The Local
A NS W E R
GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S BIGGEST LOCAL MAGAZINE APRIL 2019
CHELLTTENHAM TLA CHARITY GIVEAW WA AY A Y IS BACK! MORE DETTA AILS INSIDE ...
The Loc al
ANSWER Cheltenham – 43,000 copies North Gloucestershire – 20,000 copies Cotswolds – 30,000 copies Gloucester – 46,000 copies Stroud District – 41,000 copies
Managing Director Dave Kingscott dave@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Editorial & Marketing Lois Kingscott editorial@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Helen Kingscott
Sport Roger Jackson sport@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Entertainment Tom Hadfield To entertainment@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Customer Services Kevin Vaughan-Spruce services@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Claudie Francis production@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Distribution John Overton – 01242 541075
leaflets@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Louis Jordan distribution@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Accounts Robert Kingscott accounts@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Unit H, Churchill Industrial Estate, Churchill Road, Leckhampton, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 7EG
Telephone 01242 510500 @thelocalanswer
www.thelocalanswer.co.uk
Aprril’s winning coover photo: Jaade Pollock of Bisshop’s Cleeve
Weelcome l to April A ... Our TLA Charity Giveaway is back! Yo You have the opportunity to nominate a Gloucestershirebased d charity or not-for-profit organissation to win an a incredible £2,000! Full details of the comp petition can be found inside. We’v ve also included more details about the fundraising campaigns we’re supportting over the ne ext 12 months for our Charity of the Ye Year, r, Coballt. Read more inside about the w wonderful work they do and how you can donate. donate Eastter is fast approaching and you’re probably lookin ng for things to do to entertain your kids during the school holidays. Our What’s On sectio on is jam-packed with spring and Easter events for the whole family including The Bird & Deer Park’s ‘Te Tea With Alice’ event.
Inside this month ... Delicious Dish 5 Holidays & Travel 9 Pet Care 10 Medical Health 15 TLA 10th Anniversary Charity 16-17 Mirror Mirror on the Wall 19 Looking Good, Feeling Great 21 Parenting & Guardianship 23 Distributors Required 24 Education & Employment 25 Word Search 30 Entertainment 32-33
What’s On TLA Charity Giveaway
34 42-43
Motoring
45
Homes & Gardens 46 Quick Crossword
54
In the Garden
57
Wildlife Matters
59
Interior Design
63
Gadgets & Gizmos 65 Save the Planet
69
Sudoku
76
Money Matters
79
TLA Sport
80-81
Index, Competitions, Solutions 82
Competitions on pages 36 & 42 Page 3
Delicious Dish with Helen Kingscott
Salmon and asparagus oven bake If you are entertaining this Easterr,, try this really easy, quick and tasty oven bake – with asparagus at its best and salmon hopefully on offerr,, this is a lovely recipe using seasonal vegetables. Ingredients: 600/800g baby potatoes 3tbsp olive oil 1 large red onion, chopped into wedges g 1 box (approximately 270g) Vittoria cherry vine tomatoes (these are so sweet when roasted, but you could use others if you prefer) A couple of fresh rosemary sprigs 2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar 4 salmon fillets 1 bundle of fresh asparagus Salt and pepper to season. Method: 1 Preheat your oven to 200°C, (180°C fan/gas mark 6). 2 Scrub the potatoes then pop in your oven proof dish with
the olive oil and stir to o evenly coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then cookk for 15-20 minutes until they y are starting to brown. 3 Add your onion wedges,, tomatoes still on the vine,, rosemary and balsamicc vinegar. Give it all a little mix x around then pop back in the e oven for 10 minutes. 4 Season your salmon then n add this to the dish with the e asparagus and cook for a further 12 minutes or until the salmon is cooked d through. 5 Serve, enjoy and lookk forward to the washing up – you’ve only used one dish so it’ll be nice and easy!
Tips: • Check out your local supermarket or fishmonger – they often have deals on whole salmon around Easter time, and they will fillet it for you so you can freeze the rest. • Try growing your own herbs at home, either in your garden or on your windowsill if you’re limited on space. Y Yo ou can use as much or as little as you like, and it just seems to taste better freshly cut. • Look for thin asparagus spears, otherwise they may not cook through enough. If you can only find larger spears, cut them in half.
We care about the environment
A fully-recyclable product
As well as the paperr,, the inks and varnishes used in producing The Local Answer are b i o d e g r a d a b l e. T h e p r o c e s s u s e d b y recycling companies to extract inks and coatings including UV varnishes from the paper render the paper suitable for pulping and recycling.
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Precision Colour Printing Ltd (our printer) are proud to be a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certificate holderr,, and The Local Answer is proud to have this publication printed on paper compliant with FSC demands to support environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests.
TO ADVERTISE CALL
PAGE
INDUS TANDOORI RESTAURANT
“The best Indian restaurant in Cheltenham!” We are well established as one of the most popular Indian restaurants and curry houses in Cheltenham, both for dining in and for take-away meals. We serve a wide range of Indian and fusion dishes with quality ingredients based on southern Indian and south-east Asian cuisine. 226 Bath Rd, Cheltenham GL53 7ND
Tailored, unique, seasonal catering for all types of events • Wedding Catering • Corporate Events • Bespoke Menus • Themed Evenings • Hog Roasts • Breakfast Meetings • Staff Parties • Charity Dinners
• Open Kitchen • Nominated by various food guides
Opening Times: Mon-Thu & Sunday: 6pm–11:30pm Friday & Saturday: 6pm–12:00am
01242 516676 / 522289 m: 07448 197341
www.induscheltenham.co.uk
www.tallordercateringltd.co.uk bookings@tallordercateringltd.co.uk TTe elephone: 07841 620883 or 07725 740690
Abbey Group, Units 23/24, Neptune Business Centre, Tewkesbur y Road, Cheltenham, GL51 9FB www.abbeybusinessequipment.com The Abbey Business Lounge at Gloucester Rugby’s Kingsholm Stadium sponsored by Gloucestershire’s leading business solutions provider
PAGE
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
AP Facilities Ltd BESPOKE SECURITY & PROTECTION Services Provided: Keyholding* – Commercial/ Domestic/ Education
Man Guarding Alarm Response Mobile Patrols Event Security
*Keyholding for less than 89 pence a day info@apfacilities.co.uk THE LOCAL ANSWER
01242 573327
www.apfacilities.co.uk
TO ADVERTISE CALL
PAGE
NEW
A Crime ystery set in WWII Britain
The Flying Scotsman & Classic Cambridge
by local author
From
GUY SHEPP PA ARD
£219
T HE
SILENT FOREST m e d o f h a p p in e s t o l B l i t z h a s s e e n h e r l o s e Sh , the 1940 Bri d a e t s In out in g . h t y r e having doubts ab ev er Jo Wheeler is betttter off drinking in h c t a w e r i f l a r d e h ’s Cat Gloucester. She w that her best friend her fresh start in ETREA ATT bar no rest R ’ S K N O M r crash in the Fo THE n unexplained ca a n i d e i d s a h h a Sar ter she can do. ays. of D ean. s ’s something bet But maybe thereath is suspicious, as her husbandroken. b e d s i s ’ h h s a r a r a c S e e h b t y Ma eans nce sur r ounding It’s time the sile wn the killer, even if that men a e o s d e k v ’ c y a r e t h t l l ’ s e y h S meone who sa b e l i e v i n g i n s o ar … o b d l i w m o t n a h p Am p b a c k an d K i n d l e
PAGE
3 DA AY YS – 25th SEPTEMBER 2019
Enjoy an exclusive trip behind the legendarryy Flying Scotsman, on the heritage Nene V Vaalley Railway this Septemberr.. T Trraavvel behind this magnificent, 1923-built locomotive taking you back to the the golden age of steam. Also visit the city of Cambridge brimming full of culture and historyy.. Includes: • Return coach traavvel from Gloucester, r, Cheltenham, Stroud, Cirencester & T Teewkesburryy • 2 nights at a selected 3 or 4-star hotel with dinner & breakffaast • Exclusive trraain journey behind the Flying Scotsman • En-route visit to Cambridge Single supplement £60pp To book call: 03332 341875 To and quote TLLA A–T Th he Local Answer or visit justgoholidaayys.com/TLA
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Holidays & Travel with Al Hidden
Brilliant Barrcelona It’s hard It’ h d to t believe b li it’ over 30 it’s years since Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé first recorded their duo, ‘Barcelona’. Though decades fly by, Antoni Gaudí’s city – like the song – continues to enchant. Will you stay beachside in stylish La Barceloneta, off pulsating Las Ramblas, in the historic Barri Gòtic, or in Eixample with its excellent shops and restaurants? Whether you choose five-star Hotel W, a chic Airbnb, or Best Western Dante on Caller de Mallorca where I stayed last time, you’re well-placed to explore this city of Gaudí’s Catalan Modernism, amazing food and ‘Barça’ – just don’t mention their arch-rivals Real Madrid or A.C. Milan!
Packed with treasures For a weekend or a week, Barcelona is packed d with treasures. With thirty million visitors a year, r, the city y can be busy, but savvy travellers know that March, May and
THE LOCAL ANSWER
autumn promise good weather and smaller crowdss while meeting the barceloné és. The city is very walkkable, so comfortable shoes and a money-saving Barcelo ona Pass are your keys to exploring – from Port Vell to the Sagrada S Familia, and Plaçça de Catalunya to kaleid doscopic Mercado de La Boqu ueria off Las Ramblas. Don’’t miss Hansel and Gretel-inspired Parc Güell’s stunning g vistas either, or its signatu ure (but smaller than expected)) mosaic ‘el drac’. Of course you’ll visit Barcelona’s h headline sights: FC Barccelona’s Camp Nou s stadium; buildings such as a Casa Milà/La Pedrera; Frank Gehry’s golden fish; and skyscraping Mirador de Colom Make time Colom. e for the less well-known ge ems too: Museo Nacional de e Arte de Catalunya; picnic--friendly Jardins de Rubió i Lluch where Gaudí die ed after being hit by a tram in 1926; or fourteenth--century Monastir de Pe edralbes along Metro line ‘T Tres’. TO ADVERTISE CALL
Delicious Cata alan cuisine In between discovering contrasting ‘barrios’ (neiighbourhoods) be sure to sample Barcelona’s delicious cuisine. Tapas is king, so follow discerning locals to gems like Bar Ramon or Los Torreros. As well as diverse Iberian and international cuisine, savvy gourmets choose Catalan noodle-based fideuà (over ‘standard’ Valencian paella), bunyols de bacallà (cod fritters) and botifarra sausages with romesco sauce – with a glass of Priorat or a Moreneta Blonde craft beer. There’s enough in Barcelona to occupy the most energetic city explorer for days. But for different perspectives, remember it’s also a great base for excursions to other Catalonian attractions such as Santa Maria de Montserrat.
Visit Barcelona soon Mercury and Caballé will delight forever, and so will Barcelona. But don’t wait; if you’ve never been, make sure to visit soon. It’s brilliant – or as the locals would say, «genial». PAGE
Pet Care
with Oliver Wilkinson of Charlton Kings Vet Centre
Arthritis in dogs One of the most common remarks I hear from owners of old dogs, is that they don’t think their senior dog is in any pain. However, r, most of these dogs have slowed down considerably from their effervescent y younger g days. y They y are slow to g get up and lie down, they are stiff when they first start moving and many will have an obvious limp or hobble as they walk around. Just because a dog isn’t yelping, it doesn’t mean it isn’t struggling with joints that are no longer as supple or pain-free as they once were. It is thought that 80% of dogs over the age of eight will have osteoarthritis. It’s an extremely common condition and one that is often not recognised or appreciated due to the stoic nature of our doggy companions. Most dogs will suffer in silence with chronic joint pain but once you can see your pet is no longer as mobile as they used to be, there are lots of things you can do to make their senior years more comfortable. 1. Weight Loss. The most important thing you can do is to keep your dog at a healthy weight. Being overweight or even just a few kilograms heavier than ideal has a huge impact on the health of your pet’s joints. In many cases weight loss can have as big an impact on your pet’s mobility than surgery or pain relief medication. 2. Adapt the home environment. A more cushioned or padded bed, rugs on the floor, home-made ramps up steps and limiting access to stairs are all easy things to do to make life easier for older pets. 3. Exercise modification. Just because your dog still has a mad five minutes in the park doesn’t mean it is suddenly pain free. Most dogs will still get excited, they are just not great about selfawareness and the consequences of throwing themselves around. Maintaining exercise is really important, but we need to step in to avoid the older dog from hurting itself or over doing it. 4. Alternative therapies. Acupuncture, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, ultrasound treatment, etc. can all help and offer a non-medicative option to help many old age aches and pains. 5. Ve Veterinary interventions. Anti-inflammatories, analgesics surgery and even ste analgesics, stem m cell therapy are all options for older pets when w the time comes. There is a long list of trea atment options that can be tailored to a pet’s needs and make sure that the senior years of your pet’s life are not blighted by arthritic pain. PAGE
The Charlton Kings Vet Centrre is fully equipped with a sterile operating theatre, digital radiography, y, ultrasonoggraphy and laboratory equipmennt. Drop in and have a look around. You will see many of the same friendly facees from our main surgery g y at Dragon g Vett Centre. You cann book your visits andd pick up pet suppliees, food or medications at either surgery if it’s more convenient. c
OPEN MONDA AY Y-FRIDA AY Y 9AM- 6.30PM 17 Lyefield Road West, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham GL53 8EZ
www.charltonkingsvet.co.uk
01242 220158 in affiliation with
OPEN SATURDAY AY 9AM-12 2 NOON
Prestbury Park, Park New Barn Lane, Lane Cheltennham GL50 4SH
T: 01242 580324
F: 0124 42 241908
www.dragonvet.co.uk
24 HOUR EMERGENCY ~ 01242 522022
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
gether
2
2
ge t he r
NHS Foundation Trust
Making life better
We are more than just the trust that cares for your mental health needs! We want to improve the lives of those suffffering from mental health conditions and dementia. YOU can be part of the discoverry y!
We support clinical r e se ar c h i n : Mental Health, Dementia a n d L e a r n i n g D i s a b i l i ti e s Health research changes lives Can you be part of the discoverry y? To find out more for yourself or others, talk to one of the experienced team at Research 2gether: To
0 12 4 2 6 34 4 9 0 2gnfftt.research@nhs.net
2
gether Research Valuing p eo p l e
p a rtn e rs h i p s
innovation
N a ti o n a l I n s ti tu te fo r Health Research
leadership
Contact our team to see how you can be involved. Our studies are not just for patients. We are interested in understanding how carers, health care professionals and ffa amily members are affffected when someone is suffffering a Mental Health difffficulty or been diagnosed with Dementia. All our projects are run according to strict guidelines and patient care is at the heart of what we do. So please, contact us to see how you can make a difffe erence, because 2gether we can be part of the discovery.
www.2gether.nhs.uk ww
Medical Health with Holly Hannigan
Awareness of addiction Addiction Addi ti i an illness is ill th t that affects the chemical reward systems in the brain. People often misunderstand it to be someone being selfish and making bad choices, which is simply not true. Addiction is a psychological disorder, r, just like depression or anxiety. If something in your life, or someone you know, has become of such importance that other areas of life are being neglected g (work, relationships, p health), then this is a big alarm bell that you or they may have a problem and addiction may be in control. Here are some of the main symptoms to be aware of:
Psychological symptoms of addictions: • Mood swings • Increased temper • Tiredness • Paranoia • Defensiveness • Agitation • Inability to focus/concentrate • Poor judgement • Memory problems • Diminished self-esteem and self-worth • Feelings of hopelessness • Exacerbation of any existing mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety.
Behavioural and social signs of addictions: • Secretive/dishonest behaviour • Poor performance and/or attendance at work or school • Withdrawal from responsibility and socialising • Losing interest in activities, hobbies or events that were once important to you THE LOCAL ANSWER
• Continuing to use the t substance, or engage in n certain behaviours, despite th he negative consequences that these cause • Trying but failing to re educe or stop misusing a substtance, or engaging in certain behaviours
Physical y symptoms y p s of addictions: • Lack of concern over physical appearance/personal hygiene • Disrupted sleep patterns, p including insomnia • Extreme weight loss For something to be addictive, it must be characterrised as being reinforcing (increa asing the likelihood that a person will seek repeated exposure to th hem) and intrinsically rewarding (they ( are seen as being positiv ve, desirable, and pleasurable).. People can form addicctions to substances such as alcohol, drugs, nicotine and sug gar, r, or to behaviours such as ga ambling, shopping, online activitty (social media/gaming) and sex x. While substance addictions may be more visible to the outside TO ADVERTISE CALL
world, all addictions can be dangerous and life desttroying. If you have noticed some of the symptoms mention ned, then having a conversation with the person is a good place e to start. Simply listening withou ut judgement is sometimes all they will want in the early da ays, and perhaps mention local support groups g p or online help. p If the person recognises they have a problem with addiction and they are ready, making an appointment with their GP and even attending with them if they want you to is the best place to start. As hard as it may be, especially if the person has isolated themselves and been dishonest or unkind towards you, try to remember it is the addiction talking, not their true self. The person you know and care about is still in there and trying to get them the right help is vital. Below are some links to useful websites with more information about addiction: www.nhs.co.uk www.helpguide.org/homepages/addictions www.addictionsandrecovery.org PAGE
10th
Research & Improving Care for Dementia Sufferers Cobalt need to raise £150,000+ each year to support this important work One of Cobalt’s objectives is to improve the diagnosis and treatment of dementia. They use state-of-the-art imaging equipment to diagnose dementia and are working to increase patient participation in research trials studying new treatments. To provide a calming environment for patients when they visit for diagnostic scans, the equipment is housed in a room with relaxing décor including a beautiful wall mural of a countryside landscape. Dementia currently affects 850,000 people in the UK and it is only through research that the causes can be determined, effective treatments developed and care improved for patients, both existing and in the future. Cobalt are raising funds to support two Dementia Research Nurses who work with doctors
and patients to recruit patients onto national trials. They also support many of these trials with the state-of-the-art imaging equipment for patients. Cobalt work with local hospitals and medical professionals in the county to improve the care and facilities for patients with dementia.
Supporting T Te eenagers & Y Yo oung Adults with Cancer The impact of a cancer diagnosis on young people and families is immense. Y Yo oung cancer patients have unique biological, physiological and social needs during treatment which are distinct from other cancer patients. For teenagers and young adults, traditionally little care has been put into place that delivers according to their specific needs, with patients often either being treated alongside children of a younger age, or with adults. The Cobalt TY YA A Cancer Nurse ensures that the needs of young adult cancer patients are established at a time when they are most vulnerable. Megan’s post is funded through donations to Cobalt and provides an invaluable service.
Cobalt part funds TY YA A Nurse Megan Wilsher at a cost of £27,000 per annum “My role ensures these patients are supported throughout their cancer journey and beyond, helping them to move forward with their life, as they would have without the intrusion of cancer.” Megan Wi Wilsherr,, Cobalt TY YA A Nu r se “I am grateful to Megan and to Cobalt for funding the job she does. She has been such a great support.” Samantha (P Pa atient)
Yo Y ou can help support Cobalt by sponsoring Lois & Jack online at:
ANNIVERSARY HARITY OF THE YEAR
art of our 10th Anniversary ations, we chose to support estershire-based charity Cobalt by raising vital funds and increasing awareness of their work and current projects. Cobalt support patients throughout the county with cancer, dementia and other conditions, and invest in equipment, research and education to ensure as many people as possible have access to the best medical imaging for diagnosis.
The money we raise will go towards two specific campaigns – Cobalt’s Dementia Futures Fund and funding a specialist nurse to support teenagers and young adults suffering with cancer (see left).
Running for Cobalt in the Cheltenham Challenge 10k One of our fundraising activities is in June when Lois and her boyfriend Jack will be running the Cheltenham Challenge 10k. If you’d like to sponsor them and help us raise money for Cobalt, please visit the link below. Y Yo ou can also find the link on any of our Social Media pages.
Imagine if every household receiving a copy of The Local Answer donated £1 – together we’d raise enough money to fund both of Cobalt’s campaigns for a whole year!
https:////uk.virginmoneygiving.com//TTheLocalAnswer10thBirthdayY Yeear
Superb Quality
WEDDING SUITS MEN’S & BO OY YS’ SUIT HIRE Ma g e e D es i g n e r Su i ts
S P E C IA
L HIRE
OF F E R
.99 £89
TEL: 01242 510161
• OPEN SUNDAYS BY APPOINTMENT •
Debonair Formal Mens Hire 13 Imperial Square, Cheltenham, GL50 1QB
01242 24 33 88
www.debonairf rformalhire.com
LET US GET YO U B A C K IN SHAPE
Club Facilities Air Conditioned Gym. Indoor Heated Pool. Spa Pool. Steam Room and Sauna. Beauty Room.
MEMBERSHIPS FROM £1.22 A DA AY Y Member Benefits Free Car Parking. 15% Discount off Food & Drink. 35% Discount on all. Beauty Treatments. Loyalty Reward Scheme. 15% Aquatots.
Our Services
£ 3 0 0 WO RT H O F P E R S O N A L TRAINING SESSIONS FOR FREE
SPEAK TO A MEMBER OF THE TEAM TO JOIN TODA AY Y
01242 229 297
leisure@doubletreecheltenham.com
DTCheltenham.DoubleTreebyHilton.com PAGE
Free Aerobics Classes. Free Fitness Programme. Free Lifestyle Analysis. Free Personal Training. Sessions.
Terms and conditions apply. Sub bjject to a 12 month agreement and joining fee applies. Offer valid until 30th April 2019.
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Mirror Mirror on the W Wa all with Val Starr
Spring trends and a fashion iccon No fashion N f hi column l could ld ignore the passing of the icon Karl Lagerfeld – creative director of the French fashion house Chanel. He will be missed by a great many, in particular the company he worked with for 36 years. Karl was the first of the top designers to do a range for the high street so mere mortals could afford a little of his style. Karl made headlines when he decided to do a range g for H&M, which of course sold s out immediately. That wass back in 2004 and now many de esigners have followed suit. His fashion shows were the stuff of fantasy and anyone who’s anyone vied for a front row seat. Chanel is of courrse recognized for th he interlocking Cs found on their handbags where the prices are eye watering, t i b t for but f those who are lucky enough to afford one, it certainly is a handbag for life. Chanel’s famed tweed d jackets, dresses and suits never date with their amazing designss displaying the famed d fringed lapels, hem m and sometimes cuffs. Famous names, young and old,, have all been seen in Chanel – Princess Diana was a big fan. If you want to copy the iconic Chanel look, race to Zara where you will find a good selection of jackets made to THE LOCAL ANSWER
resemble the Chane el style, style which they certainly do d for a mere fraction of the prrice.
Boiler suits Oh yes – jumpsuits an nd boiler suits are everywhere e again! I’m often asked what w the difference is; boiler suits are more utility y style because of pocke ets often found on the e legs. They’re also baggier and simpler in style. Jumpsuits th herefore are probab bly the smarter version, and can be dresse ed up for special occasions. For either option, every colou ur and fabric can be found so you w will be spoiled for choice from the hig gh street who have copied the key de esigners including Stella McCartney y and Hermes.
Maxi dressses Jumpsuits will, however, r, have to compete c with maxi dresses, d which are back b in vogue this spring TO ADVERTISE CALL
and often have high necks ne ecks and uneven hems. Animal print is still everywhere, and you will find a lot of horse prints, which at least make a slight change from the leopard print we are so used to. Many of them have a 70s vibe which transcends to skirts, blouses and jumpers. At the time of writing, M&S have a super animal print shift dress in red (pictured) for £45 which ticks all the boxes.
Trousers For those tired of the slim cigarette look, skinny jeans and culottes, you will be happy to see lots of wide legged and baggy type trousers. Prada showed some recently with maximum fabric and very draped style-wise. All this fabric can occasionally appear overwhelming, so it is best to make sure you have it nipped i d in i at the h waist w i to balance the look. A great belt will also help in brea aking up the look, as will any to op that is tucked in. My advice is to buy a classic new spring item that will w last, and avoid the throwaw way, fast fashion craze. PAGE
thehaven
Put a spring in your step!
£25 until 30/4/19
Nail Tr Trimming • Corns Calluses • Cracked Heels Fungal Nail Infections Routine Foot Care
Luxury pedicure
includes exfoliation, paraffin wax & Shellac Polish
Call 07921 821805
enquiries@sophielanefhp.co.uk
182 Cirencester Road, Charlton Kings
01242 252 869
HOME CONSULTA LT TA AT TIONS & APPOINTMENTS
amandawiltshire@aol.com
www.thehavencheltenham.co.uk
GET THE FIT LOVE THE LOOK!
A e you Ar looking for a new rro oom to rent and wor k from?
Brra aF Fiitttiiin n g b y A p p o i n tm e n t
Fashion, Traditional & Mastectomy
Freelance Therapist Room available to R Reent from today! —F Fllexible rraates available —
Collectt,, Delivve er or Po osst
Swimwear Clearance NOW ON
Please contact the salon for more information and details: Ring 01242 263610 or email: nineteenba@gmail.com
OSTEOPAATTHY | CHIROPRACTIC | SPORTS MASSAGE | ACUPUNCTURE SWEDISH MASSAGE | YOGA | BAMBOO MASSAGE | AAYYURVEDA
C EN T RE A N D T R E ATM E N T R O O M S
3 HOUR REJUVENATION WELLNESS PACKAGE OFFER – £149
MOBILE CHIROPODIST Maria Ranieri Long M.S.S.Ch. M.B.Ch.A. HCPC Registered
Qualified Chiropodist pro ovviding professional care and ser vice in the comfort of your o ow wn home TTo oe nail cutting, thick yello ow w nails, corns, hard skin, in-gro ow wing toe nails, diabetic ffo oot care, general ffo oot care Receipts provided ffo or Health Insurance purposes Surrg ger y available in Warden Hill, Cheltenham
Shirodhara
01242 705828 / 07719 664020
Experience Ultimate Relaxation through Traditional Healing Practice – Ayurveda
Maria Ranieri Long is the trading name of Ranieri Long Limited
THE
g D f in
HAIRDRESSING Package Includes: 30 mins Mini AAyyurvedic Consultation 45 min Spinal Health Massage (Indian Head, Neck and Back massage) 60 min Shirodhara (Warm medicated oil stream over forehead massage) 45min Herbal Facial 45 Cirencester Road, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham GL53 8EX 01242 221456 | oakwellhealth.com PAGE
Our highly experienced an skilled team of hairdresse is on hand to create the perfect look for you!
Style
01242 514900 18 Suffolk Road, Cheltenham GL50 2AQ
www.theguildhairdressing.co.uk
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Looking Good, Feeling Great with Will Mbanga
Measuring progress for health and wellbeing As we go through life, it is good to pause every so often and take stock. Life is a journey and in order to take the most scenic, enjoyable and efficient route, we need to look after our health and wellbeing. But what does getting better look like?
How do you know if your efforts are working? Let’s consider ‘health’ to be the combination of our physical (food and exercise) and mentalemotional needs (belonging, purpose, love, etc.). How do you know whether your training, diet, work, studies or the effort you are making to ‘be better’ is working? As far as relationships go, you will know what ‘better’ looks like because you feel it in the quality of your interactions and the resultant emotional wellbeing and positivity this brings. But relationships are the product of human interactions and as we know, people make mistakes, let us down, disappoint us. This can make for tricky interpersonal dynamics and negative mental-emotional health.
Physical metrics alone don’t signify good health A fancy car, r, promotion or performance bonus might signify progress at work, but we know this doesn’t necessarily improve our wellbeing. Focusing on physical metrics such as improved quality or quantity of sleep, your ability to manage stress and hitting your training targets are more easily quantified, but these alone do not THE LOCAL ANSWER
necessarily signify good health. Good health and wellbeing can be attained through a continual effort to maximise all of these areas, whilst acknowledging that throughout your progression, you are good enough as you are right now This process of now. learning to be comfortable in your own skin and a believing that you are enough is a hugely im mportant mental-emotional shift. Tony Robbins talks about To being in a state of ‘CAN NI’ – Constant And Nev verending Improvement. I’ve adapted this to ‘CANWIP’ – Consistant And Never-ending • Physical health Work In Progress. g Here e are my y tips to get your ‘CANWIP’ on Those of you who own a car will service it to ensure that it is able track: to pass its MOT. In th he same • Mental-emotional health way, you need to look aafter your Strive to be a good friend to body through regular exercise yourself. Embrace who you are, and good nutrition to give while being open to learning yourself the best chance of new things and chang ging in a passing a medical MOT T. Again, positive way. Constantly y seek to remember to seek medical be a better person, while advice and perhaps consult a accepting that you will never be trainer, r, movement specialist or perfect to everyone. dietician to help optim mise your The continuous pursuit of health. personal improvementt and an Part of being human is acceptability to reflect, learn and a keep going are essential. Som metimes, ing that we are not infallible; the this includes recognissing that key to making progress in any we need help – whethe er that is area of your life lies in your in the form of a friend, a life ability to apply yourself consistcoach, a therapist or me edication ently. It’s better to keep taking is irrelevant. The im mportant small steps and move forwards, thing is to ask for help if you than a few big steps that end up need it. too big for you to handle.
TO ADVERTISE CALL
PAGE
COLLEGE GUA DIANS YOUR CHILD THE MOST IMPORT TA ANT PERSON IN THE WORLD
Ever Thought of Hos!ng an Interna!onal Student? We are currently seeking host families to look a#er children a"ending boarding school in the UK whose parents are based overseas. Our hosts look a#er the children during some half term holidays and occasional weekends. Dates of stays will depend very much on the school that the child a"ends. In exchange for your hospitality you will receive a generous compensa!on package as well as the invaluable experience that hos!ng an interna!onal student can bring to you and your family.
For more informa!on please contact Caroline Lloyd, Guardianship Manager
caroline@collegeguardians.co.uk • +44 (0) 1684 581600
www.collegeguardians.co.uk
C BUT F LO
Are you an
S he s t o l C
hop
Independent Local Retail Outlet? The Local Answer has a
Fantastic OFFER to help support YOUR business! For more details, contact us today:
01242 510500 • production@thelocalanswer.co.uk PAGE
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Parenting & Guardianship with Roberta Smart
Acceptance in tim mes of change This month Thi th I wantt to t talk t lk about b t acceptance in times of great change. Traditionally at Easter time we receive a message of rebirth and regeneration – so what about when someone you know and love ‘comes out’ of a closet and asks to be ‘reborn’? How do you deal with that? In a world where so many young people are struggling to come to terms with themselves, mental health issues are at an all time high and the conversations are wild, I want to take a gentle look at how we can all ‘do better’ to support young people – and older ones – as they make a journey of self discovery.
Open and accepting conversations with our children No matter what age you are when you first realise you feel ‘different’, the world you grew up in will have had a massive impact p on how well y you can cope with your new w found knowledge. To To this end, I am
THE LOCAL ANSWER
advocating that we have open and accepting conve ersations with our children right from f the start. You don’t have to be genderYo neutral particularly, but maybe avoiding ramming them m into a pink or blue box at birth is a good start?
Celebrate ‘othern ness’ rather than ‘norm mality’ When discussing the e future, keep options open regarding relationships, hobbies, jobs or ways to live. I think most of us these days know at least one person who would identify as different in some e way or another. Celebrating ‘otherness’ rather than ‘no ormality’ sends a great unspoken message to our chiildren so that if and when th he times comes for them to ‘come out’, they will already know they are in a lov ving and accepting place. It is 2019 and ge ender is fluid, sexuality iss wideranging, job prosp pects are endless and wonde erful, and being different is possibly TO ADVERTISE CALL
the most normal thing in the world. I for one am so o glad to live in a time when we can love and support everyon ne – no matter how surprising their t new discoveries may be, an nd at the same time walk through any barriers of discomfort without guilt or shame, becau use, let’s face it, no one is an expert e in change we are all just doing change, d the best we can.
However you identify, you are loved So be you male, female, trans, gay, straight, bi, pan, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or Jewish, person of colour, r, mixed heritage, differently abled or a total alien (but that’s another article!), you are welcome, loved, wanted and needed to be a part of this wonderful school of life we call the earth. Parents blessed with children get to learn through their eyes and what a lesson we are learning: acceptance, tolerance, patience, true unconditional love. I believe that being in a family means being willing to learn something new every day. Enjoy the journey: it looks incredible! PAGE
Distributors Required For a few hours each month in the following specific areas:
Fiddlers Green Each round is made up of 150-400 copies per month. The rate of pay is 6 pence/copy. Depending on property types, our current team of people average between 100150 copies/hour (equivalent to £6-£9/hour). Magazines are delivered to The Local Distributors’ homes towards A NS W E R the end of each month and we expect deliveries to be completed within four days between the hours of 7am and 9pm. YYoou must be 13+ years old, flexible, reliable and sufficiently physically fit to CHELTENHAM perform the duties. GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S BIGGEST LOCAL MAGAZINE APRIL 2019
TLA CHARITY GIVEAWAY IS BACK! M O
RE DETTA AILS INSIDE ...
For details email John – distribution@thelocalanswer.co.uk
PAGE
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Education & Employment with Alison Williams
Decision time for GCSE G optio ons It’s options It’ ti ti time f for Year 9 Ye students (Ye Year 8s in some schools). A lot of information is provided by schools to help students make their choices, but what difference can choosing the wrong options really make and how can students make the best decisions?
The core subjects Firstly, let‘s look at the core subjects: Maths, English and Science are compulsory at GCSE and GCSE, d some schools h l also l let students choose a third science as one of their GCSE options. If a student is very interested and likely to go into a STEM (Science/Te Tech/Engineering/Maths) career it is worth taking the triple but if not, double is fine – if it wasn’t, all schools would offer triple! Sometimes, struggling students are recommended to take Core Science – this only counts as one Science GCSE and would usually close the door to taking sciences at A Level, as you can’t get higher than a Grade 5 in Core Science but need Grade 6 for A Level. It could also affect certain degree choices. Universities look at GCSE results and as an example, some Nursing degrees would not accept just core science.
Non-core subjects When it comes to other subjects, there are several things to consider before making a firm decision. Here are my top tips for students choosing their GCSE subjects: • Research non-core subjects by looking at the curriculum, talking to teachers or current/ former students and searching online. THE LOCAL ANSWER
• If you have a strong g career idea, research this to o ensure you take the correct an nd most relevant subjects. As a Careers Advisor, r, I ask students to list all subjects on offer and tick the boxes which apply. These boxes include wheth her they ‘Like’ the subject, whether they are ‘Good Good At At’ it and wh hether it is ‘Useful’ or they ‘Ne eed’ the subject for their preferred career. This approach often helps them to get a good overview of what they need to consider. • Those without caree er ideas can focus on the first two variables (what they likke or are good at), but now iss a very good time to start considering broad career paths. • Always note which A Levels or equivalent qualiffications require prior study att GCSE. Certain subjects – for example, Business or Health & Social Care – do not alwa ays, but many others do so be careful! • If aiming for a top Un niversity but not sure what to o study, focus on ‘facilitating su ubjects’. TO ADVERTISE CALL
These include Geo ography, History and Languages which, as well as the core subjects, s are favoured by such Universities. Schools now promote p the English Baccalaureate, which covers all bases anyway.
Passionate pup pils should not be pressured pressured It is helpful for parents and teachers to have an input, but try not to pressure children out of a favourite subject. If students feel passionate about a subject, even if not a facilitating one, they should usually study it as it could turn out to be very significant to their future! Students needing guidance should ask to see their school Careers Advisor. If you don’t have a school advisor, visit nationalcareerservice.direct.gov.uk for general careers information and job profiles. Useful, free online quizzes include buzz quiz (icould.com), the spartan quiz on sacustudent.com, and the quiz on prospects.ac.uk PAGE
RESIDENTIAL
We won’t be beaten on level of service or fee!
honeybourne gate
unnee, nd Juun erry annd ear Terr Deear ingg rin rin ous spprri orggeeou t our ggor at a k oo loo l a e ve v av ha d nd an e om com t st u us m You You viieewwwss are acee; thhee vie ac err terr f oo roo e he th on d ed te nt an la pl e ve v av ha e bullbbs thhaaatt wwe maazziinngg! am tmeenntttss moveedd inntttoo thhiiiss artm avee allrreeaaddyy haadd 3 appar We hhaav ome elccom bourrss anndd weel hb h gh ig ei ne w ew ne r ou t et e ee m o to t e ce c ic ni o so s s ’ ar! IItt yeear ow isseedd aatt hhow urpprriise sur o so s e er wer y ey e he Th . e te at G e ne rn r ou b y yb e ey Hon m ttoo Hon heem thhe ort apppprreecciiaatteedd our suuppppor h ch uc u m d nd an t nt n en we s es e ov m ir eir e he th y sy s as ea izziinnngg. ownnssiizi ir dow wiittthh thheeeir m 30pppm ssee from 100..3300-22.30 ou Hou n en e pe Op r ou or for f s us u n oi joi j t o no n y Whhy emaaddee omem s hom ou iou ci ic li lic el de f of o s ts t o lo l h th t it wi L IL I RI PR A h th t 7t 27 y urddaay on Saatttur osss thhee rrooaadd aatt Teessccooo.. cros kinnngg aacr arki hourrss freeee par caakkeess? 3 hou ou! ove ttoo seeee yyou Weed’d lov Beessstt wiisshheeess, Jeeaaann anndd Brriiiaaann
honeybougrantee
entttss men ttm ar par p A t nt en e m em e ir tir e et R e te at a G e ne r rn Honeeyyybbou 33366994 2 23 2 42 4 24 12 1 0 l el Te s gs g ng in i w ew ie V Vi & X EX E L P PL HOW COM SH er Roaadd cesstter ouce 2 Glou DW m, GL51 88D Chheelltteennhhaam www.
. c o . uk
estyle apartment living for you...
Word Search Wo T N N G M E I F U J L X S D B T X R C G I J F K
W Q N N A C H S C S E R P Z Q V E H A R T E A W
Y N J S U V R I P D E Z B Z Y G O N S T C S M P
R Q T O Z T C N D W V F D E R C V L N O X U I I
W E C A B C D L O E L F Z G O A X E J O A S L B
R R E A C K E L E P B G X L O C B B W A B A Y B
S P R I N G F T W F E L A H U N T B B H B Z M B
P H E L S I R E Z R T T R K U Z K K I H I A G O
L E D N T F S K U G E P U K T V I S M T L W G C
N T A H A D P S H N F R M Z E E H N P W A M E C
D O W E E N W A R T H D D Q J W H O S L G W W H
Y A I I R T L B L H F F A B D J D I T L X I C L
A N J X T Y D Z K T U I F M P B Q T R A I L D R
N C N K I B J Y W X W Y F C Y K E C A L O E V B
Z W Y U O F P I Q B H J O O J O U E D Z L S K X
N G K A B A I Q M I Q U D U O I N R I K C E E D
N I T F R I O C N C O F I B K I H R T Q R B K N
C D J Z N S L L U T X U L G P T A U I H E C P Y
E T A R B E L E C R P Q A X F P V S O Q G R A T
L M S D D E T R W C C T B S Q G Z E N R A D Y B
X L I D E C O R A T E C Y M Q M N R A A N D A I
H C R U H C Y L V P Q Y U P X M T S A U L R M D
Z B I X W I B N S L V V P C O Y S H S H Q C E P
X M U W L F T K U Y D L B O Y K C I H C P P F Q
Easter BASKET BONNET BUNNY CELEBRA AT TE CHICK CHOCOLA AT TE CHURCH CRUCIFIXION DAFFODIL
DECORA ATTE EASTER EGG FFA AMILLYY FLOWERS GRASS HIDE HUNT JESUS
LAMB RABBIT RESURRECTION SPRING SUNDA AYY TRADITION TREA ATTS
Installers of top quality win ndows, doors and conservatories. For a free no obligation gation quotation call
01242 511384
Showroom – Units 40 & 41, Space Businesss Centre, Tewkesbury Road, Cheltenham, GL51 9FL L
Don’t look until you’ve finished! Solutions on ‘Index of Advertisers’ page. PAGE
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Entertainment
If you have a story to share, please email full details to TToom. with Tom Hadfield ‒ entertainment@thelocalanswer.co.uk
The Chelttenham Poetry Festival is back The Cheltenham Poetry Festival returns to a number of venues around the town this month with 10 days’ worth of events on offer. This year will be the ninth annual instalment of the festival, and founder and CEO Anna Saunders explains how the first festival in 2011 came to be. “I have lived here for a long time, half my life, so I feel like a native really,” said Anna, who is originally from Wirral. “I had been running poetry events in Cheltenham for about 10 years and wanted to dedicate a full week to it.” Anna, a five times published poet herself with a sixth collection due to be released next year, r, says that the success of the first Poetry Festival laid the foundations for the following years leading up to now.
Nafeesa Hamid will be peerforming
She continued: “In n our first year we began with a bang with a performance from punk poet John Cooper Clarkke – he performed to a packed-out p Town Hall Pillar Room m. We ran 40 events and receiv ved some wonderful testimonials from press and public alike e.” Huge amounts of preparation
Film Review – Joe Kennett Captain Marvel With ‘Av Avengers: Endgame’ just around the corner, r, Marvel have come at us with a final blockbuster, r, leading straight into the finale of the current series of films. Brie Larsen enters the Marvel cinematic universe higher, further, faster than ever in the franchise’s first female-led superhero movie. Directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck have created a new generation in Marvel – the pace is fast, the story is solid and the jokes are witty. It can be hard to keep up with at first, but it will not disappoint. The film has the elements of a retro alien invasion movie with all the excitement thatt fans of the franchise expect. Th his origin story gives a new w lease of life to modernday feminism. Captain Marvel is an unstoppable force, and she’’s going to be the perfect addition to the universe. Full review online.
and work goes into o organising the festival every year from Anna and her team, tteam from finding the venues, to booking the poets. “It’s a lot of work, but b great fun and very satisfying to organise a yearly festival wh hich features some of the UK’s most m exciting performers and writers,” w she added. This year the festival f will feature a huge varie ety of events, including slam poetry, p live music, Q&As and plenty p more. Anna said: “Our theme this year is ‘truth’ truth and we e’re re going to be fake news free with w groundbreaking and provocative performances from uncompromising artists such as Jamie Thrasivoulou, Nafe eesa Hamid, poet and rapper Casey Bailey, Anne Drysdale, and many more.” Full story online.
Book Review – Aloÿse of Daylesford Book Club The e Red Address Book
by Soofia Lundberg How w many of us still use address books? This novel revolves arou und a “red-leather address book, its bent corn ners revealing the yello owed paper within.” It belongs b to 96-year-old Doris who lives alone in her Stockholm apartment. She was given the address book by her father and from that mom ment she kept a note of all the peo ople she met thro oughout her life. This is a debut novel inspired by the author’s great aunt who had a similar address book. Through the book Lundberg encourages us to talk to older people to listen to their stories and learn from their experiences. The author portrays old age as it is. Many of us will know a Doris, but the outstanding themes of the book are memories, sorrow and most importantly love. Full review online.
Above is a selection from local entertainment stories available online ...
Art • Events • Experiences • Film • Lifestyle Literature • Music • Reviews • Theatre • TV
Jill Hammond on finding insp piration Jill Hammond has been a Cheltenham local for just over a decade now. now After leaving her job of thirty years as an art teacher to concentrate on developing her own art, Jill moved to the Cotswolds from her native Yorkshire in 2009. “My interest in art started when I was quite young, as my mother had an artistic bent and was often drawing, sewing or knitting,” she said. “I can remember entering Blue Peter competitions and still have a Blue Peter badge! “I don’t have any one influence, itt can come from anywhere. I could go to an exhibition an nd see something I like, or just be flicking through a magazine and pick up on a colour schem me. “I never seem to have any trouble wondering what to
‘Cheltenham Promenade, P Farmers Market’ by Jill Hammond
paint. If I see something – a poster, postcard, or a view – I will keep th he image for later use as a pain nting or part of a painting. I usually u work from my own observ vations, photographs or en plein n air.” Jill’s wo ork has featured in
several exhibitions e around the county, specialist s art magazines and lastt year won a prize at Broadwa ay Arts Festival. She produces a variety of subject matter including landscapes, ttownscapes, seascapes and still life, with Cheltenham becomin ng a favourite subject, and the Promenade and Montpellier fe eaturing heavily. Jill con ntinued: “I’m a mixed media arrtist so I might start with an outline then move on to collage, inks and paints, adding more details of collage towards the end. “I can pick out things and especially when I’m painting a picture o of Cheltenham, I’ll take cut outs from The Local Answer and use e them for windows, trees, sshop signs or street names, tthings which are particularly su uitable for Cheltenham.” Full story y online.
Players take on n a classic co omedy The St John John’ss Players have been putting on productions in Gloucestersh hire for over 50 years. The group p usually perform twice a year, r, in the Spring and Autumn, and next month will be bringing comedy to Churchdown with ‘The Farndale Avenue Housing Esta ate Townswomen’s Guild Drama atic Society Production of Murder Mystery’. “Theatre pe eople tend to nickname it ‘Murder at Checkmate Manor’,” saiid Keith Swinford, director of th he production. “It was originally written for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1988 and was the production that paved the way for recent shows like ‘T The Play That Went Wrong’. “It’s basically a bunch of ladies and one cha ap in a village hall
The St Johhn’s Players in rehearsal
trying to put on a play, and everything g that can go wrong does go wrong.” Keith ha as been in amateur theatre fo or over 30 years, working with w organisations all over Glouccestershire including
Cheltenh ham Operatic and Dramaticc Society and the Cheltenh ham Playhouse. Now with the St John’s Players, Keith and the rest of the cast and d crew have been busy working on this latest production, w which will be their first of 2019. He add ded: “It’s going really well, we e’ve got a phenomenal group o of people. The set is already built – even though at one poin nt it falls down. “There e’s five in the cast altogether – part of the joke is that the ey play 20 characters between n them. “Rehea arsals have been excellentt, they’re so much fun. “Each scene has its own running gag and little gems of comedy, it’s really hysterical.” Full story y online.
For full articles and more stories visit www.thelocalanswer.co.uk
What s On The Local Answer Event Listings are compiled and pre esented 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. EVERY TUESDAY AY ARGENTINE TA TANGO BEGINNERS DANCE CLASS Weekly classes starting Tuesday 30th 0 April at 7.30pm. Have fun, keep fit and meet new friends. No partner needed. £6 per class. St. Mark’s CofE Junior School, Robert Burns Avenue, Cheltenham, GL51 6NU. 07941 218535. www.tangocheltenham.dance EVERY FRIDAY AY CLAIRE COLLINS SWIM SCHOOL Fridays at The National Star College. 30 minute lessons between 4.45pm and 8pm in 10 week blocks. All abilities welcome from school age upwards. Enquiries/bookings: 07870 862119 or through Facebook. Freee Taster Session (whilst spaces available). 20 MARCH – 20 APRIL JOSEP SUBIRACHS AT AT CHAPELL ARTS
A collection of the Spanish sculptor and painter Josep Subirachs’ works, including bronzes, drawings, paintings and prints. Coffee Shop available. Wednesday – Saturday, 10am-4pm. www.thechapelarts.com
UNTIL 28 APRIL LAMBING AT AT COTSWOLD FA FARM M PARK
With the first bleats of new arrivvals and the anticipation of many more in the air, lambing is our favourite time of year! y Come and share it with us; settlee down in the Animal Barn and keep youur eyes peeled. Join us for daily talks froom our team, access to our lambing sheed, bottle feeding our lambs and goaat kids, Farm Safari rides, Adventure Barn and Dolly’s Den soft play and much more! m For full details please visit www.cotswoldfarmpark.co.uk. Cotswold Farm Park, Guiting Pow wer,r, Cheltenham, GL54 5FL. 1-6 APRIL HAIR THE MUSICAL Welcome to the “Age of Aquariius”. It’s 1967 and HAIR’s hippie “tribe” youngsters in the East Village of o New York are yearning to change thee world, ld questioning ti i authority th it and the th American flag. Wild, colourful, sexually liberated and free, theyy are united in protest and song, under the shadow of the Vietnam war. Fulll details at www.everymantheatree.org.uk The Everyman Theatre, Regent Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1HQ. 01242 572573.
1-30 APRIL COTSWILD EXPLORERS The Cotswold Wildlife Park’s new ‘CotsWild Explorer’ activity trail launches in April for children aged 611 years old. The Egg themed trail pack (available from the gift shop) comes with a pop badge, lanyard and a pencil for £2.50 per pack (plus normal entrance price) with 10% going to Penguin conservation. www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk 4 APRIL HORRIBLE HISTORIES: BRAND NEW BARMY BRITTA AIN
We all want to meet people from history. The trouble is everyone is dead! So it’s time to prepare yourselves for Horrible Histories live on stage with a brand new West End show! Would you be shaken or stirred by Richard III? Mount a mutiny against King Henry VIII! See Mary Tudor knock the spots off Mary Queen of Scots! It’s the history of Britain with the nasty bits left in! 1.30pm and 6.30pm. £14 (£12). The Bacon Theatre, P.. Hatherley Road, Cheltenham, GL51 6EP www.bacontheatre.co.uk
Our Readers – Y Yo our Audience Advertise your event to 95,000+ people in the Cheltenham area!
£25+V VA AT A T
£40+V VA AT A T
£50+V VA AT A T
The Local
A NS W E R
GLOUCESTEER RSHIREE’’S BIGGEES ST LOCAL MAGAZZIINE APRIL 2019
Plus £30+VVA AT A T
for c.40 words for c.65 words for c.90 words imtaogiencwluitdheyaou3rcm t ex t
CHELLTTENHAM
TLA CHARITY GIVEAWA AY Y IS BACK! MORE DETTA AILS
INSIDE ...
To list your event in our What’s On section, email production@thelocalanswer.co.uk To Online event listings coming soon! T To o keep updated send your name and business name (if applicable) to lois@thelocalanswer.co.uk stating ‘Online Event Listings’. PAGE
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
5 APRIL WHOLE LOTTA LED’S 2019 TOUR FEATURING LED ZEPPELIN II 2019 sees the 50th anniversary of the release of one of the greatest albums of all time – Led Zeppelin II. Whole Lotta Led will be performing a series of Led Zeppelin II to celebrate this incredible album. This show will consist of a selection of songs from Led Zeppelin’s vast back catalogue and feature the whole of Led Zeppelin II played in the same sequence as the original LP. 7.30pm. £20. The Bacon Theatre, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham, GL51 6EP. www.bacontheatre.co.uk 6-22 APRIL THE BIG BATSFORD BUNNY HUNT! The Easter Bunny’s helpers have escaped and they’re hopping around the Arboretum – find them to win a prize! The Bunny Hunt costs £2.50 per child (plus Arboretum entrance fee) and all children must be accompanied by an adult. No booking required – just turn up and enjoy! 9am-5pm. Batsford Arboretum, Moreton-in-Marsh, GL56 9QB. www.batsarb.co.uk EGGSPLORE EASTER Do you know what happened on the very first Easter Day? Come and explore this amazing building to find the answer. £1 per copy from the gift shop.
THE LOCAL ANSWER
If bought with the Discovery Trail (£4.50), ‘Eggsplore Easter’ will be free. When you have completed the trail visit the gift shop and claim a tiny egg! (subject to availability) Gloucester Cathedral, 12 College Green Gloucester, GL1 2LX. www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk EASTER TRAIL Come to Over Farm to take part in our children’s Easter trail, which will take you on a short walk around the farm in search of the Easter bunny’s giant eggs. There’s a small prize in store, if you can crack the trail. Make sure you look out for our friendly animals along the way and don’t forget your wellies! £5 per child. No need to book. 9am-5pm. Full details at www.overfarm.co.uk. Over Farm, Over, Gloucester, GL2 8DB. 6-28 APRIL EASTER EGG TRAIL It’s time for some Easter egg-citement at Sudeley Castle. Get into the spring spirit by chasing down all of the naughty pheasant chicks hiding in the Castle rooms. Can you spot them all? Hunt for all of the Giant Easter Eggs that have appeared in the gardens for a chocolatey reward! Included with admission. For more details please visit sudeleycastle.co.uk. Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe, GL54 5JD.
TO ADVERTISE CALL
EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA AT COTSWOLD FARM PARK We’ll be skipping and jumping into the spirit of spring with an egg hunt around the Park with a prize for every child. There will also be craft activities and a puppet show to entertain the little ones, and the usual Farm Park fun – stroking bunnies and holding chicks, bottle feeding the lambs twice daily and the chance to feed those greedy goats! Full details www.cotswoldfarmpark.co.uk Cotswold Farm Park, Guiting Power, Cheltenham, GL54 5FL. SPRING FAMILY TRAIL Follow the trail to find out the secrets behind the Snowshill garden – it’s a magical place at this time of the year. Come and explore and find out more about Charles Wade’s special garden. 11am-5.30pm. Snowshill Manor and Garden, near Broadway, WR12 7JU. 6-23 APRIL VICTORIAN EASTER FESTIVAL AT THE HOLST BIRTHPLACE MUSEUM A variety of events including Bake Back in Time Easter, Children’s Craft Drop-In, Victorian Spring Clean and Victorian Posies. For full details including dates, times, prices and activities, visit holstmuseum.org.uk Holst Birthplace Museum, 4 Clarence Road, Cheltenham, GL52 2AY.
PAGE
WIN TICKETS! courtesy of The Bacon Theatre
Win tickets to see National Theatre Live’s ‘All About Eve’ on Su unday 28th April at 7pm! This highly-antticipated stage production stars Gillian Anderson n and Lily James. James This will be a co-production wiith Sonia Friedman Productions and Fox Stage Productions, P directed by one of the world’s most innovative theatre directors Ivo Van Hove, with music Va m from double Mercury Prizewinner PJ Harvey y. Tickets cost just £16.50 (£14.50, students £12.50). Book online at www.bacontheatre.co.uk or call the box offfice on 01242 258002. To enter our draw To w to win a pair of tickets, send your name, addre ess and telephone number to ‘All About Eve’, The Local Answer, Unit H, Churchill Industrial Estate, Churchill Road, Leckhampton, Cheltenham, GL5 53 7EG. Alternatively, enter via email by y sending g your details stating ‘All About Eve’ to competitiions@thelocalanswer.co.uk Closing date: We ednesday 10th April 2019. 12 APRIL THE KAST OFF KINKS
Three former members of band ‘The Kinks’, back together playing great music and re-living the good times. This great line-up features Mick Avory, Ian Gibbons and John Dalton alongside Dave Clarke. Expect an evening of iconic hits including ‘You Really Got Me’, ‘Sunny Afternoon’, ‘Lola’, ‘All Day and All of the Night’ and more. 7.30pm. £22.50 (£20). The Bacon Theatre, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham, GL51 6EP P.. www.bacontheatre.co.uk 12-14 APRIL THE COTSWOLDS DECORA ATTIVE, ANTIQUES & ART FAIR A wide variety of pieces for collectors, home furnishers, interior designers and anyone looking for unusual decorative accessories. 11am-5pm. Admission £5. Enquiries: 01278 784912. Complimentary tickets: www.cooperevents.com
PAGE
13 APRIL LONGLEVENS CHURCH AUCTION Viewing starts at 10am and selling at 12 noon. No buyers/sellers premium. Bargains galore! Refreshments available. Holy Tr Trinity Church Hall, Longlevens, Gloucester GL2 0AJ. Further details from Janet or Eric Chitty on 01452 500229. 500229 JIVE TA TALKIN PERFORM THE BEE GEES The timeless repertoire of the Bee B Gees is brought to life! This stunning ensemble boasts stars from TV and London’s West End and is fronted by real-life family members Darrenn, Gary and Jack Simmons making for an a unrivalled vocal harmony blendd. An unforgettable evening that will have you both reaching for your handkerchiefs and dancing in the aisles. 7.30pm. £20 (£18). The Baacon Theatre, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham, GL51 6EP. P. www.bacontheatre.co.uk 14 APRIL OPEN GARDEN & RARE PLANTT FAIR Join us in this beautiful spring gaarden by the River Coln, browse the sppecialist nurseries for interesting and unuusual plants, explore the garden and eenjoy light refreshments in the pool sidde Café in support of Cobalt. 11am-4pm. Entry £5 per adult, under 16s free. Quenington, Cirencester GL7 5BN.
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
STA TALKING AND HARASSMENTT POLICE EVENT An opportunity to talk to the police about stalking and harassment. The police engagement vehicle will also be parked and able to discuss any other policing concerns you have. Higgh Street, Cheltenham. Sunday 14t 4th April 2019 10am-3pm. 2019. 10am 3pm OPERA ANYWHERE – HMS PIN NAFORE A tale of mismatched love acrooss different social classes. Josephine is the captain’s daughter and hass fallen for lowly sailor Ralph. Yet her father has other ideas – he has promised her to Sir Joseph Porter, the First LLord of the Admiralty. Will love prevail?? Climb aboard to find out. 2pm. £20 (£17, under 18s £10). The Bacon Theaatre, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham, GLL51 6EP. P. www.bacontheatre.co.uk 15 APRIL AMAZING BUBBLE MAN Louis Pearl has been thrilling audiences worldwide for over 30 years with the art, magic, science and fun of bbubbles. From rocket bubbles to flying saucer bubbles, the Amazing Bubble M Man conjures shrieks of laughter annd gasps of amazement from all ages. 2pm. £12.50 (£10.50). The Baconn Theatre, Hatherley Road, Chelteenham, GL51 6EP. P. www.bacontheatre.cco.uk
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Local independent eateryy? Get your
Restaurant REVIEWEswDer A by The Local
n
FREE* Editorial review on our website, including photographs and social media promotion – shared on Facebook and Twitter For more details email:
entertainment@thelocalanswer.co.uk *Dine-in restaurants to provide a 3-course meal for two and a drink each for The Local Answer’s Reviewer and Guest.
THE LOCAL ANSWER
TO ADVERTISE CALL
PAGE
THE BIRD & DEER PARK PRINKNASH
ppy time of the year and The Bird & Deer Park is well known ffo o r ho s ti ng its Easter Mad Hatter’s Tea Par tyy,, but this year it’s going to be totally Te difffferent and huge fun! The burning question is… would you like to be with “Te Team Alice” or… “Te Team Mad Hatter?” Weell this is going to be a tough choice, but no W matter which team you join up with on the dayy,, the two professional dance theatre artists will ensure that your children get into character and are simply transported to another world, with
p g to go in search of the curious caterpillarr,, bunny bobtails or pom pom b a n t a m s , a n d go o d n e s s knows what everyone will find around the park on the hunt with their team leader! Everything will be tailored ffo or those littttle Mad, Mad Hatttters to include organised games ffo or all to enjoy… and oh boy they will be fun – and let’s face it you can simply never tell what you will find, where you will end up – and so ffo or all of those parttyy goers, the themed Mad Hatter’s Marquee is ready and waiting ffo or tea!
The Bird Park lends itself so well to children’s events, with the ffo ollies and wonderfully tame birds and animals, who really don’t mind how you are dressed, be it in wings, wigs, superman outfits or just in wellies.
The Bird and Deer Park, Prinknash, Cranham, Gloucester GL4 8
Tea witith Alic lice thi his Easte aster at The Birird & Deer Par &Dee Park
T h e f a l l ow d e e r s t i l l c o m e u p and nuzzle you ffo o r fo o d , a n d the birds always love to meet our visitors, which is just as well because afftter lunch you can
enjoy the rest of the park in your own time. B o o k i n g s o n l i n e o n ly a t www.thebirdpark.com or via the offffice on 01452 812727.
EASTER: The park will be closed by 5.00pm
The chief diff i ficulty Alice found at first was in managing her flamingo...
The ffiirst witness was tth Th he Hatterr.. He came in witth ha teacu upp in one hand and a piece ooff breadd--and-butter in tth he otth her.
8EX • Open 10am-5pm • 01452 812727 • www w..thebirdpark.com
15-19 APRIL ALDSWORTH TO BURFORD Art@Aldsworth group of artists are holding an exhibition of original paintings and glasswork. At Warwick Hall, Burford. 15th April: 12-4.30pm. 16th-18th April: 10am-4.30pm. 19th April: 10am-4pm. Come and meet the artists. 16 APRIL – 12 MAY INTO THE BLUE The colour blue is generally associated with the sky and the oceans, but is oddly rare in nature. It has different meanings in different cultures and was the first man-made colour pigment in 2,200 B.C. This selection of work celebrates blue in a varied mix of both 2D and 3D items. £5.25 adults, £4.75 conc, £15 family. Full details at natureinart.org.uk Nature in Art, Main A38 Twigworth, Gloucester, GL2 9PA. 18-20 APRIL PATESIAN PLAYERS Alan Ayckbourn’s Confusions Local, dedicated actors bring you a short series of plays about our everyday lives: funny, reflective, poignant and incisive. Come and join us at two local venues for a memorable matinee or evening. 18th & 19th April, 3pm, Sober Parrot, St James Square. 19th April, 7.30pm & 20th April, 3pm, Bethesda Church, Great Norwood Street. Tickets £10, £8. To book call 07946 418552 from 1st April. 19-22 APRIL CADBURY EASTER EGG HUNT Join us this Easter weekend for the Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt. Get close to nature while you follow the clues on site to claim your prize. There is a small charge for the trail. All ages welcome. £2.50. 10.30am-4.30pm. Chedworth Roman Villa, Yanworth, GL54 3LJ. EASTER AT BERKELEY CASTLE Easter would not be the same without the thrilling Dragon extravaganza. Visitors of all ages will have the opportunity to experience fantastic
dragon puppetry, get face-to-face with a baby dragon, and take part in the colourful Chinese Dragon Parade. Join the Easter hunt and don’t forget to collect your free treat. Enter the Great Hall and sit captivated by Dragon Tales from the mystical dragon handlers. Full details at www.berkeley-castle.com 20 APRIL THE GREAT EASTER EGG TRAIL Come and join the fun! Explore the park, hunt for clues, meet the Easter Bunny and win a chocolate prize! Quiz sheets £2.50 from Sandford Park Café. A joint event for Cobalt and Maggie’s. 1-4pm. Sandford Park, Cheltenham. 20-21 APRIL MAD HATTER’S TEA PARTY The Bird & Deer Park is well known for hosting its Easter Mad Hatter’s Tea Party but this year it is going to be huge fun and totally different. So are you ‘Team Alice’ or ‘Team Mad Hatter’? A tough choice but no matter which team you join up with, the two professional dance theatre artists will ensure your children get into character and are transported to another world! 10am and 12.30pm. For full details and tickets please visit thebirdpark.com. 01452 812727. The Bird and Deer Park, Prinknash, Cranham, GL4 8EX. 21 APRIL EASTER FAMILY CELEBRATION 10.30am. An Easter Day church service aimed at all the family. At Cambray Baptist Church, Cambray Place, Cheltenham GL50 1JS (near John Lewis). 25 APRIL MAYOR OF CHELTENHAM’S CHARITY GOLF DAY Teams of 4 playing 4BB. Fun competitions throughout the day. Evening meal, prize giving, auction, bacon rolls on arrival and refreshments on the 10th tee! Only £260 per team. Book your team NOW! Call Graham on 07878 381793 or email at graham_chandler@yahoo.co.uk
f
Beds & Mattresses
25-28 APRIL SPRING HOMES & GARDEN FAIR Join an exclusive homes and gardens sale like no other including indoor and outdoor furniture bargains, decorative accessories, gifts, fashion items and more. Please note, tickets to the Spring Grand Sale do not include entry to Sudeley castle and gardens. Tickets £5 (online). Full details: sudeleycastle.co.uk Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe, GL54 5JD. 27 APRIL RENEGADE FESTIVAL 2019 ReneGade Festival returns with a jampacked, jump-up lineup! Join us from the afternoon for open-air music, an outdoor bar and BBQ, and good vibes until the early hours. 2pm til late. Free entry. For more details visit www.caferene.co.uk. Café René, 31 Southgate Street, Gloucester GL1 1TP. WORLD PENGUIN DAY Join us for a day of Penguin related activities and competitions, all located by the Penguin pool, in aid of the ‘Sphenisco’ charity, dedicated to the conservation of Humboldt Penguins. Penguin talk and feed at 11am and 3pm. Help feed the Penguins at 1pm for £1 donation (subject to availability). www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk 1 MAY THE HIDING PLACE 7.30pm. A drama telling the true story of Corrie Ten Boom and her family’s struggle to save Jews from the Nazis. Tickets £10.50 from christianartsfestival.org. At Cambray Baptist Church, Cambray Place, Cheltenham GL50 1JS (near John Lewis). 4 MAY COBALT PLANT SALE Greenway Nurseries are providing wonderful plants for the Cobalt Plant Sale. Come along and buy bedding plants, perennials or shrubs and enjoy coffee and homemade cake in our Linton House pop up café. 10am-1pm. Cobalt, Linton House, Thirlestaine Road, Cheltenham, GL53 7AS. e ur
ea lu of , b d re. c
bhf.org.uk
PAGE
*Up to 50% off: terms and conditions apply. See in store. Selected lines only. Higher price applied for at least 14 days.
-4 el
oro a
re, yd ion L5
re,
eni t Monday to Saturday 3 7 Sunday 6
Your BHF Home Store
Tables & Chairs
u rri s e
We’re the biggest independent funder of cardiovascular research in the UK, turning your donations and purchases into discoveries. With your help, we fund over £100 million a year in life saving research to find the next breakthrough against heart and circulatory diseases and their risk factors. Bri
rt u
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
20 8,
re
i i
n
al
1)
lan
3 6)
THE LOCAL ANSWER
4 MA AY Y FUNDRAISING PLANT SALE To help Friends of Pittville improve the park. Plants from nurseries and friends. 10am-1pm at Central Cross Drive, Pittville GL52 2DX. In front of the scout hut opposite Central Cross Café. 6-29 MA AY Y THE MA AY Y RACING CARNIV VA AL A ATT WA W ARWICK RACECOURSE Four days of action-packed racing with events including Kids Carnival Day, Ladies Night, Proudly Warwick and Celebration Race Night. Full details at www.thejockeyclub.co.ukk//warwick 7 MA AY Y HOW SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION BRINGS HEALING
The members of First Church Christ, Scientist, Cheltenham warmly invite
THE LOCAL ANSWER
you to explore this subject in a free f talk to be given by Alexandre Fischer. On Tuesday 7th May at 7.30pm in The Church building on Bayshill Roaad, Cheltenham, GL50 3AW. Alexandre is a practitioner of Christian Science healing, a member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship and a speaks to audiences worldwidee. Free entry – all are welcome. 11 MAY AY WORLD BINTURONG DAY AY Learn about the unusual Binturong with two keeper talks at 11.30am and 3.30pm. Find out about the conservationn work we support through ABConservvation. Enter our raffle to win a unique Binturong Encounter. Find us neear the Binturong enclosure near the Reptile House. www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk 11-12 MAY AY SUDELEY CASTLE JOUST The Castle has been invaded by a new band of Knights for our annual, eepic joust tournament! The Knights of Royal England will be battling it out during this May Bank Holiday weekend. With t dramatic two d ti shows h per day, d come prepared for spectacular action,, stunts, falls, fights and galloping horsess. Included within general admissioon. Full details at sudeleycastle.co.uk. Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe, GL54 5JD.
TO ADVERTISE CALL
16-28 MAY AY GIFFORDS CIRCUS – XANADU Much loved Gifford’s Circus returns to Sudeley as they make their annual tour of the village greens of the Cotswolds. With their magically chaotic familyfriendly show, suitable for all ages to enjoy, be sure to book tickets soon as dates sell out fast. For more details please visit sudeleycastle.co.uk Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe, GL54 5JD. 25 MAY AY – 2 JUNE THE WILDLIFE ART SOCIETY EXHIBITION An opportunity to see and purchase beautiful works of art and to meet artists who are dedicated to promoting conservation of all species. Daily 10am-5pm and final Sunday 10am-3.30pm. Entry is FREE with good parking. Set in the beautiful grounds of Nature in Art Gallery and Museum, Main A38 Tw Twigworth, Gloucester GL2 9PA. SatNav Postcode: GL2 9PG. 23 JUNE RIDE FOR RYDER Come and join us on one of the best l d charity loved h it cycling li events t in i the th Cotswolds and raise vital funds for our care. Cycle 40km, 90km or 130km in the spectacular Cotswolds. Sign up at www.sueryder.org/rideforryder or call 01242 246162.
PAGE
WIN £2 £ ,00
FOR YOUR LOCAL CHARITY OR
courtesy of The Local Answer and our generous A
A C ha ri t y’ c om pe t i t i on i s b ac k an d b i g g er t h a n e ve r! 0th Anniversary Y Ye earr,, we’ll be running several ons, giving Gloucestershire-based charities and notfit organisations the chance to win £2,000 each time. rst winner will be announced in our July 2019 issue, with details of the next draw. ether you have a personal involvement or just like upport a specific local charity, club, society, group, trust association – provided it is, essentially, ot-for-profit organisation – you could lp boost their funds by an amazing 2,000! month, our four brilliant sponsors René, Gloucester Carpet Outlet, ornes Solicitors Ltd. You can read more about them on our website – Yo thelocalanswer.co.uk/news/local-information.aspx
GLOUCESTER
Le Pub & Reestaurant L a S eak & Grillhouse St 01452 309 340 www.CafeR e ene.co.uk 31 Southgate Stree et, Gloucester GL1 1TP
CARPET OUTLLET AN EXCELLENT SERVICE AND ND FANTASTIC RANGE A AT T GREA AT T PRICES!
CALL US ON: 01452 413 3513 www.gloucestercarpetoutlet.co.uk co.uk
Mill Place 1, Unit 4, 90 Bristol Road, Gloucesterr GL1 5SQ
00
R C L UB
Yoouur Clu Club or Cha harit rity Two Thooussan and Poound an unds
Jun une 201 019
£ 2,00 00
T h e L o ca l An s w er ADVERTISERS
Advertisers
It’’ss easy to enter our draw ...
The Local
AN NSWER
For your chance to choose which organisation benefits from this prize, send their name (and registered charity number if applicable) along with your name, address (including postcode) and telephone number to ‘TLA Charity’, The Local Answer, Unit H, Churchill Industrial Estate, Churchill Road, Leckhampton, Cheltenham, GL53 7EG. Alternatively, enter via email by sending the same information to competitions@thelocalanswer.co.uk stating ‘TLA Charity’ in the subject line. Closing date: Friday 31st May 2019. In addition to our usual competition rules, by entering you agree to have your name and photograph featured in our magazines and online should you win. Only one entry per household accepted. The winner will be chosen via a random number generator, but the more times an organisation’’ss name is submitted, the higher the chance it has of being drawn. The Local Answer reserves the right to discard any entries it believes do not meet the specified criteria.
Good luc luucckk!
Installers of top quality windows, doorrs and conse ervatories. For a free no obligation quotation call
01242 511384
Showroom – Units 40 & 41, Space Business Centrre, Tewkesbury Road, Cheltenham, GL51 9FL
SHERBORNES THE FIRM THA ATT SOL SOLICITORS LICITORS GO O TO FOR E EMPLOYMENTT LA AW W ADVIC ADVICE CE (MAKES S YOU THINK)
ww ww.sh herbor rborneslaw.co.uk 4 Royal Crescent, Cheltenham GLL50 3DA T: 01242 250039
CK Charlton Kings Parish Council
Parish Precept 2019/20 Your money – your priorities Your Council Ta Tax bill shows an increase in the parish precept for the coming year. When Charlton Kings parish was created in 1995, the precept was set by the Borough Council at a low level, and successive years have mostly seen only small increases to cover the costs of inflation. Nevertheless, the Parish Council chose to take on additional responsibilities, taking control of the Stanton Hall, building new public toilets, an office and a conference room. Nationally in 2018/19, the average precept levied by the 8,839 Parish Councils in England was £61.03. In Charlton Kings it was £17.00. This year, r, we need to ask the community for its financial support to cover the long-term costs of our most ambitious challenge yet - rebuilding the Kings Hall into a modern community facility. We have prepared our long-term plans and budgets to fund this scheme and most of the £4.69 increase in our precept iss to fund this project, together with bringing the e Grange Field back under local control so that more m and better events can be organised. Full details of our budget are on our website. EXPENDITURE 2019-20 57%: Running the council 23%: King’s Hall & Grange Field 4%: Stanton Suite & Public Toilets 9%: Grants, Loan Repayments & Election Provision 5%: Community Initiatives 2%: Allotments
10% off
BUYING, SELLING, AD DV VICE
Tel: 01242 649120 Te
WE NEED
PA PA AU U UL LM MO ONT O NTA N TA T AG AG GU U
•CAR HELPERS•
with this advert Mark Hawkes
“Bett “B Beetttter er Cal Caallll Paul Paauull!!”
WWW.CARHELPERS.CO.UK 01452 303850 | 07903 09774465
VOLUNTEERS • Can you spare just a few hours a m on t h t o support and offffer friendship t o p eo pl e w i t h l e ar n i n g disabilities?
SOCIAL EVENTS FRIENDSHIPS
• Full support, training and flexibility are given, allowing you to commit the hours you choose • We cover the whole of Gloucestershire and help with your expenses Registered charity number 1178538
01452 617346
admin@buildingcirclesglos.org.uk
Vinyl Reco orrds Most LPs, EPs & singles from the 1960 0s/70s/80s/90s considered. Especially large or small collections of Heavy Rock, Psych & Prog Rock, Punkk & 90s Britpop.
e-mail: vinyl@willowpitch.co.uk 01242 702947 or 07785 515987
Mondays in the Stanton Hall H Planning: 1st and 15t 5th at 7.30pm Community Development: 8th at 7pm Full Council: 29th at 7pm Clerk – Joanna Noles (01242 250087) Clerk@charltonkingsparishcouncil.gov.uk www.charltonkingsparishcouncil.gov.uuk
PAGE
Digital Aerial Installations Upgrades and Repairs
WE SELL Y YO OUR CAR
LOCAL BUYER PAYS CASH FOR YOUR UNWA WANTED RE ECORDS
Dates of April public meetings m
@CkParish
1s t C h o i c e
Aerial & Satellites
Charlton Kings Parish Council
Keep up to date on social media! @thelocalanswer
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Motoring with Toby Aiken
A big tick for pe erformance and aesthetics ti The Jaguar XE is a good looking car. Let’s get that straight right from the off. I have serious envy about this car and giving it back was only made easier by the fact that it was being swapped for a Jaguar E-Pace… but more about that in a future review. This is Jaguar’s smaller offering – a low slung sports saloon. It’s sleeker than the XF, slightly smaller but perfectly formed with great lines, and while I usually prefer any colour other than white, this test car looked great from every angle, even in that colour.
Extra bodykit and a few style elements Being the R-Sport model, there’s some extra bodykit and a few style elements around the grill and tread plates. There’s still plenty of space in the back, and headroom is not a problem like it can be in some sports saloons. The boot is still big – not as cavernous as the XF, but the rear end is so much better looking that it’s perfectly forgivable! That’s not to say it’s a small boot. The shape is slightly awkward, but you’d fit a few suitcases in it without too much trouble and the footwell space in the back provides some extra stowage if needed. But ultimately ultimately, y, given this is a Jaguar, Jaguarr, the real test is whether it looks good and whether it moves well. This one comes out well in both tests. The performance isn’t blisteringly fast, but it moves well and is very well balanced, so cornering is a joy. In dynamic mode with the drivetrain in sport, it pulls well and puts a THE LOCAL ANSWER
smile on your face. I’d possibly drop half a mark off for the automatic gearbox, w which is generally good, but on a few rare occasions I don’t think the change was as smooth ass I would have wanted. Given the e choice, I’d opt for the manual option anyway Regardless off this, anyway. this it get’s a big tick for performance.
Amazing from all angles a As for aesthetics, this is an amazing looking car from f all angles outside, and wh hen you get in, it gets even bettter. The contours on the driver’s door sweep in front of you an nd all the way round to the othe er door. There’s some lovely chrome touches around too, an nd some great gloss black effect panels. The quality of a few w areas seems a little lower th han you might hope for, r, but giiven the comfortable seats, greatt driving position, and fantasticc touchscreen interface for the e satnav and stereo, it’s not re eally an issue. And speaking ab bout that stereo, it’s amazing. Gran nted, the unit in my test car wass a £530
upgrade, but if you’re spending around £40k on a saloon, I’d be tempted to go for this.
A big price tag Let’s just take a moment to reflect on that. The price tag for this car was almost £45,000 – and that’s a lot. If I were to pit it against i t a rival i l from f a German G manufacturer, r, it’d probably be the Audi A5 Quattro, which is a similar style of car, r, with a similar power output and spec. Both come with four wheel drive and if you pick the S-Line, you’re looking at a similar amount of kit and comparable spec. Cards on the table, I love the Audi A5. There’s something about it that has always appealed. But given the choice between the two, what would I choose? Both are great looking cars, with good performance and family-friendly functionality built in, despite being an executive-targeted car. In reality, y, there’s no contest. I’d make the same choice time and time again. It’s the Jag. Just maybe not in white. And with a manual gearbox.
TO ADVERTISE CALL
PAGE
Homes & Gardens FOR ALL YOUR PROPERTY NEEDS Our range g of service es include:
GENUINE
2an0y o% OFF rders during April 2019
T&Cs apply
• New roofs & repairs • Lead work • Tiles • Slates • Felt & battening • Repointing • Ridge tiles & chimney repairs • Flat roofs • EPDM rubber • Roof coatings • Dry verge systems • Gutter repairs & cleaning • External painting • Moss removal & fungicidal treatments • uPVC fascias & soffits ALL WORK FULLY GUARANTEED FULLY INSURED
47 Worcester Street, Gloucester GL1 3AW For or a FREE QUOTAT TIION ple please ase ca call: 07786 058696 or 01242 809264 (Please dial area code when calling)
• Driveways • Patios • Resin Bonding • Artificial Grass • F en c i n g • Landscaping • Turfing • Garden Walls
FR E EE E Quotations, Advice, Samples & Brochures
5 Ye Year Guarantee with all works Many local references available
Prou ud members of
berudman@yahoo.co.uk
07843 277723 ~ 01242 255043 Covering Cheltenham & Gloucester
CPPA G PAV AV A VING
LA L ANDSCAPING DRIVEW WA AY A YS PA PA AT TIOS
&
Block Pav aving • Ta Tarmac • Grav avel Drainage • Kerbs • Steps • Pat aths Turfing • Fencing & Decking Tu
NEW Resin Bound Drivewaayys
r 99le ca £r7singrive fo d T& Cs ap ply
PAGE
5 YEAR
FREE quota tati tions
01242 801706 01452 341699
GUARANTEE
WITH ALL WORKS
Fully insured
ccandgpavinguk@gmail.com
w ww w ww w w..ccg gg---p p pa aav avi viin n ng gg...ccco o o...u u uk k WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
ROOFING & DRIVEWA AYY SPECIALIST NEW ROOFS & REPAIRS
FLAT ROOFS • CHIMNEY WORK • TILES & SLATES FASCIAS • GUTTERING • SOFFITS • UPVC
A QUALITY SERVICE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM S pr i n g S a l e
10% OFF TARMAC
BLOCK PAVING
REGULATED & INSURANCE APPROVED
TAT ATIONS GLOS BUILD 0FR1E2E4Q2UO5TA 00918 Professional & Reliable LTD
General Builders OVER 40 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE! THE LOCAL ANSWER
ALL MA AJJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED
info@glosbuild.co.uk www w.glosbuild.co.uk w. Court Farm, Tewkesbury Road, Twigworth, Glos. GL2 9PX
TO ADVERTISE CALL
PAGE
Free Roof Inspection New Roofs Roof restoration, Leak Detection Pointing & Lead Work All aspects of Flat roofing Tiling, Slating & Cladding Facias, Soffits & Guttering
D a v i s is DRIVEWA AYS Resin Driveways • Block Paving • Garden Walls • Tarmac Paths & Patios
We’ll be ‘like fo quota
Fully Insured ~ All work guarant For a FREE ESTIMATE please call:
01242 807525 (aPrleeaasceoddeia) l 07895 503039 or email: Davisdrivewaysinfo@gmail.com
S.J. Lewis & Sons Ltd Complete Roof Specialist
CALL NOW FOR A FREE QUOTE
0 1 24 2 6 4 92 8 6 | 0 1 4 3 2 2 9 8 2 8 7 0 7 58 4 66 9 3 0 1 www.sjlewisandsonsltd.co.uk
Renovation Work & Extensions Permitted Developments (Small extensions – no planning consent required)
Structural Walls Removed
QUALIT TY Y WORKMANSHIP A AT T SENSIBLE PRICES
www.craf tsmenbuilders.co.uk • mencraf ts@ymail.com
07716 007326 • 01242 516769
’
20% offff
with this advert during April
PAGE
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Leckhampton
J.T.G
Plastering Services All plastering works undertaken ● Lime plastering ● Dry lining ● Rendering ● Skimming ● Artex removal ● Plasterboarding ● Domes!c and commercial Fully insured, reliable and !dy Call now for a no obliga!on quote
01242 572837 07810 092133
che.meyrick@live.co.uk www.leckhamptonplasteringservices.co.uk
Building Services & Property Maintenance Public Liability insured
Key Safes (supply & fit) Chimneys, Drainage Re-pointing Structural Openings Plastering Brickwork, Patios Extensions etc Contact John Gurney 07799 246692 07775 876443 01242 693111
CARE Construction A family business delivering a professional and friendly service across Gloucestershire
• EXTENSIONS • RENOVATIONS • STONEWORK • BARN CONVERSIONS • PROPERTY MAINTENANCE • SPECIALIST RE-POINTING • LANDSCAPING Please email or call: info@careconstruction.online
01452 649 754 • 07794 540 071 • 07834 728 778
www.careconstruction.online
JHD
ROOFING & BUILDING • Roofing Repairs & Full Replacement • Slate & Tiled Roofs • Lead Work • Skylights • UPVC Fascias & Soffits • Gutter Replacement & Cleaning • Roof Cleaning
U p to
• Chimney Repairs, Removals & Rebuild • Dry Verge Cops • Dry Ridge Copping • Fully Insured • All Work Guaranteed • Professional & Reliable • Free Quotes
30% o f f
all ranges of flat roof systems, UPVC fascias, soffits & guttering
Fully Insured ~ All work guaranteed We’ll beat any ‘like for like’ quotation! For a FREE ESTIMA AT TE please call:
01242 802542 (aPrleeaasceoddeia) l 07879 370178 or email: jhdroofingandbuilding@gmail.com
& Sons Ltd
Paving & Tarmac Specialists Block Paving • TTaarmac • Landscaping Fencing • Patios • Driveways Garden Walls
ALSO
All our work is Guaranteed for 5 years! Guaranteed to beat any genuine quote
esin Driveways, Patios & Paths
Maintenance • Choice of Colours • Durable & Long Lasting • Weed Free • Porous for Drainage
• Reduces Puddles • Firm, attractive Surface • Can be applied over Existing Surface • Cost Effective
Rectory Fields, Rudford, Gloucestershire GL2 8DT
Teel: 01452 668005 / 01453 297010 / 01285 238089 T
www.marshallsdriveways.co.uk
Company registration: 11415390
THE LOCAL ANSWER
TO ADVERTISE CALL
PAGE
RS TD Rain Ra in Wa Wate terr Sy Syysstem ems
lists in d alll
Roof Repairs, Roof Repairs, Chimneys Chimneys, s, Slates Slates and and Tiles Tile s RS Cladding Ltd offer home owners qualitty uPVC fascias, soffits, guttering, dow wnpipes and cladding in a choice of colours c (white, rosewood, oak or blaack). They’re virtually mainte tenance ce -free and will neve ver ne need to be reeppaaiin intteed. Allll our products are guara guuaarraanntteee eeedd foorr 1100 year yeeaarrss for peace of mind.
RUBBER FLAT ROOFING
Whateveer th he weeather her, ClassicBon lassicBond EPD EPDM rooo oofin ofiin ng g membrane memb me em mb brraan ane neess pr prootteect you yoou ourr pr proop opeerrtty opert ty
When you need a sustainable, long lasting rooftop, look no further than the single-ply membrane with half a century track recoord of performance and durability
C Call now fo for a FREE F Quote F FREEPHONE: 080 00 747 1283 www. w.rscladdingandroofing.co.uk
email: rs.cladding.roofing@live.co.uk - 105/107 Bath Road, Cheltenham, Glos. GL53 7LE RS CLADDING L LT TD ARE PROUD SPONSORS OF GLOUCESTER RUGBY
R
R
S
R Richards & Son Ltd FA F AMIL LY Y BUSINESS
OO FA SC BO OA PE ST TS RO OFING & F AS CIA B O ARD SP ECIALIS T S Servviing Gloucestershire and beyyo on d ◆ New Roofs ◆ New Builds ◆ Slate, Chimney and Tile R Re epair ◆ New V Va alleys ◆ Felt and Battening ◆ Lead W Wo ork ◆ Leak R Re epairs ◆ Rubber R Ro oofing ◆ Fibreglass Roofing ◆ Felt R Ro oofing
Fascias & Soffits and Gu utttering – Carpor rtts Replacement Fascias in a range of colours
15 YYe earss’’ Guarannttte ee
FREE WRITTEN QUOT TA ATIONS - NO OBLIGA AT TION LOCAL REFERENCES SUPPLIED Insurance Backed Guarantee
01242 300028 / 01432 870957 / 07917 166516 PAGE
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
ELITE LOFT FT LADDERS
STEVEN
Safe and easy access
LLO OFT LADDERS SUPPLIED & INSTTA ALLED LOFT HA LO ATTCHES ENLLA ARGED
01452 526040 07972 777876
mark@eliteloftladders.co.uk www.eliteloftladders.co.uk
C
H
E
L
T
All aspects of internal/ external plastering Specialist Work Building Services
Domestic stic and and Industria Industrial Skips Skips
All work is Carried out to the highest standards Performed by trained professionals Covered by public liability insurance No job too small For a FREE quote Call 01242 693243 / 07798 585396 E: info@swsplastering.co.uk www.swsplastering.co.uk
E
N
H
A
M
Renovation, Refurbishment, Extension and Garage Conversion Specialists Andy Durrant 07786 602 2 992 Rich Durrant 07854 057 7 358
Shurdington Landscaping Centre, Wh hitelands Lane, Little Shurdington, Cheltenham GL51 G 4TX
E: propertycreations7@gm mail.com W: www.property-creation www property-creation ns com ns.com
OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENC
ATTENTIO ON!
Let us lighten you ur load! Stevens Recycling
Ham Villa Road, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham GL52 6NB
01242 522647/529397
stevensrecycling584@gmail.com
SPEC IAL O FF on En ER CLEARA d of Line NCE UP TO 35 STOCK
DISCO % UNT *T&
Cs Ap ply
*
RESIN IVEWA AY YS & PA AT TIOS
Weed Free, No Maintenance, Porous Surrfface
ve yourself the cost of digging up your old drive and apply to your existing surface COST EFFECTIVE SO L U T I O N
LANDSCAPING • PA PATHS • PA PATIOS • DROP KERBS • GARDEN WA WALLS • FENC CING DRIVEWA WAYS • RESIN BOU UND DRIVEWA WAYS • HOT TA TAR SPRAY AY & CHIPPING GS SURFACE DRESSING • CAR RPARK REPAIRS RS, CLEANING & SEALING SERVIC CES DO OMESTIC & COMMERCIAL
FANT TA ASTIC OFFERS View our gallery at ww ww w.pave-drive.co.uk FA
0 14 5 2 7 5 7 83 6 • 0 78 6 7 9 1 03 7 7
ON FENCING AND ARTIFICIAL LA AW WNS
5 YEAR GUARANTEES, FREE NO OBLIGA AT TION WRITTEN QUOTA AT TIONS, FULL LY Y INSURED
THE LOCAL ANSWER
TO ADVERTISE CALL
PAGE
John Wil Wilson PROPERT RTY MAINTENANC CE
THINKING OF EXTENDING YOUR PROPERTY?
p Design • Planning Application Drawing Service
No Job To Too Small ~ Free Esti E timates
Exxperienced plumber, Bathroom/Shower room/ Cloakroom fi fitter fo for all budgets fr from m supply and fi fit to just fi fitting clients’ own products. Tiling ~ Wallboards ~ Carpentry ~ Plastering Ti Painting & Decoratingg.
Very Competitive Rates a for fo Bathroom & Kitchen n fi fitting g
www ww. w.kitchensandbathroomscheltenham.co.uk For a e n rien y ervice, Call John
07900 554406 01242 256733
ES Design Service Ltd
07908 402058 or 01242 226405
M MOO ORR E B U IILD LD I N G SSEE RRV VIC ES CES ● ●
Wilsonj2@blueyonder.co.uk
●
29 Pembroke Road Hatherley Cheltenham
● ● ● ●
Frreee estimates
●
Reg en c y & p er i o d rreen ova t i on Ren d er in g & p l a ster in g B a t hro om & k i tc h en in stall a t i on Fl o or & wall t ilin g Br i c k /bl o c k wor k & p oint in g E xten s i on s & al tera ra t i on s Inter i or & exter i or d ecorra ation
Fully insurreed
●
Reffeerreences a vvaailaabble
Tel. 0124422 55220 1 89 M ob. 0 Te 0777744 8 51 5 735
specialising in alll asp spects of roo ofi fing and build ding
PAGE
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Julia Smith Gardenin Ju ngg From as little as ££3350 Fr
SBQS ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES
Telephone 0779929 58777551 Te
juliasmith--ggardenin ngg@blueyonderr..co.uk
THE
LOCAL
H A N DY M A N
GENERAL BUILDER/CARPENTER
No job too small –
Free design & quotation
•New Felt Flat Roofs/ Repai rs • Roof Survey/Inspection • Gutters Cl eaned/Repaired & Renewed • Roof Ridge Tile Repairs • Fencing & Decking Replaced & Repaired • Flat Pack Assembly • All Garden Mai ntenance • Chimney Pointing & Repair • All Plumbing & Electrics with Pai nting & Decorating • Kitchens & Bathrooms Supplied & Fitted
Tel Paul: 01242 262349 0790 9964 998 Prestbury Lodge, Prestbury, Cheltenham, GL52 5JE localh andymangl5@yahoo.co.uk
✓
di
tired Architectural urveyor offers the ollowing services: ✓ Planning Permission Applications ✓ Building Regulations Applications ✓ Tender Documentation for Building Work
✓ Sp s in wor for Elderly/ Infirm/ Disabled
07770 512340
simonmabutler@gmail.com
PEST PROBLEMS? Call Gooch Pest Control
Whether it’s mice, rats or any other pest, our PEST SPECIALISTS can help!
CAN YOU H E AR SCRAATTCHING? It may be worse than you think, so ffoor peace of mind GIVE US A CALL
From tracking the pest and dealing with the problem to disposing of the bodies and any waste lefftt behind, we’ve got you covered! Use coupon code “LocalPest02”
Cal l 01242 528 564
10% discount
for of f your first ser vice
Email: services@goochgroup.co.uk
THE LOCAL ANSWER
TO ADVERTISE CALL
PAGE
Quick Crossword ACROSS S DOWN 1 Desert wanderer 1 Rock face 7 Scandal recesses 8 Cape e 2 A great distance 10 Logiccally 3 New Zealand bird 12 Bluffing 4 Acute pain 5 Bolted (of gate) 14 Unit of land 6 Rewrite on 16 Grasssed section keyboard 17 Canin nes 9 Buddhist fate 20 Unwillingness 11 Careless 23 Inuit canoe pedestrian 24 Provo oking 25 Group of musical 13 Opposite of aye 15 Protruded, ... out notess 16 Te Tempting 18 Chopped wildly 19 Rough-skinned 21 Female relative 22 Apiece
www w.thelocalanswerr..co.uk mo ore articcles mo ore variety more e mobile b e bil bile
© Lovatts Puzzles
Don’’tt look until you’ve finished! Solutions on ‘Index of Advertisers’ page.
GRASS
SCAPE
SPECIALISTS IN
&
15% OFF all work booked in April 2019
BLOCK PAVING • TARMAC • GRAVEL • ARTIFICIAL GRASS
CHOSEN LA AW WNMOWER SERVICES
P..F P .F F.. G Gaarrd Gar d de een n SSe eerrrvi rvviiccce eess General Garden & L andscaping Work
SERVICING & REPA PAIR
Fencin Patios ◆ Aggregates ◆ Decking ◆ Hedge/L awn Cutting ◆ Garden Clearance More services available P.F P. F..servviices@outlook.com ◆
of domestic lawnmowers
◆
Mower collection and delivery For a reliable, friendly service please speak to Graham on
07771 783528
or to leave a message call
07833 311688
01452 731967
Landscape C
✆ sales@grassscape.co.uk sales@grassscape.co.uk www.GrassScape.co.uk w ww.GrassScape.co.uk Manor Farm • Stoke Road • Cheltenham • GL52 7RY PAGE
H
E
L
T
E
N
H
A
M
Specialists in Paving and Turf T Laying, Driveways, Fencing and Timber Wo Work Andy Durrant 07786 602 2 992 E: andydurrant7@hotmail.com W: www.landscape-creation p ns.co.uk
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
LAWN MAN LA
& TREE FELLA Grass cutting and strimming. Trees/ Hedges pruned, trimmed, reduced r ove
R o b Co c k b u r n
Tree & Hedge Services • T a k e do w n , r e du c t i o n s , c r o w n l i f t i n g & t h i n n i n g , b r ac i n g FIREWOOD • Stump grinding • T r e e an d h e d g e p l an t i n g • Hedge laying, trimming an d r e d u c t i o n s A L OAD • S i t e c l e ar a n c e & e x c av at i o n s
£60
ALL TREE WORK OPERATIONS UNDERTAKEN
Riin ng James on
Fully NPTC Qualified and Insured
07830 646 544
m: 07787 578845 t: 01452 700388 e: rob.cockburn16@gmail.com
www.lawnmantreefella.co.uk
COTSWOLD C OTSWOLD
KEEN PL ANTSMAN with EXTENSIVE PL ANT KNOWLEDGE and over 20 years’ experience Planting · Weeding · Pruning Hedge Cutting · Garden Design Call Chris on 01452 535110 07944 237382 ch i r py g a r d e n e r @ o u t l o o k . c o m
Gloucestershire
TTREE REE SSERVICES ERVICES & GROUNDS MAINTENANCE Fulllyy insured – EESSTTA ABLISHED 1995
01242 529574 07595 880481
FOR ALL YOUR GARDEN NEEDS
Commercial & Domes!c Domes!c
info@justfencingglos.co.uk
find us on
or
Master Sheds
Established 1993
For all your tr trees, hedg dges & shrubs
01242 609147 / 07771 685370 Each structure is custom built to your own requirements – perhaps to fit a corner of the garden or a difficult location.
www.jamesontreesurgery.co.uk
0145 2 314011 07831 762644
www.mastersheds.co.uk Unit D, Sudmeadow Road, Hempsted, Gloucester GL2 5JA
Garden Sheds, Summerhouses, Home Offices, Garages, Workshops, Site Huts, Stables, Kennels, Aviaries, Pavilions or any large timber buildings! PAGE
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
In the Garden with Julia Smith
Spring garden n growth Who knows Wh k what h t April A il has h i in store weatherwise? We have had snow in April, hot, dry spells and constant rain, so anything is possible! This is a good time to plant ornamental grasses in freedraining sandy soil, but if your soil doesn’t sound like this you can add plenty of grit to clay soils to improve the drainage. Alternatively, create a raised bed with bricks or sleepers to aid drainage.
Cascading hummocks of vivid foliage Some grasses look great in pots like the Japanese Hakonachloa macra ‘Alboaurea’, which is an eye-catching small ornamental grass, forming cascading hummocks of vividly striped bright yellow and green foliage. The narrow leaves keep their colour throughout the season – although it loses its leaves in winter – and often when the plant is grow wn in full sun it develops a reddissh tinge. I prefer it grown in shade s to keep the yellowy-green colour. Now for ponds, it is a good time to reinstall any pum mps and filters that have been removed r
Picture: The Bressingham Gaardens
THE LOCAL ANSWER
over winter. Thin out oxygenating plants that are ‘taking over’. Divide and repot any marginal plants tha at have become pot bound and a top dress with grit. Don’t add any fertiliser to pond plantss, as this will make algae growth worse.
Encourage the grass to grow nice and green Begin feeding the law wn in April when growth starts again. Use a propriettary spring/summer lawn fe ertiliser in two applications. It should be high in nitrogen to encourag ge the grass to grow nice and green. g If you need to apply a weedkiller on the grasss, do it two or three weekks later when everything is growing strongly. Don’tt mow for two or Don three days after apply ying, and if you have mown don’t apply weedkiller for tw wo or three days. Also remem mber not to compost the clipping gs, which have been treated d with weedkiller. Personally,, I don’t mind seeing a lawn containing daisies and other flow wers, and
life is easier if you learn to love them!
Now is the time to grow sunflowers If you fancy growing sunflowers with your kids, now is a good time to sow w them. Plant them in a 9cm pot and provide a little bottom heat just to get them t to germinate. Ke eep them inside on a wiindowsill or greenhou use and tie up to a cane as they grow. They T can be put outside e as soon as the chance of frost has gone and d either planted in nto the garden or repotted into a 15cm pott. April iss also a good time to plant evergreens, both hedging and d specimen shrubs. P Plant into well-prepared soil w which has had organic matter and a handful of general purpose fertiliser added. Keep w watered, especially in dry spellls as we move into warmer weather.
TO ADVERTISE CALL
PAGE
TREVOR
ROGERS
Promote your business in
All aspects of Tree and Garden work undertaken Hedges – reductions/trimming/removals Trrees – pruning/felling T Garden clearances – Waste removal W d hi S i FENCING • PATIOS • TURFING • JET-WASHING
43,000
magazines CALL NOW!
01242 510500 JJO M IE OE E & JA AMI E
We are also registered waste carriers – Fully insured
01242 851 941 01452 404 626
INTERIOR / EXTERIOR FREE ESTIMATES PAPER HANGING COVING & PLASTERING SPECIAL RATES FOR OAPs
01242 237517 07787 332888
PPrroffeess essiiona onall,, ffuullly equ quuiippe ppedd and iinns nssur ured
~ Established 25 years! ~
LLAN AND APEE G ARD D DSSCCAP GAR DEEN NEER RSS All garden work undertaken and guaranteed!
Fencing, Patios, Block Paved Drives & Gravel Surfaces Tree & Hedge Pruning, Trimming, Felling 10% OFF Turf supplied and laid ~ Lawns removed for OAPs Retaining Walls Built/Repaired
~ Establil shed 1993 ~
MAINTENANCE • LAWNS PRUNING • HEDGE CUTTING DRIVEWAY/PATIO CLEANING PLANTING & HORTICULTURE TIDY-UPS • TREE WORK
No job too small or too large ~ All waste removed For a FREE ‘no obligation’ estimate, call Joe or Jamie on
PAINTER & DECORATOR
Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter
01452 500942 or 077724 159342
T: 01242 252637
M: 07986 296680
GMD
Garden Maintenance & Design FULL LY Y
We guarantee We specialise in: Complete Garden Makeover to beat any UP TO Designs • Lawn Maintenance genuine Landscaping • Block Paving quote! Patios & Patio Areas OFF Resin Bonded and Bound Driveways THIS Patio & Driveway Cleaning Service APRIL Planting (w (wee allsso suppllyy annyy planttss needdeedd)) T&Cs Apply All Aspects of Garden Maintenance… At GMD we cover all garden maintenance, garden design and landscaping. We are a local company that takes pride in what we do, and only use the highest quality materials.
INSURED
40%
We guarantee to work on time and tto We o bud dg gett,, and all of our team are highllyy exxp perienced. Follow us on Social Media to see what our clients think and check out our work. For a no obligation FREE quote or if you have any questions about our service, please call: t: 01242 801 680 m: 07432 557 931 gmdgardenmaintenancedesign@gmail.com PAGE
• Fencing Services • Landscaping • Patios • aths • Decking • Turfing • Grounds & Property Maintenance 30 YYeears Experience
07703 358729
All Enquiries Welcome
• Tree W Woork • Garden Design • Garden Maintenance • Turffiing • Lawn Cutting • Hedge Trimming • Pond W Woork • Patios • Decking • Pergolas • Fencing • Sheds • Driveways Diip ploma in Horticulture ~ Established 1993
Free Quotes ~ Competitive Rates
01242 713800 / 07778 340485
www.markclifffo ord-landscapes.co.uk
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Wildliffe e Matters with Maxine Raggatt
The humble honey bee You may be b surprised i d to t learn l that there are over 250 species of bee in the UK alone. Bumblebees, for example, have 24 different species. This month’s focus is the honey bee. They can usually be seen between March and October, flitting between flowers and collecting precious nectar. They live in beehives in hollow trees or rock cavities.
Queen bee
A single hive can have 20,00060,000 honey bees with only one queen. The queen bee is the biggest in the colony, measuring about 2cm. Her job Drones is to lay eggs; she can produce Male honey bees are e called up to 2,000 eggs per day. drones and they have no stinger The worker bee so cannot cause harm m. They w weeks Worker bees are female. Their often live for only a few a then role is to produce honeycomb to mate with the queen and by secreting wax from their they will die. Just a few hundred abdomens. They must also go drones are produced in a colony p to the thoussands of out and forage, g , keep p the nest compared clean, feed the larv vae and worker bees. At summer’s end, es are the protect the nest from prredators. the few surviving drone first to be kicked outt of the colony so they cannot consume c the winter stores.
How is honey mad de?
Worker bees will fly within five miles of their hive to o collect pollen and nectar. Th hey will consume what they ne eed first for nourishment and then continue to gather morre, which will be stored in theirr second stomach. When the bee e returns to the hive, a young wo orker bee will suck the nectar ou ut of the foraging bee’s second sstomach. The nectar will then be chewed for about 30 minutes to add enzymes, which will form a syrup. This syrup will then be deposited into a hon neycomb THE LOCAL ANSWER
segment. By flappin ng their wings, the water in th he syrup will evaporate to reach the right consistency. The honey y is then ready to be capped. This is when the worrker bees produce wax from m their abdomens to spread over o the honeycomb segment to store the honey while it awaits awa aits later consumption during the winter months.
Help save the honey bee
There are a few simple things you can do to help bees thrive. You can start by mowing the grass less often and not using pesticides. Planting a beautiful wildflower garden is also hugely beneficial, as such a diverse range of flowers are produced, all with various benefits. Herbs, flowers, trees, shrubs, fruit and vegetables are all beneficial to many species of bee, which is imperative for their survival. Bees also need water. If you don't have a birdbath, you can place a small tub of water among the flowers or out on a table to help the hard at work species.
TO ADVERTISE CALL
PAGE
FEMALE DECORATOR
All internal and external painting ffoor domestic and commercial p r em i s es i n c l u d i n g p r i va t e houses, period residences and schools
Walllp Wa pa ap pering and coverings u n d e r ta k e n S pr ay pai n t i n g avai l abl e All Handyman services now undertaken ~ Established over 30 years ~
FOR A FREE QUOT TA ATION AT contact Stephen on
PAINTING & PA D EC O R RA AT A TING BRIIA AN MITTEN
For all your painting and decorating needs, including f loor and wall tiling, contact Brian ...
07891 194005
07951 397210 01242 462480
michellepowell81@hotmail.com
20 YEARS’ EX XP PERIENCE
brianmitten64@gmail.com
FLAIRLINE DECORATING SERVICES
01242 698787 or 07789 172232 sffllood@fflloods-decorators.co.uk
www.floods-decorators.co.uk
OVER 20 YEEAARS’ TRADE EX XPPERIENCE PROVIDING RESIDENTIIAAL PPAAINTING AND DECORRAATING SERVICES IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE Interior and exxtterior decoraatting Now All wallpapering underrttaken offfe ering ◆ Quality workmanship and customer m ultitud a saattisffaaction guaranteed HANDY e of MA ◆ Paint spraying available JOBS N ◆
◆
Fully insured and offfeering competiittive rates Fu
G.S.C ltd
Decorators
inffo o@gsc-decoraattors.co.uk
07818 453708
01242 221843
2W Weentworth Close, Cheltenham GL51 0NT
ww www ww w..gsc-decorators.co.uk
PAGE
T: 01242 693051 M: 0778 86 480005 E: info@tcd-decoratorss.co.uk www.tcd-decorators.c co.uk 45 Fairv rview Street, Cheltenham m, GL52 2JF
• Residential interior & exterior Now taking painting & decorating o n al l • Colour consultation HANDYMAN JOBS • New builds & extensions • Paper hanging • Spray painting • Period property restoration/renovation
Trustwort rthy fa family ly-ru run b business
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Bespoke curt rtains, blinds and cushions aatt affffordable prices. No job too big or small Check out my website or call me and let’s see what we can create together!
01242 236035 07803 066737
bev@curtainsincheltenham.co.uk curtainssiincchheltennhham.co.uk
BIG JOB Little Job Property Maintenance
• Painting • Decorating • Bathrooms • Kitchens
07900 923888
Reliable and Professional Handyman Services
For Y Yo our Reassurance & Peace of Mind
Trust and rely on our proffeessionally trained Tr ex-forces personnel ffoor: BA AT THROOM REFITS • PLUMBING • TILING GARDEN MAINTENANCE • DECORA AT TING FENCING • DECKING • ELECTRICS
Please contact Lee on 07763 374173 or leerobinson@handyheroforhire.com www.handyheroforhire.com
main dealer
Cur tains
Blinds
Shutters
For showroom appointments or home visits
Te T elephone 01242 526 189 or go to: www.newblindscheltenham.co.uk where you can find the contact form to fill in
FREE EASY P PA ARKING
PAGE
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Interior Design with Gill Greenwell
Spring refresh It’s Spring at last; the snowdrops have gone, the daffodils are out and the tulips are blooming in all their glorious colours. After the dull and cold winter months, the sun starts to stream in through our windows – a perfect time to think about refreshing and updating our homes. Here are some ideas to help you get started.
Colours that say ‘now’ The simplest and most costeffective way of redecorating is to use paint. There is so much choice of paint colours available now – and you don’t have to stick to grey. The current trend is for warmer, r, softer tints – think blush pink or soft coral. There’s even talk of beige coming back – you heard it here first! If you fancy trying one of the new stronger hues like teal or forest green you can always use it on a feature wall. Farrow and Ball is still the goto place for inspiration, or you can have your fa avourite
THE LOCAL ANSWER
colours made up forr you at your local DIY store.
A trend for prints A quick and easy way to brighten up yourr interiors is with new w cushions and throws. Swap wool and faux fur for cotton and linen fabrics in one of the gorgeous new floral orr botanical prints (greatt f outdoor for td f furniture it too). to ) Add a throw in a soft colour for those cooler evenings.. You could also recove Yo er a tired old chair with a brig ght new fabric which always works. w If you are replacing g your curtains, try something g lighter in a paler shade – think soft voile or textured line en, and partner with shutters or o blinds for extra privacy. Yo ou’ll be amazed how much ligh hter and brighter g your room loo y oks.
The new naturals Natural materials are a great spring/summer option for rugs and furniture, and are ccurrently
TO ADVERTISE CALL
very much h on trend d – good d for f the environment too. Try swapping heavy wool rugs for seagrass or coir. If you are considering upgrading your furniture, think bamboo and rattan for a more relaxed feel. I was in Australia at the beginning of the year and I noticed lots of beautiful low woven rattan chairs, often styled with neutral or tropical print fabrics and big green plants. I felt I just wanted to sink into them with my favourite cocktail.
An extra stylish touch It’s always good to add that special personal touch to your home. I particularly love coloured glass and textured ceramics. Look out for unusual colours or shapes for glasses and vases to add a dash of style to your scheme. Smaller interiors shops are a good hunting grou ground und for these. I found a beauttiful pale aqua ribbed vase in a local Nordic interiors shop and I fill it with masses of pink tulips. It lifts my spirits every y time I walk into my sitting ro oom. Now all you need to t do is pick up your paintbrush and have fun restyling you ur home. PAGE
YOUR ELECTRIC COOKER YO OR OVEN NOT WORKING? ES ES ST T 2004 l cal
AW
Fire ir re ep plla a
Te ell: 07955 295360
0779
For morre Fo e iin nffoorrm matiioon plle ea asse viissit tth he w we eb bssiitte @
www ww w..fixfiix x--m my--o ov ve en.c co o.uk
DIRTY COOKER OR OVEN? Tel: 01242 227067 Te
www ww w..ove en nbu us stte errs rs-c s--c s ch c helte ltte enha en ham m.c co o.uk
A complete service – the design, manufacture and installa!on of a large range of quality fireplaces Free Surveys
Made to Measure
Woodburning stoves, marble/limestone fireplaces, gas/electric fires, oak surrounds and oak beams.
07799 830689
awdfireplaces.co.uk mail@awdfireplaces.co.uk Unit J, The Bramery Business Park, Alstone Lane, Cheltenham GL51 8HE
Dobson Dobson F lo o r i n g Flooring Family run business since 1963 Impeccable Standard Conscientious & Reliable Guaranteed to Beat any Quote!
We a K are approvarndean ed reta iillleer
VISIT V IS I T O OUR UR S SHOWROOM H O WR O O M
Unit 2, Leckhampton Industrial Estate Mead Road, Leckhampton, Cheltenham GL53 7DT OPEN Mon-Tue By Appointment Wed-Fri 8am-5pm Sat 9am-12pm
ER M ONLY £6P M O R F S E C I R P
2
PAGE
01242 51217 75 5 / 0777 77 77 74 4 67 75 5067 dobsonpaul@btinternet.com
www.dobsonflooring.co.uk w w w. w d obs on f lo or i ng. c o. uk
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Gadgets & Gizmos with Laura Nicklin
The sky’s the limit! IIs it a bird? bi d? Is I it a plane? l ? Is I it a drone causing chaos at Gatwick Airport? Well, whilst it’s hopefully not the latter, there are still some fun flightthemed gizmos you can enjoy. From the realms of outer space, to the fantastical flying beasts of myth, these winged gadgets can help you to find your inner Buzz Lightyear and go to infinity and beyond!
Toothless & Lightfury g y Soft Toys From the much-loved ‘How to Train Yo Your Dragon’ franchise, come the adorable Toothless and Lightfury, in much smaller, more plush form, compared to their movie counterparts. These ‘Squeeze & Growl’ dragons make for adorable fire-breathing beasts; just squeeze their tummies to unleash a fierce growl. For kids wanting to te test est their dragon-training skillss, these 10-inch-tall dragons make m for the perfect pal. With h AG13 batteries included, and d priced at just £19.99 each, let your kids take to the skies.
Argos
Spider Drone This gadget is sure to get g your spidey senses tinglin ng, as it looks and sounds like something straight out o of a Marvel movie. Well perhaps p that’s because this drone d is based on one of Tony y Stark’s many tech wonders from Spider-Man: Homecoming; it even includes a voice sample from Karen, Karen the AI from Peter Parker’s spider suit. This drone is great for beginners, as it includ des auto and manual flight modes, as well as autom matic launch and land ding features, and adjusta able flight sensitivity. It also has Sky Viper firmw ware, meaning you can enha ance its agility. At £49.99 9, it doesn’t matter if you’re a kid or an adult, y you can still feel like an Av Aven nger with this super tech.
our larger universe. Th his 85cm diameter system is designed to give an up-close presentation of the eight plan nets; just hang from the ceiling, and let the gadget rotate. The solar system, which w is remote-controlled, can also multi-task as a nig ght-light, with its glowing sun orb! At £25 99 this is a fun, stylish £25.99, and educational gift idea to get kids more intereste ed in the solar system.
Remote-Controlled Solar System
Menkind.co.uk THE LOCAL ANSWER
This cool gizmo willl let you travel to the depth hs of the solar system, and provide some insight into TO ADVERTISE CALL
John Lewis PAGE
THE LOCAL ANSWER
TO ADVERTISE CALL
PAGE
DIRT TY Y OVEN?
S hut t er s
main dealer
Call James from Cheltenham on 07727 208275 PUT THE SP PA ARKLE BACK INTO YOUR O OV VEN!
ww www ww.ovenclean.com
OVENS, AGAS, RANGES, HOBS & EXTRACTORS
For showroom appointments or home visits
Te T elephone 01242 526 189
or go to: www.newblindscheltenham.co.uk where you can find the contact form to fill in FREE EASY P PA ARKING
Specialist Cleaning Services
Call 01242 279590 or 07754 417650 www.cheltenhamregencycleaners.co.uk
ATTHERLEY WORKTOPS LLTTD HW HA Yo Y our Local W Wo orktop and Kitchen Specialists eltenham based Quartz & Granite Factory with Showroom
EE FR K* SINFERNS ORMFS & COLNYDIITTIOIO *TE
APP
■ ■ ■ ■
■ ■ ■
Quartz & Granite Laminate Solid Wood Minerva®, Mirostone®, Mistral®, Corian® & Staron® surfaces Worktop refits Door replacements Full kitchens
Tel: 01242 523398 / 01452 290458 / email: info@hatherleyyw Te worktops.co.uk web: www.hatherleyyw worktops.co.uk Units 18, 19 & 20 Malmesbury Road, Kingsditch Trading Estate, Cheltenham GL51 9PL
Opening Hours: 8am-5pm Monday-Friday | 9am-1pm Saturdayyss PAGE
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Save the Planet with Grant Mitchell of Severn Trent
Keeping our drains and sewe ers running freely Do we all know what we should and shouldn’t be putting down our sinks, drains and toilets? It’s really important that members of the public are aware of what should and shouldn’t enter the water system, in order to reduce sewer blockages, stop our rivers and streams from being polluted and to help the environment.
Your community
Your local drains and sewers that deal with your waste after you’ve flushed your toilet, or emptied your sink, periodically suffer problems in the form of blockages. This is as a result of the wrong things being poured down the sink or flushed down the toilet. So, to prevent the problem from getting worse, there are a few things you can do.
Your help – spread the word Please can you make a special effort to remember to only ever flush pee, poo and toilet paper down the loo, and always
scrape pots, pans and plates into the bin before washing up? If you already do this, that’s great, thank you. Wet wipes, nappies, kitchen roll, face wipes, cotton buds and sanitary items should never go down the toilet. They should instead be put into a bin. And fats, oils and grease (FOG) should never b poured be d down d the h sink. i k When they cool down, they solidify and stick to the water w pipes. If people put the wrong things down their pipes, sewers get blocked, cau using raw sewage to flood into homes, gardens, roa ads and watercourses. Not only y is this really unpleasant, it can severely pollute rivers and stream ms.
The facts
Did you know that Seve ern Trent are called to resolve e 45,000 sewer blockages each year y and 70% of them are cau used by people putting the wron ng things down the sink or toilet?? And what’s more, this costs a whopping £10m to sort out. Yo You can see from the images in this article what happens when wet wipes and FOG collect in our pipes.
Fine to flush
Did you know that most wipes are not designed to be flushed down d the toilet? As they arre moist toilet tissue, only wipes with the ‘Fine to Flush’ logo on the packet can safely be flushed… but still only one or two t at a time please. Try to keep p an eye THE LOCAL ANSWER
TO ADVERTISE CALL
out for the logo and think twice before flushing any wip pes.
Collect your fat, oil o and grease Why not try using one of Severn Trent Trent’ss Gunkpo ots or an old container to trap any fat you might produce when n you’re cooking. Wait for the fat to cool, then pour it into the po ot, scrape it into the bin – and then reuse it. If you nee ed more information n about this, please visit the Severn Trent website for some useful tipss on how to prote ect our wonderful water network: www.stwate er.co.uk/ about-us/environ nment/ bag-it-and-bin-it/
Thank you
Finally, thank you for y your help in making sure we kkeep our drains and sewers running freely. PAGE
Fe m a l e Plumber
7 YEAR WA W ARR RA ANT TY Y
Kerr rry y Bak ke er
ON ALL
WORCESTER BOILER RS S From £1400+VVAAATT
Est. 1984
Heating, Plumbing & Renewables • Oil Boiler Ser vice & Installation wables • Reneew • Heating Systems • Bathrooms • Showers • Boiler Changes, Installations & Ser vice • Power Flushing
Mobile:
07880 258158
24kw Ideal Standard (British) Combi Boiler changed with 2 year warranty from £1100 plus VVAAATT
kerry@thefemaleplumber.co.uk
Landlords’ Certifications
012 4 2 512 5 2 3 / 0 7 8 3 6 37 9 717 ww ww w.iangodwin.com 1 Vineyards TTrrading Estate, Gloucester Rd, Cheltenham GL51 8NJ 72524
rofessional qualified plumber Fully insured No job too small
Worcester trained and approved
EMERGENCY PLUMBER
Available 24/7 90-m minute Response Time Curre rrent Emerrgency Plumber of the Year
07900 923888
YOUR LOCAL HEATING AND PLUMBING SPECIALIST
• Boiler installation, service and repair • Unvented/pressurised cylinder installation • Bathroom design and installation • Full project management from conception to completion • Customer endorsements happily provided
☎ 07762 386851 01242 523376 ✉ greg@flametreeinstallations.co.uk
COTSWOLD
PLUMBERS ●
● HEATING ● PLUMBING GAS BOILER SPECIALISTS
CALL 01242 234 576 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Leaks Overflows Burst Pipes Showers Pumps Toilets Taps Waste Disposals Tanks Hot Water Problems Immersion Heaters Cylinders
✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Boiler Breakdowns Servicing Maintenance New Boiler Installs Radiators Pumps Programmers Cylinders Thermostats
WHY CHOOSE US? What would you say if someone told you that your central heating system could be transformed, with very little disruption to your home, using highly qualified engineers, with the best quality materials possible at a price you could afffford? A family run business, Cotswold Plumbers Limited has provided quality plumbing and heating services in Cheltenham and Gloucestershire since 2005. Our commitment to excellence is demonstrated through repeat custom and relationships that have been built around a first cl ass exp eri en ce.
GA AS S
Offfe fering our customers more...
www.cotswoldplumbers.co.uk PAGE
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
TM
REGISTER REGISTE REGIST REGIS REGI REG R EGISTER
Accrre edited Installer
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Specialists in bathroom safe fety t and design We can help you with any bathroom makeover, large or smalll, but have particular expertise when designing roomss for customers with mobility issues.
• Wet rooms • Shower rooms • Bathrooms • Cloakrooms • Tiles • Wall boards
B ef o r e
ce e bathroom industry, and only offering well known brands, we can help you to achieve the bathroom you have always wanted. We work with friendly, polite
Save 20%
After bathroom fitters w o are a le produce a high standard of finish We offer the full bathroom se and can supply ev rything y need to complete the job, in tiles, wa lboards and acc
VAT*
due to disability or a medical condition, we are able to supply your bathroom VAT free, s a v i n g y o u 2 0 % . P l e as e a s k f o r de t ai l s .
07496 057281 057281 or 01453 01453 884167 884167 Con ntact Rex on 07496 for a free home visit to discuss your need ds
rex@lifestylebathrooms.n n et
www.lifestylebathrooms.net
Be ea acco on eLecTRIcaL LLTTD DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL ELECTRICAL INSTTA ALLATIONS RENOV VA ATTIONS & REPAIRS A ELECTRICAL SAFETY CHECK PORTTA ABLE APPLIANCE TESTING
CALL NICK 01242 700770 or 07917 785354 www.electricians-cheltenham.co.uk nick@electricians-cheltenham.co.uk
BM SERVICES Window, Door & Conservatory Repairs
A specialist repair service for windows, doors and conservatories with over 40 years’ experience. Misted glass • Locks • Hinges • Handles Seals • Conservatory Roof Cleaning For free quotes and a reliable, friendly service: A member member of of Call: 07963 217998 Email: barrieminett@mail.com Web: www.bm-services-glos.co.uk VER RY Y COMPETITIVE PRICES
NOT JUST ELECTRICS! Experienced Qualified Electrician General building maintenancee,, plumbing, decorraating.
Contact Des Foley:
07967 471084 des@itectric.co.uk
www.itectric.co.uk
Domestic & commercial electrical work:
• Home & Office • N e tw o rk i n g • E l e ct r i ca l
Friendly & experienced Cheltenham & surrounding area
TJ E
No job too big or small
Free quotationss,, Reliable, Friendly 30 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE COUNTY ELECTRICAL
References available CONTRACTOR FOR
Call Ben on 01242 251743 or 07770 790767
Call T Te errryy Evans 01242 516067 / 07900 897287
CR
COTSW O WOLD REWI EW RES
DOMESTIC ELECTR CTRICAL SPECIALIST
Cheltenham Plumbers
for all your plumbing and gas requirements From a leaking tap to a complete new bathroom Gas boiler servicing
Cost-effective FREE Quotations For professional service with a smile contact:
IAN: 07768 317151 or 01242 523189 ian@iangodwin.co.uk
www.cheltplumbers.com PAGE
• Full & Part Rewires • Fuseboards • Extra Sockets • Interior/Exterior Lighting • Fault Finding • Small Repairs/Maintena nance
We also supply and fit cook okers, hobs and fridges and remove y your old appliances ffrree of cha harg rge! Local references availa a able No call-out charge ~ Free ee Q Quotations FRIENDLLY Y • RELIABLE • PROFESSIONAL
Call Carl on 07970 97
91 19764 or 0124 42 2 7900 072
cotswoldrewires@hotm dr mail.co.uk
12 Holmer olme Crescent, Up Hatherley, Chelteenham GL51 3LR
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
We care We about the environment Precision Colour Printing Ltd (our printer) are proud to be a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certificate holder, and The Local Answer is proud to have this publication printed on paper compliant with FSC demands to support e n v i r o n m e n t a l l y a p p r o p r i a t e, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests.
Patio Awnings main dealers
A fully-recyclable product As well as the paper, the inks and varnishes used in producing The Local Answer are biodegradable. The process used by recycling companies to extract inks and coatings including UV varnishes from the paper render the paper suitable for pulping and recycling.
PAGE
For showroom appointments or home visits
Te T elephone 01242 526 189
or go to: www.awningscheltenham.co.uk where you can find the contact form to fill in FREE EASY P PA ARKING
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Sudoku
RED IDEAS
Fill the grids so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.
P A T R I C K D U N L E A V Y B E S P O K E C A R P E N T R Y
PERIOD & CONTEMPORARY BUILT T-IN BOOKCASES KITCHENS | BATHROOMS | BEDROOMS HOME OFFICE RADIATOR CABINETS | WARDROBES TV CABINETS | STORAGE
PATRICK DUNLEAVY The Workshops, 30 Knightsbridge Business Centre Coombe Hill, Cheltenham GL51 9TA T: 01242 571148 · M: 07973 268203 patrick@redideas.co.uk · www.redideas.co.uk
THREE PIECE JOINERY RY
Bespoke Joinery Staircases Windows Timber Mouldings Conservatories Doors & Gates Furniture Listed Buildings/Renovation
Joinery & Carpentry Solutions ffo or Trade and Domestic Clients Don’t look until you’ve finished!
Solutions on ‘Index of Advertisers’ page.
THE SOLUTION FOR YOUR NEW BATHROOM ... Your local family business
PAGE
Proffe essional ● Attention to detail ● A courteous service
Call the offfiice on 01242 821144 Simon T Te eague on 07787 102807 Simon Ra av ven on 07788 643859 or email inffo o@ @tthreepiece ejjoiner y y..com See our photo galler y at www.threepieceejjoiner yy..com
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
PAGE
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER
CROWN CLEARANCE H O U S E A N D R U B B IS H CLEARAN CE W H Y H IR E A S K IP ? WE LOAD AND DISPOSE 7 DA AY Y SERVICE SINGLE ITEMS SA AV VE £££’s ON SKIP HIRE FREE ESTIMATES CALL GORDON YOUNG ● ● ● ● ●
Tall Trreees, Moorreend Rd, Leckhamp Ta ptton www.crownclearance.co.uk
01242 572966 07710 761504
L IT T L E W H IT E VVA A N MA N
with Roger Downes of Andorran
Gloucestershire’s friendly, cost effffective r e m o va l s , co l l e ct i o n s an d d e l i ve r i e s se r v i c e!
Discounts for OAPs, students, NHS, emergency services
BI G V VA A NS A AV VA V A I L AB L E Great reviews on
07903 097465 01452 303850
hello@lit t lewhit evanman. co. uk
w w w. a n d o r r a n . c o . u k
chartered cha ered accountants accountants
ACCOUNTA TANCY & TA TAXAT ATION N SERVICES for new & existing busin nesses Telephone: 01242 24485 56 Email: accountancy@andorra an.co.uk 6 Manor Park Business Centre, Mack kenzie Wa Way, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL L51 9TX
Do you know the next Beth Tweddle or Benedict Cumberbatch? Mak kee sure they’re
ED W E I V R E T IN l Answer by The Loca
Why not let our online readers hear the full story about the rising star you know! Send your story to us today:
sport@thelocalanswer.co.uk entertainment@thelocalanswer.co.uk THE LOCAL ANSWER
Money Matters
Hello Making g Ta Tax Digital (MT TD) Whilst the majority of the coun ntry has been concentrating on Britain’s exit from the EU, HMRC has been quietly preparing us for the arrival of Making Ta Tax Digital (MTD D) for VA VAT. Well it’s here and time to say Hello MT TD. With a small number of ex xceptions, all b i businesses which hi h are VA VAT registered i t d and d whose h turnover is greater than the registration threshold of £85,000 will have to submit their returns digitally. This means direct from your accounting systems to HMRC’s computers, without going through the Government Gateway or any other portal. We have been working with clients for months now to prepare them for the arrival of MTD. If you run a business and are not aware of what is needed, you need to ‘get your skates on’.
Identify which HMRC-approved software you are going to use The first job is to identify which software you are going to use. There are several cloud accounting systems that are available and most will do the job adequately for a ‘basic’ business. Our experience, however, r, is that the providers have brought a simple product to market, but that as soon as you need something a little more sophisticated, they come up short. Work out what you need your accounting system to do for you, examine the options, talk to your advisers and take the plunge! It is possible to keep your records on spreadsheets and add bridging software that will submit your returns digita digitally. ally. But don don’tt assume you can simply use whattever software you want; to be acceptable to HM MRC, they have to approve it in advance. Change is coming very quickly and, if you’re affected, you need to be taking acction now.
TO ADVERTISE CALL
PAGE
Sport
with Roger Jackson
WA W ANT TO SHARE YOUR SPORTING STORY ON OUR WEBSITE? Please email full details to sport@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Chris Den nt upbeat ahe ead of new season Chris Dent has been on ne of the main men at Gloucesterrshire for a good number of years yea ars now even though he only celebrated his 28th birthday at the start of this year. He first played for the club at the back end of the 2009 season and these days he is very much Gloucestershire’s number one opening batsman, and is also preparing for his second season as captain of both the county championship and 50-over teams. He is now one of the most experienced players in the squad, having played close on 240 games for the club in all competitions. And that experience was one of the key factors in earning him the captaincy last season in what is essentially a pretty young squad. Head coach Richard Dawson has promoted a good number of youngsters
Chris Dent
over the past couple of o seasons, peferring to give a you ung player a chance instead of bringing in a journeyman cricketter from outside to fill a hole. It’s meant regula ar opportunities for the likess of Miles Hammond, Jack Brace ey, George Hankins, Ben Charlesw worth and George Drissell in 2018, chances that they certainly too ok.
at the Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse on Frida ay 5th April.
Pittville’s perfect 10 While there is still plenty to play for this season, season Pittville United are already looking ahead to the 2019/20 campaign. That’s because the Cheltenham Football League club, who play their home games at Newlands, will be celebrating their 10th anniversary. And the club are in good health too because they have teams in Division Tw Two and Division Four of the Cheltenham League.
The Bobby Dazzler Bobby George is big and brash and darts fans the world over love him for it. His appeal stretches beyond his chosen sport, of course, because he is something of a TV star in his own right, and has been a big favourite on the BBC show The Real Marigold Hotel in
Throw in all-rou under Ryan Higgins, the 24-ye ear-old who joined from Middlesex at the end of the 2017 sea ason, and it’s not difficult to see the t direction Gloucestershire are heading. “Ye Yes, we’re a young side, but we’re also a good side.” Dent said. “I think we proved that at the end of the last season s when we had some good results.” Indeed they did because they ended the campaign with three wins and two draws in the longer format of the e game. It saw them finish h fifth in the 10-strong Division T Tw wo of the county championsh hip and Dent added: “We want to start the new season the wa ay we ended the last one.” The 2019 campaign gets under way on Thursday 11th April with a championship ga ame against Derbyshire in Bristo ol. Full story online.
Full speed ah head
Bobby George in his heyday h
recent times. However, it’s for his darts that the 73-year-old remains best known n and he remains in big demand, even though by his own admission a his days as one of the leading players have long since gone. These days he’s wanted for his larger than life personality as much as for his darts and as such he will soon be heading to Gloucestershire for the Cheltenham Masters, an ever-popular event that this year takes place
Chris Rogers had ju ust returned from a two-week skkiing holiday in Canada when he spoke s to The Local Answer. That’s pretty much h downhill all the way, of course e, but since returning to his day job it’s been very much uphill all a the way, although not in a ba ad sense. You see, Rogers is general manager and club secretary of Prescott Speed Hill Climb, the home of the well-established B Bugatti i Owners’ O ’ Club, b and d this hi year is even more special than normal because th he club are very proud to be celebrating their 90th anniversary which is certainly some achie evement. For fu Fo fullll versions of alll these stori ries and more please vi visit our website www. w.thelocalanswer.r.co.uk
Above is a selection from local entertainment stories available online ...
London calling for ace England Marcus England used to play a lot play lot of of football football but but he he isn’t one of those people who couldn’t let go of the beautiful game once he’d hung up his boots. On the contrary, the recently turned 37 37-year-old year old wishes he had stopped playing a lot sooner, which would have meant he could have concentrated on his current sport – running – at a much younger age. “I didn’t start properly running until I was about 30, I wish I’d started when I was 18.” said the Cheltenham Harrier. “I was addicted to football when I was a teenager, I used to play for P Prestbury b R Rovers. “Football was the be-all and end-all.” Prestbury play in the Cheltenham League and England continued: “I used to be a midfielder. I had a good engine and I could get around the park, I made a nuisance of myself.” Having a ‘good engine’ is one of the keys to his success as a runner, r, of course, and very good at it he is too as he prepares to run the London Marathon on Sunday 28th April. April It will be the fourth time he has taken part in one of the most famous races in the world and he clocked a personal best of two hours, 37 minutes, 47 seconds in 2017. He’s also run the Paris and Bournemouth marathons but still “feels a bit of a rookie at marathons”. Rookie or not England, who is a civil servant, would love to break two hours, 30 this year and if he does,, that would be some achievement when you consider his first race of any kind was as recently as October 2013. “It was the Cheltenham Half and I ran it with my work colleague Matt Hitchings,” he explained. “I think we ran it in about one hour, r, 35.” That’s not a bad time, of
M Marcus England
course, and a England soon realised he e was quite a good runner. “As my times started to get better, I thought t maybe I’m quick enough to join a club,” he said. So he did d, joining Cheltenham Harriers fo our or five years ago and it’s fair to say he’s never looked bacck. ck England says he has yet to post what he considers a good marathon time t and while some may disag gree with that he’s certainly been b recording some pretty imprressive numbers over other distances. He ran one hour, 10 minutes, 20 secondss in the Oxford Half in October, r, which w earned him fifth place, and d he got his 10K PB down by ov ver a minute last year to 32 minutes, 14 seconds. “Based on o my y half marathon time, I should run London in something under two hours, 30,” he said. “That’s the goal. Anywhere around 2.28 or 2.29 I’ll be very happy but that’s a big jump.” When England spoke to The Local Answer he was recovering from a bout of flu – he’d also got
a bit of a sore knee and hi – but hip b t it it wasn’t ’t preventing him from running som me 80 to 90 miles a week in preparation p for the big day.. Th hat’s a lot of miles and as a married dad of one – he and Natasha have a baby girl, Grace, who is one – he can often be seen out and about on training runss around his home in Bish hop’s Cleeve at some very y unlikely times. “I go out in the early hours or late in the evening,” he explained. “I will get up and go for a run at 5am in the morning and be b back before the family are up.” So o what’s going through his mind when he’s runn ning? “When I’m training it’s such a nice wa ay to relax, it’s my downtim me,” he said. “It’s different during races because you’re trrying to achieve something you u didn’t think you could. “Yo You’re e trying to break the pain barrier, r, that’s what pushes you on. “It’s a mental battle because you do g get low patches, you’ve got to stick stick to your gameplan. gameplan ” And his gameplan in the coming years is to concentrate more on half marathons and marathons because over 5K and 10K there are “so many youngsters running really fast times”. In years to come, England’s daughter could be one of those runners posting really fast times and, if she does, having the name ‘England’ on her vest can certainly help capture people’s imagination. “Not if y you’re running g in South Wales,” laughed her dad. “You don’t ge et too many cheers in Swansea a if you are called England!” Fortuna ately for the former Bishop’s Cleeve Secondary School pupil, he is heading east and not west w on the last Sunday in April!
For full articles and more stories visit www.thelocalanswer.co.uk
Index of Advertisers FOOD & DRINK
RETA TAIL
64 Indus Ta Tandoori Restaurant 6 AW Fireplaces Revival Cafe Bar & Grill 4 British Heart Foundation 40 Tall Order Catering 6 Debonair Formal Mens Hire 18 Joyce Brooks Lingerie 20 WHAT AT’S ON Vinyl Records Wanted 44 CLUBS & SPORTS 7 HOMES & GARDENS Townswomen’s Guilds ATHROOMS Warwick Racecourse 37 BAT Lifesty tyle Bathrooms 71 EVENTS & AT ATTRACTIONS Severn Vale Bathrooms 76 & 83 Bacon Theatre 36 Cotswold Wildlife Park 37 BUILDING SERVICES 46 Ride for Ryder 35 BE Rudman 46 The Bird & Deer Park 38-39 38 39 C&G Pavingg Care Construction 49 INFORMAT ATION Cheltenham To Town Building 52 Charlton Kings Parish Council 44 Craftsmen Builders 48 48 Gloucestershire Police 41 Davis Driveways Elite Loft Ladders 51 HOLIDAY AYS & TRAV AVEL ES Design Service 52 JustGo! Holidays 8 George Bence & Sons 2 Glos Build 47 HEALT LTH & BEAUTY 46 2gether NHS Trust 11 Home Care Roofing Amplifon 14 JHD Roofing & Building 49 JTG Building Services 49 By-Design Dentures 18 Cheltenham Reflexology 20 Leckhampton Plastering 49 Marshalls Driveways 49 DoubleTree Cheltenham 18 Mathew Moore Building 52 Mobile Chiropodist 20 Pave-Drive 51 Oakwell Health 20 R Richards & Son 50 Nineteen Beauty Studio 20 RS Cladding & Roofing 50 Sophie Lane 20 S.J. Lewis & Sons 48 The Guild Hairdressing 20 Simon Butler 53 The Haven 20 SWS Plastering 51 PROPERTY & STORAGE CARPENTRY 76 Bovis Homes 31 Red Ideas 76 Brio Retirement Living 27 Three Piece Joinery Honeybourne Gate 28-29 CLEANING SERVICES Newcombe Residential 26 Molly Maid 64 Park Home Life 24 Ovenbusters 64 The Property Centre 84 Ovenclean 68
Regency Cleaning 68 ELECTRICAL SERVICES Beacon Electrical 72 Cotswold Rewires 72 County Electrical 72 Itectric 72 TJE Electrical Services 72 FURNISHING & APPLIANCES Bella’s Interiors 62 Curtains in Cheltenham 62 Dobson Flooring 64 Dream Doors 61 Glos Carpet Outlet 66-67 66 67 New Blinds 62, 68 & 74 GARDEN SERVICES Cheltenham To Town Landscaping 48 Cheltenham Tree Services 55 Chosen Lawnmower Services 54 Cotswold Tree Services 56 David & Heather’s Services 58 Garden Maintenance & Design 58 Grass Scape 54 InXpensive Fencing 58 Jameson Tree Surgery 56 Joe & Jamie 58 Julia Smith 53 Just Fencing 56 Landscape Creations 54 Lawn Doc 56 Lawn Man & Tree Fella 56 Mark Clifford Landscapes 58 Master Sheds 56 P.F. P. F. Gardening Services 54 Rob Cockburn Tree Services 56 Southwest Landscapes 58 The Happy Gardener 56 HANDYMAN SERVICES Big Job Little Job 62 Handy Hero for Hire 62 John Wilson Maintenance 52
Property Creations C 51 The Local Handyman 53 HEAT ATING & PLUMBING Cheltenham Plumbers 72 Cotswold Plumbers P 70 Emergencyy Plumber 70 Flametree Installations 70 ID Godwin 70 KB Femalee Plumber 70 KITCHENS S Hatherley Worktops 68 PAINTING & DECORAT ATING Brian Mitteen 60 Flairline Deecorating 60 Floods 60 G.S.C Ltd D Decorators 60 Michelle P Powell 60 TCD Decorators Ltd 60 Trevor Roggers 58 TV & AERIAL 1st Choice Aerials 44 WINDOWS S, DOORS & CONSER RVA VATORIES Albany Windows 30 & 73 AJ Window ws 75 BM Servicces 72 C&L Windoows 74 & 77 Clearway W Windows 78
EDUCAT ATION College Guardians Pippa’s Guardians HOUSE & RUBBISH CLEARANCE Crown Clearance MOTORING SERVICES Car Helpers PEST CONTROL Gooch Group PET SERVICES Dragon Vets Charlton Kings PUBLISHING Guy Sheppard REMOVA VAL SERVICES Little White Van Man SKIP HIRE & RECYCLING Stevens Recycling SECURITY AP Facilities
22 24
79 44 53 10 8 79 51 7
The Loc al
ANSWER Grreeat ex po s u rree ffoo r y ou r bu s i n e ss!
PROFESS SIONAL SERVICEES ACCOUNTA TANCY Andorran 79 AUCTIONEEERS & VA VALUERS Mallams 8 CARE SERV VICES Barnwood Trust 12 Building Circles 44 Thirlstainee Park 13 COMPUTER SERVICES Abbey Grooup 6
To advertise call:
01242 510500
Puzzle Solutions T N N G M E I F U J L X S D B T X R C G I J F K
Competition Winners Thank you to all who took part in our March 2019 competition and congratulations to the winners! Bacon Theatre – Ali Howes, Carol Durn and Helen Pearne. TLA Photography – April – Jade Pollock of Bishop’s Cleeve.
W Q N N A C H S C S E R P Z Q V E H A R T E A W
Y N J S U V R I P D E Z B Z Y G O N S T C S M P
R Q T O Z T C N D W V F D E R C V L N O X U I I
W E C A B C D L O E L F Z G O A X E J O A S L B
R R E A C K E L E P B G X L O C B B W A B A Y B
S P R I N G F T W F E L A H U N T B B H B Z M B
P H E L S I R E Z R T T R K U Z K K I H I A G O
L E D N T F S K U G E P U K T V I S M T L W G C
N T A H A D P S H N F R M Z E E H N P W A M E C
D O W E E N W A R T H D D Q J W H O S L G W W H
Y A I I R T L B L H F F A B D J D I T L X I C L
A N J X T Y D Z K T U I F M P B Q T R A I L D R
N C N K I B J Y W X W Y F C Y K E C A L O E V B
Z W Y U O F P I Q B H J O O J O U E D Z L S K X
N G K A B A I Q M I Q U D U O I N R I K C E E D
N I T F R I O C N C O F I B K I H R T Q R B K N
C D J Z N S L L U T X U L G P T A U I H E C P Y
E T A R B E L E C R P Q A X F P V S O Q G R A T
L M S D D E T R W C C T B S Q G Z E N R A D Y B
X L I D E C O R A T E C Y M Q M N R A A N D A I
H C R U H C Y L V P Q Y U P X M T S A U L R M D
Z B I X W I B N S L V V P C O Y S H S H Q C E P
X M U W L F T K U Y D L B O Y K C I H C P P F Q
Competition Rules 1 Prizes aree as stated and no cash or prize alternative will w be offered. 2 Employees of The Local Answer and their families or households are not eligible to t 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
postinng 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 ddonor(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. 11 One entry per household.
BOOKING DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE – Wednesday 10th April 2019 PAGE
WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
THE LOCAL ANSWER