Village Eye Magazine April 2020

VILLAGE

Issue 87 April 2020 Circulation 11,500

UK Southern Business Awards

Winner Best Regional Lifestyle Magazine

2019

FREE the area’s favourite Lifestyle Magazine

Outside eye Inside at at Rosebourne TM

? et y it in u o Are y

BEING KIND

THINGS YOU CAN DO

BOREDOM BUSTERS

THE ENTERTAINMENT’S ON US!

WORLD THROUGH A LENS VIDEO MESSAGING APPS

SCHOOL’S CLOSED NOW WHAT?

10 14 15 36

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THIS MONTH’S COVER SPONSOR

KEEPING IT LOCAL: News | Trades & Services | Leisure | Health & Beauty | Homes | Entertainment KEEPING IT LOCAL: News | Trades & Services | Leisure | Health & Beauty | Homes | Entertainment

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Madejski Stadium | Reading | RG2 0FL

13

14

UK Southern Business Awards

Winner

18

Best Regional Lifestyle Magazine

2019

37

FOR THE FIRST TIME TAKING TO THE STAG, THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS WILL BE E AT NEW ON SATURDAY 15 BURY RACECOURSE AUGUST

Having recently released a new single release in over a decade, The Pussy , their first new music stage and perfo cat Dolls will take rm some to the ‘Don’t Cha’, ‘Whe of their legendary hits including n I Grow Up’ and ‘Buttons’.

With fantastic racing during the day, opportunity to get this is the perfec t your friends and family together enjoy a summer and afternoon at Newb ury.

BOOK

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Be Kind, Stay Well,

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36

AprilContents 24-32. Trades & Services

Electrician? Roofer? Windows?

Whatever you are looking for, check here first!

4. Community news

37 World Book Day

10. Be Kind

41. At The Flicks

Who do you know in our Community News round-up? We’ve been checking out all the news around the villages to make sure we keep you up-to-date!

If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the moment but want to know what you can do to help your community, Be Kind is a great read and will give you some inspiring ideas.

12 Boredom Busters!

A collection of local wedding suppliers Stuck at home? Need challenge?

We’ve got them all right here! A crossword, Spot the Difference, Word Wheel and more!

15.Video Calling

Fancy waterski-ing or Wakeboarding?

The team at CJM Ski and Wake, based in Pingewood have a fantastic competition for you to enter!

I’ve penned an extended special message to you all on page 10 with some ideas on how you can do your bit to support your community too, and would love you to get in touch with us with any initiatives we can help you share.

Our cover sponsor this month is Rosebourne, Aldermaston who have some lovely plans for Easter, as well as continuing to offer gorgeous produce from local suppliers in their beautiful food hall alongside great ideas for the interior of your home. Turn to page six to find out more.

Please offer all the support you can to local businesses, especially now. If you work for a local business and need to get a message out to the local community, do get in touch and we shall post it on our Facebook page, along with any local information that we receive that could help you. If you don’t already, give us a ‘Like’ now! facebook.com/villageeyemagazine More than ever, we’d like to say a very big thank you to all our advertisers, our contributors and our readers for making Village Eye the area’s favourite local magazine. If eye IOutside you are responding to any nside advert or feature, please do at Rosebou at rne remember to mention the 10 12 magazine to them. Stay 15 strong & be kind.

Circulation

UK Southern Business Awards

Winner Best Regional Lifestyle Magazine

2019

FREE

11,500

NOTICE Public Health England have stated that deliveries of items such as mail and parcels do not pose an increased health risk, so we are following this advice.

To protect the health of our magazine readers and our distributors, we have ensured that our distributors are fit and well and are wearing surgical gloves when handling magazines and inserts. We have also instructed them to leave magazines on doorsteps where appropriate and be respectful of any signs displayed.

W

April 2020

Our resident motoring buff, Jack takes a look at the cars our ‘sons & daughters’ are buying this year.

42. Win a Waterski Course!

eye

elcome to the April ?

Are you in it yet issue of Village Eye magazine.

These are certainly unprecedented times and many of you will be feeling overwhelmed by the constant news updates and government guidelines. All we can do is play our part and try to do some good where we can. The team here at Village Eye are keen to do as much as we can to support our local businesses during these trying times, communicate useful local information via our Facebook page to our community and, just as importantly, try and provide some entertainment to make you smile in the coming weeks.

VILLAGE

18. Jack Drives

How many stars will film reviewer, Rob Barnes, give recent release Military Wives, based on the true life story of Gareth Malone’s Military Wives Choir?

/villageeyemagazine

Issue 87

If visiting loved ones isn’t an option, we take a look at a selection of different apps which will help you to see your friends, relatives and colleagues when you can’t be with them.

We were inundated with photos from World Book Day. Look at these fantastic costumes! Can you spot anyone you know?

LIKE US TODAY & STAY UPDATED LOCALLY

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BEING

THINGS

KIND

YOU CAN

BOREDOM

DO

PAGE 6

THE ENTE BUSTERS RTAINMENT ’S ON US! WORLD THROUGH VIDEO MESS AGING A LENS APPS

The Village Eye is brought to you by Pinktomato Ltd, a local, independent creative design and marketing company. All content within the publication is copyright of Village Eye. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for views or opinions expressed by contributors or for the accuracy of claims made by the advertisers. All dates, times, URL’s and telephone numbers are understood to be correct at the time of submission to print. Registered Address: Butlers Lands Farm, Mortimer, RG7 2AG

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Editor: Hellen Shaw Sub Editor: Jackie Stuart Advertising: June Keepax Lindsey Barker Beauty: Lucy Cherry Motoring: Jack Worboys

Film Buff: Gardening: Finance: Philosophy Teen Stuff:

Rob Barnes Jordan Curtis Mark Penston Rob Starling Chris Evans Beckie Edwards

KEEPIN G IT LOCAL THIS MONTH’ KEEPIN G IT LOCAL : News | Trades S COVER SPONSO : News R | Trades & Services | Leisure & Service s | Leisure | Health & Beauty | Health & Beauty | Homes | Enterta | Homes inment | Enterta inment

Helle n & the Team xx

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news - please call the team 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

3

D L E I F H G R U BYE BYE B LUCAS E I M A J S ’ C F

t cancer. ttle agains urghfield a b e v ra b B his sented the azine, we Jamie repre for close to 10 e Eye mag cas’s g la il V t a b lu Here ie Lu Football c g in the men’s team about Jam first heard ancer last spring playin , rs a e ge part in y c layed a hu l era. the p o ls a battle with eld Football Club e h and sfu hfi ost succes when Burg to ask if we could the club’s m er being diagnosed s u d te y c ft t conta tch the club said, “A 2019, Jamie fough charity ma y a ncer in promote a in May 2019. The w a e c h th it f o w ng single step for the were hosti hard every aged to put others ising funds al ra s a w n e a m y ga Ro and still m lf throughout his ard at The e s im h Adelaide W spital in Reading before ent to the Ho ue testam tinued to eir tr th a f Berkshire – o e le n tt o , a b Jamie g They con to support ing players, in raisin n he was.” o rs e p “You were rv by saying, nd and a te u longest-se ey as possible to ib tr y a p ba on father, hus eptional as much m a fantastic iend to so many. You r their exc fo m e th k fr e than ncer wonderful ing in your stride lik wing his ca nger care, follo lo everyth o k n o l il to w pion. You diagnosis. a true cham person on Sunday f o d in n s e u e that you’ll be with , towards th hfield t we know tep of u b , s g Very sadly rg in u B rn mo ery s is year, e our side ev February th announced that still be by will do everything w b lu g C in ll a w o e ll W . fo . d Footb y y u a a ro w w the you p passed a an to make Jamie had possibly c Burghfield Football t Everyone a ke to send our li Club would prayers to Jamie’s d n a ts h g thou is difficult iends at th ffer all the fr & y il m fa ill o club, we w time. As a port possible. Even p u help and s rwhelmed are all ove ht now, we though we rig s nd sorrow with pain a easure the memorie tr s y e a b will alw We will to create. you helped d of you. Jay, you u l forever pro been and always wil e v a h s y a alw us.“ be, one of

WELL DONE TANIA!

Readers may remember that last month we told you about local author, Tania Crosse whose latest novel, The Street of Broken Dreams’ had been shortlisted for ‘Saga of the Year’ in the 2020 Awards of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

Here at Village Eye HQ we have been on tenterhooks waiting for an update and are thrilled to bits to tell you that Tania was announced as the winner of this award and enjoyed a fabulous evening in London, hosted by author and presenter Jane Wenham-Jones, with the awards being presented by the hilarious comedian Jenny Eclair. Tania even bagged a photo opportunity with Anton du Beke during the course of the evening! Congratulations, Tania! So well deserved.

4

GETTING FOXY WITH CHRIS, SEAN & BEAR!

Many locals will know what a great success the management team, Miles and Jayne, have made of The Fox and Hounds pub in Theale over the last five years. The pub was firmly put on the map, winning awards for ‘the most dog-friendly pub in the UK - they even made it onto breakfast TV! Sadly, their time at the pub has come to an end and Miles and Jayne are moving on to pastures new. We truly wish them well in their new venture. But all is not lost!

It seems that the new management team, Chris and Sean, are dog lovers, too, having posted a picture of their own pup, Bear, on social media recently.

It seems that the dog-friendliness of The Fox & Hounds is set to continue.

They also have some big ideas for some big events and love a tribute. They were planning to kick off with reggae act, Pete McCrae on Friday 3rd April and everyone is invited, but at the time of going to print, as with all events listed or mentioned in this magazine, we’d urge you to check that these are still running, closer to the time.

ARE YOU MISSING OUT ON WHAT’S GOING ON ROUND HERE?

LIKE US NOW & KEEP UP TO DATE! /VILLAGEEYEMAGAZINE

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Rice, Naan & Paperdoms

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on communit

Local businesses…you rock!

When things get tough here in VE territory, our local businesses don’t roll over and admit defeat… They fight back.

We’ve been in touch with some of our advertisers who are facing the current unprecedented challenges by diversifying their offerings in a rather entrepreneurial way!

It all started when Burghfield Spices posted their Special March Promotion of a FREE TOILET ROLL with every takeaway & delivery over £35 on their facebook page. Yes it was a little bit of light-hearted humour, but also a polite way of reminding customers that they deliver to the whole area. It was just the kind of jovial post people needed to see - they loved the picture and shared, and shared and shared…and at the time of print, reaching over 75,000 people and making Burghfield Spices a little busier than usual, I think it’s fair to say! Let’s hope it continues for them.

Lots of pubs and restaurants in the area are offering food deliveries or ramping up their takeaway business. La Capanna in Brimpton are focussing on the pizza delivery side of their business, while Dan and Emma, the new landlords at the Horse & Groom in Mortimer are

offering home delivery of lunch and dinner for orders over £10 from Monday to Saturday.

From the 23rd March, Jim at The Elm Tree in Beech Hill is not only offering some deliveries and takeaways, but also opening a daily pop up shop to for milk, bread, eggs, tinned goods and toilet rolls - if they can get them! A great support for the local community.

Suzi & Jane Catering in Silchester are offering deliveries of individual or family meals, soups, savouries and whole cakes.

There is no minimum order value and local delivery is free.

La Baguetterie in Theale are offering free lunch deliveries to those in Theale. Just phone or email (food@ labaguetterie.co.uk) to order your baguettes, wraps and salads before 10.30 – the menu can be found online – and pay by card. They will deliver to you over lunchtime.

Debbie Johnson who runs the Café at St Michaels Church in Spencers Wood is planning to make

up meals from their freezers, to ease the load on supermarkets while she can, and has some volunteer drivers to get those meals out to customers while the café is closed. Initially, this was planned for their regulars who they know will be selfisolating, but Debbie will be offering meals out to anyone locally who needs it, where she can.

Meanwhile, over at The Spring Inn in Sulhamstead, they are hoping to offer deliveries/takeaways and looking at other ways they can help the community.

At the time of writing (a common sentence throughout this issue), please check social media for updates.

Do remember that most pubs and restaurants are following government guidelines and only accepting card payments at present. They are also stressing that they are happy to leave deliveries on doorsteps if required.

Let’s share the love and get ordering. A nice perk if you’re not in self-isolation and perhaps a necessity if you are. Thank you to you all.

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

As you will see throughout this magazine, we are encouraging as many of you as possible to like our facebook page, as this is where we’ll be sharing updates about services which are available to help. It may also be helpful to look at the facebook pages of the Burghfield Spices /BurghfieldSpices 0118 983 4040 Horse & Groom, Mortimer / The Horse and Groom 0118 933 2813 La Capanna, Brimpton / La Capanna Italian 0118 981 0184 www.francospizzadelivery.co.uk The Spring Inn, Sulhamstead 0118 930 3440 / TheSpringInn The Elm Tree , Beech Hill /The Elm Tree 0118 988 3505 Susie & Jane Catering 0118 982 0539 tasty@suziandjanecatering.co.uk La Baguetterie, Theale 0118 9302444 www.labaguetterie.co.uk Debbie Johnson Catering 07773 947836 debbiejohnson500@hotmail.com

facebook.com/villageeyemagazine

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5

e d i s n I e d i s t Ou at Rosebourne

sa Rosebourne ha nd re -t on , beautiful eplants selection of housany it su to and pots our room, doubling creasing in e t ar ee er m e to No long mewhat rangand for these pretty m houseplants a so n de . Pop inforgotten additio home additionsr team of e th in ft ou to a room, le There store and let lp select corner to wilt. s to plant experts het for you. nt an are housepla and the perfect pl y space an it su you’re rfectlyowner, whether er or housed in a pe the ite our sp de er it, t at w ce po t fa d en lig Let’s positione tful m as a stylish a di eternal optimisply can’t mewhat-neglec a sad bject of many a ies so su m ith si ud w e st nt t w re en n, pa ec natio plant snap. R d at British plant also compoundeg rely on the Gre hten up ve track record of ur belt. ha in ig ep br yo ke r to of de s er un fit m sum deaths the bene is year, a dull room. Thaking ur own plants help New for 2020, yo m to t en ou ov ab l pr al s, it’s indoor hine by r and your own suns tside clean indoor ai oms of ou e th pt m ng sy gi e in br alleviat mble anxiety. in, with the hu latest depression and re we live e th nt he la w ep ld us or ho In a w tion to ly must-have addi or space. our lives increasing s nt do la in ep h is us yl ho st s, y an indoor of muchgive a glimpse ace, ts an sp pl n se ee gr ou H loved the have enjoyed anboom reminding us of tside d te ou en e ed th ec of pr un beauty er a giving in popularity ov world as well ason for to ks an th s as ar re ye r nt he ce re us anot effect’; a the ‘Instagram ng plant vi luscious, thri ng to being; somethi r and fo re ca e, ur rt nu help to thrive.

6

Celebrate Easter Spring has well and truly sprung to life here at Rosebourne, with plenty of eggciting Easter events, gardening gear galore, beautiful blooms and tantalising treats on offer to tempt you to visit as the warmer weather arrives.

With Easter just around the corner, we’ve got plenty of fun-filled events up our sleeves for little ones (and big kids!) to enjoy. Pop in-store between Saturday 4th and Sunday 19th April to take part in our mind-boggling Easter Trail; an exciting treasure hunt giving children the chance to scour the store to crack a series of clues in order to win a tasty prize. The Easter Bunny himself will also be hopping along every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday between Saturday 4th and Sunday 19th April, so be sure to bring little bunny fans along between 11am and 3pm for their chance to meet the real deal.

Our Garden Nursery is bursting with plants to keep those greenfingers busy. Drop by to discover our Spring containers and baskets and pick up all the tools you need to help your garden come to life this year.

Marguerites are just £12.99 or 2 for £20 and stem marguerites, £14.99 or 2 for £25.

Food lies at the very heart of what we have on offer here at Rosebourne and this Spring will offer plenty to tantalise

your tastebuds. Our brand-new Spring menu has arrived in our bright and buzzing restaurant, with an exciting variety of delicious, fresh dishes inspired by local, seasonal produce on offer. Pop in to try our new, filled pitta breads: authentic, fluffy pitta stuffed to the brim with a selection of mouth-watering fillings, from Piri Piri Chicken, to Moroccan Falafel, Spiced Humous and Roasted Red Pepper. Keep things light with our new Rosebourne Salad, or, if a hearty feast is what you’re after, our Vegan Quinoa Chilli with Fresh Avocado or Pea and Mint Risotto with Pan-Fried Seabass could be just the ticket.

Of course, our famous cakes will remain centre stage for those who deserve a little treat, so keep your eyes peeled on our cake counter for the day’s freshly-baked masterpieces. Whilst we’ve got your sweet tooth interested, don’t forget to pop by our Food Hall for a variety of tempting Easter-gift inspiration. Whether it’s the egg to end all eggs, or a tipple to treat the non-chocolate lover in your life this year… we’ve got it!

As ever, we’re incredibly proud of our dedication to supporting local here at Rosebourne and continue to work closely with a variety of fantastic local suppliers to deliver the very best in fresh, delicious produce in our Food Hall and Restaurant.

From Laverstoke Park Farm’s award-winning Buffalo Mozzarella and Beechwood Farm’s golden free-range eggs,

to Cook & Butcher’s hearty joints and Tutts Clump Cider’s proper, old-fashioned cider, we’ve got just the thing to make your Easter lunch extra special.

So, what are you waiting for? Whether you are houseplanthunting, have little ones to entertain over the holidays, want to get your gardening gloves on or you simply fancy a fresh bite to eat, look no further than Rosebourne!

SPOIL YOURSELF THIS SPRING!

Marguerites £12.99 or 2 for £20

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

NEW, STYLISH SELECTION OF HOUSEPLANTS

And enjoy an Easter Trail around the store!

Saturday 4th – Sunday 19th April See website for more information

Rosebourne, Basingstoke Road, Aldermaston, RG7 4LD www.rosebourne.co.uk info.aldermaston@rosebourne.co.uk | 01189 712123

Rosebourne, Basingstoke Road, Aldermaston, Reading RG7 4LD

Also at: Amesbury Road, Weyhill, Andover SP11 8ED

FOLLOW US:

www.rosebourne.co.uk

HEAVEN

Scent

as the seasons has worn Chanel No5 for over 35 years – but her mot my – t scen their up ch swit to t and put a spring in your I know that people are reluctan s. Perfume has the power to wake you up note rent diffe e som with nt rime expe to important. change it may be a good time ng a scent that is right for you is incredibly getti so al, tion emo ly deep also is it but , step first thing in the morning s of grapefruits are e health benefits too. Citrusy scents with hint hav to en prov are they , nice ll sme you e I’ve enlisted some Now, perfumes don’t just mak listed my favourite summer-time scents (and I’ve w Belo g.

-bein well ote prom s note l flora proven to lift the mood while guaranteed to set you up for summer. help from my best smelling friends) that are

to get yourself ready for “With summer on the way, what better way t. sunshine and flowers than with a new scen Jo Malone Blackberry and Bay I guarantee you that this is a scent like you’ve never experienced before.

Fruity but fresh and my personal favourite.

Calvin Klein One When this scent was originally released in the 90s it paved the way for gender neutral perfumes and it’s still as popular as ever.

With aromatic and citrusy notes, this perfume is guaranteed to brighten your mornings.

Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming My other favourite. The fruitiest scent you can imagine and an absolute blooming classic.

Scents to avoid...

Anything with a celebrity name on it! My Christmas present from my brother-in-law was Beyonce’s latest perfume and shower gel (which he’d won in a tombola) and needless to say it wasn’t the greatest. I’m not saying you have to spend a fortune, but it’s definitely worth doing some research.

8

Hugo Boss Bottled Although advertised as a scent for men, this could be worn by anyone. More spicy than fruity and with a peppery base note this is a heavier scent, but equally as lovely for summer nights.

I’ve never met anyone who fails to love Lush, and their Karma perfume remains one of their best sellers after twenty years - for a reason!

An alluring and adult scent, expect intoxicating patchouli mingled with uplifting sweet orange and refreshing pine.

Dreamy.

Marc Jacobs Daisy Love Daze Co-incidentally my friend went perfume shopping on the day of me writing this article and said this was the latest release for Marc Jacobs. Honestly, anything from the Daisy range has a wonderfully summery smell.

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Aspire Matters

Jenny

Meeting |

Whether it’s advice on skin conditions or the best treatment for contouring the body, each month Aspire Matters brings you the latest news and views about positive ageing and wellbeing. This month we go backstage and catch up with the woman behind Aspire Matters, Jenny O’Neill.

What made you decide to open your own clinic? I was running a large and extremely busy Harley Street Clinic, but it was as if patients were on a conveyer belt, with no real time given to them. That was the real motivator for me, I wanted to give patients my time and expertise, so I opened Aspire Clinic in the Madejski Stadium 10 years ago. I built the Aspire business model based on developing close relationships with my patients in order to gain a level of understanding and confidence to achieve their desired results in the most cost-effective way.

Jenny, you’ve been bringing Village Eye readers Aspire Matters for a long time now, but we’d love to find out more about the person behind the column...

What do you love about your job? I love being able to take my patients on a bespoke journey rather than a sprint. By giving them my time and having an opendoor policy at the clinic, I am able to really explore what a patient wants to achieve.

I also love being able to bring my patients the latest treatments, technologies and techniques. Aspire is known for its pioneering treatments; we were the first clinic in the area to offer CoolSculpting, which is now the world’s number one non-surgical permanent fat-removal treatment.

“Well, I’m a local! I live in Mortimer, a village and community I absolutely love being part of. I’m a qualified senior nurse prescriber and spent many years as a midwife at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

I changed nursing direction about 20 years ago and went into surgical and non-surgical aesthetics, which led me to opening my own aesthetics clinic, Aspire. I’m hugely passionate about ageing positively and being the version of yourself you really want to be. I love spending time with my family, so much so that my daughter Claire now works with me at Aspire, officially making us a family-run clinic!

Physiotherapy

Sports Massage

I also love being based at the Madejski, it’s a fantastically prestigious yet discreet location with a bar and restaurant, and best of all, an abundance of free parking... something very rare in Reading!

Chiropractic

siness on Local Bu

Finally, what’s your favourite treatment on offer at Aspire? I love all of our treatments, particularly because I research and train in each and every one of them. However, I think Aspire’s Phoenix Facelift, a radiofrequency treatment using Morpheus8 technology to lift and tighten the skin has been a real gamechanger in the anti-ageing arena. There’s minimal to no downtime, it’s a fraction of the cost of surgery and yet results are comparable to surgery...except that you look like a naturally lifted and fresher version of yourself.

To find out more about Aspire Clinic visit: www.aspireclinic.com.

Acupuncture

Chiropody/Podiatry

Our Shinfield-based clinic covers a broad spectrum of treatments from Chiropractic to Acupuncture, with the aim of getting the best result for each individual patient. Our professional team of practitioner’s work together providing exceptional healthcare for the whole body.

To find out how we can help you, please call:

0118 931 1444 21st Century Clinic, 5 Whitley Wood Rd, Shinfield, RG2 8HX

www.21stcenturyclinic.co.uk

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

facebook.com/villageeyemagazine

@villageeyemag

9

BeKind a message from your Editor

O

riginally written a few days before print deadline day, this article started off as a lesson in handwashing and preventative measures we can all take to try and thwart the spread of COVID-19. Then the weekend arrived. It’s almost incomprehensible to imagine what can change in the world in just a couple of days. By Monday morning (16th March), as the world watched this unprecedented state of global uncertainty unfold, the advice had changed again. By the time you read this, we are as sure as we can be that the guidance for dealing with it will have been amended, rewritten and altered a number of times. Gatherings and events will almost certainly be cancelled and many more people will be asked to self-isolate. Bearable if you’re in a house with others. You have company (even if it is in the next room). But what about those on their own?

Take my dad for example. At 73, he has been under quarantine since the beginning of March. Not because he is feeling poorly, is coughing or showing any signs of illness. He’s cooped up by himself in his retirement apartment on lockdown because, with stage 4 COPD, a life limiting respiratory illness, his GP advised him to hole up for the duration, limit his contact with family members and keep his distance from others. Put simply, if he contracts COVID-19, the odds are not stacked in his favour. He is willingly staying in. He loves life and wants to see this through so he can get back down to his local, have a pint and reunite with his social circle. Frankly though, just a few weeks into the quarantine period and he’s bored and very lonely. As a family we

have put measures into place to ensure he has food and the medication he relies on, but we cant give him the company he so rightly craves. Thank goodness for face time and his love for jigsaw puzzles and snooker on the telly.

With people increasingly staying at home as coronavirus spreads, you might be wondering how you can help those most at risk?

Self-isolating, either because you have symptoms or because you are in one of the high risk groups, means you might need others to give you a helping hand.

For those who are not over 70 and who do not have underlying health conditions, you can still go out, as long as you take the recommended precautions so think about what you can do for those who can’t. You can also help by donating to food banks, giving blood and supporting small businesses who are under financial pressure. Be kind.

If you are not vulnerable, and feel healthy, please check in on others. Check-in with friends and elderly relatives or neighbours to see if they need anything picked up from the shops or if they need any help with anything.

Self-isolation is obviously very lonely so please call anyone you know who is avoiding going out. Offer to factime or Whatsapp video them or play some online games together to help them socialise.

Even if you are far away, just having a chat could mean a lot to someone. Facebook groups have been set up across the UK for volunteers to offer help and for those in need to ask for it.

Here in this area, we’ve already seen many such groups spring up in the villages we serve, which is great - but village-wide groups may become too large to manage and pleas for assistance may become lost in the noise. We would suggest joining the village groups by all means, but also consider setting up or joining one for your specific street. Look after your neighbours. Be kind.

Of course, if you are volunteering to help anyone, continue to take precautions – only speak to them online or on the phone and leave things outside without making contact if you are delivering to anyone.

BE SOCIALLY CONNECTED We would also ask you to ensure you’ve liked the Village Eye Facebook page if you haven’t done so already. We will be using this as a HUB page for local village groups in the coming days and weeks and will be asking all of our admins in the various villages we serve to keep our communities updated with any news/ developments on a local level if and when appropriate. We will also be trying our best to keep your spirits up! If you’d like to become a temporary admin in your area, please get in touch.

Don’t forget that this magazine is always available online, as are our directories covering Tadley, Baughurst, Burghfield, Burghfield Common, Spencers Wood Three Mike Cross, Theale, Aldermaston, Sulhamstead and Ufton Nervet. These directories list helpful local numbers.

View all our magazines & directories at:

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Especially now, please make sure you like us on facebook. We’ll keep you updated

10

HELLO IT’S ME. Not an Adele track, but a lady called Becky Wass, from Falmouth, Cornwall, who launched an initiative which went viral. A postcard campaign which offers a simple “Hello, what can I do for you?” approach.

The idea is that you fill in the blanks and post it through the doors of neighbours who you think may need some assistance in the coming days/weeks months. We’ve printed three here and ask that each and every household fills them in and pops them through doors of those who you feel might be vulnerable at this time. Naturally, we are only advocating that those well enough to do so take part - and that any relevant hygiene precautions are taken before they are distributed. C’mon readers. Share the love. Be kind.

DONATE BLOOD With people staying home, blood donations are expected to fall and the NHS will still need lots of donors. The NHS says you can keep donating as normal, unless you have travelled to a coronavirus risk area, been in contact with or been infected by the virus.

There are currently no confirmed cases of any form of coronavirus being passed on through the donation of substances of human origin such as blood, organs, tissues and stem cells. If you are able to donate blood but haven’t done so before or haven’t done it for a while, now is a good time.

Some other ways you can help: DONATE TO A FOOD BANK Some food banks are struggling with fewer donations and they are unable to get some staples due to stockpiling. The Trussell Trust said they are also expecting an increase in demand as people may lose income. Check with your local foodbank (find your local one here: www.trusselltrust.org) about what they need. See if there’s some things you can give away that you already have or donate funds if you can. If you see some of the essentials when you are at the shop, add it to your trolley.

SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES Lots of small businesses are struggling as people are staying home. Try to buy some things online if they offer it or think about buying gift vouchers to use in the future.

Do they deliver, can they offer what you need without having to venture too far?

Remember without our small businesses (yes us included), the local economy would collapse.

Finally, the most important thing you can do is to listen to the guidance and try to protect other people who are more vulnerable. Wash your hands, cover your mouth using your inner elbow when you cough and try not to get too close to prevent the spread. If you experience any symptoms (a cough or a fever), self-isolate for seven days. Call 111 for advice if you’re concerned or 999 in an absolute emergency.

Stay well, stay safe. On behalf of the whole VE team and extended family, we send our best wishes to you all - and remember - be kind.

Hellen x

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

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eyetech

on Tech

eye

Hello Everyone!

If you’re staying close to home but still want to socialise, there’s an app for that. Actually probably more than you know.

Video chat apps are, not surprisingly, clearly seeing a spike in popularity right now, and whether you’re thinking of using one to check in on a relative, have a virtual party, chat with absent colleagues or simply saying hi to friends, here’s our pick of our favourites.

The granddaddy of video chat got its original fame as a way to make free calls overseas. It’s now owned

by Microsoft, which has shifted Skype from the old targets of family usage to business. Microsoft now touts starting a meeting with Skype “in 3 simple clicks,” that doesn’t require registration from other participants. Unlike competitors such as Messenger and FaceTime, you don’t use the Skype of today to add in funny stickers and GIFs on your face during a call, but instead, just focus on communication. How many people can be on a video call: 50

You no longer have to be signed up to Facebook to use Messenger, which offers video calling for up to 50 people at once. Yep, 50.

Basically while this sounds amazing on paper you’ll need to stick to waving and yelling or silly dancing.

What’s great with facebook is that app-averse relatives can access it via desktop computer too.

Here’s an answer for those who don’t want to worry about whether your friends are Apple or Android. Duo works with both platforms and goes beyond just phones. Duo video calling is also built into the Nest Hub video display units from Google as well and Google has tools to answer Duo calls on the computer. How many people can be on a call: 8.

The app used most often in the world for free texts, with a huge international audience. How many people can be on a video chat call: 4.

Houseparty The app that targets teens for group video chat is now owned by Epic Games, the makers of the hugely popular Fortnite game. This popular social networking service enables group video chatting through mobile and desktop apps. Users receive a notification when friends are online and available to group video chat.

How many people can be on a call: 8.

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

If you’re working from home for the foreseeable future, it’s likely you’re going to be getting a lot more comfortable with Zoom, video conferencing service du jour. The basic Zoom app is free to use.

However, the free version has a 40-minute session limit. How many people can be

on a video call: 100 for free, or more with a paid plan.

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13

eye enhtal onHeMalt

Boredom Busters QUICK CROSSWORD

Across

how oldis? 5

If a camel affe a gir years old, ld and an is 6 years o 14 years elephant is ld is a old, how o gorilla?

1 3 8 9 10 11 13 15 18 20 23 24 25 26

Disguise, conceal (4)

Bewilder, stupefy (8) Article of clothing (7)

Impression (5) Board game (5) Document, log (6)

Direction of this clue!

(6)

Overpass (6) Type of reptile (6) (5) Thick, impenetrable Nimble, lithe (5)

Scrutinise (7)

Won back (8)

Certificate, lease (4)

14 14

1 2 4 5 6 7 9 12 14 16 17 19 21 22

Prestidigitator (8) Tennis term (5) Sixth planet from the sun (6) Neglect, disregard (7) Take to heart (4) Population tally (6) Membranous pouch (3) Thwarted (8) Pouring (7) Peppery salad vegetable (6) Laud, revere (6) Imitate, caricature (3) Sibling's daughter (5) Bazaar, carnival (4)

easter sudokU DUCKLINGS Fill the grids so that each horizontal row, vertical column and each subgrid contains each letter exactcly once.

chickens

Seven men keep a different number of pigeons. Keith has twice as many pigeons as Roger, who has a third as many as Jim, who has ten fewer than Frank, who has five times as many as Bernie, who has two more than Joe, who has half as many as George. How many birds does each man have if the total number of pigeons is 240?

Down

spot the difference

Find at least seven differences between our two Easter pictures.

WHETHER YOU’RE SELF ISOLATING, AT HOME WITH THE KIDS, OR ARE JUST PLAIN BORED, WE’VE PUT TOGETHER SOME PUZZLES AND BRAINTEASERS TO HELP KEEP YOU OCCUPIED.

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Apps you can download & pLay with freinds say what you see 3

4

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6

SCRABBLE/WORDS WITH FRIENDS You can play the crossword-style word game against the computer or a stranger, but Scrabble (Android, iOS, Facebook) is so much more fun with friends. Connect on Facebook to challenge friends and share your best scores. You can even catch up with them about everything else in your life mid-game via in-game chat.

LUDO KING Ludo King (Android, iOS, Facebook) is open to anyone. Easy to pick up yet challenging to win, Ludo King is especially fun to play with up to six friends. Just roll the dice, play and strategically move your four tokens, and the first one to reach the center of the board becomes king.

You can even challenge your Facebook cronies to a friendly game in a Private Game Room.

SOLUTIONS PAGE 36

DRAW SOMETHING (Android, iOS, Facebook) draws on your ability to guess what your opponent draws. Challenge friends to a quick match and take turns drawing and guessing as you have time

When everything is bad...

We suffer more often in imagination than in reality!

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

UNO & FRIENDS In popular card game, Uno & Friends (Android, iOS, Facebook), friends take turns matching a card in their hand with the current card shown on top of the deck either by color or number. Play alone against an opponent or pair with another friend to play 2v2.

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15 15

FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS WILL BE TAKING TO THE STAGE AT NEWBURY RACECOURSE ON SATURDAY 15 AUGUST Having recently released a new single, their first new music release in over a decade, The Pussycat Dolls will take to the stage and perform some of their legendary hits including ‘Don’t Cha’, ‘When I Grow Up’ and ‘Buttons’.

With fantastic racing during the day, this is the perfect opportunity to get your friends and family together and enjoy a summer afternoon at Newbury.

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Jack Drives...

Prescription Windscreens This month, I was keen to move away from my usual car review because my attention has been caught by, surely what must be, a revolutionary development in automotive glazing.

Many of the drivers among you will know the inconvenience of constantly having to swap your glasses or needing to remember to bring along a different pair for driving. It looks like those days will soon be over because FutureTech Glass has successfully launched its first prescription windscreen, an Optimised Optical Personal Screen, known as OOPS. The ingenious creation has been the result of pioneering research and development from the company’s stateof-the-art factory, based in Braintree, Essex and will be avilable to consumers from April 1st.

Researching the curvature of corrective spectacles for myopia (short sightedness) led FutureTech Glass to successfully develop a windscreen which can be curved to match an individual’s ophthalmic prescription. The resulting prescription windscreen, Polarfilo, will ensure that UK drivers will never have to

risk driving illegally without their glasses again.

Elton Barker, FutureTech Glass Sales and Marketing Director said: “We’re delighted with this breakthrough development.

FutureTech is at the forefront of innovation in the automotive glazing marketplace and this latest development - Polarfi lo , the prescription windscreen - is one of our best. The benefits to drivers are numerous. Not only will cars fitted with the new prescription windscreen help keep glasses wearers safe and legal on our roads but it could potentially lead to a reduction in vehicle theft. We anticipate the Polarfilo windscreen will be a success and we’re currently researching and developing a vari-focal windscreen too.”

Every car fitted with the Future Tech Glass prescription windscreen comes with a car kit of special cleaner and oversized cleaning cloth.

This really is an exciting breakthrough, but whether or not the idea takes off will be down to the price point.

Let’s hope this becomes common place over the coming years and is not a ‘poor silly fad’.

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19

Keep Calm & Stay Invested

by Mark Penston

eye ce

on Finan

Coronavirus has struck! As I write this article the markets seem to be in free-fall.

The FTSE 100 index is down over 25% in the last 12 months. We are in unchartered territory from a variety of perspectives.

The self-imposed restrictions on our lives will hopefully be for the greater good but the certainty is that the economy will be affected. How much the economy will be affected is anyone’s guess at this stage but that is exactly what spooks the investment markets. Market fear is contagious and history has shown that the psyche of many investors is to sell when the markets fall and buy back in when all seems rosy. Exactly the opposite of what they should do.

Some investors claim that they can make money by timing the market. Because these people make more noise than those who get the timing wrong, one can be left with the sentiment that timing the market works. But it doesn’t.

A key point here that often goes unappreciated is that even if you do

manage to sell your investments before the markets fall, when do you get back in to the market? There’s been lots of research on this by many reputable institutions. They all conclude that, in the long term, being out of the market is damaging because you miss the best return days in the future.

Fidelity looked at the investment of $10,000 in 1980 into the American S&P 500 index. Left invested until 2018 (38 years) it would have grown to $708,143.

If just 5 of the best investment days were missed over this period the fund would be £458,476. If 50 of the best days were missed over this period the fund would have grown to only $62,342. Clearly, remaining invested over this period would have been the right thing to do.

From the perspective of our investment committee at Bluesky, we would make the additional point that diversification across a range of different investments, both geographical and structural, adds security and stability. It’s the simple

principle of not having all your eggs in the same basket. Our portfolios are carefully blended to offer predictable returns and understood volatility. We don’t have a magic wand to prevent our portfolios falling when the rest of the markets fall but losses can be limited and staying invested means that investors will benefit when the markets rise again.

If I give just one example of our most popular ‘middle of the road’ investment portfolio, while the MSCI World Index has fallen 24% since Feb 2020, our Bluesky Model Portfolio 5 has fallen by just 14% over the same period. This demonstrates the benefits of diversification.

So while the current economic environment is still very uncertain and no-one can predict what will happen next, based on the evidence that we have, don’t panic, make sure your investments are well diversified and stick with it.

Mark Penston is a Partner at Bluesky Chartered Financial Planners

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BOUNDARY OR NEIGHBOUR DISPUTE

W

hen a boundary or neighbour dispute arises, it can be extremely stressful and distressing, not to mention extremely costly if you have to involve solicitors.

Therefore, you should do everything you can to avoid such a dispute by maintaining a good relationship with your neighbours and asking them first before you carry out any work that may affect them. For example, if you are planning on replacing the fence which you are responsible for then you should inform your neighbour of your intentions of doing so, establish the boundary line and ensure that the new fence is erected in the same place.

However, if you do find yourself in a dispute with your neighbour then there are steps you can take yourself in order to resolve the issue, before instructing a solicitor.

1. Try to have an informal conversation to discuss what the issue is and how you would like it to be resolved.

2. If this is not successful then write a polite note or letter to your neighbour.

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3. If the boundary is the issue, then once you have come to an acceptable compromise, ensure that you both sign a written agreement.

Francesca D’Alton establish where the boundary is or to invite your neighbour to participate in mediation and instruct a mediator.

However, if these measures do not work then you may need to instruct a solicitor to write to your neighbour setting out the issues and the legal basis of any potential claim you have against them.

Sometimes this can be enough to force the neighbour to resolve the problem and if not then you may have to issue a claim against your neighbour, as a last resort.

If you would like any advice please contact Francesca D’Alton at Rowberry Morris Solicitors. 0118 958 5611 or email Francesca.dalton@ rowberrymorris.co.uk Tadley Office Sherfield House, Mulfords Hill, Tadley Hants RG26 3XJ TEL: 0118 981 2992 FREE car park at rear of office Reading Office 17 Castle Street, Reading, Berks RG1 7SB TEL: 0118 958 5611 Offices also at Richmond and Staines EMAIL info-tadley@ rowberrymorris.co.uk WEB www.rowberrymorris.co.uk

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22

Homes & Gardens

eye

GETTING THE PERFECT

LUSH LAWN A perfect lawn really is the ‘Holy Grail’ of gardening. Who wouldn’t want a lush, green lawn with Wimbledon stripes?

But here in the UK our attempts are often thwarted by our cold, wet, damp climate and...MOSS! Yes, moss really is the enemy when it comes to achieving that perfect lawn.

It gets everywhere; on the front drive, the roof, in the guttering, but especially in the lawn. Due to our climate, and limited sun in the winter, moss can develop and spread very easily. But why does moss spread into the lawn?

lawn. We spoke to Phil Adshead of Supagrass for his thoughts. He told us, “A lawn with heavy moss can look really unsightly, especially in the winter when it comes to life. It can have a bright green look, and unless it is controlled and physically removed from the lawn, it can regenerate itself year after year.”

Thanks to Phil, we have some top tips on controlling moss to share with our readers:

Prune and trim trees right back to allow more air movement through the lawn.

Apply moss killer in Autumn and early Spring.

Use a Iron Sulphate material to kill moss.

Once moss is dead it must be removed by raking by hand or machine scarification.

Poor drainage is often a big problem.

Do you have areas on your lawn Aerating the lawn helps where water lays on the surface? drainage allowing grass roots to You’ll probably find moss there. strengthen.

Similarly, shaded areas - particularly Apply Autumn and Spring feed under trees - can be susceptible, and with nitrogen. the type of soil that you have in your garden can also be a contributing factor. Moss is a lover of clay soil, but also loves soil that is very acidic. You tend to find it most in areas that have limited air movement, too, such as the sides of the house, Helping you achieve the lawn you’ve always wanted. garage, fences or trees.

So, it’s a lost cause, right?

Wrong! There are lots of things you can do to prevent the spread of moss spoiling your lovely

Lawn Fertilising

Moss Control

Weed Killing

Scarification

Aeration

Lawn Mowing

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

In some cases over seeding where the moss was removed is necessary.

Don’t cut your lawn too short. The general consensus is to keep the blades of grass between 2.5cm and 3cm.

Following these steps will help keep moss under control and will allow the grasses in your lawn to do what they are designed to do, which is to grow strong and be healthy.

If you need some further advice, Phil is happy to help. You can call him on 01256 461388 or email rbf@supagrass.co.uk

Phil Adshead runs Supagrass in the Hampshire and West Berks area.

He has helped over 1000 customers improve their lawns, and has looked after the greens at two of the top 10 golf courses in the world including Augusta National.

For a FREE lawn assessment and quote with Phil call 01256 461388 or email rbf@supagrass.co.uk

www.supagrass.co.uk

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After to request a free quote, or to discuss your requirements, contact us today. We'll be happy to help.

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Berkshire Design Build Ltd

& tel: 0118 983 4164 or mob: 07836 751 072

email: davidling007@sky.com | 9 Chervil Way, Burghfield Common, RG7 3XY

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CLEAN HOUSE SERVICES

We offer the highest standard of Domestic and Commercial services using professional cleaning equipment and products We are always happy to offer a quote, so don’t hesitate to contact us.

Domestic cleaning Office cleaning End of tenancy cleaning Carpet cleaning Upholstery and rug cleaning Hardfloor cleaning Ironing services Spring cleans, one off and much more

Call: 0759 362 7139 info@cleanhouseservices.co.uk

ASHLEYS

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Keep it local ! Trades & Services Pages. Don’t forget to mention Village Eye when calling!

Clean House Services is a small friendly team with over 9 years of cleaning experience.

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27

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Keep Your Home Sparkling!

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No more clogged showerheads

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Keep it local ! Trades & Services Pages. Don’t forget to mention Village Eye when calling!

James W Fisher Property Maintenance

PAINTING & DECORATING All interior and exterior decorating, carpentry and small building work.

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32 30

New Roofs Re Roofs Tiling Slating Flat Roof Moss Removal

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Keep it local ! Trades & Services Pages. Don’t forget to mention Village Eye when calling!

Complete Bathroom & Kitchen Installation

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31

STORECUPBOARD SUPER SUPPERS

A cupboard filled with basic ingredients can be a lifeline when it’s difficult to get to the shops. Dried pasta, rice, noodles and lentils alongside canned ingredients such as tomatoes, beans, tuna and chickpeas can form the base for a variety of family meals. Storecupboard recipes don’t have to be boring – try these inventive ideas if you need an affordable, easy dinner.

As ever, you can rely on the amazingly talented chefs at bbcgoodfood.com for some amazing suggestions, check these recipes and others out at www.bbcgoodfood.com.

Tuna & sundried tomato pasta bake

This can be on the table in under 25 minutes and makes the most of canned ingredients you might have already, such as chopped tomatoes, sweetcorn, tuna and dried pasta. The sundried tomatoes and cheddar cheese give it a brilliant boost – predicting empty plates all round.

Easy paella

Fresh-tasting and full of Spanish flavour, our easy paella is wonderfully simple to make. Stock cubes are another important musthave for your cupboard and are used here alongside frozen fish, which serves to keep the cost down, too.

Muffin tin chilli pots A twist on our classic chilli con carne, these muffin tin chilli pots are even easier to assemble and use just four minutes!

Subscribe today & receive your first 5 issues for £5. www.buysubscriptions.com

Ingredients 3 tbsp vegetable oil 2kg beef shin or ski 2 lemongrass stalks, brurt 2 x 400ml cans coconut ised milk 4 tbsp desiccated coconu 2 kaffir lime leaves, tor t 1 Beef stock cub n 2 tbsp tamarind pasete 1 tsp sugar 1/2 tsp salt

Beef Rendang Preparation time: 40 mins Cooking time: 2 .5 hours Serves: 6+

For the paste

1/2 - 3 chillies chopped 6-8 baby llots 2 inch / 5cm piecesha ginger, cho three cloves garlic pped

Method For the paste, place all paste ingredients into a small food processor and blitz until smooth.

Heat the oil in a heavy-based flameproof casserole dish or large saucepan. Fry the paste for 5-10 minutes until golden.

Add the beef chunks and the lemongrass and mix well. Once the beef has coloured, add the coconut milk plus 250ml water. Bring to the boil, then lower to a very low simmer, uncovered for 2 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent the rendang sticking, and more often towards the end.

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Towards the end of the cooking time toast the coconut in a frying pan on a low heat for 5-7 mins until golden brown.

Set aside to cool. Using a blender, coarsely blend it to finer pieces – but not too fine. Put to one side.

After 2 hrs, add the coconut, kaffir lime leaves, stock cube, tamarind paste, sugar and salt to the pan. Stir well and simmer for 30 minutes. The meat should be tender and falling apart when touched.

Serve with rice and green salad.

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

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eye TM

Sausage Lover?

Join A Sausage Making Workshop!

Is there a Sausage Lover in your family? If your Sausage Lover would enjoy having-ago at making their very own sausages and getting tips and tricks from the experts at The Mortimer Sausage Co then a Sausage Making Workshop is banging! This also sounds like a great activity for a hen-party or group get-together!

Mortimer-based workshops are being planned on various Sundays in the coming months and will run from 10am - 2pm for between 4 and 6. At a very reasonable £50, you’ll get hands on sausage-making experience, hints for making at home and ‘appropriate liquid refreshment’.

With unlimited wine, beer and cider on offer during the workshop, you’ll also get to take home some tasters of what you’ve made, 3 packs of sausages from The Mortimer Sausage Co. and a luxury embroided Mortimer Sausage Co. branded apron!

So who’s in? Would-be participants are invited to register their interest by phoning Glyn on 07825 885 848 or email: glyn. charlesworth@icloud.com

Delicious mobile standalone catering

A FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS

Weddings Events Sports fixures Parties Festivals Menu’s to suit every budget and occassion To talk to us about catering for your next event, please call:

07794 993808 or visit

/gourmetqueens

At the time of going to print, we are already planning content for our May issue both online and in print.

Readers, villagers & neighbours, let’s stick together as a wider community.

As a local small family business, we want to do our bit to help the other businesses and residents of the villages we’ve lovingly served for nearly 10 years. If you need help publicising any community initiatives, we are here for you. hello@villageeye.co.uk 33

eye

Eye on Leisure

WHAT’S ON AT BASINGSTOKE AQUADROME...

Under the Sea Splash and Play

THE GOLF CENTRE AND TADLEY HEALTH & FITNESS. Let’s make 2020 the year we really take care of ourselves…. physically and mentally, and where’s better to do that than at Basingstoke’s local leisure facilities.

Looking for somewhere with a wide range of the latest exercise equipment and fitness classes to choose from so that you can reach your personal health goal? Or would you like a nice, relaxing round of golf, practice your swing or challenge the family to see who comes out as the conqueror with a round of Knights Realm Adventure Golf, Maybe you prefer to swim some lengths, have a splash in the pool with the kids, fly down the flumes or want to sign up your child to learn the life-long skill of swimming. Basingstoke & Deane Community Trust provides you with access to a great range of health, fitness and leisure facilities.

Sauna, steam and a bite to eat If you go for a workout, why not enjoy a moment of calm in the Aquadrome’s sauna and steam room or visit Café M for a tasty treat, smoothie or a satisfying hot drink, you’ve earned it!!

34 34

Parents and little swimmers have somewhere to paddle with the interactive water splash and play area next to the lagoon pool. This toddler play area includes loads of fun, colourful features such as fish spouting water jets, tipping buckets and water wheels.

The pools at Aquadrome and Tadley are great place to relax the mind and tone the body,and nothing beats a family day having a splash in the pool. Both centres have a packed timetable with sessions for those that swim for fun or for fitness.

At Aquadrome, there are 3 famous flumes for the family, and for the fitness swimmer, they even provide Swim Tag, bit like a fitbit but for the pool, as part of the swim membership to enable swimmers to record and track their sessions like their counterparts in the gym can. Both centres also run swimming and diving lessons for all ages and stages and water-based workout classes.

www.basingstokeleisure.com

The gym With top of the range

kit and friendly fullyqualified gym team, there is something for everyone so you can get the most from your session.

The cardio machines also have individual digital screens and are internet connected with entertainment apps, you can sync your ftness tracker app and there are interactive courses to help make the miles and time fly by.

Workout classes For people who enjoy the buzz

of working out in a group, the Aquadrome has over 60 fitness classes a week in their studio, pool and gym floor. These include the latest trend of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), the world- famous Les Mills sessions like BodyPump™, BodyCombat and BodyBalance™, plus classics like Aqua Aerobics, Pilates, Yoga and Zumba

Basingstoke Golf Centre & Kights Realm Adventure Golf Where you can play a round of golf on the 9 Hole Pitch and Putt course, enter the dragon’s cave with a round adventure golf or practice your swing in one of the 22 floodlit covered driving range bays!

A voyage to remember 18 holes of crazy golf, with an adventure around every corner!

Learn more & book now at www.knightsrealm.co.uk Basingstoke Golf Centre, West Ham Leisure Park, Worting Road, Basingstoke RG22 6PG

Kids & Students For kid’s fitness, the Swimming Lessons membership includes free casual swimming and there’s also a Student and Student plus fitness membership young people aged 13+ years old to use the gym.

01256 361130

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eye HOME SCHOOL FUN TM

on Families

I

t’s one thing to entertain the kids all day on the weekends.

It’s another when you have seven days a week to fill for an indefinite period of time.

The secret is one that schools know well: Make a routine! The goal is to keep kids busy and learning while allowing you to get other things done too.

A breath of fresh air. Outdoor time has lots of benefits for kids – and a key one for you: If they burn off steam, they may be more tired and willing to go to sleep at night.

Build in reading 15 - 20 minutes a day is a great place to start, whether parent reads aloud, child reads aloud (if the child can read) or if it’s silent reading. If your child wants to extend a reading period, don’t worry about messing up the schedule, encourage it!

Make a screen time routine.

Make screen time predictable: a set time in the schedule Start with their school routine. have so children know when to expect When are they used to having time (like while you make breakfast, snack, break time and screen breakfast or before rest time) lunch? Divide the day into small and for how long. chunks much like school does with subjects and if your child It’s always worth remembering has assigned schoolwork, do learning isn’t always about they work best in the morning or that the curriculum, and that there afternoon? are plenty of other ways children can learn. If you’re now at home Dedicate time for play. with your brood, how about When a child is imagining, imparting some of your own creating, building or inventing, wisdom and knowhow. This could they are doing some serious be a great time to teach them to learning. Your child will be cook, do the washing, check the hooked for longer on simple oil in the car, sew a button, or toys - building blocks, cars, wire a plug. Obviously, activities dolls. Accept some play life lessons are always going invitations, but don’t feel guilty and to age dependent, but you get about skipping others. Kids the idea. need to play independently of adults (independent doesn’t Of course even with the most mean unsupervised). perfectly planned schedule, you will still have days when you just can’t muster the energy to come up with even the simplest activity and instead let them watch another episode of their favourite show. That’s O.K too.

Do what you need to do to get through that day. You’ll have your routine to go back to the next day. And the one after that, too. Good luck!

eye

EASY FUN Here are some easy indoor activities perfect for breaking up a day:

“So... Hom e School goin studentsgswell. 2 for fightin uspended teach g and one drinkingeor fired for n the job.”

Box Road

Flatten out a box and draw a road in marker. Add blocks, trucks and other toys for kids to build a town.

Toy-Washing Bin

Let your kids wash their plastic toys. Add bubbles, sponges, towels and other supplies.

Trash Art

Find some recycled materials and let your kids paint them.

Kids love painting random objects and making beautiful creations from them.

Sticky Match-Up

Draw shapes, letters, numbers, words or math problems on sticky notes and hide them around the house for your child to find. Then have the child match them up on a “key” that hangs on the wall.

Boredom Busters

DUCKLINGS ICSNKUGLD DGKSLIUCN ULNCGDKIS GIDLUSNKC LSCDNKIGU KNUICGDSL NKGUSCLDI CUIKDLSNG SDLGINCUK 36

AS SE N ON INSE TA!

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

Some great resources www.supernanny.co.uk www.netmums.com www.circletimefun.com www.hippocampus.org www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize ARE YOU MISSING OUT ON WHAT’S GOING ON ROUND HERE?

LIKE US NOW & KEEP UP TO DATE! /VILLAGEEYEMAGAZINE

Solutions How Old? The numerical value (A-Z=1-26) of the second last letter of each word is the same as the age of each animal, so the gorilla is 12 years old.

Chickens Joe 12, Bernie 14, Roger 20, George 24, Keith 40, Jim 60, Frank 70 Word Scramble spring, basket, egghunt,bunny, chocolate,lamb, eggs,bonnet chick,simnel cake, parade,candy, flowers,decorate Word Wheel Challenge 9: Beautiful. 6: Albeit. 5: bleat,built fault,filet,flute,table. 4: bait,beat, belt,bite,fate,fe at,felt,feta,flat,flit,late,left,lift, lute, tail, tale, teal, tile, tube, tuba. 3: aft, ate, bat, bet, bit, but, eat, fat, fit, let tea tie, tub.

Say what you see 1. Centre of gravity. 2. I believe you. Long time no see. 4. Potato. Heavy metal band. 6 No one to blame

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eye on Children

Readers, be proud.

Your children were amazing this year!

Here’s our favourites you uploaded to our Facebook page

facebook.com/villageeyemagazine 37

Philosophy Corner

by Chris Evans

Quality tuition at affordable prices Fun and exciting dance classes Ballet, Tap, Modern, Street, from 2 - yrs to adults Gymnastic Dance Musical Theatre Course from 5 yrs

Singing, Drama, Street Dance

Free trial lessons available To find out more, please contact Louise on 01189 868000

info@allstardance.co.uk www.allstardance.co.uk

#4 Bouba/Kiki Language allows us to speak of things that don’t exist, like flying pink elephants or microscopic jumbo-jets.

Language also lets us speak of things that can’t exist, like square circles or the sound of silence. By definition these things are logically impossible and can’t exist. Speaking of such paradoxes puts impossible concepts into our minds, creating philosophical puzzles that trouble us.

Some philosophers have gone as far as to suggest that “all philosophical problems are language problems” and claim that if language were totally logical there would be no philosophical confusion. Ferdinand de Saussure for example believed that words are ‘arbitrary signs’ that we assign to objects and somehow, consequently, place language and reality in competition with each other. The lack of logic in our language is well illustrated by the

38

problems Google faced with early synonym systems which didn’t understand that whilst a dog is similar to a puppy and that boiling water is hot, a hot dog is not the same as a boiling puppy!

Language may stretch our understanding of reality beyond what is logical but the Bouba/ Kiki effect suggests that language isn’t random. Since 1929 experiments have shown that when presented with two made-up words, people on every continent instinctively just know that if one word of the two must be soft and one must be spikey it’s Bouba that’s soft and Kiki that’s spikey. I’m almost certain that for you too, Bouba sounds softer than Kiki!

Maybe then, things within the universe possess properties which allow us to speak about them?

Perhaps reality itself invites speech, thought and philosophical contemplation?

Until, next time. Chris.

Classesin:Burghfield|Theale|Mortimer|Silchester|Thatcham|Tadley|LowerEarley

Now taking registrations For children aged 6 weeks to 5 years

Fun is an essential ingredient at Green Park Day Nursery and Preschool where the care and education opportunities for each and every child are as extraordinary as the staff who provide them.

We would be delighted to show you around “Excellent nursery. Attentive and caring staff. Lots of activities.

Fabulous menu. My 1-year-old son has a blast and I have absolute confidence in the staff and the quality of care to leave him at the nursery full time.”

Parent, www.daynurseries.co.uk

Please call 01189 313115 or email greenpark.nursery@childbase.com Green Park Day Nursery and Preschool, Green Park Business Park, 200 South Oak Way, Lime Square, Green Park, Reading RG2 6UQ

Open 7.30am to 6.30pm www.childbasepartnership.com

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N U F L O O H C S T S E R O F R O F S U N I JO !

S T E D A C E E L I B U J T A R E T S A E S I TH

Set in 60 acres of private woodland and gardens, our holiday club offers plenty of exciting activities including: den building, camp fires, outdoor cooking, trips to see farm animals, plus much more!

6th-17th April l Open 8am-6pm For children aged 5-11 years old.

Book online today: www.jubileecadets.co.uk

0118 970 1300

Operated by Jubilee Gems l (Ofsted registered) Sopers Lane/Rag Hill, Padworth RG7 4NN

39

HARRINGTONS DELIVERING WARMTH, LOCALLY FOR LESS...

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01189 242 888

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eyeovies on the M

Thomas and Horgan pitch perfect in heartwarming story of loss and loneliness Director Peter Cattaneo, best known for his crowd pleasing brit-hit The Full Monty, pulls on the heart strings again with this charming tearjerker loosely based on the Gareth Malone’s real-life Military Wives Choir.

The film opens on Flitcroft Army base as spouses and partners say a difficult goodbye to their loved ones who are off to serve in Afghanistan.

As per tradition the job of organising the communal events to keep morale up falls to the partner of the troops sergeant, in this case the down-to-earth Lisa (Sharon Horgan) who runs the convenience store. Worried about her care-free attitude and lack of organisation Kate (Kristin Scott Thomas), the self-appointed matriarch of the base, enlists herself to help. Personalities clash as they both attempt to come up with a fun new activity that appeals to all the group. Singing gets the vote and before long their ramshackle choir receive an invitation to perform at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall.

At the Flicks with Rob Barnes

Yes, there’s no denying that this is very much a paint by numbers movie that is packed with cliches, and happily manipulates its audience as it delivers one emotional punch after another. But that really doesn’t matter, because it does it very well, hitting every emotional beat with precision. What lifts this above the average fare is the emotional heft of the movie. Whilst this is a funny, heartwarming and uplifting story of friendship, loneliness and loss, the very real backdrop of war provides for some powerful storylines that brought me to tears at times.

Sharon Horgan is perfect as the affable and popular Lisa, struggling to bring up her teenage daughter Frankie. Hesitant at first she revels in the challenge of penning lyrics and music for the group that in turn reawakens her musical past and nostalgia for classic eighties pop.

Horgan’s effortless deadpan delivery is a joy to watch and provides the perfect foil to the stuck-up Kate.

Kristin Scott Thomas is utterly convincing as the grieving veteran military wife, desperately seeking a distraction from the loss of her son who died in action.

Few British actors do prickly restraint and subtlety quite like Thomas, who can tell a thousand stories with a single twitch or raised eyebrow. But crucially beneath the stiff upper lip is a layer of vulnerability and human emotion that

bubbles to the surface just enough to make you connect and sympathise.

You’d think the role fell neatly in her comfort zone, but her close connection to the subject gives her performance greater resonance. Thomas, who herself spent much of her early childhood on a military base, tragically lost her father and stepfather by the age of 11. Suffice to say it was a very personal project and is all the better for it.

Military Wives is the perfect cosy, feel-good movie that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure. But most importantly it’s a touching reminder to all of us of the sacrifices and challenges made by our military families home and abroad.

Well worth a watch!

3.5/5

BOOK OF THE MONTH: Winnie's Dinosaur Day by Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul It is easy to see how Winnie the Witch has become such a favourite character for young readers everywhere. This is her thirteenth outing and, as always, things don’t go totally to plan. Accompanied by her faithful cat Wilbur, Winnie loves to visit the museum. Not only are there buttons to press and levers to pull, there are dinosaurs! Not real ones sadly - just bones and skeletons. Winnie would love to see a real dinosaur - Wilbur is not so keen. So when the museum runs a competition to draw or model a dinosaur, Winnie is determined to win...even if she needs some magic to help.

Thomas and Paul work as a perfect team to bring Winnie and Wilbur to life. The words are well judged and often understated, whilst Paul’s illustrations help to draw the reader in, giving depth and detail to the tale.

Winnie may not always get it right, but it is bound to work out in the end - and children will love returning to the story again and again.

by Kath Bennett

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41

WIN A WATERSKI/ eye WAKEBOARD Win COURSE! GET THE WHOLE FAMILY AWAY FROM TECHNOLOGY & EXPERIENCING FUN ON THE WATER THIS SUMMER

Did you know that the south’s leading Waterski & Wakeboard destination is right here on our doorstep in Pingewood?

Yes! We are lucky enough to have CJM Ski & Wake based at Reading Lake Hotel, bringing quality tuition and coaching for adults and kids - to the area.

If you’re new to the sport or would like a refresher, the centre offers group taster days which include full coaching, all equipment and three 15 minute sessions on the water. One-onone coaching for waterskiing & wakeboarding is also on offer including all equipment, such as wetsuits and buoyancy aids.

During the school holidays CJM Ski & Wake holds regular Kids Camps, the first one being held from April 6th - April 8th 2020.

Each day - from 10am - 3pm the children learn to waterski or wakeboard with two sessions each day on the water along with on-land activities and ending with something fun on the water like paddle-boarding or an inflatable ride.

Head Coach is Chris Mullins who is a UKCC Level 3 Waterski and Wakeboard coach, having gained over 10 years’ experience managing ski schools. The centre is equipped to coach all levels of Waterskiing and Wakeboarding, from grass roots beginners to international competitors.

As you would expect, all the coaches are fully trained by British Waterski & Wakeboard, and hold current First Aid along with their DBS Checks.

A recent testimonial that Chris has received speak volumes about the tuition he provides: “Chris really helped Noah & Josh improve on the water and get involved in a new sport, with fantastic coaching. All the staff had the patience and knowledge to make the sessions safe & enjoyable.” AD Henvest.

Call today to book a Beginner Day Course for only £75!

Tel: 07894 153 395 chris@cjmskiandwake.com

Enter Now!

RSKI/WAKEBOARD WIN A BEGINNER WATE M TASTER COURSE at CJ

geeye.co.uk, winning, visit www.villa To be in with a chance of answer the following question: click the comp tab and ke are based at the: CJM Ski & Wa a: Reading Sea Hotel b: Reading River Hotel c: Reading Lake Hotel night on April Competition closes at mid

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For further information, 07894 153 395 E Mail: chris@cjmskiandwake.com

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