The Suburb Circular - Sep 16 by The Suburb Circular

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02/09/2016

september 2016 issue 15

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WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S INSIDE THIS ISSUE: FOOD & WINE Q HOME & GARDEN Q EDUCATION & POLITICS Q HEALTH & FITNESS Q AND MUCH MORE...

6000 copies distributed door to door in Hampstead Garden Suburb

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contents

charity feature The Paperweight Trust

FROM THE EDITOR

food & wine Celebrate the Jewish New Year Pkeila (Beef Stew) Recipe

6 8

Dear Readers,

9 10

health & fitness Routine Eye Maintenance Dealing with Back Pain

11 12

gifts & events Vintage Watches

home & garden Better Safe than Sorry In the Flower Garden

20 22

events Local Events

EDITORIAL EDITOR HENRY MARSHALL

education & politics Taking on greater responsibility Iheart - Innate Health Education

THE TEAM

motoring & travel

e are proud to bring you the latest issue of The Suburb Circular in the new B5 larger size and redesigned format. We have worked hard to bring you this new September edition (in September) and are thankful that you, our readers, keep reading and enjoying The Suburb Circular. In this issue we have a special article written by the local Hampstead councillor - Rohit Grover on the “ Residents Forum “ plus famous chef Fabienne Viner - Luzzato with a sizzling recipe for the cold evenings ahead. There are some interesting features to read - wine advice for the New Year, tips for business investors, financing electric vehicles, , investing in vintage watches, security, your garden, and more. Finally our newest section - forthcoming Hampstead Events and London Events to visit and enjoy at this time of year. Plus the Directory pages featuring the main quality businesses serving our community.

CONTRIBUTORS BAYLA PERRIN GABRIEL GELLER ROHIT GROVER DAVID HILLEL BURNS STEVEN BERKMAN ALEXANDER GARRETT FABIENNE VINER-LUZZATO PHIL LYONS BARCLAYS STOCKBROKERS ADVERTISING ARIE KISELSTEIN 020-7101 4042

Happy reading

Henry

Henry Marshall

DESIGN & PRODUCTION KERRIE CALLARD WWW.THESUBURBCIRCULAR.CO.UK

Phone number 020 7101 4042

Whole Life Costs of Electric Vehicles 24

business & finance 9 Top Tips for Better Investing

directory

28 & 30

No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the prior permission of the publishers. While every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the editorial content no responsibility can be taken for errors and omissions. The views expressed in the magazine are not those necessary those of the publishers. Readers are strongly advised to check information published with individual advertisers and take legal advise where appropriate, before entering any transactions.

september 2016 | suburb circular | 4

featured charity

Paperweight

The Paperweight Trust is a registered charity set up in 2010.

AT THIS POINT in their lives, the everyday burden of dealing with the practicalities of paperwork and bureaucracy can become intolerable, a seemingly unstoppable tide and

insurmountable burden. Paperweight offers a free professional service delivering immediate practical help to assist those who find themselves alone, with nowhere else to turn, and in need of hands-on guidance in all manner of domestic administration, paperwork, bureaucracy, advocacy and procedures, and to help educate and empower them to navigate their way through these complexities. We also have our own group of experts and professionals, attuned to the particular problems faced by our clients, who can assist in the fields of law, accounting, benefits etc. Paperweight steps in, either following a self referral or on the recommendation of social care organisations such as Jewish Care, Chai Cancer Care, AJR, JWA, Borough Councils, Norwood, counsellors, among others. l We have a proactive approach to debt management and household expenditure - setting out budgets when necessary. l We can intervene with creditors to help stabilise precarious situations. l We deal with bureaucracy, welfare and benefits, form filling, correspondence with banks & building societies, hoarding, the taxman, councils, utilities, bills , probate, insurance, divorce and legal issues. l We act as advocate and help review and complete documents and if necessary, draft in expert opinion. l We offer guidance, anonymity and a good deal of common sense. l We aim to steer our clients towards independence and an improved quality of life. All of this will help our clients to sleep well at night, and give them the confidence to carry on.

Now though our services are free at point-of-delivery, we run a professional and well managed office which acts as a focal point for our volunteers, provides training rooms and resources and also and most importantly a friendly welcoming “safe” space for clients whose home circumstance precludes home visits.

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OUR CLIENTS MAY BE FEELING ISOLATED, HAVING LOST A PARTNER THROUGH DEATH, SEPERATION OR DIVORCE. THEY MAY BE A COUPLE, ONE OF WHOM IS DEALING WITH AN INCREASINGLY FRAIL PARTNER, OR THEY ARE BOTH BECOMING ILL AND LESS AGILE THEMSELVES.

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e have over 100 volunteer caseworkers from all walks of life, many of whom are professionals - in law, accountancy, banking, social work and others. Regardless of background however, all bring a wealth of experience to help solve our client’s problems and all share a ‘can do’ attitude. We work across the entire spectrum of the Jewish community throughout London. Our clients may be feeling isolated, having lost a partner through death, separation or divorce. They may be a couple, one of whom is dealing with an increasingly frail partner, or they are both becoming ill and less agile themselves.

We maintain extensive contacts with literature, lectures and meetings with our 50 + referring organisations and continuously promote the role and function of the charity. We do not receive any statutory funding. To this end, it can be no surprise that we are always looking to raise funds. A recent study showed that the true cost per client in respect of the manhours, facilities and professional input provided, equated to £1,300 per client – and we have over 500 on our books, at least 1/3 of whom are actively engaged with us at any one time. Our structure enables us to deliver our vital service free of charge, but we do need resources to keep making positive changes in our clients’ lives. We were honoured to be the recipient of the Barnet Civic Trust Award for 2015 – a recognition of our role in the community. Alas such plaudits do not come with a bursary, so please do help us continue our vital work. If you would like to make a donation, this would be very gratefully received : https://mydonate. bt.com/charities/ paperweight Or directly through our website :

HOW AM I GOING TO MANAGE? JUGGLING MY BOYS, WORK AND HOME THERE’S A GROWING MOUNTAIN OF OVERWHELMING PAPERWORK I’M EXHAUSTED AND I DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START We’ll take the weight off your shoulders When there’s nowhere else to turn, Paperweight can help you take control of your financial, legal and administrative affairs.

020 8455 4996

www.paperweighttrust.com

Charity Registration No. 1146302

VOLUNTEERING : If you have a little spare time on your hands, and you would like to volunteer for one several roles, please do call our office : 020 8455 4996 or contact us through the website. Thank you

www.paperweighttrust.com |5

september 2016 | suburb circular | 6

food & drink

Celebrate the Jewish New Year with celebratory wines By Gabriel Geller

THE BEST WAY to start the new year is with a Champagne. Bubbly wines encourage a positive mind, and it is the most well suited beverage for festive meals. It is refreshing, exciting, and a wonderful accompaniment to many dishes. There are a handful of kosher Champagnes currently available, and while the selection keeps growing every year, some bottles reputations make them tower over their peers. Two Champagnes in particular are the Drappier Carte Blanche and Champagne des Barons de Rothschild. These wines carry luxurious labels and

hail from historic big name houses of Champagne. FOR WELL OVER A CENTURY, several branches of the Rothschild dynasty have owned some of the world’s most famous wineries. Only the mention of the names Château Lafite-Rothschild and Château Mouton-Rothschild make the eyes of wine collectors shine in excitement. The Rothschild’s have gathered their common knowledge and experience to craft a kosher version of a beautiful Champagne! It is crisp, dry with a sharp mousse, and sings with mineral notes that immediately upgrade any meal to first class. DRAPPIER IS A CHAMPAGNE HOUSE WITH A GLORIOUS HISTORY. When General Charles de Gaulle became the President of the French Republic, he chose Drappier as the official Champagne of the Elysée Palace. De Gaulle and his wife Yvonne were quite fond of the elegant and refined expressions that are common to all the wines produced by the renowned winery. Drappier Carte Blanche is not spoke about as often as the Carte d’Or. In contrast to the yeasty profile of the latter, the Carte Blanche showcases French class at its best, with delightful fresh fruit aromas, remarkable balance, and complexity. ONE PERSONALITY TRAIT we should learn to embrace this year is to have patience. Being patient with wine can be very rewarding. Think of these wines that, when properly stored, can age and improve of the bottles for years

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BEING PATIENT WITH WINE CAN BE VERY REWARDING. THINK OF THESE WINES THAT, WHEN PROPERLY STORED, CAN AGE AND IMPROVE OF THE BOTTLES FOR YEARS FOLLOWING THEIR RELEASE. WITH TIME, THEY GET SMOOTHER AND GAIN IN COMPLEXITY, ADDING LAYERS OF DELICIOUS FLAVORS AND AROMAS.

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5776 IS COMING TO ITS END, as is the harvesting seasons for many wineries. The growth of the kosher wine world in terms of diversity and availability was simply outstanding this year! We are expecting many interesting and high-quality wines in 5777 hailing from some of the world’s most prestigious growing regions. Rosh Hashana is a very special time of the year. It is a time during which we reflect on what we have learned over the years in general and over the past year in particular. It is also the time of the year to reflect on what the future may hold. We also contemplate our decisions for the new year based on the lessons we have learned from the past. This mantra holds true for wine as well. The Holidays should be celebrated with wines that reflect this spirit, special bottles that bring up smiles around the table. Wines that make those who are lucky to sip them pause, think, and value time and its potential for great accomplishments.

following their release. With time, they get smoother and gain in complexity, adding layers of delicious flavours and aromas. The key to storing and ageing wines properly, is to buy a few bottles (or even better, a few cases!) of each of those wines. Start off tasting one on release to appreciate and evaluate what is called the cellaring potential. Then, it is possible to decide for how long they should sit in a wine cooler or a cellar. Every few years, at special occasions such as Yom Tov or a family Simcha, open a bottle and reassess its growth and appreciate its evolution. The Yatir Forest and the Carmel Limited Edition, both from Israel, are among those wines that can age and improve for a decade past the harvest year, sometimes longer. While the Forest will typically develop a more spicy and juicy character, the Limited Edition will offer more restrained, earthy notes that call to mind the finest wines from Bordeaux. Speaking of Bordeaux, the kosher cuvee Les Roches de Yon-Figeac 2014 should be hitting your local wine stores shelves shortly. This is a second wine in name only to the well-known Château Yon-Figeac, a Grand Cru from the Saint-Emilion appellation, this wine shows in its youth notes of red berries and stone fruits with a distinctive austerity. That austerity evolves with time into mouth-watering, smooth and intoxicating scents of forest floor and chocolate.

Above from left to right: Les Roche de Yon-Figneac, Yatir Forest, Drappier Carte Blanche Brut champagne and Elvi Herenza Rioja Reserva. Below left: Barons-de-RothschildBrut-Champagne and right; Carmel Limited Edition 10

SPAIN GRATIFIES WINE LOVERS with some of the most intriguing and age-worthy wines. The great wines from the Rioja region can be stored sometimes for several decades, changing and improving constantly, gratifying those in the know with a special experience every time they open a bottle. The Elvi winery is a world-class and only fully kosher winery in Spain. The Herenza Reserva from Elvi is no exception to this rule. Each time you taste this wine, you will unearth different flavours and characteristics, which shows how complex this wine is. This wine can boast flavours of blackberries, earth, spices and coffee, and other times with aromas of herbs, roasted meat and chocolate. This wine is a winner with a captivating unique velvety texture. Celebrating Yom Tov by popping the cork on an aged bottle such as one of the aforementioned wines will make any meal special. It is certainly appropriate and encouraged to indulge in an appropriately aged bottle on the right occasion. Sipping such wines helps us reflect on the benefits of patience and how time can have such an impact on the intricacies of maturing a wine to its potential. It reminds us that we mature and develop by making the right choices and decisions, it just takes a bit of time and patience like the wine in our glass. SHANA TOVA!

september 2016 | suburb circular | 8

food & wine

education & politics

PKEILA (beef, beans &

TAKING ON GREATER

RESPONSIBILITY

spinach stew)

FOR OUR LOCAL AREA

INGREDIENTS l 1.5 - 2 kg of beef, both top rib or spare rib plus some fairy steaks for their fat l 1 kg of fresh spinach (some use frozen spinach) l 500g of dry white (haricot or kidney) beans to soak overnight (or 2 tins of Cannellini white beans ) l Sunflower Oil (one of the star ingredients of Tunisian cuisine) l 2 large onions, minced l 6/8 cloves of garlic, crushed l half a kilo of Beef Cheek (Not vital but it contributes to the pkaila’s smoothness and flavor) l 1 tablespoon of harissa (Maghrebi hot chilli pepper) l Turmeric powder l 25g of coriander powder (or fresh finely chopped coriander) l Cumin powder l Salt and pepper

Cllr Rohit Grover, Member for Garden Suburb Ward, London Borough of Barnet

arnet Council has a vision of helping to create more involved and resilient communities throughout the Borough, which means that we are always looking for ways of encouraging residents to take on greater responsibility for their local areas. Yet the work of the Council can often seem remote from the everyday concerns of most people. Since my election in May last year, I have spent many hours in committee meetings, where members discuss and debate a range of issues relating to the vast array of services the Council provides to residents. THE PUBLIC ARE INVITED to attend these meetings, ask questions and speak on issues where they have an interest. However, because most committees cover “borough-wide” issues, which are invariably complex, the discussions tend to be highly technical

1 In a pressure cooker, fry the onion and the garlic with 6/8 Tbs of oil, on a medium heat until it becomes brown. 2 Add the spinach and cubed beef. 3 Add the spices, harissa, salt, pepper, turmeric, coriander powder and cumin powder. Add approximately 2 litres of water (you can add boiling water. Cover, let it boil, and then cook in the pressure cooker for a one hour. 4 After one hour, open the pressure cooker, add the beans and any other vegetables for visual effect and cook gently on a medium heat for another 30 minutes. Add water if needed, and correct the taste. OPTIONAL: Add some cubed potatoes and peppers to add colour - Garnish with parsley.

COUS COUS INGREDIENTS l 1kg of fine or medium couscous l Sunflower oil l Salt, pepper You will need to steam cook the couscous, so you need a saucepan with a lid, with a sieve large enough to contain 1kg of couscous, or even better use a couscous maker if you have one. Boil some water in a large sauce pan.

In a bowl, wash the couscous. Let it drain in a sieve. Put in back in the bowl and add the salt, a shake of pepper, and some sunflower oil (the equivalent of 4/5 serving spoons. Mix everything by hand. Put the couscous on the sieve and cover it with the lid. Steam the couscous with the lid on the sieve for approximately 30 minutes. Stir regularly. Serve the Pkeila with couscous on the side. It goes well with Merguez sausages and Italian bread.

www.homecookingbyfabienne.co.uk By Fabienne Viner-Luzzato

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The Finchley and Golders Green Residents forum, which covers the Hampsted Garden suburb area, takes place every three months.

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in nature and it can often be difficult for residents to understand how all of this affects the smaller neighbourhoods they mostly identify with. This is why we introduced “Resident Forums”, which enable residents to bring very localised issues to the attention of the Council, discuss proposed solutions with councillors and officers, and in some cases actually influence outcomes. THE FINCHLEY AND GOLDERS GREEN Residents Forum, which covers the Hampstead Garden Suburb area, takes place every three months. In advance of each meeting any resident can submit questions which the Council is obliged to answer in writing via its website the day before the meeting. During the meeting residents that have asked questions are able to discuss any of the issues raised with the Chairman (who is an elected councillor) and officers. If necessary the Chairman can then request that officers contact residents to provide additional responses within 20 working days, or refer the issue to the next meeting of the Finchley and Golders Green Area Committee (which has a budget for delivering improvements to the local area) for consideration. RESIDENTS COME TO THESE meet-

ings with requests for solutions on a wide range of issues, but the most common tend to relate to parking problems, traffic calming measures, repairs to roads and pavements and street cleaning. As Resident Forums represent a rare opportunity for members of the public to interact with councillors and officers, they tend to be very lively occasions. They are not always comfortable experiences for the latter two groups, but it is important that we engage with as many residents as possible so that we can meet our promise of delivering more locally focussed programmes of work in response to local priorities. Information on dates and venues for the Finchley and Golders Green Residents Forum, as well as on how to submit questions, can be found on Barnet Council’s website.

CLLR ROHIT GROVER Member for Garden Suburb Ward London Borough of Barnet Tel: 07753 441349 Follow me on Twitter @RohitGroverHGS |9

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health & fitness

IS THIS THERAPY ? The nature of this work is educational, not therapeutic. While many Innate Health practitioners may have

OUR METHOD: The students will be introduced to the SPARK (Speaking to the Promise, Ability and Resilience inside ourKids) mentoring curriculum. This curriculum can easily be adapted to cover children from Year 1 to Year 13 and has been evaluated, tried and tested in over 25 schools in the United States. It is a curriculum aimed at developing academic success, emotional competency, self-efficacy skills, communication skills, conflict resolution, and connectedness to family, school and community. ARE THERE ONLY GROUP SESSIONS? No , Depending on the set up with the particular school there will be the opportunity for students to meet with a practitioner on an individual basis, should they wish to do so. WHAT KIND OF THINGS WILL PUPILS ACTUALLY LEARN ? Pupils will learn to access their innate resilience even in difficult times by reconnecting with feelings of security and confidence from within, rather than looking for these in their outside world

through excessive use of social media and other addictive vices. Pupils will learn about the source of exam and peer pressure in order to learn that stress is internally rather than externally created and how to independently calm down from within regardless of so called ‘outside pressures’ Pupils will learn how to make wise and appropriate choices by learning how to access their innate common sense. In addition they will learn when it is not a good time to make decisions Pupils will learn how to deal with challenging situations and people by appreciating the workings of separate realities leading the way to really understanding the key to tolerance and conflict resolution.

By DAVID HILLEL BURNS

ome people have perfect eyes. To help keep them that way it is a good idea to have a regular checkup. The NHS still covers the cost of your appointment if you: l are under 19 and in full time education l are over 60 l receive, or your partner receives, Job Seekers Allowance, Income Support, Working Families’ Tax Credit or Disabled Persons’ Tax Credit l get a form HC2 (HC3 helps too) l have diabetes, glaucoma, or particularly strong specs or weak sight

IS THERE TRAINING FOR TEACHERS TOO ? Absolutely. We have now launched a six month teacher training programme that only requires teachers to take off two full days of school

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spectacle wearers in other European countries usually own a few pairs, for different purposes or looks. How do we value our vision?

David is always happy to answer questions from local people about eyesight. David@Davidhillel.co.uk 119 East Finchley High Road 020 8444 2233

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WHAT IS THERE FOR PARENTS? We offer courses for mums and teenage daughters to spend quality time, exploring Innate health in a fun and engaging way. Topics discussed in this course include navigating relationships with family and friends, self esteem, handling stress and anxiety, social issues and understanding our moods.

Shoshanah Kahan Innate Health Practitioner Coordinator Innate Health Centre 020 8912 1201 shoshanah@innatehealth.co.uk

l are over 40 with glaucoma in the close family To see more and better is easy and inexpensive. Each prescription is custom-made and unique, tailored to the needs and requirements of the individual, and quickly made at about the same price as, say, a jacket or a pair of shoes. The NHS helps many people by paying some or all of the cost. People who need specs or contacts to drive, work, recognise friends, or read comfortably should have at least one pair in decent condition to wear. Household surveys reveal that

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previous psychology and counselling backgrounds, we are not therapists. We see ourselves as mental health educators. What we share is an explanation of the human operating system. We want kids to understand the workings of their own inbuilt healthy psychological functioning so they can independently access the inner resilience and common sense needed to socialise, learn, deal with issues, get over things quickly and adjust to life as it occurs.

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september 2016 | suburb circular | 12

health & fitness

TOP TIPS on how to deal with back pain Back pain- how can you help yourself? The best thing to do when back ache first appears is to act on it before it gets worse. Take ownership of your back pain and take steps to actively improve your back ache, rather than imagine it will get better on its own accord. Back pain often comes on slowly and people often hope that if they ignore it it will get better, but what started as a few twinges can progressively get worse.

ack pain is so common that 80% of the population will have a bad episode of it, it costs the economy billions of pounds in medication, MRI scans, missed days of work and in severe cases- surgery. Luckily most back pain is not serious and most cases do settle down. What are the indications that an episode of back pain may be more serious or require more attention? Here are the key things to look out for: Weakness in the leg/s as a result of a nerve being “pinched” If there is a problem with bladder or bowel control that is associated with back pain Numbness in the saddle area- ie the area of skin in contact with a bicycle saddle if you are sitting on it Substantially worsening pain over time

Is an MRI scan necessary? Most cases of low back pain do not require an MRI scan. A research study scanned a group of normal symptom free people and found that approximately 1/3 had a bulging disc on MRI scan, so scans must be interpreted and correlated with the patients symptoms. Your doctor or physiotherapist will be able to advise you whether or not an MRI would be helpful or needed.

In these instances above professional help should be sought to examine the nature of the problem and check that no nerves are being damaged. These cases above are less common, the majority of cases of back pain can be helped in the first instance with some simple DIY techniques.

TIP 2: Simple over the counter painkillers like paracetamol and antiinflammatories like ibuprofen can be very effective at controlling the pain and enabling you to move more normally, which speeds the recovery. Check for contra-indications with your pharmacist.

Here are my 5 top tips on what you can do yourself to try bring back ache under control. TIP 1: When you first notice pain one of the best things you can do is to apply heat for 20-30min, like a hot water bottle or microwaveable pad, this is to ease muscle spasm in the area and loosen the tissues up.

TIP 3: Avoid the sofa! Most people do not realise how much stress sitting in a poor position loads on the discs, joints and muscles of the spine. Rather watch TV in a supportive arm chair or dining room chair with a rolled up towel in the arch of your low back, when relaxing. TIP 4: Walking can really help to loosen the lumbar-pelvic junction and mobilise the spinal vertebrae and tissue, walk at a pace that is as though you are trying to get to a meeting on time, don’t saunter around like one does at a museum, this type of slow meandering can often irritate back ache. TIP 5: Prevention is often your best weapon when it comes to avoiding and helping back pain. Lifestyle changes can really make a difference- sit less stand more, walk more. We suggest improving your overall fitness, losing weight to take the pressure off your spine and improving muscle tone and core control are key to sustained improvement. STEVEN BERKMAN FROM BOOST PHYSIO

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september 2016 | suburb circular | 16

gifts & events

VINTAGE WATCHES CAN BE A TIMELY INVESTMENT by Alexander Garrett

BRAND MATTERS

WHY BUY? According to Tom Bolt, who deals in vintage and modern watches through his company, The Watch Guru, the appeal, in most cases, is that “they make you feel good about yourself’. The vast majority of collectors don’t understand how the watch works, he says, “but just like driving a Porsche Turbo, it’s a way to express yourself”. Paul Maudsley, director of the watch department at Bonham’s auction house, adds: “The appeal varies from collector to collector, but the underlying theme is that you can wear watches so you constantly take enjoyment from them.” Is this all just a polite way of saying that a watch is a status symbol? James Bond probably has a certain amount to answer for. In the Bond books, Ian Fleming gave Bond a Rolex watch, and the brand has been associated with him ever since, with 007 sporting a Rolex Submariner in many of the movies. Maudsley says: “Rolex is the world’s most collected watch brand.”

Rolex is certainly the first name that would come to many people’s lips when talking about vintage watches. The company was actually founded in London in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis to import watches from Switzerland, but it soon turned to watchmaking and moved to Switzerland. Rolex’s fame springs largely from its reputation for innovation – it produced the first watches with automatically changing day and date indictors, and it was a pioneer in developing waterproof timepieces, first the Oyster and then the Submariner. The undisputed aristocrat among Swiss watchmakers is Patek Philippe. The company started making pocket watches in 1839 and has been responsible for some key innovations in the industry, such as the perpetual calendar, split-seconds hand, chronograph and minute repeater. The Patek Philippe Nautilus is among the all-time classics. First introduced in 1976, its design was inspired by the

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Fakes are a real hazard for the watch collector. Watchmakers in India and China have produced pieces that are almost impossible to distinguish from the real thing.

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egend has it that the wristwatch first became popular in World War I. Soldiers and aviators found having to fumble around in a pocket to find their watch while engaging with the enemy troublesome. It was far more convenient to carry the time on your arm. Until then, wristwatches had been mainly worn by women, but the trend was rapidly adopted by the population at large. Within a decade, the pocket watch was looking like an anachronism. Cartier was the first of the Swiss watchmakers to produce a wristwatch, the Santos, which appeared in 1911, but soon the others followed suit. Today the early Swiss wristwatches are regarded as vintage pieces and are highly collectable. The best fetch 10s – or even hundreds – of thousands of pounds at auction. The collecting of vintage wristwatches only began in the 1970s and 1980s. The introduction of quartz technology may have led to this revival of interest in mechanical watches. Discerning buyers started to look at the great Swiss watches of the past, and before long they became fashionable. A vintage wristwatch became the essential accessory for any well-dressed man about town (collecting watches is largely a male pursuit). The roll-call of those who have caught the bug at some point is extensive and wide-ranging: guitarist Eric Clapton, actors Michael Douglas and Orlando Bloom, footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and Russian president Vladmir Putin, to name just a few

shape of a porthole. The company is responsible for some of the most expensive watches ever sold. An ultra-complicated Patek Philippe watch originally made in 1933 as a complete one-off sold 66 years later for $11 million (£7.3 million) – a world record at the time. There are many collectable brands of watch. Among the best-known are Omega, Vacheron & Constantin, Audemars Piguet, Longines, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Cartier, Tissot, Breitling and TAG Heuer. Maudsley says: “Most of the major brands have iconic watches in their portfolios: Rolex the Submariner, Jaeger-LeCoultre the Reverso and Omega the Speedmaster.’ The distinctive oblong Cartier Tank watch could be added to that list. Brands rise and fall in popularity. Omega, best known as a mass market manufacturer of modern watches, is becoming more collectable, while Longines and Audemars Piguet are becoming less so. Bolt singles out the watches of two contemporary watchmakers, Richard Mille and Greubel Forcey, as having the potential to become classics of the future. It’s time to put them on your watch list.

GUIDE TO BUYING When you start buying watches for the first time, the jargon can be rather perplexing. Watches are generally divided into ‘sport’ and ‘dress’, but there is a whole mechanics and functionality lexicon to get to grips with. Watch aficionados call any additional horological functions a ‘complication’. Typical examples are small windows displaying the day of the week, date or other time zones. Then there are different generic types

of watch. A chronometer is a precision watch that usually comes with a certificate testifying to its accuracy. A chronograph has stopwatch functions. Watches for specific professional use, such as a diver’s or aviator’s watch, have cachet with enthusiasts. Gold watches are not necessarily worth more than their stainless steel equivalents. White gold, platinum and rose gold are as popular as yellow gold, which is seen by some as a shade vulgar. Fakes are a real hazard for the watch collector. Watchmakers in India and

China have produced pieces that are almost impossible to distinguish from the real thing. And that’s why you will almost certainly need the services of a reputable dealer to begin with. Hallmarks are no guarantee of authenticity as they can be easily faked. More to the point, a vintage watch only has real value if every single part of it is original and individual components have not been replaced. Is it worth it? But are vintage watches a good investment? Maybe. But only if you buy at the right time. Tom Bolt says: “Fifteen years ago I was offering people Panerai watches – as used by Italian commandos in World War II – for £1,500, and people didn’t want them. Nowadays, the same watches are selling for up to £70,000. “Rolex prices may have peaked for now, whereas Patek Philippe are considered a good investment by virtue of their high quality, relatively small output and the fact that the company frequently buys its own watches at auction for its museum. The financial downturn has had some impact on prices, according to auctioneers, but prices at the top end have held up well. “Aurel Bacs, international co-head of the watches department at Christie’s in

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BRETT HUMPHRIES

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gifts & events

29th September – 17th October 2016

Sicilian Lemonade, 36 x 45cm, acrylic on board

Vintage watches can be a timely investment continued Geneva, offers this advice: “Ultimately, I think people should buy what they like and what they think they will wear. Beyond that, I would encourage buyers to look for the best-quality watch in their price range.First-time buyers should educate themselves on the condition of a watch before buying.” If you are buying as an investment, rarity and condition should be your top priority.

BENEFITS OF PURCHASING FROM AN ANTIQUES DEALER Investing in a timepiece is not a decision to be taken lightly, and knowing where to purchase from is a vital element to making the correct decision. Purchasing directly from an antique timepiece dealer is certainly the best way to go about adding a new treasure to your collection and here is why:

Building a relationship If you are a collector who regularly purchases timepieces, it is often worth finding a good, local antiques dealer that you can build a relationship with or even several in different locations. By establishing a relationship, you can

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Ultimately, I think people should buy what they like and what they think they will wear. Beyond that, i would encourage buyers to look for the best-quality watch in their price range.

build and maintain a level of trust, leaving you assured that all your pieces are genuine. You might even get a little more of the back story and some extra perks, such as getting the best deals and ensuring you secure the pieces you most desire for your collection. They may be able to track down your most wanted timepiece.

Knowledge The dealer of your choice should have a substantial amount of knowledge on the topic of timepieces as a whole, as well as about individual pieces. This means that you can really get to know each and every timepiece before making the purchase decision, expanding your own knowledge about these little gems in the meantime. This will also aid you in future buys, as being clued up certainly helps you to get the best for your money and ensures you are truly satisfied in the long-run.

Using online stores Once you have found a reputable antiques dealer you can then take a look at their online store, giving you the convenience of browsing 24 hours a day and researching whichever item has caught your eye. This is often helpful in helping you to narrow down

your options, as with businesses such as our own, you can then pop in-store to see the timepiece in person before committing to the investment, giving you the best of both worlds. Using unknown or non-reputable sites, however, should be avoided. There is a lot of risk in purchasing from these sites, and you can never be sure of the condition of the item you will receive. Often if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Yoghurt Parfait, 27 x 35cm, 16 acrylic on board

White Wine and Camembert, 30 x 40cm, acrylic on board

Auction houses The main downfall of buying antiques at an auction house is the lack of pre and post communication. Once you walk away with your item, that is it; the deal is done and there is no turning back for advice or extra knowledge. With an antique timepiece dealer, you can maintain contact, which is a particularly important when dealing with antique pocket watches that may eventually have mechanism issues for example. The dealers will either be able to fix it themselves or offer up the recommendation of a reputable watchmaker that will be able to complete the job. By purchasing from a dealer you are buying more than just a product, you are investing in a long-lasting service.

CATTO GALLERY

100 Heath Street • Hampstead • London NW3 1DP Tel: +44 (0)20 7435 6660 • www.cattogallery.co.uk • art@cattogallery.co.uk Opening times: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sat • 12.30pm - 6pm • Sunday • and by appointment

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home & garden 0207 722 3131 43 Englands Lane NW3 4YD

BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!

Advice on choosing the most suitable safe for your home or business

here are normally two reasons why someone buys a Safe. About 70% of Safes I sell are because the insurance company insists on its client having a safe, the rest are just because someone wants to have one. With insurance companies, if you have a piece of jewellery listed as a single item, they will in most cases say that if you are not wearing it, it needs to be locked in a Safe. Then they normally specify a particular cash / jewellery rating. For commercial companies if you are keeping quantities of monies on the premises overnight, then you would also be required to have a Safe. If a Safe has a cash rating of £4000 then the insurance company are happy for you to keep up to £4000 cash in the

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I WOULD SAY 90% OF SAFES I SELL ARE DIGITAL PUSH BUTTON OPERATED BUT SOME PEOPLE STILL PREFER HAVING A KEY. THE OLD DIAL TYPE COMBINATION YOU DON’T SEE NOWADAYS ON NEW SAFES.

Safe overnight or £40,000 worth of jewellery. So a £10,000 cash rated Safe would be £100,000 of jewellery. All Safes have a cash rating. Cheap Safes will normally be £1000 or £2000 rated but normally for insurance purposes they will insist on £3000 and above. Some Safes you will see with a Euro Grading. So a Euro Grade 1 is a £10,000 rated cash safe, whereas a Euro Grade 5 is a £100,000 rated cash or £1,000,000 jewellery. Safes come in all sorts of sizes, from small ones that sit on a shelf in a cupboard to big floor standing ones that are over 6 foot tall. You also have different locking options. As far as the security of the Safe is concerned it makes no difference. It’s all a matter of personal preference. I would say 90% of Safes I sell are Digital push button operated but some people still prefer having a key. The old dial type combination you don’t see nowadays on new Safes. All Safes should be secured either to the wall or floor and preferably to a solid wall or floor. Some newer premises this is not so easy because a lot of the walls are hollow but if need be they can still be fixed. Recently many banks have done away with safe deposit boxes, so many people are now having to keep their valuables at home. I offer a free service to come and advise people on the different options available and recommend best places for putting a Safe. Over the years I have fitted them in bedroom cupboards, kitchen cupboards, under stairs, in lofts, in garages and most other places you can think of.

info@living-inspace.co.uk www.living-inspace.co.uk

Developments, Extensions, Basements & Loo Conversions Planning Applicaaons & experience with HGS Trust Bespoke Joinery, Kitchen & Bathroom Design, Soo Furnishing Design Interiors showroom open 9am - 6pm, Mon - Fri

Call for a free design consultaaon

Apart from Floor-standing Safes, other Safes that are available are; Laptop safes, Underfloor safes, In wall safes, Deposit safes, Medical cabinets, Gun cabinets Some Safes also have fire protection built into them. This can be anything from 30 minutes rating to 2 hours rated. On the smaller safes you do lose a lot of internal space with fire rated safes. Cheaper Safes tend to have a key override if they are digital locking, this is because the batteries are on the inside of the Safe. The better Safes have batteries on the outside so no key override is needed.

Phil Lyons B&C Security Services 01923 852757 or 07970 073115

Boiler Installation Boiler Breakdown Specialists Boiler Servicing All Central Heating Works All your Plumbing Problems Solved

Mob: 07736472701 Office: 020 8342 8559 info@gasforce.co - www.gasforcelondon.co.uk

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home & garden

IN THE FLOWER GARDEN l CONTINUE to feed and dead-head your hanging basket and container plants - they will often keep going until the first frosts. l TRY autumn-sowing hardy annuals for bigger plants next year. l START to divide herbaceous perennials as the weather cools. Make sure you water in the new divisions well. l FILL gaps in borders with autumn flowering plants such as sedum and chrysanthemum to extend the colour to the end of the season. l PLANT hyacinth and amaryllis bulbs for forcing, to ensure a crowd of colourful blooms at Christmas. Perfect for a home made Christmas present! l PLANT spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils, crocus and hyacinths now. l PLANT out any biennial plants sown earlier in the year, or if you didn’t have time, you can buy plants now. This includes foxgloves, wallflowers and Violas. l SEPTEMBER is a good time to plant new perennials as the soil is still warm but there is generally more rainfall. l WITH wetter weather arriving this month, it’s the ideal time to order trees and shrubs. They will grow vigorously next spring if planted this autumn. l KEEP deadheading annuals and perennials to extend their performance. l KEEP dead-heading your Penstemons, Dahlias and Roses to prolong flowering.

l PRUNE any late-summer flowering shrubs such as the rock rose (Helianthemum). l PRUNE climbing roses and rambling roses once they’ve finished flowering (unless they are repeat-flowering, in which case leave them). l KEEP your Camellias and Rhododendrons well watered at this time of year to ensure that next year’s buds develop well. l CREATE a new lawn from turf or seed - autumn weather is favourable for good lawn establishment. l RAISE the height of your mower blades as grass growth slows down. l NOW is a good time to carry out essential lawn maintenance to avoid waterlogging and compaction. Try aerating your lawn with a garden fork, removing thatch from the surface with a rake and repairing dead patches. Use a specialist lawn scarifier if you have a large area to cover. l APPLY a special lawn top-dressing after carrying out maintenance work. Follow the instructions on the packet carefully. l YOU can feed your lawn with an autumn fertiliser now, which is rich in potassium and low in nitrogen. l NOW is the perfect time to use a biological control (nematodes) if you suspect damage from lawn chafers or leatherjackets.

LOCAL EVENTS in the Hampstead area

Other jobs about the garden l IF YOU have clay soil, now is the best time to improve it before it becomes too wet or frozen. Incorporate organic matter and/or horticultural grit. l SOW green manures such as mustard, clover and rye grass on uncultivated areas to improve soil and keep weeds down over winter. l CREATE compost bins in preparation for all the fallen leaves and dead plant material which you’ll be collecting over the coming months. Autumn leaves make a great addition to compost bins and are ideal for making leaf mould. l DISPOSE of diseased plant material by burning it or putting it in with your household waste. Don’t compost it as the spores may remain in the compost and reinfect your plants. l RAISE pots off the ground for the winter by using bricks or ‘pot feet’, to prevent waterlogging. l CLEAR pond weeds and net your pond in anticipation of autumn leaf fall. l PERENNIAL weeds are more vulnerable to weedkillers in the autumn. Use a glyphosate-based weedkiller to kill both the leaves and roots. l INSTALL water butts to collect rain this autumn and winter. Rain water is great for watering ericaceous plants such as blueberries, Rhododendrons and Camellias.

l FOOD & WINE TASTING EVENING - 56 Rosslyn Hill, NW3 1ND. With fine French wines, cheese & charcuterie / Entry - £40 / call 7794 9210 to book Taking place at the Hampstead Butcher & Providore on Wednesday 21st September at 7pm l KENWOOD STORIES Hampstead Lane NW3 7JR The Kenwood Art Collection & Stories of Kenwood are told by Kenwood Volunteers Taking place on Sunday 25th September at 12.30pm, 2.00pm, 3.00pm l ZIPPO’S CIRCUS - Lower Fairground Site, East Heath The Circus takes place from Thursday 29th September - Monday 4th October To book visit - www.zipposcircus. co.uk l HAMPSTEAD & HIGHGATE LITERARY FESTIVAL - Finchley Road NW3 Taking place from Thursday 22nd - Monday 26th September at the JW3 See the website for programme www.jw3.org.uk l TREES ON THE KENWOOD ESTATE - Hampstead Lane NW3 7JR A Heath & Hampstead Society walk - Meeting at the South Terrace of Kenwood House Identify the trees on the Kenwood Estate - a walk led by Bettina Metcalfe Taking place on Sunday 2nd October at 2.30pm / donation - £5

l CURATORS TOUR OF KENWOOD - Hampstead Lane NW3 7JR Join the Curator of Kenwood House for a tour of this magnificent 18th Century house with paintings by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Gainsborough, Turner & Reynolds & discover the stories behind them. Taking place on Friday 7th & Friday 14th October at 1.00pm / Entrance - £12 l KNITTING & STITCHING SHOW - Alexandra Palace Largest show in the UK of textile based crafts, supplies, workshops & textile art. Taking place from the 5th - 9th October / Entrance : Adults - £14.50 / To book 0844 5811302 l RSPCA AUCTION - Burgh House, New End Square, Hampstead, NW3 1LT An Illustration auction in aid of the RSPCA’s work to end the illicit puppy trade, with illustrations from famous artists including Quentin Blake & Helen Oxenbury. Taking place on Tuesday 11th October at 6.30pm / For more info call Karen on 0300 123 0309 l EAST FINCHLEY ARTS FESTIVAL - All Saints Church, East Finchley With an Art Exhibition showing art, pottery, sculpture, jewellery and photography for sale, and with classical, opera & folk music recitals in the evenings. Taking place from the 9th - 16th October and open from 12pm - 10pm

London Events

l LONDON DESIGN FAIR Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane E1 6QL from 22nd - 25th September / 2 trade days & 2 public days showcasing designers & their work from around the world l LONDON FASHION WEEKEND Saatchi Gallery / from 22nd - 25th September see the latest fashions at catwalk shows & stands selling clothes / Open 11am - 4.30pm tickets : £21.60 - £64.80 l PEARLY KINGS & QUEENS HARVEST FESTIVAL Guildhall Yard 25th September / starting at 1.30pm with Morris Dancing, bands, drummers, maypole dancing & colourful characters l JAPAN MATSURI FESTIVAL Trafalgar Square 25th September / from 10am - 8pm Japanese food, songs & dance, martial arts demos, drummers, magicians, music l CAKE & BAKE SHOW Excel London from 7th - 9th October Celebrity chefs, baking shows, demos, stars from the Great British Bake Off l FRIEZE ART FAIR Regents Park, Outer Circle from 6th - 9th October. With 160 leading art dealers in the world presenting their contemporary works of art tickets - £37.65 also Frieze Masters - classic works of art from 130 galleries

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motoring & travel

Hundreds and possibly thousands of businesses are potentially losing money because they are failing to use whole life costs as the basis for company car selection, according to experts.

leet best practice dictates that vehicle operating choice decisions should be based on whole life costs because they provide the best forward estimate of the real costs to an organisation, in delivering business mileage, over a replacement cycle. Never has that been more important than in respect of electric vehicles (EVs) where, despite their higher P11D values, they are cheaper to operate than petrol or diesel equivalents. Whole life costs reflect all the projected, vehicle-specific costs associated with operating a vehicle over its fleet life irrespective of whether a vehicle is owned or leased (see panel). Yet many fleet decision-makers base their vehicle selection decisions on list price, P11D value or a headline monthly lease rate rather than whole life costs. Chris Chandler, principal consultant at Lex Autolease, the UK’s largest vehicle leasing and fleet management company with a fleet of more than 320,000 vehicles including 4,500 EVs, said: “It is important that fleets look beyond the initial list price of the vehicle. “Plug-in vehicles benefit from government grants, tax breaks and have significantly cheaper fuel costs, all of which help to reduce the total cost of ownership. In addition, these vehicles provide notable environmental benefits as they produce substantially lower CO2 emissions.” Finding the right operation for the right vehicle is key in all fleet operations and that is no different with EVs.

Mr Chandler added: “In the right circumstance, where the right vehicle is used the whole life cost can be much less than their petrol or diesel equivalent.” David Bushnell, eMobility consultant at vehicle leasing and fleet management company Alphabet, said: “Over the past 18 months we’ve started to see a shift in attitudes towards electric vehicles. Once considered unfashionable and expensive, they have now found their place among corporate fleets. “Traditional barriers to adoption are being removed and electric

vehicles are becoming increasingly viable options for businesses. “Many organisations wrongly assume that electric vehicles are unaffordable, won’t provide the desired range for their business requirements, or aren’t supported by enough charging infrastructure. Yet if they took the time to look into them in more detail, they would realise that introducing models is actually a lot less risky than first assumed. Battery technology is moving at such a rapid pace that the typical working range of a pure electric vehicle on a full charge is

WHOLE LIFE COSTS DEFINED Whole life costs should include: Vehicle acquisition/ depreciation or t if leasing, the effective lease rental t capital allowances t any VAT recovery t corporation tax relief t the cost of borrowing money t fuel t employer Class 1A national insurance contributions t service, maintenance and repair t VED t insurance

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PLUG-IN VEHICLES BENEFIT FROM GOVERMENT GRANTS, TAX BREAKS AND HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY CHEAPER FUEL COSTS, ALL OF WHICH HELP TO REDUCE THE TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP.

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WHOLE LIFE COSTS, WHOLE LOT OF SAVINGS

extending all the time and today is more than adequate for most business journeys.” Meanwhile, research by vehicle leasing and fleet management company Arval’s Corporate Vehicle Observatory suggests an increased adoption of EVs over the next three years. When fleets with more than 100 employees were asked which technologies they already operated or intended to operate, 42% said conventional hybrids, 30% electric vehicles and 26% plug-in hybrids. Richard Cox, senior consultant at Arval Consulting, said: “More and more fleets are taking an interest in a wide range of alternative fuels and are keen to try them out in an operational sense to see which work for them and in which applications.” Whole life cost figures from Lex Autolease illustrates how the higher P11D value of plug-in vehicles is more than offset by significant fuel savings, notwithstanding recent falls in the pump price of petrol and diesel, an estimated 20-40% reduction in SMR costs and tax benefits. SMR savings accrue because there are fewer moving or wearing parts in an electric car that will require maintenance than in petrol or diesel

equivalents. Consequently, vehicle servicing costs will be lower. The data reveals that, for example, running a BMW i3 over four years/60,000 miles will deliver a potential saving of £51 a month over rival models (see table) or £2,448 over a four-year operating cycle. Multiply that by a fleet of just 10 cars and the savings escalate to almost £25,000 over four years. Similarly with the Nissan LEAF Acenta the monthly savings over a Ford Focus 1.5 EcoBoost Zetec S are an impressive £77 a month. That equates to almost £3,700 over a four-year operating cycle and almost £37,000 on a fleet of only 10 cars. Whole life cost data for range extender and plug-in hybrid models are more difficult to calculate because maximum savings are delivered in electric mode. The figures below assume 60% electric mode usage and a 15% weighting is attached to official MPG for real-world motoring. However, the greater the number of miles covered in electric mode the greater the whole life cost saving as fuel expenditure will reduce. What’s more, in the figures below the BMW i3 Range Extender and Volkswagen Golf GTE are compared with best in breed petrol and diesel rivals so for fleets currently operating less efficient vehicles the savings would be even more significant.

Did you know?

FLEETS CAN SAVE ALMOST £4,000 PER VEHICLE OVER A FOUR YEAR PERIOD BY GOING ELECTRIC

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buisness & finance

hatever your goals, our list of practical tips and useful tools will help you stay on top of your investments in the 2016/17 tax year. Many of us try to turn over a new leaf when a new year arrives, so why not resolve to do the same in the 2016/17 tax year, which began on 6 April. Here are some useful investing tips that could pay dividends this tax year – and some tools we provide to help you.

READ THE KEY INVESTOR INFORMATION DOCUMENT When you’re choosing a fund, it’s essential to read the accompanying Key Investor Information Document and factsheet. These cover a fund’s aims and objectives, the manager’s experience and the investments held in the fund.

MAKE SURE YOU’RE READY TO START INVESTING If you’re thinking of putting money into assets such as shares and funds, rather than only saving in cash, make sure you’re ready and think carefully about the potential pitfalls. Investing is risky and you could get back less than you originally put in, so you should only invest money you can afford to lose. Investing tends to tie your money up for several years, so build up a rainy-day fund in an easy-access deposit account to cover any emergencies before investing. Also, ask yourself how long you plan to invest - the longer you can stay in the market, the more scope for your investments to recover from any downturns. Nonetheless, bear in mind that the past is not a guide to the future. If you’re unsure, remember to seek independent financial advice.

USE YOUR TAX ALLOWANCES

This tax year the government introduced some important new tax allowances for savers. One of these is known as the Personal Savings Allowance (PSA). Since 6 April, basic-rate taxpayers can earn £1,000 of interest each tax year tax-free on deposits held in banks and building society accounts, along with some investments, including the interest earned on corporate and government bonds. Higherrate taxpayers can earn £500 each tax year, while additional rate taxpayers aren’t entitled to a PSA.

investment or Innovative Finance ISA – in a combination up to the annual limit. You can hold a range of assets, such as individual shares, funds and bonds in an investment ISA, or keep it all in cash if you like.

Everyone also has a new annual tax-free £5,000 allowance on dividend income from shares.

This tax year sees the introduction of a new type of ISA, the Innovative Finance ISA. It allows you to put a tax-free wrapper around investments in peer-to-peer lending, subject to the annual ISA limit. None of your returns will be subject to income tax or capital gains tax. You should make sure you look carefully at the risks involved in peer-to-peer lending before you invest.

These new allowances are available alongside your existing ISA benefits. This 2016/17 tax year, you can save £15,240 into a cash,

Please bear in mind that tax rules can change in future and their effects on you will depend on your individual circumstances.

TOOLS TO HELP YOU PICK INVESTMENTS

WHILE SOME EXPERIENCED INVESTORS CHOOSE TO HOLD INDIVIDUAL SHARES AND OTHER ASSETS, MOST TEND TO INVEST IN FUNDS, WHICH POOL MANY INVESTORS’ MONEY TOGETHER AND MAKE INVESTMENTS ON THEIR BEHALF. STOCKBROKERS CAN PROVIDE ACCESS TO 1,000’S OF FUNDS FROM O100’S OF INVESTMENT MANAGERS. TO HELP YOU CHOOSE, IT IS ALWAYS WORTHWHILE TO RESEARCH NUMEROUS LEADING FUNDS

CHECK OUT FUND CHARGES

Investors should always keep an eye on charges, as these can take a big bite out of your long-term returns. The higher a fund’s fees, the greater the impact. The main charge you’ll face when investing in funds is the Annual Management Charge (AMC), which covers the yearly costs of running the fund and is applied by the fund manager. However, there may be other running costs on top that aren’t included in the AMC, so look for the Ongoing Charges Figure (OCF). This will represent the total cost of investing in a fund. Your fund may also charge a performance fee, which usually reward the manager if they perform better than their benchmark, often an index like the FTSE 100. Actively managed funds, which are run by a fund manager and their team, are usually more expensive than passive funds, which are automatically controlled by a computer and typically track an index or market. You should only pay a premium for actively managed funds if you believe that they will produce better returns. When you’re investing using a fund supermarket such as Barclays Stockbrokers, or a financial advisor, you will also have to a pay charges for their services. These come on top of the charges relating to the funds themselves.

DIVERSIFY YOUR INVESTMENTS One of the golden rules when investing is to remain diversified. ‘Don’t keep all your eggs in one basket’, as the saying goes. Maintaining a spread of investments is designed to reduce the impact of turbulence in a particular financial market. This might mean picking funds that invest in different areas of the world, and in various asset classes, such as shares, bonds and commercial property. However, bear in mind that this won’t guarantee protection against losses.

DON’T FORGET TO REVIEW YOUR PORTFOLIO

TRY TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE FUNDS IN YOUR PORTFOLIO AT REGULAR INTERVALS. OVER TIME, SOME PARTS OF YOUR PORTFOLIO MAY HAVE DONE BETTER THAN OTHERS, SO THE PROPORTIONS OF VARIOUS ASSETS MAY HAVE CHANGED SINCE YOU STARTED INVESTING. MEANWHILE, A FUND MANAGER COULD MOVE ON AND BE REPLACED WITH SOMEONE WHO TAKES A DIFFERENT – AND POTENTIALLY LESS SUCCESSFUL – APPROACH, OR THE FUND COULD CHANGE ITS STRATEGY UNDER THE SAME MANAGER.

STAY UP-TO-DATE ON PENSION RULES

Pensions are one of the best ways to save for retirement, but pension rules can be subject to frequent change. New laws may affect how much you can save into pensions and how much tax relief you could receive on your contributions.

Most people can receive tax relief on pension contributions of up to 100% of your earnings or £40,000 each year, whichever is lower. But new rules effective from 6 April have reduced this Annual Allowance for high earners. The Lifetime Allowance on pensions, the total value of the savings in all your private pension schemes, including asset growth and tax relief, that can be made without incurring an extra tax charge, also fell from £1.25m to £1m for everyone from 6 April. Remember these rules might change again in future and the effects of the rules on you will depend on your individual circumstances. If you’re unsure seek independent tax advice.

KEEP IT SIMPLE The

world of investing can be riddled with jargon. We have a handy glossary of the main terms – ranging from basic asset types to fund terminology – that you’re likely to come across.

Please Note; Remember, no matter who you choose, investments still carry risk. They can fall in value as well as rise and you may get back less than you invest. If you’re unsure about whether an investment is right for you, please seek independent advice.

Credit to Barclays Stockbrokers

TIPS TO HELP YOU BECOME A BETTER INVESTOR

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