Wolverhampton West Magazine - January 2015 by Jonathon

WOLVERHAMPTON WEST MAGAZINE

January 2015

Win a fantastic hair and beauty makeover with Royston Blythe Midlands Hairdresser of the Year 2014 Win tickets for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time competition at The Grand Theatre

JANUARY 2015

Delivered to areas of: Tettenhall, Perton, Wightwick, Compton, Pattingham, Burnhill Green, Ackleton, Badger, Chesterton, Seisdon, Trysull, Claverley, Wombourne, Lower Penn, Worfield, Hilton & Albrighton 01

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wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Hello Readers It’s 2015: Happy New Year and all that! Now it’s time to talk turkey. As in you’re still probably feeling stuﬀed full of it. They’ll be those of you who care and those of you who don’t. So to the revellers let me herald the advent of this fat, succulent edition, which is crammed full of everything you need for the post-party season party, like our restaurant review at The French Connection, Stourbridge. I’ve already started to party, beginning with a fantastic night out watching Cinderella at The Grand. And there’s ideas for the January sales from Halfpenny Green Vineyards and Old Mill Antiques in Bridgnorth, not to mention advice on home improvement. Plus fashion, hair and make-up tips to get you glammed up; news on where to wine and dine your beloved on Valentine’s Day too. We’ve got competitions galore: tickets from The Grand Theatre and a chance to win a hair and beauty makeover from this year’s Midlands Hairdresser of the Year, Royston Blythe; now celebrating their 25th year. Now to those of you who feel sinful and regretful and are still to this very day haunted by ghosts of Christmas past, here’s a redemptive edition for your salvation. We have articles on every single imaginable way of losing weight from Cambridge diet, Chris Jewkes Fitness, Medi Visage’s 3D Lipo or Olivia’s Beauty’s i-Lipo and Weightwatchers. But don’t stop there: check out John Pugh’s teeth implants in our new feature, Meet the Boss. And be sure to spot all the local stars who attended some of the many glitzy preChristmas gatherings in our social pages. Keen-eyed readers will notice that this edition is tagged as ‘January’, not the more familiar ‘January / February.’ Nothing’s really changed, of course - we’re still bi-monthly into your area – but this fresh new look for 2015 will be our future. See you in March…

Geoff

Lytham Rd, Perton, Wolverhampton, WV6 7YY Tel: 01902 744217 www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

Advertising enquiries

Email: sales@wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk Gisella Wiley - Sales Director

Editorial/What’s On information

Email: info@wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk Geoff Hall - Editor Magazine design: studio 28 (www.s28.co.uk) We gratefully acknowledge the support of businesses whose adverts appear in Wolverhampton West Magazine and whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy, The Publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss, damage or omission caused by error in the printing of an advert or editorial. All artwork is accepted on strict condition that permission has been given for use in this publication. Adverts are accepted on the understanding that descriptions of goods and services are fair and accurate. Wolverhampton West Magazine does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form - electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise without the prior consent Wolverhampton West Magazine Ltd.

Contents louise Presley turner – life coach

the local property market by nick Berriman

carver Wolverhampton marathon

local band takes on iconic stage

historic tennis club on new courts

crosswords & Puzzles

chinese new year

st. valentine’s day

the michael streete foundation

recipe of the month

rotary club of Wolverhampton

food and diet after the celebrations

grand theatre competition

gardening with Ann Winwood

charity santa run for a great claus

Wv inspired event

food review – french connection, stourbridge

74/75

royston Blythe competition

82/83

men’s fashion – A guide for the guys Women’s fashion – fashion fixes

94 96/97

Problem solving hairstyles

100

skincare solutions

104

meet the boss

106

toms tip

113

helping compton to care

114/115

social scene

118-127

golf tip

134

motoring – the rAv4

138

A-class wins fleet car of the year accolade at Acfo awards 142 Answers to puzzles

144

BmW xdrive – in perfect condition for imperfect conditions

146

Congratulations to: Winner of Cinderella competition at The Grand Theatre Mrs Jayne Young, Perton Winner of the meal for two at The Plough, Trysull Wendy Cullis, Tettenhall Winner of the hamper of award winning wines with Halfpenny Green Vineyards Mr Bob Airston, Tettenhall Mr Gary Sanders, Wombourne

*Total distribution 24,500 copies across 2 months

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

EiGHT life changing gifts

you can give yourself in 2015 Silence. Life is noisy, kids tearing around the house, phones bleeping, emails pinging; even the thoughts in our own head can be noisy! There is a never-ending backdrop of sound in our lives. We rarely get a moment’s peace and quiet. Start your year by creating just five minutes a day of pure silence, whether that’s sitting in your car before you enter the house, in the shower each morning, or maybe in a meditative state propped up on your bed. Silence is beautiful, nurturing and healing. But most importantly, silence allows space for solutions and ideas to bubble to the surface. Make this a daily practice and notice the difference it makes!

Movement. In order to keep healthy we need to move our bodies. Don’t force yourself to do exercise you detest this year, find something that you really enjoy and actually look forward to doing, whether that’s a weekly yoga class, joining a netball club or putting your dancing shoes on and doing the cha-cha! It’s important we keep our bodies supple and our energy high.

Bliss. In order to feel vital and alive we must follow our bliss. Fill your life with activities that excite you and bring you joy. Take time to write out a list of all the things that you’d like to do this year that will bring you enjoyment and pleasure, from hiking up Snowdon to writing your first novel. Follow your bliss and I promise you’ll have the best year of your life!

Sleep. When you’re feeling burnt out or out of control a good night’s sleep can change everything. Sleep allows your body and mind to rest and recoup. Not getting enough zeds leaves us feeling listless, low in mood and grumpy. The most important gift you can give yourself is enough sleep. Fill up your sleep tank and you will enjoy your life a whole lot more! Make sure you have at least a couple of early nights each week.

Creativity.

Personal Growth. As humans we are on this planet to play, explore and to take risks from time-to-time. My company is called ‘The Game of Life’ for exactly this reason! Experiencing new things, seeing new sights, meeting new people, feeling the fear and doing it anyway are all part of our growth and expansion as human beings. How do you plan to grow and expand this year? Where would you like to visit? What books do you need to read? What event/seminar can you attend? Who do you want to connect with? Make your own personal growth your priority this year.

Self-belief. One of the biggest barriers to our happiness and success in life is self-belief. Very often we are our own worst critics. We tell ourselves that we’re not good enough not clever enough, fat enough, thin enough or whatever enough to live the life we truly want. Changing your mind about what you believe to be possible will change your life. So ask yourself this important question as you start your journey into 2015. What do you need to believe about yourself in order to create the life you want? I wish you all a very happy, fulfilled and prosperous New Year.

I believe we are all creative in some way; we just need to figure out what floats our creative boat. Creativity generates a ‘flow’ state and when we flow we are totally present and in the moment, we are not worrying about the past or the future, we are in the moment and connected to life! Find a creative outlet this year and make it part of your life. Make a list of ideas today!

Simplicity. There are many things in our life that continue to sap our energy. Take time to think about how you can simplify your life in 2015. What can you let go of and what can you delegate to others? Create an inventory of ways you can simplify your life right now from clearing the clutter from your home, writing a ‘to do’ list each week, to hiring someone to clean your house. 04

Louise Presley-Turner is a Personal Growth Expert and Author of two books. Louise’s unique style of coaching has produced some amazing results, helping people to define their goals and turn their lives around with amazing success. Get your FREE life evaluator and life planner now.

visit www.thegameoflife.co.uk wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

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T.A. Henn’s latest brand Endless Jewelry, founded by former Pandora Managing Director, is now getting ready for LOVE… T.A. Henn was proud to ofﬁcially launch Endless Jewelry in early December, bringing the highly anticipated brand to the Wolverhampton area and beyond. Founded by Jesper Neilsen, one of the Danish entrepreneurs behind the incredible rise of the Pandora jewellery brand, Endless Jewelry is a fresh and sophisticated take on charm bracelets that is already taking the US and Europe by storm. Now with the addition of the Jennifer Lopez Collection to add even more glitz and glamour to the brand, we will also soon be adding the stunning new Valentines range to the already extensive selection of over 450 charms!

A new form of charm bracelet… Endless Jewelry charm bracelets are combinable in thousands of different ways, starting with soft leather bracelets available in a selection of over 12 colours in various sizes, as well as single, double or triple wraps with prices from £35. The bracelet can then be customised from a range of over 450 charms in yellow gold, rose gold and sterling silver ﬁnishes starting from just £15. The end result is a stunning statement piece of jewellery reﬂecting the wearer’s life and personality.

Be sure not to miss… Be sure to visit us in store to view and try on this fantastic new product, or alternatively you can buy online at www.tahenn.com. Don’t worry if you missed the ofﬁcial Endless Jewelry launch, you can still keep up to date with our latest offers and upcoming events by liking our Facebook page (tahennjewellers) and following us on Twitter (@tahennsince1847). 06

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Call into our shop at: 38-41 Princess Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1HD Or contact us on: 01902 428486 or info@tahenn.com | www.tahenn.com Follow us on Facebook and Twitter www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

The local

property market by Nick Berriman

the green contribution they make but I do think they should be fitted in a responsible way taking fully into account the effect on the environment. I have a rather unworthy thought that the majority of people who have fitted solar panels have done so because they can get a very generous return on their investment and not because it is a green thing to do. However that is just a personal opinion and I am lucky enough to be given the freedom of this page to express just that. I have just had a nasty thought – I wonder if the editor has recently fitted panels to the front of his roof!

I received a letter from a reader (at least it proves I have one!) taking me to task after my article in the last edition about solar panels. I said that I did not think that they increased the value of properties, and in this respect my critic agreed with me, but I annoyed him by saying that although the money spent earned a better rate of interest than most investments my criticism was the visual appearance. I felt that the detrimental effect on some street scenes was so bad that I was surprised that there were no planning controls. My critic thought that estate agents should be aware of the “green “advantage and should be pushing the scheme rather than criticising. Wind farms have a green advantage but they cannot just be put anywhere and create howls of protest because they spoil the rural landscape. I think in the same way solar panels, when fitted indiscriminately, spoil the urban landscape. There are some streets in our city where these panels predominate and where I think they are a blot on the landscape. I am not so naïve to fail to applaud 08

A recent topic of discussion with a client has been the advantages of joint family occupation of a property either leaving it as one house or with partial division. There are financial advantages such as a saving on council tax – although that will not be the case if the property is fully divided as it will then be assessed as separate units. Running costs will be divided and will usually show savings. There will be stamp duty savings – and as one who completed a purchase a few weeks before the Chancellor announced his changes costing me a substantial additional cost – I am fully aware of the impact of this charge. Money pooled to buy one larger property rather than two smaller ones will usually result in the purchase of one which is vastly superior. There could well be some eventual capital gains savings depending on individual circumstances.

So what of the market today? We are able to report that we have had our best year to date since the amalgamation of David Berriman and Eaton Estates in 2006 and incidentally this year is the 25th anniversary of my father starting his own business. He says he was only 40 at the time but the jury is still out on that! The market slowed a bit in the run up to Christmas but we have some justifiable confidence for the future which is only likely to be dented if there is a wholly unexpected result in the May General Election. During 2014 we have heard some extreme reports of enormous price rises with commentators in London and Westminster assuming that what happened in London and the South East happened everywhere else. Well we knew that was not so and although we did experience a much stronger market in this area we did not see the predicted price rises. The South based storm now seems to have blown itself out and some more stability now prevails. The unfortunate effect of media talk of a very ‘hot’ market is that it gives sellers unwarranted expectations of the value of their properties. In this first edition of the New Year I wish all our readers everything that is good for the year ahead.

All this is in addition to the undoubted social advantages of families or friends living in closer proximity. We can learn lessons from our Indian communities where they do keep the family unit closely together. We used to think that this was to cram as many people as possible into one house but we have come to learn and appreciate that this is their custom to keep the family together. wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Property of the Month THE OLD FARM, COUNTY LANE, KINGSWOOD A delightful, cottage style residence in a prestigious situation commanding extensive views with a beautiful garden, separate cottage, field and paddocks of approx. 10.5 acres together with barns and workshops. Well maintained and considerable character. Convenient shopping in Albrighton, Perton and Tettenhall. Easily accessible Telford and M54. Wide variety of accessible schools. Three reception rooms, conservatory, kitchen and utility, four bedrooms, one with dressing room and bathroom ensuite and bathroom. Self-contained cottage with living room, bedroom and shower room. Double carport. (EPC: E).

OFFERS AROUND ÂŁ675,000 VIEWING: Please contact the Tettenhall Office.

13-15 High Street, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, WV6 8QS Telephone: (01902) 747744

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

www.berrimaneaton.co.uk 09

The Winter Sale at Cousins The Ultimate

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Marathon cheque presentation On Monday 1st December the organisers of the 17th Carver Wolverhampton Marathon joined the sponsors and charity recipients at the Mayors Parlour for the finale of the events, the presentation of the cheques to the chosen charities for 2014. £17,500 was shared between Compton Hospice, Broadmeadow Special School, West Park Stroke Cycle Group and the Mayoral Charity Fund. On Sunday 7th September more than 2000 people took to the streets of Wolverhampton, running and cycling various distances in the 17th running of the events. The sun shone as competitors lined up for the Cousins 20k cycle ride, Carver marathon and half marathon and the “Banks’s 10k” race. NJB Sports & Physio again sponsored the events and were kept busy on the day tending to the sore limbs and fatigue suffered by all the runners. Greggs the bakers again sponsored, handing out their “goody bags” to all finishers. This is an opportunity to thank all the sponsors and supporters especially Carver Building Supplies who as always give the marathon events their full backing, both financially and with volunteer helpers. Without the sponsorship and support it would be hard to stage such a large event in our city. There are also

many other organisations who support, one amongst being Wolverhampton City Council. A big thank you to you all. The success of the events relies heavily on such committed sponsorship and support. The marathon events are all about encouraging activity for all ages and abilities and it was encouraging to see so many set off in all their different events. The atmosphere in West Park was encouraged by our media sponsors Signal 107. With Dicky Dodd both at the start and later keeping everyone updated as they came through the finish line. The Express & Star helped with news stories to help promote the event as did Wolverhampton West Magazine. Chair Mary Harding quotes; “For me the highlight of the day was watching the hundreds of people set off on their chosen event and then welcoming them back to the park with no serious problems or injuries. “Once again I have further thanks to the planning committee who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure the course is properly set up and marshalled.” The date has been set for 2015. It will be Sunday September 6th and this year there will be a walk added and the organisers hope to attract even more people into the park to take part in the annual fundraising event. To view pictures from the 2014 event visit the marathon website www.carverwolverhamptonmarathonevents.co.uk and follow the link to Brian Smith photos.

For more details visit the website www.carverwolverhamptonmarathonevents.co.uk 12

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

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Pension Changes

Are you affected?

2015 will see radical changes to pension legislation, probably greater than in any previous year.

The changes were announced in the Budget of 2014 and the majority of these changes come into effect on 6th April 2015. They were introduced in order to provide more choice and flexibility for people in retirement. The changes

encouraged people to look upon their pensions as their savings because that is essentially what they are. Do the changes affect you? The people that will benefit from these changes are those with Money Purchase schemes who have,

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

to date, not taken their benefits or, if they have accessed their tax free cash, not purchased an annuity with the remaining fund. If you have a pension (or pensions as most people accumulate more than one over the years due to changes in employment) we believe it is important that you understand exactly what you have and the options available to you. There are basically two types of pension scheme: 1.

Defined Contribution - Here the money you and or your employer have contributed is invested and you have a monetary fund value for which you should receive an annual statement. This type of scheme is also known as a “Money Purchase” scheme and how much you would receive in retirement would depend on the size of your pension fund at retirement.

Defined Benefit/Final Salary This type of scheme guarantees you a set income at retirement and is based on your earnings. As a ‘rule of thumb’ you receive a pension of 1/60th of your salary for each year of service at your retirement date, however you also have the option of commuting some of your income in exchange for a tax free lump sum.

The changes in legislation only affect those with personal pensions as, with effect from April 2015, should you wish to, you will be allowed to withdraw from your pension the total amount you have saved. Withdraw your pension with caution! We believe it is vitally important to note that if you decide to withdraw any monies over and above the 25% tax free cash element then it will be treated as income and like any other form of income you will pay tax on it at your marginal rate. This means the amount of tax that you will pay will depend on the amount of other income that you have in that tax year. Generally the greater your income from all sources, the higher the rate of tax you will pay so some people will, for the first time in their lives, inadvertently pay higher rate probably without being aware of the consequences. In fact HMRC are forecasting an additional £20 billion being raised through taxation of pensions being withdrawn.

acting upon this extreme caution must be taken to ensure that by transferring the benefits you are not adversely affected and with this in mind the Financial Conduct Authority have introduced measures to ensure that before any transfers are finalised, advice is taken from a Financial Adviser. It should be noted that those in unfunded defined benefit public sector schemes will not be able to transfer. What happens when you die? Under current legislation should you die prior to taking benefits (i.e. tax free cash) then the full value of your fund is paid tax free to your next of kin. However if you have taken your tax free cash and the remainder of your fund is in a Drawdown pension then the fund is either inherited by your spouse and can continue to provide an ongoing pension or can be paid out as a lump sum but would incur a 55% tax charge.

What if you have a Defined Benefit/Final Salary Scheme? Unfortunately anyone with this type of scheme will not be able to access their pension apart from the tax free cash entitlement already in place, followed by the annual pension. You can transfer the benefits to a personal pension however before

John Webb (Director MiFS Ltd)

From April 2015 if someone under the age of 75 dies it is irrelevant as to whether benefits have been taken as it can all be passed as a lump sum to their chosen beneficiaries completely tax free. For people who die over the age of 75, their nominated beneficiaries will be able to take all or part of the fund as desired however this is then classed as income and they will pay tax at 45% on the withdrawal in the tax year 2015/16 falling to the beneficiary’s marginal rate of tax in the following tax year.

If you would like more information or need advice on your specific circumstances please feel free to contact the author John Webb of Midland Independent Financial Services Limited on 01543 468877 or john.webb@midlandifa.co.uk Midland Independent Financial Services is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

Midland Independent Financial Services Ltd, 153 Avon Road, Cannock, Staffordshire, WS11 1LF. Telephone 01543 468877.

LOCAL

BAN D

TAKES ON ICONIC STAGE On Tuesday 11th November 2014, local rockers The Rooz headed to London to perform at the world famous Royal Albert Hall. The band join a list of the world’s biggest acts that have performed at the venue – acts such as The Beatles, The Who and Frank Sinatra have performed on the famous stage. The band were asked to close the Music For Youth Prom following their performance at the Town Hall in Birmingham. They performed two original songs on the night, collaborating with a full size orchestra to bring the concert to a grand finale.

Historic

t e n n i s c lu b

on new courts Linden Lea Tennis Club was originally formed in 1924 due to the benefaction of Mr Davis-Green who owned the land on which subsequently the houses of Linden Lea were built. The original members were mainly employees of Wolverhampton Metal Co. and Lockerbie and Wilkinson or members of Trinity Methodist Church.

“It was an incredible experience!” says frontman and songwriter Louis Coupe. “To hear 5000 people sing-a-long to our own song – truly memorable!” The band have built up a strong fan base and are packing out venues across the Midlands after a solid year of gigging including their appearance at Telford’s T-Live event and the Southwater Grand Opening. The Rooz are known for their energetic live shows and are set to end the year with a four date UK Tour in December. “It’s super exciting! We just love playing music and it’s amazing to see the reaction we get from our audiences!” says Louis. For details on the tour, full gig dates and other info, visit the bands website www.therooz.co.uk

The club has now moved to this site which consists of three new all-weather floodlit courts and a new clubhouse with all modern facilities. Thanks to the cooperation of Wolves FC under the chairmanship of Mr Steve Morgan , the club can now boast of having one of the finest locations in the country with the courts looking on to Tettenhall Ridge and idyllic views down the Smestow Valley. Potential members are invited to come and take a look at the club by appointment, and the official opening is planned for Sunday 12 April 2015 at 3 pm. The club hopes to attract new members from Wolves FC as well as the Academy and to enjoy a close relationship with local schools. For further information please contact either Alan Hopton on 07964 489282, email: hoptonhome@btinternet.com or Alan Hughes on 01902 425599

In 1988 when the land was acquired for housing the club entered into a lease with the University of Wolverhampton to develop three derelict courts at their Compton Park site. Following negotiations between the tennis club and Wolves FC in April 2011, a Composite Agreement was drawn up for the development of Compton Park, involving Wolverhampton City Council, the University of Wolverhampton, Wolves FC, Redrow Homes Ltd and Birmingham RC Diocesan Trustees. Part of that agreement was that Wolves FC would build a new tennis facility within the Wolves Academy for Linden Lea Tennis Club which would however retain its independent status. 16

Jenny and Alan Hughes and Denis Want at the opening of new courts on 10th November 2014

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

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Carvers Building Supplies

Re-launch event December 2014

Carvers Building Supplies certainly put themselves well and truly back on the map with the Carvers 2: The Return VIP relaunch event on Saturday 6th December. The event, which was attended by over 250 guests including sports personalities, local MPs, media, suppliers and customers. Guests also included Hugh Porter MBE and Anita Lonsbrough MBE, Paul Uppal MP, Emma Reynolds MP, Councillor Roger Lawrence, Councillor Peter Bilson, Councillor Wendy Thompson and of course Dicky Dodd! The event was held on site at Littles Lane, Wolverhampton in a grand marquee and marked the opening of the ‘Builders’ Village’, which now houses franchises, SJ Dixon, Tile Choice, Chandlers Roofing and Rayton Electrical, making Carvers a complete one stop shop for trade and retail customers alike. Carvers has been trading in Wolverhampton since 1896 and experienced a devastating fire, which destroyed much of the site back in February 2012. The evening was hosted by Bob Warman and highlighted the tragedy of the fire and the exciting £6 million rebuild programme cataloguing details

Guests enjoy the champagne reception

of how Carvers got back on its feet to now include a Drive through Trade Warehouse. There were a couple of surprises along the way as Directors, Neil Kendrick and Bryan Purslow were honoured for their exceptional service since the fire and perhaps the biggest surprise of all was saved for Henry Carver, who was honoured in a ‘This is your Life’ presentation and was greeted by children, Jack, George and Tilly, wife Libby and mother Sheila, who surprised him on the evening. The evening followed with live entertainment from Go West, who certainly got people on their feet and a disco ensured guests were dancing into the early hours. Carvers promise that their new facility will stand them in good stead for the next 118 years... at least!

nce s the audie er addresse Henry Carv

, Bob Warman

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Tilly Carver

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

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Quick Crossword Down 1 Weightiest (8) 2 Remove clothes (5) 4 Intelligent (6) 5 Up-to-date (12) 6 Lived (7) 7 Humble (4) 8 Proclamation (12) 12 Gifts (8) 14 Procedure (7) 16 Hits (6) 18 Rub out (5) 19 Long pointed tooth (4)

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WINDOWS & CONServatOrIeS

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CHINESE NEW YEAR

(commencing 19th February 2015)

THE YEAR OF THE GOAT a second chance at those (usually) discarded New Year resolutions.

This New Year is the year of the Goat though this is sometimes referred to as the ram or sheep. People born in this year are gentle, caring and compassionate folk. They are easily hurt and become very quiet when this happens. They are very family orientated and lovers of peace. They will however fight to maintain or gain the desired peace if necessary. Oddly they are great performers and are at their happiest when all eyes are upon them. For the Chinese the evening before the New Year’s Day is especially important. By this time everything will have to be spick and span, tidy and organised. The idea is to sweep away all traces of bad luck. Another tradition is to ‘mend fences’. This means quarrels have to be resolved, disputes settled and debts paid in full. Doors and windows are decorated with sheets of paper carrying good luck messages and if possible, door and window frames are painted red. Red is the good luck colour in Chinese society and red features a great deal in the celebratory activities. Children and unmarried adults are given little red envelopes of money as New Year gifts. Red is thought to ward off evil spirits so everyone will strive to wear something red. Black and white however is never worn at this time, they are the colours of mourning.

The Chinese have probably recorded the lunar year longer than any other people in history - or any that we have records of. Their calendar dates from as far back as 2600 BC. The first cycle of this Zodiac was introduced by the Emperor Huang Ti who decreed that each year should be portioned into cyclical periods governed by the phases of the moon. These periods are called; ‘A Great year’ equivalent to 12 of our years; ‘A Cycle’ equivalent to 5 great years or 60 of our years; ‘An Epoch’ that is 60 cycles long or 3,600 of our years. 22

Each year is governed by one of twelve animals, the characteristics of which are implanted into the very being of those born during that year. The legend has it that the Buddha, about to depart from earth to Nirvana, called all the world’s animals to bid him farewell. Only twelve bothered to heed his call and as a reward he named each mini-cycle after one of the animals present. Because the calendar is lunar based, it is by its very nature, cyclical, which means the date of the New Year varies from year to year and can fall at any time from the end of January to the middle of February. It does however, always fall sufficiently long after our own celebrations to enable

Food eaten at this time includes a great deal of seafood, especially prawns, dried oysters and raw fish salad. Certain kinds of seaweed are thought to bring prosperity and dumplings boiled in water represent a long lost good wish for the family. The Chinese conclude the celebrations with the Festival of Lanterns which includes singing, dancing and lantern shows. Westerners may celebrate by booking themselves a table in a Chinese Restaurant where they can enjoy a special banquet. This is a long and spectacular meal which, when shared with a large party of friends, has to be experienced to be really appreciated.

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

21 Enville Road, Wall Heath Kingswinford, West Midlands DY6 0JT Open Tuesday to Friday 9am - 5pm, Saturday 9am - 4pm

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Woodrobes showroom

Quality, style & service all guaranteed

Established in 1980 Woodrobes has an excellent reputation for quality and service, carefully built over the last thirtyfour years and has moved from strength to strength since the opening a new Kidderminster showroom in Autumn 2012. Easy to find with a huge range of fitted bedrooms and associated products on display, the Mill Street premises provides an impressive showcase for Woodrobes bespoke bedroom furniture. The growing success of the company is partially due to the quality of products, good service and excellent reliability but more importantly to the tight-knit, well-organised and knowledgeable staff, whose great attention to detail leaves nothing to chance and gives customers confidence that the bedroom of their dreams will be delivered on time and fitted to perfection.

Dave, Sandra, Ashley & Nicola

Nicola, Ashley and Sandra are completely at ease in their showroom domain while Bill has decades of experience in layout and design when measuring rooms for potential customers. The Woodrobes team is completed by Dave, the fitter, who turns dreams into reality with his skilful expertise. Following the successful opening of the showroom Woodrobes reputation has grown extensively and the company now has a wide range of customers, some from as far afield as Devon, gained through word-ofmouth recommendations from happy customers, who often return for second and third bedroom conversions. Planning and design are key components to Woodrobes success, combined with an ever-increasing and constantly updated product range. Whether the bedroom is small, medium or large, customers can rest-assured that efficient use of all available space is balanced with an aesthetically pleasing layout, which is both practical in day-to-day use but has that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;wowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; factor that never fails to impress.

Bill

Woodrobes reputation for high quality fitted bedrooms, guaranteed for 10 years, and excellent service promises that a visit to the Mill Street showroom in Kidderminster will leave you in no doubt that the company has the staff and products to match their impressive reputation. wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

ST. VALENTINE’S DAY fine china, crystal or pottery from one of Britain’s famous factories,

Having got the gift sorted out, how about making a real day of it? Celebrate in style by booking in to one of the many St. Valentine’s Day balls, dances, discos and dinners you see advertised around. Go to a fancy dress party in roaring twenties costume, to revive the memory of the grisly Valentine’s Day massacre in Chicago. Restaurants, pubs, clubs and hotels will all have something special going on.

St. Valentine’s Day is one of those odd days on the calendar that provides no real basis for celebration in this day and age. Yet, it is faithfully remembered, year after year, by people who don’t even have an appreciation of any vestiges of religious significance that may remain attached to it. St. Valentine’s day is basically one of the early Christian ‘transplants’. Early Christians sought, by changing the names of ancient and certainly pagan celebrations, to more easily convert the unbelievers of those dark ages. Perhaps it is because the day itself does have such an ancient history that it refuses to lie down and be forgotten? Perhaps it stirs some primeval race memory in us all, to make merry, celebrate the coming of spring and the plentiful promise of an awakening season? Whatever it does, however it affects you, the fact remains, it is a day that is becoming increasingly important and popular in our social calendar. Woe betide the husband, boyfriend or lover, who neglects to give some token to the love of his life. Shame on the loved one who doesn’t make some effort to send a card at least. There will certainly be no shortage of things to send and give. The 26

shops are crammed full of super gifts, in prices to suit all pockets, that will say, “you are the one“, or simply just “I love you!” Flowers are always popular and it’s worth remembering, men appreciate them as well as women. We are probably the only country in the world where men are supposed not to appreciate flowers. If you feel a bunch or spray is going too far however, choose one of the many beautiful pot plants available from your florist. Chocolates are favourite for men and women. To Hades with that diet. There is simply nothing better than an imaginative and mouth-watering selection of beautiful chocolates, in an equally beautiful box. On the other hand, if you’ve an eye to the future, think of jewellery. It suits both sexes. It will appreciate in value and it will be a constant keepsake of your affection. If none of those excite you, how about a fine wine? Or think about an article of clothing like a pair of gloves, once, in Regency times, a traditional St. Valentine’s gift. Or you could send a framed photo portrait of yourself. On the other hand, an original work of art may not go amiss and it will certainly be quite unique. Or you could just plump for a piece of

You could head for the theatre for a really special outing. Do it in style with dinner first and a supper dance to follow. Or look for a cinema with those double courting seats at the back. If the film doesn’t do a thing for you, there could be other things on your mind. Take time off and take your beloved for a day in the country, by the sea or into town. You could hire a chauffeur driven limousine, a Rolls for the day, or an ordinary car. Alternatively, wandering round the shops, seeing the sights and wining and dining at the end, can be a wonderfully romantic way to spend the day together. For those about to get married, a tour round available houses is no bad idea. There’s something about the spring that puts one in mind of new beginnings. If she (or he) seems reluctant to name the date, the potential of an empty house could tip the scale. You will find in spring, lots of people start to think about moving and there should be a wonderful selection of just the right sort of properties for you. Somehow, in spite of our worldly wise sophistication, we still respond to those primitive urgings the seasons generate. If you don’t feel it in spring however, you’ve just no soul. If you do, you’ll know quite instinctively, St. Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate for all the right reasons, few if any of which, will be at all religious.

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

The Michael Streete Foundation

(MSFDN) and Sickle Cell Anaemia

The Michael Streete Foundation (MSFDN) was established in memory of Michael Streete, who sadly lost his fight against Sickle Cell Anaemia in the summer of 2012, by his sister Kereen Streete. Through MSFDN Kereen wants to raise awareness about Sickle Cell Anaemia, educate people about the debilitating illness and raise muchneeded funds, whilst remembering her brother. Kereen says: “The MSFDN will strive to highlight the condition and the affect it has on the people living with it, both in the UK and across the world. We’ll be raising as much money as possible to try to save lives by developing new medications and finding a cure for the condition.” Sickle cell anaemia is an inherited blood disorder where the red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body, develop abnormally. The cells become rigid and shaped like a crescent or sickle, hence the name. The sickle shaped cells contain defective haemoglobin, these abnormal cells are also unable to move around as easily as normal shaped cells and can block blood vessels, resulting in tissue and organ damage and episodes of severe pain. These abnormal blood cells also have a shorter lifespan and aren’t replaced as quickly as normal blood cells. This leads to a shortage of red blood cells known as anaemia; which causes breathlessness and tiredness. The MSFDN held a fundraising evening at The Park Hall on Friday 3rd October. The event was a fantastic success and very well supported by family and friends of Michael, as well as many local business - from Wolverhampton and the surrounding areas - who were in attendance to show their support for the cause. As Kereen explains: “I want to give a massive thank you to every one of the 600 guests that attended the Michael Streete Foundation Gala Dinner 2014.” “A special thank you to all sponsors, supporters and partners including: Rubicon Casino, Tile Choice, Stratstone, Streete Project, Currys/PC World, Samsung, Thompson AVC, Nationwide Signs, Hipkiss & Sons, Norbain, Mercedes Benz, Vaillant, Corbelli Wines, Grovenor Casinos, Bar Sport, BMW, Northern Gas Heating, Royston Blythe, MontalbertSki, Supermalt, Grace Foods, Vauxhall, Broadway Casino, Greyhound Classic Cars, Interior Italia, Audi, Your Home Improvement Company to name a few.”

“Since the gala we’ve managed to source the materials needed to start school and workplace visits where we’ll be giving out important information about sickle cell anaemia and what our foundation plans to do to help.” “We’re planning to work closely with other organisations so that we are able to create awareness and get the resources that are very much needed.” “We are still awaiting payments, but if all comes through we’ll have managed to raise over £17,000, which is absolutely amazing. Every single penny from the event will be put straight into the foundation and used to create a voice that will soon be heard in the UK and worldwide.” “We’re working really hard to ensure great results in everything we wish to achieve. Keep checking www. MSFDN.com for up-dates - we’re making positive progress everyday.” “Thank you once again and I hope for your continued support.”

If you have any questions, you can contact the foundation by emailing info@msdfn.com If you’d like to make a donation go to: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MichaelStreete 28

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

ROMAN BAT H R O O M S • K I T C H E N S • T I L ES

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www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

Food, food,

by Denis Ridgway

glorious food! the quality and choice of the menu and also included vegetarian dishes. Consequently this year, thanks to the hard work of Charlie Powell and her staff they came joint first, thanks to the support of all the customers who had voted for them. The Old Mill Tea Rooms is situated on the first floor of The Old Mill Antique Centre in Bridgnorth and is furnished with comfy sofas as well as tables seating 2-8 people. The atmosphere is warm and cosy with background music of the 1930/40’s.

The menu is extensive offering visitors a variety of homemade cakes including gluten free carrot cake to beautifully prepared sandwiches and lunches hot and cold. Two main meals are only £10 and are served daily. Also on the menu are Panini’s, toasties, jacket potatoes and homemade soups. They have a reputation of serving the best chips in the area. A speciality of the tea room is ‘The Mad Hatters Tea Party’ (which must be pre-booked) and serves up scrumptious afternoon teas. I recommend a visit to the tea rooms for morning coffees, lunches or afternoon teas; they are open 7 days a week 10am until 4pm. To book a table please call 07542 026585.

In 2013 ‘The Old Mill Tearooms’, part of the Old Mill Antique Centre complex, came second in ‘The Best Tea Rooms in Shropshire’ Awards held by The Shropshire Star. The staff of the tearooms were extremely disappointed that they were not the winners, so in 2014 they worked very hard and improved both

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Whether you require refurbishment, extensions or new build, Three Pines are building contractors in Wolverhampton, who have the skills and expertise to handle your project from planning through to completion.

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By Michael Peter Whitehurst Email: mike@takefood.co.uk

recipe of the month Winter warming fruit loaf with cranberries, apricots and rum EQUIPMENT :

METHOD :

• 2lb loaf tin - line it with brushed melted butter and parchment paper • Heavy based saucepan • 2 Mixing bowls • Metal spoon

Boil 100ml of water with teabags , brew tea and discard the bags. Add the rum and orange juice to the tea and then add the zest and juice of the orange and lemon and the dried fruit and boil for 15 minutes until the fruit puffs up. Allow this to cool slightly and then add in the sugar and rapidly stir in the egg. Add the baking powder, spices and pinch of salt to the flour and fold the flour into the fruit mix. Fold this into your prepared tin and bake on 165°C for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. To check if it is cooked insert a skewer into the thickest part or the middle of the cake. If the skewer comes out clean put the kettle on!

INGREDIENTS : • 250g sultanas • 125g dried apricots • 125g dried cranberries • 1 lemon • 1 orange • 250g soft dark brown sugar • 500g of self raising flour • 1/2 tsp of baking powder • 1 large free range egg • 2 earl grey tea bag • 125 ml dark rum • 175ml water • 75ml orange juice • 1 pinch of salt • 1 tsp of mixed spice • 1 tsp grated nutmeg • 1 tsp mace • half jar of apricot jam • a handful of mixed dried fruit and nuts • ground pistachio or almonds • icing sugar to dust 32

Once out of the oven allow to cool enough so you can handle the tin and empty out carefully onto a chopping board. Brush the top and sides of the cake whilst warm with apricot jam, put a mix of dried fruit and nuts into a bowl and mix with apricot jam. Place this on top of your cake and sprinkle with ground pistachio or almonds. TO SERVE : Take a slice of the cake and either spread with butter whilst still warm or if cooled, heat up under your grill and serve with a dollop of clotted cream and some of the dried fruit and nuts from the top. www.instagram.com/mikewhitehurst_takefood www.takefood.co.uk mike@takefood.co.uk www.facebook.com/takefood! www.twitter.com/takefood wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Kitchens with style – modern – contemporary – traditional Our Extensive range of kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms will enable us to create the room of your dreams. Our Computer Aided Designs will give you the opportunity to experience your new room prior to installation.

For a free no obligation quote please call in at: 20 Finchfield Rd West, Finchfield, WV3 8AZ Telephone: 01902 761600 www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

w w w. e a t o n k i t c h e n d e s i g n s . c o . u k 33

The Rotary Club of Wolverhampton by Robin Tyler-Morris

Visit to Penn Hall School to assist in planting Purple Crocus Bulbs for the “End Polio Campaign”. The Purple Crocus, is the symbol or Rotary’s worldwide campaign to eradicate polio and is the focus of the national project which was specially developed by the Rotary Crocus Campaign and the Youth Service Committee of Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland (RIBI), to raise the profile and awareness of Rotary’s initiative to “End Polio Now” worldwide. The colour of the crocus was chosen to symbolise the purple dye painted on the little fingers of each child that has been immunised. Rotary is being assisted in the final eradication push thanks to the immense generosity of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, as every £1 Rotary

gives for Polio immunisation, the Foundation increases to £3. Led by President Mike Boyce, eight members of the Rotary Club of Wolverhampton visited Penn Hall School on 1st October 2014. The purpose of the visit was to continue the promotion of the “End Polio Campaign” via the planting of the symbolic purple crocuses in the school grounds. This initiative at the school started a couple of years ago when the pupils assisted by club members (well, those who were still able to bend down or kneel!) planted hundreds of bulbs both in the grounds of St. Bartholomew’s Church, Penn, and the school gardens. This year was a little different as the planting was in raised beds, one of which is located underneath where President Mike and DGE Richard Green are sitting in the photograph. This was hardly a garden project

requiring earth-moving equipment, high viz jackets and hard hats but at least PDG Fraser Dukes and Rtn Malcolm Wanklyn showed willing and brought trowels!! Prior to this, we were taken on a most interesting tour of the School, its specialist facilities and departments by Headmaster, Dave Parry. The splendid hightech aids to assist the disabled youngsters left a number of the visitors mesmerised. They are a great credit to Dave, his devoted staff and indeed to the city of Wolverhampton. I know I speak for all those who went along to help by saying it was a pleasure to be involved in this visit to further cement the club’s long association with, and support of this wonderful school, its wonderful students and dedicated staff.

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

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www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

FOOD AND DIET

AF T ER T H E CELEBRAT IONS They say we are what we eat. What they mean is, what we eat governs the way we look, act and feel. A normal, healthy person requires nothing more than a well-balanced diet in reasonable quantities. Most of us eat too much of the wrong things at the wrong time. As a result, we are frequently over-weight, we suffer digestive problems. We become prone to heart disease. We lack energy, vitality, and we look and feel awful. All this is bad enough, but when times like Christmas and New Year intervene in our already disordered lives, we eat even more of the wrong things. We stuff ourselves into an approximation

of the state the average turkey finds itself in on Christmas Day.

each day, with due regard to your occupation and the life you lead.

So what’s to be done? Well it depends on what is basically wrong with you at the outset. If you are over-weight, you should consider going on a strict, calorie controlled diet. Before you do however, you MUST visit your doctor to see if you are in fact over-weight, if it warrants drastic treatment, or if it is caused by some physiological shortcoming. If at the end of the day, he or she decides you are just plain old-fashioned fat, there is nothing for it but to select a diet and stick to it till you have achieved your target weight. Your doctor will advise on the correct weight for your build, and will also be able to advise on the number of calories you should aim to take in

There are a number of proven weight loss diets on the market and providing your doctor approves, there is no reason why you should not follow one. It will still mean counting the calories though, because unfortunately there is no ‘magic’ cure. Once you have achieved your target weight, some of the diet preparations may help you maintain it. You simply substitute a diet meal, bar or preparation, for one of your normal meals. It may be your problem is not one of weight but rather some visible deficiency like spots, dull lifeless skin or hair. In fact your hair is as good an indicator of your health and wellbeing as the fur is on any animal. You may need a dietary supplement. Again your doctor can advise. Your local health food store on the other hand, may have the answer. Natural tonics, herbal preparations, etc., can do wonders for toning skin, hair and nails, as long as there is nothing radically wrong with you. If you are unsure at any time of the preparation or food supplement you are thinking of taking, consult your doctor. Many these days are well disposed towards natural remedies, some merely on the premise that if you think it’ll do you good, it probably will! Once your tonic course is finished, you should see a marked difference all over. You will not only look good, you’ll feel wonderful too. Keep it that way. Watch what you eat. Avoid over-fatty foods and alcohol. Have a well-balanced diet, drink lots of cool, fresh water. It may sound a touch boring but, if you are well you will look at life through a new lens. You won’t need to enhance your quality of life with artificial aids. It will be sufficient in itself. In fact you’ll feel so good, you’ll wonder why you didn’t make the effort months ago!

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

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Sofa Factory Outlet At The Sofa Factory Outlet in Thomas Street, Wolverhampton, you’ll find the best value, high quality, beautiful and comfy sofas combined with the best customer service in the industry. They now stock a fantastic range of leather sofas from Italy. This complements their existing handmade sofa’s that are manufactured locally in the Black Country by skilled craftsmen and guaranteed for up to 10 years. The combination of both ranges will ensure that you will be able to choose a sofa that’s perfect for you. In addition, their “Price Promise” is your assurance that wherever you go, you won’t beat The Sofa Factory Outlet on price.

chose them. Don’t be deceived by external appearances - the factory outlet shop in Thomas Street is a veritable Aladdin’s Cave of sofas with a huge range of styles, sizes and fabrics to choose from - and if one of them is ‘nearly’ right for you, their ‘made to measure’ service means they can alter the size, proportions and cushion filling until it is just perfect for your needs.

Here’s 10 good reasons why to choose The Sofa Factory... 1.

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10. Hand made in the Black Country by skilled craftsmen ...and of course, because they care and they love their customers! Don’t just take their word for it though; check out the customer reviews on thebestofwolverhampton website.

The team at the Sofa Factory Outlet understand how difficult the process of choosing a new sofa can be, so they go out of their way to provide you with all the help you’ll need to make sure you get exactly what you want. Their 20 years’ experience in helping people to make the right choice combined with their unrivalled customer service, means you’ll be glad you 38

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Winter Sale Now On

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

New Year, New house

Help!

By Rachel Sabin

Last July, we collected the keys for our new home. Our neighbour asked when we thought we were moving in. “Oh in a couple of months,” I had confidently replied. Surely renovating a two bed semi could not take long. Well, now it’s January and guess what, we’re still not in! We have made progress though. Having re-plastered, re-wired and re-plumbed we are finally at the decorating stage. However, when faced with a blank canvas, it is very difficult to know where to start. Luckily, help was at hand in the form of Interiors@No.72, in School Road, Tettenhall Wood. I popped in for a chat with store owner Cora

Turner-Collis to find out what interior trends are in fashion for 2015. ‘2015 is all about luxury” Cora explains. “Sumptuous elegance is very much in demand with a big focus on textures”. Walking around the showroom, this is evident. I saw fabrics which appear to be cotton which are actually velvet when you feel them. Wallpaper is becoming much more popular again and this emphasis on texture has even extended to walls. Wallpapers and fabrics which shimmer in light is also being found in many homes which add to any stylish interior.

Strong colours too are becoming more widespread with terracotta now being found in some interior magazines, whilst purple remains a popular choice. If you are looking for a neutral approach to decorating, grey is a tasteful and sophisticated option. As Cora describes, “grey goes with everything. You can use just this colour alone, or combine it with stronger shades to create a new effect.” Having inherited several glass lampshades and a fluorescent tube lit kitchen, I was keen to find new ideas of how to light my home. Showing me a few options, it is clear to see that chandeliers are a chic accessory to have as they create the feeling of opulence without bursting the bank. Metallic industrial style lamps made out of chrome or brass can also add a twist of urban chic into any house. Blinds remain a good choice for windows. Val Hever blinds who displays at Interiors@No.72 even offer the option for personalised roller, vertical or venetian blinds. You can have your own image placed on the blind and always see your favourite view when you look at your window. A warm sunny beach may be appearing on my blinds! I left the showroom full of ideas which I cannot wait to put in place. You never know, I may actually have moved in by the time our next issue is published!

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

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wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

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Val Hever Blinds

A perfect fit every time Val Hever Blinds is based in Tettenhall Wood and run by Val and Debbie Hever.

offer a free no-obligation home appointment and the fitting service is included in the price of the blinds.

Val Hever Blinds has a reputation for the quality of their blinds, expert fitting service and great customer service.

They supply and fit blinds to not only homes, but commercial businesses, schools, colleges and local authorities.

Operating from their new showroom in Tettenhall Wood they only stock the best quality and most varied range of blinds on the market. With over 30 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience in the trade you can trust them to give total satisfaction on all your requirements. With so much choice available, selecting the right blind for your house can be difficult, but Val Hever Blinds will help you to select the most suitable product from their extensive range and can advise you on types of blinds, textures, colours and fit. Their range of blinds includes vertical blinds, roller blinds, venetian blinds, pleated blinds, roman blinds, conservatory blinds and awnings. Their expertise lies in fitting perfect fit blinds to windows which provide a sleek finish to your window. They

New to the range are their digitally printed roller, vertical & Venetian blinds. These make a stunning addition to any home or office environment. The design possibilities are endless; the only limitation is your imagination. Quality, value for money and personal service are really important to them and they go that extra mile to ensure you are totally satisfied with your blinds. Give them a call on 01902 754129 to find out more or pop in for a coffee and meet the team. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always happy to help and with their huge array of styles and possibilities youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have no problem finding the perfect blinds to dress your window!

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wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

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Write a Will!

Have you made a will? Have you checked it lately?

can appoint guardians to look after children should you or they die before the children reach 18.

Is it current and up-to-date?

Would you like your children taken into care when you die?

Do you know where it is? A will does not have to be complicated. What is important is for everyone to have a professionally drafted will. One that you can be certain will be legally valid when you die and that adequately reflects your wishes. REMEMBER: If you cannot find your will, if it’s lost, damaged or simply so old that it may be invalid… there’s a chance it could fail on your death!

Did you know that a will is the only place that you can actually nominate guardians for your children?

Having a simple will is likely to meet the needs of many people, however sometimes people benefit from the more specialist advice, protection and planning we provide, in setting up trusts and saving inheritance tax.

Please get in touch with us at LaterLifeProtection to protect you, your family and your assets.

No matter how simple your affairs may seem, or whatever age you are, making a will ensures that your wishes are set out clearly in one document so that on your death your assets will go to the relatives or loved ones that you want them to go to.

Don’t take that risk… write a new will

Would you like the local authority to force the sale of your home to pay for care costs?

If you or your children have young children it is vitally important that a will is made so that you or they

Your children lose their inheritance and you pay for care that others get for free!

When Later Life Protection was created, we made a promise to provide friendly unbiased independent lifestyle planning advice which is accountable, completely transparent, fair and ethical. We specialise in helping individuals and families arrange their affairs to protect them in later life. We work very closely with our clients to provide lifetime planning solutions that are tailored to fit their needs.

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wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Half Price January Sale On Selected Ranges

Showroom open to the public 6 days a week. Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm. Saturday 10am - 3pm Unit 6, Ring Road, Zone 2 Burntwood Business Park. Burntwood, Staffordshire. WS7 3JQ Christmas Opening Hours: December 24th - 26th Closed December 27th 10am - 3pm

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10 Year Guarantee Call for a Free Home Visit Call for a Free Brochure 47

Tech Alum Systems Ltd

Tech Alum System Ltd is a well-established company located in Cannock specialising in aluminium, bespoke glass and stainless steel installations in both commercial and domestic properties and work across the Midlands. Owners Wayne and Keith Douglas are proud of their family run business. As Keith explains ‘We are a true family business. Most of the people we employ are family. We pride ourselves on being a local company offering an affordable service of the highest quality. We can also advise on alternative solutions that could be less costly and take less time to complete without compromising quality’. With over 36 years’ experience and having completed many successful projects, including jobs at Digbeth Coach Station and London Zoo, and with an attention to detail and uncompromising commitment to quality and performance, Tech Alum strives to deliver a first class product at competitive prices. Whether it is a large scale project, or if you would 48

like to add a twist to your stylish home, you can be assured that your project is in safe, competent hands. If you are looking for a bespoke and original design, Tech Alum are committed to doing their best to match your vision and always work closely with their clients from the first sketch to the completion of the project. If working with architects or designers is required, the company will ensure that all parties involved are kept in the loop, making sure that your project is completed as smoothly as possible. With major advances in aluminium, stainless steel and glass production in recent years it is now possible for Tech Alum to create almost anything. Feel free to get in touch and share your bespoke ideas, plans and projects Once your product is installed, Tech Alum remain on hand to provide a range of after sales support. With tips and advice on product maintenance, the company will work with you to ensure that your product is good value for money and has the longevity you would expect from a high quality installation.

Tech Alum Systems Ltd are not just about creating the aluminium structure you desire. They are able to provide a wide range of glass products including curved glass; glass balustrade and balconies, glass partitions, glass doors, patio doors and bi-fold doors; and shop fronts, canopies and entrance glass. So if you would like to inject some twenty-first century style into your home, why not think about an aluminium or glass installation and make your home really stand out from the crowd. Think you can’t afford aluminium? Think again! Huge colour choice at no extra cost... Call for a quote you may be surprised. For more information visit www.techalumsystems.co.uk, call 01543 467272 or pop into the new showroom at Unit 10 Rumer Hill Business Estate, Rumer Hill Road, Cannock, WS11 0ET.

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

• Curved Glass • Glass Balustrade & Balconies • Glass Partitions • Glass Doors, Patio Doors, Bi-fold Doors • Shop Fronts, Canopies & Entrance Glass Tech Alum Systems Limited Unit 10 Rumer Hill Business Estate Rumer Hill Road Cannock Staffordshire WS11 0ET www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

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The Rotary club of wolverhampton Cheque presentations amounting to almost £10,000 The Rotary Club of Wolverhampton through its Youth and Communities Committee, recently presented donations from funds raised this year to local charities and organisations amounting to almost £10,000.

The photos show Rotarian Brian Bailey, chairman of the committee making a presentation of £2000 to Susan Spencer of the Wolverhampton branch of Age UK, Vice President Roger Fellows accompanied by the National President of RIBI, Peter King presenting Brother Stephen from “The Little Brothers” with a cheque for £2000, and Brian Bailey presenting a cheque for £300 to

Peter Moodie of the Beacon Centre for their Youth Club Christmas party. Other local organisations that donations have been made to are the Youth Theatre, The Haven, Young Spurgeons, Alzheimer’s Local Group and a Local Police Initiative in the Bushbury and Low Hill area to reduce loneliness and isolation amongst the older people of the area.

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Competition Three lucky winners can each win two tickets to see THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME on Tuesday 17th February at 7.30pm at The Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time winner of seven 2013 Olivier Awards, this highly acclaimed National Theatre production arrives at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre as part of its first ever UK tour from Tuesday 17 to Saturday 21 Feb. Seven minutes after midnight and Christopher is under suspicion. He records each fact in the book he is writing to solve the mystery of who murdered Wellington. He has an extraordinary brain, exceptional at maths while ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched and he distrusts strangers. But his detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a frightening journey that upturns his world Based on the award-winning novel by Mark Haddon, adapted by Simon Stephens and directed by Marianne Elliott, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a thrilling new stage play from the National Theatre.

Call the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre Box Office for more information on 01902 42 92 12 or please visit www.grandtheatre.co.uk 52

To be in with a chance of winning simply answer the following question correctly and send it on a post card with your name, address and telephone number to Wolverhampton West Magazine at the address below or email info@wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk before Friday, 6th February 2015. How many minutes after midnight do we find Christopher under suspicion? a) 6 c) 7 b) 10 Competition Terms and Conditions Please post all entries to Wolverhampton West Magazine, 1 Lytham Road, Perton, Wolverhampton, WV6 7YY or email info@wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk. To be received no later than Friday, 6th February 2015. Winners to collect tickets from the Box Office on the evening of the performance. Tickets cannot be exchanged and no cash or alternative prize nights available. Entries will be forwarded to The Grand Theatre unless otherwise stated. Winners may be required to partake in relevant publicity.

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

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1st Choice Flooring Solutions for all your domestic and commercial flooring needs If you want a new floor but are unsure where to start, why not contact Wolverhampton based 1st Choice Flooring Solutions. Offering the very best in the supply and installation of all domestic and commercial flooring, specialising in Karndean, the company also undertakes repair work, asbestos removal, resin flooring and solid wood flooring replenishment. As a family-run business, Tom and his team have a combined 30 years’ experience and are proud to be able to guarantee you the best quality fitting and the highest standard of service from start to finish. With a proven track record of innovative designs, effective problem solving and attention to detail, owner Tom Woodcock aims to meet and exceed the expectations of every customer. Undertaking all types of

work from your home to nursing homes, offices to larger projects, 1st Choice Flooring ensures all work is carried out to the highest standards and at very competitive prices. If you are searching for commercial flooring, the company is able to offer a service based around you and the needs of your business with work being undertaken out of hours if required so as to cause as little disruption to you as possible. 1st Choice offers a wide range of top quality commercial flooring such as, vinyl and safety flooring, Karndean, carpet or barrier tiles, amtico and much more. 1st Choice also installs domestic flooring and has years of experience working around families and their commitments, maintaining a professional, considerate and courteous approach at all times. At 1st Choice Flooring Solutions the most important thing is a happy customer and a job well

done; just see below what our satisfied customers are saying. “Thomas re-floored one of my units with over 200 m2 of flooring. He fitted a variety of carpet tiles and vinyl for me. He was on-time; his price was very good with no surprises in the invoice. I also found him very pleasant to get along with.” - Garren Fletcher, Synergy Ceramics Ltd.

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wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

spruce up your carpets for the new year

WITH TOUCH-DRY Touch-Dry Ltd are a Wolverhampton based, family run business, specialising in providing a thorough ‘Dry’ deep down clean for your carpets, rugs and upholstery.

Their success has always been based on giving the customer the most professional and costeffective service available and the percentage of customer referrals

and returning customers year after year is testimony enough to the level of customer care they achieve.

Touch-Dry specialise in the Host® Dry Carpet Cleaning System, which is an effective method for deep cleaning carpets successfully in homes and businesses. The big advantage to this system is that carpets are ready to walk on immediately following the clean. Their cleaning system is completely safe and eco-friendly, without the inconvenience of getting your carpet wet and is the perfect alternative to the traditional wet-cleans which can have its short-comings with long drying times, shrinkage and wick back. The cleaning process ensures there is no mould or mildew risks from wet carpets and is totally safe to use around the home. Touch-Dry also offer one of the safest upholstery cleaning services available, which is

super-fast drying, gives a fresh new appearance to all types of upholstery and leather. A simple and fast method for deep cleaning your upholstered furniture anytime without the inconvenience of getting it wet. Great for cleaning all types of fabrics including velvet, jacquard, weaves, tapestry, brocades and leather.

Both processes are completely safe to children and pets, is eco-friendly and there is no risk of shrinkage to your carpets or upholstery. Touch-Dry not only provide a quality service in your home, but are the preferred choice for many local businesses, who often require a quick turn-a –round for their office, restaurant or function room. If you want a clean carpet this Christmas contact Dean on 01902 658543 or email info@touchdrycleaning.co.uk www.touchdrycleaning.co.uk

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Telephone Scams You may have seen the news recently about scams regarding bank accounts, but the faulty computer scam seems to be resurfacing recently.

Event Viewer, where there are usually a few errors. They download software that is freely available and charge for it, also trying to charge for a support contract that gives you no support if you genuinely need it. Don’t be taken in by these people.

A caller claiming to represent Microsoft calls saying they have detected problems with your computer. They are very convincing, try to talk people into downloading software to enable them to control your computer and show you the

They are after your money. Think about it. Do Microsoft have the time and capability to monitor millions of computers, and then ring people? Say no thanks, put the phone down and call someone. Or call us.

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wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

First impressions really do last…

and Synaxis Design Consultancy can help any business make a good one The Wolverhampton-based graphic design specialists offer eye-catching solutions for companies of all sizes – including Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club. With a studio suitably situated inside Molineux, Synaxis boasts an intuitive understanding of how to leave a lasting mark with end users, be it thousands of fans inside a football stadium or recipients of an impressive business card. Synaxis’ creative services include the design of pretty much anything a company could need to make a bold impression - from an eye-catching logo through to the roll out of a whole new brand including stationery, advertising, brochures, websites, signage and more. Managing and creative director Simon Pagett revealed: “Synaxis was set up nearly six years ago in what was a difficult time financially for many companies. “We are a small independent company allowing us to develop close, long standing client-relationships while also ensuring we can be flexible. This has always been a big help in keeping us busy, along with a great level of referrals to new clients.” Having founded the business in February 2009, Simon reflected on some of its successes so far including the Wolves match day programme winning two awards as a personal highlight. Simon added: “While we certainly don’t go looking for awards and recognition, it was a lovely feeling for the programme to be acknowledged in this way, and in our first year of designing it. “It was reassurance that we can leave a positive impression on a large audience, which is ultimately what any designer is judged on.” Simon also added that seeing start-up businesses flourish having worked with them from the very beginning is equally fulfilling. “Working with large, recognised brands is great, but to play a creative part in a small company’s development – by way of branding or marketing support – and seeing them grow is extremely satisfying as well.” With testimonials from all manner of local businesses, Synaxis, is certainly worth its weight in old gold. For more information about Synaxis Design Consultancy visit www.synaxis.co.uk www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

Time to look forward to the

cOMinG YEaR

Ti p s a r e p rovided by Ann Winwood from Lealans Garden Centre, Wolve r h a m p t o n

Do you feel that the days are lacking some colour and brightness? Why not plant several primroses in a bowl or pot and put them by the door – they’ll brighten up any dull day. There’s still plenty of colour to be found from indoor houseplants – your Poinsettia from Christmas will give colour throughout January and February, so long as it’s kept warm and draught free. Cyclamen will give you colour right through to Easter. Don’t forget Azaleas, Miniature Roses and Kalanchoes. Why not put a pot of Tete a Tete narcissus or hyacinths onto a window sill – they make you feel that spring’s just round the corner – all cheaper than a bunch of flowers and last much longer. If you have primroses in the house, once they’ve finished flowering they can be planted out into the garden to flower again next year.

Seed potatoes usually arrive at the start of the New Year, weather permitting. Come and buy them in January if possible, as the most popular varieties soon sell. We stock over 45 different varieties, including several of the Albert Bartlett range and also some more unusual varieties. Once you get them home, put them to chit (allow shoots to form), egg trays are ideal for this, place them in a light, cool and frost free environment. If you haven’t used winter wash on your fruit trees yet, do so on a mild day before the buds start to burst, this will clear up any pests and their eggs left overwintering on your trees. Make sure you have a grease band wrapped round the stems; this can be kept on all year round to catch any pests climbing up the tree.

Look out for signs of colour in your garden. Plants such as Hamamelis (Witch Hazel), winter flowering Jasmine and Hellebores will all be showing signs of colour that suggest spring is on its way. Don’t forget our feathered friends, especially if the weather is poor – we’ve always got peanuts, seeds, fat balls and feeders in stock. Clean off bird tables regularly and remember to put out fresh water daily. If we do get snow in January and February, pop along to the garden centre and pick up sledges, snow shovels and rock salt – all essential in the worst of the winter weather.

Lealans Garden Centre is situated at Shipley, on the Bridgnorth Road. For more information visit www.lealansgardencentre.co.uk, email enquiries@lealansgardencentre.co.uk or phone 01902 700209.

OPEN DAILY

Tel 01902 700209 Seed Potatoes arriving in early January. Full range of bird foods, feeders and tables always in stock. We have a large range of primroses, pansies etc ready to plant out in containers and pots weather permitting. Huge range of good quality shrubs, herbaceous, trees, conifers always ready for sale.

Lealans Garden Centre Bridgnorth Road, Shipley, Pattingham, Wolverhampton WV6 7EZ www.lealansgardencentre.co.uk

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Ta K i n g

By Andi Way

Boningale Garden Creations

T H e i n s i D e o u T Chances are, you’re not out in the garden as much at this time of year. The cold and the rain means that we don’t get outside as much as we do in the warmer months. However, this is no time to ignore your outside space – the trick, especially at this time of year – is to think about how you can take the inside out, so that the design in the garden and home are a continuation of one another. If you have the budget, knocking down an external wall and replacing it with bi-folding glass doors that look out onto the garden is a great way of marrying the two spaces, especially if you use similar floor materials for both the interior and exterior for a seamless transition.

But, if that is not an option, there are plenty of affordable ways to achieve stunning results.

kitchen worktops. Not only did it look stunning, it provided a spectacular backdrop for the green plants.

One of the easiest ways to achieve harmony between the garden and home is to use colour co-ordinated accessories that reflect your interior design. Paint wooden tables and chairs in the same or complementary colour, and add co-ordinating soft furnishings such as cushions and throws, when the weather allows.

Start planning now and you’ll have an extra room to relax in and enjoy this coming summer.

Don’t stop there, though: paint your tubs and planters the same colours and you will be amazed at how effectively this simple trick works. Don’t sit on the fence, either – they don’t have to be brown or green. Instead, why not co-ordinate your garden fence in a colour that complements an interior feature wall? We recently completed a very striking garden that featured a black fence, which matched the black

Picture supplied by Three Pines Building Co Ltd

Andi Way is an award winning garden designer with more than 25 years’ experience in domestic landscaping. Telephone 01902 376500 or visit www.boningale-garden-creations.co.uk

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wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

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QUALITY AT WHOLESALE PRICE

A member of the Guild of Q Butchers Quite simply, this means that Allan Bennett is one of the best butchers in Britain. Quality is our number one priority, and we are committed to preserving the skills passed down through generations of traditional craftsmen. At Allan Bennett’s we produce all our products using the best English meat, which is bought from Bridgnorth market every Tuesday. This means that all of our meat has full traceability, and guarantees you top quality meat from local farmers. In short, you can’t buy better!

Perfect pastry aids top triumph Allan Bennett beat more than 200 competitors in the Meat Traders Journal Pork Pie contest in Bolton. Judges were impressed by the meaty contents of the pie and the perfectly produced pastry. Steven said: “The ingredients we use in the pies has been the key and it feels fantastic to have won first prize”.

Allan Bennett Ltd, 15 Station Road, Codsall. WV8 1BX Tel: 01902 842204 Open 6 days a week : Monday to Friday 7am-5.30pm, Saturday 7am-5pm www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

PERRY and PHILLIPS Enjoy the auction experience

Perry and Phillips (Auctioneers) have been holding Auctions in Bridgnorth since 1835, but since they moved to The Old Mill Antiques Centre Complex in Mill Street, Low Town, Bridgnorth their customers have never had it so good! To start with Perry and Phillips have their own large car park adjacent to the auction room which is free of charge, so parking is not a problem and loading and unloading is easy. Next there is an excellent tea room where customers can enjoy good food whilst bidding at the auction, or have afternoon tea and cakes at their leisure before or after viewing. The auctions are always held on the first Tuesday in the month and to make viewing more accessible

estimate of the price they will achieve at auction, and the lots are then entered into the next sale. Should Wednesdays be inconvenient, other days can be made available by telephoning for an appointment.

the auction room is open for three days prior to sale day (including all week-end), and the lots are easy to find as the auction room is set out in lot number order. The catalogues are available on line at perryandphillips. co.uk and gives an estimate of what the auctioneer thinks each item will sell for and there are many good photographs of the lots in the sale. It is also extremely easy to sell items at auction: Every Wednesday from 10am to 3pm Perry and Phillips hold a free auction valuation day at the auction rooms, whereby customers are invited without appointment to bring their goods to the auction room and a valuer will give an

For house clearances or larger items of furniture Perry and Phillips have their own trained staff and vehicles so that goods can be professionally transported to the sale rooms for auction. If you have never been to an auction before, there is one every month for you to come along and enjoy. The staff at Perry and Phillips are most helpful and will assist with any questions you may have and there is an amazing selection of items for you to see, from china and porcelain, jewellery, paintings, furniture, toys and dollsâ&#x20AC;Ś the list is endless and quite often surprising! Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget the first Tuesday of every month - you will be made very welcome! Happy hunting. Next Auctions will take place on Tuesday 6th January 2015 and Tuesday 3rd February 2015 at 10.30 am. Perry & Phillips, Old Mill Auction Rooms, Mill Street, Low Town, Bridgnorth WV15 5AG. Telephone 01746 762248

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

OLD MILL AUCTION ROOMS MILL STREET, LOW TOWN BRIDGNORTH WV15 5AG

TEL 01746 762248

ANTIQUE AND SELECTED FURNITURE AND COLLECTABLES AUCTIONS NEXT AUCTIONS Tuesday 6th January Tuesday 3rd February Tuesday 3rd March

VIEWING

Saturday and Sunday 10am – 4pm, Monday 10am – 5pm prior to auction

LAST DAY FOR LOTS

Accepted up until 10 days prior to Auction

SELLING AT PERRY AND PHILLIPS

If you have old items around the house or you have a deceased estate to clear we have the ability and experience to help. We have monthly auctions so items can be dealt with quickly.

FREE VALUATION

We have a FREE valuation day every Wednesday from 10am to 4pm. As well as discussing auction estimates we will advise on the best way to sell your items.

TRANSPORT AND STORAGE

As we employ our own delivery and collection staff we can ensure your goods are dealt with by trained staff and are insured.

www.perryandphillips.co.uk www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

Charity Santa run for a great Clause More than 120 Santas took part in a festive fundraiser at Tettenhall College. The Santa Run provided the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit and raise money for charity.

Participants followed the traditional TC mile, taking in the stunning woodlands of the historic Wolverhampton school, while wearing Santa outfits and festive costumes.

All proceeds will go to Compton Hospice’s Journey Project, which provides a specialist counselling and bereavement support to children, young people and their families. Headmaster David Williams said: “The annual Santa Run is a fantastic Tettenhall College tradition and participants have great fun while raising money for a good cause. “We are very pleased to be able to support the Journey Project. This dedicated supportive service allows young people to explore their grief and emotions in a safe place, and is close to the heart of some of the pupils at the school.” The best dressed Santa was Priya Tesse from Year 7 who came as a turkey!

Women’s network

supports Wolverhampton charity with Christmas inspired event Businesswomen from Wolverhampton and the Black Country gave gifts and donations of more than £1,000 to help children in the area enjoy a better Christmas at the WV Inspired festive evening. More than 150 women attended the event at the WV1 Bar & Restaurant at the Molineux Stadium on December 3 in support of The Haven Wolverhampton’s Christmas Gift Appeal. They contributed more than £360 worth of presents and more than £700 in donations to the appeal. Organisers of the business network laid on style and motivational speakers alongside stalls from exhibitors including hair, beauty, professional services and luxury gifts. A range of therapists gave 64

taster pamper sessions of massage, facials, reflexology and Reiki.

turned out to support The Haven Christmas Gift Appeal.

A charity raffle and silent auction boosted funds to buy gifts and toys to give children, who are in Haven refuges as a result of domestic abuse, a brighter Christmas.

“We thought women would appreciate an event where they could relax over some Christmas gift shopping and be pampered for a couple of hours – all the time helping to generate important funds for a very worthwhile local charity.”

Festive VIP Mrs Claus dropped in to give the first 150 women a free pamper goody bag which included products provided by Clarins at Nicholas Davis Hair and Beauty. It is the third event held this year by WV Inspired, which is sponsored by Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and solicitors FBC Manby Bowdler. One of the organisers, Charlotte Clode, Associate Solicitor at FBC Manby Bowdler, said: “It was a great evening and we are delighted so many businesswomen

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

R J Hipkiss & Sons Butchers

Formerly from Daisy Fresh and Essential, serving delicious, fresh quality meat. Outdoor Reared Pork • Shire Meadow Beef

Keepin

the thingg s

we love...

lOcal!

Spring Lamb • Flavoured and dressed Chicken Spit Roast Chickens • Handmade Sausages Delicatessen Counter

Providing the best levels of Custo

ice v r e mer S

Now available in-store delicious freshly prepared hot pulled pork, sausage and bacon baps.

Using only local outdoor reared pork. Open: Mon-Sat 7.30am-6pm and Sundays 8am-4pm

We look forward to seeing you soon Tel: 01902 745956

Compton A Family Business Since 1969 The Swan www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

Centre, Bridgnorth Road, Wolverhampton, WV6 8AE 65

Voyages

of Discovery

ENTERTAINMENT During days at sea you can do exactly what you want, whether that’s unwinding by the pool, joining a creative class or listening to one of our lively Guest Speakers. In the evenings we host deck parties, hold classical recitals and invite local musicians on board to entertain you.

EXCURSIONS When the ship arrives in port there’s always a carefully arranged choice of optional shore excursions for you to join if you wish, but if you want to head off and do your own thing or stay on board, the decision is all yours.

VALUE

When you choose to cruise with Voyages of Discovery you are choosing to discover the world your way and setting sail on the adventure of a lifetime. We have created unforgettable journeys to incredible destinations all over the world. Our small ship Voyager takes you to the heart of your destination in comfort and stays in port longer so you can explore not only the iconic sites but also the offthe-beaten-track treasures.

FACILITIES On board there’s a relaxed atmosphere, with just 540 passengers joining you on your journey alongside our friendly crew. You’ll find great facilities, including four bars, a library, fitness centre and spa, while our clear and simple cabin grading system makes it easy to pick the right one for you.

DINING Voyager’s elegant Discovery Restaurant offers varied menus and excellent service. At breakfast choose from the tempting buffet or get your favourite dishes cooked to order. Linger over lunch and, when evening falls, open dining means you can choose a table and time to suit you. Our light and airy Veranda Restaurant is perfect if you prefer a more laid-back setting and offers an array of delicious dishes ready for you to take your pick at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

For further details please contact Spear Travels on 01902 752424 or 01902 750361

As well as all your meals and entertainment on board, also included in your fare are flights and overseas transfers, where applicable, all your port and pre-paid airport taxes and on-board service charges.

EXTRAS To make your experience even more special, there are plenty of optional extras – a chauffeur service, port parking and the chance to tailor your cruise with a pre- or post-cruise extension to name but a few. We also have a selection of exciting add-on packages, from spa treatments to a butler service, available on cruises departing from November 2015 onwards.

With all this and more it’s so easy to discover the world your way – we’re just here to help you do it.

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

• Family Holidays • Wedding & Honeymoons • Tailor Made Holidays • Long haul • City Breaks • Cruises

• UK Breaks • Flights • Ski • Coach Holidays • Worldwide Tours • Car Hire

We are independent agents with over thirty years experience. Please call in to see our friendly staff for a no obligation chat and a free quote.

5 High Street Tettenhall Wolverhampton WV6 8QS

01902 752424 01902 750361 wolverhampton@speartravels.net

PERT N BRIDGN RTH TRAVEL • New Mercedes Viano 8 seater • All airports, seaports, corporate functions, social & sporting events • Wolverhampton, Bridgnorth & surrounding areas • 24 hours a day, 365 days a year • No journey too far or too short • Very competitive prices • Reliable and on time

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Tel: or Email: enquiries@perton-bridgnorth-travel.com Web: www.perton-bridgnorth-travel.com

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

WWW.PERTON-BRIDGNORTH-TRAVEL.COM

www.speartravels.net

Old Mill Antique Centre

Antique & Reproduction Furniture 1000’s of Gift Ideas Bespoke Furniture At The Old Mill Antique Centre we have 4 floors of antiques and quality reproduction furniture – and literally thousands of gift ideas for everyone – all displayed in charming and elegant room settings

Beautiful tables made to your design & specification in-house using only the best quality seasoned Oak or Pine.

Homemade Cakes & Snacks Open 7 days – 10am to 5pm Car Parking Available

Mill Street, Low Town, Bridgnorth WV15 5AG Tel: 01746 762248

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

for the Vineyards

new year, new chapter

of the very highest quality, The Vineyards is in the fantastic position of needing to clear some room for a new range of wines so take advantage of this exceptional offer before time runs out.

After a busy Christmas, why not take a little time for yourself with a visit to The Vineyards at Halfpenny Green? With lots of changes taking place, it is certainly an exciting time to come along and see what is happening! Start the year in the party spirit with a fabulous January sale of 2013 wines. After a huge harvest

Following this sale, spring will see the release of some sensational 2014 wines, including a new Rondo, following in the footsteps of the 2011 batch of wines which received press coverage, awards and accolades not only in the Midlands, or even Britain but also worldwide. If you are looking to hold a function in 2015, consider The Wine House. Situated on the Vineyards site, just opposite the restaurant (which will itself be hosting a variety of spring gourmet evenings, see website for details) the venue is available for wine tastings, as well as parties and corporate events. Set in splendid rural surroundings, you are sure to impress your friends, family and

business clients whilst ensuring that you also have a good time. January is also an exciting time for the already very successful shop and deli. Work is set to begin on an extension which will mean that a larger range of fresh food and luxury brands will be available to purchase either as a treat for yourself or a wonderful gift for others. Spring also sees the opening of a third fishing lake with room for matches and day tickets providing fishing for 100 fishermen each day. It certainly is an exciting time for The Vineyards. Pop along today and see for yourself!

For more information, visit www.halfpenny-green-vineyards.co.uk

www.halfpenny-green-vineyards.co.uk Halfpenny Green Vineyards, Tom Lane, Bobbington, South Staffordshire DY7 5EP

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 9.30AM â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5.00PM

Tel: 01384 221122 Email: sales@halfpenny-green-vineyards.co.uk www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

Eating Out and Entertainment

*over a 2 month period

Promote your venue to over 50,000* readers with Wolverhampton West magazine. For further details contact Gisella on: 01902 744217

Open from 5.30pm - Midnight (7days a week)

Valentine Bookings now being taken

Indian Cuisine The Kings Repose have been awarded a 5 star award from rate my place for Kitchen Hygiene. Misbah the master chef can cook anything to suit customers requirements. All of the superb mouthwatering dishes being freshly prepared at the time of ordering, using only the finest produce.

Described by many customers as a culinary experience of a lifetime.

New Road Featherstone Nr. Wolverhampton WV10 7NW

01902 307846 01902 738299

Eat in or take away

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

January & February

SALE

1877

Two courses & a bottle of house wine for just £30.00 per couple

To book your table, call 0871 222 2220 (option 5) or email candb@wolves.co.uk

corporatewolves.co.uk

Terms and conditions apply.

with master chef Mario and his enthusiastic team

Serving Fine Italian Cuisine & Traditional English Food

January & February Midweek OFFer

20% OFF A la Carte Menu* *Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, food only.

Traditional Sunday Lunch from £6.95 Mid-week Black Country Specials only £6.95 (Served Tues-Thurs lunchtimes and evenings, bookings not essential)

Normal a la carte also available

To avoid disappointment please book:

Situated at:

T. 01902 756052 E.reservations@bravaccios.co.uk www.bravaccios.co.uk

4a Upper Green Tettenhall WV6 8QQ Ample Free Parking

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

“Steve Bull invites you to come along and sample the delights of his delightful restaurant overlooking the Green in Tettenhall”

Wombourne Tandoori Restaurant Established 1989

Air conditioned

Cuisine of Bengal

Fully licensed



FOOD HYGIENE RATING SCHEME 2011

Rafique Miah welcomes you to the longest established Indian Restaurant in Wombourne Village, serving sumptuous Bangladeshi Cuisine for over 25 years. “We pride ourselves on our Quality of Food, Excellent Customer Service and Customer Satisfaction.” Recently refurbished in contemporary surroundings, air conditioned and fully licensed. Our popular Take-away Service is still the best in Wombourne offering 10% off our Menu price.

Treat your loved one to a special romantic evening at the perfect venue to dine, bookings essential.

Tel: 01902 324148 / 324437 Open 7 days including Bank Holidays - 5.30pm until 11.30pm

High Street, Wombourne WV5 9DN

facebook.com/wombourne.tandoori

www.wombournetandoori.com

The Plough Traditional friendly pub in the heart of Trysull serving great home cooked food in very relaxed surroundings

Nicky and Richard give a warm welcome to customers old and new Lunchtime and evening menus available

Under New Management

Dates for your diary:

Throughout 2015 we will be holding a barbecue every weekend and Bank Holidays (weather permitting) commencing from April.

Perfect for the family!

Food served Tuesday 6pm-9pm Wednesday-Saturday 12pm-3pm & 6pm-9pm and Sunday Lunch 12pm-6pm

Bookings now being taken for Valentines Night

January and February Offer

20%* off all main course meals served lunchtimes and evenings *When you present this advert. Offer valid Tuesday to Thursday, bookings only. 1 coupon per table, min 2 people, max 6 people

To book a table please call 01902 892254

The Plough, School Road, Trysull WV5 7HR

www.theploughtrysull.co.uk 72

Dogs welcome

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Patshull Park Golf and Resort Hotel Pattingham, Nr Wolverhampton WV6 7HR

Wedding Showcase Saturday 17th January

Come along between 10.00am and 3.00pm to view our beautiful Wedding Suite overlooking the Great Lake.

Free entry

Strictly Come Dancing Evening Friday 30th January

Come and see how the professionals do it here at Patshull. Audience participation is optional! 3 course meal with coffee, followed by disco till 1.00am.

ÂŁ25.00 per person

Valentines Dinner Saturday 14th February

Romantic 4 course dinner with coffee followed by music from singer Cameron.

ÂŁ25.00 per person

Wedding Fair Sunday 22nd February

Calling all Brides to be! Come and meet our Wedding Co-ordinator Jo Guest and a variety of our preferred exhibitors. Special offers for guests booking their wedding on the day. Event from 11.00am til 3.00pm.

Free entry Look us up on Trip Advisor T: 01902 700100 E: sales@patshull-park.co.uk www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

www.patshull-park.co.uk

The french By Rob Taylor

connection My understanding of the French language begins and ends with ‘Je ne comprends pas.’

As statements go, it’s admittedly a bit of an oxymoron and you may not understand, but let me explain: I very quickly ascertained in high school that this choice French statement would be of most value to me if ever I was cornered on the wrong side of the English Channel. Needless to say I have it poised ready upon my lips on the eve of my visit to The French Connection in Stourbridge. However it soon becomes clear after arriving at this delightfully quaint bistro, situated on one of the town’s prettier streets, that all such forethought

need not apply, as my girlfriend and dining partner Nicola - now a veteran of many a restaurant review - astutely points out:

“You see; there’s no need to be fluent in French, everything on the menu is explained in English.” She then issues a characteristically amusing rebuke relating to our last visit to a French restaurant. “And, remember, go easy on the wine and garlic this time - last time you ended up like Pepe Le Pew,” she sniggers. Thrown entirely and immediately trying to recall the defining qualities of said Warner Bros. Looney Tunes’ French skunk cartoon character, I respond: “You mean adorable and cute?”

“No. More like odour-able and amorous,” she laughs.

Why doesn’t anyone ever associate me with anyone who is cool, I wonder quietly to myself, as I curl away into the foetal position. Like, say, Gene Hackman’s Popeye Doyle in The French Connection film? ’Nuff said. Instead I concentrate upon the striking ambience which has been successfully created inside the restaurant: red and white chequered table cloths; ambient, piano-led music; culinary ephemera adorning every alcove and display place; gastronomic delicacies scribbled on chalkboards; atmospheric mood lighting with candle-lit tables. Stepping inside

The French Connection is open for breakfast and lunch 9.30am to 2.30pm Wednesday to Saturday - evening meals 6.30pm to 9.30pm (last orders) Wednesday to Saturday. Bookings are now being taken for their Valentines weekend on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th February and also for Mothering Sunday March 18th.

The French Connection 3, Coventry Street, Stourbridge, DY8 1EP.

To book a table please call 01384 390940. 74

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

and pleasure overlap quite like Collette and Christopher did when they took over 14 years ago: “We were customers before we bought the place,” says Collette. My starter of Coquilles Hollandaise (£9.50) consists of fresh panfried scallops, Scallop Terrine and spinach with hollandaise sauce and is every bit as tantalising to the taste buds as it sounds: wellportioned, well-presented and a nice way to start. Nicola’s Homemade Tomato soup is rich, creamy and has me salivating from across the other side of the table. But since I’m not keen on having any further comparisons made between me and other cartoon characters, I quickly compose myself and return my attention to the main course. Unsurprisingly I resist the urge to order a side-order of Garlic Bread.

away from the dreary English weather, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d been teleported onto a boulevard in Paris.

return time after time, as owner Collette Garner, who has run the restaurant with her husband Christopher since 2000, explains:

We are very quickly offered drinks and, with a healthy appetite from a day spent toiling at the grindstone, we order our starters: I opt to choose from the a la carte menu; Nicola goes for the ‘Menu Rouge’ - a three course option which offers customers on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings fixed price dining for £16.95.

“We have a strong clientele here and have got to know a lot of our customers very well. The Menu Rouge has proven very popular - the selection of dishes changes every fortnight.”

A popular option among the weeknight offerings which - among other things - sees customers

Indeed it’s easy to see why the restaurant inspires such a solid customer base, as the relaxed dining space and attentive staff make for a very attractive evening out, however not every customer is fortunate enough to make work

Arriving swiftly but not to spoil the settling of the starter, my Filet de Boeuf - a seven ounce steak cooked exactly as I specified and served with French Fries (£23.95) - has with it an exquisite Blue Cheese Butter Sauce (£1.95), which is nothing short of sensational. The two main aspects of this dish steak and sauce - intersect to make one of the tastiest main courses I’ve ever sampled. Now, before you dismiss the aforementioned exclamation as hyperbole, let me impress upon you that I am in no way some melodramatic, demonstrative European-type who waves his hands wildly at everything and professes that any given thing is “the best ever.” No, I’m mildmannered, reserved and just a little bit critical. Using far fewer words, Nicola assures me that her Chicken, Bacon and Mushrooms, pan fried and served on a leafy salad, is very appetising also. Now to dessert: American Crepes with Ice Cream for Nicola; Gateau de Fromage Blanc et Chocolat (£5.95) for me. Both servings, being as they are tasty, fresh and delicately presented, prove to be a perfect note on which to end an evening of fine dining, in fine company; which assures me that, at The French Connection, French cuisine is in fine fettle. I thoroughly understand this, make no mistake. And you will too when you visit.

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

Compton

Charity Ball

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

ENJOY A SUNDAY CARVERY AT WERGS GOLF CLUB Back By popular demand Come and spend a relaxing Sunday afternoon with us. SERVED FROM 1pM – 5pM

ONE COURSE: £11.95 TWO COURSE: £14.95 ThREE COURSE: £17.95 ChiLDREN UNDER 12 (ONE COURSE): £6.95 Also serving Breakfast, Morning Coffee, Lunches and Afternoon Teas

Wergs Golf Club Keepers Lane, Tettenhall Wolverhampton West Midlands WV6 8UA e info@wergsgolfclub.com

FOR FURThER iNFORMATiON ON GOLF, DiNiNG OR FUNCTiONS OR TO MAKE A

BOOKiNG pLEASE CALL

01902 742 225

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

Mercure Albrighton Hall Hotel and Spa

Spring Bridal Fayre Sunday 26th April 2015

11.00am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4.00pm Free admission A perfect place for gathering ideas for your big day, from cars to videographers, hairstyles to make-up, we will have it all. Bridal fashion shows will take place at 12.00 noon and 2.00pm

Call our wedding co-ordinator now on 01939 291 000 for more information or email: h6629-sb1@accor.com

Mercure Albrighton Hall Hotel & Spa, Ellesmere Road, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY4 3AG Visit our new blog to keep up to date with whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on: http://albrightonhallhotel.wordpress.com/

WerGs Golf Club The ideal venue for Weddings, Christenings, birthdays, Anniversaries and Wakes.

Wergs Golf Club

For more information

Keepers Lane, Tettenhall

please call:

Wolverhampton

01902 742225

West Midlands WV6 8UA

or email info@wergsgolfclub.com

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

wedding Hair at

Michelle lawley Hair Michelle Lawley Hair, Tettenhall is the perfect location for your wedding hair on your special day. They have a bridal expert, Tiffany, who has a wealth of hair-up experience having attended hair industry experts hair-up courses. Tiffany has a huge array of ideas ranging from elegant curls and twists, understated pony tails and chignons to vintage rolls and pleats. Tiffany prides herself on understanding her client’s needs by getting to know a bit about them and their wedding, this all takes place during the wedding trial, a must for any bridal party. Tiffany’s wedding hair is bespoke to suit the individual by taking into account the clients face shape, hair length and thickness and of course, the wedding dress. She leads a dedicated team to produce a beautiful wedding party of bridesmaids, flower girls and not to forget the proud mothers and mother in laws. The salon is available early and privately and they offer on location hair bookings. They endeavour to accommodate all of your needs to make the morning of your special day memorable.

Twice finalist for British Colourist of the Year!

01902 754110 www.michellelawleyhair.co.uk Stockists of

20% OFF WEDDING HAIR TRIAL WITH TIFFANY

Offer available until April 30th 2015 when you present this advert. Not in conjunction with any other offer. One voucher per person, no photocopies.

1 Lowlands Avenue

Tettenhall

Open: Mon-Weds 9-5, Thurs 9-8, Fri 9-6, Sat 9-5

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

Wolverhampton

WV6 9PA

Early & late appointments available on request

The New Year skin care resolutions The corks have popped, the fizzy stuff has been quaffed and the New Year has arrived along with a neverending list of impossible resolutions. For millions the promises of doing things better and being more health conscious have already fallen by the wayside. We would do well, however, to heed the advice being offered by the skin and healthcare team at Wolverhampton’s MediVisage clinic as we embrace 2015.

Jonathon Pugh BDS MSc (Implant Dentistry) with business partner Bibi Dodd

sustainable resolutions MediVisage has put together half a dozen tips to help us through a healthier 2015.”

Caring for our skin has become a multi-million pound, international business. The beauty marketplace is inundated with products and procedures that help rejuvenate, deep cleanse, lift and provide that to-die-for glow.

1. Protect yourself from the sun

But here can lurk a sinister danger – tempting treatments, including some laser therapies – can mask serious health risks that need urgent medical attention.

Leading cancer consultant Khaleeq-Ur-Rehman BDS, FDSRCPS, MBChB, MRCS (Gen Surg), FRCS (OMFS) adds: “Skin and oral cancer are both on the increase and exposure to too much sun is one of the main causes.”

Partnering established Wolverhampton implant dentist Jonathon Pugh BDS MSc (Implant Dentistry) and his business manager Bibi Dodd, Maxillofacial surgeon Mr Khaleeq-Ur-Rehman BDS, FDSRCPS, MBChB, MRCS (Gen Surg), FRCS (OMFS) and consultant dermatologist Dr Hamdi Hamad established Medi Visage in Tettenhall Road.

Sun protection is essential to skin cancer prevention – about 90 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers and 86 percent of melanomas are caused by the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) light.

2. Get early diagnosis No-one likes to admit there may be anything wrong, but often early diagnosis of small changes in skin colour and texture can head off major surgical procedures. MediVisage provides a fast-track approach to treatment and people can self-refer direct to consultant level.

The surgical team offers a full body dermatological approach to patients and will, among other procedures, address anti-wrinkle facial aesthetics, skin cancer screening (including biopsies), and the removal of moles, skin tags and basal-cell carcinoma (BCC).

3. Be sensible, don’t burn

Says Bibi: “Sadly our skin rarely gets a thought as we make our New Year pledges. To help people make

If you notice any change in an existing mole or discover a new one that looks suspicious, come and see us quickly. Consultant dermatologist Dr Hamdi Hamad and cancer consultant KhaleeqUr-Rehman are just a phone call away.

Don’t think using a factor 30 sun screen is not cool. Even winter weather – especially snow – can present a danger of UV over-exposure. 4. Perform routine self-examinations

5. Avoid tanning There is no such thing as a safe tan – the darkened complexion that results from UV exposure actually represents DNA damage to the skin. 6. Treat yourself to excellent beauty products

Maxillofacial surgeon and cancer consultant Mr Khaleeq-Ur-Rehman with consultant dermatologist Dr Hamdi Hamad

Total Implant Solutions is a stockist of the natural Heaven skincare range by Deborah Mitchell, products that have been endorsed by Victoria Beckham, Dannii Minogue and other celebrities. “Heaven was the obvious choice for us – the products are organic and have won the global acclaim. The beauty industry has a lot to learn from Debora’s non-invasive approach,” says Bibi. wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

FRAGILE RE

HANDLE WITH CA

• Facial aesthetics – anti-wrinkle treatments • Surgical and non-surgical skin therapies • Celebrity endorsed skin products • Consultant led therapies • First clinical assessment with consultant • Skin cancer screening service • 3D-lipo body sculpting

The perfect antidote to winter

To learn more CALL NOW

01902 429586

82 Tettenhall Road Wolverhampton WV1 4TF www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

Midlands Hairdresser of the Year The perfect end to 2014 for…

hairdressing’s royalty all in attendance - it was a fantastic celebration of the industry’s top talent. It was an amazing achievement for Royston Blythe to be nominated for two sort-after places at the awards, as finalists are chosen from hundreds of entries from across the UK. Nick, who has previously won the award, teamed-up with the company’s art director, Sophie Beattie.

Compton’s awardwinning hairdressers, Royston Blythe, have long been leading the way in hair design, gaining a reputation for excellence both in the UK and abroad.

again, at the industry’s most prestigious awards event, The British Hairdressing Awards 2014.

So, it’s no surprise to hear that they’ve been recognised, yet

The evening was a spectacular, glittering, energy-filled affair, with

Held at London’s Grosvenor Hotel, the glamorous event saw the salon’s stylists, Nick Malenko and Sophie Beattie be awarded the title of Midlands Hairdresser of the Year 2014 by comedian, James Corden.

Sophie started at Royston Blythe as a junior and worked her way up to the top to become one of the salon’s most senior team members. She has worked on some of the UK’s most exciting projects for L`Oreal and at many celebrity events and shows. Her clients and colleagues agree that Sophie’s unique talent is irreplaceable at the salon. Royston Blythe and Charles Douek were also finalists in the category. They represented the Shrewsbury salon, which opened in 2013. Art director, Charles, made it through to the finals in 2012 and 2013 in the Newcomer of the Year group. He’s a home-grown talent that has achieved great success and earned an impressive reputation in the business.

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

He’s known for his excellent client skills and amazing creative flair, which is why he’s developed a loyal customer base. Charles is a true hairdressing superstar and definitely one to watch. Over the years the team at Royston Blythe have never lost their ambition to be the best and have built on their history of success. Owners Royston and Nick lead the team, and are still as passionate about hairdressing, innovation and quality as ever, despite opening the doors of their award-winning salon over 25 years ago, in 1989. Being hands-on is still as important as ever to the duo, that’s why they work in the salon everyday doing what they love best, and, despite their achievements they’ve never forgotten the most important part of the business; their clients. And there has never been a better time for clients to visit, because the Compton salon has just been refurbished - by Wolverhampton building company, Three Pines. There’s an elegant and sophisticated new look, that’s complete with an impressive, statement Art Deco style chandelier. But, since its arrival a few weeks ago, it’s the Midlands Hairdresser of the Year 2014 trophy that’s truly been taking centre stage at the salon. The entire team is incredibly proud of the latest accomplishment and will be working hard in 2015 to gain many more accolades - so watch this space. Royston Blythe 36 Bridgnorth Road, Compton, Wolverhampton WV8 8AE Tel: 01902 751720 email: info@roystonblythe.co.uk www.roystonblythe.co.uk Royston Blythe @RoystonBlyth

CO M P E T I T ION Here at Wolverhampton West Magazine we were delighted to hear that Royston Blythe had won the prestigious Midlands Hairdresser of the Year 2014 award. So, we decided to celebrate by teaming-up with them to offer one very lucky reader the chance to enjoy a fantastic hair and beauty make-over at the salon, with either Nick or Sophie and a professional make-up artist. They’ll receive a thorough consultation with one of the stylists before deciding on a fabulous new colour and cut, their hair will then be blow-dried and make-up professionally applied.

To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize simply answer the following question correctly.

Name the venue where the British Hairdressing Awards 2014 were held? Please email your answer to: info@wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk or on a postcard to: Wolverhampton West Magazine, 1 Lytham Road, Perton, Wolverhampton, WV6 7YY. All entries to be received by Friday 23rd January 2015. Competition Terms & Conditions: Winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries received. To enter you will need to be aged 18 years or older. No cash or alternative prize available. Prize to be redeemed by Saturday 14th February 2015, appointment subject to availability. Winner may be required to partake in relevant publicity. All competition entry details will be forwarded to Royston Blythe unless requested otherwise.

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

Redefining

personal training Chris Jewkes Fitness has quickly become the premier personal training centre in the area. The club offers memberships and classes like any other, but the real difference is the array of bespoke personal training programmes on offer. Personal training specifically designed and customised to individual needs and objectives; whether it is to simply lose weight and increase fitness, develop a new lifestyle completely, or by being referred by a local GP or hospital for obesity concerns, an illness or an injury. Chris Jewkes Fitness tailors its personal training to you and your goals, and these programmes embrace a wide range of techniques, exercise formats and nutritional advice. Alongside

Chris himself, there are nine other specialist trainers each with their own expertise on offer, and the club always aligns the right trainer that best suits the needs of the client. Chris Jewkes Fitness is recognised region wide for its excellent results with clients, and more importantly their consistency and sustainability to keep clients on track. Moreover, in January this year the club became the official fitness guru for ITV, and has developed a unique partnership with them through the various fitness challenges, and competitions the club devises. The club has created a real sense of community; it is where you go to train hard with likeminded people in a warm and friendly atmosphere. The club welcomes fitness virgins and veterans alike! So why not pop in for a hot drink and a chat with one of our fitness consultants, or call to find out more on 01902 750355.

Home of the Biggest Loser! Personal Training Delivers Results For Your FREE Consultation Call Today 01902 750 355 Danescourt Road, Tettenhall WV6 9BQ • www.chrisjewkesfitness.com

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

caMBRiDGE WEiGHT plan

- helping you to achieve your weight loss goals If you’re serious about losing weight this January then you really should pay a visit to Tettenhall Weight Loss Centre and Cambridge Weight Plan Consultant, Karen Price.

that are perfect for those with busy lives. Available in a selection of flavours and prepared in individual trays, they stand alone from the range and can be eaten by anyone looking for a low calorie meal (257 - 314kcal per pack).

From her new office at Tettenhall’s Chris Jewkes Fitness Ltd located in Danescourt Road Tettenhall, Karen is working hard to help clients achieve their weight loss goals using the well-established Cambridge Weight Plan. The programme ranges from 440kcal to 1500+ kcal per day and all products are nutritionally balanced, so that they can be used as the sole source of nutrition for fast weight-loss, or be combined with conventional food for more gradual weightloss or weight maintenance and nutritional supplementation. Utilising her six years of experience, Karen provides the best in

one-to-one advice, guidance and support during all phases of weight care; from the initial consultation to long-term weight maintenance. And her clients have achieved amazing results. Products include a variety of tasty bars, soups, porridges, rice puddings and shakes, as well as the Cambridge Eat Easy meals

Tettenhall Weight Loss Centre

There are always new items being added to the ever-growing product range. Two new options have just been added to the menu; a delicious Mushroom Risotto and a satisfying Spaghetti Bolognese. All items can be purchased from Karen. Karen has received various awards and much recognition for her excellent achievements with Cambridge Weight Plan and she has been recognised as one of the company’s top achievers. So, to be part of the success story, contact Karen today.

Independent Cambridge Weight Plan Consultant

Are you worried about your weight?

Karen Price t: 07974 974 994

e: karen.s.price@btinternet.com facebook.com/CWPKarenPrice

If you are, Cambridge Weight Plan could be the answer. Cambridge Weight Plan is all about choices, made by you to benefit you. Together, you and your Consultant will work out a plan that suits your lifestyle – helping you achieve the best results at the rate you want. So, why not make a positive decision to change your life for the better and call me today.

Real People, Real Support, Real Results Cambridge Weight Plan Award Winner Highly Commended & “Above and Beyond” 2010/11 Sales Champion & Business Building 2012/13

Now located In Chris Jewkes Fitness Ltd., Danescourt Road, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, WV6 9BQ

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

3D-Lipo

the alternative way to reshape our bodies If we seek the looks of Greek beauty god Venus (Aphrodite) or the masculine torso of Mars (Ares) there’s now an alternative way to sculpt the image with 3D-Lipo available at MediVisage, Wolverhampton. 3D-Lipo lays claim to a non-surgical solution to weightloss, removing fat, treating cellulite and tightening skin on the face and body. The treatment physically destroys fat cells and it’s accessible right on our doorsteps at MediVisage on the Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton. Pain-free and with no needles or knives, it’s no wonder partner in the business Bibi Dodd is reporting a healthy response to the service in the consultant-led business. How does it work and why is it called 3D Lipo?

Emerging from the festive binge, most have to admit we have overindulged and are looking for a slimmer, healthier image for the New Year. But the gloomy days of January and February often overshadow our valiant attempts at the gym and diet regimes. Let’s be honest, the winter blues feel a whole load better with meals out, fine wine and beers in front of the telly. In short, we all need a little encouragement on the way to fitness and sometimes, though not often, we can take a valuable life lesson from the superstars. In recent months the red-top media has been full of the latest body reshaping news featuring Liverpudlian wife of Wayne Rooney, Coleen, who turned to 3D-Lipo to get her body back after the birth of her second baby. Other celebs that have been reportedly buying into the treatment include the lovely Amy Childs, Alex Gerrard and Alexandra Burke. Even the real-life soap of The Only Way Is Essex featured Gemma Collins having a 3D-Lipo cavitation treatment in a bid to lose weight. So what is the magic about this non-invasive treatment that can successfully contour bodies and help shed the unwanted pounds? Why has this commercial enterprise caught the imagination of the media editorials – with newspapers like the Daily Mail giving over generous columns to this breakthrough in health and beauty news?

The process of fat-busting and body sculpting in targeted areas encompasses three “dermology” procedures. Cavitation: The first stage of the treatment uses ultrasound waves to break down the fat cells. Ultrasound gel is applied to the area, and a small hand-held device is then placed over the top. The science involves ultrasound creating a wave which breaks down the fat cells, causing them to turn into liquid that is then processed away naturally by the body. Often visible results are seen within the first session of treatment. Cryolipolysis: This is the second stage of the therapy and involves the freezing of fat cells which are down towards the skin surface. A cooling pad lowers the temperature so drastically that the fat cells die. Critically, reports claim the process doesn’t cause any damage to the skin or other surrounding areas. Frequency: The third and final process involves radio frequency and can concentrate on skin tightening and cellulite issues. Pain-free and with no needles or knives, it’s no wonder 3D-Lipo is being seen as the footprint to follow as part of a new regime to get into shape.

Indeed, high-profile A-listers using the fat-freezing weight-loss solution makes for easy headlines, but beyond the glitz there lies a genuine story that is far more worthy than the just the latest diet fad. If munching your way through salad leaves and spending hours at the gym makes your winter woes even worse, read on. 86

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

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www.salon27wolverhampton.co.uk Find us on Facebook: Salon 27 unisex hairsalon

a great hairdressing experience looks that their clients love and keep-up-to-date with all of the latest hair trends for both men and women. “Every one of us at the salon is highly trained and we regularly attend a variety of different courses to learn all of the latest cutting, colouring and styling techniques.”

If you fancy treating yourself to a new look this year then head straight to Salon 27. The unisex hairdressers, that’s located just outside of Wolverhampton in Wakeley Hill, has just been refurbished and it looks fantastic. Salon owner, Jodie Mason, explains: “We celebrated our 4th year in business in November last year, so I decided to refurbish the salon during the Christmas break to create a fabulous new look.”

Jodie has a Degree in Colour and has been awarded the title of Master Colour Expert by Wella: “Wella hold a prestigious three day course, that only a small amount of colourists are invited to. I’ve attended the last couple of years and will be going again in February.” An in-depth, free consultation is always carried out before any cut or colour at the salon, meaning that clients get the chance to thoroughly discuss their style ideas. “We spend a lot of time with our clients so that we can establish exactly what they want. We love creating new looks

and can offer plenty of style advice if they’re not sure.” And the team have become specialists in wedding hair: “We really enjoy making breathtaking wedding hair styles for bridesto-be. Last year we styled many brides’ hair for their special day, they were delighted with the results.” Jodie ensures that there’s always plenty of special offers running at the salon: “Ensuring that my customers get great value-for-money is really important to me. I always run different offers throughout the year; like money off cuts, colours, as well as men’s and kid’s hair, so that everyone benefits.” In fact, customer service is the number one priority at Salon 27: “My clients are really important to me - without them I wouldn’t have the business that I have today. That’s why I work really hard to look after them and make sure that they have a fabulous experience every time they visit us.”

So why not make an appointment today?

The finished design is light, bright and totally glamorous. “We’re really delighted with the way the salon looks and we’re sure our clients will love it.” Since Jodie took the salon over in 2010, Salon 27 has gone from strength-to-strength and has established a loyal clientele. “I started at the salon as a Saturday girl 20 years ago. When I heard that it was closing down in 2010 I decided to take it on myself - which was always a dream of mine.” “Since then I’ve been lucky enough to have a team of seven amazing members of staff working for me and lots of lovely regular customers.” Passionate about what they do, the Salon 27 team work hard to create 88

(centre) Jodie Mason with her team

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

To celebrate the refurbishment of the salon we are offering new clients:

20%* off

in January and february ebruary

* when you mention this advert (Offer available Monday to Thursday)

opening times:

Monday 9am – 5pm Wednesday 9am – 7pm Thursday 11am – 8pm friday 9am – 6pm Saturday 8.30am to 4.30pm Closed Tuesday and Sunday www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

To book an appointment please call on:

(01902) 836565 65 Wakeley Hill, Penn, Wolverhampton, WV4 5BA

Why not try our… Mini chicken and broccoli pies 7 ProPoints per serving, ProPoints value of 31 per recipe, 344 calories per serving, 10 minutes to prepare, 50 minutes to cook, Serves 4 Chicken thigh contains only  55 more calories per 100g (raw weight) than breast meat but it has much more flavour — it’s absolutely delicious in stews, bakes and pies. • Low fat cooking spray • 400g (14oz) skinless, boneless chicken thigh, cut into large chunks • 250g (9oz) shallots, halved if large  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme • 300ml (1/2 pint) light chicken stock • 125g(41/2oz) broccoli florets, cut into bite sized chunks  • 2 tbsp cornflour mixed with 4 tbsp water • 150g (51/2oz) half fat crème fraîche • 100g (31/2oz) filo pastry 1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 6/ 200°C/180°C fan oven. Heat a large, nonstick frying pan, mist with low fat cooking spray and cook the chicken over a medium heat for 10 minutes or so, turning occasionally, until it’s well browned. Remove from the pan and set to one side. 2. Add the shallots to the same pan and cook for 5 minutes or until golden, adding a splash of water if it looks as if it might stick. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a further 2 minutes. 3. Add the stock and broccoli and return the chicken to the pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the cornflour paste and simmer for about a minute until thickened. Stir in the crème fraîche and season to taste.  4. Spoon the pie filling into 4 x 200ml ovenproof dishes. Cut each of the filo sheets into quarters. Scrunch the pieces and use to top the pies. Mist with low fat spray, season and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Serve immediately with steamed vegetables. 90

Food for sharing! Roast lamb with redcurrant glaze Fancy some gravy? For an extra ProPoints value of 1 each, make up some gravy using 2 tsp lamb gravy granules per person. • 12 ProPoints per serving • 950g (2lb 2oz) leg or half leg of lamb on the bone, trimmed of all visible fat • 1 garlic clove, sliced thinly • 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint • 1 tsp Dijon mustard • 900g (2lb) new potatoes, halved if large 480g • (1lb 1oz) frozen peas 1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 5/190oC/fan 170oC. Pierce the leg all over with the tip of a sharp knife and insert the slices of garlic into the holes. Season well and roast for 30 minutes per 450g – this joint should take just over 1 hour. 2. Combine the redcurrant jelly, mint and mustard. Fifteen minutes before the lamb has finished roasting, baste it carefully with the redcurrant marinade. Return it to the oven for the remainder of the cooking time, then allow it to stand for 15 minutes before carving. 3. Meanwhile, cook the new potatoes until tender and steam the peas. Thinly slice the lamb and serve with the vegetables. wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

We’re

Meetings | Online | Mobile

HERE TO HELP

We’re here to help with a range of options to suit you. However you choose to eat, vegetarian, gluten-free, lower carb - it doesn’t matter. The Weight Watchers approach offers you different ways to eat, enjoy the food you love and achieve a healthy weight loss.

WITH A PLAN TO SUIT YOU

*Qualifying period and conditions apply. See website for details. Excludes Northern Ireland.

Find out more at your local meeting St. Peter’s Catholic Church Henley Road, Ludlow SY8 1QZ Wednesday 10:00am Abi Rogansky 07813 688 128 Thursday 7:00pm Samantha Mansfield 0345 677 7788 Methodist Church Front Street, Acomb, York YO24 3BX Wednesday 6:30pm Thursday 10:00am Kevin Pocock 07974 308 763

Memorial Hall

Greenlands Social Club

Brewood Road, Coven,

105 Longbridge Lane,

Wolverhampton WV9 5DL

Northfield,

Wednesday 6:45pm

Birmingham B31 4LF

Abi Rogansky 07813 688 128 St. Gregory’s Church Three Shires Oak Road,

New Invention Working Men’s Victory Club Lichfield Road, Willenhall, Wolverhampton WV12 5BB Thursday 5:15pm, 6:30pm Sarah O’Regan 07581 058 089

Thursday 7:00pm Carol Hennessey 07913 721 728 Claregate School

The Hope Centre Hereford Road, Bromyard HR7 4QU Thursday 6:30pm Carol Davis 01886 832 084

Chester Avenue, Claregate,

Smethwick B67 5BT

Wolverhampton WV6 9JU

Wednesday 9:30am

Tuesday 6:45pm

Pat Shaw

Kim Pearson

07771 785 828

07800 881 161

For more local meetings visit weightwatcherslocal.co.uk 0345 677 7788 text LOCAL + postcode to 62223**

£10 pass

** Standard network charges apply.

First month

monthly

ONLINE

MOBILE

HAND THIS VOUCHER IN AT YOUR MEETING

†Purchase Monthly Pass in your first Weight Watchers meeting before 28 February 2015 and pay £10 for the first month upon presentation of this coupon. Note that if you purchase Monthly Pass without a coupon, you will be charged £16.95 for the first month. Monthly fee (currently £21.45) will be payable for all subsequent months until you cancel. Fees subject to change. Available in England, Scotland or Wales. Coupon cannot be transferred, combined with other offers, exchanged for cash or used with At Work. Activation needs to be completed on our website. Available to individuals aged 18 years or older.

844 C90011439 www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

C90011439

MEETINGS

Well what does the beginning of 2015

look like? We have got some exciting plans for My Vitality Hub which we want you to be part of. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing how time flies, we will only have been open five months and already we have listened to you and planned an eventful and fulfilling new year.

Programs My Vitality Hub is proud to present the first Insanity fitness program hosted by Georgie for Wolverhampton. This program gets results fast and is proving very popular in London, with classes fully booked. In conjunction with this program we will provide a full dietary consultation and support, this is not available anywhere else. You will get almost one to one personal training, as numbers will be limited. This program is adapted to suit any level. Georgie will also be hosting the new trend in toning classes, training the core and shaping the body, using chairs and floor toning. So if you are looking to seriously shape up for the New Year, book now to avoid disappointment. We only have limited places and they are going fast. We are increasing our yoga programs with more available

and offering more flexibility. Our meditation class is offering a candlelight de-stress program, we promise you that you will be left in a completely relaxed stress free state, so come along. And of course, we are delivering the first eight-week mindfulness program, which is sold out in London and Birmingham.

Workshops We will be holding a number of workshops including a re-invent confidence boosting workshop for women, this involves using the art form of burlesque and other forms of dance art incorporated with positive psychology to boost your confidence. Ask for more details. Dating can be such a minefield; many of us get stung time and

time again, join our exclusive workshops and learn the secrets of dating, This is suitable for both men and women so come along and be sure not to be stung again. Please use our website or email for enquiries and bookings. Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment.

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

My Vitality Hub Our classes/programs • • • • • •

Gift shop opening times are: Tuesday to Saturday 12-6pm Class and clinic times vary

Chair toning - Tone your core and get the stomach you want Complete body toning and reshaping program Insanity - loose weight fast More yoga classes available The 8-week mindfulness program Candlelight meditation

46 Windermere Road, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton WV6 9DF Tel: 07813 343000 or email: myvitalityhub@gmail.com

Please note spaces are limited, pre-booking required

Our workshops • Four workshops incorporating Burlesque, Cabaret and much more • How to get the best from dating sites without getting stung

Our Clinics • • • • •

Ayurvedic including treatments and massage Shirodara massage Foot Health Clinic Psychological therapies and counselling Coaching designed for you

Other Provisions • Hair extensions using the latest technology exclusive offers available until January 2015

You can contact us for all offers either via phone, email or via our website.

w w w. m y v i t a l i t y h u b . c o . u k

Discover our anti-ageing treatments and unwrap a softer more beautiful you this Christmas Anti Wrinkle Injectables Dermal Fillers Liquid facelift Lip fillers Call us to book your free consultation on 01743 271 404 www.cedarhouseclinic.co.uk Cedar House Clinic, Shrewsbury Business Park, SY2 6LG

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

Clothes that suit your body shape

A guide for the guys by Helen Taylor When it comes to looking good, finding clothes that fit well, feel great and make the most of your best assets are essential. Tall guys are lucky enough to be able to wear pretty much any of the latest trend clothing, as designers style their ranges around a taller frame. Choose colour and pattern and avoid wearing one colour from head-to-toe. Keep jackets to a longer length to keep your body looking in proportion. Short guys should choose clothes without print, pattern or fussy detailing. Outfits should be built around similar colours, either light or dark, as this will help to elongate the frame and create fluid lines, which give the impression of height. Short jackets, boot-cut or straight leg jeans along with thick-soled shoes and boots will all aid in creating a taller appearance. Large guys should opt for clothes that fit properly - not too tight or too baggy - and ensure that fabric skims over your frame to smooth out your physique. Dark colours will disguise troublesome areas and wearing an outfit that consists of similarly muted tones will create a slimmer and taller silhouette. Stay away from strong colours and avoid patterns and prints. Skinny Guys are in luck if they love high-end designer wear, as their frame is sure to fit into the latest couture. Clothes that are slim-fitting - not tight - will look best, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be tempted to go for baggy styles that will swamp your frame. Forget skinny-fit jeans and stick to slim-fitting styles instead. Colour, patterns and prints will help to create a fuller appearance. 94

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

‘Invisible’ technology Obvious results

embrace

your inner smile We use the latest ‘invisible’ therapies to rebuild smiles compromised by irregular teeth. State-ofthe-art technology and a team with a distinguished reputation combine to deliver stunning results. Have a chat to us and find out why increasing numbers of adults choose us to straightening out their looks. Procedures involve regular visits to our orthodontic clinic and treatment can last from 6 to 24 months.

Our orthodontic service is hugely popular

We offer complimentary first consultations

We’re about permanence and consistency

We do implants and aesthetic dentistry

We want to get to know you and your family

We remake smiles and redefine lives

We understand children and teenagers

We are wheelchair friendly

Find out what makes us so popular – call us or just drop in to discuss our affordable treatment schemes.

Telephone: www.parksidedental.co.uk

01902 421291 7 Park Road West, Wolverhampton, WV1 4PS

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

part of Jon Pugh Dental

fashion

fixes by Helen Taylor

At this time of year we’re all thinking about shaping-up and getting rid of that postChristmas bulge.

Hourglass - shoulders and hips that are similar in size, with a narrow, defined waist.

Although diet and exercise are key to achieving the body you really want, your clothes can go a long way in helping to enhance your best features and conceal the bits you’re not so keen on. That’s why we’re dedicating our new year’s fashion page to giving you all the tips and tricks you’ll need to buy the clothes that’ll best suit your figure, improve your confidence and make you look amazing for 2015. The first step is identifying your body shape and choosing your clothes accordingly:

Boyish - narrow hips, a small waist and petite bust.

Styles that suit you - simple, tailored, classically cut clothes. Wrap tops, tailored trousers, slim-fitting jackets, dresses and skirts that finish just above the knee.

Styles that suit you - structured tops that are cut to create an hourglass shape, embellishments that add volume to your bust and waist, layered clothing, bold patterns and prints. Pear - narrow shoulders, wide hips and fuller thighs. Styles that suit you - fitted tops that end on top of the hips, wide, structured and embellished shoulders, patterned and textured blouses,

The images used in this article are readily available in various places on the internet and are believed to be in the public domain. Wolverhampton West magazine claims no credit for them unless otherwise noted. If you own the rights to any of the images, or if any content appearing in Wolverhampton West magazine infringes on your copyright, please notify us and they will be promptly removed.

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

jumpers and shirts. A-line dresses and skirts that skim the hips. Apple - large bust, broad shoulders, narrow hips and a full middle. Styles that suit you - clean, simple styles that are cut to skim your figure, boot cut jeans, belted jackets, A-line dresses, V-neck tops.

Problem Solvers Problem: “I hate my tummy” Solution: Flat-fronted, highwaisted trousers and skirts, draped fabrics and support-underwear will help to flatten your tummy. Problem: “My legs are like tree trunks” Solution: Choose skirts that finish just above - or on - the knee, matte or opaque tights, high heeled shoes - without ankle straps - will lengthen your legs.

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

Problem: “I’ve got bingo wings” Solution: Opt for flattering three quarter length sleeves and sheer or lace designs. Problem: “I’m long-waisted” Solution: Break up your torso with high-wasted skirts and trousers, Empire line dresses and blocks of colour. Problem: “I’m short-waisted” Solution: Wear well-fitting underwear that lifts your bust to help lengthen your waist. Longer style tops, jackets and coats are best for you. Don’t tuck in your tops and choose low waisted jeans. Problem: “My legs are too skinny” Solution: Avoid leggings, instead wear a tailored pair of trousers or slim leg jeans. Choose textured or patterned tights to create the illusion of fuller legs.

Oliviaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Beauty Salon Warstones Road Penn Oliviaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s organised a girly evening for customers old and new where they showcased a tutorial with airbrush make up for a Christmas party event, a demonstration on the amazing effects of an Agera skin peel combined with microdermabrasion, Hollywood hair extensions and semi permanent make up. A big jewellery event also took place on the evening.

& Diane Potts

on, Jodie Mas

& Sue Mason

ters Claire Wal

eill Marilyn N

ail Doyle uy & Abig Debbie G

h & Cindi Vera Beec

ollie bson & M Lauren Ro

Hurcombe

uffy & Therezia D

ot Elaine Talb

& Joanna

Paines

Jan Pye

Ward

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Newly hed Refurbis

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50a Warstones Road, Penn, Wolverhampton WV4 4LP www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

‘Photo Courtesy of betty Barclay’

pROBlEM sOlVinG HaiRsTYlEs

by Helen Taylor

We’ve all got aspects of our face that we’re not so keen on; here’s how to hide them with your hairstyle. “I hate my big nose” - Drawing attention away from your nose is the key to helping disguise it. Choose styles that are voluminous and lifted at the crown, this means that when you’re seen in profile your nose will appear smaller. A centre parting is a definite no-no for you, as it draws attention straight to the nose, so opt for a side parting instead. “My forehead is too big” Disguising a high forehead is easy, all you need is a fringe. Choose whatever kind you like; layered, heavy or wispy. 100

“My ears are big and they stick out” - This problem is easily remedied, just opt for a style that covers your ears and adds volume around that area, so that your ears are concealed. This can be achieved with both long and short styles. “My chin recedes” - Don’t go for very short styles, keep the length below your chin and choose layers to frame your face and jaw line.

Turn back the clock The right hairstyle - and colour - will instantly make you look younger: Take a fresh look - many of us make the mistake of keeping our hair in the same style that

we had when we were younger, but as we age our face changes and needs a style that will best flatter it as it is now. That’s why it’s important to try out a new look every few years. Shorter styles tend to be more flattering as we age, as they serve to ‘lift’ our facial features. Long hair looks fabulous when you’re 25, but not so good when you’re 55, because the lengthy tresses tend to drag your face down. The correct colour - solid, block colours just aren’t flattering as you age, cover greys and soften and brighten your face with a multitude of lowlights and highlights. You’ll be amazed at the results.

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

uRBan HaiR anD BEauTY

horizons and spend some time travelling. She’s planning to travel across Thailand, Australia and New Zealand, which is really exciting for her.”

2015 is certain to be an exciting year for the team at Urban Hair and Beauty.

“We’ve got a fantastic new range of Bed Head products for men at the salon, that make it easy to create any look you want.”

Salon owner, Karen Lewis, explains: “We’ve recently taken on a new member of staff who has fitted into the Urban team really well and we’re delighted that she’s now onboard as our salon assistant.”

And that’s not the only new addition at Urban: “Our brand-new Colour Academy Collection showcases a mixture of bold, brash colours; rustic reds, Nordic blondes and the ever-popular caramel brunette shades with a modern texture and beautiful ombres.”

“Her clients will need to get their appointments booked in by the 18th February, as she’ll be away from the salon for eight weeks. She’ll be really busy just before she leaves and when she returns.”

an exciting year ahead

Monday afternoons at Urban are fantastic for young people that are keen to get into hairdressing: “We run a training afternoon on a Monday where students from the high school, who are interested in hairdressing, can come along and get an idea of what it’s like to work in a busy salon, so that they can decide if they like it or not.” Keeping up-to-date with the latest training and always staying ahead of the hottest hair trends is really important to the team at Urban: “Three members of our team are now qualified barbers, that’s because we know that the long hair and beard trend is set to last and is really popular with guys of all ages.”

So why not book in at the salon today and treat yourself to a great new look for 2015?

The collection is youthful, fresh and offers total individuality for those who want head-turning colour. “Our in-salon Tigi Ambassador, Hayley Lewis, keeps us on our toes so that we can stay at the top of our game when it comes to colour. ” And if you want to get your colour done with Hayley you’ll have to act fast: “Hayley has decided to broaden her

BEFORE

AFTER

TIGI© Colour Specialist Hair Salon offering only the highest quality products New Year Winter Offer

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Please call 01902 847306 13 Wolverhampton Road, Codsall, WV8 1PT

www.urbanhairandbeauty.com

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

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Recovery Plus

An enhanced Recovery programme tailored around you! Recovery Plus is Nuffield Health’s flagship recovery programme and embodies Nuffield Health’s complete end-toend approach to healthcare. It is an optional enhanced recovery programme available free of charge to all of our private patients when appropriate. Recovery Plus starts after a patient has completed their post-operative physiotherapy and enables them to continue their recovery at one of our local Fitness & Wellbeing Centres at no additional cost. This brings together a spectrum of healthcare services across Nuffield Health’s Hospitals and Fitness & Wellbeing Centres and provides patients with the support they need to get well and stay healthy after their procedure. Recovery Plus provides our patients with a personal recovery programme. This includes a health MOT at the start and end of the programme, exercise and diet advice, together with a 12 week membership at one of our local Nuffield Health Fitness and Wellbeing Centres and your own recovery coach.

How Recovery Plus works Before undergoing surgery (see list of procedures below) you will be required to attend for a preassessment. At your pre-assessment you will be advised of Recovery Plus and your interest to join the programme will be registered. On discharge from your post-operative physiotherapy, if you are suitable and agree to go ahead with Recovery Plus, you will be referred to a recovery coach (a wellbeing Personal Trainer or Health Mentor) at one of our local Fitness & Wellbeing Centres where you will be given nutritional advice and undergo a comprehensive health assessment, including lifestyle and attitude to exercising. You will be given an individually tailored exercise plan in line with your Consultants and Physiotherapists advice. Included in the programme will be 4 expert sessions with a recovery coach, who is a trained exercise professional, to progress your exercises and discuss any queries you may have. At the end of your 3 month programme/membership, you will be given your second Health MOT to measure your progress. At the end of your Recovery Plus programme you will then be given the option

of joining the Fitness and Wellbeing Centre for a 12 month membership, which is payable.

The procedures currently available for recovery plus are: • • • • • • • •

Total Hip and Knee Replacement Hip Resurfacing Uni-compartmental knee replacement Knee Arthroscopy ACL reconstruction Sub Acromial Decompression Spinal Decompression Hysterectomy

By helping you to actively take control of your health and fitness, Recovery Plus aims to help you achieve a faster and more complete recovery. A successful recovery can see you returning to activities such as walking, driving, swimming, and golf and gardening sooner than you could imagine, significantly improving your quality of life. Recovery Plus is a true added value part of a patient’s recovery pathway, with no additional cost to you.

Our local Nuffield Fitness & Wellbeing Centres are: Wolverhampton Fitness & Wellbeing Centre, Wolverhampton Business Park, Broadlands, Wolverhampton, WV10 6TA Cannock Fitness & Wellbeing Centre, East Cannock Road, Cannock, WS12 1LU Telford Fitness & Wellbeing Centre, Telford Forge Retail Park, Colliers Way, Old Park, Telford, Shropshire, TF3 4AG To find out more about Recovery Plus please telephone 01902 793259 or visit our website: www.nuffieldhealth.com/recoveryplus

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wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Recovery Plus

Your enhanced recovery programme

Recovery Plus is Nuffield Health’s flagship recovery programme available free of charge to our private patients at Nuffield Health Wolverhampton Hospital. Recovery Plus embodies Nuffield Health’s complete end-to-end approach to healthcare. It is an optional enhanced recovery pathway that starts after you have finished your post-operative physiotherapy, and enables you to continue your recovery at Nuffield Health Wolverhampton Fitness & Wellbeing Centre, at no extra cost. Recovery Plus is available to our private Orthopaedic patients for a number of procedures: • Total Hip Replacement • Total Knee Replacement • Hip Resurfacing

• Unilateral Knee Replacement • Spinal decompression • Knee Arthroscopy

Recovery Plus provides you with a personal recovery programme, including a Health MOT, exercise and diet advice, together with a 12 week membership at Nuffield Health Wolverhampton Fitness & Wellbeing Centre and your own recovery coach. So you’ll be doing everything you can to maximise your recovery. Contact the team at Nuffield Health Wolverhampton Hospital for more information on Recovery Plus.

Recovery Plus

Getting you back to doing the things you love.

Our prices are totally transparent, inclusive of all costs and guaranteed. That means no hidden surprises. We promise to meet any comparable price.* Our relationship with you doesn’t end when you walk out of our hospitals – there are no time limits on your aftercare.**

01902 793259

nuffieldhealth.com/recoveryplus Wolverhampton.enquiries@nuffieldhealth.com Promise is valid for patients paying for themselves. Excludes assisted conception and IVF treatments. * Not including private patient units at NHS hospitals. Local area defined as within 15 miles of the Nuffield Health hospital. We will match against written quotes only. ** Where possible, we promise to assist you to receive any follow up advice, treatment or care that is clinically required from your Consultant for as long as you may require it. If a prosthesis is used as part of your treatment this is guaranteed for the manufacturer’s official lifetime of that prosthesis. “Clinically required” indicates where further intervention and/or monitoring of a patient’s condition is deemed necessary as a direct result of surgical intervention.

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

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Skincare Solutions by Helen Taylor

Flawless, radiant, glowing skin is key to looking naturally beautiful, so forget covering-up with foundation and instead, start treating your lingering skin issues with the help of our problem-solving guide. Adult Acne You might think that acne ends when your teenage years are over, but many women and men - suffer well into their adult life. Treat it Yourself

Cleanse your skin twice a day - using an oil free cleanser to ensure that you remove every trace of make-up and oil. Treat individual spots with concentrated tea-tree oil. Targeted products that reduce excess oils should be part of your routine. Proactiv do a really good range for acne-prone skin.

Visit the Salon

Micro-dermabrasion and a series of glycolic peels work to dissolve the top layers of the skin, thus shrinking pores and ridding the skin of trapped dirt. Milia Those annoying hard, white blemishes - that look like little beads under the skin - can be hard to get rid of, so prevention is definitely better than cure. Treat it Yourself Regular and thorough exfoliation is key to stopping milia from forming in the first place, but if you’ve got them and you want to treat them at home, then invest in a facial sauna. Using a facial sauna for 10-15 minutes every day helps to unclog pores and loosen dirt, debris and dead skin cells on the skin. You can then use a self-heating, exfoliating mini-peel treatment to help break down the milia even more.

Use a medicated concealer to disguise pimples.

Visit the Salon

Chemical peels work really well to treat this problem, especially the Priori Advanced AHA peel.

Facials are a great once or twice a week treatment that will decongest your skin and help to treat the problem.

Red Cheeks

Omnilux Blue is a popular salon treatment that uses a spectrally blue light source to clear and control acne and kill spot-causing bacteria on the skin.

Redness in your cheeks - caused by spider veins or broken capillaries - can make you feel very self-conscious when going make-up free.

Micro-dermabrasion is useful for removing acne scarring.

Treat it at Home

Open Pores

Protect your skin as much as possible, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors - always use a high-factor sun-protection cream.

Enlarged pores can look unsightly, so treat the problem before they ruin your complexion. Treat it Yourself Deep cleansing masks will help you to draw out impurities and eliminate excess oil. Use products that are designed to minimise the look of your pores - Benefit’s POREfessional and Clinique’s Pore Refining Solutions range are great.

Neutralise redness and disguise the problem using a green tinted primer under your foundation. Visit the Salon Intense Pulsed Light and Laser Intense Pulsed Light systems are useful in eliminating broken veins and reducing redness.

Photo courtesy of Betty Barclay

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wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

EYEDREAM of...

a life without specs or lenses Eyedream is a vision therapy that brings a modern approach to a technique known as orthokeratology.

to Eyedream lenses, the sandbags worked by flattening the cornea.

Custom made rigid contact lenses, available at Taylor Biddle Opticians, gently correct vision during sleep, providing clear, natural vision without the need to wear spectacles or contact lenses during the day. Because the cornea is elastic, this is a nonpermanent and reversible solution, unlike more radical laser surgery.

Director Tracey Taylor says: “Eyedream lenses are an ideal solution for short-sighted people who are unable or find it difficult to wear spectacles or contact lenses. One of the main reasons we decided to offer Eyedream lenses is because studies have shown that

by altering the shape of the cornea (the front of the eye), we can slow down or even halt progression of myopia (short-sightedness) in children. High myopia is not only a problem with not seeing clearly without a correction, but can also increase the risk of developing serious eye conditions such as retinal detachment or glaucoma. These specialist lenses are replaced every six months and cost about the same as daily lenses worn every day.” Please inquire about your suitability and further details at our Compton practice.

The treatment has ancient roots. About 3000 years ago shortsighted Chinese discovered that if they slept with sandbags over their eyes, they would wake up with clearer vision and be able to see far enough to stay out of danger and hunt for lunch! Similar

Designer Frames from… & many more Your Local Family Opticians Full eye examinations Ocular health checks The latest eye scanning OCT technology Visual Dyslexia Colorimetry assessments Now stocking fabulous and exclusive Oliver Peoples frames

SPECIAL OFFER Free single vision glasses with every purchase of bespoke varifocals. (when purchased with new frame, free glasses from selected frame range)

www.taylorbiddleopticians.co.uk 39 Bridgnorth Road, Compton Tel: 01902 750 325 34 Windmill Bank, Wombourne Tel: 01902 895 909 www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

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Meet

the Boss In a new feature launched by Wolverhampton West Magazine we zone in on the region’s business bosses and find out what makes them tick. In the first of our interviews we meet dentist Jonathon Pugh BDS MSc (implant dentistry) GDC 62663, principal of Total Implant Solutions. When was Total Implant Solutions established and what was the reason you branched out from general dentistry into your special interest field? In August 2011 the concept of Total Implant Solutions became a reality, a dedicated implant practice where I could deliver an implant specialism. This surgical field had always interested me. It was a dream I had cultivated for a long time, but leaving my general dentistry practice at Parkside in Wolverhampton and moving to the Tettenhall Road premises where I now work was an emotional hurdle. I had to say farewell to patients I had looked after for 20 years, but I was driven to do so particularly by one case. Nothing summed up better my career dream than the clinical outcome of a then 21-year-old woman whose life had been “put on hold” after losing three front teeth, aged nine.

Please, tell us more. She was injured in a road accident and for 12 years had worn a denture. For many that’s not a problem, but for her it seriously impacted on the quality of her life. Her youth had been stolen, she’d never had the confidence to date and never had a first kiss. Her life had been put on hold. After replacing her lost teeth with implants, she began dating, enjoyed her first kiss and claimed back her lost years as a confident, happy woman.

What drives you now? There are so many things, but not least is making available to ordinary people that which just a few years ago was perceived as being accessible only for the stars. When you audit outcomes of this kind of therapy the bigger picture of clinical success is humbling.

In what way? When you get beyond the surgical procedures, often heart-rending stories emerge. 106

Jonathon Pugh BDS MSc

There was the sales director who confessed to bullying his dentist to extract all of his teeth to end years of misery, but then suffered decades of problems with ill-fitting dentures. Following dental implant work here at Total Implant Solutions to secure over-dentures he was able to indulge again in his favourite pork crackling. There were also the cases where implant therapy enabled an elderly patient to eat properly who was literally starving to death; the health professional, an enthusiastic singer, who found a new song in her life; and the remarkable clinical outcome of a patient who had been tormented by crippling trigeminal nerve pain for years. With the clever use of implants I was able to bridge the nerve trigger point and now she is free from the debilitating pain.

And for the future? Health data tells us that oral health in the UK is increasing and television advertising is now heralding the possibility of a cavity-free generation. But although figures are encouraging the fact is that millions of adults throughout the country will suffer tooth loss, so it looks like I’ll keep busy. There will always be a place for good, solid general practice in dentistry, but I believe the future, for the benefit of both patient and practitioner, is specialisms. We can’t all be good at everything all the time. We are a fast-growing resource of referral for the Midlands dental community and remain fiercely proud of our care excellence. wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Here’s to 2015...

Now it’s ‘Me’ time! Our dental implants offer endless new horizons

Telephone 01902 420654 for a complimentary consultation

An Independent Dental Practice

82 Tettenhall Road Wolverhampton WV1 4TF www.mytis.co.uk part of Jon Pugh Dental

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

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Come Dine With Me

Now a juicy steak is back on the menu for TV Grimefighter Lew When it comes to choosing a meal with Lewis Carrington – the natural funnyman from Wednesfield who won the hearts of the nation in TV documentary Grimefighters – the choice is simple. Before reading the menu, the charismatic former refuse collector, declares: “I’ll have a steak, with chips. They do serve steak, don’t they? I don’t normally bother with the salad, but it looks healthy doesn’t it?” With an obliging selection of food, the Crown at Wergs, Wolverhampton, serves up a 28-day dry-aged Casterbridge rib-eye, with chunky chips, crispy onions and rocket. “That’s perfect,” says Lew.

With a captive audience – host Steven Burchell Dip CDT RCS(Eng) GDC 108353 gets the full-on Lew treatment – and it’s not long before the man who topped 1,500 fans on the Grimefighters’ Facebook website is sharing his inimitable tales. “There’s a rugby player I know, who lost his ears – it can get a bit rough (you look like a rugby player yourself, Steve). “Anyway, he went to the doctors, who said if he’d have brought the ears to him he could have sewn them back on. “No worries, though… come back later and I’ll get you a couple”, he said. “So he did and there waiting to be attached was dog’s ear and a pig’s ear. “You’ll be alright, says the doc, just cover ‘em up with your hair and come back in a week.

“On his return, the doc asks how he was getting on. “Well, my dog ear’s brilliant I can hear stuff from miles away… but with the pig’s ear I keep getting a lot of… crackling.” But the laughter momentarily dies as Lew recalls past restaurant meals. “I could have never had done this before getting my teeth fixed. I’d go to a restaurant and make an excuse that I was popping to the toilet and I’d be piling on the denture glue to try and get through the meal without embarrassment. “I always had to choose something safe, something soft and inevitably something boring. If I’d have chosen the steak, I’d have been done for and the fixative would often let me down anyway before the meal was finished. Being able to sit down at a meal in public and feel secure is priceless.” Lew recalls: “I used fixative by the bucketful and dreaded sneezing – I had to hold in my teeth with my handkerchief.” His story, says Steven, is a common one. “Lew had stabilization issues. He was an ideal candidate for an implant-retained lower overdenture and the fixing points guaranteed an end to his prosthetic stability issues.” Adds Lew: “I was a bit apprehensive, but I need not have been. I had two implants to stabilise my lower denture and I never felt a thing. Steve made me the overdentures for the bottom and a new top set of teeth. They are absolutely perfect and going to the dentist had never been so good. I am over the moon with the results.”

Eating out with Steven and tucking into a rib-eye steak gets the thumbs-up from Grimefighters funnyman Lew Carrington

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The implants were fitted by Jonathon Pugh BDS MSc (Implant Dentistry) GDC 62663, principal of Total Implant Solutions, Wolverhampton, with whom Steven shares a longstanding working relationship.

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

30 seconds that could change the way you live Food, glorious food – but for some menu choices are unnecessarily restricted

For years scholars have written volumes on the role food plays in human social interaction and health. Scientists, psychologists, doctors, chefs, menu gurus and lovers of food have penned millions of words about the wellbeing that eating food can bring. But in a season that has just seen too much food consumed for our own good, there is a group of deserving people who secretly will be happy the festive feasts of Christmas and New Year are over.

For many denture wearers even the traditional turkey has posed a threat, especially when served cold on Boxing Day. Along with beef that is sliced or presented as a steak it joins nuts and other nibbles that are to be avoided at all costs if dentures are not the snug, comfortable fit they should be. Steven Burchell Dip CDT RCS(Eng) GDC 108353 principal of the Denture Clinic says: “Food is central to friendships, family and having fun and all of those things can be compromised by failing dentures.

“What is frustrating, the taboo on talking about dentures, traps too many people into lifestyles they would dearly love to change and often the past dental experience failures keep them from experiencing the freedom they could so easily enjoy. “My clinic, its clinicians and technical staff have resolved some of the most challenging oral prosthetic issues I have ever encountered. Because of our reputation people have travelled from overseas to find solutions, but I’m sure many right on our doorstep need to do the same. Those with problems should take a moment and do the denture check.” The 30-second denture check Are prosthetics uncomfortable? Do they leave sore spots? Erode your confidence? Have poor functionality? Need far too much fixative? Compromise your looks? Often present stability issues? Let you down in public? If so, it’s time to get a brand new smile. Call us now 0800 0285 185.

on’t D let troublesome dentures let you down • Complete Dentures • Partial Dentures • Suction Dentures • Implant Dentures • Copy Dentures • Denture Relines • Soft Linings • Denture Repairs

FREEPHONE 0800 0285185 Call NOW for a FREE first consultation!

P www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

Clinics at Dudley, Wolverhampton, Kidderminster and Solihull www.denture-clinic.co.uk email: info@denture-clinic.co.uk

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Turn your back

on pain

Sleep Sleep is an essential nutrient for our bodies and when your body is allowed to rest in its natural position, muscles are relaxed and sleep is more refreshing. Make sure that your sleeping position is comfortable and that your mattress supports your back.

Seek professional therapy If an injury or back pain occurs take measures to prevent or lessen most back pain episodes by seeking professional therapy. By having access to appropriate treatment for acute back pain at an early stage, recovery is expected within 6 weeks, whereas neglecting pain or an injured area contributes to chronic pain, weakness or recurrence of injury.

Protect your back

Back pain is becoming as well known as the common cold and the likelihood is that most of us will experience it at some point in our lives.

your abdominal and back muscles. Do about 15 minutes of exercises a day that focus on this area. You can try backfriendly yoga poses, Pilates, and sit-ups. Any of these help support and stabilize the spine.

Let’s face it, our day to day lives are becoming much busier and stress filled but we never stop to think about what affect this has on our backs. How many of us have found ourselves hunched over a desk or computer for two weeks, battling a deadline? Or helping a friend by carrying a box to their car? Even swinging a golf club a little too enthusiastically can aggravate your back. The bad news is that our lifestyles are one of the main culprits of chronic back pain. The good news is we can prevent it, but it does take work. These tips can help you prevent back pain and reduce your risk for future back problems.

Maintain good posture

Strengthen your core Back pain can have many causes. Some causes include deterioration or rupture of a disc, muscle spasms, and tense muscles. To reduce your risk for these problems, strengthen 110

Regularly slouching at your desk or leaning to one side when you’re watching TV can lead to chronic back pain or pinched back nerves. To protect your spine, remind yourself to sit up straight at your desk with your feet on the floor. Likewise, don’t twist when you’re watching TV. Your torso shouldn’t be going in one direction and your feet and legs in another. Sit in a firm, comfortable chair with adequate lumbar support. Position the TV so you don’t have to lean forward to see it.

Watch your diet Convenience food in our current busy lifestyles means that we all find ourselves carrying around a little extra weight—especially around the middle— this puts added stress on your back. Try and maintain a healthy weight and do what you can to shed a few pounds.

Nobody knows what’s around the corner and what health challenges we will face in the future but it’s always nice to know we are protected. Private Medical Insurance can be expensive but a health cash plan is an inexpensive way of getting health cover. Paycare offer health cash plans that allow you to claim back the costs of treatments such as seeing a physiotherapist or chiropractor if a future back problem was to happen. Nothing is more frustrating than having to payout on costly medical bills when issues such as back problems arise. What if we told you that you can claim this money back and seeking professional therapy no longer had to be expensive? A typical Paycare Plan protects you against the costs of dental, optical chiropody, specialist consultations, professional therapies, hospital cases and much more. A Paycare plan is designed for you to use on a day to day basis and not like other insurance products you can only use in emergencies. If you would like to protect yourself against the cost of everyday health problems visit www.paycare.org or call 01902 252265 to find out more.

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

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CHIROPODY & PODIATRY CLINICS

HCPC/STATE REGISTERED

Tom Casey BSc (Hons), MCHS, SRCH Margaret Kennedy BSc (Hons), MCHS, SRCH Ian Banyard Chartered Physiotherapist MCSP, MMACP, MAACP, MSc Physiotherapy Clinic now available please call 01902 833426

Treatments for: Nails, callus, corns, verrucas Diabetic & arthritic feet Heel and forefoot pain Ingrown toenails & nail surgery Functional & biomechanical issues Conditions needing orthotics/insoles

• Friendly Personal Service • Medical Centre Facilities • Secure Parking • Disabled Access • Centrally located • Home Visits Available Presentations & talks are available to interested groups.

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Park Avenue Clinic 13a Park Avenue Wolverhampton WV1 4AH For an appointment in our refurbished modern surgery please call Tom Casey on 07828 613165 or 01902 833426 For other surgery appointments please call or visit: Evenett & Bishop Opticians 67 High Street Albrighton WV7 3JA 01902 372141 Six Ways Clinic 24 Birmingham Road Walsall WS1 2LT 01922 622521

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Tom’s tip:

Diabetes

What is Diabetes Mellitus? This is a condition where you have raised blood glucose levels (called hyperglycaemia) due to a metabolic disorder.

There are two main types of diabetes: TYPE I – (Insulin Dependant Diabetes Mellitus) where patients control their diabetes with insulin TYPE II – (Non Insulin Dependant Diabetes Mellitus) where patients may control their diabetes through diet, tablets or sometimes insulin. Both of these types of diabetes can be harmful to feet. It is essential that everyone with diabetes of either type visit a Podiatrist regularly for a 6 – 12 monthly check up and whenever they have foot problems. Your podiatrist may recommend a much more frequent visit.

Why should diabetics see a Podiatrist? Diabetes is directly linked with profound changes to your feet. The circulation to and around your

feet can deteriorate meaning you are more susceptible to infection, less likely to heal quickly and your skin quality reduces meaning it is easier to damage. The sense of feeling in your feet can also reduce so that it is possible to damage your feet and not know about it. It is important we monitor your feet regularly so that we can detect these changes early on. Even some seemingly simple problem like corns, callus or toenail cutting could cause much bigger problems like ulcers, infection, gangrene, and at worst amputation if not treated properly.

Basic Guidelines for Diabetics • Wash feet daily and dry thoroughly – especially between the toes, and file nails. • Apply an aqueous cream such as E45 to your feet daily but not between your toes. • Check your feet daily for anything unusual – colour changes, breaks in the skin, swelling, discharge etc.

WOLVERHAMPTON HIP

• Always wear shoes or house slippers on your feet to protect them. • Ensure your shoes are the correct fit and are adjustable – 2 cm heel, laced shoes are the best.

Warning Signs Redness, Swelling, Pus, Discharge, Pain. Diabetes health care is a key part of a podiatrists job role.

Thomas Casey Chiropodist/Podiatrist HPC registered

& KNEE CLINIC

The Wolverhampton hip and knee clinic has been developed to provide modern, comprehensive and evidence based treatment for all hip and knee disorders. Mr David Simpson is an established and experienced Consultant orthopaedic surgeon. He is the leading regional exponent of custom made, personalised ‘Signature’ knee replacements.

MR DAVID SIMPSON CONSULTANT ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON

Areas of expertise: - Hip and knee arthritis - Hip and knee replacements - Custom made patient specific ‘Signature’ knee replacements - Sports Injuries - Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery - Cartilage surgery - Tibial osteotomy / realignment surgery

To book an appointment or for further details please contact: The Wolverhampton Hip and Knee Clinic, Nuffield Health Hospital, Wood Road, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, WV6 8LE Tel: 01902 754177 ext. 2391, 01902 793225 or visit: www.wolverhamptonhipandkneeclinic.co.uk

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

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Helping Compton

to care Compton Hospice has been providing care and support to families whose lives have been affected by incurable illnesses for over 30 years.

Care is delivered by a team of highly skilled doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, support workers and volunteers to a catchment area of over 1.3 million people across Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley, Sandwell, East Shropshire and South Staffordshire.

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At any one point in time, Compton Hospice is tending to over 500 patients. Whilst some patients visit our dedicated hospice building, the vast majority of patients receive care in the comfort of their own homes. We aim to provide the very best level of care for patients and families at home, which includes: Community Nurse Specialists: Our team of highly skilled and specialist nurses (who operate very similarly to Macmillan Nurses) visit patients in the home to monitor pain and symptoms, and can even prescribe medication. Hospice at Home: Â A team of healthcare assistants can provide personal care and

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

family members and relatives of those who have an incurable illness with access to counselling, complementary therapy and bereavement support. Demand for hospice care delivered in people’s own homes has never been higher. Most of us express a wish to die in our own homes with our loved ones around us and at Compton we do everything within our power to ensure this can happen wherever possible. Excellent care comes at a cost and these services can cost an average of £5,000 per day to deliver. We will never charge our patients for this care, and so with only one third of our funding coming from government we rely on the kindness and the generosity of our local community to help us fund this, and all of our other, vital services.

offer emotional, psychological and spiritual support. Social Workers: Our team visit families to offer practical advice whether it be financial, social or discussing advanced care planning. Support for the family: Compton Hospice also offers support to

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who contributes to raising much needed funds on our behalf in order to keep our services running. We wish to take this opportunity to

thank all of our fundraisers – from those who support our annual events and appeals; those who organise their own fundraising activities; the many businesses and companies who adopt us as their charity partners; the trusts and grant making bodies who offer their support to the hospice; those who choose to remember us in their will or make regular donations through their workplace; the many loyal supporters who year on year visit our charity shops either as customers or by donating items to sell; those who play our Compton Hospice Lottery; and of course the many volunteers who offer their time free of charge so that we can provide the very best level of care to hundreds of families across the Black Country. Compton Hospice would not be able to carry out the incredible work it does were it not for your kindness, generosity and support.

For more information on the work of Compton Hospice visit www.compton-hospice.org.uk or call 0845 2255 497.

www.facebook.com/ComptonHospice

www.twitter.com/comptonhospice

Registered Charity Number 512387

83p in every £1 we raise goes directly to patient care. Please support us:

www.compton-hospice.org.uk Tel: 0845 225 5497

Email: fundraising@compton-hospice.org.uk

Text: COMP01 (Letters COMP Numbers 01)

followed by the amount you want to give (e.g. £5) to 70070. Compton Hospice, 4 Compton Road West, Wolverhampton WV3 9DH Tel: 0845 2255 497 Email: fundraising@compton-hospice.org.uk www.compton-hospice.org.uk www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

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Making decisions for a lo ve d one

The number of family members looking to take on legal responsibility for a loved one who can no longer take care of their own affairs is on the increase. Wolverhampton law firm FBC Manby Bowdler is reporting a rise in the number of deputyship orders being made by the Court of Protection, mirroring a hike in the number of people being diagnosed with dementia. Partner Julie Burn specialises in Court of Protection work where she acts as a professional Deputy, making decisions for people who lack the capacity to do so themselves. She also heads up the firm’s specialist Court of Protection Team which advises the families and friends of people who have lost the capacity to make decisions for themselves with regard to making applications to the Court of Protection. Julie says: “We are seeing an increasing number of enquiries about deputyships where an individual can no longer make their own decisions, and the vast majority of these arise because a person has been diagnosed with dementia and has not made a Lasting Power of Attorney.”

The number of people diagnosed with dementia in England has risen by more than 60 per cent in seven

Julie Burn

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years, according to figures released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre in July 2014. The figures revealed that 344,000 people in England had a diagnosis of dementia in 2013/14, up from 319,000 the previous year, and 213,000 when the figures were first collected in 2006/07. Julie said: “In some cases, a Lasting Power of Attorney has been made which pre-dates any loss of mental incapacity and gives the authority for decisionmaking to another person. But if there is no LPA in place, a Deputy needs to be appointed by the Court of Protection for a person’s financial affairs to be dealt with and managed. “This can be a complicated timeconsuming and costly process which is why families are often seeking advice before making an application to the Court of Protection. We can advise on all the aspects of a Deputyship and explain the legal responsibilities of being a Deputy apply to the court and manage the process.

diagnosis but also because of an increasing, ageing population.” The issue of ensuring plans are made in case of future mental incapacity was in the headlines recently when controversial plans were put forward to screen people for dementia and pay doctors a fee for every new case they diagnose. “None of us wish to consider the impact of dementia, or any other incident or illness which may leave us not being the person we’ve always been. It can be extremely traumatic for the individual and for family members in a caring role. But we can assist by making the deputyship process less of a minefield and of course, step in in a professional deputy role depending on the circumstances.” Julie Burn can be contacted on tel 01902 392416 email j.burn@fbcmb.co.uk or via www.fbcmb.co.uk

“We created the Court of Protection Team because we believe there will continue to be increasing numbers of enquiries as more and more people are diagnosed – which is due not only to advances in social care allowing earlier wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

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Social Scene

On Sunday 14th December special guests were welcomed into the elegant home of Royston Blythe and Nick Malenko for a Christmas soiree. Over 150 friends attended - along with the odd celebrity - to enjoy champagne cocktails and canapés and a Christmas luncheon, with entertainment featuring sexy male and female Santa’s Helpers, carols from St Chad’s Choir, Motown and soul singer Richie Samson, The Rat Pack and cabaret singer Hayley. Great fun, frolics and festivities were enjoyed by all.

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8 7. Martin Dodd & Sally Lawson. 8. Steven Toy, Danielle, Edwina & David Waller. 9. Junie Barnett & Barry Oakley. 10. Colin Dingwall, Pam Perigrine, Bill & Lesley Mooney. 11. f/r Sue & Nick Dunckley, b/r Fiona & Andy Hawthorne, Diane Hollinshead. 12. Kath & Gerry Kibble, John & Magali Henn. 13. Nick, Ellie, Joanne & Malcolm Bridgwood.

1. Christina Calandra, Adele Roche, Nadia & Valentina Calandra.

14. Richard Cox & Darren Hollinshead.

2. Pearl Clinton & Tamar Leeke.

15. Marita Morrison, Jackie Taylor & Rita Mason.

3. Nick & Royston.

16. Richard Miles & Katie Carpenter.

4. David, Olivia & Karen Price.

17. Jackie Nicklin & Hayley Foster.

5. Yvette Brentnall & Beverley Wilkinson.

18. Valerie & Rod Badland.

6. Lisa & Jon Marren, Roy & Julie Millard.

19. Sylvia Bishton, Nick, Jane Barnett. wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Social Scene

18 www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

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Social Scene

Wolverhampton Racecourse 1. Steve & Kirsty Bull, Julie & Dicky Dodd. 2. Scott & Cherie Chilton. 3. Kim Gammon, Graeme & Sarah Clifford. 4. Amanda Taylor & Kerry Roderick. 5. Narinder & Kam Bawa. 6. Suzi Perry & Jo Richards. 7. Emer Morris, Ally Birkett, Nicky Willis, Lisa Vickers & Karen Fletcher.

5 Friday 28th November saw over 400 people come together to support local children’s charity Promise Dreams by attending their “Putting on the Ritz” gala dinner at Wolverhampton Racecourse. Guests enjoyed performances from Jess Needham, Stageworkz dancers, X-Factor’s Chloe Jasmine and top band Captain Redeye and the Hoods before being taken back to the 80’s with a fabulous set from legends Go West! More than £20,000 was raised on the night thanks to the generous people in the room which will help more dreams to become reality for the wonderful children and families the charity supports.

8. Alex Harvey, Charlotte Willies, Emma Timson & Scott Bernard. 9. Jane & Steve Barnett, Sue Walker, Jade Williams & Steve Walker.

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10. Jess Needham with Promise Dreams mascot Poppet. 11. Karen & Olivia Price, Chris & Terri Jewkes. 12. Graham & Vivienne Evans. 13. Jade McGrath & Robert Turner. 14. Paula Jones & Beverley Bird. 15. Hazel Hammond, Suresh & Paula Bawa. 120

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Social Scene

14 www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

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Social Scene

Mount Hotel Tettenhall Skin care and beauty service, MediVisage played host to more than 50 medical professionals at The Mount Hotel champagne presentation evening. The Tettenhall Road clinic showcased their unique, fast-track referral system for both patients and fellow clinicians as guests enjoyed a meal. Speakers included Maxillofacial surgeon and leading cancer consultant Khaleeq-Ur-Rehman BDS, FDSRCPS, MBChB, MRCS (Gen Surg), FRCS (OMFS); consultant dermatologist Dr Hamdi Hamad; Jonathon Pugh BDS MSc (implant dentistry) and Bibi Dodd. 122

5 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Annabel Pitt, Sherry Evans, Lucie Short & Helen Garbett. Chris & Terri Jewkes. Ruth Hare & Sarah Hendriks. Faye Wozniak & Gemma Walker. Dr Htay Neing & Saw Neing, Maureen Lee & Dr Fong Lee. Helen Ryan & Dr Huw Glover. Jon Pugh & Bibi Dodd. Bhup Gupta, Katie Smith & Dr Nasser Malik. Dr Shahid Rafiq, Dr Atif Wali & Dr Prabakar Dharmeswaran. 10. Deborah Mitchell, Ashleigh Adams & Caroline Boydell. 11. Karen Russell, Kate Follos, Julie McCarthy & Caroline Shore. 12. Maxillofacial surgeon and cancer consultant Khaleeq-Ur-Rehman & Dr Hamdi Hamad. 13. Kerry Tighe, Andrea Nicholls & Marie Watson. 14. Dr Andrew Booshan & Aiste Booshan. 15. Hannah Rowley & Joanna Jones. wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Social Scene

13 www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

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Social Scene

Carvers Wolverhampton Over 250Â guests attended Carvers 2: The Return VIP relaunch event on Saturday, 6th December. On arrival guests were greeted with a champagne reception.Â The event was held in a grand marquee at the Carvers site. The evening was hosted by Bob Warman and followed by live music from Go West. A great evening was had by all. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

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Louise & Alan Bradshaw. Henry Carver. Martin & Tina Temple. Bob Warman, Kashmir & Paul Uppal. Terri & Andrell Dinham. Anita & Hugh Porter, Mary & Derrick Harding, Peter & Nicky Bilson.

7. Jane Swancote & Marcus Hegarty. 8. Go West. 9. Kim & Pete Hazel. 10. b/r Neil Jones, Lee Rudkin, f/r Jenny & Danny Gwynne, Helen Jones & Kevin Beasley. 11. Ian & Rachel Groom. 12. Rob & Wendy Jones,Tracy Tudor. 13. Sarah Lane & Mandy Kelly. 14. Julie & Dicky Dodd.

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wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Social Scene

12 www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

14 125

Social Scene

The Molineux Wolverhampton The cream of Wolverhampton’s thriving legal profession has been recognised in the inaugural awards of the city’s annual Law Society dinner. Four titles were up for grabs at the glittering event in the Hayward Suite of the Molineux on Friday 14 November. The awards, chosen by an independent panel of leading business figures, were part of the Wolverhampton Law Society event and attended by more than 180 of the city’s legal and business professionals. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Sanjay Nena, Ninder Johal, Jas Dhillon. Pamela Cunliffe, Mark Evans. Katie Longstaff, Louise Barnes, Rosa Dickenson. Richard Glover, Arun Chauhan, Chris Umfreville. Frances Heap Mayoress & Michael Heap Mayor, with the Principal of Wolverhampton College Mark Robertson. 6. Doug Houghton, Rob Mundy. 126

5 7. Hayley Quinn, Richard Bull, Steve Deakin, Natasha Edwards. 8. Laura Jones, Rav Hothi, Charlotte Clode. 9. Toni Quinney, Emma Thompson, Suzi Oakley. 10. Alex & Charlie Thompson. 11. District Judge Roger Hearne, District Judge Graham Wilkinson, WVone Operations Director Kim Gilmour, Bishop of Wolverhampton Clive Gregor, District Judge Michael Wheeler, Partner at Rees Page Solicitors Richard Ennis, President of the Law Society Andrew Wynne. 12. Paula Timmins,Tracy Davis, Shilpa Majevadia, Alison Westwood. 13. Claire Whitehouse, Nicola Fryer, Matthew Baker, Chris Goldie, Chas Coulsting.

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wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Social Scene

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Education

and Schooling

by David Williams – Headmaster of Tettenhall College independent schools: outstanding results and pastoral care, extra-curricular opportunities, high level support for university entrance and outstanding facilities. I was also able to present the attraction of the West Midlands and particularly Tettenhall College as an institution set in beautiful grounds that has a well-integrated international boarding community in a predominantly UK day school. Our small class sizes, flexible curriculum and support enables them to flourish and we welcome their contribution to the life of our school.

One of my highlights this term was the opportunity to visit China as part of the British Council’s “Great Mission to China” under the umbrella of our government’s most ambitious marketing campaign ever to showcase our country as a place to visit, study and make connections with. I was fortunate enough to be one of only 5 headteachers selected to visit Chengdu and Chongqing to promote UK education and, in particular, the UK boarding school educational sector and ethos. Along with fostering valuable links, the trip was aimed at furthering the trend of increasing numbers of pupils from the Far East recognising the attractiveness of UK independent schools as being genuine world class institutions, offering an array of opportunities and preparation for UK higher education. The 2014 census from the Independent School Council reveals that almost 9,000 Chinese and Hong Kong pupils are now studying in UK independent schools with the mainland poised to overtake the long-established market of our former colony. In addition to this success, recent developments have also included the establishment of 39 overseas campuses attached to UK independent schools. Both trends represent a growing and largely unheralded triumph for “Brand Britain” and UK education. The trip naturally provided opportunities to present to pupils, parents and agents on the benefits of UK 128

Our visit gave us the opportunity to participate in some cultural activities and to see rare pandas at a sanctuary. Interestingly, the itinerary also included visits to several Chinese schools and meetings with their senior staff with the ultimate aim of fostering further and deeper links between the two countries. A fascinating Headteachers’ Forum gave us an understanding of the value placed on education that dates back some 5,000 years and the dedication that results from the belief that “knowledge will change your destiny”. One Chinese Head talked of the “sweet” burden of extra maths exercises necessary for entry to top universities meaning that pupils can cope with a day that starts at 7.30 and finishes at 10pm for many. I also witnessed the enthusiasm of a class of 16 year olds, who clearly had a thirst for knowledge, as I taught demonstration French lessons. Yet, the trend for overseas study and the voices of some pupils and staff represent a dilemma for this rapidly developing country, with schools often exceeding 5,000 pupils with 55 in a class. The pressure to succeed, an over-emphasis on examinations and the lack of development of other necessary life skills mean that they are looking abroad to learn of new approaches or experience these countries for themselves. The aim at Tettenhall College is to continue to develop in order to be attractive not only to the Chinese but also other international pupils, who will fulfil their potential and, of course, add the vital skill of performing at an exceptionally high level in another language. However, as I explain to our own UK pupils this throws down a real challenge! UK parents are attracted to the global dimension that our boarding houses bring us but our ultimate and planned aim will be for Tettenhall pupils and staff to visit China on exchange programmes in order to develop the true global citizenship currently being pursued by enlightened Chinese parents and pupils. wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

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praised these initiatives as “longstanding and sustainable.”

Shrewsbury High Prep School Pupils Abigail Kulemeka and Harry Bettison with the Award

Shrewsbury High School wins Independent School Award

“Best Independent Maintained Schools Collaboration” Shrewsbury High School is celebrating after being named winners at this year’s prestigious Independent School Awards. This is an unprecedented achievement for both the school and for Shropshire as no other school in the County has ever been honoured in this way. The Awards Ceremony, which took place in Nottingham, recognises outstanding excellence and at Shrewsbury High School and it was the quality of sport that drew particular praise. For the last six months the sporting work across the school has been scrutinised by the judging panel. It was the outstanding level of collaboration that the school undertakes with local maintained sector schools that proved to be an important factor in the school receiving this accolade, with the judges commenting that it was “good to see sport given such a place in the school’s life”. In 2006, the school recognised that it had a responsibility and

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opportunity to offer a genuine contribution to sport at primary school level. After a cross country event in which nine primary schools and 86 runners took part, year-on-year growth led to a formal partnership being formed. Shrewsbury High School now provides ongoing yearround provision of its facilities to accommodate a constantly growing programme, in which over 600 pupils and 15 schools took part in 2013-14. The judges

Michael Getty, Headmaster, who collected the Award on behalf of the school, in front of 300 guests, was thrilled with the Award saying “We are especially proud of sport and to have this recognised in this way is an amazing achievement. A huge amount of credit goes to our staff at prep and senior school. We were the first school in the region to be shortlisted in the awards last year and now we are honoured to be the first to actually win an Independent school Award.” The school’s success at the Independent School Awards is reflected in the record number of enquiries from parents wishing to join the school. Shrewsbury High Prep School is delighted to announce that it will be increasing its Year 4 provision from two to three classes from January 2015 in response to this demand. Mr Getty explains, “We have a thriving prep school which is wonderful and we are also fully aware that one of the best things about the school is small class sizes, enabling all children to reach their full potential and shine within the group. We have new pupils joining us this term specifically for this reason. By adding a third class to Year 4 we will continue to guarantee these smaller class sizes that our parents expect and our pupils deserve”.

Michael Getty, Headmaster, with Paul Leeming and Jo Massam from the Prep Sports Department and pupils celebrating the awards win

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

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wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

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Rob Bluck Academy Director

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A practice tip that will hopefully educate you on the importance & understanding of contact. Place two tee pegs in the ground opposite each other & place a golf ball directly between them (photo A). Now hit a shot from this position looking closely where your divot pattern occurs. Your divot will either be before, after or none at all. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for the divot patterns slightly target side (golfers left side) of the line of pegs. This will help promote a ball followed by divot strike. As you can see in the main photo at impact my body weight is very much target side with my arms extended. A common fault is when the golfer is trying to help the ball in the air resulting mainly in heavy contacts (ground before the ball) or a clean strike when the ball is struck with an ascending blow (photo B).

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137

above it all By Rob Taylor

They say pride comes before a fall. Al Gore was fined when the inconvenient truth that he’d been speeding in his Toyota Prius emerged. Colonel Pierpoint installed the very first roundabout in this country so that he could safely navigate the crossing-point to his club in St James’s, London. Soon after, while glancing around to admire his creation, he was knocked down by a taxi cab. Like the Oxford city centre cyclist who, unlit at 11pm, meanders into traffic and in front of my wheel with nothing more than a cloak of self-righteousness for protection, these people are just inviting trouble. However, woe-inducing though it may be, I understand their smugness and sense of superiority now that I’m driving the latest Toyota RAV4, because I think I’ve happened upon one of the best SUVs on the market. I’ll now explain why, with as little self-satisfaction as possible, so as to forestall the wrath of the universe. Every since the original in 1994 every previous RAV4 has been built to last for millennia, but only recently has it started to make drivers - as well as owners and occupants - happy on their way into infinity. Whether it’s overspill from the ethos behind the GT86 sportscar or not, this 138

latest version is a pleasure to helm from its towering driving position. Although far from being sporty, the RAV4’s 2.2 litre D-4D diesel powerplant happily pulls its weight about town and on longer motorway cruises, where it has a generous surfeit of 340 Nm of torque on hand. This version - the four-wheel drive Icon RAV4 - controls its large body mass very well when things get twisty and it steers with precision, always coping easily on the road and undoubtedly off it also. Although a front-wheel drive set-up is an option for other range variants. But whichever version you choose you’ll still enjoy supreme cabin comforts. A well-suspended ride that insulates driver and family from everyday tarmac tragedies is chief among them - in spite of its large 18” alloys. Fuel costs are reasonable - the official number is 49.6 mpg; I achieved 46.8 mpg - and Co2 emissions low: 149 g/km. Furthermore the clever automatic gearbox on this model is a helpful and willing partner that never detracts from the journey and the ergonomically-savvy cabin bestows all of today’s modern tech - air-conditioning, cruise control, Bluetooth etc - without impacting upon aesthetics. Another area which is a marked improvement over the previous

incarnation is the vehicle’s overall size. Or more specifically how its considerable heft is noticeable only inside and not outside. Subtle exterior design tricks no doubt in part account for this, but what’s harder to fathom is the way I’m able to easily thread this substantial SUV through Oxford’s labyrinthine cobbled streets, fearing only the arrival of a kamikaze cyclist. There’s room for all the family and half of your next door neighbours’ too. All of whom will enjoy ample head and rear legroom and supportive seating. Fido will be happy as well, because boot space is officially measured at 547 litres, which is code for “absolutely massive.” And for the first time on this fourth generation RAV4 there’s a top-hinged power tailgate which will help you earn extra cash on the side if you choose to let the SUV become part of Pickfords house removal fleet. Although I doubt you’ll need to take on a second job to be able to afford this car since it can be had for a very reasonable £26,800. I used to think parking in the RAV4 was a cinch too, until I pulled a nonchalant parallel manoeuvre and scuffed a virgin alloy wheel. Oh well. We all knew something bad was going to happen. I’m just grateful that no cyclists were harmed in the making of this article.

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

Winter tyres With long winter nights and freezing temperatures our thoughts turn to winter driving.

Whether its hitting the shops to get yourself togged up for the cold snap or booking your boiler service, getting ready for the onslaught of cold weather is important, but make sure you don’t forget to get your car ready too. During the winter accidents increase by a staggering 267%* with 6,500* more accidents than in the summer so it’s vital drivers do everything possible to make sure they aren’t one of the unlucky ones. That’s why HiQ Wolverhampton is offering motorists the opportunity to have a free winter vehicle check making sure your car keeps on going throughout the season. Winter vehicle safety doesn’t just stop at having your car checked over. Your tyres play a critical role in vehicle performance. With tyres all that connect you to the road your family’s safety relies on four contact points the size of the palm of your hand, so your choice of tyre is critical. It is highly recommended that winter tyres are used in temperatures below 7c which on average is 150 days of the year in the UK. It’s below 7c that the compound in summer tyres hardens and provides less traction and therefore compromises safety in winter conditions. The higher levels of natural rubber in winter tyres give your

vehicle improved grip with the softer compound in the tyre giving up to 50% better traction in snow and ice and in cold conditions. All of the benefits of winter tyres combined are designed to give motorists shorter stopping distances and resistance to aquaplaning on wet and slushy roads. Make sure you visit HiQ Wolverhampton who stock a wide range of premium winter tyres to help keep you on the move this winter. Not only this, your local HiQ also offers a tyre hotel facility keeping your summer or winter tyres securely stored no matter what the season. *Tyre Safe

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Vehicle Recovery

- Accident and Breakdown.

Welding / Chassis Repairs

ADVICE IS FREE

- to MOT standard - No vehicle TOO old.

Servicing

- Check us out at www.goodgaragescheme.com

Accident Management & Advice

- Replacement vehicle for NO-FAULT accidents.

Legal Vehicle Disposal

- CRM is a Fully Licensed Treatment Facility. All paperwork completed & downloaded to the DVLA ensuring no fraudulent use of your vehicle details.

Car Parts

- We supply both NEW & USED parts for most makes.

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repairs, accident damage and insurance repairs. With a wealth of experience and dedicated levels of excellent customer service, the team are always on hand to guide and advise. Using the latest ‘Seda’ equipment means that the team are able to expertly deal with ‘mis-fuels’. In the unfortunate event of a customer putting the wrong fuel into their car, a professional is sent to resolve the problem before serious damage is done to the vehicle. As an environmentally aware company, Church Road Motors are members of the Cartakeback scheme and are fully licensed with the Environment Agency. They work in partnership with Wolverhampton City Council to ensure responsible disposal of vehicles. All types of cars are accepted for disposal at Church Road Motors and will be collected from the customer. Fully licensed they ensure that every vehicle is fully de-polluted before any parts are recycled and all paperwork is completed and downloaded to the DVLA, making them the trusted choice for disposal. With a comprehensive assortment of both new and used parts available, you can be sure that you will find the one you are looking for, along with every other service for your vehicle. Church Road Motors are supporters of Compton Hospice and collect and process cars donated to the charity free of charge.

Wrong Fuel

- Do Not Start the Engine - Call us! - We have the latest SEDA equipment for dealing with ‘Mis-fuels’.

Ladies especially like Church Road Motors as the team explain problems in language they can understand.

Call Us: 01902 341845 Parts Line: 01902 334556 49 Church Road, Bradmore, Wolverhampton, WV3 7ER

Contact the team on 01902 334914 to discuss all your motoring needs and enjoy a stress-free experience, from a firm that you can trust. wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

WHY PAY DEALERSHIP PRICES TO SERVICE

YOUR RENAULT? MINOR SERVICE £89* ALL INCLUSIVE

Servicing with us at Four Ashes will not affect your Manufactures Warranty. We also service all other Renault models out of the warranty period.

FULL SERVICE £149* ALL INCLUSIVE

www.fourashesrenault.co.uk MOT NOW OPEN FOUR ASHES ACCIDENT REPAIRS LTD ALL IN-HOUSE FACILITY OFFERING A FULL RANGE OF BODYSHOP SERVICES

FOR ALL MODELS AND MODELS! Including: * Accident and Insurance Work * Full and Partial Resprays * Scratch and Chip Repairs * Alloy Wheel Repairs

Had an accident, in need of a respray? Give Us A Call!

11 Reg Vehicles (3 years old) - Your MOT is (or soon will be) due - Check your date of registration on your vehicle log book.

• MOT testing arranged • Large stoock of new and used parts • Computerised diagnostic (main dealer equipment) • Accident/mechanical repairs & insurance work undertaken • All work is fully guaranteed! • Courtesy Cars free of charge • Pick up and Drop-off service* • Servicing while you wait *conditions apply, please call for more details

WITH ANY SERVICE

£25 *All models over 3 years old and out of Renault warranty period. Prices start from as listed. Please call for more details and exact price for your vehicle.

09 Reg and 59 Reg Vehicles DONT FORGET YOUR CAM/TIMING BELT! Most Renaults require Cam/Timing Belt change at 72,000 miles or 5 years (whichever comes first). Cam/Timing Belt failure will result in serious engine damage, so make sure yours is changed at the correct intervals. Call us for more details.

FOUR ASHES RENAULT SPECIALISTS Station Drive, Four Ashes, Wolverhampton WV10 7BU

01902 790123 www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

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A-CLASS WINS FLEET CAR OF THE YEAR ACCOLADE AT ACFO AWARDS

•

A-Class awarded Fleet Car of the Year Award by ACFO – overcoming almost 20 competing models

•

The ACFO Awards celebrate manufacturers who supply cost effective, reliable and efficient vehicles to the Fleet market

•

A-Class continues to grow in the UK with over 28,000 vehicles registered so far this year

The prestigious headline award for Fleet Car of the Year was given to the A-Class – considered by the ACFO members to be best in its class – overcoming the challenge of almost 20 other models. The Association of Car Fleet Operators supports fleet decision-makers to improve the efficiency of their Fleet operation – members of which include most of Britain’s major fleets. The Awards – voted for online 142

by ACFO members – are highly prized as they reflect the day-today operational experience and expertise of fleet decision-makers. In announcing the A-Class Award, John Pryor, ACFO chairman, commented: “The A-Class’s triumph in this year’s ACFO Awards is reflective of the changing shape of the UK company car market. The importance of the company car as an employee recruitment and retention tool means that vehicles across all market sectors are today being considered by businesses and their staff. However, vehicles must continue to be fit-for-purpose and deliver excellent total cost of ownership as well as first class MPG and low emissions. In voting the A-Class Fleet Car of the Year, the ACFO membership clearly believes the vehicle is cost effective to operate, safe, reliable and environmentally-friendly.” Sally Dennis, Head of Fleet, Mercedes-Benz UK, commented: “We are delighted that the A-Class has won the Fleet Car of the Year Award – it highlights our continuous drive to offer efficient, low-emission vehicles to our Fleet customers as we

strive to meet their needs with an ever-improving product range.” Some 10,000 A-Classes have been bought by fleet customers so far this year – an 84 per cent increase over 2013. This year the A-Class range expanded with the A 180 CDI ECO edition – priced from £21,965 OTR – which features weightsaving measures, powertrain refinements and improved fuel consumption – producing 92 g/ km CO2 and achieving 78.5 mpg. The A-Class continues to grow in the UK with almost 28,000 registered so far this year. Peter Smith, General Manager of Mercedes-Benz of Wolverhampton, commented “We’re extremely proud to have the A-Class as part of our range. After arriving on the scene in 2012, it took our range to a stylish new level and still remains one of our most popular models. After hearing the news about the A-Class winning the Fleet Car of the Year award, we couldn’t think of a more fitting model to have won that award. You can experience the A-Class for yourself at the dealership, please call us on 01902 276977 to book a test drive.”

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

The A-Class.

Discover our New Generation.

Drayton

Presenting the Mercedes-Benz A-Class: a radical piece of automotive engineering designed to breathe new life into the compact segment. Additionally with the A45 AMG 4MATIC, Mercedes has collaborated with AMG to produce a breathtakingly stylish, proportioned machine with dramatic lines and surfaces. • CO2 emissions as low as 92 g/km • Fuel consumption as low as 78.5 mpg • AMG style and performance on selected model lines • Available at Mercedes-Benz of Wolverhampton

Call us on 01902 276977 to book your test drive. Drayton Group

Mercedes-Benz of Wolverhampton Penn Road, Wolverhampton WV2 4HD 01902 276977 www.draytongroup.co.uk

Official government fuel consumption figures in mpg (litres per 100km) for the A-Class range: urban 32.1(8.8)-67.3(4.2), extra urban 48.7(5.8)-88.3(3.2), combined 40.9(6.9)-78.5(3.6). CO2 emissions 165-92 g/km. www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

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Unisex salon Hair Colour · Design Cut · Styling Hair Extensions

Clipper Hair Cuts from £5 Re-Style Cuts from £10 Colours from £20 January and February Mid-Week Offer Wash n blow dry, colour and cut for only £30 available Wednesday and Thursdays

To book an appointment please call 01902 765975 1a Brantley Avenue, Finchfield, Wolverhampton WV3 9AP London • New York • Melbourne • Paris • Sydney • Wolverhampton

Puzzle Answers sudoku:

Easy

Quick crossword:

Hard

Word search: Hidden phrase: friendship is a sheltering tree. Samuel Taylor Coleridge

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wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

Airport, Transfers & Executive Travel Image Luxury Travel 117 Perton & Bridgnorth Travel 67 Appliances Electrical / Gas Capital Appliances 53 Antiques & Auctioneers Old Mill Antiques 68 Perry & Phillips 63 Bathrooms Carvers 19 Eaton Kitchens 33 Roman Bathrooms 29 Wall Heath Bathrooms 23 Beauticians Olivia’s 99 Beds & Bedroom Furniture Chasewood 47 Cousins 10/11 Interiors Italia 42/43 Woodrobes 25 Blinds/Curtains/Shutters Blyth Group 27 Creative Interiors 35 Love Your Blinds 23 Love Your Shutters 23 Val Hever Blinds 17/44 Virgo 41 Building Services/Contractors Build a Solution 50 Three Pines 31 Butchers Allan Bennett 61 R J Hipkiss & Sons 65 Carpet Cleaning Specialists Touch Dry 55 Carpets & Flooring (Supply & Fit) 1st Choice Flooring 54 Blyth Group 27 Cousins 10/11 Virgo Carpets & Interiors 41 Car Sales/Service Benham BMW 147 Church Road Motors 140 Mercedes-Benz of Wolverhampton 143 Chiropody & Podiatry Tom Casey 112 Composite Doors Doorsmart 45 Computer Services Finchfield IT 56 Cosmetic and Beauty Clinics Cedar House Clinic 93 Medi Visage 81/87 Delicatessen Corbelli 61 Dentistry Denture Clinic 109 Parkside Dental Surgery 95 Total Implant Solutions 107 Debt Collection Services JB Credit Services 136 Design & Print Nash Consulting 133 Synaxis Design Consultancy 57 The Studio 60

Diet & Slimming Cambridge Diet 85 Weight Watchers 91 Education Learn More 4 A 133 Tettenhall College 129 The Royal School 133 Shrewsbury School 131 Electricians / Electrical Contractors Excel Electrical Contractors 136 Fitzgerald Electrical 137 Electrical Suppliers Geo-E-Davies 56 Estate Agents Berriman Eaton 9 Fencing & Gates Profence 60 Financial & Legal Services Later Life Protection 46 Fireplaces/Stoves Flaming Fires 17 Wolverhampton Fireplaces 13 Fitness/Leisure Centres Chris Jewkes Fitness 84 South Staffordshire Leisure 132 Funeral Directors M Jackson & Son 56 Furniture/Furnishings Blyth Group 27 Creative Interiors 35 Chasewood Interiors 47 Cousins 10/11 Interiors Italia 42/43 Merridale Furnishers 13 Sofa Factory Outlet 39 Virgo Carpets & Interiors 41 Garage Refurbishment & Replacement VSF Garage Repairs 51 Garage Services Church Road Motors 140 Four Ashes Renault 141 HiQ Tyres 139 Garden Design Boningale Garden Creations 59 Gardening/Landscaping Lealans Garden Centre 58 Glass & Hardware Specialists Tech Alum System 49 Golf Clubs Wergs Golf Club 135 Hairdressers Michelle Lawley 79 Salon 27 89 Stargaze 144 Urban 101 Health Care Cover Paycare 111 Holistic Therapy My Vitality Hub 93 Hospices Compton Hospice 76/115 Hospitals (Private) Nuffield 103 Independent Financial Advisers Midland Financial Services 14/15

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

Interior Designers Blyth Group 27 Creative Interiors 35 Virgo Carpets & Interiors 41 Italian Deli Corbelli’s 61 Jewellers T.A.Henn 7 Kitchen Doors (Replacement) Dream Doors 37 Kitchens (Supply, design & fit) Carvers Building Supplies 19 Dream Doors 37 Eaton Kitchens 33 Roman Bathrooms 29 Legal Services Manby Bowdler Solicitors 117 Letting Agents Berriman Eaton 9 Locksmiths Cummings Brothers 137 Logs for Sale D S Buckle Ltd 60 Luxury Travel Image Luxury Travel 117 Music Lessons Rick Hampton 67 Opticians Taylor Biddle 105 Orthopaedic Surgery Wolverhampton Hip & Knee Clinic 113 Painters / Decorators Kevin Jackson 137 Plumbing & Heating JB Plumbing & Heating 137 Restaurants/Pubs Bravaccios 71 Halfpenny Green Vineyards 69 Kings Repose 70 Patshull Park 73 Shrewsbury Arms 77 Sir Jack’s 71 The French Connection 74/75 The Copthorne Hotel 76 The Plough 72 Wergs Golf Club 77 Wombourne Tandoori 72 Skip Hire Wolverhampton Skip Hire 136 Theatres The Grand Theatre 148 Tiles & Interiors Heart of Stone 35 Tile Choice 5 Travel Agents Spear Travels 67 Tyres Hi Q Tyres 139 Vehicle Hire 4 x 4 Vehicle Hire 2 Vineyard & Craft Centre Halfpenny Green Vineyards 69 Wedding Venues/Function Rooms Albrighton Hall 78 Patshull Park 73 Wergs Golf Club 78 Windows & Conservatories Tettenhall Windows 21 145

in PerfecT conDiTion for iMPerfecT conDiTions

xdrive

Weather and road conditions can change in a flash. To make sure you’re prepared, we have an intelligent four-wheel drive system that responds just as quickly. With BMW xDrive, you can still enjoy maximum driving pleasure even on difficult road surfaces such as mud, gravel or snow. Optimal traction at all times. Taking the torque to where it has maximum effect - a simple idea that the intelligent BMW xDrive four-wheel drive system puts into practice masterfully. It distributes the engine torque to the axles in a fraction of a second so that they can achieve maximum traction. The intelligent fourwheel drive system. With the BMW xDrive four-wheel drive system, each axle uses its traction to the maximum. Your BMW provides stable acceleration out of

intelligent four-Wheel drive from BmW

bends. If - particularly in adverse conditions - more torque has to be applied to the road, that’s when Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) comes into operation. In addition to improving traction, the system also recognises the first signs of oversteering and understeering. Within a tenth of a second it distributes up to almost 100% of the engine torque to the front or rear axle via the transmission and an electronically controlled multipleplate clutch before returning to the normal 40:60 distribution ratio.

Thanks to the smooth distribution of torque between the rear wheels, traction and handling improve. This allows you to take bends with greater precision - and accelerate out of them with optimum grip.

With this technology, BMW provides an intelligent four-wheel drive system with all the benefits of four-wheel drive: precise handling, optimum cornering and a clear separation between the engine and steering.

An increasing range of BMW models already have xDrive and therefore offer greater traction on all road surfaces. xDrive is now available on the following models:

Dynamic Performance Control. Dynamic Performance Control (DPC) in the BMW X6, BMW X6 M and BMW X5 M ensures unique cornering performance.

The result is precise driving characteristics, regardless of the road conditions. In combination with BMW xDrive, Dynamic Performance Control enhances agility and dynamics on any surface. BMW xDrive models.

The BMW 1 Series 5-Door The BMW 3 Series Saloon The BMW 3 Series Touring The BMW X1 The BMW X5 The BMW X6

Contact Benham Wolverhampton for more information: www.benhambmw.co.uk 146

wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015

BMW Economics

Benham Wolverhampton

The Ultimate Driving Machine

PERFECTLY BALANCED. BALANCED PERFECTLY. BMW 320d xDRIVE SPORT SALOON. FROM £289 PER MONTHLY RENTAL (PLUS INITIAL PAYMENT*). Now in its sixth generation, the BMW 3 Series Saloon embodies the concept of a sports saloon like no other car. The feeling of control that comes from driving the undisputed class leader is further compounded by the addition of xDrive. For more information or to arrange a test drive †, call us on 01902 457000 or visit www.benhamwolvesbmw.co.uk

Benham Wolverhampton Lever Street, Wolverhampton West Midlands WV2 1AD

BMW ECONOMICS.

Official fuel economy figures for the BMW 320d xDrive Sport Saloon: Urban 44.8mpg (6.3l/100km). Extra Urban 68.9mpg (4.1l/100km). Combined 57.6mpg (4.9l/100km). CO2 emissions 128g/km. Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions. *Initial Payment £4,699. Price shown is for a 48 month Personal Contract Hire agreement for a BMW 320d xDrive Sport Saloon with optional metallic paint, with a contract mileage of 40,000 miles and excess mileage charge of 5.50p per mile. Applies to new vehicles ordered between 1 October and 31 December 2014 and registered by 31 March 2015 (subject to availability). Retail customers only. At the end of your agreement you must return the vehicle. Excess mileage, vehicle condition and other charges may be payable. Hire available subject to status to UK residents aged 18 or over. Guarantees and indemnities may be required. Terms and conditions apply. Offer may be varied, withdrawn or extended at any time. Hire provided by BMW Financial Services (GB) Limited, Bartley Way, Hook, Hampshire RG27 9UF. We commonly introduce customers to BMW Financial Services. This introduction does not amount to independent financial advice. †Test drive subject to applicant status and availability.

www.wolverhamptonwestmag.co.uk

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wolverhampton west magazine | january 2015