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The school summer holidays are underway and the roads are already noticeably quieter, something that I can now appreciate, whilst dropping my daughter Sami off to work each day. Did I just say work? Yes, not school, but work! Within a two month period, I’ve watched my child take exams, leave school, go to prom, start work and celebrate her six teenth birthday. All grown up, all of a sud den. Time really does fly (and apparently it doesn’t seem to matter whether you’re enjoy ing yourself or not!). On the work front, it’s been as busy as ever, with Jackie and Louise hot on the phones whilst I continue to fly around like a headless chicken. I still harbour this great notion of being super organised and running a seam lessly smooth operation, but after ten years, I’m starting to think that maybe being in a constant state of manic is the way I work best. It gets the job done and the mags through the doors, so maybe I should settle for that. There! Pressure off and I’m feeling better already. Time to down tools and hit the gym instead. .
Tel: 0800 038 5001 Mob: 07931 368151 In and Around Magazines cover: West Drayton . Iver . Denham . Uxbridge Ickenham . Ruislip Angela Fisher 0800 038 5001 / 07759 536494 info@inandaroundpublishing.co.uk
www.inandaroundpublishing.co.uk
Local Events 6 Golden years: memories of fifty years ago 8 What’s on at Hillingdon Theatres 10 Property Matters 10 Beauty: Belle of the Beach 12 Kids Puzzle Page 14 Coffee Break Puzzles 16 What does the new budget mean for landlords 18 Credit Cards for the Stages of Your Life 20 Guy Wilson: Are you beach body ready? 22 Interiors: Victorian Style 24 Local Telephone Numbers 28 Magazine Pick Up Points 28 Breakthrough for Sciatica Sufferers 32 Wordsearch 32 Writer Way 33 Motoring: Honda Civic Type R 34 Ruislip Central Horticultural Society 36 Garden Feature 38 Reader Travel Offers 40 Are you birding, watching or twitching? 42 Bank Holiday Refuse & Recyling Dates 43 What’s On Clubs, Groups & Classes 44, 46 & 48 Pets 45 Situations Vacant 50 Puzzle Solutions 50
We are grateful for the support of local businesses whose adverts appear in this publication and whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for any errors, omissions, claims made by advertisers or endorse companies, products or services. This publication, its contents and advert designs are © of In and Around Publishing. Any copying or reproduction in part or fully, is strictly forbidden without our prior consent.
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AUGUST EVENTS Family Fishing Fun Day 9th August, Little Britain Lake, Packet Boat Lane, Cowley. Hourly angling sessions guided by experienced volunteer anglers will take place throughout the day. Equipment and bait provided free of charge. Other free activities include river dipping, bird box making, face painting and a bouncy castle. Registration is on the day and places are offered on a first come, first served basis. See www.hillingdon.gov.uk/fishing
Local Events
August into September 2015
The Stage is Yours A Musical Theatre Workshop 10th to 14th August, 10am-4pm Community Hut and Winston Churchill Theatre, Pinn Way, Ruislip, HA4 7QL. A 5-day summer holiday musical theatre workshop allowing children to have a fun and an exciting time. Sessions are for children aged 7 to 14 years culminating in a final ticketed show. For more info visit www.hillingdontheatres.uk or call 01895 673200. Scavenger Boat Race 12th August, Colne Valley Park Visitor Centre, Denham Country Park, Denham, UB9 5PG. Activities like this one will run throughout the summer. For more details call 01895 833375 or www.colnevalleypark.org.uk. Lunchtime Classical Concerts Church of St John the Baptist, Sheepcote Road, Harrow, HA1 2JE. 13th August, 12.30-1.30pm Preludes by Rachmaninoff, J.S. Bach, Chopin, Debussy,
Alkan, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Lionel Sainsbury and Steve Law Steve Law (piano) 20th August, 12.30-1.30pm Music from Stage and Film Sondheim, Mancini, Arlen, Myers, Legrand, Dudley Moore. Janine van den Berg (vocals), Steve Law (piano) 27th August, 12.30-1.30pm Chopin - The 4 Ballades Neil Crossland - Yorkshire Suite Op. 41 Neil Crossland (piano). All concerts are free admission, for more details visit www.ruislip andharrowmusicfestival.co.uk Medieval Festival 16th August Manor Farm, Bury Street, Ruislip, HA4 7SU. A great day out for all the family for details visit the website at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/medfest
LIVE MUSIC EVENTS The Swan at Iver 2 High Street, Iver, SL0 9NG. 7th August Goldeneye live act 21st August 2Tone live show The Falcon Village Road, Denham, UB9 5BE. 16th August Tiny Tina & Blues Band - tribute band from 5-8pm. Champers Bar 184 Field End Road, Eastcote, HA6 1RE. 9th August - 2 Tone, reggae pop & soul duo
14th August - Stuart Wilson, early doors with Frank Sinatra 16th August - The B-Vinyl's, 50's Rock & Roll 23rd August - Ash Lee, Solo Guitarist 30th August - Freddie Mercury Tribute Act (tickets £3)
SEPTEMBER EVENTS Hillingdon 4 Business 2nd September, 8.30-10.30am Costa Coffee, The Pavilions, Uxbridge. Informal networking event for further information please email maggie@hillingdonchamber.co.uk Produce & Handicraft Show by Harlington Womens Institute 5th September, from 1.30pm Hayes & Harlington Community Centre, Albert Road, Hayes, UB3 4HR. As expected from the WI, the items available for sale will be of excellent quality, so come along and bag a Victoria sponge (or two)!
DON'T MISS THE DEADLINE! If you would like us to publicise your event in our September issues contact us no later than Friday 14th August.
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Golden Years Memories of 50 Years Ago by Ted Bruning 1937 and gained a reputation as a hardheaded fixer, a manipulator, a wheelerdealer and when necessary a bully. Elected to the Senate in 1949, he spent six years as Majority Leader, honing his political skills but keeping his radical instincts under a bushel. He was chosen as John Kennedy’s running mate in 1960 not because the Kennedy clan admired him – quite the opposite – but because as sophisticated New Englanders they believed they needed a rustic southerner.
name “Bloody Sunday”. America was scandalised and Johnson immediately ordered the Justice Department to draft ““the goddamnest toughest voting rights act that you can devise”, unveiling it on 15th March with a speech that ended with the words “we shall overcome”. He backed words with action by sending Federal marshals to protect the final Selma-Montgomery March two days later. It took all his political skills, and Dr King’s help, to get the Act through Congress. And when Johnson was finally able to sign the VRA on 6th August he did so with a speech that still has to the power to draw tears. This came at the beginning of an administration that saw the creation of Medicare, the end of segregation in public facilities from gas-station washrooms to universities, and a huge improvement in living standards for America’s poorest. But LBJ was never liked – he was always on the edge of scandals, always suspect – and in the end his reputation was destroyed by Vietnam. It is an enduring tragedy that his epitaph should be: “Hey, hey, LBJ! How many kids did you kill today?”
Will African-Americans be holding street parties and torchlight parades on 6th August this year? They should – it’s the golden anniversary of a landmark in the struggle for civil rights. For on that day the US President signed into law, in the presence of Martin Luther King and Rosa Parkes, the Voting Rights Act that finally abolished literacy tests, property qualifications, “moral character” tests and all the other devices by which the Southern states maintained white supremacy. Texan-born Lyndon Baines Johnson was a Southern Democrat. But while many Southern Democrats were avowed segregationists, Johnson was different. Precociously intelligent but from a poor background, he had been exposed when young to the Social Gospel doctrine that saw the New Testament as not just religious but political too. He then had to work his way through college to become a teacher, and sharing the struggle of black and Mexican students helped him see America from their point of view. Abandoning teaching for politics, he was elected to Congress in
When Kennedy was assassinated, the Voting Rights Act 1964 was in preparation. It was the third in a series, all of them ineffectual, and Johnson wasn’t satisfied. As president in his own right he was dissuaded from drafting a tougher replacement so soon; but only a month after his inauguration came the Selma-Montgomery Marches when black Alabamans came out in protest at being denied the vote. Over a period of weeks they were beaten and brutalised by state police – on live TV. On 18th February a young unarmed black man was shot dead; and the brutality with which the police thwarted an attempt to hand in a petition to governor George Wallace on 7th March earned the day the
Happy 50tH BirtHdays to Sam Mendez (1st), Cheryl Fergison (Eas (27th), & Shania Twain (28th). Cake and botox to you all!
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Property
The comparison site Go Compare has just pub lished a survey of the most popular home improve ments. It makes interesting reading, particularly given that the number of properties going on the market is in a serious slump right now. It seems that homeowners are currently subscribing to the old adage, don’t move, improve. Top of the list is fitting a new bathroom (44%) with installing a new kitchen close behind on 39%. A surprising 33% of home improvers have gone for a new boiler while 28% opted for a garden makeover. What is interesting about all this is that when it comes to cost effective ways of adding value to your home, only one of these things would make the top 5. The best way to add value is a loft con version but only 10% of improvers went down this path. Building an extension, particularly to the side of the house, is very effective but only 16% of re spondents had opted to do this. A new kitchen will certainly add value but usually the cost of installing
it will be greater than the increase in value so it is anything but cost effective. However, fitting a new bathroom is relatively cheap to do (providing you don’t get carried away) and is the third best way of adding value. What all this shows, to me anyway, is that home owners are thinking of their own comfort and needs when they make improvements to their properties. Energy saving measures such as a new boiler or fitting solar panels came high on the list of most popular improvements, but neither of these things does much to add value to a home or make it more saleable. New kitchens and garden makeovers do much to make a property nice to live in but, once again, do little to add value. It seems that, given the lack of choice in properties to buy, many homeown ers are sitting tight. The doldrums that are afflicting many estate agents show no signs of lifting any time soon.
In and Around
holidays
Beauty 79 GREAT DAY OUT
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Belle of the Beach by Kate Duggan www.kateduggan.co.uk
If you prefer a lipstick to a gloss, but hate the drying effect that some lipsticks can have, you’ll want to get your hands on one of the new Burt’s Bees Lip Crayons. 100% natural, the crayons use shea butter, jojoba oil and kendi oil to soften and moisturise your lips. I could still feel the difference by the next day. There are six shades available. My personal favourite is Sedana Sands – a natural pink with just a hint of caramel, which is perfect for summer. Burt’s Bees Lip Crayons are priced at £8.99 and are available from Debenhams, Fenwick and www. 2015 • Quote: GS8-IA burtsbees.co.uk.
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Greenwich Tall Ships & Lunch at the Tower Hotel
Late nights, lazy days at the beach and endless mojitos… we do love summer holidays. Whether you’re heading off for a week in the Canaries, catching aMonday cruise 31 ship to August, the Caribbean, or just taking the kids camping The Tall Ships Festival isWe back in London this but August all know the risks, whenfeaturing the sun a dozen to Cornwall, feast your historic sailing vessels from aroundand thewe’re worldbaring moored Royal is shining ouratpins on Greenwich a riverside. Many of the ships arebeach, open for so visitors can see what eyes on our pick of the golden wetours can’t help but want a tan. life is like aboard and get first-handit’s accounts from crewtanning members. Sometimes OK to fake it, and is The latest beauty releases.
festival aims to create aone carnival atmosphere also of those occasions. which Don’t let the features visions live shanty music, street theatre, historical characters in put re-enactments If you like ‘buying British’ you’ll of Oompa Loompa lookalikes you off; fake and market stalls. As a colourful the you festival is one of love the new British Botanical tanscosmopolitan have come a spectacle long way and no longer the capital’s major attractions. Shower Cream from Elemis, have to choose between milk bottle white or INCLUDED: Visit to Greenwich fororange. the TallFor Ships 2-course late which uses UK-sourced ingredients tangerine bestfestival results,•wax or lunch at the Tower Hotel, overlooking Tower Bridge • Return travel such as chamomile, lavender, shave the day before, exfoliate well,coach then follow rosemary and oats. It smells divine Lunch menu: Soup of the with Day or Goat’s Cheese • Roasted a body lotion. WaitTerrine until the lotion is Chicken fully Breast, Pan-fried Sea Bassabsorbed or Wild Mushroom Risotto • Viennoiserie Bread and is incredibly nourishing. At £24 before applying & Butter Fruit it is rather pricey, but definitely one Pudding or Exotic the tan.Salad New to the UK to consider if you fancy treating market is Aussie tanning yourself. brand Black Magic. Try GREAT the Black Magic Instant Looking DAY for OUT Tanning Mousse, £23, a sun cream which is tinted, extremely that’s suitable for pp all the easy to apply family? Try Green People’s and comes with Organic Children Scent a mitt to keep Free Sun Lotion, £16.95. your hands stain-free. www.blackmagictan.co.uk Holidays offered by It’s non-greasy and rubs in GN Holidays more easily than a lot of the other natural sunscreens If late night cocktails have left your skin looking & Voyages on the market. Offering both a bit lacklustre, or you just don’t fancy slapping Higher Denham UVA and UVB protection, on foundation in the heat, give Origins with a choice of SPF 25 or GinZing™ Energy-Boosting Moisturizer, ABTA NoY0291 •ATOL 9362 30, it offers £23, a go. Designed to ‘wake up’ tired Escorted & River Cruise: great all round looking skin and leave it with a healthier www.gnvoyages.co.uk protection. Plus it’s packed with looking glow, it’s no surprise that this fruit and seed oils, including has quickly become one of Origins’ Coach Breaks: Wednesday 2 September, 2015 • Quote: avocado, olive and aloe vera, ‘hero’ products.FF9-IA A 75ml limited edition www.gnholidays.com and is kind to sensitive skin. It is version was released this spring, Open 9am to 5.30pm weekdays water-resistant, but won’t Come survivewith us to Portsmouth and enjoy aafunky three-hour afternoon featuring coffee bean lid, butcruise it 9.30am to 12.30pm a long swimSaturdays in the pool, soaround do the Solent forts - built inwas the snapped 19th century by Lord Palmerston up pretty quickly. Still, you to Closed Bank Holiday weekends. make sure that you reapply it may be lucky and find one lurking at theby protect the eastern approaches to Portsmouth Harbour from invasion regularly. back of a shelf in Debenhams… the French - and including a cream tea. INCLUDED: 3-hour afternoon cruise around the four forts of the Solent & Portsmouth Harbour • Cream Tea • Return coach travel
Call 01895 83 33 33 for bookings and information
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Four Forts of the Solent Cruise & Cream Tea
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Coach Breaks departing from Uxbridge, Ruislip & Slough Brighton & Bluebell Line Steam & Cream
Paddlesteamer PS Waverley Isle of Wight Cruise
Wednesday 9 Sept, 2015 - Quote BB9-2-IA
Friday 18 September 2015 - Quote PS9-IA
GREAT DAY OUT £ 59
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GREAT DAY OUT
£89PP
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Enjoy a super day out including a visit to Brighton and a steam train ride with a cream tea.
INCLUDED: 90-minute steam train ride on the Bluebell Line with a Cream Tea • Free time in Brighton • Return
Join us for a unique cruise on the world’s last seagoing paddle steamer, PS Waverley. As she cruises the Solent, visit the engine room to see her classic steam power in action
coach travel
INCLUDED: PS Waverley return cruise from Portsmouth to Yarmouth or The Needles • Return coach travel
Leeds Castle Festival of Flowers & Lunch at Donnington Manor Hotel
River Avon Christmas Lunch Cruise & Festive Stratford upon Avon
Wednesday 23 September, 2015 - Quote LF9-IA
Thursdays: 3 & 10 December, 2015 - Quote FS12-1/2-IA
GREAT DAY OUT
GREAT DAY OUT
£89PP
£69PP
Come with us to the spectacular Leeds Castle, in Kent, where flower arrangers, designers and artists will create an array of fresh, floral displays. Plus, enjoy lunch at a country hotel. INCLUDED: Entry to Leeds Castle & Festival of Flowers • 2-course lunch at Donnington Manor Hotel, Sevenoaks • Return coach travel
Enjoy a River Avon cruise with a traditional 3course Christmas lunch and see Stratford upon Avon decorated and lit for Christmas. INCLUDED: Free time in Stratford-upon-Avon • 3hour cruise on the Countess of Evesham • 3-course traditional Christmas lunch on-board - starter, main course and dessert • Return coach travel
Christmas on the Isle of Wight
We Love the 60s Spring Party Weekend - Pontins Pakefield, Suffolk Coast
Wednesday: 23 December, 2015 - Quote XW12-IA
Friday 11 March, 2016 - Quote PS3-2-IA
5 DAYS HALF BOARD PLUS
£359PP
Relax and enjoy an effortless Christmas on the Isle of Wight as we take care of all the arrangements. INCLUDED: 4 nights stay at the Shanklin Beach Hotel • 4 dinners and 4 breakfasts plus Christmas Day lunch • Excursions include an island tour with a steam train ride and a visit to the Panto • Coach travel and excursions
4 DAYS HALF BOARD PLUS The Merseybeats
£179PP
Join us at Pontins Pakefield for an over 40s party. Live shows include The Merseybeats, The Ivy League and The Pacemakers plus there’s free drinks every night. INCLUDED: 3 free drinks per person per night - house beers & spirits, wine by the glass, pumped soft drinks & mixers • Full 60s theme entertainment programme • 3 breakfasts & 3 dinners • 3 nights en-suite chalet
Parkway, Hillingdon, Middlesex, UB10 9JX Independent School for boys and girls aged 3 - 11
An ‘OUTSTANDING’ School A family-run school with a caring atmosphere. Pupils achieve excellent results in academic subjects, music, sport and drama. For further information, or to arrange a visit, please telephone 01895 234371 Parkway, Hillingdon, Middlesex, UB10 9JX - www.sthelenscollege.com
Elliott & Co Editorial (Aug15)_Layout 1 23/07/2015 22:09 Page 1
PROPERTY UPDATE from
OUR PROPERTY EXPERT
What does the new budget mean for landlords? Having had time to digest the new changes that will take effect over the coming years, there are some interesting points to consider going forward.
George Osborne has favoured homeowners over landlords by cutting the tax relief from 40% or 45% to 20% by April 2020. In a nutshell, it will hit landlord’s ability to claim repayments back from their income, which has previously been an advantage to larger investors.
DAVID HARTNETT BSC MARLA MNAEA
Elliott & Co Estate Agents
A typical landlord who has a £150,000 buy-to-let mortgage on a property worth £200,000 will more than likely see their net annual profit reduce from £2,160 a year to just £960, according to estimates by Nationwide building society. This is based on a property being rented at £800 a month, which it said is a “typical example of a landlord with a typical mortgage associated with buy-to-let”. Once other associated costs such as agent fees and repairs are taken into consideration, some landlords could see yields of less than 1% from their investments. It could be argued that this sell off may be limited to central London properties where the cost of ownership is extremely high and the rental yields on the low side, this is yet to be seen. The fear that this now represents, is a potential lack of housing stock on the market thus pushing up rental prices. There is also the fear that some landlords may want to increase the rents to cover the loss they face from the tax relief. On a positive note, a potential sell off from these same landlords would mean a fresh supply of properties to the market for first-time buyers. Following the announcement, shares in some of the UK house builders fell sharply on the fear that landlords will want to dispose of their properties which may affect new build purchases. So what can we do to improve the situation we find ourselves in? Options available may include reducing tax by placing portfolios inside a limited company, but fewer lenders may want to deal with this. Transferring ownership to a spouse who enjoys a lower tax rate is also a possibility. Those considering these avenues are advised to seek professional financial advice before committing themselves.
If you would like a free no obligation appraisal of your property speak with David, call Elliott & Co on 020 8842 3333.
Finance Credit Cards for the Stages of your Life
By Ann Haldon
With so many different credit cards to choose from, knowing which one is right for you often depends on the current stage of your life. Whether you’re a young adult just starting work, coping with the financial demands of a young family, or are approaching retirement, here are some of the features and benefits to watch out for.
StudentS and graduateS Most student account ‘packages’ include a credit card for those who qualify, and generally offer an average Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of around 19%. Credit limits are unlikely to be more than £500, but this is often all that is needed to provide a financial cushion. The majority of banks now offer a very useful feature that alerts you when a payment is due. HSBC student credit card Offered alongside their student current account, you can make payments and view your balance online. Their representative variable APR is 18.9% - average for this type of card, with no annual fee payable. Graduate cards work in much the same way, often linked to a ‘graduate’ account, and with a similar credit limit and APR. A slight difference is that some banks offer the facility
to transfer an existing balance over to your new graduate card at 0% interest for a limited time.
Lloyds Bank graduate card Lloyds offer a limit of up to £500 on credit cards if you are a graduate current account holder. A selection of cards is available depending on your income as a new graduate, with some cards offering 0% interest on balance transfers. Young famiLY rewards cards Parents of young children may prefer to receive rewards and incentives from a credit card. These could include free travel insurance, commission-free foreign currency, free days out and money-off vouchers for meals at child-friendly restaurants. tesco Clubcard credit card Currently the Tesco Clubcard credit card offers five Clubcard points for every £4 spent with Tesco, including your spend on petrol. You can also earn one point for every £4 spent using the card at other outlets.
Cash back cards Cash back credit cards come in handy if you can pay back the total balance each month. You need to read the small print carefully, however, as higher penalties often apply for missed or late payments.
Santander 123 credit card Santander is currently offering 1% cash back in the major supermarkets when you use their credit card, 2% in major department stores, and 3% on petrol and transport, including National Rail and Transport for London. Low interest rate cards Alternatively, you may simply want a card with low interest for the occasions when you don’t pay off the balance in full. You’ll need to have a good credit rating to get one of these cards, but they can help considerably when managing the family’s finances. mBna low rate credit card At the time of writing, this card from MBNA offers a low 6.5% variable rate for balance transfers, purchases and money transfers. You can transfer money from your credit card to a bank account with no handling fee, but the rate offered on the card may vary depending on your circumstances. retireeS A reduced income in retirement often means a narrower choice of credit cards. Banks and other financial institutions prefer to see a regular wage coming in, and some have a policy of refusing anyone over a certain age, regardless of how much
money they have saved. Even if your savings are with the bank you are applying to, banks have been quite rigid on this policy of late. Saga Platinum credit card A variable representative APR of 11.9 % makes this credit card from Saga a middle-of-the-road option in terms of interest rate. Not the lowest, but certainly not the highest, the perks of this card currently include an introductory 0% on balance transfers and purchases for the first nine months, and 0% foreign currency fees on transactions worldwide.
Should your credit file include bankruptcy, County Court Judgements, or other formal insolvency procedures, ‘standard’ credit cards will be unavailable to you for some time. Credit-builder cards are a good way to improve your credit rating in these circumstances, as long as repayments are made in full and on time every month.
good all-round card with a low interest rate, and let the added extras be just that – extra to the main features. http://www.hsbc.co.uk/1/2/ credit-cards/student-credit-card
Credit-builder cards You may need to improve your credit rating at any stage of life, but this type of card comes with a high interest rate and a low credit limit. If separation or divorce have left you with no recent credit history, this may be a good option.
Vanquish Visa credit card This credit-builder card from Vanquish offers a credit limit of between £150 and £1,000, depending on your circumstances and credit history. The variable representative APR is 39.9%, and the account can be managed online.
The best general advice from money experts is to shop around for the best credit card. Don’t be blinded by rewards and offers – simply find a
http://www.lloydsbank.com/ current-accounts/graduateaccount.asp http://www.lloydsbank.com/ credit-cards.asp http://www.santander.co.uk/uk/ credit-cards/123-credit-card http://www.tescobank.com/ credit-cards/compare.html http://www.mbna.co.uk/creditcards/mbna-low-rate-creditcard/ http://www.saga.co.uk/money/ saga-credit-card.aspx http://www.vanquis.co.uk/creditcards
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Guy Wilson PT FP+ (Aug15)_Layout 1 24/07/2015 01:43 Page 1
Guy Wilson, Personal Trainer offers 1-2-1 Personal Training, small group training, TRX (suspension) training, Padwork, HiiT, Indoor cycling programmes and outdoor cycling roadcraft
ARE YOU beach body READY? SUMMER is here, the kids have broken up from school, everyone is focused and beach body ready… But what exactly is beach body ready? Remember this lady?
0 747 5 747 407 www.facebook.com/ guy.wilson.5220 Guy@GuyTWilson.com
It is natural to look at adverts such as this and to start to compare yourself to the model in the picture. It’s important to remember that when we do this we are usually comparing ourselves to airbrushed and possibly ‘enhanced’ models that are not true representations of most people. Back in the real world I recently worked with Bob who needed to lose weight. Bob lost 9 stone (57kg) over 9 months and he’d be the first to admit that he really needed to lose that weight. Bob had tried diets; low fat, carb free, cabbage soup, 5/2, sugar-free. He had tried the lot and found that none of them worked BUT what did work was a change in mind set and change of eating habits. Bob decided that this time it had to be a change for good and he started eating real food. By real food I mean food he had prepared, this wasn’t a revolution and a life stuck in the kitchen but more about planning and thinking about what he was going to eat, opposed to ‘eating on the go’. 12 months later and Bob is now training for a half marathon. So, my point is, I’m quite sure you are ‘beach body ready’ and are looking and feeling amazing but if you don’t feel you are quite there then move more and eat less to help shed those extra few pounds. A few very simple pointers if you want to lose weight successfully and keep it off: • Have a goal to aim for – holiday date, dress size etc. • Exercise more – walking, running, cycling, just move more. • Change your eating habits don’t deny yourself but don’t overdo the bad stuff either. • Drink plenty of water. • Enjoy your (beach body ready) summer. Until next time!
Guy
Dream Doors West London A5_210 x 148 17/06/2015 15:19 Page 1
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Home & Interiors Victorian Style
By Katherine Sorrell
pattern. Tiled hallways and polished, dark wood floors with a central rug featuring large, bold patterns set the scene, while patterned wallpaper was de rigueur. Wooden furniture was dark, solid and often very large, but we would recognise much of it, from dressers and dining tables to sideboards and writing desks. Upholstered seating was the major development from the preceding Georgian era. Coil springing had been invented in the 1820s, and Victorian sofas and chairs featured deep buttons and comfortable, curving shapes. Metal bedsteads were introduced to Britons at the Great Exhibition of 1851 – and have changed little in style ever since. As far as colour choices went, the Victorians loved anything rich, deep and vivid. These hues worked well with the dark brown furniture that predominated, but are best used judiciously today. That said, they can be most attractive in the right place: deep shades, such as crimson, claret, bottle green, sharp yellow, purple, mahogany, terracotta and Prussian blue, were preferred for sitting rooms, dining rooms and studies; paler and fresher hues were considered to be more suitable for bedrooms. Lighting has, of course, altered a great deal in the last 150
years or so. When Victoria came to the throne, oil and candle lamps were the only form of lighting in most homes, but during her reign first gas lighting was developed and then, at the very end of the 19th century, early electricity. There were a great many elaborate and ornamental styles of lamp, including swan-necked brass wall lights, flower-shaped glass shades and china lamps covered with floral sprigs. The Victorian middle-class kitchen, used only by servants, was a very plain room, equipped with freestanding tables, with the sink in an adjacent scullery. And the bathroom only came into being as a separate room in the 1870s. Along with indoor bathrooms came distinctive sanitaryware – large, often colourfully decorated basins, and enamelled roll-top baths on ball and claw or scroll feet, much of which can be found in reproduction form for those with spacious enough rooms. Because Victorians considered bare rooms to be in poor taste, their houses were filled knick knacks, objets d’art and collections, some of which are right on-trend today? Other Victorian accessories have not stood the test of time quite so well, including black and white miniature portraits and toby jugs. Nor has a helpful kitchen accessory, employed for anyone unlucky enough to suffer from cockroaches – a hedgehog kept in a box.
It may not be the height of fashion, but there is much to be said for Victorian style, which is confident, distinctive and eminently comfortable, says Katherine Sorrell From society to science, politics to industry, the Victorian era was a time of enormous transformation. The middle classes expanded rapidly, and their homes became the perfect vehicles with which to show off both their newly acquired wealth and their cultural savvy. The result? An interior style that was exuberant, eclectic and often over the top. The high Victorian style was a riot of revivalism, and different periods were mixed with abandon. The main ‘Battle of the Styles’, however, was between ‘Greek’, (in other words, all types of classical architecture and decoration), and ‘Gothic’ (more or less any style reminiscent of Olde Englande). The main ingredients for Victorian living were not so far from where we are today, give or take a tweak in colour and
Main Image - The Bagsie sofa is a modern version of the classic Victorian Chesterfield. £1,715, Loaf, 0845 468 0698 www.loaf.com
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Dream
Answers pg 50
Motoring Honda Civic Type R
By Wayne Gorrett
excellent support. Other tactile elements are great too – an aluminium gear lever, shapely leather steering wheel and well-judged pedal weights. There’s plenty of headroom front and rear and the boot is huge, too.
a change in engine mapping for sharper performance and steering, stability assist to maximise grip, while adaptive damping is increased by a spine-shrinking 30 per cent.
If you’re going to spend five years in the wilderness sans any performance models, you’d better have one almighty bang in your back pocket when you return to the fray. Following a lengthy hiatus, Honda has launched the most eagerly-awaited performance car so far this year. Faithful disciples of Honda’s iconic Red Badge models, number in their hundreds of thousands around the world - 400 of whom have already placed advance orders, largely sight unseen.
The Style Factory
The new Civic Type R looks exactly like a Type R should look. It is gloriously shouty, has a big mouth, brandishes a Kardashian-like rear and an XXL rear wing tuned for maximum downforce. Other aesthetics include double dual exhausts either side of a massive rear splitter, a big front splitter, flared wheel arches and the vents that adorn them.
The Inside Story
The front furniture is fabulous - probably the best road car seats I’ve sat in for a while, with really tall side bolsters offering
Engines and Transmissions
The new 2.0-litre, four-cylinder Earth Dreams i-VTEC turbo unit produces 228 kW at 6,500 rpm and 400 Nm of torque from a lowly 2,500 rpm. It still uses the VTEC variable valve timing system, however. All of that brutal power is received by the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox only and a helical limited-slip differential. Honda claims 0-100kph in 5.7 seconds and 269kph flat out. The front suspension now uses a strut arrangement with a bespoke ‘dual-axis’ design to reduce centre offset, reducing torque steer by an incredible 55 per cent. The Type R brakes are nononsense Brembo units and both performed exceptionally well on road and track. To the left of the grippy steering wheel is a button marked +R. This sports setting immediately changes all the dials in the car to fiery red. The result is
The Drive
On public roads, throwing the Type-R into sweeping corners inspires confidence as every judder of grip is fed back into the wheel. Those adaptive dampers ensure that smaller bumps are shrugged off with an ease that defies the very lowprofile tyres, although potholes and crusty surfaces still crash through the structure. Start to use the performance and the engine adopts a monotonous, booming drone that is neither pleasant nor inspiring. If you’re given an opportunity to take one of these onto the track – grasp it with both hands. You’ll discover a car that’s exceptionally racy but also very manageable and fairly forgiving. Steering is weighty but precise, with none of the expected twitchiness. Two versions are available – a standard model at £29,995 and a GT with additional equipment at £32,295. By way of comparison, the Golf R costs £30,820.
Summary
The new Honda Civic Type R is an extreme car and has been well worth the wait. Its target buyer will be someone who doesn’t welcome compromise – and who sports deep enough pockets to live with that decision. While unquestionably pricey, it is an utterly brilliant piece of automotive engineering.
Building Construction/Bricklaying Extensions & Loft Conversions Patio/Paths/Block Driveways Decking Kitchen & Bathroom Installation Plumbing & Heating Electrical Services Rewires Plastering & Tiling Painting & Decorating Fencing Roofing Carpentry & Joinery UPVC Fascias & Guttering Conservatories
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RCHS Annual Show 2015 - selection of exhibits
ROSES, you either love them or you hate them. Well, not so much hate them, after all how could you hate anything to do with horticulture… It was only a few years ago that I would rather have a weed growing in my garden that I could satisfyingly pull out, than grow a rose in my garden! I ‘disliked’ them! It brought back memories of a childhood duty, when I used It is believed that roses were grown in all the early to visit my grandparents in Bournemouth and they used to civilizations of temperate latitudes from at least get me to deadhead all of those (I thought) bloomy hideous 5000 years ago. They are known to have been coloured evil prickly bushes, that gave me nightmares along grown in ancient Babylon. with the movie, The Day of the Triffids. Paintings of roses have been discovered in Egyptian However I guess as we age our tastes change, and mine pyramid tombs from the 14th century BC. Records certainly have. exist of them being grown in Chinese gardens and We are all aware of those plants and flowers that come in Greek gardens from at least 500 BC and out of fashion, but the rose I guess, is one that always Every summer, the Ruislip Central Horticultural holds a place of its own. I still believe that to have the perfect Society holds a Flower Show in the Great Barn in effect you really need to have a separate (large if at all Ruislip. The main focus for that show is Roses, possible) rose garden. Where just roses hundreds of blooms are displayed grow and are allowed to create a great by many competitors all hoping statement. that their bloom will win the top Recently I visited the RHS Garden at accolade, “Best Exhibit in Show”. Wisley where there is a new Rose garden, Shown here are some pictures of it was the most spectacular garden I think the roses that were on display. I have seen in a very long time, it would So, as I said I have a few select be wouldn’t it, of course it is the RHS roses in my small garden now, after all, however that aside, the way in some of which are pictured here. A Rose Eye Paint which each rose stood and showed off its species Rose called Eye Paint, took glory was spectacular, the colours and my eye at Merriments Garden a few scents were outstanding. years ago, so I grabbed one when I So I have succumbed, and now I have a saw it and it now sits well in the few ‘select’ Roses dotted around the border complementing a similar garden. Of course no ordinary Rose, colour Alstroemeria, also I believe if however, ones which I feel easily fit in and you are going to have a Rose it’s got enhance the borders. to be worth it, so it’s got to look good in the spot you want it for, and To talk about Roses in depth I would need especially for me smell great. One every page of this magazine, and Rose Gertrude Jekyll of the strongest scented roses is volumes more. There are roughly 150 Rosa Gertrude Jekyll, again pictured known species alone, and the garden here taken in my garden this summer. hybrids of those number in the thousands. Every year, new varieties are tested, and some are eventually introduced. So do select your rose carefully, take time and browse some rose specialist catalogues. A great Most Rose (Genus Rosa) species are native to Asia, with one to start with is David Austin Roses, sold in most smaller numbers being native to North America and a few to garden centres and they have a great website too Europe and northwest Africa. Roses from different regions so you can learn about roses and which variety of the world hybridize readily, giving rise to types that overlap suits you. the parental forms, and making it difficult to determine basic species. Fewer than 10 species, mostly And finally a quote, native to Asia, were involved in the A great RCHS “If you enjoy the fragrance of a crossbreeding that ultimately produced Fish & Chip Supper Quiz rose, you must accept the thorns today’s many types of garden roses. Saturday 17th October. which it bears.” Isaac Hayes. There are several major classes of garden A few tickets remaining Until next month. roses. The best-known and most-popular at £10 each. Come and class of rose is that of the Hybrid Tea have an evening of fun. Roses, which accounts for the majority For tickets call Warren of roses grown in gardens and sold in on 01923 451616. florist shops.
Warren
Tropical Paradise
Have you missed out on a summer holiday again this year, or do you still think longingly of that fabulous tropical trip you had a few years back? This time of year, as the summer’s end is not too far away, is when so many of us wish for that exotic holiday we never quite had! So why not try to recreate that Typically Tropical Feel in your own garden instead? The temperatures may not be quite what they might be on a real exotic holiday, but it’ll certainly help to make your garden feel warmer and more appealing …..and you can be sure that it’ll last a lot longer than the classic two week long trip. A tropical oasis might be particularly well suited to an urban garden, where temperatures are often warmer and conditions more sheltered and protected, but even if your garden gets its fair share of frosts you can still make an impact using a mixture of tender and hardy plants all of which have that exotic feel to them. Plant closely or fill ‘gaps’ with
by Pippa Greenwood temporary plantings of the less hardy tropical look plants and you will create that dense, lush looks which spells tropical paradise. Keep plants well watered and fed and they should be full of vigour too.
Lush, large leaves will always help to create a rainforest or exotic atmosphere and you could even grow a miniature banana called Musa ‘Basjoo’, which shows a good degree of hardiness. Ok, so it won’t yield a crop of bananas but it’ll provide a tropical look and a good deal of comment too. Indian shot plants, also known as the cannas are great and fast growing too. For very bold, colourfully striped foliage and screaming orange flowers try Canna ‘Tropicana’, or for a larger than life effect try the banana Ensetes ventricosum ‘Maurelii’ which grows very fast and has wonderfully rich purple-green leaves. If you want more than just foliage (and who doesn’t?) then you might like the idea of some tropical effect flowers added in to the mix. If
so, try the bulbous Eucomis bicolour with out-of-this world greenish yellow flowerheads which give it the common name of ‘pineapple plant’. Another favourite of mine is the Angel’s trumpet. These gorgeous looking plants may be very poisonous but the flowers of Brugmansia (previously known as Datura) as angel’s trumpet is also known, take some beating – choose white, yellow or cream and enjoy their perfume and elegant good looks. Although not hardy if you grow it in a pot it can be kept in the garden during all but the worst weather and then brought out again once it has started to warm up the following spring.
Don’t forget the vertical surfaces such as trellis, walls and fences as they too can be given a floral and foliage makeover. These may look boring now, but will look great when covered with passion flowers, ornamental vines or the pretty Cobea scandens commonly known as the cup and saucer plant. Then add to the ‘action’ using
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a few dramatic features whether living – perhaps a Trachycarpus fortunei palm in open ground or a pot, or in the form of a sculpture or statue. It is well worth checking what is available in local garden centres and junk shops or maybe even the local council recycling centre. Even if you go to the garden centre, statues and garden ornaments are very variable in price and there are now many available which are much more affordable than you might think. Partially hidden with some lush foliage they help to add to the jungle like atmosphere you are creating.
to find your own personal favourite tropical-effect plants to add to the mix. There are plenty to choose from and other plants to consider could include : tree ferns, phoenix palms, yuccas, cordylines, Rodgersia pinnata, Gunnera manicata, Rheum palmatum, cycads (again great in a pot), citrus (including lemons, calamondin orange and other fruiting varieties) which are not always reliably hardy but can be used throughout the summer and then overwintered in a suitable greenhouse, conservatory or window sill and bamboos (including the dramatic
It is always worth visiting local nurseries and garden centres for more ideas and
black-stemmed ‘nigra’, Filipendula rubra, Ligularia, gloriosa lily and Fatsia japonica). So, you see, the potential is there to create a holiday paradise without having to leave home, brave delays at the airport, find a house or pet-sitter…..all you need now is a deck chair and maybe, just maybe a cocktail or two, delivered on a tray! Visit Pippa’s website www. pippagreenwood.com for Nemaslug & other biocontrols, Speed Hoes, Speed Weeders SoftTie, pop-up crop covers, copper tape and lots more besides.
holidays
In and Around
Call 01895 83 33 33 for bookings and information
GREAT DAY OUT
£79pp
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Greenwich Tall Ships & Lunch at the Tower Hotel
Monday 31 August, 2015 • Quote: GS8-IA
The Tall Ships Festival is back in London this August featuring a dozen historic sailing vessels from around the world moored at Royal Greenwich riverside. Many of the ships are open for tours so visitors can see what life is like aboard and get first-hand accounts from crew members. The festival aims to create a carnival atmosphere which also features live shanty music, street theatre, historical characters in re-enactments and market stalls. As a colourful cosmopolitan spectacle the festival is one of the capital’s major attractions. INCLUDED: Visit to Greenwich for the Tall Ships festival • 2-course late lunch at the Tower Hotel, overlooking Tower Bridge • Return coach travel Lunch menu: Soup of the Day or Goat’s Cheese Terrine • Roasted Chicken Breast, Pan-fried Sea Bass or Wild Mushroom Risotto • Viennoiserie Bread & Butter Pudding or Exotic Fruit Salad
GREAT DAY OUT
£59pp
Holidays offered by GN Holidays & Voyages Higher Denham
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Escorted & River Cruise: www.gnvoyages.co.uk
Four Forts of the Solent Cruise & Cream Tea
Coach Breaks: www.gnholidays.com
Wednesday 2 September, 2015 • Quote: FF9-IA
Open 9am to 5.30pm weekdays 9.30am to 12.30pm Saturdays Closed Bank Holiday weekends.
Come with us to Portsmouth and enjoy a three-hour afternoon cruise around the Solent forts - built in the 19th century by Lord Palmerston to protect the eastern approaches to Portsmouth Harbour from invasion by the French - and including a cream tea. INCLUDED: 3-hour afternoon cruise around the four forts of the Solent & Portsmouth Harbour • Cream Tea • Return coach travel
R W I • • r e
Coach Breaks departing from Uxbridge, Ruislip & Slough Brighton & Bluebell Line Steam & Cream
Paddlesteamer PS Waverley Isle of Wight Cruise
Wednesday 9 Sept, 2015 - Quote BB9-2-IA
Friday 18 September 2015 - Quote PS9-IA
GREAT DAY OUT
£59PP
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GREAT DAY OUT
Enjoy a super day out including a visit to Brighton and a steam train ride with a cream tea.
INCLUDED: 90-minute steam train ride on the Bluebell Line with a Cream Tea • Free time in Brighton • Return
£89PP
Join us for a unique cruise on the world’s last seagoing paddle steamer, PS Waverley. As she cruises the Solent, visit the engine room to see her classic steam power in action
coach travel
INCLUDED: PS Waverley return cruise from Portsmouth to Yarmouth or The Needles • Return coach travel
Leeds Castle Festival of Flowers & Lunch at Donnington Manor Hotel
River Avon Christmas Lunch Cruise & Festive Stratford upon Avon
Wednesday 23 September, 2015 - Quote LF9-IA
Thursdays: 3 & 10 December, 2015 - Quote FS12-1/2-IA
GREAT DAY OUT
GREAT DAY OUT
£89PP
£69PP
Come with us to the spectacular Leeds Castle, in Kent, where flower arrangers, designers and artists will create an array of fresh, floral displays. Plus, enjoy lunch at a country hotel. INCLUDED: Entry to Leeds Castle & Festival of Flowers • 2-course lunch at Donnington Manor Hotel, Sevenoaks • Return coach travel
Enjoy a River Avon cruise with a traditional 3course Christmas lunch and see Stratford upon Avon decorated and lit for Christmas. INCLUDED: Free time in Stratford-upon-Avon • 3hour cruise on the Countess of Evesham • 3-course traditional Christmas lunch on-board - starter, main course and dessert • Return coach travel
Christmas on the Isle of Wight
We Love the 60s Spring Party Weekend - Pontins Pakefield, Suffolk Coast
Wednesday: 23 December, 2015 - Quote XW12-IA
Friday 11 March, 2016 - Quote PS3-2-IA
5 DAYS HALF BOARD PLUS
£359PP
Relax and enjoy an effortless Christmas on the Isle of Wight as we take care of all the arrangements. INCLUDED: 4 nights stay at the Shanklin Beach Hotel • 4 dinners and 4 breakfasts plus Christmas Day lunch • Excursions include an island tour with a steam train ride and a visit to the Panto • Coach travel and excursions
4 DAYS HALF BOARD PLUS The Merseybeats
£179PP
Join us at Pontins Pakefield for an over 40s party. Live shows include The Merseybeats, The Ivy League and The Pacemakers plus there’s free drinks every night. INCLUDED: 3 free drinks per person per night - house beers & spirits, wine by the glass, pumped soft drinks & mixers • Full 60s theme entertainment programme • 3 breakfasts & 3 dinners • 3 nights en-suite chalet
Hobbies Are you Birding, Twitching or Watching?
By Kate McLelland
In the late 1980s the arrival of a tiny American songbird (blown off course during its annual migration) in Larkfield, Kent, led to a mass-mobilisation of the nation’s bird lovers. Over the course of several days 2500 “twitchers” crowded into the small Tesco car park that the golden-winged warbler had chosen as its temporary home. This extraordinary event – which has now earned a place in bird-watching history - shows just how much time and effort real enthusiasts are willing to put in when it comes to pursuing their hobby. The definition of a “twitcher” is someone who is willing to travel many miles in order to see a rare bird at first hand and in recent years, social media has significantly increased opportunities for these keen observers to come face-tobeak with their quarry before it moves on.
In the 1980s a twitcher would need to rely on radio or TV reports, or home phone calls from fellow enthusiasts, in order to learn about a rare bird’s visit. Now, thanks to mobile communication, the news can be spread within seconds of the first sighting. Just this year 500 people appeared on a Norfolk
beach in a matter of hours after a rare citril finch - normally only found in alpine areas of Europe – was spotted. One of the observers who rushed to Kent for a glimpse of the American warbler in 1989 told the Guardian newspaper that seeing the bird was “Better than sex … the adrenaline rush was phenomenal”, and this level of excitement and commitment explains why twitchers often find themselves in the media spotlight. But not all bird hobbyists are twitchers: twitching is just one aspect of a pastime that’s surprisingly broad and diverse. Activities may range from a single individual recording sightings in their local area (usually defined as a “birdwatcher”) to members of well organised groups who come together to learn everything they can about bird species, including their nesting habits, environmental usage and migration patterns. These serious hobbyists are known as “birders” and some even travel the world, taking part in competitive events. Our current interest in birds has its roots in the Victorian craze for natural history, which revolved around creating
collections of natural artifacts, and were then displayed in the home. At the same time as Victorian gentlemen were collecting rare birds’ eggs to impress their friends and neighbours, women began wearing feathers in their hats as a fashion statement. The plumage of exotic birds was particularly in demand and in the first quarter of the year 1884 hundreds of thousands of bird skins were imported to Britain from countries such as India and Brazil, including almost 7,000 bird–of-paradise skins.
In 1889 a woman from Manchester called Emily Williamson, shocked to see so many birds slaughtered to satisfy the whims of fashion, set up the Plumage League. This society was patronised by leading figures of the day and later won a Royal Charter. Nowadays it is known as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). The RSPB is still the UK’s leading bird charity and since its early beginnings it has done much to protect endangered species and promote bird welfare. The society’s “Big Garden Birdwatch”, which started over 36 years ago, has
become an important annual event across the country, encouraging householders to contribute to the charity’s research so it can record changes in bird populations. The country-wide network of birdwatchers created by this initiative helps the RSPB keep track of species in a way that would not previously have been possible and provides the opportunity for a rapid response when a decline in population is observed. You can sign up for the Big Garden Birdwatch (held in January each year) by going to the RSPB website (www. rspb.org.uk). Alternatively you may prefer to join one of the society’s local groups (enter a search for “Local Groups” on their website to find an A-Z list). Run by volunteers, these groups provide an opportunity for members to learn more
about birds and wildlife and take part in talks, walks and fundraising events. Birding UK (www.birding. uk.com) also provides information on a range of groups you can join, including “Birding Buddies”, “Bird Photographers”, “Bird Artists” and even “Birding Bikers”.
If you’re just getting started as a bird-watcher then you might like to purchase one of the many low-cost apps available for your mobile phone. Ranging in price from .69p to £12.99, these apps provide a handy guide to identifying birds and recording sightings. Some even provide examples of birdsong to help with identification but care should be taken when playing recorded birdsong in the natural environment, particularly at times when birds are nesting.
“bird-watcher” or a dedicated “birder” or “twitcher” you can be confident that you’ve chosen a hobby that will always offer interest, excitement and fresh challenges. As climate change continues to affect the natural environment - altering breeding and migration patterns - it’s good to know that keen observers are continually monitoring the nation’s birds, recording and passing on vital information that will help preserve these precious populations well into the future.
Whether you’re a simple
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REGULAR & LOCAL EVENTS...
Quiz Night Every Tues & Sunday from 8.30pm at the Coach & Horses, Ickenham Oaken Leaves English Folk Dance Club Meet every Thursday 8.15-10pm at Methodist Church Hall, Ickenham Rd, Ruislip. Call Joan 01895 638008.
Events at Eastcote Royal British Legion club, Southbourne Gardens Zumba Tue & Wed 7-8pm £5. Contact Hayley 07835 120642 or email: hayleyzumba@gmail.com Karate for all levels, beginners welcome contact Frank on 078335 33569 Sats 10am and Mons 6.30pm Weekly Quiz Night ! Every Thurs. Beginners Rock ‘n’ Roll Jive classes Every Monday at Harefield Cricket Club, UB96NE. Doors open 7.30pm, class 8pm. Fun & friendly, no experience or partner required. 1950s Rock n Roll record hop 1st Friday of every month at St Mary's Church Hall, Harefield, UB9 6BX. 7.30pm-11.30pm. Contact: therockingrebels@gmail.com 07947106607 www.facebook.com/ therockingrebels
COMEDY... Comedy Bunker Ruislip Golf Centre Ickenham Road Ruislip HA4 7DQ for more details of visit: www.comedybunker.co.uk Comedy Nights The Empire Comedy Club at The White Bear, Ickenham Road HA4 7DF every Thurs night. Pete 01895 675293
HOBBIES... Brushstrokes Art Classes with Sue Friendly weekly classes with tuition. Beginners welcome. Hayes, Ickenham & Ruislip. Ring Sue 01895 639294 or 07949 805246 Chiltern Aviation Society Meets every 4th Wednesday, Ruislip Methodist Church, Ickenham Road. Call Keith Hayward 01895 637872 Harrow & Hillingdon Geological Society Meet for lectures, 7.30-8pm. Second Wed of each month at Cavendish Pavilion, Field End Road, Eastcote, HA4 9PG. All welcome, visitors £3. Refreshments. Call Jean Sippy on 020 8422 1859 www.hhgs.org.uk Hillingdon Decorative & Fine Arts Enjoy ten expert lectures a year about art
and culture from around Britain and further afield. Join outings to galleries and places of cultural interest. Attend special interest study days. Come along to a lecture, cost £6.00. See www.hillingdondfas.co.uk. Tel:01895 635007 or 07526 179 529 E: technical@hillingdondfas.co.uk
Hillingdon Family History Society At Hillingdon Park Baptist Church, Hercies Road, Hillingdon. Research room open (10am – 1pm) every Fri (except the Fri before the first Sat of the month). On the first Sat of the month open 10am – 1pm at Uxbridge Library. Experienced help available. See www.hfhs.co.uk . Contact Mrs P. Reynolds 01895 444442 or email hillingdonfhs@onetel.com Inland Waterways Association Meet 2nd Tues of every month at Hillingdon Canal Club, Waterloo Road, Uxbridge, UB8 2QX, 7.30pm. middlesex.social@waterways.org.uk Ruislip, Northwood & Eastcote Local History Society The Society meets on the third Monday of the month from September to April at St Martin's Church Hall, Ruislip High Street, at 8.15pm. See RNELHS website for details. Susan Toms, 01895 637134 or e: toms.susan@gmail.com Ruislip & District Natural History Society Meet last Monday of the month from Sept to April (except Dec) in Guide Hut near Ruislip Library. Contact: John Matthews 01895 636215. Ruislip Central Horticultural Society Talks and advice for local gardeners. For more info contact Warren Reeves on 01923 451616 rchstalks@gmail.com Ruislip & Northwood Flower Arrangement Society Meet every 1st Tues of the month at the Northwood & Pinner Liberal Synagogue, Oaklands Gate, Northwood HA6 3AA Ruislip Philatelic Society Meet at South Ruislip Methodist Church, Queens Walk, South Ruislip HA4 0NL on the 3rd Tuesday of each month except August. Meeting and displays and talks each month and an auction three times a year. 7.30pm for 8pm. Tel for details 01895 637283. The Language Clubs of Hillingdon From late Sept until mid-July. Speak some German, Spanish, French or Italian? Want to practise speaking and listening in friendly groups, with recent learners, improvers & native speakers? Each Club meets on a different Thursday of the
month at 7.45pm in St Giles' Church Hall, Swakeleys Road, Ickenham UB10 8BG. For details: German Club 01895 254 723; Italian Club 020 8863 3468; Spanish & French Club 01895 253 472. Uxbridge & Ickenham Floral Art Meets in the village hall, Swakeleys Road. Call 01895 850943 for details. Uxbridge Craft Market Every Wednesday (9am-5pm) at The Pavilions Shopping Centre Arts, Crafts, Gifts and Collectables. www.uxbridgecraft-market.co.uk Wednesday Stitch Club 10-12noon at Hillingdon Tennis Club. All abilities, Tutorial, White work, gold work, crewel work - your choice! Call sue 0208 868 8052.
KEEP-FIT, DANCE & DRAMA... Aikido Classes Yeading Community Centre, UB4 9BH. Seniors: Mon & Fri 8-10pm. Juniors (6yrs+) Fri 6.30-8pm. Learn a non competitive martial art. Friendly British Aikido Board registered club, under Sensei Sheppard 6th dan. See www.kuraiaikido.co.uk. Contact Keith Holland 01895 636344 or email kuraiaikido@hotmail.com Argosy Players Theatre Group Meets at Ruislip Conservative Club, Ickenham Road, West Ruislip. Every Thurs, 8pm. Call Call Wendy on 07956 971849 or visit www.argosyplayers. org.uk. Junior section for children from 8-16yrs meets Thurs 7-8pm. Classical Pilates Mat classes for beginners through to advanced levels, based in Ruislip. Contact Tonja Osborn 07766 011036 or email TonjaOsborn@gmail.com Dance, Gymnastics and Free Running By Futunity Uk in Uxbridge Town Centre & Hillingdon Sports & Leisure centre. Ages 2-adults catered for and all styles of dance from RAD ballet,to Zumba. See www.futunityuk.com. Call 01895 251224/admin@futunityuk.com Empowering Yoga Fusion of Hatha & Vinyasa Yoga Wed 9.30-10.45am at Windmill Studio Centre, Ruislip Manor. Thur 9.30-11am at St Thomas More Church, Eastcote + classes in Harrow. Free Trial Class contact Joanne 0845 4561336 e:info@empoweringyoga.co.uk continued overleaf...
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Eastcote Exercise Classes Metabolic workout class, 45min stretch class. Mon, Tue & Sat. Contact Virginia King 01895 232551 or email virginiaking@vking2468.freeserve.co.uk Fusion Pilates+ Classes Mon 10-11am, St Lawrence Church, 2 Bridle Road, Eastcote, HA5 2SJ and Wed 8:30-9:30pm, Cannon Lane Methodist Church, Pinner, HA5 1JD. Classes run throughout the year. For details contact Lenka 07929 472 194 or email rybickova.lenka@gmail.com Fitness League Tone & Stretch exercises for women of all fitness levels. Tues 7.30-8.30pm at Vyners School, Warren Road, Ickenham UB10 8AB. Call Rosemary 01628 776838. www.thefitnessleague.com Glow Fitness, Food, Friends Classses: Ruislip 6-7.15pm at Field End Junior School, HA4 9PQ . Pinner 6.458pm at Cannon Lane Methodist Church HA5 1JD. Northwood 6-7.15pm at Hillside Junior School, Northwood Way HA6 1RX. Call Sam 01895 460766 or email: sam.simon@glow-fit.co.uk Highgrove Pool Club A programme for over 55’s includes Gym, swim & group exercise sessions with a social area with coffee & teas included, for info contact Angelo Pignone email: angelo.pignone@all.org / 01895 630753 www.better.org.uk/highgrove Images School of Dance Fun and friendly dance & drama classes for all ages including RAD Ballet & Contemporary dance. Based in Ruislip Manor. www.imagesschoolofdance.co.uk e: info@imagesschoolofdance.co.uk Irish Dancing Classes From age 5 upwards. Beginners and advanced classes. Mon, 6pm at Hayes Conservative Club, Church Rd. Wed, 6pm at Greenford Visitation Catholic Church hall. e: Deirdreosullivan@hotmail.co.uk t: 07956 346383 JAM2000 Performing Arts & Agency An explosive and exciting Performing Arts School. Classes available from 2.5 years to adults, male and female at The Windmill Studio Centre. T: 01895 624755 www.thewindmillstudio.com E: thewindmillstudio@gmail.com Jazzercise Dance fitness classes 9.30am and 10.30am every Wed at Ruislip Manor Sports & Social Club, Grosvenor Vale. Call Kelly on 07833 941497
Modern Jive Classes Mon 8-11pm at West Drayton Community Centre. Tues & Thurs 8-11pm at Uxbridge Civic Centre. Beginners welcome – First Night Entry & Free Lifetime membership with this listing. Contact Alan: 0208 933 4350 or 07860 250961 www.clubceroc.com email: alanandsue@clubceroc.com Passion Dance Group At Queensmead Sports Centre & Highgrove Pool. Street Jazz, Ballet, Tap, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Minie Me’z (3-6 years Ballet, Tap & Street), Kids Parties. We offer Shows, Workshops, Competitions and Assessments, Age 3+ all abilities welcome. Call 07882 413428 Pilates Certified Body Control Pilates Teacher (Registered Exercise Professional Level 3). Beginners / Improvers classes at the Stables, Manor Farm, Ruislip. Mon 1.30-2.30pm, Thu 1.30-2.30pm and Sat 9.30-10.30am. Call Elizabeth Roberts for further info: 07771918240 Ruislip Dramatic Society At South Ruislip Methodist Church. Mon 8pm & Thurs 8.15pm. 07854 284508. Salsa Classes Every Monday: The Middlesex Arms, Long Drive, South Ruislip, HA4 0HG.Beginners class 8pm. Improvers/Intermediates: 8.45-9.30pm. Freestyle dancing/practice time til 11pm. Every Wed: TheWatersEdge, Canal Cottages, Packetboat Lane, Cowley, UB8 2JS. Beginners class starts 7:30pm. Improvers/ Intermediates: 8.30-9.30pm. Freestyle dancing/practice time til 11pm Sanders Street - Authentic Street Dance Teaching Hiphop, House, Breakin', Poppin' and Lockin' styles. Specialising in street stance for special needs. Sanders Pandas class, Age 5-11 Wed 5.30-6.30pm at Guide Hall, Community Close, Ickenham. Email info@sandersstreet.co.uk or call Crissy on 07799874003 www.sandersstreet.co.uk Summer Yoga Classes At Cavendish Pavilion, Field End Road, Eastcote and Ruislip Golf Club, West Ruislip. For details call 01895 675426 email jackie@yogawithjackie.co.uk or visit www.yogawithjackie.co.uk The Pilates Club St Giles & The United Reformed Church Halls, Ickenham. Call 07968 920070 www.thepilatesclub.co.uk Wild Forest Gym Outdoor fitness and natural movement training at Grim's Dyke Hotel, Old Redding, Harrow Weald. Also Natural Running & obstacle race training. All
abilities. Mon - Fri. Contact Michael 0845 4561336 info@wildforestgym. com or www.wildforestgym.com Yoga South Ruislip Community Association pregnancy yoga classes 9.45-11.15am at Deane Park Hall, Long Drive, South Ruislip. Call Katja on 07951 763851 Yoga for All Gentle yoga suitable for all. Voluntary contribution. Thurs 4.30pm to 5.30pm at Gateway House, inside North Harrow CAR PARK opposite THE GYM, Pinner Road, HA2 7TA email prabhu.shah@gmail.com Yoga with Yolanda At Ickenham Village Hall every Monday from 6.45pm-8.15pm. Mixed group. For details call 07919 243648
MARKETS... Duck Pond Artisan Food & Craft Market and Farmers’ Market Artisan - on the 3rd Sunday of each month from 10am-3pm, Farmers’ - first Sunday of each month from 10am-2pm. Both at the Great Barn, Ruislip. Free parking. See www.duckpondmarket.co.uk Mad Cat Crafts Wed to Fri 10am-5pm; Sat 10am-4pm at the Great Barn, Ruislip HA4 7SU. www.madcatcrafts.co.uk Northwood Craft Market First Saturday of each month, 10am-2pm, Methodist Church Hall, Oaklands Gate, Northwood. www.northwoodcraftmarket.co.uk Ruislip Country Market Every Fri 10-11.30am - car park at St Martins Approach, Ruislip. Fruit, Veg, eggs, honey and more...
MUSIC... Accord, Ruislip Community Choir Every Thurs evening (TT) at 7.30pm, Ruislip Baptist Church, Manor Way, Ruislip. No auditions! A great fun choir. Call Chris on 07714 226216. Capital Connection Ladies Chorus Singing barbershop harmony and rehearsing every Wednesday evening. Join us at South Ruislip Community Centre, Deane Park, Long Dr, HA4 0HS. For more about joining and bookings visit www.capitalconnection.org.uk or call Vicky 07852315124. Eastcote Choral Society Rehearses every Tuesday from 8-10pm at Ruislip Methodist Church, Ickenham Road. New singers welcome. Call 01895 904556. continued overleaf...
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MUSIC CONTINUED... Ruislip Operatic Society This local theatre group meets every Monday & Thursday at St Martin's Church Hall, 7.30pm. To get involved email: info@ruislipos.org Ruislip Belles and Beaux We are a handbell ringing group. We meet every Monday morning at 10am until 12noon. We meet in the Guide Hut in Ruislip. All are welcome, to get involved email: idoltoad@talktalk.net Showcase Musical Theatre No auditions. We meet every Friday evening at 7.45pm at Hesdin Hall, The Most Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 73 Pembroke Road, Ruislip, HA4 8NN http://showcasemusical theatre.org.uk The Harrow Apollo Male Choir Rehearse every Tues 7.30pm-10pm in the Belmont Room at the Harrow Arts Centre Hatch End. New members welcome. Tel: 020 8959 1244 or www.harrow-apollomale.choir.org Top Jazz at The Fairway Ruislip Golf Centre, Ickenham Rd, West Ruislip. Normally 3rd Monday of the month. For details: 01895 632394 or www.jazzwestlondon.com
PRE-SCHOOL & KIDS GROUPS... Sing & Sign From 6 months Wed at Uxbridge Leisure Centre, Fri at The White Bear, Ruislip. Contact Cathy 07712 047621 or cathyseddigh@singandsign.co.uk
SELF DEFENCE... Silat Kuntao Indonesian Self-Defence Traditional self-defence art from Central Java. Adult classes only. Mon and Wed 8pm-10pm at Denham Village Memorial Hall, Denham, UB9 5BN. Call Philip Davies 07790 496 346 or e: kuntao.matjan.uk@gmail.com.
SELF HELP & SUPPORT... EAR4U Help, support and advice. Meets every Monday at the Orange Couch Café (formerly the D spot), Ruislip Manor from 10am-2pm. Call Ann on 07890 315156 or 01895 672706
SOCIAL GROUPS... Colne Valley Park Conservation Volunteers Every second weekend of the month. Hands on help to protect the wildlife and
landscape of the regional park. For more details contact Steve Ord steven.ord@ groundwork.org.uk or call 07718 043080. Crosier Investment Club Improve personal investment skills. Meets 7.30pm, 3rd Thurs in month at Pinner Village Hall, Chapel Lane, Pinner HA5 1AA. 020 8427 3559 e:secretary@crosierinvestment.org.uk w: www.crosierinvestment.org.uk Friends of Shenley Park Improving the wellbeing and maintenance of flower beds, shrubs and the new flower garden and seating area. Looking for volunteers to help with action days in the park. Please contact Geoff 07931 561020 or Louise 07966 220995 Friendly Rubber Bridge Tuesdays & Fridays, 12noon-4pm at Pinner Bridge Club, 103 Marsh Road, Pinner. For info call Keith 01895 622033 Ruislip Afternoon Group for Women Meets 1st Thursday of every month. Talks, Lunches & outings. Methodist Church Hall, Ickenham Road 2-4pm. Call Mrs R Hall pm 01895 633782 Ruislip Common WI All ladies welcome. We meet on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, 2pm in Room 1, Methodist Church, Ickenham Road, Ruislip, HA4 7BZ. Visit: ruislipcommonwi.weebly.com Ruislip Evening Townswomen Guild A friendly group of women who meet every 4th Thurs of the month from 7.3010pm at Ruislip Methodist Church Hall Ickenham Road, Ruislip. Activities: Speakers, outings, easy walking, social studies, music, quilling, lunches. 01895 674717 / 01923 825521. Ruislip Social Club Tropic at Ruislip at Ruislip Social Club Grosvenor Vale Ruislip HA4 6JQ for Fridays and occasional other nights, live bands & tribute bands for more details visit www.tropicatruislip.co.uk contact and ticketline 0208 707 2256 Ruislip WI Fancy something different but not too taxing, yet fun? We meet every 1st Thursday of the month at Upper Room, GAA Sports & Social Club, West End Road, South Ruislip from 7.20pm-10pm. Kim Murphy 07989 558925 email ruislipeveningwi@gmail.com Women’s Social Group Social group for women in West London. We meet regularly for coffee, a chat and organised trips and welcome women of all ages. Please call Seema on 07730 898635 or email seemaa@seemaa.co.uk
SPORT... Back to Netball Thurs 7-8pm at Queensmead Sports Centre £3 per session for more info email sportsdev@hillingdon.gov.uk Badminton Club At St Pauls Church Hall, Tiverton Road, Ruislip Manor. Every Wednesday at 8pm & 10pm. Call Tony or Ann 01895 472578 Badminton Club Every Tuesday evening 7.45 to 9.45 at Vyners School, Ickenham. Interested? Email John on turksclub@hotmail.co.uk Badminton The Badminton Hall, Kings College Road, Ruislip HA4 7JZ. Tuesday from 10am. Call John 01895 630199 Bessingby Park Bowls Club Every Tues & Thurs, 2-4pm. Call Ian on 0208 582 1801. Bikewise Bike rides from 61 Swakeleys Road. 2nd and 4th Sun of every month. email @bikewisegb.com or 01895 675376. Bowls Deane Park Bowls Club, Bessingby Park, Ruislip. Call Mrs Lathwell on 01895 639489 Bowls Mill Bowling Club, Manor Farm Green, Ruislip. Call Mr Gibson 01895 636106. Dads Army Golf Society Tuesdays & Thursdays at Ruislip Golf Club Come & Join Us!! for more info call Sid on 01895 631489 Ladies Badminton Club Thursdays 2pm-4pm at Eastcote Hockey and Badminton Club, Kings College Road, Ruislip, HA4 7JZ. Call Diane on 01895 634352. Ladies Golf Meets 10am every Monday and Wednesday at Rickmansworth Golf Club new members welcome. Email ladiescaptain@rickmansworthgolf club.co.uk for further details. Swakeleys Tennis Club Adult Social Tennis Club in Ickenham. Would suit people returning to tennis after a break, Four days a week all year. Contact Pam 01895 677149 or Ed 01895 635568 www.swakeleystennis.co.uk Table Tennis Eastcote Community Association require new players to play in Wembley & Harrow League. Call Eve & George Gibson on 01895 636106.
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