Great Ashby March 2020

VILLAGER The

March 2020

and Town

Life

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

In this issue Easy Veg Growing Win tickets to see

Mark Thomas Win £25 in our Prize Crossword

Bringing Local Business to Local People Every Month in the Stevenage Area

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Inside this issue...

Don’t be Water Wasteful...........................................................37 RSPCA - Hertfordshire East News..............................................38 Surf’s Up! Over-50s Sites..........................................................41 Introducing a New Baby to the Family......................................43 More Fool Us............................................................................44 Britain’s Strangest Musuems....................................................46 Puzzle Page..............................................................................48 Fire Blessing Bhutan................................................................50 What’s On.................................................................................52 Prize Crossword........................................................ 58 Book Review............................................................................60 Useful Numbers.......................................................................63

Update your home for 2020

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How the Computer Began..........................................................4 Dining: Royal Lancaster Style.....................................................8 Win tickets to see Mark Thomas................................. 12 To a Special Mum.....................................................................15 Hair We Go...............................................................................16 Top Tips for Verruca Treatment.................................................18 Nick Coffer’s Weekend Recipe...................................................21 March into Spring.....................................................................22 Update your home for 2020.....................................................24 Stepping Stone Investing.........................................................31 Easy Veg Growing.....................................................................32 An Annual Fiesta......................................................................34

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Stepping Stone Investing

Get your business off to a flying start this year

Advertise with the Villager Magazine... prices start from just £30.00 +VAT per month Editorial Catherine Rose, Trevor Langley, Dr Daisy Mae, Nick Coffer, Kate Duggan, Katherine Sorrell, Ann Haldon, Pippa Greenwood, Rachael Leverton, RSPCA, Kate McLelland, Sarah Davey and Solange Hando.

Advertising Sales/Local Editorial Nigel Frost • Tel 01767 261122 nigel@villagermag.com Photography - Alexander Raths 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

By Catherine Rose

How the Computer Began Believe it or not, the seeds for the earliest computers were sown at the beginning of the nineteenth century.

In 1801 French weaver Joseph Jacquard invented a loom that used punched wooden cards to automatically produce fabric designs – a concept that featured in the first computer systems.

However, it is Charles Babbage who is usually credited with the invention of the computer.

Born in 1791, he conceived a steam-driven programmable engine able to work out mathematical problems. Sadly, Babbage never lived to see his computer built, but amongst his many drawings and plans he left behind such a

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Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine No 1.

detailed technical design for ‘Difference Engine No. 2’ that the Science Museum’s curator decided to undertake the project in the 1980s. Finished in 2002, it works accurately, produces printouts and weighs five tons.

Babbage’s computer was never used in anger.

However, during the late 1880s, population growth in the United States meant that the government was struggling to calculate its census figures, so in 1890 Herman Hollerith designed a punch card system to automate the task. He saved the government $5 million and in the process

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established the company that went on to become IBM. Alan Turing is often described as the father of modern computers. In 1936 he invented the concept of the ‘Turing Machine’ that was capable of universal calculation, a computer description now referred to as ‘Turing complete’. Theoretically, the machine had limitless memory, could read data, write results, and store a program of instructions just like a modern computer.

Although it was never built, Turing’s subsequent contribution to cracking the Enigma Code during World War II is well-documented. Turing also foresaw the use of artificial intelligence (AI), devising a test he called the ‘Imitation Game’ to measure computer intelligence.

In 1941 German engineer Konrad Zuse attempted to actualise the ‘Turing complete’ concept with the first binary programmable electro-mechanical computer – the Z1 – which read instructions from 35mm punched film.

Between 1943 and 1944, two American professors, John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert, constructed the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator, known as ENIAC. Considered to be the first electronic computer, it was 1,000 times faster than its predecessors, measured 800 square feet and had 18,000 vacuum tubes. From this came UNIVAC, the first commercial computer which was launched in 1946.

COBOL was the first computer language, invented

by Grace Hopper in 1953. This was closely followed

by FORTRAN (FORmula TRANslation), developed by a team of programmers at IBM. Coupled with this, in 1958 Nobel prize-winner Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce manufactured the first computer chip: an integrated electronic circuit.

Towards the end of the 1960s, design engineers at Bell Labs came up with a computer operating system known as UNIX. Written in a programming language they called C, UNIX was useable across multiple platforms. It subsequently became the standard for mainframe computers.

Up until then, computers had not been suitable for use in homes, but in 1964 Douglas Engelbart produced a single user-friendly prototype including the now ubiquitous mouse and a graphical user interface. The famous floppy disk was invented by Alan Shugart of IBM in 1971. For the first time, it easily enabled software to be plugged in and shared between

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computers. As a result, personal computers (PCs) started to become available and Computer Science became the official subject for ‘geeks’ in the school curriculum.

1975 saw the foundation of Microsoft by two such self-confessed geeks: Paul Allen and Bill Gates.

Two years later the two Steves – Jobs and Wozniak – founded Apple Computers. Surprisingly, the first IBM PC wasn’t launched until 1981. It used MS-DOS and included an Intel chip, two floppy disk drives and the option of a colour monitor.

Meanwhile, Apple was busy developing its longstanding rival, the Mackintosh.

The 1980s saw further leaps in computer development. Computer software programs for both home and business use exploded. Word processing revolutionised the typing pool with programs like Wordstar, later replaced by Word.

It was also the era that Microsoft launched their groundbreaking Windows operating system and the first one hundred dot coms were registered for the newly created ‘worldwide web’ after physicist Tim Berners-Lee developed HTML (HyperText Markup Language) on which it was based.

In the last twenty years, computer technology has smashed through the glass ceiling with its evermore fast-paced development, from computers that once filled a whole room to those we now carry in our pockets. Even the relatively new Internet has seen huge changes with dial-up modems being replaced by Wi-Fi, and connectivity speeds increasing thanks to broadband (well, for a lot of areas at least). Computer games no longer require an old-fashioned floppy disk, or even a DVD, as everything increasingly moves into virtual reality.

Could Charles Babbage have foreseen the difference his Difference Machine would make when he was giving demonstrations to his academic friends in London all those years ago? I wonder…

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Food and Drink

Dining: Royal Lancaster Style London holds much allure, for many. The different areas – be it East End, West End, North or South Bank of the River Thames and whether ancient, historical, pageantry or more modern is of interest, there is something for all ages. Culture, entertainment and sports are further attractions of the capital, which inspires all year through.

Always good, is a break in the time, if a day visit is planned. If a short trip (maybe romantic) is envisaged, a recommended restaurant could be welcoming. The area around Lancaster Gate, a mid-19th century development, has Kensington Palace and Gardens, plus Hyde Park. Also, Mayfair and Knightsbridge are in the vicinity, so thoughts of some ‘retail therapy’ may arise! I found the 5 star Royal Lancaster London Hotel, with its restaurants and bars, opened during 1967, to be a venue that has great attraction. This multi million pound renovated, 411 bedroom hotel, has views of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, plus the immediate area.

Different, outstanding restaurants, are located within the hotel and, depending on cuisine preferences and requirements, each is equally inviting. The Afternoon Tea can be an ‘invitation’, too.

The Island Grill Restaurant is very popular and offers dishes for all tastes. From the menu, starters include Crab Salad (Endive, seaweed crisp, oyster mayonnaise) and Wild Mushroom options. Royal Lancaster Smoked Salmon (Horseradish cream, beetroot, sourdough) has excellent presentation and, with complementing accompaniments, is very flavoursome, making a superb commencement to the dining occasion. Main courses have an array of meats, plus fish choices and more. All beef is organic, British and aged for 35 days. Grilled Free-Range Chicken (seasoned with English mustard and tarragon) is perfect with French fries and choice of sauces. With grilled tenderstembrocolli, suggested to accompany, this warrants, ‘Compliments to Chef’ – absolutely!

Desserts impress too and Dark Chocolate Fondant (Salted caramel ice cream) does not disappoint, oozing chocolate, with great flavour.

High-quality wines/drinks, from worldwide origins have something to satisfy all palates, including some fabulous pairings with cuisine. Gift vouchers are available.

Island Grill Restaurant and Bar Royal Lancaster London, Lancaster Terrace, Bayswater, London W2 2TY Tel: 44 (0) 207 551 6000 Tel: Island Grill: 44 (0) 207 551 6070 Email: info@royallancaster.com www.royallancaster.com

As always, Enjoy!

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ey Trevor Langl

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Photo: Steve Ullathorne

WIN a PAIR of TICKETS to see MARK THOMAS at CAMBRIDGE JUNCTION, on 30th MARCH 2020 In his new show 50 Things About Us, Mark Thomas combines his trademark mix of storytelling, stand-up, mischief and really, really well researched material to examine how we have come to inhabit this divided wasteland that some of us call the United Kingdom.

Mark picks through the myths, facts and figures of our national identities to ask how we have so much feeling for such a hollow land. Who do we think we are? It is a show about money, history, songs, gongs, wigs, unicorns, guns, bungs, sods of soil and rich people* in the vein of The Manifesto-meets-sweary history channel.

An unstoppable force both on and off-stage, Mark has stopped arms deals, created a manifesto and brought the winning policy to parliament, walked the entire length of the Israeli wall in the West Bank, set up a comedy club in Jenin, had six series on Channel 4 alongside several television documentaries and radio series, written some books, grabbed a Guinness World Record, toured sell-out tours, won numerous awards, nabbed himself a Medal of Honour and succeeded in changing some laws along the way.

50 Things About Us is also a podcast. *(not the adjective Mark has chosen) We have a pair of tickets to give away for Mark’s Cambridge Junction tour date on Monday 30th March. All you have to do is send in the answer to the below question!

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Mothers Day

To a Special Mum

Remembering mums of kids with additional needs on Mothers’ Day On Mothers’ Day my Facebook and Instagram feeds fill with photos. The captions declare, ‘Beautiful bouquet from my son!’ #mothersday or ‘My daughters took me to see Les Mis’ #mothersday. In spite of the fact that I have a much-loved son he will never send me flowers or take me to the theatre. Tom has Down Syndrome and is also autistic, non-verbal and has a myriad of complex health problems. I love him and I know he loves me, but I will be his carer long after my friends’ kids have left home and started their own families.

This is my shout-out to other mums whose Mothers’ Day celebrations will be bittersweet.

You are not alone - There are more of us than you think. Our children may all have different problems, but we understand each other’s sense of being on the outside, at the celebrations ‘normal’ families take for granted: Christmas, birthday parties, family get-togethers and Mothers’ Days.

You are AWESOME - You are a full-blown superhero my friend. Your superpower is the ability to deal with situations other parents could not conceive in their worst nightmares. You might acquire knowledge and skills beyond those required by most doctors, memorising medication regimens, side effects, and how to inject or infuse the drugs.

You deal calmly with your hysterical child during horrendous medical procedures. You deal with melt-downs in public toilets over hand-dryers!

You encourage your child to do the things doctors assured you they would never do. You crash, you burn, and you get up and do it all again the next day anyway.

You celebrate your kids’ achievements on their terms - Other parents crow about their child’s GCSE results or a grade 4 piano exam passed with distinction or a star-of-the-week award for neat handwriting. Our celebrations look different though they are no less important. We celebrated Tom signing ‘Mum’, ‘Dad’ and ‘love’ for the first time, and we definitely celebrated him taking a

bath without screaming, drowning us or flooding the house!

You have the best black sense of humour - ‘nuff said. We know that we laugh at things parents of typical kids would not find the least bit funny, like the weird people you meet during all-nighters in A&E departments, discovering excrement smeared over your freshly-painted walls, or an aquarium full of dead fish because your child wanted to feed them and the only box he could reach was the small one posted through the door containing a sample of washing powder! RIP Tom’s fish!

You accept, and don’t compare - You become the mum other mothers confide in because their child doesn’t walk, talk, read, or ride a bike as well as their peers. Never mind that your child is 10, nonverbal and rides a large trike because of balance issues! You accept (mostly) other parents’ rights to brag or worry about their kids even though you often feel that sense of ‘otherness’.

You are special.

To mothers of additional needs kids everywhere.

Happy Mothers’ Day Love from, Loraine

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Technology

Hair we go

Top tech to tame your tresses and sort your stubble

keep it in tip-top condition.

The shavers we’ve mentioned so far are foil shavers, with multiple full-width foils across the top; if you prefer individual rotating heads, the top-rated three-headed shaver on Amazon is Philips’ Series 9000. Currently selling for around £230, it promises incredible results even on three-day growth and offers three different shaving modes depending on how much of a hurry you’re in. Like the Braun, it also comes with its own cleaning station but much cheaper models are available from the same manufacturer.

The rush to make personal grooming products smart has had a few hiccups. For example, in 2017 L’Oreal launched a smart, Bluetooth-enabled hairbrush that could deliver “a complete hair diagnosis” based on how you brushed your hair. It didn’t take off: it turns out that what we want from technology is much more practical. Sticking Bluetooth into a brush is very clever, but so far at least it doesn’t seem to be very useful.

There’s a quiet revolution happening in personal grooming: even the humble hairdryer has become high-tech, the most expensive example of which is Dyson’s Supersonic hairdryer. At just under £300 it’s a lot pricier than a hot hairdryer from the local supermarket, but its clever motor delivers much faster drying without extreme heat. If your time is money, it’ll save you a fortune.

Dyson also makes a hightech styler, the even more expensive Airwrap. It’s currently a whopping £399 but unlike traditional stylers it doesn’t use super-high temperatures that can do serious damage to your hair. Designed for curling, waving, smoothing and volumizing, it uses high air pressure instead of heat.

If you can’t quite stretch to a £400 styler, GHD has introduced what it calls SMART technology into its recent stylers and straighteners. It constantly analyses the temperature of the heated plate to deliver consistent, accurate heat across it, monitoring and adjusting the temperature 250 times

per second to deliver the fastest possible styling without dangerous or damaging high temperatures. Expect to pay around £189.

We’re seeing more cordless devices now that battery technology is better, and the DAFNI Allure claims to be the world’s first cordless straightening brush – charge it once and you can take it travelling. At £155 it’s quite expensive, but it means you can stay looking your best, even in a festival field.

Technology has turned its attention to stubble too. Fancy a five-bladed razor that crosscuts your stubble 70,000 times a minute and analyses the thickness of your stubble to deliver the smoothest possible shave? That’s what the Panasonic ES-LV9Q offers. Yours for around £300.

If the budget is tighter, Braun’s clever Series 9 once again offers smart analysis while you shave but adds micro-vibrations which Braun says reduces friction to deliver a gentler shave. That’s currently £189 and includes its own personal cleaning station to

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Health

By Dr Daisy Mae

Top Tips for Verruca Treatment Gruesome, miserable, nasty, painful – common words used when people describe their verruca.

A verruca is a wart which is growing on your foot – officially termed a ‘plantar wart’ – and it’s caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

The HPV virus lives happily for long periods on damp floors, such as those around swimming pools or communal showers. The virus enters the skin and then travels into the deeper layers. It causes keratinisation – keratin is the hard protein in hair, skin and nails – which is why warts feel hard to the touch.

Although 80% of verrucas regress spontaneously over two years, they can be persistent and resist treatment. The virus is adept at escaping detection by your body’s immune system.

Diagnosis A verruca is a single, slightly raised patch anywhere on the sole of the foot. The skin may be pale, yellowy/skin-coloured or have a cobblestoned appearance, sometimes with some central black dots.

Verrucas are sometimes painful when pressure is applied, for example when you walk or if you squeeze them between finger and thumb.

Management without treatment The first step is to take good care of your foot/feet so that you minimise pain and avoid spreading the virus, both on your own feet and to others. The British Association of Dermatologists has a useful guide available at tiny.cc/foot-care.

If you’re generally healthy and not in pain, it’s worth doing nothing as most veruccas will disappear spontaneously.

However, you should seek medical help if you have diabetes or a weakened immune system e.g. HIV infection, chemotherapy, radiotherapy etc.

Active treatments If you decide that your verucca can’t just be left to recover by itself, there are forty-one recognised wart treatments.

First Choice Treatment: Salicylic Acid (SA) SA kills off the outer skin layers, causing them to

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peel away. It also helps the immune system detect the virus.

SA has proven to be more effective for veruccas than a placebo (dummy) treatment (Cochrane Review 2012) e.g. in one study, 49% of verrucas had disappeared after treatment with SA compared to 23% using a placebo.

Second Choice Treatments These are not routinely offered on the NHS. • Cryotherapy: a liquid nitrogen spray freezes and destroys infected skin cells. Clearance rates of around 65% are reported. It’s sometimes painful, and there’s also a 30% chance of recurrence.

The Cochrane 2012 review concluded that cryotherapy was no better than SA at treating verrucas, was painful, and caused blistering and scarring.

• Other local options: many other agents have been used such as silver nitrate, Cantharidin, phenol, glycolic acid, pyruvic acid and trichloroacetic acid (TCA).

• Surgical removal: surgery is not usually advised because verrucas often recur afterwards.

• SWIFT is a new microwave treatment for the verruca. It’s quick, relatively painless and seems to be effective on stubborn verrucas. See www. treatwithswift.com.

• Laser therapy aims to destroy the blood vessels supplying the verruca, plus the heat causes local tissue damage. 80% clearance rates have been reported.

• Immunotherapy: various treatments claim to stimulate the antibody response to speed up viral destruction.

Where to Obtain Verruca Treatments From 1st April 2019, the NHS listed verrucas as one of the seventeen treatments it will no longer provide, so these are options other than your GP. • Visit your local Community Pharmacy • Find a Podiatrist: cop.org.uk/find-a-podiatrist • Find a Chiropodist: iocp.org.uk • Private Consultant Dermatologist: www.bupa. co.uk/health/payg/dermatology

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More importantly they will help you design and create your ideal kitchen using our impressive range of highquality products and can typically reface your kitchen in as little as two to three days.

Dream Doors is the UK’s #1 kitchen makeover specialist and we take the hassle out of your kitchen revamp from the very beginning.

Once we’ve arranged a free, no obligation visit to your home - at a time that’s convenient for you we will measure up your kitchen.

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Food & Drink

Vegan BBQ pulled jackfruit kebab with spicy slaw and vegan tzatziki Over recent years on my Weekend Kitchen show, it’s been really interesting to watch the way our perceptions of vegan food have developed. Initially met with a lot of scepticism, vegan food on my show would usually have been met with “that’s better than I expected” or “you wouldn’t know it’s vegan”. Now we no longer need to make excuses – vegan food is just food, which happens to be vegan. This wonderful vegan kebab stands on its own as a brilliant meal. It was created by a vibrant and clever chef, Paul Nicholls (@ chefpaulnicholls on Insta), who runs the kitchen at Woburn Golf Course and his own catering company, Olive and Basil, named after his grandparents. Packed with flavour, fun and texture, it’s absolutely delicious, and so easy to make too.

Ingredients 1 tin jackfruit 1 tsp smoked paprika 4 tbsp BBQ sauce 1 large carrot, grated 1 small red onion, finely sliced 1 handful shredded cabbage 1 handful grated celeriac 1 tsp harissa paste 2 limes, zested and juiced 4 tbsp vegan cream cheese 1/2 cucumber grated 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 4 mint leaves, finely chopped 4 large pita breads

1. Firstly make the zesty slaw. Mix the cabbage, carrots, onion and celeriac in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then add a little lime zest and juice and finish with the harissa.

2. In a separate bowl, mix the vegan cheese with the garlic, mint, cucumber and a little lime juice to taste.

3. Fully drain the jackfruit from the tin and fry it, with the paprika, in a little oil in a pan. You want it to start to pull apart and caramelise a little.

Finish by mixing in the BBQ sauce.

4. Warm up your pittas and fill them with the pulled jackfruit and the coleslaw and drizzle over some of the tzatziki. Serve immediately.

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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Beauty

By Kate Duggan

March into Spring

From sustainable beauty to the softest make-up brushes and home-made bath bombs, there’s plenty to tempt you this month…

I recently had to request some new make-up brushes as my eight year old son broke mine applying (as he puts it) Goth makeup. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it meant I upgraded my old, rather worn brushes for a sparkling new set from Lily England. The Face Make-Up Brush Set contains five of the softest, most luxurious feeling brushes I’ve ever tried. The set includes a foundation brush, bronzer brush and eyeshadow brush. They’re vegan, look a lot more expensive than they actually are and come in a rather nice white cosmetic bag. In other words, they’d make a great Mother’s Day gift. I’m not letting my son anywhere near these ones. They’re £24.99 from Boots or www.lilyengland.com.

Planning to make a gift this Mother’s Day, or looking for an activity to do with the kids? How about a set of home-made bath bombs? The key ingredients are citric acid, baking soda/ bicarbonate of soda and essential oil. You’ll also need something to use as a mould. Special moulds for creating bath bombs are available, but chocolate moulds are fine for creating smaller bath fizzes and they’re available in a range of shapes.

(You can also use them to make aromatherapy wax melts.)

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Mix one cup of bicarb with one cup of citric acid, and add around thirty drops of essential oil (lavender works well). You can add extra ingredients if you like, such as a tablespoon of almond or olive oil, dried flower petals and food colouring. Then add a splash of water, a few drops at a time, and keep mixing. You want to end up with a mixture that holds its shape when you squeeze it. Push the mixture into the moulds firmly and leave them to dry somewhere warm, like an airing cupboard for a few hours.

Then gently push the bath bombs out of the moulds and wrap them in tissue paper.

I’m a fan of BYBI for so many reasons. For a start, it’s one of the most sustainable brands on the market. Bottles can be returned to be washed and refilled. Products only contain sustainable ingredients, including seeds that would have been thrown away. And BYBI makes sure that the people who grow or harvest those ingredients are treated fairly.

That’s all well and good, but if beauty products don’t work, there’s little point in them being ethical. Thankfully, these do.

I particularly love the BYBI Swipe Clean Cleanser (£26).

It’s a 100% natural oil-based cleanser that removes make up easily and leaves skin feeling noticeably pampered. When I’m trying a new cleanser, I skip moisturiser for a few days to really put it to the test.

This one left my skin feeling ultra-soft, even several hours later. I also like the BYBI Mega Mist (£26) – a hyaluronic acid spritz that leaves skin feeling more hydrated and ‘glowy’. It’s available from Boots or www.bybi.com.

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104 Ampthill Road, Shefford, Beds SG17 5BB To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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Interiors

Update your home for 2020

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By Katherine Sorrell Breathe new life into your home with a few quick and inexpensive changes.

Dazzle with great lighting Why not upgrade a lampshade or two, or even replace some table or floor lamps? It’s quick and easy, and a great opportunity to introduce some on-trend shapes, textures and colours.

Fitting a dimmer switch, another simple upgrade, adds flexibility to your lighting scheme. While you’re at it, check that your light bulbs are the right wattage – there’s nothing worse than poorly lit rooms, or ones that are so dazzling they look like a lamp shop. LED bulbs, although expensive initially, use less energy, so are both kind to the planet and will save you money in the long run. You might even consider smart lighting, which can be controlled with a remote

control, an app, or a voice command. Some can use a timer to wake you up naturally, while others will change colour in time to your music.

Ring the changes with colour Nothing says new look like a colour makeover, whether it’s a lick of paint (and you simply can’t beat the spick and span look of a freshly painted room) or just a change of accessories – perhaps a row of vases on a shelf, a pile of fluffy towels, storage canisters in the kitchen or files in your home office. When moving from winter into spring and summer, it’s nice to go lighter and brighter, considering ‘fashion’ colours if you wish, too. Pantone’s colour of the year, for example, is ‘Classic Blue’, a vibrant mid blue that coordinates beautifully with saffron yellow, soft pink or rich green.

Add plenty of bright white for a

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clean, fresh update.

Create great style with cushions and throws It’s ridiculously easy to disguise and uplift a tired sofa with a pretty throw and a selection of new cushions, choosing on-trend colours and patterns, complemented by a few inexpensive plains.

Try varying the textures, and look for interesting trims and fastenings, too. If you are at all handy, making simple square or rectangular cushion covers really is a piece of cake. A square metre of fabric should stretch to four cushion fronts, so you could push the boat out with something quite eye-catching and extravagant.

A fresh look for flooring If you are feeling up to some fairly strenuous DIY, a great way to completely alter the look of

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Our next event at Knebworth

Falls prevention Thursday 19th March 2020, 2pm - 4pm Join us to hear technical instructor Katherine Beddow and team leader Donna Bird, share insights on preventing falls, reducing balance problems and maintaining independence.

To find out more about living at Knebworth or to book your free place call us on 01438 893557 or email paula.brown@careuk.com Knebworth care home 59 London Road, Woolmer Green, Knebworth, Hertfordshire SG3 6JE careuk.com/knebworth

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a room in a weekend is to take up the carpet and (providing you have decent timber underneath, of course) carefully sand back your floorboards.

Finish with a couple of coats of varnish and the results will be transformative. As an alternative, adding or replacing a rug is another instant way to change the look of your floor – and consequently the entire room – as well as bringing in texture and cosiness. Choose colours and patterns that complement the overall decor, and make sure the size and proportions of the rug suit the size and shape of the room, with the furniture fitting onto the rug comfortably.

Wonderful window treatments A new look at the windows makes a wonderful change. Opt for ready-made curtains for an almost instantaneous swap (and pretty inexpensive, too). Floor length is usually the way to go, though sometimes furniture in the way makes sill length the better option. Alternatively, swap curtains for

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clean-cut blinds: they are much less expensive, as they use barely any fabric, and provide an attractively modern and minimal look. Simple slatted or roller blinds can be ordered to your exact measurements and in a huge variety of colours and patterns, from barely there to bright and eye-catching. And finally, unless your nets are made from beautiful antique lace, take them down and, instead, preserve your privacy with stick-on plastic film. It’s easy to apply, looks very classy and is much less expensive than having your windows sandblasted.

Give your pictures the professional touch It’s all too easy to put up your pictures here and there, as and when you get them framed, and end up with a mismatched lot that don’t quite gel.

Instead, create a fabulous display by putting them in identical or coordinating frames and hanging them in orderly rows or well-planned groups for optimal impact.

1. Go natural with a grass-green floor combined with blossom-like pinks and lilacs. True Colours UNI 528 vinyl, £22.99 per square metre, Carpetright: 0330 333 3444; carpetright.co.uk.

2. Get organised while adding beautiful textures and a touch of fashionable style.

Rush natural storage basket, £18; wooden storage basket, £22; cream macramé basket, £12; belly basket natural, £10; all Dunelm: 0845 165 6565; dunelm.com.

3. A throw can completely rejuvenate an entire bedroom and give it a whole new look.

This pin-tucked velvet-and-linen example is close to Pantone’s colour of the year, ‘Classic Blue’.

Kingsize quilt, £295, Cox & Cox: 0330 333 2123; coxandcox.co.uk.

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Are you returning to higher education and need some help with university costs?

Do you live in post codes SG1 or SG2?

Then the Betty Game Opportunities Trust may be able to help you with a small grant towards the cost of books, equipment, travel etc.

Further information about the Trust and how to apply for a grant is available on our website www.bgot.org.uk or email BGOT2015@gmail.com

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Finance

Stepping stone investing and other ways to get more from your money If you don’t have much money left for saving or investing once your essential bills have been paid, it’s important to make sure you get the most out of your money and make good use of compound interest.

The stepping stone method can bring huge rewards even if you only have small amounts to invest each month, but there’s a whole range of other financial products and strategies you could also use to seriously improve your financial situation over time.

Saving and investing using the stepping stone method The stepping stone method involves increasing the amount you save or invest by 10% each year. Whether you start off with £100 or £10, exponentially you could achieve a considerable increase in your return with minimal effect on your monthly finances.

If you’re reluctant to invest, finding a good savings account or current account that pays credit interest can reap serious rewards, even for smaller amounts. This is what makes the stepping stone method so accessible, and one of the best ways to get the most from your money.

If you do decide to invest, be aware that investments can go down as well as up and past performance is no guarantee of future growth, so you’d need to take professional advice before going ahead.

Current accounts for credit interest If you pay a regular sum into your current account, such as your wages, you may be entitled to credit interest on your balance. Some current

accounts offer higher rates of interest than savings accounts, but you’ll need to meet each bank’s eligibility criteria.

Consider locking in a fixed rate If you’re sure you won’t need access to the funds, you can get more from your money by locking in a fixed rate. Fixed rate savings accounts and ISAs are typically available from one to five years, and the longer your money is tied up the higher the rate you’ll get.

Move your money around It doesn’t pay to be loyal to companies these days as the best deals are typically offered to new customers. From the banks’ perspective, a higher interest rate does attract new business but, again, these offers are often time-limited.

Tracker accounts Tracker accounts track the Bank of England base rate and offer a specific percentage figure above this rate for a defined period of time. They help to ensure you benefit from any interest rate rises, as some financial institutions are slow to pass these on to their customers.

What about a monthly saver?

Regular savings accounts can be a good way to maximise your savings. You gain access to a higher interest rate for a fixed timescale, but there are limits on how much you can put away each month.

Finding the right financial products takes a little time and effort but the rewards can be high as compound interest takes effect. Whether you try the stepping stone method or take advantage of specific deals, making the most of your money offers financial stability and peace of mind for the future.

By Ann Haldon

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Gardening

Easy Veg Growing

By Pippa Greenwood

Growing your own vegetables is easier than you might think, and this is the perfect time to start.

Salads, herbs and classic main meal vegetables can all be planted to be picked fresh from your garden in the coming year.

Some vegetables are best grown from seed – the classics are carrots, so plant a row or two as soon as the soil is not too wet. Consider coloured varieties such as ‘Purple Haze’ or ‘Purple Dragon’ to ring the changes.

Sow some salad leaves and within a few weeks they’ll be growing strongly enough to harvest.

Small sowings made every two weeks or so will give supply of salad throughout the summer and well into autumn.

Grow tomatoes in a warm, sunny spot in your garden, or better still in a greenhouse or frame.

It’s often better value (and a lot easier) to buy some small garden-ready plants. Greenhouse and outdoor varieties are available so check catalogues or labels to make sure you choose correctly.

Cucumbers are best grown from plants, and in the garden ‘ridge’ cucumbers are best as they perform better outside.

If time is short then vegetable plants are a great choice for most crops. Send off for them now and avoid time-consuming potting on and pricking out. Why not share with friends and save cash if the packs come in quantities too large for the available space?

Choose garden-ready mail order plants so you can plant them out straight away, or only have to grow them on in pots for a couple of weeks.

Unwrap as soon as they arrive and if you can’t

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plant them immediately, water the compost if necessary and pot each root ball into some compost.

At this time of year the soil is often really wet, so try covering it with a polythene sheet or a polythene covered pull-out tunnel for a couple of weeks before your plants are due to arrive or you are due to plant out vegetables sown from seed, removing it just before planting out. This keeps off excessive rain and allows the soil to warm up a little beforehand.

Small plants may still be tender, so make sure frosts are past before planting out and give them a chance to gradually acclimatise to their new surroundings by covering them with cloches or fleece for a few days.

I’ve also got a great solution: ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’, perfect if you need a bit of help and advice. Visit my website www. pippagreenwood.com for great quality, UK-grown garden-ready vegetable plants. Once delivered you’ll get weekly emails explaining how best to prepare the ground, plant out and look after your growing vegetables. To save you time, the emails are only for the plants you’ve bought and include timely reminders, hints and tips to make it easier to get a tasty crop.

At Pippa’s website (www.pippagreenwood.com) you’ll find stylish cloches, practical and pretty plant supports, the fantastic SpeedHoe, gardening tools, Grower Frames, signed books and the ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa’ system. Or book Pippa for a talk at your gardening club.

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Garden View

By Rachael Leverton

An Annual Fiesta I’ve always loved an annual. From Bunty to The Blue Peter Annual, they were crammed full of interest and fun. As I grew older my taste in annuals has become more horticultural. One little pack of seeds is now my gardening equivalent of the Beano - a brief shelf-life and packed with colour.

Hardy annuals are the most obliging. They don’t need a propagator or a greenhouse, or even a windowsill; all they need is a sunny spot and some well-drained soil. Just sprinkle the seeds in the ground and you can look forward to a fiesta of summer colour for very little work.

The choice of plants and hue is wide. If blue is your thing try a soft shade of love-in-a-mist, or a vivid blue cornflower, or the most gorgeous tiny phacelia. For pinks try a fluffy clarkia or delicate godetia. Nasturtiums span the colour wheel from cream through yellow and orange to deep red.

Annual doesn’t mean small either. Both larkspurs and amaranthus are tall and elegant, and cleomes which also provide height probably only need to be planted once as they are prolific self-seeders!

Look around your garden for gaps in beds and borders which are in a sunny spot and welldrained. Don’t plant when it’s cold or the soil is wet

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and sticky. Wait until the weather is mild and soil is damp and crumbly, then fork it lightly to break it up. Use a rake to create shallow furrows, sprinkle the seeds over and rake them gently in, raking across the furrows to cover them. Bigger seeds like nasturtiums can be pushed into the soil a couple of centimetres deep and 10-15cm apart. Label the area so you know what should come up.

The biggest enemy of the newly-planted hardy annual seed is the domestic cat! They love a patch of freshly raked soil, and will happily do their business in your handiwork and then kick up all your seeds without a second thought. Thwart the moggies by laying twiggy pea sticks over the area (and particularly twiggy and thorny prunings will do!). Remove them with the shoots are big enough or stand them up and use them to support the taller annuals.

Thin them out a little to one plant per 10cm and water them if the weather is very dry. You don’t need to feed them, they flower best when the soil is not rich. Food and manure will favour leaf production whereas we’re after flowers and lots of them!

Happy Gardening!

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Business gone slow?

Let us help!

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

Inground & above ground pools servicing & maintenance Pool toys & chemicals | Hot tubs & Spas Steam showers & gazebos

Visit our showroom: Unit 1C, St Francis Way, Shefford Ind Estate, Beds SG17 5DZ Tel: 01462 819003 | www.crystalleisurepools.com

www.acs-aggreagtes.com

Collection & Delivery of Loose Aggregates Building Sand • Sharp Sand • Ballast • MOT Type 1 • 10 & 20mm shingle Top Soil • Granite Dust • Cements • Drainage • EASYjoint • Sleepers

Open six days a week

Monday – Friday 7.00am – 4.30pm Saturday 8.00am – 12.00pm

Tel: 01438 311699 Mob: 07788 446635 Email: info@acs-aggregates.com Shangri-La Farm, Todds Green, Stevenage, Herts, SG1 2JE To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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Please call for a free quotation

07838 954272

Patios • Driveways • Fencing Artificial Grass • Full Landscaping tony@greatashbylandscaping.com www.greatashbylandscaping.com Great Ashby Landscaping and Patios

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Environment

Don’t be Water Wasteful

When you’ve been through a British winter, it’s sometimes difficult to appreciate the need to save water. However, cutting your consumption will bring both environmental and financial benefits.

PLASTIC IS NOT FANTASTIC Let’s be realistic about this. Not everywhere has pleasanttasting tap water and saying it tastes the same as bottled water simply isn’t true. But those plastic bottles have to go.

A water filter jug goes a long way to achieving a bottled water taste. A company called Phox have recently released what they claim is ‘The World’s Most Eco-Friendly Water Filter’, which uses refillable filters.

A sparkling water maker such as a Sodastream, whilst not eco-neutral, is still better and cheaper over time than all those plastic shrink-wrapped fizzy water multipacks.

CONSERVATION IS WORTH IT Water has to be processed before it arrives at your house and cutting back on energy is something we all know we should do. Besides, most of us have water meters these days so you are paying for every last drop.

Surprisingly a dishwasher is better than washing by hand provided you don’t put it on until it’s full. But don’t pre-wash your dishes – it’s not necessary.

Don’t run a tap unless you are actually using it at that moment – this includes shaving and brushing your teeth. Even with a shower, give it the shortest time possible to warm up before jumping in. And if your taps or cisterns are dripping, you are literally throwing money down the drain.

Part of The Orange Property Improvement Group

Comes & see our

Show Area

at Storage Bedfordshire, Elm Farm, Great North Rd, Biggleswade, Beds SG18 9BE

Contact us Tel: 01767 315800 Mob: 07747736210

Email: admin@orangescape.co.uk

The Orange Property Improvements Group @Orangepropertyimprovementsgroup

Orange Property Improvements @OrangePropertyImprovements

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Pets

RSPCA Hertfordshire East News Benny

Benny and Danny came into our care, as sadly their owner’s circumstances changed. Benny is white and black and Danny is a black short-haired cat. These young boys are brothers and they have always lived indoors. They are very friendly cats and have settled in quickly at the cattery. They enjoy having a lot of fuss and attention and will need to be rehomed together as they have a very strong bond. They do everything together - play, eat, sleep and cuddle up together. We are looking for an indoor home for Benny and Danny. They have never lived with a dog, but could live with older children. If you are interested in giving Benny and Danny their forever home, please note a home visit is required and adoption fee will apply. Please call 01462 672278 or email info@rspcahertseast.org.uk for more information.

Improving your cat’s health Cats have similar pain thresholds as people and are vulnerable to a range of infectious diseases or illnesses. Check your cat for signs of injury or illness daily, and provide a vet health check at least once a year. Help your cat live a calm and relaxed life because it could decrease the risk of illness.

Stressed cats can become unwell. To protect against pregnancy, female cats should be spayed before they are four moths old. Male cat neutering protects him against injuries and catching nasty diseases from fighting over mates, and also stop him spraying in the house. Road accidents are the most common

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cause of injury or early death. Micro-chipped cats are more likely to be reunited with owners and receive prompt veterinary care if injured.

Healthy diet for cats Without drinking water, your car could become seriously illness within hours. Note: Cow’s milk is not a substitute for water. Cats need a well-balanced, meat-based diet to stay fit and healthy – they cannot be vegetarian. Most typical human food does not meet the nutritional needs of cats, and some human food can be poisonous to cats, e.g. onions. Cats naturally eat several small meals per day, so try to split their daily intake into several small meals. If a cat eats more food than they need they will become overweight and suffer as a consequence. Make sure their litter tray is positioned away from their food and water. Cats will not eat or drink if their food and water is placed too close to their toilet site. If your cat suffers with diarrhoea, feed it white fish such as Pollock until the condition improves and consult your vet if necessary.

Danny

In the event of an emergency or cruelty, please call 0300 1234 999 Branch Office: 01462 672278 Why not follow us on Facebook:www.facebook.com/hertfordshireeastbranch or on our website:www.rspca-hertfordshireeast.org.uk

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Life Begins...

By Kate McLelland

Surf ’s Up! Over-50s sites that definitely aren’t a wipeout In the same way that surfers enjoy the freedom to ride ocean waves with consummate ease and skill, many older people have taken ownership of the internet, understanding that it can add richness to their lives and expand their horizons. Here we track down a treasure trove of websites – perfect for silver surfers – that you can bookmark and return to again and again.

Silver Travel Silvertraveladvisor.com “The voice of mature travellers”, is an award-winning travel reviews website. Sign up free of charge to get regular newsletters and travel offers, or simply read reviews by other travellers to help you decide on your next holiday destination.

Alternatively, join Tom and Kris, former newspaper and magazine publishers, on their travels around the world at travelpast50. com. The couple has visited over 70 countries and you can either read all about their travels in a series of entertaining blog posts or enjoy their informative travel tips and guides.

Grey Gardening Whether you are a hands-on, allyear-round gardener or someone more likely to cultivate a window box, there are some great websites to tempt you outside.

Expert gardener Christine Walkden has posted a number of useful videos, from lawn care to growing ‘show’ vegetables, on ageuk.org.uk.

Alternatively Mike Ballard’s busy website flowerpotman.com carries a wealth of blogs on all

aspects of gardening, including gardening tips for the elderly and disabled, covering everything from tending a garden with a bad back to gardening for wheelchair users.

Music for memories Spotify isn’t specifically for older people, but it’s a great way to track down songs you loved when you were young. Use the free service (which broadcasts adverts after you’ve listened to several tracks) or subscribe for an ad-free experience. Go to spotify.com and download their web player.

The website Playlist for Life (playlistforlife.org.uk) is run by the UK’s leading music and dementia charity, offering people with dementia, their carers and family members tips on how to create personal playlists. The site offers information on how to find the right music and shows you how to use and listen to a playlist, using the appropriate technology.

Beauty in maturity “Be seen. Be heard. Don’t be invisible” is the mantra of fabafterfifty.co.uk, a website

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dedicated to helping women over fifty make the best of their looks and their lives. It’s all about changing perceptions, according to founder Ceri Wheedon who saw her friends “all living life to the full … not prepared to become invisible just because they had reached a milestone birthday.”

With a target audience of men over 40, the Grey Fox Blog (greyfoxblog.com) claims it represents “an oftenforgotten but large and affluent demographic.” As a finalist in the Online Influence Awards 2019, founder David Evans is an authority on over-40s male fashion and grooming, with a special focus on the best of British-made clothing.

Whether you choose to make it a one-off ride or you return to these sites as regularly as a keen surfer visits their favourite beach, you’re certain to find something of interest, whether it’s a new recipe, a handy travel tip, or even a group where you can chat to like-minded people.

Happy surfing!

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Visit our beautiful

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Caxton House, Caxton Way, Stevenage, Herts. SG1 2XS

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Parenting

By Kate Duggan - www.kateduggan.co.uk

Introducing a new baby to the family Getting ready to welcome a new arrival and wondering how to prepare your children? These tips should help.

Before the birth You might want to wait until after the first (or even second) scan to tell your children about the pregnancy. It won’t be long before they spot your growing bump or overhear a conversation and want to know more. There are some excellent picture books available to help prepare young children for the arrival of a sibling. My daughter’s favourites included ‘Too Small for Honey Cake’ by Gillian Lobel and Sebastien Braun, and ‘There’s a House Inside my Mummy’ by Giles Andreae and Vanessa Cabban.

Be prepared to answer endless questions, and try to help your children understand what changes they can expect. As the due date gets closer, you might want to talk about where the baby will be born, where the baby will sleep, why you might be too tired to play, and so on.

After the birth As you already know, the first few days of having a newborn can be emotionally and physically exhausting. Toddlers tend to be naturally quite demanding and haven’t exactly mastered empathy. They may well struggle with sharing your time. Try to focus on quality time, rather than quantity. Fifteen minutes spent playing a game together will often earn you half an hour of peace while they play on their own. Snuggling on the

sofa to watch a film as a family with popcorn and hot chocolate can feel like a real treat (and they hopefully won’t mind if you doze off for a bit).

Double buggies are usually incredibly cumbersome, so a baby carrier is a good investment. It’ll make getting out to the park, shops, library and so on a lot easier. Look for one that offers good support to your baby and your back, and is easy to get on and off. The Izmi baby carrier (£80) ticks all the boxes. It’s a buckle carrier but as comfortable as a fabric sling, suitable for newborns through to walking, and (crucially) machine-washable.

It’s worth having a few small presents on hand for your children when friends and family arrive with gifts for the baby. “Ooh look, the baby got a present – that means you get a go in our lucky dip” will help to stop jealous tantrums in their tracks.

Maybe pick up a few picture books (ten for £10 from The Book People), novelty pencils and a few small teddies from the charity shop.

Young children often like to feel that they’re helping out, so try to involve them where you can.

There will be times you just want to get on and do a task quickly, but other times children could ‘help’ to make the bed or sort the washing. Even a simple “This milk feels the right temperature to me, what do you think?” will help cement the ‘we’re all in this together’ feeling. Just don’t ask too much of your children or blame the baby every time you can’t do something. No point encouraging sibling rivalry before the baby can at least answer back.

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Time of Year

More Fool Us

With April Fools’ Day looming it’s always fun, trying to spot the fake story. Some would say that in the current political climate it’s now almost impossible to separate

By Sarah Davey fact from fiction. But back in the good old days when regular news stories didn’t sound as though they’d been dreamed up by the team who wrote Twin Peaks or Walking Dead newspapers and TV channels vied to see who could pull off the best prank.

The most famous is definitely the BBC’s 1957 Panorama report on the bumper spaghetti crop. Huge numbers of British viewers were fooled by the footage of Swiss peasants gathering long strands of pasta from the trees!

In 1962, Swedish television viewers were duped into thinking that they could magically transform their black-and-white TV sets into colour by stretching a nylon stocking over the screen!

Australians were confused in 1975 when they were told they were converting to metric time, with 100 seconds to the minute, 100 minutes to the hour and 20-hour days.

In 2002 Tesco got in on the act and published an advert for genetically modified carrots. The advert said it each vegetable had air holes in the side which let them whistle when fully cooked!

Finally, in 2008 people were amazed to see a BBC film of Adélie penguins flying across the Antarctic on their way to spend the winter in the rainforests of South America. This became one of the most viewed videos on the internet. Totally fake.

With the boundaries between ridiculous and reality becoming ever more blurred, I suspect that spotting the fake story this year might prove more challenging than ever!

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Quirky Britain

By Kate McLelland

Britain’s Strangest Museums

‘Dippy’ the diplodocus – the replica plaster cast skeleton of a long-necked, long-tailed dinosaur – is currently touring the UK, having given up his traditional place as the centrepiece of the great hall at London’s Natural History Museum.

We visit museums to view those rare treasures that we could not expect to see anywhere else and Dippy is typical of the sort of highprofile exhibit the public will queue for hours to see. But not all museums can boast exhibits with Dippy’s ‘star quality’: some have built their reputation on being quirky, different and … well, perhaps even a little eccentric. Here are some British museums that are proud to offer a rather different experience to visitors.

Derwent Pencil Museum, Keswick (derwentart.com) Yes, that’s right … it’s a museum dedicated to the humble pencil. There’s a good reason for the museum’s location, as Keswick was the first area in Britain where graphite was mined to make pencils. Visitors to the museum can enjoy a wide range of pencil-related exhibits, from a secret pencil collection dating from the Second World War to a giant eight metre long crayon which has entered the Guinness Book of Records as the longest colouring pencil in the world.

Cuckooland, Knutsford (cuckoolandmuseum.com) No, it’s not a museum full of stuffed cuckoos. The birds in question are the wooden kind, that always appear on the hour. This impressive collection of 600 cuckoo clocks was put together by brothers Roman and Maz Piekarski, who began training as clock makers in Manchester at the age of fifteen and developed a lifelong interest in the cuckoo clock. Since that time they have bought and renovated rare and notable examples from the Black Forest area of Germany, amassing a world-class collection.

Lawnmower World, Southport (lawnmowerworld.co.uk) Ah, the smell of freshly-cut grass! Except you’re probably more likely to detect the aroma of engine oil and polish in this quirky museum dedicated to the lawnmower.

At Lawnmower World you’ll find over 250 lawnmowers on show, ranging from the very first examples ever made to a high-tech, robot lawnmower. In a unique twist on celebrity spotting, you can get close to several VIP lawnmowers, including one given to Prince Charles and Princess Diana as a wedding present.

The Museum of Witchcraft & Magic, Boscastle (museumofwitchcraftandmagic.co.uk) This year this famous museum, dedicated to everything occult and supernatural, celebrates the sixtieth birthday of its premises in the sleepy Cornish village of Boscastle. Out of the 3,000 objects the museum holds, you will find the usual crystal balls, Ouija boards and broomsticks plus a wealth of unexpected items, such as amulets carried into battle by soldiers in World War One, a Hitler pincushion (promoted by Readers’ Digest magazine as a way of ‘hexing Hitler’) and even a charm for riches, made by placing three bees inside a bottle.

They may not feature the likes of Tutankhamun’s golden funerary mask or Shakespeare’s signet ring, but what these little museums lack in high-status exhibits they certainly make up for in terms of enthusiasm and engagement. Let’s hope they continue to amuse, entertain and inform us for many decades to come.

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Codeword 1

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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.

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Travel

Fire Blessing Bhutan Tucked away in the Himalaya, this small kingdom has boldly stepped into the twenty-first century, but cultural values remain at the heart of everyday life to ensure the ‘gross national happiness’ promised in the constitution. It’s a strong Buddhist culture punctuated by myriad festivals, but most dramatic perhaps is Thangbi Mani, the ‘fire blessing’ held in Bumthang, the country’s spiritual heartlands.

Soon after dawn on this special autumn day, townsfolk and farmers come from all directions, beautifully dressed in hand-woven gowns shimmering like rainbows. There are women with babies on their back, old people leaning on bamboo staffs, men in knee-length chequered gho and sweeping white cuffs, and garlands of children whose dark eyes sparkle with excitement.

They walk up the valley or tumble down the pinescented slopes to cross the footbridge, like one long line of ants suspended high above the river.

Meanwhile in the temple, monks offer fresh water to the gods and butter lamps flicker all around.

Now tingling in anticipation, the faithful pour into the monastery for the welcome dance, as village girls in their best finery shuffle on the flagstones to the rhythm of long horns and drums. There is much chanting and praying then suddenly something passes through the air and everyone rushes out into the nearby field, led by dignitaries and red-robed monks.

Just feet apart, two ominous haystacks are waiting and as more blessings rise under the deep blue

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By Solange Hando

sky an eerie silence falls upon the crowds, a human chain ready to break loose at the first spark. All is set for the purification rite and highlight of the year. Watched by thousands of eyes, the hay is set alight, smoke and ash filling the air, and in one massive surge young and old run through the flames to cleanse their sins and ensure good luck for the coming year. Friends drag each other through, toddlers hold on to their mothers and men pull up their collars to protect their hair.

Three times round then they come out, bubbling all over, ready for a fresh start. The flames die down as quickly as they started and great clouds of smoke drift downstream, bearing witness to a faith stronger than pain. Prayer wheels tinkle along the banks, Buddhist flags flutter in the breeze and now, in the valley sprinkled with apple trees and nodding buckwheat, the harvest will be good and the children healthy.

Back in the temple there are traditional jesters and masked dancers twirling barefoot on sun-baked stones, in a flurry of multi-coloured brocade and ‘thunderbolt steps’. Hoisted on the wall for a better view toddlers munch sunflower seeds, monks shelter from the midday heat under makeshift awnings and families gather around home-made offerings of marigolds and lucky chapattis to share with friends, as if nothing unusual had happened at all. The haystacks have vanished leaving just a patch of singed grass, and now in this bucolic land the river tumbles crystal clear as cymbals and gongs echo across the hills.

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n O s ’ t Wha In March

This is a small selection of the What’s On for the full listing please go to our website www.villagermag.com

1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 March Hare & Hounds Hash House Harriers 11am H5 are a social running and walking club for mixed abilities, meeting every week in the Bedfordshire area. The trail is set by our hare from a local pub and typically lasts 1 hour covering between 3 and 4 miles. Family and dog friendly. Full details of the trails can be found online or via email.

Email: info@h5hashers.org.uk Web: www.H5hashers.org.uk

2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 March Stevenage New Pathways 1-4pm Friends Meeting House Cuttys Lane, Stevenage £2 inc. hot drink & biscuits A friendly place to meet and talk over issues in a positive way. Maybe go for walks, bring in speakers, form a craft group. E: katiewilsonmind@gmail.com 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 March Stevenage Choral Society 7.45-9.45pm Stevenage Music Centre, Nobel School, Stevenage The society meets every Monday during term time.

Free the friendly choir with a free session. No audition necessary. Meet like-minded people of all ages and abilities. Try out a wide range of music, from the classics to show songs and be part of a friendly and supportive team, putting on excellent performances whilst having fun. Tel: 01438 365769 Email: info@stevenagechoral.org.uk Web: www.stevenagechoral.org.uk 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 March Staplers Country Dance Club 8-10pm St John’s Community Hall, Hitchin Staplers is a social folk dance club. It’s easy to start as all the dances are walked through first then called and you don’t need to come with a partner; lots of us come on our own. We are a friendly group and you will be made very welcome. Car parking is available next to the hall. Meets every Monday apart from bank holidays and some school holiday dates. Tel. 01462 624144 or 01462 680995 Web: www.staplers.org.uk 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 March Branch Out Social Club for Single People 8.30-11pm Cromwell Bar, The Sun Hotel, Hitchin Branch Out meets every Monday night and is a medium-sized social club for single people. The club organises regular events, such as dinners, discos, meals, parties, Sunday walks, theatre and concert visits, day and weekend trips and holidays.

Tel: Lorna 01438 233657 Web: www.branch-out.org.uk

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3 March The British Schools Museum Talk 7pm The British Schools Museum, 41/42 Queen Street, Hitchin Entry £8. ‘The Secret World of Charles Dickens:, a ‘magical’ talk’ by Ian Keable. Charles Dickens was an amateur conjurer for about seven years. The first half is an illustrated talk on how Dickens became a conjurer, which magicians inspired him and how his magic sheds light both on his character and his writings. The second half will be a performance of tricks from Dickens’ repertoire and tricks of contemporary magicians whom Dickens saw. Book online. Tel: 01462 420144 Website: www.britishschoolsmuseum.org.uk

4 March North Herts Association of National Trust 7.30pm Christchurch, Bedford Road, Hitchin Visitors £2. ‘Southwell Workhouse” by Stephen Marshall. Some background on the poor laws and social conditions in the early 1800s will set in context why it was built and how it operated. It was in social use until as recently as the 1980s though in a different format. Visitors welcome. Membership of National Trust not necessary. Second hand books and homemade preserves on sale.

Tel: Secretary Mrs Colette House 01462 815585 Email: colettehouse@gmail.com 5 March The Arts Society North Herts 11am-12.15pm Broadway Cinema and Theatre, Eastcheap, Letchworth Visitors £7 on the door. ‘Grinling Gibbons - Carver to the Crown’. Visitors welcome. Lift access.

Web: theartssocietynorthherts.org.uk 5, 12, 19 & 26 March The Hitchin Thursday Club 9.30am-12 noon St John’s Community Hall, Hitchin A friendly group which meets every Thursday morning for recreational painting, drawing, etc. The group is very easy going in its attitude to art - only doing your own thing. Still Life and raffle every month. No qualifications required - just come along with your drawing gear and you’ll receive a very warm welcome. Tel: Pauline 01767 315553 5, 12, 19 & 26 March Stevenage Bridge Club 7.30pm Priory Nursery, Stanmore Road, Old Stevenage To play Duplicate Bridge. A host system is run to find partners, if required. A wide level of ability play at the club.

Tel: Phil Cooper 07957 813434

5, 12, 19 & 26 March Roundabouters Country Dance Club 8-10pm Friends Meeting House, Cuttys Lane, Stevenage £3, annual membership £5. Friendly club for English country dancing – enjoyable, easy to learn and very sociable. We welcome new members, both beginners and experienced, couples and individuals.

All dances walked through; club and guest callers ensure a varied programme. Tel: 01438 727239 Email: roundabouters@live.co.uk Web: www.roundabouters.org.uk 5, 12, 19 & 26 March Stevenage Plus Social Group 8.15pm for 8.30pm Holiday Inn Express (opposite Matalan), Stevenage £2 - first night free. Stevenage Plus Social Group is a fun and friendly social group with members in their 30s and 40s from Stevenage, North Herts and surrounding areas. We have a varied programme of events on Thursday and Saturday evenings as well as day trips and weekends away. New members always welcome. Tel: 01438 231550.

Email: welcome@stevenage.plus Web: www.stevenageplus.co.uk 5, 12, 19 & 26 March Sapphire Social Club 8.30pm The Orange Tree, Hitchin A small and friendly group for single people generally aged 50 and above, offering a variety of social events during the month and the opportunity to meet and make new friends. Potential new members are warmly welcome to come along with no joining fee for the first two months.

Tel: Joyce 07952 678021 or Ian 07900 890583 for info Web: www.sapphiresocialsinglesclub.co.uk 6 March LGBT Meet up and Support Group 7-10pm The Radcliffe Arms, Hitchin Meets first Friday of each month.

Email: katiewilsonmind@gmail.com Find us on Facebook Hitchin LGBT 6 March RSPB Hitchin & Letchworth Local Group 7.30pm ‘The Settlement’, Nevells Road, Letchworth Garden City Local group members free, Visitors £3 ‘Amphibians and Reptiles’ with Helen Muir-Howie.

Helen will show us how to identify all the British reptiles and amphibians and will inform us about their biology and habitat requirements.

Tel: 01763 249459 Email: martinrjspc@hotmail.com

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n O s ’ t Wha In March

Deadline for What’s On entries is the 12th of the previous month.

What’s on entries to whatson@villagermag.com

6, 13, 20 & 27 March Springfield House Friday Bridge Club 1.30pm Springfield House (the home of the Old Stevenage Community Centre) To play cut-in Chicago Bridge. Play is informal and friendly. Tel: Richard Bean 01438 221517 7 March The Signals Museum Open Day 10am-4pm The Signals Museum at RAF Henlow is open to the public. Entry is free but official photo ID is required to get an entry ticket from the Guardroom. Web: www.rafsignalsmuseum.org.uk 10 & 24 March Hitchin & District Probus Club 12 noon for 1pm Priory Hotel, Hitchin Social club for retired and semi-retired professional and business men which meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month for lunch. Organised visits and events throughout the year. New members welcome.

Tel: Roger Burt 01438 351891 Email: roger@mazda20.plus.com 14 March Weston Music Society Concert 7.30pm Weston Parish Church, SG4 7DJ Tickets £16 all three concerts £40 inc. programme & interval drink, 19-25 years £5, under 19s free Sean Shibe, guitar, returns to entertain us with a great programme including a selection of Scottish lute manuscripts and works by Bach, Gubaidulina, and Fennessy. Call or email to reserve tickets.

Tel: 01462 790573 Email: felicitylowe@yahoo.co.uk Web: www.westonmusicsociety.org.uk

15 March RSPB Hitchin & Letchworth Local Group Trip Coach trip to Attenborough GP NWT (joint trip with RSPB Stevenage LG). GP NWT (Joint trip with RSPB Stevenage LG). We will stroll along the banks of the River Trent and the adjacent gravel pits and woodland looking for early summer visitors and late departing winter visitors. Pick-ups Stevenage 7.35am, Hitchin 7.45am and Letchworth 8.00am.

Leader: Martin Johnson. Tel: 01763 249459 Email: martinrjspc@hotmail.com 17 March Stevenage RSPB Local Group 7.30pm The Friends Meeting House, Cutty’s Lane, Stevenage RSPB Members £3, Non-members £4, Under 18s 50p. Colin Kirtland is widely travelled and this evening he presents a talk entitled ‘Israel from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea’.

Tel: 01438 226014 Web: www.rspb.org/groups/Stevenage

18 March Hitchin Flower Club 7 for 7.30pm Church House, Church Yard, Hitchin Visitors £6.50. Tel: Michelle 01462 637874 Facebook: Hitchin Flower Club-NAFAS 21 March Join the Dots Forest School Great Wymondley Village, near Hitchin For children 2+ years, with additional dates in school holidays. Come and join our fun filled sessions involving games, den building, flora and fauna identification and much more. 2-5 years, 10.30am-12.30pm £12, siblings £10. 6-9 years, 1.15-4pm £20, siblings £18. Everyone welcome.

Email: alison@jointhedotsforestschool.co.uk Website: www.jointhedotsforestschool.co.uk

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26 March Stevenage RSPB Local Group car trip to RSPB Sandy 9.30am Morning walk through woodland, quarry and heath.

Meet in the car park at 9.30am. Leader Trevor Storey.

Grid Ref 153/TL192486. Postcode SG19 2DL. Tel: 01438 226014.

Web: ww2.rspb.org.uk/groups/stevenage 27 March Hitchin Book Club 5.30pm The Orange Tree, Hitchin £2.50. A friendly group who meets the last Friday of each month. No pressure to read books just turn up. www.meetup.com/Hitchin-Book-Club/ The British Schools Museum 41/42 Queen Street, Hitchin Adults £5.50, Children 5-17 £3, Under 5s free The British Schools Museum open for public visits. Check website for opening hours, special activities and extra opening times during school holidays. Discounts available for family groups. It is recommended that allow at least two hours for your visit. On the first Sunday of each month enjoy a Victorian lesson at no extra charge. Lessons start at 2.30 and 3.30pm - don’t be late! Advance booking is recommended. Tel: 01462 420144 Website: www.britishschoolsmuseum.org.uk Hitchin Bridge Club Hitchin Bridge Club plays duplicate bridge several times each week. All levels of experience welcomed, hosts are available at some sessions for players without a partner. Workshops each month on topics for improving players. Beginners courses are run every year starting in October. For further information please contact Margaret or visit the website Tel: Margaret 01462 623447 Email: mee.hitchin@ntlworld.com Web: hitchinbridgeclub.org.uk

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Crossword Solution for The Villager February Edition Last Month’s Crossword Winner - Donald Brightley from Hitchin Bluesky Competition Winner - Peter Jennison (Hitchin), Adam Brookman (Sandy), Cheryl Jeffrey (Shefford), Carol Clapham (St Neots), Suzanne Kay (Stevenage) and Yvonne Sowerby (Bedford)

February’s Codeword and Suduko Solutions

Easy

Hard

Advertising in The Villager is easy.

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The Villager Prize Crossword

Prize

ÂŁ25

Across 1. Bewitched (7) 5. Trimmed (5) 8. Loosens (5) 9. Evil (7) 10. Vertical (13) 11. Without trouble (6) 12. Teeth (6) 15. Display (13) 18. Detonate (7) 19. Business transactions (5) 20. Stairs (5) 21. Destroys hearing (7)

Complete the crossword, fill in your details below, cut out this page and send to the address below before

16th March 2020 Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP

Down 1. Crawl (5) 2. Soaks up (7) 3. Sundry items (13) 4. Split (6) 5. Book of facts (13) 6. Guttural noise (5) 7. Arid regions (7) 11. Perpetual (7) 13. Shake briskly (7) 14. To be present at (6) 16. Type of syrup (5) 17. Facial features (5)

Name: Tel:

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Books

Book Review The Binding

by Bridget Collins

In Emmett Farmer’s world, it’s possible to forget the pain of your past. All you have to do is tell your story to a binder, who’ll lock it away in a book.

But as apprentice-binder Emmett soon discovers, not all stories are meant to be forgotten.

A highly original book that deftly combines fantasy, historical fiction and romance into one captivating tale.

Grandmothers

by Salley Vickers

Three different women find their paths crossing. Wealthy Blanche has developed a compulsion for shoplifting after being banned from seeing her grandchildren. Poet Nan is planning her funeral and isn’t afraid to speak her mind, but she has a blind spot when it comes to her grandson. And then finally there’s shy Minna, who’s in danger of losing the only person she really cares about. A beautiful, quiet book that looks at family life in all its complexities.

Our Planet: The One Place We Call Home

by Matt Whyman and Richard Jones

This children’s companion to last year’s Netflix hit is sure to prove popular with young nature buffs. Stunning photography and illustrations accompany short, easily digestible paragraphs of text. Our Planet educates and inspires in equal measure. As Sir David Attenborough says, ‘You will be among the next characters who can, if they wish, tell the most extraordinary story of all – how human beings in the twenty-first century came to their senses and started to protect Planet Earth.’

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By Kate Duggan

The Green Roasting Tin: Vegan and Vegetarian One Dish Dinners

by Rukmini Iyer

If you’ve been inspired to eat more meat-free meals, but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen, this is a useful reference book to have on hand. It’s gained numerous positive reviews in the last two years, and for good reason. Each of the seventy-five recipes is designed to make cooking healthy, tasty meals as easy as possible. In most cases, each dish takes just ten minutes to prepare. Recipes include ‘Miso Aubergines with Tofu, Sesame & Chilli’ and ‘Squash & Gorgonzola Tart with Figs & Pecans’.

The Book of Echoes

by Rosanna Amaka

A young black man struggles to come to terms with a devastating tragedy in 1980s England. Meanwhile, a girl in Nigeria tries to build a better life for herself against the odds. As the pair resist following the paths laid out for them, they’re watched over by the ghost of a murdered woman. A gripping, thought-provoking debut novel.

Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister

By Jung Chang

While it’s a bit heavy going in parts, Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister is a fascinating insight into three of the most powerful women in Chinese history. Ching-ling, wife of Sun Yatsen, became Mao’s vice-chair. It placed her in direct opposition to her two sisters – May-ling (Madame Chiang Kai-shek), who was the first lady of Nationalist China, and Ei-ling, Chiang’s unofficial main adviser and one of China’s wealthiest citizens.

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