Inside This Issue Local Businesses Holiday Reads Beauty & The Beach Plan Your Planting Marinated Pepper Platter An Interview With Lewis Hamilton Which ISA Is Best For You? & much more!
August 2016 The Independent Community Magazine and Business Directory for East Hunsbury, West Hunsbury, Collingtree Park & Buckingham Fields Please mention The Hunsbury Handbook when responding to adverts
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Dear Neighbours,
T
he first week of school holidays has been lovely as I treated myself to some much needed lie-in’s. No alarm to wake me up, no packed lunches to make, no school runs and no early morning weekend football matches to support...just pure indulgent snoozing! I even persuaded my son to bring me breakfast in bed one morning...happy days. I’m not going to feel guilty about it - yes, the housework still needs doing and yes, you may argue, it is a wasted few hours...but it was so good! And now that I have got it out of my system and re-charged my batteries, I can be up with the larks and be super productive...just give me 10 more minutes! We’ve come to the end of the (disappointing) UEFA Euro tournament; cheered as Andy Murray won Wimbledon and congratulated Lewis Hamilton on winning the British Grand Prix, (see page 10 to read an interview with the man himself). But the summer sporting calendar is not yet over with; the Rio Olympics starts on the 5th August to keep us entertained until the 21st. Let’s hope we have many more British successes. The annual Hackleton bike ride is back for its 11th year; see page 52 for more information - spaces are limited, so book your place now. This issue we also have gadgets for going off the beaten track on page 16; beauty buys to see you through those hazy summer days, page 26 and recommended holiday reads on page 30. We have a lovely marinated pepper platter recipe and tropical fruit roulade, ideal for summer al fresco dining; pages 22 and 50 respectively. With my boys off school they are spending even more time on their technology, however, I am conscious of the fact it can have consequences to their health. Although it makes me unpopular I am restricting their time on it and used the information in this month’s health feature, ‘Modern technology: Don’t let it ruin your health’ to explain why; page 34. Finance professional, Ann Haldon, looks at the different ISA accounts available, to identify which ones might suit your needs, page 54; plus we have our regular interiors advice and gardening tips on pages 40 and 46 respectively. Wishing you a lovely August; until next month...
Zoë 01604 708854; zoe@hunsburyhandbook.co.uk www.hunsburyhandbook.co.uk
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COMMUNITY NEWS Forum Cinema: What’s On Northampton Buzz Card: The Smarter Way To Travel The Roman Challenge Mountain Bike Event: Sunday 25th September
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ARTICLES & FEATURES Motoring: An Interview With Lewis Hamilton Tech Spec: Far From The Madding Crowds Recipe: Marinated Pepper Platter Beauty: Beauty & The Beach Book Review: Holiday Reads Health: Modern Technology - Don’t Let It Damage Your Health Home & Interiors: Come Back To Carpet Gardening: Plan Your Planting Cake & Bake: Tropical Fruit Roulade Finance: Which Type Of ISA Is Best For You?
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34 40 46 50 54
PUZZLES Children’s Puzzle Page Quick Crossword
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otherwise anyone could do it.” His garage might be full of luxury motors, but he rarely drives them, preferring to keep the mileage low and the value appreciating.
He’s a British hero and an F1 champion and just after he won the British Grand Prix, we were lucky enough to be a part of a small group of journalists who were given the chance to chat with Lewis Hamilton at the launch of the new MercedesAMG GT R. Here’s what we learned about his views on road cars, racing outside F1 and gaining an inch…
On the subject of racing in something like the Nurburgring 24-hour race, he said: “I like that I can take [the AMG GT R] around the Nurburgring and have a lot of fun, but I don’t really have any desire to race anything else. The problem is, once you come out of F1, everything else is a step down.” At 31 years old, though, he acknowledges he’s heading towards the end of his career, saying: “That might change.
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I’ve been driving since I was eight years old, so when I stop racing I’m probably going to have massive withdrawal and want to drive something…” Although no other car racing currently appeals to Hamilton, he does say he’d like to have a go in MotoGP, because even riding his bike on the motorway is scary, “so imagine what it must be like at the speeds those guys are going.” On the subject of danger and improving safety, he says: “One of the exciting factors is when we get in that car and we know the danger factor is there. When I see Niki [Lauda], he’s just awesome, he’s a legend, he drove in a time when people were dying often. Obviously we’ve lost a couple of drivers in the last few years…I think it is important for us in the sport to always be considering [safety] and always be working on it, but I hope the danger’s always going to be there, because
Instead of driving: “I usually ride my motorbike. Sometimes if I get home and I want to unwind I might take the car out, but I want to keep the mileage low on all my cars! So I don’t ever really go that far.” For someone who has a reputation for speaking his mind, Hamilton portrays a calm aura and claims his years in racing have matured him. He said: “Age, I’m sure, has helped, but as you grow with the team…you realise your place in the team, you know, what I say to the camera is what the guys back at the factory hear me say, and you realise that you’re affecting all of those people with the things you say, so I’m conscious of those things.” In a sign of the relaxed maturity we rarely see from him during race weekends, he says it’s important to keep perspective when you have a technical fault that’s out of your hands.
Hamilton had a tough time in Baku after his team put him
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in the wrong engine setting. Team radio rules didn’t let them tell him how to fix it, which prompted a discussion about F1’s regulations. He acknowledged having fast, technical racing that’s also exciting is a difficult balance to find, but said: “It’s insane how much stuff we have to study…the problem is they’ve made the cars so technical. Of the engine switches I have, one is just one to 14, and the other is one to 14, but in each of those settings is another 10 options.” His colleague then mentioned that they’d calculated there are 508 possible combinations. Away from the paddock, Hamilton has grown a reputation for enjoying a celebrity lifestyle, and has been seen having fun on jet skis on holiday.
Does the team tell him to reign in his extracurricular activities? “When I was at McLaren I said ‘these are the things I like to do, just so you’re aware’ and when I joined this team I already told them ‘these are the things I do, I’m not gonna stop!’ You know, I’m conscious, I never want to watch someone else drive my car, so I try to be as sensible as I can whilst having fun, which isn’t always the easiest balance.” “I was talking to Tobias [Moers, AMG boss] and I was like ‘you’ve got all this Formula 1 technology and you have the Formula 1 world champion driving your car – utilise that!” With all his experience behind the wheel, Hamilton clearly sounds frustrated when he describes wanting to change things about cars when he drives them. To get around that, the three-time world champion wants to do a “limited edition series, which I can test, which I can set up and be hands-on with the design.”
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For many people, late summer is the perfect time to go off the beaten track and explore, whether that’s by hiking, cycling or a combination of the two. And with the right gadgets you can be sure that you’ll love to go a-wandering, no matter where you’re headed. If you like to listen to music, podcasts or ebooks when you’re roaming, or if you just fancy some music while you swim in a lake, waterproof headphones are a great idea: sets such as the X-1 Surge Mini (£35) are 100% waterproof to a depth of 12 feet, but don’t forget to buy a waterproof case for your iPod or phone: you can pick up a universal waterproof case for less than £10, although make sure you check the specs carefully: water resistant and waterproof are very different things, and the former is only designed to protect your device against accidents, not deliberately going underwater. If you’d rather drink water than swim in it, a refillable water bottle is a great investment. £14 gets you the leak-proof, durable Kleen Kanteen, while the £6 Snugpak is designed to be clipped to your backpack. If
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you’re on a city trip with a messenger bag, the Memobottle (around £22) is shaped like a book rather than a bottle so it won’t make your bag all bulky. And of course, don’t forget the humble Thermos (from around £8), which is as good at keeping soup warm as it is at keeping water cool - a useful skill given the vagaries of the British weather. If you have fond memories of the Swiss Army Knife you might be interested to see its latest incarnation, the Victorinox Expedition Kit. At £135 it’s a lot of money for a knife, but then it’s a lot of knife for the money: not only does it have the usual blades and screwdrivers but it also includes a digital clock, a barometer, a compass, an altimeter and a thermometer. And of course you never know when you might need to get a stone out of a horse’s hoof. If you’d rather take even more technology with you, the Earl Backcountry Survival Tablet ($299, around £205) will start shipping in the second half of 2016 after smashing its fundraising target on Kickstarter. It’s an Android-
based, ruggedised tablet with GPS, weather sensors and radio communication to ensure that you always know where you are and what’s coming, and that you’re never out of contact with the outside world. It’s a bit of an overkill for a walk round a park, but for more serious expeditions it could be a very valuable travelling companion. The use of an E-Ink screen and a built-in solar panel means it should last for ages too, although unfortunately E-Ink’s slower updating does rule out a game of Angry Birds after the day’s travelling is over. If it’s even half as good as the Kickstarter campaign promises it could be really clever. Fancy a tent that’s as techy as a tablet? The Heimplanet Cave inflates like an airbed, weighs just 5 kg and looks like it came from a spaceship. At £480 it’s a little on the expensive side, but the structure is puncture-proof and it’s actually quite affordable by inflatable tent standards. Images L to R: X-1 Surge Mini headphones; Memobottle A5 water bottle; ictorinox Expedition Kit; Heimplanet Cave tent
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Science (including Applied Science) Modern Foreign Languages English English Literature Mathematics Pupils achieved 100% in all BTEC subjects A* to C
100% A* 84% A* 83% A* 67% A* 50% A* Level 2
to to to to to
C C C C C
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Unit 16, Low Farm Place, Moulton Park, Northampton, NN3 6HY
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When it comes to packing for holidays, I tend to fill every last millimetre of my case. So I do like products that save space and weight. Lush’s shampoo bars do both. Plus, as they’re solid bars, they can go in your hand luggage. There are a fair few to choose from, but my current favourite is Montalbano, £5.95, because of its fresh lemon scent. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not nearly as evangelical as I should be about applying suntan lotion, but I am trying to do better. The fact that every year more than 14,000 people in the UK develop a malignant melanoma is a
pretty good motivator. As an extra incentive, UVA rays also lead to premature wrinkles and age spots and they can penetrate skin even when it’s cloudy. So this summer, I’m slapping on the suntan lotion. I tend to use factor 25, but on days when I can get away with an SPF of 15, I usually reach for Green People’s Sun Lotion with Natural Tan Accelerator, £20. It’s a great choice if you have sensitive skin (which I do), as it’s very gentle, so unlikely to irritate. It’s also rich in seed oils, so leaves my skin feeling moisturised. The natural tan accelerator has been shown to increase tanning by up to 25% and can make a tan last much longer.
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I admit it can be a bit of a faff rubbing in suntan lotion, so I’m rather tempted by Colorescience Sunforgettable. With an SPF of 50 it gives great protection, but as it’s a loose mineral powder, you just brush it on. You can wear it on top of makeup and it’s available in three shades – fair, medium and tan. For me, the price is the downside. At £41.50, it’s certainly not walletfriendly. But it is supposed to last for ages, and avoiding the scratchy, sticky sand/lotion mix might just make it worth the price, see www.beauty-productonline.co.uk. A day in the sun can leave skin feeling dry and dehydrated. I tend to use cocoa butter for putting the moisture back, but I am looking forward to trying Vichy’s new Ideal Soleil After Sun, £13. Key ingredients include shea oil and blackcurrant seed oil, so it’s rich
in omega fatty acids, which can really help to boost hydration. What’s more, you can use it on dry skin or in the shower. I love treating my toenails to a professional gel polish, but if I don’t have time, I always have a few nail polishes at home to choose from. Crabtree and Eveyln’s Nail Lacquer in Wisteria, £6, is at the top of my shopping list. It’s just the right shade of blue to give a good pop of colour, while being neutral enough to work with most outfits.
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Modern technology lets us access information and communicate more swiftly and easily than ever before. However, it’s not always good for our health.
The problem: Poor Sleep Although light in general affects melatonin, our sleepinducing hormone, the blue light emitted by many of our phones, tablets, monitors and flat-screen TVs is a particular culprit. Sleep is just as essential to our health as good diet and exercise. Lack of sleep affects
memory, mood, concentration, reaction times (increasing accident risk) and our immunity to infection. It can also stimulate our appetite, causing weight-gain. In longterm or severe cases, it may affect language processing, our sense of time and order, and even contribute to serious health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. The Answer: Turn devices off for an hour before bedtime and reduce screen brightness in the evening. Consider amber-tinted glasses that filter out blue light.
The problem: CVS (Computer Vision Syndrome) CVS is a condition caused by asking our eyes to cope with constant glare and focus
readjustment as they flick back and forth between different images and text. This can strain our eye muscles and cause eye irritation, blurred or double vision, headaches and neck pain. The Answer: • Install a dimmer switch in your room and/or a glare filter for your screen, and adjust your monitor’s brightness and contrast. Ensure your monitor is around 20-28 inches away. • Follow the 20/20/20 rule: ensure that every 20 minutes or so, you look away from your screen for at least 20 seconds, ideally focussing on an object around 20 feet away. If that’s impossible, just look around the room.
The problem: Prolonged Sitting Recent research has proved that sitting for prolonged
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periods can seriously damage our health, and shorten life expectancy - even if we exercise regularly. Not great news if we spend much of our time sitting at a computer, playing video games or watching TV. The Answer: Avoid prolonged sitting when possible, but if it’s unavoidable, break it up with walks, exercise or short stints of housework or gardening (or maybe lunchtime rounders or football with colleagues?). You could also try: • Standing up when travelling on public transport or using the phone. • Walking/ biking to the station or your workplace. If that’s not practical, could you get off the bus earlier or park further away? • Investing in a standing desk or a treadmill desk. Convertible desks or equipment to convert your normal desk or treadmill are available too. • Investing in a yoga ball; the small but constant muscular effort needed to stay balanced keeps you subtly active. • Practising Active Sitting. These simple exercises aren’t a substitute for getting up, but will stimulate your muscles and circulation. Try raising your heels up and down several times; contracting your stomach muscles; raising and lowering your lower leg from knee height or your whole leg from hip height; swivel your office chair using just your hips, while keeping your torso stationary; tense, stretch and bend your arms; roll your shoulders. Remember that constant standing isn’t ideal either. Aim for a 50/50 split.
The problem: Aches, Pains and Poor Posture Hunching over laptops, typing on flat keyboards, using a computer mouse and working with equipment that’s not positioned correctly can cause a host of problems, including back pain, RSI (repetitive strain injury) and Carpal Tunnel syndrome (a tingling sensation, numbness or pain in the hand, fingers or thumb, caused by compression of the median nerve). Don’t forget that if your work involves computer use, your employer has a legal duty to ensure they reduce these risks for you.
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The Answer: Think Ergonomics • Sit as close as possible to your desk. Keep the area underneath it clear so that you’re not twisting, and can stretch your legs. • Set your computer monitor at eye level. • Place laptops on a desk whenever possible and connect them to a raised monitor (and ideally, a keyboard too). Laptops aren’t suitable for prolonged, regular use. • Keep your hands and wrists warm, use ergonomic keyboards, mice and mouse-mats, and consider a wrist support. • Check your posture regularly. Beware slouching, leaning forward or to one side, craning your neck or hunching. • Ergonomic chairs are available, but always adjust your chair so that: o Your back meets the back of the chair. o Your knees are level with or slightly higher than your hips. o Your lumbar region is supported (you may need a cushion that fits into the small of your back). o Your feet rest comfortably on the floor. o The seat doesn’t dig in behind your knees but is deep enough to support most of your upper thigh (three inches between your seat and calf is ideal). o Your elbows are at 90° to your desktop and your arms are just slightly raised at the shoulders. If we’re aware of the risks modern technology poses, we can avoid them while still enjoying all the benefits it can bring. So sit up, stand up and switch off occasionally!
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Owning your dream home can be easier & cheaper than you think - contact us today for your bespoke quotation! Call: 07958
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WHY CHOOSE A CARPET? Wood floors are timeless and durable, tiles practical and laminates and vinyls inexpensive. So why opt for carpet? Well, carpet is, indisputably, soft and comfortable underfoot – especially in a bedroom or if there are small children crawling around. It absorbs sound – which helps if you have teenagers who are prone to clattering up and down the stairs. And it is non-slip and forgiving if you have a fall, and it is insulating against heat loss and draughts. On the downside, although carpet won’t scratch, scuff or splinter, it may stain and wear. Regular vacuuming is the only maintenance it needs, but accidental spills can be a nightmare to deal with, and it’s unlikely to last longer than
stone, tiles or wood.
CHOOSING A CARPET Deciding which carpet to buy can be a complex and confusing business. As a general rule, the deeper the pile and the more luxurious the finish, the greater care the carpet will need. The shorter and denser the pile, the better it is likely to wear – if you fold the carpet back and part the pile, you should not be able to see the backing. So your final choice will probably involve trading off softness and comfort against durability and resilience. Standard carpet descriptions are for light, moderate, general, heavy and extra heavy domestic use, which will give you a good indication of how suitable a carpet will be for each room. Obviously, a carpet in a hallway
Quality curtains, blinds & soft furnishings, competitively priced to suit all budgets. Small enough to care, big enough to cope, from a single window to a complete house.
Curtains - Fabrics - Poles - Lampshades Blinds - Roman - Roller - Vision - Vertical - Venetian - Conservatory Whether you are stuck for ideas or know exactly what you require, we are happy to come to you with a large selection of fabrics, poles & accessories to offer helpful advice on design, colour & style, without any obligation. If you have already purchased your fabric we are happy to offer just a making service. We offer FREE measuring and estimating. Plus, once your curtains are ready we deliver, hang and dress them FREE of charge. Why not give me a call for a friendly chat on 01604
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will need to be very tough – perhaps a high-end 80:20 twist classified for heavy domestic use, while in a living room (general domestic) you’ll probably require a combination of a luxury look with a robust performance, such as a loop or velvet, and a spare bedroom could be much more delicate – a velvet or Saxony classified for light domestic, for example. If you choose a carpet that is suitable for general use, you can lay it throughout to create a seamless look that pulls a decorating scheme together. Carpets are inadvisable in kitchens and best avoided in bathrooms, though if you insist, there are splashproof types available. When it comes to choosing a carpet style, ask your retailer for samples and take them home where you can see them in your own environment and your own light. If you are redecorating from floor to ceiling, it’s a good idea to choose the carpet first and ensure that the rest of the scheme co-ordinates with its colour and pattern – remember, the floor is the largest area you will see in a room, so it’s important to get it right. When you are doing building work, however, always install the carpet last, to protect it from splashes and spills. Last, but by no means least, when you work out your budget don’t forget the cost of underlay and fitting. Get your room professionally measured to ensure that you don’t over- or under-order and when replacing a carpet, always buy new underlay. Not only will it ensure that your new carpet sits properly and wears evenly, but it could prolong its life by up to 40 per cent. IMAGE, page 40 - Padstow candy spot carpet, £69.99 per square metre, Brintons. Local flooring specialists:
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Telephone: 07749 691292 01604 675828 granvillealibone@hotmail.co.uk
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Many gardens are now looking a little tired, as summer flowers try hard to put on a reasonable show despite the tougher conditions and the fact that their season is drawing to a close. It is not a good time for planting shrubs or trees, as the soil tends to be fairly dry, so you can’t even make things look better with a shrub or two. So, do what you can to perk up flower beds and borders and then start to plan ahead for spring - right now garden centres are starting to take delivery of huge quantities of fabulous bulbs, just ready for planting, and a sure fire way to get your garden looking fabulous in those first few
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months of next year and indeed for years to come. Get down to the garden centre sooner rather than later, so that you can have the pick of the bunch. Many bulbs will actually start to put down roots at the back end of summer and into autumn, giving them a head start and ensuring a fabulous display in spring, so prompt planting is advisable. The only thing you need to delay is the planting of tulips; these are best planted in October to help them avoid a nasty infection called tulip fire. Don’t forget that many mail order catalogues are available and these have an even bigger array of bulbs, often including
Domestic, Commercial, Industrial New Roofs & Re-Roofs Flat Roofing & Pitched Roofing Repairs & Maintenance Fascias & Guttering Free Quotes
many of the more unusual varieties, so send off for a few of these to ensure you have something particularly special to enjoy - and to show off to your friends and neighbours! If ordering from catalogues you will need to get a move on, however, so send off for a few as soon as possible. Then enjoy putting your feet up with a cuppa and a pile of catalogues, ready to choose some delightful bulbs ready for planting in the next month or so. Before you set off to the garden centre, take a look at your borders - and indeed anywhere else in the garden - and decide where you can cram in a few
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bulbs. Remember, the great thing is they are often in flower before the rest of the garden gets going, and so they can be used to under-plant existing trees, shrubs and herbaceous flowers. Bulbs are an excellent way to make the most of every square metre of garden soil, and to ensure that your garden looks lovely as early as possible in the year. Many bulbs do really well in containers, so if you have a permanently planted up container this too can be under -planted with several layers of spring flowering bulbs. Use a transplanting trowel to plant in these tight spaces and that way you’ll minimise damage to the existing plants’ roots. If you are new to using bulbs and feel unsure of what goes together, don’t feel frightened to experiment. Alternatively, many catalogues and even some garden centres offer mixed selections of bulbs for specific purposes and there are also some lovely packs of bulbs following colour themes. These usually represent good value for money too.
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Have you got a dull patch of lawn? Brighten it up in the early months by planting some small bulbs. Things like crocus or miniature narcissus are particularly useful, as once the flowers have faded you don’t have too much deteriorating foliage to cope with. In larger areas, consider planting up drifts of full-sized daffodils, but make sure that the grass beneath these trees or shrubs is not something you want to keep regularly mown, as you will have to wait for at least six weeks after flowering before you can safely remove the leaves of the daffodils. When choosing bulbs, always make sure they are in good condition before you buy. With a quick look through the packaging (bulbs are often hidden by large quantities of sawdust or wood shavings) you should be able to find the bulbs itself. Avoid any which are showing even the slightest signs of deterioration such as sunken brown spots, excessive softness or the presence of patches of bluish mould on their surface. Larger bulbs generally seem to do better
than smaller versions of the same variety so, if possible, choose really good sized plump ones. If you want to buy large quantities of the same variety, then it may be possible to buy a net of bulbs from your garden centre or direct from a mail order specialist nursery. Ideally bulbs should be planted promptly, but if this isn’t possible make sure that you keep them in a cool and well ventilated spot before planting, as this is essential to reduce the risk of them deteriorating. Next month I’ll be looking at novel ways to make the best use of the gorgeous array of available bulbs, so plant some now and then treat yourself to a few more for September planting! Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood.com for Pippa’s ‘Winter thru’ Spring’ collection of vegetables for planting next month, a really useful selection of Pippa’s favourite gardening items, signed books and lots more besides.
Hardingstone Quality work at competitive prices For a friendly, professional service No job too small Phone NOW for a free, no obligation quote!
60 Martins Lane, Hardingstone, NN4 6DJ
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THE ANNUAL ROMAN CHALLENGE MOUNTAIN BIKE EVENT SUNDAY 25th SEPTEMBER 8am - 5pm Bookings now open! Now in its 11th year, the event continues to be open to riders of all levels and abilities. Whether you choose the 8 mile family route; the Chariot route at 22 miles or the Gladiator / Gladiator Maximus route offering up to 46 miles, you can be assured of a day of fun, offering you the opportunity to set a personal challenge whilst enjoying a ride through Salcey Forest and the surrounding Northamptonshire Countryside. Riders can return to base at Hackleton Village Hall for a fabulous Ploughman’s lunch, delicious cakes and tea/coffee refreshments - all included in the entry price!!
For more information and booking: www.romanchallenge.co.uk romanchallenge@gmail.com
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STOCKS AND SHARES ISA Stocks and Shares ISAs are open to anyone aged 18 or over. The money is divided between various investment products, including company shares, government and corporate bonds, and unit trusts. Individual Savings Accounts were first introduced in 1999. They provided exemption from income tax and capital gains tax, and quickly became a popular place to save and invest. Back then, it was a straightforward choice between a Cash ISA or a Stocks and Shares equivalent, but with seven different types of Individual Savings Account now available, making the right choice is much more complicated. So how do you know which ISA is best for you, and even whether you’re eligible to apply? We take a look at the different ISA accounts available, to identify which ones might suit your needs.
INSTANT ACCESS CASH ISA A straightforward tax-free savings account offered by banks and building societies interest rates have fallen considerably in recent years, but it’s also a risk-free way to put your money to one side. You get instant access to your savings, and need to be at least 16 years of age to open this account.
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Although as an investment there’s greater risk with a Stocks and Shares ISA, you can control your exposure to it by splitting your annual allowance between this and a Cash ISA.
JUNIOR ISA Parents can save for their children in a Junior ISA. It’s open to children under the age of 18, but the child can only open an account if they are aged 16 or over. The annual allowance currently stands at £4,080, but a child between the ages of 16 and 18 can also open an adult ISA, which boosts their saving capacity. For a child under the age of 16, the account must be opened by a parent or legal guardian, but there are no restrictions on who can pay money in once it’s open. HELP TO BUY ISA A fairly recent addition to the ISA family, the Help to Buy ISA was introduced in December 2015 in an attempt to boost the first-time buyer market. For every £4 saved, the government has pledged to add a £1 bonus (up to a maximum of £3,000), making it a great way to save for a
deposit on a first property. There are limits on how much you can save each month, however, so it’s a good idea to start saving early. You can put away a maximum of £200 a month into a Help to Buy ISA, as well as a lump sum of up to £1,000 when the account is opened. You’ll receive the bonus when your property purchase is complete, and as couples are entitled to have a Help to Buy ISA each, there’s the potential to receive an extra £6,000 from the government.
INHERITANCE ISA To avoid having to pay tax on a deceased partner’s ISA savings, the Chancellor introduced the facility to inherit tax-free from December 2014. From the date of a spouse’s death, the surviving partner is granted an Additional Permitted Subscription (APS) for the total amount in the account and has three years in which to use it. Once an APS application form has been completed, they can open an account in their own name and the money will be transferred across. LIFETIME ISA The Lifetime ISA will be introduced from 2017, and is for people between the ages of 18 and 39. A 25% bonus from the government is available, so for every £4 saved they will put in £1 up to a maximum of £1,000.
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If money is withdrawn for anything other than a house purchase, you’ll be charged 5% on the amount taken out and lose the government bonus. It can be used towards the purchase of a house up to the value of £450,000, otherwise you need to keep the money in the account until the age of 60 to avoid the penalty. Additionally, the account needs to be open for a minimum period of a year to qualify for the government top-up. You can hold a Lifetime ISA and a Help to Buy ISA at the same time, but are only eligible to receive the bonus on one of them.
INNOVATIVE FINANCE ISA This is seen to be a riskier choice for investors, but one
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that potentially brings higher returns. One of the risks is that your money won’t be protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme because the banks are not involved. You place your money with peer-to-peer lending platforms, which could attract a higher rate of interest than with Cash or Stocks and Shares ISAs. At the time of writing, however, there are only eight such online lenders offering this type of ISA. The ISA limit for the 2016/17 tax year is £15,240, rising to £20,000 in 2017/18, and the savings year runs from 6th April to the following 5th April. Each type of ISA has its own pros and cons, and it’s
worth remembering that unless you opt for a fixed rate ISA, interest rates can fluctuate widely throughout the year. http:// www.thisismoney.co.uk/ money/saving/article-3505692/ The-seven-different-typesoffer-choose-one-you.html http://www.moneywise.co.uk/ banking-saving/savingsaccounts-isas/how-to-inheritisa http:// www.thisismoney.co.uk/ money/mortgageshome/ article-3520497/From-newLifetime-Isa-sharedownership-banish-time-buyerblues.html
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Across 7 Not moving (6) 8 Conflict (6) 9 Horrible (4) 10 Wrapper for letter (8) 11 Thrift (7) 13 Loosen (5) 15 Type of snake (5) 17 Country dwelling (7) 20 Against the current (8) 21 Certain (4) 23 Cruel (6) 24 Necessary (6) Down 1 Celestial body (4) 2 Part of a flower (6) 3 Shrieks (7) 4 Higher up (5) 5 Pinched (6)
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Tossing (8) Hacking (8) Order (7) Keep (6)
18 Examined (6) 19 Fixes (5) 22 Regrets (4) Answers page 62
Rich Permanent Colours And Exceptional Durability... Our wide range of patterns & colours, combined with a wealth of experience, impresses all of our customers! Design & Planning Service Drives, Patios & Paths Free Estimates 7 Day Service
Block Paving Ltd Email: rea_c@sky.com 5 West Street, Moulton, Northampton, NN3 7SB
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Grass Cutting Border Maintenance Hedge & Tree Cutting Garden Tidy Ups Rubbish Clearance
Landscaping Turfing & Seeding Decking & Patios Fencing Patio Jet Washing
Plus: GUTTER & FASCIA BOARD CLEANING SERVICE FAST & FRIENDLY SERVICE • 27 YEARS EXPERIENCE DISCOUNTS FOR OAPs • WILL NOT BE BEATEN ON PRICE
Contact Richard On: Freephone:
0800 7734329 Mob: 07527 552686
Website: www.mossgardens.vpweb.co.uk Email: mossgardens@live.co.uk Hedgeway, East Hunsbury, Northampton, NN4 0SP
FULLY INSURED • WASTE CARRIER LICENCE
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Home Extensions
Block Paving
Renovations
Roofing / Guttering
Garage Conversions
Soffits / Fascias
From planning to
Specialists in Brickwork
completion
& Carpentry
References Always Available
For a free, no obligation quotation or advice call Bob Fuller on
bobfuller@mortarbuild.com
85 Yeoman Meadow, East Hunsbury, Northampton, NN4 9YX
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Useful Local Telephone Numbers School Phone Numbers East Hunsbury Primary School Absence Line
Leisure
677970
Danes Camp Leisure, Hunsbury
Option 1
Cineworld, Sixfields
0871 200 2000
Simon De Senlis Primary School
661011
Tenpin Bowling, Sixfields
0871 550 1010
Hunsbury Park Primary School
761566
Abbeyfield School
763616
Other Useful Numbers
Dentists / Opticians Rowtree Dental Surgery East Hunsbury
706887
Hunsbury Dental Care Camp Hill
760156
Tesco Opticians, Clannell Road, East Hunsbury
0845 6013479
Mark Darling Eyecare, St. Leonards Road, Far Cotton
765855
Doctors Penvale Park Medical Centre, East Hunsbury
700660
Danes Camp Surgery East Hunsbury
709426
Whitefields Surgery Camp Hill
837200
760171
Pharmacies Unidrug Dispensing Chemist, Butts Rd
702047
In-Store Pharmacy Tesco, Clannell Rd
269747
Unidrugs Pharmacy Camp Hill
705005
East Hunsbury Parish Council
01604 708429
Blacky More Community Centre
01604 708429
West Hunsbury Parish Council
01604 891838
Abbey Centre Veterinary Clinic
01604 760970
Northampton General Hospital
01604 634700
Northampton Police
03000 111 222
Northampton County Council
0300 126 1000
Northampton Borough Council
0300 330 7000
Citizens Advice Bureau
0844 855 2122
Hunsbury Library Overslade Close, East Hunsbury 0300 126 1000 Monday-Friday 9.00am—6.00pm Saturday 9.00am—5.00pm Sunday 11.00am—2.00pm The Hunsbury Handbook Editor: Zoe Hawes Telephone: 01604 708854 Email: zoe@hunsburyhandbook.co.uk Website: www.hunsburyhandbook.co.uk Whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss, damage or omission caused by error in the printing of an advert. All artwork is accepted on the strict condition that permission has been given for use in the publication. Adverts are accepted on the understanding that descriptions of goods and services are fair and accurate. The Hunsbury Handbook does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form-electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise - without the prior consent of the publisher.
Publisher: Rogden Ltd. Printer: Newnorth Print
All opening hours and telephone numbers are given as a guide only andwhen are believed correct at the to timeadverts of going to press Please mention The Hunsbury Handbook responding
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Electrical Services
The Tax Doctor
Aerial & Satellite Services Jay’s Aerials
Entertainment
12 Forum Cinema
Airport Transfer Services/ Private Hire
Horts Estate Agent 13
Bathroom Installations
JDN Plastics 14 Matthew Oliver Windows & Doors 45 Stormshield 57 Fencing 39 Hardingstone Quality Fencing Stockwell Construction Ltd 27 Flooring 26 ACR Carpets 28 Northants Flooring Tayflor 38 Gardening Services/ 8 60 Landscaping 43 Hunsbury Home & Garden IRH Lawnmower Servicing & Repairs 37 Moss Garden Services 29 Northants Turf Oakview Landscaping Prestige Lawns 51 RAW Landscaping & Design 7 Stanley Tree Services 60
Beauty Services Alevere Northampton Images by Joanna Mecini’s Ladies Salon
Building Services FBC Ltd. Newman Builders & Plasterers Mor-Tar Build Stockwell Construction Ltd.
Care Services Elite Care NNCA
Carpentry EJB Property Services Frost Carpentry Mor-Tar Build
Children’s Activities ProAction Martial Arts Trilogy Leisure
Cleaning Services A.E. Mackintosh External Cleaning Services Diamond Clean Services Restorer Group Sterling External Cleaning Sweeping Beauty
Computer Services MJR IT Services PC First Aid
Decorating Services
32
Images by Joanna Mecini’s Ladies Salon
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51 59 15 49 43 63 2 41
47 59 47 51 49 48 49 26 28 20
Heating & Gas
Cahill Gas MD Gas, Plumbing & Heating 39 Roland Hill Plumbing & Gas 28 Terry Burgin Heating & Gas 17 53 Home Interiors / Furnishings 37 Sue Cardy Curtains & Soft Furnishings 35 Ironing Services 56 Sweeping Beauty
Debbie Parnell
37
Paving & Driveways 58 43
A.J. Block Paving Stockwell Construction Ltd.
Pet Services 17 35
Pawfect Petz Paw Prints
Plastering 52 51 8
Absolutely Plastered EJB Property Services Newman Plasterers
Plumbing Services Cahill Bathrooms Dyno Plumbing MD Gas, Plumbing & Heating Roland Hill Plumbing Services Terry Burgin Plumbing & Heating
14 24 6 57 39
Podiatrist / Chiropodist 34 36
Kathy Sindall Milly’s Treat
Property Maintenance 47
Health & Fitness
20 ProAction Martial Arts & Fitness 19
14 6 57 39
EJB Property Services Frost Property Maintenance Granville Alibone Property Maintenance Newman Builders & Plasterers Stockwell Construction Ltd.
51 7 44 8 43
Property Sales 64
Horts Estate Agency
Public Transport Northampton Buzz Card - Bus Services
31
Restaurant 11
Greens Restaurant
Roofing & Guttering 43 51 46 5 15
Abacus Roofing JDN Plastics Millbridge Roofing Limited NuLook Roof Solutions Stormshield
Weight Loss 40 37
Kitchen Design/Installation
43 FBC Ltd. 44 Intoto Kitchens Nu-look Kitchens Glazing Services Roland Hill Ltd. 9 Cloudy 2 Clear Matthew Oliver Windows & Doors 59 Locksmith 5 County Locksmiths Ltd. NuLook Roof Solutions 44 Window Repair Geeks Windsor 25 Nursery/Pre-School Kiddi Caru Education Overstone Park School Bosworth Independent College 3 Kiddi Caru 29 Opticians Overstone Park School 21 Mark Darling Eyecare D Wright Decorating Granville Alibone Decorator
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Fascias & Soffits
Hairdressers
Car Services InTown Automotive
19
Estate Agency
RRR Cars Cahill Bathrooms Nu-look Bathrooms Roland Hill Ltd. Terry Burgin
Osteopath 17 44 42 7
38 23 45 57 12 29 21 35
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Alevere Northampton
Window Cleaning Services A.E. Mackintosh Cleaning Services Sterling External Cleaning 1 7
Crossword, p.58
Accountants/Financial Services
Andrews Electrical Services Goodsons Electrical Nick Palmer Electrical 55 Q Electric
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Children’s Puzzle Page, p.18: There are 8 medals on the page A running track is (A) 400 metres in length
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