Cambs july 18 by Villager Mag

VILLAGER The

Issue 111 - July 2018

and Town

Life

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

In this issue Win tickets to

Meraki Festival The Invention of

Photography Win £25

in our Prize Crossword

Bringing Local Business to Local People

20,000 copies delivered to Buckden, Brampton,

Godmanchester, The Hemingfords, Eaton Socon, Grantchester and all surrounding villages every month

ur Yo EE FRco1py

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Inside this issue...

Win Tools to make Gardening Easier

The Great 1854 Hoax at St. Neots.....................................................4 The Invention of Photography..........................................................6 Win Tickets to Meraki Festival........................................................10 Win Tools to Make Gardening Easier...............................................12 Cambridge Summer Music.............................................................14 Garden Toys....................................................................................16 Steps to a Healthier Heart..............................................................19 Take Control of your Electronic Inbox..............................................20 Wines: More Gems of Austria.........................................................22 Bladder Weakness..........................................................................25 So Long to Summer Sneezes..........................................................27 Tips for a Formal or Black Tie Summer Event..................................28 Dwile Flonking with the Devil and his Tailors.................................31 Empathy and Excellence at Heart of Family Law Services...............32

Mauritius: Natural World................................................................34 Wills - Taking Care of your Family...................................................36 Inheritance Tax - Tricks of the Trade................................................37 Cambridge Family History Society..................................................39 How Safe is your Suntan?...............................................................40 Buckden Gardeners Association.....................................................42 Feeling Fruity.................................................................................44 Essential Scent...............................................................................47 R.A.T.S. Rehoming Appeal..............................................................49 Animal know-How.........................................................................31 Should you buy an Automatic Car?.................................................52 Nick Coffer’s Weekend Recipe.........................................................54 Summer Fun on a Budget..............................................................59 Puzzle Page....................................................................................60 What’s On.......................................................................................62 Mediation: Marvellous Medicine or New Age Fad?.........................64 How ro Save Money on your Summer Holiday this Year..................66 Still not sure if I’d trust it................................................................69 Wordsearch....................................................................................69 Out and About - Tech Tools for wherever you may roam.................71 Prize Crossword..............................................................................74 Piercing Problems..........................................................................76 Book Review..................................................................................78

How Safe is your Suntan?

Get your business off to a flying start this year

Advertise with the Villager Magazine... prices start from just £35.00 +VAT per month Editorial - Peter Ibbett, Catherine Rose, Tracey Anderson, Louise Addison, Lisa Calder, Trevor Langley, Katie Tew, Centre for Complementary Health, Jennie Billings, Kate McLelland, Leeds Day Solicitors, Solange Hando, Sally Power, Tony Larkins, Alison Runham, Rachael Leverton, Pippa Greenwood, RSPCA, Tom Wiltshire, Nick Coffer, Kate Duggan and Ann Haldon

Advertising Sales/Local Editorial Nigel Frost • Tel 01767 261122 nigel@villagermag.com Photography - Helen Hotson Design and Artwork - Design 9 Tel 07762 969460 • www.design9marketing.co.uk

Publishers Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP Tel: 01767 261122 Email: nigel@villagermag.com www.villagermag.com

Disclaimer - All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith, however, Villager Publications Ltd can not take any responsibility for the content of the adverts, the services provided by the advertisers or any statements given in the editorial. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored without the express permission of the publisher.

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History

The Great 1854 Hoax at St. Neots

By Peter Ibbett

Hardly a week passes by when our local media do not feature enterprising locals raising money or attempting to break records by carrying out activities that take them out of their comfort zones. Sometimes the challenge is an attempt to get in the record books as happened in 1854 when two Cambridge students decided to row from Cambridge to Chester. The account of their exploits appeared originally in Hunt’s Yachting Magazine, April 1855, and was reproduced in the St Neots Family Paper and Monthly General Advertiser in May. Their account of their visit to St. Neots included a reference to a hoax at St. Neots. The Cambridge Chronicle, dated 8th July 1854, reported that about 400 people were involved! The rowers reported that:‘Today (14th) we fare capitally, and stay in St Neots in order to repair our boats: naturally we make them worse. We are seen off by three or four hundred men and women at the mill; I am bound to say that the latter are extremely polite, many of them being young and handsome. We now proceed up to the town and get our boats landed. The tallow candle is in great requisition to caulk

the seams of the boat. We are a little disappointed at the small number of people who give us our farewell but we are informed this is the result of a very fine hoax, played about a fortnight ago on the inhabitants. Some individual printed a number of advertisements, and set the crier going for three days, to the effect that Barry the Clown was coming down to drive a tub drawn by geese thro’ St Neots bridge. The good folk came in swarms from St Ives, Huntingdon &c., crowds of carriages kept pouring in and taking up their station on the bridge. A single tub was placed near the bridge with a Union Jack flying in it, and this was all the good people ever saw of Barry the Clown. Our narrator had a narrow chance of his life, but as he eventually escaped, he made a little fortune by his public house. So when the ‘Snoutians’ are told of our arrival, with finger to nose they learily reply, “not to be done again.” Thanks to the Newsletter archive of the St. Neots History Society for the information. If know of any 21st century local hoaxes do write them down to add some local ‘colour’ for the enjoyment of future generations of ‘Snoutians’.

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10/05/2018 15:39

History

By Catherine Rose

Light Drawing The Invention of Photography With summer finally here, many of us will be going on our annual holidays. Growing up, a camera was always on our family packing list to capture those happy holiday moments and the scenery of foreign shores. Nowadays, cameras in smart phones are so advanced that most of us already carry around the means to record our lives in our pocket. But how did photography come out of the darkroom? Before a way to permanently capture an image was invented, the forerunner to photography was the camera obscura, Latin for ‘dark room’. Discovered in 1600 (or probably earlier), an upside down, back-to-front image of the outside world can be projected onto a wall in a darkened room through a pinhole aperture. During the Renaissance, it was found that the effect could be replicated by using a box – the first ‘pinhole camera’ – with mirrors employed to reflect the image so that it was the right way round.

The first physical photograph, based on the camera obscura, was taken in 1825 by Frenchman Joseph Nicéphore Niépce. The result, ‘View from a Window at Le Gras’, is very grainy and took around eight hours to develop. Niépce did it by coating a pewter plate with bitumen of Judea, which hardens when exposed to light. He then placed it in a camera obscura. When the unhardened parts of the bitumen were washed away, it left a negative image on the plate from which a print could be made. He called the process heliography (sun drawing). But it was in 1839 that photography is said to have truly been born with the invention of the daguerreotype process by Louis Daguerre, a scenery artist and friend of Niépce who had inherited his notes on the latter’s death in 1833. Using a glass plate coated with light-reactive silver iodide, the image was developed with the aid of mercury vapour. Unlike heliography, the daguerreotype required

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only minutes of exposure rather than hours. The image was later fixed onto the plate with a hot salt solution. Although still a negative, because it was silver on glass, it appeared as a positive image when viewed from the right angle. Photography, Greek for ‘drawing with light’, was unveiled to the world that same year and the daguerreotype became the first commercially viable process. There are numerous portraits taken at this time, some astonishingly clear, such as the self-portrait by Robert Cornelius, often claimed to be the “first portrait photograph ever taken”, and John Draper’s wonderful study of his sister Dorothy wearing an early 19th century decorated bonnet. At around the same time in England, Henry Fox Talbot had already created photographic negatives on paper using silver chloride but, much like Niepce’s heliography, the images took several hours to expose. Talbot began to develop it further, culminating in his invention of the calotype process (Greek for ‘beautiful picture’). Unlike the daguerreotype which formed a single image on a glass plate, one calotype negative could be used to produce unlimited prints. Talbot’s ‘silver halide’ was the foundation for wet film technology that has endured until the present day. In 1851, the wet collodian process was introduced by Frederick Archer, which used glass negatives printed onto albumen paper. This process could capture sharp images faster than ever before, with the advantage that one lightsensitised plate could fit up to eight prints. It soon became the universal method for producing carte-de-visites (photographic calling cards), tintypes (small inexpensive portraits printed onto thin sheets of black enamelled iron) and ambrotypes (like daguerreotypes in that they were printed onto glass). Renowned Victorian photographers like Lewis Carroll and Julia Margaret Cameron used this process to produce their remarkable studies. Its drawbacks were that plates had to be prepared and used immediately, and it remained difficult to capture movement without the image being blurred. 1871 saw the beginning of modern photography with the advent of the

dry plate. Coated with silver salts suspended in gelatin rather than collodian solution, it was sixty times more sensitive and meant that handheld cameras could be used without the need for a stabilising tripod. In 1888, George Eastman made the first commercial camera available to the general public – the Kodak. Under the slogan: ‘You press the button, we do the rest’, the camera came with a roll of flexible film – initially paper and later transparent nitrocellulose – which, following exposure, could be sent to one of Kodak’s printing facilities. Although there had been early experiments with colour photography, most notably James Maxwell’s tartan ribbon of 1855, photographs remained black and white, with colour only achieved by hand-tinting. The first colour photography appeared when the Lumiere brothers invented their Autochrome process in 1907, which used panchromatic emulsion. Although it didn’t become a commercial success, some of the images it achieved are stunning, such as the 1913 ‘Portraits of Christina’ by Mervyn O’Gorman (The Royal Photographic Society) – a series of colour photos of a young girl identified only recently as 16-year-old Christina Bevan. The invention of Kodachrome colour film in 1935 meant that colour photographs were well and truly on their way. But just as some artists falsely believed the advent of photography meant an end to painting, so black and white photographs, with an artistic and often edgy interpretation of their subject, have remained popular even in the new era of digital photography.

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All Saints

Pixie Lott

Judge Jules

Win 2 Tickets to Meraki Festival Meraki is back! We’re announcing our 2018 music lineup in the lead up to the festival and it’s already obvious that we’ve kicked things up a notch! We have two festival music stages filled with incredible artists, from global superstars like All Saints, Pixie Lott, Nik Kershaw and 10cc, to national and local favourites like Boogie Storm, Simon McBride and Annabel Williams. We also have an assortment of amazing activities which you can pack into your days at Meraki - these include: Europe’s largest outdoor waterslide, swimming pools, roller disco, caving, free massage, face painting, kids comedy & theatre and much, much more. Our All-Inclusive Tickets mean that once you’re through the gates, you don’t have to pay for any of our festival activities - you can enjoy all of your favourite parts of the festival and not pay a penny more – just focus on having a great time and creating magical summer memories! And for those of you who like to hear your tunes blasting off a set of decks, The House of Neon dance tent will be pumping out party classics each night with a stellar lineup of DJs that includes legends like Judge Jules, Danny Rampling, Tall Paul, and Seb Fontaine. Whether you come and camp for a long weekend, join us an amazing day or grab an evening ticket and party with us for one night only - we look forward to seeing you in August for an incredible festival filled with Meraki summer fun! To be in with a chance to win 2 tickets to Meraki Festival simply send your entry by 16th July 2018 to: Meraki Festival, Villager Publications Ltd, 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP The winner will be drawn randomly.

MERAKI FESTIVAL COMPETITION ENTRY

For a chance to win 2 tickets to Meraki Festival simply complete your details below and post your response by 16th July 2018 to: Meraki Festival Competition, Villager Publications Ltd, 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP. Name:



Don’t want to leave it to chance? For the full line-up and to book tickets go to merakifestival.com

Address:

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Win Tools to Make

Gardening Easier Win top quality carbon steel garden tools plus a gift voucher, together worth over £100.

At Bickerdikes you’ll find a huge selection of best quality plants: flowers, vegetables, trees, shrubs and turf. If you are new to gardening the Bickerdike team’s friendly, welcoming, professional and practical advice will ensure you plant the right plant in the right place. What’s more, hardy plants are guaranteed for two years providing they are planted and cared for correctly. For well over 80 years the Bickerdike family have been in the horticultural industry. Following the family tradition Mark and Debbie Bickerdike opened Bickerdikes Garden Centre in 1999, applying the same principles as previous generations of the family: quality, choice, value for money and above all personal service. The Bickerdikes service extends to their carry to car assistance and free delivery for larger items if you spend £15 or more. Plus the Bickerdikes Reward Card scheme means that every time you make a purchase you’ll earn points towards future purchases. Once you’ve browsed all the plants, containers and pots, tools and equipment, plant feeds and fertilisers, garden furniture, huge range of gifts and gift food you’ll be ready to visit Norton’s Café. Pop in for coffee or a light snack or maybe lunch. There’s a full menu all day starting with breakfast and there’s waitress service too.

Competition

BICKERDIKES COMPETITION ENTRY Name: Tel:

QUESTION...

How much do you need to spend to get free delivery for larger items?



Answer the question below to be in with a chance to win a compete set of seven Wilkinson Sword carbon steel garden tools, all with a five-year guarantee: (hand fork and trowel, garden rake and lawn rake, digging spade, digging fork and Dutch hoe) plus a £20 voucher to spend at Bickerdikes. (Please note the wheelbarrow is not part of the prize.) To enter, complete the form below and send to: Bickerdikes Competition, Villager Publications Ltd, 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP. The winner will be picked at random. Deadline: 16th July 2018

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Local News

Cambridge Summer Music 5-21 July 2018 For two weeks each July, some of the world’s most beautiful performance spaces resound to superb classical, jazz and world music. Cambridge Summer Music is back, attracting more than 15,000 concertgoers every year with a stellar cast of international performers and exciting new talent. 2018 is the 40th annual festival – and to launch the celebrations, the Bach Choir and Orpheus Sinfonia under CSM’s new director David Hill will raise the roof of King’s College Chapel with Mozart 40th Symphony, Fauré Requiem and Bernstein Chichester Psalms (5 July, 8pm). A packed fortnight follows, with highlights including pianist Joanna Macgregor playing Beethoven and Chopin (14 July, 7.30pm, West Road Concert Hall); trumpeter Crispian Steel-Perkins with David Hill performing 17th and 18th century classics (19 July, 7.30pm, Queens’ College Chapel); the Gould Piano Trio featuring an arrangement of Schoenberg’s Verklärt Nacht (10 July, 7.30pm, Jesus College Chapel); and the Brodsky Quartet’s Wheel of 4Tunes, devised for their own 40th anniversary, which chooses the programme at the spin of a wheel (13 July, 7.30pm, Jesus College Chapel). Rising stars include 2017 Cardiff singer of the world Catriona Morison (16 July, 7.30pm, Old Divinity School) and Radio 3 New Generation artist Ashley Riches. Bass-baritone Ashley will be joined by pianist Joseph Middleton for his recital Songs before sleep, to include the world premiere of a new work by composer Kate Whitley, co-commissioned with the BBC and the Royal Philharmonic Society. (8 July, 7.30pm, The Old Divinity School; Radio 3 broadcast 10 July).

If less formal music is more to your taste, there is a huge range of sounds and styles to sample. You can hear traditional fiddle music from the Scottish band Blazin’ Fiddles (7 July, 7.30pm, Cambridge Junction); jazz from the singer, pianist and songwriter Joe Stilgoe (20 July, 7.30pm, Downing College), and light Classical through to swing, jazz and pop from the saxophone/ clarinet quartet Simply Reeds (21 July, 1.10pm, St Columba’s Church). Film buffs will be treated to a screening of the silent movie The General (1926), a hair-raising comedy set in the American Civil War, starring Buster Keaton – brought to life by organist Richard Hills (11 July, 9pm, St John’s College Chapel). There’ll also be informal music in the open air, as once again the Festival features its popular Sounds Green series of concerts in the Cambridge Botanic Garden (Wednesdays at 6.15pm). Imagine the scene – relaxing under the trees on a Wednesday evening after a busy day, with a cool drink and a delicious picnic, listening to the hugely popular Cambridge-based band Prime Brass (4 July); the exhilarating, gypsy-infused sounds of Eastern Europe (She’koyokh, 11 July); TG Collective’s heady mix of hot club, flamenco and contemporary classical (18 July); or the toe-tapping Jazz, Samba and Bossa Nova of Afro-Brazilian band Afrosamba (25 July). CSM 2018 closes as it began, with an iconic choral work – Bach’s B minor Mass performed English Voices with director Tim Brown. Using only ten singers and a pared-down period orchestra, the astonishing intricacy and visceral nature of the score shines through. Let the celebrations begin! Tickets and information at www.cambridgesummermusic.com or www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk/tickets Twitter @cambridgemusic Facebook /cambridgesummermusic

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Time of Year

Garden Toys Gardens are a great place for kids to run around and get that all important fresh air and exercise. The addition of a toy or two will mean you can keep them happily occupied for hours. Swings are perennially popular. Make sure the size and style is appropriate to the age of the child. Better still buy one which has changeable seats so you can upgrade as the child grows, or simply ring the changes now and then. Slides come in all sizes. They can be independent structures or attached to climbing frames. You really do get what you pay for in this instance. Do your homework. Is a metal or wooden frame best for your garden. How much use will it get and how many and what ages of children does it need to support? Get the best you can afford and it will serve you for many years. Trampolines are a relative newbie to the UK garden compared with slides and swings but they are rightfully popular. Even adults can’t resist them. You’ll need a flat surface, and a safety net is highly recommended. Most trampolining injuries occur when one child lands on another so buy the biggest your garden will allow. It’s almost impossible to police the ‘one child at a time’ recommendation so bigger is safer as each child has more space.

Kids love dens. Provide a Wendy house or a tepee and let their imagination run wild. If you have the funds you can buy an elaborate fort or tree house. If you don’t have space for a permanent Wendy house, provide poles and old blankets and let them construct their own! If you have space for a sand and water area your children will love it. There are simple small plastic tables designed for the purpose and huge wooden luxury models complete with seats and sunshade. Use specialist play sand to fill it. Make sure you buy one with a cover to protect it from the weather and prevent neighbourhood cats from using it as a toilet. We can’t all have a proper pool in the garden but most of us have room for a paddling pool. Add a couple of supersoaker water pistols and a waterslide made from heavy duty silicon and you’re set for an afternoon of splashy delight. If you have a large space you could invest in some football goals or a badminton set. But for those who love to play games and have a smaller space there’s croquet or outdoor skittles. And there are now outdoor giant versions of family favourites like Connect 4, Jenga and Chess. Time for some outdoor fun.

By Tracey Anderson

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Health By Louise Addison

Steps to a

Healthier Heart Cardiovascular disease causes 26% of all deaths in the UK; that’s over 150,000 deaths each year – an average of 420 people each day or one death every three minutes. Those are the scary statistics but what can you do to improve the health of your heart? Below are the top tips according to leading cardiologists. Walk 30 minutes every day, no matter what! – A half hour walk every day decreases an individual’s chances of a heart attack by 30%. If you think you’ll skip days find a walking buddy and hold each other accountable. Find out your blood pressure and take steps to bring it down – Your blood pressure may be a more important factor than your cholesterol! If the doctor prescribes medication take it, but you can also take steps to lower it yourself and maybe reduce the need for medication. The best ways are to exercise and lose some belly fat. Individuals with high levels of fat in the abdominal cavity (belly fat) and around their abdominal organs are more likely to develop high blood pressure because this fat interferes with the function of the kidneys, which regulate the blood pressure. Know what your HDL number is and then do what you can to raise it to 1.3 mmol/l - In women especially it seems that a higher HDL (good cholesterol) number is more important than a low LDL (bad cholesterol) number. Eat about 25g of raw, fresh, unsalted nuts per day – especially walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, pistachios and almonds. Nuts are packed with omega 3 oils, raise levels of HDL good

cholesterol, decrease inflammation and have a good effect on the heart. Healthy fats such as olive or rapeseed oil have a positive effect too, and the really good news is that an alcoholic drink per day also works in your favour! Eat a good quality tomato pasta sauce! Simple tomato pasta sauce is loaded with potassium which aids lowering of blood pressure. Floss! – Most people don’t know that your oral health has an effect on arterial health so make sure those pearly whites stay clean and flossed. Limit saturated fat and avoid trans fats – Try to keep saturated fat below 20g per day. Both saturated fat and trans fats (found in many processed foods) lead to inflammation of the arteries. Read labels and avoid foods which list sugar as one of the first five ingredients – In particular don’t be fooled by foods which claim to be ‘low fat’ because often they contain extra sugar instead. Healthy fats such as olive oil are better than empty sugar calories. Drink wine – But not too much! It’s a slightly bizarre (but consistent scientific truth) that teetotal folk have a higher risk of heart disease than those who drink in moderation. But a glass of red wine occasionally is very different to binge drinking once a week so be careful with this tip. Eat a rainbow of fruit and veg – Five to nine servings a day will help to keep your heart in tip-top condition. It may sound a lot but if you add chopped veg to pie fillings and casseroles and eat fruit at breakfast and salad stuff for snacks it all adds up.

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Technology

By Lisa Calder

Take Control Of Your Electronic Inbox!

‘Why do you have 9632 emails in your inbox?’ I looked at my husband, ‘Um...is that a lot? How many are in your inbox?’ ‘About twenty,’ he replied. I looked at my inbox. There were emails I had meant to deal with; emails from clients and the kids’ schools with information I needed; there were time-sensitive offers I’d never got around to investigating; endless updates from the social media platforms I subscribed to, and the rest I’d kept just in case, of what I’m not entirely sure. I wondered idly if there was such a thing as being an email hoarder. I clearly had a problem and I needed to act. I paused my work and began to sift through the backlog. An hour later I’d made little progress. ‘Just delete the lot,’ said my husband. ‘It’ll be like ripping off a plaster. The anticipation is the worst bit.’ Could I do that? It was tempting. But I paused. I couldn’t. I did have a problem! I decided to compromise. I kept the last month’s emails and deleted everything else. EVERYTHING. WOW it felt liberating. I looked at my almostempty inbox. It felt so good I quickly went through the month’s worth of emails I’d kept, and deleted anything I knew I’d never get around to answering. I replied to and actioned emails which required a response, then deleted them too. But while I was working five new emails arrived and in the back

of my mind I knew how easily those five would become fifty...and then five thousand. I needed to futureproof my inbox! I decided I’d set aside fifteen minutes once or possibly twice a day to deal with email. If I needed to save information I would file it in a folder on my laptop. Then once a month I would quickly go through the inbox and delete anything else that I knew would never be actioned. To be honest that’s been the hardest part. I feel genuine anxiety about deleting emails. FOMO (fear of missing out) is a real problem for many people with email issues. So many emails are ‘offers’. What if that amazing offer never comes up again? Believe me, a quick trawl through my pre-deletion inbox, indicates they do...frequently. What’s more, these ‘offers’ are often time-sensitive and so we hang on to them ‘just in case’, then miss the deadline anyway and still don’t delete them. I found it useful to cap my emails at 50 and I use an email system to filter school emails into a separate inbox, so I can see at a glance when ‘Dress like a Roman’ day or ‘Bring an onion to school’ day (yes really) is coming up! Your system might have to be different. The trick is to invent one to suit your own personality and routine. I feel more in control and organised now I’m on top of my inbox. Now to tackle the cupboard under the stairs!

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Food and Drink

Wines:

More Gems of Austria I continued my quest, searching for Austrian wines that have been recognised and acknowledged with awards, for their qualities, plus wines that, in my opinion, deserve to be.

Weingut Forstreiter is located in Krems-Hollenburg, a traditional wine growing village of the Kremstal region. The Forstreiter family has been producing wine since 1868. Forstreiter Grüner Veltliner Ried Kremser Kogl and Grüner Veltliner Tabor Kremstal Reserve are both extremely popular, classic productions. These splendid white wines have most pleasant bouquets. Both possess a good balance, with tropical fruit flavours, very acceptable mouthfeel and lengthy palate sensations. Forstreiter Riesling Schotter is balanced and refreshing. This great, dry, white wine, is chosen regularly for many dining occasions and is excellent for the mouth’s pleasures and on to the palate. These wines are wonderful accompaniments to a lot of cuisine, including fish, seafood, plus white meats and are just a selection of the Forstreiter white wines. Their ranges include outstanding reds, too. www.forstreiter.at Anton Bauer produces superb white and red wines. As the company says, “The wines are with soul”, every year. For my ‘wines of choice’ I selected the powerful Zweigelt and the Wagram Reserve Zweigelt Alte Reben productions. Dark fruits are very much displayed for the bouquets and lead, enticingly, to the mouthfeel and splendid palate sensations. Wonderful with red meats, etc. For a sweeter choice I found Kracher, that produces a fantastic range of wines. Burgenland Beerenauslese Cuvée ‘hit the spot’, for me. Absolutely divine, when a sweet wine is called for. The bouquet brings delight, plus the mouthfeel and palate will not be disappointed with this production, having luscious fruits in abundance. For all details of the full ranges www.antonbauer.at and www.kracher.at The Top Selection Company sources high-quality wines, spirits, plus drinks, from global origins and offers an exceptional portfolio. Their wines and other beverages can be located in top hotels and restaurants, plus many retailers. Top Selection also offers a complete service, including advice about cuisine pairings and winery visits, etc. www. topselection.co.uk

As always, Enjoy!

ey Trevor Langl

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the

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Health

Bladder Weakness As I carried two heavy bags of shopping into the house I sneezed, and my bladder emptied itself on to the hall floor. I was wearing a light skirt and no tights so there was nothing to stop it. Horrified I dropped the shopping, ran to the toilet, finished ‘going’, then cleaned myself and the floor. I thought maybe it was a one-off freak incident but over the next few weeks it happened more and more, admittedly not as dramatically as the first time but enough that I became very selfconscious. Why was this happening? I was only 49, slim and a runner. I did my Kegel exercises regularly. Incontinence didn’t happen to people like me surely? Eventually I plucked up the courage to speak to my GP. By the time I got into the consulting room I was so anxious I burst into tears. Thankfully she was very reassuring. It turns out that although Kegels are helpful they are not a cure-all. Some of us have hypertonic muscles – our pelvic floors are too tight, which can also cause leaking. In these cases Kegels may make the problem worse! The GP also informed me that while most people think of incontinence as a problem for the elderly she treats cases in teenagers, right through to octogenarians and beyond. As we age hormone changes mean we are more likely to leak, but there are many causes: pelvic floor trauma caused by childbirth or sex, interstitial cystitis, multiple sclerosis, chemotherapy, neurological disorders, fistula, and even certain medications. Somehow in my head I (completely unfairly) equated incontinence with people who don’t care about themselves. I couldn’t be incontinent because I was fit, wore make-up and had regular haircuts (yes I know that sounds crazy but apparently it’s quite a common misconception!). In fact, high-impact sports can damage a pelvic floor. Runners, gymnasts, dancers and weightlifters may put more strain on their pelvic floor than it can handle and as a result can experience stress urinary incontinence. There was even a physio team dedicated to the pelvic floors of female athletes at the last Olympics! A couple of my friends blamed childbirth but according to the GP, although this can be a factor,

most women don’t experience a long-term problem. It’s just as likely to be down to anatomy, lifestyle and habits! I had been avoiding drinking in social situations, and straining out as much urine as I could when I went to the loo to try to prevent leaks happening later. But my GP informed me that both these habits were probably doing more harm than good. Straining when going to the loo can cause a prolapse…not good, and avoiding drinking means more concentrated urine which irritates the bladder lining resulting in a false urge to wee. My leakiness was a combination of hormone changes and my love of running. I was referred to a specialist physio and while I am not completely cured it’s now much less of an issue. Bladder leakage more common than you think in all age groups, and I want you to know that there is nothing to be ashamed of and you don’t have to suffer in silence.

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By Katie Tew 25

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Complementary Health

So Long to Summer Sneezes Fight Hay Fever the Natural Way! The UK is currently enjoying a great summer but for around 20% of the UK population who suffer from hay fever, the irritating symptoms of the allergy will make for this a miserable time of year. Hay fever and other summer allergies such as prickly heat often leave sufferers reaching for tissues. Symptoms range from a runny nose and itchy eyes, to more severe complications, such as asthma attacks. Aside from popping those antihistamines, there are more proactive ways to tackle your seasonal scourge, such as Acupuncture. A spokeswoman for the British Acupuncture Council said “every summer, each practitioner in the UK will treat at least two or three hay fever sufferers, the symptoms can be helped quite substantially”. Acupuncture has been used in China and other eastern cultures to restore vitality and alleviate the symptoms of allergic reactions for

over 2,500 years. By inserting fine needles into the channels of energy which run underneath our skin, an acupuncturist can stimulate the body’s own healing response and help restore its natural balance. The acupuncture treatment may include needles around the nose and sinuses, but may also include other body areas such as hands and feet. These techniques are very gentle and use very short fine needles and can be performed with very little or no discomfort. If you are suffering with hay fever and would like further information on how we can help you, please contact us at the Centre for an appointment.

Centre for Complimentary Health Tel: 01480 455221 Web: www.CentreForCompHealth.com

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House of Colour

Tips for a Formal or Black Tie Summer Event 1. Consider the venue in which the event is being held. Although you should always wear clothes that work well with your skin tone, also make sure you have considered your setting. If the event is being held outside, shoes with heels that don’t sink into the ground are a good plan. 2. Consider the weather that day. Have you ever noticed how much your mood and therefore choice of clothes is affected by the weather? But your mood can be completely uplifted by wearing a wow colour from your palette and if your style benefits from pattern or texture then introduce this into your outfit as well make sure you are feeling your very best despite the damp conditions. 3. If you are wearing predominantly neutral colours, try adding a pop of one of your wow colours to your summer event outfit. It is amazing how a colourful shawl, hat, shoes, necklace or bag can make your whole outfit come alive! To add interest, think about using gorgeous different textures or patterns, depending on your personal style as well. 4. Use accessories to stand out with style. Your skin tone determines whether you should wear cool white metal or warm yellow metal jewellery. Mixing fresh dynamic colours with stunning jewellery designs can redefine an otherwise simple but chic outfit. 5. Wear shoes that you find comfortable and never wear them for the first time to an event where you might be standing around for hours. It is rare that we choose to wear flats to a black tie or formal dress event but make sure you wear a heel that is comfortable and that suits your style personality whether that is wedges, block heels, stilettos, courts or platforms! 6. Choose a bag that not only works with your outfit and your personal scale but is also a size that can hold all your necessities in case you wish to touch up your make up. 7. If you wish to wear a big hat to your event, make sure that it is not too large for your personal style. Hats need to be balanced out with your outfit, personality and body shape. 8. Make sure the outfit you wear displays your best assets and is tailored to your

natural body shape. Trying to hide parts of your body that you do not like by swamping is never a good look, nor are overly tight dresses or trousers. This is an important time to really enjoy looking your very best! ..AND FOR THE MEN 1. Consider the formality of the occasion. Choose something well made, with a definitive, tailored cut that suits you. 2. The quality of the shirt is important as is the colour. Knowing your colour palette will define whether you are best in bright white, cream, or variations on ivory or a beige tone. 3. Pick your trouser style and length carefully! Find out what suits you when it comes to choosing between a skinnier or straight legged trousers, and single, double or no pleats. 4. It’s the little things that count. Make sure that your outfit is perfect down to the last fine detail. Items such as ties, cravats and cufflinks are always noticed and it’s an easy way to show a pop of colour or style creativity.

By Jennie Billings Style and Colour Consultatnt at House of Colour www.houseofcolour.co.uk/ jenniebillings Jennie.billings@houseofcolour.co.uk

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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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We are looking for more delivery people in this area to deliver our magazine. Please contact Nigel for more details

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Quirky Britain

Dwile Flonking with the Devil and his Tailors Why Britain’s traditional pub games may be poised to make a comeback

Playing games – both indoor and outdoor – has been a feature of British pubs for hundreds, and possibly thousands, of years. Here are just some of the archaic games still played in Britain’s pubs: Devil Among the Tailors This old pub game is a form of table or bar skittles, where nine skittles are arranged in a square, opentopped wooden box usually placed on a table top. A vertical pole rises from one corner of the box from which a small, wooden ball (about the size of a golf ball) is suspended from a chain or string. The aim is to swing the ball in an arc to catch the skittles, rather than aiming directly at them. And the name? Legend has it that in 1805 the game of bar skittles was renamed after the cavalry was called to break up a group of tailors who were rioting. The army’s horsemen were said to have cleared the streets as effectively as a ball ploughing through skittles. Dwile Flonking Honestly, you couldn’t make it up. Dwile Flonking is a game in which two teams of twelve players take turns to hold hands and dance in a circle, at the same time trying to avoid being hit by a beersoaked cloth (the ‘dwile’ in question) wielded by an opposing team member in the middle. Losers get to drink a chamber pot filled with ale, in doublequick time. Dwile Flonking apparently has its origins in an ancient harvest ritual. The word ‘dwile’ is a knitted floor cloth, while ‘flonk’ is probably a corruption of ‘flong’ (used in olden days as the past tense for ‘fling’).

Toad in the Hole No, it’s not a hearty helping of sausage and batter served up by the pub landlord. This is a simple game where contestants toss brass coins onto a lead-topped table with a hole in the middle. Players try to land their coins (known as ‘toads’) either on the flat surface of the table or in the hole, scoring one or two points respectively. The game is a variant of ‘Pitch-penny’ (or ‘Chuck Farthing’), which dates back to the 18th century or possibly even earlier. Ringing the Bull The idea here is to throw a metal ring (hung from the ceiling on a rope) onto a metal hook on the wall. The hook has replaced the original target – a bull’s horn – that gave the game its name. Ringing the Bull was reputedly a game brought back by pilgrims from Jerusalem in medieval times, and the story is given some weight by the fact that the most famous pub to host the game is an ancient Nottingham hostelry called “Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem”. These traditional pub games have an innocent charm that provides a welcome relief from the beeping, flashing, coin-munching fruit machines that have become such a familiar sight in Britain’s drinking establishments. Wouldn’t it be ironic if we entered a pub in ten years’ time and – instead of finding customers hunched over their smartphones and laptops – we discovered a group of players happily engaged in a game of Devil Among the Tailors?

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By Kate McLelland 31

Leeds Day Solicitors

Empathy and excellence at heart of family law services HEADED by Simon Thomas, the family law team at Leeds Day offers a comprehensive range of family law related services covering divorce, financial disputes, whether arising from marital breakdown or cohabitation, to changes of name, relief from domestic abuse and disputes concerning children. As a whole, the firm prides itself on protecting its clients’ interests through a meticulous attention to detail, coupled with an unrivalled focus firmly on client care: a tried and tested formula that has repeatedly proved successful. Like most areas of the law, family work is increasingly complicated, governed by strict legal rules and detailed regulations. “Knowledge is empowering for all our clients. At Leeds Day, we recognise not only the need to carefully prepare cases on behalf of clients, but also the need to ensure our clients understand precisely what is happening to their case, and why, at every stage” said Simon, a Partner in the firm, who runs the team from its St Neots office. He added “We see our role not only as experts in the field of family law, but also, primarily, protectors of our clients’ interests at what is often a difficult time for them in an ever changing and complex legal climate”. Simon, who can call on over 15 years’ experience working as a solicitor, has been the family team leader for over 10 years and is known not only for his tenacity when acting for clients, particularly at court, but also for his aptitude in resolving complex disputes. He is a Resolution Accredited Specialist in family law and qualified to undertake Collaborative Family Law. Of the firm’s three offices, Lisa Leader is based at the St Ives branch. Having joined the firm in 2011 from another local firm of solicitors, Lisa also offers clients some twenty years’ experience in the family law arena, and her reputation as an experienced practitioner precedes her. Lisa’s patience and communication skills, in what is an emotive area of the law, are noted as second to none. She is also

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

known for her ardent support of her client’s concerns and, as she puts it, “A client going through a divorce is already experiencing what can be a life changing experience. It is vital they are assisted in focusing on what is right for them in the long-term with the full support of an experienced, supportive and skilled advisor”. Lee Bailham completes the team, undertaking family law work at the firm’s Huntingdon office. Lee joined the firm in January 2015 and, like his colleagues, has some twenty years’ experience, which in his words “Enables the legal adviser to bring perspective and insight to each case, allowing them to see “the wood for the trees”, focusing on the nub of any problem”. Like all our family lawyers at Leeds Day, he believes a calm approach to matrimonial disputes is the best option, that even the hardest fought family law disputes can be solved and settled and that the best lawyers keep their clients out of the stress and expense of court proceedings, compromise being the ideal solution. Ranked as a leading law firm in the Legal 500, Leeds Day Solicitors was originally established 180 years ago and, via its three strategically placed offices in St Neots, St Ives and Huntingdon, remains at the forefront of legal practice, meeting its clients’ needs through a full range of services in Cambridgeshire, whilst adapting to an ever changing legal environment. To find out more about our family law service or to book an appointment with one of our Solicitors contact the family team at Leeds Day on 0844 5672222 or send an email to family@leedsday.co.uk. We are able to see clients at any of the three offices in St Ives, Huntingdon and St Neots. Our team is able to offer a full range of dispute resolution options, all of which can be found on our website at www.leedsday.co.uk Quote this article when making an appointment before the end of September 2018 and your first 30 minute consultation will be free of charge.

St. Ives 11 Station Road, St. Ives, Cambridgeshire PE27 5BH T: 01480 464600

St. Neots Xenus House, Sandpiper Court, Eaton Socon, St. Neots PE19 8EP T: 01480 474661

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Travel

By Solange Hando

Mauritius: Natural World In the southern reaches of the Indian Ocean, Mauritius is blessed with idyllic beaches, but a few steps inland another kind of paradise waits to be discovered, stunning and lush, as the island endeavours to protect its wildlife and dwindling forest. Great swathes were lost to timber and plantations. The remainder covers about 18% of the land, only 2% of it native trees, but nestling in gorges or climbing to mountain tops it still harbours 670 species of plants. Meanwhile, imported casuarinas sway along the shore, banyans thrive and Chinese guava bushes spread unhindered. There are fan-shaped traveller’s palms and unusual trees protected in botanical gardens, including the hyophorbe amaricaulis palm in Curepipe and the rare talipot in Pamplemousse, which takes up to 60 years to flower and then dies. As for the wildlife, boars and Javanese deer live alongside the long-tailed macaques, the ornate rainbow-coloured geckos and thousands of fruit bats, or ‘flying foxes’, the only native mammals, with wings up to a metre across. Although the dodo is extinct, other native birds may fare better, such as the pink pigeons and Mauritius kestrels breeding once again in protected areas. Down in the south west, beyond the tea plantations of Darling Wood, the road climbs through scented pines towards the Grand Bassin sacred lake and Hindu shrine. Nearby, the Native Garden of Petrin displays the lovely red ‘earring’, or national flower, and an array of medicinal

plants. But most enticing of all in the area is the Black River Gorges National Park, covering over 6,000 hectares of forest laced with scenic trails. Echo parakeets flash emerald green along the Macchabee ridge, white tropicbirds flit through the air with the grace of ballet dancers. On the very edge of the gorge the Black River viewpoint can be easily accessed, a breathtaking place where, below the jagged peaks, the thicklywooded slopes tumble down to the sea More views can be enjoyed along the road down to the coast, most dramatic the precipitous peak on Le Morne peninsula where runaway slaves jumped to their death. Chamarel is a must-see, starting with the island’s highest waterfall leaping down 83 metres. But the top attraction is the legendary waves of ‘Coloured Earth’ spread across a slope, red, purple, pink, silver and gold. Now protected by walkways, this unique phenomenon was caused by the uneven cooling of lava, and you can buy a sample in a bottle. Shake as you will, the colours will separate again within a day. On the central plateau, the Deer’s Hole caldera is equally impressive. Its slopes are cloaked with vegetation, its floor is choked with silt but as you stand on the rim between heaven and earth, you look across an island bristling with eerie peaks, the Rampart, the Guard, the unmistakable silhouette of the Thumb or Pieter Both, resembling a human figure, named after a drowned admiral. Legend has it that if this pinnacle falls, disaster will strike. So far, fortunately, Pieter Both has kept his head and as kestrels soar above the rustling slopes, you can enjoy the natural world of a truly stunning island.

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PAXTON HILL HOUSE, GREAT PAXTON SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION

Fully furnished weekly lets In the wooded grounds of a country house • The Garden House Sleeps 4-6 • The Loft Sleeps 6 • The Lodge Sleeps 3-4 All equipment and linen included. For further information Visit www.paxtonhillhouse.co.uk or telephone Benita Sanders 01480 216237 Keep this page for future reference

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Local News

Cambridge Family History

Society

Cambridgeshire Family History Society is pleased to announce an exciting new project which is currently in its early stages. Working in partnership with Wisbech and Fenland Museum, the Society is embarking on an ambitious project to digitise 32 parish registers which are currently in the Museum collection, over 50,000 pages and 500,000 records from Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. The Museum and the Society have had the support of the Cambridgeshire Archives who have loaned specialist equipment to support this venture. We will be working through parish by parish and, as we finish a parish, the images will be released and will be published on the website. These will then be searchable on the Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ancestor Finder database, available to download by purchase of tokens, along with all other Society records. This work is being carried out by volunteers and is anticipated to take about a year to complete. A full list of the parishes and dates is available on the Museum website at http://www.wisbechmuseum.org.uk// Archives.htm. Find us on the CFHS website, https://www.cfhs.org.uk for progress reports and updates.

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Health

Alison Runham ww.alison.runham.co.uk

How Safe is Your Suntan? Books and magazines often advise us how to ‘tan safely’ and describe people as looking ‘healthy and tanned’, inextricably linking these two words in our minds. Yet nothing could be further from the truth. As the NHS baldly states, “There’s no safe or healthy way to get a tan.” If you’re not convinced, let’s look at why your skin tans. The Problem with Suntans However light it is, however slowly you built it up, and whether you got it lying in your back garden, a Mediterranean beach or a sunbed, a tan proves that your skin has been exposed to too much radiation. When your skin is exposed to sunlight, around 5% of the UV (ultraviolet) radiation it receives is UVB, responsible for sunburn. The other 95% is UVA, responsible for tanning, aging, wrinkling and coarsening the skin. UVA rays penetrate to the lower layers of the epidermis, stimulating cells called melanocytes to produce melanin, the brown pigment that gives your skin its tanned appearance. This is the skin’s defence mechanism. Your skin has good reason to go into defence mode. Prolonged exposure to UV rays increases your risk of developing malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, and nonmelanoma skin cancer too.

The Problem with Sunbeds The World Health Organization classifies sunbeds as a ‘Group 1 Carcinogen’ – something scientifically proven to cause cancer in humans. Sunbeds, sunlamps and tanning booths emit the same harmful UV radiation as the sun, so they increase your risk of developing both malignant melanoma and no-melanoma skin cancers too. But tanning devices are potentially more dangerous than sun exposure. Many sunbeds give out greater doses of UV rays than the midday tropical sun, and you’re relying on manufacturers and operators to ensure you get a ‘safe’ dose of UV. In 2006, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products stated the maximum ultraviolet radiation from sunbeds shouldn’t exceed 0.3W/m2, or 11 standard erythema doses per hour (erythema means reddening of the skin caused by sunburn). That’s equivalent to exposure to the tropical sun, which the World Health Organization (WHO) describes as extreme. So, it’s not surprising that sunbeds can cause more damage than exposure to sunlight. Your risk depends on your skin type, including the presence of moles, and the frequency and length of your sunbed sessions. Age is a factor too and, in the UK, it’s illegal for people under the age of 18 to use sunbeds.

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“Sunbed use and overexposure to the sun can be a risk to the skin at any age,” say The British Association of Dermatologists. “However, a review by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) found that first exposure to sunbeds before the age of 35 years increases the risk of melanoma by 75 per cent.” Unfortunately, the symptoms of skin damage can take up to 20 years to appear, so it can be easy to fool yourself that you’ve done no harm. But research shows that people who are frequently exposed to UV rays before the age of 25 or who experience sunburn in childhood have a greatly increased risk of developing skin cancer later in life. Guidelines for using Tanning Equipment A sunbed operator should discuss your skin type with you before you use a sunbed and advise you on the limit of your session length. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends you shouldn’t use UV tanning equipment if you: • have fair, sensitive skin that burns easily or tans slowly or poorly • have a history of sunburn, particularly in childhood, or badly sun-damaged skin • have lots of freckles and red hair • have lots of moles • are taking medicines or using creams that make your skin sensitive to sunlight • have a medical condition aggravated by sunlight, such as vitiligo • have a personal or family history of skin cancer

You should also be especially cautious if you’re pregnant. Pregnancy can make your skin more sensitive and prone to burning and pigmentation (patches of dark skin). Some studies have suggested there may be a link between increased UV rays and folic acid deficiency, as UV rays can break down folic acid. Folic acid is vital for the development of the baby’s neural system (brain and spinal cord). Stay Safe in the Sun Avoid the sun when it’s strongest (between 11am and 3pm, March to October, in the UK). Never allow yourself to burn. Cover your skin and don’t forget a hat and sunglasses. If you’re not wearing sunglasses or wearing sunglasses without adequate UVA and UVB protection, then your eyes can suffer damage too, resulting in conjunctivitis, irritation or even cataracts. Remember that sunscreen only reduces UV exposure; it doesn’t eliminate it. Use sunscreen that’s in date, with at least four-star UVA protection and an SPF of at least 15 (30 or higher if you’re fairskinned or using it on children). Useful information: Sunbed regulation Act 2010: www.legislation.gov. uk/ukpga/2010/20/contents HSE guidance on the use of UV tanning equipment: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/misc869.pdf British Association of Dermatologists’ advice on sunbeds: www.bad.org.uk/for-the-public/skincancer/sunbeds NHS sunscreen and sun safety advice: www.nhs. uk/livewell/skin/pages/sunsafe.aspx

Local News

Buckden Gardeners Association

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Buckden Gardeners Association is a group of people who meet on the third Tuesday of the month from October to April in Buckden Village Hall. Topics are varied, focusing on gardening but also include related subjects such as ‘Wild flowers and their habitat’ and ‘Birds of Paxton Pits’. In the summer months trips are organised to places of interest in the local area and there is also an annual Spring and Autumn Show. We are a friendly group and welcome new visitors and members alike. For further information please visit our website www.buckdengardeners.info, or visit us at our stall at Buckden Festival, or alternatively just come along.

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Garden View

Feeling Fruity Have you ever wished you could grow fresh fruit in your garden but worry the space is too small, or it won’t look pretty, or it’s too difficult? What if I was to tell you that even a beginner can successfully grow a wide variety of fruit from apples and pears to plums, cherries, blueberries and raspberries, and possibly even figs or nectarines? The first thing you need to know is that the sweeter the fruit is meant to be the more sun it will require. Sun boosts sugar levels. If you have a sunny wall it’s an ideal place to train a sun-loving fruit tree like a peach or an apricot. Plant the tree at the base of the wall but not too close (about 30cm is about right) in soil enriched with fertiliser and good quality compost. As it grows splay the branches evenly and attach them to the wall. As the plant grows gradually cut out old straggly branches and tie in new healthy branches. The idea of splaying or ‘fanning’ is that as much sun as possible gets to the fruit, so it can ripen beautifully and maximise your crop. It also has the benefit of being a great space saver. Choose a variety that won’t grow too large. In slightly shadier spots you can grow

gooseberries or raspberries, or my favourite morello cherries. Most of these come in compact varieties and can also be fan-trained against a wall if space is an issue. I have a tiny orchard of minarettes - space-saving apple, pear and plum trees bought as single vertical stems which I grow in pots. They grow to a maximum of 6 feet / 2m high and no wider than 45cm. My children love them! Simply cut back the side stems to about 10cm at this time of year and you’re good to go. Just remember that pot-grown plants rely totally on you for their food and water. Thick glazed / non-porous pots are best because they retain water and act as insulation in extreme cold. Use the correct compost and food for the plant but most will do well with a regular high potash liquid feed from early spring to late summer. As a gardener I was quite late to fruit-growing, but I realised quickly that it becomes an addictive hobby. And as a complete bonus I’ve noticed a definite increase in my bee population over the past few years. Free food, and good for the environment too. What could be better?

By Rachael Leverton

Happy Gardening

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No contract - Direct Debit available

FREE Lawn Analysis: 01767 651 639

www.greensleeves-uk.com • Email: hunts@greensleeves-uk.com

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09/03/2018 11:06

GILKS FENCING LTD

All Types of Fencing, Gates & Railings, SUPPLIED & INSTALLED

Call for a FREE Survey & Quotation Visit our Display Area at:

Gilks Fencing

Drove Road, Gamlingay, Sandy, Beds SG19 2HX Tel:

01767 650 615

Email:

gilksfencing@hotmail.com

www.gilksfencing.co.uk

Tim Brown 01767 627532 bedford@bartlettuk.com www.bartlett.com

BARTLETT TREE EXPERTS A Very Brown Hedge Indeed Aphids are one of the most common and troublesome of all garden insect pests. They attack a large number of garden plants throughout the country and are recently causing much disfigurement to ornamental conifer hedges. Commonly known as Greenfly and Blackfly, these aphids feed on hedges, sucking the sap of the plant and can spread several viruses, causing severe dieback. Cypress Aphid is currently troublesome and pre-dominantly affects conifer hedging. Damage inflicted on conifer hedges by the aphid Cinara cupressi is severe and can lead to large brown patches on the hedge. This leads to localised foliage death, reducing the aesthetic look of the hedge. As the aphid is active from May to October it is important to catch this problem early and apply treatments to stop its spread. At the first sign of brown patches call us for a free consultation and professional advice.

Tree & Shrub Pruning l Planting l Tree Removal l Stump Grinding l Hedge Cutting Health & Safety Reports l Disease & Insect Control

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Garden

Essential Scent No matter how good your garden may look, without scent it is missing a vital ingredient – and you don’t have to sacrifice colour and texture when using perfumed plants, as many heavilyscented flowers are also really good-looking. Perfume plays a role in plant evolution and is often used to attract attention to the flower and thus entice a suitable pollinator. The insect enjoys the flower’s nectar and pollinates it in the process, increasing the chances of it producing a new generation. Many plants produce an alluring perfume during the evening or night-time, and at this time of day moths can be useful pollinators, especially during the summer months. So although a plant like the sweetly-perfumed night-scented stock may not have flamboyant flowers, it will be successfully pollinated. Weather conditions can alter the level of perfume that reaches us, and in a wind-swept spot the perfume can literally be blown away. Unusually low temperatures can also cause scent levels to drop. So bear this in mind when choosing where to put your perfumed plants. Smaller or more subtly-scented plants, such as some of the polyanthus or the miniature iris, should be planted in raised areas or in pots – otherwise their perfume can easily pass you by! A small pergola makes a great home for perfumed climbers, and what could be lovelier than to wander from one part of the garden to another via a tunnel of perfume? Perfumed roses such as the repeat flowering climbers ‘Ena Harkness’ (red) or ‘New Dawn’ (pale, dusky pink) or ‘Zephirine Drouhin’ (brightest pink) have flexible stems and are ideal. Place smaller perfumed plants such as ‘Nemesia Fragrant Cloud’ or lavenders into window boxes or wall baskets, and enjoy their wonderful perfume in your house as it wafts in through windows left ajar.

For sitting out after sundown, plant flowers that are at their best in the evening. For a warm summer’s evening the small creamy-white flowers of night-scented stock take some beating, or try the night-perfumed nicotianas or tobacco plants such as Nicotiana sylvestris. Combine the vibrant colours of bedding plants with some scented stunners in patio pots and other containers. How about some hyacinths or the Heliotrope or cherry pie, with its flowers in white or shades of purple which will produce perfume throughout the summer? Disguise a less-than-attractive house or garage wall with wall shrubs; in a sunny spot the blueflowered Ceaonothus produces a distinctly honey-perfumed scent, or on well-drained soil the pineapple broom Cytissus batanderei looks and smells sensational, with its lovely silvery-coloured foliage, bright yellow flowers and pineapplescented blooms. Create an arbour from a kit or from scratch and clothe it in perfumed climbers such as sweetlyscented roses or, in a shadier spot, spicily-scented honeysuckle. Sitting in the shade of the plants with their flowers’ scents all around is pure heaven! Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood. com and you’ll find some great gardening items: Nemaslug, green controls for leatherjackets, chafer grubs, ants and greenfly, plus garden plant supports, raised bed kits, Easy-Tunnels, gardening tools, Grower Frames, signed books and more! Or why not book Pippa for a gardening talk?

By Pippa Greenwood www.pippagreenwood.com

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ALL SEASONS GArdEN & PrOPErty MAiNtENANcE

St.NeotS baSed compaNy eStabLiShed SiNce 2011 domeStic & commerciaL FuLLy iNSured certiFied waSte carrierS grass/Hedge-cutting turFing | patios | decking ground preparation | Fencing sHeds/conservatory bases repair Work & painting pressure WasHing gutter clearing/cleaning clearances Nick Leadbeater

Mob: 07896668976 / HoMe: 01480 383605 eMail: all_seasons123@HotMail.co.uk Web: WWW.allseasonsgpM.co.uk : Find us on Facebook

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Rehoming Appeal

Pets

Luis

Luis is a 4 year old cheeky Yorkshire terrier who had been very neglected. His teeth were in a terrible state before he went to the vets for a full dental clean. Luis is a very friendly dog who loves people and is very affectionate. He is not bothered about other dogs coming near him if they approach him in a calm way. Luis can be very protective of his food especially around other dogs, so we think it is best he is an only dog in the home. He can be very dominant, wanting his own way. An adopter will need to work with this behaviour until he learns that he is not the boss. Because of this we will not let Luis go to a family with children but he would make a newly retired person a great companion. Luis is housetrained but a new owner will need to be patient with him as he can make a few mistakes and be very unsure in a new home. Once he begins to feel secure, his house training should then return to normal. If you can offer this lovely boy a home, please contact Julie on 01763 289827 Alternatively, please email Philippa at info.rats@gmail.com who will be pleased to forward your enquiry onto the team.

Can I go to the Paddocks for my Holiday please?

Paddocks Boarding Cattery Peaceful location. No dogs boarded. Spacious, individual, heated chalets with large covered runs. Inspection welcome. Boarding from ÂŁ7.50/day. Rabbits/guinea pigs also boarded. 64 Meadow Road, Great Gransden

Telephone 01767 677 759 www.catterybedfordshire.co.uk Open all year.

The cattery for caring owners. Comfort and security for your pet. To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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Pets

Animal Know-How Is a rabbit your perfect pet? Rabbits are a popular choice for many families with an estimated 1.5 million rabbits kept as pets in the UK. And it’s no surprise, as rabbits are highly intelligent, inquisitive animals. They come in a variety of breeds, shapes and sizes and each bunny has their own unique personality.Typically, they’ll live for 8 -12 years, but some may live for longer. Here is some advice to find out if a rabbit is the best pet for you. Home sweet home – they need: • A large shelter where they can rest together and apart from each other. • A large, secure exercise area permanently attached to their shelter, where they can hop, jump, run, dig and search (forage) for food. • Places to hide when they feel afraid or want to spend time alone. • Lots of space so they have room to exercise. • To be able to stand up fully without their ears touching the roof. • Protection from hazards, bad weather, high and low temperatures and predators. Food and drink – they need: • Fresh, clean drinking water – available 24/7. • Lots of good quality hay and/or grass – available 24/7 (growing or freshly picked grass is fine but NEVER feed lawnmower clippings). • An adult-sized handful of safe, washed leafy greens (e.g. cabbage, broccoli, kale and mint). They’d also enjoy a daily portion of high quality pellets/nuggets – about two egg cups full are enough for a medium-sized adult rabbit! • Only feed carrots and apples in small amounts as occasional treats. Don’t feed any other types of treats as these may harm rabbits! To be able to act naturally – they need: • To be able to exercise, graze on growing grass, forage, hide and dig every day!

• To be able to play with their friendly, neutered rabbit companion(s) every day. • Lots of safe toys to play with and chew. • To be able to play with people who will be quiet and gentle around them, and who won’t punish or shout at them. To stay healthy – they need: • To be checked for signs of pain, illness, injury or changes in behaviour every day. Talk to your vet if you suspect any problems. • To be taken for an annual vet health check and regular vaccinations. • For owners to check their bottom and tail area every day to make sure they are clean. You should also check the length of their nails and teeth every week to make sure they’re not too long. • Rabbits need to be neutered so they don’t have unwanted babies. This also keeps them healthy and reduces the risk of them fighting with each other. A pet rabbit for a child may seem like a good idea, but you may have realised after reading this article, that rabbits are not low-maintenance pets! So, although they can make wonderful pets, the primary caregiver should always be an adult. Think carefully if you can give a pet rabbit everything they need and a forever home with your family. If you still think rabbits are your perfect pet, please contact the RSPCA to see if you can give one of the unwanted rabbits in our care, a home.

ANIMAL KNOW-HOW is one of a series of articles brought to you by the RSPCA Bedfordshire North Branch www.rspca-bedfordshirenorth.org.uk

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Motoring

Should you buy an automatic car? Pros and cons explained

By Tom Wiltshire an infinitely changeable single ratio theoretically ensures correct gearing for maximum power or economy, depending on conditions. Around since the 1950s, the CVT ‘box can be incredibly economical when driven carefully. However, they can provide a somewhat disconnected feel to the car – and attempts at rapid acceleration are usually met by spiralling engine revs and lots of noise. Their smoothness and variable nature makes them ideal in a hybrid car. Automated manual transmission Cheap, easy to install and lightweight, these gearboxes leave existing clutch and gearbox operations in place, but simply robotise the action. Automated manuals are often despised, can be horrifically jerky, and dawdle under hard acceleration. In fact, automated manual transmissions have ruined a fair few cars, so are probably best avoided. Electric vehicle Electric cars don’t technically have a transmission, but are worth looking at if you’re considering an automatic car. They act almost identically in most conditions, with two pedals and no gears to shift, but also have a totally smooth and silent powertrain and zero tailpipe emissions. EV’s aren’t ideal for everyone – you’ll need somewhere to charge, and if you regularly do longer trips you’ll definitely need some form of combustion engine. However, if your circumstances suit, you could be a convert to the electric lifestyle.

British motorists traditionally favoured manual gearboxes, but automatics are increasingly popular. Tom Wiltshire explains everything you need to know. Though early automatic gearboxes tended to dent performance, fuel economy and driving pleasure, times have moved on, and the modern automatic can sometimes be a better choice than the manual gearbox. Some performance automatics can actually beat the manuals off the line, while the cash-conscious may enjoy lower CO2 emissions and higher fuel economy. A good automatic transmission also makes for a relaxing drive, giving your left leg a rest and letting the car do the work. Always test drive a car, however, as there are still awful automatic gearboxes out there. Automatics tend to be more expensive to buy, and much more expensive to repair if they go wrong. Here’s our guide to the different types of automatic gearbox available today. Torque converter/traditional auto Though now much refined and improved, these automatics have

been available since the 1940s, and use a fluid-filled coupling in place of a traditional clutch. Torque converter automatics tend to offer very smooth shifts, making for a comfortable ride. They can be slow to pick up, though. However, modern units – such as the ZF ‘box fitted to dozens of high performance cars – offer no discernible penalty to performance or economy. Dual-clutch gearbox The dual-clutch gearbox uses a pair of robotised clutches working together to provide lightning-fast shifts, making them ideal for sports cars. There’s no real penalty in performance or economy, but at low speeds in stop-start traffic dual-clutch boxes can be jerky and unpleasant. Early units can be unreliable and costly to repair. Manufacturers have different names for them – the Volkswagen group use DSG, Porsche PDK, Renault EDC, Hyundai and Kia DCT – but fundamentally they all work the same way. CVT Standing for ‘continuously variable transmission’, CVTs do not have standard ‘gears’. Instead,

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Buckden Private Hire

Local and Long Distance Airport Specialist Business Contracts Welcome

01480 812929 www.buckdenprivatehire.co.uk

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Three Counties Radio

KOREAN POPCORN CHICKEN Put simply, this recipe is one of the tastiest things I have enjoyed on the Weekend Kitchen. It should carry a health warning as it is insanely moreish. Once you take one bitesized piece of deliciousness, you really just cannot stop. The recipe was created by Kumud Ghandi, who runs the excellent Cooking Academy cookery school in Rickmansworth. Her story is an interesting one he family have always been in the spice trade, and her dishes always burst with flavour. I have also made a vegetarian version of these at home, using a vegetarian ‘chicken’ replacement. For the chicken: 500g chicken thigh (skinless and bones) cut into bite size pieces 50g cashew nuts 1 tbsp rice wine 2 tsp ginger powder 1⁄2 tsp fine sea salt 1⁄4 tsp ground black pepper 190g corn starch Oil for frying For the sauce: 5 tbsp tomato sauce/ketchup 1 1⁄2 tbsp Korean chilli paste (or any chilli paste) 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp dark brown sugar 1 tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp sesame oil 1⁄2 tsp chopped garlic For the garnish: Sesame seeds Finely chopped spring onion Finely sliced red chilli (optional)

1. Place the chicken pieces into a large mixing bowl. Add the rice wine, ginger powder, salt, and ground black pepper and mix them well. Cover the bowl with cling film and marinate the chicken for 30 minutes in the fridge. 2. Coat each chicken piece with the corn starch powder thoroughly. It’s best doing this in 4 to 5 batches so that they are well covered with the starch powder. 3. Pour some cooking oil into a deep wok and bring it to a temperature of around 175C. 4. Fry the chicken pieces in batches until golden and cooked through (this will be around 2-3 minutes). 5. Take them out and set aside onto kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil. Repeat this with the remaining chicken. 6. Don’t put too much chicken in one go as it can lower the oil temperature too much. To make the chicken pieces extra crunchy, fry them all twice. This is actually worth the effort! Set aside. 7. Pour all the ingredients for the sauce into a heated pan, boil on a medium heat until the sauce thickens a little bit (approximately 1-2 minutes), stirring constantly. 8. Add the cashew nuts and fried chicken and coat with the sauce quickly. 9. Serve by garnishing with spring onion and sesame seeds and the optional red chilli. Eat your portion before anyone else makes it into the kitchen…

Hear wonderful recipes on Nick Coffer’s Weekend Kitchen every Sunday morning on BBC Three Counties radio at 11am. You can also join Nick every weekday afternoon at midday for brilliant local guests with great stories to tell and all the music you want for your early afternoon.

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To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

• Wood Burning Stoves • Multi Fuel Stoves • Chimney Lining • Twin Wall Flue Systems • Installation and Supply • Fireplace Renovations • Stove Accessories • Trade sales welcome

SHOWROOM NOW OPEN

Monday & Wednesday to Saturday – 10am – 5pm Other Days/Out of hours by prior arrangement

Unit 2 Home Farm Court, The Street, Diddington, St Neots, PE19 5XT

info@cromwellstoves.co.uk 01480 812281

www.cromwellstoves.co.uk

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Parenting

Summer Fun on a Budget Want to make your pennies stretch a bit further this summer? Keep reading… Free local events Install the Eventbrite app on your phone (or check www.eventbrite. co.uk) for family-friendly events near you, from food and drink festivals to pop-up art exhibitions. Most are free and tickets can be booked using the app. If you can bear to brave the crowds, shopping malls often have free family activities on over the summer, including kids’ entertainers and competitions. Gone are the days when libraries were silent places reserved for studying. Now they regularly play host to all manner of familyfriendly events, including treasure hunts and storytelling. Many events are free, while others incur a small charge. Sign up to your local library’s social media pages or newsletter to be the first to hear what’s coming up. Cut-price shows Several of the larger cinema chains offer cut-price kids clubs. Vue and Odeon’s kids clubs, for example, are at 10am on Saturday

and Sundays at most cinemas, and every morning during the summer, with tickets priced from £2.50. The offer is usually only valid for one particular film. Heading to London? The Audience Club offers free tickets to a host of live shows. Membership costs £5 and there’s a £3 (plus VAT) admin charge for each ticket, meaning you could easily save £100 per show. Most tickets are offered last minute and you can only get two per member. See www. theaudienceclub.com. My Box Office (www.myboxoffice. biz) also runs a similar scheme for an annual fee of £15, which gets you discounted tickets to a range of shows across the UK. Again, tickets are usually offered last minute, and there are only ever a limited number available, so you need to be quick! TV companies offer free audience tickets for many of their programmes, from Dancing on Ice to The Voice. Most of them can be requested through www. sroaudiences.com. There don’t tend to be many children’s

programmes, but the website is well worth a look if you have older children. Discount vouchers Wowcher, Groupon and other voucher sites do have some great deals, but they usually involve signing up to a daily alert. Bownty (www.bownty.co.uk) gathers all the offers together in one place, and you don’t have to sign up for newsletters. You can search by location and activity, and when we checked there were cut-price deals on soft play and kids craft sessions. Kids Pass gives you discounts for a wide range of activities and venues, including cinemas, aquariums, zoos and more. You also get free kids’ meals (with a paying adult) at restaurants such as Giraffe, Prezzo and Bella Italia. The card usually costs £39.99 for a year but there are often offers available, including £1 for a 30 day trial (you’ll need to make sure you cancel within the trial period). The website is www.kidspass.co.uk, but search online for special offers before buying.

By Kate Duggan www.kateduggan.co.uk

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Codeword 1

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Easy Suduko

Hard Suduko

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. 60

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n O s ’ t Wha 1 July Hinxton Watermill Open Day 2.30-5.30pm Adults £3, Children £1, free for CambridgePPF members. 17th century working watermill, on the River Cam. ‘Where’s Ratty?’ game for children. Tel: 01223 243830 Web: www.cambridgeppf.org

2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25 & 30 July St Neots Badminton Club 8-10pm One Leisure, St Neots Play badminton to a good standard and interested in joining a club? St Neots badminton club play at One Leisure Mondays and Wednesdays. Email: Committee@stneotsbadminton.org f Web: www.stneotsbadminton.org 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 July West Hunts Friendship Club 9.30am-3pm Great Staughton Village Hall Meets every Monday except Bank Holidays. We are looking for new members who are retired to join our happy team. Members can participate in a range of activities, such as music and singing exercises, quizzes, card and board games as well as enjoying a hot meal at lunch time. Transport can be arranged for those who live within a six miles radius of Great Staughton. Tel: Andrea 07808 184894 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 July Godmanchester Senior Citizens Club 1.30pm Afternoon Bingo 6.30pm Whist Drive Godmanchester Town Hall £1 for Whist drive inc. tea & biscuits If you are feeling lonely and over 55 years of age, then you will find a warm welcome waiting for you in the Senior Citizens Club. The club has a lively atmosphere and a wide range of activities. Friday afternoons is another opportunity to play Whist. Members also meet on a Saturday morning for games, chat, tea and biscuits for 50p. Non-members are welcome to visit on Saturday mornings. Tel: Geoff 01480 434697 or 07515 881209 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 July Comrades Chess Club 7.30pm Comrades Club, Godmanchester Keep your mind active and play chess. Over 18s only as it’s a licensed premises. Every Monday except Bank Holidays. Seeking new members – novice or experienced. Ozzie: 01480 414623 Email: ozzie.day5@gmail.com 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 July Oakington Singers 7.45-9.30pm Oakington Parish Church Oakington Singers invite new Tenors and Basses to join them on Mondays. Their accompanied and unaccompanied repertoire includes Rutter Anthems, Queen, Folk Songs, Spirituals, international songs and much more! They are a friendly and experienced group and the choir is free! Email: paul.tann@btinternet.com

3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 July Roxton Bridge Circle 7.15-10pm Roxton Parish Hall Small friendly group playing Bridge every Tuesday evening.Tel: Phyllis 01480 374327 Email: mary@jackpike.co.uk 4 July Godmanchester Senior Citizens Club Coffee Morning & Raffle 10am-12 noon Godmanchester Town Hall Monthly coffee morning and raffle. Annual membership fee is £10. Tel: Geoff 01480 434697 4 July Trees of Wandlebury in Summer 1.30-3.30pm Wandlebury Country Park CambridgePPF event. Meet at the notice board in Wandlebury Country Park.

Deadline for What’s On entries is the 12th of the previous month. What’s on entries to whatson@villagermag.com

In July

6 July Brampton Wood at Night 10.15pm-c. midnight Experience the creatures that come out in the dark. We expect to see glow worms, moths and bats and other creatures depending on their availability on the night! We will be hosting experts to help identify the moths and bats. We advise bringing a torch and wearing warm, waterproof clothing. Please meet at the Information Barn which is close to Brampton Wood Car Park, Grafham Road, Brampton, PE28 0DB. GR TL 184698. Tel: George 01480 450809 7 July Art & Craft Fair 9.30am-4pm Free Church Hall, St Ives Quality handmade art and craft stalls and tombola.

4 July St Mary’s Afternoon WI St Neots 2pm St Mary’s Church Room, St Neots First Wednesday of the month. Ladies of the SOE. WW2 Theme open event. Tel: May Parker 07724 043941 Email: mayp.at.home@gmail.com

7 July Meadow Bug Hunt 10.30am-12pm & 1.30-3pm Ferry Meadows, Peterborough £2. Come along to use sweep nets and different techniques to discover which species of bugs, spiders and small creatures makes their homes in the park. For ages 5+. Meet at Discovery Den. Tel: 01733 234193 Web: www.neneparktrust.org.uk

4 July Brampton Flower Club 7.30pm Community Centre, High Street, Brampton Visitors £6. Flower arranging demo by qualified demonstrator, raffle, sales table and tea or coffee. Tel: Jan Dobie 01480531822 Web: www.bramptonflowerclub.com

7 July Summer Fair 11am Brampton Village Primary School Free entry. Come along for games, activities, stalls and refreshments - fun for all the family. Bouncy castle, raffle, tombola, face painting, Beat the Goalie, choir, Pimm’s tent, live music plus lots more!

4 July Black Cat WI 7.30pm Wyboston Village Hall The group meets on the first Wednesday of each month. Tel: Susie Woodman 01234 376098

7 July Simply Saturday 12-2pm St James Church, Little Paxton For adults of all ages with lunch and various activities available. Tel: Leisa Hunt 01480 471748 Email: young_paxton@ntlworld.com

4 July Little Paxton Gardening Club 8pm Little Paxton Village Hall Members £1, Guests £2 Members meeting. 4, 11, 18 & 25 July Little Fishes 10am-11.20am Grafham Village Hall Stay and Play Tots Session during term-time. Sessions include free play and craft activities, bible story and sing along. Tel: Jean Clark 01480 890033 Email: robnjeanclark@tiscali.co.uk 4, 11, 18 &25 July St Neots Choral Society 7.30-9.30pm Eynesbury C of E Primary School, Montagu Street, Eynesbury New members are very welcome to join and there are no auditions to frighten. There is an annual subscription once you decide to join the Society. New members are welcome in all voices. Tel: 01480 212298 for membership or information Web: www.stneotschoral.org.uk

7 July Summer Concert by Sawtry Chorale 7.30pm Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton Profits to charity. Tel: Joyce 01487 831435 for tickets 8 July Kimbolton Country Fayre & Classic Car Show 11am Kimbolton Castle Adults £10, Child £5, Under 5s free, Family £25 Main ring events include Savage Skills - Free Style Mountain Bike Stunt Team, Sealed Knot, Beagles and Heavy Horses. Stage acts include Haka, Gavin James Burke - Classical and Musical Theatre Vocalist, Galaxy Big Band and Lindyhop Dancers and Morris Dancers. For the children there will be Millers Ark Mobile Farm, Mobile Cave and Bungee Trampolining. Other attractions include a flypast by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, 1000 Classic Cars, Dreamrides, Model Car Racing, over 70 stalls and stands.Organised by the Rotary Club of Kimbolton Castle and Sporting Bears to raise funds for their chosen charities.

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n O s ’ t Wha

8 July A Summer Concert with St Neots Concert Band 7.30pm St Mary’s Church, Eynesbury Advance Adults £8, on the door Adults £10, Under 16s £5. Refreshments included. Tickets available from any band member or by email. Email: info@stneotsconcertband.com

16 July St Neots Royal Naval Association 8pm The RAFA Club, 44 Huntingdon Street, St Neots St Neots & District Branch of the Royal Naval Association meet on the third Monday of every month. Tel: Tony Webley 01480 215218 Email: jj.awebley@btinternet.com

11 July Fundraising Coffee Morning 10am-1pm All Saints Church, Market Square, Huntingdon The Hunts Society for the Blind Fundraising Coffee Morning. All welcome to come along and try our delicious homemade cakes, accompanied by a cup of tea and coffee. The coffee morning is on every second Wednesday of the month from MarchNovember.

18 July Carers Coffee Club 2.30-4pm The Royal Oak, Hail Weston Are you caring for a loved one with a memory loss? Come along and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee whilst chatting with others in a similar situation. Our informal group meets on every third Wednesday of the month. Tel: Neil Silby 07889 319888 Email: kimpigfarmer@tiscali.co.uk

14 July Hemingford Village Market 9am-1pm Parish Centre, Hemingford Grey Second Saturday of the month. An opportunity to buy food, crafts, plants and flowers from small local businesses. Hemingford Grey Parish Council also hold a surgery at the market.

19 July St Ives & District Flower Club 2.15pm Burgess Hall, St Ives Visitors £7 Demonstration by Doug Howard from Stotfold, Herts entitled “A Box of Delights”.

14 July Baby & Children’s Market Nearly New Sale 10.30am-12 noon Cambourne Village College, Sheepfold Lane, Cambourne £1 per adult, Children free Web: www.babyandchildrensmarket.co.uk for details 14 July Wildlife Trust 10.30am-1pm Woodwalton Fen The Huntingdonshire Local Group of the Wildlife Trust invites you to participate in a guided walk at Woodwalton Fen. Woodwalton Fen is one of the oldest reserves in the country and provides many different habitats, including reedbeds, meadows, woodlands and meres. Please meet at Jackson’s Bridge at the end of Chapel Road. Parking is at the Countryside Classroom, Ramsey Heights, plus limited parking at Jackson’s Bridge. Tel: Tim 01480 457795 GR TL 235 849, PE26 2 RS. 14 & 15 July Comberton Monday Studio Art Group Summer Exhibition Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm Comberton Village Hall, Cambridge Free admission. Refreshments available. Free parking. Tel: Angela Donnelly 01223 263283 15 July Croydon Cambs Classic Vehicle Show 12 noon-4pm Croydon Village Admission £3, show vehicles & children free Drivers’ breakfasts, vehicle parades, BBQ, beer and Pimm’s tent, cream teas, children’s games and fête stalls. Pre-registration of classic vehicles helpful or turn up on the day. Tel: 01223 208939/208532 Email: croydonvillagecambs@gmail.com Web: www.croydon-village.co.uk

19 July Love’s Farm Women’s Institute 8-10pm St Neots Football Club Meeting on the third Thursday of the month. Tel: Nikki Jackson 07563 715043 Email: lovesfarmladieswi@gmail.com 21 July Ghost Stories at the Leper Chapel with in situ 8pm Barnwell Junction on Newmarket Road, Cambridge Tickets £12, Concessions £10. GHOST STORIES returns for one night only in the haunting atmosphere of The Leper Chapel. Fabulous stories by Elizabeth Bowen and Edith Wharton combine with Jazz and Music Hall songs for a deliciously frightening evening out. Tickets in advance or at the venue on the night from 7.30pm. www.insitutheatre.co.uk 22 July 1 Star Paddle Course 10am-4pm Nene Outdoors, Ferry Meadows, Peterborough £75. The one star course is an introductory one day course that looks at the basic skills needed to control a kayak, canoe, or stand up paddle board. Age 16+. Tel: 01733 234193 Web: www.neneparktrust.org.uk 22 July Kingfisher Church, Little Paxton Primary School 10.30am. Service include children’s groups and a crèche. Refreshments served. Tel: 01480 476811 Web: www.kingfisherchurch.co.uk 22 July Huntingdonshire Fauna & Flora Society 2.30pm Holt Island with Leader Julian Limentani. This 7 acre island reserve includes the remnants of the onceworked Osier beds, native tree species and beds of phragmites reed mixed with sedge. Park in the car park for One Leisure Centre, St Ives (follow the signs,

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In July

grid ref. TL307719). Meet at the exit to the car park, where we will walk to the site from there. Please wear sturdy footwear and clothing appropriate to the site conditions and weather. Tel: Sarah Orbell 01480 383567 or Barry Dickerson on 01480 475689. Web: www.hffs.org.uk 26 July Connection Bus 7-9pm Little Paxton Village Hall Car Park The Connections Bus will be visiting the village on Thursday evenings during the school summer holidays. The bus is a free youth club and is aimed at school Year 7 and above. It has internet access, games consoles, Xbox, craft activities, tuck shop and advice. The bus is supported by two youth volunteers. Please jump on the bus to ensure future summer holiday visits continue. 26 July St Neots & District Gardening Club 8pm St Mary’s Church Hall, St Neots Members £2, Non-members £2.50 inc. refreshments & raffle ticket. ‘Vegetables Of Value’. A presentation by Rodney Tibbs, on how to make the most of your vegetable plot. Web: www.stneotscardenclub.org.uk 27 July St Neots Local History Society Guided walk around Buckden Towers Christine Lawrence. Booking essential. Web: http://stneotslhs.org.uk/ 28 July The Great Kilimanjaro Tea Party 1-5pm Pertenhall Village Hall Tea, fizz and a mountain of scrumptious homemade cakes. Raffle with great prizes. Sophie Botsford will be selling her rurally inspired artwork, homeware and gifts. All money raised will go to Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Email: lisa2488@hotmail.co.uk 29 July Needle Felting Workshop 10am-4pm Ferry Meadows, Peterborough £45. Join Artisan felter, Eve Marshall, and create a felted landscape using a mix of Merino wool, curls, silk and threads. Learn how to create prefelt and use it in your finished landscapes. Bring photos for inspiration or use the beauty of Nene Park to create your piece. Having a full day allows you time to play with lots of textures, colour and design. Refreshments and all materials provided, bring you own lunch. Age 16+. Meet at Discovery Den. Tel: 01733 234193 Web: www.neneparktrust.org.uk 29 July Bourn Mill Open Day 2-4pm Bourn Mill, Caxton Road Adults £3, Children £1, free for CambridgePPF members. Come and see inside one of the oldest mills in the country, you can also have a go at the task of turning the whole mill on its post. Tel: 01223 243830 Web: www.cambridgeppf.org

Life Begins...

By Kate McLelland

Meditation: marvellous medicine or new age fad? were almost unaffected when they focused on the experience, non-meditators’ found their breathing, heart rate and blood pressure increased. However, after just 20 minutes of meditation the non-meditators had a much calmer response to the same thoughts. Reducing stress, inducing sleep In the programme 100 Years Younger in 21 days, Professor Philp suggests that meditation can extend life expectancy by promoting better sleep. A 2015 study of forty nine middleaged and older adults who had difficulty sleeping revealed that mindfulness meditation – which encourages subjects to beat stress by focusing on moment-bymoment experiences, thoughts and emotions – was found to be particularly effective. Like many older adults, Sherrie Hewson believed that meditation wasn’t for her, but once she understood its effects, she experienced something of a revelation. The practice of meditation won’t suit everyone, but as medical science discovers more and more potential health benefits, anyone who experiences stress, sleeplessness or negative emotions on a regular basis would be well advised to give it a try.

“I always say I haven’t slept since 1993,” declared 67-year-old actor Sherrie Hewson on the reality TV programme, 100 Years Younger in 21 Days, which aired earlier this year. Sherrie was taking part in an experiment conducted for ITV television by Professor Ian Philp, an expert who advises the World Health Organisation on age-related health matters. When her sleep patterns were analysed, the data confirmed that she woke at regular intervals throughout the night. Although Sherrie’s participation in the TV show involved weeks of healthy eating and exercise, her sleep pattern changed very little during the course of the experiment. She was only able to enjoy her first good night’s sleep after her first successful attempt at meditation. Sherrie isn’t alone. Twenty two per cent of Britons experience interrupted sleep, often caused by anxiety or depression. In the short term this can negatively affect mood and memory and in the long term it can lead to more serious health problems. Fight or flight So, can meditation help older people to beat stress? Meditation encourages people to take charge of their own emotions, and over time this has been shown

to result in permanent changes to neural pathways in the brain. When the University of Pittsburgh in America carried out research into the effects of meditation, MRI scans revealed that the amygdala – the brain’s ‘fight or flight’ centre, linked to fear and emotion – appeared to shrink over time, while the prefrontal cortex (associated with concentration, awareness and decision-making) became thicker. Improving concentration Meditation aids concentration by encouraging you to turn off unwanted or distracting thoughts. In an observation exercise for meditators and non-meditators designed by Italian neuroscientist Giuseppe Pagnoni, the meditators significantly outperformed in the test results. You can learn to control your thoughts during meditation by taking action when your mind starts to wander. The technique involves simply acknowledging the distraction and turning back to your main focus as soon as possible. Taming your emotions In a recent study published in the journal Consciousness and Cognition, meditators and nonmeditators were asked to think about an experience that made them angry. While meditators

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Finance

By Ann Haldon

How to Save Money on Your Summer Holiday This Year

The cost of travelling abroad has increased over the last year or so, mainly due to a fall in the value of sterling, but there are still ways you can save money on your summer holiday. You may secure a better exchange rate by visiting non-Euro countries such as Croatia or Poland, but what else can you do to reduce your costs without taking away the joy of a well-earned break? Before you go Be flexible If you can travel over a range of dates or don’t have a particular destination in mind, you’ll have more chance of finding a bargain. Maybe you just want to relax on a beach in the sun, in which case the destination may not be so important, or you might be looking for a city break with no particular country in mind. Forget the frills Although you can’t carry liquids through the airport, taking your own food on board can save a considerable amount of money, particularly if you’re feeding a family. If you’re travelling with a ‘no frills’ airline, taking hand luggage only can also reduce your costs. Staying overnight at the airport? A deal that combines an overnight stay and parking at the hotel is likely to be cheaper than parking at the airport for the duration of your holiday. You can often save money by booking online, rather than through your travel agent.

Check data roaming charges before you go New legislation introduced in 2017 means that you can now use your mobile phone allowance free in EUmember states. Beware of ‘fair usage’ limits applied by mobile phone providers, however, as a lower limit may be set on your usage abroad. When you’ve reached your destination City sightseeing Many European cities offer free walking tours that are relaxed, informative, and help you get your bearings for the other days you’re there. They offer you a ‘feel’ for the city, with many people giving donations to the guide at the end of the tour, based on their experience. Avoid the tourist traps when eating out Eating away from the main sights, even if it’s only a short walk away, can literally halve your food and drink costs – although meals eaten with an iconic view are certainly memorable, so is the bill when you leave. If out for an evening drink, save money by standing at the bar rather than having your drinks served at a table. If breakfast isn’t part of your package, a local café will be far cheaper than paying hotel prices where a premium tends to be charged if they’re not pre-booked. Make lunch your biggest meal Set lunch menu prices can be considerably cheaper than paying for an extravagant dinner in the evening. Although you may not want to make lunch your main meal every day, doing so for one or two days means you can also enjoy a few lunchtime drinks without breaking the bank. Saving money on holiday needn’t be difficult. A little pre-planning goes a long way, so research your chosen city or resort well, and reap the benefits of making your money go further. www.uswitch.com/mobiles/guides/mobileroaming-charges/ www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/advice/budget-travelsimple-ways-to-save-money-on-your-holiday/

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Motoring

Still Not Sure if I’d Trust It Recently I rented a car equipped with a lanedeparture warning system (LDWS). There are three types of LDWS, each with varying degrees of alert and control. From a simple audible warning system, through to a system that advises the driver to take-action to correct the departure, to taking full control of the steering – and the car I’d rented had this latter system. On a dual-carriageway, the steering fought my action to move into an empty lane unless I put the appropriate indicator on. I assume the LDWS worked in concert with a Collision Avoidance System (CAS), checking the distance to the car in front and, should I close up to perform an overtake, provided I put the indicator on, it would know I had good reason to change lanes and not fight me turning the wheel. You would think that would be all well and good. But I recall an incident that happened a few years ago

when a lorry in front of me shed its load on the carriageway, which I avoided by a sharp turn of the wheel – but I didn’t have time to indicate! Shed loads don’t fall off vehicles and keep moving – they come to a stop very fast and I doubt a CAS would have time to react and free up the LDWS control from the steering, thus allowing me to turn the wheel to avoid the danger. Maybe it can? Maybe it can’t? On balance I’d prefer not trusting an LDWS, but simply keep my eyes peeled and see a hazard for myself, rather than putting my faith in some form of auto-pilot.

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By Iain Betson

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Out and About

Technology

Tech tools for wherever you may roam

Whether it’s a long walk or an epic adventure, technology can make travelling much easier. It’s amazing how much can be crammed into a small space: for example the Clippa Lady Mini Multi-Tool Hair Clip (£8) combines a bottle opener, scraper, ruler, small screwdriver and a nail file in a simple pink hair clip. If you fancy something that’s more practical than pretty, the evergreen Leatherman multitool and its many imitators crams an astonishing number of tools into something barely larger than a pair of pliers, and while you can’t generally fly with them in your carry-on luggage – many multi-tools have various cutting bits that make them potential weapons – they’re very useful things to pack, or to have on a hike or in a caravan. It pays to shop around, though: the top Leatherman models can be ruinously expensive but they’re often heavily discounted, so for example the £149.95 Wave is currently available from several retailers for nearer £100. Much cheaper options are available too.

Wearable technology is becoming a big deal in the great outdoors too. Apple’s Series 3 Apple Watch has built-in GPS and is available with its own 4G data connection, albeit only on EE, which enables you to track your route and get directions without having to take your phone out or even bring it with you. And there are now tons of focused GPS watches for sports and for hiking, such as TomTom’s Adventurer GPS watch (£199) or if you’re feeling really flush, Garmin’s Fenix 5 Multisports (£439). Where Apple’s device is a smartwatch that can do GPS, rival devices were designed with GPS as their main priority and are often better bets for serious sports people. TomTom and Garmin are the big names in this market but there are plenty of cheaper options from less established firms too. If you’ll be travelling for a while and think your phone battery won’t last, there are several options for topping up its charge. Some phones enable you to swap the batteries (although the most expensive

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phones, such as iPhones and the latest Android flagships, don’t), but most big name devices can accept power pack cases that combine a protective case and extra battery in one item. That means much more life between charges, but it does add quite a lot of bulk and weight. Expect to pay around £60 for an established brand such as Mophie’s Juice Pack for the iPhone, and steer clear of no-name products on eBay – dodgy batteries can go on fire with horrific consequences, so it’s wise to stick to recognised brands from reputable sellers. Another option is a portable charger. Solar ones aren’t much cop in the UK except on the sunniest days, but precharged devices such as Aukey’s excellent Power Bank can be used to charge tablets, phones, handheld games consoles and other small items such as Kindles. Again, they’re often discounted and £20 is the sweet spot for a decent one. You can expect to get more than four full charges for a smartphone or one and a half for a big tablet.

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Health

Piercing Problems

I’m quite a relaxed parent (compared with many of my friends) so when my teenage daughter Tash decided she wanted her tongue pierced I was more curious than horrified. It was all set to go ahead until we went for a routine family visit to the dentist. I casually mentioned the imminent tongue-piercing and the dentist’s reaction made us both reconsider on the spot! In turns out that dentists are not fans of oral piercing due to the many issues they cause. “Gums are very thin and easily traumatised. Even brushing too hard can cause gum recession and loose teeth,” she said. The oral and dental complications associated with tongue piercings can be categorised as acute or chronic. Acute complications occur a short time after piercing and include: infection, pain, swelling of the tongue, changes to speech, swallowing and chewing, and allergy to the metal used. There have even been reports of galvanic current between barbell and metallic dental restorations. Chronic (longer term) complications include chipping, tooth fracture, gum trauma and recession. One U.S. study found that 41% of people with pierced lips had receding gums, compared with only 7% who had no oral piercing. Finally there is a risk of overgrowth of surrounding tissue leading to the ornament becoming embedded. Tash decided on the spot that she wasn’t going to go ahead, and I decided that perhaps I needed to be a little less liberal in the future…which is why I said a firm no to her By Tracey Anderson request for a tattoo less than a week later!

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Books

Book Review By Kate Duggan Holiday Reads Sun-lounger worthy reads to keep you occupied this summer…

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I Still Dream

by James Smythe It’s 1997. In between making mix-tapes and arguing with her mum, Laura Bow finds time to create a computer programme. She calls it Organon. At first, Organon is just something to tell her thoughts and feelings to – an online journal that talks back. But as the years pass, it becomes clear that Laura has created an AI with more potential than she could ever have imagined. A gripping read.

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