Worcester Park Life
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May Contents
History by David Rymill 6 Ruth Jemmett Writes 11 Health Alzheimer’s: How Can We Fight Back? 14 The Lunchbowl Network 16 Baking Chocolate Chip and Nut Biscotti 18 View from the City 20 Your rights as an employee 22 Keeping pace with the world of words 24 Paint Now! 27 Recipe Thai Beef Salad 28 Hobbies 30 Sudokus 34 Foster carers needed 36 What’s On 38 Crossword 42 Bowling 43 Gadgets to make your garden grow 44 Gardening The Grass Can Be Greener 46 Clubs 48 Voice for Wildlife 50 A Photographer Dreams 55 Kids Play 58 Solutions 60 Published by Malden Media Limited Editor Jenny Stuart jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk 020 8336 2915 www.maldenmedia.co.uk 36 Rosebery Avenue KT3 4JS
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Welcome to Your Worcester Park Life There’s a 13th birthday disco party happening here this weekend. Question was how to make it different from every other 13th birthday parties they’ve all been going to…. Yes, USPs (unique selling points) mandatory! Well, we came up with a few that were ‘new’, including the one where we put a large gazebo up in the garden to accommodate the disco. Fortunately no rain is forecast but it is going to be pretty nippy out there. Hope they all bring jackets. Do you think our presence outside supervising the chimaera would be welcomed? Hmmm, maybe not!. Which reminds me, whose idea was it to go camping at the end of April? I’ve just invested in 4 new hot water bottles. Well, I’m sure the warm glow that will come with being with friends at both events will make them great fun regardless. Still, roll on the warm weather please… Remember that Worcester Park Life is YOUR magazine so if you are helping to organise an event and would like some FREE publicity then please do email details. Likewise if you are part of an organisation that could benefit from attracting new local members next year then why not send in an article. You may or not know that in order to deliver the magazine to most of Worcester Park, we split the distribution over a two month period. So if you have had this edition delivered you probably won’t get the January one. There are a limited number of copies available from Waitrose, the libraries, Manor Drive surgery, St Marys and also Christ Church with St Philip but don’t forget that it is also published online - you can get the link from our website. So, until next month, best wishes,
Jenny
Please note that the opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent Jenny Stuart, Editor & publisher the views of the editor. All advertisements P.S. Please remember to mention the Worcester Park are commercial and not indicative of any Life when replying to adverts, and get in endorsement by the editor who accepts no touch by 17th of May responsibility for any loss suffered directly if you’d like your business, Club or indirectly by any reader as a result of any or event to feature in the June advertisement or notice published in this edition(s). magazine. All in-house artwork and editorial presented in this magazine remains the copyright of Malden Also publishing Media Ltd. Malden’s Village Voice No part of this magazine may be reproduced, Follow us on Facebook stored on any retieval system, or transmitted in New Malden’s Village Voice any form - electronic, mechanical. recording, and Worcester Park Life photocopying,Please or otherwise without prior Worcester Park Life when you speak to our advertisers remember to mention permission from the Publisher.
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Worcester Park History Cuddington and Old Malden in 1926 by David Rymill This month we conclude our tour of Worcester Park in 1926, in commemoration of the Queen’s 90th birthday. A 1926 traveller arriving at Worcester Park Station might have turned right at the foot of Station Approach, and passed Malden Green Farm. This was then the base for Edgar Little’s Albermarle Shooting School, where sportsmen and women could practise using clay pigeons, in the fields later developed as Pembury Avenue and Kingshill Avenue. The Queen’s father, as Duke of York, had visited in 1923, and his Comptroller subsequently wrote a letter expressing the Duke’s appreciation. Many readers will remember the Parker family running their business at Malden Green Farm, initially as coal merchants, and later in the training of showjumpers and in turf management, but it was not until 1932 that they moved here, and in 1926 they were still based at 2 Idmiston Road. Malden Road still largely ran between fields at this time, until one reached Plough Green: on the left-hand side, the 1926 directory only lists the Institute, and three houses, including one of the two lodges to Fullbrooks, the mansion belonging to the Weeding family which stood in the area now bounded by Avondale Avenue, Perry How and Manor Way. By the mid 1920s the main house was derelict, but Daisy and Alan Tolley recalled living in some of the outbuildings at that time, and rollerskating in the long first-floor room over the stables. In 1926 The Plough was being run by Alfred Dovey, but presumably his tenure did not continue long after this, as an article in The Malden Gazette in 1928 commented that visitors would find ‘Host [Frank] Huggins one of the most genial of men’.
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On the south side of Church Road, there were several houses and cottages between The Plough and Malden Parochial School, as well as the smithy run by John Newson Balls and the other lodge for Fullbrooks (near the present library site). Close to today’s Yew Tree Close was Pond Farm, run in 1926 by James Marden. The north side was largely open between ‘Tubby’ Hyde’s general stores (now the Rosmarino restaurant) and the Manor Farmhouse
(later Orchard House); Maurice Upperton recalled that there was an orchard where Brockenhurst Avenue was later built, and that Frederick Ingleby, Mr Marden’s predecessor at Pond Farm, kept geese here which were an ample guard for the fruit. Alongside the school grounds, our 1926 traveller could have taken the footpath that now connects Church Road with The Manor Drive – but until the development of this area in the 1930s the path ran all the way to Park Terrace, emerging beside the Railway Inn (the predecessor of The Worcester Park), so it was much used by boys from the Longfellow Road area who transferred to Malden Parochial School after leaving Cheam Common Infants’ at the age of about seven. Maurice Upperton, who took this route from about 1920, recalled that at the Railway Inn end of the footpath ‘there used to be a high brick wall, and on that wall a painted board said “The Railway Inn. Flies meet all trains”. I went home and said to my father “Flies meet all trains??” and I learned then that a fly was a one-horse carriage, so they used to take the carriages up and wait outside Worcester Park Station for fares; that notice was still there when I was a boy, but I never saw a fly.’ The 1926 directory lists George Silcock’s Winser Motor Works here, possibly occupying what had been the inn’s stables. On the right-hand side of the footpath, as it nears Park Terrace, our traveller would have passed the ‘Bungalow Nursery’ premises of the Dare family, on the land where Orchard Court would be built a few years later. The Dares also ran the ‘Rose Nursery’ at the top of Central Road, alongside the Cheam Common Schools. One of our illustrations this
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1860s-90s were still standing. Already, however, change was beginning: two three-storey mansions, Oaklands and St Katharine’s, which stood just above the present junction with Woodlands Avenue, and just below the corner of Suffolk Road, respectively, had already been converted into multiple occupancy, and seven new houses had been built on the left-hand side, above Salisbury Road, in the years preceding 1926.
month shows that they advertised themselves as nurserymen, florists and landscape gardeners. From here our traveller might have continued past the Post Office closing off the top of Park Terrace, and the row of shops on the site now occupied by Browns, which in 1926 included Woods the butchers, the small stationery shop run by Miss Greenwood, a dairy and a greengrocer. Continuing around the corner, in The Avenue almost all the large Victorian houses built in the
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Approaching the top of The Avenue, our traveller in 1926 would have seen St Mary’s Church looking much as it does today, as the later extensions have been at the western end, although it was only in the 1950s that the Garden of Remembrance was laid out and the lych-gate installed. Our other illustration shows the view towards St Mary’s on a postcard from the first half of the 20th century. At St Mary’s on Saturday 21st May at 6.30pm there will be a harp recital by Margaret Watson to raise funds for enhancements to the Garden of Remembrance. Margaret Watson has played the harp for members of the Royal Family, and at National Trust properties, charity events and private functions. Harp music can be therapeutic, so she regularly entertains residents of residential and care homes, and as a member of the charity Music in Hospitals gives bedside concerts for patients. Tickets for the concert (£7.50) will be available on the door, and will include soft drinks and nibbles beforehand and in the interval. In addition to performing, she will give the audience an introduction to the history of the harp. David Rymill David.Rymill1993@alumni.aber.ac.uk (020) 8330 6563 Worcester Park, Old Malden and North Cheam: History at our Feet Published in 2012 and available at £10 (plus £2 towards postage if required) from the Rymill family. Ring 020 8330 6563 for more details. This 300page book tells the story of Worcester Park from the Iron Age to the present day, and includes memories of local life from 1908 onwards, and over 150 maps, photographs and drawings - mostly never published before.
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Ruth Jemmett Writes Darling Buds And Skylarks Ruth Jemmett Takes Us Into The Month of Popping Buds William Shakespeare rejoiced in seeing “the darling buds of May”, and we should surely do the same. There is something particularly uplifting about observing tightly closed buds on flowers, shrubs and trees slowly uncurl at this time of the year. At last our showery Spring is giving way to more settled weather, when we can begin to enjoy our gardens, without having a rake in one hand and a brolly in the other! It is, at last, a pleasure to step outside the door. The poet Liz Cowley wrote a wonderful book called Outside In My Dressing Gown, in which she describes her morning jaunts into her garden. Her description of her morning walks around her patch echoes my own meanderings amongst my flower beds perfectly: “The builders on the roof next door were once surprised to see me there - amazed to watch me pottering in slippers, and with unbrushed hair”. There is something magical about greeting a garden in the morning, however unkempt one looks! Here in Salisbury Road the air is alive with birdsong. I am an avid bird-watcher, and tend to my bird table on a daily basis. Three squirrels vie with the birds to get to the nut containers first! We are fortunate enough to live near the old Tolworth Court Farm site. Seeing and hearing skylarks in that vicinity is a joy at this time of the year. The poet Shelley immortalised this bird’s uplifting song when he wote:, “Hail to thee blithe spirit! Bird thou never wert, That from heaven or near it, Pourest thy full heart In profuse strains of unmediated art”. Those of you who enjoy classical music will be familiar with ‘Lark Ascending’ that was composed by the late composer Ralph Vaughan Williams. I recently had the pleasure of visiting Leith Hill Place in Surrey, where he once lived and where he composed the piece. (It is constantly No. 1 in the Classical Hit
Parade). The 16th Century house is dedicated to music, and I was delighted to play on one of the grand pianos there. The views from the house are magnificent. It is the highest spot in the south of England. On a clear day one can apparently see both Big Ben in London - and the sea! On the day I went it was very gusty (see attached pic of a windblown pensioner!), but it was a delight to visit such an inspiring place.
When we think of this month we invariably think of May Day. The custom of Going A-Maying derives from the 13th Century in this country, which involved crowning the prettiest girl in the village as the May Queen - perhaps representing the Roman Goddess Floralia, who was worshipped in her five day festival in ancient Rome. This time of year is when we begin to celebrate the warmer weather, and throughout history it has been marked by lots of merrymaking. In the mid 17th Century the Puritans (who were not renowned for having a pint and a laugh) destroyed maypoles, and tried to ban the ribald festivities that often took place. After the restoration in 1660 such celebrations were revived. Bank Holidays this year in this country will fall on Monday 2nd and Monday 30th May. This month is also marked by The Eurovision Song Contest, which first launched itself into our living rooms 60 years ago. Many of us are amazed that we still participate in this curious ’contest’, as the political undertones invariably mean that we are always dangerously near receiving ’Nil Points’! Although Graham Norton does a sterling job commentating, the memory of the dry humour of the late Sir Terry Wogan will forever be linked with the show. Mental Health Awareness week will take place in this country from 23rd - 30th of May. It is estimated that one in six of us will be affected by various mental disorders during our lifetime. The poet John Clare said that “My friends forsake me like a memory lost” when he was battling against his mental problems. There must be very few people reading this who are not - or have in the past - had to cope with a whole range of mental distress, be it anxiety, phobias, bi-polar disorder, or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Many marriages disintegrate two years after tying the knot. How many of those break-ups could be attributed to women not being able to cope with Post Natal Depression, and husbands putting
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everything down to their spouses being a pain in the neck? Approximately 17% of ment and 32% of women are affected by mental problems, and statistically, if they become parents theie children will have a higher than average risk of having similar problems. Suicide amongst young men is at a worrying high. Loss of a loved one can trigger depression. One in five women are heads of families, and fatherless youths often lose their way. Young men will often deal with loss by getting angry and violent, thus increasing more admittances to prison, with some of them committing suicide while they are in there. Mental distress, including depression is not always apparent. If we have a broken leg, or are in a wheelchair the world can make sense of someone;s pain and deal with it more easily. We cannot sweep mental illness under the carpet any longer. Some mental conditions often lead to their sufferers seeking refuge in drink or drugs, which lead to much bigger problems. Some mental illnesses that aren’t triggered by chemical problems in the brain can derive from people having had poor parenting or negative life experiences in childhood, particularly
regarding emotional, physical or sexual abuse Many people imagine that it is only adults who fall prey to mental illnesses, but lots of disorders start in childhood, and are not picked up on. Our coalition government pledged ÂŁ1.25 billion for specialist mental health services for younger people - but it will be staggered over five year, and is less than 10% of the total mental health budget. Prevention of such widespread distress is surely better than merely picking up the pieces a few years later. I would like to leave you on a positive note, so perhaps you ladies out there (and perhaps a fellow or two?!) would like to take these traditional words with you as you step into the sunshine: The fair maid who, the first of May Goes to the fields at break of day And washes the dew from the hawthorn tree Will ever after handsome be! Apparently May is also National Pet Month, and National Smile Month, so get out and about in the warmer weather - possibly with your dog on a lead and a smile on your face!
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“The pupils’ overall success is a result of highly Tel: 020 8942 0754an outstanding effective teaching, Email: info@thestudyschool.co.uk www.thestudyschool.co.uk Tel: 020 8942 Website: 0754 Email: www.thestudyschool.co.uk estu curriculum 5 7info@thestudyschool.co.uk T h e t f o r d R o a d , and N eWebsite: w M a wide l d e n K T 3 extra-curricular 5DP 5 7experience, T h e t f oT r d R o a d , N e as w M awell l d e n K Tas 3 5 D the P pupils’3 ndependent preparatory hool for boysexcellent and girls attitudes to learning.” own
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Health Alzheimer’s: How Can We Fight Back? Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia in the UK, affecting over 500,000 people and public awareness is higher than ever - thanks partly to Terry Pratchett’s well-publicised diagnosis and death and the inclusion of Alzheimer’s in high profile dramas such as Grey’s Anatomy, which portrayed in heartwrenching detail how distressing Alzheimer’s can be, both for sufferers and those around them. But as we welcome Dementia Awareness Week (May 15th-21st), are we any closer to understanding Alzheimer’s causes - and preventing or curing it? What Causes Alzheimer’s? In an Alzheimer’s patient, a protein called beta-amyloid builds up in the brain to form structures called ‘plaques’ and ‘tangles’, which prevent nerve cell connections and eventually cause nerve cell death and loss of brain tissue. There is also a shortage of neurotransmitters (chemicals that transmit signals around the brain). These problems lead to dementia symptoms such as memory loss, behaviour changes and a decreased ability to reason, process spatial and visual information, and speak, read and write. Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, so these symptoms increase in number and severity over time until patients are unable to be left alone safely or look after themselves. But what causes the build up of these damaging proteins in the first place? Sadly, experts still aren’t sure. However, they have identified some risk factors for the disease. Can We Prevent Alzheimer’s? Some risk factors for Alzheimer’s are unavoidable. Alzheimer’s is more common if: • You’re over 65 (and occurrence rapidly increases over 85). • There is a family history of Alzheimer’s or you carry the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene (which can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s by three to eight times) or MTHFD1L gene. Other genes are specifically responsible for rare, early-onset Alzheimer’s (although this is not solely hereditary). • You have Down’s syndrome, which can cause amyloid plaque build-up in the brain. • You’re a woman – even accounting for your longer lifespan – although the increased risk is slight. It’s not clear yet why this is so. Avoidable risk factors: These risk factors are often called ‘modifiable’, as they’re influenced by lifestyle choices that can be changed:
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• • Excessive alcohol intake. • Heart disease risk factors such as smoking (including passive smoking), lack of exercise, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and being overweight. It’s estimated that 14% of Alzheimer’s disease cases worldwide may be attributable to smoking. • A lack of mental activity - so keep your mind active by reading, playing strategic games (e.g. chess) or completing word puzzles. Diabetes, depression and head injury also increase the risk of Alzheimer’s. While these are not necessarily ‘avoidable’, you can: • Lower your chance of developing depression and diabetes by making the right lifestyle choices. • Seek treatment for depression. • Wear a helmet when biking or engaging in hazardous pursuits, to reduce risk of head injury. Although more research still needs to be done, recent studies suggest you can also reduce your risk by: • Sleeping on your side rather than your back or stomach, as the brain seems to remove waste products more efficiently in this position. • Getting enough sleep. • Reducing your stress. • Staying sociable and avoiding loneliness. • Following the MIND diet: Eating plenty of vegetables (in particular, green leafy ones), along with nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil and wine (in moderation), and limiting intake of red meats, butter, hard margarine, cheese, pastries, sweets, and fried or fast foods.
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Can We Cure Alzheimer’s? Unfortunately, we can’t – yet. But there are treatments that may help with Alzheimer’s symptoms. Cognitive Stimulation: this consists of enjoyable activities, often done in a group, that will stimulate thinking and encourage engagement. CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy): this can help sufferers to talk through their concerns and adopt new, more positive ways of thinking. Alternative Therapies such as aromatherapy, animal therapy, massage or music therapy can also be helpful. Drug treatments: cholinesterase inhibitors such as Donepezil (Aricept), Galantamine (Reminyl) and Rivastigmine (Exelon) increase levels of a neurotransmitter called acetycholine, which may improve brain function in some sufferers with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s. For people with severe Alzheimer’s disease (or moderate Alzheimer’s that is unresponsive to cholinesterase inhibitors), Memantine (Ebixa or Axura) may be recommended. For some people, this can slow the decline in brain function.
Hope for the Future Numerous researchers around the world are working on Alzheimer’s prevention, identification of further genetic markers and potential treatments. An Australian team has had success using ultrasound waves to activate microglial cells that digest and remove amyloid plaques in animals, and drugs used in diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis are under investigation for use in Alzheimer’s. With so much research underway, there is genuine hope that we can begin to fight back against Alzheimer’s in the near future. Further information and support: http://www.Alzheimers.org.uk Email: Enquiries@ Alzheimers.org.uk National Dementia Helpline: 0300 2221122 Alzheimer Scotland: www.alzscot.org Email: info@ alzscot.org Tel: 0131 2431453 Alzheimer’s Research UK http://www. Alzheimersresearchuk.org/ Email: reception@ Alzheimersresearchuk.org Tel: 0300 1115333
Alzheimer’s patients may also be given medicines to reduce their depression, agitation, anxiety and aggression.
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Charity The Lunchbowl Network by Jenny Stuart
Last month I spent a week with 3 local friends in Nairobi, Kenya, visiting the work of the Lunchbowl Network. Lunchbowl operates in the Kibera Slum with a feeding programme for 500 children, and now also two kindergartens. We have, over the years, raised tens of thousands of pounds – you may remember some of our recent events…? Margaret Quizmas last year (over £13K), Wild Woods in Wimbledon Common Oct 14 (over £2K), funday sunday July 13 (£6,560), Mardi Gras in Beverley park (£3,150).... Thank you!
Njeri
Every 33p we raise in the UK feeds a child in Lunchbowl and we have in the last ten years ensured that all the children in our programme have been fed and cared for. We have now expanded to education, as the key to breaking the cycle of poverty is to prepare these children for a different life. Nobody takes a salary in Lunchbowl and the trip was entirely self-funded by those of us who went so you can rest assured that every donation goes directly to where it’s intended. It was a very varied week, to say the least. It is as difficult to describe the very warm welcome we received at the Angel Kindergarten which is located just on the outskirts of the Kibera slum, as it is to describe the awfulness of the conditions in the slum where the children live. Our family recently sponsored 2 little girls. Margaret will be 3 on 18th April and lives with her single mother and 2 other siblings. The mother does not have regular work and struggles to feed the family every day. They live in a single room in Kibera and share one bed. Like all of the children at the kindergarten they do not have running
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water or a toilet. The toilets near their shack are padlocked and if they were to use them, they’d have to pay. As such all of the paths and alleys are strewn with bags containing human waste. When children first come to the kindergarten they need to be taught to use the toilets, and not squat in the yard. It really is unimaginable. We visited Margaret at home and the contrast between that environment and the Kindergarten is just massive. Pictured left is a Kibera alley that is Margaret’s walk to school. Angel Kindergartens are an oasis for our children. who really are the poorest of the poor. They are a clean, bright and loving environment which provides a very stimulating learning environment with well qualified, sensitive and experienced Kenyan teachers. We want every child in our Kindergartens to develop emotionally, physically, spiritually and academically this should ensure that the childrens disadvantaged background is compensated and help to set them up heading towards a brighter future; enabling them to compete within the Kenyan system for good Primary and Secondary schools and thereby impact their future lives. If you are interested in sponsoring a child like Margaret for £25 a month please email lunchbowlsponsor@ gmail.com or visit our website www.lunchbowl.org The difference you could make to a young life really is priceless.
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Men’s and women’s health at Spire St Anthony’s Hospital Spire St Anthony’s Hospital has a team of highly skilled urologists and gynaecologists, trained nursing staff, consultant radiologists and physiotherapists offering a full range of services. We use X-ray and imaging when required, including ultrasound, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT (computed tomography). Our radiology team also offers other diagnostic services including state-of-the-art mammography.
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View from the City by Justin Urquhart Stewart The Prime Minister & his 3 Ps creating 3 Problems Port Talbot, Panama and Parents. Yet again it appears that truth seems stranger than fiction. If you had put these somewhat varied tales into a novel, you probably would have been told by the publisher to go and rewrite it into something more credible. As for the Prime Minister, whatever your political views, I think most of us would be feeling somewhat pressured if we had to go through all three of them. Political View 1 - The steel issues around Port Talbot (and the other areas around the UK) have been a storm waiting to break for more than a year now. The problems over the costs of producing base steel have been known about for years, and so the sudden crisis in the past few weeks should not have come as a surprise to either the politicians or the companies themselves. Part of this has been caused by oversupply, not just from China, but also through our own inefficiencies due to our inability to provide power in terms of capacity and (low) cost.
redundancy funds is not the answer. That rarely solves the underlying issues. No, we should look to foster new business opportunities in these areas, investing in new technology where we are still seeing significant opportunities for growth and retraining. Political View 2 - Panama. The Prime Minister probably hadn’t expected his Panamanian connections to be brought to the fore again. Last time it was washed over and ignored but not this time. Politicians should in my view apply the ‘sniff’ test to their financial affairs - that is to say - what does your nose tell you? Frankly, any politician having to admit to offshore accounts should consider their sense of smell! Anyone with a connection to Panama should be hearing a warning claxon and suffering from a nose bleed. After all, what does the man in the street think? The answer is that you must have something to hide. Whether this is true or not, and in Mr. Cameron’s case everything was quite legitimate and legal, by the time the populist press has dealt with you then any saving you may have made will have been cancelled out by the negative media commentary.
Sadly, the media generally lump all our steel manufacturing into a single group and ignore our very significant capabilities in specialised steel and other metal manufacturing and development. There are many of these steel companies that still operate very successfully and profitably (especially in Sheffield). However, what the country has to decide is whether strategically we need to have a steel production capability or not, and not just to have the recycling of scrap. If we do then we have to treat the rump of the Tata operations as a manufacturing version of RBS. The idea being that we can invest in it to see it through the current rough patch of poor pricing and overcapacity and sell it back into the private sector later.
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Equally, we have to accept that areas like Scunthorpe and Port Talbot are not going to able to continue in the same way. Single industry focused areas need to diversify, but that is easier said than done. Nonetheless I would like to see considerable effort being put into regenerating those areas, just as we saw happen with Consett and Corby. Merely pouring in huge sums of Please remember to mention Worcester Park Life when you speak to our advertisers
As for Panama itself, well it will need to open itself up to full regulation and complete transparency if it is to try and regain any of its reputation as a reliable financial centre. The only way that this is likely to be achieved will be through international action against such centres, for example withholding any international support until they start to fall in line with the rest of the world’s financial hubs. Political View 3 - Parents. Well you don’t get any choice when it comes to them and so we have to deal with them each in our own way. The point coming out of the Prime Minister’s issues relating to his family’s financial affairs is that good estate planning should be recognised for what it is - legal, legitimate and only a prudent decision taken to protect the family assets. The frankly childish comments by certain papers about his mother’s transfers of funds only serve to underline the levels of ignorance of many journalists, as well as opposition politicians. Inheritance tax should be moved away from the mass-market middle class as an easy earner for the government. The tax exemptions around private property are to rise soon, but nonetheless it will be
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the new entrepreneurs who may well find themselves being penalised for their success, especially when it comes to passing it on. Time here then for some more radical common sense. We want such families to reinvest in both existing UK businesses and startups. It would be far more beneficial to allow people to pass on assets as new investments rather than just provide tax to the government or as cash to the beneficiaries. We would then move inheritance away from being a negative reducer of wealth and transform it into an affluence generator and a source of more investment for our economy.
Justin Urquhart Stewart is one of the most recognisable and trusted market commentators on television, radio and in the press. Originally trained as a lawyer he has observed the retail market industry for 20 years whilst at Barclays Stockbrokers and developed a unique understanding of the market’s roles and benefits for the private investor
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Finance Worried about losing your job? Your rights as an employee If your employer is struggling financially, you might be worried about losing your job. Many companies go into administration rather than liquidation, however, which means that it’s not necessarily the end for the business. Companies can be restructured and sold on as a ‘going concern,’ with staff being transferred over to a new employer under strict protective regulations. Unfortunately, other companies do enter a liquidation process which effectively closes them down, and results in the unavoidable loss of all jobs. So let’s have a look at what happens in instances like these, to give you an idea of what it means for you as an employee. Your employer goes into administration The process of administration provides a breathing space for your employer to obtain professional advice, and consider all possible options to save the company. They may be experiencing temporary cash flow problems, in which case there’s a chance the business could be sold on. If this happens, the first 14 days are crucial for employees. • If you’re made redundant during this period, you become an ‘ordinary creditor’ and are placed at the bottom of the list for payment. • If you’re retained as an employee after the initial 14-days, this makes you a ‘preferential creditor’ and puts you in a better position financially if you’re made redundant later on. What you can claim as a preferential creditor You’ll be entitled to receive specific payments from the sale of assets should the company be closed further down the line. If that happens you should approach the insolvency practitioner dealing with the process, and obtain the relevant claim form. You’ll be able to claim for: • Any salary or commission outstanding for the four months leading up to closure, up to a maximum of £800 in total.
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• Up to six weeks of accrued holiday pay. • Some occupational pension payments. Any payments due to you prior to the four-month timescale, or from other sources, are paid under ‘ordinary creditor’ status. It’s often the case, though, that insufficient funds are generated from the sale of business assets to pay most creditors. In these instances you can turn to the National Insurance Fund for help. The National Insurance Fund (NIF) The National Insurance Fund holds cash reserves that cover payments including redundancy, salary and holiday pay. You may be entitled to make a claim in this way if: • You’ve not been able to obtain full payment as a preferential creditor. • You were made redundant during the first 14 days of administration. • The company was liquidated straight away. At the time of writing, the limit on payments via the National Insurance Fund is £475 per week, with £14,250 being the maximum amount of statutory redundancy pay available in each case. You can claim for: • Up to eight weeks’ wages. • Up to six weeks’ holiday pay. • Unpaid pension contributions. • Your statutory notice period if no notice was given by your employer, or you worked your notice but haven’t been paid. If you need to claim for statutory sick pay or maternity/paternity/adoption pay, these are made via the Department of Work and Pensions, and HM Revenue and Customs respectively.
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When the period of administration ends The worst-case scenario at the end of administration is that the company closes down. All jobs will be lost, but you may be eligible to claim the redundancy pay mentioned above, depending on certain criteria. You must have worked for your employer for a continuous period of two years in order to be eligible, with the amount due being based on your weekly pay, age, and the length of time that you’ve worked at the same place. This is how redundancy pay is calculated, with a maximum of 20 years’ employment being applied: • Below the age of 22: half a week’s pay for each complete year with your employer. • Aged between 22 and 40 inclusive: a full week’s pay for each completed employment year. • Aged 41 and over: one and a half week’s pay for each year worked with your employer. The process of transferring to a new company If your employer’s business has been sold to another company, specific rules protect your rights as an employee. During an administration process, the insolvency practitioner is entitled to request changes to employee contracts if it means the company stands a better chance of survival (known as ‘permitted variations’), but apart from that your contract should be unaffected. The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment), or TUPE legislation, ensures that employment terms and conditions at the point of transfer are protected in the main. This is a reassuring aspect in what is often an unsettling experience for members of staff. What happens if the business is liquidated? During a liquidation process, all business assets have to be sold in order to generate as much cash as possible to repay creditors. Unfortunately this often means that employees get very little, if any money, which is where claiming via the NIF is extremely helpful. gov.uk/redundant-your-rights/redundancy-pay citizensadvice.org.uk/work/work-comes-to-an-end
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Life Begins Keeping pace with the world of words By Kate McLelland It all started when I overheard a conversation between a group of young friends in their twenties as they googled for an app, then uploaded a blog. It struck me that someone who had been on a desert island since the 1980s would have absolutely no idea what they were talking about. The islander would not only puzzle over the plethora of new words that have appeared since that time: he or she might also be confused to find that some words have entirely changed their meaning. For instance, “sad” was once exclusively used to describe someone who was unhappy, but now it also means pathetic. Other words that have enjoyed a similar meaning makeover include “wicked”. Up to the late ‘80s wicked meant very bad, but after that time it became a slang term for very good. However this slang usage has now fallen out of fashion and today’s teenagers are finding new words - such as “sick” or “ape” - to express approval. It’s easy to blame the modern era for these strange fluctuations in our language, but while the digital age can be held responsible for many of our new words, there is nothing new in the way humans transform meaning to suit different circumstances. Opposites attract “Nice”, “awful” and “silly” are all words that have undergone a similar transformation to “wicked”. “Nice” was derived from the Latin word nescius (meaning ignorant) but by the 14th century it had begun to mean foolish or simple. In the 18th century its usage changed again, coming close
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to our modern meaning. At around the same period “awful” was generally used to describe something that inspired wonder (awful = full of awe) but over the centuries it acquired a negative connotation. “Silly” originally meant worthy, or blessed, but through Christian teachings the word became associated with the poor and vulnerable. Unfortunately “silly” was eventually subverted to mean weak or foolish. Actions speak louder …? Even words describing precise actions can be subject to change. For example, if you “quelled” someone in olden times, the result would be fatal. To quell meant to kill, rather than simply subdue. In the Tudor age, to “flirt” was to make a brisk or jerky movement – typically, flicking something away. Somehow that became connected with the idea of playing with a person’s emotions and the concept of “flirting” as we know it was born. “Decimation” is a word that comes from the brutal ancient Roman practice of killing one man in ten to inspire fear and loyalty amongst any legions that went AWOL or failed to fight effectively. It now means to kill or destroy a large proportion of a group or population. An ever-expanding dictionary Anyone who believes that the English language is set in stone need only do a little research to discover that it is more like shifting sand. Even the official guardians of our mother tongue have recently found it hard to keep up. The digital age has seen a huge increase in the number of new words being generated and the process of their official adoption has accelerated, too. Previously Oxford University Press (OUP) took two to three years before it considered adding a word to the Oxford English Dictionary, but nowadays their web collection of words is updated every three months. Once OUP
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has evidence of a word like “selfie” being used in different contexts, it then becomes a candidate for inclusion in one of their dictionaries. Each year the most significant or important of these new words is included in print. Of course, not everyone is happy with the way the English language is evolving and many blame the USA for exporting expressions such as “to google” (created to describe an online search). But anyone who makes a complaint about language nowadays should be aware that they are part of a long tradition. Sir John Cheke (1514-1557) was a classical scholar who objected to Greek words such as “chaos” and “specimen” being added to the English vocabulary. He wrote: “I am of this opinion that our own tung should be written cleane and pure, unmixt and unmangeled with borowing of other tunges”. Professor Anne Curzan, an American historian of the English Language, believes that language should be allowed to evolve freely. She cites portmanteau words such as “shopaholic”, that
combine two separate words into one word with a single meaning, as evidence of the creativity involved in linguistic development. For example “affluenza” describes the dissatisfaction of someone suffering from excessive consumerism, whereas “frenemy” refers to a supposed friend who is behaving more like a foe. If he were alive today, I have no doubt that John Cheke would disapprove. But perhaps he - and everyone else who seeks to stop language from evolving - should just … chillax.
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Paint Now! Picasso said it took a lifetime to paint like a child. I think that if children paint regularly in a supportive environment, they will experience a joy and creative confidence that they won’t forget. I find the painting process beautiful. I’m currently painting instinctive abstract paintings: I set up my my colours and wait for one to attract me, then when I am finished with it I wait for the next, and so on, until the painting feels finished. I express what I feel in that moment. There are of course moments of ‘it’s not working’, and when that happens I take a break, have a cup of tea, go back to it fresh. It teaches you to have the patience and confidence to explore creatively and that (for example, when everything falls into place seamlessly with minimal effort) you really can create your own joy. I’ve always loved art but I didn’t pursue it at school. I have vague memories of painting fruit and making lots (and lots) of coil pots. I was quite good at copying, but it was tedious. Then, waiting for a job to start (in law), I did a painting course on a whim. The teacher said there were ‘no mistakes’ and just ‘follow your instinct’. It was magical: I had the freedom to create whatever
I wanted, and someone who thought I was good at it standing there, cheering me on! I want to show my students that they have absolute freedom to express themselves in paint/collage/ pencil and to assure them that what they create will be beautiful and unique. I’ve seen in my art/creative writing lessons that this takes quite a lot of convincing; endless exams teach us that there is a ‘right’ and a ‘wrong’ and that we want to be right. But, when the message gets through, I’ve also seen that it does wonders for self-esteem and confidence, and brings so much joy. That’s why it’s important to start early!
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Recipe Thai Beef Salad This colourful and fragrant main-meal salad is great for easy entertaining. Choose thick pieces of steak and take care not to overcook them or they will become tough and chewy. Serves 4 Ready in 50 minutes, plus marinating time 2 x 175g sirloin steaks 1 tbsp lime juice 2 tbsp light soy sauce 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 1 tsp dried chilli flakes 6 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced 8 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced 100g fresh bean sprouts 1/4 cucumber, thinly sliced 4 firm plum tomatoes, quartered 200g mixed salad leaves
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For the dressing juice of 2 limes 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce 2 tsp brown sugar 1 tbsp fresh chopped coriander 1 tsp finely chopped lemon grass 1 Place the steak in a shallow dish. Mix together the lime juice, soy sauce, garlic and chilli flakes. Season with freshly ground black pepper and cover and leave to marinate for 1 hour. 2 Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle until very hot. Add the steak and cook for 4-6 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan, cover with foil and leave to rest for 15 minutes. 3 Toss together the spring onions, radishes, bean sprouts, cucumber, tomatoes and salad leaves. Mix together all the dressing ingredients, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 4 Slice the warm steak thinly across the grain. Toss gently into the salad with the dressing. Pile into a large shallow serving dish and serve immediately, or leave to cool and serve chilled. TIP Lemon grass stalks are sold in small packs by the fresh herbs in the supermarket. You only need a small amount to give an extra zesty fragrance to the dressing but the stalks will keep for 1-2 weeks in the fridge. Try adding chopped to curries, fruit salads or infuse in hot water for a refreshing alternative to tea.
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34 Stonecot Hill, Sutton Surrey, SM3 9HE Tel: 020 8337 2626
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Hobbies The ageless art of Decoupage By Kate McLelland
Throughout history there have been very few people who found great success in their seventies and eighties. An exception was the artist Mary Delany who, at the age of 71, became a favourite at the court of King George III due to her mastery of a particular skill: decoupage. The word originally comes from the Middle French term “Decouper”, meaning to cut out or cut from. It is said to have originated from an East Siberian funeral tradition in which nomadic tribes cut out shapes in felt to decorate their tombs. During the 12th century the Chinese put their own spin on the idea, using cut out paper to decorate lanterns, windows, boxes and other items. It took another five hundred years before the concept of decoupage reached Europe. In the 17th century Venice was at the forefront of trade with the Far East, and through this busy trading hub objects decorated with paper made their way onto the rest of the continent. In 18th century England decoupage was an occupation for well-bred ladies, particularly at the royal court, where Mary Delany spent much of her time. However Mary managed to take the art to another level by dissecting flowers and then painstakingly reproducing them on black paper, using layers of coloured tissue paper to create the petals, stamens, calyx and other parts of the plant. Her remarkable, botanically accurate images won great favour with King George III and Queen Charlotte, who rewarded her with a small house in Windsor plus a generous pension of £300 per year. She finally retired at the age of 88 due to failing eyesight, having created more than 1,700 separate artworks. Today Mary’s work is preserved at the British Museum.
Craft shops sell a wide range of supplies for decoupage but the good thing about this hobby is that you don’t necessarily need to spend large amounts of money to get started: in fact you probably have most of the things you need lying around at home. You’ll need basic tools such as scissors (a sharp pair with clean edges), a craft knife, a soft sponge or cloth to wipe away excess adhesive, cotton wool buds for removing small spots of glue and fine sandpaper for sanding layers of varnish (if required). You can use different types of adhesive but the most effective is specialist decoupage glue – available from hobby shops – which can be used both as a glue and as a varnish. PVA or spray glue are good alternatives, as both dry to a clear finish. Always use a gloss varnish to build up layers as it doesn’t go cloudy, no matter how many coats you apply. If you want a matt finish, undercoat with gloss varnish and then apply a final coat of matt varnish. There are virtually no limits when it comes to sourcing pictures for decoupage work. You can pick up books in charity shops, raid old magazines for images, use wallpaper, greetings cards, paper napkins or even pieces of fabric. Wrapping paper is an ideal thickness and is available in traditional and modern designs. You can also use specialist decoupage papers or origami paper. Here are some guidelines to help you get started on a project:
These days decoupage is becoming increasingly popular as a means to upcycle old pieces of furniture 1. Prepare your surface: the varnish will magnify any or household items such as lamps, boxes, pots, trays imperfections so it’s important to keep your object as and picture frames. It can be used to personalise just clean and dust-free as possible. about any item in the home and the artwork can be 2. Select your pictures and arrange them: cut out as simple or as complex as you want it to be. Just cut roughly with scissors first then experiment with out pictures that you like, glue them to the item of different arrangements. It helps to take photos as your choice and cover the finished piece with thin you go, so you can remember the different layouts layers of varnish to seal it. Please remember to mention Worcester Park Life when you speak to our advertisers 30
you’ve tried. When you are completely happy with the images and arrangement, cut the pictures out carefully with a craft knife. 4. Glue the pictures into position: quickly smooth out any wrinkles and remove any excess glue with a barely damp sponge. 5. Varnish your artwork: make sure the glue is completely dry before starting work and leave the varnish to dry thoroughly between each coat. You may need to apply anything from 4 to up to 15 coats, depending on how thick the paper is and how smooth and durable you want the finish to be. For a fine, lacquered finish, sand lightly after a few layers of varnish and remove all dust. Keep repeating this process until you are happy with the result. If you’re still a little nervous about starting your own project, there are plenty of “How to” videos on YouTube that demonstrate the process from beginning to end.
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020 8330 7557 - Sales 020 8330 7887 - Lettings www.brownsresidential.co.uk
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Children Foster carers needed We urgently need Foster Carers to make a positive difference to a child or young person’s life by fostering. There are currently just over 230 children in care across Kingston and Richmond and almost a quarter are looked after over 20 miles away from their home. Many of the children and young people that come to us have had difficult starts to their lives, many have gone through very traumatic experiences and some are sibling groups, teenagers or asylum seekers. Whatever the age or circumstances of the children coming into care, they need our help to rebuild their lives and give them the opportunity to live and experience a stable, safe family relationship. All children deserve the ability to make a new start, but we need foster carers to help us to provide this. The type of person that we are looking for has the ability to understand how the previous
experiences of a child, or young person, may make them act and can influence their behavior and attitude. They must be able to provide a bedroom that is exclusively used for a foster child and be willing to learn and participate in important meetings with professionals. We need people from all different backgrounds, all religions, and all different social circumstances. They can be single, married, in a partnership, straight, gay, of any age, they don’t have to own their home or be especially well off to foster. If you are interested in fostering, call 0800 085 7072, we want to talk to you! Information Events: Pizza Express, Portsmouth Road/High Street, Kingston 6.00pm-8.30pm Tuesday 17 May Tuesday 24 May Tuesday 21 June
SJL PAVING
SJL Paving provide a vast range of paving and patio services. We use all types of manufactured & natural stone paving. All of our staff have many years of experience. To ensure the highest standard of improvement to your property we make sure that the ground is properly prepared to ensure a long and lasting flawless finish.
• Driveways • Patios • Brickwork • Repointing • Fencing • Decking • Turfing • Hedge Trimming / Removal • Jet Washing & Patio Cleaning • All Tree Work Undertaken • Garden Tidy Ups Please note our new address Unit 2 Chancerygate Business Centre Red Lion Road Surbiton KT6 7RA
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Ring now for a FREE no obligation quotation
T: 020 8183 0156 M: 07857 858486 E: sjlservices1010@gmail.com
Please remember to mention Worcester Park Life when you speak to our advertisers
Do you have space in your life for a child or teenager? Come and find out if fostering is for you at one of our drop-in Information Events below
Tuesday 17 May TUESDAY 26 JANUARY
Tuesday 24 May WEDNESDAY 2421FEBRUARY Tuesday June At PIZZA EXPRESS (upstairs section), High Street, Kingston, KT1 1EU between 6.00pm and 8.30pm - light refreshments are provided.
For more information, please call on
0800 085 7072 or visit www.kingston.gov.uk/fostering To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915
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What’s On
Cuddington Residents
Give blood
BIG DAY OUT Saturday 18th June Noon-4.30pm Find out times an book an appointment by calling Shadbolt Park, Worcester Park, KT4 7BX 0300 123 23 23 Dog Show, Live Music, BBQ, Cream Teas, Bouncy Castle St Philip, Ruskin Drive, Worcester Park KT4 8LG & Stalls If you are interested in having a stall contact 12th May Ann Turner 0208 330 4296 Sutton, The Thomas Wall Centre, Benhill Avenue, Money raised to benefit local causes Sutton, Surrey., SM1 4DP Nonsuch Park 14th April NonsuchR.J. Park isTree a link Services to Tudor England. The Palace qualified & profess St James’s Church Hall, Bodley Road, Newqualified Malden R.J. Tree Services & professional staff dedicated that once stood here wasare a hugely expensive symbol 25th May to the highest levels of service in eve of Henry VIII’s power. The Friends of Nonsuch offer to theSports highest levels of service in every instance. Cheam, North Cheam and Social guidance to a 7 feet model which has been created 658 London Road, North Cheam fromall contemporary documentation, paintings and– on all We are happy to give advice We are happy to give advice – on your arboricultural queries. 22nd June an excavation of the Palace site in 1959. The model is on display in the Stable Wing of the much later • Free quotes • Free quotes Nonsuch Mansion in the heart of Nonsuch Park. The Farmers Market re dedicated model is open from 11 am until 3 pm every Sunday in quali • Fully NPTC • toFully Wallington Farmers’ Market is held from 9am 1pm NPTC qualified November and December Entry Free; cars via Cheam every second Saturday of the month at the Old Town reductions • Tree reductions crown thins please•visitTree Gate. For /further information the website Hall and Library Gardens in Woodcote Road, Wallington. at www.friendsofnonsuch.co.uk ultural queries. • Tree felling • Farmers’ Tree felling Established in 1999, it is the borough’s oldest Market and hosts around 26 local producers stalls every • Stump removal • Stump removal month. Epsom Playhouse, Hedgeworks • Hedgeworks 1st Saturday of the month - New Malden Farmers Ashley Avenue, Epsom, Surrey, KT18•5AL Services qualified & professional staff are dedicat Market. By the Fountain pub. 9am-1pmR.J.•Tree (01372) 742555 / 742227 Tree surveys & reportsStones 30 April • Tree surveys & r The Counterfeit to the highest levels of service in every instance.
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ree!
We are happy to give advice – on all your arboricultural qu • Free quotes • Fully NPTC qualified R.J. Tree Services qualified & professional • Tree reductions / crown thins staff are dedicated to the highest levels of service in every instance. • Tree felling Free Quotes • Stump removal Diploma qualified NPTC licensed • Hedgeworks Tree Reductions / Crown Thins • Tree surveys & reports Tree Felling Stump Removal Hedgeworks Tree Surveys & Reports £10 million insurance liability cover
Look out for th LookOffiout for the red tree! ce: 020 8399 0103
J.tree Servi ces, Berrylands, r.J.tree Services, Berrylands, Surbiton 020r. 8399 0103 07980 903 881 Surbiton Mobile: 07980 903881 and vid Visitallour website for information and videos on aspects of our work Visit our website for information info@rjtrees.co.uk LOOK FOR THE RED TREE!
www.rjtrees.co.uk
www.rjtrees
R.J. Tree Services, Berrylands, Surbiton Visit our website for information and videos on all aspects of our work www.rjtrees.co.uk
3 38 07980 903 881 Please remember to mention Worcester Park Life when you speak to our advertisers ects of our work
The Counterfeit Stones celebrate their 25th anniversary in 2016, with yet another “Sham Rock” experience, 25 X 5. Their skilfully mixed cocktail of classic hits, retro costume and humour continues to intoxicate young and old alike - 100% proof that a good shot always hits the target. This faking masterpiece, hilariously “mockumenting” history of the Rolling Stones from 1962, will take you back, if you weren’t there; or make you wish you were, if you weren’t. Shazia Mirza 5 May Shazia Mirza is an award winning British stand up comedian and writer originally from Birmingham. She works all over the world and has toured US, Sweden, Denmark, France and Holland. Closer to home Shazia has appeared on programmes such as ‘Have I Got News For You’ and is a columnist for The Guardian and The New Statesmen and a regular columnist on The Wright The ELO Experience 6 May A group of experienced guys have come together to recreate the fabulous sounds of the Electric Light Orchestra. Idyll & Engma - ESO 7 May The programme is titled ‘Idyll and Enigma’ with pieces by Delius, Rand, Bax and, of course, the Elgar Enigma Variations.
Spamalot 11 May - 14 May Lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot retells the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and features a bevy of beautiful show girls, not to mention coconuts, killer rabbits and Frenchmen. Many of the original characters from the movie are faithfully recreated such as the Knights who say “Ni” while new characters and other Python moments have been added to hilarious effect, including the classic “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”. Tell Me on a Sunday 16 May Following her acclaimed performance in the Watermill Theatres 2014 production of Calamity Jane, Jodie Prenger now steps into Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Blacks classic musical, TELL ME ON A SUNDAY Bobby Davro 17 May Bobby made his TV debut in 1981, his major breakthrough came with an appearance in Live At Her Majesty’s in 1983. This led to his own Saturday night series Davro, Bobby Davro On The Box, Bobby’s Sketch Pad and TV Weekly which immediately topped the ratings for six consecutive years. In 1991 Bobby moved to the BBC and made three series, Public Enemy No 1, Rock With Laughter and Run The Risk. In 1997 Bobby hosted for Yorkshire Television’s Winner Takes All for 65 programmes. In 2008 Bobby joined the cast of
Care visits at home
Bluebird Care What we offer
Alternative
We offer everything from personal care to shopping, cleaning and social visits.
Care at home offers a realistic, cost effective alternative to residential care.
Bespoke Care visits range from shorter visits to live-in care and overnight stays.
01372 822875
Socialise with US
epsom@bluebirdcare.co.uk www.bluebirdcare.co.uk/epsom
Find “Bluebird Care Epsom” on Facebook and Google+ Follow us on Twitter “@bluebirdepsom”
To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915
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Eastenders as lovable cockney rogue Vinnie Monks. He also performed in the ITV series of Dancing On Ice 2010 and was asked to appear on two episodes of Celebrity Come Dine With Me Syd Lawrence Orchestra 19 May This fizzy and frisky, glittering gem of a show remains the best entertainment in town as Chris Dean and The Syd Lawrence Offering the bubbly verve and energy of that glorious music with a hearty helping of nostalgia, you can hear the music of the swing era brought back to life. Featuring the music of Glen Miller, Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey, Quincy Jones, Billy May, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and many more. Totally fresh. crisp and dynamic. Every show bubbles with the joy of performing! Beyond fabulous! UK Pink Floyd Experience 20 May Making a welcome return as part of their ‘Classic Floyd Collection’ Tour 2016 UK Pink Floyd Experience will again recreated the atmosphere of the great Pink Floyd in concert. For this tour the band is drawing on the whole catalogue of Pink Floyd material, with a set list drawn from all the iconic albums including; Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Saucer Full Of Secrets, Atom Heart Mother, Meddle, The Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, The Wall and The Division Bell. You’re the Top - A tribute to Cole Porter 21 May A beautifully paced review featuring the music and lyrics of one of the worlds best-loved songwriters. Great songs including Night and Day, I Get A Kick Out Of You, Lets Do It and many more are accompanied by an insight into what made this genius tick, from one of the UK’s most accomplished and knowledgeable performers of his work. Epsom Male Voice Choir Annual Concert 21 May It has been an eventful time for the Epsom Male Voice Choir since its last visit to the Playhouse Theatre. During the past year the Choir has changed its Musical Director, opened the Cornwall International Choral Festival with a performance at Truro Cathedral and, along with other musical talents from the Borough, taken part in honouring our lads of World War I on two separate occasions. Buddy Holly and Cricketers 24 May 24 Years of Rock ‘n’ Rolling The World! This breath-taking show has rock ‘n’ rolled audiences across the globe from Cardiff to California, Barking to Bangkok and Swindon to Sweden and is guaranteed to have everyone singing along to the music and dancing in the aisles. It stars some of the finest actor-musicians in the UK whose combined West End credits include Buddy, Lennon, Forbidden Planet and Jailhouse Rock and was endorsed as Britain’s most popular Buddy Holly act when the boys guested on BBC One’s
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Saturday night live programme, “The One and Only”, hosted by Graham Norton. Whatever the season, whatever the excuse to party, make your Heartbeat a little faster with the show that has thousands of fans the world over saying: “I can’t believe it’s not Buddy!” I Got Gershwin! 25 May The songs and life of George Gershwin - American songwriter of I GOT RHYTHM and ,THEY ALL LAUGHED and opera Porgy And Bess. THIS PRODUCTION IS IN THE MYERS STUDIO Hay Fever 26 May Hay Fever is a comic play written by Noel Coward in 1924. Best described as a cross between high farce and a comedy of manners. The Ultimate Variety Show 27 May Back by popular demand following the success of our last Variety show, Able-Unique Plus will be presenting some fantastic new talent. Bear Behaving Badly 28 May THE JAM SANDWICHES AND ICE CREAM TOUR Get ready for chaos and calamity as the hilarious CBBC show Bear Behaving Badly takes to the stage in its first ever nationwide live tour! Come and laugh along with Nev, boogie with Beatrice and sing along with Blue Peter’s Barney Harwood . Joining them is Crazy Keith, Aunt Barbara and Mr Prank in an adventure full of mischief, laughter and mayhem! Pop Factor 31 May A Fantastic Family Show! The Number 1 Pop Show touring the UK right now. Pop Factor, The Concert is a celebration of the biggest popstars and current chart hits! Let’s Hang On - The Music of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons 2 June Following huge demand after their performance here last year, Let’s Hang On returns to the Playhouse with their award-winning celebration of the legendary Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons! 90 Glorious Years 23 June Join Neil Sands and his wonderful West End cast for a nostalgic journey back over 90 glorious years; as we celebrate the birthday of our most loved and longest serving monarch. Singalonga Grease 24 June Have you ever been to a film musical and had the uncontrollable urge to burst into song? Ever wanted to know what it’s like to be a T-bird or a Pink Lady but never quite felt cool enough to pull it off? Well, now is your chance to don those pink jackets, grease up those quiffs and let your inhibitions go for an evening where you are the stars. And remember GREASE is the word!
Please remember to mention Worcester Park Life when you speak to our advertisers
To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915
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Crossword Across 1. Grown up incorrect (5) 4. Confront a watch dial (4) 6. Bird seen in the hibiscus bush? (4) 10. A dose of mixed shellfish (7) 11. Cameron’s kind of love story (7) 12. Type of tree that’s always the same colour (9) 13. It’s about to take a seat (3) 14. Powder found in a digital camera (4) 16. Island Peter Carl Faberge held back (5) 17. Little girl seen on the line (3) 19. Bird seen in the lowlands (3) 20. Airmen initially far back (3)
35. Glide around, extremely cold (5)
18. Teenager making produce (8)
Down
21. Flat expanse near temples (8)
1. Cleaned dishes deposited 23. Loud and disturbing by the tide (6-2) sports implement? (6) 2. Orange mutant wild ass 25. Beloved girl Dan turned (6) 24. Send round the outer to (7) points (4) 3. Country girl? (7) 26. Barest part of the chest? 28. They’re holding crop 4. Chewy sweet to obscure (6) back (3) or cover up (5) 27. Colour of the palest form 29. Sweet plant a gnu 5. Story devised by Cecil (6) cares about (5,4) Horn (9) 30. Massive fireplace, we 31. A mature sort, lacking 7. Stair rail badly set in bar hear (5) professional skill (7) (8) 32. Long and formal letter 8. Afternoon nap in Rosie’s split badly between tavern (6) two points (7) 9. Impure type of referee (6) 33. Knotted when the tide 15. Irish county’s side turned (4) providing an opener (9) 34. Tows back to study (4) 22. Mistaken belief held by terrorists (5)
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Please remember to mention Worcester Park Life when you speak to our advertisers
Clubs Fancy trying something new? Are you looking for a friendly and sociable sport that’s easy to learn and keeps you fit? For a combination of fitness, friendship and fun the game of bowls is hard to beat, and at Auriol Bowling Club you’ll find the emphasis is as much on enjoyment as on winning every competition. That said, the club runs teams in men’s, ladies’ and mixed external leagues, so there are plenty of opportunities for more experienced players to test their skills against players from other clubs. If you would like to give it a go – FREE - why not come to one of the club’s Open Days: Sunday 15 May between 11.00 and 4.00 Saturday 11 June between 11.00 and 4.00. Alternatively, come along at 11.00 on any Thursday morning starting 19 May through to the end of August, and receive up to four free
coaching sessions run by one of the club’s qualified coaches. No special clothing or equipment is required; simply bring flat-soled shoes (e.g. trainers). For more information please don’t hesitate to contact the Club Secretary David Regan on 020 8337 8919, or visit the website www.auriolbowlingclub.com.
Signs and Symbols 1. What is the only sign of the zodiac that has a symbol that isn’t a living thing or things? 2. In which Irish town might you see welcome signs saying “you’ve come a long way” in reference to a song written in 1912? 3. Released in 2011, Ed Sheeran’s debut album had a title that consisted solely of which mathematical symbol? 4. What symbol appears on the triangular road sign that warns of a hidden dip? 5. Derived from the fact that it looks like four Greek gamma letters fixed to each other, the gammadion cross is an alternative name for what symbol? 6. On a standard UK keyboard, the pound sign appears on the same key as which number? 7. What five letter word do you get if you put together the chemical symbols for the elements Tungsten, Silver and Einsteinium? 8. The ampersand symbol evolved from combining the two letters of which Latin word? 9. On British roads, what animal features on a road sign warning of wild animals? 10. Which famous sign had a letter “L” covered up briefly in 1987 due to a visit by Pope John Paul II? To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915
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Techno Gadgets to make your garden grow Great gadgets for the green fingered With the worst of the weather hopefully behind us, it’s time to turn to the great outdoors - and for many of us that means getting our gardens and hedges in shape. Technology can’t quite do the weeding or clipping for us just yet, but it can help in lots of other ways - including solving garden mysteries. If you’ve ever suspected that pets or other creatures have been damaging your plants, the TLC200 Green Camera is a weatherproof time lapse camera that’s designed to monitor your most precious plants and show you any skulduggery. At £139 it’s not cheap, but then neither are exotic plants that you might want to protect. As battery technology continues to improve, tool companies are coming up with ever more useful cordless devices for garden use. Bosch’s Isio Cordless Shrub/Grass Shear (£36) is a great example: it’s a rechargeable clipper for shrubs, hedges and grass, and there’s also an optional extension handle that means you can use it without bending down, and a sprayer tank that turns the device into a spray for pesticides or fertiliser. You can get all kinds of cordless garden tools now, ranging from hand-held clippers to enormous and faintly frightening tree limb loppers, but look for Lithium Ion battery packs, not the vastly inferior and less efficient Nickel Cadmium (NiCD). We’ve been hearing about robot lawn mowers for years now, but every time we’ve looked at them we’ve been put off by the enormous price tags of around £2,000. That’s changing, and it’s now possible to get a decent sized robot lawnmower for around £800. At the time of writing the Worx
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WG790E is £774 (the RRP is £899) and the Flymo Robotic Lawnmower is £835 (£998 RRP). The Flymo has a working area of 400 square metres and cuts 30 square metres per hour, and because it’s virtually silent you can get it to do its stuff when everybody’s asleep - and its anti-theft system means you don’t need to worry that somebody will steal it while you’re in bed. It’s not completely autonomous - you need to fit a wire to show it the garden’s boundary, or it’ll get lost - but it’s starting to look like an attractive way to keep your lawn in great condition. While we’re on the subject of robots, if you’re thinking of investing in a leaf blower it might be worth considering a drone instead: a number of YouTube clips show drones’ propellers quickly clearing leaves from driveways, and while drones are more expensive than leaf blowers (from a few hundred pounds for a good one compared to around £30 for a blower), you can’t use a leaf blower as a mobile camera or fun toy when you’ve finished tidying your garden. One way to avoid cleaning up leaves is to prevent them from landing in the first place. Say hello to the Garden Groom Pro, which has clearly been inspired by those home haircut devices you see in catalogues: it’s a £99 hedge trimmer with its own collection bag, automatically storing and mulching the clippings instead of throwing them all over the path. You’re going to feel a bit silly using it but the reward is a relatively mess-free finish, although it’s worth pointing out that at 7Kg plus the weight of the cuttings bag it’s quite heavy for protracted use. There is a smaller version, the Garden Groom Midi, which is £59.99 and weighs 2.7Kg.
Please remember to mention Worcester Park Life when you speak to our advertisers
Express yourself... 30% OFF COLOUR.
Book a cut, colour & finish or colour & finish and get 30% off the cost of the colour. Available on Fri & Sat with this advert.
“Expressions welcomes a new stylist!” Headmasters trained professional Charlotte has recently joined our salon and will be working on Thursdays 2:30pm - 8pm and on alternate Fridays & Saturdays. Book your first appointment with Charlotte and receive a 10% discount off full price list!
SYSTEM ELECTRICS (CONTRACTS) LTD
• Domestic and Commercial Electrical Installations • Electrical Condition Reports • Full Accredited Certification Telephone No: 020 8878 0281 Fax No.: 020 8878 0283 70 Mortlake High Street, London SW14 8HR Email Address : info@systemelectrics.co.uk
579 LONDON ROAD, NORTH CHEAM SM3 9AE
0208 8330 5000
WWW.EXPRESSIONSNORTHCHEAM.CO.UK
Beer Amber Aroma Barley Barrel Beer Bitter Blonde Bottle Brew Bright Cask Copper Firkin Gas Golden
Grain Hops Landlord Licensee Malt Porter Pump Real Ale Sugar Tap Tawny Traditional Vat Yeast
Find the names associated with beer in the grid and the remaining letters will spell out a related phrase
To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915
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Gardening The Grass Can Be Greener Pippa Greenwood
It’s the time of year when things are starting to look lush and green, and beds and borders are beginning to come into their own. But does your lawn spoil it all by looking like a rather moth-eaten patchwork quilt? Or maybe you don’t have a lawn but think it would be great to possess one of those beautiful green surfaces in the centre of your garden? Whether you have decided your old lawn is well past its best or you want to create one from scratch, it is the perfect time to get started, and turf should still be available from specialist suppliers or garden centres. Preparing the site If you want a new lawn, it is essential to get the site properly prepared. It takes time and effort, but every moment you spend is well worthwhile. Start by removing all weeds, large stones, debris and any old grass or lawn, then dig or fork over thoroughly to remove all taproots of weeds. If the area is really weed infested or covered with old lawn, then most people opt to kill this off with a weedkiller based on glyphosate. Then, once all the plant matter has died off, you can strip it away or dig it in. On sandy soils, incorporate some organic matter to improve moisture retention, while on very heavy soils it is often worth digging in grit and organic matter to improve drainage. Next, firm the whole area by treading it over evenly walking over the site with fairly flat-soled boots is all you need to do. Once done, rake thoroughly with a garden rake and remove any stones or other debris which comes to the surface. Gently tread down the area again if raking makes it uneven. Buying turf Always choose a reputable supplier and make sure that the turf you buy is suitable for the use you have in mind – some, especially those including lots of dwarf ryegrass, are much tougher than others, while some contain a seed mixture especially put together to make it suitable for use in shade. Others produce a ‘bowling green’ effect, which may look superb but will take an awful lot more maintenance and be a good deal less hardwearing. Spending that little bit extra usually pays - cheaper turf often contains weeds and sometimes pests or diseases, or simply does not contain a good grass mixture in the first place. Always buy the turf or arrange to have it delivered just when you need it, as storage never does it any good. If you do need to store it however, you can usually do this
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for a couple of days. The turves can remain rolled up for up to 24 hours, but for any longer than this unroll as soon as they are delivered and lay them out flat, grass side upwards, preferably on paving or plastic sheeting. Make sure that you keep them regularly watered and lay them as soon as possible. Laying the turf It is essential that you lay your turves closely together and do not allow the edges to overlap. Make sure that the joins on each row are staggered (like bricks in a wall), as this will give an even finish. Starting at one side, lay the first row of turf using the adjacent path or lawn edging to form a straight line which you can work to. Roll out each turf carefully so that the edge of one abuts onto its neighbour. Lay the next row of turves, again ensuring that the long edges of each abut onto the long edges of the previous row. To avoid damaging the first row lay a plank over it which you can kneel on to lay the second row. Continue like this over the whole area until your new lawn is in position. Of course no lawn is ever exactly the right size to fit the turf length, so if you need a small section of turf to complete a row, add this in the middle of a row rather than at the end, as this will make it less likely to be dislodged or to dry out. If you want a curved edge to your lawn, lay the turves so that they overlap the new lawn edge and then cut them to shape using a half moon edger or a sharp border spade. When finished, gently tamp the area over using the back of a rake and if any turves sink in then carefully lift them and place some extra soil underneath until they are level. Finally, brush in a mixture of horticultural sand and finely sieved soil over the surface, taking care to ensure that any tiny gaps between the turves are filled in. Care and maintenance As soon as the turf is in position, gently water it using a sprinkler, ensuring that this first watering allows the water to penetrate right down to the root level.
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If it doesn’t rain frequently then you will need to water your lawn on a regular basis, particularly for the first couple of months whilst the roots are getting established. In the meantime try to avoid walking on it too much and in no time at all you will have a gorgeous lawn to be proud of. Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood.com for ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ - fantastic UK grown vegetable plants of your choice plus weekly advice and tips emails from Pippa, Nemaslug, biological controls, pop-up crop covers, signed books and lots more besides.
Andy Reeve
Plumbing & Heating Engineer
Tree Surgery • Tree Felling Stump Grinding Tree Surveys and Reports Planting• Hedge Maintenance Fruit tree management Fully qualified Arborists £5 Million Liability Insurance Local Authority Approved Free Quotations and Advice
info@turnertreecare.co.uk
020 8393 3222
ALL PLUMBING SERVICES from tap washers, toilets & garden taps through to installation of Central Heating Systems, Kitchens & Bathrooms.
No call out charges • Over 30 years in the trade
Mob : 07973 733649 / Tel : 020 8393 0180 andyreeve.plumber@virginmedia.com www.andyreeve.webs.com
KING GEORGE FIELD INDOOR BOWLS CLUB
Learn to Bowl Free Coaching All Ages & Abilities Welcome Bar • Restaurant Social Events Large Car Park FUNCTION ROOM FOR ALL OCCASIONS Jubilee Way, Chessington KT9 1TR
Tel: 020 8397 7025
www.kgfindoorbowlsclub.co.uk
Cypress Garden Services “A cut above the rest” One Off Tidy-ups Regular maintenance Grass Cutting Hedge Trimming Landscaping Tree Surgery Stump Grinding Strimming and Weeding Path & Patio Washing Garden Waste Removed Japanese knot weed removal advice & action For a free quote call Andrew Cudd
020 8944 9882 07958 727272
info@cypressgardenservices.co.uk www.cypressgardenservices.co.uk To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915
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Clubs
To feature in this section email info@wplife.co.uk
Mondays
Do you enjoy listening to show tunes, big band music, jazz, light classics etc? Come along to an evening of live music played by top artistes. We meet on the second Monday of each month at our Banstead venue Banstead Organ & Keyboard Club Church Institute Hall, High Street, Banstead SM7 2NN Doors open 7pm for 7:30pm start.(Visitors £7) Visitors & new members are always welcome to our concerts. 020 8330 5795, or visit www.bansteadorganclub.co.uk
Worcester Parkers Women’s Institute meet on the 3rd Monday of every month 7.45pm to 9.45pm at Christchurch with St Philip Church Hall in Ruskin Drive, Worcester Park. For more information contact Eileen Moore 020 8648 4327 wi.worcesterparkers@gmail.com *There is currently a waiting list. Cheam Common Art Group Small friendly Art Group who meet at Christ Church With St Philip Ruskin Road, Worcester Park 7.30 – 9.30 p.m. Welcome new members just to draw and paint in any medium without tuition. If interested come down for an evening and meet us to see whether this is for you Brenda Banks 020 8330 0928 Worcester Park Over 60’s Welcome Club meet every Monday from 1pm to 3pm at Christ Church with St Philip Church Hall in Ruskin Drive. Worcester Park. All over 60’s welcome to join us for a cup of tea and a biscuit or two, plus some outstanding entertainment in the way of singers and musicians. One Monday a month we have Bingo and every Monday we run a raffle. Days outings to the coast are organised throughout the summer months, and mid week holidays are organised two or three times a year. Come a little earlier and meet up with some friends and have a chat before the entertainment starts. We would love to see you. Contact Joyce on 020 8330 5065. The ladies After Eight Club 2nd Monday of every month from 8pm onwards at Christchurch with St Philips church hall. We have interesting speakers, outings and dinners and all are welcome for a small subscription to cover our costs. Just come along and join in. Carol on 020 8337 2452 St James Players If you enjoy acting do come or help backstage. Monday and Wednesdays 8pm New members welcome. St James Church Hall, Bodley Road New Malden. Mem Sec: linda@dunnz,net
Tuesdays
Vegan Group - monthly bring and share buffet,. every second Tuesday. 7.30pm until 9.30 in Room
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1,Christchurch with St Philip, corner of Ruskin Drive, WP. For vegans and anyone interested in learning more about veganism. The Worcester Park Dramatic Society is a local amateur drama group of long standing. We stage two major productions a year at the Adrian Mann Theatre in Ewell, in April and November. We meet every Tuesday and most Fridays at 8.15 pm in the Elmcroft Community Centre in North Cheam, on the Sainsbury’s site. Apart from play readings, rehearsals and set construction, we have quiz nights and various social events. We also arrange group outings to amateur and professional theatre productions. We welcome new members to help us stage future productions, anyone willing to act or work backstage. membership secretary, Joyce Cranfield, on 020 8337 3317.
“Lunch Break” - a friendly lunch club for those retired, meeting on a Tuesday 12-2pm (term time only) at Worcester Park Baptist Church, The Avenue - free, but donations invited. Occasional speakers. Brian on 020 8224 6675 or Rowena 07837 941298
NHS Retirement Fellowship Are you retired or about to retire from the NHS? Why not join us on the 1st Tuesday of every month from 10am -12 at Christ Church Hall, Christ Church Road, Surbiton, KT5 8JJ. We have speakers, activities, coffee & chat.Other outings & activities are also arranged during the month. Lorna on 020 8337 4121
Worcester Park Crafters 1st Tuesday of each month in the hall at Christchurch with St Philip, Ruskin Drive, Worcester park,KT4 8LG. We meet from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. For further details please contact Lynne by E mail: lynnesinger@msn.com or phone on:020 8330 5903 Our aim is to provide a meeting/crafting place for all crafters whatever their craft or ability. Either bring your own work or purchase our kit of the month (small materials cost usually £2), come and play and chat. (small cost to over hall hire and insurance approx £4)
Wednesdays
Keep Fit Stay Fit every Wednesday 10.15-11.15am at Christ Church with St Philip, Ruskin Road. Come along and give it a try ! Jo Hamilton on 020 8786 3444. The Probus Club of Ewell Coming up to retirement? Just retired? Looking to make new friends? Why not join the Probus Club of Ewell? Since it was founded over 40 years ago, the Probus Club of Ewell has been attracting businessmen from Worcester Park and its surrounding areas with a broad range of professional and business backgrounds. We meet on the first Wednesday of
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each month, usually at Bourne Hall in Ewell Village, for a Lunch followed by a Speaker. In addition to two Ladies Lunches during the year, there is an active social programme for members and their partners with visits to places of interest and West End Shows. Bruce Urquhart, on 01737 373 690 or visit our website: 4newmembers.ewell4probus.org.uk
Talking Of Trains In Surbiton Programme of talks which take place locally at the Surbiton Library Hall each Wednesday evening throughout the winter months. The first meeting is free; the fee for the complete year is just £50. www.talking of trains.co.uk
Thursdays
Sutton Mariners A local offshore sailing club founded in 1988 that meets at 8pm every Thursday evening at the Borough Sports Ground, home of Sutton United FC, Gander Green Lane, SM1 2EY. We are a small and friendly club of about 60 members and have about a dozen boat owners amongst us providing crewing opportunities during the summer months as well as enjoying meetings listening to interesting speakers and social nights. If you would like to get afloat come along and meet us – we’re sure you will enjoy the experience. www.suttonmariners.org.uk
East Surrey Family History Society For those who are interested in finding out how to investigate their family history the Sutton Branch of the East Surrey Family History Society holds meetings on the first Thursday of the month at St Nicholas Church Hall, Robin Hood Lane. Most months we have a professional speaker. www.esfhs.org.uk
Kingston Phoenix Road Club is a cycling club that meets at 8-30pm every Thursday at Worcester Park Athlete Club, Green Lane, Worcester Park. The club was founded in 1936 and currently has a membership of 70. We cater for riders of all ages whether they are novices or experienced and our oldest rider is 84 years old who is still racing and holds several national age related records. Malden Emergency First Aid Society (Mefas) Members meet each Thursday evening at 7.30pm for First Aid training. New members required. Everyone welcome. Hall available for hire. Christine 07966661015 Breathe Easy (Merton & Sutton) Group Wheezy? Breathless? you are not alone, come and join us at your local friendly support & information group for anyone affected by a lung condition. We meet between 2-4 pm on the 3rd Thursday of every month at St. Bedes Conference Centre, St. Anthony’s Hospital, London Road, North Cheam. SM3 9DW
Thursday Fellowship Every Thursday at 2.30pm for men and women, finishing with a cup of tea and biscuits or cakes. A lively, friendly meeting at Worcester Park Baptist church in The Avenue. Well-known, familiar hymns and prayers, musical afternoons, and a variety of speakers on topical subjects, including help and advice. New members welcome. Jean Gathercole on 020 8642 9649 The Worcester Park Hello Club launched last November and is welcoming new members! We meet every Thursday morning from 10am – 12 noon. The club is aimed at anyone who would like to come and join in with board games, quizzes, cards, occasional craft sessions - or just to have a chat and a coffee. Adults of any age are welcome to come and get to know each other. The main aims of the club are: • To meet new people and build friendships • To become involved with the local community • To access activities, information and advice The club is very friendly and informal. Every month there will be a member of staff attending from the SCILL Information & Advice Service – they have information on most topics for all your needs and will be pleased to assist you. The drop in club was set up by Sutton Vision, Christ Church with St Philip and SCILL , working together in partnership. We are fortunate to be provided with a welcoming and comfortable venue at the Christ Church with St Philip Community Hall. There are accessible toilets on site. There is a small charge for coffee and tea at the church café. SCILL 020 8770 4065 Sutton Vision 020 8409 7166 Christ Church with St Philip 020 8330 7630
New Malden Women’s Institute Shiraz Mirza Hall, Manor Park Hall, Malden Road, New Malden, KT3 6AV. 2nd Thurs of each month at 7.30pm Barbara 0208 546 1495 or twocavs@ googlemail.com
Fridays
Bartlett House Residents Luncheon Club is a welcoming social club for the retired from work but not from life! Bartlett House, 49-51 The Avenue, Worcester Park, KT4 7HU. Catch up with friends every Friday 11am-4pm. This fun and friendly club is not for profit, ensuring prices are kept to a minimum so it won’t cost the earth! New members welcome. Dot on 0208 330 2074
George on 0208 647 7530
To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915
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Quest a meeting place for people with physical disabilities between the ages of 20 - 60. However, once a member there is no age cut off. The aim of the club is to provide a welcoming, caring atmosphere for the members and allow the carers to have a regular break. Annual subscription. and £2.50 for lunch. We have various social activities and every second month we have a speaker. Christchurch with St. Philip, Ruskin Drive, Worcester Park. We meet the 2nd and 4th Fridays in the month from 12.45 to 4p.m June Day, Club Secretary, on 02083301220
RSPB Epsom & Ewell Local group 2nd Friday of every month at 7.30, apart from July and August, at All Saints Church Hall Fulford Road, West Ewell with guest speakers who illustrate their enthusiasm on a variety of natural history subjects. We also have several birding outings throughout the year which is arranged to suit all ages. There is a small charge for non-members of the RSPB. rspb.org.uk/ groups/epsom.
Worcester Park Womens’ Club We are part of the National Association of Womens’ Clubs and we meet at Christchurch with St. Philips Church, Ruskin Drive, Worcester Park at 7.15pm. We have very interesting speakers, outings, a garden party in the summer and a quiz night rasising money for our chosen charity for the year. Why not come along and give us a try. For more information call Carole on 020 8337 6088.
General
House (backstage tour).Other special events include Coffee Mornings, Holidays and Christmas Lunch. Newsletters are produced four times a year.If you would like more information please visit our website: www.epsom-ewell-district-nt.co.uk or telephone Paul on 020 87158486 Malden Manor Bowling Club, Manor Park, Malden Road KT3 6AU. New members will be made very welcome. Roll-ups, league matches, internal and external competitions; we offer bowling at all levels of interest and ability. Men’s Secretary Gerald 020 8949 4623 or Ladies’ secretary Maureen 020 8337 5472.
WI
The W.I. has given me a new lease of life. I had been a busy working mum, wife and carer. Now I have an opportunity to meet others who live in my area and make new friends. It is always nice to bump into someone locally - it makes me feel I belong. Who knew all this was happening near me and I could be part of it. No one need feel alone. Trips are available and are wonderful. We visit so many venues. Also opportunities to learn new crafts and skills. We meet at SHIRAZ MIRZA MANOR PARK PAVILION, MALDEN ROAD, NEW MALDEN KT3 6AU. There is a 213 bus stop nearby and there is a car park. If anyone is interested please contact Barbara Cavalier (President). Telephone number 0208 5461495. We meet the 2nd Thursday each month except August at 7. 30p.m. Monica Drake
Auriol Bowling Club Auriol Park, Salisbury Road,
Worcester Park. It is a mixed club of around 45 men and 25 women, who play outdoors from April to Sept with a busy fixture list of league and friendly matches against other clubs, as well as internal club competitions. David Regan 020 8337 8919 www.auriolbowlingclub.com. Cuddington Bowling Club Sandringham Road, Worcester Park and we play on an excellent 6 rink green that has been acclaimed by many of the club’s visitors this year. We are a mixed club with about 60 members and play a range of friendly and league fixtures catering for all abilities. Secretary Mike Ridley 020 8715 8326 Treasurer Mark Broughton 020 8337 9699 Social Dancing With “ Glitters” At Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell Village. 8.30 p.m. - ll p.m. Over 18s. Entrance Fee £8. All standards of dancing. Free parking. Bar. Professional D.J. We even have a glitter ball! David 07903 314276 Mar 4th and 19th
National Trust - Epsom, Ewell and District Supporters Group Formed in 1971, we run a varied
programme of social eventswhich includes Evening Lectures at Bourne Hall in Ewell, once a month from Oct. to June, Coach Outings which visit historichouses and gardens(not necessarily N.T.),Guided London Walks, and other trips to London e.g.The Magic Circle, The Royal Opera
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THE DEADLINE FOR OUR JUNE EDITIONS IS 17TH MAY
Please remember to mention Worcester Park Life when you speak to our advertisers
Sunday Nights Quiz Night 8.30pm
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Voice for Wildlife by Carol Williams Habitat Loss Conservationists and wildlife organisations often talk about ‘habitat loss’ as a reason for the decline of a species or its disappearance from an area where once it was common. This week ( which is early April) I have seen my neighbours remove two mature trees from their back garden. This is the last vestige of greenery that their space possessed, since everything else was uprooted, felled or otherwise removed already - to make way for children’s play equipment and sheds. When I moved to this area in 1984, my road was lined with beautiful flowering cherries and many of the back gardens still had the old orchard fruit trees that were there before the estate was built in the 1930s. Front gardens had shrubs, flowers and trees in them. Bullfinches could sometimes be seen in my back garden when the apples and plums were ripening, as they love the tiny buds - but they are long gone, because the trees in surrounding gardens vanished. I am probably one of the very few residents who still has the orchard trees in my garden - and they are still producing a glut of fruit every 2 or 3 years. The bullfinches, of course, began to lose more and more of the habitat they needed to survive, and so, by the early 1990s, they were gone. No habitat for nests and food therefore no breeding success - the end. They were a gorgeous sight, particularly the males with their rosy pink breast plumage. I miss them, I mourn for them. We tend to think of habitat loss as something big - a rainforest destroyed, a woodland vanishing, a once lush place become desert through many seasons of drought, and so on. But it isn’t only these dramatic things, it is the accumulation of losses that turn a once suitable habitat into a hostile one. Every tree that gets felled, every meadow that disappears, every front garden that becomes a car park, every hedge that gets replaced by a brick wall or fence,every small pond that is drained, every road that fragments a patch of countryside and makes it hard for animals to
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cross and have enough land to forage over - all of these things mount up and eventually turn a once rich or adequate habitat into one that is useless to support a species that once thrived in it. My bullfinch example is happening all over the country and all over the world through every small act that reduces greenness and replaces it with man made objects. When I moved here, I had the illusion of living in a clearing in a woodland. There were so many mature trees in neighbouring gardens that you could hardly see the houses that backed on to mine. Now, with so much greenery gone, the view is unobstructed. It has shrunk my world, made it noisier, less private and certainly a lot less beautiful. Many people seem to like feeding birds. But how many are willing to provide nesting sites for them, and natural insect food? Without these, they cannot thrive, and it is trees, shrubs and common wild plants ( the ones so many people grub up for no reason other than they have learned to see them as ‘weeds’) which provide these things. All we will have soon, if we are not more careful, is crows, magpies and jackdaws who nest on untidy piles of sticks anywhere, they aren’t too fussy, and are scavengers, and urban pigeons who nest on ledges and eat rubbish. The small birds who sing so beautifully need copses, thickets, hedgerows and mature trees if they are to thrive. These little songsters who visit our gardens are woodland birds. Without sufficient woodland habitat, they will decline. Already some have gone onto the endangered list. Many studies have shown that being in an
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I have never wanted to destroy anything in Nature. I have never felled a tree. I have chosen to create rather than destroy, to plant rather than uproot, to live with Nature, rather than try to eradicate. poison or otherwise disrespect it. Habitat loss and persecution are the main causes of wildlife decline.
environment that is attractively green has beneficial effects on people’s moods and sense of well being. Birdsong has also been shown to have similar positive impact, reducing stress and increasing the happiness factor. Children who get outdoors climbing trees, digging in the earth and playing games of imagination outside in Nature do better in school, sleep more soundly and have more robust health than those who do not. All the trampolines and swings in the world can’t compensate them for the loss of Nature and all its beauty and variety.
All of us who love and appreciate the wild plants and animals of this planet need to work a lot harder to try to recreate wildness, nurture and protect what we still have, create space for small wildernesses where currently there are few, plant trees wherever we can, restore hedgerows and ponds and grow meadows not lawns. Let’s try creating habitat and do something to help reverse the damage caused by the past three decades of increased urban sprawl.
Trees are important for the health of the air we breathe, for reducing flooding and they also act as a sound barrier. Do we really wish to live with a background of traffic noise, rather than birdsong? Trees can immeasurably improve the look of a residential street. There is nothing more depressing than concrete, brick, tarmac, paving and parked cars as far as the eye can see. On a hot day, trees provide welcome shade, on a wet one, they give a little shelter from a sudden downpour. In Spring, many are beautiful with blossom, in Autumn they give berries, nuts and seeds for the birds.On blustery days they offer perches and some welcome shelter for little birds buffeted by the wind. I do not like over-tidy gardens - they are wildlife deserts which remind me that too many people believe that every patch of land is theirs to do what they like with, regardless of the impact on any other species. I have always had the opposite view - that I am occupying a patch of land that was once wild habitat. I am the incomer, the invader. I know that the home I live in was once orchard and country lane. Before that it was likely to have been woodland. Once, England was a heavily forested country. To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915
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Tea Time Each letter in this puzzle is represented by a different number between 1 and 26. The codes for three letters are shown. Once you have filled these throughout the grid you can start guessing words and reveal other letters. As you find the letters enter them in the box below. 1
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The Life List Does Not Compute It’s hard enough to understand computers at the best of times, but that’s especially true when things go awry. I defy anyone to explain a KERNEL_DATA_ INPAGE_ERROR in simple terms (clue: it’s nothing to do with nuts), so perhaps error messages need a little common sense? These ones speak my language... Your printer isn’t plugged in, again. Check under the table, like last time. Have you forgotten where your memory stick is? Maybe you should write it down somewhere. Those free games you downloaded have now taught you a costly lesson about virus protection. Unexplained error - but you wouldn’t understand it anyway.
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I need to restart; expect to lose valuable documents. Sorry about the short notice.
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Please upgrade your expensive software to improve the manufacturer’s share price. It helps fund the development of the next generation of expensive software. I have captured your favourites list. Let’s see how long it takes you to get them back. See if you can beat your previous record. An incompatibility problem has occurred - between my dual core processing speed and your level of expertise. Network failure - your online friends don’t want to know you. Unexpected error, which will doubtless come as no surprise. A404 - you have more chance of driving to Maidenhead in rush-hour traffic than getting this webpage to load. Wireless connection failure - this might be a good time to fetch that old LAN cable from the cupboard. Battery is low. Either cheer your battery up or switch your charger on immediately. By Derek Thompson www.alongthewritelines.blogspot.co.uk
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Courtesy Or Calamity?
On today’s crowded roads, driving care, courtesy and politeness go a long way to a calmer motoring experience for everyone. But some drivers let things swing the other way and end up being just as dangerous as the maniacs. Many dual carriageways have a short slip road and it is quite common to have to wait for a safe gap to appear before joining the traffic. I was waiting in exactly that situation recently and an approaching driver slowed down to a crawl and flashed their lights as an indication that they were letting me in. The car behind barrelling along at 60-70+, was suddenly presented with brake
lights and, with traffic to the right of them, nowhere to go. I could see the anchors go on, the rubber smoke from the tyres and the nose pitch down as the driver fought to bring the car to a halt. I was paralysed by the possible ensuing disaster so never did pull out. In fact the Highway Code says the flashing of lights should only be used to warn other drivers of your presence, not as an “Ok, go ahead” message. However, waiting to turn right out of a junction in heavy traffic, someone giving way is often the only way to get out. But if you are the ‘givewayee’ in this situation, don’t just slow down and flash, come to a safe halt so there can be no misunderstanding of your intention. By all means be courteous, but don’t abandon the basics of safe driving e.g. checking your mirrors, just to help someone else.
by Iain Betson
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A Photographer Dreams May by Hugh Griffiths www.creativelight.org.uk I was lucky enough to be travelling for a lot of May last year. I have friends in Pretoria, South Africa and one of them wanted me to go with him to the Kruger National Park for a week or so. I didn’t have to think of this for more than 2 seconds before saying Yes. It’s the end of the autumn for them at that time, and winter is beginning to set in – but that means only that it’s very dry and the temperatures in the Kruger may occasionally go down to single figures. We drove from Pretoria up to to the Olifants camp site where we stayed for a couple of nights before going on to Lower Sabie and then back to Pretoria. The journey up there took 8 or 9 hours; and on the way we drove over the Long Tom Pass in Mpumalanga. It was still early and as we got over the top and started down, there was this fabulous view over the mountains. The cloud was low in the distant valleys and the colours were glorious.
But my proper camera was in the back of the trailer … so I used my iPhone for this picture. It captures exactly what I saw and is worth holding up against most of my pictures taken with a significantly better camera. It just proves that the photographer is the most important part of any photograph – she sees the scene and tries to capture it and the feelings it provokes with whatever resources she has. And it also goes to show that the smartphones we all carry are far from toys in the world of art photography. You have within your pocket the gadget that can enable you to take brilliant photos – don’t ever feel you can’t picture a scene because you left your camera at home. I love sunrises and sunsets – the colours are so vivid and are often so unusual that they can create all sorts of
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emotions in me. One evening, we went up to a viewing place where a gentleman helpfully told us that there were some elephants crossing the river; it would have been hard to miss this herd of about 30 elephants! Most of them were adult or nearly so, but there were a small number of babies among them and they were doing that classic elephant thing of hanging on to their mother’s tail. In this picture the sun is setting behind them, turning the water golden; the old bull elephant was leading his herd across to the other side. The two babies hung on as they crossed the shallow waters, feeling safe and cared for by the herd. This picture is a
cropped version – I do like letter box shapes – where the rest of the picture was nice but distracted from my main focus of the small group crossing. It wasn’t necessary to see the rest of the herd, although most of them were in the original picture, and nor was it necessary to see more of the river behind and in front of the elephants. This picture captured my feelings precisely. Trust and care; determination and leadership; golden light and elephants in silhouette. Cropping a photo can help to emphasise the points you want to focus on and eliminate anything that distracts from them. Oh, I should add that when the herd reached the other side, they had a long conference before they realised that they couldn’t climb the bank there; so they turned round and came all the way back. An awesome and lovely evening view.
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SPS
Stoneleigh Plumbing Supplies BATHROOM SHOWROOM A ND TRAD E COU NTER 70 Stoneleigh Broadway, Epsom KT17 2HS
Planning a new bathroom? Need a new shower? Or perhaps a kitchen sink or taps? Then visit our showroom on Stoneleigh Broadway for all the help and professional advice you need to choose exactly what’s right for you. Whether it’s traditional or something more unusual, you’ll find our prices very competitive. We only sell quality products from reliable companies prepared to provide guarantees – some up to 12 years – and there’s a huge range of options, many available with next day delivery. ALSO AVAILABLE: RADIATORS | HEATING CONTROLS | ELECTRICAL FITTINGS RAINWATER PRODUCTS | WATER SOFTENERS AND SALT
020 8393 4324
www.stoneleighplumbingsupplies.co.uk
Literary Siblings Choosing from the list on the right, can you name the books that the siblings on the left appear in?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Biff, Happy Celie, Nettie Edmund, Lucy, Peter, Susan Elinor, Marianne Elizabeth, Jane, Mary, Catherine, Lydia Eric, Sam Jem, Scout John, Michael, Wendy Maggie, Tom Michael, Jane
Death Of A Salesman Lord Of The Flies Mary Poppins Peter Pan Pride And Prejudice Sense And Sensibility The Color Purple The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe The Mill On The Floss To Kill A Mockingbird
To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915
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Kids Play
Wednesday
There’s lots going on for pre-schoolers
Thursday
Christ Church with St Philip Parent and Toddler Group 9.30 until 11.15am - see Monday Worcester Park Baptist Church 9.30-11.30- see Monday. we have vacancies on a Wednesday
Monday
Worcester Park Baptist Church 9.30-11.30- a lively toddler group, where carers of any kind are welcome to attend and supervise their youngsters. Our age range is from young babies to 3-4 years. Sarah on 020 8393 7299 or email via the church’s website www.wpbc.org.uk Christ Church with St Philip Parent and Toddler Group is a very welcoming and relaxed place to meet new friends for yourself and your toddlers. We are open to all Mums, Dads, Grandparents and Carers. We meet in the Church Hall on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9.30 until 11.15am during term time
Tuesday
Toddling2Church, Christ Church with St Philip 2-3pm Parents, carers and pre-school children are all welcome to join us for songs with percussion instruments, a Bible story simply and sensitively told, a story-related craft activity and, of course, drinks and biscuits.
Songs and Stories is a new music and story-time group at Worcester Park Baptist Church for babies and toddlers aged 0-4. We meet on term-time Thursdays, arriving at 10am for 10.10am start. Each session lasts 40 minutes and will include songs, puppets, rhymes, movements and story telling. Cost: £3.00 per session (£2.50 for siblings) No booking required
Friday
Christ Church with St Philip Parent and Toddler Group 9.30 until 11.15am - see Monday
Saturday
Men behaving Dadly, Grace Church - every 3rd Saturday of the month, 9.30 to 11 am, at Green Lane Primary School. For Dads and their pre-school children (0-4). The kids get to play with the toys, the Dads get a bacon roll and coffee, and Mums might possibly get a lie-in... £3 on the door.
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Solutions Quick Quiz
Days Of The Week 1. Thursday 2. Monday (an anagram of dynamo) 3. Sunday 4. Maundy Thursday 5. Wednesday 6. Monday (Blue Monday, New Moon On Monday, Manic Monday) 7. Wednesday Addams (from The Addams family; the nursery rhyme Monday’s Child says “Wednesday’s child is full of woe”) 8. Sunday 9. Fat Tuesday 10. Thank Four It’s
Two Minute Trial 3 Letters ARK ASK FAN FAR 4 Letters ARKS FANS NARK RANK SANK 5 Letters FRANK NARKS RANKS 6 Letters FRANKS
CodeWord
Wordwheel SIMPLE
Sudokus
Crossword
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Suppliers of Quality Fencing Materials
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Test Drive a Visit our Showrooms in Tudor Williams Ltd, Tudor Williams Ltd, • New Malden • Dorking 53-59 High Street, 53-59 High Street, • CobhamNewNew • Farnham Malden, 4BU Malden,KT3 KT3 4BU
at at
Visit our Showrooms in 02 020 8942 2277 020 894 Visit our Showrooms in
• New Malden
• Dorking
• New Malden • Dorking • www.tudorwilliamsltd.co.uk Cobham w • Cobham • Farnham • Farnham www.tudorwilli
To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915
63
ABLE 2 BUILD & Sons ALL ASPECTS OF BUILDING WORK
0800 566 8198 • 07889 255 097 www.able2build.co.uk • info@able2build.co.uk 64
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