Cambs Dec 2020

VILLAGER The

Issue 140 - December 2020

and Town

Life

LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS

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In this issue The History of Writing Christmas on a Budget

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Inside this issue...

Enjoy a Greener Christmas

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Hard-working Ivy................................................................................ 35 How many kinds of sweet flowers grow....................................37 R.A.T.S. Rehoming Appeal................................................................38 RSPCA Annual Review - The Best Bits........................................40 Six health conditions drivers must declare to DVLA............ 42 Festive Baking......................................................................................44 Puzzle Page...........................................................................................48 How to enjoy a greener Christmas..............................................50 Your Christmas tech checklist.......................................................54 Win £100 in our Christmas Prize Crossword.....................58 The Gift of a Great Book..................................................................61 Useful Numbers.................................................................................. 63

Robin Redbreast

Swimming and Skating in 1930s in St. Neots.............................. 4 The History of Writing....................................................................... 6 Christmas on a Budget......................................................................10 Wines Worth Locating...................................................................... 12 Robin Redbreast..................................................................................16 Colour Therapy this Christmas.......................................................19 Digestive problems and how to overcome them..................20 Gifted Inspiration............................................................................... 22 Discovering Bath................................................................................. 24 Be canny with credit cards..............................................................29 What happens to digital assets on death?...............................30

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History

By Peter Ibbett

Swimming and Skating

in 1930’s St. Neots One common theme of Christmas cards is happy skaters enjoying festive pleasures amongst a snowy background or even taking a winter dip in the river!

Global warming and unwelcome virus restrictions make this an unlikely prospect for the winter of 2020-21. Howard Usher (born in Eynesbury in 1926) growing up in New Street, St Neots, and living above the wallpaper and paint shop in New Street, St Neots in the 1930’s could look forward to a regular end of year encounter with an icy Common as his reminiscences reveal in a couple of St. Neots History Society newsletters from 2001 :“New Street led to the Common. At the end of New Street where it joined Bedford Street was The Cannon public house and a faded painted notice on the wall read ‘Hyde Park Corner’.

There were large white gates at both ends of the Common to prevent cattle from straying.

Sometimes I would hang about here and if a car came along I would open the gate for him, and sometimes the driver would give me a penny.

Just inside the Common a small sheet of water

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was known as the ‘Ware’. It may have been a drinking place for cattle, but if so, the name is curious. In the winter months the Ware would readily freeze and it was possible to go sliding on it. There were bathing places at Eynesbury Coneygeare and two on St Neots Common, known as the Lower and Upper Boardings, but I did not take to these places In the winter the water level was raised by means of the sluices at the Paper Mills and the water would flood over onto the Lammas Meadows and Tuzzy-Muzzy Meadow. It would only be a few inches deep and when the frosts came the whole area would freeze to make a giant skating rink for the town to enjoy. On very rare occasions the river itself would freeze and I remember one year when the frost was so deep that people walked across the river below the bridge.

Do keep an eye open for opening times at the museum for it has an excellent range of gifts in its shop and a Christmas Fair as well as its traditional family Santa.

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History

The History of Writing

By Catherine Rose

December brings with it one of the biggest annual tasks – sending out our Christmas cards! But while you are busy penning your festive wishes to friends and family, you are also taking part in one of humankind’s greatest achievements: communication through the art of writing.

Writing has only been in existence for around five thousand years. It was invented a long time after spoken language, which developed tens of thousands of years ago. What is astonishing is that all written languages, although very different in appearance, can be traced back to common origins and a lightbulb moment in writing’s development known as the Rebus Principle.

Universally amongst human cultures, history has always been passed down verbally over time through songs, poetry and stories. The human impulse to be creative has also led to expression through art, and the earliest forms of written communication were through pictographs and pictograms: drawings of objects and illustrations of a concept the artist wanted to communicate.

Illustrations like this can be seen in the oldest cave paintings. Early pictographs were also used as accounts, such as listing belongings that were to be traded or sacrificed; for example, a sheaf of wheat or a cow. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics famously used a variety of pictograms.

However, people quickly found that pictograms alone were not always enough to convey complex ideas, so they were adapted to not only represent what they were, but to additionally stand for

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spoken sounds. Words could then be built up using images that did not necessarily relate to the objects themselves but could be sounded out to obtain another meaning. This was the Rebus Principle – rebus meaning ‘by things’ in Latin. It meant that people’s names could be written down, as well as their possessions and transactions. As an example, ‘sun’ and ‘son’ have different meanings but because they sound the same, they could be represented by the same symbol.

The earliest form of writing using symbols – or phonograms – to represent sounds is known as ‘cuneiform’. It was invented in ancient southern Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) by the Sumerians in order to facilitate trade. Cuneiform used a system of triangular marks made with a reed that were impressed on wet clay tablets. Examples can be seen in the British Museum.

At the same time in China, etched and (later) calligraphically painted characters, which had originally depicted objects, evolved to represent more complex words and ideas. As there are many sounds in Chinese language that are the same but mean entirely different things, extra marks or qualifiers were added to the written characters to explain the correct context of the words.

The earliest examples of Chinese writing have been found on oracle bones. These were animal bones on which a prediction or question was etched. The bone was then heated and the way it cracked could be read by a diviner to confirm the prediction or answer a question.

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In Mesoamerica, glyphs were used to represent the written form of language. Consequently, it is believed that writing was invented in three separate areas of the world along similar principles.

Alphabets we use today have common origins in the Semitic language. The Semites worked as labourers in ancient Egypt and adapted hieroglyphs to represent twenty-four different sounds, producing their own written letters.

The Phoenicians adapted this alphabet and it was spread across the Mediterranean by travelling merchants. The Greeks and Romans also adopted it for their own written languages, Greek and Latin. The discovery of the Rosetta Stone was an important development in deciphering these links, because it was written in three different scripts and could therefore be used as a codebreaking tool.

Today, the origin of our alphabet can still be traced back to Semitic pictographs. The letter ‘a’ or ‘A’, for example, was originally an ox’s head or aleph and was therefore given the sound a. The Greeks subsequently called this first letter alpha. Because of differences between cultures in reading left

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to right or right to left, letters were turned and adapted. If you flip our capital letter A upside down, it still looks like an ox head.

In the same way, the letter ‘b’ or ‘B’ was originally a drawing of a reed house or bet, producing a b sound. The Greeks subsequently called this letter beta. If you look at the original Semitic drawing of the letter, it is a square shape with a slight tail. Once again, flip it and our modern letter b is recognisable.

As with spoken language, written language has evolved over time. Punctuation and the differentiation between capital and lower-case letters were a necessary evolution of reading long texts to indicate pauses, breaths and the separation of ideas for clarity of meaning. As with qualifying marks in Chinese, a comma can make a world of difference! But it was not until the invention of printing that punctuation was standardised.

Writing has not only given us a means to post our good wishes at Christmas. It has also given us the gift of great literature and in our modern world has enabled global communication.

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Parenting

By Kate Duggan

Christmas on a budget

Free and low-cost ideas to make Christmas magical

Try a digital advent calendar (£3.70) The Jacquie Lawson advent calendar is a firm favourite in our house. A new game, story or creative activity is released each day throughout December.

The calendar is centred around a Christmassy scene, and many of the activities then become part of that scene. So your child might decorate the tree, dress up the snowman or create a wreath to hang on a shop door, for example. www.jacquielawson.com/advent.

Look for low-cost elves (£1) A branded Elf on a Shelf could set you back over £20, so look for alternatives. I picked up a couple of small bendable elves for £1 each from Tiger a couple of years ago, which did the job just as well as a bigger elf – until the dog got hold of them!

Send a message from Santa (Free) Santa has been wishing my kids a happy Christmas through a Portable North Pole (www.portablenorthpole.com) video for years. The shorter

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personalised video is free to create and is pretty much guaranteed to delight younger children. (It’s also worth looking in your phone’s app store for Christmas-themed apps like Santa Spy Cam and Elf Yourself.)

Organise a second-hand scavenger hunt (£10 or under) Most children enjoy a scavenger hunt around the house or garden.

The most successful one I’ve organised for my children involved a load of Shopkins and other mini figures that I picked up secondhand from Facebook Marketplace for under £10. The elves that I mentioned above also create a treasure hunt every year, with a series of clues leading to a craft activity, gift-wrapped sweets or a small toy.

Buy in bulk If you can club together with other families, you might be able to make savings on stocking fillers and activities by bulk buying. Baker and Ross (www.bakerross.co.uk) for example, sell a wide range of craft kits, activities and small toys. They

mainly sell to schools, so if you bulk buy it works out a lot cheaper.

My son adored the Gingerbread House Kit last year (two for £6.95 or 10 for £22.50).

The Rainbow Wooden Keyring Craft Kits (four for £6.95 or sixteen for £18.40), Racing Reindeers (four for £5.95 or sixteen for £14.88) and Woodland Friends Stationery Sets (four for £6.95 or sixteen for £18.40) would all make great stocking fillers. There’s also usually an offer on whereby you can save more money if you spend over a certain amount.

Look for cost-saving memberships (£1) Membership cards like Kids Pass offer substantial discounts on family experiences. You can get up to 40% off cinema tickets for example, as well as money off days out to safari parks, theme parks, zoos, trampoline parks and so on, plus discounts on restaurants. A Kids Pass membership from www. kidspass.co.uk costs £2.99 a month, but you can get a thirty-day trial for just £1.

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Food & Drink

Wines worth locating: Hirschmugl Austrian cuisine is now available and very much enjoyed, globally. The popularity of wines, produced in Austria, is now recognised and acknowledged around the world. Many have received awards, at prestigious competitions and events, in Austria and other countries, worldwide.

Weingut Hirschmugl is located in Styria, at Domaene am Seggauberg. The non-poisonous adder snake is incorporated in the company’s logo, as they are considered an indicator of a healthy environment. Grape varieties grown include Sauvignon Blanc, Welschriesling, Traminer, Muscaris, Cabernet Blanc and Cabertin.

Wines produced are classified as Styrian Drinking Pleasure, Nobilis – utilising grapes from the best locations in the vineyards, Aurum – produced in limited quantities and aged, plus Sparkling wine, which is only produced during exceptional years and Natural wine.

The combinations of soil minerals, plus climate (which includes warm days and cool nights), with much knowledge, expertise and devotion, of course, ultimately come together to produce outstanding (not a word I use lightly) wines. The winery is in an area of ancient woodlands. The Domaene Hirschmugl team works in harmony with nature – a philosophy equally as important today as it was at the outset. Included in the range of wines produced by the Hirschmugl winery are some from “PiWi” grape varieties. These “PiWi” varieties have a high, natural fungus resistance. Constantly striving to expand on skills and knowledge, Hirschmugl produces superb wines to a high standard, whilst maintaining traditions.

Decto Rosso is a wonderful brut wine. This salmoncoloured presentation has fine bubbles and a really pleasant, fruity bouquet. An elegant wine and a great appetiser, too. Cabernet Blanc I found aromatic and with a very good mouthfeel and palate sensation. Their Chardonnay and Chardonnay Nobilis (aged), with intense, full-bodied, long palates, are regular selections, for many.

Muscaris has numerous ‘devotees’, also. Dry, aromatic and with a full body, this graces many dining occasions, constantly. RWC is aged and very popular. The deep, red colour, is appreciated and extended, for bouquet, plus great pleasures on the mouth and palate. The wine bottles are eye-catching and impressively adorned with logo and labelling.

Other productions include splendid fruit vinegars, grape pit oil, plus grape pit flour and honey.

For all details, www.hirschmugl-domaene.at

As always, Enjoy!

ey Trevor Langl 12

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Open for new admissions

A friendly and safe welcome Enjoy living in a safe and warm environment where making new friends couldn’t be easier.

Excellent home cooked food, a choice of activities and a real sense of community awaits you at Nelson Lodge care home.

Call us for more details on 01480 877608 Visit: nelsonlodge.org.uk

Nelson Lodge care home, Whinfell Close, Eaton Socon, St Neots, Cambridgeshire, PE19 8AB Rated March 2018

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and a Happy New Year to all our readers and advertisers.

From the team at The Villager x

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Wildlife

Robin Redbreast

How the robin came to symbolise Christmas Think of winter in the garden and you’ll most likely think of a robin. Think of Christmas cards and you’ll probably think of the same.

Why do robins have such a strong association with winter?

There is actually an increase in robin numbers during the winter months. They migrate from Scandinavia, Russia and Europe swelling the ranks of our resident robins when the days become too cold and food becomes scarce in their own countries.

There are several legends relating robins to winter and Christmas in particular.

The first legend hails from Victorian times, when the tradition of sending Christmas cards started.

Royal Mail postmen of the time wore bright red uniforms, which earned them the nickname of ‘robin’ or ‘redbreast’. Victorian artists usually illustrated Christmas cards with pictures relating to the delivery of letters, such as post-boxes and postmen. Eventually artists began to play on this word association and postman ‘robin’ was

By Tracey Anderson exchanged for the familiar little brown and red bird, who began to appear in illustrations, sometimes delivering the letters. Middle class Victorians loved all things sentimental and charming, so the trend caught on and continues to this day, with the robin adorning everything from wrapping paper to Christmas jumpers.

Even before the Victorian era, robins had a strong association with the traditional Christmas story and Christianity. In one tale, it is said that when Mary was giving birth to baby Jesus in the stable, she noticed the fire Joseph had lit was in danger of going out. Suddenly, a small brown bird appeared and started flapping its wings in front of the fire, fanning the embers, and causing it to roar back to life. As the bird flew around tending to the fire, a stray ember made its way towards the tiny creature, scorching its breast bright red. Mary declared that the red breast was a sign of the bird’s kind heart, which would be passed on to its descendants to wear proudly ever after.

There are also Celtic-based tales which link the robin with wintertime. One tells of the feud between the wren, known as the Holly King of Winter, and the robin who was known as the Oak King of Summer. The Holly King was driven away by the Oak King on the Winter Solstice, and the robin took his rightful place. However, on the Summer Solstice, the Holly King gets to take his revenge, and the wren replaces the robin. This story repeats every year and represents the changing of the seasons. It was probably told by way of explaining why we see more robins during the winter months.

Whatever the truth, the robin is a beautiful cheery symbol of this time of year, and if you can spare a little food, particularly meal worms, and some water, he will reward you by visiting your garden daily.

Happy Christmas 16

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ACUPUNCTURE FOR WELL-BEING

Judy obtained her Licentiate in Acupuncture, and B.A (Hons) degree in Traditional Acupuncture, from the College of Traditional Acupuncture, Warwickshire. Judy is a passionate believer in the positive benefits, on both physical and emotional levels, that may be obtained from receiving acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture originated in China and other far eastern cultures where it still features in mainstream healthcare, both as a stand-alone therapy and in combination with conventional western medicine. Judy has been trained as a classical Five Element Acupuncturist; treatment is aimed at the root cause of your condition as well as your main symptoms. This approach helps with resolving your problem and enhancing your feelings of wellbeing. You may notice other niggling problems resolve as your main health complaint improves. Judy continues to pursue her belief in excellence of care for her patients in her role as a dedicated acupuncture practitioner, and is a member of the British Acupuncture Council.

Please contact Judy for a free 20 minute consultation to discuss how acupuncture treatment can help you.

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Jill Dighton MA Counselling & Psychotherapy Practice BSc (Hons) Integrative Counselling MBACP (Accred)., UKCP Reg.

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House of Colour

Colour Therapy this Christmas “Colour is life; …. Colours are the children of light, and light of their mother” (Johannes Itten ‘The Colour Journal’) I’m not a colour therapist but I certainly see the powerful effect colours can have on us. Whether it’s that magical moment seeing the right colours light up the face or the joy of hearing how much more confident clients feel in themselves when they look good. Colour can undoubtedly give us a boost.

Luckily for us Christmas is synonymous with the most versatile colour in the palette, red. We all look good in red, true red, primary red. It has an equal balance of blue and yellow and works with all our other shades in the palette (I do have some tiny caveats to that which anyone who has had a colour consultation will know, but release any need to worry about this). Embracing red is a great way to offer us a level of mood boost.

• A scarf, some red lipstick, start small and build up to it if you feel nervous about embracing it. It’s a great choice in a belt.

• Review how many colours you have in your wardrobe. Are you repeat buying the same hues,

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what’s missing? Most of us have 11 colours with 7 neutral shades. Can you beat that?

• Bring out your brighter shades – particularly when you don’t feel very bright. Experiment and see if this can change how you’re feeling. You might be surprised.

• Which neutrals could you put with your primary red? Black, grey and navy are often put with red but what about tan, brown and some lighter blues?

• Bring colour into your loungewear. If you’re spending more time in comfort clothing make it good, you deserve it. Embrace the joy that colour can bring to brighten up time spent at home.

• Give the gift of a colour consultation – find out those shades that really light you up inside an out!

Article by Jennie Billings House of Colour House of Colour has a network of stylists to help you update your look.

Find your nearest at houseofcolour.co.uk/find-a-stylist

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Health

Digestive problems and how to overcome them

By Jackie Mitchell

Bloating, nausea, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhoea.

These are all common digestive problems that we all experience and usually they can be treated with ‘over the counter’ medicines.

Some conditions might be as a result of overindulging or eating the wrong food, but with Christmas round the corner, what can we do to avoid them?

With more of us working from home, it’s all too easy to eat a rushed sandwich in front of the computer, skip lunch altogether or grab a snack while preparing the kids’ tea. How you eat is a major consideration, as eating too quickly and not swallowing food properly can lead to digestive problems. As Roberta Baldo, nutritional therapist from Baldo & Mason says “Eat slowly. This allows time for the signals from the senses to get to the brain and stimulate the production of digestive enzymes, muscular contractions and other processes necessary for digestion, before the food arrives.”

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Digestive problems often settle down by themselves, but sometimes symptoms persist that could indicate other conditions, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). According to The IBS Network, this affects over twelve million people in the UK. Classic symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating, change in bowel habits, diarrhoea and constipation. Alison Reid, CEO, The IBS Network, says “It is a very individual condition and symptoms will vary for each person. Other symptoms can

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include lethargy, nausea and backache. There is no specific cause for IBS but the most common risk factors are a gastroenteritis attack, a traumatic or upsetting event and courses of powerful antibiotics.”

Self-management is the key to living well with IBS, says Alison. “Once you have a better understanding of what is happening in your body you will be able to explore what treatments work best for you.

These include dietary and lifestyle changes, psychological therapies and medications – see your GP or pharmacist for advice.

These may be used together or on their own depending on the possible cause and severity of the condition.”

Managing general lifestyle and diet is vitally important when dealing with IBS, says Dr Simon Smale, consultant gastroenterologist and clinical director, Manchester University NHS Trust. “Small meals eaten often rather than one big meal at the end of the day,” he says. “Ensure you don’t drink too much caffeine and alcohol as they can have dire effects. If the condition is primarily diarrhoea, avoid the following foods – cauliflower, sprouts (yes even at Christmas), onions, garlic, chewing gum and diet drinks. For constipation sufferers, ensure you have enough fluid and eat enough fruit and vegetables.”

The festive season approaches so how can IBS sufferers ensure

they can enjoy Christmas dinner and reduce the risk of an IBS flare up? The IBS Network suggests identifying your triggers (foods that lead to a flare up), choosing food and alcohol carefully, managing stress levels over Christmas and exercising.

With some careful forward planning you will really be able to enjoy Christmas mealtimes.

Happy Christmas!

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION www.baldoandmason.com www.theibsnetwork.org

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Beauty

By Kate Duggan

Gifted Inspiration

There’s something a little bit special about a beauty gift set. (And not just because you usually save money compared to buying the products separately.) Here’s our pick of some of the best sets this Christmas.

Bobbi Brown’s gift sets are always a treat and this year’s are no exception. Top of my list is the Must Have Essentials set. You get a make-up bag, full-size Pot Rouge Blusher and five minis, including a Luxe Lip Color in Neutral Rose and a Smokey Eye Mascara. Together, they’re worth £82, so the set is an absolute steal at £36.50; see www.bobbibrown.co.uk Buying for a teenager?

Organic Young’s My Skin Goals set is likely to be well-received. It features the Clear Skin Foaming Face Wash, Purifying Serum and Cleansing Moisturiser. Each product has been specifically designed with teen skin concerns in mind. Together, they help to tackle acne, soothe inflammation and keep skin healthy. Plus, each purchase supports the Born Free Foundation.

The set is £30 from www.greenpeople.co.uk Know someone who could do with a better night’s sleep? Treat them to Neal’s Yard Remedies’ Beauty Sleep Collection. It features the Beauty Sleep Foaming Bath Gel, Shower Oil, Body Lotion and Concentrate Serum, all of which smell heavenly and are designed to aid relaxation. It’s £40 from www.nealsyardremedies.com It can be tricky to find the perfect gift set, so a few brands now allow you to create your own. British brand Noble Isle is one of them. Select three or four products from its extensive range, and they’ll be popped into a

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gift box and posted out. And what a range to choose from… Personally, I love the spicy Fireside Bath & Shower Gel and the subtly floral Willow Song Body Lotion. The bespoke Trio set is £20 from www.nobleisle.com.

Liz Earle (www.lizearle.co.uk ) has outdone itself with its gift range this year. The packaging is lush and many of the sets come with festive tins or reusable bags. It’s hard to pick a favourite to be honest. If you’re looking for a stocking filler, The Joy Cleanse and Polish set (£12) is ideal. Buying for a man? You can’t go wrong with the Shower and Shave Collection (£30). And I’m personally lusting after the Together We Shine Haircare Set (£33).

I think we all deserve a bit of relaxation this Christmas. Open the Puressentiel Time to Unwind travel bag and you’ll find a Rest & Relax Air Spray, a Rest & Relax Massage Oil and a Stress Roll-on. Together, they use the power of essential oils to promote a feeling of calm, ease stress and tension, and aid relaxation. Bliss, at £20 from www.uk.puressentiel.com If you’re looking for a gift with the wow factor, try Rituals’ The Ritual of Ayurveda Rebalancing Collection. All four products (Foaming Shower Gel, Body Scrub, Body Cream and Mini Fragrance Sticks) smell amazing. They’re perfect for creating an at-home spa experience on Boxing Day and beyond. And as they come with a gift box and tag, you don’t even need to wrap them. It’s £39.90 from www.boots.co.uk

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Travel

Discovering Bath If you’re still not sold on travelling abroad this winter, choose to holiday closer to home with a city break in Bath, one of the UK’s national treasures.

After the year we’ve had, understandably many of us aren’t keen on travelling outside of the UK this winter – but that doesn’t mean you can’t book a holiday closer to home. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bath is a great option for a UKbased city break, where luxurious spas, historical tales and awe-inspiring architecture are all part of the experience. Here’s what not to miss while you’re there.

The largest city in Somerset, Bath is easily accessible by rail or road for anyone living in England and Wales. But, if you did want to fly, Bristol Airport is only 20 miles away. Tempted? Here’s what not to miss while you’re there: Warm up in a thermal spa Bath is best known for housing one of the world’s best-preserved Roman bathhouses, a piece of history so important that it gave the city its name.

Naturally heated to around 46°C, the water comes from the city’s hot springs which are packed with over forty different healing minerals. After being discovered by Prince Bladud around 863 BC, these natural spring waters became a constant theme throughout the city’s history.

The original Roman baths are no longer safe for swimming, but you can still book a tour around the temple and bathing complex. If you do fancy a dip, the Thermae Bath Spa is right next door and uses the same mineral-rich water, treated to make it safe for public use. There’s no better place to warm up this winter; indulge in a treatment or two before bathing in the rooftop pool, drinking in the views of the surrounding cityscape.

By Solange Hando

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Walk in Jane Austen’s shoes For any Jane Austen fan, Bath will conjure up images of the style and sophistication of the 1800s. Not only did the author live here for five years, but she also used the city as a setting for two of her novels, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion.

You can learn more about her time in Bath at the Jane Austen Centre, where guides in period costumes and a Regency tearoom really help bring her stories to life.

Take an architectural tour Walking through Bath will take you on a journey through centuries of architectural art.

After taking a liking to Bath during the eighteenth century, the Georgians built much of the city you’ll see today. They used the famous Bath limestone to construct elaborate buildings, including Circus, the Assembly Rooms and the Pump Rooms. The Royal Crescent is an absolute must-see: this beautiful, curved row of thirty Georgian terraces is probably Bath’s most impressive piece of architecture.

Visit some museums Bath is a treasure chest of museums and galleries; you’d need a week to visit them all! Two of the most famous are The Fashion Museum, home to over 100,000 items of clothing and footwear, and The Museum of Bath Architecture, the best place to learn about the city’s distinctive Georgian structures.

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Finance

Be canny with credit cards Taking out a credit card to pay off a credit card might seem insane at first glance. But that’s exactly what a 0% balance transfer card is all about – as long as you use it the right way. It’s a strategy that’s absolutely not for everyone, but could be worth a look if you have good organisational skills, self-control and a decent credit record.

You may come across two types of card, known as a balance transfer card and a money transfer card. Both work in a similar way: when you take out the card the new lender will pay money into an account you already have. You won’t have to pay any interest on this amount to the new lender as long as you pay it back by a set date, often twelve to eighteen months later.

The difference is where the money goes. A balance transfer card means the money goes straight towards reducing or clearing your outstanding balance on another credit card. A money transfer card means the money goes into your bank account, reducing or clearing your overdraft. (There’s no point using a money transfer card if your bank account is in the black.)

Using a transfer card doesn’t reduce your debt.

However, it does give you breathing space during which you can put more of your spare money into clearing the debt rather than having it eaten up by interest.

Of course, the deal comes with a couple of catches, which answer the question of what’s in it for the company issuing the new card. The first is that you’ll usually have to pay a fee up front when you take out the card. This will usually be something up to three percent of the amount you are transferring. Though this may seem a small sum, bear in mind this payment is a fee and doesn’t reduce your debt.

The second catch is that the lenders issue such cards in the hope that you don’t simply pay off the outstanding debt before the end of the interest-free period. Instead they hope you’ll take advantage of the fact you can make purchases or withdraw cash

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on the balance transfer card just like any other credit card. This spending is not at 0% but rather will usually carry a high interest rate. Meanwhile, any of the transfer money that you haven’t repaid at the end of the interest free period will begin racking up interest at the card’s ‘standard’ rate, which is usually pretty uncompetitive.

So, how to make the most of such cards? Firstly, avoid them unless you are confident you will at best clear the balance and at worst make a significant dent in it before the interest-free period ends.

Next, make sure you never use the card other than to arrange the transfer. To avoid temptation, don’t activate or register it. You could even cut it up. It’s usually best to cancel the card once you’ve cleared the debt.

Make certain you always make the minimum payment each month, preferably through a direct debit. Usually if you ever miss the minimum payment, the interestfree deal is immediately void and the card starts racking up interest right away.

Whenever possible, make a manual payment that’s slightly higher than the minimum payment each month. Any time you only make a minimum payment will show up on your credit history and could be viewed negatively by lenders.

It may be worth avoiding taking out such cards if you’re planning on getting a mortgage (or remortgaging) in the medium term. Lenders may see multiple cards on your credit report and assume you aren’t managing your money well.

Look for online eligibility calculators. These will give you an idea of which cards you are most likely to be approved for, reducing the risk of being turned down or having to make multiple applications, again something that could hurt your credit record.

Finally, take note that you can’t usually do a balance or money transfer between cards or accounts operated by the same lender or by lenders in the same banking group. You may need to check these groupings as they aren’t always obvious.

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Leeds Day

What happens to Digital Assets on death?

We now live in an era where social media, digital technology and information stored online affect most of us. Many of us now have online accounts and may not have paperwork confirming the assets we hold.

After death your executors may not be able to gain access to your computer, phone, online accounts or e-mails as they will not know your login details and passwords or be able to access your bank accounts via thumbprint recognition.

What is a Digital Asset?

Common types of digital assets include; • Online bank accounts and Paypal accounts; • Photographs, videos and music stored online; • Blogs, Facebook and Twitter accounts; • E-mail accounts; • Online gaming accounts.

You need to consider how you can ensure that these digital assets are protected.

• Your digital assets are part of your estate on death and it is still therefore important to leave clear instructions to your executors about what should happen to these assets when you die.

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• Review what assets and information you hold digitally in online accounts and make hard copies of the records for those assets.

• Keep a list of assets with your Will so that your executors will know what assets you have.

• If you own a business, make sure that your business contacts and clients’ information is stored properly and you have printed a hard copy of the business information.

• Make a Will. If you have particular wishes regarding your digital assets you may wish to consider including a separate clause in your Will to specifically provide for those assets It is important that a Will ensures that all assets, including digital assets, are left to those loved ones intended to benefit.

• E-books;

Huntingdon Godwin House, George Street, Huntingdon, PE29 3BD T: 01480 454301

• Some digital content may be owned by online service providers so store your photos on a disc or USB stick or print out hard copies.

If you have not made a Will before and wish to do so or if you wish to update your existing Will please contact us at Leeds Day on 0844 567 2222 or by email at wills@leedsday.co.uk or visit our website www.leedsday.co.uk

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By Rachael Leverton

Garden View

Hard-working Ivy The Holly and the Ivy, When they are both full grown, Of all the trees that are in the wood, The Holly bears the crown.

Holly is much coveted festive greenery but what about ivy, or Hedera to give it the botanical name? It makes up the trio of festive plants, the other being mistletoe, and frankly it’s usually seen as a bit of a poor relation, misunderstood and mostly unloved.

Yet ivy is a great workhorse in the garden. It’s evergreen, it attracts wildlife and is excellent on those north-facing walls and fences where nothing else seems to grow. It’s not just a dark green cloak either; there are many cultivars with different leaf shapes and variegated foliage. The variegated varieties are great in those areas that catch just a little sunlight during part of the day as they suddenly seem to illuminate a usually dull spot.

Ivy is great for disguising an ugly wall, a bare fence, or an old tree stump. It’s a reliable and self-clinging climber if you choose the right variety and remember to prune it correctly. The young climbing stems are slender and flexible with small aerial roots that fix the shoot to a surface. Adult stems are thicker, self-supporting and do not have roots. Unlike mistletoe ivy isn’t parasitic so won’t harm trees but be careful about letting it grow on the walls of your house as it will damage weak mortar and pebbledash.

If growing on a property it needs to be clipped back in spring and summer, so it doesn’t do any damage

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to structure underneath. Don’t let it get into gutters because it will clog them then infiltrate under tiles or slates.

Ivy is excellent ground cover. It will scramble over areas of poor soil and brighten the ground between shrubs during the dark winter months. Persian ivy, Hedera colchica ‘Dentata Variegata’, is lovely because of its large, yellow-edged leaves. Hedera canariensis ‘Gloire de Marengo’ is also good. Its red stems and large leaves with splashes of yellow looks rather splendid. If you need an area covered quickly try Hedera Hibernica, which is a vigorous native ivy.

Hedera helix is the other native ivy and this one has numerous cultivars including Goldheart, which has yellow-centred leaves, Green Ripple, with frilly edged leaves and ‘Buttercup’ which is bright yellow.

If you love to support the wildlife in your garden, then ivy is a terrific plant. During autumn and early winter adult ivies produce small greenish-yellow flowers. These are especially rich in nectar so attract bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and other insects, providing them with a place to overwinter. Birds like thrushes, blackbirds and robins enjoy the purple black berries which ripen from late winter to mid-spring, providing a much-needed winter food source.

I hope I’ve made a good case for growing ivy in your garden. Holly might bear the crown, but I reckon ivy deserves a tiara at the very least!

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Gardening

By Pippa Greenwood

How many kinds of sweet flowers grow…

The quintessentially English country garden has classic, timeless appeal, and although easier to achieve in the countryside can still be recreated at least in part in town.

Shrubs make a great backdrop so choose a range of different shapes, textures and shades of leaf colour for that cottage garden feel. For best effect choose mainly or all deciduous shrubs with just a few evergreens.

A wooden or metal gate painted white gives the right feel, and when smart, traditional-look fixings and fixtures are painted contrasting black, the look is complete.

In a country-style garden the combination of a wide range of types of flower in an even wider range of colours is perfect. Contrasting colours look great as long as there is plenty of greenery in-between.

Plant loosely and almost randomly in drifts, with no straight lines anywhere, to give beds and borders a country style, whatever their size. Allow plants to grow closer together so there is no bare earth, and when planting a bed from scratch use hardy annuals to fill in any gaps while the main plants grow, to create a wall-to-wall carpet of colour.

Plants in pots add seasonal splashes of colour, so include temporary plants such as brightly coloured pelargoniums and geraniums or longer-term plants such as bulbs and small shrubs. Choose a pot with an informal, rounded shape, rather than anything too geometric or modern; a terracotta pot works a treat.

Have a range of heights in the flower borders, basically with smaller plants in front and the largest

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at the back, but add in tall, slim plants throughout to add colour, interest and height variation without blocking your view of their smaller neighbours. The classic choice for this is the purple-flowered Verbena bonariensis.

A wall made from brick or stone make a perfect boundary. A drystone wall with variations in the grey and brownish colours of the stone looks great in all weathers, and you can grow plants such as house leeks in some of the crevices.

If your garden needs steps, choose stone. It is long-lasting, withstands hard frosts and needs no preservative treatments. Combined with a wall of the same material, steps like this almost look natural, particularly when laid slightly unevenly.

Ivy is perfect for covering up unattractive features such as an ugly wall. It grows rapidly and is a useful wildlife habitat, but don’t allow it to grow out of control.

Maximise planting opportunities with containers made from natural materials such as terracotta.

Positioned on top of a wall they’ll mark the boundary well and bring seasonal colour. Swap the plants around at summer’s end and use winter-flowering pansies for colour throughout the year.

Plant small, compact plants along the edges of paths and steps to add colour and interest. Small saxifrages look great but won’t swamp the steps either!

Visit Pippa’s website (www.pippagreenwood.com) to book Pippa for a gardening talk at your gardening club or as an after-dinner speaker.

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Pets

Rehoming Appeal

Bert

Bert came in with his brother but although they were already neutered, they were fighting and had to be separated.

Bert is quite a small lion head cross, 16 months old and can sometimes be possessive of his hutch but with regular handling will make a superb pet for an older child. He would be very suitable as an indoor rabbit. At present he is in a 5 ft hutch with access to a run on the lawn in good weather.

For more information please contact Zoe on 01234 342150.

Alternatively, please email Philippa at info.rats@gmail.com who will be pleased to forward your enquiry onto the team.

View other dogs, cats and small mammals currently in our care for re-homing on our website: www.rats-animalrescue. co.uk or facebook: www.facebook.com/ratscharity.

You can also see photographs and details of the animals in our care in our charity shop in Hitchin Street, Biggleswade SG18 8AX. Open Monday to Saturday from 10.00 am until 4.00 pm.

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Pets

Our Annual Review – The Best Bits (Part 1) As a member of the RSPCA I receive a beautiful publication called ‘The Annual Review’. Contained within the pages are heart-warming stories detailing the incredible work the staff and volunteers carried out in 2019. I learned about some of the animals that have been rescued and rehomed. Expert teams who have rehabilitated animals so that they can be released or rehomed. I read of the education programmes taking place in our schools. In addition, there are several reports about the research, campaigns and new initiatives that are being undertaken by the RSPCA around the UK. Over the next two months, I want to share some of my favourite stories, events, facts and figures from 2019 with you. To give you a unique insight into the amazing work of the RSPCA. “Animal Heroes Save Frosty” - A heart-warming tale of compassion, team work and determination. An RSPCA rescue team was called out to save a young pony who had slipped down a muddy riverbank. With the help of London Fire Brigade and an equine vet they were able to get straps under him and winch him to safety.

Amazingly, he was able to get to his feet and was taken for veterinary treatment. Frosty was taken to RSPCA Leybourne Animal Centre as nobody came forward to claim him. He made a full recovery, and after his rehabilitation he was rehomed.

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“Cliff Top Rescue” – A dog walker discovered a young seal pup that had become stranded at the top of a 50m high sea cliff in Pembrokeshire. The pup, who was thought to be one month old, was underweight and had some wounds on her body. The wonderful team at RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre in Nantwich, used their skills and expertise to rehabilitate the young pup back to full health and released her back to her coastal habitat.

“Oil-Stricken Falcon Saved” – An incredible story of a peregrine falcon discovered on Caldey Island near Tenby covered in thick oil. RSPCA Cymru concluded that due to his appearance he must have been suffering for some time. The falcon received urgent treatment at a centre in Sommerset and needed a lengthy period of rehabilitation with their wildlife experts. After some time he was released back into the wild.

“A Second Chance For Jack” – A beautiful chestnut gelding called Jack had been abandoned at a stables in South Wales. After many months of rehabilitation and care, Jack was ready to be adopted. His new owner, Tina was so grateful that his carers had transformed him into a wonderful horse. Tina explained how adopting Jack was the best decision she’d ever made. She was so eager to find a companion for her own horse, who had become very lonely and unhappy.

New initiatives and campaigns made up a significant part of the annual review. The inspiring RSPCA Chesterfield & North Derbyshire Branch teamed up with Pets At Home to open a ‘cat adoption lounge’.

This new initiative enabled customers who were perhaps considering adoption, to actually meet the cats available for rehoming while they were out shopping. Within the first two months 12 cats had found new loving homes! Such a fantastic idea.

If you need to contact our Branch (North Bedfordshire) for any reason we can be reached by the details below, or for an animal welfare issue or emergency, contact; 0300 1234 999.

Lines are open 7 days a week 24/7.

Email: info@rspcabedsnorth.org.uk Tel: 01234 266965 / 01234 930304

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Business gone slow?

Let us help!

Advertising in The Villager is easy. To find out more call Nigel on 01767 261122 or email nigel@villagermag.com

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41

Motoring

Six health conditions drivers

must declare to the DVLA The DVLA requires drivers to inform it of certain illnesses – and they aren’t always obvious.

If you suffer from illnesses that could affect your ability to drive, you’re required by the DVLA to inform them.

However, while some might be quite obvious, the DVLA has a list of health conditions that you might be surprised to learn put you at risk of a £1,000 fine if you don’t declare them.

Car hire comparison site StressFreeCarRental has scoured the full list of conditions to find the less obvious ones you should know about…

Diabetes If you have diabetes that is treated by insulin, and the insulin treatments last more than three months, you must inform the DVLA. This also applies to gestational diabetes, or if you are at risk of low blood sugar, known as hypoglycaemia.

Vertigo While most people associate vertigo with being at height, this is specifically known as ‘height vertigo’.

Regular vertigo sufferers can get attacks anywhere, making it feel like the world around them is spinning.

If you suffer from sudden, disabling, or recurrent vertigo you must tell the DVLA. Déjà vu This is something mostly written off as an odd feeling that you’ve been somewhere before, but it can be much more serious. The DVLA must be

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informed if you suffer from seizures or epilepsy that causes déjà vu.

Sleep apnoea Obstructive sleep apnoea is a condition that causes the throat to relax and narrow during sleep, which can cause difficulty breathing. It’s one of a number of sleeping disorders that the DVLA must be told about, including narcolepsy and cataplexy.

Labyrinthitis Labyrinthitis has nothing to do with mazes – it’s actually an inner ear condition that causes dizziness, nausea and loss of hearing. Since all of these things could affect your ability to drive, you must inform the DVLA if you have it.

Heart palpitations This condition results in the sufferer becoming more aware of their heartbeat, which may feel like it’s pounding or fluttering, or perhaps beating irregularly.

While the NHS says they are usually not a sign of something serious, the DVLA requires you to declare if you regularly suffer from them.

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43

Baking

Cinnamon Stars Perfect for a festive sweet treat or a lovely edible Christmas gift these spiced star cookies can be kept in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Makes 20 - Ready in 1 hour, plus chilling and cooling Ingredients 2 medium egg whites 175g icing sugar 250g finely ground roasted hazelnuts 50g mixed peel, finely chopped 1 tbsp ground cinnamon 1 Using an electric handheld mixer, whisk the egg whites in a clean, grease-free bowl until holding stiff peaks. Stir in the icing sugar until thoroughly combined then continue to whisk until thick and glossy.

2 Remove 40g of this mixture and set aside.

Fold the hazelnuts, mixed peel and cinnamon into the remaining mixture to make a very stiff dough. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

3 Preheat the oven to 140C, 120C fan, gas mark 1. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper. Roll the dough out on a surface heavily dusted with icing sugar to a 1cm thickness.

4 Using a 5cm star-shaped cookie cutter stamp out about 20 stars, re-rolling the dough as needed until it is all used up. Place the stars on the baking sheet, well-spaced apart.

Spread a little of the reserved egg white and icing sugar mixture on top of each star.

5 Bake for 25 minutes or until the cookies are still white and crisp on top but slightly soft underneath. Turn off the oven, open the oven door and leave the cookies to dry out for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

TIP - Dust the cookie cutter with icing sugar frequently to prevent the mixture sticking.

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ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Easy Sudoku

Hard Sudoku

Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the digits 1 through to 9 with no repetition. Use your logic to solve the puzzles.

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49

Green Issue

How to enjoy a greener Christmas ‘Less is more’ is a mantra that’s rarely heard around Christmas. This year, show Planet Earth a little love with these five eco-friendly Christmas tips. from local farm shops and choose an organic, freerange turkey. Food tastes a lot better when you Rent, reuse or recycle a tree know where it’s come from!

Every December, up to eight million Christmas Sadly, Christmas is also the most wasteful time of trees are bought in the UK alone, most of which the year, so make sure you only buy things that are dumped at the end of the season. That’s a lot you know will get eaten. If you get carried away, of waste! turn your leftovers into new meals, see how much Plastic trees last for years but take enormous you can fit in the freezer or donate to a local food amounts of energy to manufacture. Buying bank. pre-loved ones on eBay, Gumtree and Freecycle, Rethink your decorations however, is a great way to reuse what would From Christmas lights to candles, who would have otherwise be thrown away. thought that decorations could be bad for the If Christmas isn’t the same without that authentic environment? pine tree scent, why not rent a tree from a local Fortunately, something as simple as switching farm? After you’ve used it, it’ll be picked up and your incandescent lights to LEDs can cut energy replanted, ready for next year. usage by up to 80%! You don’t have to give up When buying new, look out for the ‘Grown in your candle collection either; look out for soy Britain’ label or FSC ‘seal of approval’, and find or beeswax candles, which don’t contain harmful drop-off points in your area where it can be paraffin wax. recycled once Christmas is over.

The chances are you have Christmas decorations Buy second-hand rattling round in your attic, so don’t waste money Gifts don’t have to be new to bring a smile to – or materials – buying new ones. If you do, head someone’s face. Suggest a second-hand present to charity or vintage shops to find some pre-loved rule with family and friends this year, where you styles. only buy each other pre-loved gifts.

Wrap sustainably These could be from a charity shop or websites We use over 8,000 tonnes of wrapping paper over such as eBay. If you’re feeling crafty, you could even Christmas, much of which isn’t recyclable! whip up some gifts from home. Candles, jams and It’s depressing, but don’t lose hope. Try wrapping chutneys or knitted hats and scarves: get creative presents with old wallpaper, posters or newspapers, and see where your talents take you! and save the wrapping paper on your own gifts for Source locally grown food next year.

We’re all guilty of buying – and eating – a little A great way to test if wrapping paper can be more food than we need at Christmas, so it’s recycled is to scrunch it up in your hands and important to make sure it’s coming from a then let it go. If the paper stays crumpled it can sustainable place. be recycled, but if it unfolds by itself it probably Instead of fighting over groceries in the contains non-recyclable elements. supermarket aisle, source your Christmas lunch

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0800 046 1080 hello@thehomeimprovementproject.co.uk www.thehomeimprovementproject.co.uk 52

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A RELIABLE, QUALITY SERVICE YOU CAN TRUST • Gas Boiler Installation, Servicing and Repairs • Landlord Gas Safety Certificates • Central Heating System Installation and Upgrades • Radiator Flushing • All General Plumbing Based in St. Neots Covering All Surrounding Areas

FREE QUOTES ALL WORK GUARANTEED FULLY INSURED Tel: 07502 253276 Web: www.meltonheating.co.uk Email: info.meltonheating@gmail.com meltonplumbingandheating

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Technology

Your Christmas tech checklist Many of the gifts we give or get at Christmas are gadgets, and that means Santa has a few things to think about in the days before the big day. For example, if the kids have asked him for a games console it’s highly likely that the console will need to download a big software update before it can play online; the worst possible time to do that download is on Christmas morning when everybody else in your street is trying to do the same. If you can, connect any new console to the internet in advance so there’s no delay before the kids can play.

Another good idea is to prepare a bit of paper with your Wi-Fi details and password on it: from Amazon Echo speakers to Apple iPads and even many kids’ toys, a Wi-Fi connection is needed for them to work. Digging out the details in advance will speed things up considerably on the day.

It’s worth looking out any USB-ready charger plugs (such as from iPhones or Kindle Fire tablets), because to help reduce electronic waste many USBpowered devices will come with a cable but not the plug it connects to.

And of course, it’s a very good idea to check what batteries any gadgets, toys or remote controllers are going to need. If you don’t already have one, a battery charger with a couple of sets of AA and AAA rechargeable batteries will come in very handy in the next few days.

Last but not least, we’d recommend having a multi-tool or a screwdriver set and some really good scissors handy.

We’ve found that many kids’ toys come screwed to the packaging or require very small crosshead screwdrivers to open their battery compartments, and others come in extremely strong clear plastic that’s very hard to open.

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PlayStation 5 The next-generation PlayStation is big, beautiful and it isn’t quite as expensive as we feared: the standard version is £449 and the disk-free digital version is £359. £449, Very.co.uk

Dyson Supersonic If your time is money, then Dyson’s high-tech hairdryer will pay for itself very quickly: not only does it make your hair look amazing, but it does it in an amazingly short time too. £299, Boots.com

Apple Watch The Apple Watch is the best smartwatch ever made. There are now three watches to choose from, starting at £199 for the Series 3 and rising to £399 for the Series 6. £199, Apple.com

Fitbit Sense If you or your loved one is a fitness fan, the new Fitbit Versa adds clever new features to its tried-and-tested fitness tracking, including EKG, temperature sensing and even stress sensing. £299, Fitbit.com Oculus Quest 2 This is very geeky, we know, but the Facebookowned Oculus Quest delivers an incredible virtual reality experience without wires or the need for a computer. £299, Oculus.com

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WE’RE HIRING!

Contact us for permanen or subcontract vacanciest

we’ve got your home improvements covered PLUMBING & HEATING

BUILDING SERVICES

fit a new boiler

bathroom & kitchen installation

upgrade your heating system

new build

annual service for your boiler

home renovation

call: 01954 782920 or visit: www.ijcbuildingservices.co.uk IJC is a family run Cambridgeshire business with over 30 years’ experience. We offer a comprehensive range of domestic and small commercial works across all forms of building, plumbing, heating and renewable services.

45 Viking Way, Bar Hill, Cambridge, CB23 8EL To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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G.B.BUILDERS NO JOB TOO SMALL FOR ALL MAINTENANCE, RENOVATIONS AND DIY WORK All general building repairs and odd jobs Specialist in Painting and Decorating & Groundwork and Grass cutting • Brickwork & Plastering Tiling Driveways • Paths & Patios Slabbing • Concreting Blockpaving • Fencing, Carpentry • Roofing Guttering • Drainage Plumbing

Call today 07877742420 or 01480 437511 Email: g.bbuilders@yahoo.co.uk

Your Perfect Loft Access and Storage Solution Our services include: Loft Ladders Loft Hatches Insulation Loft Boarding Loft Lighting Balustrades We are a family run business who comply to building regulations, where our fitters are fully insured and all of our work is guaranteed.

Covering Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex.

01438 211302 info@eastanglianloftladders.co.uk eastanglianloftladders.co.uk 56

Call now for a free, no obligation quotation

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Crossword Puzzle Solution from our November Edition Last Month’s Crossword Winner - Jill Cotterell from Stevenage

November’s Codeword and Sudoku Solutions

Easy

Hard

Advertising in The Villager is easy.

To find out more call Nigel on 01767 261122 or email nigel@villagermag.com To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

57

Win ÂŁ100 in our The winner will be drawn at random from the correct completed entries.

Christmas Crossword

ACROSS 1 Used for measuring (4) 3 Goes before (8) 9 Against (7) 10 Removes sensation (5) 11 Immediate environment (12) 14 Uncooked (3) 16 Edition (5) 17 To colour (3) 18 Very keen (12) 21 Not dead (5) 22 European country (7) 23 Simultaneously (8) 24 Happy (4)

DOWN 1 Item of clothing (8) 2 Writing material (5) 4 Stick, cane (3) 5 Significant (12) 6 Broken (7) 7 Type of window (4)

8 Amazement (12) 12 Birds dwellings (5) 13 Received gladly (8) 15 Not losing (7) 19 Spin around (5) 20 Sour (4) 22 Farewell (3)

Complete the crossword, fill in your details below, and send your entry to: Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP Closing date: 16th December 2020 Name: Address: 58

Tel:

CERAMIC TILER Ceramics • Porcelain • Slate • Terracotta

Local tiling professional with over 35 years experience specialising in domestic wall and floor tiling.

Free design, advice and quotations.

Call Steven on 07519 799 923 or email stevecross57@outlook.com

N O T YO U R AV E R A G E H O M E I M P R OV E M E N T C O M PA N Y

INSULATING SPRAYFOAM • BBA APPROVED SPRAYFOAM • CAN GREATLY REDUCE ENERGY BILLS • UPGRADE YOUR PROPERTIES ‘U’ VALUE • ELIMINATES DRAFTS OR ‘DRAW’ FROM THE ROOF SPACE • MESS & HASSLE FREE • QUALIFIES AS AN ESM • FIRE SAFE • SUITABLE FOR MOBILE HOMES

0800 046 1080 30% OFF ORDERS PLACED IN DECEMBER hello@thehomeimprovementproject.co.uk www.thehomeimprovementproject.co.uk To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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FOR ALL YOUR GLAZING NEEDS: • SINGLE & DOUBLE GLAZING • SEALED UNITS GONE ‘FOGGY’ • MIRRORS • SHELVES • WINDOWS & DOORS • LOCKS, WINDOW & DOOR ACCESSORIES

se youU r local glazier

01480 896678

www.brookviewglaziers.com email: info@brookviewglaziers.com

CALL FOR A FREE, NO OBLIGATION QUOTE

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Books

The Gift of a Great Book Books to give, add to your wish list or just treat yourself to…

The Thursday Murder Club

By Richard Osman

Retirees Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron have a unique set of skills that they put to good use solving old murder cases. So when a real murder takes place rather close to home, the four are well placed to find the killer.

Funny, warm and with a twist every minute, The Thursday Murder Club will keep readers guessing right until the end. Best of all, a sequel is already in the pipeline. .

Oliver’s Britain

By Oliver Hellowell

From roadside poppies and native wildlife to lochs, lakes and waterfalls, the photos that grace the pages of this coffee table book are a sight to behold.

Oliver has Down’s Syndrome and a natural gift for spotting the perfect shot. Alongside the photos are quotes from Oliver and some of his many fans. A great present for people who enjoy a good ramble through the British countryside. .

Word Perfect: Etymological Entertainment for Every Day of the Year

By Susie Dent

Ever wondered who the original Jack the lad was? Or where a phrase like ‘turn a blind eye’ came from? Susie Dent has been a regular expert on Countdown for twenty-five years. In Word Perfect, she reveals the story behind some well-known words and phrases and introduces the reader to a whole load of new ones. (Personally, I might start calling a hankie by its Victorian slang name – a snottinger.)

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Classifieds Pest Services

Electrician

Frank Plater Electrical Extra sockets - Lighting - Extensions - Re-wires Security Lighting - Showers - Inspections No job too small. Free estimates Established in 1996 Tel: 01480 432154 Mob: 07976 797111

Heating and Plumbing Services

Reliable Local Pest Control Services.

We provide fast and effective control of WASPS, RATS, MICE, COCKROACHES, BEDBUGS and FLEAS. ULV residential and commercial disinfection services.

Jobs and service contracts catered for.

Call today 01480 369802 / 07969753267 Please note: we are currently using unmarked vans

Plumbing

Gary’s Plumbing Over 40 years experience No job too small!

Please call Gary on

07530 728091 Oven Cleaning

Plumbing and Heating

Painter & Decorator

Property Maintenance

RICHBAW

DECOR LTD Richard Bawden - City and Guilds Qualified Mobile: 07757 013796 Home: 01767 835008 Email: r666baw@gmail.com 62

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USEFUL NUMBERS

VILLAGER The

and Town

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Alcoholics Anonymous..............................0845 769 7555 Al-Anon Family Groups..............................0800 008 6811 Anglian Water............................................08457 145 145 Addenbrooks Hospital............................... 01223 245151 Papworth Hospital..................................... 01223 638000 Benefits for people with Disabilities...........0800 882 200 Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue............... 01480 444500 Carers Line..................................................0808 808 7777 ChildLine...........................................................0800 1111 Citizens Advice...........................................0344 245 1292 Cocaine Anonymous..................................0800 689 4732 Crimestoppers..............................................0800 555 111

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The Villager and Town Life is dedicated to promoting local businesses, charities, community groups and everything else in your local area.

Cruse Bereavement Care............................0333 252 9152 Floodline....................................................0845 988 1188 Frank—Drug Advisory................................0800 776 600 National Debt Line.....................................0808 808 4000 Gas Emergency............................................0800 111 999 NHS Direct.........................................................0845 4647 National Rail Enquiries..............................03457 48 49 50 Non Emergency Police Line.........................................101 NSPCC.........................................................0808 800 5000 Relate..........................................................0845 48 49 50 RSPCA Cruelty Line....................................0300 1234 999 Samaritans............................................................116 123 Tax Credit Helpline.....................................0345 300 3900 Victim Support..........................................0845 30 30 900 To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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