Town crier swindon september october 2014 final by Town Crier

COVERING ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT, HIGHWORTH, LIDDINGTON, WROUGHTON, CRICKLADE, WANBOROUGH, CHISELDON, SOUTH MARSTON, BLUNSDON, PURTON, MINETY, LEIGH, STANTON FITZWARREN, PURTON STOKE, LYDIARD MILLICENT, HOOK & GREATFIELD

TownCr er magazine your local

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SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2014

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Harvest

WIN

Food Special

A Single g Drivin r e t a e S nce! e i r e p x E ge 49

Recipes Halloween

see pa

FOOD l HEALTH & BEAUTY l MOTORING l GARDENING l PET CARE

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

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New College

oPeN DAY FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS

SAturDAY 11th oCtober 10Am - 2Pm New College, New College Drive, SwiNDoN SN3 1AH In Year 11 and wonderIng where to go next Year? Come and explore one of the best post – 16 providers in the area! Join the many students across the Swindon area, in places such as Highworth, Royal Wootton Bassett, Lydiard Millicent who choose to leave their school and come to New College because of the fantastic choice of courses, proven quality of teaching and complete student expereince on offer. Come along to our Open Day and enter our prize draw to win £250 Amazon vouchers.

For more iNFormAtioN AND to Pre-regiSter For thiS eveNt viSit: www.NewCollege.AC.uk/oPeN 30 Years of excellence

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

Editor’s Letter

This edition has an autumnal flavour as we look at jam making, rhubarb and planting bulbs for next year. All finished off with recipes for Baked Apples and Onion Soup! However, while there are a few good weeks of good weather left, why not read our tips on page 32 and take the kids or grandkids out for the day. Head off to Westonbirt Aboretum to see the beautiful autumn colours of the Acer Glades. What’s On has some good suggestions, or read all about sculpture parks on page 30. If they fancy a game of conkers there are some good tips on page 39 on the best ones to use. Don’t forget our competition on page 49 to win a single seater driving experience at Castle Combe. Finally we feature an article about bats – just in time for Halloween! Until next time . . .

Annie

The Stables, Fishers Brook, Calne, Wilts. SN11 9HB Tel: 01249 811068 www. towncriermagazine.com Deadline for submissions for the October issue: 1st September 2014 Editor: contact@towncriermagazine.com Advertising: steven@towncriermagazine.com Artwork: production@towncriermagazine.com CONDITIONS OF ADVERTISING: The Editor reserves the right to refuse any copy which she feels may not be appropriate material for print. No responsibility will be taken for any damage or loss of material caused by inaccuracy or omission of any advertisement. Artwork prepared by us remains the property of The Town Crier Magazine and reproduction in any form is expressly forbidden without prior permission from the Editor. We provide artwork free of charge and where possible we will adhere to your request on layouts and type, but we cannot guarantee an exact copy. If you wish to produce your own artwork to a specific layout, or have any changes to an existing advert, please ensure your copy is with us by the 1st of month prior to publication at the latest. TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR CASTLE COMBE RACING Open to UK participants only • 1 x Single Seater Driving Experience Gift voucher (worth £185) is up for grabs. Gift Vouchers are valid for 12-months from date of issue and will be provided in an attractive Gift Pack • The Single Seater Driving Experience is of approximately 3hr duration. The driver must be over 17 years old and hold a current UK driving license. Height and weight restrictions apply – please see www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk for details • There is no cash or other alternative to the prize stated and the prize is not transferable and no part or parts of the prize may be substituted for other benefits, items or additions • Travel and accommodation is not included • The winner will be picked at random and contacted by the Town Crier • Closing date of this competition is Tuesday 30th September 2014 • By entering this competition, you are agreeing to receive emails from Castle Combe Circuit • We will not share your details with any third party. Full details on Driving Experiences at Castle Combe Circuit can be found at www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

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Contents This Issue

Rhubarb............ 15

Halloween......... 44 Going Batty!...... 46

Regular Features

• Damp Proofing & Control

What’s On........6-14

• Penetrating Damp

Conkers............. 29

Recipes..........19-21

• Structural Waterproofing

Sculpture Parks. 30

Gardening......... 40

• Condensation Control

Travelling Kids.. 32

Puzzles...............14

• Ventilation Systems

Rhino Baby........ 34

Kevin Sanders... 42

• Woodworm Treatment

Back to School... 36

Book Reviews.... 46

Bach Flower...... 38

Competition....... 49

• Timber Repair & Preservation

Jam Today..........17 Fridges.............. 22 Guide Dogs......... 24

TownCr er magazine

• Rising Damp

• Basement Conversions • Property Renovation

your local

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• Specialist Surveys info@biocraftsouthwest.co.uk www.biocraftsouthwest.co.uk

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01793 272085

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

What’s On

NEW!

What’s On

send us your What’s On via our website

SWINDON & CRICKLADE Murder Mystery Evenings RAILWAY EVENTS September 5th

These Friday-night (7:15pm start) events have MURDER MYSTERY EVENING always proved extremely popular. Ticket prices include and reasonably-priced bar. Fridaya hot 5thbuffet September 7.15pm start Come and exercise your powers of deduction!

Ticket prices include a hot buffet and reasonably-priced bar. Come and September 13th & 14th exercise your powers of deduction!

Wartime Weekend SWINDON WARTIME WEEKEND The Wartime Weekend brings together an Sat 13 & Sun 14 September 10am outstanding collection of military vehicles and hardware with back re-enactment groups recalling Step in time to the aspects of life on the front and at home. Second WorldinWar Plus all the people who attend their 1940s dress.

We bring to you some of the finest GWR/BR (W) model railway layouts in the country. There’ll be plenty to do for railway fans of all ages from our Thomas the Tank Engine layout, to inspirational workshops and demonstrations by expert modellers. You’ll get to talk to the experts, including pop celebrity and railway man, Pete Waterman, and the Hornby team. Hatch Heritage & Steam Engineers will be back with their fantastic live steam traction engine display. Our popular Real Ale Bar is back courtesy of Box Steam Brewery - plus a country Barbecue to keep you truly fired up! Refreshments aplenty will also be served in STEAM’s own Platform One Café. As the Festival takes place among STEAM’s permanent exhibits, you get to do all the usual great

4th-5th October 10am - 5pm

Halloween Ghost Train

Tadpole Lane, Blunsdon, SN25 2DA

evening events running between 6:00pm and 8:45pm.

The kids love it!

01793 771615

swindon-cricklade-railway.org

RE D N SO

Saturday 13 & Sunday 14 September 10am - 5pm

GREAT WESTERN LEGO SHOW HALLOWEEN GHOST TRAIN 31st&&November Nov 1st OctoberOct 31st 1st Spooky evening extravaganzas with the train and stationsSpooky peopled evening extravaganzas by ghosts and ghouls. Gets more with the train and stations popular every year. Evening peopled by ghosts events running between and ghouls. gets more popular 6pm and 8:45pm every year.

Penrhos layout – Picture courtesy of Hornby Magazine

Sat 13 & Sun 14 September 2014 11am to 5pm Join us at Lydiard Park as we celebrate 20 years of Heritage Open Days. Visit Lydiard Park and all its attractions for FREE and enjoy special openings of the Ice House and the St John Polyptych. lydiardpark.org.uk

The Swindon Railway Festival

SP O

HERITAGE OPEN DAY AT LYDIARD PARK

BY :

What’s happening locally • News • Events • Charities • Clubs

Enter the fabulous world of LEGO and see gigantic models, inventions and displays as you’ve never seen them before! Special admission applies. STEAM - Museum 01793 466646

SWINDON CAMRA BEER FESTIVAL 23rd-25th October 10am - 5pm This event is always hugely popular so get your tickets early! STEAM - Museum 01793 466646

THE BIG GWR EVENT OF THE YEAR Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September 2014 10.00 am to 5.00 pm

Celebrate the UK’s best model railways at STEAM – Museum of the Great Western Railway

things at the Musuem. Volunteers will be here to welcome you aboard GWR No. 4073 Caerphilly Castle and GWR No. 4003 Lode Star. Join Pete Waterman and Hornby Magazine for the ultimate display of model railway layouts, traders, steam vehicles and hands-on modelling demonstrations

A Railway at War - A major new exhibition examining the role of the GWRWAR and its employees during WW1 RAILWAY AT EXHIBITION To mark the centenary of the start of the First World War, this HORNBY festival includes a major new exhibition, A Railway at War, looking at the role of the GWR and its employees during WW1. STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway | Fire Fly Avenue | Swindon | SN2 2EY Tel: (01793) 466637 | www.steam-museum.org.uk www.facebook.com/steammuseum @steam_museum Key supporter:

magazine

Admission Prices: Adults: £10.00; Children £7.50 and Seniors £8.50; Family tickets £25.00 (2 adults, 1 child) and £30.00 (2 adults, 2 children). Under threes go free. 10% discount off admission for STEAM Season Ticket holders when purchased from STEAM. steam-museum.org.uk

OH! WHAT A LOVELY WAR

The Phoenix Players present a musical filled with popular songs of the time which bring the story to life - 24-27 September 7.30pm Arts Centre, Devizes Road, Old Town, Swindon Contact: 01793 614837

TownCr er magazine your local

To submit your What’s On go to www. towncriermagazine.com/ submit-your-event

Swindon & Cricklade Railway Blunsdon Station, Tadpole Swindon| SN25 2DA 6 The Town CrierLane, Magazine SEPTEMBER 2014 Telephone: (01793) 771615 Email: scr@gmx.co.uk Website: www.swindon-cricklade-railway.org

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Royal George

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EVERY SUNDAY PUB QUIZ 7.30 START ___________________________________________________

Meal Times Monday to Saturday 12pm till 9pm Sunday 12pm till 5pm Roasts and Main Menu ___________________________________________________

OUR SPECIAL MEAL NIGHTS (also running main menu) 6pm till 9pm Tuesday - Curry Wednesday - Steak Thursday - Pie Friday - Fish ___________________________________________________

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

What’s On Martin Keighley Racing Open Day

WILD IN THE WOODS FAMILY CHALLENGE Tuesday 28 October 2014 11am - 2pm, Lydiard Park

Join us for a day of team building fun in the great outdoors. It’s a chance for families to work together and find a connection with nature. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Suitable for 6 years+ £10 per group (max 6 in a group) Pre-book on 01793 465277

Sunday 7th September 2014 Condicote Stables, Nr Moreton in Marsh, Glos. In aid of The Anders Foundation & Cancer Research UK Gates open 10.30am - £5 per car Parade of Horses at 12 noon Refreshments & Licensed Bar - Tradestands

28th & 29th October Two sessions from 6pm to 7pm or 7.30pm to 8.30pm

Includes spooky snacks and drinks after the tour. Suitable for 12+ - under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Be warned - the lights will be low and things may go bang in the night!

Royal Wootton Bassett Petticoat Club Social club for women, speakers at meetings, demonstrations, slide shows & theatre trips. Affiliated to womens club, open to new members, age range 20-90 years. Every other Wednesday 7.30 at Conservative Club, 53 High Street Royal Wootton Bassett 10th September Bring along your holiday photos 24th September Golf Pro Ian Bolt - tales of his career 8th October Alan Kirton talks on water supply

lydiardpark.org.uk

Call Rod

01793 762368 or 07798 864291

USA and Canada Holiday Evenings

As darkness falls, will you dare to enter?

Join our guide for a humorous night time tour of Lydiard House with spooky audience participation. Explore the elegant state rooms and behind the scenes areas not usually open to members of the public. Discover the scandals and stories of the St John Family who lived here. Who knows, they may join in…

Plans drawn for Extensions, Conversions & New Builds Free Estimates NO VAT

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

22nd October Chef John Bridgeman

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The next two Cannon Travel Holiday Evenings are on the 24 September at 18.30 and the 22 October also at 18.30 at the Angel Hotel in Royal Wootton Bassett . The event on the 24 September is in conjunction with Funway holidays. These are a specialist company whom we work very closely with when planning holidays in the USA. If you are interested in going to the USA on holidays in the near future then please come along. We are also having a Canadian evening on the 22 October and this is with a Canadian Specialist company called 1st class holidays. So whether you like to travel independently or perhaps go on a coach tour around Canada then this event will be full of information about this great destination . Please call us on 01793 852261 if you would like to come.

100 years of Remembering A commemorative Flower Festival depicting many events from 19141918 to be held at St Bartholomew’s All Saints Church, Royal Wootton Bassett on 12/13/14 September 2014 Fri/Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 12noon-4pm

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We are an independent family owned and run agency offering over 50 years of combined property experience servicing, Royal Wootton Bassett, Purton, Lyneham, Swindon and surrounding villages. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– We pride ourselves on providing our customers with a professional and personal service that only a totally committed family team can provide.

Special Offer - September/October BOILER SERVICING from £48

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EARTHMOVING SERVICES www.earthmovingservices.net

• Garden/site shaping, levelling and clearance Micro excavator, • Footings, trenches and ditches excavated minimum access • Sub-bases, soakaways and land drains width required: • Concrete, tarmac, hedge and stump removal 29 inches (730mm) • 0.75-7.5 ton excavators with driver For more information call Steve on

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

What’s On

About Face i Portraits and Figure Studies from the Swindon Collection of Modern Art Swindon Museum & Art Gallery holds one of the best collections of modern art works by twentieth century and contemporary British artists. About Face, their latest exhibition is on display until Saturday 27 September, FREE to look around and open Wednesday till Saturday, 11am – 3pm and from 10am during school holidays. This latest exhibition offers a fresh perspective on portraits by bringing together traditional and modern portraits, selfportraits, studies and sketches. A portrait is a painting, photograph or drawing that captures the likeness of an individual. Is there more to a portrait than physical reproduction? Can a portrait capture the personality of a sitter or the emotions of the artist? Does working from life make a difference to the finished work? This exhibition presents a range of different portraits and self-portraits to explore this most compelling of artistic subjects. Portraits capture attention and create a communication between us and the individual shown. From the earliest age, humans learn to recognise other faces, to seek eye contact and to make a connection with others. Portraits have a particular power by portraying other human beings to be viewed. They create a situation in which we can see another’s face, study them in detail and perhaps feel a connection that spans time, geography and the distance between art and reality.

Above: Girl with Fig Leaf by Lucien Freud Left: Portrait of a Youth by Lawrence Gowing Below: Landlocked by James Quin

In future, Swindon Museum & Art will regularly be updating their displays to make the Collection more accessible. www.swindon.gov.uk/

museumandartgallery

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

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Totally Divine

Nails ♥ Lashes ♥ Tanning 78 Basepoint Business Centre

Rivermead Dr, Westlea, SN5 7EX . Free Parking

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Without Ou tset there would be no busin ess! We tried to open a shop before but lacked the necessary bu knowledge. siness Outset’s sup port gav the confide nce to succee e us d. Cyn

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

What’s On

Wiltshire Bobby Van

THE Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust provide a Courtesy Home Security Service for older, vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Swindon and Wiltshire, who have become, or are at risk of becoming, victims of house crime or domestic violence.

being and health.

‘Bobby’ operators carry out home security and fire risk assessments before fitting the appropriate hardware for each client. This service and the equipment are provided free to all eligible clients (over 60s, the mentally or physically handicapped and victims of domestic violence).

Our service is there to not only help prevent re-victimisation but also pro-actively so that we can stop these harrowing experiences from happening to the most vulnerable within our communities.

The home is the one safe place our clients have, the level of confidence a vulnerable person may feel once this has been violated is life changing and severely detrimental to their well-

It has been identified that one of the most effective ways of providing emotional reassurance to victims is to provide practical help, in particular by securing the home to prevent revictimisation.

Bobby Van Tel: 01225 794652 bobbyvan@wiltshire.police.co.uk Registered Charity No 1153790 See us at the Emergency Services show on 7th September - see below for details

THE EMERGENCY SERVICES SHOW Sunday 7 September 2014 A great fun day out for the whole family at Hullavington airfield. For further information, call (01380) 732999 or visit:

www.emergencyservicesshow.com

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

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Greatwood Open Day Sunday 31st August 2014 11am - 4.30pm A fun day for all the family Adults £10, Children £5

Rainscombe Hill Farm, Clench Common, Marlborough SN8 4DT Tel: 01672 514535 For info go to: www.greatwoodcharity.org

Purton Scarecrow Trail 27/28 September 2014 10am - 5.00pm Purton is holding a Scarecrow Trail throughout the Village. The theme is Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales and is fun for all the family. Parking and refreshments available at selected locations. Entry will be £2 and quiz entry sheets will be available info@purton-scarecrow.co.uk

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Jack Stephens A MAGIC CIRCLE MAGICIAN Tel: 01380 850453

Entertains Children Entertains Adults • 45 mins or the whole Party! • Superb Close-up magic! • Sing-alongs with a guitar! • Private functions! • Puppets, Games and Balloons! • Corporate events! • Marvellous magic! • Walkabouts! FREE BROCHURE 42 Netherstreet, Bromham, Chippenham, SN15 2DW enquiries@by-invitation-only.co.uk www.jackstephens.co.uk

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

What’s On

PUZZLE CORNER

Mayor Cllr Sue Hughes, Roz Paton President and Owen Collier, Town Crier.

New President elected at the Royal Wootton Bassett Chamber of Commerce

OYAL Wootton Bassett’s Mayor Cllr Sue Hughes congratulates Roz Paton on her election as the new President of the Royal Wootton Bassett Chamber of Commerce at their AGM hosted by The Wiltshire Hotel. On her appointment Roz said: “I am delighted to see our membership increasing and new members of the business community joining our Committee; including Mandy Barrell, Director at The Wiltshire Hotel and Holly Traynor, Manager of the Manor House Enterprise Network.

Across 7 Crusade, combat (6) 8 Required (6) 9 Stride, walk (4) 10 Tussles, struggles (8) 11 Venture, enterprise (11) 14 Mediator, negotiator (11) 18 Sucker, soft touch (8) 19 Recognize (4) 20 Meal (6) 21 Engage, put to use (6)

Down 1 Containers, packets (7) 2 Cease (4) 3 Mass, tonnage (6) 4 Reveal (6) 5 Reply (8) 6 Measuring device (5) 12 Pachyderm (8) 13 Atomiser (7) 15 Frolic, romp (6) 16 Grain, nut (6) 17 God of desire (5) 19 Preserved, saved (4)

Solutions to the crossword and sudoku on page 33.

It is an exciting time for businesses in this part of Wiltshire, especially Royal Wootton Bassett and Lyneham, as the MOD continues to prepare their site for the arrival of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) and its 3000 trainees in November 2015. It will be like having a university arriving on our doorstep and we know businesses are keen to grasp this “once in a lifetime opportunity” and benefit from the new economy this will inevitably bring to the area. The new Committee plans to focus on staging a series of events over the next year to assist its’ members and other local businesses get the information they need to maximise their opportunities”. If you are interested in joining the Royal Wootton Bassett Chamber of Commerce and taking part in shaping your business future please visit: www.rwbchamber.gov.uk for an application form.

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

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Town Criers Magazine.indd 1

20/05/2014 11:43:47

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

Harvest Time

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

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What a load of Rhubarb! C

AST your mind back to the fabulous sunny months of April, May and June, when the rhubarb plants were producing delicious stems of juicy fruit, perfectly ripe for crumble. Each of the stems (so technically not a fruit at all) which blushed with the colour of pink champagne or deep raspberry sorbet depending on the variety, could easily be torn from the plant, topped and tailed and then either used immediately or blanched and frozen for later. Rhubarb freezes very well, and lasts for around a year, in fact I made a crumble in April this year using last years frozen harvest. Chopped into 1cm pieces, it can be placed directly into freezer bags, but to retain its colour should be blanched for around 1 minute in boiling water. Allow to cool and dry before freezing. To revive, boil in a little fresh orange juice, a teaspoon of cinnamon powder and sugar to taste before allowing to cool. It’s a versatile crop and makes great jam, compote and crumble, and tastes delicious when made as above and served with crème fraîche.

October is the perfect time to plant rhubarb if you haven’t got any at the moment and would like a patch of your own. It’s quite un-fussy and will grow in sun or part shade as long as the soil is moisture retentive. Add well-rotted manure to the planting hole and mulch the plant with a ‘doughnut’ shape of manure about 50cm deep in spring. Give the plant a feed with ‘blood, fish and bone’ in March and watch it grow! It’s an easy perennial plant, which produces giant leaves and is pretty resistant to pests, although hungry mammals might feast on the crowns in early spring when food is scarce. Early rhubarb can be ‘forced’ inside up-turned dust bins, but only do this with established plants. Place a black bin (or terracotta rhubarb forcing jar if you’re a pro) over the plant in early spring, and then enjoy the small, tender and sweet stems as they develop and search for the light. Grown commercially in large dark sheds in the Yorkshire rhubarb triangle - between Wakefield, Leeds and Morley - this wonderful vegetable (classed as a fruit for tax reasons) can also be divided up this month if you have a large overgrown patch.

by Lee Bestall

Rhubarb originates from the colder parts of China and its popularity is fairly recent in historical terms, becoming more widely eaten as sugar became less expensive. The leaves are toxic and so too are the stems later on in the year, because the toxic acids move down the stems from the leaves and into the crown as the winter temperatures cool. TO ADVERTISE CALL 01249 811068

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

Harvest Time

British Food Fortnight

20th September – 5th October

Name a British dish. Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding? Shepherds’ pie? Spotted dick? In recent years we have become a multi-cultural society and we’ve happily adopted pasta from Italy, curry, from India and noodles from China. While we should be proud of the fact that we’ve welcomed these new tastes, we seem to be in danger of forgetting or ignoring our own national and regional dishes. It’s a sad fact that many British school children (and almost as many adults)have little or no knowledge of our culinary heritage in spite of it being rich and varied. British Food Fortnight exists to put British food firmly in the spotlight and encourage us to enjoy fresh, seasonal produce and regional dishes. It takes place during harvest time, which is the traditional time for celebrating food. This year it also has the additional aim of helping our children to discover all that’s wonderful about British food. The theme is Bringing Home the Harvest. Many schools are participating with the aim of teaching children how to prepare simple meals from fresh, seasonal ingredients. High street shops, farm shops and delicatessens will also be joining in, stocking British produce, with tasting sessions and cookery demonstrations. There will be special events in care homes for the elderly, scrumptious servings of British food in garden centre cafes, patriotic menus in hospitals, family feasts in children’s centres and lots of fun food and drink festivals and country fairs. It’s also reassuring to know that buying locally farmed, seasonal produce is the most eco-friendly choice too - doing our bit to save the planet. More info: www.britishfoodfortnight.co.uk During British Food Fortnight • Visit a local farmers’ market. • Discover your local farm shop. • Sign up to a local veg-box scheme • Shop for and cook at least one traditional or regional dish with your children. • Visit a participating restaurant or pub and try a British dish you’ve never tried before.

By Louise Addison 18

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

Jam Today… A

UTUMN is the perfect time to start preserving. You can use home grown fruits or those you’ve foraged amongst the hedgerows. Preserving is relatively easy. Once the fruit has been picked, washed and prepared, you just need some simple equipment to turn it into marvellous produce. You can get lots of advice from your local cook shop on what’s required, but some basics are: a large heavy based saucepan, spoons and funnels, a sugar thermometer, containers and jars, lids and labels. The concept of preserving foods has been around since the earliest humans. To survive, ancient man had to harness nature. In frozen climates he froze seal meat on the ice. In tropical climates he dried foods in the sun. Food by its nature begins to spoil the moment it is harvested. So the ability to preserve food enabled ancient man to make roots, and live in one place and form a community.

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Preservation with the use of honey or sugar was well known to the earliest cultures. It was commonplace for fruits to be kept in honey. In ancient Greece quince was mixed with honey, dried and packed tightly into jars. The Romans cooked the quince and honey producing a solid texture. As there’s not enough sunlight in Northern climates to successfully dry fruits, housewives learned to make preserves, heating the fruit with sugar - the method we know today. Whilst there is no longer a pressing survival reason for preserving, it can be very rewarding. As well as providing delightful food and drink for you to consume, you could also make your preserved fruits into lovely Christmas gifts. There are many possibilities including jams and marmalades, chutneys and pickles, and beverages such as sloe gin. Many establishments run evening classes which can help you create these and many other fabulous recipes, such as fruit butter or fruit cheese.

When preserving, you should use fruits that are sun ripened, as the process will not improve green tasteless fruit. Using fruit that has a high acid content is recommended, as it less likely to harbour bacteria. When filling jars, you should ensure they are hot as temperature drops will increase the likelihood of bacteria forming. For the same reason, always cover your jars straight away and when the jars are cooled, you should recheck the seals and tighten lids to prevent any air entering and causing mould to form. Or you could use a waxed disc of paper and cellophane to act as a cover. Keep your preserves in a cool, dark, dry place. Chutneys and pickles can last for around a year, and fruit liqueurs and fruits in alcohol up to two years. Once opened, store in the fridge and use quickly.

By Susan Brookes-Morris

Spicy Baked Apples with Walnuts Preparation time: 15 mins Cooking time: 30 mins Serves: 4 Ingredients

4 large Golden Delicious Apples 1 splash Lemon Juice 85g Walnuts, halved 1 tbsp Raisins 1 tbsp Soft Light Brown Sugar 25g Butter ¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C /Gas 4. Carefully cut a 2.5cm (1in) slice from the top of each apple and set aside. Using an apple corer or a small, sharp knife, remove the core from each apple. Place the walnuts, raisins, sugar, butter, and cinnamon into a food processor and pulse several times, to produce a coarse, textured mixture. If you don’t have a food processor, chop the walnuts roughly and mix thoroughly with the other ingredients. TO ADVERTISE CALL 01249 811068

Stuff each apple cavity with the mixture and replace the reserved tops. Arrange the apples in a shallow, ovenproof dish so that they’re upright, and then fill the pan 1cm (1/2in) deep with water. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the flesh is tender when pierced with the point of a knife. When slightly cooled, carefully remove the apples from the baking dish, transfer them to serving plates, and serve hot with crème fraiche or ice cream.

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

Recipes

Orange Cheesecake Serves: 8-10

Method

Preparation time:

Place the biscuits inside a plastic food bag and crush them with a wooden spoon or rolling pin.

25 minutes plus chilling time Ingredients 15 digestive biscuits 6 tbsp butter, melted 400g curd or cream cheese Grated zest 3 oranges (save the segments for the decoration) 200g mascarpone cheese 100g caster sugar 3 tbsp milk 184ml pot double cream

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

Melt the butter. Put the biscuits into a bowl and mix in the melted butter. Put the mixture into a 23cm cheesecake tin and use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly, press it down firmly to form the base. Put the tin into the fridge to set. This takes about 30 mins. Put the curd or cream cheese, orange zest, mascarpone, sugar and milk into a bowl and mix it well with the wooden spoon. Put the cream in a clean bowl and whisk until it is the consistency of thick custard. Add to the orange mixture and mix thoroughly. Remove the cheesecake tin from the fridge. Pour the filling over the biscuit base and spread evenly. Decorate with fruit (raspberries are delicious but any soft summer fruit will do) then return to the fridge until ready to serve (at least 4 hours or overnight).

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Cheesy Onion Soup

As the clocks go back and the nights draw in take comfort in our onion soup, topped with crunchy bread and bubbling cheese

Method

Serves: 2 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour Ingredients 12oz / 350gÂ onions (can use a mixture of brown, red and white or all the same variety) Butter for frying 11/2 tsp Demerara sugar

Peel and thinly slice the onions. Heat the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the onions and sugar and fry gently over a low heat for 10-20 minutes, stirring frequently. The sugar will caramelise to a nice golden brown coating on the onions. Be careful not to let it stick and burn though, especially towards the end. Add the stock and soy sauce, and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Put a lid on the pan and simmer for approximately 30 minutes until the onions are soft and starting to disintegrate.

2 tsp dark soy sauce

Grate or thinly slice the cheese.

1 pint stock (chicken stock is lighter, beef stock heartier)

Float a slice of toasted bread on top of each bowl of soup, and top with sliced or grated cheese.

2 thick slices lightly toasted bread 2oz / 50g cheddar or Gruyere cheese TO ADVERTISE CALL 01249 811068

Divide the soup between two heatproof bowls.

Grill for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling (which is why you have to use heatproof soup bowls!) Serve with more crusty fresh bread.

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

Fridges and Freezing Energy ratings of items are displayed within stores. The highest ratings are category A, which are the most energy-efficient. Everything else being equal, a C rated fridge will generally be cheaper than an A++ one , so you might want to ask the salesperson some key questions about whether the initial price saving could compensate for a potentially larger energy bill. Actual energy consumption will also depend on how well the appliance is stocked, its location, and how well ventilated it is. To ensure your food is stored safely, you need a fridge or fridge freezer that has good solid insulation, and a robust door that seals well. So do take a look at the build quality of the appliance. It can also be beneficial to have separate drawers at the bottom of the fridge for meat or salad products, to help prevent bacterial cross contamination.

Choosing a Fridge The first thing you must decide is whether you want to buy a new fridge with an ice box, or a fridge and a freezer. The amount of frozen food you use will determine your choice. Then consider the amount and type of space you have available. Do you have one narrow but tall gap suitable for an upright fridge freezer, or more space but with less headroom which would best suit a separate larder fridge, and stand alone freezer. If you have lots of space, you could buy a separate tall fridge and a separate tall freezer, or an American style fridge freezer. Compact fridges and specialist drinks coolers are also available. If you have a fitted kitchen, you might choose to integrate your appliances with doors to match the rest of your kitchen. Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve decided what type of appliance you want, you need to consider which features and specifications youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like it to possess: 22

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

Getting more specific, you could choose to seek out fridges with antibacterial coatings to give further protection to your food, and only consider those with glass rather than wire shelves, as the former avoid the potential danger of drips from food on a higher shelf contaminating food below. Some fridges now have a built in fan that circulates the cold air, and ensures a more even temperature is obtained throughout the appliance. American style fridge freezers have become increasingly popular. These offer massive storage space, and filtered cool water and ice dispensers, but they also take up a lot of room. They can be expensive to buy and to run, especially as the water filters have to be replaced regularly. Whichever fridge you buy, remember to keep it upright at all times during installation, and allow at least 6 hours for the gases inside to settle before switching it on.

By Susan BrookesMorris

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I Didn’t Know I Could Freeze That! Reduce your food waste – use your freezer. Bread – Wrap well and store somewhere it won’t get squashed. Defrost over night for the best results. Garlic – chop and place in icecube trays. Cover and freeze. Keeps it fresh and stops it stinking out the fridge. Cheese – Either freeze in a block or grate it first. Defrost thoroughly before returning to the fridge or it will become dry and crumbly. Onions – pre-chop lots and freeze them in bags ready for use from frozen whenever you need them!

Eggs - You can crack them and freeze in bags for cakes or scrambled eggs. Defrost thoroughly before use. They’ll keep for up to a year. Citrus fruit – Don’t waste the whole fruit when a recipe calls for zest. Pop the rest of the fruit in a poly bag and into the freezer. Defrost as required. Citrus fruits will keep for up to six months. Fresh Herbs – Bags of fresh herbs often go to waste. Chop and mix with butter then freeze in small pats or cubes. Or chop and place in ice cube trays, cover with water and freeze, ready to put straight into soups and casseroles.

By Sarah Davey

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

Pets Dogs Guide

Could i you help a puppy become a guide dog? G

UIDE DOGS is appealing for volunteers in Swindon and surrounding area to train and socialise guide dog puppies, a volunteering role known as Puppy Walking. These crucial volunteers provide the full-time care and education of a puppy from seven weeks of age until they are between 12 and 14 months old when the puppies are then returned to the charity to begin their formal guide dog training. Hazel Dyson, Volunteer Development Coordinator for Guide Dogs, explains: “We’re looking for enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers – our puppy walkers play an essential role - if we don’t have puppy walkers, we don’t have guide dogs.

Meet Peter, one of our existing Puppy Walkers: “When we started with the dogs we got to know everyone. People are so used to seeing me walking a dog that if I go out without one they ask where they are! Puppy Walking takes time, energy, patience and an awareness of the job that your puppy will be doing when he is mature. You have to be always aware that any bad habits allowed to develop may stop your puppy from qualifying, so extra time and effort has to be made in the training. Apart from the obedience training the puppy has to be exposed to all the everyday things that he may encounter with his new owner, including going shopping, to the dentist, the doctor, travelling on buses and trains, traffic, joggers, cyclists, stairs, other dogs, cats, the list is extensive! We love it, it keeps us occupied and fit and when we don’t have one we miss them. It’s like an addiction. When one goes you feel sad, but when the next one comes in they bring all their love with them. “It’s like an addiction. When one goes you feel sad, but when the next one comes in they bring all their love with them.”

“The role is challenging and it’s a real commitment to take a puppy in to your home for a year, but with the support of Guide Dogs staff, our volunteers find it extremely rewarding and worthwhile to raise a dog who will one day give a blind or partially-sighted person a new independence by acting as their eyes.” To become a Puppy Walker, volunteers will need to be home the majority of the day or be able to take the puppy to a suitable work environment. Puppy Walkers take their puppy into many varied environments, need access to a car and a securely fenced yard or garden. Guide Dogs supplies basic equipment and cover all veterinary and feeding expenses. Penny Parker, who has been a Puppy Walker for 7 years, says: “Volunteering for Guide Dogs has been a life changing experience. I’ve gained confidence and made many friends. I feel great that someone’s life has changed by looking after a puppy.” If you would like to become a Puppy Walker or request more information please call 0845 371 7771, email volunteer@guidedogs.org.uk or visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/puppywalking 24

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

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7+ and still going strong? Inevitably as pet owners we become the full time carer of our pet as they approach their senior years. We learn to cope with their ‘ways’ but sometimes we’re not sure if any changes warrant a visit to the vets such as hearing or sight loss, changes in eating habits or behaviour, stiff joints or lumps and bumps. That’s where our 7+ clinics come in - if your dog is 7+ or your cat is 10+ you are able to come to our free walk-in clinics with or without your pet on Tuesdays or Thursdays between 3-4pm.

A senior nurse will be allocated to you and your pet to discuss any aspect of your pet’s welfare - whether its grooming issues, lumps and bumps, constipation or bad breath, just about anything that may worry you. Maintaining a personal connection with one of our nurses means you will have someone who’s able to understand your pet’s lifestyle and your requirements for them as they grow older. Our 7+ information pack gives you examples of some of the frequently asked questions and also the checks that we as owners need to carry out at home to maintain the quality of life we would like for them.

EVENTS, OFFERS September - Special Offers for Puppies on Youth Club & PROMOTIONS: October - Worming and Flea Offers

39B Station Road, Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire SN4 7ED Tel: 01793 230266 Open: Monday to Friday 9am-6.30pm Saturday 9am-12noon

www.thameswoodvets.co.uk TO ADVERTISE CALL 01249 811068

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

This month our feature adverts are with two companies that we work very closely with, Beachcomber Tours and Travel Indochina. Beachcomber Tours are a specialist company with a huge amount of experience and expertise in Mauritius, the Seychelles, Morocco and Dubai. Mauritius is a great destination to go to in the summer and Autumn months. This is the driest part of the year and it is renowned for its sunny climates. Another great thing about Mauritius is there are no visa or vaccinations needed and with only 3 hours time difference there’s no jet lag to worry about. Its a great place to go out and about exploring or if you want to absolutely do nothing then there are the beautiful beaches with its pristine white sands and crystal clear waters. With all the Beachcomber properties in Mauritius there are free watersports including water skiing. A lot of the hotels offer All inclusive so you don’t have to put your hand in your pocket whilst you are there. They also offer some wonderful family properties with great childrens facilities. Mauritius is also an idyllic setting for your wedding with a guarantee that your wedding will be the only one that day at your particular beachcomber hotel.

MAURITIUS

Seychelles - Beachcomber Hotels own the superb Sainte Anne Island in the Seychelles. The resort offers everything and more you could wish for in a Seychelles holiday including one of the best luxury all inclusive packages. It is the only hotel on this island . It is located in the protective waters of the Sainte Anne National Marine Park where there are no motorised watersports so it is the ideal place for snorkelling or diving. Morocco - Beachcomber have recently opened their own hotel just outside of Marrakech. An ideal winter destination which you can get to within 3 hours or so. Soak up the atmosphere of the souks and bustling bazaars or perhaps head up to the stunning Atlas mountains. Beachcomber also feature Dubai which can work great if you fancy a twin centre holiday. It has superb connections with Mauritius and the Seychelles . Combine vibrant city life with your beach retreat afterwards. A perfect combination.

SEYCHELLES

Travel Indochina specialise in small group travel. On average your group size only consists of 12 fellow travellers. They have expert tour leaders who travel with you throughout your journey and local guides in each destination. The main areas that they specialise in are Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, China, India , Sri Lanka and Japan. Vietnam is full of natural beauty, history and unforgettable cuisine. Cruise around Halong bay in a Junk, explore Hoi An’s ancient streets or take a day trip to the fascinating Cu Chi tunnels from Saigon. Tours vary from 7 days to 27 days.

MOROCCO For the best Beachcomber holidays call Cannon Travel on 01793 852 261 ABTA No.V1892

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

Cambodia attracts many travellers that are drawn to the magnificent ruins of Angkor Wat or perhaps visit Phnom Penh where you can take in a tuk tuk ride along the tree lined boulevards or stop in the many cafes that take residence in the lavish French colonial mansions of old. Laos is great for visitors wanting to experience the old Asia. Sit back and enjoy the Upper Mekong on a slow boat, go and visit the 4,000 remote islands or witness the hundreds of monks collecting alms at dawn.

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beach escapes. Why not stop for a while in the lively metropolis of Kuala Lumpur in neighbouri Malaysia. See the lush tea plantations of the Cameron highlands or head to Langkawi with its white sands and mangrove forests or maybe go to Borneo and get up close and friendly with some Orangutans. Then you have Vietnam, stay overnight on a junk and sail around Halong Bay, Chill out for a few days on the beach in Hoi An and see the chi chi tunnels outside Saigon or the famous Mekong Delta with miles of inter-connecting cana and rivers. Why not extend your stay and head to Cambodia for a few days to Angkor Wat to see the temples. Cannon Travel has been an established independent travel agents for over 35 years in Royal WoottonPerhaps Bassett. Our head to China with its capital city of Beijing where you will visit all of the staff have over 100 years combined experience andUNESCO have famous World Heritage sites which include; the Forbidden City, the travelled extensively throughout the world. We can give Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and of course the Great Wall. Take a flight t you the first hand knowledge you require when planning ancient city of Xian and be amazed at the sight of the 6000 Terracotta your holiday. Amongst us we have workedthe overseas, Burma has been hidden away from the outside world for travelled on various familiarisation trips and personalPerhaps take a cruise down the Yangtze or head to Chengdu to see th many years. Now is the time to explore whatWarriors. this amazing holidays. Your choice is endless. country has to offer. Go on a local river boatpandas. and discover

EXPERIENCE ASIA

Cambodia & Vietnam Explorer the gardens, Takeininthethe glittering golden This local month villages our featureand adverts are specialists Caribbean, Asia and Great Rail Journeys. What better place to escape the Winter thanwhite thewant Caribbean orfly? Then sit back on a train and watch the countryside whiz by. Shwedagon pagoda or spend a few daysBlues onDon't the sands to 16 days fr £2,885pp Asia. The Caribbean is a firm favourite of ours. With its idyllic beaches, glittering of Ngapali beach. Meetnotyour white sands, coconut tree lined coasts and colourful reefs. What's to like!personal tour guide in St Pancras and let them escort you from start t Angkor Wat Mekong DeltaHoi AnHalong Bay Between us all in the office we have been to all the Caribbean islands . Come and finish. Great China so share much offer. Discover the Great wall ofweChina, see us sohas we can ourto experiences of the Caribbean with you and can Rail Journeys have wonderful escorted holidays around Britain and Escorted small touring -IfMaximum 16 travellers go see the Terracotta warriors or take a trip down the Yangtze advise you on which Caribbean island would be the perfectextensively one for you whether it throughout Europe and group Worldwide. you fancy a river cruise they ha would be Antigua withand its 365 beaches, the Cubalimestone - Rum and Cigars, Barbados - and river. Why not-go discover hills of Guilin Quality accommodation Unique experiences a diverse range of river cruise itineraries. Swim with Turtles, St Lucia - its own rainforest, Jamaica - Waterfalls, Bahamas Yangshuo or go Cayman and see the -giant Chengdu. Swim with Dolphins, Islands Divers pandas Paradiseorin Tobago with all its spices.

India Lanka are abundant Colour, and Thailandand is theSri land of a thousand smiles wherewith you will receive the warmest Wevibrancy pride ourselves on giving personal and exceptional service. We go the extra welcome. From the jungles of Northern Thailand to the most exotic history. ViewBangkok the TajtoMahal at sunset and sunrise, go tiger mile by not only booking your holiday, we will take care of all your visa beach escapes. spotting in either destination or try some of the best teas in Why not stop for a while in the lively metropolis of Kuala Lumpur in neighbouringpre book your seats on flights and print off your boarding passes f requirements, the tea See plantations Sri Lanka’s Malaysia. the lush tea in plantations of theHills. Cameron highlands or head to

you. We will do your advanced passenger information for all the airlines and cru

Langkawi with its white sands and mangrove forests or maybe go to Borneo and

Japan is aand country of astounding contrasts. From the neon lit get up close friendly with some Orangutans. companies at no additional charge. So sit back and relax and let us tailor make Then youof have Vietnam, stay overnight on a old junk world and sail villages. around Halong Bay, streets Tokyo to the preserved Glimpse Chill out for a few days cruising on the beach inlake Hoi An and- see the chi chidream tunnels your holiday knowing that your money is financially protected by ABTA. O Mount Fuji while on Ashi no or take the bullet outside Saigon or the famous Mekong Delta with miles of inter-connecting canals philosophy train through countryside and rivers. Why notthe extend your stay and. head to Cambodia for a few days tois to find you the holiday of a life time and all travel arrangements be

Highlights of Burma

suited toallyour personal requirements - at the most realistic price available. We have extensive knowledge of both these companies call Perhaps head to China with its capital city of Beijing where you will visitso of the 11 days fr £2,695pp famous World theitinerary Forbiddenor City, the our in and UNESCO see us and letHeritage us findsites youwhich yourinclude; perfect visit Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and of courseto thebrowse Great Wall. Caribbean Take aoffers flight to and Asia are of course perfect destinations for your honeymoon. The new website atXian www.cannontravel.biz the ancient city of and be amazed at the sight of the 6000holiday Terracotta Shwedagon PagodaBaganMandalay Inle Lake and thePerhaps different ofdown holidays that we offer. Warriors. taketypes a cruise the Yangtze or head to Chengdu see the Why nottocall in and see our vast display of wedding vouchers or we can pandas. Your choice is endless. small group touring 16 travellers personalise a voucher toEscorted go with your design on- Maximum your invitation. Cannon Travel prides itself on giving personal and exceptional Quality accommodation - Unique experiences Don't wantWe to fly? back on a train countryside whiz by. service. goThen thesitextra mile by and notwatch onlythe booking your Meet your personal tour guide in St Pancras and let them escort you from start to holiday We takehave carewonderful of all your visa requirements, When youpre book with us we take care of you from start to finish. We work with a finish. Great Railwill Journeys escorted holidays around Britain and book your seats on flights printIfoff boarding passes extensively throughout Europe andand Worldwide. youyour fancylot a river cruise they have specialist tour operators who are extremely knowledgeable and of the smaller a diverse range of river cruise itineraries. for you. We will do your advanced passenger information passionate about their destinations. Below are a selection of the operators who w for airlines and personal cruise companies no additional We all pridethe ourselves on giving and exceptionalatservice. We go the extra very charge. sitbooking back and relax and uscare tailor your closely with. mile by notSo only your holiday, we willlet take of work allmake your visa requirements, pre book your seatsthat on flights print offisyour boarding passes for dream holiday knowing yourand money financially you. We will do your advanced passenger information for all the airlines and cruise protected ABTA. Our philosophy is torelax find holiday companies at by no additional charge. So sit back and andyou let usthe tailor make of life time and all travel arrangements best suitedbytoABTA. yourOur youra dream holiday knowing that your money is financially protected philosophy is to find you the holiday of a life time and all travel arrangements best personal requirements - at the most realistic price available. suited to your personal requirements - at the most realistic price available. Throughout the year we host different themed events - see Jayavarman Mekong cruise The Caribbean anddetails. Asia are of course perfect destinations for your honeymoon. page 8 for full Angkor Wat to see the temples.

Why not call in and see our vast display of wedding vouchers or we can

personalise a voucher to go with yourtake designcare on your invitation. When you book with us we of you from start to finish. We work with a lot of the smaller specialist tour When you book with us we take care of you from start to finish. We work with a operators who are extremely knowledgeable and passionate lot of the smaller specialist tour operators who are extremely knowledgeable and passionate about their destinations. Below are are aaselection of theofoperators about their destinations. Below selection the who we work very closely with. operators who we work very closely with.

14 days fr £3,025pp xxxxxxxxx

SaigonMekong Delta Siem Reap xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Boutique vessel - Private balconies - 27 cabins on board xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Unique experiences

Contact:

Cannon Travel 01793 859671

In association with:

1 Borough Fields | Royal Wootton Bassett | Swindon Wiltshire | SN4 7AX USA AND CANADA TRAVEL EVENTS Terms & conditions apply. Book by 31 Oct ‘14

1 Borough Fields, 1 Borough FieldsBassett, | Royal Wootton Royal Wootton WiltshireBassett | Swindon Wiltshire 7AX SN4 7AX || SN4 01793 852261 www.cannontravel.biz 01793 852261 | www.cannontravel.biz towncrier@cannontravel.biz towncrier@cannontravel.biz

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CANNON TRAVEL are hosting two travel evenings on the 24 September at 18.30 and the 22 October also at 01793 852261 | www.cannontravel.biz 18.30 at the Angel Hotel in Royal Wootton Bassett Cannon travel 4.indd 1 SEE PAGE 8 FOR FULL DETAILS 7/23/2014 6:00:20 PM towncrier@cannontravel.biz

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

Autumn at Westonbirt

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

A great day out for all the family. For more information visit: www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt

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C nkers!

ost sources agree that the gloriously eccentric game of conkers began in England, but conkers is also played in North America, Canada, Ireland and Switzerland.

Success in conkers relies on good equipment. Hence you need a good horse chestnut . The best are firm, uncracked and symmetrical. Drill through the centre and thread a shoelace through the hole, knotting it securely. The aim is to smash your opponent’s conker with your own and if you achieve this, your conker becomes a one-er. From here it gets a bit more complicated. If it then smashes another one-er it becomes a two-er. If it then smashes a two-er it automatically becomes a four-er. If it then smashes a six-er it becomes a ten-er and so on. Still with me?

The official world conker championship is held annually in Ashton in Northamptonshire. Contestants are not allowed to use their own conkers. They also dispense with the points rule mentioned earlier, and no-one is allowed to stamp on anyone else’s conkers, which surely takes some of the fun out of it. In recent years the Health and Safety police have banned conkers in schools up and down the land. This is a shame and perhaps we should campaign to get conkers back into playgrounds as part of our rightful heritage.

By Tom Hancock

The rules of conkers are many and varied. I rather like the one which states that if you drop your conker your opponent can yell ‘stamps’ and crush your conker with his foot. If you yell ‘no stamp’ first, he’s not allowed to do this. Good luck with that one one in the heat of battle! Dense conkers are best. If yours sinks in a bucket of water it’s a good one. Less legitimately include baking your conker in a low oven, soaking it in vinegar or coating it in nail polish are all guaranteed to improve your chances of success in open competition.

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

Days Out

Sculpture Parks Words and photos by Claire Woollam

S an alternative to your usual style of day out, how about visiting a sculpture park? You might say they are one of our country’s best kept secrets - did you realise there are around 40 in the UK?

Many are set in beautiful locations and each has its own uniquely different ambience and landscape. You may not know too much about sculpture, but walking one of these trails in such pleasant surroundings is sure to be restful and enlightening. Kids will love being outside, running freely amongst the trees and the art works; it’s a great way to open young minds, especially those who might rebel about walking around a regular gallery. This is also a pretty budget-friendly day out. Many parks have free admission and offer picnic facilities, so pack up that hamper, gather your brood and get outside to make the most of the British summer!

Barbara Hepworth Museum & Sculpture Garden

Barnoon Hill, St Ives, Cornwall TR26 1AD www.tate.org.uk/stives/hepworth T: 01736 796226 About the garden The house, garden and studio of Barbara Hepworth, who lived and worked here from 1949 until her death in 1975, were opened to the public in 1976 and have been cared for by Tate since 1980. Hepworth used the garden as a place to view her works and it now houses over 40 of her large and small scale sculptures in bronze, marble and brass as well as many plants, flowers and trees. Nov-Feb, open Tues-Sun (closed Mondays) 10.00-16.20, Mar-Oct, open daily 10.00-17.20. Closed 24-26 December. Limited parking in St Ives. Free tours available. Shop. No dogs. Adults £6.60, Children £4.40 In addition to the Sculpture Garden there is a trail of public works by Barbara Hepworth in St Ives. A map is available at the garden. 30

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The New Art Centre Sculpture Park & Gallery Roche Court, East Winterslow, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP5 1BG T: 01980 862244 www.sculpture.uk.com About the park The New Art Centre was founded in 1958 and relocated from London to Wiltshire in 1994. Roche Court is a nineteenth-century house set in parkland. Exhibitions change frequently and displays have included works by significant sculptors such as Barbara Hepworth, Anthony Caro, Helen Chadwick, Julian Opie, Richard Deacon and Richard Long. All works are available to purchase. Free entry. Open daily 11am-4pm. Free parking. No dogs. Maps of the park and information sheets are available at the front of the house.

Forest Of Dean Sculpture Trail Speech House Road, Broadwell, Coleford, Gloucestershire GL16 7EL T: 01594 833057 www.forestofdean-sculpture.org.uk About the trail The 3.5 mile trail opened in 1986 and has currently has 22 works exhibited which explore the trees and wildlife of the Forest of Dean, its industrial past and rich heritage. Work include those by Peter Randall-Page, Ian Hamilton Finlay and Cornelia Parker. Free entry. Open daily from dawn until dusk Parking: £3 per day Nov-Feb; £3.50 Mar-Oct Maps & MP3 narrative guides are available for purchase from Forest of Dean Adventure shop Geocaching route. Dog friendly. Picnic area. Childrens’ playground. Shop.

Photos opposite page from Barbara Hepworth Museum & Sculpture Garden: Top: Barbara Hepworth, Two Forms (Divided Circle) 1969 and River Form 1973 Tate © Bowness, Hepworth Estate. Photo © Tate. Bottom: Barbara Hepworth, Four-Square (Walk Through) 1966 Tate © Bowness, Hepworth Estate. Photo © Tate. Photos this page: Above: Luke & Current Version by Tony Cragg Below: System No 19 by Julian Wild Other Sculpture Parks to consider: HENRY MOORE FOUNDATION Perry Green, Much Hadham, Herts SG10 6EE www.henry-moore-fdn.co.uk T: 01279 843333 TOUT QUARRY SCULPTURE PARK Easton Lane, Portland, Dorset DT5 1BW www.learningstone.org T: 01305 826 736 YORKSHIRE SCULPTURE PARK West Bretton, Wakefield WF4 4LG www.ysp.co.uk T: 01924 832631 Read more at Claire’s blog at www.thedigitaliris.net

Cass Sculpture Foundation

New Barn Hill, Goodwood, nr. Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0QP T: 01243 538 449 www.sculpture.org.uk About the park The Cass Foundation is a charitable organisation which began in 1992 to promote British sculpture worldwide. Over 70 monumental sculptures can be seen in 24 acres of beautiful woodland estate. All works are for sale, which contribute to future commissions and an education programme. The artists represented are predominantly British and include Keir Smith, Anthony Caro and Richard Deacon. Adults £12.50, Children (5-16) £6.50 Open daily from April throughout the summer Free parking. Maps available from the visitors’ centre. Picnic area. Shop. No dogs. TO ADVERTISE CALL 01249 811068

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Travelling with Kids Keep Entertained - Pack plenty for kids to do during long, tedious journeys. A device loaded with apps is nice and compact, but also consider hand held puzzles, colouring books, plasticine, stickers, reading books and cards. Keep Safe - Use a child locator if you are visiting busy airports or crowded tourist attractions. Your child wears a small unit strapped to a belt or shoe and you keep the transmitter. If you lose your child, set off the alarm and follow the sound to find them. For older kids, write your mobile phone number on their arm. Keep Healthy - Young children often get ill on holiday. Keep bugs at bay by having a supply of antibacterial wipes to clean restaurant tables, cutlery and toilet seats and hand sanitiser for when there are no washing facilities. A basic first aid kit is also a must! Pack pain killers or an easy to swallow medicine like Calpol, along with antisceptic wipes, plasters, anti-histamines and a thermometer. Keep Memories - Give smaller children a robust, childfriendly camera to record whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important and interesting to them, and encourage older kids to keep a travel journal on postcards by writing messages to themselves - they make great memories for adulthood!

Keep family holidays a trouble-free, happy experience by following these tips!

By Debbie Singh-Bhatti

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Ask AMS Advice for small businesses

What happens if I leave something off my self-Assessment Tax Return by mistake? Read the form & guidance! Under-declaring income can cost penalties and interest. Mistakes I have seen recently: Someone who didn’t include their big profit on the sale of a buy-to-let property. Others who thought, because their foreign income was taxed abroad, it didn’t need to go on a tax return. People earning over £50,000, who are unaware that to avoid a miscalculation they must include their child benefit on the Return. Employees commonly don’t know whether pension contributions on their payslips are paid by them, or their Employer. If paid by the Employee, they should be included on their Self-Assessment Tax Return.

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PART TIME TELESALES PERSON The Town Crier Magazine requires a telesales person three mornings per week, must be a confident person with previous telesales experience, hours will be 9.30am-12.30pm (could vary to suit applicant), the mornings can fit in with the successful applicant and can change week to week, pay rate is negotiable between £7 - £9 per hour and there will be a commission payable on sales (to be discussed at interview). Great opportunity for the right person to come in and help grow the business. Call Steve on 07794 418174 or send your CV to both steven@towncriermagazine.com and contact@towncriermagazine.com

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Cotswold Wildlife Park

First birthday of Rhino baby C

otswold Wildlife Park is celebrating a very special birthday. Exactly one year ago, Astrid was born. She was the first Southern White Rhino calf to have been born in the Park’s forty-four year history. She has since become one of the wildlife park’s most popular residents.

To celebrate the day, keepers made a birthday cake for Astrid. Visitors have even sent in birthday cards to mark the occasion. Astrid is a dream come true for the Park. Her mother Nancy (along with another female called Ruby) made the eleven thousand kilometre journey from Mafunyane Game Farm in South Africa to the UK in 2009 to join young male Monty at the Park in the hope that one day, they would successfully breed. Four years later, on 1st July 2013, Astrid was born. At birth, Astrid weighed approximately 40kgs and was totally reliant on her mother Nancy for survival.

Cotswold Wildlife Park is committed to Rhino conservation and works closely with Tusk Trust to promote vital conservation work. To find out more about these projects, please visit www.cotswoldwildlifepark. co.uk/conservation and www.tusk.org. Astrid’s mother Nancy was named after Prime Minister and local MP David Cameron’s daughter. Mr Cameron opened the Park’s new railway extension in 2007 and still visits the wildlife park with his family. These iconic animals were one of the first large mammals in the collection since founder

of Cotswold Wildlife Park, Mr John Heyworth, opened the Park to the public in 1970. A female Rhino will give birth to a single calf once approximately every two or three years. Their bond is a strong one and the calf will remain with its mother for at least two years, benefiting from her protection. Once the rarest subspecies of any Rhino, the Southern White Rhino was almost wiped out by hunters and farmers in the early 1900s, when approximately twenty to fifty animals remained. They were on the brink of extinction. Thanks to excellent and sustained protection, they are now the most common of all the Rhino subspecies. Sadly, the same cannot be said for one of its two subspecies. The Northern White Rhino is listed as Critically Endangered and is on the brink of extinction. The West African Black Rhino is feared extinct. Poaching for Rhino horn is the main cause of their demise.

Cotswold Wildlife Park opens its doors at 10am every day (except Christmas Day), with last admission at 3.30pm (4.30pm in the summer months). Visit www.cotswoldwildlifepark.com for further details. Photos: Cotswold Wildlife Park

Section Head of Mammals, Mark Godwin, added: “She is the biggest thing to happen in my career so far and a true star with a character to match. I look forward to the day she goes on to be part of the breeding programme and the day when a Rhino birth is a regular event at the Park.” Visitors can see Astrid daily from 10am to 6pm (last entry to the Park is at 4.30pm) in the large paddock she shares with mother Nancy, father Monty and Ruby.

34 34

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Back to School

Off to Uni?

Child Safety

So you got the grades and you’re off to university. It’s a bit daunting but we have some survival tips.

Did you know that accidental injury is the second biggest killer of children in the UK?

Learn to learn – Many young people struggle with the faster-pace of study and also the fact that learning is now their own responsibility. Read Andy Northedge’s The Good Study Guide before term starts. It aims to help you learn how to sort, process and recall new information. There are separate guides for the arts and sciences. It’s good to talk - If problems occur, talk to your lecturer or tutor directly as soon as the problem arises. Don’t wait until the day before an assignment is due! Take the initiative – Make the most of tutorials. Go in armed with any questions and thoughts you might have. The more you put into university study, the more you’ll get out of it. Acknowledge disabilities - If you have a disability or specific learning difficulty like dyslexia, make yourself known to the Student Learning Service. They offer support and run advice sessions. Acclimatise – If you’re moving a fair distance from home try to spend a weekend in your new area during the summer. Familiarise yourself with the transport system and the local amenities so it won’t seem as strange when term starts. Money, money, money – Think about how you’ll manage. Talk to your parents or a trusted adult about independent living. Older people have been through similar situations even if they didn’t attend university themselves. Make new friends - Attend ‘welcome’ events and sign up for a few clubs. But don’t overcommit yourself in these early days because you’ll have a lot to deal with. In summary - Get organised, work hard and don’t forget to enjoy yourself. You’ve earned it.

Only childhood cancer accounts for more deaths. Every week in the UK one child dies in a preventable accident, and around 300 children end up in Accident and Emergency departments every day! Children from the poorest UK families are 13 times more at risk, and are also more likely to be admitted to hospital with accidental injuries. The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) run awareness campaigns to explain how most accidents can be easily prevented. Parents often misunderstand the dangers their children face daily. For example, a child is hundreds of times more likely to be killed crossing a road than by a predatory kidnapper. The media focus on scare-stories, so parents over-estimate the risk of stranger danger and underestimate the risks involved in more mundane scenarios. To put it in perspective, fewer than eight children per year are murdered in the UK, whereas nearly 400 are killed in household or traffic accidents. Visit CAPT’s website www.capt.org.uk. Here are 3 top tips to keep your kids safe! 1 Make sure they STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN when crossing the road on the way to school (and on their way home). 2 Teach your kids about burn and scald risks: Don’t overfill the kettle, never use a knife to fish toast out of the toaster, take care with hairstraighteners, and always turn them off after use. 3 Make sure your child knows how to call for emergency help - they might save someone’s life! REMEMBER: Most safety is just common sense. Children’s brains are their most important defence against accidents, so let’s teach them to THINK.

By Sarah Davey

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

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Back to School Bugs By Debbie Singh-Bhatti

OW does it happen? Your family has enjoyed a happy, healthy six week summer holiday, but within just days of returning to school your child comes down with a cold, or develops an itchy skin condition, or catches nits. Why, when they need to be settling into a new routine and you need to be back at work, do they suddenly get ill? Like it or not, children gathering in schools is one of the main ways germs circulate in communities. Their immune systems are less mature, they tend to be in close contact, and they have ‘germy’ habits like sticking fingers or pencils into their mouths, so it is inevitable that they are going to come home with something nasty at some point. TO ADVERTISE CALL 01249 811068

That said, most illnesses can be avoided if a few good practices are followed. Top of the list is to make sure that your child’s immunisations are all up to date, and that all family members have had a seasonal flu vaccination, where appropriate. Prevention is definitely the best medicine. Next, make sure they wash their hands enough - and properly! The most common way to catch illness is through the mouth, eyes or nose after the hands have been in contact with infected surfaces. A thorough wash with soap and warm water to the back of the hands, in between the fingers and around the nails for 20 seconds (as long as it takes to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ twice!) - before eating or drinking, after a visit to the toilet, blowing their nose, or touching animals and waste, should be the minimum. Teach your child ‘germ etiquette’. This means staying away from other children who may be sneezing or coughing, covering their own coughs and sneezes by using tissues that should be thrown away immediately, and avoiding head to head contact with others. If your child is older, warn them about sharing items such as lipstick, lip balm, make-up, razors, creams, lotions and other personal items such as towels and sports kit. There are some germ hotspots in schools, and cafeteria trays are one of them! One survey found that there were more bacteria per square inch on a cafeteria tray than there were on a toilet seat, probably because the trays don’t get cleaned as often. If your child drops food on a tray, they should throw it away! Finally, your child can build up their immunity by getting enough sleep and exercise, eating a well balanced diet that includes lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, and by drinking plenty of water. Take these preventative measures and hopefully going back to school will be a happy, healthy time for everybody!

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Food & Drink The flowers are divided into seven groups:

Bach Flower Remedies B

ORN in 1886, Edward Bach was an English doctor, bacteriologist and pathologist, who was conducting research into vaccines when he became interested in a more holistic approach to medicine. Dissatisfied with the tendency to treat the disease rather than the whole person, he began collecting plants and in particular flowers - the most highly developed part of a plant - to find remedies.

He believed that illness was the result of internal conflict, and that negative moods such as unhappiness, fear or worry, caused a lack of harmony which ultimately manifested themselves in physical disease. By correcting this emotional imbalance, illness could be treated or avoided. “Health depends on being in harmony with our souls,” he asserted. Bach abandoned scientific methods of research and turned instead to his intuition to guide him to the right plants. Whilst experiencing a negative emotion he would hold his hand over different 38

plants, and if one alleviated the problem he would ascribe to it the power to heal. In this way he identified 38 flower remedies that can be used alone, or in conjunction with others to treat emotional and spiritual conditions.

The remedies are usually taken orally by mixing with water, although they are also available as droppers, sprays, liquid melts and pastilles. Only a few drops are required which should be taken several times a day. In some cases results can be instant, whilst in others it could take several days for any benefits to be realised.

Face Your Fears gives courage, reassurance and peace of mind to the fearful. Know Your Own Mind helps with feelings, and can increase decisiveness and a sense of direction. Find Joy and Hope overcomes feelings of despondency, despair and selfdoubt. Reach Out to Others helps people who feel lonely or alone to connect with others. Stand Your Ground helps those who put on a brave face become more assertive and constant. Live and Let Live aids tolerance and the ability to unwind in those who are overbearing and possessive. Live the Day gives enthusiasm and tranquillity to those who dwell too much on the past instead of enjoying the present. In addition, Bach developed the Rescue Remedy, which is a ready-made combination of 5 flower essences that can provide comfort and reassurance for daily stressful situations.

There is little scientific evidence to prove the effectiveness of Bach’s Flower remedies, and some claim that any benefits experienced are due to the Placebo effect. That said, they have now been in existence for over 80 years, and there are plenty of testimonials available on the internet giving credence to their effectiveness and healing properties.

By Debbie Singh-Bhatti

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Gardening

Blooms from bulbs

by Lee Bestall

T may seem early to begin planning next year’s spring and summer colour, but it is essential to get bulbs planted this month (with the exception of Tulips which should be planted in November). The history of bulbs can almost be traced back to the beginning of man, when they would most certainly have been used as food. We know that the ancient Egyptians grew onions and that potatoes (technically tubers) have been cultivated in South America for thousands of years. I wonder what these early people would think to the use of our ornamental onions, such as Allium ‘Pinball Wizard’, grown for their show stopping flowers! Most of the usual subjects including Allium bulbs can be planted right now, and range in

When buying and planting bulbs, try and follow these general rules:

price from the very cheap tiny bulbs of Allium sphaerocephalon, to the more rare and expensive giant heads of Allium schubertii. Most kinds of Alliums enjoy a position in full sun, but if you have a very dry and shaded border such as that under a large tree, then try Allium ursinum, more commonly known as wild garlic. Its beautiful lush, low growing green foliage makes a great foil for a woodland setting, as well as producing a mass of white globular flowers borne on short stems.

• Wear gloves when handling, as some are toxic and can cause skin irritations • Try and buy them loose so you can feel them. Give each a gentle squeeze and check they are firm. Reject any which are not, or appear to have shrivelled, and those showing any sign of mould (normally grey/ blue in colour). • Reject any showing excess signs of growth, with either long or pale stems. Bulbs should not be showing any sign of growth, but a short tip is OK • Damaged or split bulbs should not be selected • Plant using a bulb planter, allowing a hole twice the diameter of the bulb and about 3 times the depth, but I would advise to research it as each variety is different. • Place a little bone meal in the hole for good root development

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Bulbs can also be grown from seed. They take a good few years to flower, around five in my experience, but it’s very satisfying when they finally do and you can even have a go at cross pollinating to make your own varieties. Other favourites of mine are: Tulip ‘Prinses Irene’ an exquisite

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orange and purple flower Narcissus ‘Thalia’ a white and scented daffodil. Galtonia, an imposing 60cm tall with grass like foliage and a 90cm high flower spike in white Chionodoxa, with around 10 blue blooms per stalk, this is a small but cheery bulb.

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

Advertorial

Why instant websites don’t work In these harsh economic times it can be very tempting to go for a ‘do-it-yourself’ website package. Many companies are offering them, promising quick setup times, easy access and cheap costs. But are they really worth it? While there are some very appealing benefits to these packages it’s worth noting a few drawbacks that might not be instantly visible:

n You don’t get a unique design

This is bad because your website will end up looking exactly the same as tens, maybe hundreds of others. You may very well be able to switch images and colours, but with the internet first impressions count for a lot, and it may take just a second for a visitor to mistake you for a different company – and if they’ve had a bad experience with that company chances are they won’t stick around for long.

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n Poorly constructed code

In a similar way to the designs you’ll be sharing the same basic code (HTML) as all the other sites on the service. In order

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

to provide thousands of instant websites the source code will have to be duplicated, which means there’s no way to tailor it for your business. This can result in poor compatibility on certain browsers or devices (like mobile phones) or a loss of search traffic. Chances are you will be provided with ‘industry specific’ stock photography. This can be a good thing, particularly if you don’t have many of your own images. But stock photography should be used sparingly as it can lead to false impressions and leave users feeling that the website feels “fake”. It’s always better to use ‘company specific’ images.

n Too many options

One of the great things about instant website services is that they will probably have a long list of optional features that you can include on your site at the click of a button. The danger is that it’s possible to include all of them. When putting together a website (instant or not) it’s always good to take a step back and think about it from your customers point of view. What do they actually need? It’s probably not everything that’s been made available.

Web design has a reputation for being quite expensive, and instant packages can seem an attractive alternative. But consider this: would you buy a ‘do-it-yourself-heart-surgery kit’? If all you’re looking for is a sticking plaster, to last you a short while these packages may well be the right choice. But if you are looking for a website that is there to aid your business in securing customers and sales there are alternatives that will benefit you in the long run. If a website is worth creating it’s worth creating well.

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by Kevin Sanders

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

Halloween History and Traditions by Susan Brookes-Morris

HE origins of Halloween are unclear but many believe it is over 200 years old and associated with ancient pagan festivals, which were held around the end of October. People believed that at this time of year, the spirits of dead people could come ‘alive’ and walk among the living. They thought that it was important to dress up in costumes when venturing outside, to avoid being harmed by the spirits. There are many traditional activities associated with Halloween. A common game is apple bobbing, sometimes known as apple ducking. Competitors - who have their hands tied behind their backs - use their teeth to try to catch apples which are floating in a container of water. Some say this reflects the way women accused of witchcraft were tried in the Middle Ages. They were tied to a chair and ducked repeatedly in a river or pond. If the woman drowned she was declared innocent but if she survived she was found guilty of witchcraft and burnt at the stake! Some aspects of modern Halloween celebrations, such as carving lanterns out of vegetables, originated long ago. Whilst we now commonly use pumpkins for this (because they are large and easy to carve), in the past turnips, beets and potatoes were used. Other more recent Halloween celebrations such as Trick or Treat have American origins, though one of the alternative names for 31 October: ‘Mischief Night,’ has its origins firmly in 18th Century Britain.

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

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Halloween

Going Batty! When you think about bats what springs to mind? Do you imagine vampires or spooky haunted houses?

ATS are fascinating creatures. They make up just over a quarter of the UK’s mammal population and they are the only ones that can fly. Britain is host to eighteen native species plus occasional migrant visitors. Pipistrelles are the commonest British bats. They weigh just 5 grams (less than a £1 coin). Bat populations are under threat from predation, crime and loss of habitat so UK bats and their roosts are now protected by law. Many people who profess not to like bats cite their wings as the reason but bat wings are actually beautiful pieces of biomechanical engineering. Bat wings are constructed in a similar way to human hands, only with membrane of skin stretched between the elongated, delicate fingers. Bat bones are not hollow - unlike bird bones - but they are very slender and flexible. Because their wings are much thinner than bird wings they can manoeuvre more easily at speed. They are also more vulnerable to damage but tend to heal very quickly. 46

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

These unique creatures fly and feed in the dark. Across the world there are fruit and nectareating bats, and even real vampire bats which drink blood, but all UK bats live on insects. They find them using echolocation, producing a stream of high-pitched calls and listening to the returning echo. This provides a ‘picture’ of their surroundings. Although they can hear better than they can see, they are certainly not blind. In addition, their impressive navigational systems mean they are extremely unlikely to get caught in your hair! The old saying about bats in the belfry is a bit of a myth. In fact, bats rarely seek out church towers, preferring somewhere quiet, and less draughty. They favour houses, both old and new, and cause few problems as they come and go. They are neither noisy nor smelly and householders are usually unaware of their presence. If bats do set up home in your roof, their access must not be impeded. If you’d like to encourage these interesting little creatures to your garden you can buy or make specialist bat boxes to fix to outside of your home to encourage them to take up residence. Help, advice and general information on Britain’s bats is available at www. bats.org.uk.

By Kate Lord

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Books

Book Reviews 2 Spooky Books for Halloween by Kath Bennet & Willow Coby Fates intertwine as two young protégés must meet and compete on this unsuspecting stage. The ultimate bet will be decided after years of dedication and preparation.

The Night Circus By Erin Morgenstern

........................................................... “The circus arrives without warning … It is simply there when yesterday it was not”

o begins this adult fantasy novel. From the seductive opening you are drawn into the world of the circus. The mysterious circus owner, Prospero the Enchanter, otherwise known as Hector Bowen, is a magician and Le Cirque des Rêves is the greatest accomplishment of his career. Magic unfolds on every page as his circus and its assembled performers enchant and amaze its audience. Time moves differently in the circus, as the performers appear not to age. Acrobats perform without safety nets and the audience move from one spectacle to another, created by the illusionist who transforms tents on a whim. TO ADVERTISE CALL 01249 811068

Set in America and Europe in the late 1800s this novel oozes with an era that never quite existed. A steampunk retelling of the Victorian age that you will wish you could visit. The language is poetic and evocative and you will find yourself longing for the day when the circus arrives near you without warning. You too will want to wear a red scarf and join the rêveurs. WC

Northanger Abbey Val McDermid

.........................................................

hat’s not a typo in the title. This really is a version of Jane Austen’s classic novel, reworked by crime writer Val McDermid as part of The Austen Project, which aims to issue updated versions of all six Austen novels.

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I approached this with some trepidation, being a huge fan of both authors, but never having considered them in the same sentence before. From the first page I was hooked. This is a marvelous mix of the familiar and the new. Austen’s heroine, Catherine Morland, is brought fully into the twentyfirst century - now she prefers to be known as Cat, has a serious social media habit, and is enjoying the delights of the Edinburgh Festival. The original Catherine’s obsession with Gothic fiction, is translated into modern day Cat’s voracious consumption of vampire literature - meaning that she is prone to see the supernatural lurking around every shadowy corner, particularly when she finds herself with her new friends the Tilneys at Northanger Abbey. McDermid’s prose sparkles, with cleverly observed dialogue and constant refreshing twists on Austen’s plot and characters. Boorish John Thorpe and his shallow sister Bella, seem to belong perfectly in the modern day - indeed, readers may feel that they have met them on a number of occasions. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I still wanted to stay up late and finish the book - just like Cat/Catherine with their gothic romances, and just like I did the first time I read Austen’s Northanger Abbey. I can’t think of a higher compliment. KB

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

NACS Feature

Chimney Safety

UK fire statistics show that each year on average over 30,000 houses have chimney fires. This will be largely due to not getting the chimney swept often enough or burning fuel that is inappropriate for the appliance and causing tar to build up in the chimney. Most insurance companies will no longer pay out for claims made due to chimney fires unless the chimney has been swept by a professional chimney sweep and a valid certificate of sweeping issued that is recognised by insurance companies. If the fire brigade is called out to a chimney fire and it is proven that the chimney has not been properly maintained, then the local council can bill you for the call out, which can be expensive! Chimney fires can not only destroy homes but also endanger the occupiers of the dwelling. Slow-burning chimney fires don’t get enough air or have enough fuel to be as dramatic or visible as their more spectacular cousins. The temperatures they reach are very high and can cause damage to the chimney structure and nearby combustible parts of the house. Use only recommended fuels for your appliance and flue type (if you are unsure check your manufactures instructions, ask your stove supplier, or a NACS Chimney Sweep). Chimneys need to allow the free passage of dangerous combustion gases. Regular sweeping will remove soot, bird nests, cobwebs and any other blockages. It also removes creosote, which will help to prevent dangerous chimney fires. Chimney Sweeping will also help to increase the efficiency of appliances. The frequency of Chimney Sweeping will depend on a number of factors which include the type of fuel used, appliance, duration of use, moisture content of wood fuel, and the type of chimney you have. Your local NACS Chimney Sweep will be able to advise on the sweeping frequency during the appointment. The sweeping frequencies below are for guidance purposes only:

Gas and oil flues will also need to be swept. It is essential that all flues are kept clean and clear of debris and vermin nests. It will also help with the prevention of chimney fires and even carbon monoxide poisoning. If you have just moved house, then it is important you have your chimney swept as soon as possible as you may not necessarily know when it was last cleaned properly by a professional Chimney Sweep. Always ensure you receive a NACS Certificate of Chimney Sweeping. Your Chimney Sweep will also provide advice on your Chimney, heating appliances, what fuels to use, and the best practice for fuel storage. Chimney Sweeps that are Members of the National Association of Chimney Sweeps (NACS) undertake an extensive training programme and have to successfully complete a full assessment prior to becoming and trading as a NACS Member. All NACS Members must hold valid insurance for Chimney Sweeping, of which they provide a copy of to the Association on an annual basis. They must also have the correct equipment to be able to undertake the job which is checked at the time of their assessment. You can search for a NACS Chimney Sweep in your area by visiting the NACS website www.nacs.org.uk. NACS Chimney Sweeps are: • All trained and qualified • Fully insured • Issue an Industry Standard Certificate of Chimney Sweeping for every Chimney cleaned • Follow the Industry Standard Code of Practice • Able to inspect and survey Chimneys using CCTV equipment NACS Members are dedicated to Protecting the Consumer

• Bituminous Coal: Quarterly when in use

For more consumer information and guidance on Chimneys and Stoves, please www.nacs.org.uk where you can also download a free Heat Your Home Safely Guide.

• Gas: Once per year

Article provided by the National Association of Chimney Sweeps

• Smokeless Fuel: At least once a year • Wood: Quarterly when in use • Oil: Once per year

NACS Chimney Sweeps are very mindful and conscious of making as little mess as possible, and are in fact trained in the prevention of dust escaping during sweeping. Normally Chimney Sweeps will need a clear passage to the chimney and adequate space to work in. They may suggest you clear any ornaments from the hearth and mantelpiece, and perhaps you could clear the grate of any fuel, ash or rubbish etc before the sweep arrives.

The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

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Drive on an international race circuit in a fully prepared race car... Welcome to Castle Combe Circuit!

CIRCUIT

The sound of the engine being ﬁred up, the feel of the helmet as it is ﬁtted onto your head, the tightening of the belt as you’re strapped into the full racing harness, the reassuring smile of the instructor as he takes to the wheel, the rush of adrenaline as you exit the pit lane... Welcome to the international race circuit at Castle Combe!

ence...

The Single Seater Driving Experi Duration: approx. 3.5hrs

Includes... site brieﬁng. • Welcome and introduction. Full the Ford Fiesta S in laps on ructi Inst er • 3 x Passeng Fiesta S Ford the in • 4 x Driving Analysis laps ared Formula Ford prep race fully the in laps • 6 x Driving Single Seater Race Car ing analysis sheets • Debrief and presentation of driv ! And a guaranteed ‘wow’...

The Circuit...

Recognised as one of the fastest circuits in the UK, Castle Combe will challenge the skills of the very best driver. The 3km circuit has welcomed motor racing greats including Stirling Moss, Ayrton Senna, David Coulthard, Nigel Mansell and more over the years! It’s a truly international race circuit with 10 hotly contested race meetings each year and a further 200 or so days of motorsport and other event action!

The Instructors...

Castle Combe Circuit employs a team of professiona l instructors all of whom regularly race or have raced at Castle Combe Circui t. Many are Castle Combe Champions and all are fully ARDS trained. In the words of a recent customer: “I can’t believ e how unﬂappable my instructor was! He was absolutely brilliant and really made the experience.”

Competition WIN A SINGLE SEATER DRIVING EXPERIENCE...!

Castle Combe Circuit has teamed up with the Town Crier to oﬀer its readers a chance to win a Single Seater Driving Experience Gift Voucher. Valid for 12-months, this voucher will oﬀer the winner the chance to experience a Single Seater Driving Experience absolutely free! To enter, please answer the following question: How many driving laps of the race circuit do you do in the Formula Ford Single Seater Race Car? A: 2 laps B: 4 laps C: 6 laps Please send your entries to steven@towncriermagazine.com. Entries must be received by 30th September 2014. The driver must be 17 years or over and carry a full UK driving license. Please see page 4 of this magazine for full terms and conditions of entry. Single Seater Driving Experiences and more (Lotus Driving Experiences, Rally Driving Experiences, Ferrari White Knuckle Rides and Young Driver Experiences) run throughout the year. Please see the website or contact the Circuit for full details.

www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk • 01249 782417 Castle Combe Circuit • Castle Combe • Chippenham • Wilts • SN14 7EY TO ADVERTISE CALL 01249 811068

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

Advertorial

Why Learn Computer Skills?

Several industries are associated with information technology including hardware; software; electronics; semiconductors; internet; telecom equipment; and e-commerce. Therefore gaining a computer qualification is probably one of the most important things you will ever do. Knowing how to use a computer efficiently and gaining a computer qualification opens up all kinds of career opportunities. If you have computer skills you can choose from a wide range of career paths both now and in the future. These are a few examples: • In Customer Services and Administration computers are used to store details of merchandise or services that the organisation provides, and customer or client records on databases, and are also used to track sales, organise appointments, store letters, emails, flyers, booklets etc. • Banks and financial institutions use computers to store and move billions of pounds daily.

“Information Technology (IT) encompasses all possible aspects of information systems based on computers but also embraces other information distribution technologies such as television and telephones.” More jobs involving computers include:

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• Architects design buildings using computer-aided design (CAD). The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

• We also carry computers around with us in the form of mobile phones and laptops, and it’s possible that within the next 10 years, they may even drive our cars.

Call Solomon Training on: 01793 610710 for further information to see if you are eligible for FREE training, or see our website: www.solomontraining.co.uk

• Hospitals and other health care institutions use digital technology to diagnose disease as well as create and store patient records, handle insurance claims and process invoices.

• The film industry use computer-generated imagery (CGI) to create everything from foreign locations to 50-foot fighting robots.

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Summer Spa Day only £109 Spa 6, The perfect place to focus on relaxation and well-being.

Your day will include: • Use of the facilities from 9.30am-5.30pm to include the hydrotherapy pool, Sauna, steam room, experience showers, heated pool side loungers and ice fountain • Complimentary refreshments through your day in our spa lounge • Spa day lunch • Towels, fluffy robe & slippers through your day The following treatments to get you ready for the Summer: • Aroma time precious facial • Geleration Gel nails overlay manicure or pedicure • Skin Bliss body exfoliations

To book call 01285 864071 www.spa6.co.uk • waterpark.leisure@four-pilars.co.uk Spa 6 • Cotswold Water Park Four Pillars Hotel • Lake 6, Spine Road East, South Cerney, Gloucestershire, GL7 5FP Available Sunday –Friday from 1st July – 31st September 2014 Terms and conditions apply.

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The Town Crier Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014

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