Thorpe bay apr 2015 web by Oracle Publications

Thorpe Bay

April 2015

ORACLE Thorpe Bay at a glance Est. Sept 2005. Circulation 5,100

Oracle Competition WIN! A £50 voucher at Health & Harmony beauty clinic

Local Issues

Finding the right care for yourself or an elderly loved one

Police Watch Smartwater fights against burglary

Council News Clean and Green

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APRIL 2015

EST FREE IMA TES

OR ACLE Publisher’s letter

ollowing Oracle’s first event success, it is now holding a second event on Tuesday, 14 April, focusing on The Care Act, when changes come into force in May this year. It will change how the social care system works, including financing and making councils across England more consistent in the way they provide for those with care needs. The evening promises to give residents a better understanding on this confusing subject. Oracle has invited professionals from Doris Jones Ltd. and Southend Borough Councils,Business Support Group Manager and Care Act Programme Manager, Sarah Baker. For further information on how to attend this event, please see page 7. In celebration of its 20th anniversary, this month’s competition has been donated by the beauty salon Health & Harmony. H&H have an expert team of beauty therapists providing a lavish range of indulgent treatments in a perfect place to relax, unwind and beautify. One lucky winner will win a £50 voucher. For more details on the salon please visit www.healthandharmonyclinic.co.uk or call 01702 471794. To enter simply send your contact details to: Oracle/Health & Harmony Competition, Oracle House, 11 Clarence Road, Southend, Essex SS1 1AN or email info@oraclepublications.co.uk.Closing date 30 April 2015. Good Luck and hope to see you at the event.

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ORACLE PLUMBING & HEATING

contents Local Issues Finding the right care for yourself or an elderly loved one by Doris Jones

9/10

The Old Grey Wolf Whistle Test Hair & Beauty by Craig Smith

Clean and Green Council News by Cllr Ron Woodley

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s keep Shoebury Common Green by Peter Lovett

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How to create a Modern Japanese Garden 48 Oracle Gardening by Earth Designs

NO JOB TOO SMALL! DRIPPING TAPS - FULL HEATING SYSTEM FRIENDLY & RELIABLE SERVICE

Smartwater fights against burglary Police Watch by Essex Police

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APRIL 2015

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Advertorial

Pace short-listed for ‘Best Estate Agent’ award S

outhend-based Estate and Lettings Agency, Pace Plc has been short-listed for ‘Best Estate Agent’ at this year’s ESTAS Awards, in the regional South East category. The ESTAS is a customer service recognition scheme designed to help Residential Sales and Lettings agencies, suppliers, mortgage brokers & conveyancers be acknowledged regionally and nationally for the excellent standard of customer service they provide. Entry to the awards is open to all Estate & Letting agents in the UK with a single office or more.

What distinguishes the ESTAS from other awards is its rating method, based on a scoring system filled in by customers. In the 2014 competition over 33,000 customers voted for an agent. Any property vendors or buyers who completed on a property sale during 2014 were eligible to cast a vote by completing a confidential questionnaire. The rules are strict and heavily policed to ensure fair and honest results.

Best Estate Agent South East Pace has been short-listed for the ‘Best Estate Agent, South East’ award, due to its high level of customer service and honest advice. Customers have been particularly impressed by the company’s ethical approach to all property matters. This approach has seen Pace receive

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other prestigious awards in the past, including The Sunday Times Lettings Agency of the Year Silver Medal.

Crystal Horwood, Managing Director of Pace, commented: “We’re playing an important role in placing Southend-On-Sea firmly on the ‘map’ from a residential sales and superior customer service point of view. Being short-listed for an ESTA confirms this. As a small independent agent, it’s fantastic to be short-listed for an award solely voted for by clients. Looking ahead, we’ll be keeping our fingers crossed when the winners are announced next month.”

Estas Ceremony Winners for each category will be revealed by Phil Spencer at the 12th annual ESTAS ceremony on Friday 17th April at the Hilton Hotel Park Lane, London. Pace showcases clients’ properties on its own website www.paceplc.co.uk and also on the new property portal www.onthemarket.com and www.rightmove.co.uk.

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Ora Eve cle nt

Do you have questions on how the elderly care system works?

Oracle Event - 14 April 2015 Following the success of Oracle’s first event, there will be a second event taking place on Tuesday, 14 April, 7pm at the Café Masala, Thorpe Bay. This one will focus on how the care system works and the impact of the Care Act, which comes into force in May this year.

Finding The Right Care

• What happens when you or a loved one needs care? • What are the options? • How to decide between care at home and • How does funding work? • What about the other legal aspects (e.g. residential care?

• How to tell a good provider from a bad one? lasting power of attorney)?

What Is ‘The Care Act’?

The Care Act is set to change how the social care system works, making councils across England more consistent in the way they provide for those with care needs. But what does it actually mean?

• What will the Care Act change? • Who does it affect? • How does ‘the care cap’ work and what does

it include? • Will I have to sell my home? • How will it affect those caring for loved ones? • What do I do if I don’t qualify for council funding? info@oraclepublications.co.uk www.oraclepublications.co.uk

If any of these questions concern you then this evening promises to give residents a better insight. Oracle has invited Caroline Southgate from Doris Jones Ltd, a local care provider, and Southend Borough Council’s Care Act Programme Manager, Sarah Baker.

Get involved You are cordially invited to participate in this event or just come along as an interested spectator and hear the experts answer questions and give their advice on how the elderly care system works. If you would like your question asked then please submit it by Friday, 10 April by email to info@oraclepublications.co.uk or contact Michaela on 01702 393838. Questions are limited so please apply early to avoid disappointment.

How to book a place: There is a maximum amount of places for the evening and the cost is £15 per person, which includes a meal (drinks not included). Please contact Michaela at the Oracle on 01702 393838 to reserve your place by Monday, 13 April. The evening will be held at the Café Masala, Broadway,Thorpe Bay on Tuesday, 14 April at 7 pm. N.B. Please ring Oracle direct to reserve your place and not the Café Masala.

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APRIL 2015

Local Issues

Finding the right care for yourself or an elderly loved one

here comes a time in most of our lives when we need a little more help than those close to us can realistically provide. This can often happen with little warning, perhaps as a result of an illness or fall, and suddenly we are faced with the prospect of having to navigate the complex and often confusing world of social care.

How funding works

Within the assessment process, the local authority will ask about your finances to establish whether you are eligible for financial support. Generally speaking, if you have more than £23,250 in savings, then you’ll be responsible for paying for yor own care. The value of your There’s a dizzying array of things to consider, not property can also be taken into account if you’re least your exact care and support requirements, moving into a care home, however it is not whether a care home or support in your own considered when arranging care in your own home is best, and how your care will be funded. home. And there’s an equally overwhelming number of organisations offering information and advice… The charges for, and funding of, social care are complex and will vary according to individual so where do you start? circumstances. It is therefore advisable to seek Assessing your care needs detailed advice either from the council or In the first instance, you should contact Southend another reputable source of information. Age UK, Borough Council to request a Social Care Assessment. Everyone is entitled to this service, irrespective of their circumstances. The assessment will determine your needs and whether you qualify for local authority support. If you have qualifying care needs – meaning there are critical or substantial risks to your health, independence or safety without council support – and you are eligible for funding, then the local authority has a responsibility to help. This may be done in several ways, including allocating a ‘personal budget’ for your care. With a personal budget, you can choose either to have services arranged on your behalf or a cash payment paid to you to organise your own care. Your social worker should advise you of the options available. APRIL 2015

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the country’s largest charity for those in later life, provides a free advice line on 0800 169 6565.

Choosing to ‘go private’ Many people choose to contact a care provider directly for an assessment. All private companies will do this and most don’t charge. However, you will need to choose carefully between the many local providers. In the Southend area alone, there are 140 homecare agencies and more than 300 care homes registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC, the health and social care regulator). So be prepared to put in some time and effort to find the right provider. The CQC website lists all registered providers and can be searched by postcode. As well as listing contact details and giving an overview of services provided, you can view and download the CQC’s inspection reports, which is highly recommended. Since October 2014, the CQC has been rolling out a much-improved rating system that clearly labels providers as ‘Inadequate’,‘Requires improvement’, ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’. Many providers still feature the older ratings approach but this still provides valuable information on their quality standards. There are also several online directories listing care providers. Southend Information Point (SHIP) is a useful source of information on health and wellbeing and lists local providers. There are also various national directory websites, such as goodcareguide.co.uk and homecare.co.uk, many of them with Trip Advisor-style rating systems. These can be extremely valuable in shortlisting potential providers and many provide useful tools to help choose between care companies.

and also compare between them. The Age UK website has a very good checklist for selecting care homes as well as advice when looking for services in your own home.

And finally… don’t put up with bad care

Most care providers do an excellent job but there are occasions when standards are not as high as they should be. Many of us are reluctant to complain about poor service but it’s important that we do, so if you or a loved one experiences bad care, contact the Adult Social Care department at Southend Borough Council. You can also get in touch with the CQC about your concerns. Doing so will help improve overall standards and ensure that elderly care services in What to look for our area are as good and reliable as we expect Everyone is different, so the most important thing them to be. to look for is a company that puts the needs of the individual first and foremost. Some providers are overly prescriptive and inflexible in their Useful Contacts: approach, so look for those who will try to Southend Borough Council: southend.gov.uk; accommodate your needs, whatever they are. And Adult Social Services: 01702 215008 look for a service that will also consider the needs of the family or other carers – their wellbeing is SHIP: southendinfopoint.org just as important, particularly if they have a Healthwatch Southend: healthwatchsouthend.co.uk; 01702 356066 day-to-day role in delivering care in the home. Age UK: ageuk.org.uk; Advice line 0800 169 6565 Whichever sort of care you’re looking for, make a Care Quality Commission: checklist of things to ask potential providers. That cqc.org.uk; Enquiries 03000 616161 way you’ll be able to determine their suitability

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APRIL 2015

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Oracle Hair & Beauty

Either way, naturally grey or coloured long hair needs to be in good condition. Conditioners are essential and dyed or tinted hair needs to be treated like a very expensive and delicate jumper or dress, washed with great care and delicacy. Grey tresses look best when they’re supple and shiny, so think twice about using high-heat appliances, such as tongs and don’t use a hair dryer on its maximum heat setting. If you’re more comfortable with a shorter cut, then there’s no reason that you can’t experiment with new takes on old classics. Give the long bob a choppier, funkier look by following Helen Mirren’s lead. That slightly naughty bed-head look can be achieved with plenty of volume and texture.

The Old Grey Wolf Whistle Test T

ust because you’ve got a few candles on your cake, it doesn’t mean you can no longer cut it in the style stakes.

Jenny Joseph’s marvellous poem about growing old disgracefully, ‘Warning’, begins thus: “When I am an old woman I shall wear purple, with a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.” From there it gets funnier, with its cavalcade of promises of future outrageous behaviour.What Jenny doesn’t mention is cutting her hair short. Why do women of a certain age feel compelled to do this? True enough, as we age our hair changes its texture, loses its natural colour and becomes finer but if you’ve got shoulder-length hair, or even longer, there’s no reason why you can’t maintain the look you love. After all, just look at how stunning the stylist Linda Rodin, artist Helen Storey and model Daphne Selfe are.

The old saying that style never goes out of fashion is also true in terms of hairstyles. A grown-up crop, first created by Vidal Sassoon in the Swinging Sixties suits many different face-shapes and ages. Just compare gamine lovelies like Emma Watson and Anne Hathaway with Dame Judi Dench and Jane Fonda – you see? It just works. The Pixie crop can be quite breathtaking when shown off for the first time but can quickly become part of your signature style. If you’ve had long hair for many years, but are considering a dramatic new look, talk it through with your hairdresser before you commit. It’s important that you agree what style suits the shape of your face and, would you believe, your lifestyle. Having less hair, doesn’t always give you more - cropped styles do need some serious maintenance. They grow out more quickly and that means shorter gaps between cuts. The middle-ground is the longer, French take on the crop. It is gorgeous and chic but requires a little less behind-the-scenes effort. Add a root lifting product to damp hair and, using a round brush, create volume and lift on top, while making sure the sides remain flat. Age may be just a number but a great haircut is so much more…

Of course, the key is down to regular maintenance and quality products. First things first, which corner are you in? Glad To Be Grey or Anything But Fifty Shades of Grey?

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Council News

Clean and Green F

ollowing on from last month’s article, the first garden crackdown has taken place. Residents who have blighted their streets by leaving heaps of rubbish in their front gardens are now facing a hefty fine as part of our clampdown. The first place to be targeted as part of the Council’s Clean and Green campaign are areas in Victoria Ward. Continuing patrols of the area and other untidy streets across the Borough will now follow.

Last month we patrolled several streets and gave 30 properties 14 days to clear up their front yards. I am pleased to say that 26 complied but four failed to take action, and I accompanied enforcement officers on the subsequent clear up. The four offenders will now be taken to Court and could face a fine of up to £2,500 and will also incur an additional clear up cost that the Council will recover from each of them. We should be very proud of our borough and keep Southend-on-Sea looking at its best – for our residents and for the six million visitors plus who come here every year. Therefore when people allow rubbish to pile up outside their homes, they are letting down their neighbours by blighting their street and creating a health risk, affecting house prices and encouraging vermin. It has to be remembered that the Council provides household waste recycling centres free of charge for residents and can have bulky items of waste removed, such as unwanted furniture,

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for a nominal fee. So there really is no excuse for letting rubbish pile up. While I’m on the subject of rubbish it might be worth mentioning that every year it costs us, the ratepayers approximately £2.6million to keep our streets clear of litter. It seems that no matter how many litter bins there are in the town, there is always a small minority of residents that intend to make our streets look untidy by dropping litter in our streets even though there is a bin next to where litter is being dropped. This even extends to a small minority of dog owners that fail to pick up their dogs mess and some of those who although they pick it up, decide to dispose of the bag in people’s gardens, in shrub borders, or just drop it in the street. As with the garden crackdown, I am asking officers to extend their patrols to include the type of anti-social behaviour of littering and dog mess. I hope that the majority of residents in Southendon-Sea will welcome this approach. Cllr Ron Woodley Leader of Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

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Let’s keep Shoebury Common Green

hen first asked by Ray Bailey to help him fight the 7 foot sea defence on Shoebury Common, who would think this would last nearly 3 years of full time hard work? During this period I have lost confidence in the Council officers, in supporting the residents with honest pragmatic information. Until recently, the Council Chamber was full of self-centred opportunists, who had no intentions of listening to their electorate. The Planning Department seemed more concerned with huge so called 106 payments where millions was accepted in exchange for planning permission. They designed Jubilee Beach for appearance, rather than pelican crossings for safety. They would rather have open space with low curbs than protect our businesses from flooding.

In 1790 the “south end” of Prittlewell was just poor fisherman’s huts & small farms, but Shoebury has artefacts going back to 5th Century. Shoebury Common was being used by residents in 1894 with 166 beach huts, as they are today.

Unique Common

The Burges Estate was just a farm until around 1954. Who remembers the boating lake, donkey rides & mini golf course, offering fun for everyone? Austin 7 & Ford Model 48 cars, with Triumph TS100 sidecars would park on the Common, with tents to sleep over the weekend. There are over 230 open spaces in Southend with not one Village Green – Why? Southend Council have opposed our application and have arranged an independent enquiry on 30th June 2015, at great expense – Why? We want to protect the uniqueness of this Common & improve the facilities on offer and open up the area for local schools, residents, families and charities to enjoy. It needs a committed management committee to improve the facilities on offer & raise funds through donations to improve the area. It also needs your help by giving us stories & pictures about your adventures on this beautiful Common, now or in the past. You can email me on peterlovett46@gmail.com or give it to me at 72 Leitrim Avenue Shoeburyness. I would appreciate any advice or support you can give to make this happen. by Peter Lovett

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A little corner of an English Heaven

Savour a drink and good company at the award-winning, traditional, Angel Inn, Free House. at North Shoebury

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Cloudy2Clear Windows – Service With A Smile! It’s been a crazy few months for Cloudy2Clear Windows. The company which specialises in repairing windows which are steamed up, broken or damaged by replacing the panes – not the frames has grown rapidly as homeowners take advantage of their services. Managing Director Chris Miller feels that it’s all about service. ‘Our product is simple. If your double glazing is misted up we can replace the glass at a fraction of the cost of a new window, in any type of frame, and with a new 5 year guarantee. But it’s not just about saving people money, although

that obviously helps. Many tradespeople have struggled since last year and I honestly feel that during the good times a minority perhaps didn’t focus on customer care as much as they should have done. We make sure we turn up when we say we will, do the job the customer requires and leave their house as clean as a whistle. I often get comments back from customers on how they really didn’t expect that sort of service which, in a way, is very sad for the service industry as a whole.’ Cloudy2Clear service the Southend, Leigh on Sea and Thorpe Bay areas DQG &KULV LV ÀQGLQJ WKDW his approach is a major

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Southend High School for Girls T

here is something on the SHSG calendar almost every day of the year and the students have fantastic opportunities both in lessons and beyond. For example this term there has been a geography field trip to Scarborough, Spanish exchange visitors in school and German students have been to Germany on their exchange. Everyone, through the House system, works to ‘give something back’ and this term the school has given over £2000 to Essex and Herts Air Ambulance and over £4000 to Teenage Cancer Trust. During Charity Week a further £2000 was raised for charity. The fundraising activities raised the money for Make-a-Wish Foundation and The British Heart Foundation.

Developing knowledge The School Council has now embarked on a STARS project and has a notice board on which to put their ideas about learning and what constitutes outstanding learning, good learning, satisfactory learning and emerging learning. Students at SHSG are keen to think about and take responsibility for their education and they are wholeheartedly supported in developing their knowledge of the learning process. Popular children’s author, Sue Hampton, visited the school on Friday 6th March to help celebrate World Book Day. The author delivered an inspirational speech to Year 7 and Year 8 English students. She explained how the character of her book ‘The Waterhouse Girl’ is based on her own experience of growing up with alopecia. Students learned how to get their own writing published and some girls had an opportunity to work with Sue as part of a Creative Writing workshop. Year 8 English students have also been taking part in a reading mentoring scheme with Key Stage 2 students at Hamstel Junior School. Girls from SHSG have been paired up with a Year 4 reading ‘buddy’and have been listening to them read and helping them to develop their reading skills. SHSG students have been reading Fleur Hitchcock’s book ‘Shrunk’ to their buddies and discussing the

T H O R P E B AY O R A C L E

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APRIL 2015

as the library (to find facts about famous mathematicians), sports hall (to look at Olympic maths and shapes), the Geography department (to change time zones), Media and Food Technology. The highlight apparently, was using ratio to calculate a recipe for a microwave chocolate cake in a mug and then making the cake, which everyone was able to try.

characters and plot. We look forward to Year 4 visiting our library in the near future.

Alden Biesen Castle SHSG has been fortunate in previous years to be invited to the prestigious European Classes at the castle of Alden Biesen and were invited back again in 2015. Eight students and two members of staff travelled to Belgium in January to spend the week in the castle with schools from France, Italy and Belgium. The topics dealt with across the week were measures to reduce European unemployment (Italy), promoting European identity in schools (France), creating a European defence force (Belgium) and ways of increasing social integration (UK). The students all delivered lectures in French and English, led discussion groups on the issues in question. In February around 60 year 2 girls from West Leigh Infant School visited SHSG for a morning of Maths activities. A member of staff from SHSG has been working with WLIS delivering problem solving Maths sessions to groups of boys. Head of Maths, Mrs Imbush wowed them all with a treasure hunt around the school, ensuring they visited areas such

BBC School News Report Day Thursday 19th March was BBC School News Report Day when along with schools throughout the country, SHSG students became reporters for the day. BBC journalists were in school to help them film and upload their footage to the BBC school news report website. The opportunities open to girls at SHSG are tremendous. For the more adventurous there is World Challenge, there are curriculum trips and in school challenges such as Mole Day, girls can develop skills in music and art, they can save the planet by recycling, they can even knit for charity. by Ms Brierley Headteacher

Southend High School for Girls Southchurch Boulevard, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS2 4UZ

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APRIL 2015

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T H O R P E B AY O R A C L E

recipe of the month

Spring Cooking demonstration dates: April 20,21,22, 23 & 24th, and May 5,6,7 & 8th contact www.janejudyinthekitchen.co.uk

In the Kitchen with Judy Barden

For the potatoes: 25g butter 3tbsp sunflower oil 4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into thick slices

Method: 1. Heat the oven to 190c/170 fan/gas 5. Score the

fat on the pork (if not already done) and rub with a little salt and black pepper. Place the apples in the base of an overproof lidded dish. Scatter over the cinnamon, allspice, star anise, cloves and juniper berries. Dot with butter and pour over 150ml of water. Place the pork on top and cover with the lid.

2. Put in the oven for 1 hour, then remove the lid

Spiced Pot-roasted pork Loin

aster is a great time to entertain family and friends and the most economical joint is a loin of pork. In this recipe it is pot-roasted on a bed of Bramley apples flavoured with spices including juniper which is a lovely aromatic spice (used to flavour gin). Team it up with roast baby carrots in honey and some sautéed potatoes or mash.

and increase the temperature to 220c/200fan/gas 6, and cook for a further 25 minutes or until the fat is crispy and the meat is cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile place the carrots in a small roasting

tin. Add the butter and honey and put in the oven for 8 -10 minutes.Whilst the carrots are cooking heat a frying pan and add the butter, oil and potatoes. Fry over a medium heat turning occasionally until golden brown. Season with salt and black pepper.

4. Carve the pork into six slices and place on warm serving plates. Place a spoonful of the cooked apples on top and serve with the potatoes and carrots.

Enjoy! Serves 6

Next month’s recipe:

Ingredients: 1.5kg pork loin (ask the butcher to score the skin) 3 Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks ½ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp ground allspice 1 tsp cloves 1 tsp juniper berries 50g butter

Warm Salad of Spring Vegetables with Griddled Lamb

Oracle Website Solutions

For the carrots:

300g baby carrots, scrubbed 25g butter 2 tbsp honey

T H O R P E B AY O R A C L E

01702 393838 www.oraclepublications.co.uk

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APRIL 2015

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Oracle Gardening

Water Water tends to be a dominant feature in Japanese gardens. In Japan ‘stroll gardens’ – gardens designed for promenading were often created across a ravine with the focus on the journey through the space. Therefore including an element that can symbolise this is a real ‘must have’ in a modern Japanese garden. In our featured garden a water blade pours into a reservoir hidden in a dry bed of black pebbles. The pebble bed is bisected by the pathway, creating the illusion of a journey over water.

Materials

How to create a Modern Japanese Garden

here are basic principles in traditional Japanese pleasure gardens, such as asymmetry, concealment and borrowed views, that can be used to great effect in modern garden design. Play around with these concepts to create something exciting and contemporary. In Japanese design the hard landscaping comes first with planting added to complement the built landscape.

Strong Lines Modern designs are often bold and punchy. Place elements of a garden at angles to each other to give the design intrigue. The notion of discovery is important in traditional Japanese garden design, where gardens were simply meant to be viewed or walked through rather that serve a practical purpose. In your design juxtapose angled pathways with planting, structures or screens to divide the garden into distinct areas and take the user on a voyage through the space. 48

T H O R P E B AY O R A C L E

Textures, rocks and stones are big news in Japanese gardens. From large lumps of rock acting as bridges to pebbles that are considered and ordered, the variety of shape and texture is heightened in it simplicity. Look at combinations of rough and smooth, flat and spiky, matt and shiny. Here we used rough textured silver birch bark positioned in front of shiny black Perspex screens, using reflection and contrasting texture to create something stylish and stylised.

Planting Planting should be simple with focus on leaf texture and form. Repeat a motif or plant choice throughout the planting scheme to create rhythm and structure. Box balls are great for this, but grasses and specimen trees work equally well. Limit the colour palette to a couple of shades and try to keep your choices subtle – the plants should blend in with the rest of the garden rather than shouting ‘here I am!’

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Any property that is marked with the liquid, which is guaranteed for five years, can be traced back to the owners using the unique DNA of each kit. The Smartwater can be applied to all valuable items such as televisions and games consoles, as well as jewellery and items of sentimental value.

Police Watch

PC Phil Collie, who has been leading the roll-out of the kits, believes that they will act as a strong deterrent to burglars as the stolen items will be easily traced back to their rightful owners. While distributing the kits to residents in Leighon-Sea, PC Collie explained the benefits of using the Smartwater and demonstrated how the liquid can be used.

Peace of mind One Prittlewell resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, believes the kits will prove a useful addition in the fight against burglary.

Smartwater fights against burglary

outhend residents have been given a security boost after Essex Police issued them with the latest Smartwater security technology. The Smartwater kits are used to mark their valuable possessions with a uniquely coded liquid, which is only visible under UV light and can be traced back to the owner. The liquid is almost impossible to remove and can be applied to items both indoors and outdoors.

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“We have actually been burgled in the past and something like this would have been really useful,” she explains. “It is the most horrible experience to go through, and we were actually shocked when we worked out the value of the items that were stolen.“ "With something like this, it gives us the peace of mind that we are able to trace our property and it will help to have the stickers displayed in the window to tell everybody that we are protected. “Having been the victim of burglary in the past, it is definitely not something I ever want to go through again, and hopefully this will help,” she adds. The Smartwater kits were donated to Essex Police by the company. For more information visit www.smartwater.com. Sponsored by

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q. My door bolt is the latest in security with lots of locking points such as hooks and a large deadbolt. Will it be secure?

90% of homes in the UK could have vulnerable door locks which can be ͞ƐŶĂƉƉĞĚ͟ ƚŽ ŐĂŝŶ ĂĐĐĞƐƐ͘

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A. It doesn͛tt matter how many hooks and deadbolts you have. It͛s It͛s all down to the snap security o off the Euro Cyliinder Cyl er.. Once the cylinder has been snapped the other secondary security devices are useless as the door can be opened in seconds. Q. My Euro Cylinder has a British ͚͚K Kitemark͛, will it be snap secure? A. The British Kitemark standard BS EN 303: 2005 does not cover snap resistance Cylinders with snap lines can be attacked again beyond the shear line which releases the cam and gives access. Only the snap secure locking cam of the ABS lock can provide a total block to the locking mechanism. Q. My Euro Cylinder has sacrificial sections to stop snapping attacks. A. Snap o off ff sections will slow down the attack, but only by a couple o off seconds. The Sold Secure Diamond and BSI TS007: 2012 3 star accreditations that ABS has mean that the Euro Cylinder is snap secure without the need for additional security handles or cylinder guards. 41, Alexandra Street, Southend-on-Sea, Essex ex,, SS1 1BW

T. 01702 34627 274 4 W.www.br briightslocksmiths.co.uk

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Advertorial

Excel Pathway T

he Excel Pathway is one of the three pathways within Shoeburyness High School and covers Years 7, 8 and 9. It is for pupils who work better in a more kinaesthetic environment although we do have pupils that benefit from the setting who have different learning styles but need a more differentiated curriculum. The Year 7 and 8 classes are fairly small, catering for approximately sixteen pupils, and are staffed with both an Excel Teacher, who delivers a differentiated curriculum consisting of English, Maths, SCOPE, Humanities as well as additional subjects* (see below), and a Classroom Manager. Pupils are taught other subjects such as Science, Technology, ICT and Creative and Expressive Arts by subject teachers.

The same curriculum is followed by our Year 9 pupils, although they are taught all of their lessons by subject teachers rather than an Excel Teacher and have a Classroom Manager and an LSA where there are pupils with SEN needs.

Supporting students A key element that makes Excel different to the other pathways is the Classroom Manager, who is not only the Learning Tutor for the groups but also supports the students in all of their lessons, with other teachers, to maintain consistency and expectation across the curriculum.There is a diverse ability within the pathway and pupils are not placed based on ability but by learning style. High importance is placed on engaging and enthusing our pupils and so the curriculum is structured with this in mind. The pupils within this pathway benefit from having additional lessons such as *Forest School (outdoor learning), Games for social interaction and Double Club which is a literacy and numeracy intervention catering to the pupilsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;interests e.g. Football, Cooking or Performing Arts. Pupils are offered many interventions,

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depending on their needs, which are run by Learning Support and Excel staff, and some pupils are given mentors to support them in areas that need developing. We offer a lunch club where pupils can go and interact with their peers, which is very popular, and also homework club after school run by the Classroom Managers. The success of our pathway is largely down to consistency for the pupils, as it offers security and reassurance, and also with the interaction that the staff have with parents so that the pupils have support from both school and home to enable them to be successful.

Extra-curricular As a pathway we are constantly trying to come up with new ideas to engage and enthuse our students and encourage them to participate in extra-curricular activities. We run football matches between classes and our Football Double Club teacher organises weekend matches for our pupils to get involved in. A lot of these schemes are incentive-related and pupils must reach certain targets in their learning in order to participate. We currently have a local artist, John Bulley, working with our Year 9 students, designing some work to be displayed at the Leigh Art Trail, which the students are loving and has so far been a great success. Students will also be helping John to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;make goodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; some of the local area by creating pieces of art around the area.

Students Vs Residence We are currently in the process of setting up and

running Walking Football sessions. Students within the pathway will be playing games of Walking Football against some the residents from Great Mead Sheltered Housing. Students have already been and visited some of their future opponents and have participated in some indoor games such as boules and card games with them. They also took a tour of their accommodation and facilities and enjoyed drinks and snacks with them. This has and continues to support and instil the social, moral, spiritual and cultural aspects of their curriculum learning. One of our Year 8 pupils, Callum Brighting, has recently won a Jack Petchey Award for his commitment to football and for supporting his peers in and out of school with their training as well as being the team captain. He will be receiving his award during a ceremony at the Palace Theatre in April.

O Shoeburyness High School

01702 292286 schooloffice@shoeburyness.southend.sch.uk www.shoeburynesshigh.co.uk APRIL 2015

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Furniture restoration restoration Services available:-

French Polishing All Structural Repairs Hand Veneering Cane Seating Leather Desk-Lining Clock-Case Restoration Antique Specialist

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Air & Back, the airport-transfer specialists, provide an efficient and friendly door-to-door transfer to and from your airport. seaport or ferry terminal, at a reasonable cost.

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ORACLE Enigmas No humdrum conundrum s

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solicitor solicit ors or

We specialise in all aspects of Family Law Law including: Relationship breakdown, Children matters and Wills & Probate. We We also offer Legal Aid

Tel: 01702 340 340 51 Alexandra Street, Southend on Sea, Essex, SS1 1BW 1BW www.whitesolicitors.co.uk APRIL 2015

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Emergency Electrician Established locally over 25 years Faults our speciality No Job too small Special rates for OAP’s No call out charge

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GENERAL PHYSIOTHERAPY SPORTS INJURIES NECK AND BACK PROBLEMS SPRAINS AND STRAINS WHIPLASH INJURY ARTHRITIS

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Open Gardens Charity Day

Diary Dates ORACLE EVENT NIGHT Tuesday 14th April at Café Masala, Thorpe Bay. Enjoy a informative evening on the Elderly Care Act for £15.00 per person including meal. See page 7 for further details or call 01702 393838. CHARITY STALL AT SOUTHEND HOSPITAL Every Thursday 8am to 3pm. Linda & Maureen are in the Fundraising Unit in Outpatient. Large selection of hand knitted baby clothes - crochet blankets, books, jig saw puzzles, soft toys etc. All proceeds go to the Keyhole Cancer Appeal. ANNUAL CHARITY GOLF DAY Thurs May 14th Garon Park Golf Complex Teams of 4 players or individuals are invited for an 18 hole Stapleford competition and prizegiving. In aid of The Tramstop Shelter. All enquiries to: Keith Beresford 01702 585311/ 07778780737

Sunday 13th 12th April Sunday April th Sun 20 July Sunday 26 April 2-5pm Admission: £3.50

Admission: £3 Children FREE Children FREE Home-made Tea’s available Home-made Teas available Tel:01702 01702 299022 Tel: 299022

2-5pm Admission: £3.50 - Children FREE

SouthSHOEBURY Shoebury Hall SOUTH HALL Church Road, Shoeburyness Church Road, Shoeburyness, SS3 9DN (Entrance next to Church) (Entrance next to the Church) (Entrance next tothe the Church)

ANNIE’S JAZZ CLUB Thorpe Hall Golf Club, April 14th – Chico Chica April 28th – Java Jam. 07504 232 783 %

OPEN GARDENS CHARITY DAY South Shoebury Hall, Church Road, SS3 9DN Sunday 12th & Sunday 26th April 2-5pm Admission £3.50 Children – Free. Home Made Teas available, in aid of The Stroke Association.

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BEACH ENERGISE Mon 20th April 10-11am, Thorpe Bay. Contact Lisa Gosling to book your place. 07989 969561

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HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES @ SHOEBURY HIGH SCHOOL A range of community activities for toddlers to adults in cookery, sports, arts & crafts, sewing, ICT and more. www.shoeburynesshigh.co.uk

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HAVENS TO HAVENS WALK 19th April. Walk to remember a loved one, walk to keep fit or walk for a fun family day out on our 5 or 10 mile route. Call Jane on 01702 221 658. !" #

Do you have an event? Email us to get it on here!

info@oraclepublications.co.uk

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Design, service & quality

Beautifully bespoke kitchens DK2 Kitchens of Leigh-on-Sea can help you design, update and improve your kitchen, by providing ideas, inspiration and advice to guide \RX WKURXJK WKH ED̈ LQJ FKRLFH RI NLWFKHQ products and designs available today. And, once you’ve settled on a kitchen design that’s right for your home or project, we will supply and install your made to measure kitchen at a price you will be delighted with. &RPH DQG ¿ QG \RXU GUHDP NLWFKHQ WRGD\ LQ RXU QHZ /HLJK VKRZURRP

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Opening Times Mon-Fri: 9.30am to 5.30pm Sat: 9.30am to 5.30pm Closed Sun & Bank Holidays

useful numbers ADVICE & HELPLINES Child Protection Citizens Advice Crime Prevention Crimestoppers Cruse Bereavement Care Pier & Foreshore Inspectors Drugs, Alcohol & Substance Misuse HARP National Drugs Freephone Samaritans Southend Talking Newspaper Victim Support Group Southend Council Civic Centre Jobcentre Southend

ANIMAL WELFARE

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POLICE SERVICES 24 hour Emergency Number 01702 430696 Southend Police Station (24 hours a day) 0300 3334444 Thorpe Ward Neighbourhood Specialist Officer Warren Lamb 07976 325346 Marine Police 01268 775533 HM Coastguard 01702 294998

CLUBS & ASSOCIATIONS Belfairs Mixed Bowling 475766 Burges Estate Residents Association (BERA) 588662 Carers Forum 393933 Charles Dickenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fellowship 588069 Cockleshell Clog Morris 479622 Essex Handicrafts Association 479622 Essex Society for Family History 522992 Lower Thames Rowing Club 482205 Prittlewell Bowls Club 612476 Southchurch Park Croquet Club 303957 Southend Blind Welfare Association 342131 Southend Cardiac Support Group 309042 / 293469 Southend Photographic Society 332491 Southend Rugby Club 546682 Southend Golf Club 473206 The English Speaking Union 588069 Thorpe Bay Bowling Club 582074 Thorpe Bay Bridge Club 616145 Thorpe Bay Floral Arrangement Group 585350 Thorpe Bay Lawn Tennis Club 585245 Thorpe Bay Yacht Club 587563 Thorpe Hall Golf Club 582205 Scout Groups Southend, Thorpe Bay & Shoeburyness 587647 Actorcrats (Amateur Dramatics) 306506 Thorpe Bay Art Group 585531 St Augustine's Church 587597 Stone Masons & Dry Stone Wallers 292867 Southend Chess Club Steve Wedlock (Club Secretary) 345902 Southend-on-Sea Lions Club 582828 Southend & District Pensioners Campaign 341047 Thames Estuary Lacemakers 476034

PUBLIC SERVICES Southend Forum 215011 Bournes Green Post Office 582241 Traveline 0871 200 2233 Arriva Southend 08701 201088 First 01268 525251 National Express 08705 80 80 80 Odeon Cinema 0871 2244007 SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen Families Association) 463113

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PHARMACIES Bansal Pharmacy 587500 178 The Broadway Mon-Fri 9-6.30 pm / Sat 9-1pm Howells & Brooks 582658 The Broadway Mon-Fri 9-6.30 pm / Sat 9-5.30 pm Closed 1-2 pm Wed+Sat.

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The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.

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01702 297360 MECHANICAL AND ACCIDENT REPAIR CENTRE

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Thorpe Bay

ORACLE

ORACLE View the latest issues

Index to advertisers ACCOUNTANTS Taylors Chartered Accountants Wilkins Kennedy AERIALS & SATELLITES 1st South East Aerials Essex Digital Services AIRPORT TRANSFER Air & Back AUCTIONEERS Stacey's Auctioneers BATHROOMS First Choice Bathrooms BLINDS & SHUTTERS Creative Shutters & Blinds Worth & Co Blinds BLOCK PAVING Brooks Paving BOWLING CLUB Essex County Bowls BUILDERS SA Piper Ltd BUILDING SUPPLIES St. Ann's BUTCHERS Philip Splett CAKES Bells & Bows Cakes CAR DEALERSHIP Fairfield Mini CARE & NURSING SERVICES Brooks Care CARPENTRY & JOINERY John Sorrell CARPETS Loom Trade Carpets CARPET/OVEN/PATIO CLEANING Gates Services CLASSIC CARS Pride & Joy Classic Cars CLEANING Maid in Essex COMMERCIAL/DOMESTIC PLUMBING & HEATING Essex Maintenance COMPUTER SERVICES Computopia DECORATOR Adrian Rayfield GMH Renovations MK Decorating Stuart Wylie Decorator DOG SITTING Precious Pets DOUBLE GLAZING REPAIR Cloudy2Clear DRIVEWAYS & PATIO Sealing Technique DRIVING INSTRUCTOR Richard ELECTRICAL DMB Electric Emergency Electrical RDM Electrical ESTATE AGENTS Pace PLC EVENTS Oracle Night OPEN GARDEN Events in Shoebury

ONLINE 62 52 65 38 61 8 2 25 40 65 12 34 51 8 11 1 29 50 14 5 39 11 27 21 60 12 46 50 18 18 32 33 43 25 65 18 6 7 66 66

FENCING SERVICES BVS Fencing 25 FIREPLACES 30 Fireplace & Design GAT Fireplaces 41 FITNESS 27 Simply Stride SS Fitness 43 FLOORING 71 Daniel James Flooring FUNERAL SERVICES AR Adams Funeral Services 45 FURNITURE RESTORERS TS Baskett 60 GARAGES RS Automotives 69 Service Garage 44 GARDEN CENTRE Morley's Garden Centre 56 GARDEN MACHINERY 34 Ernest Doe GARDEN SERVICES Paul's Garden Services 49 GLASS MERCHANT Colin's Glass 22 GRANITE WORKTOPS Granite Transformations 43 GUTTERS & FASCIAS AC Solutions 57 GUTTER CLEANING New Look Outdoor Cleaning 62 HAIR & BEAUTY Grateful Heads 16 Headhunters 24 HANDYMAN Piper Construction 27 HEALTH & BEAUTY Cliff House Clinic 35 Le Salon Chic 26 HEATING & PLUMBING Sonray Heating 39 HOMECARE Doris Jones 15 INTERIOR DESIGNERS Janet Williamson 21 Morris Interiors 47 Ultimate Interiors 17 JAZZ CLUB Annie's Jazz 18 JEWELLERY AV & BV Andrews 33 KITCHENS Apollo Kitchens 13 DK2 Kitchens 67 Kitchen Base 53 KITCHEN INTERIORS Prittlewell Interiors 46 LANDSCAPING Earth Designs 48 Grassroots Landscapes 49 LOCKSMITHS/SECURITY Brights Locksmiths 54/55 MAINTENANCE MAN Ken Sendall 60 MARBLE WORKTOPS Abbey Marble 46 MOBILE BEAUTY/SHELLAC SERVICES Chic Cheeks 12 OPTICAL CC Optical 61

Thorpe Bay

April 2015

Oracle-on-Sea

ORACLE ORACLE Thorpe Bay at a glance Est. Sept 2005. Circulation 5,100

Oracle Competition WIN! A £50 voucher at Health & Harmony beauty clinic

Leigh, Chalkwell & Southend Conservation Area Est. Oct 2006. Circulation 6,700

Oracle Competition WIN! A £50 voucher at Health & Harmony beauty clinic

Local Issues

Police Watch

Finding the right care for yourself or an elderly loved one

Smartwater fights against burglary

Council News

Clean and Green

NEW MINI CENTRE COMING

Clean and Green

NEW MINI CENTRE COMING

MAY MA AY 2015 201 …

201 … MAY MA AY 2015

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Southend-on-Sea Maritime Festival (6-7 June 2015) www.southendmaritimefestival.co.uk

Cover photo by Anthony Peck of Lower Thames Rowing Club

To advertise in ORACLE call

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OVEN CLEANING Ovenclean PHYSIOTHERAPIST Physio Answers Susan White Physiotherapist PLUMBING & HEATING Brian Lacey Hammond & Sons M Walker PUBLIC HOUSE The Angel Inn RESTAURANTS Café Masala Shoeburyness Hotel Trattoria Verde ROOFING SERVICES Estuary Roofing SCHOOLS Shoebury High School Southend High School for Girls SKIP HIRE Leigh Skip Hire SOLICITORS White & Co SPORTSWEAR Original Sports SOUTH INDIAN RESTAURANT Red Chilliezs TILING Battlesbridge Tiling G Perks Tiling TREE SERVICES Treefella Tree King UPHOLSTERY Peter Weddell WILLS Oracle Estate Planning WINDOW CLEANING BC Windows

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Reach over 30,000 readership in Leigh, Chalkwell, Southend Conservation Area & Thorpe Bay hungry for your business Call for a Media Pack or visit www.oraclepublications.co.uk To advertise in ORACLE call 01702 393838 All rights reserved. No part of Oracle Publications UK Ltd. may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means either wholly or in part without prior permission of the publisher. Oracle Publications UK Ltd. is editorially autonomous and the opinions expressed are not those of the publisher unless expressly stated.

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