Inside Hazel Grove & High Lane Issue 60

inside july - august 2017

magazines

Issue 60

ha zel grove

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h i g h

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The local magazine our readers love to keep One of six magazines delivered to over 45,000 homes

magazines

inside

ha zel grove

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h i g h

l a n e

In the competitive world of magazine publishing and advertising sales I’m often asked what makes our magazines stand out from the crowd.

I had a great chance to reflect on this recently when I met up with several other publishers who are producing similar magazines but who are far enough away geographically not to be competing for the same business. I was taken aback to hear that some fill as much as 80% of their pages with adverts and have little or no readable editorial – a very different approach to ours!

Without the adverts there would be no INSIDE Magazines but we’ve always believed that, if we provide lots of interesting content too, it means that you’re more likely to keep your magazine. Hopefully you also refer to it when you’re looking for a local business or service so everybody benefits.

I hope you agree that our approach of quality content and great advertising is the right one because I think that’s what makes INSIDE different and, I hope, special.

Until next time, happy reading and enjoy the rest of the summer!

What’s INSIDE this month 4 Manchester Jazz Festival 6 anything’s possible with E-Bikes 9 simply books book club choice 10 Inside People 13 photogenic NGS Gardens 17 In Touch 21 Diary of a Geeky Knitter 22 language of our ancestors 24 the walk 28 a day out in Chester 28 33 Crossword 37 Just 4 Kids 40 running & fitness 41 Inside Guide 44 Puzzle Solutions 45 Useful Numbers 46 Classified Index 24

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Editor: Claire Hawker

Tel: 01625 879611

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Inside Magazines, 352a Park Lane, Poynton, Cheshire SK12 1RL. email: info@insidemagazines.co.uk www.insidemagazines.co.uk Cycling on the Middlewood Way by Garth Aspinall.

Copy deadline for the next issue: fri 11 august

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Inside Hazel Grove & High Lane is produced by Inside Magazines Ltd. We cannot be held responsible for views expressed by contributors or any advert content, including errors or omissions, or endorse companies, products or services that appear in this magazine. We endeavour to ensure that all local information given in this magazine is accurate, but we cannot always guarantee this. © Copyright Inside Magazines Ltd 2017. Material from this magazine may not be reproduced without prior written permission from Inside Magazines Ltd.

Design and artwork by Spring Creative | www.spring-creative.co.uk | 01925 714203

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Spiegeltent photo by Chris Cooper

Joshua Redman photo by Jay Blakesberg

Lauren Kinsella photo by Aga Tomaszek

manchester jazz festival The 22nd manchester jazz festival features 100 events, a great line-up of local, regional and international talent and an exciting new Festival Square venue Mjf - the city’s favourite pioneering music event and Europe’s most adventurous jazz festival is back. From Friday 28 July - Sunday 6 August the 22nd manchester jazz festival celebrates #jazz100 - the 2017 centenary of the first jazz recording - with 100 gigs (the most ever) and 100 hours of exceptional entertainment taking place in some of Manchester’s premier venues.

The programme features new works; local gems and European debuts; hands-on music-making for all ages; young talent via mjf introduces; well-established stars; boundary pushing ideas and established favourites.

Highlights include: Dave Maric’s ‘Decade Zero’ with acclaimed piano trio Phronesis and the award-winning Engines Orchestra; the UK debut of the Joshua Redman ‘Still Dreaming’ Quartet; music from Jazz FM Vocalist of the Year 2016 Lauren Kinsella with Kit Downes, the 2010 Mercury Prize nominee pianist; Andy Scott’s 14-piece sax colossus Group S featuring the stellar talents of John Helliwell, Mike Hall and pianist Gwilym Simcock.

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New this year, a luxurious 1920s Salon Perdu Spiegeltent is the star attraction in Albert Square. This intimately-circular Art Nouveau venue (one of only a few left in the world) drips ‘Great Gatsby’ glamour with oak panelling, tête à tête booths and an opulent mirrored bar, it is home to many of mjf’s gigs including a ‘secret’ finale like no other. Salon Perdu headliners include: the hugely popular Riot Jazz Brass Band giving mjf a spirited lift-off and Shri - Just a Vibration’s bigsounding mix of Indian and brass styles. There’s plenty of mellow, chill-out music too, if that’s what you prefer.

Making welcome returns are Jazz North’s northern line (11 FREE gigs in 11 hours from the best northern jazz talent). The Midland hotel and mjf extend their winning formula of exceptional food combined with quality music in a fabulous setting with new jazz brunches as well as jazz afternoon teas. Relax with friends and family in Albert Square and enjoy the Hobgoblin Festival Square & Bar, tasty street food and free outdoor bands at weekends and early evenings.

With limited capacity for Salon Perdu events, we advise early booking. Find out more and book tickets for all gigs at www.manchesterjazz.com/mjf Box Office Partner Quaytickets: 0843 208 1848

anything’s possible...

with an e-bike

A few years ago, electric bikes (or e-bikes) were almost unheard of on English soil, but today it’s a different story. There are now numerous e-bike models on the market and more and more people are enjoying the benefits of this 21st century phenomenon. E-bikes are almost undistinguishable from a traditional bike and chances are you have seen quite a few such bikes in your own locality without actually realising it. Liz Hatherall and Ann Aspinall (pictured on our front cover) have now been riding e-bikes for about six years and haven’t regretted their purchases for one moment. In this article, they give us the benefit of their knowledge and considerable experience.

So what is an e-bike? Put simply, it’s a pedal cycle that also has a small electric motor and battery fitted to help propel it. These two latter components are almost always involved, given the weight of this type of bike.

A simple switch enables you to choose at any time (depending on the terrain) just how much support you require. Assistance is typically provided in three or four increments – no support, eco (low) support, standard support and high support. More sophisticated e-bikes also have a ‘walk’ mode that means you don’t need to push the bike along yourself, which is especially useful if you need to get it up a ramp.

Key to the practicality of the e-bike is the battery. The battery is typically charged overnight and can give you a range of up to sixty miles, but in practice its range will ultimately depend on the level of assistance you routinely require. For a long journey, a second battery, carried in your pannier is definitely a good idea.

E-bikes come in all shapes and sizes to suit different kinds of terrain and a myriad of personal needs, and can be enjoyed by all ages. They come with differing technical characteristics and can cost between £500 and £4,000. As a rough guide, avoid the low-end Chinese products and be prepared to pay £2,000 min. for a quality product. With so many manufacturers, models, technical specifications and schools of thought around, it’s very important that you do your research and that you consult with a specialist dealer before

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by Garth Aspinall

you make your purchase. The ideal bike will feel comfortable for you and will enable you to do all the things that you have been dreaming about.

Once you have decided that the investment is worthwhile, the quest for your ideal bike can be great fun and it’s likely that you will become as knowledgeable and enthusiastic about e-bikes as others are about their camera, car, caravan or mobile home.

But most important of all, when you have finally made your purchase you will discover a whole new lifestyle and perhaps, a new and exciting world.

Liz and Ann (both the ‘wrong side of 70’) have provided some really interesting insights into the benefits of owning an e-bike. In the last five years, they have pottered about the local area, completed many a shopping trip, enjoyed numerous day trips and, just for the record, have cycled over 5000 kilometres with five ‘Grand Tours’ across six European countries.

Ann bought her bike initially to keep up with her husband (yours truly), I still have an ordinary bike and now play ‘catch-up’ - especially on the hills! The Scottish Highlands for her are a possibility. For me?

Well. I’m not so sure.

An e-bike is a great way to do your local shopping.

Panniers or specifically designed bags can accommodate a reasonable amount of shopping.

Whether you are visiting your local supermarket or a European city, you will encounter no parking problems.

Perhaps you could dispense with your costly second car!

A good bike-rack towed behind your car can carry two or more bikes and makes it possible to reach all manner of destinations for the start of your ride. This could be a parking spot in Alderley Edge close to the quieter Cheshire lanes or the car park at the start of the Tissington Trail.

With a little experience, you could plan an adventure trip, in the UK or abroad. There are wonderful routes, all very well sign-posted, in France, Germany and Austria. And if you are fortunate enough to own a campervan or mobile home, take your bikes with you and you will enjoy even greater flexibility.

Hiring an e-bike is an important first step in your decision-making process. It will help you decide whether you enjoy the activity. Surf the internet to find out where you can hire. You can, for example hire at Parsley Hay or Ashbourne, the beginning and end points of the Tissington Trail.

Liz and Ann have provided some useful hints and observations – in no particular order of importance – to think about if you are considering the purchase of an e-bike.

Cycling is not only pleasurable, but is recognised as a generally safe, low impact form of exercise that is kind to knees, hips and feet. An e-bike enables you to continue cycling when you are older. In fact, if walking is a problem, an e-bike could become your preferred way of getting out and about.

However, whilst hiring a bike is helpful, you should also take the opportunity to test a range of bikes to find the best one for you. Visiting one of the major cycle exhibitions would be an interesting and time-saving way to explore and test all options.

Don’t forget the Cycle to Work scheme which provides for subsidised purchase. We have a friend who cycles to the station, takes a train to Congleton and cycles at the other end to work, without once breaking into a sweat.

If you feel inspired to find out more, google ‘e-bike’ and you will discover a wealth of information on the internet. Alternatively, you can email anaspinall@hotmail.com - Ann & Liz will try to answer any queries you might have.

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simply books

book club choice

First up this month is The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon – a quirky sounding title for a quirky kind of book! Set in the summer of 1976 (what is it that leads so many authors to set their books in the baking summer of ’76?) this is part whodunnit, part coming of age novel – a story about the secrets that lie behind every door. Mrs Creasy is missing and The Avenue (a delightfully drawn cameo of 1970s suburban England) is alive with whispers. As the summer shimmers on, ten-year-olds Grace and Tilly decide to take matters into their own hands. But as the cul-de-sac starts to yield its secrets our two amateur detectives begin to stumble on more than they could have imagined…

Really a delight from start to finish – beautifully written and a terrific page-turner too.

Maggie O’Farrell is one of our favourite authors (many of you will have read her previous novels including The Hand That First Held Mine and Instructions for a Heatwave (also set in the blistering summer of 1976!) and her latest novel This Must Be the Place is just out in paperback.

A reclusive former film star lives in the wilds of Ireland and thinks nothing of firing a gun if strangers get too close to the house. Why is she so fiercely protective of her privacy and what made her withdraw from public life when she was at the height of her fame? Her husband Daniel, reeling from a discovery about a woman he last saw 20 years ago, is also about to make an exit of his own. Crossing continents and time zones this is a brilliant portrait of an extraordinary marriage – what holds it together and what threatens to drive it apart. Told with Maggie O’Farrell’s trademark wit and invention this is a hugely enjoyable and satisfying read.

And for the children… SUPERTATO - VEGGIES ASSEMBLE is a hilarious picture book. The Evil Pea is on the loose and there’s anarchy in the aisles! Can our caped hero save the day? Is he going to need backup? Funny and fast-moving! (from the creators of Barry the Fish with Fingers)

Simply Books 228 Moss Lane, Bramhall, Cheshire SK7 1BD 0161 439 1436 Open Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 5.30pm Andrew Cant www.simplybooks.info

We have a very exciting programme of events coming up in July including international top crime writer PETER ROBINSON. Details for all our events are on our website www.simplybooks.info

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inside people

janet brandreth

Janet Brandreth was born in Stockport attending Banks Lane Primary schools until the family moved to live at Marsh farm in Spalding, Lincolnshire. An only daughter with three brothers, Janet helped to look after the goats, chickens and a horse, acquiring a lifelong love of animals.

After a few years in Spalding and Wem, the family returned to Stockport where Janet attended a secretarial course. On qualifying she worked as a secretary at Cole’s later moving to Greens and Gill where she met her husband Harry.

When Janet was 21, Harry bought her a Great Dane for her birthday which rekindled her love of animals, even though the dog was a fridge raider and a vandal, once even eating the rubber seal of the washing machine!

Janet and Harry had four children, two boys and two girls. As the children grew and left home, Janet gradually acquired more animals. She now has two Bull Mastiffs and a Staffordshire Bull terrier. Over the years she has regularly fostered rescue dogs for the RSPCA. She took dogs that had been abandoned or abused preparing them for adoption in more welcoming homes.

Her task was to house train the dog and teach it to come when called. Her training technique was based on caring, rewards for good behaviour and long walks so the dog was too tired to misbehave.

As well as dogs, Janet has nine tortoises; three of them are giant Sulcata tortoises which don’t hibernate and in the winter live in a heated playhouse. She also has three rescue rabbits which had been returned to pet shops by reluctant owners and with the rabbits are 24 guinea pigs.

To complete her menagerie, Janet has two African Grey parrots, talented talkers, who give instructions to the

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dogs - lie down, come here, sit - and copy the sounds of laughter and even the telephone. Also in the aviary are 40 zebra finches, 30 budgerigars and ten cockatiels.

The cockatiels can also speak, calling ‘hello’ and wolf whistling so Janet pegs her washing out to a chorus of hellos and wolf whistles from the birds!

After the birth of her third child, thinking that she was putting on weight, Janet began to attend a gym. This inspired her to train as a keep fit instructor so she could teach exercise to music and step classes.

Several years later, the local NHS selected Janet to train as a specialist teacher of fitness techniques for people with heart problems. She studied a course organised by the British Association for Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation and for 12 years she has organised two fitness classes for ex heart patients called Take Heart which are affiliated to the British Heart Foundation.

Janet also runs a keep fit group for the visually impaired at Walthew House and a group offering armchair exercise for mobility impaired people as well as aerobic and Zumba classes.

Favourite food after all that exercise is bacon and eggs or medium steak. Her favourite read is one of the Stieg Larsson trilogy. Her pet hate, after shopping, is hunting and any form of cruelty to animals. Janet’s hero is her husband Harry who, while not sharing her passion for animals to the same degree, gallantly takes on the chores of feeding and cleaning out the animals and walking the dogs when needed.

Last word from Janet I love all animals and derive great pleasure from them. I would urge parents to think carefully about the responsibilities of owning an animal before they decide to buy one and perhaps to consider adopting a rescue animal.

by Ed Blundell

PHOTOGENIC GARDENS IN LATE SUMMER During July and August, there are over 20 NGS gardens to visit in the Cheshire and Wirral area alone.

Here is a selection, many in the area covered by this magazine plus a few favourites just a short drive (or cycle trip) away – don’t forget your camera and send us your best shots!

Arley Hall - Northwich CW9 6NA. Opening for NGS: Sunday 6 August (11am to 5pm).

Admission £8, child £3.50. Refreshments available.

One of Britain’s finest gardens, Arley has been lovingly created by the same family over 550yrs and is famous for its double herbaceous border, thought to be the oldest in Europe, avenue of ilex columns, walled garden, pleached lime avenue and Victorian Rootree.

A garden of great atmosphere, interest and vitality throughout the seasons.

Clover Bank Organic Farm - North Rode, Congleton, CW12 2NX. Open: Saturday 5 August, Sunday 6 August (11am to 4pm).

Admission £5, children free. Home-made teas.

This garden, with spectacular views to the Pennines, is complemented by a stunning modern house above a large pond with bridge and surrounding plantings of roses and dahlias. Herbaceous borders, raised vegetable beds, marginal and wetland planting and woodland. Wild rose, soft fruit hedging and fruit trees, and a large wild flower area. Shady area with new water feature and underplanting.

Cobbs Lane - 5 Cobbs Lane, Hough, Crewe, CW2 5JN. Open: Thursday 6 July, Wednesday 12 July (11am to 5pm).

Admission £5, children free. Home-made teas at Village Hall.

This garden was a finalist in a recent Daily Mail garden competition. Two-thirds of an acre with island beds, wide cottage-style herbaceous borders with bark paths.

A variety of hardy and unusual perennials, shrubs, grasses and trees, with places to sit and enjoy the surroundings. A water feature runs to a small pond, wildlife friendly garden containing a woodland area.

The Firs - Barbridge, Nantwich, CW5 6AY. Open: Saturday 29 July, Sunday 30 July (1pm to 5pm). Admission £4, children free.

Light refreshments.

The garden is set idyllically by the Shropshire Union Canal. Approximately 0.4 acre of varied trees, shrubs and herbaceous beds, with some wild areas. All leading down to an observatory at the bottom of the garden.

218 Marple Road - Offerton, Stockport, SK2 5HE Open: Sunday 2 July (11am to 4.30pm). Admission £4, children free.

Home-made teas and cakes.

A south-facing garden of approximately 1 acre, full of herbaceous plants, vegetable plot, plant growing area, topiary, unfenced ponds and water features. Developed from paddock to garden over 20yrs by current owners.

Fun and a quiz, for children of all ages.

Scafell Close - High Lane, Stockport SK6 8JA. Open: Saturday 5 August, Sunday 6 August (1 to 4.30pm). Admission £3, children free.

Light refreshments.

A landscaped suburban garden with colour-themed annuals bordering the lawn. A statue of the Kinder Ram is set in a heather garden, passing into vegetables,

Cobbs Lane

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soft fruits and fruit trees. Returning perennial pathway leads to the fishpond and terraced garden with modern water feature and patio planting. Finally. visit the blue front garden.

Somerford – Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 8QR. Open: Sunday 23 July (12 6pm). Admission £4, children free. Tea. Also, evening opening Friday 14 July (6pm to 8.30pm). Admission £6, children free. Wine.

Majestic trees surround this 1½ acre garden which has been designed and planted over the past seven years.

Hard landscaping and sculptures complement lush herbaceous and perennial borders. New child-friendly water feature. Lawns are separated by a magnificent oak pergola. Cube-headed hornbeams lead into the snail-trail walk and informal lawn and fernery.

GARDENS TO VISIT, PHOTOS TO TAKE ... AND PRIZES TO WIN! This year marks the 90th anniversary of the National Garden Scheme and we are celebrating with our firstever photography competition. We’ve partnered with BBC Gardeners’ World magazine and we’re inviting everybody to take part. With top prizes including a private trip to our President Mary Berry’s garden. The competition runs until 1 September 2017 and the winners will be announced in mid-September, so there’s no time to lose.

The first thing you need to do is take a photo in a National Garden Scheme garden. To find out which gardens are open near you, use the Garden Finder section at www.ngs.org.uk.

All entries must be submitted through the National Garden Scheme email address ngscomp@ngs.org.uk or via the relevant section of the website, ngs.org.uk/ photo which also includes full terms and conditions and further information.

COMPETITION CATEGORIES AND PRIZES Best Overall Photo: Amateur Category – A trip to Mary Berry’s garden with four friends South Oak Lane

68 South Oak Lane – Wilmslow SK9 6AT. Open: Sunday 9 July, Sunday 30 July (11am to 4.30pm). Admission £4, children free.

Share this garden with its varied history from the 1890s. As featured in Amateur Gardening, Garden News & Garden Answers and visited recently by garden author Sarah Wint. With year-round colour, scent and interest, this attractive, narrow, hedged cottage garden has evolved over the years into five natural ‘rooms’.

The Hardy Plant Society members’ passion for plants is reflected in the variety of shrubs, trees, flower borders and pond, creating havens for wildlife. Some rare and unusual hardy, herbaceous and shade-loving plants and shrubs.

For information on all 3,700 gardens in the scheme throughout England and Wales, visit www.ngs.org.uk

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by Graham Beech www.ngs.org.uk

Best Overall Photo: Professional Category – Signed copy of Mary Berry cookbook Celebrating National Garden Scheme gardens: A book bundle from the National Garden Scheme, including a signed copy of Mary Berry’s latest cook book.

BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine ‘Fantastic Flowers’: £500-worth of STIHL cordless garden tools or accessories of the winner’s choice.

Best Gardens for Health photo: A Spa day – destination TBC

What happens to the winning photos?

Winners of the competition will also have their images displayed at an event for the National Garden Scheme in October at the Garden Museum.

in touch your local community noticeboard july - august 2017

STOCKPORT’S WORST DAY OF WW1 On 31 July 1917, in the battle of St. Julien, near Ypres, over 100 men from Stockport were killed and many more wounded. It was Stockport’s worst day of the 1st World War. Every year the Cheshire Regiment’s Stockport Association commemorates the event, on the nearest Sunday, with a service in St. George’s church.

As this year is the centenary of the battle, St. George’s along with the Cheshire’s Association is producing various events as well as the traditional service, to honour the soldiers who fought in the battle and to try and show younger generations what life must have been like for those men.

On Friday 14 July, there will be a talk by David Kelsall: The role of the Cheshire Regiment at St. Julien.

David is the Grandson of a Cheshire and has researched and written extensively about the Great War. Tickets £3 in advance, £4 on the door 7.30pm Saturday 15 July - Café Concert, music from the Great War era with David Price on organ. Coffee, cakes and a book sale. Free entry, 10am to 12 noon Fri 21 & Sat 22 July - A musical drama telling the story of two men who survived the horrors of the First World War, St George’s Men, will be performed at 7.30pm. The narrative is drawn from articles, letters, speeches, poems and popular wartime songs. Tickets (including refreshments) £7.50 in advance, £9 on the door. Concessions for children.

The Centenary Commemoration service will be held on Sunday 6 August at 11am. The preacher will be the Bishop of Stockport, Rt Revd. Libby Lane. Refreshments available before the service, all are welcome.

Tickets for all events are available from St. George’s church or from Eventbrite.

SUCCESS FOR HIGH LANE U14s High Lane Juniors U14 football team participated in the prestigious Easter Open International Youth Football Tournament in Holland earlier this year. The tournament took place over two days at different venues all over the South and West of Holland.

High Lane beat teams from Germany, Holland and the UK in winning the play off for Tournament Third Place overall and finished the weekend unbeaten. High Lane JFC is based at Disley Amalgamated Sports Club.

For more information please visit the website or contact club secretary Adam Humphries 07557 617184

POYNTON BADMINTON CLUB The club, which plays at Poynton Civic Hall, Park Lane, is looking for new members with some experience.

The club meets on Mondays at 8pm starting 4 September. Come and enjoy the experience - it will be free throughout September.

For more information contact Ann or Trevor Tinson on 0161 292 2397 Continued over

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in touch - your local community noticeboard

HARMONY REVIVAL Harmony Revival, the long established male Barbershop choir from Hazel Grove, is always pleased to welcome new members. Our nominated charity this year is Stockport Cerebral Palsy. If you are interested in joining please get in touch with Tony Johnston on 07809 471492.

We meet every Wednesday at The Methodist Church on Wesley Street in Hazel Grove at 7.30pm

A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY On Saturday 16 September, you are welcome to Bridge & Afternoon Tea at High Lane Village Hall from 2pm to 4.30pm. Tickets are £6 each or £20 for a table of 4 pre-paid and are available from June Gibbs 01663 764935 or Margaret Mc Dermott 01663 765638

All proceeds to High Lane Village Hall Funds

HAZEL GROVE CARNIVAL’S 40TH BIRTHDAY! Don’t forget this year’s carnival, which promises to be bigger and better than ever in its 40th year! With plenty of flares, afros and flowers, Hazel Grove Carnival will be looking back to the groovy 1970s in celebration of its 40th birthday.

To be held on Saturday 15 July, the carnival marks its landmark birthday with a spectacular parade featuring local businesses, community groups, schools and charities. Proceeds from the event will go to three local charities; Independent Options, Ronald McDonald House, and The Furniture Station.

The parade will start at 11.30am running from Highfield Road, through Hazel Grove and along the A6 before finishing up at Torkington Park where there will be a fun fair held with exciting rides, lots of stalls and the lively food court offering up tasty treats and refreshments from 10am.

For more information on Hazel Grove Carnival, visit www.hazelgrovecarnival.com or www.facebook.com/hazelgrovecarnival

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BBQ Grilled Aubergine Burger A yummy vegetarian BBQ burger, perfect served with a side salad and a tzatziki dressing.

Ingredients for 4 servings burgers

KITCHEN 1. Wash all the vegetables. Cut the aubergines into slices 1cm thick. Peel and slice the onion.

2. To make the curry marinade, mix the oil, lime juice and curry powder together into a paste, peel and crush the garlic and add to the mixture.

■■ 2 aubergines

■■ 1 red onion

3. Brush the sliced aubergine with curry marinade and season both sides.

■■ lettuce leaves

■■ 4 burger buns

BBQ

■■ sliced tomato

■■ cooking oil

1. Prepare the BBQ.

Curry Marinade ■■ 75ml vegetable oil

■■ 2 cloves of garlic

■■ 1-2 tsp curry powder

■■ salt & pepper

■■ juice of ½ a lime

2. Cook the sliced aubergine for approx. 4 minutes on each side.

3. Split the buns and drizzle some oil on the inside and toast gently.

4. Serve the aubergine inside the warm toasted buns with lettuce, onion rings and tomato, with a dressing of your choice.

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Diary of a geeky knitter Knitting in public On 10 June this year, the (knitting and crochet) world picked up their needles (and hooks) and went outside to knit, on what is the annual celebration of the best hobby in the world – Worldwide Knit in Public Day. For me, every day is knit-in-public-day, but it’s always wonderful to see so many people get giddy with the new-found ‘permission’ to whip their needles out on the bus and in coffee shops.

I actually did my bit for the celebration the day before, when I visited Alderley Edge School for Girls to do a lunchtime masterclass on knitting! A student at the school emailed me to ask if I would come in to do a talk on why knitting is great, in the hopes that it would drum-up interest amongst the students as she wanted to promote her knitting club – good on her! I hosted a short presentation on why I think knitting is brilliant – creative, fun, good for mental health, charity and political activism– and then we had a go at learning casting on and knitting. At least half of the girls who turned up were full of questions and eager to learn the stitches, which I felt (hope) means the talk went well.

I certainly got a cracking lunch out of the day, so I’d say it was a job well done! If anyone reading is keen to learn to knit themselves, I’m sorry to write that I’m

not actually available to do regular talks, however I did tell the girls that YouTube is a MARVEL for learning new hobbies (I 100% learned how to crochet through YouTube alone) so fire up that smartphone and get cracking, and as always whizz me an email if you want a starting point.

Wedding bells In other news, I’ve had my sewing machine running just as fast as my knitting needles in anticipation of two of my best friends’ weddings this summer. I always seem to set myself crafting challenges and I wanted to sew a dress for the wedding, and ideally wear a matching knitted cardigan. The dress was finalised two days before, and the cardigan was finished in the taxi on the way to the ceremony (I kid not), fuelled by a breakfast Bucks Fizz. I was delighted with the result, and smugly told any stranger who said I had a nice dress on exactly where I got it – ‘Cher Tricoteuse Geeky’ (thanks Google Translate). I’m not saying I am in a rush to repeat this, but it was a great feeling – that, and seeing two people I love be married, of course.

jennythegeekyknitter@gmail.com www.thegeekyknitter.co.uk www.etsy.com/uk/shop/geeksgamesandknits

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LANGUAGE OF OUR ANCESTORS Cheshire dialect and language takes its cues from our county’s rich history and heritage In Cheshire, we live at a historic crossroads through which tribes, nations and races have passed over thousands of years; on their way to invade, occupy or fight elsewhere or staying on here and settling in our fertile county - and they have all left their signatures on local dialect and place-names.

and the rest of the country, is fundamental to the English language we know today, as evidenced in thousands of place-names – and, again, where better to start than locally, in the parishes of Chorley and Alderley Edge.

For starters, consider a place very close to home: that area known as Lindow in Wilmslow. It’s an area of peat bogs and mosses, where the waters appear black and mirror-like – especially in the pool on Lindow Common, marked on Ordnance Survey maps as Black Lake. Two thousand years ago, the area was occupied by Celtic tribes – and apart from famously triple-murdering one of their number and plunging him face-down into Lindow’s dark mire, they also named the area after the black waters of the Moss, calling it Linn Dubh in their language. And just to prove the point, consider another Celtic conurbation - Dublin in Ireland, named after another black pool, Dubh Linn.

When is duck not a duck?

Wander to the southern borders of Cheshire, where it abuts Staffordshire, and you’ll find people calling you duck, as a soft and familiar term; but they’re not comparing you with quacking web-footed creatures that swim in ponds – duck’s etymology is derived from our Roman forbears, whose word ductor meant leader, hence it was a term of respect. The Saxon equivalent was ducas, and it was duc in Norman French, from which the title Duke arises. So when a south Cheshire or Potteries native calls you duc, they’re politely acknowledging your superior status, much as a Cockney might call you Guv’nor or Squire.

In the 4th century AD, England was occupied by Germanic tribes from across the North Sea – Saxons, Jutes, Frieslanders and Angles (the latter giving our country its name, Angle-Land or England). The combined linguistic legacy of these tribes in Cheshire,

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by John Wallace

Alderley and Chorley – place of peasants and clearings When you know a little Anglo-Saxon, words light up with their inner meanings, and Chorley conveniently splits into two: the Chorl part derives from the AngloSaxon ceorl, meaning peasant, whilst ley is based on the Anglo-Saxon leah, meaning clearing, or woodland containing a clearing – and thus Chorley was once called Peasants’ Clearing in local patois. The name Alderley can be figured just as neatly, especially when you know it was referred to as Aldredelie in William the First’s Domesday Book of 1086. The Aldred part is an Anglo-Saxon person’s name – and, again, it ends in leah – thus Aldred’s clearing. The word Leah also occurs as a popular and long-established surname in

Alderley Edge and environs, and on Mottram Road, between Alderley and Mottram, there is a field called Lizzie Leah’s, after the Leah family who lived nearby.

Incidentally, if you inhabit Wilmslow or Prestbury, you’re living at William’s Hill or the Fortified Place of the priests!

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – written in Cheshire dialect Spoken Cheshire dialect has, unsurprisingly a distinctly northern signature, with similarities to dialects of neighbouring Lancashire, Staffordshire, Shropshire and Derbyshire. The great English poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, thought to have been written in the Cheshire-Staffordshire borderlands in the 14th century, was written in Cheshire dialect, much of which has stood the test of time and is still recognisable today to a modern Cestrian dialect speaker - and whilst often hard to track down in these modern times, Cheshire dialect still contains a treasure-house of curiosities.

If you want to discover a particularly excellent example of Cheshire speech in action, read Alan Garner’s celebrated Weirdstone of Brisingamen and Moon of Gomrath, wherein the farmer Gowther Mossock speaks in a pungently rich Cheshire brogue, featuring words such as dunner, munner and conner, translated as don’t, mustn’t and can’t. Cheshire dialogue is direct, musical and playful, so a wasp is inverted to become a waps, whilst hot aitches are flushing in the face; meanwhile, someone with a fat face is borsun, though don’t confuse this with borsant, which is belligerent or awkward.

And as a Cheshire resident, never be afraid to use the word back-end in even the most polite company – in local dialect, it simply means autumn!

WHEN THE NORMANS OCCUPIED THE WHITE PEAK

A WALK FROM HARTINGTON This walk is an easy tour of a delightful and popular area of the White Peak, with no steep hills or difficult terrain to traverse, the maximum height gained is only 804ft or 245mts. It makes an ideal day out and gives the opportunity to see some lovely countryside as well as the chance to explore and visit some interesting and delightful old villages. Hartington does have an official pay car park in the village, but there is plenty of roadside parking. Motorists should take care to ensure they do not cause an obstruction. The village history can be traced back to the Normans and it is reputed that Bonnie Prince Charlie stopped here on his march into Derby in 1745.

The walk begins from the centre of this pretty village.

It lies on the B5054 just off the A515 from Buxton. The map used for the walk is the Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure White Peak map ref. SK128 604, and it is 7.5 miles distance with some minor road walking, the rest is over well defined paths with several limestone outcrops. Care should be taken in wet weather as limestone can be slippery in the wet. Walkers should allow about four hours and this walk is classified as easy/moderate with no serious climbs, therefore it would be well within the capabilities of newer walkers with a reasonable knowledge of map reading. There are however quite a number of stone stiles which tend to slow the pace of the walk.

The group started from the centre of Hartington, beside the large duck pond and the cheese shop selling a wide

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variety of cheese. A year or so ago Hartington boasted its own cheese factory, the Dairy Crest Creamery, licensed to make Stilton cheese, but sadly this has now gone, much to the chagrin of some of the walkers who had hoped for a visit. We headed north along a minor road past the church of St. Giles, parallel to the one leading to Pilsbury village. After a short distance of some 1/2 mile we climbed over one of the many limestone stiles, the first of which lies on the left of the road which was easily visible. The path which is erratically waymarked later becomes rather indistinct.

It then heads north above the valley through which the river Dove winds its tortuous route. We climbed steadily up a gentle slope with the 380 mtr high of Carder Low on our right, and headed for a group of trees. After this we walked for just under three miles over short grass which made the going easy, except for the numerous stiles crossing the path. Running alongside the River Dove is the narrow road leading into Pilsbury village itself, which we could see from our elevated vantage point. Eventually this path crosses another minor road leading into Pilsbury village and it then dips down into an area known as Pilsbury Castle Hills. There are a number of abandoned shafts which many years ago were used for mining lead which is still such a feature of limestone country; however these present little, if any, danger to walkers. Eventually the village of Pilsbury appeared below us on the left - it is much smaller than Hartington but in the past it was an important crossing point and a defensive area with a

shallow ford across the Dove. Soon after we dropped down a fairly steep slope, the path running parallel to the village, along an area shown on the map as Pilsbury Castle Hills. It then drops down to Pilsbury Castle; this is a limestone knoll, shown on the Ordnance Survey map as ‘Motte and Bailey.’ The term castle is a misnomer as it never was a castle in the accepted sense of the word, even though it is described as such on the boards explaining the layout and history. The origins of this ‘castle’ are not fully known, but it was probably originally an Iron Age fortification, and it is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument and was designated as such in 1937. What is known is that the ‘castle’ was taken over after the Norman conquest and it was rebuilt by the Normans, the name Pilsbury comes from the Celtic ‘pil’, and the Saxon ‘bury’, and the Norman word castel, meaning a castle. On the map it is shown as a ‘Motte and Bailey.’ This term means a fortification with a stone keep built on raised earthworks called a motte, behind this was a courtyard called a bailey surrounded by a protective ditch. Motte is a French version of the Latin Mota, which is a turf bank reinforced by timber supports which have long since rotted away.

The term Bailey comes from the Norman word, baille, or base-cour, a low yard which contained the kitchen, the chapel and a number of other buildings. The castle occupied a strategic point on the river Dove, being a crossing point, as there were few if any bridges, and offered an important water supply. The steeply sloping remains of the motte gave an ideal shelter from the cold breeze where we had a coffee stop, as the picture shows. This point marked about one third of the total distance. After this welcome break we reluctantly set off on the rest of the walk. After about half a mile we turned left at Bridge End Farm and crossed the Dove by a footbridge, which is approximately the half way point

The Walk of the walk. It was here that the only hill on the walk occurs; we therefore climbed up this fairly steep slope which was unfortunately very muddy after the recent rain. Poles were very useful on this steep but thankfully short ascent. Eventually this led us to the minor road by a farm called Edgetop, and on reaching the road we turned left. By now we were in Staffordshire and the limestone changes to gritstone rock. We followed a fairly quiet road which went past Knowsley Cross, a carved gritstone cross on the right hand side of the road. This was easy walking and we continued along this road passing the imposing Sheen Hill with its clearly visible trig point on our right. After this the Manifold valley can be seen, and on a good day Hen Cloud and the Roaches can be visible in the far distance. We were quite thankful that the leader had not included Sheen Hill in the planned route! After just over half a mile later we arrived at Harris Close, a farm with a footpath sign where the road swings right. Leaving the road we followed the footpath, passing over again some of the numerous stiles which frequent the white peak area, we dipped downwards, following the valley the path giving easy walking. Before we reached Bridge End Farm we took another footpath which appeared on our left, then crossing over a footbridge which spanned the narrow and at this point tiny River Dove. Ahead of us we could see Hartington, and were soon back in the village where some of the members sought out one of the many cafes, some even deciding on more fortifying beverages.

Poynton Rambling Club has over 100 members with walks on Wednesdays and Sundays. It caters for walkers of all abilities – walks vary between five and 12 miles.

For further details visit the website at www.poyntonramblers.org.uk

By Peter Jaques > Poynton Rambling Club

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Holiday Health Tips from your Local Health Store If you are looking to make sense of all of the confusing information available on health, nutrition and remedies, a trip to your local independent health store may help. At Amaranth we have qualified, registered advisors who will help you understand which products may be helpful for you and which may do more harm than good.

As the summer holidays approach, we have lots of products and advice for keeping your family healthy. Our ‘no nasties’ sun lotions, insect repellents and travel minis fly off the shelves at this time of year. We are all now more aware of the fact that chemicals in products can and do absorb into the skin. Skin sensitivities and prickly heat are also becoming more and more common. Our organic sun lotions avoid fragrance, parfum, phalates, parabens and pore blocking silicones all of which can be a cause of skin irritation.

If holiday tummy has been known to spoil your holiday, we can advise on products that have natural antibacterial properties and diarrhoea reducing effects. Holidays can also be a time for a little more food and drink than normal so we can give you tips on how to reduce the effects on your body and your morning after head.

The Amaranth Top 10 Holiday Essentials: 1. Green People sun lotion 2. Citronella essential oil 3. Viridian Travel Biotic 4. Allicin Garlic 5. EmergenC Hydration 6. REN Skincare Travel Minis 7. HayMax Haybalm 8. Viridian Milk Thistle 9. Dr Hauschka After Sun 10. Weleda bumps and bruises cream

Inside Reader Offer 26

20% off any off any of our Top 10 Holiday Essentials instore until 31 August 2017 with this article.

by Joanne Hill www.amaranth-wellbeing.com

chester

Perfect for a Day Trip or Short Break

Are you heading like a lemming towards an uneventful weekend at home – a weekend that you will never remember? Why not take a trip to Chester, one of the UK’s great heritage cities that attracts visitors from all around the world for that very reason. There’s lots to see and do at any time of year and for INSIDE Magazine readers it’s only a short drive away.

Our car journey from Poynton to Delamere St. multistorey car park (clearly signposted in the city centre) took less than 45 minutes (£6.90 for 6 hours, £7.80 for a full day). A two-minute walk then led us right into the centre. You would be doing well to reach Manchester’s Deansgate in a comparable time!

Our first port of call was the Town Hall Tourist Information centre in Northgate Street. The staff here were extremely helpful and enthusiastic. (As we later discovered, there’s a certain civic pride and friendliness etched into the facial expressions of all the locals that we met). Here we paid £1.20 for a Walkabout Map and Guide. The recommended walk takes 2-3 hours, though extra time would need to be allowed for museum visits.

This bite-sized little pamphlet, with its brief historical

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narrative, provides an excellent introduction to no less than 58 places of interest. Whatever your taste, there will be something to please you. In 1779 James Boswell wrote to Dr Johnson “Chester pleases my fancy more than any town I ever saw….”.

Unfortunately, our energy levels were a little low on the day in question and we could sample only a few of the sights. If you too don’t want to be too ambitious, you can still have loads of fun just aimlessly strolling around and absorbing Chester’s magical ambiance.

As it was a crisp and sunny winter’s day, we chose to take a gentle but memorable walk around the city walls. These are the most complete walls in Britain and date back 2,000 years to the Roman occupation.

You’ll take in the River Dee, the iconic Eastgate Clock, Chester’s Roman Amphitheatre and a view of the oldest racecourse in the UK. The ornate Eastgate clock was built to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897, and remains one of the most photographed clocks in the world. Walking the walls is also a great way to discover an alluring lunch or dinner spot.

by Garth Aspinall

We descended at frequent intervals to view numerous places of interest, including the lovely church of St John The Baptist, the Roman Gardens, the Roman Amphitheatre and of course, the majestic Chester Cathedral - home to some of the finest medieval carvings in Europe. You can take a guided tour of the cathedral or just do your own thing. Here you can enjoy a delicious lunch, or coffee, as we did, in the impressive Monk’s Dining Room. Close by and allied to the cathedral is The Falconry and Nature Gardens – a great entertainment for children.

Also close to the cathedral are the main shopping areas – Eastgate, Watergate, Northgate and Bridge St, plus their numerous intriguing side streets. Here, a festive atmosphere fills the air, as the throngs of tourists and locals swirl cheerfully to and fro in these spacious and elegant thoroughfares. The principal and unique attraction must be Chester’s Rows - a 13th century network of covered first-floor walkways, housing so many of the city’s wonderful shops and cafes. With well-known brands, exclusive boutiques, fragrance stores and chocolatiers and the indoor Grosvenor Shopping Precinct, a visit to Chester is well worthwhile just for the shopping experience.

Take a romantic walk along cobbled lanes, unwind fireside in a cosy restaurant or chill in a luxurious hotel.

Take in a show or movie at the Storyhouse, the city’s theatre, central library and cinema.

I have only scratched the surface of this city and have made little or no mention of Chester Racecourse or Chester Zoo which would each consume the best part of a day and are destinations in their own right, best enjoyed on a fine summer’s day.

Whether you are visiting for an indulgent city break or family day, I’m sure you’ll find something that suits your mood and budget. To keep up to date with Chester’s events and attractions, head to www.visitchester.com

And there is still so much more you can do. Explore the city aboard an open top or heritage bus. Take a guided walking tour. Enjoy a leisurely sail up the river on one of Chester’s pleasure cruises where you can enjoy views of Grosvenor Park, the Meadows and the Eaton Estate.

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escape

to alentejo

Just a short flight from Manchester (twice daily) takes you to Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. This is a deeply rural, fascinating area of countryside, full of wild flowers, cork forests, rolling hills, small hilltop villages built from ancient stone, vistas across a huge manmade lake where you can stay on a houseboat, canoe or windsurf, and a wild coast with hundreds of bays and beaches, with views to the west and wonderful sunsets.

Fresh air – there’s no pollution - views in all directions that are devoid of crowds and traffic, and some of the best wine and food in Europe – at budget-busting prices. Where is this visitor heaven?!

It’s the Alentejo (the name means “the region below the River Tagus”). The Portuguese pronounce the letter ‘j’, unlike the Spanish, so the word is pronounced Alentay-joe; think Jose Mourinho, a well-known Portuguese, whose ‘j’ is also pronounced.

This region, a third of the land mass of Portugal, has just 6% of the population and produces 46% of Portugal’s wine, now increasingly recognised as top-notch on the world wine stage. You can drive for an hour or more without seeing more than a few tractors and a handful of cars, through delightful countryside that begs to be photographed. Storks nest on telegraph poles and in trees, their huge messy nests forming homes for many much smaller birds in the massive structure beneath where the storks’ offspring themselves – usually just one or two white, very large chicks – sit; whole communities of sparrows enjoy social housing courtesy of the storks’ largesse. This is a photographer’s dream – fields of sunflowers, huge cork forests, roads lined with tall, silvery-leaved eucalyptus trees, and olive groves – with something to catch the eye at every turn, all backed by sunshine and bright blue skies from February (when temperatures on the beaches can reach 26 degrees C) to November.

Aqueducts, largely intact, built by the Romans to supply water to their towns, massive fortified castles and Continued over

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beautiful marble pavements and fountains testify to the wealth that this region enjoyed in times gone by.

Portuguese explorers brought wealth back to their home country – spices, silks and styles of cuisine that are still echoed on today’s menus, plus the funds with which to create new building styles to celebrate their return.

Manueline columns – sinuous curves replicating the ropes used on their ocean-going galleons – are just one such echo of the past.

The cultural offering of the Alentejo is huge and spans 7,000 years, from prehistory (visit the huge stones, hundreds of them, just outside the ancient walled city of Evora, just 75 minutes from Lisbon – they were discovered only in 1966, just 51 years ago, despite being one of the largest groups of such structures in Europe) through Roman, Moorish and Knights Templar times. Evidence of previous visitors, long since departed, can be seen in all the small towns and villages, many perched on hilltops for safety, whose cobbled streets and stone walls remain, and where sitting outside in the sunshine, people watching is a happy and relaxing pastime to enjoy.

cork from 46 specially-selected Alentejo cork oak trees was used to insulate the space shuttle on re-entry into earth’s atmosphere; it’s one of the materials with the best insulating properties known to man, and its light weight-to-insulation ratio made it ideal for this important role.

The beaches of the Alentejo will claim your heart - white sand, pristine and largely deserted, with hundreds of little bays to explore – while the Dark Skies of the region are reason alone to visit, with the Milky Way and millions of stars to gaze at; we forget just how wonderful the night skies are, and how little of them we see from large tracts of the UK. In the Alentejo there is very little light pollution to hide the constellations from the naked eye.

The active will love the wide choice of outdoor pursuits – from gentle walking on waymarked paths to cycling, hot air ballooning, horse riding, surfing and stand-up paddle boarding, canoeing in both river estuaries and upriver, birdwatching and much more. The Alentejo provides food for the mind, soul and body – it’s a charmingly relaxed place with no stress; the perfect antidote to our busy lifestyles in the UK.

Ancient crafts are still practised; carpet-making by hand using old weaving looms and pottery, to which whole villages are devoted. Cork is hand-harvested, and used for a wide range of goods, including bracelets fashioned from cork and umbrellas. Astonishingly,

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Holidays to the Alentejo can be booked with Travel by Design of Alderley Edge – call Irene and Kristina for personal advice on 01625 584195

by Kristina Hulme > travelbydesigngroup.com

quick crossword Across 5. Typify (6) 7. Affiliation (8) 9. Fist Fighter (8) 10. Joviality (6) 11. Intolerable (12) 13. Repugnant (6) 15. Fireplace (6) 18. Naval rating (5,7) 21. Indian Curry (6) 22. Elaborate (8) 23. Periodic (8) 24. As a Rule (6)

down 1. Musical Composition (8) 2. Recurrent (6) 3. Lethargic (8) 4. Playing(6) 6. Gas component (8) 7. Breathing Tube (8) 8. Leeds or London? (4) 12. Heavenly (8) 14. Keep in Reserve(3-5) 16. From the Beginning (Latin) (2,6) 17. Chemical Term (6) 18. Congregation (6) 19. ___ Whitbread (Olympian) (6) 20. Engineering Term (4)

sudoku How to play Sudoku Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the numbers 1 through to 9 with no repetition.

You don’t need to be a genius. These puzzles use logic alone.

Watch out! Sudoku is highly addictive.

Solutions on page 44 33

barry’s gardening tips july - august 2017

When I was six years old I was attacked by a swarm of wasps.

Entirely my own fault.

I was digging at the end of the garden and bent my Southend seaside spade (not designed for London clay). I attempted to straighten it by whacking it against a concrete fence post. Unfortunately for me there was a wasps’ nest at the base of the post and naturally they took umbrage. My mum responded to my cries as mothers do and using a tea towel fought off the attack. We were both badly stung and the local supply of Calamine lotion ran dry as I was liberally coated in the pink stuff over the next couple of days.

Ever since then I have been very wary of the black and yellow striped blighters.

However, despite my ordeal I am a great supporter of the wasps’ right to life. If one strays into the house I don’t resort to the rolled up newspaper technique that my dad used to employ, instead I carefully (and nervously) usher it outside. Those of you that chose ‘A’ level biology (wise choice) will already be aware of what amazing and important creatures they are but for the rest of you here is a brief summary of why us gardeners should be grateful to the wasp.

During the winter fertile queen wasps hibernate, while the rest of the colony (nest) dies. Less than 1% of those queens survive but those that do start to build a new nest using wood pulp, chewed from wooden fences and garden furniture among other things (very interesting to watch). She lays eggs which hatch into larvae. These larvae need protein, which the queen provides by hunting other insects such as aphids. The larvae become (female) workers and the queen retires

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to a life of luxury and egg-laying. As the colony grows the thousands of workers trawl our gardens for tiny flies, aphids, caterpillars and other creatures with which to feed the larvae. In return the larvae provide the adults with a sweet, sugary liquid.

So you can see that wasps are doing us a favour by ridding our gardens of millions of insects that would otherwise be tucking into our plants. Is there a down side? Yes of course there is. At some point during late summer the queen stops laying eggs. No-one seems to know what triggers this change but the consequence is that no more larvae means no more sweet, sugary liquid for the workers. Starved of their normal food supply the wasps go looking for a substitute and this is when they may target your glass of coke, your melting Mr Whippy or pint of Old Peculier. Ok, they can be a nuisance but waving your arms and shouting is more likely to end in (your) tears when the wasp becomes agitated and defends itself. Best to leave it alone.

Later in the year all but the newly fertilised young queen wasps die and their papiermache nest is abandoned.

Wasps never return to the same nest. I occasionally get wasps nesting under the eaves or even in the roof of the house. As long as they are well out of the way I leave them be and have never had a problem. In fact (and I may be tempting fate here) I have never been stung again since I was six.

Many of our insect species are diminishing, most of which are beneficial to us gardeners one way or another, especially wasps. So think carefully before you swat the next one that wanders indoors or call out pest control to conduct chemical warfare against a nest that you could easily have ignored. They do far more good than harm and our gardens would be a poorer place without them.

by Barry Davy email: barry.davy@ntlworld.com

Local business wins again In 2014, Robin Vaal joined his father, Richard’s, award winning specialist carpet and upholstery cleaning franchise-Safeclean. In 2016, Robin took over the business and in February 2017 at Safeclean’s national conference, Robin received two prestigious awards. He was named “Up and coming Franchisee of the Year” and was also recognised for his excellent success in stain removal for Guardsman, the UK’s largest furniture and carpet insurers.

Safeclean has been a national franchise for nearly 50 years. The company’s services are used and recommended by many leading retailers but the majority of their customers are in the domestic market.

The photograph shows just some of the products and equipment used to make Safeclean experts in the field of carpet and upholstery cleaning.

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Answers: wallpaper, brushes, stepladder, paste bucket, scissors, paint Extra letter answer: roller

just 4 kids

Children’s Activities Things to do with pre-school kids

Monday High Lane Baby & Toddler Group 9.30-11.30am Term time only. High Lane Village Hall. Contact Sarah on 01625 268 301 for more information.

Story Time 11-11.30am High Lane Library. Contact 0161 217 6009 for more information.

St. Thomas’ Children’s Choir 5.45-6.30pm St. Thomas’ Church, High Lane. The choir is completely free and will help children to learn to sing and how to read music. We will sing a wide variety of music and songs; children’s music, pop songs, show songs and some sacred music.

Tuesday

For more information please contact marc.hall@me.com

Parents & Tots 9 - 11.15am Term time only. St Thomas’ Church, High Lane. A chance for all parents/carers to meet other carers in a safe environment – lots to do and refreshments provided. £1 per adult and up to two children. Contact Rev. Janet Parker on 01663 764519

thursday

Story Time 11am Hazel Grove Library. Stories, rhymes and songs followed by some colouring. Contact 0161 217 6009.

Playtime Toddler Group 1-2.30pm Term time only. Offerton Community Centre, Mallowdale Rd, Offerton. Lots of toys and room to play, song and snack time plus craft activities.

Free of charge but donations welcome. Contact Sharon 07843094039.

Norbury Toddler Group 10 - 11.30am Term time only. Norbury Parish Church, Hazel Grove. Cost £2 (includes a drink and biscuits). Please phone before to ensure there are spaces. Contact Cath on 0161 487 2390 or email cath. downs@norburychurch.org.uk www. norburychurch.org.uk

Friday Toddler Group 9.30-11.30am Independent Options, 67 Chester Road. £2 for one child, £1 per additional child. Book into the session on 0161 482 7933.

Wesley Street Stay & Play 9.45-11.30am Hazel Grove Methodist Church, Wesley Street.

Contact Kelly Heath on 07530 460 087

Wednesday Baby & Toddler Group 9.15-11am Term time only. Brookside Primary School, High Lane. £2 for one adult and child, £1 per extra child, price includes a snack.

Contact 01663 308 008 for more information.

Sing & Sign Opportunity Group 9.30-11.30am Independent Options, 67 Chester Road. Especially for children with additional needs/learning disabilities. £3 for one child, then £1 per additional child (siblings welcome).

Book into the session on 0161 482 7933.

Norbury Toddler Group 10 - 11.30am Term time only. Norbury Parish Church, Hazel Grove. Cost £2 (includes a drink and biscuits). Please phone before to ensure there are spaces. Contact Cath on 0161 487 2390 or email cath.downs@norburychurch.org.uk www. norburychurch.org.uk

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Story Time 2pm Great Moor Library, Gladstone Street. Stories, rhymes and songs followed by some colouring. Contact 0161 217 6009.

saturday Messy Church 3pm-5pm A time of welcome, crafts, celebration and eating together.

St Thomas’ Church, High Lane. For further information call: Canon Janet Parker 01663 764519 or Carole Walsh 01663 763375.

Weekly Baby Splash Life Leisure Hazel Grove. Call 0161 439 5221 for lesson details.

If you run a local activity for young children and email would like to be included on this page please c.blackie@insidemagazines.co.uk

Compiled by Clare Blackie > email: c.blackie@insidemagazines.co.uk

Running & Fitness Coach

How to Breathe Properly

One of the first questions new runners ask is how to breathe properly whilst running. If you are one of the many people who have this problem, don’t worry it can be fixed quite easily. The most common cause of being out of breath when running, which in some cases can lead to serious pain and/or panic, is that you could be running too fast too soon.

out for 20 mins with walk breaks giving your body the chance to recover and then go again. This will give you confidence and hopefully make your run more enjoyable so that you want to do it again. And if you see anyone you know whilst you are on your walking break, and to be honest this is when we usually see people, then just think to yourself, well they don’t know that I haven’t just finished a 20-mile training run!

Top tips to control your breathing ■■ Warm up properly by walking briskly for 3 to 5 minutes. This allows your breathing to increase slowly and your diaphragm to adjust to a more vigorous breath, it also allows the nerves to calm down.

Why you should walk If you are just starting out on your running journey then walk, allow yourself to be a beginner, especially if you haven’t exercised for a long time. Try and get into the regular habit of exercising, slowly develop your fitness, giving your bones, muscles and tendons the foundations they will need to become a runner without injury. This can be easily achieved by putting walk breaks into your running; don’t worry, walking is not cheating or quitting, it is vital as doing too much too soon could result in you not being able to run at all or you may become demotivated and frustrated. Don’t get stuck in a vicious cycle of going for a run, running too fast, feeling out of breath and out of control even after a short amount of running time then turning back home feeling rubbish and deflated.

Walking puts the body through the same range of motion as running, but with less stress impact on the body and lungs, you may not be moving as fast but walking builds a good base for running, a good solid foundation to build the miles upon. Adding walking breaks into your run can make the difference between you going out for five minutes and giving up or going

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■■ Start out slowly, even if you think you could walk faster, running slowly is still running; it’s better to start slowly and finish strong.

■■ Do your walk breaks before you become too breathless so that you are in control.

■■ Once you’ve slowed your pace, breathing can become quite rhythmic so listen to your breath and body ■■ When running your oxygen consumption increases, so breathe through your mouth to get enough air in; your mouth opening is almost ten times larger than your nose opening, so more oxygen in.

■■ Like any muscle, it will take time to strengthen your breathing muscles so be patient.

■■ Avoid fatty foods or large meals right before your run and give yourself two hours to digest a meal, as food can play havoc on your stomach and diaphragm as you begin to breathe and bounce.

■■ Try not to tense up as this can cause you to hyperventilate and breathe in shallow, quick breaths; relax and slow it down.

by Verity Wright > www.runverity.com

inside guide

july - august 2017

selected events in your area

Monday 3 July

Wednesday 12 July

Mart Rodger Manchester Jazz First Monday every month. £6 entry enquiries 01663 763532 High Lane Conservative Club, Buxton Road, High Lane.

SK6 8DR 8pm

Stockport Walking & Outdoor Group Evening walk at Marple The walk will be around 3 to 4 miles long and the ground may be muddy after rain.

Meet at Brabyns Brow Car Park, Marple Bridge at 7.30pm

Thursday 6 July Would you like to meet new friends?

Are you over 50 and single? Thursday Group is a friendship group for men and women, with several activities run by the members every week. These include walking, dancing, badminton, theatre and restaurant visits.

See www.thursdaygroup.co.uk, call Mike on 07860 396286, or just come along to new members night on the first Thursday in each month at 8.30pm The Bulls Head Pub in Handforth, 30 Wilmslow Road, SK9 3EW.

Saturday 8 July Messy Church A time of welcome, crafts, celebration and eating together. For further information call: Canon Janet Parker 01663 764519 or Carole Walsh 01663 763375.

St Thomas’ Church, High Lane 3pm to 5pm

Sunday 9 July Higher Poynton Summerfest Annual family and community event which takes place on and around The Middlewood Way in Higher Poynton.

Higher Poynton Station, Shrigley Road North, Higher Poynton 11.30am to 4.30pm

Sunday 9 July Independent Options’ Summer Fair Bouncy castle, garden games, delicious treats and refreshments, face painting and much more.

Entry is free. 11am to 4pm

WEDNESDAY 12 JULY Disley & District Flower Club A flower demonstration by Joanna Goodlet, an Area Demonstrator, entitled ‘Such stuff as dreams are made on’ Visitors welcome £5 High Lane Village Hall 7.30pm

Weds 12 to Sat 15 July NK Theatre Arts presents The Little Mermaid The fantasy of being underwater means your entire cast and crew can let their imaginations run wild. Individual Ticket Price: £8 to £10* Group Ticket Price: £30* *booking fee applies Box Office: 0333-666-3366 Weds to Fri 7.30pm Sat 2pm. The Forum Theatre, Romiley

Saturday 15 July Hazel Grove Carnival Parade starts at 11.30am from Highfield Road, through Hazel Grove and along the A6 before finishing up at Torkington Park.

Saturday 15 July A Night At The Musicals Join The Robins Singers and featured soloists for a glamorous night at the musicals! Tickets £10 from Dennis (07976 923 539 or dennis.helen@hotmail.co.uk). Family tickets also available.

Bramhall United Reformed Church, Robins Lane, Bramhall 7.30pm

Monday 17 July Hazel Grove Townswomen’s Guild Miss Sheila Gott ‘My Life in Singing.’ Enquiries to secretary 0161 483 9559 or chair 0161 483 2827 Hazel Gove Civic Hall, London Road 1.30pm

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Monday 17 July

Monday 31 July

‘Cuttings & Seeds.’

Marguerite Hughes & Sue Gillon, from Meadow View Plants, demonstrate how to propagate new plants from cuttings and collecting seeds. Further information 0161 483 6051 or www.hazelgrovegardeningclub.com St Peter’s Church (Parish Centre) 16 Green Lane, Hazel Grove 7.30pm

Simply Books presents…PETER ROBINSON One of the country’s top-selling crime authors, and creator of the DCI Banks detective series, talks about his life as a writer and launches his latest DCI Banks novel Sleeping In The Ground. Tickets: £10 (includes £5 redeemable against a signed copy of Peter’s new book) call 0161 439 1436 email events@simplybooks.info or book online at www.simplybooks.info Fords Lane Church, Fords Lane, Bramhall

Saturday 22 July Disley & Lyme Horticultural Society coffee morning Coffee, cakes, plants and much more! For further information please visit www.dlhs.weebly.com St. Thomas’ Church High Lane.

Wednesday 26 July Stockport Walking & Outdoor Group Evening walk at Glossop. The walk will be around 3 to 4 miles long and the ground may be muddy after rain.

Meet at Glossop Railway Station Car Park at 7.30pm

Sat 29 & Sun 30 July NK Theatre Arts presents Tale as old as Time!

A Disney Story. With lots of fabulous songs from all the best films and an exciting meet and greet with the characters after the performance! Individual Ticket Price £8 - £10* Group Ticket Price £30* Booking fee applies Box Office 0333 666 3366 The Forum Theatre Romiley

Saturday 30 July High Lane Allotment Association Open Day Children’s entertainment, craft stall, raffle, good as new, plants, barbeque and refreshments. Vote for your favourite plot. Join our waiting list for a plot www.highlaneallotments.co.uk www.hlaa.co.uk The Village Hall, Windlehurst Road, High Lane 10am to 2pm

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Wednesday 2 August Stockport Walking & Outdoor Group Evening walk at Etherow Country Park. The walk will be around 3 to 4 miles long and the ground may be muddy after rain.

Meet at Etherow Country Park Car Park at 7.30pm

Thursday 3 August Would you like to meet new friends?

Are you over 50 and single? Thursday Group is a friendship group for men and women, with several activities run by the members every week. These include walking, dancing, badminton, theatre and restaurant visits.

See www.thursdaygroup.co.uk, call Mike on 07860 396286, or just come along to new members night on the first Thursday in each month at 8.30pm The Bulls Head Pub in Handforth, 30 Wilmslow Road, SK9 3EW.

Monday 7 August Mart Rodger Manchester Jazz First Monday every month. £6 entry, enquiries 01663 763532 High Lane Conservative Club, Buxton Road, High Lane 8pm

Compiled by Claire Hawker > email: claire@insidemagazines.co.uk

Wednesday 9 August

Saturday 19 August

Stockport Walking & Outdoor Group Evening walk at High Lane. The walk will be around 3 to 4 miles long and the ground may be muddy after rain. Further details of all of the groups events including Wednesday evening walks, day walks and weekends can be found at www.stockportwalkingoutdoor.org.uk’.

Meet at High Lane Medical Centre Car Park at 7.30pm.

110th Annual Disley & Lyme Horticultural Society Show For further information please visit www.dlhs.weebly.com Disley Amalgamated Sports Club, Disley 12 noon to 5pm

Saturday 12 August 30th Annual Horticultural Show Flowers, vegetables, floral art, photography and cookery classes. Plants and refreshments for sale. Prizes awarded at 3.30pm. Entrance 50p, accompanied children free.

Further information 0161 483 6051 or www.hazelgrovegardeningclub.com Hazel Grove Methodist Church, Wesley St, Hazel Grove, Stockport SK7 4JQ 1pm to 3.30pm

Saturday 12 August Messy Church A time of welcome, crafts, celebration and eating together. For further information call: Canon Janet Parker 01663 764519 or Carole Walsh 01663 763375.

St Thomas’ Church, High Lane 3pm to 5pm

Monday 14 August Annual General Meeting Short AGM - views, opinions and ideas wanted, followed by: A pictorial review from our busy gardening club year.

Further information 0161 483 6051 or www.hazelgrovegardeningclub.com St Peter’s Church (Parish Centre) 16 Green Lane, Hazel Grove 7.30pm

Sunday 3 September Hazel Grove Allotments are opening their gates to welcome visitors Come in and dig a root of potatoes, then stroll around the plots hunting for giant bugs. Buy some lovely fresh produce, preserves and homebaking, then sit back and relax whilst you enjoy a lovely cuppa and a cake, and all in the middle of Hazel Grove! Access for wheel chairs and mobility scooters is via the School Street entrance. If you are interested in keeping an allotment, why not put your name on our short waiting list whilst you are visiting. Admission 50p, children free.

Entrances on School Street and Chester Road, Hazel Grove 1pm to 4pm

We are looking for friendly, responsible people to deliver Inside Magazines

It’s a great way to get a little exercise and earn some extra cash Altogether, about forty people currently help us to deliver our magazines. Many are retired or semi-retired and they really enjoy the experience. Our magazines are enthusiastically received in most homes, so there is always the chance of a smile or friendly word, en route.

For more details call 01625 879611

or email c.blackie@insidemagazines.co.uk

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useful numbers Churches Norbury Parish Church Hazel Grove Methodist Church St Peter’s Roman Catholic Church Hazel Grove Baptist Church St George’s Parish Church, Stockport Short Street United Reformed Church Parish Church of St Thomas, High Lane Windlehurst Methodist Church

Schools 0161 483 6325 0161 483 8969 0161 483 3476 0161 487 3708 0161 480 2453 0161 285 5229 01663 764519 0161 285 1431

Hazel Grove High School Hazel Grove Primary & Infant School Norbury Hall Primary School Moorfield Junior & Infant School St Peters R.C Primary School Torkington Primary School St Simons Catholic Primary Brookside Primary School High Lane Primary School

0161 483 6222 0161 426 5250 0161 426 9292 0161 426 9777 01663 762222

Police (non-emergency)

Doctors Beech House Medical Practice Springfield Surgery Haider Medical Centre Dean Lane Medical High Lane Medical Centre

Hospitals Stepping Hill Hospital NHS Non-Emergency

0161 483 1010 111

Leisure Centre Hazel Grove Leisure Centre

0161 217 6009 0845 644 4307 0161 217 6009

Local Government Stockport MBC

0161 480 4949

Travel Bus & Train Times National Rail Enquiries Manchester Airport

101 101

Utilities Electricity – Power Loss Gas – Emergency Water Mains Environment Agency Floodline

0800 195 4141 0800 111 999 0845 746 2200 0345 988 1188

Helplines 0161 456 3467

Libraries Hazel Grove Library Stockport Central Reference Library High Lane Library

Greater Manchester Police Cheshire Police

0161 456 4888 0161 483 3699 0161 483 1786 0161 483 4521 0161 483 2431 0161 483 2188 0161 483 9696 01663 763943 01663 762378

Alcoholics Anonymous Al-Anon Citizens Advice Bureau Childline Crimestoppers Directory Enquiries National Dementia Helpline RSPCA Samaritans The Wellspring, Stockport

0845 7697555 020 7403 0888 03444 111 444 0800 1111 0800 555111 118 500 0300 222 1122 0300 1234999 116 123 0161 477 6344

0871 200 2233 0845 748 4950 0871 271 0711

Post Offices Hazel Grove Post Office Fiveways Parade Post Office Peak Pharmacy Post Office

0161 483 2332 01625 872407 01663 766877

pharmacies Peak Pharmacy, High Lane Scorah Chemists, Hazel Grove

01663 762235 01625 872267

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classified index ACCOUNTANTS David E Hanley

ELECTRICIANS 43

ADULT EDUCATION 20

Practical Philosophy

35

30

9

Coppice Joinery & Building

39

Whitehall Builders Ltd

12

5

36

Hazel Grove Baptist Church

42

Amaranth

26

Edmondsons Decorators

15

Pure Clean Drainage Solutions

12

Abstract Roofing Services

Manners Pimblett Inside Front Cover

City Lock & Safe

16

The Stair Shop

16

35

TREE SERVICES Swift Tree Services

15

39

TRAVEL LAND & PROPERTY SALES

Travel by Design

31

23

WILLS LOCAL GOVERNMENT

East Cheshire Wills

11

8

WINDOWS & CONSERVATORY REPAIRS LOCKSMITH SERVICES 16

The Window Repair Centre

Inside Back Cover

LOFT LADDERS More Than Loft Ladders

15

Don’t forget!

Copy deadline for the next issue is Friday 11 August Tel: 01625 879611 email: info@insidemagazines.co.uk 46

44

45

KITCHENS

City Lock & Safe

DRAINAGE

30

STAIR RENOVATIONS

William Wragg MP

DECORATORS

Eco Dazzle

SECURITY

HOLIDAY RENTALS

The Brown Rural Partnership

COMPLEMENTERY THERAPIES

8

SOLICITORS 44

HOME IMPROVEMENT & PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

Matt Finish

CHURCHES

Hazel Grove Osteopaths

ROOFING 23

GARDEN MAINTENANCE

Magpie Cottages

CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING

27

OVEN CLEANING 11

GARAGE DOORS

Blue Handymen

CARE HOMES & SERVICES

Safeclean

FUNERAL DIRECTORS

Robinsons Garden Maintenance

BUILDERS

Riverford Home Delivery

OSTEOPATHS Back Cover

Carrington Doors

BOOKSHOPS

Fernlea

Snapes

G Burdett Funeral Services

BEAUTY

Simply Books

30

ESTATE AGENTS

Aquinas College

Cosmeticare

ORGANIC FOOD

SCZ Electrical Services

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