wedding and party package That 's why t hey were proud t o support our local communit y and on 13t h - 17t h and 20t h 23rd May t hey gave some local schools t he chance t o visit for a play session aft er school free of charge. This allowed children t o explore t he cent re and enjoy spending t ime wit h t heir friends. If you would like t o find out more about t he cent re t ake a look at t heir Facebook page and feel free t o message.

W it h soft play and slides, messy play, dodgems, a carousel, role play and more, t here?s somet hing everyone will enjoy t his summer.

Visit 360play.co.uk t o find out more

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Stevenage based charity inspires young into STEM New club crest for Boro SETPOINT Hertfordshire is an educational charity based in Stevenage whose aim is to inspire young people about Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).

They work with local employers and schools to bring the modern world of work and careers to life by engaging young people in memorable experiences and by enriching their lives through exposure to role models who work in STEM. The organisation raises aspirations in a number of ways; running practical STEM workshops in primary and secondary schools; organising events such as The Big Bang Fair Eastern ? including the regional heats of the UK Young Scientists and Young Engineers competition; setting up research placements for A level students and mobilizing over 800 STEM Ambassadors across Hertfordshire, who provide free support to schools and colleges.

Director, Helen Spencer says: ?The demand for employees with STEM skills is increasing. It?s not just large local companies like MBDA, GSK and Airbus that rely on a pipeline of talent - STEM is everywhere, and we owe it to the young people to ensure they are aware of the opportunities that a career in STEM offers.?

SETPOINT Hertfordshire?s work isn?t restricted to Hertfordshire either ? their reach covers the whole of the East of England and even London. A true Stevenage success story!

To find out more, see: www.setpointherts.org.uk or contact helen.spencer@setpointherts.

St evenage Foot ball Club has revealed t he Club?s New Crest , as t he Hert fordshire Hart is brought t o t he forefront of t he new design.

The launch of t he New Crest comes following an ext ensive period of consult at ion, creat ion and examinat ion as key st akeholders and support ers collaborat ed t o creat e an ident it y t hat represent s t he Club, t own and wider communit y wit h dist inct ion and pride.

The New Crest will appear on t he playing kit s of St evenage FC and St evenage FC Women from next season, as well as all t raining & leisure wear, which support ers will be available t o purchase from July.

Speaking about t he change, CEO Alex Tunbridge said ?The decision t o change is one which has t aken place wit h much considerat ion and care over t he past year. We are progressing well bot h on and off t he pit ch and have a great desire t o ensure t hat we reach our full pot ent ial. This is a posit ive st ep forward for t he Club whilst ensuring t hat our hist ory and herit age remains cent ral t o our ident it y. I am sure t he new design will become an iconic part of t he Clubs fut ure and will feat ure in a period of great success.?

St evenage FC Support ers Associat ion Chairman Lloyd Briscoe said, ?The changing of a foot ball club?s badge can be a very emot ive subject t o some people. Foot ball is t ribal and support ers? allegiances cannot be t aken for grant ed. A club?s badge is a hist oric symbol which defines who we are and where we come from, so t he decision t o ?updat e?a club badge requires a considerable amount of t hought and deliberat ion before subject ing t he design t o scrut iny.

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Tickets selling fast as Todd in the Hole festival ready for a triumphant return

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Born out of a love of t he Hert fordshire count ryside, great food, awesome music and, well, beer, Todd in t he Hole is one of t he most excit ing new fest ivals in t he UK. Held across t hree days in t he middle of t he summer, t he fest ival t akes place at t he end of July.

The event in 2018 saw over 6,000 people at t end over t he course of t he weekend, all enjoying t he incredible weat her and t he likes of t he Count erfeit St ones and Cloudbust ing, as well as a pick of t he region?s best new t alent .

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Despit e boast ing a st acked line-up of great bands, t his is much more t han your regular music fest ival; feat uring everyt hing from The Great Brit ish Elvis Off, wall of deat h, t ug of war compet it ion, chilli eat ing cont est , t o a fun filled Family Arena. This is unlike any fest ival you?ve ever been t o, and we know it isn?t one you?ll forget in a hurry.

Nest led in t he heart of t he Hert fordshire count ryside, easily accessible from St evenage and Hit chin, t he fest ival aims t o highlight all t hat is good and great about bot h t he count y and t he count ry.

Spread over 3 days and wit h over 60 bands playing over t he weekend, t he line up includes, Absolut e Bowie, Definit ely Could Be Oasis, 7 Wonders of Fleet wood Mac, Upbeat Beat les, Roadrunner, Great Brit ish Elvis Off, Bubounce, Toni Lee as Karen Carpent er, Mark Sullivan plus loads more.

It 's just about t he music t hough, our award winning st reet food

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vendors and t hemed bars will ensure you're well fed and wat ered and our brand new Family Arena will keep t he kids ent ert ained all weekend.

For t he daredevils among you we're excit ed t o announce t hat Dougie Lampkin MBE, 12 t imes FIM Mot orcycle Trial World Champion is going t o be joining us on t he Sunday and demonst rat ing his skills on a specially creat ed Todd Trials Track.

That 's not all, t his year we're offering Camping and Glamping plus aft er part ies in our woods where Ibiza legend, Dave Pearce will be headlining on Friday night .

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If you want qualit y t ime, good vibes, a lit t le bit of magic, summer fun and t o share new experiences wit h friends and family visit www.t oddint hehole.co.uk t o purchase your t icket s.'

A range of packages are available for businesses and VIP guest s while t here are st ill opport unit ies t o sponsor t his remarkable fest ival. For furt her det ails cont act : sponsors@t oddint hehole.co.uk For t icket s head t o: ht t ps://t oddint hehole.co.uk/ t icket s/

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A meal at Mr Mulligan's At Mr Mulligan's Lost World of Golf you celebrat e any special occasion by playing a round.

And along wit h a great game, you can also have a great meal t hanks t o a new cafĂŠ upgrade.

They are now serving hot dogs, paninis, wraps, sharing plat es and kids meals.

You can also creat e your own sundae and creat e your milkshake. W het her it 's our 11 Thursday night Dat e Night s or a family day out for big and lit t le kids of all ages, you know t he answer, make it Mr Mulligans!

For full updat ed informat ion on t his and all event s which are coming up at Mr Mulligan's Lost World of Golf head t o our Facebook page ht t ps:// www.facebook.com/

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PAUL FRY on # St evenage

Real lack of talent contest at the top So it is all change at No.10. To paraphrase Ken Clarke, ?bloody difficult woman?Theresa May has been toppled by her colleagues and by Brexit.

Already, having seen the shoddy beauty parade of those seeking to replace her, I am feeling almost a little nostalgic for May to return.

Well, almost.

It?s another Conservative PM brought down by Europe - and the second female one to suffer that fate as May, like Maggie Thatcher was effectively neutralised by the men in grey suits.

The inescapable truth - something few, if any, Tory leadership contenders will admit in the face of naked, unbridled personal ambition - is that divisions over Europe will be with us possibly forever. Union in Europe may have helped maintain peace on the continent but the Tory party has endured a 40 Years?War, with no hint of an end in sight.

If and when we leave the EU, there will surely be those who clamour for an early return; while we might not even leave at all, with a possible Commons no-confidence vote in the new Government if it pushes too hard for coming out of the EU with no deal, precipitating a General Election.

Even if we do come out, there will many be years of negotiations with Brussels on many important links we have taken for granted over 40 years. Switzerland, which is not a member, has been in

constant talks over something or other with the EU. And the UK coming out with no deal will not exactly make any future talks pleasant or, it could be argued, productive.

The only certainty in all this is that a deeply divided country will continue to stumble from chaos to crisis, and crisis to yet more chaos.

It is tragi-comic.

In April, the EU gave the UK a Brexit extension until October 31 and said: ?Don?t waste the time?.

The Government?s response was to implode, ditch its leader, go on holiday, engage in major fratricide for two months, by which time Parliament will break for the summer. Then there is the party conference season and another recess from October 12-27 returning just four days before the Brexit deadline.

Whatever your take on it all, the most tragic consequence of Brexit is the fact so much is so wrong in the UK now and nothing is being done about it - austerity is supposedly over and yet councils are still planning billions more cuts to essential services, the NHS could be short of 70,000 nurses in four years?time (double earlier estimates), school heads have the begging bowls out, there is a major housing crisis, record levels of homelessness and rising foodbank use.

We have had the UN producing five separate reports slamming the UK government?s treatment

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particularly of disabled people. It will soon be at the point where China and the Saudis will refuse to trade with us because of our human rights record.

It could be argued that Mrs May inherited a toxic soup from David Cameron and if she didn?t stir the pot and add many new ingredients herself, she left it to fester. Britain is without a doubt a worse place to live in, post-May and Cameron.

May herself was frustratingly impervious to some of the worst excesses from her six years in charge at the Home Office, with Windrush and her ill-judged ?Go Home?anti- immigration vans fuelling injustice, and her ?hostile environment?fostering a growing tide of hatred and division. She also oversaw a cut in police numbers, with all that entails for our safety and security.

Now we have a Tory leadership race that will get down and very dirty. Social media will ensure lots of public laundry is put on display.

It has already been unedifying, if illuminating, about some of the likely lads and lasses.

And yet, after the MPs have selected two candidates in a kind of ?Britain?s Got No Talent?-style contest, it will be left to 120,000 Tory members, some of whom may not have even voted for the party in the recent EU elections, backing Nigel Farage instead.

Research has confirmed that 70% of party members are male and 97% white British. Their average

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age is 57, although more than 40% are 65 or above. Yet - irony klaxon - for many years these same people have been banging on about how we have been ?ruled by unelected officials in Brussels?.

The fate of so many jobs, homes and families?security may hang on this jaundiced minority?s deliberations. If this is what ?taking back control?looks like, give me Juncker and Barnier any day.

It all just goes to show how our politics is in need of a radical overhaul at all levels, particularly first-past-the-post voting, which creates the yah-boo-sucks two-party carping that gets us all down and achieves nothing - or sees the country stagger from one extreme to another when the government changes hands, at great cost to us all and in more than mere cash terms.

Just as on the national stage, where Parliament has been

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logjammed with Brexit and unable to resolve the issue, so in Stevenage, until recently at least, the Labour-run Council and its Tory MP Stephen McPartland were at shouty loggerheads over the town centre development and the Local Plan.

For 16 months, the Local Plan, which maps out how the town will be developed through to 2031, was put on hold by then-Housing Minister Sajid Javid - at the request of Mr McPartland. The MP wanted?certain questions to be answered?- even though the plan had been effectively signed off by a senior government planning inspector.

The Borough Council launched judicial review proceedings at the end of January to challenge the continuation of the ?holding direction?, after it had been in place for more than a year. In the end it lasted 497 days - holding up

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the regeneration of the town centre, 7,600 new homes, revamping New Town neighbourhood centres and creating jobs.

People in the Old Town will recall how Mr McPartland didn?t cover himself with glory during the saga of the forced academisation of Barclay School. Labour?s Loraine Rossati won the council Old Town seat recently from the Tories something that the Barclay decision may well have influenced.

Politicians say they go into that world to make the country or their town a better place. All too often, they merely reinforce the stereotype we hold to be true, that talk is cheap.

Sometimes the system gets in the way - but more often than not, people exploit the system for their own nefarious ends.

Tollers solicitors - the experts at helping you to make your Will Do you know for cert ain what would happen t o your est at e if you died wit hout a W ill?

significantly reduce the burden of inheritance Tax that may become payable on your death and could also protect your family wealth in the event that you may require residential or nursing care at some point.

Making a Will may not be on top of your ?to do?list but if it isn?t, Sharon Brown (pictured) from Tollers Solicitors explains why it certainly should be.

A Will allows you to make specific gifts to friends, family or charities and to name guardians of any minor children (under the age of 18) you may have and can set up trusts to protect your estate for vulnerable and minor beneficiaries.

A Will enables you to set out clearly what you wish to happen to your money, possessions and property after you die.

You can outline how you wish to provide for your family, state your funeral wishes, forgive debts and more.

Leaving a Will makes it much easier for your loved ones to deal with your affairs and ensure that your wishes are carried out.

If you do not have a Will you are deemed to have died ?intestate?, which means that your estate will be distributed in accordance with the Intestacy Rules. These rules determine which of your relatives get your estate and which parts they receive, which may not reflect your wishes and could lead to someone benefiting that you would prefer did not.

Also under the intestacy rules no provision is made for cohabiting partners or stepchildren. There can also be complications for second marriages, as your spouse will receive the first ÂŁ250,000 of your estate and so children from a previous marriage could be left unprotected.

Having an efficiently drafted Will can also have tax advantages. A Will can

You also have the benefit of selecting the people you wish to be in charge of dealing with your estate (your Executors), these can be trusted family or friends or even a professional, such as a solicitor.

Don?t leave things to chance, If you are considering making a Will, amending a Will or would like more information, guidance or advice on what you should do, Talk to Tollers on 01438 901095 and Sharon and her Trusts and Estates team will be happy assist you.

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Talking about death the big conversation Talking about deat h Hands up, how many of us have had a conversation about death? If not, you?re not alone. It?s a tough thing to talk about. We avoid the enormity of the subject with phrases such as ?kick the bucket?and ?pop your clogs?.And if we do happen to mention in passing that we?d like to be buried, not cremated, it?s usually followed up very quickly with a change of subject!

In fact, 55% of people prefer to say ?passed?or ?passing?, while only 29% will say ?dead?or ?dying?.If it?s hard to even say the word, how can we expect to have a conversation?

Unfortunately the simplicity of the language we tend to use to talk about death reflects the basic nature of the conversations we are having with our loved ones.

W hy don?t we t alk about deat h?

It is said that death and taxes are the only two certainties in life, so why is the latter talked about so much more?

You can?t scroll through social media these days without seeing a tax reminder or an advert for bookkeeping software!

One reason we don?t talk about death is because we?re all living longer. Even though death is a natural part of life, many of us don?t experience the loss of someone close to us until later on in our lives. Illnesses and diseases that would claim the lives of our ancestors are no longer a threat, and so we are not as close to death as they were; hence it?s a fear of the unknown.

Another reason is that it is seen as a taboo subject; people think they might jinx themselves for bringing it up.

Trust us, you won?t!

Dying Mat t ers Awareness Week The Dying Matters Coalition aims to raise awareness of the importance of talking more openly to friends and family about dying, death and bereavement. Their annual awareness week ran from 13-19 May 2019 and the theme is ?Are We Ready?? [https://www.dyingmatters.org/]

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They?ve put together some quite astonishing facts, which show how ready we really are: -

Just 35% of adults said they had made a will Just 30% had let someone know their funeral wishes Just 7% had written down wishes or preferences about the care they would want if they couldn?t make decisions

W hy is it import ant t o t alk about deat h?

These figures speak for themselves and highlight just how much we need to start talking about death ? for everyone?s benefit. Here are four more good reasons to start a conversation: -

A ?good death?: Talking about dying and your wishes makes it more likely that you ? or your loved one ? will die as you wanted to (for example,

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at home) because plans can be made in advance. This will bring comfort to those left behind, knowing the deceased had a ?good death?and that it was as they wanted.

The grieving process: Once we start being more open about death, we can help others through the grieving process by having a conversation with them.

A time to reflect: By choosing to talk about death, it can help us to reflect on our own life and goals we still wish to fulfil.

From here, we might want to create a bucket list, or start to make plans for our own funeral.

Reduce stress: As we spoke about in last month?s blog, talking can greatly reduce stress and avoid family disputes when someone passes away.

How can we t alk more about deat h and dying?

There are so many books and resources out there that can be a good starting point, as well as some brilliant TED talks that really get you thinking about death as a natural process.

Death cafes are a way to get out and talk to others about it. They allow people to meet up in a relaxed setting and talk over tea and cake, share their thoughts and learn about other people?s experiences. Take a look at: https://deathcafe.com/

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Wedding and party package Can you af f ord t o miss t he Forum's wedding package?

As l ong as booking is made by t he end of t his year wit h deposit paid it can be used f or t he ent ire 2020.

For a remarkabl e ÂŁ3,000 you can have excl usive use of t he f ul l suit e upst airs incl uding Fairview suit e. Incl udes: -

Room f rom 10am-midnight Cat ers up t o 500 Ful l use of t he kit chen and abil it y t o bring in booze and f ood.

Incl ude securit y 1 hot el room Col our t heme upl ight ers and use of screens f or phot os

For part ies, weddings recept ions, birt hdays and charit y event s we are t he venue f or you.

Book by Sept ember 30 2019 and use t his t o t he end of 2019.

Part y package incl udes: -

Noon - Midnight Ext ended bar l icence on appl icat ion ÂŁ500 per room, accommodat e 200 peopl e.

Can increase capacit y by booking a second room f or a 50% discount .

Incl udes dance f l oor, securit y, t abl e l inen and bar st af f , upl ight er and screens.

Cal l us now on 01438 779955

And how about our amazing part y package?

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Sponsored by #Stevenage

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Book the best conference facilities for your business

Do you want t he very best f or your business?

The Forum Conf erence and Banquet ing Suit es in St evenage of f er t he f inest f acil it ies and t he best rat es - and we now have a special booking of f er which wil l al l ow you t o book f rom now unt il April 30 2020.

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Dail y Del egat e rat e - f rom just ÂŁ25 f or a minimum of 10 peopl e Every 10t h person is f ree and a bot t l e of f izz f or t he booker.

Ideal meet ing space f or 20 peopl e, af t ernoon t ea cof f ee and cakes and l unch

Arrival t ea cof f ee and f resh baked past ries avail abl e Take a break wit h mid-morning t ea, cof f ee and biscuit s Af t ernoon hot and col d working buf f et l unch avail abl e Af t ernoon t ea, cof f ee and a sweet t reat f or al l del egat es Al l bookings incl ude f ul l use of st at ionery, room hire and equipment hire

Quot e Code: Forumbiz19 Cal l 01438 779955 and book now

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Indoor Market feature Text

Have you been t o St evenage Indoor Market recent ly?

If you haven't been for some t ime you must make t he t rip - and go t o support an incredible number of St evenage based independent s.

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There are new businesses opening each day here we t ake a look at just a few.

Click on t he image and follow t he link t o find out more.

We will be feat uring more in coming edit ions

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Brilliant businesses in High Street need you After our amazingly successful piece in our last edition on Middle Row and the independent shops in that area, we have turned our focus on other shops in Stevenage High Street.

The shares and likes we have gained by putting these businesses in the spotlight has been amazing, so don't forget make sure if you need a product or a service which they offer head down to them and keep them in business in #Stevenage

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Phot ography by Brendan Fal vey

If you have enjoyed t hese images of #St evenage by Brendan Falvey and would like t o find out how t o order t hem cont act on t he det ails supplied here

Email: bjpfalvey@gmail.com Search for Bren's Phot o's on Facebook

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For r esult s t oday speak t o t he com m unicat ion exper t s at Spit f ir ePR Media rel at ions

Copy writ ing

Social media market ing

Media t raining

Market ing

Crisis management

Proud publ i sh er of #Herts @h ash tagh erts For al l your mark eti ng and soci al medi a needs: 07539 782979 w w w .spi tf i repr.com darren@spi tf i repr.com @DarrenI sted1 @h ash tagh erts

What 's on in # STEVENAGE INS: Every Friday afternoon, So Healthy, a gentle exercise class takes place from 1.30pm to 2.30pm at Bedwell Community Centre. Please contact the INS for more information on 01438 725400 or emailinfo@irishnetworkstevenage.org.ukor follow the group on Facebook or Twitter.

St evenage Fl oral Art Societ y: Call Margaret 01438 880086 for more details.

St evenage Liberal Synagogue: For further information phone 01438 300222 or visitstevenageliberalsynagogue@gmail.com St evenage Fibromyal gia Support Group:Meet on the second Wednesday evening, 7.30 to 9.30pm, and last Tuesday of the month, 12.30pm to 2.30pm, at Poplars Community Hall. A weekly coffee drop in from 1pm to 3pm takes place on Wednesdays at Encore Coffee House, in the foyer of the Gordon Craig Theatre. Call the helpline 0844 8872 373 or 355 for more info. All welcome.

St Andrew and St George:Parish Mass on Sunday at 10am. A toddler group takes place on Wednesdays from 10am to 12pm. All welcome. For further details please email Kimcuttylanegroups@gmail.com.Morning Prayer Monday to Thursday at 9.30 am. Weekday Masses on Monday at 10am, Tuesday at 12.30pm and Thursday at 10am. Compline at 8:30 pm on Thursdays. For more information visitwww.stevenagechurch.org.

Debt ors Anonymous:Meetings are held every

Tuesday evening at 8pm at The Living Room, No 15 The Glebe, Chells Way. For more information visit:www.debtorsanonymous.org.uk St evenage Corey?s Mil l Lions Cl ub:Lion are part of the world's largest community based Service Organisation and are looking for more members to assist with the work in the community as volunteers. Meetings are held on the second Monday of the month in Symonds Green starting at 7.45pm. Membership fee is nominal. To find out more call 01438 489247 or 07903 444052 or visit the group on Facebook.

St arl ight Dance Academy:Adult tap dance classes, for all ages, with a fully qualified teacher take place from 1.15pm every Friday at the Community and Arts Pavilion, Roaring Meg Retail Park, Stevenage.

Age Concern, St evenage:Pop in for a cuppa every Monday, 10am to 12pm, at Swingate House. Age Concerns provides bookings for Britannia Coaches,a hire service for mobility scooters and wheelchairs during opening hours. Free 20-minute appointments for benefits and legal advice, and a footcare clinic are held every Tuesday and Thursday (fee payable). Age Concern's offices are open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 3pm and Thursday 9.30am to 1.30pm, ground floor, Swingate House, Stevenage town centre.Call01438 314164 for more.

St evenage Museum:St George?s Way, Stevenage, hosts a wide range of events throughout the year for families, children and adults. Open 10am to 4.30pm Wednesday to Friday, 10am to 5pm Saturday. Call 01438 218881 or emailmuseum@stevenage.gov.ukfor more.

Cycl e UK St evenage:Starter cycle rides will set off from Costello?s Cafe by the Sailing Centre in Fairlands Valley Park at 10.30am every Saturday.

Evening rides from the green by Springfield House Community Centre take place every Wednesday at 7.15pm. For more information go towww.stevenagectc.org.ukor call Jim on 07939 687509 or Jill on 07816 625901.

What 's on in # STEVENAGE St evenage Writ ers:Meet every Wednesday from 5.30pm to 7pm in The Snug Bar at The Dun Cow, Letchmore Road, Stevenage. Mutual support for writers at all levels, something for everyone. Next two months the group is working on getting their Annual together. For more details contact Tony Burtonponytailpoet@gmail.com.

Pl ay Go:Takes place every Tuesday from 7.30pm in Letchworth or Stevenage on alternate weeks.

Persons under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. For more information, visithttp:/ / www.letchworth-go.org.uk/ letchgo St Hugh and St John's Church: Blaze Youth Club for anyone aged 7 to 14 takes place every Thursday during term-time from 5.45pm to 7.15pm. Have fun playing games, sports, making crafts, baking, cooking, and art, The first Thursday of the month is family night where families are invited to come for a meal and a short service. ÂŁ1.50 per week.

Roundabout ers Count ry Dance Cl ub:English country dancing every Thursday, 8pm to 10pm, at Friends Meeting House, Cuttys Lane SG1 1UP. Newcomers are always welcome, both beginners and experienced dancers. To find out more call 01438 727239, visitwww.roundabouters.org.ukor just come along.

St evenage Bridge Cl ub:New players are needed at Stevenage Bridge Club and Springfield House Friday Bridge Club. Stevenage Bridge Club meets at 7.30pm to play Duplicate Bridge at the Priory Nursery, Stanmore Road, Old Stevenage. Contact Phil Cooper on 0795 7813434. Springfield House Friday Bridge Club meet on Friday afternoons at 1.30pm to play cut-in Chicago Bridge at Springfield House. Contact Richard Bean on 01438 221517.

Mol l y Vickers School of Dance:Lessons in Ballet, Tap, Freestyle and Contemporary at Bedwell Community Centre, Stevenage. For children (18 months+) and adults, first trial class is free! For more details call Lisa Holt on (01438) 723450 or Stacey Hurst on (01438) 315580.

Oval Communit y Circl e:Come along to a free social

group held on the first Thursday of the month anytime between 9:30am and 11am at the Oval Community Centre, Vardon Road. For more information contactenquiries@ovalcommunity.comor 01438 359404.

Love t o Dance:Fun and friendly sessions for anyone aged 50 and over take place every Friday from 1.30pm to 3.30pm at Hampson Park Community Centre, Webb Rise, Stevenage, SG1 5QU. Just ÂŁ5.50 per session. For more information call 0203 675 7215 or emailclarebellchambers@saracens.net St evenage Spirit ual Group:Meet every Sunday (except Bank Holidays) at Springfield House, Stevenage Old Town. Sunday meetings take place from 7.30pm till 9pm with a different Medium each week. All welcome.

Just Sing Communit y Choir:Come along and sing every Thursday during term time from 7pm to 9pm, at Grace Community Church. Hydean Way, Stevenage. First taster session free and no auditions are required. Contact 07785568463 or visit the websitewww.justsingcc.org.uk Pil at es:Sessions take place at Datchworth Village Hall on Thursdays from 1.30pm to 2.30pm/ Beginners are recommended to attend an introductory class. Call 07732897404 for more information.

Wou ld you lik e t o pr om ot e you r gr ou p or even t f or f r ee?

Do you w an t t o sh ow t h e people of #St even age you r gr ou p in act ion ?

Sen d you r copy an d pict u r es t o dar r en @spit f ir epr .com an d w e w ill do ou r best t o pu blish t h em in Wh at 's on in #St even age

Join the SportScene team There is a new radio show on the circuit that any sports fan in the area would be mad to miss.

SportScene started broadcasting their weekly show earlier in August on SG1 radio, the online radio station broadcasting live from their studio in Stevenage Town Centre.

Presented by Steve Watkins, Jay Drackford and Dean Thompson, there is a wealth of local sporting knowledge that has been tapped into, with the trio aiming to showcase any sport local to the area.

Steve Watkins said ?It was an idea that was dreamed up by Jay, who quickly shared his thoughts with myself and Dean, and we were hooked. We went to station owner Ray Medwynter and he loved the idea, and two weeks later we were live on air! ?In the first show we were honoured to have former Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson as a guest, speaking about his charity, the Welwyn Garden City based

?Willow Foundation?, and his golf tournament recently held at Hanbury Manor. ?The response has been phenomenal in the early days. We have had local clubs represented, with sports including Football, Netball, Running, Iron-Man, Cricket Rugby and Cylcling, and have even included the great work being done with the Aqualina Synchronised Swimming club. ?It has so far been a case of building relationships with the clubs, so that we can follow their fortunes in the future. But we are also keen to get involved ourselves, with Jay already running the local Park Run, and Dean is lined up to have an evening of Synchronised Swimming, which of course will be covered on the show! ?We still need to hear from any new clubs with a story to tell, whether it be news, results, fixtures or events, and we are happy to speak on the phone, get guests into the studio , or simply

read out any news from a club. The aim is to cover ANY local sport, without prejudice or bias. Where at all possible of course!?

The show can be contacted at any time via email at sportscene@sg1radio.co.uk, via twitter @sg1sportscene, or on the SG1 Radio Facebook Page.

The show is broadcast every Wednesday evening between 9-10pm, and can be accessed at www. sg1radio.co.uk, on mobile phones by downloading the SG1 Radio app, via tune-in radio on a smart device such as sonos or alexa, and is also now being broadcast live with video on Facebook, which has added an extra dimension, and encouraged interaction from the sportspeople of the area.

Previous shows can also be played again, with links on Facebook and Twitter.

For further details, contact the team at sportscene@sg1radio.co.uk

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Unlimit ed: How t o apply online Step 1 Make sure you have your bank details and a recent passport photo Step 2 Complete the easy application process and use your temporary pass straight away Step 3 We will post your Unlimited card to you Step 4

Visit one of our Cineworld cinemas Step 2 Find a member of staff or use a sign up tablet in cinema Step 3 Complete the easy application process and use your temporary pass to start enjoying Unlimited movies Step 4 Start enjoying Unlimited and related offers We are delight ed t o t eam up wit h Cineworld St evenage t o offer you t he chance t o win five pairs of 2D t icket s t o any film (subject t o availabilit y).

To ent er simply follow and like our Facebook page @st evenage magazine and ent er our compet it ion when post ed asking who you would t ake wit h you.

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Ashr idge Est at e

# St evenage June 2019

PROPERTY

The unique guide to property news in #Stevenage

#STEVENAGE PROPERTY: THE INTERACTIVE WAY TO VIEW YOUR AGENT

DIRECT LINKS TO WEBSITES, EM AILS, VIDEO AND PROPERTY DETAILS

# PROPERTY STEVENAGE Let 's f ace it - w e live in a digit al w or ld - w h en

t h e agen t s w h o ar e act in g on beh alf of bu yer s,

w as t h e last t im e you u sed pr in t t o t r y an d bu y

seller s, lan dlor ds an d t h ose look in g t o r en t .

or sell a h ou se or t o look f or a pr oper t y t o r en t .

In t h ese pages you w ill f in d live lin k s st r aigh t

Th e on lin e w or ld allow s f or qu ick an d easy

t o t h e agen t s - so h it t h eir w ebsit es n ow , em ail

con n ect ion t o all h ou ses f or sale or r en t , w it h

t h em or ar r an ge a visit - all f r om t h e com f or t

f u ll f act s at you r f in ger t ips an d in st an t lin k s t o

of you r ow n ph on e.

101 High St r eet , St even age

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Tel 01438 231200 m ar k sim on est at es.co.u k

TLC est at es, 4 Bak er St r eet , St even age

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Tel 01438 219282 let t in gs@t lcest at es.co.u k

61-63 High St r eet ,

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St even age Tel 01438 316846 w w w.pu t t er ills.co.u k

86 High St r eet ,

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St even age Tel 01438 728444 h om esan dm or t gages.co.u k

A-Top Pr oper t y Let t in gs, 1 Dr aper s Way, St even age

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Tel 01438 369173 con t act @a-t oplet t in g.co.u k

# PROPERTY STEVENAGE 24 M ar k et Place St even age

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Tel 01438 720100 geof f r eym at t h ew.co.u k

19 M ar k et Place,

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St even age Tel 01438 312312 st even age@w r igh t sof .com

Ow n Hom es, 2 M iddle Row , St even age

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Tel 01438 367753 sales@ow n -h om es.com

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Call 0800 0248 914

8 M ar k et Place, St even age

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Tel 01438 728444 st even age@con n ells.co.u k

74 High St r eet , St even age

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Tel 01438 870673 en qu ir ies@agen t h ybr id .co.u k

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Agent Hybrid falls bet ween t radit ional and online est at e agency. Our aim is t o deliver a personal, one-t o-one est at e agency experience, whilst delivering a service of excellence.

ht t ps://my.mat t erport .com/show/ ?m=GCbcjmCyYn

Click on t he image of our Monument Court propert y (above) and t ake a walk t hrough using t he lat est Agent Hybrid Technology

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SOLD Text

Our marketing packages are inclusive of: - Professional photography - Extensive Online Advertisement - 3D Floor plans - Local High Street Office - Accompanied Viewings and Open House Agent Hybrid offer two fee options and both include a full estate agency service.

OPTION 1: £1150 upfront, nothing to pay on completion.

Add £150 for a walk through tour.

OPTION 2: 0.95% of the sale price, payable on sale completion, no sale no fee. Walk through tour included.

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74 High St r eet , St even age Tel 01438 870673 w w w.agen t h ybr id.co.u k

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Placing the focus our customers Text

Hom e an d M or t gages St even age, 86 High St r eet , St even age Tel 01438 728444

em ail st even age@h om esan dm or t gages.co.u k

Homes and Mortgages Estate Agents are ready and waiting to help the Stevenage community with all its property needs, be it buying, selling or renting, Homes and Mortgages are committed to providing great value customer service for all our clients.

Situated in the heart of the historic Old Town and set over three floors, each department provides a professional, welcoming and comfortable environment for all of our customers. We have a team of 9 full time, experienced Sales and Lettings staff on hand to deal with any property enquiry.

W hat 's new? The rebranded branch and heavy investment in IT has set Homes and Mortgages up to stand out in 2017 and for the future. Our experienced and dedicated staff all share the same view in providing a fantastic customer experience and are heavily focused on the importance of transparency between ourselves and our customers.

The IT software is excellent at allowing vendors and Landlords 24/7 access to information regarding their property. At the click of a button, vendors can see feedback, current interest from web portals and can track the progress of a sale online. Likewise, Landlords have the option to view property maintenance schedules and access statements. mailt o:st evenage@homesand mort gages.co.uk

Click on t h e im ages an d lin k dir ect ly t o t h eir det ails on lin e

Dealing with all property needs

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Hom e an d M or t gages St even age, 86 High St r eet , St even age Tel 01438 728444

em ail st even age@h om esan dm or t gages.co.u k

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Placing the focus on our customers Text

Hom e an d M or t gages St even age, 86 High St r eet , St even age Tel 01438 728444

em ail st even age@h om esan dm or t gages.co.u k

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For a top service Text

rely on A-TOP A-Top Pr oper t y Let t in gs, 1 Dr aper s Way, St even age Tel 01438 369173

em ail con t act @a-t oplet t in g.co.u k

If you are looking for a t eam t hat you can t rust t o deliver t ime aft er t ime t hen A-Top Propert y Let t ings in Drapers Way, St evenage is t he one for you.

A-Top, which is owned by founder Mervyn Terret t , has gained an impressive reput at ion as t he go-t o agent for all your propert y needs whet her you are looking t o rent or are a landlord seeking t enant s. W it h a combined market experience of more t han 60 years, t he st aff at A-Top are t he most knowledgeable in t he business and along wit h advice on t he rent al market , t hey can also provide informat ion which allows cust omers t o make t he most informed choice possible. Over t he past 33 years t he t eam lead by Mervyn has seen t he local market undergo a wide number of changes, but t hrough t hem all A-Top and it s experienced st aff have always given t he very best and most informed service.

There have been plent y of changes which have alt ered t he let t ings landscape in St evenage. Through t hem all however t he reliabilit y of A-Top Propert y Let t ings has remained a const ant and t heir port folio of excellent landlords has increased dramat ically.

Comment ing on t he t eam Mervyn said: ?W hat once was a rarit y in t he UK i.e. rent ing, is now so common as a source of income/ invest ment for landlords and of mobilit y for professional working t enant s.

We are delight ed t o be able t o use our expert ise t o help bot h t enant s and landlords.?

For furt her det ails cont act 01438 369173 or email cont act @a-t oplet t ing.co.uk

For a top service Text

rely on A-TOP A-Top Pr oper t y Let t in gs, 1 Dr aper s Way, St even age Tel 01438 369173

em ail con t act @a-t oplet t in g.co.u k

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Putterills Stevenage - talk to the professionals Text

61-63 High St r eet , St even age Tel 01438 316846

Founded by Tony Putterill in 1992, with our first office in Welwyn Garden City, Putterills are now celebrating 26 years of serving the Hertfordshire community.

We have grown from our original branch in Welwyn Garden City to having offices in Knebworth, Hitchin, Stevenage Old Town and St Albans, as well as a partner office in London?s Mayfair. Each of our sales offices are overseen by a Director who is actively involved in the day to day running; this helps to ensure that we are providing the highest possible levels of advice and service. All of these offices are prominently located to ensure all properties receive the best possible exposure.

In addition to our network of sales offices, we have an award winning Land and New Homes department.

Our specialists help landowners maximise the development opportunities for usually previously

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used land known as Brownfield, as the country struggles for space for new homes. We have always believed that our task is to provide our clients with the best, up to the minute, expert advice when dealing with what is usually their greatest asset.

Our clients have a wide range of emotions and circumstances and we help guide less experienced first time buyers, provide yield information and advice to investment buyers, schooling information to families, hold the hands of those who have not moved for many years and deal sensitively and professionally with those. Over the last few years, we are proud to have won a number of national awards which we believe underline our philosophy of being Trusted Property Experts.

2017 saw Tony Putterill retire and hand the reins of the company over to Mark Shearing. Mark has been in agency in Hertfordshire since 1982

and joined Putterills in 1993. As the company moves into a new era with changing markets, advances in property marketing and the use of technology, our aim is simple - to keep at the absolute forefront of full service Estate Agency and to continue the exceptional levels of service and advice that our clients have been able to rely on over the last 26 years.

Our primary purpose has always been to provide an outstanding customer experience and our core values continue to represent this: EXCEPTIONAL ? we are passionate about delivering excellence.

RESPECT ? we respect and value those we work with, both our colleagues and our customers.

EXPERTISE ? we deliver outstanding skills and knowledge in all we do.

TRUST ? we act with honesty and integrity at all times.

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Portfolio - for serviced apartments in #Herts Text

Tel 0800 0248 914

Booking a holiday is possibly one of the greatest feelings and counting down the days when you?re having an awful day at work or are just desperate to get away from home can seem like a joy, but there can be a downside. Hotels. While some people may see staying in a hotel like a dream, it can actually be a nightmare if you?ll be staying there for a long time, especially if on a business trip or secondment. With that said, here are the top reasons to stop staying in hotels for your business travel trips.

Limit ed Wardrobe Space Packing for a holiday or for a business trip puts you on one of two teams, you?re either naturally gifted and find it a breeze or it?s the worst part of the trip for you, but one thing unites these two camps ? limited hotel space.

If you love to pack an outfit for every possible occasion you will know how difficult it can be to cram your clothes into tiny hotel wardrobes, or even worse live out of a case. Staying in a serviced apartment fixes this and means you have a home away from home and all the storage you could need.

You feel like you?re t rapped Walking into a hotel room can at first glance feel wonderful, everything is conveniently within arm?s reach and for the first day you love it. Then the second day comes and the third day and by the fourth you feel like you almost can?t breathe.

Hotels just aren?t feasible for long periods of time or for anyone who likes a sense of space, after all, who wants to feel trapped by the same four walls for the entire of their trip?

Privacy? W hat privacy?

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Hotels may seem like a good idea for a romantic night away, but if you?re travelling with family or small children or even colleagues, then all sense of privacy goes straight out of the window when you?re all sharing a room just feet away from each other.

Forget staring dreamily into each other?s eyes when you wake up, you?ll probably be staring at a toddler who immediately wants to play or be woken by another family member?s snoring and that?s not even mentioning the housekeeper who always turns up at the most inconvenient times!

Serviced apartments let you have time to yourself no matter how many you have brought along for the trip, so you can sleep well and feel like you have privacy if you are all loved up.

Money money money!

Straight to the point hotels aren?t cheap.

Even for the savviest of spenders and the keenest bargin hunters, you may think booking your hotel means it?s all done, dusted and paid for but you will undoubtedly end up incurring extra fees.

Whether you give in to the lure of room-service with its extortionate service charges, or buy a film to keep energetic youngsters occupied, your bill when you check out can hit you like a smack in the face and leave you wanting a more affordable option.

Meals on wheels Speaking of room-service, while this may seem like a decadent treat on the first night, by the time you come back from a long day of exploring and are tired, it is so easy to have a burger brought straight to door along with its crazily hiked-up price and extra delivery charges. This can not only wreak havoc on your bank account,

but also on your waist-line and by the time you leave, the only thing that will be thinner is your wallet.

Serviced apartments absolutely win here, as having a fully equipped kitchen at your fingertips means it?s easy to rustle up something quick and delicious that will probably be healthier for you and will also save you money! If you want some tips on how to eat well when working away from home check out next weeks blog post, or check out our apartments to find out why it?s time to say goodbye to hotel hell and wake up to apartment heaven!

Though staying in a hotel may seem like the obvious option at first, there?s no denying that a serviced apartment brings with it a number of benefits that a hotel just can?t offer.

At Portfolio Serviced Apartments we specialise in providing luxury serviced apartments and temporary homes for corporate and business travellers. We offer a secure spacious base which can become a home from home for longer staying guests. Portfolio Apartments are located throughout all of Hertfordshire including Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City, St. Albans and Hatfield, whilst through our partners we have access to over 90,000 luxury apartments across the globe.

So whether it?s a placement in St Albans or a secondment in San Francisco, Portfolio is consistently the favoured choice for travelling professionals.

For more information,get in touch. Our team at Portfolio looks forward to helping you soon.

Give our friendly team a call on 0800 024 8914 (Mon ? Fri 9-6pm) or visit our website to view our modern serviced apartments.

101 High St r eet , St even age Tel 01438 231200 w w w.m ar k sim on est at es.co.u k pr oper t y@m ar k sim on est at es.co.u k

Partners with vast knowledge of the local area Text

Mark Simon Estates is an established Estate Agency situated at: 101 High Street, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 3HR. Here at MarkSimon Estates, we have over 40 years combined experience of Estate Agency within Stevenage and its surrounds.

Our Partners Mark Sollis & Simon Jacob both grew up in Stevenage and therefore have a vast knowledge of the area and its surrounds.

This in itself, is proving an invaluable asset to prospective Vendors and Purchasers seeking a property which meets both their needs and expectations in a home.

?To Mark, Many t hanks for all your hard work selling my house for us in Jessop Road. You went t he ext ra mile in so many ways. You always kept me well informed and I knew I could t rust you t o carry out everyt hing you promised.?

From H.

?To MarkSimon Est at es & your t eam, Thank you for being t here t o help us. ?

Mr K & Miss T

Click here for MarkSimon Twitter

?To Mike and everyone at MarkSimon Est at es, A Big t hank you for all your help selling our house, Best wishes.?

The W ?s

Click here for MarkSimon Facebook

The independent local estate agent Text

2 M iddle Row , St even age Tel 01438 367753

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St ephen Harris and Michael Not schild est ablished Own Homes in 2008, operat ing as a successful, independent local St evenage est at e agent .

Here at Own Homes, we understand that each property and sale is individual and therefore tailor our service to suit your specific requirements.

We have prominent offices ideally situated in the heart of Stevenage Old Town. One in Middle Row covering lettings and mortgages and one on the High Street to deal with sales.

Our recent expansion and our double fronted office allows us the scope and ability to serve Stevenage and the surrounding residential areas.

Passionate in all we do, we pride ourselves on delivering the highest level of service.

Selling and letting a property can be a stressful time, which is why we go the extra mile to make your involvement with us as enjoyable and professional as possible.

Working in Hertfordshire for the past 10 years has enabled Own Homes to develop a comprehensive understanding of residential property in the local areas of Stevenage, Hitchin and surrounds.

We have an established an experienced team, on hand to work with you throughout the selling and buying process, ensuring personal contact is maintained from start to finish.

We use a number of marketing styles to ensure your property, whether you are selling or letting, gains maximum exposure and a smooth efficient sale. This includes advertising in local newspapers and glossy magazines, as well as Internet marketing. Our double fronted office also allows people to see

our properties in both windows.

To arrange a free valuation, or to find out more about Own Homes and the services we provide, simply call 01438 367753 or email sales@own-homes.com. You can also visit our office.

Awards In recognition of our outstanding service, we've been awarded two gold winner awards by the British Property Awards, one for being the top Estate Agent in Stevenage and another for the top Estate Agent in the South East. We're very proud of these awards as the Own Homes team has worked tirelessly to provide industry leading property services in and around the area.

The agent with more than 18 years experience Text

TLC est at es, 4 Bak er St r eet , St even age Tel 01438 219282

em ail let t in gs@t lcest at es.co.u k

TLC est at es is sit uat ed in t he delight ful set t ing of St evenage Old Town.

We pride ourselves on t he personal and professional services we offer t o all landlords and t enant s alike We offer very compet it ive rat es we are one of t he very few let t ing agent s only left in t he t own . W it h over 19 years of experience in t he St evenage market we are sure t o offer you t he best of services from under one roof.

Renowned for our open and honest approach ,TLC will give you t he full informat ion on t he market .

Many of our landlords and t enant s have been wit h us since we opened in 2000 and we are known for our close work wit h bot h.

Pop int o our Baker St reet off ice or give us a call and find out how TLC can help wit h your let t ings needs.

The Connells team that you can trust Text

8 M ar k et Place, St even age Tel 01438 318080

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Connells Estate Agents in Stevenage are located in the Town Centre along Market Place, and within walking distance of the Train Station.

We would love to help you sell or rent your home or find a property to rent or buy in and around the Stevenage area, as well as the villiages Walkern, Knebworth, Little & Great Wymondley, Gravely & Aston.

Connells Estate Agents in Stevenage are managed by Gary Young. Gary has had a successful estate agency career over the last 20 years. Gary is supported by Callum Souter who is the Sales Executive with four years experience behind him, Oz Ansari who is the branch valuer, and Melanie Retberg the Branch Administrator.

Our in-house Mortgage Consultant Juliet Twining, is fully trained and qualified to advise you on the right mortgage product to suit your needs.

Connells Lettings would love to help you rent your property.

Lettings Manager Patricia Bowden has 10 year's experience within the Lettings industry and is assisted by Trainee Lettings Negotiator Ben Brooks. With their combined experience and extensive knowledge of the area and rental market, are always happy to offer their assistance to new and experienced buy to let investors and first time landlords

alike.

Whether you are looking to sell or rent your property, we offer FREE market appraisals. Please feel free to pop into the branch or call 01438 318080 (Sales) or 01438 318258 (Lettings).

We offer a range of property related services all under one roof.

In house Mortgage Consultant.

Premium Marketing Packages available including Floorplans, Professional Photography, audio tours, and premium listings on Rightmove & Zoopla We have pioneered a dedicated service called The Property Finder

- You tell us what you are looking for and we will find it We know how the Stevenage market moves - our staff are local and extremely knowledgeable.

Their in-depth and up to date local experience.

Over 10 years?worth of experience and knowledge within the local market.

A professional team providing services to suit all your needs including property management, accounts and high quality administration.

We accompany all viewings, we believe it is really important, we?ve been trained to do it so you get really good feedback.

Making the Wrights choice

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19 M ar k et Place, St even age Tel 01438 312312

Wrights is proud to be an independent estate agency with our own unique values and ethos.

We have been in business in Hertfordshire for over 30 years and our experience in helping our customers to buy, sell or rent their properties is second to none. Over the years we have built a professional and enthusiastic team and we now have three branches based in the towns of Hatfield, Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City.

Wrights was founded in 1983 by Melvin Wright. Melvin was an experienced estate agent who began his career working for W.H.Lee based in the village of Ware and then moved on to their Stevenage office. As he progressed in his career Melvin was asked if he would open another branch of W.H.Lee in Harlow. Whilst pondering this decision Melvin happened to see that a shop unit in Hatfield was for sale and this made up his mind ? he would start his own estate agency! He picked up the phone to the agent and said he wanted to buy the unit, and so

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Wrights Estate Agency was born on the 15th August 1983.

Due to Melvin and his team?s hard work and determination Wrights Estate Agency really took off in Hatfield. Just 10 years after Wrights first opened its doors in Hatfield Melvin made the decision to open another branch in the lovely town of Welwyn Garden City. And so in 1993 Wrights of Welwyn Garden City was founded.

As the Wrights team had such a wealth of knowledge about the Hertfordshire housing market it made sense to open another branch, and because Melvin had previously worked in Stevenage he decided to based his next office in this lively town. Wrights were the first independent estate agents based in the town centre and where we led others followed - it soon became a prime location for a number of estate agencies.

Independent agency, independent values When asked just what makes Wrights so successful we tell

people that it is our independent values and experience. We pride ourselves on our professionalism, our knowledge and our honesty.

We really care about our customers and put them at the heart of everything we do.

Our success is also built on great teamwork and our family values extend to the whole of the Wrights team. We make our offices a welcoming place to work and this is evidenced by the fact that we have team members who have been with us for over 20 years!

So now you know our history let us help you plan your future in the property market. Whether you are looking to buy, sell or rent get in touch with any of our three branches and we will be happy to help you.

19 M ar k et Place, St even age Tel 01438 312312 h t t ps:/ / w w w.w r igh t sof .com / br an ch / st even age/

Geoffrey Matthew property innovators Text

24 M ar k et Place, St even age Tel 01438 720100

w w w.geof f r eym at t h ew.co.u k

Geoffrey Mat t hew Est at es are a propert y business wit h offices in Harlow, St evenage and Great Ashby t hat specialise in t he sales and let t ing of resident ial propert y.

Over 25 years of experience in propert y and finance give us an unparalleled insight t o t he needs and desires of sellers, purchasers, landlords and t enant s alike.

W it h a dedicat ed, hardworking, innovat ive forward-t hinking t eam t hat use modern met hods and good old-fashioned cust omer service, we offer a unique bespoke service t ailored t o you.

Tel 01438 720100 w w w.geof f r eym at t h ew.co.u k