july edition of the Gazette magazine

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Gazette & Diary Magazine The Summer Issue Issue 04 / 2011

July / August

FREE

With Aberga the ve Chronic nny le

INSIDE: ■ Your Free Summer Fun Magazine ■ Win tickets to Greenwood Forest Park ■ Win tickets! - Glamorgan Dragons v Gloucestershire Gladiators - p29

■ Activities ■ Places to visit ■ Things to do ■ Summer Guide for families ... and much more ...


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The Summer Issue

July / August


Your new guide to the finer things in life

Summer Sun in Abergavenny Welcome to the July edition of the Gazette and Diary magazine, this month is packed full of news, gossip, fun and not one but two ticket giveaways!. We also have the FREE fun in the sun guide which gives you the top places to visit this summer! Look out for the ‘colour me in’ pictures as we have published our favourite three. As the weather seems to be getting better you should take a look at our latest fashions for men and women, so grab yourself a towel and a drink, lay back and have a read of your favourite monthly fix.

Gazette

Page 05 Abergavenny Market

Page 24 Fun in the sun with all the bells and whistles

Page 14 Take That takes over

Page 26 Your life in the stars

Page 18 Crickhowell Summer Fayre

In association with

The Abergavenny Chronicle DESIGNERS: Dave Simkiss dave.simkiss@nwn.co.uk John Gaulton john.gaulton@nwn.co.uk

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ADVERTISING: Jenna Hopkins ext 26 Hazel Walding - Advertising Manager For information on how to advertise in our next issue, contact: advertising@tindlenews.co.uk or telephone 01873 852187 ext 34

Page 28 Cricketing Legends of the world

GENERAL MANAGER - Mary Purcell When you have finished reading the Gazette & Diary Magazine - please recycle it. PUBLISHING: Printed and distributed by NWN Media. www.nwnmedia.co.uk Mold Business Park, Wrexham Road, Mold, CH7 1XY.

At NWN Media we are committed to addressing the key environmental impacts of printing and the production process, and preserving the environment for future generations. Our environmental policy is achieved through continuous monitoring, annual targets and action plans. The sourcing of newsprint is a major environmental concern for publishers and we at NWN Media source our newsprint from UPM Kymmene in Deeside, utilising their 100% recycled paper, which is produced as a natural, renewable and recyclable fibre from sustainable, responsibly managed forests. UPM is committed to forest management and forest harvesting practices based on the internationally accepted principles of sustainable forest management. UPM Kymmene is just a mile from the press site, which also keeps carbon footprint to a minimum in the obtaining of our paper. All newsprint waste is taken back to UPMʼs site and fully recycled.

Nick Ramsay AM Assembly Member for Monmouth Hospitals - Schools - Transport Environment - Housing Write to: Nick Ramsay AM, Constituency Office, 16 Maryport Street, Usk, Monmouthshire, NP15 1AB E-mail: nicholas.ramsay@wales.gov.uk For further information call: 01291 674 898 or 029 2089 8735 ●

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Cut a shape on the beach By Lisa Haynes You can try oversized sunglasses and huge floppy hats, but there's really no place to hide on the beach. Bikini season is upon us, and as skimpy swimwear is the underwear equivalent of your staple wardrobe while on holiday, it's best to choose with caution.

Most Fifties-style costumes come equipped with underwiring and straps - perfect for supporting a fuller bust. Feel at your most feminine with the new skirted bottoms - ideal for those with big booty paranoia. Beware: retro high-waisted styles can make your bottom appear bigger but are perfect for concealing lumps and bumps. Best for: Curvy and hourglass figures

Along with sprouting body hair, ill-fitting costumes topped the list of holiday beach crimes, according to a recent survey by Australian swimwear specialist Trixan Body. "For many of us, daring to bare on the beach is an annual event, so it's a great chance to push change in your style," suggests Rob Phillips, creative director of London College of Fashion. "The more you experiment and explore your swimwear choices, as with all fashion choices, the better you will wear them. "Swimwear doesn't leave much room to hide, so it's crucial to wear styles that flatter your figure." The good news is that this summer the shops are full of more tummy-controlling, bust-supporting and confidence-boosting styles than ever before.

Retro revival Mad Men comes to the beach with this season's retro swimwear shapes. Think kitsch fruity prints, polka dots, gingham and frills to be a pool-side pin-up.

Natty nautical Stripes are your best friend when it comes to boosting barely-there curves. Opt for seaside chic and use slim horizontal stripes to accentuate width where you want it, be it bust, bottom or both. Ruffles and frills will add serious va-va-voom curves if you're self-conscious about a barelythere chest. A halter-neck triangle top with extra padding will also create cleavage oomph. Best for: Skinny and boyish frames

Bold brights Be bold and embrace sunshade-inducing colour this year. Brights will look especially hot on the beach contrasted against dark, olive or lily-white skin. Colour blocking is ideal for top or bottom-heavy shapes. Simply wear an eye-grabbing bright shade on your smaller half and darker tone on your hotspot half to 'minimise' the area and create balance. Look for mix-and-match bikini separates so you can buy in different sizes for the perfect fit and create endless different looks with clashing colours.

Kelly Brook swimwear collection pink gingham bikini top, £15.99 and bottoms, £8.99, New Look (0500 454 094/www.newlook.com)

Big prints instantly make you look smaller, so dainty mini-florals are blooming marvellous for making you look both taller and curvier. If you're lacking in the feet and inches department, opt for a halterneck style to create the illusion of height. Stick to pretty straps and ties to suit your frame and try a swimsuit with ruffle detailing to add instant curve appeal. Best for: Petite girls

Cutaway capers Just as strategic cut-outs made their mark on the catwalks, a swimsuit with flattering lines is the one-piece for you if you want to keep your belly button firmly under wraps. Structured swimsuits with figure-fixing hidden panels mean you can tame your tummy and not worry about that extra ice cream scoop. Focus attentions on other favourable assets instead, like a plunging neckline to flaunt your cleavage or high-cut leg style to show off endless pins. Best for: Round tummies

Buy it now Get an Arabian summer glow with the new 1923 Wallis collection. The capsule range of four limited edition kaftans and two embellished skirts are inspired by the Wallis archives from the Seventies. Kaftans start from £75 and skirts, £40, available in selected stores nationwide and online (0845 121 4520/www.wallis.co.uk).

Best for: Pear and carrot shapes

Floral fever

black low-plunge swimsuit, £12, F&F at Tesco (0800 505555/www.tesco.com/clothing)

Swimwear style tips Fashion guru Rob Phillips has these top tips for effortless swimwear style: ■ Know your body shape, proportion and, especially, fit. Make sure that you try on items before you hit the beach - use underwear sizes as a guide. ■ Posture is everything. You don't need a Baywatch body to look good poolside! The biggest killer to all fashion is bad posture, lazy shoulders, slouching and dragging feet. Instead, hold your head high, pull shoulders back, tuck that tummy in and walk tall. ■ Be brave with colour, print and texture. Hold pieces/colours against your skin in daylight and see if the colour works with your skin tone. A bold colour statement on the right skin tone will deflect people from looking at the bits you dislike. ■ It's all about the detail. All-in-ones with cut-out detailing in specific areas of the body look sexy in a demure, teasing way. Racer backs show off great shoulder lines, high hip cuts show proud thighs and a tie or clasp halter neck with plummeting neckline will draw frontal attention to any chest size. ■ Support is essential. Remember swimwear needs to hold you in and up.

Find out what's good for you, what suits you and which areas you want to flatter.

04

The Summer Issue

July / August


Your new guide to the finer things in life

Abergavenny Market “The modern way of life has put paid to all that with everything being on hand at supermarkets. “But what you don't get there is the interaction. What shop in this day and age can you go to and chat about life? I take care of people’s health my way,” she laughed. “I do it with jam!” Margaret can be spotted at the market three days a week, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday and the monthly Farmers’ Market. The other days she is at home preparing produce for her stall.

Margaret Wilding behind her stall at Abergavenny market Margaret Wilding’s outgoing personality has been a feature of Abergavenny’s market for over 30 years. As she stands over her stall of preserves she engages in conversation with customers who’ve become friends with her over the decades. Watching her interact with visitors, she often picks up on a conversation she may have had with them a couple of months ago. Margaret and her elder sister Mary started working on the family fruit and veg stall as teenagers. The sisters took the business over in 1981 and formed their own company using their initials M & M and slowly the stall evolved by adding a range of cakes, jams and preserves to the produce available on the stall. Margaret said: “My customers are the best part of the market. Some have been coming to my stall for as long as I can remember, and even the ones who occasionally drop by make all the difference to life as a market trader. Variety is the spice of life. There is a good community amongst the traders here at the market. “My own business has evolved over the years, however, the market as whole is not the same as days of old.

Margaret was one of the traders who took over the running of the Abergavenny Farmers’ market when the local authority were going to close it some eight years ago. “We saved it from closure and between us all it still remains a viable market, added Margaret.” Margaret tells her customers that we live in challenging times with the threat of a new supermarket in town next year. She added: “Abergavenny has a vibrant market and I am sure the town will continue to support it over the years to come. “When my sister decided to retire from being a market trader, I had to evaluate what I wanted from the business and as fruit and veg was all time consuming I chose not to continue with fresh produce, but use the fruit to make my own preserves. “This is also time consuming, but at least I can jungle my life around making and baking jams and preserves. “Recycling is important to me and many of my customers and when it comes to my eggs, I encourage my customers to return the the egg boxes to help keep my costs down.”

CHEPSTOW SUNDAY MEERKAT?

Recipe of the month from Simon king of 1861

Courgette Flower tempura, Sweet chilli Sauce Ingredients 3 Courgettes with Flowers per person Sweet chilli sauce ( optional) Serve accompanied by a pot of Sweet Chilli Sauce for dipping or alternative dipping sauce of your choice.

Tempura Batter 110grams Plain Flour 25mls White Wine Vinegar 125mils chilled Water 1 Egg Method Mix all the ingredients for the batter in a bowl with a whisk until smooth, then leave to rest for 10 minutes. Trim the Courgettes of their stalk and also check inside the flower for any bugs and remove the stamen carefully without damaging the flower. Carefully rinse the courgettes and dry gently, coat in the batter and deep fry in hot oil ( 180oc) until the courgette in tender and the batter crisp, this usually takes about 5-8 minutes depending upon their size.

Restaurant

Cross Ash, Abergavenny Tel: 0845 388 1861 Lunch - Tuesday to Sunday Dinner - Tuesday to Saturday Fantastic meals created with fresh local produce, on a daily changing seasonal menu Simon & Kate King (Skenfrith Road NP7 8PB)

ABERGAVENNY

MARKET Situated in the middle of the town known as the Gateway to Wales, Abergavenny Tuesday Market is well known as one of the major markets in Wales.

MARKETS EVERY TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY & SATURDAYS Craft Fair Saturday 9th July Antique Fair Sunday 17th July Flea Markets every Wednesday

Traders from all over Great Britain attend this market ● Large Car Park & Coach Park ● Picnic Area and Kiddie’s Inflatables ● Coach Parties Welcome

Farmers Market Thursday 28th July Arts & Crafts 14th July

E.D. MARKETS ☎ 077680 00854 ●

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Gazette & Diary Magazine:

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The Summer Issue

July / August


Your new guide to the finer things in life

The Summer Issue

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Gazette & Diary Magazine:

Ovarian cancer - the other women’s cancer What is ovarian cancer?

containing the tumor. Some are malignant or cancerous.

Ovarian cancer starts in a woman's ovaries. There are two ovaries, one on each side of the pelvis. The ovaries produce eggs and are the main source of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.

The treatment options and the outcome for the patient depend on the type of ovarian cancer and how far it has spread before it is diagnosed.

There are many types of tumors that can start in the ovaries. Some are benign or non-cancerous, and the patient can be treated by surgically removing the ovary or the part of the ovary

There are three main types of ovarian tumors. They are named for the kind of cells that they start from. Epithelial tumors, which develop from the cells that cover the outer surface of the ovary, account for 85 to 90 percent of all cancers of the ovaries. The second type of tumor starts in the germ cells that form the eggs in the ovary.

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The third type of tumor starts from the stromal cell tissue, which holds the ovary together and produces the female hormones. Difficult to detect in its early stages, ovarian cancer is often permitted to progress to an advanced stage before it is detected. In fact, the majority of women, 77 percent, are diagnosed after the disease has reached an advanced stage. Despite advancements in surgery and chemotherapy treatments, the overall five-year survival rate for women with advanced stage ovarian cancer has remained constant over the past 30 years at approximately 15 percent.

Conversely, those women diagnosed with early stage (Stage I) disease have an overall five-year survival rate approaching 90-95 percent. Clearly, early-stage detection of ovarian cancer is the best way to improve survival.

Being proactive can make all the difference - know the symptoms The sooner ovarian cancer is detected, the better the chances of overcoming it. If you experience any of these warning signs, talk to your doctor: ■ ■ ■ ■

Bloating Pelvic or abdominal pain Trouble eating or feeling full quickly Urinary urgency or frequency While these symptoms also represent common problems that affect most women at different times, it's important to be aware of them. If you have one or more of these symptoms, and if they persist for two weeks or more, see your doctor immediately.

What you can do All women should know the following steps they can take to avoid being surprised by

the subtle approach of ovarian cancer. Learn your family history If any female members of your family either on your mother's or your father's side—has had ovarian cancer, it is important you notify your primary care physician and your obstetrician/gynecologist. They can monitor you on a regular basis using a variety of diagnostic tests that are available to screen for ovarian cancer. It is also important to notify your doctor if any male family members develop cancer. Be your own advocate Researchers have found that women experience symptoms for an average of 12 weeks before consulting a doctor. In addition, it's known that women who ignore their symptoms or who wait until the symptoms are severe before going to the doctor, will not live as long as women who go to the doctor when their symptoms are mild. Monitor your annual check-ups Make sure your primary care doctor and obstetrician/gynecologist conduct a thorough pelvic and rectal exam at every checkup. It is also important to have an annual mammogram beginning at age 40 and a regular colonoscopy after age 50.

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The Summer Issue

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Your new guide to the finer things in life

Her shape is reportedly due to regular sessions of Pilates, a form of exercise which emphasises the balanced development of the body through core strength and flexibility and promotes graceful posture.

Actress Felicity Kendal, 64, showcased her impressive flexibility on last year's Strictly Come Dancing, when she proved she could literally bend over backwards thanks to the effects of her intensive Pilates regime. "As someone who's always 'on the go' Pilates has been a wonderful escape from my busy lifestyle in London," Pippa, 26, reportedly said recently.

Six steps to create a P-Middy rear: Health club GYMBOX has a Yummy Bummy class, with Pilates routines focusing on slow, controlled movements to lengthen and elongate muscles to crate a slender derriere and improve core stability. It estimates the moves, below, should be undertaken twice a week for around six weeks to see an effect.

Lie on your side with your legs slightly extended, so you can look down and just see your toes. Lift your top leg, aligning it with your hip. Flex your foot as you kick your top leg straight out in front of you. Kick your leg behind you, pointing the foot, and keeping it at the same height as your hip. Keep hips stacked, spine neutral. Repeat eight times with each leg.

■ Turn away (strength and balance):

Standing with your weight on your right leg, lift the left foot off the floor, bringing your knee no higher than 90 degrees. Keep your right foot and kneecap facing forward, and turn the rest of your body to the left by rotating from the right hip. Squeeze your right buttock and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat six times on each side. ■ Swimming (strengthens and lengthens):

NB: Before undertaking any new exercise it's always advisable to seek medical advice to ensure it's suitable for you. You should not continue if any of the moves cause you pain or discomfort.

Lie on your stomach, arms reaching up by your ears and belly button pulled in. Stretching from the centre, extend your arms and legs in opposite directions until they naturally come up off the floor. At the same time, extend your spine to lift your shoulders off the mat, keeping your eyes to the floor. Stay stretched out as you raise up opposite arms and legs (right arm with left leg and vice versa) in turn while keeping all limbs off the floor. Complete three 30-second repetitions.

■ Shoulder bridge with knee floats

■ Heel beats (lifts buttocks):

(activates the glutes): Lie on your back with your knees bent, and feet hip width apart. Slowly peel your back off

Lie on your stomach with your legs straight, hip width apart and gently turned out. Rest your forehead on your folded arms. Squeeze

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Follow these key Pilates moves for a P-Middy body and shapely rear.

■ Side kick (stability and strength):

Its array of celebrity devotees include Oscarwinner Kate Winslet who says her 20-minute daily Pilates workouts have recently helped her tone and slim, while Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez and Rachel Weisz also sing the praises of the regime.

While the discipline is excellent for toning, it doesn't provide cardiovascular fitness, so party planner Pippa teams the classes with workouts including swimming, jogging and tennis.

until the knee is at a right angle and in line with your hip bone, keeping knee bent at a right angle too. With control place the foot back on the floor and change sides whilst keeping the bottom lifted. Alternate and do 10 repetitions in each leg before rolling back down to the floor.

Britain's second most high-profile brunette now has her own Facebook fan page, featuring her in the stunning white dress she wore as maid of honour to her sister, Catherine.

huge difference in my core strength and posture. From breathing techniques, muscle toning to overall flexibility and relaxation the Pilates sessions have become something of a weekly necessity that keeps me fit, happy and energised."

Abergavenny 67 Frogmore Street Telephone 01873 859898

Pippa Middleton's figure - especially her derriere - made her a focus for males and the envy of millions of women when she walked down the aisle at the royal wedding.

By Gabrielle Fagan

The Good Life

your glutes and lift your legs off the floor, pressing your hips into the mat and pulling your belly button in. Squeeze your buttock and hamstring muscles and open and close the legs in a beating action. Beat vigorously for 60 seconds, trying to cross at the inner thighs rather than the ankles.

the floor from the base to the shoulders, ideally one vertebrate at a time. Keeping the hips square, lift the right leg up

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Fitting service available We are hoping in the future to expand on our current range by providing a range of teen lingerie, mastectomy wear and accessories.

01874 610033 www.lalingeriebrecon.co.uk ●

The Summer Issue

July / August

09


Gazette & Diary Magazine:

Forest’s Guide to Buying a summerhouse or log cabin Garden summerhouses and log cabins come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and it’s sometimes hard to know where to start when choosing a new one. Forest have pulled together some handy tips on everything you need to know about buying a new summerhouse or log cabin: Locating your summerhouse or log cabin When positioning your summerhouse you need to consider a number of different factors. 1. Location of the sun: Most people want to locate a summerhouse/log cabin in a sunny spot in the garden, so always check which way your garden faces. Find a spot that is south facing, that way you will get the maximum amount of sun flooding in through the windows. Alternatively, you may want your summerhouse/log cabin to be in the shade to avoid overheating in the height of summer, however, you also need to remember the risks of falling branches and rotting leaf mulch may have on your summerhouse/log cabin over the years.

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2. Consider whether you want to run electrics or a telephone line into it as this may impact on where you locate it. Always remember that you must employ a qualified electrician to do any work of this nature. 3. Never locate your garden building in an area that could flood with heavy rainfall. Standing water will accelerate the rotting process which may affect the stability of your summerhouse/log cabin in the long run. 4. It is a good idea to ensure that you have a gap of at least 600mm (2’) around your building as this will be invaluable when you come to treat and protect it every year. 5. Don’t build it too close to yours or your neighbour’s house, as this may contravene planning regulations. Construction Shiplap timber is a common material used in the construction of summerhouses. It is shaped and formed piece of kiln dried, slow grown timber. Kiln drying removes excess moisture from timber in a controlled environment to ensure greater stability. Each piece connects to the next with an interlocking tongue and groove joint. The finished panels are nailed into place creating a superior cladded finish to the outside of the summerhouse. Log cabins are constructed using interlocking logs, which lock together as they are being built. This is generally the most solid form of summerhouse construction. The logs are made from kiln dried timber for material stability, although some material movement is still likely to occur in extreme weather conditions. The log thicknesses vary from 28, 34 to 44mm thick. The thicker logs tend to offer greater heat retention and are often coupled with double glazing which should be a consideration if you are planning to use the building all year round. For example, as a home office.

Treatment The timber used in the shiplap construction is usually finished with a factory applied surface treatment which provides some initial protection against fungal decay. This is often referred to as a dip treatment. A summerhouse with this type of finish will need to be re-treated every year to protect the timber from rotting. There are now, however, summerhouses being offered with a pressure treated finish. Treatment has been forced into the timber at high pressure in a vacuum chamber. As the treatment penetrates the wood, this creates a more permanent barrier against insect attack and rot which means you don’t need to retreat it every year. Regardless of the anti-rot treatment that has been applied during manufacture, your summerhouse will still change colour over time, so if you want to maintain the factory finished look you will need to re-apply a colour based timber treatment regularly.

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The best time to treat your summerhouse is usually in spring or autumn when you have a dry day. This means that the timber will not be too wet or dry ensuring you get the optimum absorption of treatment in the timber. Do not treat your timber when it’s raining as the treatment will simply be washed away. Log cabins are usually supplied untreated and as such the timber would needs to be treated with a preservative and stain as soon as they are built. Roofs & Floors Many summerhouses use shiplap or boarded roofs and floors which will make for a more structurally sound construction. Roofs are generally finished off with either shingles or mineral felt providing a water tight finish. All garden buildings should be installed onto pressure treated bearers which will encourage air circulation under the summerhouse/log cabin floor and prevent the floor battens from coming into direct contact with the foundation. Without them, the damp would penetrate the floor and rise through the timbers causing the wood to rot. Preparation All that is required before you start to build your summerhouse is to ensure that you have a firm and level base on which to build it. This would usually be a concrete or paving slab base. If you try to build any garden building on an uneven surface you will have problems aligning and closing the doors and windows. Security Thefts from garden’s are on the increase, so check that your garden building comes with locks and keys. There are various security kits on the market today which range from basic padlock sets, to more elaborate alarms and security lights.

1000’s USED OF NEW & IL ABLE PARTS AVA NTED

Remember that timber is a natural material which will shrink and expand. This movement is due to the moisture content within the wood which is down to the changing weather conditions. Any extreme changes will usually revert back over time.

If you are going to store anything valuable in your garden building check that it’s covered with your home insurance. For information about Forest’s collection of summerhouses and log cabins, details of stockist locations, home delivery options and prices, call 0844 248 9801 or email info@forestgarden.co.uk. You can also find out more information at www.forestgarden.co.uk or follow Forest on twitter at www.twitter.com/gardentimber


Your new guide to the finer things in life

Lifestyle When footballer Wayne Rooney was caught cheating on Coleen with prostitute Jennifer Thompson, 21, the world was shocked to find out she originally came from a wealthy, middle class background. With a new study showing that one in four lap dancers has a degree - is the line between what modern woman will, and won't, do for money, starting to blur? Former call girl Belle Du Jour, whose blog was turned into an ITV1 series starring Billie Piper, and Catherine Redfern, co-author of Reclaiming The F Word, talk about sex and money. By Sarah O'Meara A kiss 'n' tell story about a footballer, sex and prostitutes is nothing new. But while we fully expect Wayne Rooney to hang his head in shame after news that he paid for prostitutes came to light, he's not the only one feeling humiliated. The newspapers are filled with hand-wringing apologies from the middle-class homes of the two escort daughters. Instead of tawdry interviews from cashing in on Rooney's fall from grace - the embarrased families of Jennifer Thompson, 21, and Helen Wood, 23, who had sex with Rooney at The Lowry Hotel near Manchester last July, have both come forward to ask for public forgiveness. It's clear that they never expected their rebellious daughters to become escorts - and are utterly shocked and outraged by recent events.

Research scientist Dr Brooke Magnanti, aka Belle de Jour, whose infamous blog about her life as a call girl was made into a TV series starring Billie Piper, however, isn't surprised that these two educated girls should have ended up as escorts. "Obviously, the economy is the key. More and more women are realising that the stereotype of the drug addicted streetwalker does not always (or even often) apply, and are voting with their wallets, so to speak." Wood is a single mother, struggling to look after her son Jack while holding down a job and completing a hairdressing course, and Thompson found that life in the escort business earned her a good wage. While it's easy to stereotype sex workers and those involved in the 'adult entertainment industry', recent research by the University of Leeds revealed that one in four lap dancers has a degree. It appears that the sex working industry is becoming increasingly gentrified, and the people involved are more likely to be educated. So is it time to accept that the boundaries about what is an acceptable way to make a living have shifted? "I am concerned that by selling her story Thompson's damaged not only her chances of further sex work but now also has others' prejudices to contend with," says Magnanti. "We've come a long way in accepting people for doing what is, let's face it, a legal and storied profession. But there is still a lot of hate against sex workers. I hope she's strong enough to withstand the critcism, it's not easy." But it shouldn't be forgotten, adds Catherine Redfern, of The New Feminist Movement, that not everyone wants to make their living this way.

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"No one should be forced to do any kind of work that they really don't want to do, simply to survive," she says. "And obviously this applies whether a woman has a degree or has no qualifications at all. The idea that this is more of a concern just because women with degrees are doing this work, is abhorrent." Redfern, who recently co-authored a new book, Reclaiming The F Word: The New Feminist Movement, is concerned that the recent survey underlines a worrying trend. "The fact that it's predominantly female students, and not male students who are doing this, highlights the entrenched sexism of the sex industry. "It promotes the idea of women as passive sex objects to be looked at by men. We need to question why this is considered the norm, how society is set up to encourage men and women to see their sexuality in this rigid, binary way, and encourage a much more diverse view." Perhaps unsurprisingly, Magnanti takes a far more pragmatic view. "I guess I was the only person in the country who wasn't surpised at the survey's results," she says candidly. "Stripping and sex work are a lot like waiting tables - some people have what it takes to do it for life, but most people are just moving through it on the way to another career." "Many of the women I met in the business were well-educated enough to know a minimum wage job couldn't possibly fund their futures." Both experts agree that changes in the way higher education is funded has forced more women to make difficult choices. "In my opinion, it says less about women and feminism than it does about education and government priorities. I'm sure the survey results

would have been very different if the study was conducted back when students had grants for university fees," says Magnanti. But she adds that when it comes to sex and people's private lives, it is absolutely hypocritical for others to judge. "There isn't a person in this country with a spotless past if you look hard enough. What happens next is down ultimately to Rooney, and of course his wife." Famous call girls The acceptable face of prostitution, Billie Piper played Belle de Jour in A Secret Diary Of A Call Girl. The series is based on the experiences of Dr Brooke Magnanti, who became a call girl while she was in the final stages of writing her Phd. Her blog was then turned into a best-selling book, and screenplay for the ITV1 drama. ■ Two years ago, Ashley Alexandra Dupre was at the centre of a scandal which rocked New York society. Governor Eliot Spitzer was forced to resign when it was revealed he used a prostitution service called Emperors Club VIP - Dupre was the escort in question. ■ When Heidi Fleiss was put under the criminal spotlight in the Nineties, many A-list celebs and politicians reportedly felt a little vulnerable. As the most infamous madame of modern times, reports about Fleiss's drug abuse and issues with domestic violence have kept her in the spotlight ever since, as have the secrets she purports to keep about America's elite. ■

Belle de Jour's Guide to Men is published in paperback by Phoenix, priced £6.99. Available September 16.

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Gazette & Diary Magazine:

Chef prepared frozen meals All Dishes are Fully Cooked Ready to Reheat. All the dishes are supplied frozen and can be ordered in advance and collected from The Foodworkshop or delivered in the local area. Also available for nationwide delivery by overnight courier. FISH

LAMB

Homemade Fish Cakes x 2 . . . . . . . . £3.50 Two Fish cakes pan fried which can be reheated in a convential oven or microwave. Made with oakroast salmon from black mountain smokery, local potatoes, leeks and fresh herbs.

Sheperds Pie Topped with Welsh Cheddar (serves 1/2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £3.50/£4.75 Made with local lamb, red wine, vegetables & fresh herbs, topped with creamy mash & Welsh cheddar. Ready to oven bake.

Luxury Fish Pie (serves 1/2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £3.50/£5.00 Pieces of salmon, smoked haddock & coley in a white wine & parsley sauce topped with creamy mashed potato. Ready to oven bake. CHICKEN Risotto with Chicken, Bacon, Butternut Squash & grana padano cheese (serves 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £4.20 Made with strips of chicken, dry cured bacon finished with fresh herbs, parmesan & spinach Fricassee of chicken with a Mushroom & White Wine Sauce (serves 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £4.50 Strips of chicken sauted with mushrooms, wild mushrooms and finished with white wine, checken stock & cream

M. T. CASHELL & SONS LTD are pleased to supply chef in the freezer

COME AND SEE OUR SUMMER OFFERS Local Llanbedr Black Mountain Welsh Beef Local Welsh Glanusk Lamb Local free range Gloucester Old Spot Pork

12

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Slow Roasted Pork with Sage. mustard & red wine sauce (serves 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £4.50 Local pork seasoned with grain mustard & sage and braised in the oven with stock and red wine. Sugarloaf Sausages with onion Gravy and Mash (serves 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £3.75 Two old fashioned sausages made to our recipe by H J Edwards Butchers, flavoured with leeks, sage and mustard, with a rich gravy made with onions and stock. VEGETABLES DISHES

BEEF Peppered Beef with a Red Wine & Thyme Sauce (serves !) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £4.50 Local Wye Valley beef braised slowly in the oven served with a rich sauce made with the cooking liquor.

Roasted vegetable & bean casserole with smoked paperiks & cumin (serves 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £4.00 Aubergine, courgette, peppers, sweet potato, mixed beans with a sloe cooked tomato sauce flavoured with spices and corriander.

Lasagne Bolognese (serves 1/2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £3.50/£4.50 Sheets of pasta layered with a rich bolognese sauce, Bechamel & grana padano cheese. Ready to oven bake.

Credit and debit cards are accepted. Minimum oder for delivery is £20.00. Next day courier charges may vary. Each box holds approximately 16-20 items. Orders can be collected from the Foodworkshop outside of standard opening times by appointment.

Beef & Ale Casserole (serves 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £4.50 A rich casserole made with wye valley beef,root vegetables & local beer.

For any other professional catering requirements please see www.sugarloafcatering.co.uk

Our new range of microwavable meals are now available. All the products are made with quality ingreedients, freshly prepared in our kitchens in Abergavenny. Weekly deliveries are now available in the local area or by overnight courier anywhere in mainland UK. The products are also available from the FOOD WORKSHOP in Abergavenny. boiled potatoes

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£3.95

Cottage pie with peas and carrots . . . .£3.50

Please ask for vegetarian options, special dietary requirments can be catered for.

Roast pork with sage and onion stuffing, roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£3.50

DESSERTS

Creamy chicken leek and bacon casserole served with mash potato . . . . . . . . . . . .£3.50

Cold £1.50 Ice cream pots (please ask for flavours) Chocolate gateaux Lemon Cheesecake

Beef casserole, carrots, peas and mash £3.50

01873 810405

PORK

Layers of Fresh Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms, Wild Mushrooms, Wild Mushroom Sauce & grana padano. (serves 1/2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £3.50/£5.00 Egg pasta with a creamy sauce flavoured with wild mushrooms, flat parsley, spinach & mushrooms and sprinkled with grana padano cheese. Ready to oven bake.

Spanish Chicken with Chorizio & Roasted Garlic (serves !) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £4.50 Pan fries pieces of chicken cooked in the oven with chorizio sausage, garlic, tomatoes and oregano

Sausages and mash with onion gravy and peas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£3.50

53 HIGH ST

Welsh Lamb with cider, honey & mint (serves 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £4.50 Shoulder of local lamb cooked slowly with farmhouse cider, Welsh honey & garden mint.

Lamb hotpot with seasonal vegetables £3.95 Chicken curry and rice . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£3.50 Beef Chilli and rice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£3.50 Salmon bake with green vegetables and

Hot Sticky toffee pudding Chocolate sponge pudding Plum crumble Apple crumble


Your new guide to the finer things in life

Food Workshop A local company is challenging the way we look at frozen food. Food Workshop has been operating for the past year under the umbrella of the Sugarloaf Catering and was set up to develop an outlet for the ready prepared foods that the outside catering company had been producing.

Mark Coulton, who runs the company with his wife Claire, said: “The idea to expand the business came about after we won several awards for our oak roast salmon fish cakes. Our aim with the Food Workshop is to provide good quality prepared foods using ingredients from our fantastic local producers.” Mark explained that Abergavenny was originally chosen as the company’s base because of its road network for the outdoor catering company in 2005 and added that the Food Workshop had been evolving for a while following requests at Farmers’ Markets. And now the new venture means that Mark is responsible for the recipes and menus while Stephen Wetton, who has been in the food industry for 35 years, has responsibility for the food production. As part of the Workshop, the family run firm create a range of products from their Castle Meadows Park base which can be brought from their newly opened shop or at one of the local markets. The company chose to call the frozen food venture their Chef in the Freezer range, which are variety of microwavable meals, which are made inhouse. These range from the simple cottage pie with

peas and carrots to salmon bake with green vegetables and boiled potatoes. And with a selection of vegetarian varieties, Mark is hopeful of hitting the public arena with a mouth-watering selection.

the time to cook.”

He added: “We’ve now been asked to look at recipes suitable for the elderly as an alternative for those who rely on the Meals on Wheels service. We are offering a delivery service both local and national for the distribution of our foods.

One of the Food Workshop’s next projects is to provide bespoke catering for one-off events such as festivals and they aim to have a high profile at this year’s Abergavenny Food Festival.

One of the latest products is a range of chilled pasta pots which were developed for local retail outlets.

“Like our motto ‘We do the cooking, so you don’t have to’ says it all. We’ve done all the research and taste testing in developing our two ranges. The philosophy of the company is to provide good quality ready prepared foods for people who enjoy good food, but haven't

Another venture is the opening of their own retail shop at their production unit in Castle Meadows Park, which will sell everything the company produces from the Chef in the Freezer range along with other local produce like honey, apple juice, chutney and food hampers.

We do the cooking so you don't have to We source all our produce from local independent traders to give you the best quality food possible.

Call 07814 401117 to place an order Opening Hours Mon - Fri, 9am - 4pm Unit 2. Castle Meadows Park. Abergavenny. NP7 7RZ http://foodworkshopabergavenny.co.uk/

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Gazette & Diary Magazine:

Take That Takes over Over 60,000 fans were in the Millennium Stadium on each evening of the 14th & 15th June, for the return of the newly reformed "5" Take That.

years ago, including Rule the World, Greatest Day and Patience.

Both nights of the Cardiff shows opened without Robbie.

They then disappeared and the crowd went "wild" as Robbie took to the stage performing "Let me entertain you" and with great enthusiasm he did!!

Gary, Jason, Howard and Mark performed some of their hits from their Circus tour a few

The crowd were bouncing as a he sung a compilation of hits from his solo days

including Rock DJ and finishing with a favourite karaoke classic, Angels. He revealed he had enjoyed the response from his audience so much he split his trousers - which at the end of his performance he dropped them to his ankles and waddled off!

Jason Orange and Howard Donald performed a dance routine on a chess board complete with human chess pieces. Whilst singing kidz. The crowd went hysterical, stood and applauded "Never Forget".

The group started with The Flood the first single from their current album Progress. Re-joined as "five".

The scenery comprised of a large statue which came to life moving from a sitting position at the back of the stage to a standing position in the middle of the crowd.

They sang from a balcony above the stage, while acrobats performed below a waterfall.

Included in the finale of the show was one of my favourites Relight my fire!!

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July / August


Your new guide to the finer things in life

Kelly’s golden age DAME Kelly Holmes arrives in her London office looking the peak of fitness - slim figure, drak glossy hair, clear skin and shining eyes. She claims she’s put on weight since retiring from athletics, but to lok at her you’d never know it.

July 2011

Holmes, who won two Olympic golds in the 800m and the 1500m in Athens at the age of 34, still has the painful legacies of her gruelling athletics career, including damaged Achilles tendons and stomach problems which may require further surgery. Since retiring frow athletics in 2005 she hasn’t trained much and had relished the break, although she still goes for regular runs and has taken up rock climbing, squash and motorsport. Today her life is taken with a range of activites to help others fulfill their potential, including mentoring programmes, motivational speaking and her charity, Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust. She is president of the Commonwealth Games England, has launched her own lifestyle brand featuring sports equipment and clothing, and has found time to write Just Got For It!, a self-help motivational guide. But when she retired from athletics there was a huge void in her life, she admits. “I felt lost in the space of the unknown,” she says. “I was only 36 and had gone on a journey which had suddenly came to an end. “Six months after retiring I was on a low, You just think where do you go next. “I’m hard on myself and when I get low I get really low. I’ve discovered that being at the lowest you can learn from it. “Now I take a little bit of time out for myself and get away from the

situation and get away from the situation which is making me feel vulnerable.” It’s not the first time in her rollercoaster career that she’d become depressed.

Every Sunday, Pen Y Fal Boot Sale (B4233), morning, weather permitting. Gates open 10.30 for sellers. Buyers 11am. Tel: 01873 855500, mb 07761363090

Some 14 months before the 2004 Olympics she slashed her body with a pair of scissors and becoming depressed and frustrated over and injury which threatened to ruin her career as is charted in her 2005 autobiography Black, White & Gold.

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Llanover afternoon Fete, traditional stalls, bar, BBQ, refreshments , fun dog show, Tel: 01873 880337

Govilon Car Boot, Main Road, every Thursday, mornings, weather permitting. 01873 830834

Crickhowell Choral Society present Gilbert & Sullivan ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ St Edmund’s Church. Tickets £10, from Abergavenny Music, Webb’s Crickhowell or Pip Hassall 01873 857392

Govilon Car Boot, Main Road, every Thursday, mornings, weather permitting. 01873 830834

Jack & Jill’s Preschool, Charity Promise Auction, Little Mill Village Hall 7pm for details. Tel: 07855580717

Today it is not a memory that she wants to relive. “Clearly that was a hard time because sometimes when you’re at a low ebb you don’t tell many people. I spoke to a doctor who didn’t know me which helped because I could talk quite frankly about how I felt.” She says she doesn’t know is she was clinically depressed, but didn’t seek counselling and only took herbal medicines to improve her state of mind. Born in Kent to an English mother and a Jamaican father who walked out when Kelly was a baby, she was encouraged to take up running by a teacher when she was 12.

Moserah Anniversary. Come and sing Sankey. 6pm. Tel; 01873 840445

Pandy Village Hall Committee Meeting 7.30pm

Pen Y Fal Boot Sale. Gates open 10.30 for sellers. Buyers 11am. Tel: 01873 855500,

Every Sunday, Pen Y Fal Boot Sale (B4233), morning, weather permitting. Gates open 10.30 for sellers. Buyers 11am. Tel: 01873 855500, mb 07761363090

Every Sunday, Pen Y Fal Boot Sale (B4233), morning, weather permitting. Gates open 10.30 for sellers. Buyers 11am. Tel: 01873 855500, mb 07761363090

Travis Avenue Church, Fort Worth Texas, USA, presents a Choral Service Abergavenny 7.30pm. Tel: 01873 857866

Govilon Car Boot (see 7, 14 / 21) Abergavenny Farmers Market, Market Hall, Abergavenny. Fresh local produce

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Gazette & Diary Magazine:

. Gazette . . o u D Dear Magazine Poll

if you would like dear duo to help with your problems, please write to Dear Duo, The Gazette and Diary, 13 Nevill Street, Abergavenny, NP7 5AA.

My husband has been having an affair for three years. He thinks I do not know but it does not take a genius to work it out. She believes he will leave me for her but he will not. He won't leave me because he doesn't have a penny to his name. Everything we have has been bought and paid for by me. He is also too lazy to contact a solicitor for a divorce as I am the one who does all the paperwork. So his lover is in for a long wait. I believe in my marriage vows, so I won't divorce him. Do I say nothing to his mistress while he keeps her dangling on a string or should I tell her it will not happen? Mrs Hill Hi Mrs Hill How can you keep so quiet?? I would certainly give your husband at least an ultimatum that he either ends the relationship or he will have to leave. Approaching this other woman will not solve this solution as she will think you’re just trying to put her off. You don’t say if you love your husband and don’t mind him having an affair or if you are with him out of habit. At this moment I would say that he has the best of both worlds, so make him decide or you decide now!!! H Hi Mrs Hill, Personally I would not tell this other woman, this is her problem. I certainly would not let him stay, this is no way love, and you are worth way more. File for a divorce and start again. Any man that can treat you that way is not worth it. I know this will hurt you but you can start again and I’m sure you will be so much happier. J

Dear Duo

The Summer Issue

Text tommy, steve, or david to 07800 609944 Standard rates apply please ask the bill payers permission.

This months poll Who would you like to see Tina with next in Coronation street?

Hi AJ I always think the saying goes if you don’t ask then you don’t get, what is there to lose? If this boy doesn’t feel the same then that’s just tough cookie, plenty more fish in the sea! But at least you will know, if he does not see you in that way don’t worry, you say that you have a beautiful friendship and if this is truly the case he will still be there for you even if he does not share the same feelings. Good Luck! J Well AJ this is a tricky one!!! If it was me I would flirt, flirt & flirt and gauge his reaction. If it fails to get a response then obviously he just sees you as friend. As you say he does flirt with you I think there is obviously son=me chemistry between you. Quite often romance will blossom from friendship. Go for it you have nothing to lose. H

July / August

"I think that Jackson was truely unhappy and was of sound mind to know that he did not want to carry on, it was very sad to watch but makes you very aware of these situations" says Jess from Raglan

37% No

Tommy Duckworth Steve Mc Donald or David Platt?

"Jackson should have tried harder to make the most of what he had, it was only early days, plenty of people with disabilities come to terms with them, I think Hazel should have made him wait longer" says Joan from Abergavenny

Colour me in!

Dear Duo I’m 25 and it has been a very long time since I’ve dated a guy. I’ve just began a new course at college and I have become very close friends with a guy the same age as myself. He often flirts with me but I’m confused as I feel I’m getting mixed messages from him. My feelings for him are quite strong but I’m too afraid to tell him how I feel because I fear rejection and I fear I will lose my beautiful friendship with him. I don’t want to pass on this opportunity because I don’t want to end up thinking ‘what if’ there could have been something. I can’ stop this constant feeling of hurt in my heart. In the pass a similar situation occurred with another guy and I never had the courage to tell him how I felt and I felt hurt for quite a while. But now I don’t want to repeat this again. I need advice. AJ

Do you think Emerdale should let Jackson die? Here is what you thought.

63% Yes

See next months edition for results.

Colour me in and send me into the Abergavenny Chronicle with name age and school, top 3 will get published in next months edition

Last month’s winners! By Emma age 5

By Radley age 3

By Gareth age 8

16

Brian To cut your daughters out after only a 6 month relationship is terrible, for you to say this is shocking. What’s the rush to marry you? Marriage is something that should not be taken lightly so do not rush anything; I do not feel that 6 months is anywhere near enough time to get to know someone. Take your time with her, if she does truly love you she will wait. J

Let us know what you think

I am a 58 year old widower with grown up daughters. I am dating a woman aged 27. We met when she used to pass my door. Then i invited her in for a cup of tea. She's from abroad and speaks little English but we manage to understand each other. I cannot believe my luck.... because she is beautiful. All her family overseas approve of our relationship but my daughters are driving me mad with their ranting, saying she just wants my money, which is not true. I am thinking of cutting them out of my life. She has asked if she can move in and marry me. She insists she loves me as I do her. But my daughters have put doubts in my mind after her wanting to move so fast after knowing her for just six months. Surely she would not marry or live with me if she did not love me? What do you think? Brian

Hi Brian Your daughters don not know for sure that she is after your money. They may be scared of losing their inheritance, what are her circumstances? Does she own her own house? Is she short of money? Do not let this woman rush you. See how she feels about the idea of continuing as you are. Once you feel you know her better you will know whether you can trust her before you marry. If she loves you she will be happy to wait, if she loses interest it was probably the house she was after. H

Dear Duo

Last months results from the Emmerdale poll


Summer Fun July 2011

by The Abergavenny Chronicle

FREE

e With thnny ve Aberga icle n Chro

● ●

Activities ● Places to visit ● Things to do Summer Guide for families ● Competition


Summer Fun

Perfect Family Summer Fun Day out If you are looking for the perfect day out for the family this summer, look no further than the Worcestershire village of Welland, which hosts the Annual Steam and Country Rally. Welland is situated between Malvern and Upton-upon-Severn with easy access to the M50. For satnav the post code is WR13 6NG The show has been organised for the last 47 years by the Ross-on-Wye Steam Engine Society. A mixture of nostalgia, sights, sounds and a terrific atmosphere await you at Welland. The event is special in that you can see steam engines performing the tasks they were built for in the years leading up to the Second World War. Ploughing, threshing, timber sawing, etc., will all be undertaken by preserved steam traction engines. The rally boasts a traditional old time fairground where many of the rides will be powered and lit by electricity generated by magnificent Showmans’ road locomotives. There is a large working field where you can see not only steam ploughing but also vintage tractors at work. Corn is cut using a traditional binder and then threshed by steam power. Steam powered saws convert tree trunks into planks after being lifted into position by a steam crane. Amongst rural crafts being demonstrated are cider making, dry stone walling, blacksmithing, fence making and wood sculpture. Welland boasts magnificent displays of vintage and classic cars, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, historic military vehicles, tractors and stationary oil engines. Each day the exhibits take part in parades in the grand arena. Other events include races between traction engines, children’s tug of war, demonstrations of heavy vehicle recovery techniques and exciting displays of Falconry by Ben Long, one of the country’s finest falconers.

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Music is important, and wherever you go on the ground you will never be far from fairground organs a brass band or, a first this year, a one man band! Don’t miss the Cancan dancers giving performances during each day If you have never seen tractor pulling, be prepared to be amazed as specially built machines compete to see who can pull the weighted sledge the farthest. If you are in the market for a traction engine, vintage tractor or anything in that line, you may find it among the thousand plus lots in the annual vintage auction sale which takes place on the Friday. 2011 sees a return visit by Mr Alexander’s Travelling Show. This is a wonderful one man traditional variety show of magic, juggling, unicycling balance and illusion. Making a debut at Welland this year is the amazing Vander Brothers Space Wheel. The best aerial stunt act in Europe, double and triple wheel of death display standing a spectacular 50 feet high. All this plus models, crafts and Farmers’ Market, hundreds of trade stands, trailer rides by steam power and licenced refreshments all with the magnificent backdrop of the Malvern Hills and you have a day out to be remembered for a long, long time. So come along to Welland on the weekend of July 29th – 31st , you certainly won’t be disappointed! Note: there is free admission for all children under 11 years of age.

Visit www.wellandsteamrally.co.uk for full details.


Lots of Fun in the Summer Sun

Summer Fun Before I even start planning a day out, my first port of call is always: www.metcheck.com where you can get weather forcasts for the exact town you are going to. I've found it to be by far the most reliable weather forecasting site. If I were you I would check the surrounding counties for family days out. There are superb days out right on your doorstep for just a little bit more effort in searching the internet and the guide that we have put together for you. If you’re headed for an outdoor attraction, don’t forget to leave your wellies, raincoats and brolly in the back of the car (just in case). You never can tell with the British weather! It‚s handy to pack up a change of clothes for the kids (little accidents happen when you least expect them) and a packet of wet wipes can be a godsend! Bring an emergency snack and drink for the kids. Don‚t forget your road map, even the best navigators take a wrong turn sometimes! Most important enjoy your Summer days out. In association with

The Abergavenny Chronicle DESIGNERS: Dave Simkiss - dave.simkiss@nwn.co.uk John Gaulton - john.gaulton@nwn.co.uk

When you have finished reading the Gazette & Diary Magazine - please recycle it. PUBLISHING: Printed and distributed by NWN Media. www.nwnmedia.co.uk Mold Business Park, Wrexham Road, Mold, CH7 1XY.

ADVERTISING: Hazel Walding - Advertising Manager For information on how to advertise in our next issue, contact: hazel@tindlenews.co.uk or telephone 01873 852187 ext 34 GENERAL MANAGER - Mary Purcell

Welcome to Monnow Events. We pride ourselves on our friendly and flexible approach to activites. Whether you just want a go on the Quad Bikes or Go Karts, you have a Stag weekend or Hen Weekend to organise, a Childrenʼs Party or an important Corporate Event we can tailor an event to suit you. From just a quick couple of hours, half day events and full day events to weekends in our log cabin accomodation, Monnow Events have it covered

01981 240 800 info@monnowevents.co.uk www.monnowevents.co.uk ●

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Summer Fun

Summer safety for your toddler How to keep your child healthy and safe in the sun and the water this summer, plus how to treat bites, stings, cuts, bruises, sunburn, heat exhaustion and heat stroke DIt's vital to keep an eye on little ones when they play outside as they can get caught up in their own adventures

In summer, your toddler can present you with a whole range of new health concerns. Here‚s what you can do about injuries such as bites, stings, cuts, bruises; weather-related problems such as sunburn, heat exhaustion and heat stroke; and ensure your toddler is safe around water.

Sun safety Getting out in the sun makes us feel better, and we need it to make vitamin D to help protect our bones. But skin cancers are on the increase each year. Dr Lowri Kew, GP, has these guidelines for you and your child to enjoy time in the sun safely: ● Avoid the sun between 10am and 2pm. Don‚t be fooled by temperature, which comes from infrared not ultraviolet (harmful) rays, or cloud cover (which cuts only 20% of UV rays). Newborns shouldn‚t be in direct sun at all, and children under 1 should be in the shade as much as possible. ● Do like the Australians with their SLIP, SLOP, SLAP campaign. Slip on a T-shirt,

slop on some sunscreen and slap on a hat. Ensure clothes are tight-weave (not seethrough), and remember that if they get wet, this lessens the protection. UV sunsuits are great for your toddler. Use a waterproof sunscreen with an SPF of at least 40, and re-apply after swimming. Apply 30 minutes before going out and repeat every two hours. Wear protection. Hats with brims protect the face and eyes; sunglasses with UV filters further protect eyes (UV light can cause cataracts). Stay hydrated. Ensure your child drinks regularly and check to see if he‚s peeing, as this gives you some idea of his hydration.

If, despite your best efforts, your toddler does get sunburnt, you should: ● Go inside or in the shade. ● Assess the burn. 1st degree causes pain, redness and swelling (no blisters), and you should cool the skin with water; 2nd degree causes severe pain, redness and blisters, and you should seek medical advice; and 3rd degree is unlikely, but would indicate a serious burn. ● If necessary, offer an age-appropriate painkiller, such as paracetamol. ● Don‚t expose the burnt area to more sun until healed. ● Avoid creams. If your toddler is unwell, the burn is large or it appears to be 2nd

degree, seek medical advice. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke Heat exhaustion and heat stroke occur if the body overheats and dehydrates, causing: ● ● ● ● ● ●

Thirst Weakness Irritability Increased sweating Fast breathing A raised temperature

If your toddler has heat exhaustion and heat stroke, cool and rehydrate him. If he doesn‚t improve, is confused, loses consciousness or has a temperature over 38°C, seek medical help immediately. Water safety Your toddler can drown in as little as 3cm of water, so you can‚t be too careful with a paddling pool, at a swimming pool or on the beach. Watch your toddler at all times and never leave him alone near water, even for a few seconds. Expert Tip Remember that when clothes get wet, this lessens their protection against the sun.

Dr Lowri Kew, GP “I’ve always put my daughter in one of those swimsuits with built-in floats. Or you can get separate float jackets to wear over their swimsuits. They‚re not designed as life-savers, but they give additional buoyancy,‰ says Julie, 28, mum to Susannah, 3. If you’re going out in a boat, make sure you have a life jacket that‚s the correct size for your toddler, as an adult one could be more of a hindrance in an accident. It’s a good idea to get your toddler swimming as soon as possible. It’s part of the National Curriculum, but many schools don’t offer lessons until pupils are 7 or 8, so make your own arrangements if you want him swimming earlier.

Sunday 7 August 2011

Whitfield Estate

A great family day out In beautiful parkland setting off the A465 between Hereford & Abergavenny at Whitfield Estate Wormbridge Herefordshire on Sunday 7th August 2011 - Gates open 9.30 Featuring ● The Devils Horsemen Wild West Show ● Flyin Ryan Stunt Bikes ● Traditional Country Pursuits ● Entertainment in two rings ● 150 Trade Stands, Food Hall etc.

For details contact the Secretary www.herefordshirecountryfair.co.uk Email: secretary@herefordshirecountryfair.co.uk Tel:01432 851705 04

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Lots of Fun in the Summer Sun

Struggling with Hay fever this year Hay fever is a type of allergic rhinitis caused by pollen or spores. Allergic rhinitis is a condition where an allergen (something that causes an allergic reaction) makes the inside of your nose inflamed (swollen).

overreacts to a normally harmless substance, in this case pollen. When the body comes into contact with pollen, cells in the lining of the nose, mouth and eyes release a chemical called histamine. This triggers the symptoms of an allergic reaction.

Hay fever affects the nose, sinuses (small airfilled cavities behind your cheekbones and forehead), throat and eyes. It causes: ● sneezing, ● a runny nose, and ● itchy eyes.

How common is it? Hay fever is a common condition that affects around 20% of people in the UK. Hay fever is more likely if there is a family history of allergies, particularly asthma. In England, there may be over 10 million people with hay fever.

Hay fever usually occurs in spring and summer, when there is more pollen in the air. Trees, grass and plants release pollen as part of their reproductive process. Mould and fungi also release tiny reproductive particles, called spores.

Outlook Hay fever cannot be cured completely, but there are a number of treatments available to relieve the symptoms. These include antihistamine tablets, nasal (nose) sprays and eye drops. Some can only be prescribed by a GP, but many are available over-the-counter (OTC) in pharmacies.

People with hay fever can experience their symptoms at different times of the year, depending on which pollens or spores they are allergic to. Allergic rhinitis can be classified as either intermittent or persistent, depending on how often people experience their symptoms (see box, left) Allergic reaction The symptoms of hay fever occur when the immune system (the body‚s defence system)

For persistent hay fever, a treatment known as immunotherapy can be used to gradually increase a person‚s exposure to the allergen while monitoring their response. This can be effective at reducing the severity of an allergic reaction, but is not suitable for everyone. Allergen An allergen is a substance, such as pollen, that reacts with the body's immune system and causes an allergic reaction.

Allergy Allergy is the term used to describe an adverse (bad) reaction that the body has to a particular substance. Sneezing Sneezing is an involuntary expulsion of air and bacteria from the nose and mouth.

JOKE FOR SUMMER There was this lorry driver who had to deliver 500 penguins to Bristol zoo. As he was driving his lorry through the Brecon Beacons, his lorry breaks down. After about 3 hours, he waves another lorry down and offers the driver £500 to take these penguins to Bristol zoo for him. The next day the original driver arrives in Abergavenny and sees the new driver crossing the road with 500 penguins walking in single file behind him. The original driver jumps out of his lorry and asks, "What's going on? I gave you £500 to take these penguins to the zoo!" The new driver responds, "I did take them to the zoo. And I had enough money left over so now we're going to see a movie."

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Summer Fun

The Talgarth Festival of the Black Mountains August Bank Holiday Weekend Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th August 2011. Gwyl y Mynyddoedd Du Talgarth The Theme of this year’s Festival is “The 60’s with a Twist”. The purpose is to celebrate the 60’s era and to relate it to Talgarth. The 60’s for Talgarth saw the closure of the Railway Line. For the Festival weekend, we have managed to secure the services of a steam engine which will pull carriages into The Old Talgarth Station. For more information go to: www.recreation-railways.co.uk. In addition, two railway enthusiasts, who have researched the line between Hereford and Brecon, will give a talk on Saturday.

The Festival also caters for children, with a Fancy Dress competition, story teller, a Teddy Bears Picnic, and Carl John, the travelling entertainer, who will dress- up as a Station Master. There will also some traditional fair ground entertainments. For the more active, Talgarth Football Club will be offering a range of activities including a Treasure Hunt and Target Golf on both days and a Football Tournament which will run as a turn-up and play competition on the Sunday. Our small town has a great heart and a long history. A visit to the Church Hall will enable you to search the local history archives. The Parish Church has a Flower Festival and the Bell Hotel will be holding the 28th Annual Garden Show.

The traditional Countryside is represented in the Cattle Market with displays of craft skills and animal husbandry. There is a Craft Fayre in the Town Hall and also a Food Market selling locally produced food. Many of the stall holders are regulars at the Monthly Market.

On the Sunday, there will be a Dog Show and the Annual “Duck Race”. The Festival will be opened by the Welsh Singer, songwriter and broadcaster, Lorraine King at 12 noon on the Saturday. The Festival finishes with a grand Firework display on the Sunday evening with a BBQ and live music.

On the Sunday only, we welcome to the Festival our annual wine tasting event located on the Church Hall Car Park. On Saturday evening, there is Candlelit concert in the atmospheric Church at Llanelieu; whilst Sunday sees the annual concert given by the Côr-Meibion Talgarth Male Voice Choir in the Parish Church of St Gwendoline. We also have Poetry Readings.

For more details, visit the Talgarth Festival website www.talgarthfestival.or.uk. Programme for the Festival will be available from July.

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If you any information or memorabilia of the Railway through Talgarth, please contact Tony James (711289) or Elaine Starling (711484)

July / August

inventor and astronomer made his important observations of the transit of Venus across the sun.

Talgarth Festival of the Black Mountains Saturday 30th July 2011. STAR GAZING Talgarth Festival of the Black Mountains theme for 2011 is “The 60’s with a Twist”. The 60’s saw the beginning of man’s exploration of Space. To celebrate this, you are invited to visit a “PLANETARIUM” which will be located during the day in the TOWN HALL. Shows will take place on the hour from 10am until 5pm. In the evening there will be an “OPEN SKIES EVENT” (Study the Stars) led by Dr. Martin Griffiths from Glamorgan University. The location is a at a farm in the mountains above Talgarth [from 7pm till midnight]. Both these events will be ticketed. Coleg Trefeca is open for you to visit between 11am to 4pm on the same day. At Trefeca in 1761, Joseph Harris, Assay Master of the Royal Mint in London, member of the Royal Society,

The telescope that he used and was said to have made is on display in the Howell Harris Museum. Coleg Trefeca was the home of Joseph’s brother, Howell Harris the leader of the Methodist revival in Wales in the 1700’s. Trefeca was the centre of a self sufficient Christian Community which comprised of over 150 people practicing around 70 different trades. Today, Coleg Trefeca is a Lay Training Conference Centre and you are welcome to visit the museum and this historic building.

Tickets “Planetarium” Adults £3. Children under 12 years old -£2. The “0pen Skies Event” (Study the stars) Adults £3 Cildren under 12 year old £2. Or buy 2 tickets for both venues Adults £5 Children under 12 years £3. Please note that food and drink are not included in the ticket price. Tickets are available from the Talgarth TIRC.


Lots of Fun in the Summer Sun

Brecon Mountain Railway

Brecon Mountain Railway - Merthyr Tydfil. One of the most popular railways in Wales. Travel in one of our all weather observation coaches behind a vintage steam locomotive, through beautiful scenery, into the Brecon Beacons National Park, along the full length of the Taf Fechan Reservoir to Dol-Y-Gaer on one of the most popular railways in Wales. The whole trip takes sixty five minutes, including a twenty minute stop at Pontsticilli where you can picnic, walk or vist our lakeside snack cafe. You can stay longer at Pontsticill if you wish, returning to Pant by a later train, but please make sure that you do not miss the last train back! On your return to Pant, visit our workshops where old steam locomotives are restored and new ones built - follow the footpath to a picnic site which has an amazing panoramic view of the valley.

Visit our licenced tea rooms and buy a souvenir of your visit in our shop. Our licensed Tea rooms at Pant Station serve morning coffee, a full meal, a light snack or afternoon tea, and at Pontsticill station our lakeside cafe serves ice cream, hot and cold drinks, homemade cakes and sandwiches. We have excellent facilities for disabled persons including ramps, toilet and a carriage especially designed to carry wheelchairs. Come along and board the steam train to visit Father Christmas in his grotto - with pesents for all the children. We also cater for Birthday Parties, so why not let us make your day a special one. We have reduced fares for parties and school visits. All parties and events must be booked in advance. For further details visit our website at www.breconmountainrailway.co.uk or telephone 01685 722988

Boat and canoe hire at Brecon Canal Basin

Boats by the day, half day or by the hour

Beacon Park Day Boats

0800 612 2890 â—?

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Summer Fun

Summer games for kids Crusts or crumbs

Link Tag

One child is the caller, the rest divide into two groups one called crusts, the other called crumbs. The two teams stand facing each other a few metres apart, but first they choose a base behind each group (say a tree or a jumper on the ground). The caller calls out either ‘Crusts’ or ‘Crumbs’. Whichever team is called has to chase the other back to their base. If a child is caught they have to join the other side. The caller can have lots of fun by saying the first ‘Crrrr’ very slowly so neither team knows who’s going to be called.

One player is the tagger and has to chase the others. When a child is caught, they hold hands with the tagger and start chasing again. When they have a chain of four taggers, they split into two chains of two.

Jailbreak Choose an area, such as a tree or a post, to be the jail. Two or three players are the jailers and start counting to 20 with eyes closed, while the others hide. The jailers then have to find and catch the other children. When a child is caught they go to jail. If a child manages to touch the jail without being caught by one of the jailers, they cause a jailbreak‚ and everyone is free. The jailers then have to get everyone back in jail.

Snake’s Tail Form a line, with each player holding the child in front around their waist. The player at the front of the snake (the head) then tries to catch the person at the end (the tail). Players take turns in being the head and tail.

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Cat and Mouse You need at least 8 children for this. Six children hold hands in a circle. One player (the mouse)‚ remains inside the circle and another player (the cat)‚ remains outside. The mouse can move in and out of the circle but can not remain inside for more than a few seconds. The cat can’t enter the circle and chase the mouse to catch or tag her. The players in the circle help the mouse by lifting their arms up for her to enter and then blocking the way for the cat. Once caught, the mouse becomes the cat and a new mouse is chosen from the circle.


Lots of Fun in the Summer Sun

Travelling with kids You should not be afraid of traveling with your children. With a little planning, you can travel any distance by car or plane and have a great trip. Children like both familiarity and novelty when traveling. 1. DVD Player Is The Most Essential Item When Traveling With Kids A DVD player, whether it is a portable player or a laptop, is the most essential item when traveling with kids. Watching a movie makes the time fly by. A couple of DVDs travel well and keeps children entertained when traveling. 2. New Toys/Coloring or Activity Book A small, new toy like a car, doll, or action figure

will keep a child entertained for several minutes or even hours. A new toy has novelty that does not wear off quickly. A book, sticker or colouring keeps children entertained. There are sticker books where the stickers can be reused. These books cost a little more but are worth the money because kids will play with them for longer periods of time. (Plus these toys and books are quiet and do not disturb other passengers around you.) 3. Favorite Lovie, Stuffed Animal, or Blankie Are A Travel With Kids Necessity The familiarity of a favorite pacifier, stuffed animal, or blankie is an essential item when traveling. 4. Snacks and Drinks Are Essential When Traveling With Kids Keeping children and adults full and hydrated is very important when traveling. Adults and children behave better when their blood sugars are kept at an even level. Traveling is a great time to talk with your children as well. You get to know each other even better when traveling to new places or visiting relatives.

Call for information on our Promotional Offers For more details contact: Chris Murphy Mob: 07719 662634 Tel: 01291 690 077 Website: www.raglanparc.co.uk Parc Lodge, Station Road, Raglan

Internet Café with Large Indoor Play Area Open everyday from 9.30am - 4.30pm (Charges apply for entrance into secure play area, internet, parties & creche)

Internet & Play is a great place for everyone to come. We have a Cafe with a variety of food & drink so you can relax in a homely atmosphere. If you have children, you can let them play in our Secure Soft Play Area while sometimes supervised by a Play Assistant so you can have a break. Check out our website: www.noodlessoftplaycentre.com for all our information. Open every day from 9:30am-4:30pm.

For more information please call

01600 713883 www.noodlessoftplaycentre.com ●

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Summer Fun

Taking care this summer Cuts and grazes are some of the most common injuries. Minor cuts and grazes (where only the surface layer of skin is cut or scraped off) may bleed and feel slightly painful, but the affected area will normally scab over and heal quickly. However, if the cut is in an area that is constantly moving, such as your knee joint, it may take longer to heal.

(Located just off the A466 Hereford to Monmouth road)

Telephone: 01981 580442 / 07977 101824 Pleasure & Specimen Carp Lakes

Depending on how deep the cut is and where it is on your body, a scar may remain once the cut has healed. Deeper cuts may damage important structures below the skin, such as nerves, blood vessels or tendons (see Complications). Grazes that remove the deeper layers of skin are rare. Most cuts and grazes can be easily treated at home. More severe cases may need medical attention, such as stitches to close the wound.

Trippenkennet Farm, Three Ashes, Hfd. Sat Nav: HR2 8LZ. www.trippenkennettfarm.co.uk

*BHPA Registered School

Tandem Flights & Paraglider Tuition Fly with us and enjoy the stunning beauty of Pembrokeshire from the air Call: 01239 614 140 / 07796 855 557 or email: nick@pembrokeshireparagliding.com

Officially voted the most exciting business in Pembrokeshire Gold ~ 1st Place Pembrokeshire Tourism 2011 Awards

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Seek medical help if any of the below apply: ●

● ●

See our website for all our latest holiday events…

pembrokeshire paragliding.com

When to seek medical help

You think you have damaged deeper tissues: signs include numbness (indicating injury to a nerve), blood spurting from the wound or bleeding that does not stop after five minutes of continuous firm pressure. The wound is at risk of becoming infected: for example, a cut has been contaminated with soil, faeces or a dirty blade, or fragments of material (such as grit or glass) can be seen in the wound. The wound has become infected: signs include swelling of the affected area, pus coming from the wound, redness spreading from the wound and increasing pain from the wound. The wound cannot be closed with a plaster, or it starts to open up when you move. The wound will create an unwelcome scar: for example, if it occurs on a prominent part of your face.

Clearwell Caves – Ancient Iron Mines

Set in a beautiful valley, nine large caverns of this partly natural cave system and former iron ore mine, have now been opened to the public. Large scale commercial mining ended here at the end of the Second World War in 1945, but iron ore in the form of ochre is still mined on a small scale; Clearwell ochre is used for artists’ pigment and gives the caverns their distinctive orangey-red colour. The Caves are now enjoyed by visitors of all ages, particularly families, who enjoy discovering winding passageways which open out into impressive caverns, giving them a mysterious atmosphere that has not gone unnoticed by the BBC; they have filmed episodes of both Dr Who and Merlin here. Those with a taste for adventure could try one of the exciting caving activities advertised on the Caves’ website, to go beyond the public pathways; trips involve crawling, simple climbing and of course getting dirty; making an unusual and exhilarating experience to liven up the school holidays, also a great idea for that memorable birthday treat.


Lots of Fun in the Summer Sun

Thomas the Tank is back in the forest The fictional icon Thomas the Tank Engine is back at the Dean Forest Railway from Friday 19th to Sunday 21st August and Sir Topham Hatt, the Fat Controller, will be in there to keep everything in hand!

on-train entertainment. The Imagination Station hosts children’s colouring, desktop toys, Thomas temporary Tattoos, and Thomas DVD’s.

Wonderful fun-packed days with three different train rides – big steam train, brake van rides with Thomas, and Daisy the Railcar face painters, Punch and Judy shows, miniature railway, children’s roundabout, plus

There’s an award winning museum, well stocked shop with probably the best ‘Thomas’ section for miles and miles and Platelayers Café will be dispensing a range of healthy ood and soft drinks.

Watch out for the live re-enactments with the troublesome trucks and devious Diesel causing all sorts of trouble for Thomas and the Fat Controller.

above attractions are included in the admission price and booking on-line will save you money.

It may end up with a race!

Please go to the DFR website at www.dfr.co.uk to find out more and to make advance bookings.

There is a large free car park at Norchard near Lydney, just ten miles from Chepstow. All the

Their shop, telephone 01594 845840, can also provide more information you may need.

Friday 19th to Sunday 21st August Save £s by booking online at

www.dfr.co.uk or just turn up!

You can also book in advance on 01594 841164 or by For enquiries see website or phone 01594 845840.

DEAN FOREST RAILWAY The Friendly Forest Line

Live re-enactments with Thomas and brake van rides, Daisy chases the big train and goes into the forest on a story telling trip. Face painting and Punch & Judy shows. Entrance price includes all additional attractions including miniature railway and roundabout rides. A great day out for three generations from 9.30 each day!

Day Out With Thomas ™ Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends ™ Based on The Railway Series by The Reverend W. Awdry © 2011 Gullane (Thomas) Limited.

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s

The Congress Junior Theatre Presents:

“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: The Musical”

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Su Ac m ti v me r

Summer Fun

When you are growing up every day has a new tale to tell and nobody knows that better than the young members of the Congress Junior Theatre.

Looking for something different this summer? Come and have a go at climbing, abseiling, caving, zip wires, dingle scrambling, horse riding & much more on our one-day multi-activity fun days or 3-5 day horse riding holidays at Llangorse Multi Activity Centre...

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Call or visit our website to start your adventure...

Many stories have stood the test of time, but few could be more perfect for this young company than the good old-fashioned musical adaptation of Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”. Join Tom Sawyer on his adventures as he play tricks on his Aunt Polly and brother Sid, falls in love with the beautiful Becky and tries to escape from the evil Injun Joe; all with best friend Huckleberry Finn by his side. The Congress Junior Theatre would like you to come with us on our exciting journey and see for yourself how “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” brings to life the American literature classic and merges it with musical theatre

enthused with the sounds of the South – the likes of which Cwmbran has never seen. No matter if you are young, old or somewhere in between “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is a fun-filled FAMILY musical with something for everyone. This is one adventure not to be missed! “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” will be on in the Congress Theatre, Cwmbran.

The performance runs: Thursday 7th July, Friday 8th July and Saturday 9th July at 7.15pm.

Tickets cost £7/£6 Concessions. To book call the box office on 01633 868 239. Visit our website on www.congresstheatrecwmbran.co.uk. Or come see us in the theatre! The Congress Junior Theatre appreciates your support and look forward to seeing you there!

Blaenau Gwent Playschemes

LOOK OUT... for more information coming soon at your local sports centre

Summer 2011 12

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July / August

Basketball Soft Play

Snorkelling Swimming

Archery Plus much more!!!


Lots of Fun in the Summer Sun

GWENT YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATRE ‘THE ODYSSEY’ By Simon Startin Gwent Young People’s Theatre’s production of Homer’s epic story comes complete with humour, horror, monsters, Greek heroes and of course the Gods in whose hands we are but puppets; mere playthings for their entertainment. Homer himself is our guide as we witness the adventures of our hero, Odysseus, as he journeys home to his long suffering wife Penelope. Originally commissioned by London Bubble Theatre in 2009, Simon Startin’s witty adaptation gives an off kilter spin to this highly accessible take on Homer’s epic. Bring a picnic, warm/waterproof

clothing and something to sit on and enjoy an exciting and lively performance in the beautiful grounds of Abergavenny Castle. ‘The talented members of the Gwent Young People’s Theatre set alight the legend of King Agamemnon in this breathtaking production’ Lesley Flynn – South Wales Argus The Gwent Young People’s Theatre provides opportunities for young people to experience a variety of theatre activities and productions under the direction of professional theatre practitioners. The youth theatre has a reputation for consistently high standards and has won acclaim for their recent productions of ‘Gormengast’, ‘A Clockwork Orange’, and ‘Cider with Rosie’.

At BERGAVENNY CASTLE On July 28th & 29th 2011 at 7.00pm and July 24th at 2.30pm (Signed Performance)

Come and join us for some fun in the sun this summer! Every day of the summer holidays will be action packed. Don’t miss our special event days July 25th, August 2nd, 10th, 18th, 23rd and 30th, why not come to them all and make the most of this summer at the Farm?!? Join our Facebook page to be kept up to date on all of our summer event days www.facebook.com/greenmeadowfarm Open every day whatever the weather 10am – 6pm (last entry at 5pm) Admission: Free for under 2’s, £4.20 Children aged 2+ and concessions, £5.20 adults, £18.80 family (2adults& 3children) Tel: 01633 647662

BRING THIS ADVERT WITH YOU TO GET ONE FREE CHILD ENTRY! ●

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July / August

13


Summer Fun

WIN a family day ticket

Situated in the foothills of majestic Snowdonia is GreenWood Forest Park, a family adventure park like no other.

and pirates, face painting and craft making, who knows what fun you’ll find at the end of the next leafy trail?

All the rides and activities at this unique ecoattraction have been designed for fun with a difference you provide the energy! From the famous Green Dragon the world’s first people powered rollercoaster to the therapeutic BareFoot Trail, GreenWood is a fantastic all weather family experience. With magicians

Question Where is Greenwoodforest park situated ?

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For your chance to win a Family Day Ticket (for two adults and two children, worth £37.20), simply email your answer to; hazel@tindlenews.co.uk

BOOK ● ISH A wonderful place to buy books and gifts in Crickhowell

Bookish, located on Beautiful Crickhowell, High Street, is all geared up for summer, fully stocked with the latest summer bestsellers such as Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton, The Strangers Child by Alan Hollinghust and The Tigers Wife by award winning Tea Obreht. We have a large stock of local interest and walking books to help you make the most of our beautiful countryside over the summer months. Alongside books we stock a large range of wooden and traditional toys and currently have croquet sets, boules, kites, skittles and many more outdoor games for all the family. For all those summer birthdays we are the perfect place to visit for that unusual gift and perfect card. Throughout July & August we’re running a series of poetry workshops with the popular poet Paul Henry. The Workshops are aimed at new & experienced poets. As well as sharing responses to the work of published poets, participants will be helped to write fresh work of their own & encouraged to develop their talent in a warm & friendly environment. July 6th - Where I come From… July 20th - The Paint in the Pen August 3rd - The Power of Memory August 17th - Love & War—An introduction to the Sonnet

23 High St, Crickhowell, NP8 1BD

01873 811256 14

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July / August

Each workshop costs £25.00 and is inclusive of wine, soft drinks & nibbles. Call into to see us or call 01873 811256 for further information. Places are limited! We hope to run further workshops, readings and book launches over the coming months – watch this space.


Lots of Fun in the Summer Sun

Tana's kitchen secrets - Perfect picnic treats Delicious, wholesome and comforting - it looks like Gordon isn't the only Ramsay family member who can cook up a storm in the kitchen.

collection of family favourite dishes that are easy to make. Tana's third book, Tana's Kitchen Secrets, reveals her simple yet effective foodie secrets from the Ramsay kitchen - and you can imagine she's got a hard act to follow.

Using her experience as a busy mum-of-four while Gordon's away filming, Tana Ramsay, 35, has put together a mouth-watering

With summer in full swing, here are two easy nibbles that are perfect for taking along to a picnic

Bacon, mushroom & cheese pastry parcels These turnovers are handy and very portable snacks for a family picnic - just make sure you bring a hanky for the crumbs! They can also be adapted to make quick lunchtime snacks with the filling of your choice; you can use almost anything in them, but these are the ones my children like best. Serves 4 Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time 30 minutes Can be made in advance Suitable for freezing at end of step 3 Ingredients ● ●

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for the baking tray 4 rashers of unsmoked bacon, preferably maple, sliced 8 button mushrooms, finely sliced 100g (3∏oz) mature Cheddar cheese, grated 4 cherry tomatoes, quartered 2 tbsp chopped basil leaves Salt flakes and black pepper 425g (15oz) ready-rolled puff pastry sheet 1 free-range egg, beaten Plain flour, to dust

Apple & raspberry crumble muffins The perfect companion for any picnic basket, these tasty muffins go down nicely with homemade lemonade in the sunshine. You'll need a 12-hole muffin tin (which has deeper holes than a fairy-cake tin) and, ideally, some paper muffin cases. The apple keeps these muffins very moist and this recipe is a handy way to use up those that are past their best. ● ● ● ●

Makes 12 muffins Preparation time 15 minutes Cooking time 30ˆ35 minutes Can be made in advance

Ingredients ● 3 free-range eggs ● 180g (6oz) crème fraîche ● 250g (9oz) caster sugar ● 200g (7oz) plain flour, sifted ● 1 1/2 tsp baking powder ● 1 apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped ● 150g (5∏oz) raspberries For the crumble topping ● 55g (2oz) unsalted butter, diced ● 55g (2oz) plain flour ● 25g (1oz) light muscovado sugar ● 1 tbsp roasted, chopped hazelnuts

1) Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF/gas mark 7. 2) Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and sauté the bacon and mushrooms for 3ˆ4 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the heat, transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool. Add the cheese, tomatoes and basil, season and mix. 3) Cut the pastry sheet into 4 rectangles. Spoon even quantities of the bacon mixture on to half of each rectangle, making sure you leave a 1cm (1/2in) gap around the edges. Brush these edges with a little of the egg, then fold the other half of the pastry over to encase the filling. With floured fingers, crimp the edges to seal. This can be done with a fork or simply with your thumb and finger. Using a sharp knife, make small slits in the top of each parcel. Brush with the remaining egg. 4) Place on a lightly oiled baking tray and bake for 20ˆ25 minutes until golden brown and the cheese is slightly oozing out of the sides. 5) Serve wrapped in greaseproof paper to cold. How to make a perfect turnover Be careful not to overfill the pastry or the turnovers might break open, and remember to leave room to crimp and seal the edges. Brushing the turnovers with beaten egg before baking helps make them glossy and golden brown. 1) Preheat the oven to 170ºC/340ºF/gas mark 3. 2) First make the crumble topping using the butter and flour. Be sure to use cold butter. Add it to the flour and rub together very lightly with your fingertips, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs and all the large lumps of butter have dispersed evenly. The warmth of your hands will soften the butter enough to blend with the flour. Stir in the muscovado sugar and hazelnuts. Don‚t overwork the topping, or it will be heavy and clumpy. Set aside. 3) Place the eggs, crème fraîche, caster sugar, flour and baking powder into a bowl and mix together until smooth. Add the apple and half the raspberries and stir through, taking care not to crush the raspberries. 4) Place the paper cases into a muffin tin and half fill with the batter. Stir the remaining raspberries into the crumble topping and spoon this evenly on top. 5) Bake the muffins for 30ˆ35 minutes, until golden and cooked through. When ready, they should spring back to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin. These keep very well for a couple of days in an airtight container ˆ the apple helps to keep the sponge really moist ●

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Your new guide to the finer things in life

Recipes from PG Tips ●

Serves 6

Place the butter in clean jam jars while still hot and then into the fridge once cooled

Cinnamon Custard Toasts ● For the custard toasts, pour the milk, cream and cinnamon into a pan

Ingredients ■ Apple butter ■ 2 kg of cooking apples ■ 300ml water ■ 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar ■ 1 vanilla pod split in two (sideways) ■ 1 cinnamon stick ■ 400g of sugar ■ Cinnamon custard toasts ■ 350ml double cream ■ 150ml milk ■ 1 stick of cinnamon ■ 100g caster sugar ■ 6 egg yolks ■ 1 loaf of unsliced white bread Method Apple Butter ● To make the apple butter, peel, core and chop the apples, add them to a large pan with the water, vinegar, vanilla pod and cinnamon and cook over a slow heat until a pulp ●

Remove the cinnamon and vanilla, blend the pulp to ensure it is smooth

Pour the puree back into the pan and add the sugar

Continue to cook over a low heat for 1-2 hours or until the apple has thickened and turned a caramel colour

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Cling film the pan and bring to the simmer on a low heat. Then take the pan off the heat and keep to one side to infuse – the cling film helps the infusion

In a mixing bowl, add the yolks and caster sugar and whisk together, gently adding the infusion and mix well

Slice the bread 2-3cm thick, remove the crusts and cut into soldiers, lay the bread in a dish, pour over the warm custard mix and let soak for 10 minutes – turning the bread occasionally

In a frying pan, add a knob of butter and fry the custard toasts on each side for 2 minutes and until lightly browned

Serve them warm and with apple butter spread and a pinch of cinnamon on top – along with a nice cup of The Delicate One from PG tips

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Gazette & Diary Magazine:

Crickhowell Summer Fayre Come and enjoy all the fun of the fayre in this lovely setting in the heart of Crickhowell, and feast yourself at the barbecue, the tea and scones stall, or sit back and relax with a good bottle of wine or beer at the bar with oldie Mr.Grasshopper. See the bunting, follow the flags, wear your shades, don your shorts, brighten your shirt, and bring the kids for village party mode, with children’s arts and crafts activities hosted by Arts Alive. By popular demand this event is being repeated at Porth Mawr country House on Sunday 24th July from midday to 6pm where the benefits will go to Arts Alive to launch its new summer programme for children. Arts Alive is another invaluable organisation in Crickhowell needing financial support to continue its activities to all age groups and often to disadvantage groups.

Equally so, performance arts, dance and yoga are being incorporated.

Back Row Jules James – Black mountain chocolate demonstration - Bonnie Buckle – Zumba demonstration, Carl Cheetham – Chef at Gliffaes Hotel to give cookery demonstration, Linda Powell of Porth Mawr, Alan Bush – Coordinator, Front row, Rebecca Spooner – arts alive, Tomos Jones – musician, Pauline Smith- committee member.

This year the event will host 30 local producers and charities plus event performances in the marquee to include musical performances, Zumba extravaganza, chocolate and cookery demonstrations and childrens face painting. The event will be opened at midday on Sunday 24th July by the new Mayor of Crickhowell cloaked in red to brighten the occasion. Entrance will be £1 and free for under 16’s. Rebecca Spooner – Arts alive, Linda Powell of Porth Mawr, Alan Bush – co-ordinator.

Arts Alive has existed for over 25 years embracing creative workshops in the visual arts, and crafts such as spinning and weaving, ceramics, and a host of other media. Lyn Albutt and John Flavell will be demonstrating both how to make a labyrinth in a lawn and how to dowse to discover one's sprituality. This will be a short talk and a demonstration on the field.

Sent at last years event Paul Tito – Captain of Cardiff Blues Mike Powell- Glamorgan Cricketer And 2 friends helping on the BBQ

Porth Mawr house

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Your new guide to the finer things in life

C r i c k h o we l l S u mme r Fay re A fun day out for all the family Sunday 24th july 2011 midday-6pm Porthmawr countr y house, brecon road, crickhowell

The aim of the fayre is to bring together the local community and promote local businesses and tourism, with the objective that every one has a fun day out!!

ADMISSION ADULTS £1 ADULTS, CHILDREN UNER 16 FREE ●

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Gazette & Diary Magazine:

A NEW retail concept is opening in Abergavenny Bedzzz.com have just taken over Unit 12 of the Mill Street Industrial Estate and aim to sell a wide range of beds in the store at the internet prices. Proprietor Anthony Allitt has been in the bedding industry for over 25 years, working initially in manufacturing with Sleepeezee, a Royal Warranted company for 14 years and then as a director of a retail partnership in Swansea for the past 11 years.

LECCIONES DE ESPAÑOL

Anthony said: “The opportunity to set up new business on my own became available and I chose Abergavenny for its transport links, its on site parking and its location, being within walking distance of the town centre.

“Whilst supplying beds in my previous role, I was always being asked if we could take the old beds away. I am pleased to say that this will be part of the company’s philosophy that we will endeavour to recycle everything we bring back. I don't know of any other company in South Wales

offering this type of service.” The family took over the unit earlier this week and with stock arriving daily they will be transforming the premises in preparation for Saturday’s opening. “We will be able to retail beds at internet prices because as we will not be selling anything else apart from complimentary bedroom furniture and accessories, enabling Abergavenny people to upgrade their bedrooms with modern furniture at a good price complete with local delivery thrown in.”

SPANISH LESSONS Always wanted to learn Spanish? If you would like to learn Spanish for a particular reason, holiday, GCSEs, cultural interest or for work, this is a great opportunity to start. Spanish is a very popular second language with some 400 million speakers around the world, is the mother tongue in 21 countries (including my own Country Venezuela) Adriana, who has a background in Marketing and Social Care moved to Wales with her Welsh husband from the British dependant Territory of the Cayman Islands eight years ago, She noticed local people were interested and enthusiastic about learning Spanish. Adriana is now running her own Spanish lessons @ Crickhowell Resource & Information Centre, where she will offer you or your child an opportunity to learn Spanish and make it fun at the same time, using various approaches to maximize the learning. which will benefit your child for life. Adriana is available for private tuition and will shortly be looking to provide lessons in Abergavenny and Monmouth.

CHILDREN SUMMER HOLIDAY LESSONS (keep their brains thinking), phone for details and venues. CHILDRENʼʼ LESSONS (School Term) Wednesdays: 4.00-5.00pm O/A LEVEL REVISION ADULT LESSONS: Wednesdays 9.30am or 6.00pm (Places still available) 20

“We can not get away from the deals that are available on the internet. I believe that this family business is catering for the 21st Century, with prices matching those available on line, and combining it with traditional values, in other words we offer a personal service.

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July / August

For more information, or to book phone/email Adriana @ Phone: 01873 810693 / 07800 559152 E-mail: spanishlessons@btinternet.com or stop by the Crickhowell Resource & Information Centre


Your new guide to the finer things in life

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Gazette & Diary Magazine:

What drives James May?

It was for the forthcoming second series of Man Lab that May recently took to the catwalk, hitting the headlines by modelling an anti-fashion" all-inone to deflate the notion of men having to deliberate over what to wear.

There's probably only one man in the world who can get away with strolling down a catwalk in an oversized Babygro, teaming floral shirts with long greying hair, and co-presenting one of the most famous car shows in the world while continuing to drive slowly.

Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond, fit the mould which comes with petrolhead culture.

That man is, of course, James May, the Top Gear presenter known as Captain Slow and the one who many fans admit is their favourite.

"It was about rediscovering the skills I though modern men had lost because I was just a bit worried about blokes being typecast as hopeless," says 48-year-old May.

A music graduate who plays the piano and enjoys watching "modern, plotless" dance with his arts critic girlfriend, May does not, unlike his colleagues

His lifestyle is still pretty cool, though. When he's not modelling he's either meandering through the countryside, learning about wine from Oz Clarke, as he did in Oz And James' Big Wine Adventure, or road-testing new cars in Top Gear.

I got the impression we were getting bored of it, and women were too."

The latest series is as action-packed as the previous 16, May promises.

In fact, he railed against the idea of the 'macho man' last year in his series James May's Man Lab in which he sought to redefine the modern man.

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He's also raving about a Renault Clio Cup he got to drive. "It's a hot car in the very best late 1980s tradition," he says.

May says filming a new series of Top Gear is a bit like going back to school. He knows there's a gruelling schedule ahead but it's fun to hang out with the gang again. Describing the famous dynamic between the three presenters, he says:

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That was quite embarrassing really," he says, with uncharacteristic coyness. "It's not really me, but I found it quite interesting to try something completely alien and to have to strut around and camp it up a little."

"It's a mixture of mutual contempt and schoolboy gang friendship I suppose. It's not very grown-up, but we're not pretending it is." Of course, there are moments when the spirit of the playground goes a bit too far for some people - like when they were rude about Mexicans. Hammond characterised them as "lazy, feckless, flatulent, overweight oafs", while May described

their food as "refried sick". No sooner had Clarkson said he thought the Mexican ambassador would be too lazy to complain than the BBC received a complaint from said ambassador, labelling the comments "outrageous" and "xenophobic". May says there will be no disparaging comments about Mexicans in the next series but insists there's been no attempt to rein in the presenters' sometimes abrasive style. "It hasn't chastened us or anything. It's not going to make a difference, it was just something that went a bit too far. "Hopefully we can forget about it," he adds, sounding rather tired of the whole thing. The presenter himself made the news this month when he woke up one morning, switched on the radio and heard Chris Evans discussing who might replace May when he leaves Top Gear. An incredulous May felt he had to ring up and announce live on air that he wasn't leaving. He insists: "I am not leaving Top Gear, it is not ending, and I am not being replaced. I said in an interview that it wouldn't go on forever but that's a given, I didn't mean I was leaving. I called Chris Evans's show to set the record straight." But when the time does come for May and his gang to pull up and park Top Gear in the longstay car park, he's got plenty of ideas about what to do next. "I expect I'm one of those people who television sometimes decides is old hat and it'll all be over, but if I don't then I wouldn't mind making some grown-up documentaries on the history of machines, or music, or something..." he says. There's just no defining this man.

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Your new guide to the finer things in life

Wiltshire Farm Foods delicious meals to your door Wiltshire Farm Foods deliver delicious and nutritious frozen ready meals to homes in Abergavenny and the surrounding areas. Your local outlet in Monmouth is run by Brian and Sara Stringer, and their small friendly team, providing a caring and quality service to their customers. Our chefs have been busy putting together a selection of summery dishes for you to enjoy. We have Chicken Breast with Creamy Mushroom & Tarragon Sauce, a vegetarian option of West Country Cheddar, Leek & Mushroom Bake and more. Our delicious desserts include a Blackcurrant & Clotted Cream Ice Cream or a zesty slice of Lemon Drizzle Cake! All of these and more are included in our special Summer Menu Pack at just £26.95. Order today and we’ll deliver a FREE Cream Tea for Two with every menu pack sold. Wiltshire Farm Foods meals are not only full of flavour but also wholesome and nutritionally well balanced. There are over 250 tempting dishes to choose from, you can be sure of finding plenty to enjoy. Special dietary needs are also catered for including Diabetic, Gluten Free and more.

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Gazette & Diary Magazine:

Fun in the sun with all the bells and whistles To observe at close range the grazing habits of the Majorcan goat, it's essential to find a good vantage point. Mine was the infinity pool at our holiday villa, set in a parcel of rural tranquillity in the south-east of the island, which afforded a perfect view of the resilient goats as they foraged for some elusive green shoots. Such fascinating entertainment was just the right pace for a lazy villa holiday. And these goats don't only provide a pleasant visual backdrop for unwinding British holidaymakers in this corner of Majorca. They also act as a reliable alarm clock. Every morning we awoke to - or were perhaps awakened by? the tinkling of the bells tied round their necks. Then after dark the tolling of those bells made a comforting backing track as we relaxed with a bottle of wine under the stars on the villa's terrace. But the real bell-ringer was that this pastoral idyll was just half a mile from a stretch of coastline with plenty of shops, beaches, bars and restaurants. It really was the best of both worlds. After two days of acclimatising while enjoying the sights and sounds of Palma, Majorca's vibrant capital, four of us piled into a hire car and headed east for a week of R&R courtesy of villa holiday specialist Mallorca Farmhouses, who promise stunning locations and luxurious furnishings at all their 100 properties. Ours was close to the popular resort of Cala d'Or and to find it from the main road we had to locate a gap in a stone wall, follow a rough track and then slide open a heavy wooden gate before driving round the edge of a field and up a bumpy drive lined with palm trees. First impressions count when you arrive at a holiday home but we needn't have worried because there, at the end of the drive, was a splendid, stylish, spacious villa, recently built in the Moorish style and enjoying a commanding position looking out across the goat fields to the sparkling Mediterranean. Inside there's a decent kitchen, a huge living/dining room with comfy sofas and four well-proportioned bedrooms, all with modern en-suite bathrooms. But it's the outside areas which really ticked the boxes: a large tiled terrace - half of it covered with sun loungers surrounding the gorgeous pool, an outhouse with large barbecue area as well as a very convenient loo, and a double garage with a table tennis table. Add in the mature shrubs, neat stone walling and (green) grassy area, and you have the perfect platform for a family break. During our week there, a favourite "circuit" consisted of a rigorous hour of table tennis (don't underestimate how much energy you will expend) followed by a cooling dip in the pool and then a sprawl on the sunbeds with a glass or two of cold liquid nearby. While there's no real reason why you couldn't spend a whole week following this sort of routine, we felt that would have been a little too insular. An obvious need to get out and about to buy in supplies led us to the compact supermarket just half a mile away, which stocked everything we could possibly need, including some fabulous fresh seafood, excellent fruit and vegetables and cases of San Miguel beer at the unbeatable price of less than £1 a litre. And with plenty of good Spanish wine available for £3 or £4 a bottle, it's no surprise that the car was groaning on the way back to the villa. Cala d'Or has expanded over recent years and now embraces a succession of sandy coves which are popular with sunbathers and swimmers. But the more adventurous can find quieter havens. We drove for five miles along a tiny winding country lane which came to an abrupt halt in a rough car park from which steps led down to a glorious tree-lined inlet with beach bar and sunbeds for hire - and it was relatively uncrowded. You won't find virgin coastline in this part of Majorca! For us villa-dwellers the main attraction in Cala d'Or was the marina with its up-market yachts surrounded by a plethora of bars and restaurants, most offering alfresco waterside dining. The

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spectrum ranges from good-quality pizzerias to sophisticated places serving top-end cuisine. We found - and kept going back to - a superb tapas restaurant where the limited menu, as opposed to the huge lists offered by many others, was a strong hint that quality came first. How right we were: the dates with bacon, crispy chicken salad, prawns with garlic, octopus, meatballs and spicy peppers padron were simple but wonderfully tasty. Other highlights down at the marina included a popular bar run by a laid-back lady from Lancashire where live televised English cricket was an escapist pleasure for many holidaying husbands, and a Hawaiian-style cocktail bar offering outrageously crafted combinations in over-the-top surroundings. Venturing north away from the coast one morning, we drove up the excruciatingly twisty, narrow road to the sanctuary of Sant Salvador, perched 500 metres above sea level on the top of a mountain of the same name. Dating back to 1348, the monks have long gone but Mass is still celebrated weekly and the café does a roaring trade thanks to visitors who come here to enjoy the truly breathtaking views of almost the whole island. With lunchtime looming, we headed to Porto Colom, a fishing

village set around a deep natural harbour which was named in honour of Christopher Columbus, who is reputed to have been born here. It's also linked to King Juan Carlos of Spain who apparently often visits its best restaurant, but we settled for a good three-course lunch for 15 euros a head at a modest but well-run establishment on the harbourside. South of Cala d'Or, on the way to the popular twin beaches of Cala Mondrago, situated in a nature reserve, lies pretty Portopetro, which has retained its old-world character including whitewashed cottages and genuine "local" restaurants. A little further south in charming Cala Figuera, where fishermens' houses line the picturesque inlet, we enjoyed an excellent lunch of locally caught seafood. It was wonderful to have so many places to visit within a short drive of our holiday home, but the best days were probably those spent at our own pace (ie slow) in the comfort of the villa. This southeasterly corner of Majorca, with its reliable climate, rural vistas and range of attractions, has more than justified its position as an attractive destination for British holidaymakers. My advice is to select a nice villa in a quiet spot but close to amenities, then lie back and unwind. Camp de Mar beach, Majorca.


Your new guide to the finer things in life

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Gazette & Diary Magazine:

YOUR LIFE IN THE STARS By Cassandra Nye Aries (March 21 - April 20)

Taurus (April 21 - May 21)

Some changes have already started in the way that you see your life. There is a lot to think about. Perhaps there is a feeling that you could be doing better, but it is not clear how. Take a step back and remind yourself of where you want to be. Two years ago where were you going? Do you still want to follow that path? You can start, this week, to get back on the right track.

Although you don't expect things to always go your way, last week may have been a bit of a surprise. Circumstances can change from day to day at the moment and you need a clear picture of where you are heading. Others may cast doubts on your ideas but remember this: what you are is not what others see but what you feel inside. There is much for you to be pleased about.

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Your new guide to the finer things in life

you can tidy up your life. Start by getting finances buttoned down and then go on to your love life. Too many complications are time-wasting and exhausting. Overall a simple love life is an enjoyable one. Rid yourself of any negative feelings by dealing with them.

Virgo (August 24 - September 23) There is a strong spiritual feel to this week. In a practical sense it could mean that you want to make peace with someone you have been uncomfortable with. Your thoughts have been deeper than usual and there is a sense that there has to be more to your life than 'this'. The need to progress at home and in your business is strong and you can achieve much. Just put in some relaxation time!

Libra (September 24 - October 23) Instead of just meandering along this week, make a point of doing something to improve your lot. This could mean dealing with finances or maybe getting more exercise. Look around and see what it is in your life that needs dealing with or tidying up. It is amazing how much difference getting rid of negative feelings makes. With your new-found purpose, why not take time out at the weekend?

Scorpio (October 24 - November 22) There is a need to be outspoken and honest with yourself and others this week. If you don't then frustration could set in. Having a quiet day with time to relax is important, as is looking after your health. Avoid putting off any health checks, even if it is just a chat with your doctor. A romantic meeting may have to be delayed, although you should keep communications open.

Sagittarius (November 23 December 21) A change of attitude from someone close has rather thrown you of late. Until you understand what is going on there is little chance to change it. Taking time out to think things through can make all the difference. On a lighter note, a practical issue that was worrying you is suddenly solved. Sometimes the simplest answer is the best one. Luck is on your side at the weekend.

Capricorn (December 22 - January 20) Having done well recently you could take a more relaxed attitude this week. However, there is likely to be an opportunity coming up that you really should not miss. Someone who wants something from you may try to

take advantage of your good nature to strike a bargain. Make sure that it is also a good move for you. Relatives are a source of fun, especially at the weekend.

Aquarius (January 21 - February 19) As you are probably not in the mood to be practical, it is good that you do not currently seek perfection. This could be a bit of an oddball week, but enjoyable nonetheless. Meeting up with a quirky character makes you smile. The emphasis is on helping others rather than yourself and this tips the scales. You no longer worry about small personal setbacks, having a more balanced picture.

Pisces (February 20 - March 20) An offer that seems too good to be true could be just that. However, negotiations could see things go more in your favour. Nothing seems to be black and white this week but that does make life more interesting! Should you have a rival for your affections, a decision could be coming closer. If you want more time, then play for it now rather than leave it until the last minute.

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Some of the cricketing legends of the world Cricket has become very popular with nearly 2 billion people. Some great cricketers have appeared surpassing the finest abilities and performing exceptionally well compared to the others. Cricket is a game of skill and wits needing strength, intelligence, skills and fast reaction time. 1.Sir Donald Bradman (Australia) Sir Donald Bradman is known to be the greatest batsman of all time. Bradman`s Test career batting average was 99.94 spanning over 52 matches.He also know as "The Don", he has scored the highest test innings in his performance in the third Test of the 1930 Ashes series at Headingley. He scored a century on the first morning and added another between lunch and tea, finishing the day on 309. He was then dismissed for 334. 2.Sachin Tendulkar (India) Sachin Tendulkar is the secondbest batsmen of all time. Scoring 12,027 runs, he surpassed Brian Lara`s runs as the highest run scorer in Test matches. The "Little Master" has played 153 Tests gaining 39 centuries and 51 fifties, with an average of 54.28.The top score being 248 against Bangladesh during 2004. 3. Sir Vivian Richards (West Indies) Sir Vivian Richards was aggressive batsman and off-spin bowler. He played 121 Tests between 1974 and 1991 gaining 24 centuries and 45 fifties, with a batting average of 50.23. His highest Test score was 291 against England in The Oval during 1976. The WestIndian legendary scored 36000 first class runs with 114 centuries. Players rate him the best ever player of genuine quick bowling. Took 32 Test wickets, at an average of 61.37. He was very popular for not wearing a helmet ●

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4.Brian Lara (West Indies)

8. Steve Waugh (Australia) Lara played 131 Test between 1990 and 2007 in which he scored 34 centuries and 48 fifties. His career runs of11,953. Lara recorded the highest individual Test score, 400 not out against England in 2004.

5.Alan Border (Australia) Border was the former captain of Australia and is the first batsman in the test cricket to score 11000. He scored 11174 runs with an average of 50.56. Regarded as one of the best captain for Australia. He led Australia in 93 matches and Australia could win their first world cup championship in 1987 under his captaincy. .The award for Australian player of the year has been named after Alan border. He is now a member of Australian cricket hall of Fame. 6.Shane Warne (Australia) One of the bestever leg spinners, He played 145 Tests between 1992 and 2007. He took 708 wickets which is one of the highest wickets at an average of 25.41, including 37 5-wicket hauls in an innings and 10 ten-wicket matches. His best Test figures were 8-71 against England in 1994. 7.Sunil Gavaskar (India) Gavaskar is legendary in test cricket. One of the best batsmen as he has over 10000 runs in test cricket at an average of 51.12. He dominated his era of cricket getting many successes. He could stand againist the fastest west indian bowlers. He was also a wicketkeepers taking over 100 catches. He has over 3000 runs in one day cricket with an average of 35.13. Due to hes excellent run scoring ability he was called “Run Machine”.

July / August

Steve Waugh is a great cricketer. He was a great batsman and even a greater captain. Under his captaincy, Australia had the best time in cricket history. He could also bowl well and got a decent number of wickets. What is so great about Steve Waugh was that he could perform well both in Test and One day cricket. For more than five years, he was the captain of Australian team (19992004). In 168 Test matches he scored 10927 runs (Average: 51.06) and in 325 one day matches (ODIs) he scored 7569 (Average: 32.90). He is among the few batsmen in the world to score more than 30 (32) centuries in Test Cricket. He had literally the nerve of steel and under his captaincy; Australia won World Cup twice and defeated all the other countrie 9.Sir Garfield StAuburn Sobers (West Indies) Gary Sobers was said to be most influential cricketers of his time. This legendary cricketer is regarded as the best all-rounder of all time. Sobers scored over 8000 with an average of 57.78. His career runs in test cricket was the record for that time. He scored 26 centuries and with such a record in batting he also served his team taking 235 wickets in his career. In 2000 he was named as one of the five “Wisden Crickets of the Century”. In 1975 he was awarded the Knight by Queen Elizabeth. 10. Sir Ian Botham (England) Botham was the best English cricketer during the 1980s and one of the best all-rounders. His 102-Test career (1977-92) saw him score 5200 runs and take 383 wickets. Although his top score of 208 came against India in 1982, his most memorable innings was 149 not out at Headingley in 1981. Coupled with Bob Willis` remarkable 843, Botham`s innings helped England to a victory over Australia..

English Cricketer's Nicknames Marcus Trescothick = Banger (Loves eating sausages apparently) Michael Vaughan = Vaughny!!!!! and Virgil (Thunderbirds) Andrew Flintoff = Freddie (After Freddie Flintstone the cartoon character) Derek Randall = Arkle (Reflects his speed when fielding) Ashley Giles = King of Spain ( Ashley ordered several coffee mugs to be made to sell to raise money in his testimonial year. Apparently they were to have read ' The King of Spin' . They didn't and the rest is history as they say) Robert Russell = Jack (Excellent wicketkeeper/ batsman for Gloucestershire and England. Also an excellent painter) Phil Tufnell = The Cat (Phil liked taking naps) Chris Old was known as Chilli (C Old) Graham Dilley was known as Picca Graham Gooch of course was Zap (Emilio Zapata moustache) W.G. Grace - the Doctor Ian Botham = Beefy Paul Collingwood = Nice Ginger Kevin Pietersen = K.P. Keith Fletcher = The Gnome of Essex Derek Underwood - Deadly

10 cricket facts 1. English cricketer WG Grace (1848-1915) was nearly 47 when he scored his 100th first-class century. 2. The Oval and Lord’s cricket grounds were requisitioned for military use during the first world war. 3. The first women’s Test was held in Brisbane in December 1934 – England won by nine wickets. The earliest recorded women’s match took place on June 26, 1745, between Hambledon and Bramley. 4. In 1952, Len Hutton became the first professional captain of the England team. 5. The third stump was introduced in 1775. This came about after Five of England's Edward "Lumpy" Stevens bowled the ball clean through the last Five of Hambledon batsman's stumps without dislodging the bails - not once but three times, in May 1775. Nowadays it is very unlikely for a ball to pass through and not dislodge a bail. 6. The first recorded lbw (leg before wicket) dismissal took place in 1795. 7. In December 1881, Billy Midwinter became the first player to represent both England and Australia. 8. A cricket bat which belonged to Jack Brown, who used it to help England win the Ashes in March 1895, was valued at £15,000 on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow programme held at Lord's in 1996. 9. The slowest 100 in Test history - 488 minutes - was made by Peter Richardson for England against South Africa in 1956. 10. In 1980, Ian Botham became the first England player to achieve the Test double of 1,500 runs and 150 wickets.


Your new guide to the finer things in life

July 2011 Thu 21 - Mon 25

10:00 GMT, 11:00 local

England v India 1st Test - England vs India Lord's, London

Fri 29 - Tue 02

10:00 GMT, 11:00 local

England v India 2nd Test - England vs India Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Wed 10 - Sun 14

10:00 GMT, 11:00 local

England v India 3rd Test - England vs India Edgbaston, Birmingham

Thu 18 - Mon 22

10:00 GMT, 11:00 local

England v India 4th Test - England vs India Kennington Oval, London

Thu 25

09:45 GMT, 10:45 local

England v Ireland Only ODI - England vs India Castle Avenue, Dublin

Wed 31

19:00 GMT, 20:00 local

England v India Only T20I - England vs India Old Trafford, Manchester

August 2011

Top 10 books - paperback 1. The Family 2. The Distant Hours 3. When God was a Rabbit 4. Port Mortuary 5. The Passage 6. The Fry Chronicles 7. Bad Boy 8. Life : Keith Richards 9. Jump 10. Mercy

Martina Cole Kate Morton Sarah Winman Patricia Cornwell Justin Cronin Stephen Fry Peter Robinson Keith Richards Jilly Cooper Jussi Adler-Olsen

Book review of the month NYPD detective Jacob Kanon is on a tour of Europe's most gorgeous cities. But the sights aren't what draw him - he sees each museum, each cathedral, and each cafe through the eyes of his daughter's killer.

Now Kanon teams up with the Swedish reporter, Dessie Larsson, who has just received a postcard in Stockholm and they think they know where the next victims will be. This is one of Patterson's

Kanon's daughter, Kimmy, and her

most vivid

boyfriend were murdered while on

and

vacation in Rome. Since then, young

compelling

couples in Paris, Copenhagen, Frankfurt,

thriller yet.

and Stockholm have been found dead. Little connects the murders, other than a postcard to the local newspaper that precedes each new victim. â—?

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â—?

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Give me a home on the range RAGLAN FORD

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Down on the prairie, something is stirring. A new style is coming our way faster than you can say ‘Yee-ha!’ Banish that celluloid vision of tumbleweed, bunk beds and bare board ranch houses – traditional home to the tough Wild West cowboy. This is a liveable look for today that embraces the softer side of rustic, with bleached wood and colour in woven blankets, Navajo rugs and reclaimed treasures. “It’s a style that says ‘home’ wherever you are,” says author Fifi O’Neill, who celebrates it in her own house with folksy charm and an almost tangible welcoming atmosphere.

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floor – plywood given a distressed paint finish – to a carved mantel as a focal point with a grate filled with artfully arranged foliage and branches. It’s a winning decor effect for those who are on a budget (and these days who isn’t!) and attracted so many fans that O’Neill has distilled the essence into a new book, Romantic Prairie Style. Although French-born, 20 years ago she fell in love with vast plains and the sweeping grasslands of Canada and America, where originally many European immigrants created humble dwellings which, depending on their location, took on a variety of designs from ranches and cabins to cottages and farmhouses. “Those homes all share

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Old Hereford Road, Abergavenny

or email askyrme@hotmail.com

and Chimney Repair

Lawnmowers • Chainsaws • Garden Machinery

Free quotations & machinery collection for Abergavenny and Monmouth areas

Tel: 07703 237381 01873 810424 01633 430342

New Roofs, Slate and Tiles, uPVC Fascias and

RIDE-ON MOWERS FREE DEMONSTRATIONS

Machine hire & sales • Patio & deck cleaning • Street furniture cleaning Bus shelter maintenance • Graffiti & domestic drains • Interior/exterior commercial cleaning • Repairs to all makes of pressure washers

Cars, Vans & Motorcycle (Free Retest) Servicing & Reairs all makes

Guttering, Repairs and Maintenance, Leadwork

H. Waters & Sons

SERVICE AGENT

domestic and comercial landscape contractors, fencing, gate, decking, patios, drives and turfing.

landscapes ltd

Roofing Contractor

BLACKWOOD CHAINSAWS

Avon Jet Wash

Bailey Bros MOT TEST CENTRE

M. PREECE Free Estimates

whisper- soft colours, romantic accents, eloquent objects and a ‘do it yourself’ attitude.” Quaint shutters are made from the doors of an old armoire, pillow cases are hand-made from vintage fabrics and outdoor metal furniture is given a gleaming finish with metal paint, making it elegant enough for a bedroom. “Peaceful, uncomplicated and comforting, this barn is my prairie escape, my simpler life,” says O’Neill. “I’m surrounded by treasures I’ve rescued from markets and second-hand shops. “If you surround yourself with the things you love, you can’t help but have a home in which you feel content.”

Greenline

FIREWOOD FOR SALE

For a free quotation call 01495 772 142 / 07773 028 494 or visit our website on

C.H.I.

common characteristics, among them a love and respect for traditions and honest materials, a need for tranquility and simplicity and a spontaneity of design, be it rustic, refined or understated chic,” she says. “What’s so liberating and appealing is that prairie-style decorating doesn’t answer to a set of rules but spells freedom and creativity – the only essentials are conjuring a personal sense of comfort and beauty. What could be easier?” Settler-style resourcefulness and necessity work hand-in-hand in O’Neill’s world. “My own taste leans toward a refined rusticity, a look easily accomplished with pre-loved pieces,

CLIVE FRANCIS Dorrell Oliver Ltd Tech Cert (Arbor.A.)

All aspects of Tree Work Undertaken Arboricultural Contractor Report Writing and Consultancy 8 Western Road, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, NP7 7AA Tel: 01873 859273 Mobile: 07976 515 722 e-mail: clive4trees@aol.com

chartered accountants Linden House, Monk Street, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire NP7 5NF Tel: 01873 852113 Fax: 01873 858523 www.dorrells.co.uk

✦ ACCOUNTANCY ✦ AUDIT ✦ TAX ADVICE FOR NEW BUSINESSES ●

Celtic Computer Systems New Laptops with manufacturers 12 mth warranties wherever you are in the UK starting from £399 incl. VAT with legal software

BEST BROADBAND DEAL! go to www.utilitysavers.org.uk Servicing, Repairs, Updates, Virus Problems

Reduced pricing on legal Microsoft Office with CD and licence

Clean up junk, erase confidential information

Not just added to computer as other suppliers do

Telephone: 01873 858111 email: celticcomputers@uwclub.net

www.celticcomputers.co.uk

The Summer Issue

July / August

31



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