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Forest of Dean – 22,000 copies Gloucester – 46,000 copies Gloucestershire South – 41,000 copies Gloucestershire North – 20,000 copies Cheltenham – 43,000 copies Cotswolds – 28,000 copies Sara Sheperia Publication Manager – Forest of Dean
01242 541076 sara@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Editorial Lois Kingscott editorial@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Helen Kingscott editorial@thelocalanswer.co.uk
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Welcome to May ... After an amazing response to last month’s Holiday Gift Card competition – congratulations to our winner Debbie Lee – we’ve got another brilliant prize to give away this month courtesy of the Spa-Kling Pool Company! Find out how to enter inside. With the weather getting warmer, the garden is looking more appealing – Julia Smith has some great tips on how to keep your garden looking tidy and fully preparing plants for next year, while John Bromley explains all about ladybirds in our ‘Wildlife Matters’ feature. As the sun makes more of a regular appearance, you may be thinking about getting out and about. Check out Dan Wood’s review of the Music Angel Friendz Portable Speaker – perfect for picnics, trips to the beach or hosting your very own garden party. As always, we have a great selection of daytime and nighttime events in our What’s On section.
Inside this month ... Food & Drink 4 Cocktail Time 4 Delicious Dish 5 Wildlife Matters 9 Motoring 11 Looking Good Feeling Great 13 What’s On 15 Win a BBQ & Bubble Spa! 18-19 Homes & Gardens 22 Save the Planet 23 Interior Design 25 In the Garden 27 Word Search 28 Gadgets & Gizmos 30 Sudoku 31 Quick Crossword 32 Money Matters 33 Index, Competitions, Solutions 34 Competition on pages 18-19
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Cocktail Time
Your local, friendly, helpful store with easy access and plenty of parking.
with Lois Kingscott
SPECIAL OFFERS on Compost, Organic Farm Manure, Seed Compost, Bark, Grow Bags and garden furniture. Seasonal plants coming soon ... Food, bedding & health care products for all animals/birds Calor gas, logs, kindling, coal, briquettes, firelighters and paraffin Local eggs, honey, jam, chutney & potatoes From brooms & buckets to wheelbarrows, wellies & waterproofs, we’re here to help so please call in and see what we do.
We are on the A48, Elton Court, just outside Westbury-on-Severn
Cosmopolitan The Cosmopolitan – or Cosmo – is said to have been created independently by many different bartenders since the 1970s. The general concensus is that John Caine – owner of several bars in San Fransisco – brought the popular pink drink to the west from Ohio in around 1987. Although the cocktail is widely perceived as a contemporary creation, there is a strikingly similar recipe for a Cosmo, which appears in the book ‘Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars 1903-1933’. The ‘Cosmopolitan Daisy’ substitutes cranberry juice and vodka for raspberry syrup and gin, as these are the ingredients that would have been readily available at the time. There are also many claims that the Cosmo was adapted from the Kamikaze cocktail, though is often presented very differently. The Cosmopolitan was popularised significantly among young women in the 1990s because of its frequent appearances on the TV program ‘Sex and the City’, where Sarah Jessica Parker’s character, Carrie Bradshaw, often ordered the drink when out with her girlfriends. Ingredients: 50ml vodka; 25ml triple sec; 50ml cranberry juice; 25ml fresh lime juice; orange peel and/or mint to serve; ice. Method: 1 Add ice, vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice and lime juice to a cocktail shaker and shake for about 30 seconds. 2 Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a sprig of mint and/or a twist of orange peel.
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY Why not have a Mocktail? For a non–alcoholic alternative, use 50ml cranberry juice, 25ml lime juice, 25ml orange juice and 25ml simple syrup (sugar and water, boiled then cooled). Page 4
Tel: 01452 760511 www.farmandcountrystore.co.uk
Everyone enjoys good food. But not everyone enjoys cooking.
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Delicious Dish with Helen Kingscott
Stir-fried ginger pork Ingredients (serves 2): 1cm fresh root ginger, peeled and grated; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; ½ red chilli, deseeded and cut into thin strips (alternatively, use the lazy range that comes in jars – make meals even quicker and with less mess); 2 tbsp sunflower oil; 2 boneless pork steaks, cut into thin strips; 125g (4oz) mangetout; 50g (2oz) unsalted cashew nuts; 2 tbsp dark soy sauce; 1 tbsp dry white wine, rice wine or dry sherry; 1 tsp caster sugar; 1 tsp sesame oil. Method: 1 If serving with rice, start cooking this (follow packaging instructions) before you begin to stir-fry. 2 Measure and prepare all the ingredients. Set the wok over a high heat until smoking and keep the heat high throughout the cooking process. Add half the
Pam Everitt
Lic.AC., BA (Hons), MBAcC
A deliciously simple, one-pot dinner that is ready in minutes!
sunflower oil and swirl around once or twice to heat it through. 3 Add the ginger, garlic and chilli and fry for 10-20 seconds until they start to colour. Quickly add the pork pieces and continue to stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until just cooked through. Transfer to a plate. 4 Return the wok to the heat and add the remaining sunflower oil. Swirl again to heat through, then add the mangetout. Fry for 2-3 minutes until crisp but tender and beginning to catch the odd patch of brown. Add the cashew nuts and fry for another 30 seconds. 5 Return the pork to the pan. Add the soy sauce, wine and caster sugar, then stir-fry for 1 more minute. Add the sesame oil, season with freshly ground black pepper and mix. Serve with rice.
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Lunch Express Menu SPECIAL OFFER 2 COURSE MEAL ÂŁ9.95 Select one main course and either a starter from 1-7 or a dessert from the menu (specialities not included) Takeaway available Sunday-Thursday 10% off menu prices
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01452 698770
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Fresh food and fizz at the Grapevine Restaurant! The Grapevine Restaurant, Cafe and Bar is situated at Staunton Garden Centre and is a pleasant and well appointed venue where Chef Sophie Bell and her team have been preparing and serving fresh and creative dishes for customers. Sophie, formerly of the prestigious Valerie Patisserie, has brought with her the proven ideas and dishes that
she knows her customers will enjoy. Senior citizens menu The extensive menu has a wide and gluten-free variety of hot and cold meals options available including a great selection of quiches Sophie offers a selection of light and pies – steak and ale, pork with portabello mushrooms, fish pie, and bites and has prepared a senior a cauliflower, broccoli and leek bake citizens menu that comes with free tea and coffee and – of as a vegetarian option. course – some mouthIndulge in a Champagne watering desserts. afternoon tea! All food is cooked fresh Staunton Garden Centre is one of to order and there are options the few garden centres in the UK to gluten-free be fully licenced for the sale of available. Why not make a alcohol in their restaurant, which day of it and enjoy some means you can enjoy a glass of wine fresh food and fizz at the with your meal, or indulge in a Grapevine Restaurant. Call 01452 841151 Champagne afternoon tea – now for more information. there’s a thought!
Staunton Garden Centre Tel: 01452 840612 G l o u c e s t e r s h i r e The Grapevine Restaurant Tel: 01452 841151 From snacks to gourmet meals Fully licensed
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Staunton Garden Centre, Staunton Cross, Ledbury Road, Staunton, Glos GL19 3QA The Local Answer
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NOW OPEN NEWLY REFURBISHED SHOP Stocking large seeds, tools, bird feeders, bird seeds and other garden essentials.
Chamberlain Plant Centre Family run business spanning over 100 years
We sell and grow all our own bedding plants. HANGING BASKETS & Spring, Summer, autumn or winter, any time of the year we CONTAINERS make our own hanging baskets and pots. Especially for the summer we can also make hanging baskets to order. Any size, big or small, with moss or liners, any colour or specific plants that you would like, we can make for you. We can even make something up for you while you wait. Open Monday-Saturday 9.30-5, Sunday 10-4
Ledbury Road, Newent, Gloucestershire GL18 1DL 01531 822581
www.chamberlainplantcentre.com
Roses Country Fayre Garden Centre
Ledbury Road, Newent
www.rosesgardencentre.co.uk
01531 821242
Special Offers! Huge selec on of Tub & Basket plants £1.75 each
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Vegetable plants from £1 each (just 1 mile from Newent on the Dymock Road). Sat Nav GL18 1DL Page 8
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Wildlife Matters with John Bromley
Ladybirds: the aphid hunter Most people will be familiar with the commonly seen 7-spot ladybird, which is the epitome of the ladybird species with its bright red colour and seven black spots. It is this particular species from which their name is derived because early pictures of the Virgin Mary depict her in a red cloak, whilst the seven spots represent the seven Joys and seven Sorrows of Our Lady.
The bright colours are part of their defence mechanism Ladybirds belong to the beetle family and are distinctive due to their round or oval shape and relatively small size, ranging from 1mm to 10mm. There are, however, 46 ladybird species found in the UK, but only 27 of these actually look like ladybirds – being brightly coloured in shades of red, orange, cream and yellow, and having anything from 2 to 22 spots. The remaining species are rather dull by comparison and are not readily identified as ladybirds. The ladybirds’ bright colours are part of their defence mechanism to remind potential predators that they are very unpleasant tasting due to a yellow coloured strong smelling alkaline excretion they produce when threatened. That said, swifts and swallows are able to eat ladybirds, catching them on the wing. Ladybirds only live for a year, the adults overwintering anywhere they can find shelter such as in leaf piles, bark crevices, long grass and so on. They become active in February and March and breed from late spring to early summer, laying eggs that hatch into a black grub-like
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larva, which do not look anything like a ladybird. However, the larvae are voracious hunters, feeding on aphids (greenfly, etc.), so are extremely beneficial to any garden.
7-spot ladybirds eat an average of 5000 aphids during its yearlong life cycle The larvae grow quickly, shedding their skin four times before they pupate, and about a week later the new generation of adults will begin to emerge. The adult ladybirds also feed heavily on aphids to build up their reserves to enable them to successfully overwinter. On average a single 7-spot ladybird will eat around 5000 aphids during its year-long life cycle, making it a welcome sight in the garden. The native ladybird species have few predators but are hunted by some spiders and wasp
species, and they are also attacked by a parasitic fungus. However, in 2004 a new ladybird species was found in south east England. It is called the Harlequin Ladybird and originates from Asia, but was introduced by growers to various European countries to help manage aphids and inevitably it has now spread to the UK. This particular ladybird is very variable in colour and spot numbers and so is also called the Multicoloured Asian Ladybird. It is about 8mm in size, but its wide ranging colours make it difficult to distinguish from some of our native species.
Harlequin Ladybirds outcompete our native species Sadly, the Harlequin Ladybird is both invasive and aggressive and will not only attack native ladybird species, but is able to outcompete them for food, and is a rapid breeder with adults laying eggs within five days of pupating. It is spreading rapidly and will ultimately cause a huge imbalance in the UK ladybird population. Further information regarding this threat to our native ladybird species is available at www.harlequin-survey.org.
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What’s the best way to finance your next car?
Understanding the different finance packages offered by car dealers can be a real challenge and may end up leaving us more confused than before, risking us entering into an agreement that really doesn’t suit us or has implications for the long term that we didn’t foresee. Additionally, what seems like the cheapest way to have what you want can sometimes be the most expensive in the long run. Below are the two main ways to finance a car through a dealer and some points to consider.
Hire purchase (HP)
Advantages ✓ Available on most used vehicles ✓ Quick and easy to arrange ✓ Low deposit (usually 10%) ✓ Flexible repayment terms (from 12 to 60 months) and early settlement ✓ Competitive fixed interest rates Disadvantages ✖ You don’t own the car until the final payment ✖ Tends to be more expensive for short-term agreements
Personal Contract Plan (PCP)
Sometimes re-branded by dealerships so may have other names. Available on most cars less than 5 years old with low mileage. Advantages ✓ Lower monthly payments ✓ Low deposit (usually 10%) ✓ Flexible repayment terms (from 12 to 36 months) ✓ A choice of what to do at end of repayment term Disadvantages ✖ Mileage and condition of car affect the costs ✖ Can be difficult to leave the agreement early ✖ Total amount paid may be significantly more than with HP ✖ Have to pay the outstanding balance to keep the car
Always ask what the total amount payable will be. That way you will know whether it really is as good as it looks. Remember that finance packages may attract commission for the salesman and you are entitled to know what the commission is on any finance deal. Court Farm Garage are fully FCA compliant and we are always happy to provide information and comparisons to help you make the best decision for your next car. Visit, call or email us for an informal chat.
www.courtfarmgarage.co.uk Opening hours: Mon-Sat 09.00-17.00, Sun 12.00-17.00, Wednesday evenings until 8pm
Broad Street, Littledean, Gloucestershire GL14 3JT tel: 01594 827835 mob: 07765 492239 vwaudicourtfarmgarage@gmail.com Page 10
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Motoring with Luke Edwards
A Swiss Spectacular May is a key point in the car year. The motoring world has visited Detroit, Chicago, New York and the key European Motor Show in Geneva. Geneva is still the show that manufacturers use to dazzle with their visions of present and future.
Revel in the sound from the new titanium exhaust system In the February 2016 edition I reviewed the Jaguar F-Type and at Geneva, Jaguar revealed the SVR. It’s a serious version of the F-Type, developed by their Special Vehicle Operations department with 567bhp and a 5.0-litre supercharged V8. Jaguar's Special Operations MD John Edwards (no relation) said: “The result is a 200mph, all-weather supercar that you can drive every day. We even made a Convertible version so that enthusiasts can revel in the sound from the new titanium exhaust system”. Bugatti showed their successor to the Veyron called the Chiron. It is named after the 1920s and 1930s grand prix racer Louis Chiron, whose results
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included victory in the 1931 French Grand Prix at the wheel of a Bugatti Type 51. The Chiron is bidding to be the fastest production car ever, with 1479bhp, 62mph in less than 2.5sec and a top speed of 261mph. Its engine is a quad-turbocharged 8.0-litre W16. Only 500 will be made, each costing around £1.9 million. The Maserati Levante SUV had a great reception at Geneva. It is a clear competitor to the Range Rover, Porsche Cayenne and forthcoming Jaguar FPace. Maserati’s European manager Giulio Pastore said: “Style is still the first reason to buy a Maserati. The second is the sound quality, and this sounds as good as our saloons with diesel or petrol. Then it’s vehicle dynamics and the pleasure to drive.” The SUV market is an interesting move for the Italian maker and there is a diesel Levante that does 39.2mpg, which will please many in the UK. Maserati expects one in four Levante’s in Europe to be sold in the UK and 95% of those to have diesel engines. MG’s forthcoming first SUV model, the GS, was also a discussion point amongst
Journalists at Geneva. Their cars have been a great success with a keen price and the GS could be a winner for MG.
Peugeot had three reveals at Geneva Peugeot, high from their Dakar rally win, had three reveals at Geneva – the 2008 compact SUV, the Traveller MPV (with up to 9 seats in various configurations) and a concept car, the Traveller i-LAB. The i-LAB hints business and travel with a giant 32” touch tablet, its own WiFi hotspot, charging docks and virtual reality headsets. Malvern based Morgan showed their fun side with EV3 – the manufacturers first ever all-electric production car. Based on their 3 wheeler sports car, the EV3 has a 62bhp electric motor, fed by a lithium battery and promises a zeroemissions range of 150 miles. Other cars of note included the Aston Martin DB11, McLaren 570GT, Ferrari GTC4Lusso (the new name for the FF), Alfa Romeo Giulia, Citroën C4 Cactus Rip Curl (with Grip Control), new Honda Civic, Porsche 911 R and the Ford Vignale.
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Looking Good, Feeling Great with Matt Wagstaff
Exercise as we age To coin the phrase from Moshe Feldenkrais, “Movement is Life” and as we age we should not move any less. Regular exercise improves health, boosts mood and increases quality of life. As we age we become more susceptible to illness and injury. Keeping regular exercise in your weekly routine has been shown to combat the ageing process, reducing the likelihood of illness and injury, aiding in weight loss and muscle gain. Adding in a variety of exercise isn’t difficult, though initially maybe harder – the body adapts at a quick rate leading to progress in strength and fitness. Structure is key in exercise – below are some points to follow.
Mix it up Taking part in different kinds of training keeps your body guessing and improves different areas of fitness. Performing some aerobic training such as swimming or cycling, as well as some structured strength and balance training within a gym or class setting will give an all round workout for the body. This also prevents one getting bored following
the same exercise program all the time.
Resistance strength training Strength based training has been shown to have huge benefits as we grow older, improving and reducing the chance of developing arthritis, osteoporosis and diabetes. Having an increase in muscle improves one’s metabolic rate, leading to an increase in fat loss as well as improved daily function in moving around and performing daily activities. Resistance training can be tailored to any individual.
Exercise at home If getting out to exercise can be a problem, simple exercise training can be performed from the home. Using a chair for squats or stairs for some simple step up exercises can be beneficial when performed correctly. Simple equipment can also be bought – such as dumbbells or resistance bands – which allow for a wide range of strength and aerobic exercises to be performed from the comfort of one’s home. DVD exercise programs can also be followed from home, which cuts out the need to
visit a gym or go for a walk or cycle if the weather is poor!
Exercise classes Joining in with regular exercise classes has a great social element, and exercising with others has been shown to increase adherence to a program as well as improve results. A lot of sports centres and village halls host fitness classes such as aerobics or circuit training, which can again be tailored to most fitness levels and exercise preferences.
Personal training/GP referral Before buying into an exercise program – especially those who suffer with any medical conditions – a trip to the GP is advised. A lot of personal trainers are qualified to specifically train with those who are older or suffer with medical conditions. Performing a structured exercise program can help with a lot of debilitating conditions such as heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and many more. Enquiring with a registered fitness professional can go a long way in improving fitness and quality of life overall. It only takes small steps to make a big difference to one’s health!
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Norton Park, Tewkesbury Road, Gloucestershire GL2 9LH Page 14
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What’s On The Local Answer Event Listings are compiled and presented in good faith with the kind support of many contributors. We recommend you use the contact details provided to check event information updates prior to planning your visit. 25 MARCH – 7 MAY MAMMA MIA
Join the ultimate feel-good party at Mamma Mia!, the world’s sunniest and most exhilarating smash-hit musical! Set on a Greek island paradise, a story of love, friendship and identity is cleverly told through the timeless songs of ABBA. Various dates and times. 0844 871 3012. atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome. The Bristol Hippodrome, St Augustine’s Parade, BS1 4UZ. 3 MAY WOMAN IN GOLD
Woman in Gold is the remarkable true story of one woman’s journey to reclaim her heritage and seek justice for what happened to her family. Sixty years after
she fled Vienna during World War II, an elderly Jewish woman, Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren), starts her journey to retrieve family possessions seized by the Nazis, among them Klimt’s famous painting The Lady in Gold. 7.45pm. £7 (£6). The Bacon Theatre, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham GL51 6EP. 01242 258002. www.bacontheatre.co.uk. 7 MAY PAWS ON PATROL
Paws on Patrol in Gloucester Park from 12 noon. Displays from Police Dogs, The Quack Pack, LG Agility and Ali Magic. Free to enter novelty dog show, lots of stalls and fun activities. Free entry. See www.safergloucester.co.uk. 8 MAY TEWKESBURY BOWLING CLUB OPEN DAY From 10.30am until 4pm with lots of support and help. All you need is a flattish pair of shoes. New to lawn green bowling? Membership free for 2016. 01684 294411. Gander Lane, Tewkesbury, GL20 5PG.
Pro m ot e y ou r bu s i n e ss i n 2 2,0 00 m a g a zi n e s Call Sara now!
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12 MAY A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE
Following its smash-hit original broadcast; the Young Vic’s ‘magnetic, electrifying, astonishingly bold’ production returns to cinemas due to audience demand. The great Arthur Miller confronts the American dream in this dark and passionate tale. This tragic masterpiece won a trio of 2014 Olivier Awards including Best Revival, Best Actor for Mark Strong and Best Director for Ivo van Hove. 7pm. £16.50 (£14.50, students £12.50). The Bacon Theatre, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham GL51 6EP. 01242 258002. www.bacontheatre.co.uk. 13 MAY RHYTHM & BLUES NIGHT Enjoy a martini cocktail reception followed by a divine three course dinner, with the serenading sounds of our five piece live Rhythm & Blues band, then dance the night away with music provided by the DJ. £38 per person. Bowden Hall, Bondend Lane, Upton St Leonards GL4 8ED. 01452 632632.
VINYL RECORDS VINYL WANTED
Local buyer pays cash for your unwanted LP’s, EP’s & 45’s. Most 60’s, 70’s, 80’s & 90’s records considered, large or small collections. Prog, Psych, Punk, Heavy Rock, Britpop & New Wave especially wanted e-mail lists to: willowpitch@blueyonder.co.uk 01242 702947 or 07785 515987
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Page 15
14 MAY VOODOO ROOM Together, Peter Orr, John Tonks and Andy Tolman form the mighty, retro, rocking machine that is: Voodoo Room. This highenergy, power-trio have worked with music giants, Steve Winwood, Duran Duran and Ben E King to name a few. Their mission: to deliver the all-time great Cream and Hendrix numbers with the true passion and energy worthy of these classic masterpieces. 7.30pm. £17 (£15). The Bacon Theatre, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham GL51 6EP. 01242 258002. www.bacontheatre.co.uk. 17 MAY LOVE & MERCY
The amazing true story of Brian Wilson, the legendary leader of the Beach Boys. This innovative, acclaimed biopic flits between the 1960s and the 1980s. In the 1960s the band’s future is thrown into
doubt when Wilson suffers a debilitating panic attack and, twenty years later, a now middle-aged Wilson is a broken, confused man who finds love and sanctuary in the company of car saleswoman Melinda Ledbetter. 7.45pm. £7 (£6). The Bacon Theatre, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham GL51 6EP. 01242 258002. www.bacontheatre.co.uk. 19-21 MAY SHREDS A musical written and directed by James Williams. Musical Director David Last. University of Gloucestershire Performing Arts students. 7.30pm. The Playhouse Theatre, Bath Road, Cheltenham GL53 7HG. Box Office: 01242 522852. £8 normal (£7 concessions). 20 MAY BACH HITS LECHLADE A very special concert. Top Boston USA cellist Guy Fishman brings his 1704 cello and two wonderful Bach solo suites; noon at St Lawrence Lechlade; free admission, wine and light refreshments; donations to church restoration. 21 MAY CHARLTON KINGS CHORAL SOCIETY CONCERT Duruflé’s ‘Requiem’, Wright’s ‘In Praise of Earth’s Beauty’, Fauré’s ‘Cantique de Jean
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Racine’; Regency Sinfonia; Caroline Carragher (mezzo), Tom Hunt (bass), Fiona Brown (organ); conductor John Wright. 7.30 pm. £15/£10. Holy Apostles, Cheltenham GL52 6HW. 24-28 MAY PHEDRE The Phoenix Players present Racine’s powerful classic Greek tragedy in Ted Hughes’ acclaimed version. The Kings Theatre, Kingsbarton Street, GL1 1QX. 7.30pm. Tickets £9, £8, £5 from The Phoenix Players (01452 522795) or Gloucester Tourist Information (01452 396572). 26-27 MAY THE PENELOPIAD By Margaret Atwell. Directed by Fiona Ross. University of Gloucestershire Drama students. 7.30pm. Blackfriars, Ladybellegate Street, Gloucester GL1 2HS. Phone: 0370 333 118. £7 normal (£5 concessions). 26-28 MAY A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM By William Shakespeare. Directed by Kate Littlewood. University of Gloucestershire Drama students. 7.30pm (bring portable chairs and rugs). Hailes Abbey, Winchcombe, Cheltenham GL54 5PB. Box Office: 01242 602398. £7.50.
Congratulations to our winner! Debbie Lee of Abbeydale
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Find out more at www.Klifestyles.co.uk
After her initial reaction of “Are you joking?!”, Debbie was over the moon to have won the £500 holiday gift card! She is planning to put the money towards a weekend away in Portsmouth with her husband and four children.
sean@kleenfocus.co.uk • 01452 840848/07817 296056
You could win a Beefeater BBQ and PureSpa Bubble Spa together worth over £1000! – see centre pages for details of how to enter.
Klifestyles Work from Home with Kleeneze
Page 16
Why not try your luck in our latest competition?
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27 MAY MURDER MYSTERY NIGHT
28 MAY – 5 JUNE DOWNY DUCKLING DAYS
Join us for an exciting Murder Mystery, delicious three course meal and disco for just £29.95 per person! 01452 525653. Hallmark Hotel Gloucester, Matson Lane, Robinswood Hill, Gloucester GL4 6EA. 28-30 MAY FIRE AND WOOD FESTIVAL The Dean Heritage Centre annual Fire and Wood Festival is back for 2016! Enjoy a wide range of demonstrations, displays and activities including our traditional charcoal burn, chainsaw carving, axe throwing, cross cutting, pyrography and much more. Dean Heritage Centre, Camp Mill, Soudley, Glos GL14 2UB. 01594 822170. info@deanheritagecentre.com. www.deanheritagecentre.com. Entry to the event is included in the admission price. 10am until 5pm – last entry at 4pm.
Go behind-the-scenes of our busy duckery to learn how we rear hundreds of young birds each year and see many of the fluffy ducklings, goslings and cygnets. You’ll even get the opportunity to see inside an egg using a technique called candling and visit the newly hatched ducklings inside the Duckery and in the outdoor enclosures. 9.30am-5.30pm. Included in normal admission. 01453 891900. WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, GL2 7BT. 30 MAY VINTAGE & CRAFT FAIR TETBURY Over 20 stalls of vintage and handmade fashion, gifts, homeware plus lots more.
Live vintage-inspired entertainment including family friendly burlesque, cabaret acts and solo artists, vintage tea party, bouncy castles plus lots more. 10am-4pm. Entry only £1, children free. Dolphins Hall, New Church Street, GL8 8DS. www.helsbellesboutique.co.uk. 2 & 4 JUNE SINS OF THE FATHER Directed by Karen Benjamin. Devised by University of Gloucestershire Drama students. 7.30pm. Kings Theatre, Kingsbarton Street, Gloucestershire GL1 1QX. Tickets on door. £7 normal (£4 concessions). 3 JUNE COTSWOLD CLAPTON Cotswold Clapton is an briliantly authentic tribute to the music and live arrangements of musical legend, Eric Clapton. The tribute features a full 8-piece line-up performing everything from Cream, Blind Faith and Derek & the Dominoes material right through to Clapton’s extensive solo career. This really is the next best thing to seeing the man himself! The band comprises top local musicians with extensive musical careers behind them. From 7.30pm. Tickets £15 – call 01242 258002. The Bacon Theatre, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham GL51 6EP. www.bacontheatre.co.uk.
Tea m C otswol d need y our h elp! With over 90,000 disabled children and adults in Gloucestershire, we know that our amazing services are very much in demand. We all want to do more to expand and provide this amazing therapy to more and more riders to whom riding can provide so many benefits.
We have just launched a pilot of our After School Club and plan to introduce Holiday Clubs in the summer holidays, but without people like you who are prepared to give a few hours each week to help lead and side walk with our riders, we simply can’t do it.
Join Team Cotswold and make a difference Cotswold It’s what to the lives of disabled children and adults – you can do you can find out more on our website that counts www.cotswoldrda.org.uk/happy-hoof-club or Riding for the Disabled Association contact us on 01242 584420. • 01242 584420 • www.cotswoldrda.org.uk • info@cotswoldrda.org.uk
Jackie Brutton Riding Centre, Prestbury Park Racecourse, Prestbury, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 4SH
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GET READY FO WIN A NEW
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7 JUNE BROOKLYN
9 JUNE THE AUDIENCE
Brooklyn centres on Eilis, who moves from small town Ireland to Brooklyn, New York in search of a bright future – and love. When family tragedy brings her back to Ireland, she finds herself absorbed into her old community and confronting a heart-breaking choice between two men and two countries. 7.45pm. £7 (£6). The Bacon Theatre, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham GL51 6EP. 01242 258002. 8 JUNE HAMLET Hamlet has the world at his feet. Young, wealthy and living a hedonistic life studying abroad. Then word reaches him that his father is dead. Returning home he finds his world is utterly changed, his certainties smashed and his home a foreign land. 7pm. £16.50 (£14.50, students £12.50). The Bacon Theatre, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham GL51 6EP. 01242 258002. www.bacontheatre.co.uk.
For sixty years, Queen Elizabeth II has met with each of her twelve Prime Ministers in a private weekly meeting, known as The Audience. No one knows what they discuss, not even their spouses. The smash-hit broadcast returns to cinemas in celebration of the monarch’s 90th birthday. These special screenings include an exclusive Q&A with Helen Mirren and director Stephen Daldry. 7pm. £16.50 (£14.50, students £12.50). The Bacon Theatre, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham GL51 6EP. 01242 258002. 11 JUNE SACRED HEART’S SUMMER FETE “A Day at the Movies” noon till 3pm. Children’s fancy dress competition, bouncy castle, live music, games and stalls, large
Shipton Golf Course
selection of food and drink. Fun for all the family. Sacred Hearts Catholic Church, Moorend Road, Charlton Kings GL53 9AU. DARKSIDE: THE PINK FLOYD SHOW Darkside, the Pink Floyd tribute band, returns to Cheltenham with a brand new spectacular live show, Remember When You Were Young, featuring the sensational vocals of Faye Brookes. This promises to be another memorable evening of classic Pink Floyd performed with passion and empathy, complete with period film clips, projected images and a laser light show to capture the essence of Floyd live. 8pm. £17. The Bacon Theatre, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham GL51 6EP. 01242 258002. 17 JUNE QUEEN TRIBUTE Enjoy a divine three-course dinner followed by a breathtaking performance from the champions of tribute, Queen II. Then you can dance the night away with music provided by the resident DJ. £38 per person. Bowden Hall, Bondend Lane, Upton St Leonards GL4 8ED. 01452 632632. 18-19 JUNE OPEN GARDENS WEEKEND LITTLEDEAN An eclectic range of gardens which should whet all appetites. Open from 11am-5pm. Entry £5, children free. For more information go to www.littledean.org
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Page 20
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Spring has arrived at The Bird and Deer Park! Spring has finally arrived at The Bird Park and everything is brimming with life. The breeding season is in full swing as ducklings hatch and the deer prepare to calve – it’s all go! Since the arrival of the New Visitor Centre, the park has become ever more popular and never more so than for children’s parties. Parents can meet their guests in the centre prior to enjoying their child’s birthday in the famous Gypsy Caravan or the stunning Mad Hatters Marquee. Both locations have been designed with both parents and children in mind, so if your idea of hell is a bouncy castle then look no further! Where else can you be surrounded by nature in all its forms but still have all the trimmings for that special day?
The Bird Park is hoping to receive the Ben Moseley Sculpture this month, which will be situated in the first enclosure in the park on the first pool. We won’t spoil the surprise, but it’s going to be fab! For more information visit www.thebirdpark.com or call 01452 812727.
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Save the Planet with Kate Cole
Press the restart button Are you a handy with a hammer, a sewing supremo, or a techietinkerer? Or is your attitude to bin stuff when it’s broken? We throw away vast quantities of things in Gloucestershire every year. Many items could have been repaired, but unfortunately lots of people don’t have the skills, or have forgotten how to repair things themselves. And, if you’ve ever tried to find a spare part for your electrical gizmo, only to be told by the shop assistant that it would cost more to fix it than it would to upgrade to a shiny new one, then you’ve been at the sharp end of ‘planned obsolescence’. These are the intentional design flaws planned into sent off to be recycled. But items by manufacturers who are dismantling and recycling waste that always keen to sell more stuff to us! has the potential for further use is that makes little sense Sending repairable items something both financially and environmentally. to landfill creates Sticking waste that has the possibility an even bigger problem of being repaired in the rubbish bin You could argue that it’s OK, and sending it to landfill creates an because all of the Household even bigger problem. So, in 2009 a Dutch journalist called Recycling Centres in Gloucestershire accept electrical and electronic items Martine Postma decided that she’d which – assuming householders put had enough of feeling powerless to them into the right bin on site – are do anything other than send things she knew could be revived off to the tip. She organised the very first ‘Repair Café’ in Amsterdam and invited people from her local community to come along to share their ‘fixing’ skills, or to bring along household items such as burnt-out toasters and frazzled fairy lights, to see if they could be mended – for free!
events in Malvern and Nailsworth, and there’s a new one planned for Cheltenham soon, which will be run by Product Design students from the University in the town.
A growing interest in learning simple skills
Since Martine came up with the Repair Cafe idea, similar projects such as the Restart Party – which focusses on fixing just electronics – have sprung up. Alongside this there is a growing interest in learning simple skills, which can then help people to repair or create their own things. Local Men’s Sheds (women allowed!) are great examples of this, and several charities in Gloucestershire also run regular carpentry and metalwork workshops. So maybe our new attitude to broken bits and bobs should be to the restart button. More A collaborative way to save press information on reducing, reusing and money and reduce waste recycling waste can be found at Everyone loved the event and very www.recycleforgloucestershire.com/ soon the idea of a collaborative way article/118786/Repair-Cafes. to save money and keep things from Kate is a member of the being wasted caught on. Today there Gloucestershire Environmental Education are many similar projects across Partnership (GEEP). To find out more Europe, including ‘Repair Café’ about their work visit www.geep.org.uk.
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interior needs Luxurious Curtains and Soft Furnishings
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Interior Design with Caron Burrows
Add spring colours to your home Spring is a time of year loved for many reasons. Longer days, warmer weather and, of course, colour. Bright green leaves appear on trees, yellow daffodils appear on grassy banks, and bluebells turn woodlands into a sea of blue. Here are a few ideas to bring the sunshine into your home.
Inspiration Take a long look at the outside at this time of year. Daffodils, bluebells, white blossom on the trees, daisies, and even the lush green of our parks and fields – the list is endless. Use these colours of nature to inspire the spring decor of your home. For example, pick a single spring flower such as a bold yellow tulip and make it the inspiration for an entire room – wallpaper, curtains or upholstery. Teamed with plenty of white, this will create a sophisticated, fresh colourful display of china, crockery, jugs, cookware and glassware in a spring feel. range of spring shades. Take China & Glass advantage of available fresh flowers Shelves, window sills and tables can – fill vases and jugs for an instant easily be brought to life with a touch of spring.
Furniture A lick of paint is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to make changes to your home. Choose a sunny shade or a pretty pastel to refresh a chair, table or bookshelf. You don’t have to paint the whole piece – just a dip-dye effect on the legs of a chair can refresh and revive, providing a fresh spring look.
Fabrics & Accessories A few metres of pretty floral or pastel fabric are easily turned into a tablecloth, and a few cushions provide an instant splash of spring to your kitchen table and chairs or lounge sofa. An oversized piece of art is a simple way to add a modern floral touch to your home. This could be in the form of a supersized artwork on the wall, or an accessory such as a bright printed cushion. Fluffy white towels teamed with yellow, blue or soft green will add a touch of spring to any bathroom. Team pastel cushions and throws with plain white bedding to achieve a crisp feel to your bedroom.
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Save Time, Money, and Space, and have your lawn cut perfectly
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In The Garden with Julia Smith
Your garden should be bursting into life May is here already! The garden is bursting into life and any work that you have already done now comes into its own – you are ahead of the game!
Delicious in a salad or steamed until just cooked Runner beans are the mainstay of my vegetable garden in the summer. They are so delicious picked fresh and either sliced and eaten raw in salads, or steamed until just cooked. Sow them as the soil warms up, making a wigwam of bamboo canes for the beans to twine up, or buying one of the ready made obelisks in
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hazel or metal. These obelisks look good even in the winter, as they add structure to the garden. I make a hole before I sow the beans and empty my compost from the kitchen in there for a few days – peelings, tea bags etc. I then sow my bean on the top on a layer of soil the usual depth, and this helps keep the moisture in, which the beans so love. Clematis need constant tying in as they scramble up their supports. Use soft twine and tie in a figure of eight, being careful not to damage the delicate stems. They look superb growing up (but don’t let the mulch touch the through climbing roses and shrubs, stems as it may rot them). extending the season of interest or flowering at the same time as their Deadhead plants to make them stronger next year host but with contrasting colours. Shear over early-spring flowering Pruning is more simple for plants such as Brunnera, Iberis, late flowering clematis Cerastium and Aubrieta to keep Try Sambucas racemosa them tidy. If you don’t want your ‘Sutherland Gold’ with a beautiful Helleborus x hybridus to set seed, blue Clematis ‘Perle d’Azur’ growing now is the time to deadhead them, through it, or a lovely Rosa ‘Gertrude which will make them stronger Jekyll’ with Clematis ‘Etoile Violette’ plants for the following year. argutifolius needs scrambling up it. If you choose late Helleborus flowering clematis, the pruning is different treatment by cutting away more simple as they are Group 3 and the stems carrying the old flowers at just need to be chopped off about ground level. Apply a general 30cm high in early spring – very fertilizer and water and mulch. Do easy! Give the clematis a spring feed remember that Euphorbia produces with a high-potassium rose-type a milky sap, which can cause severe fertilizer, gently forked into the soil irritation so wear gloves when surface, and then water and mulch handling!
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ADVERTISEMENT
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 Paul Spiller 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
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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 Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds, and Paul is finding that his approach is a major factor in his success. “The truth is that it’s not just the personal satisfaction that I get from doing a good job but also it makes good business sense. I get a huge amount
To advertise call 01242 510500
of business from friends and family of people I’ve done work for, which just goes to show how much a little bit of effort is appreciated.” So, if your windows are steamed up, broken or damaged give Paul a call for a free quotation on 0800 61 21 118 and he’ll be happy to help!
Page 29
Gadgets & Gizmos with Dan Wood
Money well spent Hoover WR71WR01 Whirlwind Choosing the right vacuum cleaner can be difficult with so many options and types, not to mention the price. I recently bought the Hoover WR71WR01 Whirlwind bagless vacuum cleaner, having been looking for a replacement for my Dyson and trying to keep costs down. I found this for £49.99 at Argos online, reduced from £99.99 and with £1 off having spent over £25 (every little counts!). With a 2.5l bin capacity and 2.5m hose, the WR71WR01 is perfect for most households. It works very well and lifts almost anything up from the carpet, and the build quality is good too, as you’d expect
from an established brand like Hoover. It is light-weight at 3.8kg, meaning cleaning the stairs is hassle free and its 5m power cord gives plenty of operating space. The environmental credentials are good too, with an A rating. Bearing in mind the extortionate pricing of many modern vacuum brands, for less than £50 this has impressed me and was money well spent.
Music Angel Friendz Portable Speaker From work to play, the Music Angel Friendz portable speaker is an excellent buy for £25 on average. Using a basic 3.5mm audio jack input/output, the unit connects to pretty much any mobile phone, tablet or other device you’d connect your average headphones to. The integrated 1000mAh Li-ion battery gives up to 100 hours play time – yes, 100! Charge time is 1-3 hours and sound quality is superb, with good bass and crystal clear clarity. Build quality is great too – highly recommended.
placing the box over your head. Watch a movie on your phone and enjoy the experience on the cheap. With card cutout audiences you’ll never know the difference for just a fraction of the price. In flat pack form and roughly £20, why not buy two and ‘go to the movies’ with someone else?
Cardboard Home Cinema Bored? Fed up of crazy cinema popcorn prices? Make use of an idle smartphone and create your own cinematic experience at home. The cardboard home cinema is as simple as it sounds! Just place your mobile in the slot and lie on the floor
Page 30
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Sudoku Fill the grids so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.
Family run business Specialists in all types of upvc fascias, soffits and guttering ● Re-felting & batoning ● Complete roof re-fits ● Re-pointing of ridges, chimneys & walls ● Exterior painting ● Leadwork ● Gutter cleaning and repairs ● EPDM Rubber roofs – all flat roof repairs
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THE SOLUTION FOR YOUR NEW BATHROOM ...
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Your local family business
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Quick Crossword 1
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Forward Clock face Glowing coal Two-sided contest Knowledge test Paint layers Sound of moving leaves Looks upon Sailing boats Showers Loud noise Customs Snow shelter Departed Tibetan monk Sister's daughter Early harp Rattled
W h y n ot u s e t his s pa ce t o a dve rt is e yo u r b u s i n e ss ? For details please telephone Sara on
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© Lovatts Puzzles
Don’t look until you’ve finished! Solutions on ‘Index of Advertisers’ page.
DOWN 1 Neat 2 Allocate 3 Tennis 40/40 4 Gains possession of 5 Kitchen cabinet 6 Police college 12 Illuminated 15 Human body study 16 Sanitation 17 Rebuked 19 Pod vegetable 20 Nourish 22 Family dwellings 23 Model-plane wood
01242
ANSWER 541076
Abbey Group, Units 23/24, Neptune Business Centre, Tewkesbury Road, Cheltenham, GL51 9FB
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The Abbey Business Lounge at Gloucester Rugby’s Kingsholm Stadium sponsored by Gloucestershire’s leading business solutions provider
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Money Matters with Roger Downes of Andorran
QUALITY KITCHENS Fresh thinking and built in the UK. Soft close features on all units as standard
andy@cotswold-kitchens.com
This year’s Budget There was a time when the Chancellor opened his red box to present his March Budget and produced a series of measures that would come in overnight or a few weeks later at the end of the tax year. We all rushed off to fill up with petrol, buy our cigarettes or drown our sorrows in the pub before the prices went up. Not any more. Many of the far-reaching tax changes that came in this month were announced a year ago. That’s much better in many ways as it gives us time to plan for them and get used to the idea. But it’s not so much fun is it? It’s rather like knowing what your Christmas presents are – it takes away the fun of unwrapping.
A few giveaways that will benefit large numbers of the population
QUALITY BATHROOMS If you are looking for a quality bathroom with a real wow factor, supplied and installed to the highest standard, choose from the wide selection of styles
shaun@cotswold-bathrooms.com
www.cotswoldkitchensandbathrooms.com Sunnybank Stables, London Road, Charlton Kings, Gloucestershire GL54 4HG
01242 210090
enquiries@cotswoldkitchensandbathrooms.com OPENING TIMES: MONDAY BY APPOINTMENT ONLY TUES-FRI 10-5 SAT 9.30-3 BANK HOLIDAYS 10-4 The Local Answer
So what gems did Mr Osborne have for us? Well, apart from not raising the price of alcohol and fuel, he did manage a few giveaways that will benefit large numbers of the population and others that will be welcomed by those running their own business. The personal allowance (the amount you can be paid before you start paying tax) continues to rise at a rate well above inflation. The rate of capital gains tax you pay when you sell assets that you own has been reduced from 28% to 20%. It won’t benefit everyone but it’s a definite plus for those who are affected. A new lifetime ISA has been introduced, with the government offering a 25% bonus to participants, as well as giving them the usual tax breaks associated with saving via ISA’s. The amount you can put into an ISA has been increased by over 30% to £20,000 a year from next April. For small businesses, one of the most positive moves was the removal from business rates on any property with a rateable value of less than £12,000 and tapered relief for those between that threshold and £15,000. Not everyone will benefit from all his measures, but unlike his 2015 offering, which contained a string of nasty announcements, there was a lot more to like about this year’s Budget.
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Index of Advertisers FOOD & DRINK
FURNISHING & APPLIANCES Interior Needs 24 GARDENING SERVICES Handylink 31 Mincost 26 HEATING & PLUMBING Estuary Oils 31 HOMES & GARDENS KITCHENS BATHROOMS Cotswold Kitchens & Bathrooms 33 Severn Vale Bathrooms 31 & 35 Estuary Oils 31 BUILDING SERVICES WINDOWS & DOORS CB Home Improvements 31 Albany Windows 36 Glos Build 2 Cloudy 2 Clear 29 Home Care Roofing & Building 22 Marshalls Driveways 22 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES R. Richards & Son 22 CARE SERVICES Barnwood Trust 12 CLEANING SERVICES 22 Ecoclean 28 Lifelink
RETAIL
8 6 Chamberlain Plant Centre 4 6 Farm & Country Store 4 Roses Country Garden Centre 8 Staunton Garden Centre 7 The Spa-Kling Pool Company 18-19 Vinyl Records 15 20
Blue Orchid So Thai Wiltshire Farm Foods
WHAT’S ON CLUBS & SPORTS Shipton Golf Course EVENTS & ATTRACTIONS Handsam Boat Company The Bird & Deer Park
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HEALTH & BEAUTY Pam Everitt Acupuncture
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INFORMATION Cotswold RDA
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PROPERTY Norton Park
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COMPUTER SERVICES Abbey Group RECRUITMENT & TRAINING Klifestyles GRAPHIC DESIGN Chiswell Creative MOTORING SERVICES Court Farm Garage
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COMPETITION WINNERS COMPETITION RULES Thank you to all who took part in our April 2016 competition and congratulations to the winner! TLA Getaway – £500 Holiday Gift Card – Debbie Lee of Abbeydale.
1 Prizes are as stated and no cash or prize alternative will be offered. 2 Employees of The Local Answer and their families or households are not eligible to enter. 3 The first correct entry drawn at random after the closing date will win the prize as stated. 4 The winner will be notified by telephone after the closing date has passed. 5 The Editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. 6 Entrants must be over 18 years,
unless stated. 7 Proof of posting is not regarded as proof of receipt of entry. 8 The Local Answer accepts no responsibility for the provision of the prize, which remains at all times the full responsibility of the prize donor(s). 9 By entering any competition you agree to have your name published in the next issue of The Local Answer should you be drawn as a winner of the prize. 10 By entering any competition you agree to have your details passed to a third party.
BOOKING DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE – Friday 13th May 2016
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