Leigh Oracle - May 10 by Oracle Publications

Leigh-on-Sea

May â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;10

ORACLE

Leigh at a glance

Est. Oct 2006. Circulation 5,500

Oracle Competitions Win tickets for the Buddy Holly Show or Breakfast atWaitrose See page 3 for details

Local Issues Longer opening hours in Leigh bars?

Oracle Films Iron Man 2 / Robin Hood

Hair & Beauty Tellâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;em about theYummy Mummy

Oracle Motoring A brief guide to car finance

Photography By Simon James Fowler

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publisherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s letter

ongratulations to everyone that won tickets for Southend Garden Show which is this weekend. For those of you that missed out, you will be pleased to know that Oracle is running two very different competitions this month, kindly sponsored by Waitrose of Fossetts Way and Entertainers. Firstly, Waitrose at Fossetts Way, Southend, would like to give Oracle readers the chance to win a breakfast for up to four people plus a drink with their food, in their All Day Restaurant which can be used any day of the week.

The second competition is for two lucky winners to win a pair of tickets to see Buddy Holly - â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A Legend Rebornâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at the Cliffs Pavilion on Friday 11 June at 8pm. This show comes to Southend direct from appearing in Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 02.

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To enter, please send your name, address and telephone number stating either â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Waitrose Breakfastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; competition or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Buddy Hollyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; competition to Oracle Publications UK Ltd. 39 Alexandra Street,Southend-on-sea, Essex SS1 1BW. Please send two separate entries if you wish to enter both competitions. Closing date is Tuesday 20 May 2010.

Good luck! Enjoy!

Friday 28th May 2010 7.00 10.00pm Age 30Í´50 Tickets ÂŁ15.00

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ORACLE May ‘10

contents Local Issues

Longer opening hours for Leigh bars?

9/10

IronMan2/RobinHood Film Reviews by Andrew Dex

Tell‘em about theYummy Mummy Hair & Beauty by Craig Smith

16/17

A brief guide to Car Finance Oracle Motoring by Stuart Winder

Pork,asparagus & baby corn stir-fry Judy’s Recipe Page

Grow your own Oracle Gardening by Marion Nasskau

Exercise during pregnancy Health & Beauty by Sarah Ellis

Su Doku & Word Ladder

Diary Dates

Useful Numbers Advertiser Index

36 38

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Local Issues

LongerOpeningHours inLeighBars? By A concerned resident

t present, a bar in Leigh Broadway, which shall remain unnamed in this article, is seeking an extension to it’s opening hours to Midnight from Sunday to Thursday and 1am on Friday and Saturday nights. I am one of many residents, in the numerous roads off the Broadway, that have opposed this - and speak for countless more - as the potential of the longer licence means even later disruption into the night and yet more evidence of loutish behaviour littering our streets the following morning, as the increased drinking-time that results, we fear, could tip out even more intoxicated people as the doors are closed.

I love living in Leigh and would not want to live anywhere else for the present.The parking is a nightmare and the houses expensive compared to surrounding areas, but this all pales into insignificance against the advantages of living in a perfect balance of nice houses, good schools, shops, parks, sea, good transport links and most importantly,the community. I am one of the ‘Mummy Brigade’ and appreciate the amount there is to do and the fact that so much is available within walking distance - not dissimilar to the duration of a baby’s nap! However, it is the fact that it appeals to a wide age-range and the overall harmony, that helps make Leigh such a This application will be read at a hearing this desirable place to live and visit. week and by the time this article is published, The Morning After we could even know if it has been successful or not. Yet, I feel compelled to write this, as, if Yet, although we enjoy these privileges, we this licence is agreed, we fear that this could similarly make sacrifices regarding house open the doors for even more late licences to prices and parking. What’s really hard to be granted in the neighbourhood. swallow though, is the noise coming from the

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The dawn of ‘All Night Drinking’ in Leigh?

late night bars. Numerous times a week, we are woken late at night by drunken behaviour outside. At least once a week, it’s a fight - often threatening due to the sheer level of violence and menace in the rasied voices of those involved – and, in the morning, the broken glasses and bottles are the nicer symbols of the nuances of the night before, compared to the urination and piles of vomit that also reside. Ashtrays are washed out and residue runs down to the drains.Ours is one of many houses that appreciate beautiful, period features but the original windows are not the best form of defence against late night noise; heightened in the sleeping quiet of the residential streets. “Live Music Night” hardly creates a good start to the week as the music, far from being contained within the four walls, spills over into the streets and crowds outside the bars mingle on the pavements, intimidating through their simple presence and raucous behaviour and the subsequent cacophone really disrupts the neighbourhood. This may sound like storyline out of Eastenders but why shouldn’t these bars go outside in the morning after main, drinking nights with hot, soapy water and wash away any evidence of the night before (we all know the bodily fluids I am alluding to) and remove any evidence of drinking so that the residents, and our children, do not have to pick our way through it? Why shouldn’t they put notices up asking their clientele to respect their neighbours and keep noise to a minimum? Bouncers on busy nights could ask smokers outside to keep the noise down should people get too rowdy. It would all help to breed more respect. It would not attract less people but hopefully just help people to curb their enthusiasm and become more thoughtful. These bars need to become more community savvy rather than just think about satisfying their clientele.

Alternative Venues already exist I am only in my early thirties but before I settled down, Leigh was known to be more

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sophisticated: a place to go for a drink before catching a taxi into neighbouring Southend where, if you wanted a crazier night, the venues and facilities exist.It has less residential areas, less young families vacating the houses and apart from the Conservation Area, less single-glazed, period properties. Why encourage Leigh as an ‘End of the Night’ place by increasing opening hours? It doesn’t need to be and apt venues already exist, albeit a taxi journey away.

Appreciate and Maintain So let’s appreciate Leigh for the gem it already is and work on maintaining what is special here. We need a balance of businesses in the area and also regard for the residents before we even begin to attract visitors. At the end of the day, the residents use the shops, pay their council tax to help keep the area nice and help to keep house prices high. For those local politicians, keep us happy as if the young families and older residents – both demographics probably feeling the affects the worse - and all those in between, start to move out, we will lose what essentially Leigh is and what makes it dear to us all.

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Oracle Films by Andrew Dex

Iron Man 2. Robin Hood. R

obert Downey Jr. is one busy man, working on Sherlock Holmes, one of the biggest films of last winter (before Avatar that is), whilst also working on the eagerly-awaited Iron Man sequel, Iron Man 2.

So, after the ending of the first film revealed our Iron Man as Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is our masked hero “Iron Man”? What will happen next ? In this second iron man adventure, as well as picking up a new rival called Whiplash (Mickey Rourke), Tony should also worry about the government who are trying to replicate his suit to use in ‘war type’ environments. With an old-school, rock soundtrack (that includes the awesome AC/DC), this is sure to be one of the most pumping, action movies of the year. In conclusion, having been completely blown away by the first film, I am certain I know what to expect from this one; yet another, brilliant, Robert Downey Jr. film Release Date: April 30th

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Russell Crowe is finally back, kicking ass like he did in the Gladiator/3.10 and Yuma days. Ridley Scott is, again, in the directing seat. The combination of Ridley and Russell is formidable, somewhat similar to the Martin Scorsese / Leonardo DiCaprio duo, and is sure to bring us great things Robin Hood retells this classic tale. An unknown archer in Richard I’s Army swiftly rises through the ranks through his heroism and becomes legendary and renowned throughout England. Robin Hood stories have been around for centuries and we don’t need computer graphics or big budgets to bring this familiar plot to life on- screen. With that in mind I really don’t know what to expect. I hope this isn’t just like Gladiator, something we’ve all seen before. Having said that, I sure hope it’s just as good! This film looks to be gritty, and adventurous. Quiver in your seats, because Robin Hood is back.

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Oracle Hair & Beauty

Tell‘em about the Yummy Mummy! by Craig Smith

regnancy changes women’s lives in so many ways. And when you look past the obvious bump (and bumps in other areas), impending motherhood also changes a girl’s skin and joints, and can even make or break her crowning glory - her hair. The hormones associated with pregnancy can cause some very interesting things to happen. Even before that second blue line appears on the pregnancy test, your body is changing. A huge number of hormones kick in, right from the moment of conception.

Pregnancy and your body Tiredness, morning sickness, sensitivity to changes in temperature and different smells and of course, the dreaded spots - are all due to a rapid increase of certain hormones. Many women also experience increased hair and nail growth, as well as thicker and shinier hair – this is because increased oestrogen levels cause hair to grow thick and fast, and sometimes in areas where you’ll wish it didn't - including your face, stomach, back and legs! Other women might find it has the opposite effect and their hair goes limp and even falls out.

Body Hair Hair loss during pregnancy may be the result of iron, iodine, or protein deficiencies, which can also cause your hair to become dry and brittle and grow lighter than its normal colour. Many pregnant women don't get enough iron, especially those who experience severe

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morning sickness and are therefore not getting sufficient nutrition. Foods that are particularly good for your hair include yoghurt; fresh fruit and vegetables; cold-pressed oils; pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds; whole grains such as brown rice and oats along with almonds, figs, and dates.

Stay a Yummy Mummy To combat undernourished hair, massage your scalp for five or ten minutes every day to stimulate circulation. Every few weeks, turn this into an aromatherapy massage by adding a few drops of essential oils (such as patchouli, sandalwood or ylang ylang) to a half-cup of warm vegetable oil. Massage the oil onto your scalp and hair ends, then wrap your hair in a warm towel and relax for ten minutes.

Dos and Don’ts Furthermore, hair loss doesn't just happen when you’re pregnant, but after too. Girls, once you’ve given birth, don't be alarmed if your hair - be it limp or full - begins to fall out. Many women experience hair loss between three and six months after giving birth. Your hormones are simply returning to normal and it may take a couple of growth cycles (several years) before your hair completely returns to normal. Just as all pregnancies are different, so too are professional opinions about perming and colouring hair during pregnancy. There is no direct evidence to suggest that these treatments

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cause any harm to a developing foetus, however many doctors suggest not doing these during the first trimester. After those initial three months, be sure to follow your doctor’s orders remember it’s only nine months! With your hair sorted, you need to make sure you look after your skin to. If your hair is dry and under nourished it’s because weird things are going on beneath the surface and similarly, your skin can be affected too. Make sure you eat healthy food and drink lots of water and moisturize, moisturize, moisturize – all over, all of the time! Rub yourself up the right way with – twice daily if you can - shea butter, cocoa butter, almond oil, or any other natural oil; whatever you prefer, it’s all good. Motherhood is a time when you should really glow. Follow Uncle Craig’s advice and you’ll be more SamCam, than Jordan. For all your hair and beauty issues write to beauty@oraclepublications.co.uk Sponsored by

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Personal Contract Purchase

A Brief Guide to Car Finance. A Guide for the Uninitiated

A Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) is similar to a Personal Contract Hire but provides several options: you have the choice of purchasing the car at the end of the agreement; returning it to the finance company; or using any equity over the agreed purchase price as a deposit on a further car.

Contract Hire*

n the last issue, I shared some of my frustrations at the myriad of options when it comes to choosing your new car. It occurred to me that the same could be said of the whole process of funding. Paying by bank notes, being the result of hard work and savings, is not always realistic in today’s conditions. Below is a ‘Layman’s Terms’ description of the alternatives....

Also known as an Operating Lease, the hirer uses the vehicle for a pre-determined period at a fixed monthly rental and then returns it at the end of the term. This makes budget forecasting simple as all operating costs, with the exception of fuel and insurance, can be included in the fixed monthly-rental. With low initial-payments, no depreciation risk and VAT reclamation advantages, contract hire is the number one funding choice for businesses.

Hire Purchase

Finance Lease*

Introduced in the mid-19th Century, it is defined as the hiring of goods until a certain condition is met: usually completion of all payments. The hirer then owns the property. The client pays an initial deposit and repays the balance, together with charges, by fixed monthly instalments over a set period. The advantage to the finance company is obvious, as the property remains theirs until paid for, thus providing partial security for their debt.

This offers similar payment and VAT reclamation terms to Contract Hire. The vehicle remains the property of the finance company throughout and can either be fully written-down over the contract period or a ‘balloon’ payment can be agreed prior to entering the contract. When the vehicle is sold or traded you would receive approximately 90% of the proceeds.

Personal Leasing

If you’re still not sure which funding option best suits you and your needs, please give Planet Leasing a call or pop in to the Planet Leasing HQ in London Road, Westcliff.

Acquiring a car through a Personal Lease Plan is fast becoming a popular method of financing a (*Available for business customers only) vehicle for personal use: Stuart Winder Planet Leasing Personal Contract Hire A PCH agreement offers a fixed-cost finance alternative to purchasing a new car. The contracts include Road Tax for the duration and can include full-maintenance (if required) only leaving fuel and insurance as additional costs. This is an ideal option if you are a private individual looking for a new car with a fixed-cost monthly payment and with the added benefit of no expensive surprises.

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recipe of the month Method

In the Kitchen with Judy Barden

1. Place the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, pepper and wine or sherry in a bowl and mix well together. To create a marinade, add all the pork and stir until well-coated by the marinade. Meanwhile blanch the baby corn in a pan of boiling water for 3-4 mins then drain and refresh in ice cold water. Put to one side. 2. Heat a wok over a high heat, add half the oils and swirl to coat the sides of the wok. Add half the pork mixture and stir-fry for 2 mins, then remove and repeat with the remaining oils and pork.

Pork, Asparagus and Baby Corn Stir-fry

ay is the best season for asparagus and it is at its finest. Just break the woody ends off (they naturally break where it’s tender). This is a very quick stir-fry and if the pork is thinly sliced will take just a matter of minutes. The sauce is based on Chinese-style flavours so would go brilliantly with rice or noodles. Enjoy ! Serves 4

3. Add the mushrooms, corn and asparagus stalks to the wok and stir-fry for 2 mins. Add the tips and return the pork and any juices to the wok and stir in the oyster sauce. Cook, stirring for another 2 mins until piping hot. 4. Serve with rice or noodles.

Cookery Demonstration Mornings Dates Available: May 10th 11th 13th & 14th, 24th 25th 26th & 27th Time: 10am-1pm, Cost: £30.00 Venue: Southchurch Boulevard Please call me on 01702-467502, 07796691183 Or email: judy.barden@btinternet.com

Ingredients 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 tsp grated, fresh ginger 2 tbsp soy sauce ¼ tsp ground, white pepper 1 tbsp rice wine (or dry sherry) 600g pork fillet, thinly sliced 1 tbsp peanut oil 1 tsp sesame oil 6 fresh shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced 150g baby corn 100g asparagus cut into 4cm lengths on the diagonal 2 tbsp oyster sauce.

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ORACLE gardening

Grow your own By Marion Nasskau

t last the natural world seems to be waking up after a very long, winter slumber. The soils are nice and warm - yet still moist now - perfect for vegetable seed sowing! Growing your own is the best way to have vegetables that are as fresh as possible. It’s much simpler than you might think!

It can be very rewarding to cultivate a large, vegetable plot on an allotment. However, this will also mean a lot of hard work and dedication. Many delicious varieties of vegetables and fruit, though, will thrive in containers.

Any container will do You can use pretty pots or recycle any container of your choice, as long as it has drainage holes and is large enough to allow room for growth. Fill it with multi-purpose compost and you’re ready to go! If you have a little corner in your garden that receives a few hours sunshine every day you could even set up a small, raised bed for your vegetables and herbs. Once you’ve chosen your container fill it with fresh multi-purpose compost or good garden soil.

Seed sowing tips Water your compost before sowing, sprinkle the seeds evenly and thinly, and then cover them with the amount of soil suggested as your sowing depth on the seed packet. You can easily grow salad mixes such as red and green leaved lettuces with curly or straight edges, different varieties of rocket, spinach, French beans or runner beans, beetroot, carrot, spring onion and herbs such as parsley, chives, coriander, basil from seed now. When buying baby plants keep a watchful eye on their price: you don’t want to end up paying a fortune for the privilege of growing your own vegetables!

Watering and harvesting Keep your pots well watered and you should see some action within a week or two! When your salad leaves are 4 to 6 cm high (usually after six weeks) you can start harvesting baby leaves: cut the big outer leaves only leaving the rest of the plant to supply salad leaves for several months to come. Bon Appetit!

For all your gardening needs from design to maintenance please contact Marion at Horticultural Solutions on 01702 475568, 07974 736768 or visit: www.hortsolutions.co.uk

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Health & Beauty

Exercise during Pregnancy by Sarah Ellis

xercise during pregnancy, when done properly, can be beneficial for both mother and baby. It is becoming more commonplace as doctors and pregnant women are recognising its many advantages. Understandably, a woman may still have reservations about exercise during this time; however, there is no evidence to indicate that exercise has any risks attached to it.

Such benefits include reducing the intensity of the typical side effects of pregnancy like back ache, varicose veins, water retention and cramp. Exercise will also minimise the risk of excessive weight gain, although it is important to understand that weight gain is necessary for a healthy pregnancy and a woman should never restrict her diet or exercise excessively. This will also mean she will find it much easier to get back into shape once sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s had her baby. Evidence shows that women who exercise during pregnancy experience easier labours with less pain, shorter duration and fewer complications. In addition to physical benefits, a woman is far less likely to suffer from depression, anxiety and insomnia as exercise releases feel-good hormones from the brain.

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Along with the benefits to the woman, the baby will benefit both during and after the birth. Exercise helps the baby cope better during labour as the baby will have become used to differences in oxygen levels, which happens during exercise (and is quite safe). Babies will also tend to be easier to care for and more alert. As a woman moves through each trimester of her pregnancy certain changes do need to be made to her exercise programme to allow for hormonal changes, postural changes and drops in energy levels. Seeing a personal trainer qualified to work with pregnant women will ensure she receives a balanced programme that will be safe, effective and suit her abilities. When considering exercise a woman needs to firstly check with her doctor that there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t any underlying reason why it would be unsafe for her to exercise. Please check my website for further guidelines on exercise during pregnancy.

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M AY

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ORACLE Diary Dates ST. MARGARET’S CHURCH CRAFT FAIR & FAMILY FUN DAY Mon May 3rd 10.30- 3pm, Lime Avenue, Leigh-on-Sea Crafts; plants; cakes; homemade goods; books; bric-a-brac; bouncy castle; crazy sand; coconut shy & games. Plus inside the church there will be singing, drama & an art exhibition. Refreshments are available all day. Entrance: 50p - to include programme. BING LU CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ARTIST FREE Fri 30th April- 14th May, Mon-Sat 10-5pm Faux Gallery, 70 The Broad Way, Leigh-on-sea, SS9 2BU Having exhibited in China and Japan, this is the first UK showing of Chinese artist Bing’s work. Specialising in ink & brush, Bing brings contemporary Chinese art & culture to Leigh; with the opportunity to see some beautiful oriental landscapes. Call: 07590 803982/ Email: linan1@hotmail.co.uk STORYRHYMES FREE Tues 11th May & Fri 28th May 10:30–11am Leigh Library Stories & nursery rhymes for children under 5. Everybody welcome. Call: 01702 475929 LEIGH FARMERS’ MARKET FREE Sat 29th May 9-12pm Leigh Community Centre, Elm Road, Leigh-on-Sea. Contact: 01702 716288 SOUTHEND AIR FESTIVAL FREE Sun 30th & Mon 31st May. All day event Southend Seafront Over 40 aircraft displays from across the ages, plus a huge range of ground entertainment including the RAF, Army, Navy and Royal Marine Town Shows, trade stands, rides, simulators, giant inflatables plus a packed programme of entertainment; designed for whole family.

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2010

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Cruse Berevment Care 213843 Carers Support Group 393933 Veterinary Surgeon Cushing Vadden & Partners 476404 RSPCA 290889 Pharmacies Alliance Pharmacy 475722 89 Broadway Mon-Fri 9-7 pm / Sat 9-5.30 pm Cheems Pharmacy 473087 87 Leigh Rd Mon-Fri 9-6.30 / Sat 9-5.30 Closed 1-2 Wed+Sat. Police Stations Leigh Police Sta. , Elm Rd (Mon-Fri 9-6pm) 471212 Southend Police Station (24 hours a day) 0300 333444 Victim Support Group 0845 456599 Local MP David Amess (Con) 0207 219 3452 Local Incident Hotline 01245 491491 Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 Marine Police 01268 775533 Thames Coastguard 01255 675518 Citizen’s Advice Bureau 610610 Samaritans 611911 Odeon Cinema 0871 2244007 Leigh Heritage Centre 470834 Directory Enquiries BT (15p pm from landline, 40p connection) 118 500 ORACLE PUBLICATIONS 393838 www.oraclepublications.co.uk

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2010

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