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ISSUE 54 : JANUARY 2014

WELCOME TO 2014!

Help your child with Kip McGrath

Recipe: Cod & Pancetta Fishcakes

PLUS LOCAL BUSINESSES SHOWCASED • Codicote • Kimpton • Whitwell • Preston • Breachwood Green • Graveley • Little Wymondley • Great Wymondley • St. Ippolyts • Gosmore • Knebworth • Welwyn Village Village Life Hitchin Issue 54, 0114.indd 1

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James Howe Landscapes Design

Construction

Maintenance

Design Services Grass Cutting Planting Turfing Drainage Garden Clearance Brickwork Tree Work Hedge Reductions Patios Driveways Fencing Decking Rockeries Water Features Free quotation and advice.

With James Howe Landscapes, you are guaranteed a friendly, reliable and quality service.

M: 07787 517372

T: 01438 820148

jameshowelandscapes@btinternet.com Village Life Hitchin Issue 54, 0114.indd 2

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rk

y,

WELCOME TO JANUARY! New Year is the time to bid farewell to the previous year and welcome the coming year. It is the time to forget and leave behind all past memories that are no longer useful or worth pondering upon. It is the time for new beginnings and new starts in life, get fit, lose weight, be healthy and many other resolutions!

We are pretty hopeless at keeping to them so we wish you luck if you have made any!

To start the New Year we have more great features – Gaynor Dawson looks at your hopes and dreams for 2014, Jonathan Vernon-Smith talks about how to buy a car and we feature Acoline Water Softeners who can solve all your hard water issues.

Don’t forget you can find the answers to the crossword on our website – www.villagelifemag.com and we are also on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter – @villagelifemag!

We wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year, we would like to thank all of our advertisers who keep the magazine alive please support them where you can.

Bye for now,

Jose & Melanie

CALL US: 01438 216950 EMAIL US: mail@villagelifemag.com VISIT US AND READ THE MAGAZINE ONLINE: www.villagelifemag.com

CONTENTS 4:

Local news

6:

Wellbeing: Gaynor Dawson – Jump in to January

8:

Business: Dealing with Hard Water in the Home

10:

Business: Eastway Enterprise Centre

12:

Lifestyle:The best way to buy a car

EASTWAY ENTERPRISE: PAGE 10

DIVORCE & BANKRUPTCY: PAGE 18

14-15: Business: Kip McGrath – Getting the best from schooling 16:

Recipe: Cod & Pancetta Fishcakes

18-19: Lifestyle: Divorce and Bankruptcy 24:

What’s on in January / Take a break

Where Can You Find Village Life?

Village Life Magazine has a readership of 17,500 people and is delivered to homes and businesses across 12 villages. Find us in Codicote, Kimpton,Whitwell, Preston, Breachwood Green, Graveley, Little Wymondley, Great Wymondley, St. Ippolyts, Gosmore, Knebworth and Welwyn Village.

January 2014

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EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Melanie Saavedra 01438 216950 sales@villagelifemag.com Village Life is published monthly by MJS Publishing.

01438 216950, www.villagelifemag.com © 2014 Village Life (Hitchin).Village Life (Hitchin) is an independent magazine and does not endorse the products or services that appear in the magazine. Opinions expressed in the magazine do not necessarily represent those of the editor or of Village Life magazine.

Village Life | www.villagelifemag.com | tel: 01438 216950

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LOCAL NEWS

Isabel Hospice New Year Initiative As a New Year initiative Isabel Hospice are trying to encourage Regular Giving, just £3 per month will make such a difference.

A regular gift from you allows us to plan for the future because we know, day in day out, that we will have a steady income stream that we can rely upon. £3 a month can go towards caring for people like Patrick to enable him to be with his family right to the end: His wife Ursula said: “The Hospice gave Patrick back to us for the last few months of his life. Their care and expertise enabled him to come off all the breathing machines due to the medication they knew would work for him due to their palliative care knowledge, to ease his terrible pain and calm him… I could not have coped without the many years of experience they had, they were fantastic.

When Patrick died on 14th October 2013 age 67, he did so peacefully at our daughter’s house. We had all that extra time with him and we are so grateful to everyone who made that possible… Our granddaughter writes cards to him all the time and visits his graveside. She will have wonderful memories of laughter with her granddad, for which we as a family will be forever grateful.“ £3 A MONTH could pay for 3 meals a day for one of our in-patients £5 A MONTH could pay towards specialist nursing at our In-Patient Unit £7.50 A MONTH could pay towards a physiotherapy session costing £40 £10 A MONTH could pay towards a Clinical Nurse home visit costing £150 £15 A MONTH could pay towards a Day Service session costing £64 By making a regular gift, you can spread the cost for yourself and make a difference to our patients every month.

A regular gift also enables us to plan for the future, because we know we will have a steady income stream that we can rely upon.

GO TO WWW.ISABELHOSPICE.ORG.UK OR CALL 01707 382500

YOUR MAGAZINE Life L Village NEEDS YOU! Over the last 12 months, we have featured a range of groups, associations, clubs and charities including Codicote Community Choir, Stevenage Choral Society, Kimpton Players, Knebworth Amateur Dramatic Society, The Whitwell Players, The North Herts Ramblers, Preston Cricket Club, Letchworth Eagles Youth Football Club, Herts Air Ambulance, Hearing Dogs and many more.

We need your help to carry on showcasing all the fantastic local groups and associations in the local and surrounding area. If you would like us to raise awareness of your group, then please get in touch by calling 01438 216 950 or email mail@villagelifemag.com 4

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January 2014

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VILLAGE LIFE

Build a brighter future for your child Kip McGrath’s qualified teachers create individual tutoring programmes for your child, using proven Kip McGrath methods of tuition.

Maths Reading Call today English Spelling for a FREE Comprehension assessment STEVENAGE • 01438 365467 19-21 Middle Row, Stevenage SG1 3AW

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01438 712712 January 2014

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WELLBEING

Jump into January!

What are your hopes and dreams as we begin the New Year?

Gaynor Dawson is a Behavioural Change Coach and Managing Director of Life Practice Hitchin. This month she talks to us about reaching your goals in 2014…

S

o, it’s January and the start of a brand New Year.

How are you feeling? Are you excited that it’s a New Year and happy with what you achieved in 2013? Are you setting yourself targets and imagining achieving your desired outcome? Or are you feeling a bit low after all the festivities of December and facing another year of being held back by unresolved negative emotions from the past, a fear or phobia, stress, depression, family issues or a traumatic memory?

Maybe it’s your partner, child, friend or other family member who is being held back from reaching their full potential.

I work with clients on a daily basis to help them achieve their goals, whatever they may be. I have a whole host of skills that I utilise to ensure that everyone receives a tailor-made programme to address their individual needs. These include Neuro Linguistic Programming, Counselling skills, Hypnotherapy, Emotional Freedom Technique and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.

I recently worked with someone who has given me permission to write about him. He was suffering from stress, depression and panic attacks which were so severe and terrifying that he was forced to give up work. When he started his sessions with me he was struggling to get out of bed most days and felt that he didn’t know who he was anymore. He had no direction, motivation or goals and felt overwhelmed and out of control.

In our first session he told me he couldn’t see the point of anything and had only come to me because his

partner had begged him to. We spent some time talking about why he would settle for living this way. We then worked together for three months using all of the tools in my kit. We set a goal for him to overcome the panic attacks and to feel well enough to return to work.

Of course, the service I offer is not a magic wand, I am merely the facilitator; it’s the client who has to do the work. Shortly before Christmas, the client emailed me to tell me that he had returned to work after an absence of 18 months. In his email he said, “I feel like me again!

I could not have done it without you, thank you” I’m wondering if there’s something stopping you, your partner, friend, child or family member from achieving what you want to in 2014 – whether the goal is to lose weight and change your relationship with food, stop smoking, overcome that fear or phobia, manage your stress or break free of anything else that is holding you back.

To help you jump into January, Life Practice Hitchin is running a New Year special offer. Book and pay for four weekly sessions before 31st January 2014 and the cost will be £190 for the programme (which is a saving of £190!).You can find more details about this special offer on my website.

So go on, jump into January and make those changes - what have you got to lose?

info@lifepracticehitchin.co.uk www.lifepracticehitchin.co.uk Life Practice Hitchin, 30 Bancroft, Hitchin SG5 1LA 01462 337020 | 07714 781016 6

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VILLAGE LIFE

ST PAUL’S WALDEN SCHOOL Come and see our School in Action!

If you are looking for a school place for September 2014 we warmly invite you to view our school and meet our amazing children and staff.

Our children enjoy:

• An action packed curriculum and exciting Enrichment sessions • Inspirational teaching • Small classes and a high staff ratio • Excellent learning facilities • Enjoyable Forest School sessions • Specialist music and sports facilitators • Excellent KS2 results – English Level 4: 100%, Maths Level 4: 92% “Pupils’ enthusiasm and excellent behaviour contribute to their good achievement.” Ofsted, 2011 St Paul’s Walden School is situated in the village of Whitwell. Our pupils come from Whitwell village, the nearby towns of Hitchin and Letchworth and surrounding villages. We are only a 10 minute drive from Hitchin, Stevenage, Harpenden and Luton.

To book an appointment to visit our school, please contact us.

Telephone: 01438 871241; Email: admin@stpaulswalden.herts.sch.uk Find out more about our school at www.stpaulswalden.herts.sch.uk

Visit our beautiful

Bathroom Showroom ...With more than 50 displays of bathrooms, furniture & fittings Free in-house 3D design service Quality products from leading manufacturers Experienced staff offering impartial advice Free delivery within a 20 mile radius of our showroom

01438 725309

bathrooms@stevenageplumbing.co.uk www.stevenageplumbing.co.uk

Caxton House, Caxton Way, Stevenage, Herts. SG1 2XS January 2014

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BUSINESS

Dealing with Hard Water in the Home

T

he water that comes out of your tap is not totally pure. Water is a good solvent and it can absorb chemicals quite easily. When water absorbs magnesium and calcium, especially in areas such as Hertfordshire where limestone is present, it is said to be ‘hard’. There are differing degrees of ‘hardness’ depending on where you live in the county. An average hard water home builds up 1/16th (1.5mm) of an inch of scale per year.

There is no evidence that hard water is any risk to your health, but there are a number of disadvantages of having hard water in your home.The only way to ensure you get soft water and the many benefits it brings you and your home is to install a Water Softener, which is installed by plumbing it ‘in line’ usually where the water enters the property.The Softener release either magnetic, electromagnetic or radio wave pulses into the water to remove calcium and magnesium (hardness) from the water.

What are the benefits of soft water?

The simple answer is that soft water saves you money.

There are also other benefits associated with soft water.

Appliances – Limescale deposits build up on immersion heaters, in kettles, washing machines, irons, dishwashers and inside pipes and hot water cylinders. Not only will a water softener start to remove the limescale that is in your pipes and on your heating elements, but it will also prevent any further deposits in the future.

Because elements that are already ‘furred’ up have to heat the limescale before they can heat the water, a scale free system will use less energy, saving on heating bills by as much as 70%. Just 3mm of scale increases your hot water bills by over 25%.

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Your appliances will also enjoy a longer life expectancy once a water softener is installed.

Shampoos – Hard water soaks up shampoos and

bubble bath. Soft water also has a ‘silky’ feel to it and helps considerably those people who may suffer from eczema, psoriasis and dry skin. A bath stays clean with soft water and showerheads flow better as there is no scale blocking the outlet holes.

Detergents – With soft water in your home, you will need less soap powder in your washing machine and less detergent in your dishwasher.You also won’t have to add separate salt to your dishwasher’s water softening unit.

Cleaning – Because soft water leaves fewer residues than hard water, you’ll need less of your cleaning product and it will take you less time and effort. A study found that softened water cut the average time required for cleaning baths, sinks, taps, shower screens etc by nearly 40% as against a hard water home. Soft water also means it is easier to keep toilets clean and any crockery from a dishwasher dries both spot and stain free.

Cooking and drinking – People cooking with soft water claim that it enhances the taste and colour of food.

If you would like to find out more information on how you could benefit from a Water Softener, contact Acoline Softeners on 01462 811487. Acoline Softeners are a local company who have been selling water softeners and drinking water products for over 30 years. They have a vast wealth of knowledge and experience on all matters to do with the softening and purifying of domestic water and are one of the leading suppliers in the UK.

19/12/2013 18:40

ACOLINE WATER SOFTENERS LTD

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01462 811487 w w w. a c o l i n e s o f t e n e r s . c o . u k Village Life Hitchin Issue 54, 0114.indd 9

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BUSINESS

A Friendly and Flexible Way of Working…

Working alone – especially from home – is cost effective but can be distracting too.

Whether you need an office, a desk or someone to answer your phone when you’re busy, Eastway Enterprise Centre can help. Enjoy the freedom and professional image of a business address, receptionist and meeting facility; all within Hitchin town centre.

“We understand the demands of running a business” explains Mark Robinson, who runs Eastway with his father. “You can concentrate on running your business, leaving everything else to us as all space is fully serviced.

We’re in the town centre, which is ideal for banks, the Post Office and restaurants.”

2014 is an exciting year for Eastway. A new building opens this month, with open days on 22nd and 23rd of January. Call 01462 429 700 to arrange a viewing.

Mark is especially proud of the building’s green credentials: “We’ve introduced environmentally friendly options wherever possible, including LED lighting and the latest energy efficient systems.” In fact, this family team has already won Green Business awards.

Eastway offers a friendly business community with first class customer service. Space is offered as a desk or various office sizes. Mail and call handling are available too, supporting you as your business grows.

To celebrate the opening of their new building, Eastway is offering our readers a special offer. Book any services for three months – for half price! Call 01462 429 700 or visit www.eastwayenterprise.co.uk.

Book by 31st January 2014 quoting VL350.

You’ll save between £75 and £750!

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January 2014

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VILLAGE LIFE

Need Some Space for Your Business?

Enjoy your own business space in Hitchin town centre with: • Professional Image • Convenient Location • Parking • Fully managed facilities Focus on your business; leave everything else to Eastway Enterprise Centre.

OPEN DAYS ON 22nd & 23rd JANUARY COME AND SEE US!

Book any service for three months for half price!

Save £75 - £750!

Simply book by 31st January 2014 quoting VL350.

Reserve your open day place now:

01462 429 700 • enquires@eastwayenterprise.co.uk

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13/04/2011 12:5011

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LIFESTYLE

The Best Way to Buy a Car Mobile phones, internet connections and cars are the three products I receive the most calls about on my consumer radio show. Today I’d like to help you avoid problems with the latter – cars! Buying a good, reliable car rather than a nightmare vehicle that will eat into your wallet is a good way to start.

T

he first important thing you must understand is that unless you buy a car from a proper retailer, you have no comeback if the car develops a fault. The minute you drive a new car away from a private seller, you’re on your own if it breaks down.

I therefore always suggest buying cars from good, reputable garages, and if you can stretch to it, main dealers. They, generally (and I use that word with caution – some are awful!), offer the best after sales service.

Secondly, you must do your research. Use the internet to find the most suitable car for you. Look at reliability scores, running costs and insurance. Don’t rush into purchasing a car you know nothing about on the forecourt, just because you think you’ll look good in it. Find something that’s the right size, has a good reputation for reliability and isn’t going to cost the earth to run.

The third thing you must do is to buy LOCALLY. Please don’t make the mistake that so many people make these days. They go to a search website, enter the car of their dreams, find that the only independent garage that has one available in the colour they like is 300 miles away and travel up by train to buy it. If you have a problem with that vehicle it will be YOUR responsibility to get it back to them to repair. That’s going to be a very expensive journey on a recovery vehicle all the way to Manchester! Use the internet to research garages and the people that run them.

Fourthly, if you don’t know anything about cars, then for goodness sake, take someone with you who does! A friendly mechanic is best. If you don’t know anyone who is an expert, then I would strongly advise having an independent check on the vehicle by an

organisation such as the RAC. It may cost a couple of hundred quid, but it’s worth every penny if it prevents you from buying a complete lemon. A car is normally the second most expensive thing you purchase after a house, I lose track of the number of people who spend £15,000+ on something they know and understand absolutely nothing about and then wonder why they have problems.

Please remember that when you find a car that you like, DO NOT PUT A DEPOSIT DOWN UNLESS YOU REALLY INTEND TO BUY IT. When you agree to pay a deposit, you normally enter into a legally binding contract to purchase the product. If you change your mind, you not only risk losing the deposit, you could be forced by the garage to take the car and pay the full amount owing on it. Salesmen and women often suggest the deposit in a relaxed manner. Don’t be fooled, when you change your mind, the relaxed manner will probably fly right out of the window.

Never pay the full amount requested for a vehicle.

The garage will price a vehicle up with some room for negotiation. If you pay the price on the windscreen, you’re probably paying over the odds. Remember car salesmen and women are employed partly because of their ability to get as much money out of you as possible and make the company as much profit. Bear this in mind at all times when agreeing a price to pay. If you’re hopeless at doing a deal, then take someone with you who is good at it!

Finally, if you follow all of my advice and you STILL have a problem with it or the garage, then you can contact me at BBC Three Counties Radio and I’ll do my best to try and help you.

Written by Jonathan Vernon-Smith presenter of the Award Winning JVS Show on BBC Three Counties Radio.

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January 2014

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VILLAGE LIFE

RUSSELL DICKSON GARDEN LANDSCAPE DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION

Stonework Paving Patios Terraces Walling Turfing Planting Water Features & Related Projects Call: 07833 591340 01438 821384 www.russelldicksonlandscape.co.uk e: russelldickson33@gmail.com

January 2014

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BUSINESS

Help your child get the best from their schooling this year – contact us for a Free Educational assessment Is your child excelling at school, struggling to cope or working towards a GCSE qualification or entrance exam? If so, contact us now for a free educational assessment to be organised for your child.

Situated in Middle Row Stevenage, Kip McGrath is a purpose built, dedicated tuition centre for children between 4 – 16 years. Our qualified and experienced teachers cater for children of all abilities in any area of maths and English skills.

Free Educational Assessment Every child who comes along to the education centre in Stevenage will be given a free assessment by the centre director Karen Johnson.

This assessment will take approximately one hour and will focus on the areas of spelling, reading, writing and mathematical skills.

At the end of this assessment Karen will discuss the child’s educational needs with the parent/guardian and an independent educational plan will be devised. Depending on the child’s needs this plan may include both maths and English or be entirely focused on one subject.

Our lessons If you and your child are happy, a tutoring time slot will be allocated and we will then create a lesson plan targeted specifically to the student’s individual needs.

H Each session lasts for 80 minutes and is broken into segments of one to one tuition, written work, computer work and then more individual time with the teacher.

H Targets are set for the following week and a little homework is provided to complete.

H We ask that parents do not help their children with this homework.

H Children’s work is then regularly assessed and used to further tailor the individual programme to their specific needs.

H All progress is regularly discussed with the parents.

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Our Programmes can include: Early Reading Programme Our Early Reading Programme has been developed to start at the very beginning with no previous reading knowledge required.This makes it ideal for children as young as reception age or older children who are just starting to read.The programme is designed to teach phonics alongside the more difficult ‘tricky words’ and includes sentence building, handwriting and spelling.

English: • Creative writing skills • Essay writing • Grammar • Punctuation • Vocabulary extension • Phonemics • Spelling • Reading comprehension • Early reading • 11+ entrance exams • GSCE preparation Mathematics: • Written methods of calculation • Solving word problems • Mental maths strategies • Times tables • 11+ entrance exams • GCSE preparation • All areas of maths covered

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January 2014

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VILLAGE LIFE

FAQ’s Q: Is this online learning where the children are using computers throughout their entire lesson?

A: Our lessons are purposefully designed to keep the students interest.We mix-and-match paper based, practical and computer based activities.

We recognise children have individual preferences in their learning and tailor make the lessons to suit each child.

Q: Do we have to book a whole block of lessons or pay for a term up front?

A: No, our centre operates a ‘pay-as-you-go’ system where student fees can be paid each week prior to the lesson.We do however require a two week deposit that is refundable at the end of the student’s tuition.

Q: Are the children taught 1:1?

A: Yes, every child has individual time with the teacher within the small group lesson.We believe young students should be supported at all times whilst being encouraged to work as independently as possible.

Open days Throughout 2014, Kip McGrath Stevenage would like to invite you in to have a look around our centre every Friday between 9.30am – 2.00pm. Staff will be available to discuss any questions that you may have with regard to your child’s learning and how we develop individual educational plans to meet the needs of every child.

Q: Can anyone teach at Kip McGrath?

A: Our centre only employ qualified AND experienced teachers. Our teachers are required to have taught in UK schools and have a clear knowledge of the current curriculum.

Q: When can we come along and see the centre?

A: Our centre is open Mon-Sat each week so just pop in or contact us to visit.

For further details or to book your child in for a FREE assessment please contact Karen Johnson on 01438 365467.

Kip McGrath Stevenage would like to wish everyone a Happy NewYear January 2014

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RECIPE

Cod & Pancetta Fishcakes with Catalan-style Spinach Salad First, boil your potatoes and make a mash. Don’t season or add milk, nor worry if it’s not completely ‘lump-free’. Season the fish and place in a baking dish. Poach in the oven with the milk at 180 degrees for 20 minutes.

This beautiful, healthy fishcake recipe is great all year round, but benefits in summer from seasonal produce. The salad; a superstar dish in itself is a delicious marriage of Spanish ingredients which packs a punch of flavour and is easily my favourite salad dish.

SERVES 2. PREPARATION: 70 MINUTES. COOKING: 15 MINUTES. FISHCAKES

3 large Maris Piper Potatoes

400g Fresh Cod fillets

100g Pancetta (or cooked bacon lardons)

2 Spring Onions

½ Lemon

1 Stick Lemongrass

1 Pint Milk

3 Eggs

4 slices Seeded Brown Bread Salt & Fresh Milled Pepper

4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil SALAD

200g Fresh Spinach

60g Raisins

1 Red Apple

1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Fresh Red Chilli (optional)

30g Pine Nuts

Finely chop the Spring Onions, Lemongrass and Pancetta and put in a mixing bowl. Once cooked, allow the fish to cool, drain off the milk, remove the skin and flake into the mixing bowl. Add the mash and mix together with the juice of half a lemon, a few pinches of salt and freshly milled pepper.

Zest a little of the rind into the mix as well for a deeper ‘lemon-ey’ taste.

Whisk 3 eggs for 30 seconds, toast the bread, cool and blitz in a blender to make crumbs. The seeds in the bread will add a good crunch and won’t absorb as much oil.

Divide the mix into 6 fishcakes, breadcrumb by dusting with flour, dipping in the egg, and then coating in breadcrumbs.

Heat the Olive Oil on a low heat in a shallow pan and brown fishcakes either side. Remove from the oil, pat with kitchen paper to remove excess oil and bake in the oven for a further 6-8 minutes.

To make your salad, remove the seeds and chop the chilli as small as you can. Use your discretion with how much you use; you don’t want it to be spicy, but if used in the right quantity, chillies can emphasise the flavours in any dish. Warm the oil in a saucepan, add the Pine Nuts, chopped Apple and whole Raisins.

Throw in some chilli.

Mix Crème Fraiche with chopped chives and a squeeze of lemon and put in a dipping pot. Here comes the important part...

Remove from the heat completely; make sure the rest of your dish is ready and add the spinach to the pan. Mix quickly so that the Spinach heats, but does not wilt and reduce to nothing. Build in a deep dish with the fishcakes on top, a dollop of the Chive Crème Fraiche and a wedge of lemon.

Enjoy with a cold, crisp glass (or bottle) of Pinot Gris.

ACCOMPANIMENT Fresh Chives Crème Fraiche Lemon Wedges 16

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From Adam at the White Horse in Welwyn Telephone: 01438 714366 www.thewhitehorse-welwyn.co.uk

Village Life | www.villagelifemag.com | tel: 01438 216950

January 2014

19/12/2013 18:40

VILLAGE LIFE

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LIFESTYLE

Divorce & Bankruptcy As at this time of year families are often tempted to spend beyond their means, I will look at the situation where a spouse makes his or her financial claims within Divorce Proceedings and the other spouse is made bankrupt.

A

ll too often, chronic debt can contribute towards the breakdown of a marriage.The primary concern of the solvent spouse is to preserve his or her share of the matrimonial assets. Often, the primary carer of the children will seek an outright transfer of the matrimonial home to ensure security and housing for the children.

Ordinarily, where a spouse is made bankrupt, the other party and the children are “left clinging to the wreckage”.

If we take the example where the husband is made bankrupt, his interest in the matrimonial home and any other assets are transferred to the Trustee in Bankruptcy to be distributed amongst his creditors.The husband therefore has no property against which his wife can then claim.

Orders made in family orders (other than for payment of a lump sum and legal costs) are not “provable” debts in a bankruptcy.This means that the bankrupt remains liable under the order in spite of the bankruptcy.

What happens if the husband petitions for his own bankruptcy in order to defeat the wife’s claims? The Courts show a much more robust approach to this 18

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issue. More often than not, the Court will set aside the Bankruptcy Order and dismiss the Bankruptcy Petition on the basis that it is a sham. So whilst an order for payment of a lump sum will be a provable debt for the purposes of bankruptcy, if a spouse who is clearly not insolvent petitions for their own bankruptcy in the hope that they will be absolved from paying, they will find that they get short shrift from the court.

There is always a battle between the interests of the creditors and those if the bankrupt’s spouse and family. If a financial order is made in divorce proceedings transferring assets from the indebted party to their spouse who in turn subsequently goes bankrupt, the creditors will wish to claw back the bankrupt’s assets for themselves. Historically, where assets are being transferred by order of the court in divorce proceedings, the creditors have taken the view that the court may be reluctant to allow the transfer to be set aside on a subsequently bankruptcy.

A recent judgement initially seemed to be a victory for the creditor’s interests, but this was subsequently reversed on appeal.There is also the issue of the income needs of the family.Where the bankrupt’s assets are insufficient to

Village Life | www.villagelifemag.com | tel: 01438 216950

January 2014

19/12/2013 18:40

VILLAGE LIFE

country. Personal debt is currently just under £1.43 trillion with 80% of debt secured against homes. Currently, UK personal debt equates to £28,489 for each person in this country.

In the last quarter there have been about 6,000 bankruptcies.

Where a marriage has broken down with one party being insolvent, it is imperative that specialist legal advice is obtained in the subsequent divorce proceedings as promptly as possible, especially where there are substantial debts and significant assets.

discharge the bankruptcy debts, the court will order the bankrupt spouse to pay a contribution towards those debts from his income.

Where the parties are still living together, the court will take into account the needs of the dependant spouse and children in determining how much the bankrupt spouse should pay from his income. However, where the parties are not living together, then the needs of the dependant spouse and children are not taken into consideration. In reality, however, where there is an existing maintenance order in place, a Trustee in Bankruptcy and the court will often take this into consideration.

The Enterprise Act, 2002 reduced the period for discharge of bankruptcy to only 12 months.This is because the Government wishes to encourage an entrepreneurial approach to business. Bankruptcy should not be there to punish “honest risk takers”.

However, the underlying and unavoidable truth is that the parties needs can only been met from their existing capital and income resources. Financial pressure is often the death knell for a marriage. Ultimately the creditors’ interests will always take priority.

The statistics make for disturbing reading.The UK has the highest level of personal debt of any European

Jeremy Chandler-Smith of JCS Solicitors in Codicote is a solicitor specialising in family law and is a an accredited specialist member of Resolution, the national organisation of family lawyers committed to nonconfrontational divorce, separation and other family problems. Jeremy is also a Collaborative Lawyer and Resolution trained Mediator.

More information can be found at www.resolution.org.uk and www.hertsfamilylaw.co.uk JCS Solicitors can be contacted on 01438 820 946.

JCS SOLICITORS Hill House, 1 St Albans Road, Codicote, SG4 8UT 01438 820 946 info@jcssolicitors.co.uk www.jcssolicitors.co.uk January 2014

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VILLAGE LIFE

Hertfordshire’s Premier Travel Service Airport Direct Cars provides a quality private hire car service at affordable costs, using a modern fleet of Saloons & MPVs (up to 8 seats) for business or private travel.

All drivers are fully licensed and we are very experienced in organising transport solutions for meetings & conferences. Single or multi person travel can be arranged giving you the total visibility on all transfers and costs.

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www.airportdirectcars.co.uk 1 20 Airport Cars Direct HP 0111 2.indd Village Life | www.villagelifemag.com | tel: 01438 216950

Village Life Hitchin Issue 54, 0114.indd 20

20/01/2011 10:09 January 2014

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VILLAGE LIFE

Are you a local Vet looking for more business?

Village Life is looking for a reliable Vet to advertise in the magazine.

If you would like to come on board and advertise your company to 17,500 readers each month, we will offer low advertising rates.

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01438 216 950

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January 2014

Village Life Hitchin Issue 54, 0114.indd 21

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VILLAGE LIFE

For Specialist Matrimonial Advice

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25 To advertise in The Hitchin Village Directory place call Melanie on 01438 216 950 January 2014 Village Life | www.villagelifemag.com | tel: 01438 216950

Village Life Hitchin Issue 54, 0114.indd 22

 

19/12/2013 18:41

VILLAGE LIFE

Are you a local Builder looking for more business?

Village Life is looking for a reliable Builder to advertise in the magazine.

If you would like to come on board and advertise your company to 17,500 readers each month, we will offer low advertising rates.

Contact Melanie on

01438 216 950

There are times when some of us need advice with family matters.

Obtaining legal advice and assistance however can be an expensive process particularly if you have to pay for the costs of instructing both a Solicitor and a Barrister.

Under the new Public Access rules clients can now instruct a Barrister directly without having to first see a Solicitor thus potentially saving a huge amount of time and money.

If you need specialist advice or assistance and want to instruct a barrister then please contact me on

01223 43 1725 or

jeffrey.deegan@fennerschambers.co.uk

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For reviews about KangenWater please seeYouTube videos at your leisure January 2014

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Hertfordshire AL7 3PX

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Carpets Vinyls Laminates Wood Adaptations & repairs l

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FOR A FREE QUOTATION call Ewen McPherson on

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Village Life | www.villagelifemag.com | tel: 01438 216950

23

19/12/2013 18:41

WHAT’S ON

What’s on in JANUARY...

Throughout January until Saturday 26th January Cinderella at the Gordon Craig Theatre, Lytton Way, Stevenage SG1 1LZ Starring EastEnders’ Gillian Wright (Jean Slater), this year’s magical extravaganza promises live music, stunning sets, slick choreography, sensational costumes and spectacular musical numbers. Tickets from £15.50. Box Office 01438 363200. www.gordon-craig.co.uk

Sunday 12th Jan, 1.30pm & 3.30pm Fireside Tales With Granddad, Hawthorne Theatre, The Campus, W.G.C AL8 6BX Cuddle up around the campfire as Granddad regales you with tales. An enchanting show guaranteed to spark the imagination. Tickets from £5.50.

01707 357117, www.hawthornetheatre.co.uk

Friday 17th January, 7.30pm – 10.30pm Haileybury College presents an evening of light music, Haileybury, Hertford, SG13 7NU Raising funds for Isabel Hospice, an evening that will appeal to all music lovers. Tickets £25 (includes a light buffet supper).

Contact Katie.robertson@isabelhospice.org.uk

Friday 17 Jan 2014, Sat 18 Jan, Mon 20 Jan to Sat 25 Jan, 7.30pm for 8pm start (Maninee 2.30pm start) Hay Fever by Noël Coward, The Barn Theatre, Handside Lane, W.G.C AL8 6ST Classic comedy of English eccentricity. Total havoc involving squabbles, instant romances, excruciating parlour games and mistaken seduction.

Tickets £11.00. 01707 324300, www.barntheatre.co.uk/hay-fever/event/201661

22nd - 25th January, 7:45pm - 11:00pm Bancroft Players Presents Parlour Song, Queen Mother Theatre, Walsworth Road, Hitchin SG4 9SP When marital bliss turns into domestic boredom, how do you react? In Parlour Song, this question is answered with a jaw-dropping mixture of paranoid fantasy, surreal nightmare and dreams of escape. Tickets £8.

01462 455166, www.queenmothertheatre.org.uk

31st January, 7.30pm - 9.30pm Ultimate Elton and the Rocket Band, The Hawthorne Theatre, Campus West, W.G.C AL8 6BX Some tribute artists look like their idol, some sound like their idol. Paul Bacon as Elton John does both! Close your eyes and you won’t believe your ears. www.hawthornetheatre.co.uk, 01707 357117

Friday 31 Jan 2014, 4pm Blast Off at Letchworth Arts Centre. 2 The Arcade, Letchworth SG6 3EW A great new show from the acclaimed Kid Carpet. For children 4+. Involves some very lo-fi technological wizardry, turning ordinary everyday toys into magical superstars, lots of laughs, silliness and live music. Adults: £8.00; under 12: £5.00 Call 01462 670788, www.letchwortharts.org

Friday & Saturday 7th & 8th and 14th & 15th February, 7pm for a 7.30pm start Welwyn Wailers Music Hall at Civic Centre, Prospect Place Welwyn AL6 9ER Fish & Chips, Licensed Bar. Tickets £13 from 01438 715979 or email welwynwailers@wfrs.org.uk GET YOUR EVENT LISTED FOR FREE HERE, EMAIL: mail@villagelifemag.com or call us on 01438 216 950

Take a Break…

ACROSS 1. Fearless daring (13) 8. Feigning piety or righteousness (13) 9. Italian cheese (8) 11. Reduced in amount or degree (6) 13. Culture not having a written language (11) 14. Result of previous action (11) 17. Poorly made (6) 18. From Man or Wight e.g. (8) 21. Transcending national boundaries (13) 22. Worker who uses electrolysis to coat metal (13)

24

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Village Life | www.villagelifemag.com | tel: 01438 216950

DOWN 1. Post Mortem (7) 2. Light open boat (5) 3. Grossly unrestrained in behaviour (10) 4. Engine oil reservoir (4) 5. Raise to the peerage (7) 6. Having fewer workers than needed (11) 7. Something left over (7) 10. Spy out (11) 12. Musically In a very soft or quiet tone (10) 14. Checkout operator (7) 15. Give approval or support (7) 16. Port (7) 19. Recorded events for twelve months (5) 20. Hop kiln (4)

January 2014

19/12/2013 18:41

VILLAGE LIFE

Are you a local

HOMEOPATH

looking for more business?

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January 2014

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Tel: 01438 720304

Mobile: 07739 922493

Village Life | www.villagelifemag.com | tel: 01438 216950 Shiron Domestic QP 0310.indd 1

Village Life Hitchin Issue 54, 0114.indd 25

25 25/02/2010 12:34 19/12/2013 18:41

SHOWCASE

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Village Life Hitchin Issue 54, 0114.indd 26

COMPUTER PROBLEMS

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CALL Mike for a FREE consultation

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18/09/2013 09:24 Codicote Online 0610.indd 1

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January 2014

19/12/2013 18:41

VILLAGE LIFE

DAVID THOMAS GARAGES Service is our Business • • • • • • • •

For all your vehicle servicing and MOT requirements Latest Bosch Diagnostic Equipment Air conditioning servicing and repairs Fuel injector testing and ultrasonic cleaning Friendly, personal service from family run team All work carried out by fully skilled and trained staff We do not carry out extra work without your authority Courtesy vehicles available on request

Telephone: 01438 820 288 www.davidthomasgarages.co.uk Newtown, Codicote, Herts. SG4 8UG Now also at Bury Lane, Bramfield – 01992 536 110

January 2014

Village Life Hitchin Issue 54, 0114.indd 27

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19/12/2013 18:41

But we do buy!

Aston martin Audi Bentley Bmw Jaguar Landrover Mini Porsche Range rover

Do you need to sell or need help selling your car?

Contact us by logging on to: www.wedonotbuyanycar.com Call 01462 441460 or email: info@thecaragents.com Autolounge, 7 Brand Street, Hitchin SG5 1HX

Buying and selling with integrity

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