EDITION 35
Retired FEBRUARY - APRIL 2012
& living in Blackburn & Burnley
Inside ...
MICHAEL ASPEL On how he stepped up to the mike
RICK STEIN Shares his favourite dishes inspired by Flavours of the Med
FREE Please t
ake one
THE LOCAL MAGAZINE FOR THE OVER 55s
WWW.RETIREDMAGAZINES.CO.UK
something for everyone... With over 30 shops and businesses including gift shops, traditional sweet shops, florists and jewellers, The Farmer's Market and Craft Centre, Heskin Hall Estate is a unique retail and leisure destination with something for everyone. Located in the picturesque village of Heskin, off the B5250, and just five minutes from junction 27 of the M6 close to Camelot Theme Park there is easy access for everyone. With free parking and free entry it's your perfect destination for a fabulous day out, The Two Birds licensed Tea Room provides an excellent opportunity for refreshments, offering a range of home made food, soups and daily specials, made from the finest locally sourced produce from within the centre. So why not grab a bite to eat and enjoy a special coffee or hot chocolate with brandy by the cosy wood-burner? The butcher's shop presents a daily supply of locallyfarmed meat, grass fed and reared on our own estate for true freshness. We offer the best joints and fillets, a hand -made range of traditional and a variety of sausages and burgers including the virtually fat-free Buffalo Burger a signature special plus daily prepared stir-fries and meal ideas.
We have a delectable deli with an excellent range of cheeses, cold meats, Mediterranean accompaniments, and home cooked take home meals. You will also find a fantastic variety of locally grown fruit and vegetables and a fabulous florist. Your shopping and leisure experience is enhanced by a full range of retailers, craft businesses, beauty therapies and the regionally renowned Hepplestone Fine Art Gallery.
Angela and Sarah Look Forward To Welcoming You! Blackpool M55
A59
Preston
Blackburn
Burnley 6
M6
Chorley Southport
M65
M61
M6
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Wigan
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M5
Liverpool
M60
Manchester M6
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M62
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Warrington
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Farmers Market & Craft Centre, Heskin Hall Estate, Heskin, Chorley PR7 5PA
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Bolton
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Situated only five minutes from junction 27 off the M6 and very close to Bygone Times, Camelot, Park Hall and Heskin Hall, the Farmers Market & Craft Centre hold regular events throughout the year. www.retiredmagazines.co.uk Limited units available.
FEATURED SHOPS...
Xavier - Offer an exclusive shopping service for the wide range of Hotter shoes from in-store visits to private consultations. With 29 years of rheumatology and orthopaedic experience they offer advice on shoe selections and comfort and also offer luxury leather handbags,retro comic bags, animal theme presents and Aroma home gifts.
Heskin Hall Farms Quality Butchers - Selling the finest meats; beef and lamb from our own farms. Minimum 2 years old, 28-day matured beef, for the finest texture and taste. Locally sourced pork and chicken; best quality sausages, burgers, meatballs and stir-fries on-site every day and our butchers have low cholesterol speciality water buffalo meat.
Jewels May - With almost 30 years experience of the luxury jewellery market, trading and retailing high quality diamond, precious stone and cultured pearl jewellery set in platinum, gold and silver, Jewels May prides itself on offering a wide range of fine jewellery with style and an exceptional service.
Gift Barn - Offering an exciting variety of unusual gifts, treasures and little pleasures with something for everyone. We are always happy to help you find that perfect present for someone special, from quirky to quaint.
Flowers in Thyme - Specialists in bespoke floral arrangements & displays, choosing only the finest blooms for truly inspirational arrangements. They have over 30 years experience in custom-made floral creations and commissions including fresh and silk flowers.
Waterbeds Direct are the largest retailer of Aquastar Waterbeds and Waterbed Accessories in the United Kingdom. At Waterbeds Direct our mission is to increase peoples understanding of how waterbeds encourage a good nights sleep. Of how they can ease back pain and, due to the washable top, eliminate Dust Mites from the mattress, thus providing relief to sufferers of Asthma, Hay Fever or other respiratory disorders. Consequently allowing more people to have a peaceful nights sleep.
See below for the full list of shops we have. For more information please call 07599 831907 Bluebell Country Deli Flowers in Thyme Hepplestone Fine Arts Heskin Hall Farms Quality Butchers S & J Market Fresh Produce Princess for a Day - Wedding Cakes & accessories Truly Chocolates Two Birds Tea Room Xavier Shoes and Handbags Blossom Lane - Jewellery, shoes & accessories Cameo Cottage Crafts Gift Barn Jess Cottage - Jewellery Mulberry Moon - Shabby chic gifts Frillies - Ladies clothing & underwear
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NU U Spa The Wine Shop Heskin Book Store Butterflies Dancewear Charm - Hand knitted babywear Liberty Square - Ladies clothing Looking Glass - Exclusive mirror Renu Modha - Embroidered textiles Scentsations - Fragranced gifts & more The Loft - Menswear Trotters and Pooche - Embroidered pictures & handmade cards Best Friends Pet Boutique Ice Dreams - Ice cream parlour, pizzas, teas & coffee
Antique furniture Little Lucy Willow - Exclusive childrens furniture Stressless - Beauty salon Jewels May - Jewellery & alterations Hopscotch - Baby's & children's clothes & toys Laura Jaynes - Dolls, childrens wear & christening gifts Waterbeds Direct The Flooring Shop The Cushion Cart Good As New - Bring in your clothing & shoes to be sold Vanilla Ladies Boutique The Colour Room Hairdressers Croston Furniture Company Bracken Country Clothing
Telephone: 07599 831907 Email: info@heskinfarmersmarket.co.uk www.heskinfarmersmarket.co.uk
If Your Teeth Could Talk... Your Mouth Offers Clues to Disorders and Disease; Dentist Plays a Larger Role in Patient Care
Inside... TRAVEL & LEISURE 6-7
Under The Tuscan Sun
8-9 Robinsons Holidays Affordable peace of mind 10-11 Keep Active! Keep Healthy! With a little help from Crow Wood Leisure
INTERVIEW
16-17 Michael Aspel Talks To Retired
HOME
18-19 What is an Interior Designer?
FOOD & DRINK Your eyes may be the window to your soul, but your mouth provides an even better view of the body as a whole. Some of the earliest signs of diabetes, cancer, immune disorders, hormone imbalances and drug issues show up in the gums, teeth and tongue sometimes long before a patient knows anything is wrong. There’s also growing evidence that oral health problems, particularly gum disease, can harm a patient’s general health as well, raising the risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and pneumonia.
22 Rick Stein An exclusive Mediterranean recipe
HEALTH & CARE
26-27 Specsavers Care for your eyes plus 25% off glasses and lenses for the over 60s
The Good News... “There is lots of data showing a direct correlation between inflammation in the mouth and inflammation in the body,” says Dr. Shabs Patel, dentist at Magicsmiles. “Recent studies also show that treating hidden gum inflammation improves circulation, reduces body inflammation and can even reduce the need for insulin in people with diabetes. By reducing your inflammation, you can increase your day to day enjoyment in life. You owe it to yourself and your family.” Book an appointment and see for yourself why Magicsmiles Dental Studios is the first Award winning dentist in Blackburn. Registration costs as little as £3/wk, and Denplan is available. Magicsmiles is within easy commuting distance from anywhere in Lancashire.
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Dear Reader,
New Patients are welcomed at Magicsmiles.
Welcome to the latest local Retired magazine which we hope you will sit back and enjoy at your leisure. Our journalists Angela Kelly, Graham Smith and Sheila Alcock are continuing to keep you well informed with their celebrity interviews and lifestyle tips and ideas.
TEL: 01254 208044
We know you will also be left with a smile on your face after reading Graham’s observations on life!
Magicsmiles Dental Studios
www.magicsmiles.com
483 PRESTON OLD ROAD | CHERRY TREE | BLACKBURN | BB2 5ND
WINNER Best Practice North West (England) Awarded Best Practice in North West England at the Dentistry Awards 2011, honouring excellence in dentistry, competing against other practices at the top of their profession. 4
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If you know of an event which would benefit from free publicity please feel free to let us know and we can consider including it in our next issue.
McGrath Media. Unit 6 | Moses Gate Workshops Gladys Street | Bolton | BL3 2QG. T: (01204) 796 494 | F: (01204) 791594 e: mcgrathadmin@btconnect.com
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Graham Smith has a Twitter But is he right or wrong? Health and Safety and Hot Air! Reading the entire collection of Health and Safety rules which dictate our lives today would be a suitable prison sentence for murder. New ones are added daily by some overpaid barmpot in Whitehall and two I came across recently are worthy of mention. In the beautiful Bronte village of Haworth there is an annual event in June to celebrate the 1940s. Everyone and their granny descends on the village, some villagers have been known to move out for the weekend to avoid the crush, and many dress in period costume singing “We’ll Meet Again” increasingly loudly as the local brew takes effect. Until three years ago part of the spectacle was a fly past by retired World War Two aeroplanes, usually a Spitfire, a Hurricane or a Lancaster Bomber. Now these planes are still air worthy after seventy years but some clown in Bradford Council’s Health and Safety asylum decided there was a problem. The Spitfire won the Battle of Britain. Hitler and his army eventually chucked the towel in because they couldn’t down enough of the planes to win. It’s a good job Bradford Council wasn’t on his side or he’d have won. The organisers of the Forties Weekend had to conduct a Health and Safety and feasibility study and here was one of the questions:“What was the likelihood of one of the planes crashing onto the village during the flypast?” Now we don’t see many Fokkers or Messerschmitts over Haworth these days and the Home Guard was disbanded some years ago. The only aerial threat we have is from rooks and the occasional duck with a dicky tummy, which might necessitate wearing a tin helmet on windy days. I think we had the greatest confidence that the pilots would have successfully cleared the village without a mass slaughter of the population, but, no, we couldn’t have a fly past. www.retiredmagazines.co.uk
10,000 people squeezed onto our tiny cobbled streets that weekend. Traffic management had a pink fit as the hordes parked their cars anywhere and everywhere. Hermann Goerring was spotted having a pint in The Fleece but we couldn’t have aeroplanes using the only empty space in the valley…the sky. Were all flights from Leeds-Bradford airport suspended for the day in case the lunch time Ireland plane crashed in Central Park? They were not. There was a famous wartime phrase which said, “Your country needs you”. I suggest the same does not apply to the Health and Safety nitwits of today.
There’s a hole in your bench Amazingly the same village got a double dose of daftness when the local council decided to recobble and landscape the bottom of Main Street. A lovely 12-month old wrought iron bench was removed to facilitate the work and it hasn’t come back. For years locals and visitors have enjoyed relaxing on the bench and no injuries have ever been reported apart from the odd drunk slipping off the edge and nearly falling under the Oakworth bus. The locals of yesteryear would have sat there and watched horses and carts go up and down the steep cobbled street posing some hazard if one set off at the gallop going downhill. But we can’t have the bench back because a health and safety executive decision said a child might get their finger stuck in the wrought iron! Oh, do me a favour. There are still stocks at the top of the street, what if someone gets trapped in them while having their picture taken? I’ve seen women in stiletto heels pirouetting like Margot Fonteyn trying to walk down the street and not get trapped in the cobbled setts. But we cannot have our bench back. In fact some half wit has now decided it is so dangerous that it is to be repainted and auctioned off. I suppose we can’t have a wooden on either in case a splinter develops and punctures some old dear’s derriere. 5
Under the Tuscan Sun
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trung along 18km of serrated cliffs between Levanto and La Spezia, the Cinque Terre is one of Italy’s treasures. These five higgledy-piggledy villages Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore are cut off by mountains, choked with olive groves and dry-stone-walled vineyards, where farmers have eked out a living over the centuries. The Cinque Terre became a Unesco World Heritage site in 1997, which includes a protected marine area, and became a national park (Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre) in 1999. Wine growers still use monorail mechanisms to ferry themselves up and the grapes down these unique lands, and in some cases have to harvest by boat as access is restricted. If the terraced hillsides are not worked, they will quite literally slide into the sea. National park status has spared the area from a propagation of tourism and the tacky souvenir stands that come with it and saved it from environmental destruction. Cars and motorbikes are not allowed in the villages, instead they are connected by train. In the villages, electric buses scale the sheer streets. Park authorities close walking paths when numbers become too great, so it s best to arrive in the cool and relative calm of the early morning.
EATING/DRINKING Grapevines and olive trees cover the hillsides, so wine and oil are a must on the restaurant tables. They prove excellent companions for the salted anchovies of Monterosso served in olive oil as well as the many specialty fish dishes and authentic gastronomic delights. 6
The cuisine of the Cinque Terre almost perfectly conserves the characteristics of yesteryear; the respect for the flavours and fragrances of the primary ingredients. Trofie is a kind of pasta made from chestnut or wheat flour, It’s condiment is still pesto sauce, an original Ligurian sauce made from basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, grated parmesan cheese and pine nuts. Torte di verdura - vegetable pies -are prepared with a stuffing containing parsley, marjoram, wild local herbs, artichokes, zucchini, potatoes and leeks, combined with egg and ricotta cheese or with stale bread soaked in milk or béchamel sauce and parmesan cheese. The pie crust is very thin, because flour was a very precious commodity. Torta di riso - rice pie - is a specialty of every Italian grandma in the region. Frittate - flat omelettes - are popular today as the ‘frittata’ has been rediscovered as a tasty antipasto. Another important dish on the tables of the Cinque Terre population was cotoletta di acciuga, anchovies stuffed with a breadcrumb based filling and then fried. The fritelle di bianchetti, fritters made from tiny newborn anchovies or sardines, were also highly appreciated. Following the seamen’s gastronomic traditions, other dishes included stewed cuttlefish, stuffed calamari and spiced octopus.
SLEEPING Numerous villagers have rooms to rent: look for signs reading camere (rooms) or affittacamere (rooms for rent). Accommodation booking offices in Riomaggiore are really helpful and can help you organise a room ahead of time. The town of Levanto is bigger and has a lot of accommodation including hotels, bed & breakfasts www.retiredmagazines.co.uk
T R AV E L and even camping areas where you can rent a tent with two beds and linens for very low prices! Note: Breakfast in an Italian hotel or B&B will be some slices of bread and a croissant, butter, jam and coffee with orange juice if you are lucky. This is a typical Italian breakfast so if you can get a room without breakfast and head down to the nearest cafe where there is a larger choice.
GETTING AROUND Take the train to La Spezia and change onto the regional (“Regionale”) train that makes all the local stops in the Cinque Terre mostly through tunnels. All the Cinque Terre towns have their own train station. Almost all the trains from La Spezia stop in Levanto. The train represents the best way to visit all the villages of the Cinque Terre. Until the end of the 19th Century these towns were completely isolated and reachable just on foot or by sea. In 1860 (works ended in 1874) the first tunnel of this track was built connecting Genoa with La Spezia and crossing almost entirely all this territory through tunnels (32 tunnels were built here!). This means of transportation gives you the possibility to visit the villages in a discreet and easy way and as the train emerges from another tunnel you are treated to another stunning view of one of the best secrets in Italy.
DONT LEAVE WITHOUT The Cinque Terre boasts some of the best coastline hiking trails in the world. The path from Riomaggiore to Manarola is called the Via Dell’Amore - or Lovers Walk. The beautiful trail along the shore is very easy to hike. Along the way, you’ll witness where lovers have written their names on the rocks and trees surrounding the walk. In the middle of Riomaggiore and Manarola you will come across ‘The Lover’s Lock’ which is a place to seal your eternal love. At this point there is a concrete throne in the shape of a male and female locked in a kiss, where many people duplicate this creating a lovely photographic opportunity. The next hike from Manarola to Corniglia is also easy. However, there is an up hill hike and a large zigzag shaped staircase with 385 steps which can be quite a mission in the midday sun! The trail from Corniglia to Vernazza offers incredible views of shore and is only steep at certain places. The trail from Vernazza to Monterosso is the steepest (you need a reasonably good level of fitness - there is over 250m of climbing over very uneven rocks, totalling approx. 750 ‘steps’ - not easy!), winding through olive orchards and vineyards and offering dramatic ocean views. The paths are narrow, with a very real danger of falling 12 to 15 feet if you lose your footing. If you attempt this hike, take some water, and be prepared to build up a sweat.
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Monarola at Sunset
The walk between all the villages takes the better part of a day. For those that would rather not walk (or not walk the entire trail), a pedestrian ferry service runs seasonally to all five villages, plus Lerici. The price is reasonable, and gives a nice view of the villages from the water. The milk train that connect all the villages is also a quick way to hop among towns. It is advised that you attempt the walk as early as possible to avoid the hottest part of the day during the summer period. Sneakers or suitable walking shoes are essential. You must purchase a pass for the hike. It is also possible to purchase a hiking and train pass in one if you wish to catch a train to the next town. Hiking Times around the Cinque Terre: Monterosso - Vernazza: 90 minutes. Vernazza - Corniglia: 90 minutes. Corniglia - Manarola: 45 minutes. Manarola - Riomaggiore: 20 minutes. Manarola also has its own beautiful vineyard walk.
Language:
Italian and although English is spoken widely, the locals always appreciate your small efforts to communicate in their language. Currency: Euro (EUR) Time zone: GMT + 2 7
Est.1923
FULL 2012 BROCHURE OUT NOW
Affordable peace of mind ..... Holidays
COACH TOURS 2012 LOCAL PICK UP POINTS
ABBEY LAWN HOTEL, TORQUAY
IMPERIAL HOTEL, EASTBOURNE
OCEAN VIEW HOTEL, ISLE OF WIGHT
Abbey Lawn Hotel, Torquay AAHHH Torquay is most certainly one of the UK’s Finest resorts and the heart of the English Riviera. If you are looking to unwind in style, this elegant Georgian hotel is the place to stay. Located in the grounds of the former Torre Abbey, overlooking Torbay, there are superb facilities. These include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, gym, steam room, sauna and a spacious conservatory. As with all our own hotels a night porter ensures 24 hour reception service.
Imperial Hotel, Eastbourne Robinsons HHH Eastbourne is an ideal holiday destination, it has one of the top sunshine records in the UK and has been awarded the Seaside Award for its clean safe beaches for the past eight years. An impressive Victorian hotel, situated at the seaward end of Devonshire place, less than a hundred yards from the seafront, on a delightful tree-lined boulevard less than five minutes walk from the main facilities and town centre amenities. A night porter ensures 24 hour reception service.
Ocean View Hotel, Shanklin Robinsons HHH Take a short boat ride across the Solent and discover the Isle of Wight, an island of great natural beauty and superb weather, with a wealth of attractions for visitors of all ages. Shanklin, on the south coast of the island, is home to a variety of safe, golden beaches and a quaint collection of shops housed in traditional thatched cottages. An elegant hotel commanding magnificent views across Sandown Bay, the balconies provide the perfect place to enjoy the sunset on summer evenings. Guests can unwind in the piano lounge before enjoying an evning meal in the spacious restaurant. A night porter ensures 24 hour reception service.
Freephone : 0800 0839086 8
www.robinsons-holidays.co.uk
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Park Garage, Great Harwood, Blackburn BB6 7SP.
1501
8 Days/ 7 Nights Dinner Bed & Breakfast, includes at least 2 Excursions and FREE Insurance
5 Days/ 4 Nights Dinner Bed & Breakfast, includes 2 Excursions and FREE Insurance
Abbey Lawn Imperial Ocean View Mystery Tour
Sat/Sun 28/29 Apr 05/06 May 12/13 May 19/20 May 26/27 May 02/03 Jun 09/10 Jun 16/17 Jun 23/24 Jun 30 Jun/01 Jul 07/08 Jul 14/15 Jul 21/22 Jul 28/29 Jul 04/05 Aug 11/12 Aug 18/19 Aug 25/26 Aug 01/02 Sept 08/09 Sept 15/16 Sept 22/23 Sept 29/30 Sept
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Monday 06-Feb 13-Feb 20-Feb 27-Feb 05-Mar 12-Mar 19-Mar 26-Mar 02-Apr 06-Apr 11-Apr 16-Apr 23-Apr 30-Apr 07-May 14-May 21-May 28-May 04-Jun 11-Jun 18-Jun 25-Jun 02-Jul 09-Jul 16-Jul 23-Jul 30-Jul 06-Aug 13-Aug 20-Aug 27-Aug 03-Sept 10-Sept 17-Sept 24-Sept 01-Oct 08-Oct 15-Oct 22-Oct 29-Oct
£299 £315 £325 £335 £345 £349 £359 £359 £359 £359 £359 £359 £359 £359 £359 £359 £359 £359 £359 £349 £339 £319 £299
7 Days/ 6 Nights Dinner Bed & Breakfast, includes at least 2 Excursions and FREE Insurance Monday 05-Mar 12-Mar 19-Mar 26-Mar 16-Apr 23-Apr 08-Oct 15-Oct 22-Oct 29-Oct
Abbey Lawn Imperial Ocean View Mystery Tour
£219 £229 £239 £249 £275 £285 £279 £269 £259 £249
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£139 £145 £149 £155 £159 £165 £169 £175 £175 £185 £185 £189 £195 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - £225 £215 £209 £205 £199
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£199 £195 £189 £185 £179 £175* £169* £395 £375
£199 £195 £189 £185 £179 £175* £169* £395 £375
£179 £175 £169 £165 £165 £165* £165* £355 £335
Turkey and Tinsel 05-Nov 12-Nov 19-Nov 26-Nov 03-Dec 10-Dec 17-Dec 23-Dec 29-Dec
Turkey and Tinsel 05-Nov 12-Nov 19-Nov 26-Nov 03-Dec 10-Dec
Abbey Lawn Imperial Ocean View Mystery Tour
£199 £195 £189 £185 £179 £175* £169* £395 £375
* Unlimited Singles
Abbey Lawn and Ocean View Hotels Front facing/seaview supplements 7 Days £13 per person. 8 Days £15 per person. 5 Days £10 per person
www.retiredmagazines.co.uk Freephone: 0800 0839086 Park Garage, Great Harwood, Blackburn BB6 7SP www.robinsons-holidays.co.uk 9
Keep
e v i t ac Keep ! y h t l a e h
As we get older and certainly when we retire, some of us will lead a more sedentary lifestyle than we have done up until now. For a start, if you do not take up another full-time job in retirement, you will not have to get out of bed in the morning and rush around getting ready for work and then travelling. If you have little to do, many of us eat and drink out of boredom, so there is a danger that we shall eat and drink more than we should, especially if it is combined with a more sedentary life. You might have a drink at lunchtime as you do, perhaps, on holiday. So it is worth keeping an eye on our exercise levels and our diet. Putting on extra weight as we get older
10
" We naturally want to enjoy our later life and, in order to do this, we need to be moderately fit..." can be harmful because we naturally get less supple anyway, so if we can take a bit of care it will do us good and help us to maintain an active lifestyle.
Why Keep Physically Active? We naturally want to enjoy our later life and, in order to do this, we need to be moderately fit; fit so that we can do all those things that we want to do such as play with the grandchildren, walk around those tourist attractions on holiday, go for country walks and so on. Recent guidance from the Chief Medical Officer confirms that older adults who participate in any amount of physical activity gain some health benefits, including the maintenance of good physical and mental health. Some physical activity is better than none and more physical activity provides greater health benefits. www.retiredmagazines.co.uk
The benefits of being active include: • reducing the risk of heart disease
Nobody is too old to benefit from physical activity. The range of classes and activity sessions around the country are numerous and take place in a range of venues. Class instructors should be fully qualified and have experience of working with older adults to ensure maximum benefits for health and well being.
• helping to maintain the ability to carry out daily living activities
Crow Wood Leisure, Burnley
• helping to maintain an active and alert mind
• improving mood and self‑confidence
Crow Wood is set within 100 acres of greenbelt land within the heart of Burnley, Lancashire, creating a unique facility based on quality, providing a range of health and fitness activities.
• reducing the risk of falls • increasing sociability when undertaken with other people
This private members leisure centre was established in 2001 and since then has proved to be a huge success with its customers who continue their memberships year after year. Older members can enjoy a relaxing swim in the 25metre pool complete with Jacuzzi pool and steam and sauna rooms or have fun keeping fit in classes specifically tailored to their age group and needs. They're certainly a social bunch too! - enjoying meeting and catching up with friends and family, sharing a pot of tea and maybe even a bite to eat from the extensive well-priced menu in The Lounge.
Older adults should aim to be active every day, adding up to at least 150 minutes (2½ hours) a week of moderate intensity activity. A good way to approach this is to do thirty minutes activity on at least five days a week. For those who are already regularly physically active at moderate intensity, similar benefits can be achieved through 75 additional minutes of more vigorous intensity activity spread across the week or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. It is also advised that older adults undertake physical activity to improve muscle strength on at least two days a week and that those older adults at risk of falls should incorporate physical activity to improve balance and co‑ordination on at least two days a week, every week.
It's also nice to know that a local privately owned health and fitness centre such as Crow Wood Leisure are recognising the need to encourage the older generation to enjoy and make more of their time by subsidising membership prices.
It’s About Time... Time to get fit • Time to enjoy yourself • Time you joined Crow Wood
ACT NOW! This offer will NEVER be repeated!
Call 01282 421222 www.crowwood.com www.retiredmagazines.co.uk
Offer ends 29/02/12 only on production of this advert or by quoting ref RETCW02
Crow Wood Leisure Ltd, Royle Lane, Burnley BB12 0RT off junc 11 M65
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Age Concern Lancashire is now Age UK Lancashire We are now part of the Age UK family.
Age UK Lancashire – a new name but the same services – provides information, practical services and support to older people across the county. Our aim is to ensure that later life is a fulfilling and enjoyable experience and to provide support whenever help is needed. We provide a range of services, which are flexible and responsive to needs. We ensure that older people can get the right information, access help to maintain their independence, lead active and healthy lives and stay involved in their local communities.
We recognise that growing older can be difficult at times and that families and carers also need support. We do all we can to help by providing: • community-based services (e.g. befriending) and social, leisure and educational activities • short-term services (e.g. practical help in the home, assistance with shopping and cleaning when coming out of hospital) • specialist services (e.g. foot care, help for people with memory problems or whose first language isn’t English) • day support services for people who are bereaved or vulnerable • information service at each office.
For more information, please contact your nearest Age UK office or call our new number on 0300 303 1234, which will cost you no more than a normal local call.
Age UK Lancashire Offices Burnley 24 Keirby Walk Burnley BB11 2DE Clitheroe 18a Castlegate Clitheroe BB7 1AZ Nelson Number One Market Street Nelson BB9 7LJ Rawtenstall 16 Bury Road Rawtenstall BB4 6AA Telephone 0300 303 1234 to speak to your local office.
ID111661 09/11
Burnley activities Mondays and Wednesdays Rookie Golf and Seated Exercise 2–3pm Dove Court, Burnley
Tuesdays Belly Dancing 10–11am Burnley League Club
Wednesdays Painting 1–3pm Burnley Fire Station
Thursdays Computers for Beginners 10–11.30am and 1.45–3.15pm Burnley Central Library (£12)
Fridays Health Walks 1.30pm Various locations around Burnley
New classes are being planned. Please ask for details.
Pendle activities – social groups Groups and ‘drop-ins’ are held across the Pendle district for people to join in and get involved. At the groups you will find refreshments, in-house games and activities, raffles, exercise to music, book exchanges, occasional outings/trips, speakers about relevant issues and an information exchange.
Mondays Earby Drop-in 9.30–11.30am New Road Community Centre, Earby
Mondays (fourth of month) Salterforth Friendly Group 2–4pm Salterforth Baptist Chapel
Tuesdays (second and fourth of month)
Wednesdays (fourth of month)
St John’s Friendly Group 2–4pm John’s Church Centre, Bakerhouse Road, Nelson
Colne Library Drop-in 10am–12 noon (usually) Colne Library
Tuesdays (second of month)
Trawden Drop-in 10am–12 noon Trawden Community Centre
Fence Friendly Group 10am–12 noon Fence Village Hall
Wednesdays (fortnightly) Foulridge Friendly Group 2–4pm Foulridge Village Hall
Thursdays (fortnightly)
Thursdays (fourth of month) Roughlee Friendly Group 2–4pm Roughlee Village Community Centre
Fridays (third of month) Kelbrook Friendly Group 1.30–3.30pm Kelbrook Village Hall
Ribble Valley activities Mondays Keep Fit 10–11am Chipping Village Hall (£3) Tai Chi for Health 9.30–10.30am (term-time only), Whalley Village Hall (£3) Gentle Exercise Group (seated exercise) 2–3pm Read United Reformed Church, Read (£2.50) ‘Purls of Wisdom’ Craft Group 2–4pm Whalley Children’s Centre, next to the library (£2)
Tuesdays Elderflower Club – gentle seated exercise and lunch 11am–1pm Trinity Community Centre, Clitheroe (£2.50) Painting with Harry 2–4pm Longridge Civic Hall – materials included (£25 for five weeks)
Tuesdays (second and fourth of month) Stop ’n’ Stare Walks Please ring for details of times and starting points.
Wednesdays Keep Fit 11am–12 noon Ribchester Village Hall (£3) Yoga 10.15–11.45am Pendle Club, Clitheroe (£4) Young at Heart – gentle seated exercise and social group 2–4pm Pendle Club, Clitheroe (£2.50)
Wednesdays (alternate) Chatburn Luncheon Club 12 noon Chatburn Methodist Church (£4.50)
Wednesdays (second of month) Mellor Seniors Group 2.30pm Mellor Methodist Church
Thursdays Gentle Exercise Group 2–3.30pm Venue: Whalley Methodist Church (£2.50) Silver Surfer – computer ‘drop-in’ help sessions 9.30–11.30am Clitheroe Library Reduced rate reflexology sessions Clients referred through Age UK Lancashire will be eligible for three reduced rate sessions with a qualified reflexologist. Sessions last 45 minutes. (£5) There will be an opportunity to book further full treatments of an hour and a half at half-price after the initial three sessions. (£13) Tea Cup Trails 10am A series of shorter walks taken at a gentle pace. Various starting points. Ring for details.
Throughout the year Computer Lessons Whalley and Longridge libraries. Please enquire about dates. (£12)
Rossendale activities – active ageing Mondays
Tuesdays
Tai Chi 10am–12 noon (from 4 October) Old Fire Station, Rawtenstall
Computer Lessons 2–4pm Rawtenstall Library Booking essential (£12)
Rawtenstall Drop-in 10am–12.30pm Longholme Church Sequence Dancing 1.30–3.30pm Whitwell Bottom Community Centre
Wednesdays Computer Lessons 10am–12 noon Whitwell Bottom Community Centre Booking essential (£12)
Wednesdays (first and third of month) Helmshaw Social Group 1.30–3pm St Thomas’s Church
Rossendale activities – social Monday (second of month)
Wednesdays
Stubbins Social Group 1.30–3.30pm St Phillips Church Hall
Newchurch Young-at-Heart Social Group 1.30–3.30pm Newchurch Methodist Church
Mondays (third of month) Edenfield Social Group 2–4pm Edenfield Methodist Church
Tuesdays Waterfoot Lunch Club 12–1.30pm John Street, Waterfoot
To be confirmed A new social group is being planned for Bacup/Stacksteads.
Volunteering Volunteering your time is very valuable and we always need volunteers. We have more than 900 volunteers working in our various projects. Perhaps you would like to consider becoming a volunteer or finding out more about what it entails? If you are interested, please contact your local office and ask for the Divisional Volunteer Co-ordinator.
Supporting us Money raised by Age UK Lancashire goes back into the local community to provide services for older people. Everyone can make a difference and there are a variety of ways you can help: • donations – in cash or unwanted clothes, books and bric-a-brac • legacies – by remembering us in your will • donations in lieu of flowers in memory of a loved one – donate securely online at www.justgiving .com • trading products – profits are returned to the charity to help provide services. For more information or to make a donation, please visit our Burnley, Nelson, Clitheroe or Rawtenstall offices, call 0300 303 1234 or visit our website at www.ageuklancs.org.uk
For more information or to make a donation, please visit our Burnley, Nelson, Clitheroe or Rawtenstall offices, call 0300 303 1234 or visit our website at www.ageuklancs.org.uk
How Michael stepped up to the mike When the young Michael Aspel headed for Cardiff, his father thought it was to develop his career with a bedding company, but Michael had other ideas, as James Pringle discovered Who would expect a highly experienced broadcaster like Michael Aspel to be dogged by moments of doubt?
they were looking for continuity announcers at the BBC TV’s Lime Grove Studios. “There was just this one gigantic dinner suit between all of us. We wore whatever we liked below – it could be tennis shorts or whatever, because the picture never cut below the waist.
“For some years I was very cocky and full of myself, yet I’ve always been very nervous,” he tells Retired. “Luckily I was able to handle awkward situations, but you get less and less confident as you grow older.” Such feelings are not helped by television’s fondness for young faces, and Michael is now a wellpreserved 78. But when the 100 Years of Us series earlier this year highlighted changes in society during the first century of the National Census, he was “well qualified to be the front man, having been around for most of that time”. Indeed, for many of us, Michael has always been on the airwaves, but he was a teaboy for a London publisher before National Service in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps in the early 1950s. “When I came out of the Army, I wanted to be an actor,” he recalls. “My father was very sympathetic. He said: “Get a job or get out’. I took a job with a bedding firm that had contacts in Cardiff with a big store there. I went down there ostensibly to learn the bedding trade and the sales business, but that wasn’t my intention at all. I auditioned for radio drama at the BBC in Cardiff, and they gave me occasional work while I waited for a place to come up on the BBC drama repertory company. I did all sorts of jobs – including drainpipelayer and gardener – that I could drop at a moment’s notice when they required me for a freelance broadcast. I would rush straight from the building site and be in things like the Children’s Hour serial.
“That was a wonderfully happy time. It was quite different from Lime Grove or the later Television Centre – partly because it was news only and partly because it was such a historic place, where television began, and physically cut off from the rest of the BBC, and you could not get a better bunch of workmates.” Michael remembers a time he made news himself. “I went on one night with a black eye. I’d been playing in a charity cricket match the day before and got the ball in my eye. The response was incredible – it was even in the papers in France and America.”
Michael joins Lance England in the studio of community station Brooklands Radio
“I intended to pursue acting and in the mid-50s I was on the radio in London, but then someone told me 16
Lime Grove was the BBC TV’s main London base, but the news department was at Alexandra Palace. When Richard Baker was indisposed, Michael was drafted in to read one weekend’s bulletins and ended up staying for eight years.
Michael never did become an actor – except that “occasionally theatres let people from the telly do plays, to put bums on seats, and I’ve done a few”. He hosted Ask Aspel, Crackerjack, Aspel and Company, Miss World, Come Dancing, Give Us a Clue, The Six o’Clock Show, This is Your Life and Antiques Roadshow and his mellow tones were also heard on the radio.
On the Light Programme’s Family Favourites sound engineers were at the controls, but Michael learnt to self-operate a studio as part of the launch team of London commercial station Capital Radio. www.retiredmagazines.co.uk
I N T E RV I E W “When I did something for the BBC after that, they asked if I’d like to self-op and I said I would – but their controls worked the other way round and I said ‘Good morning’ and switched myself off.
silly, unnatural arrangement. Someone would originally come in with a good anecdote and tell it to the researcher, who would type it out and give it back to the person as a script. “They would then try to learn it, and come stumbling on, trying to remember the script of their own story. That didn’t always work, so you would have to gently nudge them, hopefully without giving away the joke.”
“Capital was exciting and I did things I never dreamt I would do. There was a brilliant young producer called Simon Booker and the station’s chairman was Richard Attenborough, who would get us tremendous guests with his contacts. “That kept going with the television chat show, although, to be honest, that was a great disappointment to me. It didn’t compare with the shows I did on Capital, because there were various restrictions and I wasn’t as confident. “At the radio station my researcher – a woman who had a PhD in mediaeval French – provided me with information on people and I would then prepare the interview. When I started the chat show on Thames, I found there was an agreement between representatives of the guest and our people as to what line the interview would take.” Who were the most difficult people to interview? “Actors like Elliott Gould – he was utterly impossible – and others just weren’t very good at it. “Tony Curtis was every interviewer’s gift most of the time, but occasionally he would lose interest and he did that on one of my shows. When I said: ‘Did this make you the happy man you are today?’ his reply was: “Who said I was happy?’ Then he said: ‘And with that, I bid you goodnight’ when we’d only had about three minutes. He walked off and we had to fill in.” Another live show guest was an inebriated Oliver Reed. “I wasn’t as horrified as I was reported to be,” Michael points out. Always at the back of your mind, in a situation like that, is that ‘This is good telly’. “The worst experience was the very last chat show we did. It was taken over by Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis, who’d put money into opening a restaurant in the West End. The whole thing became an advert for that and it was just ghastly. I lost control of it and felt very low by the end.” When Michael hosted Crackerjack and This is Your Life, his laid-back style contrasted the anxious manner of his predecessor, Eamonn Andrews. “For a big burly man and an ex-boxer, he was amazingly sensitive and easily embarrassed,” says Michael. “When This Your Life and guests wandered from the point, I tried to laugh it off. But it was the most
www.retiredmagazines.co.uk
Michael lives near Weybridge, Surrey, with his partner Irene Clark. Retirement has never figured in his plans. He will be among the stars at this year’s Parkinson’s UK charity Christmas Concert at Central Hall, Westminster. Recent years have seen him guest hosting Have I Got News for You and making a documentary about his wartime evacuee experiences. He has taken to the stage in a Rocky Horror Show tour, as well as appearing in several pantomimes. “Because of some kind of imaginary gravitas that you bring to the stage, the thing works and you can still have the time of your life while being this old codger.”
Magazine
Subscription Form To receive the next two issues of Retired Magazine hot off the press, either for yourself or to treat a friend, please fill in the form below and post with a cheque for £3.40 made payable to McGrath Media: Unit 6, Moses Gate Workshops, Manchester Road, Bolton BL3 2QG. Name:......................................................................... Address:..................................................................... .................................................................................... Postcode:.................................................................... Title: Retired & Living in............................................. .................................................................................... Issue Numbers:..........................................................
17
W H A T
I S
A N
INTERIOR DESIGNER? By Sheila Alcock
Sometimes, it’s a raw new house which needs a designer touch. Or a beautiful old home which needs interior remodelling and modernising. Sometimes, a change of lifestyle has created the need for a new look for your home, or maybe your home is looking tired and old fashioned and could do with a serious update. But you have a busy lifestyle, and very little time. The thought of sourcing builders, plumbers and decorators is overwhelming. So where do you start? Simple. Bring in an expert. Bring in an Interior Designer/Project Manager who can lead you through the intricacies of finding reliable tradesmen, and leave you free to consider ways in which your home can reflect your personality and lifestyle.Â
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Not Just About Cushions and Curtains The title Interior Designer can be misleading, and in fact, anyone can give themselves the title of Interior Designer by taking a six week study course on how to build a samples board. This does not cover the skills acquired from undergoing a degree course in Interior Design and Furniture. Louise Putman BA (Hons), MCSD, is a graduate from Middlesex University, having completed a four year degree course in Interior Design and Furniture. This covers the full design process from concept to completion, and she also provides project management, which includes liaison with electricians, builders, furniture manufacturers/ suppliers, fabric and lighting. This is followed by costings, quote comparisons, a programme detailing time scales and completion dates. After graduating, Louise worked on a number of large corporate Headquarters and hospitality projects, including hospitality areas for All England Lawn Tennis and
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HOME
MY WORK BEGINS WITH THE CREATION OF A MOOD BOARD, WHICH SHOWS A VARIETY OF INTERIORS OF DIFFERENT STYLES AND COLOUR SCHEMES. THIS IS ACCOMPANIED BY SAMPLES BOARDS SHOWING FABRIC SWATCHES, WALLPAPER SAMPLES,
oards
eb Mood and sampl Croquet Club at Wimbledon, and Executive areas at the London Headquarters of Royal Bank of Scotland. In 2009 Louise set up her own design consultancy, Recreate Interiors.
Eureka Moment “My first priority is to understand my client’s taste and vision for the style they want to achieve. Recently, I had a client who wasn’t sure of the sort of interior she wanted,” Louise told me. “The Eureka moment arrived when she studied my mood boards, beamed, and said, “ I didn’t know what I wanted, until you showed me.” That was the moment when I could really focus on the work in hand, and establish rough guidelines on general style, budget and timescale. My work begins with the creation of a mood board, which shows a variety of interiors of different styles and colour schemes. This is accompanied by samples boards showing fabric swatches, wallpaper samples, carpets, finishes and options. These are discussed, the client makes a choice and at that point, I can set up a detailed summary of costings for each room to be treated by providing a detailed schedule of works to obtain ‘like for like’ quotes from tradesmen, followed by a cost plan including furniture, window treatments, finishes, fixtures and fittings, and my designer’s fees.” “So there’s a lot more to interior design than sourcing fabrics and carpets,” I said. Louise smiled. “We’re the ones who plod across the site with the builders. We produce detailed space plans to indicate now the space can be better utilised. We’re the ones to sort any problems with decorators and plumbers or the electricians. We discuss their problems and resolve them quickly, so that everyone knows exactly where they are, and completion dates are as stipulated.”
CARPETS, FINISHES AND OPTIONS.
We’ve all heard horror stories of missed completion dates, shoddy workmanship and nerves at screaming point over incorrect fittings and soaring costs. A qualified Interior Designer will ensure this never happens. From the update of a single room, to the remodelling of a complete house, an Interior Designer will take the drudgery out of your project, inject flair and creativity to produce the wow factor you’re looking for, and ensure that it’s completed on time, on budget, and exactly how you imagined it.
Carr Hall Home & Garden O U T S TA N D I N G E X P E R I E N C E O U T S TA N D I N G VA L U E
Carr Hall Home and Garden combines an outstanding experience of quality shopping with freshly cooked local produce and fabulous views of the Ribble Valley. • Gardeners Paradise -
Carr Hall gives the shopper real value, we have everything you need for the garden from plant food and weed killers to gloves, tools and bird care. We also cater for the grow your own enthusiast with a wide range of seeds, propagation and patio planters. To compliment this we will be opening our outdoor plant area on Thursday 8th March which will have a full range of outdoor plants aggregates, garden ornaments and growing media We will have all the most popular shrubs, perennials, roses, trees and rockery plants and for those who just need an instant splash of colour on their porch or patio we offer a year 20
round range of bedding plants, full of flower for containers and hanging baskets.
• Clothing Section -
Which has the latest seasonal outdoor clothing in stock for ladies and gents.
• Gift Section -
Gifts for the whole family and an extensive range of greetings cards for every occasion.
• Florist -
A new addition to Carr hall will be a widely experienced florist who will be joining us on site on Tuesday 7th February, fresh flowers will be available daily and bouquets can be made to order.
• Cook Shop Section -
You will find everything from bake ware and utensils to pans cutlery and crockery.
• Farm Shop -
A wide range of local produce and our award winning 3rd generation butchers H Greaves and Son.
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• Acorn Self Serve Cafe -
Make a day of your visit with Acorn self service cafe, serving hot and cold beverages or try a bite to eat with our value meal offer, home made soup, and sandwich of your choice with a salad garnish served with a cup of tea or coffee for £6.95, or try one of our home made scones, with fresh jam and cream, all selections of our food are produced in our award winning kitchens, with quality and care in mind.
So next time you are looking for your day out, come rain or shine try Carr Hall Home and Garden.
Ask about our new loyalty scheme and start saving today...
• Oaktree Restaurant -
Directions
Carr Hall welcomes all groups bookings, associations , coach parties and clubs. We have group meal packages and can arrange tours of the Ribble Valley, this year we are also arranging Pendle Witch Tours as 2012 sees the 400th anniversary of the Pendle witch trials.
Carr Hall Home & Garden Centre is best accessed from the A59, follow the yellow AA signs for Carr Hall Home and garden or Blackburn A666 when you reach the Whalley/ Langho roundabout, the site is located when you leave the village of Langho on the Left hand side, if approaching from Blackburn on the A666 from the Brownhill roundabout the site is on the right hand side. If you are using a sat nav please use the postcode BB1 9NB
Waitress service Restaurant with a licensed bar, where you can have anything from a full breakfast to a 3 course meal all freshly prepared on site daily, both of our dining facilities offer breathtaking views of the Ribble Valley.
(A666) Whalley Road, Wilpshire, Ribble Valley, Lancashire BB1 9NB Tel: 01254 246888 | www.carrhallhomeandgarden.co.uk carrhallgardencentre@btconnect.com
F R E E PA R K I N G
FO O D
&
D RI NK
Rick Stein's Mediterranean Escapes Recipes Rick Stein’s passion for fresh well-sourced food has taken him from continent to continent, across magnificent shorelines and to the very best produce the coast has to offer. Rick remarks “My greatest enthusiasm in life has been finding dishes that change my perception of cooking, that reveal a whole new vista of flavour combination. I think we all enjoy that. I’m just someone with an enthusiasm for food and a curiosity that’s sent me sniffing around all over the place looking for lovely dishes in all corners of the globe” Taken from his book ‘Mediterranean Escapes’ (BBC Books, £20) here is one of Rick’s favourite recipes inspired by flavours of the Med.
SERVES 4 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried chillies 1 mild green chilli, stalk removed and thinly sliced 225g fresh porcini mushrooms, cleaned and thickly sliced 2 large, ripe vine tomatoes, skinned, seeded and sliced 400 g dried spaghetti 1 kg small clams, such as carpet-shell, washed 60 ml dry white wine A large handful flat-leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped Salt
Vittorio’s Pasta with Clams and Porcini Bring 4.5 litres water to the boil in a large saucepan with 8 teaspoon salt. Meanwhile, put the oil and garlic into a deep sauté or frying pan and place it over a medium heat. As soon as the garlic begins to sizzle round the edges, add the crushed chillies, green chilli and sliced porcini and cook briskly for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for another minute or two. Set to one side and keep hot. Add the pasta to the pan of boiling water and cook for 9 minutes or until al dente. Heat another large pan over a high heat. Add the clams and the wine, cover and cook over a high heat for 2-3 minutes until they have all just opened. (Discard any that stay closed.) Tip them into a colander set over a bowl to collect the clam juices. Add all but the last tablespoon or two of the clam cooking liquor (which might be gritty) to the porcini sauce, return to the heat and simmer rapidly until it has reduced by half to a well-flavoured sauce. Drain the pasta and return to the pan with the cooked clams, the porcini sauce and parsley and toss together well. Serve immediately.
Bury Market Hall open everyday except Sunday “Winner BBC Radio 4’s Food and Farming Awards” Best Food Market “Winner UK Coach Awards – Most Coach Friendly Shopping Attraction” “Winner NABMA’s” Best Market Attraction Full Markets Open Wednesdays Fridays and Saturdays
An Award Winning Market Bury Market’s huge selection of fresh food and produce has been praised the world over…but the only compliments we really want are from our customers! At Bury Market you’ll discover over 350 stalls selling everything from fresh food to the latest fashions – and a whole lot more! Bury Market’s easy to find and even easier to enjoy. The world famous Bury Market located off junction 2 of the M66 – every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Bury town centre is also home to the Fusilier Museum, East Lancashire Railway, Bury Transport Museum and Bury Art Gallery
St Vincent’s Homecare & Repair Working in
Pendle
Burnley
Rossendale
Ribble Valley
We can supply and fit all your Daily Living Aids in your area:• Shower Seats • Bath Boards
we also supply ramps
• Shower Benches\Footstools • Glideabout Commode • Over-bed trolleys • Back rests • Footstools • WC seat and frame
and we deliver free
• Shoe horns • Toilet seats • Grab rails
For over 60’s and disabled people - contact us on 01706 221849 or 0845 0500570 We can help with repairs, improvements, aids and adaptations
St Vincent’s is a not for profit organisation with charitable status
Coping with the
Winter Months Cold or Flu?
Colds and flu share some of the same symptoms (sneezing, coughing, sore throat), but are caused by different viruses. Flu can be much more serious than a cold. If you’re generally fit and healthy, you can usually manage the symptoms of a cold or flu yourself without seeing a doctor. Look after yourself by resting, drinking non-alcoholic fluids to avoid dehydration and avoiding strenuous activity. Painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol can relieve aches and pains. Some people need to take extra care as they’re more at risk of serious chest complications, such as pneumonia and bronchitis. People over 65 are more at risk of complications. People under 65, including children, are more at risk of complications if they have serious heart or chest complaints, including asthma, serious kidney disease or liver disease, diabetes, lowered immunity due to disease or treatment or have had a stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA).
Flu Flu usually comes on much more quickly than a cold, and symptoms include sudden fever of 38-40°C (100104°F), muscle aches and pains, sweating, feeling exhausted and needing to lie down, dry & chesty cough and sneezing.
Symptoms
Flu symptoms appear one to three days after infection and most people recover within a week, although you may feel tired for longer. A severe cold can also cause muscle aches and fever, so it can be hard to tell the difference.
There are around 200 viruses that cause colds and three that cause flu. There are many strains of these flu viruses, and the vaccine changes every year to protect against the most common ones.
Whether it’s a cold or flu, get medical help if you have a chronic condition (such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease), or if you have a very high fever as well as an unusually severe headache or abdominal or chest pain.
Colds
Stop the viruses spreading
Everyone in an at-risk group is eligible for a free flu vaccination. This is the best protection against the virus.
Symptoms of a cold include a runny nose, beginning with clear mucus that develops into thicker, green mucus as the cold progresses, blocked nose, sore throat, sneezing and a cough. People with a cold may also suffer with a mild fever, earache, tiredness and headache. Symptoms develop over one or two days and gradually get better after a few days. Some colds can last for up to two weeks. Help prevent colds and flu from spreading by sneezing or coughing into a tissue, throwing the tissue away, washing your hands and getting the flu jab if you’re eligible. According to the Common Cold Centre in Cardiff, a cold is most contagious during the early stages when the person has a runny nose and sore throat.
Information provided courtesy of
Cold and flu viruses are spread by droplets that are sneezed or coughed out by an infected person. Other people can breathe in these droplets or transfer the droplets to their eyes or nose on their fingers. Again protect yourself and others against colds and flu by coughing or sneezing into a tissue, throwing a used tissue away as soon as possible, washing your hands as soon as possible and having a flu jab every year if you’re in an at-risk group.
Please visit www.nhs.uk for further details.
Your eyesight is precious and taking care of your eyes is an essential part of your all-round healthcare routine. Just as most people visit their dentist every six months for a check-up, or their doctor for a regular health examination, so you should also visit your optician to have your eyesight tested, regardless of whether you wear glasses or contact lenses. Such examinations can reveal far more that just whether you need glasses; they can also identify medical conditions that could have far more serious implications. 'All routine eye tests include an internal and external examination of the eyes,' says Stuart Ingleby, director of Specsavers Blackburn. 'If an abnormality is discovered, prompt referral will ensure that your GP is aware of what may be a potentially harmful condition.' Optometrists - the people who test your eyes - recommend that you have a complete eye examination every two years, whatever your age. Children should have their first eye test before the age of three. More frequent checks are advised around the age of 45, when the lens of the eye begins to deteriorate (called presbyopia), meaning that some people may need glasses for reading and close work, and for the over-60s, for whom eye disease is more of a risk. At Specsavers Opticians all children's eyecare is free.* Adults are required to pay a fee for an eye examination, although for some people this will be covered by the NHS. Check with your local store to see if you qualify. So don't wait until you are having headaches or some kind of visual problem before visiting the optician. Instead, regard your eyes as a useful indicator of your general health and make eye tests a regular part of your life.
Blackburn Morrisons, Railway Road, . Tel: 01254 682 504 Blackburn, 21 Lord Street Mall. Tel: 01254 580 099
Petre Court Clayton Business Park, Petre Road, Accrington BB5 5HY
T: 01254 388 333
Problem Dentures? Marcus Massey now works alongside a full Dental Team, including a specialist in Oral Surgery. Gone are the days when your denture was made remotely by a mass production dental lab….the person making your denture at Petre dental makes every bit of your denture and will make your denture unique. If you need repair or alteration to your existing denture we will alter it if possible while you wait. Marcus Massey treats you from the first appointment to the fitting of your denture AND makes your denture so he offers a very personal service tailored to your needs.
Marcus Massey and the team at Petre Dental offer: • Free Consultation • Denture Stabilisation for troublesome loose dentures working alongside Jackie James - specialist in Oral Surgery • Oral surgery procedures including dental implants • Affordable Dental Plans
INC CA RE HOM ES
• Facial rejuvenation and various orthodontic treatments • Tooth Whitening • Convenient Facilities - including large car park, easy access from all routes, right next to M65
What is a Clinical Dental Technician? Professional Clinical Dental Technicians are members of the Dental Health Care Team. They have undergone specific training and education in the skills and knowledge necessary to provide a removable appliance service directly to the community. Equipped with solid technical training as a Dental Technician - plus post-technician training in sciences, clinical skills, and interpersonal skills - the Clinical Dental Technician can design, create, construct and modify (repair and rebase) dentures to ensure optimal fit, maximum comfort and general well-being of patients. These skills enable the Clinical Dental Technician, whilst remaining a member of the Dental Health Care Team, to work independently of other Dental Health Care providers. A fully qualified local Clinical Dental Technician is Marcus Massey of Petre Dental and Pendle Denture Centre. He was introduced to the world of Denturism at the side of his father John who established Pendle Dental Laboratory 45 years ago making it one of the longest established Denture Clinics in the country. At the age of sixteen he studied Fine Art and gained his first Diploma. In 1994, he studied Dental Technology at Manchester University and Dental Hospital, he then attended The George Brown College in Toronto, Canada in 2003 graduated with his Diploma in Denturism. In 2008, he received a Diploma in Clinical Dental Technology from the Royal College of Surgeons. Also in 2008 he registered with the General Dental Council as a Dental Technician. Marcus is now mentoring students who are studying for their Diplomas in Clinical Dental Technology with The Royal College of Surgeons.
Marcus Massey
Registered Clinical Dental Technician DIP CLIN DENT TECH RCS Eng.
Contact Us... Petre Dental is located in a purpose built, modern office development just off junction 7 of the M65 in Clayton-le-Moors near Accrington. You can contact the surgery on 01254 388333 or by e-mail: diane@petredental.com Marcus Massey operates in 3 different practices throughout the week: Petre Dental Petre Court, Clayton Business Park, Petre Road, Accrington, BB5 5HY Tel: 01254 388 333 Pendle Dental Laboratory 6 Market Square, Nelson BB9 7LP Tel: 01282 692225 Barrowford Dental Practice 9 Gisburn Road, Barrowford, Nelson BB9 8ND T: 01282 611844
Dr Terry Bowley
If you’ve had blood in your poo or looser poo for 3 weeks, your doctor wants to know. It could be the early signs of bowel cancer. Finding it early makes it more treatable and could save your life.
nhs.uk/bowelcancer
Joan Brown, 80, cancer survivor
1 in 3 women who get breast cancer are over 70, so don’t assume you’re past it. A lump isn’t the only sign of breast cancer. If you’re worried about any changes to your breasts, tell your doctor straight away. Finding it early makes it more treatable and could save your life.
nhs.uk/breastcancer70 S36 21124_CAN_BCOC_A3_Poster.indd 1
20/12/2011 23:20
Ageing Well Project: To encourage people to be more active and healthy we provide a range of activities at community venues throughout the Borough. Currently these include tai chi, gentle exercise, gym sessions, walks, swimming groups, Wii sessions, 10 pin bowling, dancing and aromatherapy. The new name for Age Concern Blackburn with Darwen
We also provide basic computer tuition and loan of Nintendo DS Brain Training equipment.
Over 50?
Befriending Service: The Caring Neighbourhood Scheme provides a voluntary visitor or ‘phonelink on a weekly basis to people who are housebound and socially isolated.
Your local organisation here to help you Age UK Blackburn with Darwen (formerly Age Concern Blackburn with Darwen) remains a local, independent charity providing our range of services to local older people. We are a brand partner of Age UK which works to improve the lives of older people across the UK through campaigning, influencing and support to local organisations. The services we can offer you in Blackburn with Darwen are: Advice and Information Service: Through offices in Blackburn and Darwen we offer free, confidential and independent advice on a range of issues including benefits and money, care, housing and much more. A variety of free factsheets and leaflets are also available. Our Outreach Advice Service provides home visits and advice sessions in community venues. The Money Advice Service offers free information sessions on a range of financial issues such as budgeting; retirements and pensions; credit and borrowing; tax; and savings and investments.
Day Care: Our two day care centres provide services for older people who are physically and/or mentally frail. We provide transport to and from the centres, a hot lunch, bathing and personal care, plus the opportunity to participate in a range of therapeutic and social activities. Charity Shop: Our shop on Market Street in Darwen sells a large range of quality donated clothes, accessories, small electrical and other household items, CDs, DVDs, books and other goods. Donations are always welcome and collection can be arranged. For further information about any of our services or activities you can contact us at:
4 King Street, Blackburn, BB2 2DH Telephone: 01254 266620 Darwen Office, Town Hall, Croft Street, Darwen BB3 1BQ Telephone: 01254 773440 web: www.ageukbwd.org.uk email: enquiries@ageukbwd.org.uk Registered charity number 1143809
Tailor-made products and services for the over 50s
• Home Insurance • Car Insurance • Travel Insurance • Gas and Electricity • Personal Alarms • Funeral Plans
For a no-obligation quote, visit: Age UK Blackburn with Darwen Trading Ltd 4 King Street, Blackburn BB2 2DH (Also find us in Darwen Town Hall 01254 773440)
Tel: 01254 266620
Open: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri 10am to 3.30pm Thurs 10am to 1pm
or call 08000 853 741 or visit www.ageuk.org.uk/buy
Home, car and travel insurance are provided by Ageas Insurance Limited. Gas and Electricity is provided by E.ON Energy Solutions Limited. Age UK is a registered trademark of Age UK (Charity no 1128267). The use of the name and logo Age UK is done so under a licence agreement between Age UK and Age UK Enterprises Limited, its commercial services arm. Net profits are donated to Age UK. Age UK Enterprises Limited, Linhay House, Ashburton, Devon TQ13 7UP. ID9975 11/10 MP2210V2APR11_SL034153_11
St Vincent’s Retirement Apartments With over 40 years experience in delivering independence, security and peace of mind – we can help you make the most of your retirement years. St Vincent's retirement apartments have so much more to offer than simply a roof over your head. We have won awards for our retirement schemes which are designed specifically to meet the needs of senior members off the community.
Who are our retirement apartments for?
Anyone at all who is either over 60 or has a disability. If you feel lonely, isolated from your family, or find your present home is becoming too much to manage, then moving to a St Vincent's retirement apartment could be the best move you will ever make.
A dedicated scheme manager Sarah Reed, has been providing
support to the residents at Plessington Court in Longridge for 3 years now. Sarah is a fully trained chef, who enjoys organising and catering for events at the scene. She is also proficient in IT and enjoys passing her knowledge on to the residents. Her experience in the field enables her to advise residents on accessing benefits and local services.
Company when you want it
All our retirement schemes have a communal lounge where residents can come together, if they wish, and meet for coffee mornings and other social activities , such as bingo and Christmas parties. At Plessington
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Court, Sarah organises regular day trips, for example trips to the theatre. At the end of a busy day socialising, however, you can return to your apartment, and close your own front door.
All mod-cons
All our retirement schemes have modern amenities• Plessington Court benefits from modern amenities such as the kitchens. If you have special requirement, e.g. lever taps, we will make sure the work is carried out for you free of charge. • Independence with Security. Our retirement schemes are designed to give residents complete independence. You have your own apartment but residents’ security is a key concern for us. We have installed CCTV, a door entry system with intercom, boundary fencing, window locks and smoke alarm.
Lovely surroundings for our residents to enjoy
Residents at all our retirement schemes enjoy the peace and tranquillity of delightful landscaped gardens. The grounds are maintained regularly by a gardener and provide a relaxing meeting place for summer BBQ’s or just a lazy afternoon with a book.
Local amenities
Plessington Court is conveniently located with Longridge Town centre. There are many shops close by, with a bus stop and a regular bus service to Clithese and Preston just a short walk away. Plessington is a delightful market town with many attractions, including a weekly market.
Take a look for yourself
If you would like to take a look around the scheme and meet Sarah, the scheme manager, you
Mrs Mary Fielding resident of Plessington Court Mary has lived at plessington court for 21 years, and during this time she has seen many changes. She has made many good friends, and thinks that the Scheme Manager is perfect. Mary said that if she had her time again she would do the same again, because she is happy at Plessington Court, she said that "I have kept my sense of humour" and we can all agree this is important no matter what age you are! would be more than welcome. See for yourself the benefits of at a St Vincent's retirement apartment, without any obligation.
And if you think a St Vincent's Retirement Apartment is for you
We will do everything we can to make sure you settle into your new home. Our scheme manager will ensure you are out in touch with support agencies in the area, and help you find your feet. We provide a welcome pack containing a lovely hessian shopping bag, a pen, mug, T-bags and coffee, energy saving light bulbs, bin bags and DIY voucher.
If you think a St Vincent's Retirement apartment is for you, or you would like to receive more information, ring Rose on 0161 772 2120. www.retiredmagazines.co.uk
Independent Living for Older People Do you want the security of your own home, with the independence to get on and live life to the full? If so, Plessington Court in Longridge may be just the thing. Run by St Vincent's Housing Association, Plessington Court offers older people an apartment as well as communal facilities for all residents to enjoy.
At Plessington Court you can expect:• Assistance and advice from an on-site manager • A communal lounge - you can get involved in social activities as much or little as you want • Constant heating and hot water • Free repairs service
For more information about Plessington Court, give Jane a call on 0161 772 2120
www.svha.co.uk
Avoid the Rogue Trader! St Vincents Homecare & Repair is funded by local councils and operates throughout Pendle, Rossendale & Ribble Valley. We help older or vulnerable people (usually owner occupiers or private tenants) to get repairs done without the risk of fraud or excessive charges.
We have:• A panel of trusted and reliable private contractors • Our own handymen who do smaller jobs for a modest charge • Caseworkers who can often raise funding from Charities and will liaise with all relevant agencies • Technical Officers who can provide all necessary advice and specifications
Telephone: 0845 050 0570
OUT & ABOUT Egg Painting
Thursday 5 April 2012 Start at 1pm Come and be imaginative and creative whilst painting eggs for Easter with the Park Warden on Maundy Thursday. Venue: Corporation Park, Gate House To book telephone (01254) 692179
Easter Eggstravaganza
Friday 6 April 2012 11am - 4pm Follow the free prize Easter treasure trail. Venue: Witton Country Park, Visitor Centre
Scavenger Hunt
Wednesday 11 April 2012 1 - 3pm Come join the hunt, you will be surprised what you can find in the park. Children must be supervised. Venue: Corporation Park, Gate House For more info on the above events please visit www.blackburn.gov.uk
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The Rat Pack Is Back
Sun 26 February 2012 7:30pm Voted best tribute by The Guardian newspaper, The Rat Pack is Back. Frank, Sammy and Dean as you have never seen them before. An evening of grand entertainment starring Des Coleman as Sammy Davis Jnr, David Alacey as Frank Sinatra and Andrea Morrelli as Dean Martin. ÂŁ18 Adults / ÂŁ16.50 Concessions/Groups 10+ King George's Hall (Windsor Suite) Northgate, Blackburn BB2 1AA For more information please visit www.kinggeorgeshall.com
www.retiredmagazines.co.uk
Darwen Library Theatre, Knott Street, Darwen, BB3 3BU. (01254) 706 006 dlt@blackburn.gov.uk www.darwenlibrarytheatre.com
What's On... James Byrne
Thu 29 March 2012 8:00pm The UK's leading psychic medium returns to the stage following a long break. Please note: Evenings of mediumship are not scientifically proven and are presented for education and entertainment purposes only. Price: £15
Towneley Hall Art Gallery and Museum Towneley Hall Art Gallery and Museum is a great day out for all the family and specialists alike. Its country house setting within a large park makes the building and grounds very attractive to explore. The Hall contains an art gallery, museum-style displays and period rooms ranging from an Elizabethan Long Gallery to a Victorian Kitchen. Visit the Towneley Hall site at www.towneley.org to find out more about the Art Gallery, Museum, Local Crafts Museum and Natural History Centre.
For more information you can contact Towneley Hall by email - towneleyhall@burnley.gov.uk.
D.L.T. Film Society My Week With Marilyn Tue 17 April 2012 2:00pm
Colin Clark, an employee of Sir Laurence Olivier's, documents the tense interaction between Olivier and Marilyn Monroe during production of The Prince and the Showgirl. Price: £3
Stick Granny on the Roof Thu 10 May 2012 7:30pm
It’s the MsFits again. That’s Rona Munro writing the words with Fiona Knowles giving them comic interpretation on stage. And this gentle riff on family life sees Knowles creating three generations of a family on their holiday of a lifetime. This is the holiday that Marie has been waiting for. She won it herself, but the hard- hearted competition company won’t give her a holiday for one. It’s a family holiday. So out-ofwork husband Graham, nippy mother-in-law Nan and irksome last teenage daughter Kate all have to come too. With twists and turns along the way this is just the sort of treat that keeps you chuckling long after Knowles has taken her bow. Price £10.00 Adults £8.00 Concessions www.retiredmagazines.co.uk
Enjoy the lifestyle you’ve worked for... With 19 suberb rural and coastal locations to choose from Tingdene Park home living is all about quality of life with a traditional village feel. For more information call 0845 337 0330 or visit www.tingdene-parks.net
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Showley Brook Residential Home fo Showley Brook Residential Home for the Elderly is a 15 bedroom care home providing an excellent standard of care and support for the over 65s. All our rooms are single rooms, with either ensuite or nearby bathroom and toilet facilities. All rooms have wash handbasin.
10, Knowsley Road, Wilpshire, Blackburn BB1 9PX | Tel: 01254 248188
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www.retiredmagazines.co.uk
We are located on a quiet lane in Wilpshire, and are surrounded by fields, trees and have Showley Brook running through the rear garden. We have an excellent local reputation and have been awarded 2 stars by the Care Quality Commission. We pride ourselves on being flexible and responsive to the individual needs of our residents – supporting and assisting as necessary whilst maintaining as much resident independence as possible. We offer long and short term care, and can provide respite and day care. The majority of our staff are trained to a minimum NVQ II in Health & Social Care and all senior carers have gained NVQ level III or level IV in Health & Social Care. We are committed to ongoing training and development to ensure that our staff are skilled, knowledgeable and competent to look after your loved one. We have 2 trained cooks who provide good wholesome and nutritious food. We are able to cater for most types of diet and preferences. We also provide a small number of meals on wheels to the local community and feedback is very positive. Our domestic has recently qualified at NVQ II in Hospitatlity Services and is soon to be undertaking her level III qualification. She is responsible for ensuring that the home is kept clean and odour free, and has a particular interest in infection control and reducing the risks to staff and residents. At Showley Brook we have a long standing reputation for providing a high level of care in a quiet, comfortable and friendly environment. We are small enough to be flexible and responsive to your needs. Most of our staff have been employed for many years and are committed to their job of caring for the frail and elderly.
or the Elderly
www.showleybrook.co.uk www.retiredmagazines.co.uk
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ELEGANCE THROUGH DESIGN kitchens • bedrooms • bathrooms Established 40 years • Full fitting service • Free design & plan service • Members of KBSA
Road
13 OLD
plc.com ors.com
Established 40 years - Part of J & J Ormerod - Holders of the Gold Green Apple Eco Award Full fitting service - Free design & plan service
Design & Fitting
Colonial Bedrooms
eco Kitchens
352-358 Newchurch Road, Stacksteads, Bacup, Lancashire OL13 OLD - Tel 01706 252122 Showrooms also at Oswaldtwistle Mills - Tel 01254 304 068 Ulverston - Tel 01229 581 828 smawdesley@jjoplc.com www.rossendaleinteriors.com
Colonal Kitchens
eco Bathrooms
Buy Now Pay Later and Interest Free Credit Available (subject to status)
No fees