Chester & Wirral issue 34 by John McGrath

EDITION 34

Retired OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2011

& living in Chester & Wirral

Inside ...

MICHAEL ASPEL On how he stepped up to the mike

RICK STEIN Shares his favourite dishes inspired by Flavours of the Med

THE LOCAL MAGAZINE FOR THE OVER 55s

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Affordable peace of mind ..... Holidays

FULL 2012 BROCHURE COMING SOON

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 UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 www.robinsons-holidays.co.uk

Park Garage, Great Harwood, Blackburn BB6 7SP.

1501

Book any tour from this magazine before 31st December 2011 and receive 12 month membership to our TRAVEL CLUB* *Current Travel Club members will receive a free 12 month Travel Club membership when their present membership expires

8 Days/ 7 Nights Dinner Bed & Breakfast, includes at least 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

£345 £345 £345 £355 £355 £355 £365 £365 £365 £375 £375 £375 £385 £385 £385 £389 £389 £389 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £399 £389 £389 £389 £379 £379 £379 £359 £359 £359 £339 £339 £339

£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

£195 £205 £215 £225 £249 £255 £249 £245 £235 £225

£249 £245 £239 £235 £229 £225

£225 £219 £215 £209 £205 £199

Turkey and Tinsel 05-Nov 12-Nov 19-Nov 26-Nov 03-Dec 10-Dec

£249 £245 £239 £235 £229 £225

5 Days/ 4 Nights Dinner Bed & Breakfast, includes 2 Excursions and FREE Insurance 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

Abbey Lawn Imperial Ocean View Mystery Tour £139 £145 £149 £155 £159 £165 £169 £175 £175 £185 £185 £189 £195 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - £225 £215 £209 £205 £199

£139 £145 £149 £155 £159 £165 £169 £175 £175 £185 £185 £189 £195 £199 £209 £215 £219 £225 £229 £239 £249 £249 £249 £249 £249 £249 £249 £249 £249 £249 £249 £249 £245 £239 £235 £225 £215 £209 £205 £199

£129 £133 £135 £139 £145 £149 £155 £159 £155 £165 £165 £169 £175 £179 £189 £195 £199 £205 £209 £215 £225 £225 £225 £225 £225 £225 £225 £225 £225 £225 £225 £225 £219 £215 £209 £199 £189 £185 £179 £175

£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

£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

Freephone: 0800 0839086 Park Garage, Great Harwood, Blackburn BB6 7SP www.robinsons-holidays.co.uk

CONTENTS

Healthcare services in your community Repeat Prescription Collection Service Delivery for the Housebound and Elderly Emergency Contraception Smoking Cessation Weight Management Alcohol Advice and Guidance Blood Pressure Monitoring Medicine Use Reviews

Pharmacies Manor Pharmacy - Hoylake/Meols Tel: 632 0070 Vittoria Pharmacy - Birkenhead Tel: 647 8679 Birkenhead Pharmacy - Birkenhead Tel: 653 7720 Egremont Pharmacy - Wallesey Tel: 639 5016 Willaston Pharmacy - South Wirral Tel: 327 5110 Irby Pharmacy - Irby Tel: 648 1498 Victoria Central Pharmacy - Liscard Tel: 639 0732 Greasby Pharmacy - Greasby Tel: 678 3350 Blackheath Pharmacy - Leasowe Tel: 604 1600 Wallasey Village Pharmacy - Wallesey Tel: 638 2392 Westminster Park Pharmacy - Westminster Park Tel: 01244 677000 Owens Chemist - Saltney Tel: 01244 680410 Also pharmacies in Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales.

Welcome to Retired Magazine

Dear Reader 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 up to date household tips. We know you will also be left with a smile on your face after reading Grahamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s observations on life! 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

TRAVEL & LEISURE 2-3

Coach Tours 2012 From Robinsons Holidays.

6-7

Tuscany Discover one of Italy's treasures.

REGULARS Graham Smith Twittering on.

10-11 Interview Michael Aspel talks to Retired.

HEALTH 4

Healthcare in your community Repeat Prescription Collection Service.

Bathing Solutions The ultimate answer to bathing solutions.

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.

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 LeedsBradford airport suspended for the day in case the lunch time Ireland plane crashed in Central Park? They were not.

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

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.

WALKER 37

Movement for life

Airogym™ is a portable, inflatable excerciser that provides a resistance-based excercise to help encourage blood flow in the lower legs.

Movement for life www.airogym.com

Airogym™ is ideal for anyone who is unable to exercise as much as they used to or would like. It provides a great alternative to help stay active as well as help to reduce swollen joints and muscles. “My daughter bought an Airogym for me four months ago and I use the Airogym every day and my improvement has been miraculous.” HOW TO ORDER Telephone: 01488 73848 Order online: www.airogym.com Order by post: Airogym, Membury Logistics Centre,Unit 3 Ramsbury Road, Berkshire RG17 7TJ Cheques payable to Walker 37 £11.99 per item+ £2.50 P&P for up to 3

Under the Tuscan Sun

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

Personalised Legal Services (a Tesco Law Caution!) While reading your daily papers recently, you may have come across reports of changes to the provision of legal services which have been dubbed “Tesco Law” as apparently it is meant to make buying legal services as easy as buying a tin of beans. The changes in the law will allow non lawyer companies, such as supermarket chains, to provide legal services. This begs the question. Do you really want to buy legal advice in the same place as you buy your tin of beans? Take Probate work for example. There are already several firms linked to banks, and firms of undertakers, sending sales people into your homes, in the guise of providing you with some “free advice”. These people are rarely qualified lawyers able to provide you with legal advice. You do not need pressure sales tactics when you are vulnerable and have lost a loved one. What happens at the moment, when you instruct one of these large organisations is that you are unlikely to meet the fee earner dealing with your matter, as often the work is undertaken at distance. When you call their office for advice, you talk to a call centre, and rarely the same person twice! How about DIY? It is entirely possible to apply for probate and deal with an estate, without seeing a lawyer, but it’s not without risks. Many professionally drafted wills contain trusts to save tax, to avoid

those who inherit paying care fees and to reduce the likelihood of potential disputes. All too often people come to seek advice when they have made a mistake or find the paperwork too tricky. For example, Mrs X’s will had included a tax saving trust, but when her husband administered the estate, he paid the whole estate to himself, effectively undoing the beneficial effects of the trust drafted into the Will. In Mr A’s case, he sold some shares that had made a gain during the administration of his late sister’s estate and had to pay tax. If he had transferred the shares to himself first, before selling them, he could have avoided the tax. In all but the most straightforward cases, it is important to seek timely specialist legal advice, as that can actually save you money and worry. At Canter Levin & Berg, we ensure personal contact with the fee earner dealing with your matter. Our Dawn Joughin and Robert Lee, are members of Solicitors for the Elderly, and work in partnership with the deceased’s family to help and support them with the legal and technical work. As elder law specialists, they can even add value to their work, for example by identifying cases where money is owed to the estate for care funding, which should have been met by the NHS and assist you in making a no win no fee claim. Call us for a personal service. You may be surprised to ﬁnd our costs are often lower than many would have you believe! www.retiredmagazines.co.uk

CARE HOME NHS REFUNDS! It is estimated that about two thirds of the 150,000 in nursing homes who pay for their own care should be funded by the NHS that's around 100,000 paying unnecessarily

Claims backdated to 2004 Review current assessment Save £1000’s on care home fees We ﬁght your case for you Stress free consultation Specialists in care home refunds We can also help you save on inheritance tax by guiding you through the most tax eﬃcient methods of estate planning and the writing of a will which ensures that your estate passes to those you intend to receive it.

Recent cases include backdated payments of up to £165,000 where the family home was sold to help pay for care. Others included a refund of £130,000 because the NHS deemed the problems ‘social’ rather than ‘health’ related. If you feel that you have been incorrectly charged, speak to one of our specialists on:

0844 875 6200

You could claim a refund for fees paid for care that should have been provided free!

Our experience makes yours better www.retiredmagazines.co.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?

“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 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.

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 they were looking for continuity announcers at the BBC TV’s Lime Grove Studios. 10

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.

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.

“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 www.retiredmagazines.co.uk

I N T E RV I E W ‘Good morning’ and switched myself off. “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.

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.” 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.

“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.”

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.

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.

“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.”

“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’.

Feeling festive in a good cause The Parkinson’s UK Christmas Concert is at 7pm on December 9 at Central Hall, Westminster, with music, poetry and celebrity guests including Michael Aspel, Jane Asher and singer Paul Potts, first winner of Britain’s Got Talent.

“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 silly, unnatural arrangement. Someone would originally come in with a good anecdote and tell it

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Tickets available from September, via www.parkinsons.org.uk/carolconcert or by calling 020 7963 9319.

Quality of Life ... How do you view your bathroom? A place to relax, dream, and recharge. Or as a purely functional place to shower and get set for the day. Either way, there are so many innovations now in bathroom design, that the avocado suite and those depressing shower curtains are as old hat as the tin bath by the kitchen fire. For the purely functional bathroom, but with a 2lst century look, there are the wet rooms. Wet rooms take up about the same space as a bath, but allow much more space than a shower. Going a stage further, you can now install a steam shower with bath, combined with chromotherapy lighting to match your mood, hydro massage jets and whirlpool bath combination. If you’re feeling sociable, you can go for a two person steam shower with folding seats and glass back panels. Features include body massage jets and an FM radio. Or how about a sauna and steam shower combination unit, with body jets, FM radio, hands free telephone and CD input. But maybe you’re one of those people who like to relax and dream in your bath, or watch your favourite TV programme as you lie back in your favourite scented bubbles, gently massaged by whirlpool jets. Hand basins have come a long way – basins are available which look like works of art, in clear glass, or bronze, in round or rectangular shapes and wall mounted, leaving floor space clear. For a wet room or shower, water tiles are an innovation. This new system of body sprays and showerheads can be fitted into a shower wall or ceiling to create a customised shower. The number of jets, the height and position can be fitted to the customers’ requirements.

Wirral Wetrooms will transform your Bathroom into your own personal haven Designed to match your lifestyle and taste - from the ultimate in minimalist, hi-tech bathrooms to stylish ensuites - we can offer our expertise and services to help you plan and select the bathroom for you. We pride ourselves on providing our clients with bathroom products manufactured to the highest standards of engineering. Installed by our own fitters using the finest quality materials, to deliver unrivalled design, aesthetic appeal and function. Wetroom installations create a bathroom with a sense of spaciousness and style. With a room tailor-made to your requirements:

• With or without glass screens. • Overhead, wall mounted or combination shower heads. • Floor level or raised. • Electric, pumped, thermostatic and digital shower options. • Replace an existing bath without sacriﬁcing space. Wirral Wetrooms have experience in the design and installation of wetrooms for all scenarios, to fit with modern contemporary and traditional designs. A wetroom will enhance the quality of your bathing needs whilst creating a contemporary look to your room.

Mobility Wetrooms Wet rooms are the ideal solution for the mobility restricted. A mobility wet room allows completely level access for wheelchair users and is more spacious than an enclosed shower trays. Wet rooms are not just for the mobility restricted, they offer a very modern alternative to the standard enclosed shower tray, and are rapidly becoming the “must have” accessory in contemporary bathroom design. Modern designs mean that we can create luxurious rooms which function as good as they look. Advantages of such systems include: • • • • •

Complete level access. Large spacious showering area. Perfect solution for wheelchair users. Fully slip resistant surface. No shower tray required.

A beautiful bathroom enhances your home and provides a bolthole to relax and unwind, so go for it, and enjoy it for years to come. 12

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Wirral Wetrooms

Bespoke Bathrooms and En-suites Wirrals leading Wetroom Specialist - we design, supply & install Our professional team will be on hand at every step from design, through installation to the completed, working bathroom. We pride ourselves in being one of the only showrooms in the UK that design, supply and install primarily using our own employed staff. We bring attention to detail to create the perfect blend of asthetics and functionality. Wirral Wetrooms is the perfect answer in response to the growing demand for a tailored bathroom.

Offering a range of sophisticated international products to produce a bathroom unique to you, the customer, which will look as good in 10 years time as it does on day one. At Wirral Wetrooms we never forget that we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t choose you - you choose us! Your complete satisfaction is our number one priority. Wirral Wetrooms have a reputation for providing top class service. Visit our website to read just a few testimonials from satisfied customers.

5 Thingwall Road, Irby, Wirral CH61 3UA | Telephone: 0151 648 5564 Visit our website www.wirralwetroom.co.uk www.retiredmagazines.co.uk

Opening hours Monday - Saturday 8.30am - 5pm

chester electrical & plumbing supplies Here at Chester Electrical & Plumbing Supplies we are an independent company who pride ourselves on our customer service. Choosing a new bathroom can be a potentially daunting task. With so many products available it can also be difficult to get value for money in a market filled with hundreds of white ceramic clones. In our showroom we display over 45 bathroom ranges from quality brands the likes of Twyford, Imperial, Lakes, Siadaw, Matrix, Eco kitchen and bathrooms and Vitra. These are some of the best manufacturers & suppliers in the business offering quality products backed up with the reassurance of superior after sales support. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a new toilet seat or a full designer bathroom we aim to ensure you get exactly what you want to suit you and your budget. We spend time with each customer right from the start of your bathroom search CHESTER ELECTRICAL BATHROOM.pdf

26/05/2011

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which is vital to ensure that what you require will be not only suitable, but fit perfectly and hopefully exceed your specific needs. Our friendly staff have together over 25 years combined experience in the trade which also includes bathroom and kitchen fitting. This coupled with a number of preferred local installers, plumbers & electricians on hand ensure you can have the bathroom of your dreams without necessarily needing a dream budget. So feel free to drop in and browse our showroom & experience our unique customer service. We are also a plumbing / heating and electrical & lighting wholesaler and have a new kitchen and bedroom showroom so all your needs can be met at one location.

Our customer service is second to none

electrical plumbing bathrooms kitchens bedrooms l

We have now opened a bespoke kitchen / bedroom furniture department and offer over 40 different kitchen and 20 bedroom styles, 6 of which are on display. There are ranges to suit all budgets whether if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for your first home or something you have been planning to do for years, you will get the same easy to understand guidance. We offer clear no nonsense advice from the planning stage as you will be talking to our sales staff who have over 10 years experience of installing kitchens. We conduct an onsite consultation to ensure you get the kitchen or bedroom that suits you, your home and your budget. After this is done we issue a clear and concise quote with a detailed auto cad drawing so you can see the layout of your new kitchen or bedroom. Once you have chosen your kitchen we can assist you in choosing your work surfaces be it laminate, composite, or granite, as well as appliances, tiles, sockets and lighting.

We have a large number of each on display as it is our intention to make the choosing of your new kitchen or bedroom a pleasurable stress free experience. We are main dealers for Neff appliances and in 90% of cases can beat internet prices so you can purchase with no risk. We also are very competitive on all the best ranges of kitchen appliances and taps, such as Abode, Franke, Gorenge, Caple, Luxair, Bosch, Belling, Stoves, Rangemaster and Smeg to name just a few of the better market brands. Once you have chosen your kitchen we can assist you with your kitchen fitter, electrician and plumber and tiler. Then deliver it for free within a 20 mile radius at a time that suits you, so no more waiting in all day! Is it possible to have all your needs professionally dealt with in just one place? It is now!

So call into our showroom now and let your new kitchen or bedroom become a reality.

Visit our showroom at: Bumpers Lane, Sealand Industrial Estate, Chester CH1 4LT.

t: 01244 383323 e: sales@ceps-ltd.co.uk

Ding Dong,

Christmas is calling! Shopping for good Christmas presents can be a mammoth task! But luckily for us, the fabulous FESTIVE GIFT FAIR is returning to the NEC Birmingham from 17-20th November and we have ten pairs of tickets to give away in our prize draw. There is something about browsing round lots of interesting stalls that makes Christmas shopping seem far more enjoyable than a visit to a familiar store. Each year, the fabulous Festive Gift Fair gives us inspiration and thousands upon thousands of new, clever and affordable gift ideas. With 350 stalls brought together from all over the country, the variety of gifts is amazing and so there is always a surprise around every corner! No wonder, it’s considered the most popular Christmas Shopping event in the Midlands. Get together your friends and family for a fun day out - browse, shop and enjoy the Christmassy atmosphere

created by musicians and entertainers. With so many bargains to be found, drop your full bags at the Present Crèche while you continue shopping. The 16th Festive Gift Fair promises to be a Showstopper of an event, so head along to Birmingham’s NEC to do all your Christmas Shopping in one fell swoop. • Arts and Crafts • Christmas Decorations, Cards and Ribbon • Festive Food and Drink • Handbags, Jewellery and Fashion • Gifts for Cooks • Gifts for Gardeners • Games, Toys, Stocking Fillers • Beauty and Health Products • Baby gifts • Gadgets • And much, much more!

Prepare for some GREAT Christmas Shopping at The Festive Gift Fair open 9.30 – 17.00 from Thursday 17- Sunday 20 November, NEC. For more information on exhibitors and visiting the Fair, visit www.festivegiftfair.co.uk. Save money by booking in advance – adult tickets are just £8.50. Book by phone by calling The Ticket Factory on 0844 581 0808/0809 or Book online at www.theticketfactory.com.

✁

WIN Tickets to the Festive Gift Fair, NEC Birmingham 17-20 November 2011 We have ten pairs of tickets to give away, just fill in your details to be entered into our prize draw.

Post to :

Name: .......................................................................................................................................

McGrath Media: Unit 6,

Address:....................................................................................................................................

Moses Gate Workshops, Gladys Street, Bolton BL3 2QG.

..................................................................Poscode:........................................................... Tel: .............................................................................................................................................

Draw will take place on 31.10.11. Winners will be notified by telephone and receive their tickets by post.

A focus on renting in retirement in Chester and The Wirral Choosing the perfect location in which to settle during retirement can often be a challenge, particularly when trying to find the right property that offers long-term security, comfort, and a host of friendly neighbours. Chester and The Wirral are both attractive locations for property buyers, they are also becoming hotspots for a growing number of retired people deciding to move against the home ownership grain and soak up the benefits of renting in retirement. Contrary to popular opinion, there are clear benefits to renting in retirement. Residents are not constricted by house prices and are free to move wherever they like, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s closer to family and friends or to another part of the country. Renting also allows homeowners to sell their property outright in order to release capital. By avoiding equity release schemes and selling on the open market, retired property owners can ensure they receive the full market value for their home. Many retired people choose to invest the money gained from the sale of their home in saving funds and to support themselves financially during their retirement. Others choose to gift family and friends during their lifetime, instead of leaving a will, thereby avoiding inheritance tax. The current recession has had a detrimental effect upon house sales and now savvy retirees are finding alternative ways to move into the retirement property of their dreams by simply letting out their larger homes, either privately or through a social housing provider, thus creating an income to enable them to rent a more manageable, purpose built, energy efficient retirement property

Homebank House, Oxton Thursday, 20 October 2011 11:00am to 3:00pm

Retirement property to rent on life-long tenancies, inclusive service charge and maintenance.

For retired residents living in and around Chester and The Wirral and exploring the possibility of renting a property, there are a number of rental options available throughout the area including Homebank House, Oxton. Homebank House has 60 apartments each comprising one or two bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, and a cosy sitting room. The development features a communal residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lounge in which residents are welcome to socialise and relax. The lounge can also be used as an extension to a residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; home to entertain guests, offering both companionship and independence. Girlings lets its properties out on a life-long (assured) tenancy basis, which allows the tenant to stay in the property for as long as they wish, providing great security and peace of mind.

0800 525 184

www.girlings.co.uk

For more information, please visit www.girlings.co.uk or contact the lettings team on 0800 525 184. www.retiredmagazines.co.uk

THE GARDEN CLUB by Shelia Alcock Most of last week was spent in my garden. Clipping, weeding, dead heading and mowing. I’d taken a hard look at my plot, trying to see it through other people’s eyes, and decided it needed some work. The reason for all this concentration was because of the garden club. My garden was on the list for a visit this month, and I needed to make it look as good as possible. I joined this small group at the beginning of the year. It’s fun, it’s sociable, and best of all, we all get to visit each other’s gardens. The gardens range from small and exquisite, to large and ambitious, and it’s a joy to be able to wander, admire, and swap stories of failures and successes. The thing I love most about this group is the way shared interests unite us all. We have a keen herbalist, a bank manager, a couple of primary school teachers and one fantastic cook. And the styles of the gardens sometimes reflect this, and sometimes veer off into sheer fantasy.

Hanging Baskets on a Patio

Retired no need to leave home to get the latest copy, subscribe now ... 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:.............................................................

A collection of lavender and foliage plants The first garden we visited together belonged to a widow. It was a small plot, but there was so much crammed into it, it seemed much bigger, and we spent a long time admiring the huge variety of plants. At the shady end of the garden there was decking, with a couple of garden seats under the trees. This area was fenced off and gated. “Charlie, my dog likes burying things in the grass”, she explained, “so I put him in here with his bone”. The lawn beyond had stepping stones leading towards this area, and closer to the house, a huge tree trunk had been utilised to show off pot plants of geraniums, interspersed with the flowing lines of white cosmos and scabious. Hanging baskets, a huge urn containing fennel, and other pots with roses and flowering shrubs produced an effect of sheer exuberance. As an example of how to turn a tiny garden into a haven of colour and form, this would be hard to beat. The next garden was one which belonged to a man who loved his veg. Immaculate rows of lettuce, leeks and cabbages, together with a lush looking patch of potatoes, took up half the garden, enlivened by patches of blue from chives and the electric red of runner beans. His wife had the other half, and she was into herbs. She showed us her store of mint jellies, elderflower cordial, and elderberry wine, and we enjoyed the scent of lavender as we looked at her herb collection of mints, rosemary, lemon thyme, oregano, sage, marjoram and tarragon. She grew nasturtiums and rocket to enliven her salads. Two bay trees clipped into lollipop shapes stood guard over a garden bench, and it all combined to make this a garden as attractive as it was productive. www.retiredmagazines.co.uk

Tea that day included delicious homemade scones with cream and home grown strawberry jam. The next garden took us to fantasy land. The front hedge was clipped into the shape of an enormous snail, drift wood was carved into the shapes of various animals from crocodiles to rabbits and there were two solar powered water features. One of these was an old grinding stone, set into a larger stone trough. The water bubbled through the central hole in the water wheel and collected in the trough. The whole was surrounded by yellow iris. The other water feature was a huge rock. Water cascaded over it into a sealed pool. Dragonflies hovered, and the sound of water splashing over stones gave an added dimension. The primary school teacher’s garden was a trip back into childhood. She was experimenting so that she could encourage the children to grow seeds in the plot they had at the school. Radishes were quick growing she told us, and the children loved to watch them growing. There were rows of carrots, lettuces and marigolds, all with large labels and pictures of the produce. She had also reproduced the nursery rhyme of Mary Mary, Quite Contrary, with a bed of marigolds surrounded with shells, and wind chimes in the trees to reproduce the silver bells. So far this year, we’ve seen six of the gardens, and we’ll be meeting twice a month between now and October, to fit in the ones remaining. At every garden we visit, there’s a table outside with numerous

A shady corner for a hot day cuttings, potted up and carefully labelled, for us to take home. We sit in the gardens over tea, comparing notes on successes and failures, we talk of gardens we’ve visited, and we’re already planning visits to National Trust gardens for late autumn. I’ve learned so much from these fellow gardeners, and made new friends. Joining the garden club has given me new ideas for changing odd corners, made me realise how different gardens and gardeners can be. I’ve acquired lots of different varieties of plants, I’ve laughed a lot, and I’ve loved every minute. Now I’m off to whip up a sponge for our tea.

Aquarius Wet Room

the ultimate answer to bathing difficulties exclusively available from Bathing Solutions Glass side panel secured to wall

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Mosaic tiled floor with fast drain; choice of colours

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For a free copy of our 28 page brochure call free on

Say goodbye to bathtime struggles when you completely replace your existing bathroom with the Aquarius Wet Room. By waterproofing and then tiling the entire floor, it means there’s no tray to step over and no door to open or close; it’s the ultimate in easy-access, safe showering. Complete the totally new look by choosing sanitary ware from our superb range and make bathing difficulty a thing of the past with the Aquarius Wet Room.

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Optional fold up seat for added comfort

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Please send me a brochure on your range of easy-access showers and walk-in baths.

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Exhibitions at the

WILLIAMSON ART GALLERY & MUSEUM, BIRKENHEAD 15 October – 20 November

Wirral Society of Arts

Williamson Art Gallery & Museum Slatey Road, Birkenhead CH43 4UE

Members’ exhibition Wirral Art School Fellowships

Tel: 0151 652 4177

25-27 November

Open Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 5pm Closed Monday (Except Bank Holidays)

Oxton Art Fair

A chance to buy art or craft by local artists – perfect for Christmas 3 December – 15 January 2012

Nicholas Horsfield

A memorial exhibition National Acrylic Painters Association Early 2012

Bengali Story Scrolls, a National Museums Liverpool touring exhibition Graham Dean, a return to Birkenhead for a 60th birthday exhibition Edward Walker, Maritime Painter A special exhibition marking the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic and the 150th anniversary of the launch of the Alabama Please note, building work has begun to improve the facilities at the Williamson. Periodic room and building closures will be required throughout 2012, but these will be kept to an absolute minimum.

Have you visited Birkenhead Priory?

WIRRAL

A site now wholly enclosed by modern Birkenhead, the Priory is a haven of tranquillity and has the oldest standing buildings in Merseyside. The Undercroft Museum tells the story of the Priory and the Chapter House dates back to 1150, in use as a church since St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parish church closed forty years ago. Upstairs is the chapel dedicated to HMS Conway, the training ship stationed on the River Mersey off Rock Ferry for many years.The chapel is open by arrangement. Open Wednesday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Friday pm, Saturday & Sunday all day. Telephone (0151) 666 1249 or 652 4177 to check times, which vary with the season.

Please note: Birkenhead Priory will be undergoing building and repair work during 2012.There may be parts of the Priory that are inaccessible at different times. Please telephone before a visit if you are hoping to see something specific.

Is your hard earned cash going through the roof, or down the drain? Last winter was one of the coldest we’ve had in the UK for twenty years and we paid the price in hugely inflated heating bills. To make matters worse, these are expected to rise even higher over the next few years. Unfortunately, human nature being what it is, as the weather gets warmer, its all too easy to forget winter chills and put off the moment when we need to take a good look at ways of keeping those heating costs down.

Is your home insulated? And if not, would you qualify for free loft and cavity wall insulation? There can’t be many of us who don’t know that up to a quarter of the heat we pay for, goes straight through the roof. Yet we could remedy that quite easily. Have you checked your loft recently. Is it properly insulated? Maybe you had your loft insulated when you moved into your home, but how long ago was that? It could be that the depth of the insulation was considered less important then. These days, the recommended depth of the most common insulating material, Rock Wool, is 270mm. If you’re a home owner or renting and are on eligible benefits or tax credits, or if you are over 70, or if the state pension is your main source of income, you could well qualify for loft or cavity wall insulation installed free of charge. For more information on this, go to http://www.government-grants.org.uk or contact your local Age Concern organisation.

Solar Power With the introduction of the Feed In Tariff, solar electricity is now a viable option to reduce your electricity bill and receive an annual payment from the government for doing this. Solar electricity systems use photovoltaic (PV) cells to capture the energy from the sun and convert it into electricity. There are two ways of installing Solar PV, by fitting panels to your existing roof or if your roof needs repairing anyway, replace some of the tiles with PV tiles. Solar photovoltaic panels have a long life expectancy of around 50 years and most systems having a 25 year warranty and little or no maintenance they will give you peace of mind whilst generating your electricity. Savings can be considerable and a basic 2 kWp systems could provide around 40% of a household’s annual electricity. The more it generates the more you save as any excess electricity can be sold back into the grid.

www.retiredmagazines.co.uk

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Wall-Lag Wales Ltd., Bromfield Industrial Estate, Mold THE AREAS NUMBER ONE INSULATION SPECIALIST Call now - 01352 758812 Or visit our large showroom on Bromfield Ind Est, Mold, CH7 1HA OPEN MON - FRI 9AM - 5PM. SAT - SUN 10AM - 4PM www.snowdoniawindows.co.uk

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and we will let you know how you are able to benefit from this amazing offer please donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t delay as these generous feed-in-tarrifs are scheduled to be reviewed and possibly lowered next year.

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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 are two 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 26

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.

Pastitsio: Beef and Macaroni Pie with Cinnamon, Red Wine and Kefalotiri Cheese SERVES 8-10 500 g tubular pasta, such as rigatoni, tubetti or tortiglioni 2 eggs, lightly beaten 50 g finely grated Greek kefalotiri cheese or parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons melted butter 10 g fresh white breadcrumbs For the white sauce 115 g butter 115 g plain flour 1.2 litres full-cream milk, plus a little extra 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg For the meat sauce 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 celery sticks, finely chopped 1kg lean minced beef 200 ml red wine 400-g can chopped tomatoes 2 tablespoons tomato purĂŠe 10-cm piece cinnamon stick 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1 tablespoon dried oregano, Greek if possible 2 tablespoons fresh copped oregano 3 fresh bay leaves Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the meat sauce, heat the olive oil in a medium-sized pan, add the onion, garlic and celery and fry until just beginning to brown. Add the minced beef and fry over a high heat for 3-4 minutes, breaking up any lumps with the wooden spoon as it browns. Add the red wine, tomatoes, tomato purĂŠe, cinnamon stick, ground cloves, dried cloves, dried and fresh oregano, bay leaves, 100ml water, 11/2 teaspoons salt and some black pepper, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce has thickened but is still nicely moist. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Bring 4.5 litres water to boil in a large saucepan with 8 teaspoons salt. Add the pasta and cook until a al dente - about 13 mins, but take care not to overcook as it will cook a little further in the oven. Drain well, transfer to a large bowl and leave to cool slightly. For the white sauce, melt the butter in a medium-sized non-stick saucepan, add the flour and cook, stirring, over a medium heat, for 1 minute. Gradually beat in the milk, then bring to the boil, stirring, lower the heat and leave to simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with the nutmeg and some salt and pepper to taste. Preheat the over to 1800C/Gas Mark 4. Stir 250ml (about one-fifth) of the white sauce into the warm pasta with the beaten eggs and half the grated cheese. Keep the remaining sauce warm over a low heat, stirring now and then and adding more milk if it begins to get a little thick. Use the melted butter to grease a large, shallow ovenproof dish that measures about 23 x 33 cm across and 7cm deep. Spread one-third of the pasta over the base of the dish and cover with half the meat sauce. Add another third of the pasta and then the rest of the meat sauce, then cover with a final layer of pasta. Spoon over the remaining white sauce. Mix the remaining grated cheese with the breadcrumbs and sprinkle them over the top. Bake for 40 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.

WILLS A Will is probably one of the most important documents you will ever sign. By making a Will you not only control how your estate is distributed but it also helps to make things easier for those who are left behind. If you die without a Will then you are treated as having died “Intestate” and it is the law – rather than you – that decides how your estate is distributed. This can result in various problems particularly for those who are co-habiting as your partner will have no legal rights to your estate and even a spouse or civil partner can ﬁnd that they are not legally entitled to all your estate Other problems caused by not having a Will are potential conﬂict between family members; individuals being disinherited; soaring legal costs in trying to resolve disputes and further upset for your loved ones. As well as making sure your estate is divided in accordance with your wishes a Will can help to reduce your potential Inheritance Tax Liability and even safe-guard assets against potential Care Fees in the future. Ensuring that your Will is prepared correctly is just as important as having one in place. Why would you therefore place the responsibility of drafting such an important document with someone who is unregulated. For a professional service from solicitors who specialise in the preparation of Wills and who are

also members of the Solicitors for the Elderly please contact Sally Johnson or Paul Armstrong, LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY Whilst ensuring your estate is distributed in accordance with your wishes on death it is as important to ensure that your affairs are managed correctly during your lifetime should you no longer have the capacity to do so yourself. In situations where you have lost the capacity to manage your own affairs and you have not prepared a Lasting Power of Attorney you may find that strangers will take over the decision making process for you as it is a misconception that such rights automatically pass to your next of kin. To ensure that you retain the final decision it is essential that you plan ahead by making a Lasting Power of Attorney as this will ensure that YOU chose the person or persons to manage your affairs e.g. your Attorney(s). There are two types of Lasting Powers of Attorney and both are very useful. The first is known as a Property and Financial Affairs Power and this allows your appointed Attorney(s) to deal with your financial affairs and even the sale of your property. The second is known as a Health and Welfare Power and this allows your appointed Attorney to answer questions concerning your welfare and life-sustaining medical treatment and even the refusal of the same. In cases of a sudden and unexpected accident or illness

having a Lasting Power of Attorney in place can alleviate some of the stress and administrative burden faced by your family. Your Attorney can begin acting immediately and it avoids the need for a lengthy and costly application to the Court of Protection for a person to be appointed to act. As Members of Solicitors for the Elderly both Paul Armstrong and Sally Johnson are very much aware of the importance and sensitive nature of preparing Lasting Powers of Attorney and making a Court of Protection Application. Both are highly experienced and can guide you through the procedures. LONG TERM CARE As people are living longer more and more of us face the possibility of full time care and the worry of who will pay for our care. Consider for a moment that the average cost of a weeks stay in a nursing home is £600. It is therefore very easy to see how the cost can quickly escalate into thousands of pounds however taking positive steps now by seeking the advice of a specialist solicitor may help to preserve your assets in the future. Provided it can be shown that a person’s primary need is a health need when being admitted to a nursing home due to physical or mental health problems they may be eligible for fully funded NHS care. However it has been largely documented that the assessment criteria applied by Local Authorities and Primary Care Trusts are not always applied lawfully resulting in residents being wrongfully charged for their care. A specialist solicitor can help to guide you through the complex appeals process and ensure that your rights and that of the patient are respected. Not all people admitted into a nursing home have a primary health

care need. In certain situations the person’s main need may be one of ‘social care’ and in these cases that person would be required to fund their care package in full provided the total value of their savings and any property exceeded £23,500. Once the value of their estate fell below this ﬁgure a reassessment of their ﬁnancial needs and eligibility would need to be carried out.

A Personal Representative must act with due diligence otherwise they can be personally liable for any loss which the estate may suffer. Examples include distributing the estate to the wrong beneﬁciaries; failing to discharge the Inheritance Tax Liability or distributing before ascertaining the full extent of the liabilities in the estate.

Our Private Client department To discuss any concerns you have can help to relieve some of the regarding a family member; the administrative burden by taking on decision of a Local Authority / the day to day management of the Primary Care Trust as to a person’s estate. Our solicitors will ensure eligibility to fully funded care or the that all your duties are complied preservation of your own assets with and their costs are settled please contact Paul Armstrong, from the estate. We can also advise solicitor or Sally Johnson, solicitor as to whether care fees were eople admitted into a v To identify theobtain assets and and obtain incorrectly claimed and prepare a ed into a v To identify the assets and incorrectly claimed andclaimed prepareand and members of identify the Solicitors for and incorrectly claimed and prepare aand opleinto admitted a v the Toassets identify the assets obtain incorrectly ed a vinto To obtain incorrectly claimed prepare aa prepare a me have a primary health claim on behalf of the estate mary health claim onestate. behalf ofthe thebehalf estateof the estate probatevaluations valuations the claim on behalf of the probatevaluations valuations me have aElderly primary health claim on mary health claim on behalf of estate probate probate In certain situations the tuations the In certain uations thesituations the need may bevone one of OF ESTATES CONTACT yain be one may of be CONTACT ADMINISTRATION vand Identify and settle all the Identify settle and all settle the CONTACT ain need of CONTACT be one of CONTACT v all the v Identify andIdentify settle all the and in these cases that eand cases that liabilities in the the estate estate liabilities in the estate in in that these casesliabilities that cases liabilities estate a person to dies leavingina the Will then uld be required to fund fund For specialist advice and and guidance guidance red toIf fund fund For specialist specialist advice and guidance guidance For specialist For advice and guidance ld be required For specialist advice ed to advice and package in full provided on any of the above issues please an Executor would be appointed ull provided on any of the above issues please v Calculate Calculate and of the discharge on and any above v Calculate Calculatev and discharge ackage in full provided any ofissues the above ull provided on any issues of theonplease above pleaseissues please discharge v and discharge lue of their savings and contact our Private Client solicitors savings and contact our solicitors Private Client Client solicitors would be legally contact our Private Client inheritance taxandliability liability and ue ofand their savings and responsible inheritance tax forliability liability contact our Private Client solicitors avings and contact our Private solicitors inheritance tax and inheritance tax and rty exceeded £23,500. and Professional members of the the d £23,500. and Professional members ofmembers the winding up the estate. 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Make a Difference – Leave a Legacy Without funds or volunteers to help, the charity will struggle to continue its great work in finding homes for more than 4,000 retired greyhounds with caring owners every year.

Retirement from the racing track is the start of an exciting new life for greyhounds. The Retired Greyhound Trust takes these wonderful dogs and helps to transform them into the perfect pet. But, the Trust is only able to continue its great work to find homes for retired greyhounds with kind donations from its supporters. Some donations are made by people when they pass on. It is their way to give something back with the money they can’t take with them. Have you ever thought about leaving a legacy? The Retired Greyhound Trust is the national charity dedicated to finding homes for greyhounds at the end of their racing careers and there are hundreds of dogs across the country in need of loving owners. Peter Laurie, Chief Executive of the Retired Greyhound Trust, said: “It costs around £4m a year to keep the dogs in kennels until new homes can be found for them. Legacy donations help us to ensure every greyhound is vaccinated, neutered and given a health check by the vet before it moves in with its new family. We also provide collars, leads and muzzles for every dog. “These are costly for the charity, but we feel they are essential services to ensure both the greyhound and its new family get the best possible start to their new lives,” he added. A greyhound is a trusty companion for all ages who will fit in easily with its new owners or family. After finishing on the track, they undergo a remarkable transformation. They change from being the fastest breed of dog to ‘couch potatoes’ that love lolling around and sleeping in comfy places. Despite their well-deserved reputation as formidable athletes, they do not require large amounts of exercise and are easy to look after. The vast majority of greyhounds are perfectly content with two 20 minute walks a day. The Retired Greyhound Trust has 72 branches across the country who look after the dogs in their kennels until homes can be found. Many of these branches are raising funds and showing off the dogs who need homes at dog shows, fetes, carnivals and summer shows throughout the Spring and Summer. There are all sorts of ways to get involved with the charity as well as leaving a legacy – from adopting a greyhound or sponsoring a dog in kennels, to helping their local branches with fundraising or volunteering. 30

For more information about the work of the Retired Greyhound Trust or to discuss leaving a legacy, please contact our head office on 029 8335 3016. Make a Donation There are lots of ways to make donations to the Retired Greyhound Trust. You can donate online through Just Giving - http://www.justgiving.com/ greyhounds/donate/, you can send a cheque to The Retired Greyhound Trust, 2nd Floor, Park House, Park Terrace, Worcester Park, Surrey, KT4 7JZ or call our office on 0844 826 8424. The Trust has also launched a new texting donation service - just text RGTD04 £10 (or other amount) to 70070. Greyhound Factfile • Greyhounds are one of the oldest breeds in existence and have been traced back thousands of years to the early cave drawings. • Harry Potter author JK Rowling owns a retired greyhound called Sapphire. • The Greyhound is the only breed of dog mentioned in the Bible. Proverbs 30, verses 29-31. • The greyhound was the dog of the Pharaohs in Ancient Egypt, the dog of the kings of Ancient Greece and of the landed gentry and nobles in England. • According to H Edward Clarke, greyhounds can be traced back 4,000 years. Find out more about retired greyhounds from your local branch: Graham Auld Merseyside Retired Greyhound Trust 01925 638858 candywood39@tiscali.co.uk www.adoptagreyhound.co.uk Jan de Witt North West Retired Greyhound Trust 01270 257525 jandewitt@northwestrgt.com www.northwestrgt.com

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Give an old athlete the will to live.

RGT in your Will and you’ll be sure of a place in doggy heaven! For more information on how to leave a legacy to The Retired Greyhound Trust, simply fill in the coupon or phone us on:

0844 826 8424 You’ll be doing us all a big favour.

✃

There’s a hopeful, trusting look in the eyes of most retired greyhounds. They’re hoping for a comfortable retirement home, and they trust us to provide it for them! How can you help? With the best will in the world, you may not be able to either adopt or sponsor a greyhound right now. But a legacy could be the answer; remember the I’d like more information on leaving a legacy to RGT. I enclose a donation £ Name: Address:

Tel:

RT/June/2011

Charity no. 269668

Postcode:

Retired Greyhound Trust 2nd Floor, Park House, 1-4 Park Terrace, Worcester Park Surrey KT4 7JZ www.retiredgreyhounds.co.uk email:greyhounds@retiredgreyhounds.co.uk

Sweets, toys, or save for a more secure financial future for your grandchildren... Now that the Government has announced final details for its new Junior ISA scheme, what does this mean for grandparents who’d previously put away lump sums and contributed to Child Trust Funds (CTFs)? And what impact, if any, will the new initiative have on their grandchildren’s financial future? David Dawson, Sales and Marketing Director at www. thechildrensisa.com, explains CTFs, a Government savings and investment scheme that started in 2002, was abolished on 2 January. Recently, the Treasury amended the existing ISA guidelines to enable the establishment of Junior ISAs, which provides a more clear and simple way of saving for a child’s financial future. Effective from November 1, it is estimated that around six million children are eligible, with a further 800,000 becoming eligible each year. The Government has

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raised the limit of annual investment into the Junior ISA to £3,600 from £3,000. A move that grandparents will welcome as it means, potentially, they could help their grandchildren save an additional £19,000. With the main benefit of the new saving scheme being that it is tax free, paying-in up to £3600 per tax year in a Junior ISA could achieve a pot of almost £115,000 by the time the child is 18 (based on growth of 5% net per annum). This enormous figure will be a hefty sum that grownup grand children are sure to appreciate given the rising cost of higher education and the difficulty of homeownership. Unlike CTFs, there is no Government contribution to Junior ISAs and each child is limited to one cash ISA and stocks and shares ISA. Any UK resident child under 18, who is not eligible for a CTF, is eligible for a Children’s ISA. This includes children who were born before the CTF eligibility in September 2002. A child born between September 1, 2002 and January 2, 2011 was eligible for the CTF, at this time, if a child has a CTF they cannot have a Junior ISA. Any parent or guardian can open an account and anyone can make contributions to it. The management of the ISA passes to the child when they reach 16 and they can only access funds when they turn 18 when it becomes an adult ISA. At that time, it is anticipated that any responsible ISA provider will advise on alternative saving options available to encourage grandchildren to continue saving. Soon, many high street banks and building societies will market products. www.thechildrensisa.com in particular is offering Cautious, Balanced and Adventurous options which will include low cost, actively managed, ethical and sharia funds, which can be opened with a minimum investment of £10 The ISA is operated by Avalon Investment Services who administer £300m invested primarily through Independent Financial Advisers. Grandparents can now confidently look to start saving for their grand-children’s future when it comes to gifting, instead of, perhaps, previously giving them lump sums over their lifetime.

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WIRRAL

Help with Rent and Council Tax Payments Housing Beneﬁt This is financial help towards paying your rent. Retired people who have savings of less than £16,000 can claim it. If you are receiving Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit) you can have more than £16,000 and still qualify for help. We will ignore the first £10,000 of your capital.

Council Tax Beneﬁt This is financial help towards paying your Council Tax bill. Retired people who are liable to pay Council Tax can apply. Couples make one claim based on both their incomes.

Each year in Wirral thousands of ££££’s go unclaimed! Did you know: • You don’t have to receive any other state benefits to claim it. • You may still be entitled even if you already receive a discount on your Council Tax. • If you have over £16,000, but have an adult living with you, (other than your partner) who is on a low income, you may still qualify for help. This is called Second Adult Rebate. • If you decide to take a lump sum as your pension, you may still be able to get help. • If you receive Pension Credit (Savings Credit) you may also get help.

If you think you might qualify please telephone our Call Centre on 0151-606 2002 or see a member of staff in any of our One Stop Shops. If you are a pensioner your claim may be treated as being made earlier, up to a maximum of 3 months. You can find out if you qualify by trying the Benefit Calculator on our website @ www.wirral.gov.uk Or email us at housingbeneﬁts@wirral.gov.uk

E- Citizen If you have access to the internet from your home or local library, you can view your Council Tax account details for instalments, payments and any Council Tax Benefit you are receiving. See our website at www.wirral.gov.uk

If you are in any doubt – apply! It won’t cost you anything and it could save you money www.retiredmagazines.co.uk

Capricorn Animal Rescue Animals also come in to Capricorn from dog wardens, social services, police, park wardens etc. We are on call 24 hours a day, taking in, caring for all of these used and abused animals.

Capricorn Animal Rescue has been established in Flintshire since 1983, it is a family based charity and was formed to provide sanctuary for wildlife that could not be returned to the wild; domestic animals that could not be re-homed; to rescue, rehabilitate, rehome or release orphaned, injured, abandoned, unwanted animals and birds of all types. Our policy is to educate in the care of animals both wild and domestic. Capricorn has a non euthanasia policy.

All domestic pet animals, rabbits, dogs, cats, ferrets are neutered, identity chipped, wormed, flea treated and all dogs and cats are inoculated and insured before re homing. Home checks are carried out, and criteria must be met, we do not re-home where there are children under five years of age, someone must be at home during the day, and access to a secure garden or yard is a must.

We are self supporting, which means that we raise all our own funding, we receive no government grants. Capricorn Animal Rescue is run by volunteers, a hard working, dedicated team who always go just that little bit further to help with the care of the animals. Our services have never been in such demand, we receive over 100 calls daily, from people asking for our help with animals. People who are being evicted and need somewhere for their pet to go, people who are going into care, people who are having to give up their home and go into rented â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;no petâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; accommodation, people whose partner has left and cannot cope alone, as well as those who just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want their pet because they are now fed up with it.

Our volunteers, carry out the home checks, the runs to the veterinary surgery with the animals for health checks, surgery, inoculations etc., as well as helping with the fund raising, and work at the sanctuary. This cat was abandoned by his owner when she moved away, he is about 10 \ 12 years old.

Since opening, Carpricorn Animal Rescue has saved the lives of over 56,000 animals and birds, and by helping save them, we have also helped that many people, families who had now where else to turn to. We cater for a wide variety of animals and birds including:

Chinchilla, Mice, Guinea Pigs, Squirrels, Dogs, Sheep, Hedgehogs, Barn Owls, Buzzards, Pigeons, African We also take in the used up, bred Grey Parrots, Tortoise, Ducks, out dogs from puppy farms, Baby hedgehog, one of four Hens, Lovebirds, Rooks, Crows, those who are unwanted because abandoned by their mother when Thrushes, Pheasants, Gerbils, money can no longer be made their nest was destroyed during a Rats, Hamsters, Rabbits, Horses from them. garden clear up. & Ponies, Cats, Goats, Ferrets, Quite often when someone dies Tawny Owls, Peacocks, Doves, the pet is left, the family does Green Amazon Parrots, Cockatiels, not want it, so we are asked to take it in. Sometimes Geese, Quaker Parakeet, Seagulls, Jackdaws, these are elderly pets and have no chance of being reBlackbirds, Wood Pigeons, Rosella Parakeet and homed, so they live their life out with us at Capricorn. Sparrow Hawks. 34

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Help us to help them ... We are in the process of rebuilding and refurbishing the sanctuary and it is our aim to have animal housing to cater for each type of animal or bird. We have over 40 different types of animals and birds at the sanctuary, and all have different needs.

Organise a fund raiser, come up with an idea of a fund raiser, get together with friends, neighbours, relatives - car boot sales, sponsored walk, ride, swim etc., stall at local fete/carnival etc. We can give you posters, story boards, newsletters and publicity if needed.

So far we have new kennels, top of the range, to house 16 dogs, and the new cattery with 8 units, to house 16 cats. These two units have cost £117,000 and has taken most of our sanctuary fund. Capricorn has raised all the funding for these projects. We are still fund raising for other units, we have approximately two years work still to do until the sanctuary is completed.

Volunteer either at our charity shop or at the sanctuary, both of these help the animals in our care. Luke before

A ‘Wish List’ has been drawn up, showing what we still need and the costs of the various units.

This is where we need your help ... What can you do, as an individual? You can .... Sponsor, for a year, a permanent resident animal or a kennel as a gift, you will receive quarterly letters about your sponsored animal or kennel, a certificate picturing the animal and his/her story.

Luke after

Luke came in to us after being dumped and picked up by the dog warden. He was covered in scars, partially healed wounds and he was so emaciated he could hardly stand up. After weeks of careful regulated feeding, regular light exercise, he came on so well that we have been able to have him vaccinated and he now has been placed in a caring loving home with people who are going to keep on with the regulated feeding and exercise.

Collect and donate goods for our shop. Jumble sales or book sales, collect and donate food for the animals, donate money. Join the “301” club, annual membership paid by direct debit from as little as £2 per month, or as much as you wish. Members receive quarterly newsletters about the work that Capricorn has undertaken, lists of fund raising events. We can Gift Aid your donations. You can be remembered by leaving a legacy in your Will. This will help care for the animals that come into the sanctuary. Enabling us to give them the treatment, food, care and love that they so desperately need from us. If you would like to help Capricorn Animal Rescuse please fill in the slip below.

I’d like more information on leaving a legacy to Capricorn Animal Rescue. I enclose a donation £ Cheques payable to : CAPRICORN ANIMAL RESCUE I would like more information on the “301” Club. Name:------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Address:---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Postcode:---------------------------------------------------------Tel:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Post to: Capricorn Animal Rescue, Padeswood Lake Road, Padeswood, Mold, Flintshire CH7 4HZ. Registered Charity No. 1048511

OUT & ABOUT Celebrity Chef draws crowd at Clarendon Court

Heswall Arts Festival Heswall, Wirral

More than 100 people flocked to Nantwich's Clarendon Court Care Home to catch celebrity chef James Martin in action. As part of an open day to promote the fact the home currently has room for new residents, the star gave live cookery demonstrations, met fans and passed on some top culinary tips.

Saturday 15 - Saturday 29 October: over this period various venues in Heswall and the surroundings areas will be the home for music, comedy, drama, literature, dance, art and a range of other activities. This two-week celebration will offer a wide range of Arts activities and will provide an excellent showcase for talented individuals and groups throughout West Wirral

The Healthy Eating Living event was a chance for guests to tour the stylish facilities, meet friendly staff and to book in and sample the luxurious living standards offered by Clarendon Court.

For further details and a full programme of events go to www.visitwirral.com/site/whats-on/heswall-artsfestival. Tel: 0151 336 3618.

James gave two demonstrations, one in the morning and a second in the afternoon. Dishes produced included Welsh rarebit on smoked haddock, summer pudding, haddock omelette, home-made ice cream and butternut squash and lemon soup. Throughout the day guests were treated to canapes, tea and coffee, and in the afternoon, Champagne or orange juice with fresh fruit.

Halloween Ghostly Ball 28 October 2011

Doubletree by Hilton Warrington Road, Hoole, Chester, CH2 3PD. Event Organiser: 01244 408 800 Prepare to be spooked at the Doubletree by Hilton in Chester.

For more information about Clarendon Court, please phone 0113 238 2690 email info@mmcg.co.uk or visit www.mmcgcarehomes.co.uk

An evening of frightening proportions and A Tribute to Lady Gaga too - Wow !! All for the not so frightening price of £35 per person.

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Craft Fair

29 October 2011 Grosvenor Garden Centre Wrexham Road, Belgrave, Chester, CH4 9EB. Event Organiser 01244 625 200 Visit our Craft Marquee on the car park, packed with unique gift ideas.

Chester Zoo Chester, Cheshire, CH2 1LH Telephone No: 01244 380 280. Opening times: The Zoo is open all year from 10.00am except Christmas Day & Boxing Day. E-mailreception@chesterzoo.co.uk

Start your Christmas shopping now with special handmade gifts aplenty.

Eat, drink and be merry at Port Sunlight Christmas Food Fayre

Times: Friday & Saturday 10am - 5pm

A food festival with added yuletide charm this December

Sunday 10am - 4pm.

Take a turn around the snow-dusted Village and make your way into Port Sunlight’s very own winter wonderland this December 3rd & 4th at Hulme Hall. The yuletide delights on offer at Port Sunlight Christmas Food Fayre would set even Rudolf’s tail wagging and you can stock up your Santa sack for those who have been naughty and nice all throughout the weekend.

Festive Lunch in the Oakfield Manor Thursday 1st December 2011 Saturday 24th December 2011

National Waterways Museum South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire CH65 4FW Open; daily April to Oct, 10am to 5pm. Nov to March, Weekends only, 10am to 5pm weekends and school holidays, other days museum partially open. Closed Dec 25 to Jan 1. Shop and Café open all year, daily 10am to 4pm. Prices: Adult £6, conc £5, child (5-16) £4, under 5s and Season Ticket holders free

And 2012 • • • • • • •

BW Open Day March 4th 2012 Model Boat Show – March 3rd and 4th 2012 Easter Boat Gathering - April 6th-9th 2012 Sea Shanty Festival - April 6th-9th 2012 History Fair - May 2012 Craft and Classic Car Fair - June 16 and 17 2012 Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Street Party – June 5th

www.nwm.org.uk

With its delightful waterside setting, flotillas of historic boats and fascinating displays housed in a fine collection of Victorian buildings, the National Waterways Museum is a great day out whatever the weather. Walk across towering locks, watch swans and wagtails beside the canal basin and explore a world of warehouses, docks, stables and pump houses. Our collection of narrow boats, barges, ice breakers and more is the best in the world. Find out about the entrepreneurs, engineers and navvies who created the world’s first great man-made transport network and uncover Ellesmere Port’s pivotal role in the North West’s great industrial revolution Take a boat trip, pay a visit to our blacksmith, watch a narrow boat come in to moor and swop stories later in the Waterside Café. There’s lots for all the family to enjoy at National Waterways Museum, plus check our website for details of special events and school holiday family fun activities. • • • •

Beer Festival - October 7th, 8th and 9th (we are aiming to see 500 visitors over the event), Family Halloween event - October 31st (including a trick or treating in Porters Row) Fender making and Roses and Castles training courses – November Santa Cruises – December

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UNLOCK THE WONDERS

OF OUR WATERWAYS

www.nwm.org.uk

Flotillas of boats, historic canal docks and fascinating collections and displays. PLUS waterside café, boat trips and loads for all the family to do.

Call. 0151 355 5017 South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port, CH65 4FW 2 mins from M53, Jnct 9. Chester 15 mins & Liverpool 25 mins

Thomas McMullan Serving the Community Since 1981

Family Funeral Services “Providing Service Beyond Expectations with Integrity, Honour and Respect” ~ Personal Attention Valley Lodge Funeral Home

f icult time. years, Families have trusted Thomas McMullan’s to serve and care for of theFor service their loved ones, we promise to provide excellence in service and compassion y and during ex actly this most difficult time of loss. Our experience can guide you in determining which service suits your family’s needs. We are committed to arranging a funeral that is most befitting to your loved one, and we strive to celebrate their life in a meaningful way.

Our telephone is always answered personally and we are available 24 hours a day, every day. Appointed contract Funeral Director for Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Wirral Borough Council Social Services

Tel: 0151 653 4173

The Valley Lodge Funeral Home Borough Road, Birkenhead CH42 9JE. www.thomasmcmullanfuneralservices.co.uk

Funeral Plans from Thomas McMullan Funeral Services

Peace of mind for you and your loved ones A funeral plan provides peace of mind for you and those you care about. You make the arrangements in advance, specify your wishes and take care of the costs. We recommend funeral plans from Golden Charter, the UK’s largest independent plan provider. With a Golden Charter plan you’ll benefit from: • • • •

Paying at today’s prices for a service you may not require for many years A guarantee of nothing more to pay for our services A choice of a range of plans – with the option to personalise your own The reassurance that your wishes will be carried out, sparing your loved ones uncertainty and distress

Taking out a funeral plan is one of the most thoughtful decisions you could make. To find out more about Golden Charter funeral plans from Thomas McMullan Funeral Services, please return the coupon below, phone us, or call in. Mr/Mrs/Ms

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Send to: Thomas McMullan Funeral Services, Valley Lodge, Borough Road, BIRKENHEAD, Merseyside CH42 9JE

(0151) 653 4173

SAT 10th DECEMBER 2011 to MON 2nd JANUARY 2012 0151 666 0000 www.floralpavilion.com