The Winter Issue November / December Issue 20 / 2012 £1.50 - where sold
FREE
e With thnny ve Aberga icle n o r h C
■ Style & Fashion ■ Homes and Gardens ■ Local Events ■ Call the Experts ■ Preparing for Christmas ... and much more ...
Sugar Loaf Catering ●
www.sugarloafcatering.co.uk
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Please call 01873 737755
Christmas Menu 2012
Lunchtime Christmas Menu
Three Course £21.00 per person
Two Courses £14.00 per person Three Courses £16.50 per person
Menu available Lunchtime and Evening Basket of Rustic Bead on Each Table
Christmas Finger Buffet 2012 £7.50 per head A Selection of sandwiches to include the following Fillings: Prawn and Marie Rose Sauce Egg and Watercress Turkey and Stuffing Y-Fenni cheese and chutney A selection of wraps to include the following fillings: Honey Roast Ham, salad and tomato Brie and cranberry Honey and mustard Cocktail Sausages Leek and caerphilly savoury tarts BBQ chicken skewers Mince Pies Selection of H J Edwards award winning pies
STARTER Pea and Mint Soup with Crème frachie Chicken Liver Pate with pendenderyn whisky Garlic mushrooms in a white wine & creamy garlic sauce served with local soda bread King prawns skewers with lime and coriander served with salad and homemade chilli jam MAIN Roast Turkey with sage and onion stuffing, sausage and apple stuffing, pigs in blankets and roast Potatoes Fillet of salmon with sautéed leeks and cockles with white wine and chive sauce Belly Pork stuffed with caramelised onions with a sage mustard and red wine sauce Pant-ys-gawn goats cheese and mediterranean vegetable filo basket with caramelised red onions (v) All Main Courses served with seasonal vegetables and potatoes DESERTS Christmas pudding with brandy sauce Cheese Plates with homemade chutneys and homemade oatcakes Homemade Chocolate brownie with honeycomb ice cream and mulled fruit compote Plus Tea, Coffee &Mince Pies Prices includes table covering, napkins, crackers, crockery & cutlery, staff to set up serve and clear. Please ensure adequate setting up time at your chosen venue. For Local venues please see our website – www.sugarloafcatering.co.uk A kitchen area to serve from is required.
If the two course option is wanted the whole party must order the same two courses – either starter & main course or main & Desert Menu available at lunchtime only Basket of Rustic Bread on Each Table
STARTER Leek, Potato and chive soup with Crème fraiche Ham hock terrine with spiced apple chutney Oak roast salmon fish cakes served with salad and homemade chilli jam Melon and fresh fruit with sorbet
MAIN Roast turkey with all the trimmings Fresh baked with mediterranean vegetables with a herb crust and a saffron sauce served Slow cooked wye valley beef in red wine and mushroom sauce with chive and mash Leek and goats cheese puff pastry tart with caramelised onions and a mustard dressing All main courses served with Seasonal Vegetables and potatoes
DESERTS Homemade christmas puddings with brandy sauce A selection of welsh cheese and homemade chutneys and oatcakes White and dark chocolate roulade served with a mulled fruit compote Tea / coffee served with homemade mince pies Plus Tea, Coffee &Mince Pies Prices includes table covering, napkins, crackers, crockery & cutlery, staff to set up serve and clear. Please ensure adequate setting up time at your chosen venue.
We now have a new easy to use online shop, with pictures of all our meals at
www.chefinthefreezer.co.uk
2 ways to order Over the phone by calling: 07814401117 Online at: www.foodworkshopabergavenny.co.uk
Tel: 07814401117
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Email: Foodworkshopltd@gmail.com
Welcome... Inside...
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Welcome to the November issue of the Gazette and Diary which as always is jam packed with interesting articles and local features. With everyone gearing up for a sparkling bonfire night we have some top tips about how to stay safe and sound and looking further ahead to Christmas some great ideas for gifts for the whole family. With the dark nights upon us what better way to spend a few hours than with a mug of steaming hot chocolate and your Gazette and Dairy.
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Page 07 Spotlight on Abergavenny Market Page 05 Abergavenny Christmas Food Festival
Page 09 Germany's Christmas Markets
DESIGNERS: Dave Simkiss dave.simkiss@nwn.co.uk
ADVERTISING: Jenna Hopkins ext 35 For information on how to advertise in our next issue, contact: advertising@tindlenews.co.uk or telephone 01873 852187 ext 35
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Page 17 Watching the birdies this Autumn
The Abergavenny Chronicle
John Gaulton john.gaulton@nwn.co.uk
Page 22 Create the bedroom of your dreams
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Page 12 Christmas Charity
In association with
Page 20 Time to call in the architects
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.
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Page 26 Bonfire Night Safety
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
CHEPSTOW SUNDAY MEERKAT?
Car Boots Restarted! Traders from all over Great Britain attend this market ● Large Car Park & Coach Park ● Picnic Area and Kiddie’s Inflatables ● Coach Parties Welcome
E.D. MARKETS ☎ 077680 00854 ●
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Festive Feasting all wrapped up at the Abergavenny Food Festival Christmas Food & Drink Fair You’re already planning ahead for the perfect festive celebrations and looking forward to time out with friends and family. The third Abergavenny Food Festival Christmas Food and Drink Fair takes place on Sunday 9 December (10.00am – 5.00pm) Sponsored by Brewin Dolphin - one of the UK’s largest independent private client investment managers - it’s your chance to get everything sorted on the culinary front. With over ninety hand-picked exhibitors, the focus is firmly on Christmas food (no tinsel side-shows). Entry is via a stroller ticket - just £3.50 for adults, but entirely free for children if accompanied by an adult. Buy online at www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com and through the Borough Theatre (01873 850805) from 6 November. But your stroller ticket doesn’t just buy access to the markets. There’s also a rolling programme of free seasonal chef dems in the Market Hall on the Robert Price Kitchen Stage featuring local talent alongside some festival regulars. These bite-size sessions (half-an-hour) giving you a chance to draw inspiration from culinary class acts.
On the Sunday The Angel Hotel will host four events in the stunning ballroom. First up: Paul Grimwood of Ultracomida and Spanish wine expert Jose Velo-Rego of C & D Wines for a sampling of the sherries and fortified wines of Jerez and Malaga alongside artisan foods imported from Spain. Then Lindy Wildsmith of the Chef’s Room Cookery School, Blaenavon introduces simple and delicious treats that can be made in advance and served at the drop of a hat. Great for advance party planning. Whisky evangelist Eddie Ludlow offers a unique opportunity to taste the Whisky Lounge’s current Single Cask Series - ‘a different flavour conundrum waiting to be unlocked’; and Master chocolatier Barry Colenso journeys from bean to bar through the art and science of chocolate making – including tempering and decoration.
availability for these special events. Remember, box office goes live on 6 November. More details and times online at www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com
■ Matt Tebbutt
■ Jane Baxter
■ James Sommerin
Tempted to taste? Limited ticket
Fancy dishing up pot-roasted pheasant for instance? Matt Tebbutt, chef-proprietor of The Foxhunter and presenter of Channel 4’s ‘Food Unwrapped’ shows you how. Jane Baxter of the award-winning Riverford Field Kitchen has a traditional fish recipe that’s perfect for feeding large numbers: salmon in pastry with currants and ginger - a smart solution for Boxing Day; and ‘WineChap’ Tom Harrow says be bold, and comes up with surprise wines to pair with festive food. Michelin Star chef James Sommerin (Crown at Whitebrook) takes inspiration from abroad to conjure up ‘something completely different’; Simon King of 1861 deconstructs Christmas pudding; Iain Sampson (head chef, The Bear, Crickhowell) goes game with venison; and Roisin Ballinger (The Burren Bread Company) whips up a last minute Christmas Cake. There’s also a complementary programme of special individually ticketed Tutored Tastings priced between £6.00 and £7.50. Take time out from shopping and join some very special culinary bright lights as they create fabulous festive treats for you to sample in a relaxed and intimate environment. There’s just one event on the Saturday evening. Join Tom Harrow aka ‘WineChap’ and top affineur Eric Charriaux who’ll be pairing white wines with cheese in the Homes of Elegance fabulous showrooms in Mill Street. ●
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Hotel - Restaurant - Wedding Venue - Events
Johnny Trashed
Tribu te Nigh t
‘A Tribute to the man in Black’
Wedding Fayre The Park Hotel is the perfect setting for your wedding day and evening celebration. With a romantic back drop for the perfect photographic images to capture and remember your special day.
Friday 12th October 2012
Sunday 28th October 2012
£20 per person including a Two Course dinner and entertainment, 7pm - midnight
For more information please contact Hilarys Floral Design 01873 853086
An Evening with
Karen Carpenter
Tribu te Nigh t
Friday 30th November 2012 £25 per person including a Two Course Dinner
7pm – 12 midnight Menu available, bookings advisable
Christmas
Party Nights Live tribute band and 2 course festive dinner £25 per person 7pm until midnight
For more information please contact Jane or Jemma on 01873 890271 or visit our website www.theparkhotelwales.com 06
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ABERGAVENNY Spotlight on Abergavenny Market aAbergavenny Market Hall, modern-day venue for everything from the Tuesday produce market to fair trade events, antiques and craft fairs, farmer’s markets and the internationally-acclaimed annual Food Festival, boasts a fascinating history. The town’s first market place occupied a wedge of land alongside Nevill Street.
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.
In the early 17th century a timber-framed market house was built in the middle of Cross Street opposite the main entrance to the present-day covered market and town hall. By the end of the 18th century, however, it was in a decayed state and obstructing traffic and the decision was taken to demolish it.
ESDAY, ERY TUE ETS EVE MARKE YS TURDAY Y & SAT ESDAY,, FRIDAY WEDNE
The Abergavenny Improvement Commissioners, who controlled the affairs of the town from 1794 to 1894, instituted a new courtyard produce market on the site of the present building in 1796. Two pubs, The Dog and Bull and the Plume of Feathers, and four shops were pulled down to accommodate it. The market had a classical front, a covered corn market and an open courtyard surrounded by stalls, let at a monthly rent of £1.11s.6d. As well as corn, the goods sold there included flour, meat, fish, poultry, butter, cheese and vegetables. The building was designed by John Nash - who later became famous as George IV’s own architect and for creating Regent Street, The Haymarket Theatre and Brighton Pavilion as well as many other landmarks. The old town wall at the back was raised to 14 feet to protect the market from the north wind. By the middle of the 19th century, despite improvements made over the years, it was decided that the Nash building was proving too costly to maintain and that there was still insufficient space undercover and a decision was taken to completely rebuild. The architects chosen were Wilson and Wilcox of Bath.
Craft Fairs Sun day 10th November
The new market hall with the town hall in front, in the style of the continental Hotel de Ville, was built from 1869-71. It was a dramatic statement of Victorian civic pride and prosperity.
Antique Fair
Geoff Harris 01873 735811
The clock was donated by Crawshay Bailey, the ironmaster who lived at Llanfoist. Its verdigris tower is now a landmark from all the surrounding hills. The clock has four faces, three white and one black, the latter apparently in remembrance of Queen Victoria’s late husband, Prince Albert.
Sun day 18th November
Today the impressive building retains its Victorian ‘character’ - but over the years the main Tuesday produce market has extended both its range of goods and its size. Stalls now sell clothes, books, cakes, sweets, flowers, plants, vegetables, toys, crockery and kitchenware, jewellery and other accessories, shoes, textiles and a host of other goods.
Thursday 22n d November
Far mers Market
The Coach & Horses Inn S MENU CHRISTMA
For further details contact
STARTERS
LEEK AND POTATO SOUP DUCK PATE SERVED WITH A SPICED PLUM COMPOTE, AND TOAST SALMON & ASPARAGUS ROULADE, WITH A LEMON AND CAPER DRESSING SUNDRIED TOMATO, BASIL & RICOTTA MOUSSE WITH PARMESSAN CRISPS
MAIN COURSES
ROAST TURKEY WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS BREAST OF VENISON WITH A CRANBERRY STUFFING AND PARSNIP MASH TUNA STEAK WITH ROASTED MED VEGETABLE AND RED PEPPER PESTO POTATO GNOCCHI WITH ASPARAGUS & ROASTED CHESTNUTS, WITH A CREAMY MUSHROOM SAUCE
DESSERTS
CHRISTMAS PUDDING WITH BRANDY SAUCE MILK CHOCOLATE & BUTTERSCOTCH ALASKA CHOCOLATE & CHERRY TERRINE WITH AN ORANGE LIQUOUR SAUCE CHEESE AND BISCUITS (£1 supplement)
Tracey & Ken extend a warm welcome to customers old and new A great atmosphere and friendly staff await you
Christmas Eve lunch 12-3pm - Evening drinks only
Christmas Day 12-2 drinks only
Boxing Day lunch 12-3pm - Evening drinks only
New Years Eve lunch 12-3 - Evening drinks only Free karaoke till late
facebook us Coach and Horses, Llangynidr
New Years Day lunch 12-3 - Evening meals 6-9
Tea or Coffee with a mince pie to finish
2 courses £15.95
3 courses £19.95
Cwm Crawnon Road, Llangynidr, NP8 1LS Telephone: 01874 730235 For more information contact us on: info@coachandhorses.org ●
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Christmas dinner with all the trimmings and not a saucepan in sight What more could you want for Christmas? Christmas is a time for relaxing, so leave mealtimes to us. We have created a range of classic Christmas meals and desserts to celebrate the festive season that will really excite your taste-buds, all delivered by your regular local driver. Our Hearty Roast Turkey with all the trimmings, followed by a Luxury Christmas Pudding, is the perfect choice for a winter meal. If you fancy something different this Christmas, we offer a delicious Steak in Creamy Pepper Sauce - tender feather steak with creamy pepper sauce, thyme roast potatoes, carrots & Romano beans. For dessert our Sherry Trifle is sure to hit the spot, layers of silky custard, fruity raspberry jelly and sherry soaked sponge, topped with cream. A delicious way to celebrate the season! The Wiltshire Farm Foods Service Established for more than 20 years, Wiltshire Farm Foods creates and delivers a delicious range of frozen meals that can be cooked in minutes. From the field, to the freezer, every detail is considered in order to offer nutrition, value, flavour and award-winning personal service. Ingredients are selected from carefullyapproved suppliers and are then prepared by a team of nutritionists and award-winning chefs in our Wiltshire kitchens. Once cooked, the meals are placed into handy trays that fit easily into the freezer, then frozen almost immediately to lock in the freshness.
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Convenience is a key part of the Wiltshire Farm Foods offering. All meals can be ordered over the phone or online. They’re then delivered by a friendly, local delivery driver, who is always happy to put meals away in the freezer for our customers, if preferred. With the freezer stocked up, a hot meal is only ever a few minutes away. Most dishes take 8-12 minutes in the microwave or 35 minutes in the oven. As they are cooked in their trays, there is no preparation, no pots and pans, just delicious meals to enjoy any time. So our customers can relax this Christmas and let Wiltshire Farm Foods do all the hard work! It’s the perfect yuletide treat. A Perfect Christmas Menu Our tasty festive recipes have been created by our talented chefs, ensuring that the meals combine nutritious, flavoursome ingredients with recipes ideal for the Christmas period. Wiltshire Farm Foods head chef Phil Rimmer explains: “This Christmas we have brought back lots of your seasonal favourites, and introduced some delicious new choices. I would recommend the Roast Pork with Cranberry and Nut Stuffing succulent pork loin with a port sauce, and seasonal vegetables, a great alternative to turkey. I do hope you enjoy the range.” To start you off, you might like to order our Christmas Selection Pack, with 6 festive meals and 4 desserts plus a free Christmas tea towel (available while stocks last) all for just £29.95! It’s a great way to try a variety of our favourite meals.
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Your Local Service Established 21 years ago, Wiltshire Farm Foods regularly delivers meals to many satisfied customers living throughout Abergavenny and surrounding towns and villages of Monmouthshire. Brian and Sara from Wiltshire Farm Foods Monmouth comments: “Whether it’s a simpleto-prepare, delicious main meal or pudding you’re after, you are sure to find many choices
to savour in our range. Our Christmas menu caters for diabetic and gluten free dietary needs too, so all our customers can enjoy our meals with confidence.” For a free copy of our Wiltshire Farm Foods Christmas Menu 2012 or to order the Christmas Selection Pack for £29.95 phone 01600 892855 or visit www.wiltshirefarmfoods.com to shop online. We look forward to hearing from you.
Treats galore in Germany’s super markets On a tour of Germany's best Christmas markets, Laura Wurzal hunts for unusual gifts. When it comes to Christmas shopping, few countries can hold a candle to Germany. Its traditional Christmas markets have been creating the wow factor for more than six centuries. Back in medieval times, end-of-year markets sprung up as social gatherings where people could enjoy a little excess before the onset of bitter weather. They traded preserved fruit, jams, home-made wine and heavy fruit cakes, all designed to keep families going during the long cold weeks ahead. It was only during the 15th century that these gatherings came to be identified with Christmas. Today, Germany's Christmas markets open on the first day of Advent in mid-November. In most places, the routine has hardly changed for a century or so. Set against the backdrop of beautiful historic cities, market squares bulge with beautifullydecorated wooden stalls full of traditional food, local delicacies, good quality hand-made goods and wooden traditional toys and decorations. Each region in Germany has its own style, so I targeted Thuringia, north of Bavaria and between Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. Tour operator Dertour fixed flights into Frankfurt for speedy ICE train links to Eisenach, Erfurt and Dresden. At Eisenach, with its wonderfully preserved Old Town, the Christmas market is in Wartburg Castle, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage building dating to 1067 and perched on top of a large hill overlooking the town. Here, in 1522, Martin Luther found refuge for 300 days after he was declared a heretic and
outlaw at the Diet of Worms. In secure and comfortable rooms, he translated the bible into German. Nearly five centuries later, this historic setting is perfect for the market, the stalls overladen with food, jewellery, clothes, glassware, sweets and hand-made Christmas decorations. One thing you don't find in most German Christmas markets are mass-produced cheap plastic toys. Everything is traditional and handmade regionally, the quality so high that even a 'little something' is likely to be treasured. We found Christmas pyramids, jewellery, candleholders from the Erzgebirge Mountains, indigo-dyed printed textile gifts, pottery, gingerbread, lace products, glass advent stars, blown glass tree decorations and hand puppets. Wood carvers, glass blowers and bakers demonstrated their skills and a cute 'bakery crèche' looked after the toddlers while parents shopped. Bakers showed the children how to make biscuit dough, rolling and cutting it into shapes at lightning fast speed. Stallholders in Victorian dress sell traditional wooden and tin toys, puppets, glassware, gifts and decorations. Incredible aromas abound from stalls selling crepes, hot waffles, sugar-roasted almonds, marzipan, nougat and baked apples. Many visitors to Dresden also find time for the nearby Meissen porcelain factory. On a guided tour, we saw how crockery, figurines, vases and even jewellery are created from a lump of clay.
The advantage of visiting Christmas markets with Dertour is that most packages are tailor-made, with hotels, restaurants, rail tickets, flights and car hire fixed to suit your individual timetable. The company is part of a mighty German conglomerate which has the muscle to deliver some keen prices at a time when many centres in Germany are heaving with tourists.
Key facts - German Christmas markets ■ Best for: Traditional, beautifully-made gifts. ■ Time to go: End of Oct to third week of Dec. ■ Don't miss: The Gluhwein at market stalls will fill you with Christmas spirit. ■ Need to know: Some German airports don't allow food products like jams, preserves, spices and home-made food in jars to be carried in hand luggage. Check beforehand. ■ Don't forget: Plenty of cash, plus winter coat and boots. It's very cold at this time of year.
We lunched at Meissen's oldest restaurant, the Vincenz Richter. The charming house was built in 1523 and in 1873 Richter, a general in the emperor's army, opened a family-run restaurant business which to this days serves wonderful, locally-sourced food.
Recipe Corner Enjoy a home made tipple this Christmas gMakes 24 Traditional Spiced Mulled Wine Ingredients: ● 2 bottles medium or full-bodied red wine (Bulgarian Cabernet Sauvignon is ideal) ● 1.5 litres water ● 1 orange, studded with 10 cloves ● 2 oranges and 2 lemons, sliced ● 6 tbsp sugar or honey ● 5cm cinnamon stick ● 2 tsp finely grated fresh root ginger ● 2 tbsp fruit liqueur such as cointreau, grand marnier, calvados or cherry brandy
lasse s 12 ha or l pint m fugs
Meathod: Mix all the mulled wine ingredients together in a slow cooker or a large saucepan. Heat very gently for about 20 minutes. Do not boil, or you will boil off the alcohol. Stir gently to ensure that the sugar or honey has dissolved. Serve with a ladle and keep warm over a low heat. ●
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Boost charity coffers this Christmas By Jeremy Gates
Money news, advice and predictions for savers and spenders. As savings rates collapse and share prices go sideways, even the wealthy are feeling the squeeze and cutting back on donations to charities and good causes. According to the Coutts Million Pound Donors Report published this week, compiled by private bankers Coutts & Co (its branches stretch from Sheffield to Exeter) and the University of Kent, the number of big donations in Britain hit a low in 2010, with only 174 handouts of £1 million or more. Entrepreneurs usually make their biggest gifts when they sell their companies - and those sales have slowed drastically during the recession. In 2010, high-net-worth individuals stumped up £782 million of donations. Meanwhile, the UK Giving 2011 report says the public gave £11 billion to charity in 2010/11, but the average amount given per month is falling.
charity to reclaim basic tax on a donation from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on the 'gross' figure, the amount before basic rate tax (20%) is deducted. For every one pound you donate, HMRC gives an extra 25p to charity. But CAF fears around £750 million of Gift Aid goes unclaimed each year. Rule two, says unbiased.co.uk, is to investigate Payroll Giving (Give As You Earn). Under the scheme, payments are taken from your salary by your employer before tax is deducted, so if an employee on basic rate tax at 20% donates £10, the actual cost is only £8. If 40% taxpayers donate £10, the cost of their donation is only £6. However, CAF, which works with donors, companies and charities to encourage a culture of giving, lists many other ways of help good causes.
In real terms, donations are worth £90 million less than the amount given in 2007/08, just before the recession hit.
They include: ■ Give as you shop: If you avoid busy high streets to do your shopping online, sign up to sites such as www.givingabit.com or www.giveasyoulive.com.
John Low, chief executive of the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), says: "It's really encouraging that despite sharp rises in cost of living, more people are supporting charities.
Retailers give these sites commission for directing people to their websites to make purchases and this is then donated to the charity of your choice. It's easy and free to sign up.
"Though the downturn means more people ask for help, charities are struggling against rising costs, so every pound is really needed."
Alternatively, if you are shopping on eBay this Christmas, small donations to charities can be made at the eBay checkout.
For anybody who donates to charity, says unbiased.co.uk, the professional advice website, the golden rule is to tick the box for Gift Aid - to enable a
■ Volunteering: You could help in a homeless shelter,
offer to visit someone living alone, or volunteer in your local charity shop.
The Bailey Bar & Kitchen 12 Hereford Road 01873 561 097
Bowl of Chilli with Bread & Cheese
£4.25
Tuna Salad Sandwich with a Kick, served with Fries £4.50 Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad £5.75 American Style Chicken Wings (6)- Piri Piri, BBQ , Garilc, Mayo, Sweet Thai Chilli, Sweet Curry, Hot or plain all with Celery and Blue Cheese Dip £4.50 (Ask About the Dragon Wing Challenge) American Slider(5oz Burger) With Cheese and Fries £5.00
ALL MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS SHOWN. 3D GLASSES AVAILABLE AT THE BAR.
POOL & DARTS LARGE PROJECTION SCREEN AND MULTIPLE FLAT SCREENS AROUND THE BAR.
Hellish Slider. Topped with Jalapenos Hot sauce and Cheese served with fries £5.25 Italian Stallion Sandwich. Grilled Ham, Pepperoni and Salami with Cheese served with fries £4.75
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Basket of fries £1.50
Chilli Cheese Fries £3.00
BAR OPENING TIMES
KITCHEN OPENING TIMES
Monday 4-11
Monday 4pm-9pm
Tuesday - Saturday 11am-11pm
Tuesday - Saturday 11:30am-9pm
Sunday 12 noon-10:30pm
Sunday 12 Noon-7pm
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or time poor, then you might get some ideas at www.helpfromhome.org. The site list various ways of helping charities from home and includes a "pyjama rating" which lets you judge how easily the activities can be done. ■
Update your phone with the latest charity apps: The Orange Do Some Good app helps locate charitable activities that take around five minutes from micro-volunteering to filling in a charity survey. Just visit the app store on your phone to download.
All money held in a CAF Charity Account receives Gift Aid automatically and can be directed to any good cause by using a charity chequebook, charity card, or going online through the CAF website. Cheques can also be used to sponsor friends and families taking part in sponsored events, or put in the collection plate at church.
For those who struggle to get out of bed each morning, the Let Give snooze app pledges a donation to charity every time you press the snooze button. Although it's only open for gifts to US charities at the moment, UK-based charities should be able to sign up soon.
A CAF Charity Account can be opened by setting up a direct debit for £10 or more a month, or a one off donation of £100. Alternatively, you can fund your account through Give As You Earn.
■ Pet presents: As we spend £100 million on Christmas gifts for pets, choose something suitable for a cuddly companion from a charity.
■ Give pennies: The Pennies Foundation's
electronic charity box allows you to donate 'loose change' when you pay with your card online, or in shops of participating retailers. All you need to do is click on the donate button. For more information, visit www.pennies.org.uk. ■ Give while you surf: Switch your search engine to everyclick.com and raise money for your favourite UK charity at no cost to you, or your charity. Everyclick.com donates 50% of its advertising revenue to charity. ■ Remember that helping charities can begin at home: If you are looking for ways to help charities but are cash
The Dogs Trust (www.dogstrust.org.uk) does a range of grooming products that make great presents, while Cats Protection has lots of present ideas with cats in mind. Animal welfare charities are always looking for toys, so you might buy an extra one and donate it to your local centre. ■ Buy gifts from charity shops: They are useful hunting grounds for gifts and generate vital income for charities. Many charities sell gifts which you can purchase from their website, such as tea towels or cushions, or you can
St. Mary’s Bakery Outside Catering:
Bar Menu Homemade Scotch Bonnet Salsa with Tortilla Chips £1.50
Applicants can put their postcode into a website to find nearby charities which need help and support. Two good websites to visit are www.timebank.org.uk or www.doit.org.uk. ■ Open a CAF Charity Account: The account operates rather like a bank account, but for charitable donations.
FREE WI-FI TUESDAY QUIZ & WING NIGHT STARTING SOON! DRAGON WING CHALLENGE COMING SOON (ASK STAFF FOR DETAILS)
20% OFF
November / December
MILITARY / EMERGENCY SERVICES ON FOOD WITH VALID I.D.
Delicious Finger Buffets for Birthdays, Christenings, Weddings, Funerals, Children’s Parties or business lunches. Whatever the Occasion we can put together a tasty selection of Sandwiches, Savouries, Fruits and confectionar y to your specification. No matter how large or small the order, buffets star t at just £3.75 per head. For more information pop into the bakery or call:
01873 268183 St. Mary’s Bakery, 15 Frogmore St, Abergavenny
buy food for a family, or help educate a child. To find a local charity shop, visit www.charityshops.org.uk/locator.
With Governor Money, one account offers access to multiple rates for savers who spread savings and cash ISA allowances.
■ Donate unwanted gifts to
charity shops: Gift Aid can now also be claimed by charity shops on items sold, so if you are a UK taxpayer ensure they are aware. They take your details and contact you to ensure that you are still a taxpayer when the donated item is sold. ■ Help a charity when you
switch your insurer: On the website www.donatesomeback.com, you can search a number of providers of home, car and personal cover which donate up to £25 to the charity of your choice when you switch your policy to them. ■ Always try to vote in building society AGMs, if a charity might benefit: Nationwide Building Society has given 20p per vote cast since 2006, with members supporting either Macmillan Cancer Support, Shelter or Alzheimer's Society.
The total raised so far is £1.14 million, with £203,237.40 raised from the 2011 AGM vote alone. Macmillan Cancer Support has earned £836,089 over four years of donations from the AGM member voting. ■ Open an account with Charity Bank: It acts like any other savings account, except that interest earned allows Charity Bank to offer affordable loans to charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises. For further details, visit www.charitybank.org.
John-Paul Booth, chief executive at Governor Money, says: "Overwhelmed for so long by low bases rate and inflation, it is perhaps not surprising savers have given up." Governor Money helps savers to spread money across short, medium and long-term products to take advantage of various rates and maintain flexibility. All banks and building societies available through Governor Money are protected by the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme. ■ Although the latest inflation figures show the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) fell in November from 5% to 4.8%, a basic rate taxpayer at 20% still needs to find a savings account paying 6% per annum, while a higher rate taxpayer at 40% needs to find an account paying 8%, to keep ahead of inflation, says Moneyfacts.co.uk.
Yet there isn't a single savings account for taxpayers which outpaces current tax and inflation levels, whether it is CPI at 4.8% or RPI at 5.2%. Inflation means that £10,000 invested five years ago, allowing for average interest and tax at 20%, has the spending power of just £9,210 today.
123 214 and www.cafonline.org; details of Give As You Earn can be found at at www.cafonline.org/giveasyouearn; Cats Protection (03000 121 212 and www.cats.org.uk.
Sylvia Waycot, at Moneyfacts.co.uk, says: "Today's rate of inflation means hundreds of thousands of savers need an account paying a staggering 6% before they earn a real rate of return on their savings, yet the average no notice savings account pays a miserly 0.93%.
Poundnotes ■ The latest research from Governor Money, the online cash savings platform, suggests savers lose as much as £12 billion a year in lost interest because of apathy and inertia.
"Already, some £800 has been wiped off the spending power of £10,000 in only five years. During the last year the number of accounts which beat inflation for basic rate taxpayers has dropped successively from 57 to nil, leaving many wondering why they save at all."
The analysis found almost half of savers think there's little point in searching for better deals with rates generally so low.
■ Britons who travel abroad or visit overseas websites for Christmas shopping could pocket an accumulative £8.6 million as my Travel Cash - the prepaid MasterCard currency card - gives customers the gift of cashback.
■ Information: Charities Aid Foundation (CAF): 03000
The average adult holds £13,520 in savings, with a third (34%) never moving their savings, either from a cash savings bank account or a savings product such as a cash ISA. Another 24% had only moved money once in their lifetime. Some 43% of savers said there was no point going to the hassle of switching accounts because of low rates, while only 3% of cash savers have moved money into shares and other investment funds. The research revealed that 56% of adults with less than £2,000 in savings had never moved accounts, and that women, on average, have less in cash savings accounts (on average men have £17,060, women have £10,120). However, Governor Money says there are still decent deals to be had, particularly if you can lock money away for a fixed term or use a cash ISA allowance to shelter interest from tax. The Bank of Ireland's five-year cash ISA offers a 4.50% fix.
offers a competitive exchange rate but goes a bit further to ensure customers are fairly rewarded. "We introduced the 1% cashback this summer and it is now a permanent feature on our cards. Besides that, we have also scrapped ATM withdrawal fees on all three of our cards, and to top it off, customers escape commission too." My Travel Cash (www.mytravelcash.com) offers three prepaid MasterCard cards in multi-currency (sterling), euros and US dollars. The cards work like a pay-as-yougo mobile phone, in that you load them with money before you travel and top them up when needed, so you spend only what you have loaded earlier. The Express Delivery option means you can get yours in time for your trip, unlike other prepaid currency card providers which can take five to 10 working days. Order your prepaid card and take advantage of the competitive exchange rates at www.mytravelcash.com. ■ Around 20% of Britons expect to be pushed into debt or further into debt by Christmas spending, research from comparison site MoneySupermarket.com reveals.
December salary to pay for Christmas. Among those not yet in debt, some one in 10 could be pushed into arrears by this festive period. Overall, for those going into debt or further into debt, 69% said they will resort to spending on a credit card, 23% plan to use an overdraft and 9% will take out a loan to tide them over. Tim Moss, head of loans and debt at MoneySupermarket.com, says: With many people being paid early in December, January payday may seem a long way off, so planning ahead is vital to avoid carrying over the debt burden into next year. "For the large number of people who are unable to save, there are a number of ways they can reduce the Christmas spending hangover by the new year, and it is essential to use the right product to meet their needs. For example, a credit card offering 0% interest on purchases might be the sensible option if they are able to pay off the balance in full within the 0% period." Scotland was the region with the greatest increase of consumers in debt against last year: some 47% find themselves owing money against 38% in 2010. Best savers & borrowers
Just over half of Britons (57%) have enough saved to cover Christmas bills this year, some 6% below the 2010 figure. The research found 40% of people are currently in debt, excluding mortgage and student loans, so they enter the Christmas period with finances already stretched. Of those already in debt, some 36% say Christmas will push them further into the red, while a fifth (20%) will use their
My Travel Cash recently added a new reward for all customers: a 1% unlimited cashback on everything purchased, paid directly to a prepaid card account the following month. Research from Santander shows that with the average Briton spending £359 on Christmas presents, some 4.2 million people spend 23% of their budget abroad and a further 4.2 million spend 35% of their Christmas budget on overseas websites. All these purchases would create a cashback reward of £8.6 million if everybody used a my Travel Cash currency card. Myles Stephenson, chief executive at my Travel Cash, says: "More people are heading to European Christmas markets or further afield to New York or LA, so a large percentage of the population purchase from overseas websites. "For both types of customers, my Travel Cash not only
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Your life in the stars Find out what's written in the stars. Week commencing October 29, 2012. By Cassandra Nye ARIES (March 21 - April 20) In a week that starts with a Full Moon in Taurus, the emphasis is firmly on money. Seek it out, save it and manage it. Developing good relationships with work colleagues and the boss has never been more important. Any romantic liaisons in this area, however, need treating with caution. Decisions are driven by practical needs and it is necessary to curb an overactive imagination. TAURUS (April 21 - May 21) A creative week offers the chance to take up a new interest or hobby. Do this in a social setting rather than alone if possible. Take any advantage of any opportunities to socialise. Communications and relationships are still good but do need that little bit of extra input to shine. Finances need careful handling as usual. This is a universal problem and so you need not feel alone. GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) Cash should be easier to come by. For various reasons, however, check out the source. Try to get a balance between what you are willing to do and what is really against your principles or beliefs. A comfortable life is not a good exchange for peace of mind! Temptations come in many forms and some bring excitement. Still, just how much of this do you want?
CANCER (June 22 - July 23) A romantic interest from the past is likely to be triggered by Monday's Full Moon in Taurus. If there is currently no one special in your life, there is a temptation here. However, rose-tinted glasses are not a good idea as far as this person is concerned. Remember their faults also. Getting finances organised, if you have not already done so, is a very good idea. LEO (July 24 - August 23) This week is all about not overdoing anything in any area of your life. Work is busy but don't get overtired. A romance needs to move on but don't rush into commitment. Finances should be good but avoid spending too much. Arranging something fun and unusual at the weekend leads to a closer link with young relatives. Who would have thought that it could be so delightful? VIRGO (August 24 - September 23) Tall stories and active imaginations run through the week. This could be triggered by the Taurus Full Moon. Indeed, someone from your romantic past may decide that you are right for them after all! I don't want to be a grouch, but take care. Of course you are irresistible but could there be another motive? Tongue in cheek and purse firmly closed, please. LIBRA (September 24 - October 23) What an interesting week! Planning a festive meeting or weekend getaway sets your head spinning. In among all of the coming and going, however,
hold on to those finances. A lastminute bill or some other shock to the household budget is likely. Loved ones see the funny side of life. Can you do the same? Could be worth the effort. SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22) This week should be an exercise in stress avoidance. Jettison that idea that seems to be getting more and more complicated. Avoid that person who is bringing your spirits down. Delay spending on a new item when you could get it just as well second-hand. Time will be kind if you give it a chance. What seems a problem today will melt into the past. SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21) A contact that you made in the second week of this month comes into their own. They can help in some way, perhaps by having knowledge. In a busy time at work it is tempting to just say no to invitations. Accept a few, though, to break up the week. A good laugh with friends is the best stress reliever. There are plenty of quiet evenings. You won't have to look for them. CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20) A recent journey seems to have had a big effect on your love life. Although you may not be able to get away again for a while, planning ahead can be fun. At work it would be quite easy to get tasks done by yourself. However, having to work together with colleagues brings you all closer.
Never underestimate the power of a shared purpose. AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19) There are lots of flights of fancy taking off this week. Many of your friends may be on them. Avoid leaping aboard. It is a super week to socialise and perhaps plan a holiday trip. Some seasonal invitations may have already been proffered. Try not to tie yourself down on these just yet. There are more offers and people yet to come your way! Hold fire. PISCES (February 20 - March 20) As romance blossoms it may seem that your path is set. Keep an open mind on this. There is likely to be a niggling doubt in your mind about your current situation. You could choose to ignore it for now. Remember that what you are willing to settle for
M. T. CASHELL THE DRAGON INN Crickhowell CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR 2012 @ THE DRAGON INN, CRICKHOWELL
& SONS LTD
High Class, High Street Butcher / Green Grocer / Delicatessen
HAVE A COOL YULE IN GOOD COMPANY! CHRISTMAS DAY FOUR-COURSE LUNCH PLUS COFFEE £55.00 (£26 FOR CHILDREN) BOOKINGS TAKEN FROM 11.30AM TO 4.30PM NEW YEAR'S EVE WITH ACOUSTIC FOLK ENTERTAINMENT!(OPEN VERY LATE, WATCH THE FIREWORKS AT MIDNIGHT AND COME BACK IN!) FOUR-COURSE DINNER £49.95 (CHILDREN £26) CHRISTMAS LUNCH & DINNER FROM NOVEMBER 26TH TO DECEMBER 24TH THREE-COURSE LUNCH PLUS COFFEE £19.95 (CHILDREN £12.95) THREE-COURSE DINNER PLUS COFFEE £24.00 (CHILDREN £14.95)
01873 810362 www.dragoncrickhowell.co.uk 14
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High St, Crickhowell Powys NP8 1BE ●
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53 HIGH ST
Crickhowell NP8 1BH
01873 810405
may not be what you originally wanted. Am I right? Time will tell, of course. Just don't cement yourself in. Monday's Birthday Luck: Happy Birthday! Lonely moments as the autumn progresses bring deep thought. Rewards come with long-term effort so don't be put off by any slow progress, Scorpio. Have faith. Tuesday's Birthday Luck: Happy Birthday! Reassess what you want this winter as a speedy start to next year demands concentration and decisions. Progress may then stall but slow progress is better than none, Scorpio.
Saturday's Birthday Luck: Happy Birthday! Waiting around for others to make decisions will see you disappointed. Sometimes you simply have to make a start yourself. Having started, Scorpio, you go apace. Watch the cash, though. Sunday's Birthday Luck: Happy Birthday! Take full advantage of good offers, especially in business. They may not come again for some time. To succeed you need to encourage confidence in yourself. Keep learning.
Sudoku Challenge
Wednesday's Birthday Luck: Happy Birthday! Start to change your situation without waiting for the new year. Success favours the brave but also the patient. Edgy moments can be dissipated by exercise and learning something new.
Wondering what to buy for that special person in your life this Christmas? – Then Cashbrokers in Abergavenny could have the answer. Cashbrokers Abergavenny represents Pawn broking in the 21st Century. The store is warm and welcoming offering discreet and professional service to all its customers. Since opening its doors last year it has built up a reputation for offering top prices for silver and gold and the best rates in town for loans and cheque cashing. The owners, Dean & Iolanda Jackson-Johns believe in offering A1 customer service and are continuing to build upon their initial success with much repeat business.
Thursday's Birthday Luck: Happy Birthday! Look to settle any family disputes quickly to give the new year a fresh start. At times progress will be better defined if you are stress-free. Take a more philosophical view, Scorpio. Friday's Birthday Luck: Happy Birthday! Start now as you mean to go on, especially where work is concerned. Be decisive. In a time of intense activity, find the time to relax and really unwind, Scorpio. Factor in some fun.
Cashbrokers Cashbrokers can offer Gold & Jewellery purchase, Pawn broking and Buy-Back Loans, Cheque Cashing and Payday Advance, and of course Christmas gifts at bargain prices to help you through the festive period. The store is open Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm and Saturday 9am – 3pm. You can be assured of a warm welcome and there is parking available opposite the store in Brewery Yard Car Park at the rear of the indoor market. For more information call us on: Tel: 01873 850006 E-mail: abergavenny@cashbrokers.co.uk Website, www.cashbrokers.co.uk
The range of products on offer include the buying and selling of gold and jewellery, and they have a fantastic range of pre-owned jewellery for sale without the huge mark-up you pay on new jewellery. That special Christmas gift could be sitting in the window right now. You can also pay in easy instalments at no extra cost.
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The store sells electrical items such as phones, iPods, laptops, TVs etc through Cashbrokers website on E-Bay www.cashbrokers.co.uk or ask in store.
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Watching the birdies this Autumn
If you are looking for something fun to do with the kids why not take a closer look at our feathered freinds. To get you started, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) could have just what you are looking for. Why not joing the world’s most exciting wildlife club and become an RSPB Wildlife Explorer. When you join you will receive a great membership pack, including posters, stickers, a bird snapper, a membership card and a Get Wild funbook.
A lot of the fun of birdwatching is being able to identify the birds that you see. There are a lot to choose from – over 240 birds are seen regularly in our gardens so don’t be surprised if you can’t recognise them all. Identifying birds for the first time can is confusing, but do not worry, every birdwatcher has goes through it. You will find that it will not take long before you can start to identify the commoner species, and the others will soon follow. Most of us can recognise several species of bird. A small brown bird on a birdtable with a red breast and a short, thin bill is a robin. Identification of birds can be that simple.
● Become familiar with the names of different parts of a bird’s body. This will help when writing your notes or when you are describing the bird to others. ● Use a notebook to record your sightings. This will develop your powers of observation and eye for detail. ● Keep your ears open. Many birds are heard before they are seen, so try to learn their calls. Also look for sudden movements to show you where to look for the bird. ● Do not frighten a bird to get a better view – the bird’s welfare must always come first. ● Get to know the birds of your local area – when you know what is common, then the uncommon will become noticeable. ● Be aware of the possibility of albinos and escaped cage birds. A bird with a strange combination of colours, such as a finch with a red beak) will most likely be a cage bird. Unexpected white markings in an otherwise familiar bird are likely to indicate a partly albino bird. ● Try to find someone who knows their birds and would be willing to pass on their knowledge. ● Before you make up your mind on the identity of the bird, check to make sure that the species you think the bird is, is actually found in this country.
To identify any species, all you have to do is follow some basic guidelines, though you will need a guide of native birds to help you do this. A good field guide will give you the best chance of correctly identifying the birds you see but what you will really need is lots of practice, loads of patience – just keep at it and you will soon find you have a very rewarding hobby that will give you lots of pleasure throughout the rest of your life.
The Red Lion, Llangynidr Christmas Menu
For more details visit www.rspb.org.uk/youth
There is also a colourful magazine, six times a year, plus the chance to enter competitions and take part in activities and wildlife holidays. If you want to start birdwatching, you don’t need a lot of equipment – you can start in your own back garden.
Birdwatching top tips
TO BOOK 01874 730223 2011 & 2012 Camra Good Beer Guide. Good Food, Real Ales, Open Fire, Games Room, Childrens Play Area.
www.theredlion1.vpweb.co.uk Homemade Mushroom, Stilton & Port Soup served with a crusty roll
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Homemade Chicken Liver Pate with a Cranberry Compote served with Toast & Salad Garnish Welsh Rarebit Tart with Tomato & Chilli Chutney served with a Salad Garnish Bacon & Black Pudding Salad with French Dressing -------------------------Roast Turkey with all the festive trimmings Honey Baked Ham with Cumberland Sauce, New Potatoes & Vegetables Smoked Haddock, Spinach, Mash Potato & Mature Cheddar Cheese Sauce Sautéed Beef Strips & Vegetables on Sweet Chilli Noodles served with Prawn Crackers Mushroom, Brie & Cranberry Wellington on a bed of Rice with a Creamy White Wine Sauce --------------------------Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce Spiced Plum Crumble Chocolate & Pear Tart Mulled Wine Sorbet with Cranberry Biscuits ---------------------------
Available throughout December for small or large groups, orders must be placed in advance
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❆ Hoovering for an hour can burn 194
calories. Lunge while you hoover and mop to tone up your legs and bum. Even a little light dusting will take off 174 calories. ❆ Mopping is great way to keep fit, burning
194 calories an hour, and ironing will shave off a further 113 calories. If you play music while you clean, you'll work harder and it'll get you into the festive mood. ❆ A great way to lose
weight is by cleaning your windows, which will help you lose 118 calories. Plan the cleaning mission so you have to use the stairs as much as possible. An hour of traipsing up and down will burn a whopping 516 calories. ❆ While you're tidying up,
Exercising Christmas spirit All those extra treats can add inches to your waistline come the New Year. Don't panic! This feature reveals how putting just a little extra effort into your home and the present shopping will soon blitz those calories. By Susan Griffin While we all like to sparkle over the Christmas period, sometimes we can end up looking more like Santa, than the fairy on top of the tree.
Instead of allowing the Christmas television schedule to control your waistline, think about active ways to revel in the festive season, which aren't entirely chocolate-based. Clean up your act Before the hordes of family and friends descend on your home, it's worth thinking about how you can make the cleaning more than just a seasonal chore. Use the blitz on your home as a way to burn lots of calories.
The Bear Hotel High Street
Crickhowell
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NP8 1BW
01873 810408 Twice Voted Pub of the Year in The last 10 years
Recommended by the AA in The Best Places to Stay and the Good Pub Guide
Shop your way into shape You might think doing the Christmas shopping is an inhumane exercise, fraught with tension, sharp elbows and levels of spending which only Victoria Beckham can justify. But if you think about it as a way to lose physical pounds, as well as paper ones, then the challenge becomes slightly more rewarding. It's true there are few tasks more stressful than trudging up and down the high street looking for Christmas gifts. But the rare plus point is that leaving the car (and heels) at home, and donning your trainers instead, can bring waist-whittling rewards. ❆ At a moderate walking
Recommended in the Good Food Guide 07
Christmas 2012 Party Menu now available Evening and Lunch Parties catered for throughout December Please phone of email for your copy
THE HOTEL WITH AWARD WINNING FOOD Come and enjoy the atmosphere in the award winning Bear Hotel. Excellent bar food with a family bar, restaurant and accomodation. Autumn flowering baskets and log fires add to the charming surroundings.
put the remote somewhere hard to reach and keep it there, so you'll have to get up off the sofa to change the channel over Christmas.
pace you can burn around 287 calories - and that's without counting the workout you'll give your arms as you haul those bags up and down the high street. ❆ Look for chances to
workout even harder, such as treating the crowds as a slalom course instead! Whip in and out of the shoppers and give yourself a full body workout. ❆ Don't be tempted to take
any shortcuts while on the move. Avoid the lifts and walk up and down the escalators remembering that every calorie counts. ❆ Use as much of your body
as you can when you walk and be conscious of your muscles. Walk tall, with your shoulders back, abdomen tight and buttocks clenched.
dog friendly ❆ After the shop, bring in
www.bearhotel.co.uk 18
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the carrier bags one or two at a time rather than trying to balance the whole lot in one go. You'll burn
more calories going back and forth. Trim as the tree Definitely one of the most enjoyable activities of the festive season, decorating your tree is a great time to start your Christmas workout. The work starts when you haul your tree home from the local garden centre, or climb up to the attic to grab the pretend one you've had forever. ❆ Just 30 minutes of climbing stairs or ladders amounts to around 294 calories burned. ❆ Go for the stretch when dangling those lights, tinsel and baubles to tone your back and upper arm muscles. ❆ Make life difficult for yourself and instead of having someone pass the decorations up to you, keep climbing up and down the ladder to hang those baubles, or head back and forth to the dining table where they're all laid out. ❆ If it's all seeming a little bit too easy, go for broke and invent a reason to stay on your toes. Don't resort to small decorative statements, go for the burn and hang big garlands, cards and lights from every surface. If find yourself not needing a ladder, or to crouch down low, you're just not being festive enough!
Cooking up a storm When you're concocting a menu which will probably come in around the billion calorie mark, slip in a few exercises while slaving at the hot stove. Even chopping the veg can burn calories. Make sure you squat down to grab saucepans, stretch up to cupboards for ingredients and alternate your hands when whisking and stirring to give your arms a full workout. ❆ Treat your time at the hob
like your very own steam room and wear an extra layer. Sweating is a great way to release toxins from the body - although this look is not recommended for when you're welcoming guests! ❆ Make sure you replace any lost fluids by drinking lots (and that doesn't include mulled wine). You should aim for eight glasses of water a day, even when it's cold outside, to ensure glowing skin. ❆ Impress friends and family with your toned arms by making your own bread. Kneading dough is very hard work and you'll also win applause for your culinary skills.
Screen Test 1. Which award winning writer penned the scripts for “Only Fools and Horses”? 2. Which actor went from chasing criminals on peaceful Jersey to solving murders in sleepy Midsommer. 3. Which famous comedian has the catchphrase: “How tickled I am”? 4. In which year did Independent Television start transmitting programmes with advertisements in Great Britain? 5. Which television programme first hit the screens on December 9, 1960? 6. Which lady writer originated the Prime Suspect series? 7. Who plays lady investigator Hetty Wainthrop? 8. Which show introduced Arthur Daley to television audiences? 9. Which American actor starred in the films The Magnificent Seven, Bullitt and Papillon? 10.Who is the only current Coronation Street character to have been in the programme from the very first episode? Blushers, bronzers, highlighters – where should they all go? Answers - 1. John Sullivan; 2. John Nettles; 3. Ken Dodd; 4. 1955; 5. Coronation Street; 6. Lynda La Plante; 7. Patricia Routledge; 8. Minder; 9. Steve McQueen; 10. Ken Barlow. ●
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Time to call in the experts By Julia Gray
www.architecture.com.
Get those jobs done with a little help from DIY guru Julia Gray. This week: She talks of asking for an experts advice and why their knowledge is second to none While architects can be expensive, they don't have to be and their knowledge and experience can be worth its weight in gold. As well as offering design expertise, architects can add value in lots of other ways. They have technical knowledge, can help you negotiate the building-regulations, party-wall and planning process and can manage the project from start to finish, if you want them to, including finding and managing the builder, subcontractors and consultants. As they use these people regularly for projects, they may be able to get better prices than you can. They can help financially in other ways, too, such as devising the best design for your budget, improving energy efficiency and increasing your home's saleability and value.
When you've found some suitable candidates, find out if they're interested in your project and what sort of ideas and relevant experience they have. If you can see similar projects they've done, this will obviously give you a good idea of what to expect. Bear in mind that it's really important to have a good relationship with your architect, as how you get on and work together can play a big part in the success, or not, of the project. Once you've chosen an architect, drawing up a contract and giving them a clear brief is vital. Another important thing to establish is how you'll be paying them. Many architects take a percentage of the total cost of the project, but some charge for the time they spend on it and others charge a flat fee. This is how Architect Your Home works, a company that has its head office in Richmond, south-west London, but has licensees all over the country. Set up in 2001 by architects Hugo and Jude Tugman, it makes architectural services more transparent and accessible to homeowners because they just pay for what they need (by
A good first step is to go to the 'find an architect' section of the Royal Institute of British Architects' (RIBA) website -
the hour or per service), as and when they need it. The process starts with a four or seven-hour home visit, during which the architect measures up, discusses the project with you and comes up with some solutions (and drawings), which you can discuss and refine
with them then and there. If you decide not to go ahead, you don't have to, or if you want to continue, you can choose from a menu of services, some of which you may be able to do yourself; others you won't. "People don't necessarily want an architect to do everything - they are perfectly capable
www.maccormac.co.uk MacCormac Construction are based in the market town of Abergavenny and serve the Monmouthshire, Greater Gwent and Cardiff areas. We have over 25 years experience in the construction industry carrying out bespoke residential, graded building restoration, barn renovations, commercial and civil engineering projects. MacCormac Construction have developed an outstanding reputation within our local community for the quality of our workmanship and professionalism. Our tradesman are fully qualified and work to our exacting standards to ensure the finished quality of our completed projects. MacCormac Construction can offer a comprehensive service from start to finish. From design to completeness we provide the highest quality service and workmanship at every stage of the process, turning ideas into reality and taking the stress out of the project. Our friendly and professional team are dedicated to ensuring our customers are 100% satisfied.
MacCormac Construction Ltd Crowfield Mill, Crowfield Court Ross Road, Abergavenny Monmouthshire. NP7 8NH
01873 851712 info@maccormac.co.uk 20
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The practice was set up in 1997. Fourteen years on, JDW architects has established a reputation in south Wales, London and the north west for producing individual and unique architecture of the highest quality, tailored to the buildings users requirements and the environment. The practice's longstanding aim is to provide intelligent rigorous architecture which is practical as well as affordable and which can add value through imagination, innovative and positive design solutions. With design and management services from feasibility through to production information and contract administration, JDW Architects has successfully delivered affordable housing, private, multi story apartments and individual private residences, offices and commercial spaces, industrial warehousing and leisure facilities. Working as a close knit team in close collaboration with clients, consultants, and contractors, our commitment and understanding of the nature of the site, materials, careful detailing and the needs of the building's users, results in a responsive, original and successful architecture.
Contact us: Head Office: 01633 245020 E-Mail: info@jdwarchitects.co.uk
Our Locations: Newport 126 Caerleon Road, Newport, Wales, NP19 7GS Abergavenny 10 Johns Street, Abergavenny, Wales, NP7 5RT
"Yes, we can help people to avoid getting their fingers burnt with cowboy builders and yes, we can help with statutory consents, but the main reason to use an architect is to make sure that you're not spending your money unwisely," he says.
Well, you can, with Crown Kitchen & Bathroom Emulsion in Slate Grey (£23.98 for 2.5ltr, B&Q), a deliciously dark grey that comes in a contemporary matt finish and looks stunning.
"People are spending a lot of money and we want to make sure that they get the best possible result.
It makes quite a statement, but it's also really practical. Stain resistant and steam proof, the paint has 'mouldguard' for extra protection and can even be used on wood and metal, as well as walls and ceilings.
"We have a lot of instances where people say that they wish they'd used an architect. I saw a couple in Teddington, south-west London, who had a two-bedroom house and a second child on the way. They didn't want to move, but really needed a third bedroom and couldn't think of a way of getting one. I was able to come up with three solutions to give them a third bedroom. "That's the kind of thing we get a lot - 'I never thought of that'."
If you're not feeling that bold, paint a feature wall in Slate Grey and do the rest in Crown Kitchen & Bathroom Emulsion in Pure Brilliant White (£19.98 for 2.5ltr, B&Q). This is available in both matt and midsheen finishes and makes the perfect partner for gorgeous Slate Grey.
How-to tip Hairline cracks can be a recurring problem, especially in period properties, but you can fill them quickly and easily (especially wide ones) with Polycell Polyfilla Stick (£4.87, Homebase). It works like a glue stick - you smear it into the crack and wipe rub off any excess (little or no sanding required). For finer cracks, Polycell Crack-Free Ceilings (from £21.98 for 2.5ltr, B&Q) works well and is also designed to cover stains - just paint it on like emulsion.
RMJ homes Your LOCAL Timber Frame Specialist
Remember When... The following events all occurred in a year in living memory. Can you guess the year? 1. Humphrey Bogart starred in The Maltese Falcon 2. Virginia Woolf died 3. The British government issued a recipe for 'Blitz Broth' 4. Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit was premiered in London 1. Muppets creator Jim Henson was born
1. Actress Kathy Bates was born
2. Charlie Chaplin starred in Modern Times
2. Alec Guinness starred in Oliver Twist
3. Amy Johnson made a return flight from London to Cape Town in record time
3. The UK's railways were nationalised
4. Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov died
4. Director Sergei Eisenstein died
Answer: 1936
Dark walls are all the rage, but you probably don't think you can get the look in your kitchen or bathroom and still protect your walls adequately.
Answer: 1948
Product of the week
Answer: 1941
of doing some of it themselves, they just need some help," says Hugo Tugman. He admits that homeowners can be daunted at the prospect of using an architect, but shouldn't be.
N ew B u il d s Ex t e ns io n s R oofi n g Re n ov a ti on s
For further details or to make an appointment please contact us.
office Lover Orchard Lodge Erwood Powys LD2 3EZ tel 01982 560 751 f 01982 560 751 m 07979 356362 email richard@rmjhomes.co.uk w www.rmjhomes.co.uk
Timber frame supply or complete build solution
10 Orchard Close Abergavenny, NP7 0EN
07880 541040 ●
01873 830113
The Winter Issue
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November / December
21
Create the bedroom of your dreams Bedrooms should be a sanctuary where we can relax as well as sleep and cold winter days and dark evenings make them even more appealing as a retreat. Gabrielle Fagan sources essential ingredients for sensual, luxurious boudoir style.
"Nowadays, we find people have very definite ideas about their style. They've often stayed in hotels and want to replicate a look they've liked, whether it's ultra-traditional, romantic or a sophisticated, 'hotel' style which leans to the contemporary."
As winter approaches there's no better time to transform your bedroom into a luxurious bolthole, where you can relax as well as sleep.
The bed is usually the largest piece of furniture in a bedroom and will dominate the space, so care needs to be taken in choosing its scale, design and style. But equally important is making the right decor choice, says colour and design manager at Dulux Rebecca Thompson.
You'll ensure sweet dreams if you literally allow your imagination to run wild and indulge your taste to create a sanctuary that soothes your senses. "When it comes to creating the perfect winter retreat, you need to make sure it's as snug and as inviting as possible," says Damian Topping at bed specialists, Dreams. "We're demanding far more of this room than ever before, because it's often used as another 'lounge' where we sit and relax, watch television, and generally enjoy private time.
Oak Framed Traditional Buildings
"Colour affects our mood and is particularly key in setting this room's atmosphere. While soft neutrals conjure a serene, restful space, that doesn't mean you can't have colour which is so popular in homes currently," she says. "Greens and blues are popular, and I'd favour a rising star in the colour palette, indigo. It's a striking, rich statement shade inspired by dreamy, ocean landscapes hidden from everyone but deep sea divers. "It tones with warm neutrals or other soothing tones of blue or purple." If a makeover's beyond the budget, simply opting for new bedding to welcome winter can be just as effective, advises interiors specialist, Alison Cork.
■
Garages ■ Cart Sheds ■ Porches ■ Garden Buildings ■ Log Stores ■ Verandas
"Good bed linen can totally transform not only the look of your bedroom but also your sleep quality," she says.
TEL:01291 650349
"A beautiful set of crisp white soft sheets will give a
www.oakybuild.co.uk
FTAA LTD (Chartered Architect)
bed an instant lift, and the comfort and texture can help you drift off more comfortably too." Romantic style Four-poster beds, buttoned headboards and sumptuous fabrics are all key ingredients of a room where indulgence and sensuality rule. "This is a room which is a visual feast and pleases the senses," says Rachael Offer, senior designer at Ashley Wilde, who have a variety of celebrity bed linen brands.
with soft lighting using sidelighters and dimmers. "This style of room should cocoon you and blackout blinds and inter-lined curtains will avoid any chinks of light from disturbing your sleep." The White Company has made this 'hotel' style its own with its range of classic headboards and beautiful bedroom furniture.
"Mix sumptuous faux fur cushions with silky satin and velvet fabrics to create a full-on luxury feel. Little details count as well, from gilded mirrors to glass ornaments which catch the light, and lighting's all important. "Give a soft flattering glow with fairy lights, side lamps or candles." Country style The essence of country style is pared-back decoration, with the emphasis on texture and quality and natural materials. Decor should be simple with painted or tongueand-groove panelled walls, or wallpaper featuring nature to help set a rustic scene.
Practice formed in 1986 to amalgamate professional status with local knowledge and was based in Abergavenny, South Wales.
Roger A Field Dip Arch RIBA 6 High Street Crickhowell Powys NP8 1BW
Current projects extend beyond the South Wales area to include Oxford and the Midlands.
Tel: 01873 812580
"Keep clashing patterns to a minimum and instead layer textured soft furnishings, quilts and cushions to give a snuggly feel," says Damian Topping. "Use a large rug, such as a sheepskin, to add warmth on wooden floorboards or hard floors. Add to the air of informality by using, instead of a bedside table, books stacked in a small tower by the bedside. Opt for functional, practical lights and a few well-chosen prints for the walls. Fussy embellishment has no place in these rooms." Hotel chic For contemporary hotel design invest in neutral bed linen, in crisp cotton and natural fabrics, a quality duvet, and pile up fluffy pillows, says Topping. "A plain decor scheme can be enlivened with a wall of pattern whose colours tie in with the neutral shades on the wall," he says. "Opt, ideally, for a generous sized headboard and streamlined furniture to add subtle but understated style. Overdress the bed, with an abundance of covers, quilts and a runner to create a lavish effect." Minimise clutter, he advises, and enhance the room
22
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The Winter Issue
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November / December
Sudoku Solution
Recipe Corner
Beryl’s Diary
Chicken, plums, soy Ingredients: ■ 8 bone-in, skin-on, free-range chicken thighs (or 1 small freerange chicken, jointed into 8 pieces) ■ 1 tbsp sunflower oil ■ 1-4 red, mild-to-medium hot, fleshy chillies, to taste (optional) ■ 4 garlic cloves, sliced ■ A thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and coarsely grated or thinly sliced (optional) ■ 8 plums, halved and stoned ■ 3 tbsp soy sauce ■ A small bunch of coriander, leaves only, chopped (optional) ■ Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
in all excited, saying, 'I've got him Brenda, I've got the old b***** at last. His bull just walked down our track like he was a full-time boarder. Don’t let the children open the loose box door, I've got his bull penned up there.' Mum said, 'Don't talk daft Bill, let his bull go’ but father was adamant that the bull stayed put and he would lie in wait for the ‘boyo’ from the other farm to come and repossess it.
The nearest farm to us on the mountain was owned by a middle-aged couple who had never had children and had no idea how to deal with them. They never mixed with anyone either. Our contact with them was very limited. If we did see one of them, it was generally the wife making her way home from chapel or the village shop. She was always dressed entirely in black and had a funny walk. If by some chance she had to pass us children she'd go right to the edge of the track so she would not have any contact with us, saying 'Oh dear, dear, dear, dear.' She soon became known to us as Mrs Dear, dear. We could not understand her one little bit, but dad made sure we were never rude to her. Although he had a lot of friction with her husband, he always doffed his cap to her. Her husband was a very different kettle of fish. My dad said he was a belligerant old b*****d, although not in my mum's hearing. Dad used to encounter him as he travelled up and down the mountain riding an old farm horse, milk jack tied either side of the horse to carry drinking water home to his farm. Wearing a long black coat, leather leggings and old trilby hat he would be quoting passages from the Bible. With a whip in his hand he resembled Lee Marvin in Paint your Wagon! They did all their own farming and you very often saw her ploughing. Looking back, she must have worked very hard but if we children so much as put one foot on their land, he would come running at us cracking his whip. Dad and him never got on in all the years we lived up there. I remember the day some of our sheep strayed on to his land. When my dad went to get them back he ran at dad with a pitchfork. My father was always saying, 'That man’s not stable. I'll give him a wallop one of these days’ but my mother, always the peacemaker, told dad just to ignore him. Then came an afternoon when dad rushed
It was late that night when he came creeping down the track to our yard. Dad lay in wait and all us children lay in bed, one ear listening for the fireworks to start. We did not have to wait long. All hell broke loose.
Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Put the chicken thighs in a roasting tray, trickle with the oil and season well with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, turning once or twice. 2. Meanwhile, halve and deseed the chillies, if using, then cut each into 1cm strips. After its 30 minutes, take the chicken out of the oven and add the sliced chillies, garlic and ginger, if using, to the roasting tray. Turn the chicken again to make sure the aromatics are evenly distributed around and under the pieces. Roast for a further 10 minutes. 3. Tuck the plum halves around the chicken pieces and trickle over the soy. If there doesn't seem to be much liquid in the tray, add a few
'So you’ve come sneaking on to my farm,' shouted dad and, fists up, started to prance around his intended victim. Windows flew up as us kids hung out of them. Through the light coming out of the kitchen door, two ghostly figures danced around our yard. Not one blow was landed but, arms flailing, there were some near misses - that is until my mum came out. Without raising her voice she turned to the belligerent one and said, 'You - get out of here and take that old bull with you.' The bull then made his appearance, travelling at a pace that he had not used since his hay days. With dad ten feet behind him the belligerant one joined in the mad rush for freedom as mum looked up at us children and said, just as quietly, 'you lot, back into your beds.'
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4 Serves tablespoons of water. Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes until the plums are soft and yielding their juices. 4. Baste the chicken and plums with the pan juices, then leave to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes. Finish with a scattering of chopped coriander, if you like. Serve with noodles or plain rice. 5. Top tip: For a store cupboard version of this dish, you could use prunes or dried apricots (ideally the plump, ready-to eat ones) instead of fresh plums.
THE
BARBER SHOP
OPENING TIMES Monday
8.30 - 5.00
Tuesday
8.30 - 5.00
Independant fuel distribution company
Wednesday
8.30 - 5.00
Thursday
8.30 - 5.00
Agricultural Tank and Fuel specialists
Friday
8.30 - 6.00
Saturday
8.00 - 4.00
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Depots in South Wales and Forest of Dean
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Same day delivery
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Unbeatable customer service
Last customer 15 mins before closing
FAMILY DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE
domestic
www.fastfuel.co.uk Tel: 0800 093 8445 Fax: 01291 691 401 e-mail: info@fast-fuel.co.uk ●
37 Frogmore St ABERGAVENNY
(01873) 850855
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Wye Valley Reclamation Herefordshire’s largest reclamation yard Flagstones • Sleepers Bricks • Stone Troughs Gazebos • Garden Features and much more! Monday–Friday 8-5 Saturday–Sunday 8-4 Lloyd George House, Fordshill Road, Rotherwas, Hereford HR2 6NS sales@wye-valley-reclamation.co.uk
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Mobile dog grooming service Call Megan Bransom
The Winter Issue
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November / December
TELEPHONE 01873 830204 Fernybank, Quarry Road, Clydach, Nr Abergavenny
Colour me in
November 2012 Arthritis Branch, Table Top Sale at the Clarence Hall. 10am – 1pm. Lots of bargains to be had. In aid of Arthritis Funds so come along and show your support
K H S Old Boy’s Annual Reunion Dinner, Angel Hotel, Abergavenny. 7.30pm. Reserve your place 01873 854237 Blaenavon Male Voice Choir, St Peters Church, Goytre 7pm (in aid of Jack & Jill’s Preschool). Tickets £8 including glass mulled wine. Tel: 01873 880948 or email jackandjills1@hotmail.co.uk Abergavenny Alzheimer’s Group fundraising at Market Hall 9am – 4pm. Come and support us.
Wales Festival of Remembrance, St David’s Hall, Cardiff. Coach/Hall £35 per person. Booking advised. Tel: 01873 852567 Gwent Bach Society Mendelssohn’s Elijah 7. 30 pm at St Mary’s Priory Church, Abergavenny. Tickets £15. 01873 890259
Annual Cwmdu Eisteddfod, at Cwmdu Village Hall, afternoon at 1pm, Evening approx 6.30pm. Tel: 01874 730282
RBL Rememberance Parade. Assemble at the Town Hall at 10.30am.
Phone Doctors Telephone, Broadband & Wifi Engineering Services
Are you with Talk Talk, Tiscali, Sky, BT, Orange or Virgin?
Abergavenny Alzheimer’s Carers Memory Café 11.30am – 1.30pm Trinity Hall. All Welcome
?
Fed up with excessive call out charges?
I can fix faulty, noisy, damaged lines giving you a clearer, faster and un-interrupted service for both voice and data.
PHONE SOCKETS MOVED - EXTRA PHONE SOCKETS BROADBAND POINTS ADDED - WIRELESS SPECIALISTS
Abergavenny Alzheimer’s Carers Meeting Angel Hotel 7.30pm til late. All Welcome
Crickhowell and District History Society – Rachel Rogers “A History of Abergavenny in 50ish Objects”. Dragon Hotel, High Street, Crickhowell , 7.30. All Welcome.
Abergavenny Farmers Market, Market Hall, Abergavenny. Fresh local produce.
Contact me first Tel: 07771 822206 Weak spots on your Wifi around your house or business? I can advise on getting the best out of your connection. Slow intermittent broadband? I can fault find, rectify, optimise or install. Telephone
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The Winter Issue
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November / December
25
Bonfire Night Safety Autumn's here! Bonfire Night celebrations will soon be upon us, So take a look at our firework and bonfire and safety tips to make sure you and your family stay safe and have fun this autumn. If you're organising your own firework display, take a look at our handy firework safety tips to keep your family, friends and pets safe.
Cash Paid for MOT Failures / Scrap Cars and Commercial Vehicles Containers Supplied
01981 580412
LOGS
or 07795 565702
✁ ✁
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NOVEMBER SPECIAL YOUR EYE TEST FOR £10 ✁ ✁
Abergavenny 67 Frogmore Street Telephone 01873 859898
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With this Voucher (usually £20)
Barn dried in tonne bags Phone Guy on
07989 906043
Store fireworks safely If you're organised and have bought your fireworks in advance of Bonfire Night, ensure that you store them in a safe place until they’re needed. Always store fireworks in a closed metal box and keep them well away from open flames. Take care when setting off fireworks It's a good idea to avoid drinking alcohol if you're going to be responsible for lighting fireworks. Keep a bucket of water
TOWN TO TOWN CRICKHOWELL All Airports, Seaports Long Distance Specialists Private Hire Tel: Gerald Williams 01873 812399 www.towntotown.co.uk E-mail: g4ttt@hotmail.co.uk
RAGLAN FORD Your Local Ford Dealer For All Your New And Used Cars
Cwmbran Gates & Fencing
SERVICING MOT TESTING STATION AIR CONDITIONING SPECIALIST
Wrought Iron Gates Balustrades Handrails Made to Measure Service
High Street, Raglan, Monmouthshire Tel: (01291) 690423
FREE INSTALLATION/QUOTES
Email: raglanford@lineone.net www.raglanford.com
AVENUE ROAD NURSING HOME Becoming part of your family Our core values of care: • Privacy • Dignity • Rights • Independence • Choice • Fulfilment• Security • Respect • Equality
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◆ Visitors Welcome
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Old Ross Rd, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. NP7 8NG. Tel: 01873 856223 Fax: 01873 852177 Email: info@wernddu-golf-club.co.uk Web: www.wernddu-golf-club.co.uk
A flight with
Tiger Airways Visit www.tigerairwaves.co.uk
Gift Certificates Available Credit Cards Accepted
Phone 01452 854 141 Give a gift that will never be forgotten, the chance of some real ‘hands on’ flying in a 1930's designed military trainer. Perhaps even a loop and a roll?
The Belgrave Hotel The Esplanade, Tenby, Pembrokeshire SA70 7DU Tel: 01834 842377 Fax: 01834 842626
Come and enjoy the hotels superb seafront position overlooking Tenby’s beautiful south beach in a friendly and comfortable atmosphere.
28 Avenue Road, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire NP7 7DB Tel: 01873 857607 Fax: 01873 857607 Mob: 07830 385435 (Dr. A. Bansal) 26
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The Winter Issue
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November / December
Midweek B&B from £37.50 pppn
Arrive Friday or Saturday Enjoy 2 nights mix and match
£89.95 pp 3 Nights £127.45 pp Dinner, Bed & Breakfast on Saturday Bed & Breakfast Friday and Sunday Candlelit Dinner & Dance Thursday and Saturday Gala Menu, Breakfast in Bed Sunday Morning Ring now for Birthdays, Anniversaries and other special breaks.
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on hand to put out small fires and to keep used sparklers in. Read the instructions carefully before you light each firework – fireworks such as Catherine wheels and rockets require different supports and launchers. Light fireworks at arm's length using a taper and never return to a lit firework. Be careful with sparklers Children and adults alike love sparklers, so it's important to know how to stay safe with them on Bonfire Night. Remember to light sparklers one at a time and protect your hands from any stray sparks by wearing gloves. Always supervise children with sparklers and never give a sparkler to children under 5 years of age. If you're planning to build a bonfire in your garden, there’s a few things you'll need to consider before you put on your wellies and get out your matches.
GOVILON GARAGE Motorcycle and Car MoT Servicing and Repair
MOT Trade Centre
Church Lane, Govilon, Monmouthshire NP7 9RP Telephone Abergavenny 01873 831696
Celtic Computer Systems New Laptops with manufacturers 12 mth warranties wherever you are in the UK starting from £399 incl. VAT with legal software
FIREPLACES R.G.M. FIREPLACES Realistic Gas and Electric Fires Fireplaces and Surrounds in Real Wood, Marble & Stone
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Made to individual specifications Fireplaces & accessories at competitive prices Installation Service Available~Also Plumbing and Heating Specialists
Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm, Saturday 10am-2pm 19 Whitcross Road, Hereford 01432 265364 www.rgmfireplaces.com
BLINDS & CURTAINS
ABERGAVENNY 01873 852299
BLACKWOOD CHAINSAWS H. Waters & Sons
When you've lit your bonfire Once your bonfire's burning steadily, keep a close eye on it and never leave it unattended. It's a good idea to keep a bucket of water or garden hose nearby, just in case the bonfire gets out of control.
Bailey Bros MOT TEST CENTRE
Demonstrations available
01495 226657 www.blackwoodchainsaws.co.uk Mill Garage, Gelli Groes, Blackwood, Gwent. NP12 2HY
LINDA J. GARRATT D.O. REGISTERED OSTEOPATH
BROOKS PLACE, 56 UNION ROAD WEST, ABERGAVENNY NP7 7RH
01873 856818
h: 01873 810653 m: 07831 448 506 m: 07894 009 541
Roads, Drives, Car Parks etc, Laid by hand or paving machine ESTIMATES FREE w: www.lewisandlogan.co.uk
P r i n t e r C a r t r i d g es
RE F ILLE D w hi l e ‘ u’ w a i t
Old Hereford Road, Abergavenny
REFILL SERVICE PROVIDED FOR HP, LEXMARK AND DELL
01873 853058 Dorrell Oliver Ltd chartered accountants Linden House, Monk Street, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire NP7 5NF Tel: 01873 852113 Fax: 01873 858523 www.dorrells.co.uk
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T EL: 0 1 87 3 8 54 91 3 Abergavenny www.cartridgesaver.co.uk
PARADE HOUSE
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
The building dates from 1970 and has been carefully restored to recreate a country house atmosphere, planned as a comfortable environment in which residents can continue to enjoy their individual way of life. Fully carpeted and centrally heated, the house offers a warm welcome. The Single Room pleasant drawing room and sun lounge both offer views of the secluded garden and are agreeable surroundings for reading and Available conversation.
Newly completed Large en-suite rooms
Lawnmowers • Chainsaws • Garden Machinery
45 years experience serving our community We accept part exchange / new & reconditioned
Contractor to Government and Local Authorities
Cars, Vans & Motorcycle (Free Retest) Servicing & Reairs all makes
RIDE-ON MOWERS FREE DEMONSTRATIONS
SALES • SERVICE • REPAIRS
Tarmacadam & Asphalt Specialist (Est 40yrs)
Parade House is situated in the heart of the beautiful Wye Valley in the centre of the bustling market town of Monmouth. It is ideally situated for the elderly, being within easy level distance of the town with its shops, churches, coffee houses and inns.
Servicing Your Area Since 1988 FREE Advice, FREE Measuring & Fitting We will beat ANY written quotations Free Quotations any day or evening
Once your bonfire has died down As soon as your bonfire's died down, it's important to make sure that the flames have completely gone out. You can help to prevent your bonfire re-igniting by spraying the embers with water.
Ideally situated for the elderly, being within level walking distance of the town centre
Think Of Blinds - Think Of Us
A1
Before you light your bonfire If you're inviting friends and family round for a bonfire, it's polite to let your neighbours know in advance (this may also reduce the chance that they'll complain about the smoke!) Choose dry materials to build your bonfire and avoid using damp wood – this will produce more smoke when it burns. Always choose an open spot for your bonfire and never build it close to sheds, fences or trees.
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01600 712821 Fax: 01600 772228
For a brochure telephone the proprietor, Maureen Rayner
Email: enquiries@paradehouse.co.uk
The Parade, Monmouth, Monmouthshire NP25 3PA ●
The Winter Issue
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November / December
27
Cyfarthfa Castle Museum & Art Gallery The ‘Ironmaster’ William Crawshay commissioned Cyfarthfa Castle in 1824 to overlook his successful ironworks. Today, the museum houses extensive fine and decorative art collections and atmospheric social and industrial history galleries. Set in beautiful parkland with relaxing woodland walks, a state of the art splash pad and lakeside miniature railway.
Winter Events NOVEMBER 1st – 31st
DECEMBER 11TH & 12TH
Georgetown
Christmas at Cyfarthfa
An exhibition that uses the photos of Tony Hyde and historical research to tell the story of Georgetown
Take part in festive craft activities and meet Father Christmas in this beautiful Victorian setting. Cost is £3.50 per child (present included).
DECEMBER 8TH & 9TH
BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL & there are two sessions, one at 5:00pm & another at 6:00pm
Christmas Craft Fair Find the perfect gift at our Christmas craft fair. On both Saturday and Sunday stalls will be open from 10:30am and close at 4:00pm
Free Admission Park & Museum Cyfarthfa Park open from 7am until dusk. Cyfarthfa Castle Museum & Art Gallery April-September. 10am-5.30pm (Last Admission 5pm) 7days a week. October-March. Tuesday-Friday. 10am-4pm. Weekends. Noon-4pm.Closed Mondays. www.cyfarthfa.com www.museums.merthyr.gov.uk e-mail: museum@merthyr.gov.uk
Tel: 01685 727371 Cyfarthfa Castle, Brecon Road, Merthyr Tydfil. CF47 8RE