EDITION 34
Retired NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
& living in Wigan, Warrington & St Helens
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
FREE Please t
ake one
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CONTENTS
Welcome to Retired Magazine 12-13
8-9
4
30-31
22-23
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 Graham’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 our next issue.
Full Range of Mobility Aids l
TRAVEL & LEISURE
Scooters l Rise & Recline Beds & Chairs l Wheelchairs l Stairlifts l Accessories l Bathroom & Toilet Aids
Insurance Approved Service & Repair Centre SCOOTERS l Part exchange welcome EXCLUSIVE FROM l Huge stocks for immediate delivery l Finance available on request Warringtons only stockist l All major credit cards accepted POWERCHAIR of Cosyfeet Shoes l Available on Motability SPECIALISTS
& TRAVEL
HOLIDAYS
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£495
STAIRLIFTS
ADJUSTABLE ELECTRIC BEDS FROM
£599
NEW
THE NORTH WEST'S BIGGEST RISE & RECLINE AND ADJUSTABLE ELECTRIC BED SHOWROOM
FIRST
CHOICE MOBILITY
NEW FROM
£1295 RISE & RECLINE CHAIRS FROM
VISIT OUR SHOWROOM FOR A
FREE DEMONSTATION without obligation. Or we can visit you at your home or Day Centre
£599 www.firstchoicemobility.co.uk WARRINGTON
01925
PICTURES FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY
234147
Visit our showroom, the largest in the area. 19 Tanning Court, Vernon St. WARRINGTON, Cheshire WA1 2HF. 2
6-7
Welcome Aboard 2012 New Dates from Memory Lane Holidays & Travel.
8-9
Under the Tuscan Sun Discover Italy's treasures.
REGULARS 4 Graham Smith Twittering on. 12-13 How Michael stepped up to the mike Michael Aspel talks to Retired. 22-23 Food and Drink Rick Stein's Mediterranean Escapes Recipes.
McGrath Media. Unit 6 | Moses Gate Workshops Gladys Street | Bolton | BL3 2QG. T: (01204) 796 494 | F: (01204) 791594 e: mcgrathadmin@btconnect.com
www.retiredmagazines.co.uk
The CPS centre is a unique shopping experience in the heart of Culcheth. Consisting of 30 individual, eclectic shops offering fantastic products, reasonable prices, and a professional friendly service. 4 hours free parking, lift access and a café make it the perfect place to spend a few hours whatever the weather.
CHRISTMAS MENU SUNDIAL TERRACE COFFEE SHOP
£14.95
Potted Crab (Flaked Crabmeat & Prawns with lemon topped butter) Cream of Vegetable Soup With Crusty Bread
Mon-Fri 5th to 23rd December
Melon and Orange Cocktail Laced with Sherry Roast Turkey with Chipolata Sausage Cranberry Sauce and sage & onion stuffing Beef Bourguignon (Served with Yorkshire Pudding) Glazed Ham (Served with sticky pineapple ring) Creamy Assorted Vegetable With a puff pastry top All meals are served with Creamed, Roast potatoes and Seasonal Vegetables. Christmas Pudding Served with Brandy cream Assorted Cheese board Crackers & butter Choice of dessert from the cabinet (choice changes daily) Mini mince pie with coffee Crackers, hats and novelties on each table. Wine available on request by glass or bottle ask for further information.
There’s something for everyone at the CPS Centre, Culcheth ABC COMPUTERS Sales, repairs & set up
CULCHETH CARPETS
PILLOW TALK Bedding, Linens & Kitchenware
ADB LOCKSMITH & SHOE REPAIRS
DEBONELLE LADIES LINGERIE Free professional bra fitting service
AMAZING CAKE CO Bespoke cakes for all occasions
FORGET ME NOT Toy shop & book shop
BLACK SHEEP Knitting Wools & Handicrafts
GS RETAIL Candles & Home Fragrance products
SUNDIAL JEWELLERY
CACTUS CLOTHING School Uniforms & Work Wear
IAN BLACK International Hair Stylist
THE CLOTH SHOP Haberdashery & Crafts
CAROL’S IRONING SERVICE
MA’AM a LADY Ex Chain Store Stock
YE OLDE CURIOSITY SHOPPE Buyers & Sellers of Gold, Collectables & Jewellery
CAROL LYNN JONES Remedial Massage & Therapist COUNTRY WORLD Health Foods CULCHETH BEAUTY SALON
MARY & EVA Gift Shop MAUREEN’S ALTERATIONS
REVOIR DESIGNER CLOTHING Pre-loved Wedding Dresses & Designer Clothing Exchange SUNDIAL TERRACE COFFEE SHOP
ZARINA BOUTIQUE Ladies Clothes, Shoes & Accessories.
PICTURE THIS Framing, Art Lessons & Commissions
Above Sainsbury’s Common Lane, Culcheth. Telephone 01925 762237 Opening times: Monday - Saturday 9am - 5pm. Open Sundays in December. Online at: www.cpscentre.co.uk
Graham Smith has a Twitter But is he right or wrong? Health and Safety and Hot Air! Reading the entire collection of Health and Safety rules which dictate our lives today would be a suitable prison sentence for murder. New ones are added daily by some overpaid barmpot in Whitehall and two I came across recently are worthy of mention. In the beautiful Bronte village of Haworth there is an annual event in June to celebrate the 1940s. Everyone and their granny descends on the village, some villagers have been known to move out for the weekend to avoid the crush, and many dress in period costume singing “We’ll Meet Again” increasingly loudly as the local brew takes effect. Until three years ago part of the spectacle was a fly past by retired World War Two aeroplanes, usually a Spitfire, a Hurricane or a Lancaster Bomber. Now these planes are still air worthy after seventy years but some clown in Bradford Council’s Health and Safety asylum decided there was a problem. The Spitfire won the Battle of Britain. Hitler and his army eventually chucked the towel in because they couldn’t down enough of the planes to win. It’s a good job Bradford Council wasn’t on his side or he’d have won. The organisers of the Forties Weekend had to conduct a Health and Safety and feasibility study and here was one of the questions:“What was the likelihood of one of the planes crashing onto the village during the flypast?” Now we don’t see many Fokkers or Messerschmitts over Haworth these days and the Home Guard was disbanded some years ago. The only aerial threat we have is from rooks and the occasional duck with a dicky tummy, which might necessitate wearing a tin helmet on windy days. I think we had the greatest confidence that the pilots would have successfully cleared the village without a mass slaughter of the population, but, no, we couldn’t have a fly past.
4
10,000 people squeezed onto our tiny cobbled streets that weekend. Traffic management had a pink fit as the hordes parked their cars anywhere and everywhere. Hermann Goerring was spotted having a pint in The Fleece but we couldn’t have aeroplanes using the only empty space in the valley…the sky. Were all flights from Leeds-Bradford airport suspended for the day in case the lunch time Ireland plane crashed in Central Park? They were not. There was a famous wartime phrase which said, “Your country needs you”. I suggest the same does not apply to the Health and Safety nitwits of today.
There’s a hole in your bench Amazingly the same village got a double dose of daftness when the local council decided to recobble and landscape the bottom of Main Street. A lovely 12-month old wrought iron bench was removed to facilitate the work and it hasn’t come back. For years locals and visitors have enjoyed relaxing on the bench and no injuries have ever been reported apart from the odd drunk slipping off the edge and nearly falling under the Oakworth bus. The locals of yesteryear would have sat there and watched horses and carts go up and down the steep cobbled street posing some hazard if one set off at the gallop going downhill. But we can’t have the bench back because a health and safety executive decision said a child might get their finger stuck in the wrought iron! Oh, do me a favour. There are still stocks at the top of the street, what if someone gets trapped in them while having their picture taken? I’ve seen women in stiletto heels pirouetting like Margot Fonteyn trying to walk down the street and not get trapped in the cobbled setts. But we cannot have our bench back. In fact some half wit has now decided it is so dangerous that it is to be repainted and auctioned off. I suppose we can’t have a wooden on either in case a splinter develops and punctures some old dear’s derriere. www.retiredmagazines.co.uk
St Vincent's has sheltered housing in the Warrington area, get in touch to find out more We offer: Self contained apartments, but with an on-site warden
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24 hour emergency call out
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Secure door entry system
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Communal gardens, and laundry Free repairs and maintenance service
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Links with health professionals
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A lift
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A communal lounge to meet up with friends
Full and varied social life if you want it, although some of our residents choose to enjoy a quieter life - it's entirely up to you! l
Our Handyperson Service We offer a free handyperson service to all our customers who live in our sheltered housing schemes, get those little jobs, such as hanging a door, or fitting a grab rail, done for free.
St Vincent's has nearly 40 years experience in providing retirement schemes for senior members of the community
Give Jane a call on 0845 606 6565 if you would like more information or to discuss your circumstances. Visit our website at www.svha.co.uk
& TRAVEL
HOLIDAYS
2 NEW 201 T OU E R U H C BRO NOW
WELCOME ABOARD FOR 2012 Memory Lane is a well established coach company offering a high level of service. Our tour programme offers a wide range of UK and Continental Tours to many destinations and represent good value for money. All our Tour coaches are air conditioned for your comfort and most tours include admission with hot and cold drinks available. Our Diner Coaches offer extra leg room as they are full size vehicles. The on board hostess will offer Morning Coffee and Lunch on touring days. All service and coaches are of the highest quality. Date
Destination
Days
Hotel
Price
Single
Diner
Door to Door
02 Jan Llandudno 5HB Queens Hotel £139 NIL NO NO 08 Jan Bournemouth 5HB Hinton Firs £149 NIL NO NO 23 Jan Torquay 5HB Kistor Hotel £109 NIL NO NO 3 Feb Mkt Bosworth 3HB Bosworth Hall £89 25 NO NO 10 Feb Cumbria 3FB Gilsland Spa £135 10 NO YES 13 Feb Folkestone 5HB Grand Burstin £149 NIL NO NO 13 Feb Cumbria 5HB Gilsland Spa £169 20 NO NO 20 Feb Torquay 5HB Kistor Hotel £119 NIL NO NO 11 Mar Paignton 5HB Marine Hotel £169 NIL NO NO 19 Mar Llandudno 5HB Queens Hotel £189 15 NO NO 19 Mar Torquay 5HB Inglewood Hotel £149 NIL NO NO 23 Mar Blackpool 4HB Park House Hotel £139 NIL NO NO 01 Apr Dumfries 3HB Cairndale Hotel £199 40 NO YES 01 Apr Bournemouth 6HB Hinton Firs Hotel £298 NIL NO YES 09 Apr Hereford 5HB Warner Holme Lacy £359 NIL NO Price YES Destination ....................... Date .................Days ..........Hotel/Theme ................................................ 09 Apr Blairgowrie 5HB Angus Hotel £279 40 NO YES 09 Apr Bulbfields/Floriade 6HB Van der Valk £449 130 NO £369 YES Sidmouth - FULL............... 16 June.............6HB............Bedford Hotel................................................ 14 Apr Beamish Weekend 2HB Honest Lawyer £80 15 NO £395 YES Llandudno - FULL............. 25 June.............8HB............Queens Hotel................................................ 14 Apr Isle of Wight 5HB Burlington Hotel £249 NIL NO YES Paignton............................. 25 June.............8HB............Marine Hotel.................................................. £429 15 Apr Bude 6HB Hartland £390 NIL YES YES Tenby.................................. 25 June.............7HB............Park 16 Apr Historic Chatham 5HB Bridgewood Manor Hotel..................................................... £348 75 NO £429 YES Isle of Mann........................ 02 July. . .............5HB............Rutland Hotel................................................ 22 Apr Northumbria 6HB Victoria Hotel £349 NIL YES £369 YES Hayling Island..................... 11 July.6HB ..............5HB............Warner: Sinah Hotel...................................... 28 Apr Cornwall St Agnes Rosemundy House £359 25 NO £365 YES 30 Apr Criccieth Lion Hotel £238 NIL NO £795 YES Isle of Scilly. ........................ 27 July.5HB ..............8HB............Bell Rock Hotel. ............................................. 04 May Carinthian Lakes Zanker All inclusive Freienhof £799 159 NO £739 YES Switzerland......................... 13 July.10FB ..............8HB............Hotel Thun..................................... 04 May Llandudno Extrava 4HB Queens Hotel £199 10 NO YES
Torquay............................... 16 July...............8HB............Kistor Hotel.................................................... £399
HEATH STREET, GOLBORNE, WARRINGTON WA3 3AD.
06 May 13 May 15 May 20 May 24 May 27 May 03 Jun 03 Jun 06 Jun 11 Jun 17 Jun 28 Jun 02 July 04 July 07 July 08 July 14 July 16 July 22 July 26 July 28 July 05 Aug 10 Aug 11 Aug 20 Aug 24 Aug 26 Aug 01 Sep 02 Sep 09 Sep 15 Sep 16 Sep 19 Set 23 Sep 24 Sep 28 Sep
Dunoon 6HB Bognor Regis 6HB Jersey By Air - Battle of the Flowers 7HB Ostend at Anchor 7HB Isle of Scilly 7HB Ireland Titanic Trail 7HB Bournemouth 6HB Looe 6HB Norway & Denmark 11HB Sidmouth 6HB Cumbria 7HB Kintyre & Gigha Isle 5HB Hayling Island 5HB Isle of Man 5HB Llandudno 8HB Tenby 6HB Torquay 8HB Scarborough 5HB Cumbria & The Dales 5HB Welsh Railways Sp 5HB Paignton 8HB Jersey By Air - Battle of the Flowers 8HB Edinburgh Tattoo 3HB Lake Garda Italy 11HB Cornwall St Agnes 6HB Edinburgh Tattoo 3HB Dunoon 6HB Eastbourne 8HB Torquay 6HB Bournemouth 6HB Isle Of Wight 8HB Dordogne, France 8HB Cyprus by Air 8HB Northumberland 6HB Blackpool 5HB Llandudno 3HB
Esplanade BW Beachcroft Mayfair Royal Astor Bell Rock Hotel Carlow, Midleton & Bray Hinton Firs Hotel Hannafore Point Various Bedford Hotel Gilsland Spa Gray Gull Warner Sinah Warren Rutland Hotel Queens Hotel Park Hotel Kistor Hotel Esplanade Hotel Shap Wells Hotel Metropole Hotel Marine Hotel Jersey by Air, Mayfair BW Kings Manor Hotel Sole, Riva Rosemundy House BW Kings Manor Esplanade Hotel Haddon Hall Hotel Corbyn Head Hotel Hinton Firs Hotel Burlington Hotel Royal Vezere, Le Bugue The Athena Hotel Victoria Hotel Park House Hotel Queens Hotel
£325 40 £329 50 £535 NIL £370 50 £749 20 £495 115 £379 NIL £399 NIL £1179 305 £418 NIL £399 50 £339 40 £369 NIL £389 40 £419 25 £389 50 £399 NIL £318 25 £299 60 £355 40 £479 NIL £599 NIL £249 45 £799 155 £376 25 £249 45 £395 40 £399 NIL £419 NIL £379 NIL £399 NIL £685 180 £946 TBA £415 NIL £249 NIL £119 10
NO NO NO NO NO NO YES NO NO NO YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO YES NO NO YES NO NO NO YES NO NO
YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES NO
Winter Day Excursions 2011/12 Please note there will be a Summer day excursion leaflet available Mid February. Wednesday 23rd Nov 09.45
Oswaldtwistle Mills, Full Christmas Dinner & Entertainment
£27
Return 17.00.
Saturday 26th Nov 08.30
York & The St Nicholas Fayre
£17.00A £12.00C
Return 17.00.
Sunday 27th Nov 08.30
Ulverston Dickensian Christmas Festival
£15.00A £10.00C. Return 17.15.
Thursday 1st Dec 15.00
Shugborough Candlelit Christmas Evening
£21.50
Return 21.15.
Sat 3rd Dec 09.00
Leeds for shopping and The Christkindl Market
£13.50A £9.00C
Return 17.00.
Sun 4th Dec 09.15
Knaresborough Christmas Market & Fireworks
£16.50A £11.00C
Return 17.00.
Sat 10th Dec 09.15
Grassington Dickensian Festival
£14.00A £9.50C
Return 16.45.
Sun 11th Dec 08.15
Carlisle for shopping, sightseeing and Christmas stalls.
£20.00A £13.50
Return 16.30.
Sat 17th Dec 09.30
Fleetwood & Cleveleys
£10.00 A £ 6.50C
Return 16.30.
Sun 22nd January 2012. 09.45
Boundary Mill SALES inc Fish & Chips
£16.95 all classes Return 16.00.
Tue 7th Feb 2012 09.30
Oswaldtwistle Mills Winter Blues Buster & lunch
£19.90 all classes Return 17.00.
Thurs 8th Mar 2012 08.45
Southport and the Talbot Hotel Great Britain Party Day
£23
( 01942 728960 www.memorylanetravel.co.uk
Return 17.00.
Under the Tuscan Sun
S
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. 8
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
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.
www.retiredmagazines.co.uk
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 9
Est.1923
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 UK’s Finest resorts and the heart of the English Riviera. If you are looking to unwind in style, this elegant Georgian hotel is the place to stay. Located in the grounds of the former Torre Abbey, overlooking Torbay, there are superb facilities. These include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, gym, steam room, sauna and a spacious conservatory. As with all our own hotels a night porter ensures 24 hour reception service.
Imperial Hotel, Eastbourne Robinsons HHH Eastbourne is an ideal holiday destination, it has one of the top sunshine records in the UK and has been awarded the Seaside Award for its clean safe beaches for the past eight years. An impressive Victorian hotel, situated at the seaward end of Devonshire place, less than a hundred yards from the seafront, on a delightful tree-lined boulevard less than five minutes walk from the main facilities and town centre amenities. A night porter ensures 24 hour reception service.
Ocean View Hotel, Shanklin Robinsons HHH Take a short boat ride across the Solent and discover the Isle of Wight, an island of great natural beauty and superb weather, with a wealth of attractions for visitors of all ages. Shanklin, on the south coast of the island, is home to a variety of safe, golden beaches and a quaint collection of shops housed in traditional thatched cottages. An elegant hotel commanding magnificent views across Sandown Bay, the balconies provide the perfect place to enjoy the sunset on summer evenings. Guests can unwind in the piano lounge before enjoying an evning meal in the spacious restaurant. A night porter ensures 24 hour reception service.
Freephone : 0800 0839086 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
£219 £229 £239 £249 £275 £285 £279 £269 £259 £249
£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
£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
£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
£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
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. 12
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.
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There are lots of great shows on at The Brindley Runcorn to see you through the winter months. This years pantomime is a glittering production of Cinderella and stars Philip Oliver and Sarah White from Brookside as well as countless other stage and TV roles. Sarah has had a varied career in theatre and television but she is probably best known for her regular role of ‘Bev McLoughlin’ in C4’s Brookside for which earned her the Best Comedy Actress Award at the British Soap Awards. “I am really looking forward to coming to Runcorn to perform. There is something magical about panto and I just love to see people of all ages enjoying theatre,” she said. Philip is probably best know for his role, for ‘Timothy O‘Leary- Tin Head - in a role he played for seven years until 2003. His other Television credits include ’Ben’ in Pleasure Land C4, ‘Iggy’ in Spine chillers for the BBC, and guest roles of ‘Steve Morrison’ in Holby City for the BBC. He also played ‘Adam Tyler’ in Hollyoaks In The City for E4. Tickets for Cinderella, starting on Friday 9 December continuing to Sunday 8 January, are now on sale. Before pantomime, on Wednesday 9 November there is a celebration of the comic actress Beryl Reid in the one-woman show Roll Out The Beryl. Her vivacious character is brought to life as she prepares a meal live on stage! Tickets are just £10 and £8 conc. There is a concert by jazz legend Chris Barber and his ten piece big band on Monday 21 November. He will be playing a wide selection of his favourite music; from his roots in New Orleans style to the early music of Duke Ellington and Sidney Bechet, Bob Crosby and further on to blues, soul and soulful blues like Miles Davis and then probably back to When the Saints! Tickets are priced £18.50. Then on Monday 28 November TV comedian Tony Hawks looks back on the strangest and funniest moments in his life in a unique evening of stories, songs and silliness. He brings them all to life on stage in his warm and entertaining new show Random Fun. On Thursday 15 December, to get you in the spirit for Christmas, five times award winning actor James Hyland presents A Christmas Carol – As told by Jacob Marley (deceased), A unique one-man show told from the perspective of Scrooge’s deceased business partner. In the new year, soul legends The Drifters play to concerts on Thursday 2 and 3 Feb Tickets are £25. And the day after, country legend Johnny Cash is celebrated in The Johnny Cash Roadshow. Expect to hear all the great songs like Ring of Fire and Boy Named Sue.
For tickets for any of these show or for further details contact The Brindley box office on 0151 907 8360 or log onto www.thebrindley.org.uk 14
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Philip Olivier as Buttons (Brookside, The Games , Celebrity Come Dine With Me)
Sarah White as The Wicked Stepmother (Brookside, Naked Truth, Mum’s The Word)
Pelé Productions
Nick Langmead
Fiona Egan
presents
as Prince Charming
as Fairy Godmother
Friday 9 December 2011 to Sunday 8 January 2012
Joe Standerline
Emma Roberts-Simms as Cinderella
Scott Worsfold Featuring Real Ponies
All Children’s Seats £11
The Brindley, High Street, Runcorn, Cheshire WA7 1BG Tel: 0151 907 8360 Online: www.thebrindley.org.uk Children £11
Adult £17
Ticket Prices: Adult Conc £16 Family ticket £55
Schools £7.50
www.retiredmagazines.co.uk Groups over 20, one in 20 goes free. Family tickets maximum of 4 tickets per booking
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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
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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
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OUT & ABOUT Walton Winter Wonderland
Estate Office Telephone: 01565 777353 Tudor Barn Restaurant: 01565 777667 Plant Nursery: 01565 777479
Sat/Sun 3 and 4, 10 and 11 and 17 and 18 December 2011 A Victorian style Christmas celebration set in a traditionally decorated cobbled courtyard. Step back in time and enjoy Christmas as it used to be. There will be entertainers, magicians, stilt walkers, live music, Christmas markets, Yule log making, festive fayre, nativity scene and of course, Santa in his enchanting grotto. If that wasn’t enough there’s a new queuing system that should half waiting times! For further information visit our website at www. warrington.gov.uk/waltongardens or telephone the Rangers on tel 01925 601617 (option 2). Entrance to the winter wonderland is free but there is a charge of £5 per child to visit Santa’s grotto, which includes a gift from Santa. Starts: 10:30 hrs. Finishes: 16:00 hrs. Price: £0
Events at Arley Hall & Gardens
Arley Hall & Gardens, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 6NA. Arley Contact Numbers
Friday 18th - Sunday 20th November - Antique Fair Galloway will be holding their 1st antique fair at Arley over this weekend. Open from 10:30am - 5pm, Adults £5 Children under 16 free. Tuesday 29th November - Willow Weaving Course This is a Christmas workshop, the topic has yet to be decided. Contact Juliette on 07949640613 or juliettehamilton@btinternet.com to book a place. The course runs from 10am - 3.30pm and is £46 per person for the day including taking your willow weaving home. The Tudor Barn Restaurent will be closed so you will need to bring a packed lunch. Saturday 3rd - Friday 9th December Arley Christmas Floral Extravaganza See the Hall decorated by local florists with breath taking displays of fresh flowers in every room and log fires burning, there will be a floral demonstration by Carl Wilde on Tuesday 6th and floral workshop with Bill Dixon on Wednesday 7th, when you can make a Christmas table decoration under Bill’s guidance to take home and use as part of your Christmas decorations.
Warrington Disability Partnership “Supporting Independence throughout Life and Work” WDP offer the following services: • General Information & Advice • Equipment Showrooms • Wheelchair & Equipment Loans • Employment Support • Shopmobility Scheme • Leisure, Recreation & Sports • Young Ambassador Project • Community Café & Catering Services • Direct Payments & Payroll Services • Warrington Disability Forum • Access & Training Consultancy • Benefits Advice
Centre for Independent Living Beaufort Street Warrington WA5 1BA
WDP - Half Page.indd 1
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Disability Information Point Warrington Market Warrington WA1 2EN
• Accessible Holiday Homes & Narrowboat • Opportunities for Volunteering • Leisure, Recreation & Sports Forum • Disability Information Point • Disability Awareness Day • Meeting Room Hire • Relationships, Sex & Disability Advice • Coordinate Local & Regional Awards • Learning Centre with our Discover IT Suite, Activity Room & Snoozlem Room
Shopmobility Legh Street Car Park Warrington WA1 1QU
01925 240064
info@disabilitypartnership.org.uk www.disabilitypartnership.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1113597 Register Company Ltd by Guarantee No. 4726639 15/06/2011 09:58
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There will also be Candlelight and Carols evenings with the Serenade Singers singing on Monday the 5th whilst you meander around the Hall which will be lit by candlelight. On the 3rd & 4th of December there will be a Gift & Craft Fair for those unique christmas presents, jewellery, christmas gifts, cards and flowers as well as Christmas Wreaths made by the Arley Gardeners. At the end of the week there are winter wonderland party nights where you can enjoy an evening of entertainment and food. Local schools decorate trees in the Cruck Barn, all the trees are very kindly donated by High Legh Garden Centre and of course there is always delicious christmas fayre in our Tudor Barn restaurant. Please note that this event has been previously advertised to finish on the 11th December however due to a change in circumstances this event now runs until Friday 9th December. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. Tuesday 13th December - Willow Weaving Course This is a Christmas workshop, the topic has yet to be decided. Contact Juliette on 07949640613 or juliettehamilton@btinternet.com to book a place.
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The course runs from 10am - 3.30pm and is ÂŁ46 per person for the day including taking your willow weaving home. The Tudor Barn Restaurent will be closed so you will need to bring a packed lunch.
WIGAN TOWN CENTRE CHRISTMAS EVENTS Wigan Town Centre Santa & Reindeer Parade Sunday 20 November Leaving Mesnes Park at 1pm Arriving in Market Place, Wigan Town Centre at 1.30pm.
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‘Don’t let sore feet spoil your day!’ Nothing is guaranteed to put a frown on your face more than sore feet. With over 100 muscles & ligaments and a staggering 26 bones, the human foot is a remarkable example of mother nature’s engineering at its best. The average person walks the equivalent of the distance between New York & San Fransisco every year so its no surprise that our feet occasionally hurt. Couple this with pointed toes & high heels & sooner or later problems will arise. Here are a few tips you may find useful:Ingrowing toenails.... this refers to a nail that has pierced through the flesh of the toe. it can be extremely painful & in time may become infected, producing pus & bleeding. A ‘curled’ or rounded nail is called ‘involuted’ and though not a true ‘ingrown’ nail, can still cause a great deal of pain. Prevention is key and cutting the nails straight across & not too short is ideal. Avoid going down the sides of the nails, it is often easier to cut nails after bathing when they are softest. Treatment is best done by the experts. Seek out a Podiatrist (also called a Chiropodist) who is HPC Registered. This tells you that they have the correct qualifications. The podiatrist may use a local anaesthetic to numb the toe before treatment. In long standing or severe cases, a portion of the nail may require removing and a
chemical applied to prevent that part of the nail ever growing back. This is called a Partial Nail Avulsion & is a permanent solution. If you have Diabetes, are taking steroids or are on anti-coagulants you should not attempt to treat the problem yourself as it could very easily become serious. Heel Pain.... a very common problem with a number of possible causes. Most heel pain is caused by mechanical injury as a result of small repetitive traumas but some are a result of other medical conditions. Most problems can be alleviated by avoiding any footwear which aggravates the problem, keep off hard ground as much as possible, rest the area, wear a slightly raised heel 6-10mm higher than normal & place a heel cushion in your shoes (most chemists stock these). If the symptoms persist longer than 3 weeks then it may be more than a temporary problem & it is time to visit your local HPC Registered Podiatrist for an expert opinion. Some of the commonest heel problems include Plantar Fasciitis; Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome; Calcaneal Bursitis; Chronic Inflammation of the Heel Pad; Stress Fracture; Achilles Tendonitis & Severs Disease. Your Podiatrist will be able to give you more advice about these conditions once they have examined your feet.
Verrucae.... (Plantar Warts) Caused by the Human Papilloma Virus, verrucae are passed from person to person by direct contact. The virus thrives in moist conditions such as swimming pools & changing room floors. Although not considered serious, they can become painful & unsightly. They are most commonly found in young children but can infect anyone. A verruca will appear as a small ‘cauliflower’-like lesion sometimes containing small black dots. They vary in size & can develop into clusters or spread to other areas of the feet. Squeezing the verruca from both sides is usually painful whilst corns tend not to hurt when squeezed. Evidence has shown that verrucae will often disappear on their own within 2 years so if they do not hurt it is best to leave them alone. Take precautions however to prevent infection of others by avoiding walking anywhere bare footed. If the verruca is painful or unsightly you may wish to treat it in which case seek professional help so that you are sure of using the right form of treatment. Your HPC Registered Podiatrist will be happy to advise you. For further information & FREE foot health advice please contact the Comfystep Footcare Helpline on 07553 34 8334 www.comfystepchiropody.co.uk e: cheerupadist@hotmail.co.uk
Top quality chiropody and podiatry in Wigan and surrounding area At Comfy Step we provide top quality foot care to our clients at our locations in Wigan and Ashton-in-Makerfield. In addition, we provide home visits to those unable or unwilling to visit us in our clinics. All of the chiropodists at Comfy Step are highly skilled and have NHS experience. Experienced podiatrists serving clients across the North West: • Home visits • All podiatrists NHS experienced • Clinics in Wigan and Ashton-in-Makerfield • Podiatrist for Wigan Athletic and Morecambe Football Club • 30 years’ experience • Comprehensive foot care services.
Comfy Step, Stadium Way (in DW Sports Fitness), Wigan WN5 OUN. Telephone: 0755 334 8334 www.comfystepchiropody.co.uk e: cheerupadist.co.uk
Complete Denture Service The eyes, nose and teeth are the focal points of every face; they give the first impressions of your personality. Natural teeth grow in proportion and in harmony with your facial features and your dentures should be made accordingly. Your teeth, or your dentures, have many important functions: to support your facial muscles, to help formulate your speech, and most importantly to chew your food and start the digestive process. It is very important to chew food properly, as poorly chewed food will take longer to digest, especially for the elderly who could risk problems in the digestive system.
Difficulties in Constructing a Good Set of Dentures
Constructing a functional and aesthetically pleasing set of dentures is the most difficult task in dentistry. We are not only replacing lost teeth, but also lost tissue matter and bone. In other words, we have to re-create your facial features as they were before the loss of your natural teeth. In most cases we do not know what your teeth looked like, what size they were or what position they were in originally. We have a few indications but mostly we have to rely on our visual and artistic judgement. At the same time we have to use our technical expertise in order to make the denture stable and functional. Denture construction is more art than science.
In recent years, new denture specialists have been trained, called clinical dental technicians or denturists. Many of them have successfully completed training based on a Canadian system, where denturists have been practising for many years. Unfortunately in this country we are still waiting for their recognition. Denturists will take the greatest care to make your dentures look natural and fit properly.
Summary 1. Clean your dentures daily with a denture brush and denture cream. 2. Have your dentures inspected every two years, and re-lined or ultrasonically cleaned. 3. Have a new set made every 5 years if possible. 4. Keep a spare set for emergencies. 5. Remember, dentures do not have to hurt and do not need to be uncomfortable.
Express Denture Repair Service
DK1
Dental Lab
Choice of Dentures
There are three main quality standards in denture materials: Denture Base Acrylics: standard quality, ultra impact much stronger non brittle and the latest thermoplastic. Denture Teeth: 2-layer acrylic very basic and inexpensive, 3-layer acrylic re-enforced much harder, 4-layer composite extra hard and natural looking. However, good materials on their own will not make good dentures. A skilful and experienced clinician and technician are required. The best results are achieved when the whole job is done by the same person.
Your Dentures need Attention 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
When they become loose. When teeth or denture base discolours. When tooth surfaces become flat. When denture base does not fit around natural teeth (in partial dentures). When you develop deep lines around your mouth. When your chin sticks out, and the corners of your lips are constantly wet, developing sores.
Where do I go to have a good set of Dentures made?
Every dentist can make dentures, but not all of them will specialise in denture making.
Emergency Denture Repairs Over 15 years Experience
Have your Dentures Professionally Cleaned Denture Repairs within the Hour HOME COLLECTION & DELIVERY
01744 730 130 Mob: 07825 371468 9am - 6pm Monday - Friday, 9am - 1pm Saturday
34 George Street, St Helens WA10 1BU.
FO O D
&
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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 22
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.
You can claim housing benefit, council tax benefit and free school meals online now. Claiming benefit already? You can report changes in your circumstances online as well. There are other forms available too.
Why not take a look? Visit wigan.gov.uk and click on “Apply for it” and then “benefits”.
Claiming benefits online Wigan Borough residents can now use the internet to cut through a maze of red-tape and form filling. We recently launched our ‘apply on-line’ service specifically designed for those who feel they may be eligible for benefit. The service, available through Wigan Council’s website, offers a fast, free and effective guide to filling in the forms required to apply for Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Free School Meals. Throughout the country, many people are missing out on benefits they may be entitled to and we know that in a typical year many thousands of pounds worth go unclaimed. This could be due in no small part to the potentially daunting prospect of having to fill in long and complicated forms. In developing this new online system we have looked at how we can make this process as simple as possible. Thanks to the way it works we have cut down on a lot of the repetition in some of these forms. The facility tailors our forms to the individual circumstances of the customer. In this way, for instance, we reduce the 48 page new claim form down to just a few pages, making it much easier to claim. Additionally, the suite of forms includes online reporting of changes in circumstances, applying for a hardship payment and questioning a decision made on claims. The forms can be accessed by visiting Wigan Council’s website: www.wigan.gov.uk and searching on the ‘Apply for it’ pages. Where customers do not have access to the internet at home it is available for free in the borough’s libraries and Life Centres, where staff are on hand to assist.
How to contact us: Council Tax Offices PO Box 100 Moore Street East Whelley Wigan WN1 3DS Phone: (01942) 828644 Fax: (01942) 828613 E-mail: benefits@wigan.gov.uk
Or • Civic Centre, Millgate, Wigan, WN1 1AZ
Or any Life Centre:
• Atherton Health Centre, Nelson Street, Atherton, Manchester, M46 0LE • Platt Bridge Health Centre, Rivington Avenue, Platt Bridge, Wigan, WN2 5NG
• Leigh Town Hall, Market Street, Leigh, WN7 1DY • Ince Clinic and Community Centre, Manchester Road, Ince, Wigan, WN2 2DJ • Marsh Green Library, Harrow Road, Wigan, WN5 0QL
We can make the information in this factsheet available in other formats and languages on request. www.retiredmagazines.co.uk
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Who are the victims of Benefit Fraud?
YOU ARE
• The actions of these people affect every man, woman & child in the U.K. • It is costing the country over £900million per year. • It costs every household in the UK about £36 per year, this money could buy: • 13,000 Doctors. • 20,000 Police officers. • 23,000 Teachers. Housing Benefit helps many people on low incomes. Sadly there are many people who claim when they are not entitled. These people make fraudulent claims by: • • • • •
Withholding information Exaggerating details Forgetting to report changes Overlooking savings or investments Setting out to commit fraud
This could be • Working and not declaring this income • Claiming as a single person but living with a partner. • Claiming for an address, but not living there. • Not fully declaring financial position at start of claim.
Office hours ring 01942 828682 | Out of office hours ring 0800 3286340
WE ALL HAVE A MORAL DUTY TO REPORT BENEFIT FRAUD, TO PROTECT YOUR HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS AND LOCAL SERVICES
WE NEED YOUR HELP! * Facts and figures from DWP - Central Government 2009
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. 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.
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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. Widen a narrow room by using white or pale colours on the walls.
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.
Make a Large Room Appear Smaller 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. Shorten the length of a room by painting the farthest wall a darker colour than the other walls.
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The Basic Role of Pictures 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. 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’.
How to Lengthen 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. 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. 28
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 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 problem of a low ceiling, there are a couple of interior design strategies to use.
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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. www.retiredmagazines.co.uk
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.
Link your monochromatic-scheme 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 buttercream-yellow accents, and a white floor and white moldings. 29
Angela Close - Be autician and Alternative Therap ist
Open your mind to alternative therapies WHEN it comes to treating our ailments these days most people have a more open mind about what can help them and may combine traditional medicine and alternative therapies with great success. Sensible care, as always, needs to be employed in anything health-related and sometimes your GP’s opinion may be needed to check if any particular therapies are not recommended for you or your condition. However, there are plenty of therapy options available across the UK and, reassuringly, governing bodies to ensure standards of practice. There are also millions of satisfied customers of alternative – or complementary – therapies who insist these have been successful in dealing with health problems ranging from asthma and migraine to digestive problems and muscle strains. Even though for many of us in the Western world this is a relatively new approach - and there are certainly sceptics about their effectiveness - there is evidence that many of these alternative therapies have been successfully in use around the world for centuries. Acupuncture, for example, is an ancient Chinese medical procedure involving the insertion and manipulation of needles at more than 1,000 points in the human body. It’s used to relieve pain during surgery or in rheumatic conditions and also to treat conditions varying from anxiety and depression, to arthritis, asthma, eczema, sports’ injuries, migraine and even gastro-intestinal problems. The word “acupuncture” means “needle piercing” and the skin is penetrated by special needles in a painless process which is meant to allow the body to transmit 30
energy or qi (pronounced chee) through pathways or meridians to heal and promote wellbeing. A common alternative therapy for which you don’t necessarily have to have an ailment but which certainly helps combat stress and makes you feel better is Aromatherapy. This is a relaxing treatment using massage techniques together with blended essential oils. Usually, explained beautician and alternative therapist Angela Close, there is a consultation prior to treatment “to try and build a picture of which oils would be beneficial to the individual – some have antibacterial effects, anti-fungal and anti-viral. With the use of massage, the oils penetrate the skin usually after about 20 minutes and have a very calming effect, soothing the mind, body and spirit.” Aromatherapy can be used for a range of physiological and psychological conditions including anxiety, stress and insomnia, muscular aches and pains, headaches, digestive ailments and menstrual problems. It’s also gentle enough to be used on people of all ages. Added Angela: “Aromatherapy is not a cure for disease; its most potent effect helps relax the mind and body, relieves pain and restores the body’s systems to a state of balance in which healing can best take place.” Some people suffering from Parkinson’s Disease have found relief and help from a holistic method of healing called Bowen Therapy which is a hands-on technique exponents say prompts the body to re-set and heal itself. Marie Hurst is a qualified Bowen therapist, and she explains: “It’s like acupuncture without any needles – it can be very relaxing although it may not suit everyone. However, I’ve treated several people with Parkinson’s over the years and they have become very www.retiredmagazines.co.uk
relaxed because Bowen helps the body release stress at a very deep level. Some have also reported a reduction in their tremors during treatment and a sound night’s sleep afterwards.” Some alternative therapies seem unconnected to the ailments they may treat. Reflexology, for instance, involves application of pressure to the feet and hands using specific thumb, finger and hand techniques to try to effect physical changes elsewhere in the body. The technique dates back as far as the Egyptians and is based on a system of zones and reflex areas that are said to reflect an image of the body on the hands and feet. The purpose is to create relaxation, reduce pain, improve blood flow and post-operative recovery and aid mental health by interrupting stress signals and re-setting the body’s balance. People with nasal problems or with head pains have found relief in an unusual therapy called Hopi Ear Candling. At the very least, this is a relaxing treatment which promotes a feeling of wellbeing. You lie on your side on a heated bed in a peaceful environment, and the hollow candle is placed in the ear with the other end lit. “Certainly, some of my clients have found it very soothing and pain-relieving,” said Angela Close, who has been using the therapy for more than 20 years. Another ancient healing method is Reiki, a Japanese word meaning Universal Life Energy which relates to a system of natural healing. Its ideology is that natural healing flows in a powerful and concentrated form
through the hands of the Reiki-giver. The recipient simply lies on a couch or bed and relaxes comfortably. There is no need to remove any clothing, and the practitioner gently places his or her hands in a sequence of positions which cover the whole of the body. Each position is held for several minutes and, in some of them, the hand is held closely to the body rather than actually on it. “It involves your body, mind and soul,” added Angela. “Reiki balances the energy in the body, heals holistically, relieves pain and relaxes and reduces stress, among many other things.” Some businesses now bring exponents of Indian Head Massage into the workplace to help stressed out staff to relax and ultimately perform better. Certainly, it’s a safe, simple yet effective therapy that provides relief from aches and pains and stress – and promotes hair growth! The head, neck and shoulders are important energy centres within the body. “If you’re feeling stressed or angry, tension tends to accumulate in these areas,” stated Angela. “The tension can later show up as a stiff neck and shoulders, eyestrain and even hair-loss.” Indian head massage involves working with a firm and gentle rhythm to help unknot blockages and relieve the uncomfortable build-up of tension. Fans say it also works on an emotional level, calming the spirit, promoting relaxation and banishing stress. For more information, go to the Complementary Therapists Association at www.ctha.com or the Association of Natural Medicine at www.associationnaturalmedicine.co.uk
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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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0800 783 1912
Please send me a brochure on your range of easy-access showers and walk-in baths.
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Post coupon to: Bathing Solutions, FREEPOST SWC3136, Ledbury, HR8 2ZZ
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tore New sn in ope own st Booth
LLG Wheelchairs Ltd have been in the mobility business since 1983, offering a high quality service to our customers throughout the UK. We carry one of the largest stocks of new and used mobility scooters, vehicles and mobility accessories in the north west. We don’t just sell wheelchairs and mobility scooters in Leigh - we can also supply small household mobility aids to stairlifts and everything in-between throughout the north west and the UK. Our after-sales customer care is second to none. If you have a disability or mobility problem our aim is to help you find the best solution, so why not contact us or call into our showroom. Our experienced staff are always happy to offer friendly and useful advice on the best mobility solution for your needs.
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