Village Link North Magazine by Village Link Magazine (Carlisle)

Sep/Oct 2013

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Published by local people for local people and supporting local business - each issue is delivered free into 10,000 different homes and businesses!

ANDREW CORRIE Editor

EDITOR’S NOTE A recent headline caught my eye “All schools to get powers to axe long summer holiday”. Yippee!! Apparently, the traditional six-week summer holiday could be axed after all state schools were given new powers to set their own term dates. Well, all I know is, these past six weeks school holidays has really taken its toll. We’re exhausted! Look up the word ‘Relentless’. It accurately describes most children under 10 during this time.... ‘persistent, constant, continual, non-stop, never-ending, unabating, incessant, endless, unflagging, untiring... I could go on. It’s the constant mess. The colouring in, painting, glue, beads and don’t get me started on glitter. I lost it the other morning. I had a ‘near death’ - jumped in car, foot on clutch, foot got stuck to clutch - reason? Playdoh. A massive ball was stuck to the underside of my shoe. Even sleepovers are hard work. My daughter presented a list of things she ‘needed’ for her midnight feast [8.30pm to be precise] with her friend the other day, it read as follows: ‘Dear Dad [get from Tesco’s]... Gummy Bears, Curly Wurlys, Haribos, Galaxy Chocolate, Magnums, Fruit Pastilles, them big yogurts with 2 triangle sections where one side has biscuity bits in’. Needless to say after that lot, there was no sleep at this sleepover. Well done to the two ‘Imogen’s’, who found Bear in Houghton for the North and Warwick-on-Eden for the South. Tell your parents to buy you lots of Haribos! Thanks go to our loyal readers and our advertisers for all your support. Enjoy this autumn edition.

Telephone us on

my life We love to know what makes our local business people tick....

NAME Suzanne Wasilkowski Marital status Married to Paul with three sons, Todd, Matt and Theo LIVES Wetheral JOB Runs Wetheral Post Office and The Posting Pot Coffee Shop

My motto in life is to have a positive outlook. There is always someone else out there less fortunate. The person I admire most is Karen Brady. She is an excellent ambassador of how women can succeed professionally and still have the capacity to be a great mum. My life would be a lot easier if the school summer holidays did not extend to six weeks. My simple solution would be to reduce them by one week and extend the Christmas break to three weeks. My favourite film ...without any doubt is Scrooge. I never tire of watching this with the boys, and every time I watch it there is always some aspect I missed the time before. My hobbies I don’t really have loads of time for hobbies, however, I have just achieved a first class honors degree in Psychology, so that has consumed most of my spare time over the last four years. My greatest passion From Top: is spending time with horses when the opportunity Scrooge is Suzie’s arises and I also love the outdoors in general. We live favourite film in a fantastic village with superb walks and woodland. and Karen Brady I also love going to the Wheatsheaf, Fantails is someone she Restaurant and The Crown Hotel which are all a admires. bit too handy sometimes.

Front Cover picture courtesy of Jesse Knibbs [nature_boy33@hotmail.co.uk] DESIGNED & PRODUCED BY: Michaela Corrie Design [m.corrie@virginmedia.com] PRINTED BY: H&H Reeds Printers, Penrith, Cumbria

01228 562904 Write to us at

The Shrubbery, Great Corby, Carlisle CA4 8LR

Email us on editor@village-link.co.uk

visit our Website www.village-link.co.uk The deadline for booking advertising space in the November/December 2013 issue is Wednesday 16th October

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History Matters A look into Carlisle’s past with history editor David Ramshaw

n 17 August 1837, John Kent was appointed to the newly formed Carlisle City Police Force. He was, almost certainly Britain’s first black police officer. A black person would have been a rare sight in 1837 so how did this come about? In the late 18th Century, Thomas Kent, a black African and a victim of the slave trade arrived in England from the Caribbean and landed in Whitehaven. He was a servant at Calder Abbey and after seven or eight years he went to sea before returning to Carlisle where he married a Cumbrian girl. They had ten children, one of whom a son, John Kent, was born at the family home at Low Hesket, Carlisle, sometime between 1795 and 1805. John grew up in the area and married a girl from Longtown. He died on Monday, 19 July 1886, aged 88, at his home in Henry Street, Carlisle and was interred in Carlisle Cemetery. ‘Black Kent is dead,’ announced the ‘Carlisle Journal.’ ‘Death of a Carlisle Noteable’ stated the Carlisle Patriot. ‘Yesterday, there were interred at the Carlisle Cemetery the mortal remains of one of the oldest and best known inhabitants of this city, John Kent, popularly known as ‘Black Kent,’ he being of negro descent.’ ‘In his prime John Kent was a big powerful man.’ Said The Patriot’, reporting that at one time he was employed laying pavements in the city and ‘Crowds gathered to watch the tremendous blows dealt with his pavior’s beater.’ So unusual was the sight of any black person in the city at that time, let alone a policeman, that “Black Kent’s coming” became a household term used to frighten mischievous children into behaving themselves. ‘But the imputation was ill-deserved. ‘Black Kent’ in the flesh was a quiet, inoffensive man with

John Kent, Britain’s first black policeman, second from the left, from a painting by Mark Custerson (hanging at Carleton Hall).

a positive fondness for the children who were brought up to regard him as an ogre. Having served the city for many years as a policeman, one of the original ‘Bobbies’, he entered the service of the London and North Western Railway Company and in that service he ended his days as an attendant at one of the waiting-rooms at Citadel station’. He was then an old man of 88 years of age [or 91, according to Kent himself]. John was proud of his police service and like all policemen he liked to reminisce about his experiences. It appears he had plenty to talk about. One of his earliest arrests, was that of two hotel ‘coiners’. He’d tell of how he captured one and chained him to the fire-grate in his own home before placing an empty pistol on the table and telling his wife to shoot the man if he so much as attempted to escape. He then went off and caught the other offender. On another occasion, he arrested a man for a robbery committed near Wigton. In order to put the offender off his guard, he feigned drunkenness, ‘but the villain was soon to discover that what he supposed to be a staggering inebriate was in fact a stalwart guardian of the peace with all his senses about him.’

John Kent Britain’s first black policeman

This is only a very brief synopsis of John Kent’s story, described in full (5 pages) in ‘Watching Over Carlisle’ available from http://www.p3publications.com

Above: The signal box at Citadel Station, known for years afterwards as Kent’s cabin. It was here that Edward VII, when a boy, asked ‘Is that Uncle Tom’s Cabin’, on seeing Kent at the window from the Royal train. Right: Death notices from the Journal and the Patriot

4 8

health and fitness

by CAROL WESTMORLAND

ppearances mean everything. It wouldn’t do to weep and wail in public. Imagine the crowd and the potential mess. Mascara everywhere (and soggy tissues that have been kindly offered in your hopeless state). Weeping and wailing may grab attention but that attention is short-lived and worse remembered. Wallowing in self pity will get you nowhere. In today’s world, where everything is shared, you wouldn’t sell yourself by saying ‘broken in parts’ ‘one uncareful owner’. Would you? No you would not. You would say ‘soon to be in perfect condition’ ‘full service history’. You would gloss over and apply some spin. So when confronted ‘face to face’, (and yes, this can still happen) you must first assess your audience. Think on your feet. Husbands, wives and partners are excluded. They require no filter. So who are we addressing. Well should your audience have a loose interest in you (a casual acquaintance whom you only see every six months or so) then you must keep it brief and swift. Long-winded explanations require attention and noone has that anymore. Should they have marginally more interest in you (you see them weekly) then perhaps furnish them with slightly more of the gritty stuff. Dates of future surgery etc.., Those who see you almost daily will not require updates. They will have lost interest by month two. The danger is there may lurk that person who needs to hear your suffering. This isn’t personal (it could be anyone) but it does make them feel better. Why? Well they feed from misery and you may be lunch. It can be tricky to detect but listen to their tone. If it is very gentle and sympathetic put your guard up, and quick. Hopefully the medication you’re taking will not have slowed your reactions down too much. Then act your little socks off. Lots of ‘it’s nothing’ ‘I’m on the mend’ that sort of thing. The showing of a ‘beautifully’ well-healed scar can help. They may respond with ‘that looks brutal’ but do not weaken your resolve. Do not linger. Brush it aside. As Brian Moore once said “If misery loves company, then triumph demands an audience”. I would like you to NEW C pull up a ringside seat”. LA

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VILLAGE LIFE SARAH BRIGGS I’m convinced that farmers don’t like people using the Hadrian’s Wall path as the mire of sheep and cow muck around gates made them practically impassable.

ummer has taken me by surprise. I have no sandals and no shorts, so outside work have been living in trainers and the single pair of jeans I possess – at least they dry quickly in the sun. I was convinced that as soon as term ended the rain would start, but so far it hasn’t. The great thing about Cumbria is that on the rare occasions it is actually sunny, it doesn’t get as unbearably hot as it can further south – ever since being pregnant with my first child I’ve been far less tolerant of heat. Last year I got used to running through mud: I’m convinced that farmers don’t like people using the Hadrian’s Wall path as the mire of sheep and cow muck around gates made them practically impassable. This fantastic sunny weather entices cyclists outdoors. As I had looked after the three children (we went to Alnwick and spent a night in an hotel and then a day at the castle and garden – I can highly recommend it although it’s expensive) while my husband did a long run in training for the Lakeland 50, it was his turn to look after them today. I went out on my bike, and as I cycled through Castle Carrock, Talkin, Farlam and Kirkhouse, I kept being reminded of rural France, where I lived briefly in 1994. I always wondered what on earth people who lived in such remote places did. Living in Cumbria I think I have the answer: mostly we commute

elsewhere to work, and almost everybody drives. Everywhere. When we moved to Cumbria I insisted that we lived somewhere with good public transport links, looking far ahead to the days when we were no longer able to drive. But do people who move to more rural communities do so just accepting that they’ll have to drive everywhere? It seems a bit crazy to me to be so reliant on a car – perhaps because I lived so long in London where a car was generally unnecessary - though I completely understand wanting to live somewhere small and pretty. But associated with car usage is the modern phenomenon of shopping at supermarkets. In these days when we’re pressed for money and time, the one-stop competitively priced supermarket which will also deliver to your door is an easy option, meaning the village shop is dying. The one in Hayton has just closed and been put up for sale yet again; Castle Carrock still has a shop; otherwise the focus of a village is, depending on financial viability, the church, pub, village hall and sometimes a school. Some villages are becoming communities which are no more than collections of houses.

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So what happens? Some of us decry the loss of local facilities but in fact we all, to a greater or lesser extent, add to that decline. I’d love to meet anybody who genuinely only shops locally, and only purchases locally produced food. I’m not convinced he or she exists.

Freelance writer Sarah Briggs writes for The Mirror, Top Sante, Cumbria Magazine, Somerset Life, Essentially Midirs and Running Free amongst many others. She is a regular interviewee on Radio Cumbria and is currently writing three books. If you want to tell her any local stories, then she can quite often be found in her favourite café – Off the Wall in Brampton – or you can catch her manning the Hallsford stall at Brampton Farmers’ market. And of course you can always contact her on sarah@village-link.co.uk

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Do you have the Will to protect your wealth from the ever-present threat of Inheritance Tax? *

The

Posting Pot C a f é a n d T a k e Away

by Mike Turney

Chartered Financial Planner and Fellow of the Personal Finance Society

t seems like a long time since the Conservative Party said it would raise the Inheritance Tax (IHT) threshold, above which deceased estates are taxed at 40%. Since forming the coalition government they have yet to turn those words into action and have confirmed the threshold will remain unchanged until at least 2015, and subject to further legislation the freeze will be extended up to and including the 2017/2018 tax year. The days are long gone when IHT could reasonably be regarded as a tax only for the very wealthy. Many of us still think that we are unlikely to be affected by it, but many of us would be wrong. The IHT threshold – officially known as the ‘nil rate band’ – currently stands at £325,000. Consider what your house is worth today. For many people, this alone is enough to exceed the threshold. Married couples and civil partners can pass assets to each other without paying IHT, while they are alive or on their death. A fairly recent change of rules also allows them to transfer any unused portion of their nil rate band when they die. So it’s now possible for the surviving spouse or partner to leave assets of up to £650,000 before IHT becomes payable. (It’s important to remember that the full nil rate band of £650,000 is not available to unmarried couples.) Thankfully, there are a number of things you can do to reduce any liability. A good place to start is with your Will. Everyone should consider having a Will and, just as important, one that is IHT-efficient. If you don’t, or if there are mistakes in the drafting, the laws of intestacy may distribute your assets in ways that you never intended, or your estate may be taxed in ways that could otherwise have been avoided. It’s estimated that UK taxpayers waste £448m a year in IHT payments which could have legally been avoided by simple tax-planning measures when drawing up a Will. (www.unbiased.co.uk). If you own a business, your Will should cover your business assets unless you have made appropriate succession plans with your partners. And you should review it whenever your circumstances change – a subsequent marriage, for example, automatically invalidates a Will. Your Will is the place to take advantage of the rules on charitable legacies which came into effect on 6 April 2012. If you bequeath money to a charity, it will not

be subject to IHT – that’s not new. But, if you leave 10% or more of your taxable assets to charity, what remains attracts IHT at a reduced rate of 36%. In fact, the lower rate of 36% could apply even when less than 10% of your estate is left to charity if, for instance, the estate includes trust assets. The rules are somewhat complicated and therefore it’s important to take professional advice. There are other well-proven methods to reduce IHT, and one is making gifts during your lifetime. These reduce the size of your estate and therefore the size of any IHT bill. Some gifts depend on you surviving at least another seven years before they officially move outside your estate. There are, however, some very useful exceptions to this rule which mean that the assets move outside your estate, and beyond the reach of IHT, immediately. Every tax year, for example, you can make gifts totalling £3,000. On top of that, each year you can make small gifts of up to £250 to any person and to as many people as you like, provided you have not made any other exempt gifts to that person. Investing that sum annually into a Junior ISA for a grandchild or godchild could accumulate into a much-appreciated sum by the time they turned 18. Potentially the most generous exemption for IHT purposes, however, is the one that allows you to make regular gifts as part of normal expenditure from your income. These payments must be part of a regular pattern and may not come out of your capital. You must also keep enough income to maintain your standard of living, so you are unable to make gifts out of your salary or pension if you then have to raid your capital to pay the bills. Gifts that qualify as normal expenditure out of income have no specified maximum, though they will be limited automatically by the size of your surplus income. While the exemption doesn’t have to be claimed during your lifetime, keeping records of any gifts will help your representatives to claim it retrospectively. Remember that IHT is a complex area and, without professional help, it can be very easy to get things wrong.

Tavistock House Wetheral Carlisle CA4 8ES Tel: 01228 560201

Email: thepostingpot@yahoo.co.uk

* Please note that the editorial above applies to English/Welsh Law only To receive a complimentary guide covering Wealth Management, Retirement Planning or Inheritance Tax Planning, produced by St. James’s Place Wealth Management, contact Mike Turney of St. James’s Place Wealth Management on Office: 01228 406391 Mobile: 07850 580108 Email: mike.turney@sjpp.co.uk or www.miketurneywealthmanagement.co.uk

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Garden Feature Life and the odd gardening tip from garden editor Jason Hindmoor

y wife accused me the other day of not speaking to her mother for 14 years. I said I didn’t like to interrupt.

I recently got a Sky+ box for my parents for their wedding anniversary. I explained that they can pause whatever they’re watching if they want a cup of tea, need the loo or want a snack and then resume watching where they left off. This seemed like a good idea but with all the stopping and starting and explaining who was who Now that women are living substantially it took us about six hours to get through longer than men, it occurs to me that at one episode of the start and end of most Nashville. I must be the only marriages, the woman gets

flowers. In between are man in history to get In this column a number of wedding in trouble for buying next time – anniversaries until the why does my his wife a present couple have that wife always laugh that didn’t involve conversation. The one at funerals and where they decide that why can I grow an au-pair rather than the wife hair in my ears buying the husband a present that he but not on the top of my head. doesn’t want and the husband buying the Anyway here’s a checklist of wife a present that she wouldn’t be seen some autumn gardening jobs dead in, both parties would be better off you may need to do: not buying any presents and just keeping their money for the water bill. Or one of September and October are the perfect those telephones with big buttons. I had months for you to get outside while the that conversation with my wife last year weather is still mild and prepare your where we agreed not to buy each other garden for the winter. The first step is to presents but I didn’t know if she was clear up the beds, removing the dead serious or not so I bought her a present leaves and foliage (turning these into just to be on the safe side. Anyway to cut compost if you can). a long story short she hadn’t bothered The next job is to weed and clean the buying me anything and got really mad paths. Cleaning your paths now will save because I had broken the agreement. I you a big job in the spring when you must be the only man in history to get in finally brave the gardening which you’ve trouble for buying his wife a present that put off for the cold winter months. didn’t involve an au-pair. On that subject, John suggested to his wife that they Think of your grass as going into should look into getting an au-pair. What hibernation over the winter. Clear the he got instead is a diagram of what seems moss or weeds from any areas of grass to me to be an unnecessary medical and give the grass one last feed before procedure performed on a man without winter sets in, this will help it keep going anaesthetic. But the diagram seemed to through the winter. answer his question.

Treatment with Amber on production of this voucher.

Village Link - your FREE Community Magazine

Mouth-watering inspiration from food editor Jane Ferguson

am 53 years of age and I recently got sent out for a walk by my 29 year old daughter. Let me explain. In the last month we have moved house, plus my daughter and her husband are over from Canada, and through no fault of their own, had to extend their stay a further two months which meant that they had to move with us. Moving in any circumstances is a stressful time, but as normal with us, there is always that extra bit of stress!! The house we moved into has rising damp. We knew about this before we moved and I was assured that it was not a big job. It was partly in the living room and most of the kitchen, which meant that the whole kitchen had to come out. So my makeshift kitchen now consists of a two ringed hob, kettle and microwave in my back room, with a sink placed precariously in the middle of what is left of the kitchen. My daughter, who has such a positive nature, told everyone I was fine because I still had hot and cold water! When the rising damp was being done my new house looked like a building site, no-one forewarned me of that, although I am sure all you men are thinking ‘what did you expect?’ Things came to a head one Friday when everything got to me. I was making my bed (and crying) only to be told by my family that they could hear me sniffing outside. Then the plumber (a good

friend of ours) asked how I was coping. Well that was it, I burst into tears in front of him and our dear friend did not know what to do. It was at this point my daughter said I needed to get out of the house and promptly sent me off to the shops. She got my things together and told me to power walk. I said I could not power walk, so she told me to walk fast instead then! I felt like a naughty school girl but you know what, when I got back, I felt so much better. Why are our children smarter than us? Anyhow, the damp has been sorted and work progresses. I am assured that I will have an amazing kitchen at the end of it; I just have to be patient. In the meantime whenever the pressure gets to me I know what to do, a brisk walk to the shops! When you haven’t got an oven, cooking is limited, although with the great weather we have been having the barbecue has been a life saver. My Canadian son in law bought me a barbecue cookbook from Canada.

ball then flatten each ball into a patty with a thickness of between ¾ and 1 inch. Use a spoon or your thumb to create a shallow well in the middle of each patty. This prevents the ‘meatball effect’ where the patty develops a domed top. Heat the barbecue to 200 to 230C. Cook with the lid closed for 8 to 10 minutes. You should only turn the burgers one or twice. If you turn the burger during the first few minutes you will leave some meat sticking to the grate, so try and manage to wait at least 4 minutes. Finally one of the worst things you can do to a burger is to press or smash it with a spatula. This causes the juices to run out quickly causing flare ups and drying out your burgers. Hope these few tips are useful in making the perfect burger.

Here are some tips for making the perfect burger. Buy mince with about 20% fat in it, you need some fat to make them taste good. Put the meat in a bowl and season with salt and pepper, and then divide into equal portions. With wet hands shape each portion into a loose round

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Travel editor Stephen Dent tells you what to see and where to stay

Holidays for the disabled and less mobile

PAY AT YOU

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PAY HAT YOU KNOW W UPTO

hen I broke my ankle on 15th July playing football, I had no idea of the impact it would have on everyday life. After 5 hours in theatre and 2 days in hospital, I’m slowly coming to terms with the implications.

At home, my world centres around the sofa and the stool carefully positioned beside it. Here, with my wife’s help, I gather my essentials for the day - beer, tv remote control etc! Having two ankles that work is what keeps you stable and allows independence. Being without one is so limiting. Doors close around me as I tot up the everyday things that you take for granted, that I will no longer be able to do.

the surrounding area is fairly flat. However, the resort centre and seaside are down an incline. Guestrooms are spacious and the pools offer access by steps, ramps or hoists.

Cala Bona is one of Majorca’s well known eastern resorts. Life in Cala Bona is fairly relaxed resort and an ideal place for sitting on the promenade, having a drink and people watching. For those who like a bit more life, Cala Millor is a short distance away.

OU STAY

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on your

for the most hearty of travellers, let alone those with disabilities

The Mar Y Sol in Los Cristianos, Tenerife is a specialist property that sets out to provide every facility for the wheelchair user. Set approx. 250 metres from the sea,

KNOW

UPTO

Majorca has something for everyone offering everything from traditional villages to sophisticated towns. MaGoing on holiday is as diverse as can often be a hassle jorca the visitor it attracts.

Going on holiday can often be a hassle for the most hearty of travellers, let alone those with disabilities. However, there are companies out there that specialise in holidays for the disabled and less mobile and here at Dawson and Sanderson, we’re here to help you find, plan and arrange a holiday to suit your individual needs.

THE CLEVER WAY TO SAVE!! THE CLEVER Y SAVE!! WAYWTO YOU STA HERE

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The hotel Cap de Mar is located upon the beachside promenade and is only a stroll away from the picturesque fishing harbour. The rooms have a bedroom and separate lounge area. A selection of rooms have wheel in showers. Dawson and Sanderson offer a range of accessible hotels and apartments to suit varying levels of mobility. Why not give us a call on 01228 548899 or visit us on Lowther Street, Carlisle.

Please mention The Village Link when responding to adverts 9

BMW 3-Series Which Model? Gran Turismo Verdict? Great all rounder

t first, I didn’t know what to make of the New 3 Series Gran Turismo. What bracket was this car falling into? It’s not just an ordinary saloon car with a hatchback (like a classic Mondeo) but neither is it an estate. BMW already do a very good job in producing the 3 Series and the 5 series Touring - so what is it? Well, after taking it for a drive I figured it out. It’s both. It offers the prestige of the saloon but has the practicality of the Touring with its massive boot - yet the emphasis is definitely on comfort and luxury. I think it looks great but this new look will polarise opinion. It’s a BMW so naturally it drives great, even though it’s a bit heavier than a 3 series. The interior space is massive - tardis like - there is a huge amount of leg room and the back seat will fit three adults in without compromising any personal space. The boot is cavernous with handy little hooks that you can hang your shopping bags on. (I’ve only seen this feature on an old Chrysler Voyager we had years ago but I loved this idea). You drive home happy knowing that the contents of your weeks

family shop isn’t strewn all over the boot floor. In fact the boot space is larger than the 3 series Touring! As the car sits a little taller from the saloon and the estate, you have a greater driving position (similar to the X1). It’s not exactly a Range Rover, but some folk like to sit higher. I’m guessing parents with tall children will like this car with its extra rear leg and headroom its another option if you are phobic about estates. I do find the Stop/Start technology incredibly annoying. It’s quite disconcerting. Literally, at every set of traffic lights or junction the engine stops. Unlike the VW advert which shows a baby being woken up by this, I was subjected to, ‘Mum, dad’s stalled the car again. Can you drive this car mum, dad can’t!”. I’m sure in some outstanding way it is contributing to saving the planet, but I don’t like it. It’s inconvienient and unnerving. So to sum up, I do get the point of this car. It slots between the 3-series and 5-series. It’s roomy like a 5-series but isn’t as expensive as one. It’s a great solution for those who have family needs but don’t want to drive a pile of slush. MANY THANKS TO: Paul Lloyd BMW, Carlisle 01228 542222 Written by Andrew Corrie [Editor]

10 Ring 01228 562904 to advertise or email: sales@village-link.co.uk

On Your Bike Cycling tips and advice from sport editor Gary Dickson 3. Bumpy ride: Your tyres absorb much of the unevenness you encounter on the road. Too much pressure makes your tyres harder. Hard tyres meeting hard road (think of the wheels on a horse e all know that correct tyre and cart) makes for a bumpier ride. pressure is essential if we 4. Premature wear: Tyres wear quicker own a car. It affects a cars when the pressure is incorrect. Also, damMPG, handling and brakage can be caused to the tyre side walls. ing, etc. However, when it comes to our trusty bike, sometimes tyre pressure 5. Steering, grip & control: When your tire pressure is correct your bike will ride gets over looked. well. When under or over inflated this will There are many good affect its handling. Grip on the road will be reasons to check your impaired. It will reduce your control. tyre pressure, and when you get it right 6. Tyre Pressure: All bike tyres should you will increase the have a pressure rating on the sidewall. joy of cycling and Check this before inflating. ensure safety. Here I haven’t even touched the subject of tyre are a few basics to pressure when riding a mountain bike off consider:road. There is discernment required here. 1. Increased What sort of terrain will you be riding? Is friction: it muddy? Has it a loose surface? Will you Without enough be encountering potholes at speed? Are you pressure in your tyres friction on doing cross country riding? Depending on the road is increased. More friction will the terrain you may decide to lower your cause your bike to freewheel slower. This tyre pressure. This can allow your tyres to added drag means you must increase the effort you spend to go the same distance. Isn’t that a good enough reason on its own to inflate to the correct pressure? 2. Snakebite: If your tyre pressure is too low and you hit a sharp edged obstruction such as a kerb or pothole your tyre will be easily pushed in until it hits the rim (this may happen even if your tyre pressure is correct, depending on the force). When this happens you might express to yourself “That didn’t feel good”. Next thing you know is you’ve got a flat tyre and two parallel dints in the abused wheel rim. When you take the wheel off you find a matching pair of punctures in your tube. Your tube has been pinched on both sides of the rim causing what looks like a snakebite.

Are you under the right pressure?

roll faster because it enables them to absorb more trail irregularities, and can increase traction as well as comfort. Whatever you do use a suitable bike pump. DO NOT use your local petrol station compressor to inflate your tyres unless it’s your last option and you know what you are doing. They are high volume/high pressure pumps and can easily overfill a bike tyre with very little effort. Before you know it the tyre has come off the rim and the tube has exploded causing a tremendous bang that would rival a loud gun shot, causing everyone at the station to hit the dirt. Finally, it’s not just tyre pressure that is important. If your tyres are bald they will puncture more easily and not grip the road as well. Using the most suitable tyres for your style of riding makes a noticeable difference too. But that’s another subject.

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VILLAGE

VOICE

Have you ever thought you could do more for the community, but not wanted the commitment of weekly voluntary work?

arlisle Leisure, the Industrial and Provident Society which manages the Council-owned leisure facilities in Carlisle and Allerdale, has vacancies for Trustees for its Management Board. Whilst this role is not remunerated, Trustees benefit from Membership of Carlisle Leisure facilities and will be involved in strategic decisionmaking for a business at the heart of local communities. Trustees will be required to attend a management meeting approximately once every two months and should be prepared to become involved in other ad-hoc sub groups from time to time during their 5-year term. The term commences at the end of September after the company’s Annual General Meeting. Key strands to the company’s business include fitness, exercise and arts and events. However the organisation also promotes ‘well-being’ programmes with other organisations across all sectors, whilst retaining a high level of customer service. In addition

the company is in an exciting position where it is ready to develop and expand, competing for new contracts across a wider geographical area and keen to invest further in its current facilities. If you have experience and skills in any of the following areas the business would love to hear from you: • Finance • Legal •Private Sector Business • Community (ideally with an interest in adult social care) Whilst experience at a senior management level is useful it is not essential, but a willingness to analyse and question and the energy and desire to help drive the business forward is vital. For more information or for an informal discussion potential applicants should contact Andy King, Managing Director, on 07792 898947.

New women only self-defence and confidence-building classes to start in Brampton Would you know what to do if you were attacked in the street? For the vast majority of us this will never be something we’ll need, thankfully, to put into practice: but having the confidence that you know how to defend yourself can improve your self-esteem besides being a useful tool. Tilda Vaughan is only 23. She grew up and still lives near Carlisle, and for much of her secondary school life suffered from bullying, leaving her timid and lacking in confidence. The self-assured, outgoing woman who teaches Crazy Monkey is a far remove from that previous individual. Her mother, Barbara, speaks proudly about the changes

she has seen in her daughter, quoting the example of Tilda happily going out on her own for a meal with other Crazy Monkey trainers – people she had never met before - while on a course in Manchester: something she would never have done previously. Helping women develop or regain selfconfidence is Tilda’s main motivation for teaching female-only Crazy Monkey sessions, a combination of all the martial arts which can be tailored to each client’s personal needs and aims, and her long-term aspiration is also to learn more about the mental health aspect to the training. Part of it, she has learnt from her coach, is about changing the labels you use in your head: “rather than ‘I am nervous’, think ‘I am excited’ “, she says. She’s particularly keen to teach girls around the age of 14, when confidence issues can begin to arise, including teaching mother-and-daughter classes. Ideally Crazy Monkey, which got its name from people watching monkies defending themselves, is taught one-to-one. This enables the trainer to adapt each session to the individual, going at the participant’s pace and changing aspects of technique where necessary. It’s not just for young women: because Crazy Monkey can be tailored to the individual, Tilda is insured to teach women up to age 74. All interested women are given a free trial session and there are discounts for signing up to the 6-week introductory programme or for training more than once a week. For more information please contact Tilda Vaughan on 07873 303265.

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CARLISLE BLUES AND ROCK FESTIVAL 2013 LINE-UP ANNOUNCED: IAN SIEGAL & THE MISSISSIPPI MUDBLOODS, ROYAL SOUTHERN BROTHERHOOD & BERNARD ALLISON HEADLINE The best of the blues scene return to Carlisle over the weekend of November 8, 9 & 10th, later this year at the Swallow Hilltop Hotel. Now into its 7th year, the Blues & Rock Festival is hailed as one of the best in the UK and this year’s line-up is bigger & better than ever. Bernard Allison, the son of Luther Allison (“The Bruce Springsteen of blues”, according to the Chicago SunTimes in 2000), will headline the first night of the event. Inspired by his father and the likes of Muddy Waters & Albert King, who he met growing up, Bernard’s sound is one that incorporates the essence of classic blues records. Headlined on the Saturday by the always-touring, critically acclaimed, Ian Siegal who was described recently by MOJO as “One of the most gifted singers & writers in contemporary blues”. He will once again perform with the Mississippi Mudbloods who this year will feature Duane Betts, son of the legendary Dickie Betts one of the founders of the incredible Allman Brothers. On Sunday, the Royal Southern Brotherhood will be the main attraction. Having released their debut album last year to great reviews, this will be one gig NOT to miss. The band features another son of a music legend – Devon Allman, whose father is Gregg – and a Grammy Award winning drummer in Yonrico Scott. Having been successful since its inception, the line-up this year is another step-up in quality and sees some of the younger sons of US legends venturing to the picturesque Cumbrian countryside to entertain.

Book up, check in & don’t miss out – as this is set to be the best year yet at Carlisle.

readers letters We know that the letters page ain’t what it used to be. If anyone has something to say they have a blog, and audiences and communities are found on Facebook. The sense of reader community that you found in print is all but gone at most publications..but not here at Village Link. We welcome you to get in touch... rewarding the writer of the Star Letter we print.

WIN

(Find the Village Link post or email address on page 3)

STRANGE MIND I came across this great example of a Brain Study recently. I’ve seen this with the letters out of order, but this is the first time I’ve seen it with numbers. If you can read this OUT LOUD you have a strong mind, and better than Letter that, Alzheimer’s is a long long, way down the road.. 7H15 M3554G3 53RV35 7O PR0V3 H0W 0UR M1ND5 C4N D0 4M4Z1NG 7H1NG5! 1MPR3551V3 7H1NG5! 1N 7H3 B3G1NN1NG 17 WA5 H4RD BU7 N0W, 0N 7H15 LIN3 Y0UR M1ND 1S R34D1NG 17 4U70M471C4LLY W17H 0U7 3V3N 7H1NK1NG 4B0U7 17, B3 PROUD! 0NLY C3R741N P30PL3 C4N R3AD 7H15. I cdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in what oerdr the ltteres in a word are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is that the frsit and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it whotuit a pboerlm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter byEditor’s istlef, but the word as a wlohe. Review... Azanmig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

STAR

Mrs Dickinson, via email

Can you give a little time to make a big difference this winter? Dear Village Link....I am writing to you about CLIC Sargent’s Big Bucket collections. I am hoping your magazine maybe able to support us by helping us to promote this upcoming event. We need volunteers to grab a bucket as part of our winter of collections from October to December in support of the Big Bucket Collection, a national fundraising event run by CLIC Sargent, the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people. This year we are aiming to raise £200,000. CLIC Sargent has been offered the chance to hold a Big Bucket Collection in Carlisle and we are looking for support. If your readers can spare a little time to help make a big difference they can contact the CLIC Sargent team on 0845 121 2495 or visit www.clicsargent.org.uk/bigbucketcollection. Thank you for your support. Caroline, via email

Hospice at Home On Thursday, 10th October, Hospice at Home is holding a Coffee Morning in the Tithe Barn in Carlisle from 10 - 12noon. Entry £3 with unlimited refills. There will be a Raffle, various stalls and an early opportunity to buy the Charity’s Christmas Cards. The service Hospice at Home provides, offers choice and support to those at the end of life and their families / carers. It is available to anyone in Carlisle and the North Lakeland area and is completely free of charge. We need to raise almost £12,000 per week so by supporting our Coffee Morning you will be making a much appreciated contribution. Pat, via email

The Village Link - supporting local businesses

Crossword

For the answers to this crossword, email: editor@village-link.co.uk

Crossword No XC248606

Just think... if it weren’t for marriage, men would go through life thinking they had no faults at all.

ACROSS 1 9 10 11 12 13 14 16 19 21 23 24 25 26

They work on cars doing better than the experts? (5,7) Song about region largely in US state (7) Left in charge of first of obituary columns (7) Vegetable served with one bird or another (7) Cloth acceptable for Native American (7) Decorative work produces popular song (5) Runs into a very sad, crushed opponent (9) Female gave a kiss when nagged (9) Make secure by holding drink back (5) Achieves destruction of satanist without leader (7) A canoe comes to grief around island in Pacific area (7) Reconstruct buried ruins round lake (7) Send a daughter clothing (7) Don’t heighten problem of acceptable behaviour (3,4,5)

DOWN 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 15 17 18 19 20 22

Girl from Ayr initially going to great trouble (7) Frugality shown by company in management of money (7) Moorish sailor’s card game (9) Like little picture of jelly? (5) Nobleman, one with the Queen previously (7) Philosopher from Australia found in Spain perhaps (7) A long time finding Eeyore’s age? (7,5) Building designed for performances, or part of one (12) Recording of top diva performing around eastern Spain (9) After stick-up I will get time – it’s nothing (3,1,3) Not entirely bothered if I certify large building (7) Adaptation of the Bard shows broadness (7) One abandons new internal source of light (7) Unsociable sort is unhappy at party (5) I opened a dating agency for chicken recently but I had to close the business. I couldn’t make hens meet.

Caravan Servicing and Maintenance DOWN

n cars doing better than the 2 Girl from Ayr initially going to great ) trouble (7) When was(7)your caravan serviced? egion largely in US state 3 last Frugality shown by company in are often told by caravan owners thatmanagement they do not service their (7) e of first of We obituary columns of money caravan very often as they have not taken it very far. Please don’t 4 Moorish sailor’s card game (9) make this mistake - you can end up with damp in a caravan even rved with one or another Likeexpensive. little picture of jelly? (5) if itbird has never moved and repairs can5be very A major part of our service is a thorough damp inspection. 6 Nobleman, one with the Queen previously We will also carry out a thorough test and inspection of your able for Native American (7) (7) gas and electrical appliances. You are sleeping on top of and ork produces popular (5) so do not take 7 chances Philosopher from Australia found in Spain around thesesong appliances - let us give ery sad, crushed (9) in knowing that your perhaps you theopponent peace of mind caravan(7) has been professionals. a kiss whenserviced naggedby(9) 8 A long time finding Eeyore’s age? (7,5) Whitesyke caravans we offer either service, designed for performances, or by holding At drink back (5) 9 a full Building a chassis service or a habitation check at a very competitive rate. truction of satanist without part of one (12) We can also provide you with spare parts including 15 Recording of top diva performing around leisure batteries starting at only £65 for a 85Ah. es to grief around island in eastern Spain (9) 7) 17 After stick-up I will get time – it’s nothing buried ruinsBrampton round lake (7) Longtown, Carlisle(3,1,3) Road, CA6 5TR ter clothing (7) 18 Not entirely bothered if I certify large Telephone 07920 116 825 en problem of acceptable building (7) Email info@whitesykecaravanscarlisle.co.uk 4,5) 19 Adaptation of the Bard shows broadness whitesykecaravanscarlisle.co.uk (7) 20 One abandons new internal source of light (7) 14 8 4 22 Unsociable sort is unhappy at party (5)

Stone Eden Nursery Bear is a keen rambler but with a poor sense of direction (stuffing for brains!), and has got lost again. However he has his phone with him and has sent this photo of what he can see.

There is a ÂŁ25 cash reward

IF YOU GO & RESCUE BEAR*

When you have rescued bear and you have him safe in your home, email us at bear@village-link.co.uk, leaving your name and address and we will be round to collect bear and hand and over your cash reward!

NURSERY SCHOOL Flexible childcare solutions all on one site, including FREE 15hrs for children aged 2 and 3 years Rural location close to city centre, with stunning outdoor facilities Ample & safe parking for parents picking up and dropping off Full time Chefs preparing and cooking high quality food Holiday Club for 4 - 11 year olds High Quality Apprentice Training Programme (annual vacancies) Well done to Imogen who found bear in Houghton.

13 ) Im og e n (A g e

Tel: 01228 599400/07769 560443 www.stoneedennursery.co.uk Wheelbarrow Hall, Holme Lane, Aglionby, Carlisle, CA4 8AD

* IMPORTANT:

TO MAKE IT FAIR FOR ALL, BEAR WILL NOT BE HIDING DURING THE FIRST FOUR WEEKS OF THIS ISSUE...PUT IT IN YOUR DIARY TO LOOK FOR BEAR SOON x

See website for competition terms and conditions. www.village-link.co.uk

John Fisher Wetheral Pastures â&#x20AC;˘ Carlisle

Plumbing, Heating, Boiler Replacement Central Heating Systems Overhauled Oil Tank Installation, Log Burning Stoves Bathroom Installations Small Building works, General Handyman

Telephone: 01228 560791 Mobile: 07825 380975

GRAEME

KENNEDY Dip. F.D. M.B.I.E.

FUNERAL DIRECTOR Local independent undertaker offering traditional and environmental funerals with care and compassion for over 30 years Private Chapels of Rest

Telephone (24 hours)

01228 515191

Home tel: Wetheral 561665

Memorial Brochure available