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And please let our summertime actually begin. I’ve actually lost count recently of how many mornings I’ve got up, dressed for what started out as a sunny day, only to be adding an extra layer of clothing an hour later and digging the brolly back out. Clothes shopping has lost its appeal, as I don’t know whether to look at tshirts or jumpers and organising anything remotely dependent on the weather can really only be done on the day! On the upside, unlike previous years, when I’m still garden clearing in July, the grass is cut and the geraniums are planted. Albeit against the advice of the local garden centre who did indeed warn me that they could still be killed off by cold weather. Not what you want to hear in May! Think I may also have become a little carried away with my new ob session with solar lights. There are so many to choose from, that I decided not to choose, but sim ply buy the lot! Apologies now to my next door neighbours who must be thinking it’s Christmas over at my house and thanks to my friend, who did warn me that I may in fact be running the risk of planes landing at mine rather than Heathrow. .
You can advertise in this magazine from as little as puts your into all six publications (that’s over 30,000 homes). Tel: 0800 038 5001 Mob: 07759 536494 In and Around Magazines cover: West Drayton . Iver . Denham . Uxbridge Ickenham . Ruislip Angela Fisher 0800 038 5001 / 07759 536494 info@inandaroundpublishing.co.uk
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Children’s Puzzle Page 6 Beauty: Gently Does It 10 Travel: Bravo Barcelona 12 Coffee Break Puzzles 14 Can Someone Please Explain the Offside Rule? 16 RSPCA rehoming appeal 18 Books: It’s a Mystery 20 Driving: Courtesy or Calamity 22 Worried about losing your job? 26 Health: Alzeimers How can we fight back? 28 Recipe: Thai Beef Salad 30 Local Events 32 Film The Event 34 FA Cup Factoids 36 Opinion: Smoke, Mirrors and Customer Service 40 Wordsearch 44 Golden Years: Memories of 50 Years Ago 46 Motoring: Geneva Motor Show 2016 48 Story: The Dithering Dotties 50 Technology: How Safe is Your iphone? 52 Karen Munro: Careers 54 Richings Park Residents Association 56 Gardening Feature 58 Pets Corner 60 Interiors: Spruce up your home office 62 Citizens Advice Bureau 64 Thinking of a guinea pig as your family pet? 64 Clubs, Groups & Classes 66,68,70 & 72 Situations Vacant 74 Puzzle Solutions 74
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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Beauty Gently Does It
Light coloured hair can easily look dull and lifeless, so my go-to hair shampoo this month is the PRO:VOKE Touch Of Silver Brightening Shampoo. I start by prepping with the Pre-Toning Primer, which adds shine and smooths cuticles. The shampoo’s violet pigment then helps to neutralise brassiness and protect my colour. Finally, the intensive conditioner undoes some of the damage caused by my highlighting habit. Plus, as the range starts at just £3.19 in Boots, it doesn’t break the bank.
This month we’re talking oils, hair by Kate Duggan www.kateduggan.co.uk
dyes and (ouch) waxing. Summer is just around the corner, so we can no longer hide away under layers of winter woollies…
We beauty writers tend to focus on new launches. We’re a bit like magpies – easily distracted by new shiny things. But this month I thought I’d celebrate an underrated classic – Fenjal. Just a whiff of the bath oil conjures up images of my grandma, who’s used it since I was tiny. I’m reminded of her every time I open my Fenjal Classic Shower Oil, £5.49, but that’s not the only reason I love it. Packed with natural oils, including grapeseed and soy, it leaves my skin feeling really soft and lightly scented. I’m a big fan of botanical oils and use at least one every day. On my ‘to-buy’ list is andiroba oil. And it’s not just me; according to Lorraine Dallmeier of Formula Botanica, this golden Central American oil has ‘attracted great interest from the cosmetic industry in recent years for its potential anti-inflammatory properties.’ She explains, ‘This oil will nourish your dry and sensitive skin and as an added bonus, it will also repel insects, which makes it an ideal choice for packing when you go on your summer holiday!’ Fancy learning more about natural oils? Formula Botanica has a wide range of online courses, teaching students how to select and blend natural skincare ingredients. 10
As mentioned, my hair is feeling a little harddone-by at the moment, so I’m giving it a rest from bleaching. Instead, I’m using Naturtint, £10.99, to refresh the colour and cover the grey. Probably the gentlest home-colour on the market, Naturtint doesn’t contain any ammonia, parabens, SLS, mineral oils, paraffin, or silicones, so it doesn’t damage my hair. It’s also enriched with plant and seed oils, so leaves my locks really shiny. I’ve hauled my summer clothes out of the loft, and my thick tights have been banished to the back of the drawer for another few months. Unfortunately, that means there’s no escaping the need to regularly de-fuzz. If you’re brave enough to wax, Parissa Warm Wax, £12.99, is one of the simplest ways to ensure hair-free legs for longer. The wax is easy to melt in the microwave, and the fabric strips are strong enough to reuse a few times. (Tip: dust a fine layer of baby powder over your skin before waxing, as it helps to make the wax easier to remove.)
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Ickenham TRAVEL (May16).qxp_IN! Tipss Style Editorials (Mar13) 29/04/2016 07:03 Page 1
TRAVEL
Bravo
Barcelona Tim Howell
I am lucky enough to work for an enlightened software company that insists on taking all its staff on a “team building exercise” in a major European city each year. In practice, this involves a three day, all expenses paid booze up – personally, I’d like to see a lot more team building going on. Last year, the city in question was Barcelona. Our “team” is spread over the UK so we all flew into Barcelona on the Friday morning from a variety of airports and took a fleet of taxis to our spectacular digs, the W Hotel Barcelona. Only recently finished, it looks like a huge silver sail rising above the end of Barcelona Beach. The rooms are ultra-stylish with spectacular views over the city; I was glad I wasn’t the one paying the bill. We had a free afternoon so we formed into loose groups and headed off to indulge in our preferred activities. Some people went for a wander around the Old City but my preferred activity was to sit by the pool and have a few beers with some likeminded colleagues. The afternoon passed very pleasantly in this way until it was time to get changed for dinner. We’d booked a swanky private dining room and the cocktails started flowing as soon as we arrived although, as with most mass catering, the actual food was not as appetising as the menu suggested. The managing director made a rousing speech and that was our corporate duties dispensed with for the duration; we hit the town en masse. Much of the nightlife in Barcelona is centred on Las Rambles, a network of pedestrianised streets lined with bars, shops, eateries and clubs. There are street entertainers galore and literally thousands of tourists. Everyone seemed to have the kind of lively anticipation you get before an FA Cup final but this is par for the course in Barcelona, particularly on a weekend evening. We wandered from bar to bar, losing people as we went, 12
and wound up in a club with live music, singing along to a selection of pop anthems. It was a fantastic evening – and that’s not just the drink talking. One thing I did notice though was that as we got into the early hours of the morning, the streetwalkers got more persistent and the pickpockets became more aggressive. Our MD had to literally hang onto his wallet. I think this is sadly a sign of the times, particularly in Spain. The next day began with the traditional vow never to drink again but, fortified by a magnificent breakfast, I decided to go for a wander with a couple of slightly less hungover colleagues. Barcelona has an incredible cathedral, La Sagrada Familia, which they’ve been building for over a century but still not finished; it truly is breathtaking. We wandered inland to Eixample, the Modernist Quarter, and admired the architecture before heading back through Sants Montjuic to the beach. By this this time I had recovered enough to contemplate my first beer of the day, which was handy because the beaches of Barcelona offer chiringuitos, tapas bars with live music right out on the sand. We went back to the hotel for beach gear and spent the rest of the afternoon chilling on the sand. Saturday night was a much more sedate affair. We split into a smaller group and enjoyed a quiet meal in an Old City restaurant followed by a few drinks and were in bed before the pickpockets had woken from their siesta. The next day was taken up with shopping and a bit of sightseeing before we made our weary way back to the airport for the flight home. Despite the crime problem, which is admittedly common to many European cities, Barcelona is beautiful, vibrant and full of variety. Everyone should visit it at least once before they die. I’m thinking of making it an annual event.
Tim Howell
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Ickenham OFFSIDE RULE (May16).qxp_IN! Tipss Style Editorials (Mar13) 29/04/2016 07:53 Page 1
SPORT
Will Somebody Please Explain the Offside Rule...
S
aturday 21st May is FA cup final day. Footie fans up and down the land will be involved in animated discussions along the lines of...
“It should definitely be banned. It’d open up the field and create more goal-scoring opportunities. Defenders would have to be more alert.” “Are you mad? You’d get players hanging around the goal line waiting for a touch. It’d be easier to score but so boring it wouldn’t be worth watching”
At this point I need to make clear that being offside in itself is not an offence. He is only classed as offside if, as well as satisfying the previous three points, he is: • Deemed by the referee to have participated in the area of active play. And this is the bit of the offside rule which causes all the arguments because it’s open to debate what ‘participated in the area of active play’ actually means.
“Like Bayern Munich versus Arsenal?” “Yeah, exactly. Fancy another pint?” They are of course referring to the notoriously difficult to understand offside rule. The offside rule has attained mythical status over the years. It states: A player is offside when the ball is kicked by a team-mate (that bit is important) if the referee thinks he satisfies all four of the following: • He is in his opponents’ half of the field • He is nearer the opponents’ goal line than the ball, i.e. in front of the ball • He is nearer the opponents’ goal line than the second last opponent, i.e. in front of him (The last opponent is generally the goalkeeper)
The Offside Trap This involves the defending team collectively moving away from their goal to catch an opposition striker in an offside position. Clearly, this carries the danger of the match officials not spotting the infraction and the striker being left facing only the goal keeper, and a great opportunity to score. 16
FIFA tried to clarify the definition back in 2005 with the following: • Interfering with play by touching the ball • Obstructing an opponent trying to get to the ball • Gaining an advantage from being in an offside position - including playing a ball which has rebounded from the post or crossbar. Judging by the debates which still rage up and down the land I’m not entirely sure that FIFA has laid that one to rest.
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Registered Charity No: 263515
Thank you for your support . We can’t do it without you! We have many rabbits and guinea pigs looking for caring homes, we also have a gorgeous pair of chinchillas looking for forever homes, if you have the space and time to care for any of our small animals that are desperately looking for loving homes please contact us or go on line and fill out an application form. Our clinic on Crescent parade in Hillingdon have started up a vet nurse clinic Tuesday and Thurs day mornings, where people can book in and have their animals micro chipped for £10 for more infor mation or to book an appointment please contact our clinic 01895 270926
great condition, and give them the love they de serve. Guinea pigs are sociable and friendly ani mals, but like all pets, require commitment to their specific accommodation, dietary and health needs. First time owners should do their research first, to understand what is involved. Our animal welfare staff are also always happy to provide any advice needed. If you can offer a home to any of our lovely little furry friends, please contact us.
We are in need of towels and fleecy bedding for the animals at our Homing Centre. If you have any spare, please contact us or drop them into our Hillingdon Clinic (16 Crescent Parade) or one of our charity shops. Any donation however small can make a big difference to the animals at the centre. We are also in need of toys for the many dogs in our care to play with, to make their time more fun while they are waiting to find their forever homes. THANK YOU!
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Chilli and Pepper are our lovely pair of Chinchillas looking for a home. This pair need to be rehomed together, and to not join with any other existing Chinchillas you may already have. As Chinchillas *We have an Amazon Wish List for anyone wishing need specialist care, these would not be suitable unless you have previous experience with keeping to send items from outside the local area please Chinchillas and have the space that they need to visit our website or contact us for more informa exercise. Chilli and Pepper are both friendly and tion thank you so much* are able to be handled, sometimes they even eat from your hand! This lovely pair would make a great addition to a home, providing they received the care they needed. Could you be the happy ending Chilli and Pepper so desperately need? Bing & Flopsy 1 to 3 years Male Black and White Guinea Pigs These handsome boys Bing If you think you can offer one of our animals a and Flopsy came to our homing centre as their loving home then please ring RSPCA Hillingdon last owners were allergic to them. Being a longer haired breed, they need a family that has the time Branch on or visit our website to undertake their grooming needs to keep them in to download an application form
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It’s A Mystery
Few things beat curling up with a good mystery. Whether you prefer a classic whodunit, a gritty crime novel, or a supernatural thriller, there’s sure to be something to tempt you in our pick of the latest releases. In the Dark, In the Woods – Eliza Wass While aimed at the young adult audience, In the Dark, In the Woods definitely crosses the age barrier. Castley Cresswell lives with her siblings, broken mother and domineering father, in a rundown house in the woods. Her father tells her that they are the chosen ones, and that he is God’s conduit. As with all teenagers, Castley struggles with being ‘different’ from her school peers, and starts to question her parents’ ideology. Will she find the strength to break free from her father? Will he let her? Quiet Neighbors – Catriona McPherson Needing a place to run, Jude flees to a Scottish town, and the quiet solace of the tumbledown bookstore. Staying in a gravedigger’s cottage, she begins to unravel some of the town’s closely-guarded secrets. This is a novel of quiet mysteries to puzzle over, rather than a gruesome whodunit. Nevertheless, the characters will keep you turning the pages until night has fallen and your tea has long gone cold. 20
Switcheroo – Aaron Elkins Switched identities, unsolved murders and a gorgeous setting to boot, Switcheroo has them all. This is Elkins’ 18th book featuring the forensic anthropologist Gideon Oliver, and fans say it’s one of the best to date. Investigating a cold case in Jersey dating from the 1960s, Gideon discovers a web of deceit, dating to before the war, when two boys were swapped by their fathers. Not quite as gripping as some in the genre, Switcheroo is nevertheless a very enjoyable read. What She Never Told Me – Kate McQuaile Back in Ireland due to her mother’s death, Louise is hoping to finally find out who her father is. Does a stranger hold the answers? Who is the little girl in her memories and why do they leave her feeling so unsettled? A psychological thriller with twists and turns aplenty, this could well end up on this year’s bestseller list. Prepare to put everything aside for a few hours, as you won’t want to put it down. A must for fans of Before I go to Sleep, Girl on a Train and Little Face.
The Deadlock Trilogy Box Set – P.T. Hylton If you like your mysteries to have a supernatural edge to them, and more than a touch of horror, The Deadlock Trilogy needs to be on your wish list. Convict Frank returns to his childhood home - a backwater town in Tennessee - to find that things have taken a turn for the bizarre. Brilliantly original, well-plotted and skilfully narrated, this trilogy is a real find. Perfect for fans of early Stephen King. The Hollow Men - Rob McCarthy Police surgeon Dr Harry Kent is known as a man with a weakness for lost causes. So when a teenager takes a group of people hostage, then later seems to be in clear danger himself, Harry can’t help but get involved. As he works to find out what drove the boy to such desperate measures, Harry starts to uncover a trail of deception and cruelty. Gritty, tense and fast paced, this is the first in a new series starring Dr Harry Kent, and fans are already clamouring for more.
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Finance
Worried About Losing Your Job? Your Rights As An Employee By Ann Haldon
business could be sold on.
If this happens, the first 14 days are crucial for employees. • If you’re made redundant during this period, you become an ‘ordinary creditor’ and are placed at the bottom of the list for payment. If your employer is struggling financially, you might be worried about losing your job. Many companies go into administration rather than liquidation, however, which means that it’s not necessarily the end for the business. Companies can be restructured and sold on as a ‘going concern,’ with staff being transferred over to a new employer under strict protective regulations. Unfortunately, other companies do enter a liquidation process which effectively closes them down, and results in the unavoidable loss of all jobs. So let’s have a look at what happens in instances like these, to give you an idea of what it means for you as an employee. Your emploYer goes into administration The process of administration provides a breathing space for your employer to obtain professional advice, and consider all possible options to save the company. They may be experiencing temporary cash flow problems, in which case there’s a chance the 26
• If you’re retained as an employee after the initial 14-days, this makes you a ‘preferential creditor’ and puts you in a better position financially if you’re made redundant later on. What You can claim as a preferential creditor You’ll be entitled to receive specific payments from the sale of assets should the company be closed further down the line. If that happens you should approach the insolvency practitioner dealing with the process, and obtain the relevant claim form. You’ll be able to claim for: • Any salary or commission outstanding for the four months leading up to closure, up to a maximum of £800 in total. • Up to six weeks of accrued holiday pay. • Some occupational pension payments. Any payments due to you prior to the four-month timescale, or from other sources, are paid under ‘ordinary creditor’ status. It’s often the case, though, that insufficient funds are generated
from the sale of business assets to pay most creditors. In these instances you can turn to the National Insurance Fund for help. the national insurance fund (nif) The National Insurance Fund holds cash reserves that cover payments including redundancy, salary and holiday pay. You may be entitled to make a claim in this way if: • You’ve not been able to obtain full payment as a preferential creditor. • You were made redundant during the first 14 days of administration. • The company was liquidated straight away. At the time of writing, the limit on payments via the National Insurance Fund is £475 per week, with £14,250 being the maximum amount of statutory redundancy pay available in each case. You can claim for: • Up to eight weeks’ wages. • Up to six weeks’ holiday pay. • Unpaid pension contributions. • Your statutory notice period if no notice was given by your employer, or you worked your notice but haven’t been paid. If you need to claim for statutory sick pay or maternity/ paternity/adoption pay, these are made via the Department of Work and Pensions, and
HM Revenue and Customs respectively. When the period of administration ends The worst-case scenario at the end of administration is that the company closes down. All jobs will be lost, but you may be eligible to claim the redundancy pay mentioned above, depending on certain criteria. You must have worked for your employer for a continuous period of two years in order to be eligible, with the amount due being based on your weekly pay, age, and the length of time that you’ve worked at the same place. This is how redundancy pay is calculated, with a maximum of 20 years’ employment being applied: • Below the age of 22: half a week’s pay for each complete year with your employer.
• Aged between 22 and 40 inclusive: a full week’s pay for each completed employment year.
that employment terms and conditions at the point of transfer are protected in the main. This is a reassuring aspect in what is often an unsettling experience for members of staff.
• Aged 41 and over: one and a half week’s pay for each year worked with your employer.
the process of transferring to a neW companY If your employer’s business has been sold to another company, specific rules protect your rights as an employee. During an administration process, the insolvency practitioner is entitled to request changes to employee contracts if it means the company stands a better chance of survival (known as ‘permitted variations’), but apart from that your contract should be unaffected. The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment), or TUPE legislation, ensures
What happens if the business is liquidated? During a liquidation process, all business assets have to be sold in order to generate as much cash as possible to repay creditors. Unfortunately this often means that employees get very little, if any money, which is where claiming via the NIF is extremely helpful. https://www.gov.uk/redundantyour-rights/redundancy-pay https://www.citizensadvice.org. uk/work/work-comes-to-anend/redundancy/redundancypay/#h-who-has-the-right-tostatutory-redundancy-pay
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Health
By Alison Runham www.alison.runham.co.uk
Alzheimer’s: How Can We Fight Back?
Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia in the UK, affecting over 500,000 people - and public awareness is higher than ever, thanks partly to Terry Pratchett’s well-publicised diagnosis and death. But as we welcome Dementia Awareness Week (May 15th-21st), are we any closer to understanding Alzheimer’s causes - and preventing or curing it? What Causes Alzheimer’s? In Alzheimer’s patients, betaamyloid protein builds up to form ‘plaques’ or ‘tangles’ in the brain, preventing nerve cell connections and eventually causing loss of brain tissue. There is also a neurotransmitter shortage. These problems produce dementia symptoms such as memory loss, behaviour changes and a decreased ability to process information and stimuli, which increase in number and severity over time. Can We Prevent Alzheimer’s? Some risk factors for Alzheimer’s are unavoidable. Alzheimer’s is more common if: • You’re over 65 (occurrence rapidly increases over 85). • There is a family history of Alzheimer’s or you carry the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene or MTHFD1L gene. 28
Other genes are specifically responsible for rare, earlyonset Alzheimer’s (although this is not solely hereditary). • You have Down’s syndrome, which can cause amyloid plaque build-up in the brain. • You’re a woman – even accounting for your longer lifespan, although it’s not clear why. Avoidable risk factors: • Excessive alcohol intake. • Heart disease risk factors such as smoking (including passive smoking), lack of exercise, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and being overweight. • A lack of mental activity - so keep your mind active by reading, playing strategic games (e.g. chess) or completing word puzzles. Diabetes, depression and head injury also increase the risk of Alzheimer’s. While not necessarily ‘avoidable’, you can lower your chance of developing depression and diabetes through lifestyle choices, seek treatment for depression, and wear a helmet when biking or engaging in hazardous pursuits to reduce risk of head injury. Although more research is required, recent studies suggest risk can also be reduced by: • Sleeping on your side rather than your back or stomach, allowing the brain to remove waste products more efficiently. • Getting enough sleep. • Reducing your stress. • Staying sociable and avoiding loneliness. • Following the MIND diet: plenty of vegetables (in particular, green leafy ones), along with nuts, berries,
beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil and wine (in moderation), and limiting intake of red meats, butter, hard margarine, cheese, pastries, sweets, and fried or fast foods. Can We Cure Alzheimer’s? Not yet. However, there are treatments to alleviate symptoms. Cognitive Stimulation: enjoyable activities that stimulate thinking and encourage engagement. CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy): to help sufferers discuss concerns and adopt more positive ways of thinking. Alternative Therapies such as aromatherapy, massage or music therapy. Drug treatments: cholinesterase inhibitors such as Donepezil (Aricept), Galantamine (Reminyl) and Rivastigmine (Exelon) increase levels of the neurotransmitter acetycholine, They can sometimes improve brain function in sufferers with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s. For severe Alzheimer’s (or moderate Alzheimer’s, unresponsive to cholinesterase inhibitors), Memantine (Ebixa or Axura) may slow the decline in brain function. Medicines to reduce depression, agitation, anxiety and aggression may also be given. Hope for the Future Researchers are working on Alzheimer’s prevention, identification of further genetic markers and potential treatments such as ultrasound waves and drugs already used for diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.
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Join in the warehouse or online: www.warehouses.costco.co.uk/membership The annual membership fee for Standard Trade Membership is £20 (plus VAT), which includes a complimentary card for your spouse or domestic partner. The annual membership fee for Standard Individual Membership is £25 (plus VAT), which includes a complimentary card for your spouse or domestic partner.
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Salad Thai Beef
Serves 4
Ready in 50 minutes, plus marinating time This colourful and fragrant main-meal salad is great for easy entertaining. Choose thick pieces of steak and take care not to overcook them or they will become tough and chewy.
Ingredients: • • • • • • • • • • •
2 x 175g sirloin steaks 1 tbsp lime juice 2 tbsp light soy sauce 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 1 tsp dried chilli flakes 6 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced 8 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced 100g fresh bean sprouts 1/4 cucumber, thinly sliced 4 firm plum tomatoes, quartered 200g mixed salad leaves
FOR THE DRESSING • • • • •
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juice of 2 limes 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce 2 tsp brown sugar 1 tbsp fresh chopped coriander 1 tsp finely chopped lemon grass
Place the steak in a shallow dish. Mix together the lime juice, soy sauce, garlic and chilli flakes. Season with freshly ground black pepper and cover and leave to marinate for 1 hour. Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle until very hot. Add the steak and cook for 4-6 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan, cover with foil and leave to rest for 15 minutes. Toss together the spring onions, radishes, bean sprouts, cucumber, tomatoes and salad leaves. Mix together all the dressing ingredients, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Slice the warm steak thinly across the grain. Toss gently into the salad with the dressing. Pile into a large shallow serving dish and serve immediately, or leave to cool and serve chilled.
TIP Lemon grass stalks are sold in small packs
by the fresh herbs in the supermarket. You only need a small amount to give an extra zesty fragrance to the dressing but the stalks will keep for 1-2 weeks in the fridge. Try adding chopped to curries, fruit salads or infuse in hot water for a refreshing alternative to tea.
TANDOORI RESTAURANT 74 Oxford Road, New Denham Uxbridge, Middx, UB9 4DN 01895 239503 Website: www.maya-tandoori.com
Email: info@maya-tandoori.com
Sunday Buffet
Tuesday Gourmet Night
12 Noon - 10pm (All Day) A variety of freshly prepared vegetarian & non vegetarian dishes
£10.95 (Eat in only)
£7.95 adult £4.50 children under 12
Takeaway Offer
Starter Main Course Side Dish Naan or Rice (any seafood £3.50 extra)
Restaurant Offer
15% Off when you order over £25. Collection only
15% Off when you book a table for 4 or more FOOD ONLY
Bring this voucher with you.
Bring this voucher with you.
Not to be used in Conjunction with any other offer
Not to be used in Conjunction with any other offer 31
Dated Events (May16).qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2016 10:40 Page 1
MAY EVENTS
Local Events May 2016 32
available. 1st year membership 50% discount. All ages welcome - please wear flat shoes. For more details contact: Jennifer Johns (Sec) 01895 833845.
Hillingdon Canal Club Talk 10th May Hillingdon Canal Club, Waterloo Road, Uxbridge, UB8 2QX. Tony Brooks on ‘Getting your Boat Ready for the Season.’ Email: middlesex.socials@waterways. org.uk for details.
HUBB Business Breakfast Event 12th May, 8am-9.30am Bay Lodge, 36 Harefield Road, Uxbridge, UB8 1PH. Metro Bank hosts a presentation on 'supporting local businesses' Ali Pirbhai, the regional Commercial Banking Director will discuss the banks vision since floating in March 2016. The local Director and local business manager will also be there to discuss what makes Metro Bank a community bank and how they are different. To book email: helen.thompson@ wardwilliams.co.uk or visit : www.wardwilliams.co.uk Ruislip Stamp Fair 14th May The Ruislip Methodist Church Hall, Ickenham Road, HA4 7DG. For details call 01895 637283. Butterflies Table Top Sale & Coffee Morning 14th May, 9.30am-1pm Ickenham Village Hall, Swakeleys Road, Ickenham, UB10 8GD. Crafts, Gifts, Jewellery, Cards, Books, unwanted treasures, Homemade cakes and a Raffle. Admission: Adults 50p; Children free. Good access. To hire a table contact Vera Layton on 01895 635224 or Chris on 01895 676900 email: Butterflies ickenham@yahoo.com Denham Bowls Club Open Day 14th & 21st May, 10am-1pm Ickenham Village Hall, UB10 8FU. Come along and try Lawn Bowls. Coaching and equipment
Ickenham & Swakeleys Horticultural Society Plant Sale 17th May, from 8pm-9pm and 18th May, from 2.30pm-3.30pm Trading Hut, Clubhouse Lane, Ickenham, UB10 8FU. Members only for information see: www.ickenhamhorticultural.org.uk
Uxbridge Choral Society & Aylesbury Choral Society 22nd May, 7pm Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Botwell Lane, Hayes, Middlesex UB3 2AB. Together performing Verdi’s ‘Requiem’. Tickets: £12 (u12’s £6) on the door or from www. uxbridgechoralsociety.org.uk Lunchtime Classical Music Concert 25th May, 12.15pm. St Martin’s Church Hall, corner Eastcote Road and High Street, HA4 6DG. John Franger Fisher (Piano). Veterans Breakfast Club 28th May, from 9.30am The Good Yarn pub, High Street, Uxbridge. All Veterans and Military personnel welcome. Family Fun Day 30th May, 11am-5pm Ickenham Cricket Club, Oak Avenue, UB10 8UT. Free Entry. Car Parking. Rides, games and bouncy castle, cream teas, BBQ and Bar plus lots more. Come along rain or shine.
ADVANCE NOTICES Ladies in the Night Walk 10th June, Walk starts 10pm The 6th Annual Michael Sobell Hospice 'Ladies Night Walk' for
more info : www.michaelsobell hospice.co.uk or call 0203 826 2363/2367. Ickenham Jumble Trail 11th June, 9am-1pm Ickenham. Community 'yard sale' throughout Ickenham. Stall map for buyers and registration for sellers at www.ickenhamjumbletrail.co.uk Annual Summer Fayre 11th June, 12noon-3pm Denham Village Infant School, Cheapside Lane, Denham Village, UB9 5AE. Bouncy Castle, BB!, Grand Raffle/Auction Refreshments plus lots more with a special activity for Fathers Day and a Street party to celebrate the Queen’s 90th Birthday.
LIVE MUSIC EVENTS Champers Bar 184 Field End Road, Eastcote, HA6 1RE. 15th May Ash Lee & Guitar Rock 'n' Roll Night 21st May FA Cup Final Day BBQ & School Disco 5th June The Beatniks The Falcon Inn Village Road, Denham, UB9 5BE. 11th May Morris Dancers 27th May Steve Brown Rat Pack Tribute The Swan at Iver 2 High Street, Iver, SL0 9NG. 7th May Swing & Soul Show with Terray & Stuart Wilson 20th May First Appearance at The Swan for Red Herring 28th May Return of Funktional! The WatersEdge Packet Boat Lane, Cowley, UB8 2JS. 27th May Swing & Soul Show with Terray & Stuart Wilson
Please send us your details to be included in the June issues by Friday 13th May.
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Ickenham OPINION (May16).qxp_IN! Tipss Style Editorials (Mar13) 29/04/2016 07:27 Page 1
OPINION
Smoke, Mirrors and Customer Service
If you’re like me, you probably enjoy the adverts for Plusnet Broadband. They feature a plain speaking Yorkshire cheeky chappie and it’s easy to believe that the broadband itself is fashioned from millstone grit quarried in the Yorkshire Dales. Plusnet is all about the customer service we’re assured; the call centres are all in the UK, no doubt staffed by people who used to toil in t’ mill until foreign competition devastated Britain’s textile industry. Plusnet’s growing band of happy customers are much happier with the service they receive than those who use BT, Talk Talk and so on. This is important because, in my experience, BT has probably the worst customer service of any company in the known universe. It is even worse than HMRC, although I must concede that HMRC isn’t actually a company and I don’t consider myself a customer of it, more of a victim really. BT provides my business phone lines for the simple reason that BT is the only organisation capable of supplying landlines in the town where my offices are. I don’t know if you’ve ever had a business line installed by BT, but I can tell you that the onward march of a glacier is like a top fuel dragster getting off the line compared to waiting for a BT engineer to come in and connect your phone line. I had a fault on one of my lines and it took no less than five visits before the engineer finally managed to fix it. BT might be a phone company but their reluctance to actually speak to any of their customers verges on paranoia. When I did finally get to speak to someone, they insisted on testing the line and then assured me that there was nothing wrong with it, despite being almost deafened by the crackling noise that I was phoning to complain about. Eventually an engineer was despatched to arrive between 8.00am and midday. That is as precise as BT gets when it comes to predicting arrival times but I 40
can be far more accurate than that. The engineer will call you at 7.45, ideally when you’re out walking the dog, to inform you that he’s standing outside the office waiting to be let in. This is what happened on four out of five occasions; on the other occasion I arranged for him to come in the afternoon and he didn’t show up at all. So, we’ve established that BT provides truly appalling customer service, whereas Plusnet’s growing legion of customers are very happy with the service they receive. But here’s the thing, can you guess who actually owns Plusnet? That’s right, it’s BT. In the words of BT themselves, Plusnet is a sub-brand aimed at a different category of customer. Presumably the category of customer in question is the kind that have got so frustrated by BT’s customer service that they’ve moved to the woods, built a rudimentary latrine and become full time spoon whittlers. Other organisations do the same thing; if, for instance, your tumble dryers have a reputation for bursting into flames, change the name on the front of them to something else. When you get down to it though, it’s little different to a dodgy plumber ceasing trading as 1st Class Plumbing Services and starting up again as AA Heating engineers because Trading Standards are breathing down his neck. At the end of the day, brands are painstakingly built on providing good quality products or a high standard of service, often on both. Mercedes Benz is a premium car brand because they unfailingly make solidly built, desirable cars. So perhaps BT should forget about creating snappy new brands so their customers don’t know who they’re really dealing with and concentrate on improving their customer service so people will choose to deal with them rather than because there is no other option.
Howard Clemmow
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Golden Years
Memories of 50 Years Ago by Ted Bruning
It sometimes seems that the world is being engulfed by an unstoppable tsunami of terrorism. The Islamic world in particular is in flames from Nigeria to the Hindu Kush; the seas and beaches of the Mediterranean are awash with a flotsam and jetsam of drowned refugees; and as nobody can agree either on the cause or the solution there seems no end in sight. The present horrors are on such a vast scale because the political upheavals that caused them were themselves so vast. But if you look back 50 years you might perhaps conclude that little has changed: in 1966 the Vietnam War was intensifying; the Biafran War was erupting; India and Pakistan were also at war; as many as 70,000 Egyptian troops, as well as Saudi and Jordanian forces, were bogged down in the eightyear Yemeni Civil War. Nowhere, it seemed, was immune – not even Britain, where on 7th May 1966 the petrol-bombing of a Belfast pub started a fire that burned for 28 years. The conventional narrative of the Troubles is that the flashpoint came in August 1969 with the Battle of the Bogside, three days of nationalist riots in support of Northern Ireland’s hitherto-peaceful Civil Rights movement. The riots followed a bloodless bombing campaign against water, telephone, and 46
electricity installations which was blamed on the IRA and which forced the resignation of the province’s moderate prime minister, Terence O’Neill. But in reality, the violence had started three years earlier, and the IRA – which at the time was virtually defunct – had nothing to do with it. The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association had been formed in 1964 to campaign against discrimination against the province’s Roman Catholics in jobs, housing, education, public spending, and political representation, and O’Neill was well-disposed to negotiations. Alarmed, the Protestant community reacted. Ian Paisley founded the Ulster Constitutional Defence Committee and its paramilitary wing, the Ulster Protestant Volunteers, and an ex-military policeman named Gusty Spence founded the Ulster Volunteer Force. It was Spence’s UVF that drew the first blood. On 8th March 1966, the IRA summoned up the energy – and the dynamite – to blow up a statue of Nelson in Dublin (pictured above). Spence’s UVF retaliated two months later, petrol-bombing a Catholic-owned bar in the largely Protestant Shankill Road. The only casualty was the bar’s neighbour, 77-yearold Protestant widow Matilda Gould, who died of her injuries in hospital six weeks later. And with that horrible irony, the Troubles had begun. In the years that followed some 3,600 were murdered – nobody knows for certain how many. Maybe 800 of them were security personnel, and many of the civilian dead were terrorists
themselves – again, nobody knows for certain how many. Most, though, were blameless pubgoers and passers-by, bombed or shot at random, or chosen for torture and death as suspected informants. But how did it all come to an end? Who won and who lost? Well, democracy won, as it always does. The nationalists secured some concessions, but as long as Northern Ireland remains firmly attached to the UK they can hardly claim victory. The Troubles fizzled out because the insurgents ran out of energy and the democratic politicians kept their nerve. They were tough, uncompromising, and determined. But they made it clear that while the terrorists weren’t going to win anything, there’d always be a place at the table for them – as in Israel, Kenya, and Cyprus – if they renounced violence. In the end, and after serving 18 years for murder, even Gusty Spence, the man who started it all, saw sense and became a democratic politician. Could the same process bring peace to the Middle East? Could Al-Baghdadi one day take his seat as a Syrian MP? Remember Menachem Begin; remember Jomo Kenyatta; remember Archbishop Makarios. Perhaps we should send Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness to Razza to talk some sense into him!
Happy 50tH BirtHdays to
Janet Jackson (16th), Eric Cantona (21st), Helena Bonham-Carter (26th), and Heston Blumenthal (27th)
Cake and botox to you all!
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1 A v d
£ £
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Motoring
Geneva Motor Show 2016 By James Baggott
The Geneva Motor Show is one of the biggest events on the automotive calendar, and is an opportunity for the largest car manufacturers in the world to showcase their new models and technology. With hundreds of stands spread across vast halls, the motor show at Geneva gives a real insight into the direction that the motor industry is heading. Renault Scenic Putting the humble Scenic beneath a fire-breathing Bugatti may seem a little odd, but the MPV’s importance can’t be understated. This size of vehicle has been waning in popularity of late, owing to the growth of the SUV and crossover in the family car market. The Scenic is hoping to fight back, bringing with it more radical styling and a design that will no doubt attract younger buyers back to the MPV. Jaguar F-Type SVR It may have a snarling cat on the bonnet, but this is no ordinary Jaguar. fastest production car, this latest Jaguar is the Set to be the company’s first to have been worked on by Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operation department. Capable of 200mph, the SVR is faster and lighter than a standard F-Type – and is £20,000 more expensive, too. Sitting at £110,000, the SVR features a deployable rear spoiler and added aerodynamic pieces designed to make it as stable as possible at high speed. Alpine Vision Concept French manufacturer Alpine is hoping to make a grand return to the motoring world with its Vision Concept. A reveal in Monaco confirmed that the display vehicle is 80 per cent of the production car – and breaks with Alpine tradition by mounting the engine in the middle of the car rather than the rear. If the concept is popular enough, it will no doubt propel Alpine into a full return to form. Audi Q2 Audi’s Q-series of cars has been ever-popular, offering drivers a raised ride height while maintaining excellent on-road characteristics. The Q2 will be the smallest of Audi’s SUVs, with entry-level models coming with front-wheel drive. Of course, more expensive Q2s will come with Audi’s popular Quattro all-wheel-drive system, which should mean that despite its diminutive size the Q2 will still be a capable off-road vehicle. Volvo V90 The V90 joins the 90 Series range, with both estate and saloon built on Volvo’s ‘Scalable Platform Architecture’. Available with petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid set-ups, there’s also the choice of an all-wheel-drive mode, too. With Volvo’s history of producing reliable and good looking estate cars, we expect this one to be popular with families when it goes on sale later this year.
Bugatti Chiron Everyone knows of the legendary Bugatti Veyron, the W16-powered, 250mph hypercar, which has spent 11 years at the top of the motoring chain. It’s time, however, for a new model. Enter the Chiron. Named after Bugatti’s most successful driver, Louis Chiron, this latest model is reported to produce more than 1,400bhp and is capable of 288mph. The Chiron has been completely redesigned, but does contain elements of the Veyron. Likely to be the car of the event, the Chiron should completely rewrite the rule book in terms of speed and acceleration. 48
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Short Story Finance
Your Job?
Worried About Losing The Dithering Dotties
Your Rights As An Employee
Martha was thankful that the sun had finally decided to shine. Since moving into her new house she had been so busy decorating that she had not given any thought to the increasingly overgrown garden that accompanied it. She had never been a particularly enthusiastic gardener, but even she could see that the weeds were now outnumbering the If your employer is struggling plants. financially, you might be Naturally, four losing your old Rosie worried about your didn’t mind. She was happy job. Many companies go into scrambling between old runner administration rather than bean canes, chattering away to liquidation, however, which herself, looking for snails. means that it’s not necessarily Martha whether her the end wondered for the business. granddaughter’s boisterous Companies can be presence would giverestructured the and sold on as a ‘going Dithering Dotties something concern,’ with staff being else to whinge about. The transferred over to next a new two elderly sisters door employer under strict protective were her only neighbours, but regulations. Unfortunately, since she moved in they had other nothing companies done but do tut enter about the a liquidation squeaking ofprocess her frontwhich gate, refused to closes accept them parcels on effectively down, her twitched their and behalf resultsand in the unavoidable curtains loss of allevery jobs.time she left the house. So let’s have a look at what “Are you ready for a drink happens in instances like Rosie?” she called, “All this these, to give you an idea of playing is thirsty work isn’t it?” what it means for you as an The cheerful four year old employee. bounced to her feet and came Your emploYer goes running over. into administration “Grandma, you know the The process of at administration fairies that live the bottom provides a breathing space of your garden?” Rosie asked for your employer to obtain breathlessly. professional advice, and Martha smiled. “Yes dear.” consider all possible options to “I heard talking just may now.” save thethem company. They “Oh really? Whattemporary did they say?” be experiencing cash in clear whichout “Theyflow saidproblems, you should caseleaves there’s a chance the the from your guttering.” 50
“That’s nice.” Martha businessthe could handed childbea sold on. beaker of juice. If this happens, the first 14 days “Grandma.” are crucial for employees. “Yes, dear.”made redundant • If you’re “What’s duringguttering?” this period, you become anthe ‘ordinary creditor’ “It’s the pipe rain runs and are placed atamused. the bottom down.” Martha was of the the fairies list for say payment. “Did anything else?” • If you’re retained as an employee after thebecause initial “Yes. They said just 14-days, thiscompletely makes you a you can never creditor’ and get‘preferential rid of bindweed,” Rosie puts youwith in athe better position struggled unfamiliar financially if you’re words, “doesn’t meanmade you have later on. to redundant make a feature of it.” “Oh really?” raisedas hera What You Martha can claim eyebrows. preferential creditor You’llthey be entitled receive “And thoughttoyou could specific paymentsinfrom the lose an elephant the lawn.” sale of assets the Martha snortedshould with laughter. company be closed further “Those fairies don’t think much down line. If that happens of my the gardening do they?” you should approach the “No,” Rosiepractitioner shook her head. insolvency dealing “They said Mr Primton did a the with the process, and obtain better job than you.” relevant claim form. Martha looked at the child You’ll be able to claim for: curiously. “What youor know about Mr • Any do salary commission Primton?” she for asked. outstanding the four months leading up to closure, “Nothing,” Rosie guzzled her up to a maximum £800 in drink noisily, “Who’s of he?” total. “He’s the man who used to live in thisto house,” Martha said. • Up six weeks of accrued holiday pay. “The fairies liked him better than you,” Rosie said decisively. • Some occupational pension “Yes, they did.” Martha glanced payments. suspiciously at the house next Any payments due to you prior door, and frowned. to the four-month timescale, or “Did the fairies sound like boys from othershe sources, are paid or girls?” prompted. under ‘ordinary creditor’ status. “All fairies are girls,” Rosie said It’s often the case, though, that with authority. insufficient arewere generated “How manyfunds of them
By Ann Haldon
from the sale of business assets to pay most creditors. In these instances you can turn to the National Insurance Fund there?” Martha continued, for help. “Two?” The pondered. thechild national insurance fund (nif) “Maybe,” she said finally. The National Insurance Fund “I knew it!” Martha muttered holdsannoyance. cash reserves that with Didn’t those cover payments including two ditherers have something redundancy, salary and holiday better to gossip about? pay. You may be entitled to For thea rest ofinthe day and make claim this way if: into the evening Martha mowed, • You’ve notweeded. been able to pruned and Even obtain full payment as been a after a weary Rosie had preferential creditor. taken home she continued to fill her compost heap with • You were made redundant grass clippings, leaf mulch during the first 14 days of and weeds. Her arms were administration. scratched and her joints ached by thewas timeliquidated the sun • The but company had set anyone straight away.would agree how beautiful the garden At the time ofif writing, thewas limit now looked, only there on payments viasee theit.National enough light to Insurance Fund is £475 per She sat on her back step and week, with £14,250 being the contemplated the day’s work. It maximum amount of statutory amazed her how much energy redundancy payhad available in her indignation given her, each case. but it was still not completely spent. You can claim for: Martha went into the kitchen • Up to eight weeks’ wages. and picked up a notepad. Decisively scribbled thepay. • Up to sixshe weeks’ holiday words ‘ARE YOU BOTH •SATISFIED Unpaid pension contributions. NOW?’, tore it off and posted it through the if • Your statutory notice period Dithering Dotties’ letterbox. no notice was given by your A note they would whenyour employer, or youfind worked they returned from a been fortnight’s notice but haven’t paid. holiday in Dorset the following If youwhich needwould to claim day, be for a source statutory sick payand or maternity/ of great mystery remain paternity/adoption pay, these a conversation point between are made via the them for years to Department come. of Work and By Pensions, and Jackie Brewster
HM Revenue and Customs respectively. When the period of administration ends The worst-case scenario at the end of administration is that the company closes down. All jobs will be lost, but you may be eligible to claim the redundancy pay mentioned above, depending on certain criteria. You must have worked for your employer for a continuous period of two years in order to be eligible, with the amount due being based on your weekly pay, age, and the length of time that you’ve worked at the same place. This is how redundancy pay is calculated, with a maximum of 20 years’ employment being applied: • Below the age of 22: half a week’s pay for each complete year with your employer.
• Aged between 22 and 40 inclusive: a full week’s pay for each completed employment year. • Aged 41 and over: one and a half week’s pay for each year worked with your employer. the process of transferring to a neW companY If your employer’s business has been sold to another company, specific rules protect your rights as an employee. During an administration process, the insolvency practitioner is entitled to request changes to employee contracts if it means the company stands a better chance of survival (known as ‘permitted variations’), but apart from that your contract should be unaffected. The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment), or TUPE legislation, ensures
that employment terms and conditions at the point of transfer are protected in the main. This is a reassuring aspect in what is often an unsettling experience for members of staff. What happens if the business is liquidated? During a liquidation process, all business assets have to be sold in order to generate as much cash as possible to repay creditors. Unfortunately this often means that employees get very little, if any money, which is where claiming via the NIF is extremely helpful. https://www.gov.uk/redundantyour-rights/redundancy-pay https://www.citizensadvice.org. uk/work/work-comes-to-anend/redundancy/redundancypay/#h-who-has-the-right-tostatutory-redundancy-pay
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Ickenham TECHNOLOGY (May16).qxp_IN! Tipss Style Editorials (Mar13) 29/04/2016 07:14 Page 1
TECHNOLOGY
HOW SAFE IS YOUR iPHONE?... The great Apple hack saga finally came to an end recently when the FBI announced that they had managed to gain access to the data stored on the iPhone of terrorist Sayed Farook. Just to recap, Farook was the suspected terrorist involved in the slaughter of 14 people in the San Bernardino mass shooting; he was shot dead by police afterwards. In the subsequent investigation the FBI tried to access emails and text messages stored on his iPhone but couldn’t get past the security code. They asked Apple for help, Apple refused and a long and convoluted legal battle ensued which only ended with the FBI’s announcement. There are all sorts of questions asked by this story but not many answered. First of all, as the FBI were trying to track down terrorist extremists, shouldn’t Apple have done its utmost to help? Apple says it was trying to protect the security features of its own software but the FBI offered to let Apple unlock the phone on its own premises and then destroy the malware they had used to do so. It comes down to national security versus personal privacy and different people have different views on this. Next, surely cracking a 6 digit pass code would be simple for an organisation with access to the resources of the National Security Agency? Ordinarily it would be, but the iOS9 operating system is designed to delete all the data on the phone if there are more than three unsuccessful attempts at entering the code. The FBI asked Apple to disable this feature so they could do a brute force crack on the code, basically try every combination until they got the right one, but Apple refused. The next question is why did the FBI not simply access the data from other sources. The iPhone was actually owned by Farook’s employer. They reset the password on his iCloud account so they could retrieve the backup. However, statements made by the Department of Justice, under which the FBI falls, suggest that the phone had not 52
been backed up for some time. Some network providers store the content of text messages for anything up to 3 months but others don’t. However, they all keep details of text messages (time sent and phone number it was sent to) for some time. Similarly, they keep the same details of phone calls made and received although, hopefully, they don’t routinely record those calls. It is also fairly straightforward to hack into an email account, although you need to know the email address before you can do this. It is safe to assume that the DoJ would have pursued all these avenues. Farook has been linked to a variety of terrorist organisations and, if this is true, it is likely that he would have received training in making covert communications. This would include using software to delete data off his phone, using iMessenger which doesn’t leave a footprint and using an untraceable pay as you go “burner” to make communication. So why would the DoJ go to such lengths to access a phone that probably contained no useful information and why was Apple so reluctant to help them? Until recently, iPhones were notoriously insecure so the company has a commercial interest in demonstrating how secure they are now. The DoJ was probably demonstrating how it will leave no stone unturned in the fight against terrorism. Personally, I think that the level of security should be proportional to the value of the data that is being protected. Obviously, things like bank accounts should be very secure indeed, but law enforcement bodies routinely gain access to bank records for suspected terrorists and criminals. Tech companies like Apple constantly gather huge amounts of data on their customers for no good reason. Apple should have discreetly helped the FBI go about its business, not refused any cooperation and then held a press conference to tell us why.
Graham Iek
50% off Sale on Showroom Kitchens & Bathrooms Terms & Conditions Apply. See in Store for details
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Karen Munro Careers (May16).qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2016 05:03 Page 1
KAREN MUNRO MAC RCDP Career Coach www.munrocareers.co.uk
twitter - @munrocareers facebook - munrocareers
Karen is a professional and qualified Careers Practitioner and Trainer who provides support in all aspects of Career Development and Transition including effective CV Coaching, Interview Skills and Networking Techniques. A member of the Association of Coaching and registered with the Careers Professional Alliance, she works with both private and business clients around London and the South East who are looking for career change, direction, motivation and support. She works as an Associate Career Coach for a number of organisations including Right Management, Personal Career Management Ltd and is part of the MOD contract providing career support and guidance to Military Personnel transitioning in to civilian life. Karen contributes to ‘In and Around’ every month sharing her practical knowledge and wealth of experience with her local community.
10 Successful Steps to an Effective Job Search LOOKING for a job is a full time job in itself, so it’s really important that you have structure, clear actions and objectives just as you would in a full time job. 1.
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Organise your Day Don’t start getting in to the habit of sleeping in through the week. Set your alarm as if you were going to work. Dress smartly and allocate yourself a start and end to your working day. Your new job is finding a new job and you need to take it seriously! Have a set routine Like with any job, you need to have time out. Schedule yourself breaks and if you’re spending a lot of time in the house, make sure you get out. Perhaps go for a walk or maybe even go a bit further and go for a run. Exercise is a great way to keep energised and feel good. Put together a clear Action Plan It’s really important to have structure. An action plan will keep you focussed and on track. Plan what you need to do today, by the end of the week, by the end of the month and so on. Set aside time for catching up on emails, surfing job sites, checking your business connections and researching.
fairs and company insight / open days – get talking to your contacts how can they help you? 6.
Be Patient, but be Realistic Don’t set yourself unrealistic goals but make sure you are challenging yourself. Adjust your Action Plan if you need to and review your progress.
7.
Research and Network As always researching the job market and networking key contacts through friends, family, professional bodies, organisations, social networking is absolutely key. Remember 80% of the job market is ‘hidden’ so don’t spend 100% of the day on 20% of the on-line job market.
8.
Consider Volunteering Spending some of your free time volunteering [www.do-it.org.uk] is a great way to keep busy and feel good and can often lead to great job.
9.
Invest in Yourself Consider investing in some basic business cards with your name, mobile and email details and your Linked In or Twitter details with your Job Title – it can become your new ‘mobile C.V’ which you can hand out to new contacts.
Plan what your objectives and goals are Agree specific goals such as; by the end of the week have a target for how many C.V’s and job applications you are going to send off; how many new connections you want to add to your network; how many interviews are you going to aim for and when you want to have secured a job.
10. Reward Yourself Finally, at the end of your working day take time out and reward yourself for doing a good job and working hard. It will all come to fruition eventually and you will be reaping the rewards of a new job and you will have really earned it!
Network! Those who are more proactive and resourceful with their job search tend to be successful much more quickly than those who are passive and waiting for an opportunity to come their way. Get out there and meet people, go to job
“the key to your success”
Karen
Our health and exercise sessions are designed to keep over 55’s fit and full of life! With fully qualified instructors, exercise sessions are tailored to suit all abilities, which are then followed by a light nutritious lunch and activity. It’s a great way to meet new people, try new things and get out of the house! Mondays from 10.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m. at Farnham Common Village Hall, Victoria Road, Farnham Common, SL2 3NL Tuesdays from 10.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m. at Stoke Poges Village Centre, 129 Rogers Lane, Stoke Poges, SL2 4LP Fridays from 10.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m. at Evreham Sports Centre, Swallow Street, Iver, SL0 0HS Each session costs £5, which includes lunch. For more information call us on 01753 822890 or visit our website at www.ageconcernsabe.org.uk
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new station and this is now unlikely to happen until at least 2017. when we updated you on all the many issues facing us in Richings Park. We aim to represent all the residents of Richings Park and Thorney when meeting with developers and local authorities. The minutes of the AGM are on our website. Please see this or our Community Forum for the latest information.
We hope you were able to attend the exhibition at the end of April. This is yet another long term (10 year) project which will inevitably cause disruption for our community. We hope that at the very least there will be some accompanying community compensation measures.
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We have now petitioned the House of Lords to try to make the case for community compensation for this project since as a community we will suffer all the pain but get no gain when it is completed.
We were told that the footpath to the station would be open around the end of April. We hope that this is indeed the case. However, there is no information about the
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With the better weather we all want to be outside to enjoy it. Make sure that any music you play does not cause a nuisance to your neighbours. The noise team at South Bucks Council advise that unless they have been previously consulted, it is not appropriate to hold any garden event that includes live or amplified music, in particular any drums or other percussion instruments. If complaints are received the team will visit the property. If any music is played, it should not be heard outside the property and cannot continue beyond 11pm Contact the noise team for advice on 01895 837264. If you have
not already done so please remember to pay your subscriptions to your road steward or at the Post Office. Details on our website if you lose the envelope delivered to you.
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The Grass Can Be Greener
by Pippa Greenwood
Your garden should now be starting to look lush and green, with beds and borders beginning to come into their own. But if your lawn spoils it all, or you want to install one, now is the perfect time to get started. PreParing the site Remove all weeds, large stones, debris and any old grass, then dig or fork over thoroughly to remove all taproots of weeds.
Kill off an old lawn or a weed infested site with weedkiller based on glyphosate, then strip it off or dig it in once it all dies off. Incorporate organic matter to improve moisture retention on sandy soils; on heavy soils dig in grit and organic matter for drainage. Next, firm the whole area by treading it over evenly in flat-soled boots, then rake thoroughly and remove stones or other debris from the surface, treading gently down again if necessary. Buying turf Buy turf from a reputable supplier which is suitable for your requirements – some, especially those including lots of dwarf ryegrass, are much tougher, while some contain a seed mixture for use in shade. 58
A ‘bowling green’ effect may look superb but will need more maintenance and be less hardwearing. Avoid cheaper turf as it can contain weeds, pests or diseases, or is simply not a good grass mixture. Arrange delivery of turf when you need it and never store for more than two days. It can remain rolled up for up to 24 hours, but for any longer unroll immediately, lay out flat on paving or plastic sheeting and water regularly.
Laying the turf Lay turves closely together and do not allow the edges to overlap. For an even finish, joins on each row should be staggered, like bricks in a wall. Lay the first row of turf using the adjacent path or lawn edging to form a straight line to work to. Roll out each turf carefully so that the edge abuts onto its neighbour. Lay the next row, again ensuring that the long edges of each abut onto the long edges of the last row. To avoid damage, kneel on a plank placed over the previous row and continue until your new lawn is in position. If you need a small section of turf to complete a row, add this in the middle of a row rather
than at the end so it is less likely to be dislodged or dry out. For a curved edge lay the turves so that they overlap the new lawn edge and cut to shape.
When finished, gently tamp the area over using the back of a rake and if any turves sink place some extra soil underneath until they are level. Finally, brush in a mixture of horticultural sand and finely sieved soil over the surface, ensuring that gaps between the turves are filled in. Care and maintenanCe Gently water the new lawn using a sprinkler, ensuring that the water penetrates right down to the root level. Water regularly in dry weather, particularly for the first couple of months whilst the roots establish and avoid walking on it during this time. You will soon have a gorgeous lawn to be proud of. Visit Pippa’s website www. pippagreenwood.com for ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ - fantastic UK grown vegetable plants of your choice plus weekly advice and tips emails from Pippa, Nemaslug, biological controls, pop-up crop covers, signed books and lots more besides.
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Tell-tale signs of dental disease... TWO thirds of the adult dogs and cats I see routinely have some degree of dental disease. Half of those have serious prob-lems that require urgent treatment and a considerable number have already suffered multiple tooth loss with, one can only assume, considerable discomfort. Yet despite halitosis that could knock a grown man over, many owners remain blissfully unaware. “He/she is still eating and isn't in pain”, many will say. My answer is that the alternative is to starve and they can't tell you they're in pain - your nerves are not connected to your pet's teeth! Just imagine what your teeth would be like if you didn't brush them just for a few days and how uncomfortable one mouth ulcer or tooth that needs filling is. Multiply that by several years of inaction and a mouthful of sore gums or rotting teeth then think again!
the teeth daily with dog/cat toothpaste will help but many animals are reluctant to have this done so it is very important therefore to start early as puppies or kittens. Dental chews and bites can help and there are some special dental diets but most products advertised as helping do not and dry food over moist makes very little difference. Most important is to visit your vet for routine dental checks and act on their advice even if you think Fido/Fluffy is alright.
So it's time to look inside your pet's mouth - not just the front teeth but pull back the cheeks and check the back teeth and you may be horrified by what you see. These should be white with minimal plaque, pale pink gums and no smell. Any plaque that touches the gums will lead to gingivitis, which is reddening of the edge of the gums, and is painful. At this stage the condition is reversible with a scale and polish but once the inflammation starts to cause the gums to recede, this is the start of periodontal disease which is irreversible. If your pet's breath if unpleasant periodontal disease has already set in. Extensive dental treatment is now essential or tooth loss and further discomfort is inevitable. Even at this stage the periodontal disease may be stabilised but left to progress the teeth will become so rotten many will be lost. Sometimes even as the vet I look in a cat's mouth and think it doesn't look too bad - just minimal gingivitis but when I can look properly under anaesthetic I find root lesions that require tooth extraction and must have been painful. The number of people who comment how much happier their pet has been since they had dental treatment is amazing yet they'd not noticed any change in behaviour before as it was slow onset. So what can we do to prevent dental disease? Brushing 60
M C Atkinson BVSc MRCVs www.stmartinsvetclinic.com
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Home & Interiors
Spruce Up Your Home Office By Katherine Sorrell
Dodgy desk, awkward chair or overflowing shelves? It’s time to give your home office a facelift, says Katherine Sorrell Whether your working space is a corner of the kitchen used for catching up with email, or a high-spec office with everything necessary for fulltime self-employment, it needs to work for you. A few small improvements can make your workspace more comfortable, functional and attractive.
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could consider adding a small worktop to one side of your existing desk, or improve your organisation with a new desk that incorporates drawers, cubby holes, shelves or whatever other type of storage you need. If you can, use nearby walls to lift as much as possible off the surface of your desk by introducing wall-mounted storage such as shelves, pin boards, peg boards or hanging racks. Anything that stacks is useful, too. Before you know it, you’ll be able to see your laptop again.
Start with a clear out and a tidy up: go through your old paperwork, stationery, books etc. and give it away, recycle it, file it well out of the way or bin it, as appropriate, and you’re bound to create extra space. Then, sort out messy cabling with extension leads, cable clips or by adding an extra double plug socket.
A lack of storage probably goes for home offices more than any other space in the house. You may be happy with buying a conventional filing cabinet and/or bookcase, but don’t be afraid to look beyond the usual office suppliers: vintage and industrial pieces can add an element of unexpected style to brighten up your work time. Add boxes, baskets, trolleys, racks and desktop accessories in colours and textures that suit your space and personal style.
Next: your desk. If you are still running out of room, you
If boring looks are the problem, then why not give everything
a facelift with the paintbrush? Neutrals are undeniably good for concentration, but go for bold colours if they make you happy. Blackboard paint comes in a range of colours and is a great option for sections of walls, desk tops or cupboard fronts where you might want to chalk up some notes. And, how about adding pretty curtains or blinds, an eye-catching rug, a display of collectibles or a dramatic painting or framed photograph? A comfortable chair is a must and an adjustable office chair on castors is best. If yours is dull or ugly, either re-upholster it, make a loose cover or, at worst, hang a length of fabric over the back and add an attractive cushion. Another essential is a good desk light – choose one that is bright, adjustable and that you love the look of. There’s an enormous choice, at prices to suit every budget. For the final details, add accessories to brighten up your life, from a good-looking waste bin to a house plant, some colourful wall art or a scented candle. Let’s face it, the more you enjoy being at work, the more productive you’ll be. Image - A good desk is essential. The new Phineas desk is made from oak and has two cubby holes, drawers, and a cut-out for cables. It costs £545 from Loaf, tel 0845 468 0698; www.loaf.com
H&M Property Services All your building and maintenance needs under one roof
Building Construction/Bricklaying Extensions & Loft Conversions Conservatories Patio/Path/Block Driveways Decking Kitchen & Bathroom Installation Plumbing & Heating
Electrical Services Rewires Plastering & Tiling Painting & Decorating Fencing Roofing Carpentry & Joinery UPVC Fascias & Guttering
If you would like to discuss any future projects Tel: 01753 655312 or 07795 030743
Email: info@hmpropertyservices.com www.hmpropertyservices.com
Credit Cards Accepted
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MILITARY FITNESS CLASS —
SUITABLE FOR BEGINNERS
The aim of the class is to give everyone a fun and effective form of training using the highly professional skills learnt in the military. Exercises done are usually body weight (either your own or that of a partner) to perform a wide range of individual, partner and team speed, strength, agility and stamina exercises – all tried and tested by the military.
ALL SESSIONS SUPERVISED BY A FULLY QUALIFIED INSTRUCTOR SESSIONS COST £2— FIRST SESSION FREE! CLASSES SUITABLE FOR BEGINNERS OR PEOPLE WANTING TO TRY FOR FIRST TIME SESSIONS TAKE PLACE ON GRASS SO PLEASE BRING APPROPRIATE FOOTWEAR
EVERY MONDAY STARTING 9TH MAY 7.00PM—8.00PM at Iver Heath Rec, Church Road, Iver Heath, Iver, SL0 0RD For further details and to book call 01895 837 334 Or e-mail
Leon.Popplewell@gll.org 65
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regular events...
hobbies...
Pavilions Shopping Centre Arts, Crafts, Gifts and Collectables www.uxbridge-craft-market.co.uk
art Classes Come & Join Us! Isabel Hunt, your local artist, teaches a new project every week, which can be a landscape, seascape, still life, pets, portraiture, etc. In the first 2 sessions equipment/materials are provided. at St Marys Church Hall St Marys Rd Langley SL3 7EN info: 07411 125407 or 01753 542209 chavi2000@hotmail.com bobbin lace Making group Every Thu 7.30pm at Southlands House, The Green, Swan Road, West Drayton. Call Julie 020 8897 9368 or Margaret 01895 851349 Chinese brush Painting group We meet on Saturday mornings. The class is guided by an experienced tutor. Learn to compose and develop your own Chinese painting style as well the finer points of Chinese calligraphy. At Harefield Library, Park Lane Village Centre, Harefield or contact Phyllis Nash on 01895 476 644 / phyllnash@gmail.com French sessions in iver French Intermediate Class. Small friendly group with French Native Teacher meets every Tues. Iver Village Hall 7.30-9.30pm from Sept 22nd 2015 Call 07940 281233 e: c.marionnet@blueyonder.co.uk 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
keeP-Fit, danCe & draMa...
adults Zumba Classes Running on Wednesdays 6-7pm at Iver Heath Village Hall, St Margaret's Close. Call Diane 07926 854184. ballet Classes Iver Heath Village Hall, Friday 4.457pm. Call L Killian 01753 814280
bokwa Fitness tone & Core Energetic workout that anyone can pick up, dancer or not. Wednesdays 6.15pm-7.10pm, Yiewsley and West Drayton Community Centre. Penny, 07771 872592/01895 420409; learningmoves@hotmail.co.uk
boxfit Saturdays 9.45-10.45am at the Evreham Sport Centre, Iver. An exciting class which uses focus pads and gloves to enhance an excellent aerobic workout. Call 01753 672610 Children's Zumba (Zumbatomic) Classes Wednesdays at 3.30-5.30pm at Iver Heath Village Hall, Saint Margaret's Close. Call Diane on 07926 854184 Futunity Street Dance and Hip Hop for children age 7-11 years. Fri's from 4-9pm call Cheryl on 01753 651754 or email childcare@ivercommunity.org donna’s keep Fit Iver Heath Village Hall. Call Donna 01753 674945. Tue 9.45-10.45am Fitness Club St Catherine School, Money Lane, West Drayton, UB7 7NX. Thu 6-7pm Circuits, Fitness and Boxercise. £5 a class. Shaun Thompson, 07906 087749 www.tauruspt.co.uk hour of Power - ultimate Workout Wed 7pm at the Evreham Sports Centre, Iver. Call 01753 672610.
Mandarin tuition In Iver Heath. All welcome. Experienced teacher. Call Yuan on 07932 649107 or ynhyuan@yahoo.co.uk
iver heath drama Club Wednesday at Iver Heath New Village Hall between 7.45pm & 10pm. Contact Matt Streuli email: matt@ihdc.co.uk or www.ihdc.co.uk
uxbridge Craft Market Every Wednesday (9am-5pm) at The
Jazzercise Classes Jazzercise Classes New Denham
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Community Centre Oxford Road Mon 9.30-10.30am, Tues 6.45 - 7.45pm , Wed, Thurs , Fri 9.45-10.45am. Denham Village Memorial Hall Village Road Thurs 6.30-7.30pm. Ruislip Sports & Social Club Grosvenor Vale Mon 6.45-7.45pm Tues 9.30am, 7-8pm, Wed 9.30-10.30am. Pinner Methodist Church Love Lane Mon 8-9pm, Thurs 7-8pm. St Lawrence Church Hall Bridle Road Pinner Fri 9.30am. St Lukes Hall Love Lane Pinner Wed 7.45-8.45pm, Sat 910am. Wendy Whitefoord 07803 602142 e: wendy.whitefoord@ btinternet.com. See www.jazzerciseuk.com or facebook.com/ JazzerciseDenhamNewDenham
Free Family games event Second Saturday of every month - for parents, carers and guardians with children of all ages, at the Kings Church, Iver, 10am-midday - visit www.hartentertainment.co.uk for details or call 07747 063149 to let us know your coming. Open to all.
ladies only kickboxing Club Wednesdays, 6.30-8.00pm at Watts Hall, Redford Way, Uxbridge, UB8 1SZ. First Class FREE! Leanne Phillips on 07518 848285 email: leanne @kickboxing-longdon.co.uk www.kickboxing-london.co.uk Military Fitness Class A good way to get fit and enjoy the outdoors, suitable for beginners Monday 7-8pm, Iver Heath Rec, Church Road, Iver Heath, SL0 0RD. £2 per session. 1st session FREE! info: Leon 01895 837334. nordic Walking & Wellbeing All round exercise in the open air, 4 week courses various days and locations pre booking essential contact 07771872592 / learningmoves@hotmailco.uk Personal training Looking for some extra help to get fit & into shape? For more info and prices call Rachel on 07745 622011 Pilates Iver Heath Village Hall on Thurs 7pm8pm call Mrs S Webb 01923 721335 Pilates Class Thursdays 9.30-10.30am. St Peter's Centre, Iver. All levels, booking essential. Call Rachel 07745 622011. Pilates and tai Chi Fit courses Tuesdays 7.30-8.30pm, Yiewsley and West Drayton Community Centre. Contact Penny 07771 872592/01895 420409; learningmoves@hotmail.co.uk continued overleaf...
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KEEP-FIT, DANCE & DRAMA CONTINUED...
Weight Watchers Chalfont St Peter Community Centre SL9 9QX. Wednesdays, 7pm. Iver Village Hall, SL0 9NW. Thursdays, 6.30pm. Iver Heath Village Hall SL0 0DA Saturdays, 9am Call Nicky 07443 567244 nicky_iverww@hotmail.com www.weightwatchers.co.uk
Village Hall. Contact Evelyn on 07950 039827 richingsplayers@mail.com See www.richingsplayers.co.uk.
PiYo® Classes Sweat, stretch & strengthen all in one low-impact, music -driven, body sculpting workout. Tues 7-7.45pm. St Peter's Centre, Iver. £5 per class booking essential. Call Rachel on 07745 622011.
Pinewood Fitness The Fitness Room, Pinewood Studios, Pinewood Road, Iver Heath, Sl0 0NH. Mon 20.00-21.00, Wed 19.30-20.30. Booking only. Various Fitness Circuits, Boxercise, Gym Work. £5 a class. Shaun Thompson, 07906 087749 www.tauruspt.co.uk Salsa Classes Every Monday: The Middlesex Arms, Long Drive, South Ruislip, HA4 0HG. Beginners class starts 8pm. Improvers/Intermediates: 8.459.30pm. Freestyle dancing/practice time til 11pm. Every Wednesday: The WatersEdge, Canal Cottages, Packetboat Lane, Cowley, UB8 2JS. Beginners class starts 7:30pm. Improvers/Intermediates: 8.309.30pm. Freestyle dancing til 11pm Tap Dance Mondays 7.30-8.30pm at Meadows Community Centre, West Drayton. Adult Beginner/Intermediate tap. No exams. Contact 01895 420409 / learningmoves@hotmail.co.uk Taurus Circuits Pinewood Studio. With Personal Trainer Shaun. Monday 8pm-9pm Booking only 07906 087749 Tai Chi Classes Tues 10am at the Evreham Sports Centre, Iver. Call 01753 672610 Tai Chi Classes Every Saturday 10-11am, Yiewsley Methodist Church, Fairfield Road, UB7 8EY. Call Dan 07880 601429. Toddler & Junior Fitness Fun Junior Trampolining Weds 4.30pm5.30pm held at the Evreham Sports Centre Iver. Call 01753 672610. 68
Yoga Iver Heath Village Hall Mon 6.30-7.45pm Jonathan Bell 07790 682238
ZUMBA in Langley Mon 7-8pm & Tues 7-8pm St. Mary's Church Centre. Thurs 7-8pm St. Francis Church Hall. ZUMBA ® Fitness Classes Mon & Thurs 7-8pm. St Peters Centre, Iver - all levels welcome! Call Rachel on 07745 622011.
Zumba Fitness Weds 8-9pm at Langley Grammar School Sport Centre Reddington Drive Langley, SL3 8LL and Thurs 7-8pm at Yiewsley / West Drayton Community Centre, Harmondsworth Rd, West Drayton UB7 9JL.Call Gabriel 07735 090325, gabrielzumba@instructor.net www.gabriel84.zumba.com MUSIC... Faraday Country Music Club in Slough SL2 1RN. Join us for the best live Country Music every Thursday for listeners, western partners, freestyle or line dancers. From 8-11pm. Contact Deb 07986 050742. www.faradaycountry.co.uk Iver Singers Singing for Fun Iver Singers sing for FUN every Tuesday during term time from 19:00-20.30 at Iver Heath Village Hall, St Margaret’s Close, Bucks, SL0 0DA. New members welcome. FREE first session. No auditions or experience necessary. Please call 07733 466177 or visit www.iversingers.com for more details. Richings Players Award winning amateur theatre group perform three shows per year at Iver
The Windsor & District Big Bands Appreciation Society Meet on 2nd Wed of each month at 7.30pm, Datchet Hall, Horton Rd, Datchet. Meetings feature the music of the big bands of the 40s & 50s Swing era. Two recitals from records, tapes & CDs, along with a raffle and sometimes a live band. If you like to reminisce, do come along and join us! Contact Derek on 01753 654398 Signature A Cappella singers We meet on a Monday night at Iver Heath Village Hall, St Margaret’s Close, Iver Heath SLO 0DQ. Time 7.45-10.30 with a ten minute break for a cup of tea, a chat and a biscuit. If you enjoy singing please come along to watch us one evening or visit www.signaturesingers.com
Stoke Poges Singers A friendly four-part choir with about forty members singing a wide variety of music during the year. New members are always welcome and there are no auditions. The ability to read music is not essential. Rehearsals on Thursday evening at St Andrews Centre, Rogers Lane, Stoke Poges from 8pm. Come along to a rehearsal or contact Naomi on 07831 217575 or Cheryl on 01753 655682. www.stoke-poges-singers.org The Rock Project Greater London School of Rock & Pop where we teach 7-18 year olds how to play guitar, bass, drums and vocals in small groups and as a band. Sessions run Wed's at Nower Hill High School, Pinner and Thurs at Vyners School, Ickenham. Juniors (7-11) 4.156.15pm and Seniors (11-18) 6.308.30pm. £20 per two - hourly session. Contact Pritpal on 07855 863058 or email uxbridge@therockproject.com Yiewsley & West Drayton Band Rehearse every Wednesday and Friday 8-10pm at St. Matthew's School, Yiewsley. ontact Lynne on 07976 824152 or Lynne@ywdband.com continued overleaf...
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We help people in their later years to enjoy the life they always have. Whatever you want to know about elderly care, please come and talk to us. Our home will be open in June this year when you can view our facilities, sample our bar & bistro and ask any questions you might have about the home and your care requirements. Whether it’s for you or a friend or relative, we look forward to seeing you soon. Our innovative care concept includes: Chauffeur-driven car | Cinema room | Bistro & Bar | Private dining | Hair Salon and Spa | Library All-inclusive pricing | Creative events | 50% higher staffing than average Paying above the living wage 69
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MUSIC CONTINUED... Yiewsley & West Drayton Training Band Open to all ages wanting to learn to play a brass instrument or those of you wanting to 'brush up' your skills. Rehearse every Wed during TT. 6.457.45pm at St. Matthew's School, Yiewsley. Contact Abi on 07985 302 856 or emailtraining@ywdband.com PETS... Iver Dog Training Club Meet Tuesday & Friday 6.30-9pm, St Andrews Church, Richings Park. Call Diana 01753 732907 Iver Heath Fields Dog Club 'Outdoor Training' every Sat at 10.15am, Wed at 11am call Mike on 01753 817852 or 07795 031335 or see website www.ihfdc.com PRE-SCHOOL & KIDS GROUPS... French for Children with La Jolie Ronde, 5-11yrs. In Iver, Saturdays. Call Estelle 07831 779888 Rainbow Guides Iver Heath Scout Hut on Tuesday, 5.30-6.30pm. Call Cindy Gordon 01753 795724 or Tracey Glynn 01895 469804 Richings Park Pre-School St Leonard's Hall, St Leonard's Walk, Richings Park Iver, SL0 9DD. Monday to Friday 9.15am-12.15pm Extended days on Tue, Wed and Fri until 2.15pm. 15 hours funding available for 3-4 year olds per week. 2yr old funding. Call 07712 477848. Shooting Stars Pre-School An innovative pre-school setting for children aged two-five years open from 7.00am – 6.00pm Monday – Friday. Iver Village Hall, High St, Iver, SL0 9NW. Call Rafia 01753 651754 or e: childcare@ivercommunity.org Slough Sea Cadets Parade nights on Monday and
Thursday 19.30-21.30 at Langley Pavillion, Langley Road, Slough, SL3 8BS. Male & Female Junior Cadets (age 10-12 yrs) and Cadets (age 1218 yrs). Fees £2 per week, courses from £5 for a weekend. Visit us on Facebook, pop-in or email: sloughseacadets@yahoo.co.uk Sticky Fingers Mothers & Toddlers Iver Heath Village Hall, Wednesday 9.30-11.30am. Call Janet Beale 01753 652375 The Launchpad A breakfast club for children aged 511 and after school club for Infants. We also offer holiday play schemes. Iver Village Hall, High Street, Iver, SL0 9NW. Call Cheryl on 01753 651754 childcare@ivercommunity.org The Pod An after school club for Junior school children combining childcare with specialist ed. activities. Iver Village Junior School, High Street, Iver, SL0 9QA. Call Cheryl on 01753 651754 or email: childcare@ivercommunity.org Tiny Talk Baby Signing Classes Tuesday classes at St Mary’s Church Hall, High Street, Harefield UB9 6BX, 10am, price £5 pre-paid per family. Thursday classes at St Giles' Church Hall, 1 High Road, Ickenham UB10 8LE, 10am, 11.15am and 1pm, price £5.00 pre-paid per family. Friday classes at The Uxbridge Centre, The Greenway, Uxbridge UB8 2PJ, 10.30am, price £5.00 pre-paid per family. Please call Bev Meier to book 01895 824935 or 0781 8025993 Tiny Toes Childcare Full day care nursery for children aged six weeks to five years open from 8am-6pm Mon-Fri. Evreham Centre, Swallow Street, Iver, SL0 0HS. Call Susan on 01753 655650 tinytoes@ivercommunity.org SELF DEFENCE... Close Quarter Combat In Richings Park. Speed, strength and conditioning training. All types of pad work combinations. Suitable for
adults of all ages. 1-2-1 sessions. Call Mark 07525 366126 email: mj.wilding@hotmail.com Karate (Adults & Children) Iver Heath Village Hall on Tues & Thurs. Kids 7-8pm, Adults 8-9.30pm. Call Sensei R. Baker 07898 946330. Karate Club of Denham / Uxbridge For ages 5 years and up. Sunday 9.15-11am at New Denham Community Centre, Oxford Road. Wed 5-7pm at The Greenway, Uxbridge. Call Dominic on 07988 743725. Kung Fu Club West Drayton Great Kung Fu work out for children & adults on: Tuesday 5.30-6.30, Friday 7.30-8.30, Sunday 5.30-6.30. West Drayton Community Centre, Harmondsworth Road, UB7 9JL. Contact Ella: 07702 479 435 or email: sportsclubuk@gmail.com Martial Arts Bujinkan Kuri Dojo Unit 21 Bridgeworks, UB8 2JG Tel: 07878 471124. Training: Sun 10.30-12.30pm, Tue 8-10pm, Thu 8.30-10pm www.bujinkankuridojo.co.uk Silat Kuntao Indonesian Self-Defence Traditional self-defence art from Central Java, includes empty hand, traditional weapons, meditation and healing massage. Adult classes only. Mon and Wed 8pm-10pm at Denham Village Memorial Hall, Denham, UB9 5BN. Call Philip Davies 07790 496 346 or kuntao.matjan.uk@gmail.com. SELF HELP... Alcoholics Anonymous Every Sun, 7.30pm, St Leonards Hall, St Leonards Walk, Richings Park, Iver, SL0 9DD. Call Howard 07816 315688. Slimming World Tuesday 5.30pm and 7.30pm and Wednesday 9.30am at Evreham Sports Centre, Iver Heath Contact Kate: 07432 107089 Weight Watchers Chalfont St Peter Community Centre Weds 7pm. Iver Village Hall Thurs 6.30pm. Iver Heath Village Hall. Sats 9am. Contact Nicky 07443 567244 nicky_iverww@hotmail.com continued overleaf...
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The Woodfield EST. 1985
A N D C O N S E R VA T O R I E S LT D Manufactureres to trade and retail
WE INSTALL THE HIGHEST QUALITY WINDOWS, DOORS & CONSERVATORIES
WHY REPLACE, WHEN YOU CAN REPAIR? • Windows, doors & conservatory repairs • Leaking or drafty windows repairs • Replacing faulty hinges, locks & handles • Replacement of misted sealed units • All types of glazing repairs • Kitchen & bathroom splash backs • Fixing windows & doors that don’t shut • New door panels and cat flaps fitted
CALL 01895 622 207 NOW FOR YOUR INSTANT QUOTE
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info@woodfieldwindows.com
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SOCIAL GROUPS... Coffee Shop At St Margarets Church, Church Rd, Iver Heath. Wed 10.45-11.45am. Enjoy a coffee and a chat in a friendly, informal atmosphere. 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. Heathway Ladies Group Every second Tues of the month at 2pm. You’re welcome as a visitor at the cost of £1.50, as we have a waiting list. Contact Secretary Tricia Cooper 01753 817749 or e: tricia.cooper3@virginmedia.com Iver & District Countryside Assoc., If you enjoy walks in the country and social evenings, why not join us? Call Paul Graham 01753 655183 Iver Evening Women’s Institute Iver Village Hall, meets 2nd Monday of month, 7.30pm. Call Margaret 01753 653751 for details. Iver Heath Ladies Meet 2nd Tuesday of the month in Iver Heath Village Hall at 2pm. A group of ladies who enjoy speakers, outings, lunches and more. Visitors welcome, £1.50 admission. Contact tricia.cooper3@virginmedia.com or call 01753 817749. Iver Heath Community Library The Library is open: Tues 9.30-1pm & 2-5pm . Thurs 9.30-1pm & 2-6pm.Sat 10am-1pm. Free membership of all Bucks libraries Free public pc & Wi-fi. Reading Group, craft group, bounce and rhyme for toddlers, childrens crafts , coffee mornings enqs: 0845 2303232 lib-ivh@buckscc.gov.uk King's Friends A group of older men and women enjoying life. Contact 01753 651178 for our latest programme. Probus Club of Langley & Iver is always looking for new members, we meet for lunch at the Richings
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Park Sports Club on the last Tuesday of the month (except Dec). We are friendly and attract retired persons of both sexes who usually are from a professional background although there is nothing rigid about background. We normally have a speaker and cover a very wide range of interests. Contact 01753 653571. The Rotary Club of Langley & Iver Meets on Thurs evenings 6.45 for 7pm, Richings Park Golf Club. North Park. Iver. SL0 9DL 01753 655370. We are a small friendly club that welcomes everyone, from all walks of life. If you are interested in improving the lives of others and have fun doing it, visit www.rotarylangleyandiver.org. uk or email: akahold@hotmail.com Women’s Social Group Social group for women in West London. Looking to expand your social group and make new friends? 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 for more. SPORT... Back School Small Osteopath lead rehab excercise sessions designed to help strengthen the back with lots of self care advice. Held at Lotus Wellbeing Clinic call 01753 677 604 for further details. Basketball (starting 7th June) Drop-in sessions for adults age 16 and over. Saturdays 12-2pm. £3 per session. At the Evreham Sports Centre, Iver. Call 01753 672610. Darts Richings Park Sports & Social Club Wellesley Avenue. Men & Women Players. Tuesday & Thursday Nights. Call Gerry 07957 804204 Iver Heath Tennis Club Church Road, Iver Heath, Bucks. SL0 0RW. New members always welcome, adults and juniors, visit our website for details www.ihltc.co.uk or call John Stephenson 01895 441033 Iver Heath Bowls Club Interested in playing bowls? Ring Brian Carter 01753 817794 or Hon. Sec. Betty Hemsley 01753 651775
Iver Short Mat Bowls We are open on Wednesdays 2-5pm & 5-10pm in Iver Village Hall, experience not necessary. Age 18yrs+. Cal Bob 01753 654049 or Ron 01753 819644 or Mary 01753 654765 Iver Veterans Golf Society For men and women over 60. We meet every Tuesday morning at Iver Golf Club. Handicap not necessary. Regular competitions held at Iver and other courses. You do not need to be a member of Iver Golf Club, just come along and play and make some new friends. Special rates for IVGS members. Contact: 01753 654246 Ladies Golf Meets 10am every Monday & Wednesday at Rickmansworth Golf Club, new members welcome. Email ladies-captain@ rickmansworthgolf club.co.uk or call 07941 589445. Learn to Sail! We are an RYA approved training centre and are open to new members, www.kingsmeadsc.org.uk FREE sailing taster sessions! Nordic Walking Taster Session Iver Starts Wednesday 30th January, 10am-11am, £5 at Evreham Sports Centre, Swallow Street, Iver, Bucks, SL0 0HS. Session is £5 with poles included. If you would like to book onto the course or require more details call the Evreham Sports Centre on 01753 672 610. Pink Ladies Netball Club All levels and abilities welcome. Training takes place at Stockley Academy, West Drayton every Tuesday evening. Senior training 16+yrs 7.30-9pm Back to Netball 16+yrs 7.30- 8.30pm Under 16s - please Rhiannon on 01895 448878 for details email: plnetball@hotmail.co.uk visit www.pinkladiesnetball.co.uk Richings Park Short Mat Bowls Richings Park Sports & Social Club Wellesley Avenue. Wed from 4pm. Just turn up - equipment provided. Richings Park Tennis Club Want play tennis? New members always welcome at our Brand New court facilities. Contact Graeme or Wendy on 01753 651071 or visit www.richingsparkltc.org.uk
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SITUATIONS has vacancies for the following: Salary from £8.90ph. Please call or email: for further information, job descriptions & applications forms
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3 High Street, Iver, SL0 9ND
www.alpha-windows.com / sales@alpha-windows.com /AlphaWindowsLtd 76