Wpl may 15

Worcester Park Life

KT4’s ONLY FREE independent community magazine and business guide

WWW.WPLIFE.CO.UK

May 15 issue 82

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Dear Readers

Even though the temperature is ‘a wee bit cooler’ (as the BBC’s Scottish Carole would say) than we enjoyed a few weeks ago, I am loving the smell of washing fresh from the line. It really makes a difference doesn’t it. Laundry has never made it very high up on my list of favourite things so it’s always good to find a positive angle. During the winter months washing can literally swamp me and, once I lose control.. well.. it all goes downhill from there. Do you know the feeling?

So how do you get organised with housework and washing? For many years (much to the frustration of Mr S) I have bought numerous bags/wicker baskets in an attempt to compartmentalise ‘stuff’. It has been somewhat of a running joke every Ikea trip that I make that I he actually WANTS me to purchase MORE of them (not!). Visiting Ikea, well you either love or hate the place – me and my girls fall into the former category, although the temptation of meatballs & chips in the café, or ice cream after the cash tills may be more of a pull for the younger members of the family! I have visited a few different stores in my time, Dubai in 1998, Rome in 2004 – a tragic bow to my belt of being an Ikea tourist! Actually not quite that sad – on both occasions I was visiting friends and was just accompanying them on a day to day shopping trip. Roll on though to April 2015 when my friend and I took our girls for a budget couple of days in Paris to see the sights. On our way home to the Chunnel we decided a cheap and cheerful meal was called for, so sought out the large Ikea we’d spotted on the way into Paris. The suggestion of boulettes de viande et frites was greeted with large cheers from the girls and it was with great excitement that we went through the large ‘Entrée’ door and up to the restaurant. Much to our dismay, however, (mon dieu!) the restaurant was closed for renovation and the temporary replacement was a sandwich café. Talk about a massive let down! Needless to say, we scooted round the store in record time looking for the ‘Sortie’. Note to self – making assumptions can sometimes lead to disappointment.

Anyway, if you have any tips on how to declutter ruthlessly please let me know. I am in need…!

I hope you enjoy a good read and also see what our local businesses have to offer. If you’ve any feedback on how they’re doing, or have any ideas for future editions, news or views to share then please get in touch. Remember, we deliver to most homes every second month so if you’re not able to pick up a magazine on the months it’s not delivered to you, you can read it on your smart phone/tablet or PC. Until June, best wishes

We also publish The Village Voice covering the KT3 postcode

Jenny Jenny Stuart, Editor & publisher P.S. Please remember to mention Worcester Park Life when replying to adverts, and get in touch by 17th May if you’d like your business, Club or event to feature in the June edition(s).

Contact jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk 020 8336 2915 www.maldenmedia.co.uk Malden Media Limited 36 Rosebery Avenue, KT3 4JS

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Next copy deadlines: 17th May for Junes’ editions 17th June for July’s

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Community

we do not open Worcester Park up as a green area with space for the public then we will be for evermore a cut through high street. When will the public have a reason to stop if there are no public activity/events or a place of rest?

The Friends of Worcester Park Library Garden

The future plans for the garden are extensive.

• Book reading library users/book Clubs • For charity events such as “Help the Heroes” • Vegetable Patch • Scarecrow month • Craft fairs • Bird watching club • Community planting day.

• A choir The ideas and opportunities are endless and The WI are on board!

Planning Permission Granted

The “Friends of Worcester Park Library” are a voluntary group of people who work alongside with the local community and the council. Seeing ourselves as the “middleman” between the people and the authorities.

We work together as a group fundraising, organising community groups/clubs, outings, fairs and celebrating national holidays.

The library in Worcester Park is the hub of our community. We have a small room above the library where the majority of our functions take place.

For the future and success of the library to be able to continue and grow with a growing community we feel we need and want more community space. As we can’t build up we could build outwards.

We feel we need an extension of community space, an open green space. After all people are more important than cars, we must not forget this!

Let’s work together as a community and keep building and growing Worcester Park and make it one of the best places to live.

Thank you for reading!

Jackie Frost –Chairperson Friends of Worcester Park Library

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Worcester Park History

Central Road: an historic visit

by David Rymill

Central Road has been Worcester Park’s principal shopping street for nearly 150 years (albeit only under that name since 1935). On Saturday 2nd May, from 11am to 4pm, you can find out more about its story, at an exhibition in the Royal British Legion, 69-75 Central Road (a few doors above Windsor Road).

All are welcome to come and see a display of ‘then and now’ photographs of the road, devised by Brendan Austin and Richard Johnson with help from me. Whether you have lived in Worcester Park for many years or have arrived recently, we hope you will enjoy discovering how the street has developed. There will also be a children’s competition based on the exhibition. Brendan is compiling a list of businesses that have traded at each address over the years, and we hope some of you can supply additional names, or bring along memories or photographs. Admission is free, and refreshments will be available.

Probably the first shops were the five on each side of Longfellow Road, originally called Cheamside, shown in the ‘then and now’ illustrations reproduced here, and in existence by the 1880s.

Until the mid 20th century there was a grocer’s on the right-hand corner, run in the 1900s by W H Randall. By 1930 this was run by G C Frost, who advertised ‘the finest Selection of Foodstuffs in the District’ including ‘teas blended on the premises to suit the local water’; a café on the premises offered a three-course luncheon for 1s 6d (9d for children), and new residents could have hot lunches delivered to their door on their moving day, for the same price.

The bakery on the left-hand corner (now the Halifax) was run for nearly 70 years by the Morley family, remembered for their generosity to local people: Mr Morley would cook turkeys for those whose ovens were too small. At the left-end of the parade, 1 Cheamside (now rebuilt) was a corn chandler’s by c1900. From 1924 it was run by J C Pearson, who diversified into horticultural supplies;

he later moved the business across to 157, which remained a horticultural supplier until recently, as John James Gardening.

By c1910, a second group of shops had appeared around St Philip’s Avenue. No. 44, for instance, was for many years a baker’s, latterly a branch of Morleys’, before becoming a model shop, first as Morgan’s Valley and then Model Road and Rail. Two doors above St Philip’s Avenue, Thomas Byles ran a grocer’s from 1929 to 1942. His daughter Hilda Bristow recalls “Behind the counter there were rows of little drawers, which I loved as a child, because you never knew what you might find in them: in one it might be candles, and in the next it might be brown sugar or sultanas. Everything had to be weighed up when the shop had closed for the night: all the tea, all the sugar, ready for the next day, and butter had to be patted together into little half-pound blocks.”

The three shops to the right of Lynwood Drive had presumably arrived by 1908, as H C Harriss’s ironmongery, occupying the right-hand one, claimed to have opened that year. Martin Gibbard recalls that “whatever you wanted, you could get in Harriss’s” and that the business sold enough garden rollers that the manufacturers would supply them with Harriss’s name moulded on a plate in the centre of the handle.

Between 1930 and 1935, Central Road was transformed from a few groups of shops separated by fields and private houses, into a near-continuous run on each side. Several food shops opened between Windsor Road and Stone Place, including Titus Ward (129) and Goodworth’s Stores (133).

After shopping, 1930s housewives might allow themselves a treat at The Kettle Sings (127), with ‘the daintiest of home-made cakes’.

At 105-107, Pets Place and Superdrug occupy premises used in the 1930s-70s by Woolworths’.

Eve Salmond (née Thorn), whose mother worked here, recalls: “A couple of times they were rather busy and the manager asked if I would help on the till at lunchtime. They had big tills which took all your strength to push the amounts down. The counters were quite wide and I had to stand on a box to reach for the money.” J E Freeman’s drapery

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(established in 1930 at 74) occupied 153 (now W H Smith’s) from 1935 until the 1970s; he also had a furnishings department, located at 63/65 after the war.

On the north-east side of the road, Caldbeck Parade, either side of Caldbeck Avenue, appeared in 1932. Some of these shops have followed the same trade for over 75 years, such as the jeweller’s, 106 (formerly Faber and Webb, J and A Smith, and Kibble, and now Hendy’s).

The Broadway Market, the curving parade at the top of the hill, appeared in 1934. Martin Gibbard recalls T Kingston’s butcher’s shop (16) in the 1950s: “In front they had a sign which said ‘Meat from our own farms’: they had a family farm producing beef and lamb at the bottom of Pebblecoombe Hill between Dorking and Reigate.” They had another, longer-lasting, shop at 109. Many people remember The Toy Haven which later occupied 16-18.

Between Cheamside and Green Lane are sixteen 1930s Tudor-style shops. By 1935, 154 (now the police office) was a branch of MacFisheries; Eric Robinson recalls that fish remaining on Saturday nights was auctioned, as they had no freezers. MacFisheries later ran a supermarket, MacMarket, in the former Odeon cinema on the corner of Windsor Road. South Suburban Co-operative Society opened a grocery and butcher’s at 170-172 (now Lloyds Bank).

Margaret Rymill recalls that in the 1940s: “when a customer paid for the shopping, the assistant put the money in a container, pulled a handle, the money was propelled across the shop on an overhead wire to the cashier, and the change was returned in the same way.”

We hope to see some of you on 2nd May and to hear about your own memories of Central Road.

David Rymill David.Rymill1993@alumni.aber.ac.uk (020) 8330 6563 ukStoneleigh.html

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This month’s illustrations show a detail from the 1907 sale plan, courtesy of Mr Hywel Roberts-Harry, and a postcard of Moreton Road.

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 300-page 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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People Betty Szarowicz of plays a merry tune on her 100th Birthday

by Yee-Liu Williams

Betty Szarowicz took to the stage and played many a merry tune for her 100th Birthday celebration on Sunday, 19 April at The Station pub in Stoneleigh, Surrey.

“Yes I’ve got to a 100 all on my own,” said Szarowicz.

The feistiest, youngest, 100 year-old you could ever meet. “I don’t feel any different from being 100 than from being 40,” she said.

Great grandmother Szarowicz proudly tells me she has six grandchildren, four great grandchildren and two sons Joseph and Michael. Married to her Polish sweetheart architect husband for over 30 years she lived in Stoneleigh before she moved to New Malden after her husband died in 1983.

“I love living in New Malden - I love the people and I

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have so many friends here. I used to play piano for the adult education classes at the New Malden Centre.”

Originally from London’s Russell Square, Szarowicz has worked in all manner of jobs and even worked in air raid patrol during the War. “I would have been a suffragette if I had lived at that time,” she tells me.

But it is music that is so important in Betty’s life as she took to the stage and played a few of her favourite old-time musical numbers - ‘Maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner’ that got the party really going with a real swing.

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It’s “in the blood” as her father was a pianist and songwriter and her mother was a wardrobe mistress in the theatre, working with many famous actors.

And Betty knows many a musician today. With a special visit and performance by acclaimed international violinist, Tomo Keller, a lead musician with Academy of St Martin’s in the Field, he played Godowski Heifetz, “Alt Wien” and Elgar’s Salut d’Amour - a highlight of the afternoon that held Betty and the party in absolute raptures.

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Ruth Jemmett Writes Ne’er cast a clout Ruth Jemmett explores the month of the arrival of Summer and a General Election The Irish-Gaelic name for this month is Bealtine. This was the first month of summer in the Celtic calendar.

We know it as May, which probably takes its name from Maia, a Roman goddess of growth. Well, she has certainly had an effect on my suburban patch of green! It is a delight to wander up my garden path and witness buds popping open everywhere. I even took a ’photo of a queen bee the other day as she rested on my patio. Things are also certainly stirring in my pond. My four goldfish have definitely grown in size, even though I have refrained from hurling fish food at them throughout the winter, as apparently their guts cope better without it during those cold darker days. (I am pretty sure that I killed off eight of their pals last year by literally stuffing them to the gills with too many fishy treats.

A lesson learned the hard way!). A couple of weeks ago my husband and I yanked out some of the dreaded blanket weed that was already making an appearance, and during that exercise we were delighted to find that two fully-grown frogs have now taken up residence, alongside four newts. As herons, cats and foxes always find my pond a bit too interesting for my liking, a well-anchored net makes sure that out little oasis of peace is safe from predators.

month’s arrival is often an inspiration for merrymaking after the rigours of winter. The custom of GoingA-Maying has been with us since 13th Century. It was marked by the crowning of Queen Of The May - or The May Queen. The title was given to a girl who was supposedly the prettiest one in the village. I suppose it was a sort of fore-runner to Miss World, although I am sure that when a local dignitary (a latter-day Michael Aspel figure!) interviewed her she didn’t say anything about wanting to be an air stewardess or promote world peace!

Another early May custom is the Floral Dance in Padstow in Cornwall. It was originally called The Furry Dance - ‘furry’ being the Cornish word for fair or festival. An aunt and uncle of mine once took part in it, and confessed to feeling rather dizzy afterwards, due to a combination

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of twirling round a lot, and accepting alcoholic refreshments along the way! We have two Bank Holidays this month - one on Monday 4th May, and the other on Monday 25th of May. The latter date was once called Whit Monday (as it follows on from Whit Sunday on 24th), but it is now called Spring Bank Holiday.

This is certainly the month when the weather hopefully improves, and with that in mind, many of you will probably make your way towards the wonderful Chelsea Flower Show, when it opens its doors at London’s Royal Hospital at Chelsea from 19th - 23rd May. This event either inspires or depresses amateur gardeners everywhere! Regular readers of this column will be a aware that my once private bungalow is now overlooked, so I am hoping that the Chelsea Flower Show might declare that they have discovered a tree that grows to twenty feet high in a week!

By the time you are reading this it will be election time. Most people don’t get motivated to be involved in either local or national politics unless they feel certain issues adversely affect them, and a General Election is a time when we should all make an effort to make our voices heard. So many people are keen to be ‘bar-room politicians’ who complain about everything, but then don’t bother to vote to change things. I get rather cross with members of my own sex who can’t be bothered to vote, as other women died so that we can represent our views at the ballot box. Many women were imprisoned and force-fed because they had the temerity to ask for equal voting rights. If you feel so inclined, you can view the memorial dedicated to the suffragette Emily Davison, which is at Epsom Racecourse. In 1913 she famously tried to seize the reins of King George V’s horse by way of a protest, and was trampled, and later died in hospital. We owe it to women such as her to use our vote, and not take it for granted.

Three Rogation Days fall in May. They are a symbol of a time in this country when residents of a parish would walk around its perimeter, accompanied by members of the

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clergy, in order to re-establish the location of boundaries, whilst also praying for a successful harvest later in the year. The ‘beatings’ were often given to young boys of the parish, who received a thrashing with rods that were carried by the adults. Every seven years this ceremony takes place in the Dartmoor village of Belstone, when the oldest man in the village beats the youngest child with a Union Jack, and then bangs their head (gently I hope!) against a boundary stone. So, dear residents of Worcester Park, if you see a pensioner waving a Union Jack around near Worcester Park High Street, hide your children! Here in Salisbury Road I often get confused about where our local boundaries are meant to be. From our front gate we can see the Kingston Road, which is part of Epsom and Ewell (to whom we pay our Council Tax), but our Postal Address is Worcester Park, and we are also apparently part of Cuddington!

Most of us are familiar with the old saying “Ne’er cast a clout till May be out”, but it’s meaning is often argued over. Does it mean ‘keep warm clothing on until the risk of cold weather passes’, or keep warm clothing on until the May bush has flowered’? Either way, play safe, and keep that fleece handy! The writer Anthony Trollope instructed us “Let no man boast himself that he has got through the perils of winter till at least the seventh of May”. I don’t know how the men will fare, but this Worcester Park woman will be wearing her fluffy bedsocks well beyond that date, as her circulation isn’t what it used to be!

As the sun’s warmer rays begin to defrost us, this might be the time for some of us to remember that May has been designated as National Walking Month, and that if we weren’t brave enough to compete in April’s marathon, this might be the time to get fit for next year’s event! You could start as you mean to go on, by walking - instead of driving - to that election booth!

Ruth Jemmett is a Member of The Society of Authors

Please remember to mention Worcester Park Life when you speak to our advertisers

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”

Find out about fostering for Kingston

If I couldn't go home, would you share yours with me?

Call us or visit our web page to find out if fostering is for you! Or drop in and meet our foster carers in person at one of our regular information evenings. th Next event: Wednesday 29 April 27th May 2015, 6.30 - 8.30pm at Pizza Express (upstairs), Portsmouth Road, KT1 1LQ

www.kingston.gov.uk/fostering 020 8547 5004 / fostering@kingston.gov.uk To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915

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Baking Chocolate Fondant Puddings These divine puds have a wonderful molten chocolate centre which oozes out as you cut into them. Take care not to overcook them and serve immediately otherwise the liquid centres will start to set. Serve with a dollop of tangy crème fraiche or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate indulgence!

Makes: 4 Ready in: 35 minutes 100g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 100g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 100g good quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 20g plain flour Mint sprigs, to decorate Few strawberries and chocolate shavings, to serve

5 Leave for a few seconds then turn the puddings out onto serving plates. Decorate with mint sprigs and serve with the strawberries and chocolate shavings.

TIP If you don’t have individual pudding basins then use small ovenproof ramekin dishes instead.

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6. Lightly grease 4 x 175ml capacity individual pudding basins with the extra softened butter and sprinkle with the extra caster sugar. Place on a baking tray.

Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and leave until melted. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Leave to cool for about 5 minutes.

Place the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and flour in a bowl and, using a hand-held electric whisk, beat together until smooth and creamy. Fold in the cooled chocolate mixture and pour into the prepared pudding basins.

4 Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the puddings are risen, puffy and just set on the outside- they should have a slight wobble and still be runny inside.

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P E CONTRACTORS LANDSCAPE SPECIALISTS

+ BRICKWORK & DECORATIVE WALLS + ALL TYPES OF PAVING LAID + PATIOS AND PATHS + DRIVEWAYS + FENCING AND GATES + TURFING + PONDS + CONCRETE BASES + QUALITY WORKMANSHIP GUARANTEED + PHOTOS AVAILABLE + NO SUB CONTRACT LABOUR USED + FULLY INSURED + CITY AND GUILDS QUALIFIED + ESTABLISHED 1985

0208 393 7900 // 07973 192426 www.pe-contractors.co.uk To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915

21

Care Did you know that more than half of people aged 65 + have been targeted by fraudsters?

A survey undertaken by Age UK reveals the alarming extent to which older people have been targeted – and defrauded – by scam artists.

With the new pension freedoms coming into force, peopled aged 55+ are likely to be increasingly targeted by fraudsters carrying out a whole range of scams, including befriending/’grooming’ potential victims and isolating them from friends and family, impersonating a bank or the police and even threats and intimidation.

We at Age UK Sutton have experienced first-hand the devastation that fraudsters cause among their victims and their families. We have seen multiple cases of older people losing vast sums of money to con men, and the serious consequences this has on people’s physical and mental health, as well as their relationships and finances.

Opportunit ies for fraudsters are increasing and more people are at risk, which is why awareness is vital, so that all people – regardless of age – feel equipped to challenge and report a potential scam.

The top tips below are a good start to educate yourself and your loved ones and protect yourselves against scams.

4. Be aware of new pension scams New rules allowing people to access their pension pots from age 55 have brought with them new scams.

Be cautious of anyone that claims to know about loopholes, talks about overseas investments or says you can get your money before age 55.

5. Report it Anyone can be taken in by a scam, so don’t feel embarrassed or ashamed if it happens to you. If you think you’ve been scammed, or you’ve spotted a scam contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 to report it and get help.

If you would like more information on protecting yourself against fraud and scams, why not talk to us at Age UK Sutton? Not only can we give you information and advice on being scam savvy, but can also offer support if you or a family member have fallen victim to a fraudster.

Call us: 020 8770 4090 Email us: advice@ageuksutton.org.uk Visit us: Unit 1, Lower Square, St. Nicholas Way, Sutton SM1 1EA (drop-in available Monday to Friday, 10.00am - 2.00pm)

1. Don’t rush into anything If you think you’ve been offered a great deal, don’t agree to it immediately. A genuine offer is unlikely to require an instant decision. Ask your family and friends what they think or contact a local advice agency for help.

2. Know who’s on your doorstep If you answer the door to someone you don’t know, ask for an identity card and check it. You could phone the company they represent to check who they are. For vulnerable older people, the Nominated Neighbour scheme is useful for ensuring they do not have to deal with doorstep callers.

3. Be wise to cold call scams Ignore unsolicited invitations such as letters, emails or phone calls offering a brilliant investment or saying you’ve won a lottery. Ignore them and never reply - it shows your details are active which will encourage scammers to contact you again.

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Help at Home services

Gardening

♦ Monthly or fortnightly garden maintenance ♦ Spring and autumn garden preparation

In 2014, 93% of clients who used the service would recommend us to family and friends

Helping Hands

♦ Cleaning and tidying

♦ Shopping and meal preparation ♦ Help with social care needs

♦ Overgrown garden clearance

♦ Company on walks and outings

♦ Tasks undertaken include lawn mowing, weeding, planting, hedge trimming, leaf clearance

♦ Accompany to hospital/medical appointments

♦ Key safe/light bulb fitting* ♦ £30 for 1.5 hours/£60 for 3 hours *Call to check price

♦ Laundry and changing bed linen ♦ One-off spring cleans ♦ £12 per hour

Get in touch for more information

020 8770 4089

ce nt ra lse rvice sa dmin@a ge uksut t on.org.uk To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915

23

Dream Doors Kingston A5_Directory 16/04/2012 11:46 Page 1

ST R N NO YLE AN EW W S & GE AV C OF AI OL LA OU BL RS E

For a beautiful new kitchen...

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Have you always wanted the kitchen of your dreams, but can’t quite justify paying the expensive price tag that comes with it? Now you can by just swapping the doors and worktops.

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• Huge choice of Doors, Worktops, Appliances, Sinks & Taps • Free Estimating and planning • 50% deposit with balance on completion www.dreamdoors.co.uk

For a FREE NO OBLIGATION home visit telephone 020 8399 1226 Or visit our showroom: 406 Ewell Road, Tolworth, Surrey KT6 7HF Email kt@dreamdoorsltd.co.uk

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View our credentials at

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FIX YOUR DENT Have you a scuff on your bumper, scratch on your paintwork?

Do you think that getting it fixed is hassle and expensive?

At FIX YOUR DENT we have invested in new equipment and staff training to take care of all your cosmetic vehicle repairs, often repairing bumpers where conventional body’s shops would fit a new one costing more money.

We can offer a cost effective way of fixing your car making it your pride and joy again , looking the best it can on that school run, or a speedy fix to repair the damage to stop you being the talk of the neighbourhood, with the damage on show to all!

So, if you want a speedy cost effective repair solution, come and visit us at FIX YOUR DENT, which is part of the COOMBE REPAIR GROUP We fix scuffs, dents etc 0208 644 8474 1 Sandiford Road, Sutton, SM3 9RN

£1 FIX 0 O

DA YOU FF MA R YO G E DE U R NT

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To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915

25

View from the City

by Justin Urquhart Stewart “Do not trust the horse, Trojans.

Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks even when they bring gifts”.

Virgil’s Aeneid, book 2, 19 BC: So we finally come to what looks like the end of the poker game, and so far no one has blinked. One side bets that surely the other won’t be so stupid and the other bets - well the same. If Greece defaults does this then become the next Lehman Brothers and all the tentacles of debt start to pull down the edifice of the Euro? Or has in fact most of the debt in reality been effectively written off by banks and other holders such that any such collateral damage (in this case quite literally collateral) will be minimised?

Frankly there must come a stage when reality is faced with a single currency that if you are not going to play according to the rules then you will have to go. As it is the rules are pretty lax anyway with no real centrally controlled monetary or fiscal policy, so maybe this is the moment to get various parties to put up or shut up.

Just for the record here are some of the key facts. The Greek authorities are trying to find €2.4bn to pay pensions and civil servants’ salaries this month. Thereafter it is scheduled to repay €203 million to the IMF by 1st May and a further €770 million on May 12th. Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, a further €1.6 billion is due in June.

So what could the Greek government do?

Well as I have mentioned before they could establish a parallel domestic currency (a Euro-lite or new Drachma) which would immediately devalue but at least provide a mechanism for day to day payments. However such an event needs careful planning and I doubt whether they have had the time to put such an alternative together. Potentially they could overprint the Euro notes with a Greek design in the short term but that would very likely be illegal as far as the ECB was concerned, but could be done. Either way it would mean a huge amount of financial and, I suspect, social disruption.

The potential default would create a major shock for the now 16 year old monetary union, but I would be astonished if the authorities had not already been creating contingency plans should nothing be agreed. There seems to a distinct air of irritation at the methods of negotiation and frankly pretty confrontational behaviour, rhetoric and tactics.

Whether the deliberate tweaking of the Eurozone leaders by visiting President Putin, or claiming progress with other leaders where frankly nothing was achieved, the result has been rising levels of annoyance.

One of the key problems for the ECB is of course contagion, in that if they are seen to be giving into one weaker nation, what is to stop any other member state electing an extremist party and demanding a similar bail out, support or assistance? By playing hardball it would at least (pour encourager les autres) mean that others considering the Greek route would be frightened by the imminent pain of banks running out of money and the country hitting a dramatic funding crisis where there would be quite literally no notes in the cash machines.

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So this time there is no gift, there is no Trojan horse, so we should beware of Greeks bearing no gifts.

Andy Reeve

Election headlines and headlights One of the problems from the fixed term parliament and election is that companies, when concerned about what the election result might be, will have every excuse to delay taking decisions until the result is clearer (if it ever will be).

I picked up in the North West just before Christmas that various building projects appeared to be stalled or put on hold as companies held back on investment plans until after the election. Now Deloittes’ 2015 CFO survey has shown that it is the election - ahead of deflation, emerging market issues and the Eurozone which troubles them the most. The survey covered 108 chief financial officers and showed that their risk appetite was weakening.

Despite seeing a generally positive outlook, 63% of finance directors saw that the level of uncertainty was above normal - high - or very high! That was apparently the highest reading for two years, and were most concerned about post-election action being taken on regulation and taxation. To quote Deloittes: “on balance the expectation is that

Plumbing & Heating Engineer ALL PLUMBING SERVICES from tap washers, toilets & garden taps through to installation of Central Heating Systems, Kitchens & Bathrooms.

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post-election changes will be negative for fiscal, monetary and labour market policies”.

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

love

Slimming World Join a warm and friendly group near you today…

TUESDAY Worcester Park Wesley Halls, Christ Church with St Philip, Ruskin Drive, KT4 8LG 9.30am Tel: Justine 020 8942 6117

THURSDAY New Malden The Graham Spicer, 15 Dukes Avenue, KT3 4HL 9.30am, 5.15pm & 7.00pm Tel: Vanessa 020 8288 0718

WEDNESDAY Surbiton Surbiton New Life Baptist Church, 1 Balaclava Road, KT6 5PW 9.30am & 11.30am 5.30pm & 7.30pm Tel: Justine 020 8942 6117

FRIDAY New Malden The Graham Spicer, 15 Dukes Avenue, KT3 4HL 9.30am Tel: Vanessa 020 8288 0718

To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915

27

Double Acts 1. Which famous double act have been the only non-individual winners of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award?

2. Which double act represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in both 2011 and 2012?

3. Which famous double act became the first duo to have a posthumous hit single when they did so in 1975 with a song called Trail Of The Lonesome Pine?

4. Who is taller?... Ant or Dec? 5. In a 1996 episode of Only Fools And Horses, which double act did Del and Rodney dress up as to attend a party, but when their van broke down, had to run the rest of the way to get there and ended up scaring off thieves?

6. Which duo prevented the Oasis song Wonderwall from topping the UK singles chart in October 1995?

7. Which famous double act first appeared in a 1989 short film called A Grand Day Out? 8. In a series of Hanna-Barbera cartoons, who would a cat called Mr. Jinks be referring to when he would say "I hate those meeces to pieces"?

9. How are Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne known in the title of a 1994 comedy film?

10. Barry Elliott and Paul Elliott are best known together by what name?

MEGA DEALS!

(Ewell)

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Do you realise the potential of your home?

Call our team of experts 020 8330 0090 or visit our website www.morethanlofts.com

www.morethanlofts.com

Extensions, Conversions & Building Specialists To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915

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Sudokus

fairly easy

House Clearance Specialists

not so easy

mail@bitsandbobsclearance.co.uk Furniture, antiques, collectibles & ornaments bought & sold BROWSERS WELCOMED BUYERS CUDDLED!!

WE BUY UNWANTED and JEWELLERY AND SCRAP Better prices paid than companies currently advertising on TV!!

E E I C R P You have two minutes to find all the words of three or more letters that can be made from the letters above. Plurals are allowed, proper nouns are not. The 6 letter word will always be just a normal everyday word.

3 letters: 9

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4 letters: 8

5 letters: 4 6 letters: 1

Fully itemised and illustrated ProbatepiceValuations, 6 Letters 3 Letters rep Office approved recipe pier rip ere Probate ice ire per pie ree rei

4 Letters peri 5 Letters cere creep epic crepe rice Registered Waste priceCarriers ripe piece peer

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The Hamptons

midsummer Fiesta Sat 20th June 11am-5pm Mayflower Park the hamptons

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ices v r y se c n rge e em

in aid of To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915

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020 8330 7557 - Sales 020 8330 7887 - Lettings www.brownsresidential.co.uk

Worcester Park £525,000

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• The Avenue

• Three Bed Semi

• Two Receptions

• Kitchen/Breakfast Room

• Two Bath/Shower Rooms

• Downstairs Cloakroom

• South Facing Garden

• OSP for Four Cars

• EPC Rating E

Worcester Park l Stoneleigh l Ewell l New Malden l Cheam Please remember to mention Worcester Park Life when you speak to our advertisers

Independent Estate Agency at its best

£650,000 Worcester Park

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• Extended Family Semi • Three Bedrooms • Four Reception Rooms • EPC Rating D

• Extended Bungalow • Three Bedrooms • Refurbished • EPC Rating D

£569,950 Worcester Park

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• Extended End Terrace • Four/Five Bedrooms • Four Receptions • EPC Rating D

• Terraced Family Home • Three Bedrooms • Large Reception • EPC Rating D

Browns Residential

Park House, Park Terrace, Worcester Park, Surrey KT4 7JZ Email:

sales@brownsresidential.co.uk To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915 lettings@brownsresidential.co.uk

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TRADE & DOMESTIC CUSTOMERS WELCOME

Suppliers of Quality Fencing Materials We Supply l Featheredge, l Timber Posts l Concrete Morticed Posts l Concrete Gravel Boards l Timber Palisade l Sleepers

Arris Rails Timber Gravels Boards l Concrete Slotted Posts l Lapped Panels l Decking l Concrete Spurs l l

We also manufacture our own Handmade Closeboard Panels, Trellis & Gates Open Mon - Fri 06.00am - 5.00pm, Sat 07.30 - 12.00pm

0208 330 0865 Unit 16, 193 Garth Road Industrial Estate, Morden, Surrey, SM4 4NE

www.tolworthfencingcompany.com

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What’s On Give blood

Book an appointment by calling 0300 123 23 23 St Philip, Ruskin Drive, Worcester Park KT4 8LG 30 April, 10 July 2 to 4.30pm 5.30 to 8pm Sutton, The Thomas Wall Centre, Benhill Avenue, Sutton, Surrey., SM1 4DP 21 May 2 to 4.30pm 5.30 to 8pm St James’s Church Hall, Bodley Road, New Malden KT3 5QE 10 June2 to 4.30pm 5.30 to 8pm Cheam, North Cheam Sports and Social 658 London Road, North Cheam 5th July

Local Markets

Cheam Village Friday Market Small indoor market with 28 stalls held in Cheam Parochial Rooms, The Broadway, Cheam Village, Surrey.

Helping the Royal Marsden Hospital.

Market Days: Friday North Cheam Farmers’ Market – 3rd Saturday of every month, 9.30am-1.30pm, North Cheam Crossroads outside the Post Office, KT4 8SG. Christmas Market: Saturday 21st December New Malden Farmer’s Market 1st Saturday of the month The car park beside the Foutain Pub 9am to 2pm Surbiton Farmers Market Maple Road 3rd Saturday of the month 9am-1pm

Nonsuch Park

Nonsuch Park is a link to Tudor England. The Palace that once stood here was a hugely expensive symbol of Henry VIII’s power. The Friends of Nonsuch offer guidance to a 7 feet model which has been created from contemporary documentation, paintings and an excavation of the Palace site in 1959. The model is on display in the Stable Wing of the much later Nonsuch Mansion in the heart of Nonsuch Park. The model is open from 11 am until 3 pm every Sunday in November and December; admission £2.50; cars via Cheam Gate. For further information please visit the website at www.friendsofnonsuch.co.uk

Bourne Hall

May 9 1pm to 2.30pm Mystic Mayans Discover the Mayan people and culture, an advanced people from Central America whose civilization lasted from 2000BC to the 16th century. Famous for their knowledge of mathematics, astronomy and art, they may have been the first to use telescopes and draw

star maps showing the way to their gods through the night sky. They built pyramidal temples and believed in three planes of existence: the earth, the heavens and the underworld, all of which had their own gods. They had a way of writing like Egyptian hieroglyphics with over 1000 images. Discover these fascinating people through their stories and myths. £5 per child

Epsom Playhouse,

Ashley Avenue, Epsom, Surrey, KT18 5AL (01372) 742555 / 742227

Lonnie Donegan Jnr. Skittle Party 1 May 2015 Footstomping , hand clapping singalong from Lonnie Donegan Jnr. Son of the man who started it all.

Lonnie Jnr and his band will perform his Dads’ most iconic and memorable songs, while he recalls the countless storied he has to tell.

Starlight Academy of Dance and Performing Arts Present DANCE 2015 3 May Celebrating ten years since the Academy opened. The pupils showcase their talents with a full range of genres.

Starlight Academy of Dance and Performing Arts Present DANCE 2015 3 May Celebrating ten years since the Academy opened. The pupils showcase their talents with a full range of genres.

ELEGANT CURTAINS SOFT FURNISHING SPECIALIST Made-to-measure curtains • Roman blinds • Black out blinds • Roller blinds

FREE DESIGN SERVICE

• Pelmets & Upholstery

Choose from our wide selection of fabrics, including our range of children’s fabrics or we can make up from your own fabric.

Tracks & poles supplied and fitted.

For a free estimate and appointment, please call Linda Jordan on

020 8337 7145 • 07957 177164 WWW.ELEGANTCURTAINS.INFO

To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915

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Jongleurs in May 5 May Back by popular demand, Jongleurs comedy is returning to The Epsom Playhouse! They tore the roof off last time, so now the country’s best stand-up comedians are gracing our stage once more.

Brought to you by Jongleurs, the UK’s number one comedy company, they’ll have you rolling in the aisles with laughter.

Don’t miss this chance to see another two hours of today’s funniest stand-up! Book your tickets now!

Line up subject to change. Suitable for over-18s only The Billy Joel Songbook performed by Elio Pace and his band 7 May In September 2013 Elio was invited to ‘fill Billy Joel’s shoes’ starring in two very special reunion concerts in New York and Philadelphia with Joel’s original 1971-1972 touring band, recreating the historic Sigma Sounds live recordings. Following on from this Elio Pace delivers this sensational tour celebrating the phenomenal music of Billy Joel. Featuring his massive hits, Uptown Girl, Just The Way, My Life as well as fan favourites such as ‘Scenes From An Italian Restaurant’, ‘Goodnight Saigon’ and ‘Piano Man’.

Johnny Cash Roadshow 8 May Welcome back the Johnny Cash Roadshow, a show not to be missed by avid fans or the casual listener. Also the only show to be endorsed by the CASH family! This year prepare for a musical adventure unrivalled by any other that truly celebrates the career of a music legend, Johnny Cash. The UK’s No1 Tribute, fronted by respected singer/songwriter Clive John, re-creates with astounding accuracy and truly captures the essence of what it was like to be at a real Cash show! Also featuring Jill Schoonjans as June Carter, all aspects of Cash’s life

are covered with impeccable taste.

Classical ‘Mediterranean Fiesta’ 9 May A Fiesta of colourful classics with Tchaikovsky’s exciting Capriccio Italien, Verdi’s heroic Grand March from Aida and Berlioz mercurial Corsair overture.

Peter Howarth 9 May Peter is The Hollies’ lead singer, a long time singer and guitarist with Cliff Richard and star of the London West End Show, The Roy Orbison Story An intimate solo UNPLUGGED performance and a rare opportunity to experience Peter’s amazing vocal talent and superb acoustic guitar arrangements of THE HOLLIES, CLIFF RICHARD and ROY ORBISON hits, including: He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother, The Air That I Breathe, Jennifer Eccles, Devil Woman, Carrie, Pretty Woman, Blue Bayou and more. With special guest, the popular singer/songwriter, Michael Armstrong, performing a selection of his own compositions, plus songs by artists who inspire him.

Sussex Jazz Kings 11 May 2015 South Pacific 13 May 2015 - 16 May The story is based on James A. Michener’s Pulitzer Prizewinning 1947 book Tales of the South Pacific. Set against the dramatic background of an idyllic South Pacific island during WWII, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific intertwines the themes of romance, duty, and prejudice to create a story that is hilarious, heartbreaking, and thought-provoking.

Ministry of Science 18 May WARNING. WARNING. This is a public safety announcement...

Please keep your head firmly on your shoulders, and your arms, legs and feet inside the ride at all times - Ministry of Science Live is about to explode onto a stage near you soon!

Ministry of Science Live is not your ordinary science show - it

R WOODFALL OPTICIANS 159 Central Road, Worcester Park Surrey KT4 8DT

Telephone: 020 8337 2059 OPENING TIMES

Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:30pm Saturday 9:00am to 2:00pm

www.rwoodfallopticians.co.uk

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THE FIRST LENS TO OFFER PROTECTION AGAINST UV ON BOTH FRONT AND BACK SURFACES OF THE LENS

Please remember to mention Worcester Park Life when you speak to our advertisers

comes with a hovercraft, a few cannons, lots of bangs and a push bike that powers a blender. Looking at the inventors and the engineers who have shaped the modern world we live in.

Brian White’s French Quarter All Stars’ 18 May When You’re Smiling 19 May WHEN YOU’RE SMILING The producers of There’ll Always Be An England, Neil Sands and his wonderful West End cast are back with a brand new show for 2015 that promises to be their biggest and best matinee nostalgia show yet. Come and enjoy a wonderful trip back down memory lane with so many of your favourite songs from the 1940s right through to the 1970s.

Rod Woodward 19 May The Journey Starts Here Award-winning Welsh comedian Rod Woodward who brought the house down at the 2014 Royal Variety Performance takes to the stage with his eagerly awaited debut tour. Rod has been tipped for stardom by such luminaries as Peter Kay and the late Bob Monkhouse after winning the Best Newcomer to Variety Award.

Pasadena Roof Orchestra 20 May The Pasadena Roof Orchestra is a world class, unique formation which was created over 40 years ago. Appearing all over the world the orchestra performs the songbook of the modern classics. George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin to Hoagy Carmichael. All time standards portraying the towering achievements of the song-writers art.

Isosceles Presents ‘Yours Truly Jack The Ripper’ 20 May In 1888 five women were brutally murdered on the streets of East London. Their killer was never caught, but more than a century later his name still carries terrifying echoes of that autumn of terror.

‘Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper’ is a drama which looks at the case through the eyes of the Commissioner of Police. As he resigns on the day of the last murder he recounts the terrible weeks when East London was under a reign of fear and the world held its breath. Using the words of actual witnesses in the case and underscored with music of the period, the production brings to life the true and terrible facts of the world’s most infamous murders Jethro 21 May Every once in a while there comes along a true comedy genius, someone who rapidly gains cult status with the British public. Such is the case with Jethro!

Armed with nothing more than a microphone and delivered to you in a warm Cornish accent, Jethro has the rare ability to paint hilarious pictures in the mind of his audience.

Forever Jackson 22 May ‘Forever Jackson’ is the ultimate tribute to Michael Jackson.

Setting the industry alight and selling out venues where ever they go. The show has become one of the most in demand tribute shows in the country and is fast becoming the number one Michael Jackson show to see!

Epsom Male Voice Choir Annual Concert 23 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.

Pop Factor The Concert 26 May Pop Factor tributes the very best of now! A show that’s a celebration of the top artists and biggest chart hits! Calling all Directioners! Mixers & Katy Cats! Are you a Belieber? A Swiftie, or

one of our favourite Little Monsters!

Basil Brush Show - The Full On Fox Show 2015 27 May Basil Brush is a star with an outstanding ability to entertain and make people of all ages laugh and smile. He’s cheeky, irreverent, charming, naughty, quick-witted, scheming and foxy, but at the same time he’s kind, caring and affectionate.

A Solitary Man - The songs of Neil Diamond 28 May Bob Drury (‘The Neil Diamond Story’)returns with a brand new one-man show celebrating the genius of singer/songwriter Neil Diamond. In the first half many of his finely crafted songs are presented in stripped-down ‘unplugged’ style revealing the sheer quality of Neil Diamond’s music and lyrics.

Sword in the Stone 31 May The Arthurian legends have excited children and adults for centuries. The mystical story of the ‘Sword in the Stone’ follows the life of Arthur, a young squire destined to become king. Guided by Merlin, he has many adventures culminating in him successfully pulling the sword from the stone and unwittingly fulfilling the legend’s prophecy. This show requires the participation of the whole audience as the chorus and 10 children play small parts in the production. With beautiful costumes, enchanting sets and magical puppetry, the audience will be captivated. Continuing Image Musical Theatre’s tradition of providing the very best touring theatre.

Soul Man Tour - Andrew Dee 2 June Spirit Medium, Andrew Dee is here to guide you through some of life’s mysteries with help from your loved ones in the spirit world.

Let’s Hang On - The Music Of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons 3 June Following huge demand after their performance here last year, Let’s Hang On returns to take you on a musical journey through the history of one of the most successful bands of all time – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons!

Tim Vine 4 June Tim Timinee Tim Timinee Tim Tim To You First stand-up tour in 4 years, the punslinger returns with lots of new jokes, silly songs and twitchy dancing.

Evening of Burlesque 5 June For the very first time ever – the biggest burlesque legends from around the world are united on one stage as Britain’s No1 burlesque show goes global.

Martin Litton’s ‘Tribute To Fats Waller’ 8 June John Petters ‘Salute Benny Goodman’ 22 June 2015 Cheryl,Mike & Jay (formerly of Bucks Fizz) 25 June 2015 Early in 1981, four complete strangers sat in the drawing room of a house in Fulham and were told: “you are now Bucks Fizz”.

Kast Off Kinks 26 June Not to be missed! The Kast off Kinks are former members of the legendary band ‘The Kinks’, back together to re-live the good times.

Superstars28 Jun - 5 Jul Miss Emma is trecking through Puru in April 2015 for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

Please read our story at www.justgiving.com/cadastars ANY donations are kindly welcome and appreciated

To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915

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Life Begins

Should it be home or away for grandparents?

Kate McLelland

If you’ve ever watched TV programmes such as “Escape to the Country” or “A Place in the Sun: Home or Away”, you’ll appreciate the dilemma. Each week these shows focus on couples who dream of making a new start in life, either by moving to a different part of Britain or emigrating to a new country altogether.

In many cases the show’s subjects are older couples: retirees or working people in their forties and fifties who want to change the pattern of their working lives. The show takes them to their dream location and follows them as they seek advice on property from a real estate professional. At the start of each programme we learn something about the couple’s lives and then eavesdrop as they explore various houses.

There’s the inevitable break from the property search as they are introduced to the “local culture” - whether it’s in the form of morris dancing, picking grapes or milking a goat – and then the pressure is on. After the final viewing, the TV presenter’s expression changes from light-hearted to deadly serious: it’s decision time.

For the couple involved, this is often a moment of mixed emotions, particularly if they are concerned about leaving grandchildren behind. For all their excitement and anticipation there’s often a trace of regret - even guilt - behind the smiles.

It’s a tough dilemma that many of today’s grandparents face: should they move, or stay?

Having been through parenthood themselves, grandparents understand how quickly children grow up. If you’ve been visiting your grandchildren on a regular basis since they were babies, it’s likely that a strong bond will have formed. While you can always come back for important events such as sports days and the Christmas nativity play, missing out on small things like sewing an Easter Bonnet, or lending a hand with homework, may be a difficult adjustment.

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It’s also possible that your children have begun to depend on you for occasional babysitting or for picking up the kids up from school. If your son or daughter has relied on you to provide regular, unpaid childcare services while they work, then your move away may have significant economic implications for the family.

Getting away from it all is a fantasy that most of us indulge in from time to time, but family ties can make it hard to turn the dream into reality. So is it right that grandparents, who may have struggled to bring up their own children, should now feel trapped by a sense of obligation to the next generation?

Jules and Gareth Bowman from Essex were faced with that difficult question when they retired.

“We had always dreamed of living in the country but my job kept us in town,” says Gareth. “Retirement brought the chance to move but our daughter Ellie worked full time and relied on us for childcare.

Although we didn’t want to let the family down, Jules suffers from ill-health and we felt we only had a few good years left.”

The Bowmans finally confided their feelings to their daughter and son-in-law.

“I don’t think they’d ever considered that we might want to live somewhere else. Ellie spoke to her boss, who let her work flexi-time, and she found a good créche for the holidays. It’s turned out better than we expected: the move has been good for us and the grandchildren enjoy coming to visit.”

The Bowmans were lucky that their family was able to adapt their childcare routine, but such adjustments are not always possible. Maria Rymar was planning to move back to Estonia when her son-in-law disappeared, leaving her daughter to bring up two

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small children on her own. She cancelled her flight, moving in with her daughter in order to help look after the children.

“My sister still lives in Estonia so I go back every summer for a few weeks,” Maria says. “This way I get to watch my grandchildren grow up, so I have the best of both worlds.”

What becomes clear from the cases above is that every situation is different: what works for one family may not work for another.

It seems counter-intuitive, but sometimes relocation can be a positive move when it comes to family relationships. With the stresses and strains of close-up living removed, family visits become more like holidays, celebrated with lots of outings and treats, while Skype calls via a webcam help to bridge the gaps between visits.

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Although it may help to discuss future plans with your children, ultimately it’s up to you to decide on the best long-term solution for your health and happiness. But however you choose to go forward, one thing is certain: real life decisions are more complex and challenging than they appear on those reality TV shows!

To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915

39

Gardening Going potty for summer plants

By Pippa Greenwood

I am a great fan of hanging baskets, window boxes and patio containers, but this year why not include some unusual containers and planters to bring a different look or even a bit of humour to your garden?

You can use almost anything as a planter. I have seen some really crazy plantings in disused hand basins, loo cisterns or even the lavatory itself! If you are using something like a hand basin which only has one plug hole in the bottom, make sure that you cover it with pieces of broken crock and then perhaps put an inch or two of course gravel in the bottom of the container before you put the compost in.

But there are plenty of other normal household objects which can be used. How about that old watering can that’s sprung a leak? Whether you have a traditional galvanised can or a more modern plastic one, you can have great fun planting it up with bedding, particularly if you choose something like trailing blue lobelia to come spurting out of the top and perhaps even the end.

Buckets too can look really good fun and if you have one which still has its handle firmly attached, then you could use it as a hanging basket.

Old footwear with can be turned into planting with real flair. If you use old gardening boots or a pair of shoes, you are unlikely to need to add extra drainage as they invariably drain well. But if you are going to recycle a pair of wellies, then you may need to punch a few holes. Again cascading plants can look particularly dramatic, but a bunch of bright red geraniums or the spiky hedgehog-like foliage of a bright green or variegated grass can look particularly eye-catching.

See if there’s anything in your kitchen cupboards that could be recycled. An old saucepan, casserole pot or even a mixing bowl or jug can make an

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attractive planter. If the container is large and there are no drainage holes in it, then the other option is to plant it up as a mini bog garden and use moisture-loving plants in it such as hostas or pondside irises. Colanders or sieves also make interesting and unusual hanging baskets. You can simply plant one or two upright specimens in the centre of the colander and then use plenty of trailing plants around the edge and allow them to cascade down.

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an old sizeable teapot and some large mugs full of favourite summer bedding.

Larger items such as old wheelbarrows or chimney pots can often be bought very cheaply from a local salvage or junk yard. Something like a wheelbarrow gives a huge planting area and because it holds such a large volume of compost, it will also mean it will be less inclined to dry out.

All these containers can be treated in just the same way as a container that you have bought from the garden centre. As I mentioned drainage is of great importance, but when it comes to choosing a compost and the plants themselves, you need nothing any different from when you are planting up a more traditional container and believe me you can have a lot more fun!

Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood.com for ladybirds to control greenfly, Nemaslug, brilliant weeders, pop-up crop covers, copper tape and lots more besides.

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Around Britain Twin Cities 1. Belfast - Belfast has been twinned with Nashville, Tennessee, since 1994 in recognition of the fact that it was founded by two American pioneers – James Robertson and John Donelson – both with ancestral links to Northern Ireland. In fact, many of Nashville’s earliest settlers (including the Antrimborn parents of future President Andrew Jackson) had family ties to Belfast.

2. Bradford - When a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck the Macedonian capital city of Skopje in 1963, three-quarters of the city was destroyed. As part of the aid effort that followed, a team of students from Bradford University aided the reconstruction of Skopje, and the two cities have been twinned ever since.

3. Coventry - As one of the cities worst affected by Luftwaffe bombings during the Second World War, Coventry has set up twinning agreements with several other towns and cities that were equally badly damaged during the War. Amongst them are Sarajevo, Volgograd, Arnhem, and Lidice in the Czech Republic.

4. Newcastle-upon-Tyne - Newcastle is twinned with Bergen in Norway – the Norwegian King Olav V opened the city’s Civic Centre in 1968, and in a tradition dating from the Second World War, Bergen also supplies Newcastle with a Christmas tree each December.

5. Whitby - Whitby is twinned with Nuku’alofa, the capital city of Tonga, in recognition of Captain Cook’s two successful visits to the country in the early 1770s. Whitby is also twinned with Anchorage and Port Stanley, both of which have similar associations with Cook’s voyages. © Taken from The British Isles: A Trivia Gazetteer by Paul Anthony Jones

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41

Finance Alternative Investments: Returns v Risk

By Ann Haldon

The alternative investment market has grown considerably in recent years, as results of research by innovation charity, Nesta, in conjunction with the University of Cambridge, shows, “... [the UK market] has more than doubled in size year on year from £267 million in 2012 to £666 million in 2013 to £1.74 billion in 2014.”¹ Although generally considered more risky than mainstream products, alternative investments offer a broad choice, and depending on the product, potentially more control over your money.

Here are five ways to invest should you wish to try a non-traditional route: Peer-to-peer consumer lending This involves lending small amounts of money to individuals via dedicated peer-to-peer websites.

Higher interest rates provide motivation to invest when compared with banks and building societies, but peer-to-peer lending also carries with it greater dangers.

One such risk is the lack of protection from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, which normally guarantees savings up to a maximum of £85,000.

• An annual fee is common, which may be calculated as a percentage of interest earned, or of your total investment • You may be able to withdraw the money early, but there will probably be a fee for this too • Zopa, Funding Circle and Ratesetter are all key players in this market Equity-based crowdfunding Investors put money into one or more businesses either at the start-up or growth stage, in return for a stake in the company. Those companies seeking funding place their business plan and pitch online, plus details about their background and experience.

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Lenders then search the website for what they regard to be good investment opportunities.

As an example, if a business is seeking £20,000 and this financial target is not reached by the end of the stated period, all monies are returned to the investors.

Transactions are processed online, in one of two different ways: • You deal directly with the company you are investing in, and your name goes on the shares – Crowdcube operate under this policy.

• The crowdfunding website processes the deal on behalf of multiple (sometimes thousands) investors, and holds the shares – this is Seedrs’ method of operating.

Fine wine There are three ways to buy into the wine market: • Established, reputable wine merchants: with the emphasis firmly on established and reputable merchants, you can buy ‘new vintage’ wine by the case, or ‘en primeur’ which means pre-bottled. Buying ‘en primeur’ is less expensive, but riskier in the long run as the vintage has not yet been tested.

The wine industry has been the target of scammers in the past, which is why establishing the reputation of a wine merchant is paramount before making an investment.

The Wine Investment Association offers lots of advice and guidance, and was set up in response to the high level of fraud being experienced by investors.

•Wine funds: these allow you to spread the risk over a range of different grapes and vines, and you can simply sit back and allow a fund manager to make the selection. The Financial Conduct Authority has suggested that wine funds should only be marketed to experienced investors, however. With this model it’s

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important to note that you are effectively trading on the wine market rather than owning the wine itself.

•Buying and selling wine: online wine trading platforms allow you to carry out your own buying and selling activities, read reviews on various wines, and check on the value of your portfolio.

Classic cars A new classic car fund was launched in May 2014 by private equity group, PHD Equity Partners. A minimum investment of £50,000 is required, and investors are able to drive their car(s) on certain days of the year.

Investing in wine is a risky business. Being an unregulated asset class means there is no protection for your investment from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, but it may be suitable for high net worth individuals or experienced investors.

It’s not only Ferraris that are of interest to investors cars like the 1970s Ford Escort are also popular. Many owners combine their love of classic cars with this investment opportunity, driving their pride and joy to meetings and other events.

Stamps Stamp collecting used to be regarded as a hobby, but it is now seen as an investment opportunity. If you want to build up your own collection, it’s rarity and quality that are the watchwords.

The running costs of owning a classic car need to be factored in, but the simple fact that there are no complex electronics to deal with should keep some costs lower.

Knowing what is rare and of good quality is something that comes with experience built up over a number of years, however.

• Money Observer state that “anything under £500 is unlikely to be considered investment grade”² • This should be seen as a long-term investment of five to ten years

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These ideas may have whetted your appetite for the alternative investment market, but they are just a small selection of the non-standard investments available.

Collectibles, forestry, diamonds and gold provide other opportunities to invest, but as with all alternative investments they attract higher risks.

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To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915

43

Safer Neighbourhoods Theft in the street This month I thought a few tips on keeping your personal possessions safe whilst out and about may prove useful, as dipping/ pick-pocketing can happen in any high street.

First and foremost, Be aware of what and who is around you and keep your possessions safe - Never leave your bags or other valuables unattended in public places.

- Be discreet with your belongings; displaying expensive jewellery or electronic devices, like mobile phones or cameras, could attract unwanted attention.

- If people talk to you or ask unusual questions, be aware of where your possessions are.

The dipper or pick-pocket will tend to operate in and around busy stores including charity shops.

They certainly operate in the street and they may even target people on a busy bus. Cash points are also often a target, in fact anywhere where your attention may be drawn elsewhere. The thieves sometimes work in pairs, even working in what seem like a family unit, employing clever distraction tactics.

Ladies, if you wear your handbag over your shoulder, you could try wearing it under your coat and/or to the front of your body, making sure that the zip or fastener is always closed.

Never leave your bag in or hanging from a shopping trolley. Another good idea is getting some small round ‘Cat Bell’s’ from the pet shop and attach them to the zips of your bags, then should someone try to interfere with your belongings you will be alerted by the jangle of the bell.

Always be alert when using a cash point. Again, make sure your bag is in front of you, closed and attached to your person. Be aware of those around you and of course always shield your transaction from prying eyes. If you are taking

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refreshment in a café or restaurant, never leave your bag on the floor or under your chair. Keep it close to you where you can see it. Try and keep the cash you carry to a minimum by using your cards for as many of your transactions as possible. The majority of these thieves want cash, they will watch you withdraw it and pick their moment later to take it. Stolen cards can be stopped and replaced quite quickly. A large amount of cash is lost.

All of the above tips will not guarantee the safety of all your possessions, but it WILL make you and your personal belongings a far more difficult and unattractive target.

Take care of yourselves and watch out for your fellow shoppers.

Thank you.

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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 11th May - Matthew Bason Doors open 7pm for 7:30pm start.(Visitors £7) Visitors & new members are always welcome to our concerts.

Further details from 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 Dawn Penn 0208 337 4361 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 on Monday evenings 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 meet on the 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.

Please contact Carol on 020 8337 2452 for further information

Tuesdays

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

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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. If interested, please contact our 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. Contact Brian on 020 8224 6675 or Rowena 07837 941298 NHS Retirement Fellowship- Local Branch 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. For further details please contact Lorna on 020 8337 4121.

Worcester Park Crafters We meet on the first 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) Craft group - We meet at Christ Church with St Philip Ruskin Drive on the first TUESDAY of the month from 7.30-9.30pm A place where all crafters whatever their craft or ability can meet, craft, share ideas and learn from each other.

Feel free to bring your own projects or you can try our project of the month Cost: £5 per session Lynne Singer 020 8330 3590 or Toni Shepherd 07900 006367

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 ! For more information please call 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

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from Worcester Park and its surrounding areas with a broad range of professional and business backgrounds.

We meet on the first Wednesday of 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. If you would like to know more, please telephone our secretary, Bruce Urquhart, on 01737 373 690 or visit our website: 4newmembers.ewell4probus.org.uk

Thursdays

Worcester Park Vegans. For vegans, and all who are interested in learning more about veganism. We meet on the second Thursday of each month in The Den (upstairs) at Christchurch with St Philip, Cheam Common Rd (corner of Ruskin Drive). We aim to start at 7pm and finish by 9pm. If possible please bring vegan food to share ( no meat, fish, eggs, cheese or honey).

For more information please ring Wendy Edwards on 07740 082460 or email carol20754@gmail.com or look us up on Facebook. You don’t have to live in Worcester Park to come to our meetings - all who are genuinely interested are welcome. Vegans stand for respect for life - all life, not just human life. We believe in trying to live as gently on the earth as possible and in doing no intentional harm to any living creature.

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.

Further details of all our branch meetings, can be found at Our award winning website www.esfhs.org.uk 60+ Social Mixed Single Group We meet in a local pub every Thursday where we discuss outings for the weekends such as meal out, walking, theatre trips, cinemas and many other things. If you would like to join us please ring Maureen: 07761278661.

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 every Thursday evening from 7.30 to 10pm. The public is invited to join members on short training courses. For further details please see MEFAS web site at http://e-voice.org.uk/mefas/ or telephone 020 8942 8653 or 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 the Scill Centre 3 Robin Hood Lane Sutton For more information please contact George on 0208 647 7530 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. For more information ring 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.

If you would like to join us, please just turn up, or if you would like to speak to someone, please contact one of the following: SCILL 020 8770 4065 Sutton Vision 020 8409 7166 Christ Church with St Philip 020 8330 7630

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. Contact Dot on 0208 330 2074 Quest was set up in 1987 to provide a meeting place for people with physical disabilities between the ages of 20 - 60. However, once a member there is no age

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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, outings can be arranged if enough people wish to go. The venue is St. Philip Hall, Christchurch with St. Philip, Ruskin Drive, Worcester Park. We meet the 2nd and 4th Fridays in the month from 12.45 to 4p.m Contact June Day, Club Secretary, on 02083301220 RSPB Epsom And Ewell Local Group We meet the 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. There is a small charge for non-members of the RSPB. If you would like more information, please look at our website, www.rspb.org.uk/groups/epsom Worcester Park Womens’ Club. We are part of the National Association of Womens’ Clubs and we meet at Cheam Common Junior School, Kingsmead Avenue every Friday from 7.30 to 9.30 (term time only). 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.

GroupFormed 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 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 Bowls Club Manor Park, Malden Road.

New members will be made very welcome. Roll ups, league matches, internal and external competitions; we offer bowling for all levels of interest and ability. Our open day this year will be on 16 May. For further details contact Men’s Secretary Gerald 020 8949 4623 or Ladies’ Secretary Malden Manor Bowls Club Where: Manor Park, Malden Road.

Cheam High School Gym NO contract or joining fee, and just £15 a month. It has everything other gyms have, we also have a Personal Trainer on hand to help out and give advise FREE of charge, something other gyms don’t offer. www.facebook.com/CHSGym We open to the public at 5pm-9.30pm Monday - Friday and 10am-5pm Saturdays.

General

Auriol Bowling Club was established in 1967, and plays on the 6-rink bowling green attached to the pavilion in Auriol Park, Salisbury Road, Worcester Park. It is a mixed club of around 45 men and 25 women, who play outdoors from April to September, with a busy fixture list of league and friendly matches against other clubs, as well as internal club competitions. For further information please contact the club Secretary, David Regan, on 020 8337 8919 or visit the website at www.auriolbowlingclub.com.

Cuddington Bowling Club will always welcome new members. The club is situated in 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. For further information, please contact our Secretary Mike Ridley 02087158326 or our Treasurer Mark Broughton 02083379699.

Social Dancing With “ Glitters” At Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell Village 8.15 pm – 11.00 pm Entrance 8.15 p.m. - 11 p.m.. Over 18s. £8 Entrance Fee. All standards of dancing. Excellent free parking. Bar. Professional DJ “We may not have Brucie, but we do have a glitter ball!”. Ring David 07903 314276.

Friday Nights for 2015: Jan2nd and 16th, Feb 6th and 20th, March 6th and 20th, Apr 3rd and 17th, May 1st and 15th, June 5th and 19th, July 3rd and 17th, Aug 7th, Sept 4th and 18th, Oct 2nd and 16th, Nov 6th and 20th, Dec18th National Trust - Epsom, Ewell and District Supporters

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An independent preparatory An independent independentpreparatory preparatory An school for boys and girls schoolfor for boys and andgirls girls school aged 3boys to 11 years. aged3 3toto11 11 years. years. aged

“The pupils’ overall success is a result of highly teaching,isan “The pupils’effective overall success a outstanding result ult and wide extra-curricular experience, as well as the of curriculum highly effective teaching, an outstanding tan Independent Schools Inspectorate report pupils’ own excellent attitudes to learning.” curriculum and wide extra-curricular experience, as well as the r e pupils’ own excellent attitudes to learning.” Independent Schools Inspectorate report arn

“The pupils’ overall success is a result of highly Tel: 020 8942 0754an outstanding effective teaching, Email: info@thestudyschool.co.uk Website: www.thestudyschool.co.uk Tel: 020 8942 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 independent preparatory chool for boysexcellent and girls attitudes to learning.” own Schools Inspectorate report aged 3Independent to 11 years.

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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.

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Native tutors

Learn French making “amuse bouche”

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0208 394 2555 Sales@JacksonNoon.com Lettings@JacksonNoon.com

APRIL 2015 UPDATE Old acquaintances and full circles There are many reasons why people move home, some happy, some not so, and each time they move we share a small, but often very important, slice of their life. Bricks and mortar hold a fascination, and we have our fingers firmly on the pulse of the ebbs and flows of the market, but its people that make every day both different and special.

Why are we writing this now? Well, recently we have had one of those little nudges that reminds us just how long we have been helping people in the area move from home to home. A young couple came into our office and registered their interest in buying a starter property in the area. That’s one of the happiest reasons for people to move, owning their first home together. We chatted about where they lived now, where their family lived and therefore which area they would prefer and gradually the pieces all started to come together.

More years have passed than we care to confess since a similar couple first met with Peter. Together with their young son they were very keen to find a home before his sibling arrived. Location was important as they needed to be close to both grandparents and schools. Peter remembered it particularly as it was very much touch and go which would arrive first, the removals van or the new addition to the family. In the event they just had time to put a cot together in the new house before the new arrival made his, fortunately late, entrance to the world.

Over the years the little boy has, of course, grown quite a lot taller. His family have bought and sold a couple more times through us and we have glimpsed slices of their life as they moved up the property ladder to bigger homes with a larger gardens to accommodate their growing family. They also came to us when it became necessary to sell an elderly parent’s home to fund nursing care, which is one of the sadder reasons for a property to be sold. Each time it’s been wonderful to listen to their updates.

We’ve followed the progress of their eldest as he finished school, went to university, moved away, came back and rented a flat, found a job in London and now we’ve come full circle as that once little boy has come to us for help to find his first home. Fingers crossed, we think we have found him just the right one, just a couple of roads away from where his parents first settled all those years ago.

Understanding our clients, vendors, buyers, landlords and tenants is key. By appreciating what’s essential to them now, and taking into consideration what may be important to them in the near future, we can help them realise their property goal. Many many years of experience in the local area has developed not only an in depth knowledge of the local property market but also given us a very real understanding of what it is that people want and need.

There will certainly be big smiles all round when we can finally hand over the keys to our client as he takes ownership of his first home, but we are grateful that this time the need for cot assembly will not be quite so pressing.

Lettings@JacksonNoon.com

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53

Recipe Herby stuffed baked tomatoes

Serves: 2-4 Ready in: 1 hour

Large and juicy beefsteak tomatoes are the perfect shape and size for stuffing and make an economical midweek supper.

Serve hot or cold with a crisp green salad drizzled with a tangy balsamic glaze.

4 firm beefsteak tomatoes 3 tbsp Virgin olive oil 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 75g fresh white breadcrumbs 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley 1 tbsp fresh chopped mint 2 tsp capers, drained and rinsed Salt and freshly ground black pepper Preheat the oven to 190C, 375F, Gas 5.

Use a sharp knife to slice the tops off the tomatoes and slice a thin sliver from the base of

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each tomato to prevent them wobbling in the dish.

Use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds and flesh from each tomato. Finely chop and reserve the flesh but discard the seeds. Place the tomato shells in a shallow ovenproof dish.

Heat half the olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan. Add the chopped onion and fry over a medium-high heat for 5 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the garlic and fry for a further 4-5 minutes until tender and golden. Stir in the chopped tomato flesh, breadcrumbs, parsley, mint and capers and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Spoon the breadcrumb mixture into the tomato shells, pressing it down gently then top with the lids. Drizzle over the rest of the olive oil and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the tomatoes are just tender. Serve hot or cold.

TIP Replace the breadcrumbs with cous cous if liked.

Place 115g cous cous in a heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water to cover. Stir once then place a plate on top of the bowl and leave for 10 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed.

Fluff up the grains with a fork then stir into the fried onion mixture as above. Add some toasted pine nuts, chopped dried apricots, fresh chopped coriander a little harissa paste for a more exotic flavour.

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55

Voice for Wildlife

by Carol Williams Spring at Shadbolt Park Pond In mid March the frogs arrived and left a record amount of spawn in the shallows. We watch in excitement for the emergence on the tadpoles and the development of the froglets. A pair of ducks have also taken up some sort of semi -permanent residence there and a grey heron visits.

The heron seems to be the highlight for several of the park users this year - they approach us when we are working there and tell us about their sightings. We have taken a photograph of ‘our’ heron which we will put in the noticeboard in due course.

Grey herons are our most widespread predatory bird, with a wingspan the same as the golden eagle. When flying high in the sky it is easy to mistake them for a bird of prey. In Ireland they are often called ‘cranes’.

Any body of shallow water will attract herons. We have 13,000 heron nests in the UK and about 63,000 individuals. They are waders who stalk their prey

through the water and strike quickly. They eat mainly fish, but also amphibians, reptiles and small rodents.

Occasionally ducklings. Obviously, on Shadbolt Pond, the attraction is the frog activity when spawning takes place. In Amsterdam, I read, they are well acclimatised to city life and may often be seen around street markets and snack bars! I have yet to see herons hanging about the food outlets on the South Bank - but who knows? If in Amsterdam, why not London some time in the future? They certainly get into the water enclosures at London Zoo, stealing the food intended for the residents. Their success is due to their adaptability.

Herons may be seen at any time of year as they do not migrate. They nest in colonies from February to May, laying an average of 3 or 4 eggs, just one clutch a year per pair, and are unusual in incubating the first egg before all are laid, giving the older chicks an advantage when food is scarce. The adults return to the same nest every year, tidying and repairing it, only rebuilding if storms have destroyed it. They make their bulky nests near wetland areas, out of sticks and twigs up in large trees -there can be as many as 6 nests in one mature tree. Sometimes they may also nest in

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reedbeds, just like their cousins, the bitterns. A heronry is a noisy place! The young keep up a continual clicking call. They take 27 days to hatch and are 7 weeks in the nest.

Courtship behaviour consists of soaring high above the nesting area, chasing each other, tilting from side to side and diving headlong. On old nest platforms they display with elaborate neck movements, crest and neck plumes upright, with much bill snapping and a variety of calls. Except when breeding they are mainly solitary.

The oldest recorded, ringed wild heron was 25 years old.

So, beware, frogs! There’s a heron about. Frogs lay enormous quantities of eggs, out of which few survive, but as long as the adults replace themselves in their lifetimes, this is all that concerns Mother Nature. When any animal produces copious young, you know that this is a creature much predated and that this is Nature’s strategy for ensuring the survival of that species. It all works perfectly in a balanced ecosystem, but with all the habitat destruction which human beings have caused in our world, Nature no longer works as well as it once did. We have compromised the coping ability of many species.

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So, please build a pond in your back garden and do not stock it with goldfish. Let it be for the wildlife.

Feed the birds, but also leave some of your garden wild, so they have nesting places and cover, to avoid predators. Frogs need long grass to hide in when they emerge from ponds. They do not spend most of their lives in the water, but in damp, dark places where invertebrate food is abundant. Disturbance of vegetation is inadvisable in a wildlife area. Keep to the paths when you visit places. Please respect that a patch of rough land may be a haven for bees and butterflies.

Common plants like dandelions are the first nectar for many insect species - do not grub them up unless you absolutely have to - leave them alone.

If I had my way, all our grass verges would be strips of meadow, mown only once a year after the plants have set seed for next year , and all our parks, like Shadbolt, would have a wildlife pond and a surrounding rough area where nettles, brambles and all types of common, wild plant were allowed to flourish with minimal interference from men with machines and heavy boots.

Please do come and enjoy Spring at Shadbolt Pond and take away with you a greater love for wildlife.

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Kids Play

There’s lots going on for pre-schoolers

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.

Wednesday

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

Thursday

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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MUSIC CLASSES FOR UNDER 4’S

Taught by a qualified Suzuki-method music teacher.

Thursday At Worcester Park Library, Windsor Road, Worcester Park, KT4 8ES

Friday At Surbiton Library Halls, Ewell Road, Surbiton, KT6 6AG

9.45-10.30am Toddler class 10.35-11.20am Toddler class

10-10.45am Chinese music class (suitable for Chinese/ non- Chinese speaking families)

To book your place please contact Ginger on 07525 497 124 or email infomusicfun@gmail.com www.gingersmusicfun.com

If you are reading this then so too are your potential customers.

Advertising costs from just £24 plus VAT a month.

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Sunday Nights Quiz Night 8.30pm

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59

Hobbies The fast growing ‘cult’ of small things Kate McLelland

When 89-year-old Nora Boll recently sold her collection of over 30 dolls’ houses, the auction sale sparked huge interest in the national media, bringing together collectors and dealers from all over the country.

Nora, whose mother started the collection in 1925, had amassed hundreds of items over the years, including miniature chandeliers, little curtains made from parachute silk and even tiny rolls of toilet paper. Throughout her life she continued to pick up furniture and accessories from junk shops and markets, auctions and fairs: including items from Japan, Switzerland and Yugoslavia.

John Anderson of auctioneers Anderson and Garland, who managed the sale, commented: “There is something of a cult hobby based on dolls’ houses and furniture”. He went on to add that in his experience a piece of miniature furniture such as a chest of drawers can sell at auction for more than its full-size counterpart.

All grown up Collecting dolls’ houses, furniture and accessories is clearly no longer just a children’s pastime. Many enthusiasts view their hobby as an artistic outlet rather than a childhood fantasy and some have even been known to spend hundreds of pounds creating their ideal miniature interiors.

For serious collectors it’s an activity that allows for different specialties and interests, from kitting out period dolls’ houses in accurate historical detail to creating chic, contemporary interiors. Hobbyists can even buy a range of glossy magazines for inspiration: these offer guidance on topics such as laying out a miniature nursery room or creating an oriental theme for a bedroom.

Little lessons learned Like Nora Boll, many women have gone on to become collectors after their mothers first inspired their love of dolls’ houses. In fact the original purpose of these miniature properties was to teach young

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women about the art of domestic management and many dolls’ houses created for children of the gentry were modelled on the family home.

The Museum of Childhood at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London is currently hosting an exhibition called ‘Small Stories’, due to run until 6th September 2015. The exhibition reveals the fascinating tales behind some of Britain’s best-loved dolls’ houses, showing the way parents used these toys to educate their children about every detail of adult domestic life.

One display features a contract between a father and daughter, drawn up in 1837. The agreement states that the daughter is to pay a shilling rent every month for her doll’s house. Her father retains the right to repossess the house, giving only two days’ written notice.

Sources of inspiration If you want to begin your own dolls’ house collection, the ‘Small Stories’ exhibition is a good place to start, as it encompasses scaled-down versions of country mansions, Georgian town houses, suburban villas, council estates and high-rise apartments as well as exploring the family stories behind the ownership of each “property”. Admission is free and further details can be found at www.vam.ac.uk.

Additionally, the National Trust’s website (www. nationaltrust.org.uk) carries information about inspirational dolls’ houses on display throughout the country. These include Beatrix Potter’s muchloved dolls’ house in Cumbria; the Whiteway Victorian house in Devon with its tiny, hand-painted butterfly collection and the Museum of Childhood in Derbyshire, where visitors can view a number of models on permanent display.

You can also visit The Kensington Dolls’ House

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Festival in May this year (www.dollshousefestival. com).

Your miniature property search Collectors starting from scratch can kick off the search for their dream house by searching Ebay or studying the listings ads in their local newspaper. The Dolls’ House Exchange site (www. dollshouseexchange.co.uk) lets collectors buy and sell second hand items online, giving you an opportunity to pick up a more unusual, custom-built house at an accessible price. Alternatively the Sue Ryder charity shops carry stocks of dolls’ houses and dolls’ house furniture. Find a local shop by calling 0800 917 8123 (free of charge), or visit www. sueryder.org.

You can buy a brand new traditional wooden dolls’ house, created in a range of 19th and 20th century architectural styles, from Cosy Corners Dolls’ Houses in Kent (telephone 01227 375 099). These come in flat-pack form and cost from £130 upwards. A fully constructed Victorian-style wooden house with working sash windows will cost you £249 (with free delivery) from www.greatgizmos.co.uk.

The Dolls’ House Emporium (www.dollshouse.com) is one of many online retailers offering an astonishing range of furniture and accessories. These miniature curiosities range from Victorian shop counters and sweet jars to tiny shower cubicles and jacuzzis.

The magic of small things Whatever your reasons for collecting, there’s undoubtedly something magical about seeing the stuff of our everyday lives reduced to miniature scale. There’s an added sense of wonder when you consider the skill and patience that has gone into creating these small but perfectly formed items.

Children’s author Lewis Carroll understood the childish fascination with shrinking down in size and used it to great effect in ‘Alice in Wonderland’. It’s a happy coincidence that the Victoria and Albert’s ‘Small Stories’ exhibition -sparking a renewed interest in dolls’ house history - has been staged in the 150th anniversary year of Carroll’s famous book.

IMAGE CREDIT: Hopkinson House - bedroom detail set in 1940s, England.

Victoria and Albert Museum, London

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Curtains

Curtains & & Furnishings Furnishings department, department 1st 2ndfloor floor

Free measuring service Thousands of fabrics & designs, many brands Express 7 day or bespoke made to measure service

Ready mades / black out lining / interlining / cotton lining available.

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ABLE 2 BUILD & Sons ALL ASPECTS OF BUILDING WORK

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