EDITION 31
Retired SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011
& living in Harrogate & York
LYNDA BELLINGHAM
WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET WITH THIS CALENDAR GIRL
INSIDE HOME INTERIORS
TIPS TO TRANSFORM ANY ROOM BUYWELL INTERIORS KITCHENS & BEDROOMS LIVE WELL BUY WELL GREEN ENERGY PROJECTS MAKE MONEY WHILE THE SUN SHINES!
LEISURE
MADRID - THE EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF ART TRAVEL IN STYLE WITH LANGFORD TRAVEL SERVICES
FINANCE
ARDENT IFA TAILORED SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR CARE COST CONCERNS
RICK STEIN
SHARES HIS FAVOURITE DISHES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
THE LOCAL MAGAZINE FOR THE OVER 55s
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ake one
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Est.1923
Affordable peace of mind ..... Holidays
Coach Holidays 2011 ABBEY LAWN HOTEL, TORQUAY
OCEAN VIEW HOTEL, ISLE OF WIGHT
IMPERIAL HOTEL, EASTBOURNE
Abbey Lawn Hotel Torquay is most certainly one of the UK’s Finest resorts and the heart of the English Riviera. If you are looking to unwind in style, this elegant Georgian hotel is the place to stay. Located in the grounds of the former Torre Abbey, overlooking Torbay, there are superb facilities. These include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, gym, steam room, sauna and a spacious conservatory. As with all our own hotels a night porter ensures 24 hour reception service.
Ocean View Hotel 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.
Imperial Hotel 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.
CALL NOW FOR FREE COLOUR BROCHURE
Freephone : 0800 083 9000 www.robinsons-holidays.co.uk
RETIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011
1501
All Robinsons own Hotels include: l FREE insurance l Local Convenient Pickup-points l No single room supplements l Friendly service l Luxury tour coaches l Local Excursions l Evening Entertainment. Abbey Lawn Hotel
Imperial Hotel
Ocean View Hotel
Departures
23/24 July 30/31 July 06/07 Aug 13/14 Aug 20/21 Aug 27/28 Aug 03/04 Sept 10/11 Sept 17/18 Sept 24/25 Sept 01/02 Oct 08/09 Oct 15/16 Oct 22/23 Oct 30 Oct 06 Nov 13 Nov 20 Nov 27 Nov 04 Dec
£409 £409 £409 £409 £409 £399 £399 £389 £379 £359 £319 £309 £299 £279 £279 £269 £259 £249 £239 £229
£409 £409 £409 £409 £409 £399 £399 £389 £379 £359 £319 £309 £299 £279 £279 £269 £259 £249 £239 £229
5 DAY TOURS 4 NIGHTS HALF BOARD
8 DAY TOURS 7 NIGHTS HALF BOARD
Saturday/Sunday Departures £409 £409 £409 £409 £409 £399 £399 £389 £379 £359 £319 £309 £299 £279 £279 £269 £259 £249 £239 £229
£229 £229 £229 £229 £229 £229 £219 £219 £209 £199 £185 £179 £175 £175 £175 £169
7 DAYS Sundays Departures - Tour 12M
5 DAYS Departures - Tour 12M
30 July 03 Aug 13 Aug 17 Aug 27 Aug 31 Aug 10 Sept 14 Sept 24 Sept 28 Sept 08 Oct 22 Oct 26 Oct 05 Nov 09 Nov 19 Nov
£209 £209 £199 £195 £195 £195 £189 £189 £179 £179 £169 £165
Imperial Hotel
Ocean View Hotel
£249 £249 £249 £249 £249 £249 £239 £239 £229 £219 £209 £205 £199 £195 £195 £195 £195 £189 £179 £179 £169 £165
£249 £249 £249 £249 £249 £249 £239 £239 £229 £219 £209 £205 £199 £195 £195 £195 £195 £189 £179 £179 £169 £165
Turkey & Tinsel Tours displayed in red
Supplements Sea View Room, (pp) : 8 days £15.00
MYSTERY TOURS
30 July 03 Aug 13 Aug 17 Aug 27 Aug 31 Aug 10 Sept 14 Sept 24 Sept 28 Sept 08 Oct 12 Oct 22 Oct 26 Oct 05 Nov 09 Nov 19 Nov 23 Nov 03 Dec 07 Dec 11 Dec 15 Dec
Abbey Lawn Hotel
ALL TOURS INCLUDE FREE INSURANCE
WHY NOT TAKE A HOLIDAY TO ONE OF ROBINSON'S OWN HOTELS AND AT THE SAME TIME BENEFIT FROM A LOWER PRICE?
24 July
£339
07 Aug
£339
21 Aug
£339
04 Sep
£329
18 Sep
£315
02 Oct
£269
16 Oct
£245
30 Oct
£225
13 Nov
£209
27 Nov
£195
Turkey & Tinsel Tours displayed in red.
8 DAYS Saturdays/ Sundays Departures - Tour 12M
Departures
23/24 July 30/31 July 06/07 Aug 13/14 Aug 20/21 Aug 27/28 Aug 03/04 Sept 10/11 Sept 17/18 Sept 24/25 Sept 01/02 Oct 08/09 Oct 15/16 Oct 22/23 Oct 30 Oct 06 Nov 13 Nov
£369 £369 £369 £369 £369 £365 £365 £355 £345 £325 £289 £279 £269 £249 £249 £239 £229
Reader Offer Save £20 per Booking with Robinsons Simply attach to your Robinsons Holidays booking request to claim your £20 discount. Only one voucher per holiday booking. Discount is only valid on new bookings. Discount voucher can not be RETIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER/AUTUMN SPRING/SUMMER 2011 2011 redeemed against any existing bookings.
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CONTENTS
Welcome to Retired Magazine 6-7
Madrid The European Capital Of Art.
14-15
Celebrity Interview Lynda Bellingham talks to Retired.
LEISURE INTERVIEW
18-19
FOOD & DRINK Rick Stein's Favourites Rick Stein shares his favourite dishes.
28-29
Clover House Dental Practice Eat, smile & talk with confidence.
8
Buywell Interiors Turn your dreams into reality.
25
Douglas Yeadon Hardware Everything your garden needs this Summer.
HEALTH
HOME & GARDEN
We hope you enjoy this new issue of Retired for your area and that you find the many features of interest for yourself and friends or family. We are pleased to include our celebrity interview with Lynda Bellingham who discusses Calender Girls, Loose Women and her long and successful
career. Also we are pleased to have Rick Stein sharing some of his favourite coastal recipes with us. If you have an interesting story or event taking place which you would like to share with local readers please send it in and we will try to include it in the next issue.
McGrath Media. Unit 6 | Moses Gate Workshops Gladys Street | Bolton | BL3 2QG. T: (01204) 796 494 | F: (01204) 791594 e: mcgrathadmin@btconnect.com
As a thank you for the opportunity to provide a free no-obligation quotation we will give every customer
A FREE SET OF SOLAR GARDEN LIGHTS Turn to page 26 for more information
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p r o j e c t s
Langford Travel Reader Crossword
www.greenenergyprojects.co.uk York Road, Easingwold, YO61 3EJ
Across 1. All Page and Moy guides are this 3. What you celebrate every year 4. Coach tour operator 8. Who you would like to go on holiday with 9. This helps when planning your holiday for you 10. What you would expect 11. An accolade not taken lightly
Wi n
Th is P en
Down 2. Harrogate travel agent 5. What makes best use of your time? 6. What some people laugh at nowadays 7. A beautiful country
The Reader Offer for this edition is from Travel in Style with Langford Travel Services. When you have finished the crossword (all the answers are found in their editorial and advert) send the answers and your contact details to Langford Travel and they will send an exclusive gun metal gold pen to the first 100 readers who have the correct solution.
Name: ......................................................................................... Address: ..................................................................................... ..................................................................................................... Postcode: .................................................................................... Tel:............................................................................................... Completed forms should be sent to Langford Travel Services, 20 Bower Rd, Harrogate HG1 5BW
Email: ..........................................................................................
We look forward to taking you away from it all At Michael Langford Travel we are totally independent agents using a variety of tour operators. We have over 50 years experience to offer you and in a recent Mystery Shopper Survey we were awarded best travel agent in Harrogate with 96% approval rating for our knowledge and customer service.
Our best advice is to start planning as soon as possible. We'll do the research (often before brochures have been printed) to make sure you get the pick of the resorts, rooms and flights as soon as they’re available. We'll work hard to look after your every need from the moment you leave home.
Use our experience to make your holiday truly memorable, for all the right reasons. We know where and when to go for the best deals and will often suggest alternatives you may have never considered.
Not sure where you want to go? No problem! We'll listen to your ideas and help you decide the best place for your special holiday based on all the things you enjoy doing.
We provide a traditional truly personal service that doesn't stop when you take off! We are here during your holiday to amend your itinerary should your needs or local conditions change.
City Breaks
We provide a good old-fashioned travel service using all the latest information to organise the perfect holiday for you and your budget. Perhaps you would like to get all the family together on a special holiday.
Special Occasions If you're thinking of taking a special holiday to celebrate a big birthday, anniversary or any occasion that's special for you, we'll help turn it into a trip of a lifetime.
City breaks (e.g. Rome in Italy) are a great way to see the best the world has to offer. With some of the most beautiful and famous landmarks just a few hours flight or train ride away, there's no time like the present to make a break and recharge the batteries. Coach tour holidays with Page & Moy are ideal.
We put good service first every time in order to find you something that suits your specific needs. Our service extends to home appointments making your ideas a reality. Call 01423 531 383 today!
TRAVEL IN STYLE WITH LANGFORD TRAVEL SERVICES We are proud to provide a good old-fashioned travel service. Using our extensive experience we’ll make your holiday truly memorable
AU T H E N T I C C U LT U R A L
E XPERIENCES F RO M £4 9 9
A FANTASTIC RANGE OF CULTURAL HOLIDAYS CREATED BY EXPERTS WITH 50 YEARS EXPERIENCE Page & Moy are the escorted holiday experts. Celebrating their 50th anniversary this year they have developed an outstanding collection of more than 200 holidays to over 80 countries. From short city breaks to worldwide trips-of-a-lifetime, their holidays are carefully crafted to ensure customers see the real heart of their destination. Our destinations include Apulia & Vieste, A Week in Andalucia & The Treasures of India plus many more. Accompanied by experienced and knowledgeable Tour Guides, you’ll find the perfect balance of fascinating excursions and free time to make your own discoveries in the company of like-minded travel companions.
INSPIRATION EVENING
R YOUR CHANCE COME ALONG FO
£1HE5RS0* WOFIN TWO UC VO ORTH
Wednesday 14th September 2011, 7pm Join us on 14th September to meet a member of the Page & Moy team who will inspire you for your 2012 holiday. A fine selection of wines from around the world and delicious canapés will be served on the night.
Places are limited. To book your place contact Michael Langford Travel on 01423 531383
To find out more about Page & Moy’s holidays contact Langford Travel Services, 20 Bower Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG1 5BW, call 01423 531383 or email inspired@langfordtravel.co.uk *Book a holiday on the night to be placed in a draw for the chance to win £150 worth of vouchers towards your next holiday booked with Langford Travel Services.
Madrid
The European Capital Of Art
Madrid possesses a wealth of cultural attractions and is a thrilling city with theatre shows, opera, dancing and countless other forms of nightlife. You will also find other exciting places to go for a night to remember. Madrid has long laid claim to the title of “European Capital of Art”. It has a number of museums and galleries housing some of the finest classics from Goya, Velásquez, El Greco and many more.
Museo del Prado is a fine museum of paintings set in a stunning 18th century neoclassical building. Worth visiting even if you have only a passing interest in art and must see works include Velásquez’s Las Meninas, widely considered to be the finest painting in the world and Goyas Majas and Pinturas Negras (dark paintings). There are usually a number of local artists outside selling interesting pieces. Centro Nacional de Arte Reina Sofía is second in size only to the Pompidou in Europe, this modern art museum showcases 20th century Spanish creations, including Picasso’s famous anti-war masterpiece – Guernica. I started on the top floor which has pencil drawings and sketches for Guernica before going downstairs to appreciate the magnificence of it for real. Casa de Campo, known as the “lungs of Madrid”, has plenty of space to get lost in its 4,000 acre park, which was only opened to the public in 1931 after previously serving as a royal hunting estate. As well as countless walks, it boasts a boating lake, an open air pool (mid June - September, 10.30am-8pm), a zoo and a theme park. RETIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011
TT RR A V V EELL
DON’T LEAVE WITHOUT… ...visiting the Parque del Oeste, one of the city’s lesser known spaces, this park offers the perfect spot for a tranquil shady walk beneath mature trees. Overlooked in the summer by the lively terrazas on Paseo del Pintor Rosales, it is also an ideal way of connecting to Casa de Campo by cable car which runs high over the river and offers stunning views of the city. Madrid airport is 9km from the centre and Exprés Aeropuerto (Airport Express) is a 24-hour service which has only 3 stops after the airport: O’Donell, Plaza de Cibeles and Atocha. The buses run every 15 minutes during the day and every 35 minutes at night, and the journey takes approximately 40 minutes. Tickets can be bought on board. There are taxi ranks in front of the arrivals lounges of all three terminals at Madrid airport. A taxi to/from the airport to/from central Madrid should cost around e20 though taxi drivers are notorious for overcharging recent arrivals! Check that the meter is set at zero when you get in and that it begins the journey at the official minimum fare - currently €2.05.
Climate: The climate of Madrid is dry, warm and pleasant. It’s high altitude and proximity to mountains causes some wide variations in winter and summer temperatures. In summer the heat at midday can be intense, with pleasantly cool evenings. Winters, by contrast, bring temperatures dropping to just below freezing. Rain in Madrid is a rarity, with a short rainy season in late October and some showers in spring.
Language: Plaza de Santa Ana, a small central square has strong literary connections and is the recommended spot for sundowners and tapas at the end of a day’s sightseeing. Madrid has a rich football history and the Madrileños live and breathe it. It is home to two 1st division sides, Real Madrid and Athlético Madrid. The main draw is Real who play at the 75,000 capacity Santiago Bernabeau stadium. A tour is available on non-match days between Tue-Sun, 10.30am-8.30pm. Getting to see matches is difficult if they are playing their great rivals Barcelona or one of the Madrid teams but otherwise tickets are generally available, although be prepared to queue! Madrid is not without its romantic side. As the new home of Flamenco, Madrid is alive with music and passion. The many stunning parks and gardens provide tranquil spots to stroll and the numerous quaint little tapas bars offer a warming ambience all year round.
Spanish and although English is spoken widely, the locals always appreciate your small efforts to communicate in their language.
Currency: Euro (EUR) €
WI DE RA NG E
BR SU ITI OF PR PPL SH OD IE UC D TS
We have over 15 years experience in designing and fitting kitchens and bedrooms and operate strictly without the hard sell that characterises so many of our competitors. We are an independent family run business and offer a full project management service including 3D planning, a comprehensive survey and a complete installation service. Whether ultra modern designs are your kind of thing or you prefer a more traditional style, a visit to our showroom will provide you with plenty of inspiration. Once you have chosen a style you can arrange to take advantage of our free design service where you can see your dream kitchen or bedroom brought to life with a computerised “virtual plan”.
We understand how daunting the prospect of a new kitchen or bedroom can be – it is not a purchase you make every day – but we are here to make the process as simple as possible for you from beginning to end. From a single unit to a fully fitted room, customer satisfaction is our ultimate aim and this is fully endorsed by our many recommendations and repeat business. Our quality products are sourced mainly from British suppliers such as Crown and Gallery for our kitchens with bedrooms by Embrace or for those really awkward spaces we offer a fully bespoke range.
Make today the day you let us turn your dreams into reality. Live Well Buy Well
Thorp Arch Retail Estate,Wetherby LS23 7FE | Tel: 01937 844 288 | www.buywellinteriors.co.uk
Changing Rooms sform any room Simple tips to tran
Using Colour That is Best for your Room Size Paint is the easiest way to make a dramatic change in the way a room looks. You can even change the perception of the size of the room with the right wall colour. By using the right combinations of colours; dark or light, warm or cool, you can create the illusion of expanding or reducing the size a space. Painting a room white can create a bright and airy impression, but white can also feel uninspired or sterile. Adding colour to a room can give the space personality. Sticking with lighter colours will still make the space feel larger, but a darker colour can make a room feel cozy and welcoming. When thinking of paint colours, in addition to considering light and dark, think of warm or cool tones. Warm colours are reds, yellows, browns and oranges. Cool colours are blues and greens. Whites and greys can be cool or warm depending on the tint.
Make a Small Room Appear Larger Keep in mind that cool colours, such as blues and green, recede, which make a room look bigger. Warm colours, such as red and orange, make a room appear smaller. Opt for a cool or pastel colour or white paint when attempting to visually expand a room. Light colours reflect light and make a room appear more expansive than it actually is. Use a light colour on your ceiling, perhaps even lighter than the wall colour, to make thea ceiling appear higher. The room will appear larger as a result. Consider using light coloured carpeting. A dark floor covering will make the room appear smaller. Mix pale colours with cool colours to enlarge a room. The less differentiation in colours (the walls versus the window frames, molding and baseboard) the bigger the room will seem. A chopped up room will feel and appear smaller.
If you want your room to look larger, use cool shades in lighter tones. Cool colours give the impression of the walls being further away and opening up your space. Painting the trim and moldings around a room can also have an effect on the room’s apparent size. Painting the trim a lighter colour than the wall can also push the wall out visually. Simply doing the opposite, darker colours in warm tones with dark trim, visually pulls the walls in closer to create a more intimate feeling space. This works well in very large rooms giving them a more intimate atmosphere and less like a cathedral.
Use warm colours, reds orange, yellow, to make a large room appear quaint and cozy.
The shape of a room can be visually altered with a simple wall colour change by using accent colours. Just as painting a whole room in a light, cool colour can enlarge the feel of the room; the same idea can be applied to seemingly move the walls. If you have a long narrow room, painting the furthest walls in a dark colour and the long walls and ceiling in a light colour, the room will feel more square than narrow. This technique works great in hallways that can sometimes feel like a tunnel.
Lower the ceiling (albeit not literally) by painting it a darker shade than the walls. If that still doesn’t do the trick, use the ceiling colour and apply the paint to the top 12 inches or so of your walls and then add molding underneath. The molding breaks up space, which you want to do when you’re trying to make a room appear smaller. Bringing the darker ceiling colour down the top of the wall will make the room look less vast. Think of the ceiling as a hat and the top of the walls, also painted in the ceiling colour, as the brim of the hat.
With a little paint and creativity you can change the look and even size of any room in your house. Keeping in mind how the space will be used and the overall feel you want to create there is almost no limit to what can be achieved.
Use a dark coloured carpet, which will make the room appear smaller.
RETIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011
Widen a narrow room by using white or pale colours on the walls.
Make a Large Room Appear Smaller
Shorten the length of a room by painting the farthest wall a darker colour than the other walls. 9
The Basic Role of Pictures
How to Lengthen a Room
Wall art plays an important role in interior design as it helps create the ambience of a room. By cleverly placing wall pictures in certain ways, you can change and create a new look and feel in a room.
If you have a small room in your house, you can easily achieve the illusion of length. This can be done in two ways. If you like bold statements then simply paint a couple of horizontal lines in a bold colour across the middle of the wall in which you want to lengthen. These lines then naturally create the illusion of increased length in the room. An alternative way to do this, and a more subtle way, is to use pictures.
The role wall pictures play in interior design are:• pictures, mirrors or other ornamental accessories on walls help make the room look ‘lived in’ and they also inject your personality into the room • colour pictures and prints help connect with the rooms accent • pictures help absorb noise in a room, otherwise a room with totally bare walls will sound empty and will have an echo • pictures and prints can help enhance or change a room’s ‘look and feel’.
By strategically placing art pictures or photographs with any kind of strong horizontal line in the print, can accomplish the illusion of length. For example, if you chose two or three long rectangular pictures with horizontal panoramic prints such as ocean & beach pictures, fields, or scenic mountain pictures, then this will help extend the length of the room naturally. Two, three or more of these horizontal landscape pictures will give the maximum impact you are looking for to help lengthen a small room. Also bear in mind not to overdo the room with furniture. Too much clutter makes a room appear smaller.
How to Broaden a Narrow Room If you have a room which is a bit on the narrow side, there is a simple strategy to make the room appear broader. All you need is a tin of paint, a wall mirror and a large colourful wall picture. Get your tin of paint, which should preferably be a darker contrasting colour to your other walls, and paint one of the walls with this darker paint. Find a colourful and lively large painting and hang it on the wall you have just painted colourful flower pictures are ideal for this. On the wall adjacent to your picture, hang a decorative large mirror. What has happened here is that the mirror reflects on the large picture, and the additional darker colour on the wall has immediately given the room some much-needed depth. This combination will then make the room appear wider. By adding these simple additions to your narrow room, you have instantly created a balance in the room’s dimensions giving the sensation of additional space.
How to Heighten a Low Ceiling 10
Rooms with low ceilings give an oppressive feeling, whereas rooms with a high ceiling give a light and airy feel with a large amount of space. To overcome the RETIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011 problem of a low ceiling, there are a couple of interior design strategies to use.
First of all put down a darker floor covering, whether it be a wooden floor, carpet or lino. Paint the walls with a lighter colour than the floor, or use light coloured wallpaper. If you can, use white paint for the ceiling as this always gives the room maximum light and instantly draws the eyes upwards. Hang up wall pictures with strong vertical lines as this then gives the impression of height. Use portrait prints such as vertical landscapes, i.e. lighthouses, trees, cityscapes, or floral prints such as flowers in a vertical vase or tall long stem roses. Therefore, by combining the dark floor, light walls and ceiling and portraits prints, all adds to the sense of height in a room. Art pictures and prints play an important role in home decorating for several reasons. They do not only reflect and put your own personality into the room, but they can also help as a solution to change the look and feel of a room by giving the illusion of height, width and length. This can easily be achieved by combining wall pictures, contrasting colours and decorative mirrors.
How to Create a Monochromatic Colour Scheme in a Room In a monochromatic colour scheme, one colour completely dominates a room. Here are some ways to carry it off with high style. Go with a neutral such as white, off-white, taupe, grey or beige for a sophisticated, versatile, serene scheme. Add contrast by varying the colour values - for instance, use toast, wheat and buff in a beige scheme. Vary the textures and sheens in the room to add subtle shifts in shading. A beige room could include a matte bleached-oak floor, a sisal rug, orange-peel-texture semigloss walls, a chenille sofa, a suede recliner and unstained maple tables. Use ultra-strong textures - a springy shag rug, widewale corduroy or a chenille throw - to add a cozy counterpoint where the colour might seem overly cold, as in a grey or blue-white room. Put tiny sparks of colour in multiple places in the room to add vitality. For example, use a painting with a bold splash of red paint, a bowl of red apples, a vase of red tulips, a red telephone and/or a red velvet pillow in a white living room. Never use the accent colour just once; multiple uses ensure unity and cohesiveness in your scheme. RETIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011
Link your monochromaticscheme room to adjoining spaces by continuing the main colour and accent colour, although you can introduce another colour or two. For example, a white living room with forest-green accents could segue into an entryway with pale sage-green walls, evergreen and buttercreamyellow accents, and a white floor and white moldings.
11
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RETIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011
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What you see is what you get with
LYNDA BELLINGHAM Lynda Bellingham was trying to sort out her home “after a hell of a week” rehearsing someone new on the latest tour of Calendar Girls and spending rare time in domestic bliss. “Because my life tends to be all over the place outside the home, I like relative order in it,” she explains in those immediately identifiable sexy tones that have ensured a fascinatingly varied career including a wealth of radio and TV voice-overs. She is now 62, still glamorous but with the kind of accessible personality that makes women like her and men fancy her. The fact that she has spent the past two years taking her clothes off on stage – twice on Saturdays – has, surprisingly, endeared her to both. “We’re not actually nude, of course,” she laughs, “but that’s how it looks. Calendar Girls is a marvellous play – Tim Firth (who wrote the film and the play) has done a fantastic job with it and wherever you go you can feel the audience’s sense of excitement and anticipation because of the ‘nude’ scenes.”
“I had a wonderful childhood, very happy,” she recalls. “I think my generation got used to accepting things – the Pill, sexual freedom among them – and that has stood us in good stead for today’s changing world.” She got her big break as a nurse in ITV’s ‘70s afternoon soap opera General Hospital and appeared in films including Confessions of a Driving Instructor and Sweeney! During the ‘80s, though, she became famous as the head of the family in the Oxo TV adverts. “Of course they wanted me to be warm and motherly, while what I really wanted as an actress was to be edgy and different!” she says with a husky laugh. “It was fine doing the adverts but it can be a doubleedged sword - my profile among agents and casting directors for a long time was this type of person.” This worked in her favour, though, when she played vet James Herriot’s wife (replacing Carol Drinkwater) in telly favourite All Creatures Great and Small, and her comic timing was also recognised in situation comedies Second Thoughts and its sequel Faith in the Future.
If you’ve been hiding in a cave in the Himalayas for the past couple of years you might not have heard of the true story of the ladies of a Yorkshire Women’s Institute who decided to raise money for charity after the husband of one of them died from leukaemia. Their idea of a nude calendar made them iconic figures worldwide, and spawned both a hit film and the highly successful play. Chris Harper is the main driver of this campaign (mostly played on stage by Lynda although casts have varied) and the actress is still a great admirer of the original role model. “It took someone like her to make it happen, I think. Having met her several times, I can see why.” So could Lynda herself have been that driving force in the same situation? “Yes, I think I could,” she states. “I think I’m a bit determined like that.” A glance back at Lynda’s own life reveals the truth of that statement. She was born in Montreal, Canada, but adopted by an English couple at the age of four months and brought up in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. 14
RETIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011
She starred in the 14-part Doctor Who serial The Trial of a Time Lord playing against type as the Inquisitor, reprising this character for an audio series. And from 2000 for three years, she played compassionate accountant Pauline Farnell in the hit TV series At Home With The Braithwaites alongside Amanda Redman and Peter Davison. For several months in 2004, however, she enjoyed a recurring role in The Bill as villainess Irene Radford, offering fans a chance to see a different side of Lynda’s acting skills. “I really loved doing that!” she exclaims. “Unfortunately, there really aren’t that many good roles for women of a certain age, and there are quite a few of us after the few that there are.” Lynda, has, however, had an interesting range of roles in the theatre, and has also raised her own profile on TV as a quick-witted regular on the award-winning Loose Women programme where she is just herself. In her private life, she has been married three times, her last – “and final” – marriage to Michael Pattemore (a Spanish-based mortgage broker known on Loose Women as “Mr Spain”) on her 60th birthday. She has two sons and a stepson, all in their 20s, two of whom live with the couple in London.
OF COURSE THEY WANTED ME TO BE WARM AND MOTHERLY, WHILE WHAT I REALLY WANTED AS AN ACTRESS WAS TO BE EDGY AND DIFFERENT!
“Michael has always come touring with me, which is lovely because you can be away from home for a while,” she states. Her autobiography Lost and Found proved a literary hit, and the paperback version was out in March. More appearances in Loose Women and more theatre performances are also on the cards for this year, although Lynda says that Calendar Girls will be “rested” after a three-year run and she’s fine with that. She has also become an active campaigner and spokeswoman for the Alzheimer’s Research Trust and Age UK after both her adoptive mother and her birth mother suffered from this debilitating dementia. “It’s funny because you can get quite nervous talking about yourself, as I’ve been doing promoting my book at literary festivals and the like,“ she says. “But I don’t find it difficult to talk about the charity and the importance of getting more people to understand about Alzheimer’s.” As for having her own “role models”, Lynda reckons that she would really like to have the kind of serious roles that comedian and presenter Matthew Kelly has moved into latterly. “Now get me some female Matthew Kelly-type roles and I’ll be happy”, she insists. And that warm voice breaks into the kind of laughter that makes you realise that the likeable image you see is actually what you get with this talented actress whose career is set to continue delighting fans for a long time to come.
RETIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011
15
Maintain your natural Cholesterol Balance In contrast to common belief, cholesterol is not always a “culprit”. It is a vital substance which the human body depends on for normal functioning. As long as our cholesterol levels stay within a normal, healthy range, there is no problem.
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Rick Stein's Coast to Coast Recipes Rick Stein’s passion for fresh wellsourced 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 ‘Coast to Coast’ (BBC Books, £20) here are three of Rick’s favourite recipes inspired by travels across the world. M A K E S
4
4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, 1½ kg (3½ lb) vine-ripened tomatoes, skinned, seeded and roughly chopped 1 tablespoon chopped oregano 350g (12oz) buffalo mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced A large handful of basil leaves, torn into pieces Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper FOR THE BASE:
550g (1¼ lb) strong white flour 4 teaspoons easy-blend yeast 2 teaspoons salt 325-350ml (11-12 fl oz) hand-hot water 4 teaspoons olive oil 4 tablespoons polenta or semolina
Pizza Margherita For the base, sift the flour, yeast and salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the warm water and olive oil and mix together into a soft dough. Tip the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Then return it to the bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for approximately 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Meanwhile, for the topping, heat the oil and garlic in a large, shallow pan. As soon as the garlic starts to sizzle, add the tomatoes and some salt and pepper and simmer quite vigorously for 7-10 minutes, until reduced to a thickish sauce. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Put 2 large baking sheets or quarry tiles into the oven and heat it to its highest setting. Knock the air out of the dough and knead it briefly once more on a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 pieces and keep the spare ones covered with cling film while you shape the first pizza. Sprinkle a spare baking sheet or a pizza peel with some of the polenta or semolina. Roll the dough out into a disc approximately 25cm (10 inches) in diameter, lift it on to the baking sheet and reshape it with your fingers into a round. Spread over one quarter of the tomato sauce to within about 2½ cm (1 inch) of the edge. Sprinkle with some of the oregano and then cover with a quarter of the mozzarella cheese slices. Drizzle with a little olive oil, then open the oven door and quickly slide the pizza off the tray on to the hot baking sheet on the top shelf. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the crust is crisp and golden. Meanwhile, prepare another pizza and slide it on to the second hot baking sheet. Take the first pizza out of the oven and move the second one on to the top shelf to continue cooking. Slide the cooked pizza directly on to wooden chopping boards placed in the centre of the table, scatter with the torn basil leaves and cut into wedges with a pizza wheel. Make sure everybody starts while you make and cook the other 2 pizzas.
S E R V E S
4
450g (1 lb) dried linguine or spaghetti 3 vine-ripened tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped 300g (10 oz) fresh white crab meat 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1½ tablespoons lemon juice 50ml (2 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil A pinch of dried chilli flakes 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Crab Linguine with parsley & chilli
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling, well-salted water (1 teaspoon per 600ml/1 pint) for 7-8 minutes or until al dente. Meanwhile, put the tomatoes, crab meat, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, chilli flakes and garlic into another pan and warm through over a gentle heat. Drain the pasta, return to the pan with the sauce and briefly toss together. Season to taste. Divide between 4 warmed plates and serve immediately.
S E R V E S
1
1 small green (under-ripe) papaya 1 teaspoon palm sugar or light muscovado sugar A pinch of chopped garlic A pinch of chopped red bird’s eye chilli 5 x 10cm (4-inch) pieces of snake bean or 5 french beans, halved lengthways A few roasted, unsalted peanuts
Green Papaya Salad
A pinch of chopped dried shrimps
Peel the papaya and finely shred it on a mandolin into long, thin shreds. Work your way around the fruit until you get to the core and seeds, which you discard.
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce (nam pla) 1 tablespoon water 4 cherry plum tomatoes, halved Juice of 1 lime
Moisten the palm sugar (which is always very hard) with a little cold water. Put the garlic, red chilli and green beans into a mortar or mixing bowl and lightly bruise with the pestle or the end of a rolling pin. Add the sugar, peanuts, dried shrimps, fish sauce, water, tomatoes and lime juice and bruise everything once more, turning the mixture over with a fork as you do so. Add a good handful of the shredded papaya (about 50g/ 2 oz) and turn over and bruise one last time. Serve straight away.
CARE
Who are you?
We’re all living longer. At one time, if we reached seventy years, we were thought to be doing well. Now we’re living well into our eighties and nineties, and sadly, along with the pleasure of prolonged retirement years, come disadvantages. The biggest of these is the possibility of contracting Alzheimers disease or other forms of dementia.
T
here is no test which can definitely establish whether a person has Alzheimers disease, the most common form of dementia. In the early stages, forgetfulness is the most common symptom, and as the disease progresses, short term memory loss, lack of ability to think clearly and sometimes even the memory of how to get dressed can be lost. The reasons for the onset of this disease are varied, but the results are the same. Brain cells stop communicating with each other. Sometimes, a gradual onset of Dementia occurs after a series of mini strokes, or more suddenly after a stroke. Memory loss in a person with Alzheimers disease is mainly short term. The patient cannot remember events which happened last week, although he can remember events which happened many years ago with complete clarity. There could also be mood changes, and confusion. How many people are affected? The Alzheimers Society reports that there could be as many as 750,000 living with dementia in the UK, yet only a third of these have been diagnosed. In an ageing population, this figure is expected to double over the next twenty years. THE UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA’S FINDINGS SHOW THAT DEMENTIA RISK IS HIGHER IN PEOPLE WITH BOTH STROKE AND IRREGULAR HEARTBEAT Stroke patients who also suffer from an irregular heartbeat are at double the risk of developing dementia, according to a new study by the University of East Anglia (UEA). Published in the journal Neurology, the findings show that stroke survivors with an irregular heartbeat – or atrial fibrillation - are 2.4 times more likely to develop dementia than stroke survivors without the heart condition. The researchers analysed 15 studies with more than 45,000 participants and an average age of 72. They compared patients with and without atrial fibrillation, 20
and followed up to determine which developed dementia over time. Around a quarter of patients with both stroke and atrial fibrillation were subsequently found to have developed dementia. “These results offer convincing evidence of a link between irregular heartbeat and dementia in patients with stroke and could help us identify treatments that delay or even prevent the onset of dementia,” said lead author Dr Phyo Myint of Norwich Medical School at UEA. The study is the first high-quality meta-analysis of the potential role of atrial fibrillation in the development of dementia. Though the results show a clear association in stroke patients, Dr Myint warned that signs of a link in the general population – as suggested by some earlier studies – were inconclusive. “There remains considerable uncertainty about any link in the broader population,” he said. Atrial fibrillation is more common as people age. It affects around one in 20 people over 65 in the UK and more than two million in the US. The heart’s two upper chambers do not beat effectively in the condition, resulting in an irregular heart rhythm. This can lead to blood pooling and clotting which significantly increases the risk of stroke. Around 15 per cent of strokes occur in people with atrial fibrillation. Other risk factors for stroke include smoking, high blood pressure and a sedentary lifestyle. 60,000 deaths are attributed to the disease every year. The number of dementia cases is expected to rise by around 150 per cent over the next 40 years. The disease is little understood but the risk of developing dementia is thought to be multifactorial. Dr Myint said further high quality research was now needed to establish whether the link between atrial fibrillation and dementia in stroke patients was causal.
Dr Susanne Sorensen, head of research at the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “This important research suggests that those with atrial fibrillation who have previously had a stroke need to be identified and monitored more closely. We now need more research involving stroke survivors with this type of cardiovascular disease to determine whether controlling atrial fibrillation with medication could reduce the risk of getting dementia later in life. “Cardiovascular disease and stroke are well known risk factors for dementia. The best way to reduce risk of dementia is to take regular exercise, maintain a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables and ensuring that your blood pressure and cholesterol are checked regularly.” Many people worried about memory loss are reluctant to visit their doctor, possibly because they fear a diagnosis of Alzheimers Disease. In 2010, The Alzheimer Society relaunched its ‘Worried About our Memory’ campaign, which stressed the importance of seeking help, and since then, some 4000 people have requested more information. An early diagnosis to establish the type of dementia a person has is important. There are drugs which can treat certain types of dementia and most of these work best in the early stages. Most importantly, it helps the person with dementia to make plans for their future while they are still capable of making well judged decisions. Caring for a person with dementia can be frustrating and distressing. The person living with dementia can be aggressive, and has forgotten the rules of acceptable behaviour. They resent not being able to make themselves understood, they become confused and frightened, and this sometimes causes them to lash out and make hurtful comments or threats. But inside this changed personality is still the person you love. The mother who took you to school, helped with the homework and gave you hugs when things were difficult. Or the father who taught you how to ride your bike and how
RETIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011
to drive your first car. The most common worry amongst the relatives of those with dementia is the dreadful feeling of loss. That terrible day when the parent you love asks “who are you?” One to one care, in the comfort and familiarity of their own home, can make a huge difference. Reassurance, giving the person living with dementia a hug, or holding their hand will make them feel safe and talking about events which happened in the past, which they can still recall vividly will give a sense of belonging and personal worth. Make sure they have fresh fruit, vegetables and oily fish and plenty of fluids; people living with dementia are more prone to dehydration. Checking out their clothing. Try to minimise the number of buttons and zips – people with dementia find dressing and undressing difficult, so pull on clothing is easier, especially when they need to use the lavatory. Being vigilant on their personal hygiene to avoid infection.
Making sure that risks in the home are cut to the minimum. Fall alarms, door alarms, infrared sensors, help pendants and continence alert systems are all available to help protect vulnerable people. Most importantly of all, on difficult days, remember this person is being overtaken by a disease which they cannot control. It’s the disease which has made them behave in irrational or aggressive ways. At times like this, try to give them a sense of personal worth, focus on happier times in the past, and talk to them in a way which makes them feel they are still in control and able to make decisions. Help with your Council Tax If you know someone of pensionable age who has any form of dementia, which appears to be permanent, they may be entitled to a reduction in their Council Tax. If they live alone they may have nothing to pay, if they live with a partner their Council Tax could be reduced by 25%. To apply for the reduction please contact your Local Council. If you live in Hull please phone the Council Tax Team on Hull 613050.
How do we pay for our home care? Paying for our care and support can seem complicated, there are so many different ways to pay and they seem to be changing all the time! When someone receives some funding from the local council, they are given a number of options with ways to receive and manage their budget. As part of the government’s efforts to increase our personal choice and control, they have introduced a ‘direct payment’ method which is rapidly becoming very widely used. A direct payment is where, following a financial assessment, someone eligible to receive funding can choose to take a direct cash payment in to their bank account and arrange for their own care and support. This gives that person the freedom to choose their care provider, choose the support they receive and the way that they receive it! If you are receiving funding or would like to find out more about it, you can contact the East Riding Council or you can speak to your local care provider, Caremark, who can guide you in the right direction.
Care and support in your own home •
All aspects of Personal Care and Support
•
Assistance with household tasks
•
Light meal preparation and menu planning
•
General companionship, such as assistance with shopping or to simply chat over a cup of tea
•
Live-in care
•
Respite care
Caremark (East Riding) were presented with the prestigious ‘Mark of Excellence’ Award at the fourth Caremark Annual Conference held on the 28th January 2010.
Owen Avenue, Priory Park West, Hessle, East Yorkshire HU13 9PD
Caremark (East Riding) 01482 579579 www.caremark.co.uk eastriding@caremark.co.uk RETIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011
21
New Scams and Old Tricks Last week I got a knock at the door. I put the chain on and opened the door, a man was standing there. “Your fence is about to fall down,” he said, “support posts rotten. You’re lucky I was passing, I can sort that out for you” “Thank you,” I said, “I’ll get some one in to look at that” and I closed the door. “You’ll be sorry” he said. He waited a few moments and when he realised I wasn’t going to open the door he pushed a card though my letter box and stomped off. The card just had a name and mobile phone number on it. Of course, I didn’t get my fence fixed by that caller. Next time my son was over I asked him to have a look at it and it was fine. Even if it had needed some work I certainly wouldn’t use someone who just turned up out of the blue. It is a sad fact that there are many rogue traders around who will offer to do fencing, roofing, driveways, home maintenance and so on for what seems to be a reasonable amount. However the quality of the work, if any is done at all, will be extremely poor and it will end up costing a great deal more than you were first told. These people appear trustworthy and genuine but they do their homework and target elderly people, often living alone. Often the householder is panicked into having the work done immediately, or are persuaded that having the work done will reduce heating costs or help with global warming. The truth is once they have your money you may not see them again and they could well be impossible to trace. Any trader who gives just a mobile number should be regarded with caution because a mobile number can easily be discarded, and then there’s no way of getting in touch if the repairs are faulty, or badly done. Trading standards has dealt with cases where residents have lost thousands of pounds because they have agreed to have work done by someone who turned up on the doorstep. The advice from trading standards, supported by the police, is that you should never agree to have work
done by a stranger who turns up at your doorstep no matter how good a deal it looks. Only use traders that you know or who have been recommended to you. Reputable, professional traders do not go door to door. Another scam to watch out for is known as distraction burglary. This is when you get a knock at the door and a complete stranger distracts you whilst an accomplice gets into your house to look for money or valuable. The caller could be a couple saying that they have seen some loose tiles on your roof, and while one of them keeps you occupied by showing you the problem the other one gets into your house. It could be someone claiming to be from the council or a legitimate company doing some routine checks. Once they have your attention someone else might be getting into your home. Every one of us is vulnerable to scams. We need to take note of warnings from the police and trading standards and refuse to deal with doorstep callers. Use your chain on your front door, don’t deal with strangers, don’t let them into your home and remember, it’s okay to say “no”.
Remember, reputable traders don’t need to go cold calling. Doorstep trading is the hunting ground for opportunists and scammers. Don’t even give them the time of day. 22
Did you know that Yorkshire Water offers a range of free services for consumers with additional needs? Consumers with sight or hearing difficulties, illness or disability can find out more and register for free. Just call freephone 0800 1 38 78 78 or go to www.yorkshirewater.com and search for ‘Helping Hands’ to email us.
How can we help you? If you are blind, partially sighted or have difficulty reading your bill:
• We can provide bills and other information in large print, Braille, on audio cassette/CD or we can call you and read your bill to you • We can visit you in advance if we plan to interrupt your water supply • We can send bills to a nominated person on your behalf • If you have a meter, we can arrange for more frequent readings if it’s difficult for you to get a reading yourself
If you are deaf or hard of hearing:
• We can put a card through your door to warn you in advance if we plan to interrupt your water supply • We can visit you in advance if we plan to interrupt your water supply • If we need to get in touch, we can contact you using text telephone/minicom
If you have mobility problems:
• We can visit you in advance if we plan interrupt your water supply • If you have a meter, we can arrange for more frequent readings if it’s difficult for you to get a reading yourself
If you’re a dialysis patient:
• We can visit you in advance if we plan to interrupt your water supply • We can provide bottled water if we do have to interrupt your water supply
If you have a serious illness:
• We can visit you in advance if we plan to interrupt your water supply • We can provide bottled water if we do have to interrupt your water supply A simple free call is all that is needed for you to register for any of these free services. Call freephone 0800 1 38 78 78 and ask about Yorkshire Water’s Helping Hands. RETIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011
Unexpected visitor? Thieves and conmen sometimes trick their way into customers’ homes to steal money or valuables by claiming to be from Yorkshire Water or one of its contractors. Every customer is entitled to register a password of their choice, free of charge with Yorkshire Water. This password will be used by our staff so you can identify a genuine caller. Call freephone 0800 1 38 78 78 and register your chosen password today. When our staff visit customers, they all show identity cards displaying their photograph. If you’re in any doubt about the identity of a caller, please call us on 0800 1 38 78 78.
Remember:
• It’s very unusual for Yorkshire Water or its contractors to visit your home without a previously agreed appointment. • Genuine Yorkshire Water representatives won’t mind if you check their identity before allowing them into your home. • Yorkshire Water and its contractors representatives will NOT request access to an upper floor of your home to check the water supply. • Yorkshire Water doesn’t sell any products or services on the doorstep. Don’t let anyone into your home until you’re satisfied with who they are and why they’re visiting.
‘em out! If in doubt, keep
S W E N & S EVENT The Yorkshire Family Show 20th-21st August
The Yorkshire Family Show is an exciting new family event taking place in the Yorkshire Event Centre at the Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate on 20th & 21st August 2011. With around 100 stalls for shopping and activities; a large outdoor funfair; baby feeding and changing facilities; Fresh Cafe for when you get hungry and lots more, the Yorkshire Family Show will be the largest event of it's type in the region. An action packed programme of events including a buggy push, children's activity sessions and product demonstrations will mean that every member of the family will have something to enjoy at the show. The attention to detail and understanding of visitor's needs will ensure that the Yorkshire Family Show is a genuinely family-friendly event.
For more information visit www.yorkshirefamilyshow.co.uk
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York Beer and Cider Festival 15th - 17th September 2011
Following the tremendous success of the 2009 and 2010 outdoor festivals, York Knavesmire (Tadcaster Road end) is once again the location for this year's York Beer & Cider Festival. Offering up to 250 beers, up to 50 ciders and perries, a foreign beer bar, wine and soft drinks. There'll be live music on the Friday and Saturday as well as a good range of food from mainly local caterers and other stalls. There'll be a large amount of seating — inside the tent if it's wet, with some outside if the weather's good. Children are welcome during the afternoon sessions.
For more information visit www.yorkbeerfestival.org.uk/2011
Mad Hatter's Tea Party
2nd July until 8th September 2011 at Burton Constable This family friendly display, featuring papier-mâché figures by Nicky Clacy, takes its inspiration from Lewis Caroll's 19th century classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the Alice Murals, which were created for Burton Constable by the painter and illustrator Bill Sillince in the mid-20th century.
Burton Constable is situated in Holderness in East Yorkshire, 10 miles north east of Hull and 15 miles east of Beverley. For more information please visit www.burtonconstable.com/events
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with Todd Miller and the Joe Loss Orchestra. 20 August 2011 This takes place at Bridlington Spa Royal Hall and is a classic evening of dancing and entertainment from favourites Todd Miller and the Joe Loss Orchestra, all set in the stunning Spa Royal Hall. From the Big Band era of Glen Miller, Count Basie and Duke Ellington, through the golden years of Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, The Beatles and more of today’s charts, there’s live music for all generations.
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The Summer Ball
For more information contact the Box Office on 01262 678258 or email spasales@eastriding.gov.uk RETIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011
WIN Tickets to Southport Flower Show 18th - 21st August 2011
1/2 PRICE WORKTOPS
Attracting around 70,000 visitors, Southport Flower Show is the largest independent flower show in the UK - and the most diverse and we have ten pairs of tickets to give away, just fill in your details to be entered into our prize draw.
Post to : McGrath Media: Unit 6, Moses Gate Workshops, Gladys Street, Bolton BL3 2QG.
Draw will take place on 12.8.11. Winners will be notified by telephone and receive their tickets by post.
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CONTACT US FOR DETAILS... Thorp Arch Retail Estate,Wetherby LS23 7FE Tel: 01937 844 288 | www.buywellinteriors.co.uk
Douglas Yeadon Hardware Everything your garden needs this Summer: • • • • • • • •
Garden Tools Lawn Mowers Garden Furniture Patio Planters Seeds and Compost BBQs and Fuels Stains and Paints for Wood Power Tools
169 High Street, Boston Spa LS23 6BH
01937 842338
www.douglasyeadonhardware.co.uk RETIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011
25
Make money while the Sun shines Green Energy Projects are your local designer and installer of solar photovoltaic panels. Based in Easingwold and working all over Yorkshire and the North East they pride themselves on providing a personal and professional approach. As director Chris Steel explains, the company philosophy is to focus on quality and customer service. “We use the most efficient panels; all our installers are experienced, locally based, tradesmen, who consistently receive great feedback. A recent customer said the responsiveness, neatness and energy of the whole team was most impressive.” If you are worried about rising electricity prices this is a great time to invest in generating your own electricity from the sun. In addition
to reducing your electricity bill, the government backed “feed in tariff” scheme will typically earn you over 10% return per annum and is inflation proofed and tax free. Chris says many customers ask us “what’s the catch, how can this be such a good deal?” The reason is simple, the government have committed to generating 20% of Britain’s electricity from ‘green’ renewable sources by 2020. Green generators, including households with Solar PV panels will be subsidised. For everybody else electricity bills will rise dramatically in the next few years to pay for the massive investment needed to replace Britain’s ageing power stations. Chris explains, “This is the only home improvement I know of that can earn you money as well as reducing your bills”. For example a large 20 panel household installation will earn around £1700 a year and pay for itself
in around 8 years after which you will continue to be paid the £1700 per annum plus inflation for the balance of the 25 year scheme. Planning permission is not usually needed, the panels have no moving parts and so require little or no maintenance and their performance at 25 years is guaranteed.
Call Green Energy Projects free on 0800 644 00 45 to find out more and arrange a free no obligation survey and quotation. We look forward to welcoming you to the growing band of Green Energy Projects customers benefiting from free electricity. www.greenenergyprojects.co.uk
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Will Drafting For Couples Mr Darling’s pre budget announcement on the 9th October 2007 allowed a surviving spouse or civil partner dying on or after this date to inherit the unused proportion of the nil rate band (NRB) of the first spouse to die. The surviving spouse or civil partner if they were to die after this date could then use any unused NRB, quoted as a proportion, that their spouse had not used on their death, no matter what that date was. The relief has to be claimed by the personal representatives of the surviving spouse and is only available against the inheritance tax on the death of the survivor. If a person has been married previously or has had numerous partners who have died they may transport percentages of each nil rate band until they have attained 100% and the personal representatives claim the relief from HM Revenue upon the death of the surviving spouse.
O U R
For professionals this change poses a problem as previously when presented with a moderately wealthy married couple with children we would for the first Will suggest a nil rate band discretionary trust. This is no longer the case as we could now draft mirror wills leaving the surviving spouse everything on the first death allowing them to utilise all of the unused NRB. Problems arise if the surviving spouse remarries leaving everything to their new spouse leaving nothing to the children of the first marriage. Alternatively the surviving spouse may go into residential care meaning that if their capital assets are over £23,250 they become 100% care fee funding. The inherited assets may increase more quickly than the, now frozen, annual increase in the NRB, that would leave an inheritance tax liability on the second death. People need to consider whether they wish to leave their estate or a percentage of their estate in a life interest discretionary trust for the survivor for life and then to their children on the surviving spouses
death. Such arrangements have inheritance tax advantages whilst also ensuring the first to die has some control of the destination of their assets and affords some protection from care home fees. Couples could sever the joint tenancy on the family home and on the first death give the survivor a life interest and usage of their share of the family home and on the second death pass it to the children. The law and taxes will always change and people need to be aware of such changes and seek professional advice from those who are qualified and best able to provide such advice. Making a Will ensures that assets pass to those people you wish to inherit from your estate but it is an ongoing process as what may be the good advice one day may be overtaken by personal circumstances or changes in the law the next.
For further information on any of the topics described above or for any other matters you may wish to discuss do not hesitate to contact one of our team here at Grahame Stowe Bateson who has offices in Leeds and Harrogate.
S E R V I C E S
Did you know our specialities include the following work for which Family and Crime The Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession recognizes this firm as leaders
Conveyancing
We cover the full range of work involved in your property transactions be it sales purchase, lease, transfer of further mortgages – just ask for a competitive quote.
Wills / Probate
EVERYBODY should make a will at any age. Without a will the state directs who inherits, so your friends, family and favourite charities may receive nothing!
Family
Divorce, Financial Disputes, Children’s Act matters and Care Proceedings are all covered by our specialist solicitors.
Mental Health
Representation before Mental Health Tribunals to secure a persons liberty; such work is publicly funded.
Criminal Proceedings
From major fraud, murder to saving a driving license our specialists are on hand from Police Station assistance to representation in all courts.
We were the first Solicitors in the area to offer a FREE LEGAL CLINIC every Wednesday, at all offices, between 5 – 7 pm which have now been running for 25 years
Contact us at...
Raglan Chambers, 4 Raglan Street, Harrogate HG1 1LT Telephone: 01423 562121 Fax: 01423 505669 Email: harrogate.reception@ gsbsolicitors.com
www.gsbsolicitors.com
Why choose Dentures from a Clinical Dental Technician? What is a Clinical Dental Technician? A Clinical Dental Technician or CDT is a registered Dental Care Professional who is trained and qualified to offer a range of Denture Services – services that were previously only available through your Dentist.
What qualifies a CDT to work on my Dentures?
A CDT can help you find the Complete Dentures that will: l Help you to form sounds and bring new clarity to your speech l Feel more secure about eating the food you want l Countering sagging facial muscles and sunken features that can make you appear older (especially around your mouth, lips and cheeks)
With many years experience working as Dental Technicians, CDTs have the advanced technical and clinical skills needed to carefully design and hand-craft every denture to the individual requirements of the patient. Every Clinical Dental Technician has following credentials: l
l
l
l
Graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons Holds a Diploma in Clinical Dental Technology Is registered with the General Dental Council as a Dental Technician and CDT Has appropriate insurance to work with patients
Never seek Denture advice or treatment from someone who is not trained or qualified to practice as a Clinical Dental Technician or Dentist in the UK.
Complete Dentures If you are experiencing the total loss of all your natural teeth, a Clinical Dental Technician can help you. As well as taking its toll on daily activities like eating, talking and even laughing, total tooth loss can impact heavily on self-esteem and quality of life. A CDT will create and fit the Complete Denture that replaces your missing teeth and adjacent tissue in your lower and upper jaws. 28
Partial Dentures If one or several of your teeth are lost or missing, a CDT can help you restore your smile with a Partial Denture. By replacing your individual missing teeth, Partial Dentures can give you back the look and function of a full set of healthy, natural teeth. As well as replacing any missing teeth, Partial Dentures also look after the future health of your mouth by preventing your remaining teeth from rotating, tilting and moving into positions that prove unsightly and awkward for eating and talking. Depending upon your individual needs and preferences, your CDT may recommend Chrome Cobalt dentures. RETIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011
HEALTH Following your initial consultation, a Clinical Dental Technician will assess your mouth and develop a personal treatment plan. Working with a Dentist, they will identify any possible problems. In this way, your Denture will be designed correctly and for the long-term, and ensure that you receive the highest standards of care and the right treatment for you and your teeth.
Denture Relines If your dentures tilt, wobble or rub, a Clinical Dental Technician can reline your denture, making the small alterations that make a big difference to the way they fit and feel. Please be aware that a Denture Reline will normally require that you leave your dentures with your Clinical Dental Technician so be prepared to be without them for a short period of time.
Denture Repairs If your Denture fractures or breaks, the CDT can
mend your dentures as follows, making them wearable once more. l l l
Repairing cracks or multiple fractures Repairing chipped false teeth Repairing your Denture base
Over time, the shape of your mouth can change as part of the natural ageing process, as a result of the under use and lack of stimulus for your jawbone. If your Dentures break while you are wearing them, it is probably for one of the following reasons: Poor fit as a result of bone resorbtion (shrinkage) l Excessive force possibly due to tooth grinding l
If you would like your new dentures to replicate all the favourable aspects of your existing Dentures, then a Clinical Dental Technician can help you. From copying exact tooth position and shape, to improving the way they fit with your mouth and gums – your Copy Dentures will be just like the Dentures you have now, only better.
eat, smile, and talk ... ... with confidence Clover House Dental Practice is offering a new, bespoke service for denture wearers. This professional and discreet service allows, you the patient, to be treated at our surgery from your first clinical appointment to your final fitting. You will be treated by Jonathan Hughes who fabricates your dentures. We offer a free initial consultation, to establish your personal requirements and ascertain the most suitable solution for you. Based on these needs Clover House Dental Practice will create your tailor made dentures, ensuring that you get the best fit and the most natural result, helping you to keep and even give back your self esteem. If we can’t give you back the confidence to smile we are happy to offer a full refund.
152 Skipton Road | Harrogate | HG1 4LL | T: 01423 563344 www.cloverhouse.co.uk | info@cloverhouse.co.uk
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Twittering. Everybody’s doing it says Graham Smith
When I was young I kept a diary, now I’m told I have to Twitter and tweet. I’ve cracked Facebook, where two third of the world puts its life in the public domain, so I thought I’d have a Twitter. Why not? Stephen Fry is a mega hero on there, politicians do it, celebrities do it, footballers do it, often while on the pitch, and world shattering news, once the province of the BBC is regularly posted on there….if you can read it. You see you have to get your message across in 140 letters. That’s 140 characters, not three pads of your granny’s best notepaper and a first class stamp, and it’s not easy. I’ve barely begun to impart my pearls of wisdom to the world when I’ve run out of space so I invariably leave a half finished tweet or delete the whole thing in disgust. Daft isn’t it? I’ve just written about 1,000 characters and barely begun this piece and a tweet is a tenth of that! When you tweet you attract followers. I have 19 including a newspaper group in Utah, Texas. I have no idea why Utah Newspapers wants to follow my tweets and I have no intention of following theirs. A large, muscular looking lady from Holland started following me but her tweets were in Dutch so I daren’t follow her in case I’m arrested for something unspeakable. If I’m honest I don’t really get it. I’m a closet tweeter, can I say that? If something in the news gets up my nose, and it invariably does, I’ll tweet and put a link on to the offending piece. That’s fun, but why do I want to read the tweets of John from Halifax who twitters on about everything including what his wife has put in that day’s sandwiches which he’s eating on the train travelling to London? Actor and comedian Stephen Fry is a Twitter celebrity. He has more followers than the lead pigeon on Nelson’s column and tweets incessantly. Riots were threatened when he said he was leaving the site, but who are all these followers? I’m perplexed in the morning when I see Rhondda from the Valleys peeking at me before I’ve had my second coffee. Maeser Morgan the washing machine repair man could be very useful but it will be a heck of a call out charge from Washington, and how Mary Beth Bass, romantic author, Keats idolater,
butter vegetarian, wife and mother came my way I don’t know, but she twitters incessantly. I’m also very worried about Erskine Howcroft, whose symbol is a large white egg and has yet to utter a tweet. Does this mean he/she has not hatched yet? I recall those minute diaries which you got at Christmas with a pencil stuck down the spine. I used to set off with good intentions of chronicling my life on a daily basis to leave for posterity, but invariably the pencil had broken by January 5th and you’d lost interest anyway. How times have changed. I’ve just written the equivalent of 16.26 tweets. I need to go to my blog.
It’s enough to give you a phobia In this mad politically correct world of ours there are many phobias but pogonophobia was a new one to me. Fear of pogo sticks I thought, but no I was educated by a former seafaring man with whom I worked recently. He has a full beard which is long enough to keep his knees warm in winter and he told me the story of how he lost his job as a trawler coxon because his boss had a bad case of pogonophobia. I questioned him and he explained how he had been summoned to the office and ordered to shave and eventually sacked because he refused. Apparently the boss had a bad case of pogonophobia…..fear of beards!
Do you have a language issue? What is BBC radio doing to the English language? Why are half the travel and news presenters now over enunciating and simpering as though they have blocked adenoids? The buzz words getting up my nose at the moment are “issues”, “awesome”, “iconic” and my most hated, “absolutely”, but it’s the pronunciation which is worst. There is only one “a” in way, it is not waay, as in over emphasising the middle syllable. The word is road not rowd, and there is no “y” in station! Do I have an issue with this? I do, absolutely, it’s an awesome insult to the English language.
I feel a Twitter coming on. 30
RETIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011
Meeting the cost of residential and nursing care in old age is a growing issue and concern for many people in the UK. As life expectancy continues to lengthen, more of us can expect to require some form of long term care. Whether you are a relative or someone who needs to plan for their own later years, the costs involved can be daunting to say the least. The average cost of residential care in the Yorkshire and Humberside region is estimated at ÂŁ23,036 a year. If nursing care is also required, this can rise to ÂŁ31,408 a year*. While the State can and will help with some costs, eligibility for help is limited and many RETIRED MAGAZINE | SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011
* Laing and Buisson, Care of Elderly People, UK Market Survey, 2010
people find themselves over the threshold at which state support is provided. However all is not lost, here at Ardent we specialise in providing personalised and tailored advice and solutions for clients who face these problems.
For further information or to arrange a free initial consultation please contact Mark on
0800 3895672 or
email mark@ardentifa.co.uk 31
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