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2 BiFold-Quality-A4.indd 1
10/03/2014 11:27
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And a very Happy New Year to all of our read ers and advertisers. I hope you’ve had a lovely Christmas break and managed to spend time with friends and family. While you’re reading this, I will be sunning myself (weather allowing) or at the very least, drinking a cocktail or two in Spain. 2014 was a long and challenging year, and whilst we powered on enthusiastically, well most of the time anyway, I realised my head and body both needed a week’s break in order to come back with renewed enthusiasm in 2015. At the time of writing this of course, it’s still De cember and thoughts of Christmas and holidays are future tense. This year, I do think I’m a little more organised than usual and most of the present buying is not only out of the way, but wrapped as well. I’m feeling more than a little smug at this achievement, although it did come at a price. The price being sleep! I was ex changing emails with our Graphic Designer at 4am today and we joked about our new revela tion. Having been doing this now for almost nine years, we missed the most obvious solu tion to keeping on top of workload. Simply don’t go to bed at all and suddenly you have a good seven extra hours in a day :) I’m not sure it’s a way forward long term, but it did the trick this month. Here’s to a happy, organised and sleep filled January! .
Tel: 0800 038 5001 Mob: 07759 536494 In and Around Magazines cover: West Drayton . Iver . Denham . Uxbridge Ickenham . Ruislip Publisher: Angela Fisher Phone: 0800 038 5001 / 07759 536494 Email: info@inandaroundpublishing.co.uk Information and Details of Rates at
www.inandaroundpublishing.co.uk 4
Cake & Bake: Plum & Almond Tart 6 Property Matters 10 Wordsearch 10 Home & Interiors: Design a blissful bedroom 12 The pros and cons of equity release 14 Karen Munro: Careers 16 Designer Life 18 RSPCA Rehoming Appeal 20 The Golden Years: Memories of 50 years ago 22 Children’s Puzzle Page 24 Puzzle Solutions 25 Infant Matters 26 Short Story: Percy comes for dinner 28 Coffee Break Puzzles 32 Local Events 34 Books: The land down under 36 Beauty: Look younger for longer 42 Health: Bug busting day 44 Working from home 46 Hobbies: Time to pick up a paintbrush 48 Citizens Advice Bureau 50 Useful Telephone Numbers 50 Technology: Drop a dress size digitally 52 Reader Holidays 54 Travel: Greece Thessaloniki 56 Road Test: Audi TT TFSI 58 Denham Pets Corner 60 Wildlife Zone 62 Denham Against HS2 64 Garden Feature 66 Clubs, Groups & Classes 68, 70 & 72 What’s on at the Compass Theatre 73 Recipe: Paneer & Mixed Veg Coconut Curry 74
FEB COPY DEADLINE 19TH JAN 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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Cake and Bake Plum and Almond Tart Served with thick cream, custard or ice cream, this tart makes a delicious warming winter pud. You can use other fruits if plums are not available –try chunks of apples or pears or Armagnacsoaked prunes for a special occasion.
Ingredients: • 175g self-raising flour • 100g unsalted butter, chilled and diced • 50g ground almonds • 3 tbsp caster sugar • 1 small egg, beaten • 50g natural marzipan, chilled and grated • 4 large plums, stones removed and quartered • 2 tbsp flaked almonds, roughly chopped • 2 tbsp Demerara sugar
TIP
If you don’t have an oblong shaped flan tin use a 20cm round loose-based fluted flan tin instead.
Serves 6 Ready in 1 ¼ hours, plus chilling 6
1. Sift the flour into a bowl, add the diced butter and, using your fingertips, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the ground almonds. Remove � of the mixture and chill in the fridge. 2. Add the caster sugar and beaten egg to the remaining mixture and mix to a soft, slightly sticky dough. Using floured hands press the dough into the base and up the sides of a 28 x 10cm oblong loose-based flan tin (see tip). Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. 3. Preheat the oven to 180C, 350F, Gas Mark 4. Scatter the grated marzipan in the chilled flan case and top with the plum quarters (skin side up). Stir the flaked almonds and Demerara sugar into the reserved breadcrumb mixture and scatter over the plums. 4. Bake the tart in the preheated oven for 4045 minutes, or until crisp and deep golden brown. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Remove the tart from the tin and slice and serve.
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Property
Prices Remain Soft for the Foreseeable Future Will House The Nationwide Building Society is the latest or ganisation to release data pointing to a weakening housing market. It revealed that annual house price growth had slowed to 8.5% in November from 9% the month before. Meanwhile, the Land Registry, probably the most accurate source of house price data, showed that prices actually fell slightly in London in the third quarter. All this doom and gloom flies in the face of other news coming out of the economy. GDP growth remains strong, consumer confidence is close to an alltime high and real wages are finally showing signs of outstripping inflation. Inflation itself is very low and any rise in interest rates is unlikely to hap pen before the end of the year so what is going on?
look at reviewing them slightly before too much damage is done. Secondly, prices in London have risen so rapidly and to such ridiculous heights that even highly paid workers have been effectively priced out of the market. What will happen next? My feeling is that the new rules on mortgages, particularly proof of income, will be relaxed some what, which should get the flow of lending back to the required level. Real incomes should start to rise quite strongly which will help. London house prices will take a breather this year, I think, but other ar eas of the country such as the East Midlands and North West should see some decent growth. With any luck, house building should also pick up which will add some much needed impetus to the market; sales volumes have fallen sharply over the last few months.
Two factors are causing the bulk of the damage, I think; firstly, the new rules on mortgages that came All of this comes with one proviso – the outcome of into effect last year are still working their way the general election looks extremely uncertain at through the system lenders don’t really under the moment. All bets are off until May. stand them and the Treasury probably needs to Craig Brown
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Home & Interiors Design A Blissful Bedroom
By Katherine Sorrell
In a bedroom, wear and tear on the flooring is minimal so this is the ideal place to give your toes a treat and opt for a sumptuous, deep-pile carpet. That said, natural or painted wooden floorboards with a few rugs scattered about (on each side of the bed in particular) is an alternative with masses of character.
such as adding a table lamp or two in the corners, and fitting a dimmer switch to a central pendant. A strong, bright light, on the other hand, is essential above a dressing table mirror (don’t position it to one side – it will cause awkward shadows). For bedside reading, a pair of swing-arm, wall-mounted lights will free up space on a bedside table – some types include tiny, adjustable spotlights so you can enjoy a novel without disturbing your partner.
Your bedroom is a private retreat, a special place in which to relax, unwind and express your true personality. Our tips from expert Katherine Sorrell will help you make it as comfortable, functional and beautiful as possible First, think about how you use your bedroom – is it just for sleeping, or do you listen to music, watch TV, make phone calls or even work? You will need to allocate space for each different function. Then, consider the atmosphere you want to create – would you prefer a light, bright and airy room, or one that is dark and dramatic? In general, soft and gentle colours are considered most restful, and it is a good idea to avoid loud patterns and clashing shades. 12
Whether you use curtains, blinds or shutters, your windows should be well-covered, both for privacy and to avoid earlymorning sunlight waking you up. Sumptuous curtains with a blackout lining will do the trick, as will louvered shutters. Roller blinds are simple and ideal where space is restricted, while Roman blinds pull up in lovely soft folds that give an attractively draped effect. Aim for the maximum storage possible: ideally a combination of floor-to-ceiling fitted wardrobes with free-standing pieces for character and flexibility. Plan the interior of a wardrobe with the utmost precision, and look for gadgets such as tie racks, belt racks and pull-out trays. If you’re really short of space, clever storage ideas include underbed drawers, stacking boxes, canvas “tidies” hung on the back of the door, plastic shoe racks stacked inside the wardrobe, and a bamboo ladder leant against the wall for scarves, spare bed linen or clothes. Subtle, flattering lighting is best for a bedroom, and you can make some quick, easy and inexpensive changes
Lastly, to transform a bedroom from boring to boudoir, introduce sumptuous bed linens that are gorgeous to look at and enjoyable to touch – cool and crisp or cosy and warm, depending on the time of year. The quickest and easiest way to put together a gorgeouslooking bed is simply to use plain white or off-white sheets, pillow cases and a duvet cover, and add a stunning throw, blanket, eiderdown or quilt – or several, for eye-catching colour and pattern. Layer texture on texture, plains with patterns, modern with vintage – creating a serene and luxurious, indulgent retreat. Layer bed linen for an interesting mix of textures and attractive effect. The design pictured, of pleats, ruched cotton and grey hand stitching on 100% cotton percale, would work in a traditional or modern room. Ruffle Pleat bed linen, from £28 for a pair of pillowcases, The French Bedroom Company, 08456 448022; www. frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk.
BUCKINGHAM HOUSE LUXURY CARE HOME Gerrards Cross
Happy New Year From Everyone at
Buckingham House Care Home
Off Oxford Road, Gerrards Cross Buckinghamshire SL9 7DP The home provides five-star accommodation for 53 residents each room is en-suite and decorated to a luxurious hotel standard. Buckingham House also boasts a café, 2 dining rooms and a hair and beauty salon, amongst its outstanding facilities.
Tel: 01753 468200 Email: buckingham.house@mmcg.co.uk Web: www.mmcgcarehomes.co.uk Nursing Care
Residential Care
Dementia Care
Day Care
Respite Care
Palliative Care 13
Finance
The Pros and Cons of Equity Release
Types of lifetime mortgage Roll-up: interest is added to the loan, which is repaid on death or if you move into care. There are no monthly
Equity Release unlocks some of the value in your home, providing a tax-free lump sum or cash facility from which to draw a regular income. It is a way to fund your retirement without having to move from your existing home, and is available to homeowners over the age of fifty-five. Equity release products can be broken down into: • Lifetime mortgages • Home reversion schemes The first step in deciding whether equity release is for you is to find a professional financial advisor with specific knowledge and experience. The advisor and lender must both be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and the lender should be a member of the Equity Release Council.
Lifetime Mortgage
How it works A lifetime mortgage allows you to borrow money against the value of your home, with interest added to the total each month. There are no repayments to meet - you still own your home but the value of it decreases due to the escalating mortgage. 14
repayments to make. Interest-only: you receive a lump sum and pay the interest on a monthly basis. Interest may be fixed or variable, and the original loan amount is repaid on sale of the house. Fixed repayment: you take a lump sum from the house, but there are no monthly interest payments to make. A repayment sum is calculated by the lender and agreed with you when the loan is taken out. This fixed amount is repaid on death or if you move to a care home. Pros • Unlocks the value in your home • Several choices of how the money is taken • Many lenders offer a ‘no negative equity’ guarantee • You can stay in your own home Cons • May affect your eligibility for benefits • Can be expensive in the long-term (there may be other less expensive options) • They are complex financial products which require professional guidance • Reduced inheritance for your
By Ann Haldon
beneficiaries
Home Reversion Scheme How it works Home reversion means that you sell all or part of your home to a company, which gives you a cash lump sum for its value, or allows you to take a regular income. Some schemes let you live in your home rentfree, while others charge a reduced rent. This arrangement continues until you die or move into a care home, at which point the house is sold and the loan repaid. As with a lifetime mortgage, you’ll be advised to discuss it with your family before proceeding. They need to know where they stand financially, particularly if it will affect their inheritance. Pros • A useful way to get money from your property without having to move out • You may be able to make an ‘inheritance guarantee’ to safeguard a proportion of your home for beneficiaries • Many schemes allow you to live in your home rent-free Cons • You generally only receive between 20%-60% of the market value of your property • These schemes can be costly to set up • They are complex to understand in detail The equity released from your home can be used for a range of purposes. Some people use the money for home improvements, others for holidays or to help their children onto the property ladder.
Recruiting NOW Foster carers and adopters needed
Find out more at our information events
Tuesday 13 January, 6.30pm to 8.30pm Civic Centre, Uxbridge UB8 1UW
Thursday 27 January, 10am to 12pm Botwell Library, Hayes UB3 2HW
Please arrive five minutes before the start time.
Book your place today
fost-adopt@ hillingdon.gov.uk 0800 783 1298
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/fost-adopt 15
Karen Munro Careers (Jan15)_Layout 1 17/12/2014 11:35 Page 1
www.munrocareers.co.uk #@munrocareers www.facebook.com/munrocareers Karen is a professional Career Coach providing individual support in all aspects of Career Development including effective CV Coaching and Interview Skills Techniques, Networking and successful job searching.
A member of the Career Development Institute and registered with the Careers Professional Alliance, a qualified Careers Practitioner and Trainer, she works with both private and business clients around Hillingdon, South Bucks and Middlesex. Karen is currently facilitating workshops and offering individual coaching to Military Personnel leaving the Armed Forces at RAF Northolt, helping them through their transition to civilian employment. Karen writes for a number of careers focussed and military resettlement magazines and regularly contributes to ‘In and Around’ sharing her practical experience with her local community. JANUARY is a great time for reflection on the year that has passed. However, it can also be a time to look back with regret about the things you haven't been able to accomplish or achieve and can it can become a difficult time of year for many of us. However, January should be a time to embrace where you are right now. Remember how you got here. Was it through hard work, talent, good or bad luck, playing it safe or perhaps from taking risks? Chances are, it was a bit of everything and it's important to recognise that everything you did had a consequence it got you to where you are right now. It's important to take responsibility for your actions and to learn from any mistakes.
Improving your job may be about a range of things from changing your attitude to work, approaching things differently as well as taking on additional responsibilities to make your job more enjoyable. Remember, "If you love your job, you'll never work another day in your life." If you're looking for a new job, embrace it as a new challenge and use everything you've learnt about yourself over the last 12 months to help define your new job search. Finally, you might not want just a new job, you might want a complete career change. Perhaps the one thing your learnt about yourself over the last 12 months was that you don't actually want to do the same job any more. Changing your career can feel like a huge hurdle and most people will think about it, perhaps even talk about it but will find it more challenging to actually make it happen. Change takes time and passion.
What did you learn about about yourself last year? How can you use it to improve your focus for the year ahead?
Time? Because in order to achieve it you need to map out a path towards your goal and start to break down the steps you need to take to get you there.
January is notorious for being the month when people make a concerted effort to improve things, do things differently or even change direction.
Passion? Because if you really want to take that journey and change your career you have to be passionate about what you want to achieve.
You may be looking to improve your current job, get a promotion or even get a new job.
Wishing all my readers and followers a very happy and prosperous 2015.
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Making peace with the past can help you embrace your future.
Karen
“unlocking your career potential”
01494 782001
Karen Munro - Career Coach
What are the options for a parent who’s had a good career, is used to earning a good income but has chosen to give it up in order to have a family?
flexible, there’s no pressure and it’s very rewarding. To find out more, please call Leena on 01494 765262
Returning to their old career will bring demands, pressure and they’ll suffer the guilt of the working parent. In part time jobs the hourly rate is poor and paying for childcare during school holidays is expensive. There is a way of building a fulltime income around the family’s needs working with a family run global company in the booming health and nutritionprofession. It has the Investors In People Gold award for training and support, the work is totally
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Designer Life (Jan15)_Layout 1 17/12/2014 11:55 Page 1
The Truth behind your Motivation HAPPY NEW YEAR!
www.designerlife.co.uk neelam@designerlife.co.uk
Neelam Challoner is one of UK’s leading Life coaches, specialising in Re-designing women’s lives and is the founder and owner of Designer life Coaching and the Author of ‘Successful but Incomplete’. Neelam has coached hundreds of people nationally and internationally since 2004. With over 15 years experience in leadership, she has a flair for getting the best out of people. Her clients range from professionals, high net worth individuals, and solo business owners, to unemployed, single parents and women who have suffered domestic abuse. She has empowered and coached both privately and in the public sector pan London and in the Hillingdon Borough and is relentless on her mission to inspire and motivate people to release their potential and live a ‘Designer life’.
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Did you enter the New Year thinking this is it; a new year, fresh start, giving up this, doing that… and then wake up New Year’s Day with no new feeling, 2014 merged into 2015 with no significance? Whichever way you embraced 2015 this is the perfect time to relook at your life and decide if anything needs changing. Many of us will set goals or resolutions but just after a few weeks those goals are long forgotten by a large percentage. Why is this? Let me explain one reason, and this is a huge reason.
How motivated are you to work on achieving your goals or getting things done? Do you find yourself struggling to keep up the momentum of a goal you’ve set, and find yourself in the same situation again and again often carrying the same goal over from one year to the next? Perhaps you have progressed a little, but then found that you only moved one step in ‘square one’? Maybe you’ve tried many things but distractions come along the way, or you have read personal development books and for some reason they have not worked either. Well, the solution is to get to the ‘root cause’ of your motivation. It’s your belief system. What do you believe, what do you say to yourself that you believe to be true, what do you imagine or picture in your mind? Simply put, there may well be a conflict between your ‘will power’ and your ‘beliefs.’ If you have conflicting motivations the stronger one wins... usually the belief you carry. This often comes up as self-sabotaging habits - habits and thinking that conflict with the desire/goal. Let me demonstrate how your motivations can impact how your life turns out and how, if your beliefs are negative or disempowering they can pave a path of failure, disappointment and you could end up in a rut. Equally if you have positive beliefs it can be empowering and life changing. BELIEFS shape your VALUES create MOTIVATIONS determine WHAT YOU DO (in your daily life) resulting in recurrent outcome BELIEFS (see diagram above). Finally ask yourself; 1. What negative (discouraging) beliefs do I carry in my mind (self-talk)? 2. How do these thoughts serve me? 3. How can I turn them into helpful encouraging and empowering beliefs? Here’s to your success!
Neelam
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EVERYBUN WANTS TO BE LOVED
For more information on adopting please call 01895 833417 And the many adorable rabbits at our Branch Re homing Centre, desperate to find loving homes, are no exception. Can you offer the care, attention and special love they deserve? All rabbits need a large hutch and exercise run, big enough for them to stretch out, run, play and keep themselves entertained. They also require cleaning out daily, a special diet to maintain fitness and health as well as lots of handling and attention, to keep them tame and friendly. Please only consider adopting a rabbit, if you have the time to keep their house clean and are willing to spend the time tak ing care of them. With animals of various ages, size, colour and personality available for adoption, we're sure we have to capture everyone's heart. A good home is more than just a hutch. Please help give our animals a future to look forward to.
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GNH_in&around_dps_Jan2015_Layout 1 16/12/2014 15:31 Page 1
holidays
In and Around
QUOTE: RF-IA
Golden Years
Memories of 50 Years AgoFree Drinks RIVIERA OF FLOWERS by Ted Bruning MONACO & PORTOFINO Escorted Holiday by Rail - afternoon departures
Winston Churchill Statue, Parliament Square, London. Jose L. Marin, Wikimedia Commons.
Champagne Check-in
EXCURSIONS
head, took an hour to make Early in the New Year of 1965, INCLUDED semi allup inclusive, the 2� miles Whitehall from £849pp Winston Churchill had suffered8 days, • How fitting it was that Departures: 13 Apr, 1 & 30 May, 6 Jun, 19 & 25 Sept & 1 Oct, 2015 and along the Strand, Fleet a stroke. He never regained Churchill should choose Street, and Ludgate Hill to St consciousness and died on Bladon, the parish INCLUDED: Escorted throughout This super holiday, taking in the French & Paul’s, every way January 24th, aged 90; and Italian Rivieras, churchCheck-in of his at birthplace, starts with ainch glassof ofthe Bubbly at • Champagne London St Pancras by silent Bar mourners though it seems sacrilegious,Stit’s Pancrasthronged famous Champagne before an Blenheim Palace, as (from • Return rail travel from St Pancras afternoonwho departure on Eurostar to in Lille or had waited hours true that he had rarely been as hison burial-place. “In my Ebbsfleet request) to Nice Paris. Aftertheir an overnight we continue by tens of stay, thousands in the much loved during his lifetime beginning is my end. In high-speed train to Nice then to Diano Marina • 1 night hotel B&B in Paris or Lille freezing cold. At the cathedral as he was after his death. Hated my end is my beginning,” on Italy’s Riviera of Flowers, our base for this • 6 nights in Diano Marina or similar - half steps hisdrinks wartime by miners as the Liberal Home holiday. Enjoy free everycomrades night at the wrote TS Eliot in The Four board PLuS free drinks 6pm to 11pm every Attlee, Eden, to MacMillan, Secretary who sent troops tohotel and excursions Monaco, Ismay, Eze, Quartets; and Eliot had Portofino Slim, & Dolceacqua. night • All excursions • Transfers abroad Alexander, Portal, and Tonypandy to put down a strike died aged 76 at home Mountbatten escorted the coffin in 1910; blamed (wrongly) for the in Kensington only 20 inside where the leaders of 122 GallipoliCall disaster in World War I days before Churchill. nations sang To Be A Pilgrim, and (rightly) for the even greater Both were members of DG-IA QUOTE: The Battle Hymn of the Republic, disaster of the return to the gold 01895 the Order of Merit; both The Good Fight and Oh standard in 1925; a truculent had won Nobel Prizes for 83 33 33 in the 1930s; Fight God Our Help. And then the Imperialist dinosaur literature. Eliot, though, for bookings short voyage on the launch distrusted by the masses in was cremated privately at Havengore from Tower Hill to 1945; old, sick, and in the way Golders Green, and his and information Festival Pier, the monstrous in 1955 – Churchill had known ashes were buried at East dockside cranes each bowing in more brickbats than bouquets. Coker in Somerset. But turn as it passed. And finally the he has his slab at Poet’s But not on offered the 30th by January Holidays private train and the family burial Corner in Westminster 1965, day of his funeral. GNthe Holidays at Bladon, Oxfordshire, where Abbey, and Churchill’s Then he was every downed & Voyages at last his widow Clemmie and statue is in Parliament airman, every drowned seaman, his children Randolph, Mary and Higher Denham Square not 200 yards every tankman burnt alive, every Sarah had their chance at tears. away, so you can pay Tommy blown to Hell, every ABTA NoY0291 •ATOL 9362 your respects to both in exhausted ARP man, landgirl, This was how a nation grieved one visit, if you’ve a mind. munitions worker... and miner. then: not in hysterical outbursts, info@gnholidays.com Holiday by Rail He was their suffering and theirEscorted but bound together by protocol, EXCURSIONS • Happy 50th birthdays to www.gnholidays.com victory. 6 days board, from £599pp by half formality, by seemliness; as Vinnie Jones (5th), Joely INCLUDED rigidly16 drilled on a 2015 In the daysweekdays his body lay 23 April, Open 9amthree to 5.30pm Julyas&a3platoon September, Richardson (9th), Hugh parade-ground and thus united in state in St Stephen’s Hall, Fearnley-Whittingstall 9.30am to 12.30pm France, Dordogne region has offer with INCLUDED: Escorted inofdeed asthe well as thought. Forso much to(14th), Westminster, 321,360 peopleIn the heart James Nesbitt Saturdays scenic railway, castles,or beautiful rivers, and throughout • Return rail whopicturesque lined the route filed past the catafalque. Thea stunningeveryone (15th), andtravel Heather SmallSt from London closed Bank Holidays medieval hilltop towns. We stay in the centre of the famous town of watched on television, the grief gun-carriage that bore him, Pancras Ebbsfleet and(from botox to on Perigueux, and include excursions taking-in: Rocamadour,(20th). perchedCake and the memories were personal; pulled by 108 naval ratings you all! request) to Limoges on a hilltop overlooking the Dordogne river; the picturesque • 5 nights half-board stay at and yet they were as one. with the Earl Marshal at their
I
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i
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RIVERS, BOATS & TRAINS OF THE DORDOGNE
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Truffadou railway; the beautiful village of La Roque Gageac with a a 3 star hotel in Perigueux cruise on the Dordogne on a traditional flat bottomed boat; and Le • Excursions Gouffre de Padirac to visit the stunning underground caves. • Transfers abroad
I
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Coach Breaks departing from uxbridge, Ruislip & Slough Harefield
Village Café
QUOTE: CS2-IA
Warner Leisure Hotels
OVER 40S ONLY
FREE DRINKS
ENGLAND’S GREATEST SNOWDROP SWINGING SIXTIES SEASIDE GARDEN & AFTERNOON TEA AT PARTY AT WARNER CORTON, MARCO PIERRE WHITE’S FROGMILL INN SUFFOLK COAST
QUOTE: CW2-IA
Great Day Out, £79pp
4 Days Half Board + Free Drinks, £259pp
Departs Monday 16 February, 2015
Departs Friday 6 February, 2015
INCLUDED: Visit to Colesbourne Park Garden, Gloucestershire, including entry • Afternoon tea, including a glass of Prosecco, at the Frogmill Inn, Andoversford • Return coach travel
INCLUDED: Free Bar from 6pm to midnight every night for house beers & spirits, wine by the glass, pumped soft drinks & mixers • Entertainment from The Fortunes, union Gap and a tribute to Frankie Valli • 3 dinners & 3 breakfasts • 3 nights en-suite chalet - upgrades available from £284pp • Coach travel & excursions
Harefield Village Café has been built on a QUOTE: TD3-IA
A
ALL MAJOR
CREDIT/DEBIT CARDS
reputation for excellent food, friendly service and first class hygiene and cleanliness. We are a modern busy café, conveniently located on the high street of Harefield Village.
OPEN QUOTE: 7 DAYS AEA3-IA WEEK Mon - Fri: 7:00 - 18:00 Saturday: 7:00 – 17:00 Sun & B.Hols: 8:00 - 17:00
We serve great value set breakfasts all day, lunches and homemade dinners. We also have a variety of kids meals, perfect for the whole family in a friendly warm atmosphere. We can also cater for large orders, parties and special occasions. All our meals are freshly cooked to order using the freshest and finest ingredients.
Village Café 5 High Street Harefield UB9 6BX
Eat In Or Takeaway
THRIPLOW DAFFODIL FESTIVAL & LUNCH AT A COUNTRY PUB
EASTBOURNE & SOUTH COAST EXPLORER
Great Day Out, £69pp
5 Days Half Board, £229pp
Departs Saturday 21 March, 2015
Departs Monday 23 March, 2015
INCLUDED: Visit to Thriplow Village for the Daffodil
INCLUDED: 4 nights stay at the Shoreview Hotel on
festival • 2-course hot & cold buffet lunch with a glass
Eastbourne seafront • 4 dinners and 4 breakfasts
of wine at the White Horse Hotel, Hertingfordbury
• Visits to Arundel and Brighton • Coach travel and
• Return coach travel
excursions
Visit our website to view our full menu: www.harefieldvillagecafe.co.uk 23
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Infant Matters FP (Jan15)_Layout 1 17/12/2014 10:43 Page 1
Denham Village Infant School was established in 1878 and is situated in the peaceful and picturesque village of Old Denham.
We aim to provide a traditional ethos coupled with the highest educational standards.
For the joy of it! Can we all learn to be happy? THERE is a paradox at the heart of our lives and it affects educationalists particularly. Most people want more financial income. Yet as societies become richer, they do not seem to become happier. This is not just anecdotally true, it is a story now being proved by countless pieces of scientific research. We now have sophisticated ways of measuring how happy people are, and all the evidence shows that on average people have grown no happier in the last fifty years, even as average incomes have more than quadrupled. In fact, the First World has more depression, more alcoholism and more crime than fifty years ago. This paradox is true of Britain, the United States, continental Europe, and Japan. What is going on? Since we can measure happiness more accurately we now have an opportunity to use this evidence to make better choices and to increase well-being in our personal lives, homes, workplaces, communities and especially schools. Happiness and fulfilment come from focusing less on ourselves and more from helping others; less from external factors outside our control and more from the way in which we choose to react to what happens to us. At school, we call this learning resilience. We have the unique opportunity in school to make sense of this recent research by linking it to ancient wisdoms and ensuring that our children learn to consider other people, by making sure they value themselves and are confident in their own unique qualities, by facilitating an exploration of the outdoors, by making music and art important. The key word here is learning. Children can learn to be happy and confident because their brains are so elastic. There is real hope here; neuroscience is showing that happiness can be learned and, as learning institutions, schools will become increasingly committed to teaching it. I have noticed the advice coming down from Government is changing, well-being is mentioned more and more now – and that is why I never apologise for beginning each day with “Welcome to the Factory of Fun”.
Nick Andrews | Headteacher | Denham Village Infant School Mobile 07583 550676 | www.denhamvillageinfant.co.uk
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Parkway, Hillingdon, Middlesex, UB10 9JX Independent School for boys and girls aged 3 - 11
An ‘OUTSTANDING’ School A family-run school with a caring atmosphere. Pupils achieve excellent results in academic subjects, music, sport and drama. For further information, or to arrange a visit, please telephone 01895 234371 Parkway, Hillingdon, Middlesex, UB10 9JX - www.sthelenscollege.com 27
Short Story
Percy Comes for Dinner
Marjorie daydreamed as she stirred the bubbling pan full of her New Year’s Day casserole. The family were out watching the local rugby match, but would soon be home, cold and famished. She paused at the sound of Great Aunt Sophia making her way downstairs.
This year Marjorie had drawn the short straw to have Sophia over for the New Year. She had arrived by train on New Year’s Eve carrying her musty handbag full of mystery false teeth, hairnets and used tissues. Last, but by no means least, in that cavernous bag was the black ceramic pot containing the cremated remains of Percy, her deceased husband. He was her constant companion. There were members of the family who had only ever known Percy as a black ceramic pot. He’d been dead for over twenty years and yet never missed a family occasion. Sophia, besides being rather absentminded, wasn’t really much trouble, and in many ways she tried to be helpful. She always offered to pop the kettle on or butter some bread, and Marjorie knew she should be grateful, but the kitchen was her domain and it felt uncomfortable to have another woman invading it. She was putting the plates in the oven to warm when Sophia came in carrying Percy. “Something smells nice”. She said, “Do you want a hand with it?”. She lifted the casserole dish lid and sniffed. 28
“It’s all sorted Sophia, but thanks anyway”.
“Would you mind if I make myself a cup of tea?”. “Let me do it for you Sophie, the kettle’s just boiled”. “I won’t hear of it, you’ve done enough, go and put your feet up”. Sophia began opening and closing cupboards so Marjorie decided to grab a handful of cutlery and beat a retreat to the dining room. Calmly she began to lay out each place setting. “I hope you don’t mind but I’ve added a bit of Percy to your stew dear”. Sophia called through the kitchen door, “It just needed a little something”. “Thank you Sophia”. Marjorie called back. She was slightly annoyed. It wasn’t a stew, it was a casserole, and, interfering with another woman’s recipe was really going too far. She took a deep breath and folded a napkin. Then she stopped. What had Sophia just said?
noticed Marjorie, “What on Earth’s wrong Dear?”. “Tell me you haven’t put Percy in the casserole?”. “Not Percy”. Sophia seemed bewildered. “Why on Earth would I do that, Dear?”. She held up a glass jar that Marjorie recognised from the back of the spice rack. “It was parsley, and just a teaspoon. Here, have a taste”.
She flew back into the kitchen, to find Sophia happily stirring the casserole. Next to the stove was Percy’s pot with the lid askew.
Sophia thrust the same spoon into Marjorie’s open mouth. The casserole now had a distinctly different tang, Marjorie thought, but wasn’t completely ruined. She made a mental note to throw that jar away, judging by the fusty taste it must by months out of date. She heard the front door open and the sound of six pairs of boots in the hall.
Marjorie gasped as Sophia raised the wooden spoon to her lips.
“We’d better start dishing up Sophia”. She said. “Take Percy out of the way”.
“Aunt Sophia stop!”. She shrieked. But it was too late, Sophia slurped down the casserole greedily.
And it was probably for the best that neither lady noticed the seal on the lid of the parsley jar. It had never once been opened.
“Mmm, just what it needed”. She licked her lips, then
By Jackie Brewster
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Dated Events (Jan15)_Layout 1 18/12/2014 17:14 Page 1
Beauty JANUARY EVENTS
HUBB Business Breakfast Event Thu 8th January, 8am-9am Bay Lodge, 36 Harefield Road, Uxbridge, UB8 1PH. Networking with local professionals and in partnership with the Hillingdon Chamber of Commerce. ‘The New Pension Landscape’. From April 2015 there will be massive changes to pension legislation, find out how it can improve your retirement. Coffee and pastries. For details email: emma.zovich@ wardwilliams.co.uk
The Inlands Waterways Association Tues 13th January, 7.30pm Hillingdon Canal Club (HCC), Waterloo Road, Uxbridge, UB8 2QX (opposite the General Elliott pub) Speaker Jon Willis on ‘Crofton Beam Engines’.
DON'T MISS THE DEADLINE! If you would like us to publicise your event in our February issues contact us no later than Friday 16th January.
Look Younger for Longer - Look after Your Neck and Hands
Local Events
An Evening of Indulgence in aid of Michael Sobell Hospice Wed 11th February, 7pm-10pm The London School of Theology, Green Lane, Northwood, HA6 2UW. Relax and unwind with a glass of bubbly and a range of taster therapies during the evening. Includes live music from the Paul Lipscombe duo.
dehydrated. So given that, it’s as important to moisturise your neck as your face, and to extend the application of your daily FEBRUARY EVENTS sunscreen to this area too. Theto Uxbridge Choral Society's Remember exfoliate your skin regularly Winter - bothConcert on your face and February, 7.30pm neck - asSun this1stremoves dead St. Mary's, skin cells,Princes, brightens your skin and improves absorption of your Risborough. moisturiser. Performing Martin How's ‘The
Way’. Jeff conduct On the subject ofStewart daily will routines, Live Jazz in Ickenham with the and the concert. Tickets: Adults whilst a regular moisturiser is Karen Sharp Quartet and Friends £12 and £6 for under 12s. looking to prevent Sat 24th January, 7.30pmfine for those Available on the door or by calling cure, if your neck is Ickenham Village Hall rather than 01895 847083 in advance. The Karen Sharp Quartet already will be heavily lined, you’ll need appearing for the first time at something stronger. Furthermore Ickenham Village Hall withyour an allneck requires a different star rhythm section comprising formulation to reverse the signs John Critchinson, Dave Green and of ageing than your face, so Steve Brown you can expect it’s important to use products swinging, 'in the pocket' jazz at its specifically designed for the very best.
neck, Tickets £12 available on the door which are generally more concentrated and powerful. or online at www.tootsmusic management.co.uk/news-events. Eating a healthy diet is key to The Inlands Waterways looking younger too, as foods Association rich in anti-oxidants and OmegaTues 10th February, 7.30pm 3 acids have beenCanal shown help Hillingdon Club to (HCC), skin rejuvenation by boosting Waterloo Road, collagen production - something Uxbridge, UB8 2QX. that declines as we age. Treatments available include; (opposite the General Elliott pub) massages, mini manicures, indian Smoking Speaker is not only bad for your Ross Gorbert on head massage, reflexology, health, but it damages ‘Converting a Dutchcollagen Pontoon’. postural analysis, analysis by and the constant squinting For more information email Lucy House of Colour. Stalls offering The Uxbridge Choral Society's and lip pursing smoking Smith onwhilst middlesex.socials@ jewellery, accessories, lingerie, Winter Concert causes lines to form quickly. waterways.org.uk. hairdressing, aloe vera, lavender, Sat 31st January, 7.30pm It’s no surprise then, that the cupcakes hand made soaps. St. Margaret's Church, Indoor Boot Sale and delicate skin under your chin is Tickets cost £15 including a Windsor Street, Community Coffee Morning damaged as a result. Bucks Fizz and a goody bag. Uxbridge. Sat 14th February, 9.30am-1pm Tea and coffee also available. Performing Martin How's ‘The The Village Hall, Your Hands Way’. Jeff Stewart will conduct For more information or to book a Ickenham. Your Neck ticket for this event go to and the concert. Tickets:They Adults sayFor more information that you can tellcall a Vera on £6 of for the under 12s. www.michaelsobelhospice.co.uk 635224 or Chris on The skin on your neck is thin compared to£12 theand rest women’s 01895 age by her hands, so01895 on the door or by or call 01923 or youto canlook emailafter body, it also has fewer oil844730. glandsVisit and can Available easily become it calling really is676900 important 01895 847083 in advance. www.michaelsobellhospice.co.uk. ButterfliesIckenham@yahoo.com
When it comes to looking younger, we all seem to focus our attention on our face yet overlook our neck and hands, even though it’s these areas that tend to age the fastest. So it’s time to start taking notice of these neglected areas to ensure that you look January younger for longer. into February 2015 34
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yours. Winter weather, central heating, contact with water and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers all serve to dry out the skin, making your hands look older than they are and feel rough to the touch.
hands are submerged in water; always keep a pair of rubber gloves nearby.
cuticle oil every night. Use a strengthening treatment to help protect your nails from the elements and to give them extra strength. And for a real treat, head to the beauty salon and get a manicure. You’ll feel a lot more enthused about keeping your professionally pampered hands in tip-top condition when they’re looking gorgeous. By Helen Taylor
The Something missing Invest in a pair of moisture perfect in your life? gloves. Apply an intensive
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If the skin on your hands is suffering you can be sure that your nails will be too. Each time you wash your Nails need extra attention hands, dry them thoroughly during the winter months and and then apply a hand and if theyWhy are dry, andsomeone’s nail cream not peeling look after dog - same goes for brittle this is a while sign that you away. arrange for your dog/s to stay when you have usedLet a us hand they’re need to treat your talons to sanitizer. Make sure with one of our local, carefully host with Barking Mad someBecome seriousaTLC. you rub the product selected, very special families – because at Barking Mad we believe in thoroughly and your dog deserves a holiday too! Limit It’s the exposure great fun, all of theyour benefits of dog don’t forget to handsownership and nails have to the or without the emotional coat your financial We carefully For more information, or to find out how to become a host family, elements bycommitment. always wearing please contact Carole Chester match dogs to your home. cuticles and gloves whenever you step Tel: 01442 832594 nails too. outside Carole in cold weather. Chester 01442 832594 Email: carole.chester@barkingmad.uk.com carole.chester@barkingmad.uk.com The same goes for washing Keep your nails www.barkingmad.uk.com up or any activity where your long and strong by applying BarkingMad.uk.com
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The Land Down Under When it’s cold and frosty outside, there’s no better time to get reacquainted with our antipodean friends as they celebrate Australia Day on January the 26th. It’s a ripper opportunity to throw a few shrimp on the barbie, and while you’re cooking up a storm on the beach, you can sit back and read some bonza books about the land Down Under.
A Town like Alice, Nevil Shute For many, Nevil Shute’s novel is the first they read that really gives them a drive to travel to Australia. It’s a compelling tale of love and war which sees Englishwoman Jean Paget captured by the Japanese in the heart of the Malaysian jungle and then forced to endure a death march lasting many months. From Malaysia, Jean returns home, but not for long as she then returns to the Far East to give something back to those who helped save her life. Where she ends up is in a remote part of Oz which challenges her resolve once again. She may not be a bona fide ‘Sheila’, but given what she’s been through, Jean’s got the resilience of a real Aussie battler. Everybody Jam, Ali Lewis This is the story of Danny, who lives on a remote cattle station in the outback, and his brother who has died, his teenage sister who’s pregnant and the rather green English backpacker who’s the latest hired help. Everybody Jam refers to strawberry jam, that’s universally loved by one and all, no matter what their background or status. In Danny’s world, everyone’s gearing up for the great annual muster and it’s a make or break business, with the family pushed to its limits and fighting to survive under the intense heat of the blazing sun. It was written for young adults but if you’ve ever been a gap year student, or you fancy a true Aussie experience, then Everybody Jam could give you a real flavour of what to expect. 36
Eucalyptus, Murray Bail Murray Bail has written an unusual and touching love story which has grown straight from the craggy Aussie soil itself. Widower Holland has two things he is proud of: his daughter Ellen, and his impressive collection of eucalyptus trees. He has grown every single variety of the gums and it’s the inspiration for a challenge to any of Ellen’s suitors. Holland decrees that Ellen may only marry the man who can correctly identify all of them. While many come by to try and subsequently fail, Ellen spends her days being entertained by a stranger who appears under the shadow of a tree one day. Enchanted and intrigued by his stories of distant lands, Ellen begins to fall in love. It’s a beautiful story that will capture your heart and nurture a longing for romance and travel. Mutant Message Down Under, Marlo Morgan For many, the idea of ‘going walkabout’ with an aboriginal tribe would be like having a dream come true; to be permitted such a rare insight into an ancient civilisation. This is the fictional account of an American woman ‘summoned’ to do just that. Often referred to as a ‘spiritual odyssey’, the book explores the way in which the nomads live in harmony with nature for as long as they are on this earth, and what we can take from that message. There are physical challenges as well as spiritual, ecological and theological for Morgan
to overcome and it makes for incredible reading as she takes her four month-long journey of discovery. Cloudstreet, Tim Winton Tim Winton is an Australian national treasure, and quite rightly so. In one of his seminal works, Cloudstreet is a saga that covers the entire spectrum of human emotion and focuses on not one, but two families: The Pickles and the Lambs, brought together through adversity and trying to get along under one quite substantial roof. The novel spans a twenty year period of the trials and tribulations of close friends and relatives, with everything from adultery to drunkenness threatening to rock the foundations of the house on Cloudstreet. In a Sunburned Country, Bill Bryson Long before Bryson’s book Down Under, came In a Sunburned Country. The sunny island that’s home to some of the friendliest people, but 99 per cent (ish!) of the world’s deadliest creatures, is writing gold to someone like Bryson. With still only a relatively small population inhabiting this vast country, much of which is desert and unforgiving outback, there are definitely going to be some ‘characters’ to find and Bryson has a real knack for tracking them down…or in most cases, stumbling across them. It’s a very funny book. That’s all that really needs to be said. But then, what did you expect? It’s Bryson, in a cork hat, drinking a cold tinnie. Perfection.
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Working with Charities Ward Williams Chartered Accountants in association with the Uxbridge Conservative Club held a Charity Race Night on Wednesday 10th December and raised a fantastic £1,200 for the children’s ward (Peter Pan & Wendy Ward) at Hillingdon Hospital (charity number: 1056493, The Paediatric Trust Fund 425). The money raised will pay for an oxygen tank for the Paediatric unit, and food and toys for the children over Christmas. A big thank you to Georgina & Philip Baile, and Mez at the Uxbridge Conservative Club for their time and support in making this event such a success, and to the support of the 40 people who attended the event from various local businesses & organisations; Uxbridge Conservative Club members, Belvoir Lettings, Dale & Sons Funeral Directors, United Tea, IBB Solicitors, Hillingdon Hospital, Hillingdon Chamber, Utility Warehouse, HSBC and Minuteman Press. Ward Williams have a team that specialises in the needs of charities, with 20 years combined experience and extensive knowledge of the Charities Acts and Charities SORP, they can offer charities the following: Preparation of annual accounts in accordance with the relevant Regulations Annual audit and independent examinations Assistance in the completion of Charity Commission annual returns Attendance at Trustee's and audit committee meetings Please contact Colin Hamilton (colin.hamilton@wardwilliams.co.uk) for a free no-obligation meeting or a fixed fee quotation.
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Beauty Look Younger for Longer - Look after Your Neck and Hands dehydrated. So given that, it’s as important to moisturise your neck as your face, and to extend the application of your daily sunscreen to this area too. Remember to exfoliate your skin regularly - both on your face and neck - as this removes dead skin cells, brightens your skin and improves absorption of your moisturiser.
On the subject of daily routines, whilst a regular moisturiser is fine for those looking to prevent rather than cure, if your neck is already heavily lined, you’ll need something stronger. Furthermore your neck requires a different formulation to reverse the signs of ageing than your face, so it’s important to use products specifically designed for the neck, which are generally more concentrated and powerful.
When it comes to looking younger, we all seem to focus our attention on our face yet overlook our neck and hands, even though it’s these areas that tend to age the fastest. So it’s time to start taking notice of these neglected areas to ensure that you look younger for longer. Your Neck
The skin on your neck is thin compared to the rest of the body, it also has fewer oil glands and can easily become 42
Eating a healthy diet is key to looking younger too, as foods rich in anti-oxidants and Omega3 acids have been shown to help skin rejuvenation by boosting collagen production - something that declines as we age. Smoking is not only bad for your health, but it damages collagen and the constant squinting and lip pursing whilst smoking causes lines to form quickly. It’s no surprise then, that the delicate skin under your chin is damaged as a result.
Your Hands
They say that you can tell a women’s age by her hands, so it really is important to look after
yours. Winter weather, central heating, contact with water and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers all serve to dry out the skin, making your hands look older than they are and feel rough to the touch.
hands are submerged in water; always keep a pair of rubber gloves nearby. Invest in a pair of moisture gloves. Apply an intensive hand cream every night, before bed, and then put the moisture gloves on overnight. You’ll wake up with beautifully soft hands in the morning.
cuticle oil every night. Use a strengthening treatment to help protect your nails from the elements and to give them extra strength. And for a real treat, head to the beauty salon and get a manicure. You’ll feel a lot more enthused about keeping your professionally pampered hands in tip-top condition when they’re looking gorgeous. By Helen Taylor
If the skin on your hands is suffering you can be sure that your nails will be too. Nails need extra attention during the winter months and if they are dry, peeling and brittle this is a sign that you need to treat your talons to some serious TLC. Limit the exposure your hands and nails have to the elements by always wearing gloves whenever you step outside in cold weather. The same goes for washing up or any activity where your
Each time you wash your hands, dry them thoroughly and then apply a hand and nail cream - same goes for when you have used a hand sanitizer. Make sure you rub the product in thoroughly and don’t forget to coat your cuticles and nails too. Keep your nails long and strong by applying
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Bug-Busting Day: Say Goodbye to Head Lice By Alison Runham www.alison.runham.co.uk January 31st is the first of this year’s three National Bug Busting Days, when families of all schoolchildren across the UK are supplied with a comb kit to detect and remove head lice hopefully halting them in their tracks.
afraid your unwanted insect passengers will stubbornly refuse to move to your furry friend.
These miniscule insects live in human hair and feed on blood from the scalp, and unfortunately they’re very common, particularly amongst children. Almost as common as head lice myths...
Using insecticides is the best way to prevent head lice. No. Pesticides won’t prevent lice infestation and should be used sparingly. They’re only appropriate if a live louse has been seen on the hair.
THE MYTHS:
Head lice can jump or fly. Fleas, yes. Head lice, no (not without the aid of a tiny trampoline). Head lice can swim. Only if they can find arm bands small enough. Otherwise, no. Head lice love dirty hair. No. They just love hair, full stop. They’re not fussy about length, style or cleanliness. Head lice can be caught from animals. No, only by head to head contact with a person already harbouring them. If you’re infested and bend down next to Fido, I’m 44
You know when you have head lice. Your scalp itches. Not necessarily. The itching is caused by your allergic reaction to lice faeces and bites, and can occur weeks or months after lice arrive on your head (or not at all).
You need to boil wash/dryclean clothes and bedding if you have head lice. There’s no need; only dead or dying lice lose their grip and fall from your hair.
Detecting Head Lice Lice eggs are laid close to the roots of the hair where it’s warmest and stick firmly to the hair shaft, making them hard to remove even when you comb or treat hair. It also makes them hard to spot. Often they’re only noticed as hair grows, moving them away from the scalp. By this time they’re usually nits
(empty eggshells). Head lice are pale grey and smaller than a pinhead when they hatch and roughly sesame seed size when they’re fully grown, so they’re very difficult to see too. The best way to find head lice is to use a proper head lice comb with a tooth spacing of 0.2-0.3mm, as this will catch even the tiniest louse. It’s more effective on wet hair but can be used on dry hair too. Some people may get an itchy rash around the back of the neck, near the hairline, or have a sore scalp. But don’t presume these symptoms are caused by head lice – always check.
Getting Rid of Head Lice Wet Combing Although wet combing is very efficient it must be done thoroughly and regularly, as eggs can be missed. A female louse can lay eggs at just 9 days old, and those eggs hatch around a week later - so if a few lice or eggs are missed, hair can become infested again very quickly. Shampoo and condition the hair first, leaving the conditioner in the hair, and remove tangles with a normal
comb. Then engage the teeth of the detection comb at the roots and draw the comb right to the ends of the hair on every stroke. Check the comb for head lice after each stroke and remove them by rinsing or wiping the comb. Comb methodically, making sure no hair is missed. Clipping sections out of the way is helpful. Then rinse the hair before combing it thoroughly, section by section, again. It’s best to repeat this every three days up until day 15, to ensure newly-hatched lice don’t mature. Electric nit comb These combs claim to kill head lice by delivering a small electric shock. Opinions vary on how well they work. Silicone-based lotions (e.g. dimeticone)
Relatively new, these work by coating the lice and preventing them from absorbing water, causing them to die. If used properly they seem very effective.
Chemical insecticides (e.g. malathion, phenothrin and permethrin) Rarely recommended as a first choice now, as head lice are increasingly resistant to them and they can be harmful if used persistently. Health professionals usually recommend wet combing instead. If you’re using these treatments, treat everyone affected at the same time and follow instructions carefully. If the treatment doesn’t come with a detection comb, purchase one so that you can remove dead lice and nits. Always check hair with
the comb a few days after treatment and again 10-12 days afterwards to make sure it’s worked, as not all treatments kill the eggs. As with any medication, make sure it’s suitable for the person being treated and note any cautions.
Preventing Head Lice
The best way to prevent head lice is regular combing using a proper detection comb, preferably weekly. If you need a product recommendation or are finding lice difficult to eradicate, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice, particularly if you’re treating babies, pregnant or breastfeeding mums, or people with allergies or asthma.
Osteopath Sports Injuries Back Pain Nagging aches and Pains Within 2 miles of M25, M40 and M4
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Tel: 01753 677067 www.samwinder.com 45
Working From Home: Is It For You? Top 10 Things To Consider Before You Start
Do a search on Google for the specific term “work from home UK” and it will return around 857 million results. It’s clearly a popular subject and since broadband became widely available in 2004, the growth in this market has been phenomenal. Indeed it is estimated that 2.8 Million businesses now operate full time from home; that 1400 people start a business every week; and that home businesses contribute £284 billion to the economy each year. Many, many businesses operate successfully from a spare room; sadly many others fail. So before you take the plunge and give up the day job, consider if your business passes these sanity checks.
Budget for growth
All businesses start from £0 revenue, and most from a negative figure by the time they’ve paid their startup costs. If your business builds up really slowly – say just a few £s every month – you’ll be bankrupt and fed up before it really gets going. You might have left a job 46
with a big redundancy payout or you might actually need the money straight away. But setting up your own business is hard work and if you can’t pay yourself for months, you are likely to become disillusioned.
Watch your overheads
Overheads have to be paid regardless of whether you have any business. If you are paying for stock, leases, loans or equipment rental you need to factor this into your monthly budget.
Is there a market for what you want to sell?
A classic mistake is to think ‘there must be a huge market for this because nobody else does it/makes it’. Possibly, but it’s more likely that there isn’t a demand in the first place. For your first business you really are better to go into a market where you know money is being spent rather than trying to create the market from scratch.
How many customers do you need?
There are so many tales of people who start a business, win one big profitable customer who brings in 80% of the
revenue month after month, only for it to go horribly wrong when the big customer changes supplier. Far better to have lots of customers on your list. If you have fifty customers, even a loss of five of them won’t seriously impact your business. However, clearly it’s going to take a while to build up a base of that many businesses.
Will your customers buy again?
When you get the first few people buying from you, the ideal business model says that sooner or later they’ll want to use you again. There are plenty of people making money where they do have to start again e.g. conservatory sales companies attract very little repeat business, but each sale is very high value. However, for your work from home ’lifestyle’ business, it’s far better to have some customers who come back again and again. It will make your life less stressful and your business more successful.
How will people find out about you? Treat this as a launch and do
as much initial marketing as you can find the time for and can afford. Advertising in this magazine (of course!), notice boards, Google adwords, social media, emailing, networking, the school gates…anything and everything you can think of.
Do you have the space?
Try not to let your business spill into the general living space. Not only is this encroaching on your family’s home, but it’ll mean you’ll feel you can’t ever get away from work. A spare room is ideal of course, but if not, then a filing cabinet where you can tuck everything away at the end of the day does at least mark out the boundaries.
A real danger in your early days is that you chase after every piece of business, no matter how small, and discount like mad to ensure you win it. Be discerning and be firm on your prices. If you have time to spare it’s better to spend it on marketing for better quality leads.
Your own business...but not on your own
Whether you are the most sociable person going, or a bit of a loner, spending all day, every day with nobody to speak to is not healthy. Even if you just need someone to discuss an idea with or some support for what you are doing, contact with other people - ideally doing the same as you - is really important. If you see your customers you have that covered, but if you communicate mostly by email, make the effort to join a few industry forums and local social groups.
Going ahead? So you have your plan in place, here are some early pitfalls to avoid. Don’t chase everything
Don’t be distracted by ‘brand marketing’
A classic mistake made by many new business starters is to spend a fortune headed paper, glossy brochure, top quality business cards or any other costly brand awareness products. Maybe later, but right now focus on the type of marketing which delivers real live leads, rather than expecting people to call because they like your expensive logo.
Finally, a word of warning. If you do start your own business, it’s a legal requirement to register with HMRC as selfemployed – make it top of your action list.
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Hobbies Time To Pick Up A Paintbrush
By Kate McLelland As I walked along the banks of our local river on a Sunday afternoon not so long ago, I noticed two artists, dabbing away at their canvasses with rapt concentration. The object of their attention was a picturesque old water mill, and as I passed each painter I couldn’t resist sneaking a look at their easels to see what they had done. While I have to admit that neither of them was a budding John Constable, I felt huge admiration for their attempts to capture the lovely rural scene in front of them, using nothing more than a brush and several crumpled tubes of acrylic paint. As children we are all happy to draw and paint but as we grow older we often lose confidence in our abilities. School is not the easiest environment in which to develop creative talent, so it’s not surprising that many of us abandon Art as a subject in our mid-teens. It’s encouraging to learn, however, that 48
art gallery visitor numbers have massively increased in recent years and this seems to have inspired more people to revisit their artistic skills as adults. Once you have decided to have a go at painting, the first step is to choose the type of paint and brushes you will use. Do you want to create delicate watercolours or big, bold canvases? Do you admire artists who paint with photographic attention to detail or do you prefer abstract art, where the paint can be randomly poured, splashed or dripped onto canvas to create bold shapes and patterns? We’ve all used watercolour paints when young, so many people find it natural to return to that medium as adults. Watercolours may be versatile and easy to apply, but don’t expect instant results: you’ll need to spend time learning and practising the necessary techniques, otherwise your paintings may bear an unfortunate resemblance to the artwork you created back in Class 9C! Acrylic paints are similar to oil paints but easier to use: your work will dry faster and you
won’t need to use solvents to clean your brushes. Acrylics can be mixed with water, so you can either paint with intense colour or dilute the pigment to produce transparent washes. This medium also dries to a robust finish: acrylic paintings can be safely rolled up without the risk of cracking. Oil paints allow you to create wonderfully expressive images, but using oils can be a challenge for a beginner as you will need to dilute the paint with thinners (white spirit or turpentine) as well as adding a medium, such as linseed or poppy oil, to bind the pigments in the paint and help with the drying process. An oil painting should be built up in layers, using different types of brushes or palette knives to create textures and effects, but you must allow time for the layers to dry: it can sometimes take up to five days for this process and during that period you will be unable to work on the canvas. Fortunately you can now buy specially made fast-drying oils that will be touch dry in 24 hours or less. A basic palette of colours should include cadmium
yellow, yellow ochre, cadmium red, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, titanium white and mars black. All other colours – such as brown, purple and green – can be mixed from those shades. You will find that you use proportionately more white and black paint, so it’s sensible to buy larger quantities at the outset to avoid running out.
get you started. Alternatively you could get face-to-face tuition at an adult education institute (your local library will carry a list of courses). If you fancy getting away from it all to try out your skills, you can search for painting holidays at www.artcourses.co.uk.
make it to Tate Modern!
Make sure you have a variety of brushes available: round brushes are excellent for control and accuracy while flat brushes are great for edging and filling in areas. There are some useful online tutorials to help you develop your skills using water paints, acrylics and oils: www. wikihow.com has great stepby-step illustrated guides to
Paints and brushes can be costly. If you are a beginner you may be reluctant to spend a lot of money on materials and equipment so it’s worth checking out Ebay or local boot fairs to see if you can pick up a bargain lot. If you can’t afford to purchase a raw canvas, buy a secondhand block print in a charity shop, paint over the existing image with a plain colour then create your masterpiece. Paying charity shop prices means you don’t have to worry if your artwork doesn’t
When you first start to paint the important thing is not to set unrealistic goals for yourself. It may be years before you feel confident enough to hang your work in a room, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the process. Follow the example of those riverside artists and make fun and relaxation your primary reason for picking up a paintbrush. If all else fails, it’s a great way to attract attention on a Sunday afternoon!
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Drop A Dress Size Digitally!
It’s that time of year again: everybody’s on a diet and the gyms are packed with people whose memberships will last much longer than their willpower. But there’s no need to take extreme measures if you overdid it a bit at Christmas: a few well-chosen gadgets can make losing weight much easier. The trick to weight loss is to make little, permanent changes. For example, using an oil mister (from around £9) reduces the amount of oil you use in cooking while a set of measuring spoons and a digital scale can ensure you’re not putting too much of any ingredient into your food. If you can’t bear to give up fried food, go for a low-fat fryer such as Breville’s Halo Health Fryer (£79.99) or Tefal’s ActiFry (£119) which will mean you get all the taste with a fraction of the fat. Gadgets can help you cook healthy meals in other ways, too: if you have a smartphone, an iPod touch or a tablet you can take advantage of stacks of cooking apps ranging from celebrity chefs’ apps to specialist apps such as the British Heart Foundation’s Healthy Heart Recipe Finder, which is free on both iOS 52
and Android. We’d also recommend using a recipe manager such as the fantastic Paprika app to store any good healthy recipes you find online from the likes of the BBC Good Food website. No weight loss programme comes without the recommendation to exercise more, and there are plenty of gadgets designed to help with that too. Fitness trackers can keep an eye on how many steps you take and calories you burn, with devices such as the Fitbit Surge smartwatch (£199) and Fitbit Charge activity tracker (£99) and Nike’s Fuelband (£89) making it easy to track your progress. If you have an iPhone, Nike’s device also enables you to share your progress with friends in private groups. There’s a huge trend for health monitoring in smartphones, with both Google’s Android and Apple’s iPhones offering health tracking apps. In both cases the apps can talk to other devices such as fitness trackers, and there are plenty of third-party apps for recording your food intake, the workouts you do in the gym or anything else you might want to track and record.
How can you tell if your new regime is working? While it’s tempting to climb on the scales every day that’s a bad idea, because our body weight fluctuates quite dramatically from day to day. It’s better to track the longer term trend, and once again technology can help with that: smart scales such as Withings’ wireless scales (from around £80) can help you track your weight loss by storing over 100 readings. The scales are also compatible with smartphones, which can take the readings and turn them into inspiring and motivational graphs. If you really want to see what’s happening to your body, gadgets such as Omron’s Body Logic Fat Analyser (£74) can tell you how much muscle you have, how hydrated you are and how much fat you’re carrying. That’s useful if you’re working out as well as eating well, because muscle weighs more than fat - so your weight might not change but your body composition will. Images left to right: Prepara Tabletop Oil Mister Spray Bottle; Breville Halo Health Fryer; Fitbit Charge and Surge fitness trackers; Omron Body Logic Fat Analyzer
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GNH_in&around_dps_Jan2015_Layout 1 16/12/2014 15:31 Page 1
holidays
In and Around
QUOTE: RF-IA
RIVIERA OF FLOWERS MONACO & PORTOFINO
Free Drinks
Champagne Check-in
Escorted Holiday by Rail - afternoon departures EXCURSIONS INCLUDED 8 days, semi all inclusive, from £849pp Departures: 13 Apr, 1 & 30 May, 6 Jun, 19 & 25 Sept & 1 Oct, 2015 This super holiday, taking in the French & Italian Rivieras, starts with a glass of Bubbly at St Pancras famous Champagne Bar before an afternoon departure on Eurostar to Lille or Paris. After an overnight stay, we continue by high-speed train to Nice then to Diano Marina on Italy’s Riviera of Flowers, our base for this holiday. Enjoy free drinks every night at the hotel and excursions to Monaco, Eze, Portofino & Dolceacqua.
INCLUDED: Escorted throughout • Champagne Check-in at London St Pancras • Return rail travel from St Pancras (from Ebbsfleet on request) to Nice • 1 night hotel B&B in Paris or Lille • 6 nights in Diano Marina or similar - half board PLuS free drinks 6pm to 11pm every night • All excursions • Transfers abroad
Call 01895 83 33 33 for bookings and information
I
G
i
A
QUOTE: DG-IA
Holidays offered by GN Holidays & Voyages Higher Denham ABTA NoY0291 •ATOL 9362
info@gnholidays.com www.gnholidays.com Open 9am to 5.30pm weekdays 9.30am to 12.30pm Saturdays closed Bank Holidays
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RIVERS, BOATS & TRAINS OF THE DORDOGNE Escorted Holiday by Rail 6 days half board, from £599pp 23 April, 16 July & 3 September, 2015 In the heart of France, the Dordogne region has so much to offer with a stunning scenic railway, picturesque castles, beautiful rivers, and medieval hilltop towns. We stay in the centre of the famous town of Perigueux, and include excursions taking-in: Rocamadour, perched on a hilltop overlooking the Dordogne river; the picturesque Truffadou railway; the beautiful village of La Roque Gageac with a cruise on the Dordogne on a traditional flat bottomed boat; and Le Gouffre de Padirac to visit the stunning underground caves.
EXCURSIONS INCLUDED INCLUDED: Escorted throughout • Return rail travel from London St Pancras (from Ebbsfleet on request) to Limoges • 5 nights half-board stay at a 3 star hotel in Perigueux • Excursions • Transfers abroad
I
f
o
•
A
Coach Breaks departing from uxbridge, Ruislip & Slough QUOTE: CS2-IA
Warner
Leisure Hotels
OVER 40S ONLY
FREE DRINKS
QUOTE: CW2-IA
ENGLAND’S GREATEST SNOWDROP GARDEN & AFTERNOON TEA AT
SWINGING SIXTIES SEASIDE PARTY AT WARNER CORTON,
MARCO PIERRE WHITE’S FROGMILL INN
SUFFOLK COAST
Great Day Out, £79pp
4 Days Half Board + Free Drinks, £259pp
Departs Monday 16 February, 2015
Departs Friday 6 February, 2015
INCLUDED: Visit to Colesbourne Park Garden, Gloucestershire, including entry • Afternoon tea, including a glass of Prosecco, at the Frogmill Inn, Andoversford • Return coach travel
INCLUDED: Free Bar from 6pm to midnight every night for house beers & spirits, wine by the glass, pumped soft drinks & mixers • Entertainment from The Fortunes, union Gap and a tribute to Frankie Valli • 3 dinners & 3 breakfasts • 3 nights en-suite chalet - upgrades available from £284pp • Coach travel & excursions
QUOTE: TD3-IA
A
QUOTE: EA3-IA
THRIPLOW DAFFODIL FESTIVAL & LUNCH AT A COUNTRY PUB
EASTBOURNE & SOUTH COAST EXPLORER
Great Day Out, £69pp
5 Days Half Board, £229pp
Departs Saturday 21 March, 2015
Departs Monday 23 March, 2015
INCLUDED: Visit to Thriplow Village for the Daffodil
INCLUDED: 4 nights stay at the Shoreview Hotel on
festival • 2-course hot & cold buffet lunch with a glass
Eastbourne seafront • 4 dinners and 4 breakfasts
of wine at the White Horse Hotel, Hertingfordbury
• Visits to Arundel and Brighton • Coach travel and
• Return coach travel
excursions
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Greece Thessaloniki By Solange Hando
(‘Be a Travel Writer, Live your Dreams, Sell your Features’)
Capital of Greek Macedonia, second only to Athens, this pleasant city by the sea was founded in 315 BC by Cassander who named it after his wife, half-sister of Alexander the Great. Alexander didn’t live long enough to see the new city but among shields and battle scenes, his imposing statue holds pride of place on the waterfront, flying cape, dagger drawn and horse raring to go. Yet the city’s most beloved icon is the nearby ‘White Tower’, a symbol of Greek sovereignty since the 1912 Balkan War and an obligatory stop for visitors, touring on the road train or horse-drawn carriages. Rebuilt under Ottoman rule to strengthen the harbour, long known as the bloody tower, it was painted white, they say, by a prisoner in exchange for his freedom. Today, the tower has turned honey-coloured and there are no prisoners inside, only a museum relating the city’s history and if you climb up the spiral ramp to the top, a superb 360° panorama. First there’s the great sweep of the bay from the bustling commercial harbour to fine sandy beaches, the promenade lined with elegant buildings and 56
pavement cafés, the cyclists enjoying the sea breeze, the fishermen and now and then, a galleon preparing to sail with its small cargo of wide-eyed tourists. On the land side, the city spreads towards the mountains in the distance, straight boulevards, parklands, orange trees, modern sculptures and here and there, a touch of Art Nouveau or Deco for much of Thessaloniki was rebuilt after the great fire of 1917. Meanwhile, high on the slopes, the old town beckons with steep cobbled lanes, brightly-painted Ottoman houses with closed balconies and the sturdy remains of the Byzantine wall draped in crenellations, turrets and gates. Up there, you enjoy a true bird’s eye view of Thessaloniki and by clear weather, you might even see Mount Olympus across the bay. But the city wall is only one of fifteen UNESCO sites in Thessaloniki, a town amazingly rich in early Christian and Byzantine monuments. Among them are the Rotunda, St David’s church and the basilica of St Demetrius, the city’s patron saint, all claiming precious mosaics. Converted into mosques at times,
destroyed, rebuilt, the churches still showcase the development of religious art and architecture from the 4th to the 15th century. St Paul is said to have visited the area around AD 50, thus making Thessaloniki one of the first bases for the spread of Christianity. From the Archaeological Museum to vestiges of the Roman arch and palace in the town centre, Thessaloniki is justly proud of its heritage but with its vibrant university and enviable title of European Capital of Youth 2014, it fully embraces the 21st century. Disused warehouses have become restaurants, cinema and photography have their own museums and the International Film Festival draws crowds from afar. Yet, life feels relaxed, lunch al fresco in a shaded lane, mobile stalls selling ice cream or sesame rings, couples strolling in the park or on the waterfront, church bells chiming in the midday sun. At the weekend, city folks head for the nearby lakes to enjoy the water, ramble along the trails or gaze in wonder at great flocks of migrating birds. Alexander the Great would approve and no doubt Cassander would do likewise.
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The third generation of Audi’s fast becoming iconic TT has just landed and everybody knows about it thanks to the truly spec tacular TV ad, which is designed to appeal to the 8 year old boy who lurks inside every car ob sessed man. The original TT arrived back in 1998 and caused an immediate splash thanks to its ultrastylish looks, strong performance and legendary VW build quality.
This latest version is instantly recognisable as a TT; the di mensions, proportions and styl ing cues are nearly identical to the original car but it has been subtly updated and looks as sharp as a Paul Smith suit. The changes are most obvious from the front – I love the razor sharp headlights, angular grill and the cooling vents that would be right at home on a Lamborghini. But, actually, it is when you climb inside that the new TT really bowls you over completely; the interior is simply a wonderful place to be. The air vents look like the turbofan of a Rolls Royce jet engine and the steer ing wheel could have come from a Le Mans racer, but the multi 58
media display where the instru ment binnacle should be is the real star of the show. You can change the display from classic view with prominent speedo and rev counter to something straight out the Starship Enter prise and every piece of infor mation you could possibly desire is available in one place. As you would expect from Audi, the fit and finish of every last bit of plastic is absolutely perfect. At the moment there are just two engines available, a 2 litre TFSI petrol with 227bhp and a similar capacity diesel with 182bhp that is also astonishingly frugal. A blisteringly fast 305bhp TTS version arrives next year. The TFSI is good for 062 in 6 sec onds dead with a top whack of 155mph, more than adequate for most people’s needs. The power goes to the front wheels as standard or Audi’s excellent Quattro 4 wheel drive system is available as a cost option. A slick 6 speed manual gearbox is also standard, with the lighten ing quick flappy paddle version again bumping up the price by some margin. From the outset, motoring jour nalists have criticised the han dling of the TT as uninvolving, probably because of the front wheel drive. For this third gen eration model, the body has lashings of aluminium used in its construction, making it lighter and more rigid than ever before. The steering has been replaced with a setup that is even more
direct, remarkably precise and provides masses of feedback. A Drive Select system comes as standard and offers a Sport mode that firms up the suspen sion and sharpens the throttle response to racing car levels. Despite all this, some journalists still carp on that it’s not as good as a Porsche. Maybe so, but, take it from me, if you want to drive very fast around corners without having to worry about dying in a ball of flaming wreck age, this is the car for you. That traditional Audi Achilles heel, an overly firm ride, is still present but to a lesser extent. The base spec model that I drove is posi tively comfortable, though the S Line version with 19” wheels still hammers over every bump and pothole. One change that won’t be so welcome is the price list. The entry level model comes in at just under £30,000 on the road, £4,000 more than the previous model, and you don’t have to tick many boxes on the options list to push that up towards £35k. On the plus side, the new TT comes very well equipped as standard. Even so, for a car with such stunning looks, potent performance, excellent build quality and that wonderful inte rior, it seems like pretty good value for money. Form an or derly queue please. Kit Johnson
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The Wildlife Zone...FP (Jan15)_Layout 1 18/12/2014 11:37 Page 1
THE WILDLIFE ZONE
RARA TROPHY 2014 Andy Mydellton FLS (pictured right) is an environmentalist journalist, the founder and leader of the British wildlife charity, the Foundation for Endangered Species. They are members of the United Nations agency UNESCO with Andy Mydellton being Chairman and the Environmental Concern Advisor to the UNESCO Schools Group. Andy is a Fellow of the Linnean Society. He writes for many publications, mounts photographic exhibitions, gives presentations and broadcasts the 'Andy Mydellton Wildlife Zone' radio programme.
The Foundation for Endangered Species (FES) can announce that the author and broadcaster Jonathon Porritt has been awarded the RARA trophy for 2014. So what is the RARA trophy, and why did Jonathon Porritt win it? RARA stands for the Rhinoceros Award for Raising Awareness. The RARA goes to someone who has done something special in raising public awareness for wildlife, conservation or the environment. This includes a list of activities such as creative writing, poetry, journalism, broadcasting, photography, art, film, theatre or even IT. The RARA trophy itself (which is permanently displayed at the FES registered office) is a handmade model of the One Horned Rhinoceros, an endangered species that lives in the Indian sub continent. It is made from deadwood that came from Nepal’s Chitwan National Park in a process that is defined as Sustainable Development. Sustainable Development encourages people situated near the edges of nature parks, wildlife sanctuaries and wilderness areas to live an eco-friendly lifestyle. To understand the significance of Porritt’s success, one can compare it with the roll call of previous RARA winners, and the reasons why they won it. 2004. Ted Hughes. The inaugural award was posthumously given to the late Poet Laureate, the 20th century Bard and our greatest ever wildlife poet. His wildlife poetry ranged from insects to jaguars; whilst his prose ranged from children’s tales of whales to ‘The Iron Woman’ (where the heroin was given the mind-set and values of a modern environmentalist, many years before Global Warming issues emerged). 2005. Bill Oddie. For his lifetime publications, presentations, theatre-work and broadcasting in conservation, especially ornithology. His skill is acknowledged in successfully bringing birding into the everyday home and making it a valid family pastime. 2006. Al Gore. For his book and presentations that lead to the film, ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ that destroyed many Western politicians denial of Global Warming, Climate Change etc. 2007. David Chaffe. For his books ‘Stormforce’ and ‘Face to Face with Nature’, as well as his educational talks in schools and on radio. 2008. Jane Goodhall. She is our greatest primatologist, and her scientific work has lead to learning more about humans’ closest relatives, the chimpanzees. Her efforts in public education and raising awareness have helped all great apes gain further public support. 2009. David Attenborough. This was awarded for his life's work and broadcasting expertise. Whilst he has been a major part of the BBC’s natural history unit, he has also created an impressive portfolio of wildlife journalism. 2010. Ian Redmond. He is a one of the leading primatologists and an author of many books. He is a wildlife ambassador and works within some UN organisations. 2011. Heathcote Williams. He won this award because of his amazing poetry as well as his other writing which has been raising awareness about sustainable living. 2012. Jacques Cousteau. He won for marine biology and bringing the subject into people’s homes for the first time in the 1960s. He was still active in the 1990s and even took a leading role in the Earth Summit in Rio. 2013. David Shepherd. He has been our most well known wildlife painter for many decades, as well as being an expert fundraiser and active conservationist. Jonathon Porritt won this award because he is skilled in three facets in the World of Nature. Firstly he is an organiser and director of environmental institutions, having been chairman of the UK Sustainable Development Commission for nearly a decade, a trustee of the WWF for fifteen years and a director of Friends of the Earth. This proves he can understand the most important environmental issues, their consequences, and how to deal with them in practical terms. He is a writer of articles and a prestigious author of books which are aimed at conserving the environment. In Save the Earth we were given a wake-up call about the planet’s problems. In the first chapter of ‘Taking Stock’ we learn about how the world is in peril and that we must undertake certain practices which will put wrong matters right. Porritt advocates that every one of us should undergo some personal investigation and growth to become aware of the world, rather than being passengers in it, or have a belief pattern in which members of the public believe themselves to be insignificant. We also got an environmental audit of the state of the Earth at the time. This chapter leads onto ‘A New International Order’ and ‘The Way Forward’ in which his long term prognosis specifies what ought to be done. He also makes the point that the consequences of our actions will cause unimaginable problems in the decades and centuries to come. Other books including Capitalism As If The World Matters, Globalisation and Regionalism, and Living Within Our Means, have tackled other issues such as forestry, nuclear energy, civil liberties and population increase. His latest publication The World We Made brings us up to date by investigating many of the important current environmental problems. As a broadcaster Porritt has made television documentaries, has been on many environmental programmes, made radio appearances and has given talks about these issues. The world lost a great man when Sir Peter Scott died, but fortunately people such as Jonathon Porritt have filled some of the void.
The charities’ contact details are www.ffes.org.uk email: info@ffes.org.uk 62
F
T
C
T
B
RETIREMENT HOMES NEEDED!
Hillingdon, Slough, Windsor, Kingston & District Branch Registered charity no. 263515
Can you offer one of our older cats a home where they can enjoy all the love and comfort they deserve in their golden years? For information about adopting please call us on
01895 833 417
or download an application form from our website page
www.rspcahillingdonclinic.org.uk/animal_adoption.htm
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It’s more than six months since we’ve heard any mention of the socalled ‘Heathrow Spurs’ – not a new football team located in the Hounslow area, but two extra lines designed to connect the proposed High Speed train (HS2) with Heathrow Airport. Remember the map, reproduced opposite, showing the chequered lines that created a delta shape with Denham, dismally, slap bang in the middle? The only mercy was that the Spurs were to run underground, although building two extra tunnels would have added a few billion pounds to the cost of the whole project, and created a few hundred thousand extra lorry loads of spoil to be dispersed – well, goodness knows where. Another worry was that the points where the Spurs were to part company with the mainline would have had to be built during Phase 1 of the project (scheduled to start in 2017) and then mothballed until Phase 2 started nine years later.
Chequered lines show the proposed Heathrow Spurs in the Denham area But since Sir David Higgins took over the chairmanship of HS2 Ltd last March, the Spurs have disappeared from view. Sir David is credited with delivering the 2012 Olympic Games on budget, and scrapping them was an obvious way to save a few billion. Our MP, Dominic Grieve, has said on more than one occasion that the Spurs are “a dead duck”, and two neighbouring MPs – Nick Hurd and Sir John Randall, are of the same view. All three met Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin in October to urge the government to remove the lines from the map permanently. They argued that the major new interchange being planned at Old Oak Common in West London would provide a perfectly adequate link with Heathrow, rendering the Spurs superfluous. (Sorry about this: honestly, I’m not an Arsenal fan!) Removing them would also increase the chances of a mainline tunnel under the Colne Valley, rather than a viaduct over it, with all the noise, pollution and landscapedepletion that would go with it. 64
In a recent email to his constituents, Nick Hurd wrote: ‘I am clear from a number of conversations, not least with Sir David Higgins, that no one is making the case for the Spurs now.’ So why don’t the government/HS2 Ltd bite the bullet and admit they made a mistake? Having created such alarm amongst Colne Valley residents by blighting our future with the HS2 mainline, surely the least they can do is give us some respite by officially axing the Heathrow Spurs? Patrick McLoughlin’s view, I understand, is that an announcement now would compromise the Davis review of airport expansion in the south east of England, which has boiled down to a straight fight between Heathrow and Gatwick, now that Boris’s fanciful island airport in the Thames Estuary has been sensibly kicked into the long grass.
Continued from over page.. The Heathrow lobby could argue that removing the HS2 Spurs before the Davis Commission completes its work might weaken their case, and they could potentially challenge the government in the courts. Nick Hurd believes their concerns are ‘insubstantial’, and he and Dominic Grieve are pressing for a meeting with senior officials at the Department for Transport to see if an announce ment can be made before local petitioners present their cases to parliament in the spring. So, where the Spurs are concerned we’re defi nitely ahead of the game at halftime. As for the HS2 mainline and our impassioned requests for a Colne Valley tunnel, that contest is still in its very early stages, and there’s the little matter of a General Election coming up, which could change everything. As the football commen tators say, there’s all to play for. 2015 is going to be an eventful year, and Denham Against HS2, along with numerous other action groups and campaigners will be doing their best to ensure that it’s a happy one for all of us.
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The Truly ‘Green’ Garden
by Pippa Greenwood
There are so many ways in which you can plot and scheme about all that your garden could have to offer in 2015, but there’s one thing I would ask you to consider: take the plunge, ring the changes and ‘Go Organic’. Many gardeners have decided that they really want to concentrate on natural methods of pest control and the use of natural fertilising materials rather than chemical feeds. And they do it because it works and makes life so much better for the other less powerful creatures and plants we share our space with.
Since we moved to our Hampshire garden nearly twenty years ago, I have kept it completely organic and believe me, it really is not difficult. Weed control can certainly be harder as there is no resorting to herbicides such as glyphosate, but if your garden doesn’t have too many persistent weeds, even that should not be too difficult. If you do have an existing problem then make weeding a regular part of your gardening time and you’ll be pleasantly surprised how speedily you start to get on top of it. 66
True, organic gardening does take a bit more planning and forethought. If you grow vegetables you will need to ensure that you rotate your crops. Just divide the space you have into three or four chunks and then ensure that each year you grow related crops together and then the following year, move each group into a new plot. It also pays to ensure that you really do garden as ‘well’ as you can, avoiding too many short cuts and taking the plant’s health and vigour as a prime consideration. In any part of the garden you need to try to choose plants that really are suited to the site as those grown in unsuitable conditions will be more prone to disease and pest attack. Regular patrols to find problems, so that they can be caught at the early stages and dealt with promptly, mean fewer problems in the long-term and should ensure that you catch an infestation of pests or a disease outbreak before it gets too bad. Sprays of certain kinds are ‘allowed’ (those based on soft soap to control certain pests, copper based fungicides to
control diseases etc) but most organic gardeners prefer to avoid them altogether.
I am a great fan of horticultural fleece. Placed over a crop such as calabrese from the moment you plant it out, you should be able to ward off all the common pests including caterpillars, cabbage root fly and aphids. Traps such as submerged beakers of old beer or milk to catch slugs and sticky yellow cards to trap flying pests, all work well. Of course for many pests there are also biological controls available, plus a whole range of controls to stop greenhouse pests.
Keeping the soil in good condition is a must and if you don’t already have a compost bin or heap, get on and make or buy one straight away. The choice is up to you, but I strongly recommend it, for a whole host of reasons, only some of which I have mentioned here.
www.pippagreenwood.com to make veg growing easy with ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’. Pippa sends your chosen veg plants to you and each week emails advice and tips for getting the best results; plus lots of great barriers and biological controls
A more caring approach to care at home. With EdenCare there is.
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We offer quality care at home for you, or your loved one, whether a child, young adult or an elderly person. We are a local and independent provider of care and understand the importance of choice. If you would like further details of our individually tailored care-at-home packages please contact us for a no obligation chat or visit our website.
Tel. 01753 885556 www.EdenCareatHome.co.uk 67
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REGULAR EVENTS... Events at Harefield Community Centre, Priory Avenue, UB9 6AP MON Cameo Club (3rd Mon month) 10am-12pm; Indoor Bowls (Short Mat) 2pm-5pm; Harefield Wine Club (2nd Mon in the month) 7.45-9.30pm; Judo (Seniors not 2nd Mon in month) 810pm. TUES Line Dancing 10.45am1.15pm; Bingo 7.45pm - 10.30pm. WED Fitness, Fun & Dance 10.30am12.00pm; Singing for Fun (1st Wed in month) 1-2.30pm; Judo Club 6.307.45pm; Dancing Club 8.15pm10.30pm. THURS Happy Families Group 9.45-11.45am; Tea Dances 24pm; Whist 7.30-10pm; Ladies Club (2nd Thur in month) 8-10pm. FRI Bridge Club 10.30am-12.30pm; Line Dancing 12.45-3pm; Indoor Bowls (Short Mat) 7.30-10pm. All enquiries to Lynne Mogge 01895 824621 or e: hare fieldcommunitycentre@btconnect.com
Centre, Harefield or call Phyllis Nash on 01895 476 644 / phyllnash@gmail.com Crosier Investment Club Improve personal investment skills. Meets 7.30pm, third Thursday in month at Pinner Village Hall, Chapel Lane, Pinner, HA5 1AA. Call 0208 427 3559, e: secretary@crosierinvestment.org.uk w: www.crosierinvestment.org.uk
body, with fun dance routines to music for women of all fitness levels. Tue 7.308.30pm at Vyners School, Warren Road, Ickenham, UB10 8AB. Call Rosemary 01628 776838 before coming. www.thefitnessleague.com Fitness Yoga Improve flexibility, strength and balance. Monday 6-7pm at Denham Village Memorial Hall. Call Sandra 07867470240 Lisa 07533549072 E: lisa.sandra.fitness@gmail.com
Rock ‘n’ Roll Monday's in Harefield! Every Monday. Beginners Jive Dance Classes 7.45pm. Slow practise session 8.30-9pm. Social Rock n Roll 9-11pm. No partner required - no experience necessary! Harefield Cricket Club, Breakspear Road North, Harefield, UB9 6NE. £5 entry. E: therockingrebels @gmail.com, 07947 106607 www.facebook.com/therockingrebels 1950s Rock n Roll with DJs The Rocking Rebels 1st Friday of every month 7.3011.30pm. Retro stalls, BYO drinks. St Marys Church Hall, High St, Harefield UB9 6BX. Contact 07947 106607 therockingrebel@gmail.com www.facebook.com/therockingrebels
HOBBIES... Art Classes Drawing, pastels, oil & watercolour at New Denham Community Centre Autumn, Spring & Winter Terms Tue 1-3.30pm, Wed 12.45-3.15pm and 7.30-9.30pm. Call Tony 0207 243 3787 Art Smart Weekly Art Classes at Denham Village Hall. Drawing and Painting for beginn-ers and Improvers Thursdays 1.30-3.30pm. Tutor Roz Smith call 01494 670372 Chinese Brush Painting Group Come and join our friendly group meeting on Saturday mornings. The class is guided by an experienced tutor so no experience required! You will learn how to develop your own style as well as practicing Chinese calligraphy. Find us at Harefield Library, Park Lane Village
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Denham History Society Meets 2nd Tues of the month, 7.30pm St. Marks Hall, Denham Green. Call 01895 833989 Pamela@craftygiraffe.co.uk
Hillingdon Decorative & Fine Arts Society Enjoy 10 expert lectures a year about art and culture from around Britain. Outings to galleries & places of cultural interest. Receive NADFAS Review, Interested? Come along to a lecture, cost £6. See www.hillingdondfas.co.uk, email: membership@hillingdonfas.co.uk or call Ann Lowe 01895 638147 Hillingdon Natural History Society Meets 1st Wed of the month, Scout HQ, Gatting Way, Uxbridge. enquiries@ hillingdon-naturalhistory society.org.uk Inland Waterways Associations Meets 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... Aerobics Denham Village Memorial Hall. Every Mon and Wed 4.30-5.30pm Call Jean Nisbet 01895 832063 Bagot Stack (Fitness League) Term Time Only. Vyners School, UB10 8AB, Tue 7.30-8.30pm. Also Mon & Thu in Windsor. Call Rosemary 01628 776838. www.thefitnessleague.com Boot Camp Fun and friendly exercise class held at a private location in Gerrards Cross. Every Mon, Tues, Fri 9.15-10am. Qualified Personal Trainer and Level 3 Contact Julie on 07769 311789 or visit: www.juliegxfit.com Bootcamp Circuit for Adults (Mixed) Wednesdays, 7-8.15pm Denham Village Memorial Hall. Tel: Jayne 07968 361965 Dance, Gymnastics and Free Running Classes By Futunity Uk. Ages 2-adults catered for and all styles of dance from RAD ballet to Zumba. Full class listings at www.futunityuk.com. Call 01895 251224 or email admin@futunityuk.com Fitness League Tone & stretch exercises for the whole
Fitsteps Cha Cha, Waltz, Quickstep or Jive at Denham Memorial Hall. Mondays 7pm and Wednesdays 10am. Call 07834 197745. info@limelightdancing.co.uk General Yoga Class Higher Denham Community Hall, Lower Road, Higher Denham, UB9 5EA. Wed 7.30-9pm. Thu 9.45-11.15am with BWY certified teacher tel: 01895 820267 Harefield Amateur Drama Society Tuesday, 8-10pm. Park Lane Village Centre, Park Lane, Harefield. Call Tony on 01895 820672 Jazzercise Classes New Denham Community Centre Mon 9.30-10.30am, Tues 6.45-7.45pm. Wed & Fri 10-11am, Thurs 10-11am. Denham Village Memorial Hall Village Rd, Denham, Bucks Thurs 6.30-7.30pm Wendy Whitefoord, Tel: 07803 602142 e: wendy.whitefoord@btinternet.com www.jazzercise.com Ladies Only Kickboxing Club Wed 6.30-8.00pm, Watts Hall, Redford Way, Uxbridge, UB8 1SZ. First Class FREE! Call Leanne Phillips on 07518 848285 e:leanne@kickboxinglondon. co.uk. www.kickboxing-london.co.uk Line Dancing At Higher Denham Community Centre, Off Old Rectory Lane, Higher Denham. Mon 7-10.15pm, starts with beginners, then onto improvers and finally from 9-10.15pm, Intermediates. Contact Christina on 07952 815076, email : c.capel477@btinternet.com, website wwww.chalfontlinedanceclub.co.uk or Facebook ‘chalfontlinedanceclub’ Modern Jive Classes Mon 8-11pm, West Drayton Community Centre and Tue & Thu 8-11pm, Uxbridge Civic Centre. First Night Entry & Free Lifetime membership with this listing. Contact Alan: 0208 933 4350 or 07860 250961 www.clubceroc.com email: alanandsue@clubceroc.com continued overleaf...
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KEEP-FIT, DANCE & DRAMA CONTINUED... Pink Academy of DANCE Classes held daily at New Denham Community Centre. For boys & girls from 2 years to Adults. Call 01895 257553 Admin@pinkacademy. co.uk www.pinkacademy.co.uk or call
Uxbridge Musical Theatre Ruislip Conservative Club, 56-58, Ickenham Road, Ruislip, Middlesex HA4 7DQ. Tuesday 8-10pm. Call Phil Harrison 01895 636367 Email: mail@umtheatre.co.uk or see www.umtheatre.co.uk
welcome (no auditions. The ability to read music is not essential. Rehearsals on Thursday at St Andrews Centre, Rogers Lane, Stoke Poges, 7.45pm. Come along or call Naomi on 07831 217575 or Anthea on 01753 662355
Rockin' 8s Square Dancing Modern American style - every Thurs 8.15pm. New Denham & Willowbank Community Centre, Oxford Road, New Denham. UB9 4DW. Call Jean 01895 622859 or paul@stingproductions.com SALSA (all styles) Every Monday at Uxbridge Community Centre, 32b The Greenway, Uxbridge UB8 2PJ from 7.45pm to 10pm. Come and join Mina Queen Salsa for some amazing fun. Call 07958 578962 or email mina@queensalsa.com
Salsa Classes Every Monday: The Middlesex Arms, Long Drive, South Ruislip, HA4 0HG. Beginners class starts 8pm. Improvers/Intermediates: 8.45-9.30pm Freestyle dancing/practice time til 11pm Every Wednesday: The WatersEdge, Canal Cottages, Packetboat Lane, Cowley, UB8 2JS. Beginners class starts 7:30pm. Improvers/Intermediates: 8.30-9.30pm. Freestyle dancing/practice time til 11pm Simply Walk Langley & Black Parks Every Monday Langley Park, 10am Thursday Black Park, 10am. Second Sunday of month Langley Park at 11am. See www.friendsoflangleypark.co.uk Social Dancing Ballroom Latin & Sequence Harefield Community Centre, Priory Avenue, Harefield. Every Wed, 8pm. Beginners welcome. Call 01895 634674 Simply Walk in Denham First Sunday of every month, everyone welcome! Denham Village Green 10.45am for 11am start. Approximately 90 minute walk, 2.5-3miles. Led by trained volunteers as part of a healthy walk scheme funded by Bucks County Council, local District Councils and Bucks PCT. For details of other walks in the Bucks area call 01494 475367 www.buckscc.gov.uk/rightsofway Social Line Dancing At St Marys Church Hall, Harefield Last Sat of the month 7.30-10.30pm Tea Dance Harefield Community Centre, Priory Ave on Thurs 2-4pm. All welcome. Free car parking. Call John 01895 284428
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Zumba Fitness Every Wednesday 8-9pm at New Denham Community Hall, Oxford Road, UB9 4DW. Call Martine 07788 563572 www.zumbadolls.co.uk Zumba Fitness with Danielle Every Monday 7-8pm at Harefield Baptist Church. Call Danielle 07989 128131. www.zumba-class.co.uk
Zumba Gold For Older Active Adults. Every Friday 11am at Higher Denham Community Hall, Lower Road, Higher Denham, UB9 5EA. Call Martine 07788 563572 www.zumbadolls.co.uk Zumba with Ruddy Thurs 7-8pm, St Marks Hall Denham Green UB9 5HD and Sats 9.30-10.30am at Harefield Academy Northwood Way UB9 6ET. Call Ruddy 07901 828051
MUSIC... Drumbeatz Drum tuition for beginners in a rehearsal studio in Denham by Melanie Kleyn, qualified HND, now on degree at ACM. Children over 8yrs, ladies, anyone keen to learn. 3.15-5.30pm or daytime. Eves taken by bands rehearsing. Email: drumsmel@gmail.com or text mobile on 07757 635880 Faraday Country Music Club in Slough SL2 1RN. Country Music every Thursday for listeners, western partners, freestyle or line dancers. From 8-11pm. Contact Deb 07986 050742. www.faradaycountry.co.uk Guitar Lessons Complete beginners welcome. Contact Sam for a FREE lesson 07798 588496 sam@uxbridgeguitarlessons.co.uk Music Lessons at Little Halings Studio Piano and French Horn lessons with experienced, friendly young female teacher, Victoria Coghlan. Rehearsal room at Little Halings Studios in Denham. All welcome. Guitar tuition is also available. Call: 07737 493980 (Victoria) E: victocoghlan@gmail.com Stoke Poges Singers A friendly four-part choir singing a wide variety of music. New members
Sing for Fun - Adults No auditions or previous singing experience necessary. You must just enjoy singing! Higher Denham Community Hall, Wednesday (TT) 2.30-4pm. Call Avril on 07587 175640 The Windsor & District Big Bands Appreciation Society We meet on 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7.30pm, Datchet Hall, Horton Road, Datchet. Meetings featuring the music of the big bands of the 1940s and 1950s Swing era. Two recitals from records, tapes & CDS, along with a raffle and sometimes there's even a live band. Call Derek Verrier on 01753 654398 Yiewsley & West Drayton Band Rehearse every Wednesday and Friday 810pm at St. Matthew's School, Yiewsley. To join or book the band for an engagement contact Lynne on 07976 824152 or email Lynne@ywdband.com Yiewsley & West Drayton Training Band Open to all ages wanting to learn to play a brass instrument or 'brush up' your skills. Every Wed during term time 6.457.45pm, St. Matthew's School, Yiewsley. Contact Abi on 07985 302 856 or emailtraining@ywdband.com
PRE-SCHOOL & KIDS GROUPS... 2370 (Denham) Squadron Air Training Corps ATC HQ, Tilehouse Lane, Denham Aerodrome Denham, Bucks, UB9 5DN. Monday and Thursday 7.30-9.30pm. Currently recruiting 13-17 year old males and females. Call 01895 834522 (Mon & Thu only) 2nd Denham Scout Group Scout Hut, The Pyghtle, Denham Green Close, Denham Green Beavers Age 6-8 Thu 5.45-7pm. Cubs Age 8-10 Wed 6.30-7.45pm Scouts Age 10-15 Friday 7-9pm Tel: Linda Batten 01753 892373 Denham & Gerrards Cross Children’s Centre Tilehouse School, Nightingale Way, Denham, UB9 5JL. Free sessions for families with children age 5 and under including Messy Play and Stay & Play sessions. Call 01895 835967. continued overleaf...
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PRE-SCHOOL & KIDS GROUPS CONTINUED... Denham Girlguides 1st Denham Rainbows (age 5-7) 4th Denham Brownies (age 7-10) 4th Denham Guides (age 10-14) For more details on meeting times and info on joining visit www.gxanddenham.cfsites.org
Denham Youth Club (ages 8-11 years) Higher Denham Community Hall, Lower Road, Uxbridge UB9 5EA. Thursday 6.15pm to 7.45pm. Call 01895 834313. Slough Sea Cadets Parade nights on Monday and Thursday 7.30-9.30pm at Langley Pavillion, Langley Road, Slough, SL3 8BS. Male & Female Junior Cadets (age 10-12 yrs) and Cadets (age 12-18 yrs). Fees £2 per week, courses from £5 for weekend. Visit us on Facebook, pop-in or email: sloughseacadets@yahoo.co.uk Stars at Knight After school Drama Club for children 7-18 yrs at Southlands Art Centre, 76 The Green, West Drayton. Tel: 0208 841 8940 / 07956 123626 e: starsatknightdrama@gmail.com www.starsatknight-schoolofdrama.co.uk Youths United Senior Youth Group in Denham, at Martin Bakers Social Club. Ages 12-18 years Wednesday evenings 7-309pm. Tel Joyce Haynes 01895 832643 Tiny Talk Baby Signing Classes Tuesday classes at St Mary’s Church Hall, High Street, Harefield UB9 6BX at 10am, price £5.00 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. Call Bev Meier 01895 824935 or 0781 8025993 Tiny Toes Childcare Full Day Care Nursery. Call 01753 655650 or tinytoes@ivercommunity.org Activities for families with children Children aged 0-5 years offered at The Denham and Gerrards Cross Children’s Centre, Nightingale Way, Denham, Bucks. UB9 5JL. Call 01895 835967
SELF DEFENCE... Karate Club of Denham For ages 5 years and up at New Denham Community Centre Sundays 9.15-11am Tel: Dominic 07988 743725
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Karate Club of Uxbridge For ages 5 years and up The Uxbridge Centre, The Greenway Wed, 5pm-7pm Tel: Dominic 07988 743725
Kung Fu Club West Drayton Great Kung Fu work out for everybody, on: Tuesday 5.30-6.30, Friday 7.308.30, Sunday 5.30-6.30. West Drayton Community Centre, Harmondsworth Road, UB7 9JL. Contact Ella: 07702 479 435 or sportsclubuk@gmail.com Shotokan Karate Sports Hall, Tilehouse Lane, Denham for men, women and children age 8+. Monday, 7-8pm. Interested? Contact Erin on 01494 758079 or visit www.chilternkarate.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 email kuntao.matjan.uk@gmail.com.
SELF HELP & SUPPORT... Hillingdon Brain Tumour Group Support group held every 2nd Thurs of the month 12.30-2.30pm, Hillingdon Baptist Church, Hercies Rd, Hillingdon, UB10 9LS. Call 01895 637444. Slimming World New Denham Community Centre Tuesday, 10-11.30am. To register turn up at 10am, call Mandy 07879 897578
SOCIAL GROUPS... Denham Lions 1st and 3rd Monday of the month, 8pm at Denham Garden Village, Denham Green. 18+. info@denhamlions.org.uk Denham Wives Group Last Tuesday of each month at St. Mark’s Hall Denham Green 7.15pm. Contact Ann Collins 01895 833820 or acollins683@uwclub.net Friendly Whist Drive Harefield Community Centre, Priory Avenue, Harefield. Every Thurs 7.30pm. Beginners welcome. Contact Lyn on 01923 820173 Rotaract Club of Langley & Iver Meet at 8pm every 2nd & 4th Tues of the month, the Red Lion Pub, Langley, SL3 7EN. A group of 18-30's that raise money for charity and also have a busy social calendar. If you would like to
meet new people, raise money and have many laughs please contact us! www.langley-iver-rotaract.org.uk Stoke Poges Bridge Club meet at St Andrew’s Church Hall in Rogers Lane, SL2 4LN on Monday from 1.30-5.30pm for players who want to improve their game. Call 01753 642 438 www.stokepogesbridgeclub.org.uk Uxbridge Conservative Club Bingo, Carpet Bowls, Table Tennis, Lunches, Quiz & Race Nights etc. at 46 Harefield Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 1PJ. Contact Georgina Baile on 01895 233653 or 07778 348082, e: udcc@btconnect. com or visit www.uxbconclub.com Women’s Social Group Social group for women. Looking to expand your social group and make new friends? We meet regularly for coffee, a chat - open women of all ages. Please call Seema on 07730 898635 or email seemaa@seemaa.co.uk
SPORT... Denham Bowls Club Denham Way, Denham, UB9 5AX. Lawn Bowling. Coaching available. Call Brian Simpson (Sec) on 01895 834007 or Jenny Johns on 01895 833845 Denham Cricket Club Playing or social members welcome. Way & Tillard Memorial Cricket Ground, off Cheapside Lane, Denham Village. Tel: Bill Nicholas 01895 834527 Pink Ladies Netball Club All levels and abilities welcome. Training takes place at Stockley Academy, West Drayton every Tuesday. Senior training 16+yrs 7.30-9pm Back to Netball 16+yrs 7.30- 8.30pm Under 16s for details 01895 448878 email: plnetball@hotmail.co.uk visit www.pinkladiesnetball.co.uk Table Tennis Denham Village Memorial Hall Tuesdays 5.30-10pm. Call Richard Cottle on 01895 835292 Uxbridge Squash Club All squash players welcome. Uxbridge Cricket Club, Park Road, Uxbridge. See uxbridgesquash.org.uk or email: squash@uxbridgesquash.org.uk Tel: 01895 237571
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se is pt by s. In rt 73
Paneer & Mixed Vegetable
Coconut Curry
Serves 4
Ready in 45 minutes
This filling vegetable curry can be made with any mix of vegetables you have to hand. Serve with steamed rice or crusty bread and some cooling natural yogurt.
Bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the carrots and boil for 5 minutes until almost tender adding the cauliflower and broccoli florets for the last 2 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
Ingredients: • 2 small carrots, peeled and • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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thinly sliced 100g small cauliflower florets 100g small broccoli florets 1 tbsp vegetable oil 225g paneer cheese, cubed 150g mushrooms, wiped and sliced 1 large onion, peeled and chopped 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 2cm piece root ginger, peeled and grated 1 red chilli pepper, deseeded and chopped, plus extra sliced chilli to garnish 1 tbsp Thai red curry paste 400ml can coconut milk 150g frozen peas 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped Squeeze of lime juice Fresh oregano leaves, to garnish
Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add the paneer and mushrooms and stir-fry over a high heat for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and fry very gently for about 10 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and fry for a further 2-3 minutes then stir in the Thai paste and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to the boil then reduce the heat and return the paneer and mushrooms to the pan along with the drained vegetables, peas and tomatoes. Stir well and simmer gently for 4-5 minutes. Add the lime juice and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve garnished with sliced red chilli pepper and oregano leaves.
TIP
Paneer is an Indian vegetarian cheese which has a firm texture and goes particularly well with spices and garlic, chilli and ginger. You can use drained and cubed tofu instead, if preferred.
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